Hey guys & gals! I just wanted to take a quick moment to introduce myself! My name is Adamm and I'm from Sacramento, CA.

I recently turned 30 and looking to add a new dynamic to my life and I've always been intrigued by motorcycles!

I'm looking at the entry level, Iron 883 in green. I feel this may be a good fit for me as I like the old school styling (I enjoy antiques and rustic furniture - think of the show "American Pickers") and lower power. Reason I say that is I'm looking to enjoy the world around me at a comfortable and SAFE pace. Sure, speed and acceleration are fun but for this I'm looking to enjoy my time and ride around the country side and urban setting where I live!

This would be a weekend/afternoon joy toy to get me out of the house and to social events. I drive a company vehicle for work daily (take home) so this would be a pleasure bike for me!


I plan on taking the HD new rider 3 day course as I have never ridden a motorcycle before.


However I do have a few questions!

What are good helmets to consider? I see there are types that cover just to top half of your head and others cover your whole head/face. What's the best option? I'm leaning more to a full face/head helmet with a tinted lens but I'd be open to the other style (sorry, don't know the terminology yet)

What are the best type of leather jackets to go for in weather of both 90's/sunny & (when I move to Oregon in the next couple years - life goals) 50's and misty by the beach?

I have a pair of nice Redwing work/hike boots but would those be too thick to work the gear shifter? Or would a lighter duty boot be better? Stiffness a factor?

What type of gloves would be good to ride with? Or no gloves at all?

Would saddle bags be better than a back rack? I don't plan to carry much. But I do love to fly my DJI Phantom 3 and I think a back rack would be better to haul that case around but I don't want to sell myself short and not get saddle bags if I'm not expecting to carry extra gear that I'm not thinking of.. maybe spare clothes in case it rains on a weekend back country trip??


Anywho - Thanks all for the help. I'm excited to start this new adventure in my life and hope it's easy to get into!

 

Helmet - the one to beat is a top quality full face like a Shoei RF1200 or Arai. There are other good ones out there like some HJC. There are full face, 3/4, half and skull caps - as well as flip up models. I saw an accident statistic infographic that said that like 16% of crashes involve impact to face. I have a 3/4 and a full but I like the protection of a full. Other choices may be for keeping cooler in the heat but for the pure image styles, you pay in safety. Your best option - go to a big motorcycle shop and try on everything. Know your head size and see what works for you. Some helmets are for rounder heads, others more oblong.

Jackets - I now use a textile jacket - a bit cooler than leather but can be made warmer in cool months (Cali here). You can go for the big names like Schott, Dainese, Vanson, etc or roll the dice with a well reviewed house brand at the likes of Cycle Gear. Best bet is something with a removable liner - those are generally effective from the 40s (with a thermal base layer) up to the 90s. Armored jackets are more common now - but the thin layers of plastic make me wonder how effective the armor is. I pray not to find out.

Boots - motorcycle boots with shin and ankle protection are the ones to beat. I have Chippewa work boots (Apache) but there are better bike boots. I'd say a good "standard" here would be a high quality engineer or harness boot. Motorcycle boots aren't necessarily great to walk in but should break in.

Gloves - I've gone from full combat gloves to glorified work gloves. The deerskin gloves available lined or unlined are really quite nice. Some better motorcycle gloves have armor, etc. Check those.

Saddlebags - that look is not for everyone. You have another option - sissy bar with sissy bar bag - you can get a luggage rack and put a very nice bag on the back of the bike. Some of these bags are big enough for a couple days of gear. Do what you like here. Saddlebags for me are like shells on a truck. I can't stand having one and I can't stand not having one. Best option is to make it convertible.

Adventures ahead - have fun!

 

Welcome aboard!

Excellent decision!

