Dave, your bike looks good as it is. But if you need to make it your own, by all means do it. This bike will last forever if you take care of her. Kai

If you read all of these posts (like I just did) you get a very honest and straightforward answer.

#1 SAFETY
#2 SMILE

as long as you are safe and it puts a smile on your face, you can't go wrong!

Resale value on motorcycles is a myth perpetuated by people who sell more expensive motorcycles than Roadstars. Even more idiotic is the notion of "Return On Investment". You can hear that kind of sales pitch on some showroom floors every day, but a quick browse of CraigsList for used units (of ANY brand) will shatter that all to hell & back in pretty short order.

No matter what you paid for your bike or put into it, if you're keeping it for life the only monetary concern you should have is what you can afford to do to your bike for whatever reason you see fit.

Many of us around here have twice or more into our bikes than we originally paid for them and very few of us care. It's not because we're so filthy rich that money is no object, it's mostly because we love what we ride and see what we spend as just part of the deal with ownership. As far as what you'll stuff into it on repairs & the actual cost of long-term ownership, a Roadstar is just about the cheapest big twin on the planet.

Make it your own as cash flow allows & enjoy the hell out of it, just like the rest of us.

BubbaKahuna wrote:
Resale value on motorcycles is a myth perpetuated by people who sell more expensive motorcycles than Roadstars. Even more idiotic is the notion of "Return On Investment". You can hear that kind of sales pitch on some showroom floors every day, but a quick browse of CraigsList for used units (of ANY brand) will shatter that all to hell & back in pretty short order.

No matter what you paid for your bike or put into it, if you're keeping it for life the only monetary concern you should have is what you can afford to do to your bike for whatever reason you see fit.

Many of us around here have twice or more into our bikes than we originally paid for them and very few of us care. It's not because we're so filthy rich that money is no object, it's mostly because we love what we ride and see what we spend as just part of the deal with ownership. As far as what you'll stuff into it on repairs & the actual cost of long-term ownership, a Roadstar is just about the cheapest big twin on the planet.

Make it your own as cash flow allows & enjoy the hell out of it, just like the rest of us.

Well said Jeff!!! Transportation is NEVER an "investment" It's either a perceived necessity, or and indulgence. Motorcycles are most assuredly the latter for the overwhelming majority of people. An indulgence, by definition is something that you don't NEED, but WANT.

Who the hell sells a motorcycle anyway??

BubbaKahuna wrote:
Resale value on motorcycles is a myth perpetuated by people who sell more expensive motorcycles than Roadstars. Even more idiotic is the notion of "Return On Investment". You can hear that kind of sales pitch on some showroom floors every day, but a quick browse of CraigsList for used units (of ANY brand) will shatter that all to hell & back in pretty short order.

No matter what you paid for your bike or put into it, if you're keeping it for life the only monetary concern you should have is what you can afford to do to your bike for whatever reason you see fit.

Many of us around here have twice or more into our bikes than we originally paid for them and very few of us care. It's not because we're so filthy rich that money is no object, it's mostly because we love what we ride and see what we spend as just part of the deal with ownership. As far as what you'll stuff into it on repairs & the actual cost of long-term ownership, a Roadstar is just about the cheapest big twin on the planet.

Make it your own as cash flow allows & enjoy the hell out of it, just like the rest of us. What he said

jd750ace wrote:

Who the hell sells a motorcycle anyway??

I sold my 1986 Kawasaki Police 1000 (ex-CHiP pursuit bike) when it hit 168,000 miles because it was getting to the point of 'fill up the oil & check the gas'. I sold it for $50 more than I paid for it 16 years earlier at the police auction so I guess I won the Motorcycle ROI Lottery.

PB, your assessment is right on the money. Your post should be required reading for any newbies searching this site for Roadstar info. My opinion is that if your only going to own one motorcycle for general use then the Roadstar is the winner hands down. You can't buy more "bang for the buck" than a Roadstar. pobasturd wrote:
These bikes are fine as they come from the factory, you don't need to do anything except maintenance and fixing what's broken. In fact, the less you do, the more value your bike will retain should you change you mind and want to sell. Few people ever recoup the cost of their modifications. There are a few things you can do for comfort and dependability, but outside of those it's largely self-serving. Which is fine as long as you have no illusions about it. The Road Star by nature is a poser bike. It's not a touring bike, though it can be turned into a capable one. It's not a commuter, as motorcycles go the gas mileage is poor. It's not a sportbike, but there are lots of high performance parts for it. It's just a big cruiser, and there are plenty of other makes with big cruisers. Some are faster, some more comfortable, some better looking. See , the Road Star is not really great at anything, but it's good about a lot of things. Their value and dependability are hard to beat.

These bikes can fulfill your life in so many ways. I always tell people my sport is motorcycle riding and my hobby is working on them. I don't go bowling or hang out in bars or collect postage stamps. Motorcycles are all I need. Now that may be a bridge too far for some, but that's the deal for me.

I've been doing my own thing for awhile and love it !