Would you recommend a Harley for my first bike?
 

If so, which one?

Thanks for any input.

yes I would

As to which one......do you have any experience riding? What kind of riding do you see yourself doing? What is your budget, confidence level in mastering skills required, have you taken a riders course, etc?

You don't have to answer all (or any for that matter) of these questions but some info might be helpful.

What's your age, size, strength and other abilities?
I wouldn't recommend any Harley as a first bike for anyone. Get a cheap used bike to learn on.

yes I would, whichever one you like and can afford

A lot goes into play.

Have you ever rode before?
How tall/weight are you?
Style of riding? Around town/bar hopping or long trips?
What can you afford? Cash or finance? $20k cash or $300 a mth.

A lot goes into play. Go to a HD dealer and just sit and get a feel. You may find out you dont like the style/seating etc. You may like a certain bike by pictures etc now but hate it when you sit on it.

Go to a HD dealer and start sitting on bikes. After you get a feel of the bike you feel comfortable rent a HD or borrow a buddies bike if he trust you.

My first bike was (is) a 2010 Heritage. :)

If you are a brand new rider I would suggest put a few thousand miles on something used, something that fits you, something that is affordable then see if its what you really want to do before spending big bucks. If your set on a Harley again something used, it took me 40 years before I bought a new one, always bought used and fixed them up sold them for something better... my .02

here ya go ....



Hey , it's a Harley...

If its your very first bike as in never rode before...nope, I suggest a elcheapo metric for the first year.

Why would you want to ruin a nice new bike? Stuff happens and Harley repairs add up. If anything buy an older slightly worn sportster to learn on.

+1

A lot of wisdom there.

Get a cheapo, and learn how to ride. After you decide that you want to ride and have developed some basic skills...then get a bike that you suits you ergonomically, aesthetically and functionally. I really think that is the way to go. Could save a lot of money if you decide that riding is not for you and/or pain if you drop an expensive machine.

My $.02

I would never have appreciated my harley had I not rode other brands of bikes.

Cheers,

Tom

Sure, why not?

I've known a bunch of people who learned to ride on 883's, and a few that learned on 1200's.
I've even met one or two that learned to ride on Dynas.

I've had a few people ask me about getting a Sporty to learn on...I tell them sure, just look for a used one. Thanks to the "ride free for a year" promotion they had for so long, there's a ton of perfectly fine used Sporty's out there just waiting for an eager new rider.

Not sure.............. but I would say to get a Red head with Big TA-Ta's and a tight sugar spot for Ur first wife...

Well, I had never ridden before - took the MSF class and bought a Dyna Super Glide Custom as my first bike. In 3 months I have just about 2k miles on it. In all honesty I can't really speak as to what's best for you - I believe only you can do that. I didn't want to go any other route other than a Harley so I did and was willing to take the chance, but that is me. I did practice a heck of a lot on side streets and parking lots before heading out on crowded roads and now I'm pretty much riding it every day and have been on quite a few 100+ mile rides and several group rides. Only thing I can say is that you are definitely taking a chance by getting one as your first bike, but if you are willing to take the chance then the choice is yours and do it. Only you know what will truly make you happy.

LMMFAO !!!!

Will you be my friend ...?

Even the smallest Harley is a large heavy powerful machine.

Get a Honda 250cc rebel to learn on. Decent used ones can be had for around $1,000. After a few months you'll be ready for the big time.

Everyones different. Some guys can probably jump on a SG and ride it like a champ. Some may have trouble with a sporty.

My first bike was a GSXR 600 when I was younger. First bike,brand new. After that I rode my buddies 750-1000.

I then sold the GSXR about 6 mths after getting it. I went on deployments and just never got back into bikes. Still wanted/loved them. Then just out of the blue looked HD. After 5 years jumped on a HD and no issues. It is a nightster though but after being rusty over the years I was fine.

You might be able to learn quick and it be second nature, you might by a HD and have a lot of issues. Practice on a buddies bike.( if he has an older sportster,metric that he just has sitting around)

I wouldnt suggest buying an older sporty for couple Gs when you may love riding and want a bigger bike and you just spent a couple Gs on a bike you will get rid of quick.

When I got my GSXR I had never rode before in my life. Had it delivered and learned in my moms cul de sac. Taught myself. Knew what to do, just never did it. Got comfortable and took MSF course.Make sure you take that course too.

I've never ridden anything other than a Harley, other than the small bike I rode in my rider's course, so I say pick the one you feel the most comfortable with and take it with baby steps. Take a riders course, buy the ride like a pro V, learn your bike and ride the crap out of it. :icon_moped:

Bought a nice badass DynaGlide Custom as my first bike ever. Had to have a friend ride it home from the dealer. Took it into a parking lot and rode it for 30 minutes or so, then head out on the backroads around the neighborhood. No problems!

I took the riders course 6 months later and finally got a license. Those 200cc bikes in the course felt like toys. ha ha

Anyway, the point is that people definitely get Harley's as their first bike. I read about it fairly often. Go for it!

Wife took the riders course, then bought herself a new Low Rider...nearly 15k later there's be a couple "close calls" but no scratches...done Sturgis and the east coast including Boston morning traffic. One major difference with women, though, is they only have to worry about thinking with one head.....

First bike was a Dyna cuz thats what I wanted. No problems. Lots of fun.

I say just go for it. My first bike is a 2010 Wide Glide I praticed in parking lots and rode with my dad the first few times hes been ridding 40 years so he kinda tested me out lol. He had me follow him to see if I could do what he did. After the third time out he cant keep up with me lol. He said our ridding style is a little differant. I said ya I am always having to slow down and wait for you lol. He has a 04 sporty with lots of mods and we switched and he still cant keep up with me on my glide. 7 months and only problem is people pulling in front of me and trying to change lanes with out looking and almost running me off the road. Part of ridding people just dont see bikes and dont care and will kill you if you let them.

