I have recently purchased a Kawasaki VN900 and like the idea of adding some extras to give the bike a bit of character.
It is down to cost really. The Kawasaki parts are very expensive and there is a lot of cheaper aftermarket parts on the internet.
On the internet it is impossible to judge the quality of the parts. Has any one bought aftermarket bike accessories on the internet ?
Were you pleased or dissapointed.
I know the phrase that you get what you pay for but I am interested in the quality of the parts on offer rather than one liners, if the quality is poor then I won't bother.
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I'm not sure what the situation is with "metric cruisers" as the Yanks call 'em, but my experience with Harleys over 20 years tells me that there's often little to choose between the OEM parts and the *reputable* aftermarket stuff, apart from the price.
Obviously if you go to a main dealer you'll pay top dollar, but at least if it don't fit or work properly you've got a fair chance of getting your money back; no different to car bits really.
I would suggest you find a site specific to your bike first, and read what other owners have to say.
Try this guy BTW; been around for a long time and has a good reputation.
www.customcruisers.com/
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I have checked out the website and looks very promising. I was tempted to buy a Harley but I have only passed my test in the last year at age 54 I felt that the metric cruiser was the way to go. I have promised myself a Harley for my 60th birtday.
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Generally speaking, Harleys have better residual values. That is not to say that there is anything wrong with the Jap stuff, in fact even I as a die-hard Harley owner of 20 years standing can appreciate that in some ways the Japanese stuff is actually superior.
I have heard good reports of the Kawasaki Drifter if you like the retro styling thing; whatever you buy I would strongly recommend either shaft or belt final drive, so much cleaner and less hassle than a chain.
Oldest active riding member in my Harley club is 87, BTW, so you've still got a fair bit of time to catch up! ;-)
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