Motorcycle culture is a funny thing. Most of us here are focused on what’s new, what’s cool, and for the unfortunate few, what makes us seem tough. While most of us on this website are here for American V-Twin products, let us not forget where a lot of us started. Here at Direct Cycle Parts you can buy parts for anything on two wheels, and a lot of things with four. While we can all get caught up on where we are now or even where we want to go, let’s take a look back at where we came from.

For many of us, our fascination with the two wheel world probably started on a birthday or during the Christmas season. Under a bow or hiding behind some haphazardly scattered decorations, your freedom machine most likely came equipped with knobby tires, suited for off-road adventures. For some of you the riding never stopped from there. For others, that fascination took a break. Maybe it was your first car, college, a new career, or even starting a family. You didn’t mean to let go of this passion but as they say, life happens.

So how did you get back in? Did you plop down north of $40,000 for a CVO special from the MoCo or were you more sensible? While the glitz and glam of this industry focuses on celebrity builders, tough personas and 80’s rock cover bands, let’s talk about your roots. The sensibly cheap motorcycle. A few weeks ago, I read an article asking where all the cheap motorcycles went. It was a well written piece that basically described the best deals in motorcycling were found in the Japanese cruiser market.

Don’t worry, I can see your eye rolls through the word document I’m typing this blog on right now. You wouldn’t dare be caught on a “foreign” V-Twin bike. They are sensible, inexpensive, and while their styling isn’t always on point, one thing you can rely on is their typically incredible reliability. To each their own I say. Say what you will, but a Victory or Indian motorcycle is still a decidedly American motorcycle and on the used market, they can be found as bargains.

You didn’t start on a Victory or Indian or even a Honda VTX1300 though did you? What if you started where so many cruiser riders did, on my personal favorite bike, the Harley-Davidson Sportster. While prices on everything have ticked up lately, in my area of the south a nice used Sportster is going to run you anywhere from $2500-4000. A quick search through the site and you can have any Sportster customized to your needs on the cheap!

I know I know, “but that’s a girls bike!” ok sure. Build one for the woman in your life. Build three. Just like that car or truck from high school that you so desperately wish you had back, I promise you, if you bought and built up a Sportster it’ll bring out the kid in you again. It doesn’t have to be your only bike. It doesn’t have to replace a bike. Heck, it doesn’t even have to be a Sportster. Just hop on something cheap!

I have a rule that I have lived by for a long time. You can own as many bikes as you want but none of them can cost you over $5,000. Due to the recent increases in used bike prices I have adjusted that number to $6,000, but you get my point. My garage is currently setting at seven motorcycles and besides the shovelhead chopper that I built part by part over a span of 6 years, none of them put a larger dent in my pocket than 54 one hundred-dollar bills. We won’t get into the parts budget that went into them after the purchase, but isn’t that the point of having a website like this one with millions of parts at low prices?

So get out there. Hit up the local classifieds, Facebook marketplace, and if you’re really brave and enjoy a good scam from time to time, Craigslist. Buy it cheap, get a vision, make a parts list. Order here online,  or even give our experienced sales team a call. They even offer tech support if you forget the good ole “righty tighty”. We’re family here at Direct Cycle Parts. Let’s build something great (and affordable!) together! Remember, motorcycles are supposed to be fun. Let’s keep it that way.