Yes, if that's what you want. Maybe start with a used, but fairly new, 883.

:icon_eddie:Don't waste your money on a metric when your going to buy a harley down the road!! They both get wrecked if you drop them and insurance covers cost anyways!!!

Yes! buy the one you like. It's that easy.

you stop making sense right now !!!


Yeah, let's everyone else tell em to buy a sportster because the high seat height and super high center of gravity make them really easy to ride...

Just about any Big Twin is easier to ride ( IMO )

Sure why not?? How old are you? What type of riding you plan on doing?? You want to go real fast, or you want to relax & be comfortable???

"Get a Honda 250cc rebel to learn on. Decent used ones can be had for around $1,000. After a few months you'll be ready for the big time."

"Bought a nice badass DynaGlide Custom as my first bike ever. Had to have a friend ride it home from the dealer. Took it into a parking lot and rode it for 30 minutes or so, then head out on the backroads around the neighborhood. No problems!"

From what I too gathered it seems you will hear both sides of the spectrum. The hard part is that its going to come down to you and your style of learning and doing things.

Had I done the first I probably would have quit riding. 250cc piece o S#$t. Like the second person I bought the bike I always wanted, Softail Deluxe and also had it driven home. After the 3rd day of practice I was riding an hour and twenty to work and in rush hour. On weekends I take the long way and have never been happier. I even had a moment where I considered that maybe a Road King should have been the option but now have settled down and realized I have MY perfect bike.
At the same time I know folks who in the same couple of months are still not comfortable with the bigger Harley. Thats not bad by the way its just different. We all take things at different levels and thats OK. If its all a process and your style is such, it really makes sense to work your way up. If your like me though and you learn well on things you have a passion for and you need to be at the end more than the process than go for it because your nature will make you learn it to be where you want to be.
Only you will know which feels better.
I will add that I would have driven my bike home had I not been so scared from all the talk about too much power etc. The first morning I rode my bike out it felt a 100! times better than the Honda Rebel in the MSF class or the Buells. I instantly fit and feel its way easier to ride. WAY EASIER!!!

I went with a new Fat Bob for my first road bike. Had ridden dirt bikes a bit so it wasn't too much of a stretch. Love my Bob and would do it again. Have enjoyed learning to ride better on it over the past few years. When I was looking, I had several folks steer me away from a sporty because I'm a big guy, 6'3" 230. I'm glad I went a little bigger.

+1.

My first ride was an Ultra, and I've never looked back.


Bill

yes. follow the suggestions that have already been made.

I taught myself on a Kawasaki KZ440 that I picked up for $500. It ran on one cylinder most of the time, leaked gas and had no baffles in the pipes. Sold it, took Riders Edge, rode the Blasts they had, and signed the paperwork for a 98 1200 Custom they had on the showroom floor. It'll only go as fast as you make it, and so long as you're comfortable picking it up, backing it up and stuff like that, I see no reason not to get one. It did take me a few days to get used to forward controls and the steering/handling feel, but I wouldn't have it any other way now.

:icon_that:

You realize OP left us after posting.......apparently we are a bunch of Harley riders trying to tell ourselves whether we should or should not make Harley our first bike.:icon_handball:

I'm 61 and bought a 2010 Sportster 1200 Custom in July, the last time I rode was in 1967. I haven't had any problems at all, I'm 6-'2" and 170lbs.

Allow me to jump in... Don't mean to thread jack or anything.

I've done a lot of research on this very subject for well over a year. I've been on HDForum and others more than a few times looking for what Harley is a good first bike and basically wound up seeing the same thing that's going on here.

I currently ride an '03 Blast and did the MSF Safety Course last summer (HIGHLY recommend it), bought the Blast this summer and I've spent a lot of time in empty lots practicing, low speed maneuvers and quick stops, etc. I've also done a trip that totaled over 7 hours, and use my bike to commute with when I can. My question quickly became what Harley would make a good second bike. I've ridden a Nightster (the only HD I've ridden) and liked it, didn't hurt that I like the look. However, I'm going to need something that I can ride to school and work, as well as weekend runs and the occasional long trip, and carry a passenger. I started looking at the Dyna family and very quickly expanded my options. I like the Super Glide, Low Rider and the Street Bob. I have sat on them and like the feel, I just haven't been able to ride any of them to see what I think.

Any thoughts, suggestions?

After the MSF course, required for license in FL, a buddy let me borrow his Superglide for a few days. Loved it, and decided Harley was going to be my first bike. Had my heart set on either a Dyna Lowrider or a 1200 Low, but for the price of a used one of those, I could get a new 883 Superlow for the same or less, so I decided to go with the new one. Three weeks later, I already have 850 miles on it and I'm thinking about scheduling my 1k service before my first month is up.

I'm still weak on cornering, and I have to remind myself that everyone else is out to kill me, but that would be the same no matter what bike I was riding. Eventually someone does something stupid and I remember to watch more carefully.

would get something a little smaller, lighter and used like the Honda Shadow but you could learn on a used Softtail too. To me anyway Harleys are a heavyweight that takes a little more care in riding but if you take a safety course and start out slow you could do it don't have to be burly to ride HD drunks, old dudes, and ladies ride them.

:icon_drink:

Judgeing from this thread and the OP's other thread, I'd say he/she/it is doing market research for a company or bike manufacturer...doesn't seem to be a real person there.

Aside from that, good stories and advice.