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-   -   Did you start in a Harley or moved your way up to a Harley? (https://www.hdforums.com/forum/general-harley-davidson-chat/596380-did-you-start-in-a-harley-or-moved-your-way-up-to-a-harley.html)

blackmetal415 01-03-2011 12:29 AM

Did you start in a Harley or moved your way up to a Harley?
 
Just wondering how many people started on a harley?

Robotech 01-03-2011 12:29 AM

Started out on a 1999 Sportster 883 then moved over, not up, to a Wide Glide.

frogg 01-03-2011 12:35 AM

Started on 1968 Sportster in 1978
Upped the Ante to a 1969 FLH 6 months later.
Been on Harley all the way.

AFHarley 01-03-2011 12:39 AM

I started out on dirt bikes... This is my first street bike.

Fnortner 01-03-2011 12:39 AM

Started on a Hodaka Ace 100. In 1971 Harley wasn't really even on my radar. I'm not sure why...money maybe? I admired them when I saw them, which was usually in movies.

NorCal Dog 01-03-2011 12:51 AM

started out motocross racing back in the mid 70's
first roadbike was a '68 BSA 650 Lightning
joined the Air Force in '79 & bought a new FXS LowRider right after my tech school

Cowboy Rob 01-03-2011 12:53 AM

Dirt bike when I was young. Then moved to sport bikes before making the transition to HD's.

hatchetman 01-03-2011 12:54 AM

started on a 125 harley dirt bike, than a few imports. Back to Harley with a 45 flat, servy car than a 67 Shovel, than a Goldwing & now my FLHTC. It's an 88 but I prefer the older easier stuff.
Hatch.

dog155 01-03-2011 06:23 AM


Originally Posted by blackmetal415 (Post 7732834)
Just wondering how many people started on a harley?

Bought my first motorcycle in a 1962,it was a 1937 UL 80" FlatHead bagger.Paid the princely sum of $35.00.Rode it for most of one summer when a friend made me an offer I could not refuse for a 1947 45" Flathead bagger,his bike and $100.00.Great introduction to the Harley life.

harlanrider 01-03-2011 06:27 AM

1 Attachment(s)
Bought a new 07 Sportster 1200 low. Had never rode a bike before. Went to the MSF course and went from there. Now have a 09 Deluxe.

PFWiz 01-03-2011 06:28 AM

I started off on a Sears 125cc.
I rode the wheels off that thing. Iwas a big bad biker on my Sears motorcycle!:p

JayStronghawk 01-03-2011 06:33 AM

Although Rode several other Bikes through my teens including Dads 1950 Indian Chief my first purchase was this Sporty in 1970 ... Over the Years owned several Makes but Mostly Harleys ...


http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/s...bum/69XLCH.jpg

Iceman24 01-03-2011 06:39 AM

Nope...started w/Rupp Sprint mini-bike & graduated to 1st street bike (1975 Yamaha 200 Twin).

softone 01-03-2011 06:41 AM

Rode whatever was in the garage when in my teens. Bought a 125cc? 250cc? Yamaha in college for $150. Raised all the kids. 25 years later bought a cheap '98 - 883XL and rode that 14k miles all over the US with zero problems. Now on to a FLSTC only because I wanted a bigger gas tank and the price was right. Most everybody moves on from their original purchase. Your first bike gives you experience. Your next bike zeroes in your riding style.

cameraboy 01-03-2011 06:41 AM

in 2008 I bought a 1982 virago 750 for 650 dollars.

Stripped all the chrome and anything not needed off, painted it flat black, rode it all 2008 and 1/2 of 2009, then bought an 09 iron 883 sportster, sold the virago for 750 bucks.

Sandcrab 01-03-2011 06:52 AM

Bsa 250
 
My first bike was a 250cc BSA which I bought in 1964 I believe while stationed in Imperial Beach Calif. From there I bought the following:
Yamaha 250
Suzuki TS250 Enduro (Stolen from my apartment)
Suzuki TS250 Enduro (Stolen while at dealer)
Suzuki TS400 Enduro
BSA Victor 441
CZ 400
Suzuki RM 400
Yamaha 125 enduro (wife)
Honda 125 3 wheeler (daughter)
Honda 200 3 wheeler (son)
Harley Softail Deuce 2006
Harley Ultra Classic 2009

piasspj 01-03-2011 07:12 AM

Started out on a mini-bike, then dirt bikes, sport bikes, now I have a Harley and a couple metrics in the garage. Each bike has it's purpose and each one suited me fine at the time.

dan conner 01-03-2011 07:16 AM

started with honda 350 in early 70's then a 450-3 different 750's-goldwing-850-1000-1100...all metric. quit riding in early 90's. bought an 09' roadking in september of 09'. have put 29k on RK so far. being 63 years old, i imagine this will be my last bike. 2011 will be my last year for long trips-doing daytona, sturgis, ruidoso, trip to california, and would like to see another mile dirt track race somewhere in the midwest this summer. after that it will be day trips and the occassional over-niter.

schumacher 01-03-2011 07:24 AM

My 3rd bike was a Harley

bogieb 01-03-2011 07:31 AM

First bike was a Suzuki 250. Didn't go HD until my 4th bike.

The hubby started out on a dirt bike. His first road bike was an Suzuki Savage, then he went HD (currently on his third Harley).

