Howdy neighbor! And welcome. This is a great first stop to get into Harleys, so good choice!

So you were at the Wild Ones weekend. My son and I stopped in too, as we do every year. It was a little slower than usual, but none the less, gave you a pretty good taste of the vintage gatherings they have there. Another thing worth checking out is Bike Night every Thursday at the Museum. I'm going tonight in fact. You can get a good look at the newer bikes people ride in on and share in the "culture".

On getting a license - definitely do the classes, be it through Harley or through WisDot - http://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/dmv/mo...ining-loc.aspx

That way you don't have to do a road test, which a lot of people fail.

On bikes - Normally for a beginner I recommend something other than a Harley. But you're not really a beginner so I would say the Dyna is an excellent choice. The Dyna is a bike that you could keep forever. I'm planning on getting one for one myself someday. The Road Glide is a great bike, but it's a lot heavier than the Dyna, which makes the learning curve tougher. And even parking lot drops can get expensive, so I would hold off on anything in the touring line.

Fortunately for you, due to your location, you have many resources at your disposal. As you know, Milwaukee is the Harley mothership. As such there are a LOT of used bikes out there on Craigslist. I'm a serial Craigslist skimmer and there's at least 3 Dynas I would love to have on there right now for around $5k. One is a pretty 84 FXR, which you could buy and sell probably for a profit down the road should you choose.

We also have a robust riding community. There's the Museum on Thursdays, Quaker Steak Bike night on Weds, and a number of other venues all around SE WI. There is also Facebook groups too.

 

Welcome to the forum.

I rode for 15 years with no formal training. Took 20 years off and bought my first HD, a FLHX Street Glide. I then took at age 50 the HD training class and got a lot out of it. You cannot get enough training and practice.

Good luck to you.

 

Not sure which Dyna you tried, but I had a tall friend of mine (6' 3ish) go in with me to the dealer one time to check out a wide glide he was set on.. he ended up finding the fat bob more comfortable for him. Point is sit on a few different models.

 

Welcome to your new addiction! Prepare your wallet for a serious diet, 'cuz it's gonna get thinner!

Seriously, though, in your position (dirt bike background), a Dyna isn't a bad choice at all. And, ABSOLUTELY take a riding course of some sort first. Get your 'M' endorsement on your license, then go sit on a bunch of bikes.

 

Thanks everyone for the great advice, warm welcome, local spots for getting to know more about the HD culture. Hope to see you guys around these forums more as I get my feet wet and closer to my first bike!

 

Keep us posted on what you decide! And don't forget to post pictures!

 

Welcome indeed! Yes, definitely take the class as others have mentioned. A buddy of mine just took the Harley class last month (no previous riding experience) and loved it. Also, don't rule out a Sportster for your first bike. I'm 6'0" and rode a Sportster for years and loved it. If you look at them, look at a Sportster with "forward controls" as they will fit your height better. Sportsters are excellent beginner bikes, and you can get them at a decent price.