Old Guy, New Rider
#21
07-15-2019, 05:30 PM
I agree with what everyone else is saying. I'll add this:
Clutch control. The friction zone and clutch control are much more forgiving with a smaller engine/bike. If you roll the throttle and let out too much clutch on a 700cc bike, that's one thing; do it on a 103ci (1700cc) and it's a different story all together. Also a 500 pound Yamaha is much easier to control and hold up than even a 675 pound Dyna, let alone a 725 pound Softail.
It's only a year, maybe even 6 months if you pick it up quick and love riding. Take your time, learn the ropes, watch the stupid cagers and figure out the basics. An MSF is a great idea, but won't teach you how to ride on the road, or how to handle a big twin.
My final piece of advice is simple. If you decide to go big time right off the bat, get a trailer, find a large parking lot, trailer the bike to the lot and PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE before you even consider taking it on the road. Your family is counting on you my friend.
Clutch control. The friction zone and clutch control are much more forgiving with a smaller engine/bike. If you roll the throttle and let out too much clutch on a 700cc bike, that's one thing; do it on a 103ci (1700cc) and it's a different story all together. Also a 500 pound Yamaha is much easier to control and hold up than even a 675 pound Dyna, let alone a 725 pound Softail.
It's only a year, maybe even 6 months if you pick it up quick and love riding. Take your time, learn the ropes, watch the stupid cagers and figure out the basics. An MSF is a great idea, but won't teach you how to ride on the road, or how to handle a big twin.
My final piece of advice is simple. If you decide to go big time right off the bat, get a trailer, find a large parking lot, trailer the bike to the lot and PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE before you even consider taking it on the road. Your family is counting on you my friend.
#22
07-15-2019, 05:44 PM
Well..... when I saw the topic contained old guy I perked up......because I am one.
I look fondly back at 51 ( i’m 64 now) and I took the MSF and bought my first bike at 63.
I struggled with the decision to get a smaller bike for a year or two or just go ahead and get a big twin as my first bike. In the end I bought a Superglide Custom as my first bike and it was the right choice for me.
you are younger so still have a lot more riding time ahead of you. Buying a somewhat temporary bike to learn may be the correct decision for you. For me I didn’t want to spend a year or so riding something I really didn’t want to ride.
The Dyna has been great to learn on for me. Your mileage may vary.
Welcome. This is a great forum and populated by people very willing to help in any way possible.
I look fondly back at 51 ( i’m 64 now) and I took the MSF and bought my first bike at 63.
I struggled with the decision to get a smaller bike for a year or two or just go ahead and get a big twin as my first bike. In the end I bought a Superglide Custom as my first bike and it was the right choice for me.
you are younger so still have a lot more riding time ahead of you. Buying a somewhat temporary bike to learn may be the correct decision for you. For me I didn’t want to spend a year or so riding something I really didn’t want to ride.
The Dyna has been great to learn on for me. Your mileage may vary.
Welcome. This is a great forum and populated by people very willing to help in any way possible.
#23
07-15-2019, 06:04 PM
Cruiser
Many dealerships have rental departments so you don't have to commit right off the bat. Take the MSF course, then rent a Sportster a few times, that will feel like a lot of bike and then be comfortable, then try a Softail, it will feel like a lot of bike then be comfortable, etc. Spend lots of time on each doing slow maneuvers in a parking lot. Only you can tell whether you're willing to commit the $$ to the first purchase or want to start off cheap and disposable.
#24
07-15-2019, 06:15 PM
Road Captain
Definitely take a basic motorcycle course and even a more advanced course soon after. Money well sent that will teach you a lot and could save your life.
Insurance rates depending where you live.
Dropping that $2,000 Yamaha won't break the bank. Scratching new Harley might.
Pushing a slower bike to its limits is fun and you learn a lot about how they react.
You may discover riding is not for you, or have a close call, and sell it within a few months.
Heck, if you don't want to buy a starter bike, at least rent one for a few days.
Insurance rates depending where you live.
Dropping that $2,000 Yamaha won't break the bank. Scratching new Harley might.
Pushing a slower bike to its limits is fun and you learn a lot about how they react.
You may discover riding is not for you, or have a close call, and sell it within a few months.
Heck, if you don't want to buy a starter bike, at least rent one for a few days.
you might find that riding a motorcycle isn’t for you. Before you spend a lot of money, take a course, use there bike to learn on and buy a (safe) cheap starter. Open highway is different than a parking lot. Best of luck. And if you love it Get a HARLEY.