Wallaby 01-03-2011 07:32 AM

Ist motorcycle was a 1978 Honda CB550 Four-K in 1983, first H-D was a 1985 FXEFB in 1986

dFREDb 01-03-2011 07:33 AM

First bike was a Yamaha 80 Enduro. After a 30 year gap got a Honda 600 Shadow. Too small so got a 1300 VTX 2 months later. Always wanted a Harley even though both Hondas were fantastic bikes. Finally took the plunge in '08 and never looked back. There really is an indescribable difference in feel from the metrics. Rode a couple of Triumphs in the meantime, and they too have a distinct charm about them.

Port Dawg 01-03-2011 08:01 AM

Ninja 250 to a Honda CBR F4i 600 to a Honda VTX 1300R to my Road King :)

sammer4u 01-03-2011 08:06 AM

Started on a 79 Honda CX500 custom, went to a 86 Suzuki Intruder 700, and now a Heritage and loving it!!!

Old Sorrel 01-03-2011 08:26 AM

Technically, my FXSTC is the first bike I have ridden on the streets and highways. I had a beater '86 Suzuki Intruder VS700 for 10 months, but I never licensed it, and only rode it around the neighborhood. That thing was just too small for me. Even the Softail is kinda small for me. So, I'll probably move up to a Road King eventually.

NDBadlands4-2 01-03-2011 08:41 AM

Started on dirt bikes and then various metrics ( I still have a Kawasaki Ninja in the garage) The Electra Glide Ultra was our first Harley. Prior to that we had a Yamaha Royal Star Venture.

badknees 01-03-2011 08:44 AM

Started in 1962 on a hond CB 160. Took a long time to get at my final destination.

Ockam 01-03-2011 08:46 AM

I rode a Honda 50cc dirt bike as a kid, till I was about 15 or 16 and it died.

Then in 2009 I took the MSF and went for a brand new Street Bob. I loved that bike, but the wife lost her job. We traded in my Dyna and her Nightster to lower our payments and I got a Fat boy Lo...no complaints there.

Of course, I am now under water on how much I owe to how much my bike is worth, but at least my payments are lower.

Hollywood Ball 01-03-2011 08:47 AM

My 09 Noght Train is my first and only motorcycle.

Griff012FLHX 01-03-2011 09:05 AM

Started with a Kawasaki Flat tracning, first road bike was a Honda 750 4 New in 74.
First Harley was a 1947 Knuckle then a 1940 Flathead 80 then a 1980 Wideglide, 20 year lay off then a 2006 1200C...Now a 2008 FXDC.

rjsimmons 01-03-2011 09:05 AM

Started on the passenger seat of my dad's FLH. Flirted with cafe racers in my teens however, never really liked how they felt. Rode a few other Japanese street types but could not get the desire for the big twins out of my heart.

Fridge 01-03-2011 09:34 AM

I started riding at 16 in 1993. Not many Harleys over here back then, too expensive.

Not like now where they are everywhere and motorcycles have become a leisure pursuit for the middle classes.

Was too interested in speed when I was younger but always liked chops so I got a hardtail Z650 when I was 28 which was a change from my usual diet of streetfightered Fireblades, R1 etc.

Anyway, I loved the chop but it wasn't reliable enough so sold everything I owned and got my first Harley at 29 and never looked back.

Big_Al47 01-03-2011 09:53 AM

Started on a Katana 600, then went to a GSXR, then a ZX9R, then my Fatboy

Bike-R-Mike 01-03-2011 10:07 AM

Up here in Canada Harley's have never been cheap even used ones , untill the flood of them on the market in recent years . So as many others , althought I always wanted a Harley I had a couple of Suzuki's , two Honda Goldwings , an 1100 Shadow Ace , and a Triumph before I had my first Harley . But in the last 2 years I've been making up for lost time having had two Sportsters , two Dyna's and now my Road King . :D

magna 01-03-2011 10:08 AM

Being in the U.K i started off in the sixties with British bikes a Royal Enfield,followed by a Triumph Bonnerville, i then got a couple of jap
bikes.I got my first Harley in 91 and have riding them ever since.

iupsig97 01-03-2011 10:10 AM

Started out on dirt bikes as a kid. Picked up a Sportster a few years ago as my first street bike... traded in for my Fat Boy a year ago.

bigalv63 01-03-2011 10:11 AM

I started in 1976 with a Honda 550 becuz I didn't know how to ride a motorcycle at that time...got my learner's permit in Wisconsin and rode that bike for about 1,800 miles.....then well, living in Milwaukee...I had to have a Harley...and was able to buy a 1978 Low Rider from a factory employee....Sometimes I wish I had that low rider back LOL

El Rey 01-03-2011 10:18 AM

Started on HD.

frenchman 01-03-2011 10:31 AM

For most older riders here, riding a HD someday was a goal, not a given. I started on rice, got a basket case pan-shovel and rebuilt it, had a sportster "on the side" after 10 years or so of riding anything but Harleys.

Steven_Belgium 01-03-2011 10:42 AM

My first bike - back in 1991 - was a Sportser which I imported myself from the USA.....
then followed a
Ducati 907IE
Suzuki TL1000S
Kawasaki Mean Streak 1500
again a Sportster
and now finally my Cross Bones :icon_smile:


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