The problem with a half helmet is that over 60% of all head and skull injuries occur on parts of the head not covered by a half helmet. A 3/4 isn't much better. I'm glad you're leaning toward a full coverage helmet, because they provide the best protection. A tinted visor is great during the day, but you can't use it at night. Luckily there's a solution: many full coverage helmets come with a flip down internal sunshade. Put it down during the day, pop it back up at night. The version of full coverage that is the most convenient is the "modular". This one has a rotating bottom section or chin bar. You can pop up when you're gassing up the bike, or when you want to talk to somebody, or just when you're stuck in traffic and want some more fresh air. Or, best of all, when you need to scratch your nose!

There really aren't many leather jackets that are going to be comfortable in hot weather. You can certainly get leather jackets with zip open vents, or some with perforated sections for better air flow, but I would suggest that your best first jacket would probably be a quality textile jacket with a zip out liner for cooler weather. You can even get a mesh jacket that's the best for hot weather, and these can come with a double layer zip out liner for either rain or colder weather. Best of both worlds! MAKE SURE you get a jacket with armor in the shoulders, elbows, and back.

Redwings will be fine. Any solid, over the ankle, boot will work. Motorcycle specific boots will have additional ankle and shin protection, but for starting out your Redwings will be great.

Gloves are a must. Full gloves, not fingerless. You can find gloves with a mesh back for summer, and gloves that run from lightweight to full winter.

This is purely a matter of personal preference. My last Sportster had both, and my current bike has both. If you just have the backrest/luggage rack, you can bungee cord on whatever duffle or other bag you have. Saddlebags will only hold what they will hold. If you're going to start with one thing, I'd start with the rack and see how it goes. That's by far the least expensive option, and you can always add the bags if you decide to.


Hope this helps!

 

Thanks Jesse, IdahoHacker & everyone else for the welcome!!

This helps push my research into the right direction! Needless to say I'm super excited!! I will try to only buy the best/highest rated safety equipment I can afford all while staying comfortable!! I really appreciate the help so far and looking forward to more leads!


Thanks all,
Adamm

 

Get your class out of the way first, before you go bike shopping.
While it IS possible to start your riding career on a Sporty, you'll advance much faster by riding a smaller, more maneuverable bike during your most formidable years.
Because of your location, pay special attention to heat & exposure. Serious.

 

Helmet - any full faced helmet will be better than the best 3/4 helmet when you land on your face.

Jacket - leather with CE Armor protection.

Boots - motorcycle boots, not shoes.

Gloves - leather with knuckle protection.

Don't forget a good base layer.

As for your motorcycle - start on a 250cc to 500cc because anything bigger will just create bad habits.

 

Books are good:

https://www.amazon.com/Maximum-Contr...avyweight+bike

https://www.amazon.com/Motorcycling-...QY9WS48JG0P5CZ

 

Yep.

Why all the excitement all of the sudden at 30? The reason I ask is 'cause there are tons of bikes sitting in garages with very low miles. They succumbed to the " I got to have a HARLEY" fad.

 

My first bike was a 2004 Honda Shadow Sabre 1100. It was a good first bike. Big enough that you won't outgrow it in a few weeks, comfortable, reliable, and easy to handle.

I still keep in touch with the guy who bought it from me. I sold it to him for $3k about 3 years ago. He rode it for about 1 year - until he fell in love with another bike. He resold it for $3k. Tough to beat riding for free.

Best wishes with the new hobby.

 

I too would advise going with used, and light for a first bike...250cc or so, and would suggest an on/off road bike - get off the highway and ride some dirt roads and trails. Trust me, you'll dump it, but A) its somewhat made for that, b) you'll learn a lot about managing traction on dirt- -front and rear, and C) you'll gain skills away from cars and pavement that can seriously hurt you. Then buy the Harley.

The classes are usually free...take multiple times - if you're like me, I learn a lot more the second time around. My class instructors were very good at picking out bad habits, and improved my skills.

I have a Sportster and a Road King- -and love the bags on the King - if I take the Sportster to work, I have to put my laptop in a backback...while on the Road King, I can throw it in a side bag, along with a gallon of milk and some groceries if necessary. Bags come in real handy. Sportster is a lot of fun when its just Me that needs to get somewhere.

Have Fun, be Safe.