#25
07-15-2019, 06:32 PM
Yes. Vastly different.
A small, light bike is dramatically easier to handle, to turn, to perform tight maneuvers.
(And yes, easier to pick up if you drop it, and easier to not drop in the first place).
You ever see videos of those police rodeos, where the moto officers are doing tight maneuvers on 800 pound baggers? That is impressive riding, but it is only impressive because they are doing those moves on large bikes. Any child could effortlessly complete those courses on a 16" bicycle. (At least they could back when kids rode bikes, but that's a different story.) And an expert rider on a 250cc dirt bike could pull maneuvers that the most talented moto officer could never begin to match on a bagger.
The reason people advise starting on small, light bikes is because that gives you the opportunity to develop skills in an incremental way. After a year or two, you will be a profoundly better rider than the guy who starts out on a heavy bike and never spends time on a small one.
A small, light bike is dramatically easier to handle, to turn, to perform tight maneuvers.
(And yes, easier to pick up if you drop it, and easier to not drop in the first place).
You ever see videos of those police rodeos, where the moto officers are doing tight maneuvers on 800 pound baggers? That is impressive riding, but it is only impressive because they are doing those moves on large bikes. Any child could effortlessly complete those courses on a 16" bicycle. (At least they could back when kids rode bikes, but that's a different story.) And an expert rider on a 250cc dirt bike could pull maneuvers that the most talented moto officer could never begin to match on a bagger.
The reason people advise starting on small, light bikes is because that gives you the opportunity to develop skills in an incremental way. After a year or two, you will be a profoundly better rider than the guy who starts out on a heavy bike and never spends time on a small one.
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AJSHOVEL (07-16-2019)
#26
07-15-2019, 07:07 PM
Cruiser
Thats an expensive riding course, as others have mentioned, take the riding course on your own, they supply the bikes and if you drop it, no bid deal, once you take the class and decide riding is for you and you still want a harley for your first bike, buy the bike and take the riding course they offered again to give your more confidence. then ride on.
rk classic.
rk classic.
he’s onto something here
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RK_Classic (07-16-2019)
#27
07-15-2019, 07:37 PM
Road Captain
Riding course should be a given, bike is your call, however if you have never ridden, start smaller. You can pickup a older Dyna for a good price, still get a big twin, but not the weight, lower center of gravity. If you then go for the 20K softail, stick the Dyna in a corner, guarantee you'll ride it. Your call best of luck, and welcome to forum
#28
07-15-2019, 08:41 PM
Tourer
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CaffeineBuzz (07-16-2019)
#29
07-15-2019, 11:18 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
The one that I did, they furnished the bikes, something around 500cc if I remember correctly.
Take the course then make a discussion on purchasing a bike,
#30
07-15-2019, 11:56 PM
I learned to ride in the 70s, what none of us ever took a motorcycle course.
Get you an old beater motorcycle and go out and learn how to ride it. If it were me I would get a universal Japanese motorcycle of some sort, something you don't mind bending up the handlebars and breaking the mirrors off of.
You'll soon find out you lock up your front brake as your coming a stop, the bike will slide over at a very low speed, and you'll know not to do that again. after that you'll let your break up if you're coming to the stop sign on the front brake. Other than that learning to take off a little tricky to figure all this stuff out the first week. Take your piece of crap jet bike and trade it in at the Harley dealer. So don't spend too much less than a thousand maybe less than that a lot less. you'll learn not to be going down the road and have the urge to look at your rear tire to see if it's up, but when you do that you'll veer off the road and hit a curb and kill yourself, if you're unlucky, if you're lucky and live, you can start to figure out who are the stupid looking ones in the cagers and try not to let them kill you.
Good luck.
Get you an old beater motorcycle and go out and learn how to ride it. If it were me I would get a universal Japanese motorcycle of some sort, something you don't mind bending up the handlebars and breaking the mirrors off of.
You'll soon find out you lock up your front brake as your coming a stop, the bike will slide over at a very low speed, and you'll know not to do that again. after that you'll let your break up if you're coming to the stop sign on the front brake. Other than that learning to take off a little tricky to figure all this stuff out the first week. Take your piece of crap jet bike and trade it in at the Harley dealer. So don't spend too much less than a thousand maybe less than that a lot less. you'll learn not to be going down the road and have the urge to look at your rear tire to see if it's up, but when you do that you'll veer off the road and hit a curb and kill yourself, if you're unlucky, if you're lucky and live, you can start to figure out who are the stupid looking ones in the cagers and try not to let them kill you.
Good luck.