When I was a kid, my dad would always bring home a souvenir when he went travelling, which was maybe once or twice a quarter. Most of the time, he didn't get to actually go anywhere but airport or hotel. When this was the case, he brought home a Harley Davidson Tshirt of the local dealership since most have a store in the airport. This brought an obsession for Harleys into my life.

Today, at age 23, I sat on one and fired it up for the first time. 2 weeks from now, I will own one without a doubt.

At this point, I need all the new rider advice you can give me. Besides "take a class". I've already signed up for that.

Shooting for a Dyna. But I really don't understand the difference in all of the glides: wide, street, super, fat bob (besides the tire difference)...

Thanks for all the help you can provide!!

 

Go to a dealership and look at all the different models. That's one of the best ways to see them and their differences.

 

I did that today, but I really didn't notice much difference in the Super Glide and Wide Glide. Plus there is a lot to take in, ya know?

 

Welcome

 

Rent some and ride me before u buy. That us the best way to decide what u will like.

 

First bike? Always keep in mind that a motorcycle is a want, not a need. After that:

Go down to the dealer and sit on all of them. Find one that fits (feet on the floor, easy reach to the controls, comfortable seating position). Once you find one that fits you, keep that fit in mind for the next step: Finding one that appeals to you.

Since all bikes are able to be modified to fit an individual (with varying costs), find one that appeals to you that comes close to the one that fit you. Finding one that fits right and appeals to you eliminates a lot of the modification cost to get it to fit.

Other things to consider:
What do you plan on doing with the bike? Long trips--a bike with a six gallon tank is probably better than the peanut on the 883 (not to say the 883 can't tour, since I've done trips over 2600 miles with a 3 gallon tank in the past).
Bar hopping--a touring bike isn't good for this, not as maneuverable in tight quarters as one of the smaller bikes.
Want to go fast--V-Rod (or lots of mods to any of the other bikes HD makes).

In any case, find one you like. Don't think you have to start with a Sporty because it's a smaller bike, get the bike you want. If you really want to learn on a small bike before getting the bike you really want, pick up a used Honda Shadow or Rebel. Learn on it, drop it a few times, fix it up a few times, then sell it for about what you paid. If you settle for a lesser HD than you really want, you'll regret it and lose your shorts when you trade it back in in a month or so in order to buy the bike you really wanted.

If you really want a Dyna, get a Dyna and don't worry about the others.

 

Thanks Mike. Good word. I've heard a lot say, "get a small bike to learn on", but even with the forward controls it seems like I'm eating a knee sandwich. What are some good resources for learning about the bike? How to work on it, what to improve first, tricks on staying alive, etc. I need some lingo help to fit in around here!

 

Sounds like the OP fits the target demographics for a Street.

 

I would highly recommend renting a couple different bikes. Each one for a full day of riding.

 

I have to agree with this. hondas are cheap and plentiful. Maybe find a buddy with a bike to try out or something? I would also consider buying a used bike for your first, you won't lose as much if you decide to trade it in early