By Keith Nivon

• Need a Harley Davidson part for your ride?
• Where do you get a good quality Harley Davidson Part? Can I use an aftermarket part?

These questions are not easy to answer. It depends a lot on your situation, part you're looking for, and the money you want to spend.
The bottom line—you have to decide.
I have a little information here that may be useful to you, so keep reading!
An OEM part versus an aftermarket part.

OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts are the genuine Harley Davidson parts you would find at an authorized Harley dealer. These parts are original in that they have the exact same specifications that came with the original part. These parts however many not have been manufactured by Harley Davidson themselves (at their physical location). Harley may get another company to manufacture these parts to Harley specs, and then they will sell them in the Harley box as OEM.

OEM parts are generally more expensive, and almost always recommended by the dealer. (They make their money by selling parts not bikes.) The dealer will most likely tell you that OEM parts are of a higher quality. This may or may not be true.

An aftermarket part should perform as well as an OEM, but take note: These parts were made by a company other than the original manufacturer.

Some time after a certain time period the original manufacturer of a part will allow the company that physically manufactured the part to sell it at a reduced price and in their own packaging. The part now becomes an OEM aftermarket part.

So what does this tell you about that Harley Davidson part that you need?

If you cannot find the quality in an aftermarket part, then search for the OEM provided it is in your price range. There is a lot of competition out there between vendors that want your dollar. An aftermarket Harley part, for your Harley Davidson is generally of good to excellent quality.

If you own a Harley, sooner or later you will have to buy parts for it. Buying online has its conveniences and you don't have to go downtown and fight traffic.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Keith Nivon is an avid Harley Davidson Motorcycle Enthusiast! His website contains information on all things Harley Davidson. http://www.everything-halrley-davidson.com/ is a great article resource for anyone who shares a passion for Harley Davidson Motorcycles. Have a look at http://www.everything-harley-davidson.com/harley-davidson-part.html for more info on parts.