Five great used Harley-Davidsons for under $25K 

New Harley-Davidson models often command premium prices, but you might be surprised to see what a $25,000 budget can get you when it comes to buying a used example.

Often emulated but never beaten, Harley-Davidsons have a distinctive look and sound all their own, with a throbbing V-twin beat at idle that – with some prudent exhaust selection – can build to an ear-splitting roar under acceleration.

Then there’s the rich history and heritage that’s part and parcel of the Harley-Davidson lifestyle, which its devotees swear by.

So, if you’re intent on parking a pre-loved Hog in the shed, here are some ideas for what 25 large can get you…

Harley's first double-cam water-cooled 60-degree V-twin got a helping hand from Porsche during its development, before being slipped into the VR1000 Superbike for a crack at the US domestic AMA title.

And while the campaign wasn’t that successful, a relative of that engine found its way into the frame of the V-Rod.

Falling under Harley’s Cruiser umbrella and with up to 105hp (77kW) at the rear wheel, the V-Rod sold from 2001 to 2017. Initially the engine was 1131cc before increasing to 1247cc from 2007 on, at all times driving through a five-speed 'box and sending power to the rear wheel via a belt drive. The fuel tank is located under the seat; the ‘tank’ you see is in fact a cover for the airbox.

Harley built the low-slung, fat-rear-tyred V-Rod as a platform for drag racing, and while its design an liquid-cooled V-twin were contentious for the Harley faithful of the day, the VRSC model went on to secure a niche in the Harley history books all its own, and plenty of fans.

Several variants were produced: the Night Rod, Night Rod Special, Muscle, Screamin' Eagle, Street Rod and Destroyer, and for under our $25,000 limit you should be able to snare a 2014 V-Rod Muscle or even a 2003 100th anniversary edition. At the other end of the scale, we found a 2004 model for a shade under $15,000.

Related: 2001 Harley-Davidson V-Rod

View examples of the Harley-Davidson V-Rod and V-Rod Muscle currently listed for sale on bikesales

“I’ll be back.”

If the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy wasn’t popular enough already, its starring role in Terminator 2: Judgement Day when Arnie leapt over a bridge and into a storm drain is one of the most famous motorcycle scenes in cinematic history. That bike now sits in the H-D Museum in Milwaukee.

Based on the Softail frame, designed by Willie G. Davidson and Louie Netz and recognisable by its solid cast wheels, Harley-Davidson Fat Boy production started in 1990 with the 1340cc 'Evolution' V-twin, an engine that ran through to 1999.

The Twin Cam engine took over from there, with capacity increasing from 1450cc to 1690cc between 2000 to 2017, and then from 2018 began the reign of the Milwaukee-Eight. The Milwaukee-Eight started at 1746cc before jumping up to 1868cc, where it stands today with the Milwaukee-Eight 114. All are belt driven.

One of the brand’s biggest sellers, some say to go for the earliest model you can and as close to standard as possible, as they are the most likely to grow in value. Then again, how often do you come across a second-hand Harley that's still in standard trim?

The 2018 update was significant, the model scoring a new Softail frame, new Showa suspension, and the first Milwaukee-Eight 107, the collective result being a major handling and performance boost, with markedly less vibration.

There is no shortage of second-hand Harley-Davidson Fat Boy models on the market and we found a 1992 example for $19,000. But if the thought of an early bike scares you, scraping in under our budget was a 2018 Fat Boy 107 with ABS for $24,000.

Related: 2017 Harley-Davidson Touring range launch review

View examples of the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy 96, Fat Boy 100th Anniversary, Fat Boy 103 and Fat Boy 107 currently listed for sale on bikesales

This is the sportiest production bike to wear the Harley-Davidson ‘bar and shield’, with muscly American flat-track racer looks and performance to match.

The 1200cc, fuel-injected, 45-degree V-twin with belt drive and a five-cog 'box first saw the light of day at the 2006 Intermot show in Germany and its production run went from 2008 to 2012. It has been a favourite of fans of the American brand, who want to do more than just cruise down the open road or bar hop around town.

Adding cred to its racer look is the sports chassis and optimised geometry by way of a 43mm inverted fork, a dual-side, cast-aluminium swingarm with twin coil-over shocks and adjustable preload, giving it agility and stability.

The brakes comprise twin front discs with four-piston Nissin calipers grabbing 292mm rotors, along with a single 260mm disc down back with single-piston caliper.

Completing the package are lightweight three-spoke alloy wheels, an 18-inch job up front with a 17-inch rear, wrapped in fairly sticky D209 Dunlop Qualifier tyres.

It just begs you to lean it over and attack the corners, hard.

A hunt through bikesales revealed that most on sale are hovering around the high teens, with varying mileage under the wheels.

Related: Harley-Davidson releases XR1200 in Europe

View examples of the Harley-Davidson XR1200 and XR1200X currently listed for sale on bikesales

The Super Glide is considered by many to be the quintessential Harley. Hefty and festooned with acres of chrome, these bikes are becoming quite the collector’s item.

Built from 1991 to 2018 and based on the Dyna frame, the Super Glide kicked off with the FX series, blending some of the Sportster’s front-end components with a Big Twin chassis.

It also served duty as a mid-point in the Harley range for a while, although its mid-mounted rather than forward-mounted foot controls weren’t for everyone, especially those on the taller side, while the low-slung seat also perhaps favoured those shorter of leg.

But the riding posture, with its slightly aggressive edge, is suitable both for attacking the bends with gusto or simply rolling down the highway. Suspension comprises a chunky 49mm fork and a coil-over rear shocks.

The air-cooled Twin Cam V-twin models range from 1450cc to 1585cc; they’re rubber mounted to mute vibration, while final drive is handled by a long-wearing belt.

Slowing the show, with its considerable wet weight, is a single 300mm disc up front with a 292cc disc at the back. Later models came with ABS.

In 2018 the Dyna platform was discontinued, with some variants transferred to the Softail line-up.

Expect to pay anywhere upwards of $10,000 for an early example and closer to our full budget for a later model.

Related: Harley-Davidson 35th Anniversary Super Glide (2006)

View examples of the Harley-Davidson Super Glide 1450, Super Glide 1584 and Super Glide Custom 1584 currently listed for sale on bikesales

Another one of Harley’s finest models is the Harley-Davidson Road King, and for maximum bang for your bucks look to the models that ran from 2010 to 2016. A big, comfy touring bike in the truest sense of the word, on a grand scale.

Powering these Road King models is a torquey, fuel-injected 1690cc V-twin, the Twin Cam 103, with a six-speed gearbox.

The tubular mild steel frame has a 26-degree rake with adjustable twin shocks at the rear with adjustment to cater for the load. With a low 715mm seat height, a broad saddle, and plenty of room for two, it’s a recipe for eating up the miles in comfort.

The Road King’s overall low centre of gravity combined with its wide ‘bars make it surprisingly manoeuvrable at low speeds, despite its 2400mm length and 368kg running weight.

On the braking front there’s a single disc at each end backed by ABS, while 16-inch chrome lace steel wheels come standard, along with electronic cruise control.

The Road King got a minor update in 2014 before the big shift came with the arrival of the Milwaukee-Eight in 2018.

A flick through bikesales revealed a plethora of standard and modified models within our budget.

Related: 2014 Harley-Davidson Touring range

View examples of the Harley-Davidson Road King 103 currently listed for sale on bikesales

This article was originally published on July 22, 2022.