Question.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,133
Likes: 125
From: Japan
His money, his bike, his life. He's an adult. You gave him your opinion, it's completely up to him what to do with it. Most need to gain their experience and wisdom through the school of Hard Knox. That's just the way it is.
I dumped my Harley a couple times, myself, because it was nothing like the bikes I learned/trained on. The laws governing motorcycles in Japan are much more rigid, too - i.e. MUCH more stringent riding test, no passengers for the first two years of having a license, etc...
I dumped my Harley a couple times, myself, because it was nothing like the bikes I learned/trained on. The laws governing motorcycles in Japan are much more rigid, too - i.e. MUCH more stringent riding test, no passengers for the first two years of having a license, etc...
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 71
Likes: 9
From: Tennessee
Years ago there were no safety courses to take in most areas. A new rider had no choice but to hop on a bike and learn (sometimes the hard and expensive way). With the availability of so many safety and riding courses around, a person should take advantage of them. It could save some pain and expenses. And as always, practise, practise, and more practise. The life you save may not only be your own.
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 1,430
Likes: 55
From: Florida
here's my mini from Ruttman, Their store was connected to Jake's HD in Westland MI, Bought it at 11 yrs old with my own money from a paper route and was looking foreward to the day I could afford a sportster and turn it into a chopper. But I digress, My advice to most guys my age is if you havn't been riding since you were a kid don't start now. Seriously it takes a long time to really be aware of everything goin on around you, and drivers are more careless than ever.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,590
Likes: 2
From: North Carolina
Everyone makes their own decisions. I rode a Honda XL250R enduro for a couple of months and then bought a Honda Interceptor 500. The good new is, your brother is a little older and hopefully mature, I was 17 years old. I think he will be fine.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 9,281
Likes: 1,139
From: southeast PA
When I got my first bike all I had to do as far as licensing requirements was to check the box marked "motorcycle". That was all you needed in 1969. Don't usually brag, but I aced that part.
Safety courses didn't exist, so with the help of a couple friends on a parking lot I got it figured out enough to ride on the street.
Safety courses didn't exist, so with the help of a couple friends on a parking lot I got it figured out enough to ride on the street.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,500
Likes: 722
From: Virginia
That's how I got my license too. One year PA sent out renewals with the "check the box" on the back, so I checked them all! New license came back with car, tractor trailer, and motorcycle endorsements. Never saw the "check the box" option again.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 7,855
Likes: 11
From: Oroville,Washington.
They didn't even have a motorcycle test in the early 60's. Check the box on the license app,and go. Came up for renewal one year in the late 70's,and they told me I needed to take the new riding test,threading a bunch of cones and making a tight circle,then back through the cones. Never had to take it again.
Going from small bikes to a 700 lb Harley? If a guy/gal is physically fit,good balance,and not timid,it's a good start. Easy does it.
Going from small bikes to a 700 lb Harley? If a guy/gal is physically fit,good balance,and not timid,it's a good start. Easy does it.
Last edited by Twistnride; Feb 19, 2015 at 10:06 AM.
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,000
Likes: 0
From: flyover country
But you know him better than we do.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 10,562
Likes: 5,149
From: Robbm sucks
Add Mass to the list of being able to ride with restrictions on just a permit.
I bought a car before I got my drivers license, I bought my bike before I got my Motorcycle license... Although with the bike, I didn't have to wait until after dark and push it down the street so the parents would hear me take off
