Choosing the Right Harley
There is such a wide variety of bikes to choose from when you’re shopping for a Harley-Davidson® motorcycle that it can be hard to narrow it down to just one that feels right for you. You’ll feel confident knowing that regardless of what model you decide on, you’re guaranteed to have a stylish bike that is smooth, handles well, and provides superior performance like no other brand in the market.
At The Cycle Exchange, we’ve got a massive selection of new and used Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Feel free to give us a call or visit our dealership locations in Ledgewood and Andover, New Jersey near New York City, New York!
Style
One of the many highly desired qualities that Harley-Davidson bikes are known for is their classic yet edgy American style that sets the standard for the motorcycle industry as a whole. Whether you’re intrigued by a modern muscle bike or a throwback chopper or bobber, Harley has a bike for every rider’s individual style. It’s important to remember that even if you don’t find the ideal fit for your style, Harley has virtually no limits on the available customization options. You can easily buy a model and deck it out to fit your personal style. For example, touring bikes are generally known for their function over style but you have the option to upgrade by customizing the handlebars, wheels, fenders, and anything else you can possibly think of.
Feel
Style is important, but what counts even more is a smooth ride that handles well. If you’re the kind of person who prefers seamless rides then you can’t go wrong with a Harley, specifically a model from the Softail® family. These bikes come equipped with hidden rear shocks so you won’t feel all those bumps and jolts in the road. As an added bonus, many of the newer models have completely counterbalanced engines for an even smoother ride. Softails are an excellent option for riders who value a casual but smooth commute.
Maybe you’re more hardcore and prefer a bit of a stiffer ride on a bike that’ll go the distance and tear up the pavement in the process. Believe it or not, a Softail might still be a good bet. You can customize your bike so it has a stiffer frame that’ll ensure your bike rides longer and harder. The Dyna® family is another great option when you want to adjust the feel of your bike. These models ride fairly smooth and aren’t hard to handle but you can easily improve the performance so that your vision of the perfect bike is just a couple adjustments away.
Performance
Performance tends to be the biggest concern when choosing a bike. The level of performance you’ll need depends on what type of riding you’ll be doing and how you’ll need the bike to perform in order to accomplish these type of rides. There are two main types of bikes: cruisers and touring bikes. Cruisers are built more for style and casual commutes. The Sportster® is an excellent example of a bike that is dripping in style and can handle a good couple of hours on the road. These bikes have a high cool factor, but they aren’t often used for long-distance trips.
If you plan on doing a fair share of long-distance riding, better known as touring, you’ll require slightly different equipment. Harley-Davidson actually has an entire line of touring motorcycles built for those riders who travel the country on their bike. These bikes tend to be a bit heavier due to the higher need for endurance and stability on the road. With a touring bike, you’ll get lots of extra padding so you won’t be tired and uncomfortable after countless hours of riding. Of course, Harley has plenty of other models to choose from, but for the most part, they tend to fall somewhere in between these two popular styles. You’ll want to consider how much commuting vs. touring you will do before choosing a bike.
When you’re choosing a Harley, there’s a lot of factors to consider. Always keep in mind that if there happens to be one or two things you don’t like about a particular model, you can switch it out later to better suit your style and performance needs. If you’re ready to start checking out some models, come on down to one of The Cycle Exchange locations in Ledgewood and Andover, New Jersey near New York City, New York!