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Welcome to the Forum Joe, around here opinions are like anuses every one has one and most of them smells. Stink or not here is my opinion, buy a well used Harley Davidson Dyna from 2000 till your wallet says stop, and learn on that. Once you have mastered it and you have decided you are going to keep on riding then consider a newer Harley of your choice.
My first bike was a new 2016 Softail Slim S that had the 110 on it. When I saw it I knew it was the one I wanted. Plus it sat lower than most. I figured that would help having a lower center of gravity. I bought it the day before I took the MSF class and got my motorcycle endorsement. I had a buddy drive it home from the dealership cause I hadn't been on a motorcycle in about 15 years. And that was just once riding my brothers little 650 around the neighborhood. I kinda figured I didn't want to out grow something in 6 months and go through the buying process again. Little did I know that after having the bike a little over a year I'd get a touring bike. Anyways... The instructor told us not to ride our own bikes during the 3 day course because it would effect how we were being taught riding the 125's in the class. I passed the class. The next day I took my bike out around the neighborhood and got a feel for it. The day after that I decided to ride it to work. Which is only 2 miles for me. Everything went great. Every day after that I just kept finding a bigger loop to take to work. Sometimes I'd end up riding 35-45 minutes before I got there. About a month later I rode about 180 miles to visit some family. That was my real test. I had to go through Charleston, SC where I was riding over a grated bridge... Grooved pavement where they were about to pave for 15 miles..... And I caught about 45 minutes of rush hour in bumper to bumper traffic. Made it safe and sound. If I had it to do all over again I'd probably do the same thing.... I think I made myself ride safer knowing I didn't want to drop the bike or get into an accident knowing how much I had paid for it. Now if I was an accident prone person I may have gone a different route. And Craigslist is full of garage queens around here.
OP - The XL1200T is one of the best all around bikes H-D ever produced. It is setup to handle great 2 up and loaded with gear. Has the premium rear shocks and a wider front fork than any other XL.
I have 23K on my 14 T riding it all over the U.S. Averages 50 mpg. Cruises on any Interstate even the 80 mph ones.
I only did a few things with mine and that was install the Sundowner seat, Buckhorn bars,engine guard, fork brace (from a Dyna), K&N breather and oil cooler.
Wow, thank you for all your answers!
I looked at a low rider in wicked red and think Ive found my
all around bike for down the road.
They did have a 2017 1200T with only 300 miles on it at Alamo HD.
At 63 it felt quite cramped so forward controls are a must.
Time to start saving those nickels and dimes Lots of nickels and dimes.
Last edited by SanAntonioJoe; Apr 5, 2018 at 11:48 PM.
Sit on all of them, get the dealer to let you test ride a few, after you get your license of course......you can tell which you like best. There is no best "first" bike, it is all what makes you comfortable. You'll know. As far as dealers, I have kind of gravitated toward Javallina on I10, although I bought my last bike at Caliente. I guess Javalina is just a little easier for me to get to. The service quality turns out for the most part to be the individual you talk to at the time. I have had some pretty good experiences at all of them along with some pretty sorry experiences.
Last edited by harleyflyboy; Apr 7, 2018 at 01:00 PM.
First post in the general forum and Im starting off with a hum dinger!
I feel it doesnt matter what bike you start on. It should be comfortable and not too heavy. You will be picking it up at some point, and you will be lucky if that is not in traffic. You dont want to buy something you care too much about due to the damage of the drop.
I started on a Honda Magna. It had been dropped plenty by the time I got it. It will be dropped again, Im sure. After getting the drops out of your system and you are both comfortable and confident, that is the time to find something you care about. It would ruin your week to find the perfect Harley, and spike it like a football due to lack of experience. Seeing your loved one laying there wounded would have you loosing sleep.
Just keep in mind while the MSF is truly wonderful, it is not a magic talisman converting into an experienced rider over a weekend. You will still learn some hard lessons and your bike will suffer your consequences.
If ignoring my well meaning advice, you could do way worse than a dyna...
Once you get your license my best advice is to go to any dealership that offers test rides and ride as many models as you can and at that time you will know which bike feels the best to you.
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Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
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Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
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