Hello!

I had some questions regarding buying a Fat Bob or Street Bob and what you guys had to say.

I'm 25 and having just bought my first house with the wife, we're looking at bikes as our next goal. Now, I've talked to probably a dozen people I know who ride and they all seem to give one of two pieces of advice. One camp says to buy something smaller to start, the other says just to test a couple and buy whatever feels right.

I'm about average size, 5'10 200 lbs, so I don't see why I couldn't start with a Dyna over a Sportster. I get the feeling if I start small, I'll want t get rid of it next year and buy what I could have got to begin with.

What do you all think?

 

I'm in the start with what you like camp for cruisers, sport bikes a different animal. I also think it depends on your personality, if you know you can take it easy on the larger bike without "testing" your skills then go bigger. Word of caution though, the sportsers are faster than you think...

Also take the MSF saftey course, worth every penny and minute of time.

 

My first suggestion to you - don't view a Sporster as a starter bike for a dyna or anything else. That is a common mischaracterization of a sportster. It's a different bike and yes it's smaller and lighter but it still has enough power to kill you if you aren't careful. There are 2 schools of thought when it comes to starting on a "smaller" bike. One school says to buy something easy to handle with not as much power. Buy it cheap and sell it when you are ready to move up. Nothing wrong with that. However, I went with the other school which says to get what you want, learn at your own pace to ride it and even take a rider course if needed. It really depends on your comfort level. I had never ridden anything but dirtbikes before but I had ridden a lot of them. Not the same as driving a big bike on the street by any means but it's 2 wheels vs. 4 in any case. I bought my bike, test rode it down an empty street behind the dealership and rode it home, over an hour at highway speeds and was totally comfortable with it.

 

Ask 100 more people and you'll get another 50 votes for each side. The arguments for/against starting with a small bike aren't going to change so I think you're just going to have to pick a side and go with it.

And yes, I'm aware that doesn't help you at all

 

Ditto on the MSF course, but not just for you. Have the wife take it too, even if she doesn't really want to ride solo. There may be a day when you drop the bike, break your ankle and need the wife to pilot it home.

As for the bike to get, I think a lot of the decision depends on confidence level. If you take the MSF course and are confident, get the bike you want for the long haul. No starter bike required.

If you plan on riding two up from the start, get a big twin. Sportsters can definitely handle two up riding, but they are top heavy to begin with. Adding a second rider only exacerbates the issue.

As you mentioned, my wife started with a Sportster and then traded to a Softail within a year. We lost money on the deal.

 

Im 5'11 and way too big for a sportster, especially if you are thinking of 2up.

If your thinking of separate bikes, get the sporty to start, then give it to her when your ready to move to a dyna or softie...

 

First bike I've ever ridden has been my Street Bob other than the converted Dirt Bike I got stuck on in my MSF class. I took the MSF class and bought my bike 2 wks later at a dealership 2 hrs from home. I was nervous as hell but I rode the bike home 2 hrs. I don't regret starting with a Dyna one bit. I know had I gotten a Sporty like many others I would have traded up by now. Most folks I know that start on a Sporty last about 6 mths to a yr and then trade up to a Dyna or a Sloptail.

 

At your size don't even think about a sportster'specially if the wife will ride with you IMO.

 

Like the others said its about what you feel is best for you. Me, I started off on a sporty and after about 6 months or so I was ready to trade up. If I had it to do all over again I would have gone big the first time.

 

Wow, thanks for all the replies

I guess I will go with my old man's advice and buy what I want the first time rather than go small and trade up.

The wife and I were both going to take a class. What we're stuck on is whether to try to get into the ABATE class or sign up at the HD shop for the class. Trouble is, ABATE is $75 and usually booked tight I hear, and HD is over $300

Either way, we'll be learning this season and buying next (or off season, if I can get a nice deal)

Thanks, everyone!