I am planning on purchasing my first Harley before the end of the year. I am in love with the Low Rider but everyone tells me to get the 1200C sportster as it would be a better bike for me. I am in my 30s, about 5'7" and definitely not a weak woman. My dad has a Road King Classic and mom has an '04 1200c that she loves. Dad wants me to buy a Deuce since he wants to ride it but that is too much bike for me. I want to spend the money to get a bike that I can have for a while but everyone I talk to thinks I should start smaller. And with the incentives on the '05 sportsters, I don't know if I can pass up the deal. Advice anyone?

 

I think the Low rider would be an excellant bike for someone 5'7". Much easier to handle than a sportster I think. the sportsters are more top heavy and more powerfull too. Get what you want now, because if you don't, you'll regret it later. Just my opinion, good luck and welcome to the forum!

 

Get what you want. The low rider would be a great bike for you.

 

My wife started on a 1997 Lowrider, and had it for 47,000 miles, at which time she traded for a Hertiage Softail.

The Deuce should not be a problem for you. I don't think it's much heavier than a Lowrider, and probably has a lower center of gravity.

Most of the women I know ride softails of one style or the other and get along fine. A local woman's motorcycle drill team, "The Hardly Angels" seem to favor the softails, ie Fatboys and Heritages for their drill team work.

Most of the women I know that started on a Sportster went to a big twin within a year.

As far as incentives on Sportsters, keep in mind that if they sell cheaper originally, they will also sell cheaper when you are ready to trade up.

Just an opinion.

regards,

Bill

 

I think you would do fine with a Low Rider.

 

Have to agree on the low rider

 

Low Rider but then I'm prejudiced.

 

My girlfriend's first bike was, and still is, a Low Rider. Much easier bike to ride than the sportster, in my opinion, especially since EFI is available on the Low Rider.

For what it's worth, the Deuce actually has a really high center of gravity. The Deuce I have feels so much heavier than bikes that outweigh it by 75 pounds or so. I'm more comfortable at low speeds on my lowered Road King than my Deuce.

 

This may be a controvercial response. especially coming from a relatively new rider,
but its my opinion and I'm entitled to it.

I think telling people to start out with smaller, lighter, cheaper bikes is
not necessarily good advice.

My Fat Boy is the first bike I've ever owned. It was also the first bike I ever rode.

I had a lot of folks say this same thing to me.

Buy something smaller first.
Buy something cheaper first.

Nope, I wasnt gonna do that.

I've wanted not just any Harley, but a Fat Boy specifically since they first came out in 1990
and I'm damned if I was gonna spend a nickle on a cheap look-a-like just to turn around and buy what I
really want some other time.

If you KNOW what you want, buy it and dont let anyone steer you into something else
because its "safer" because that just isnt always the case.
Smaller doesnt mean safer. Lighter doesnt mean safer or easier to handle.
Cheaper sure as hell doesnt mean safer.

Safety comes from what kind of rider you are.

Do you dress appropriately? Do you take road conditions into consideration?
Do you keep your bike in good working order?
Do you know your limits and stay withing them?
How aware are you?

These are the things that make a good rider, Its not something thats inherent in the specific bike you are
riding.

Everything else being equal, I dont see any value in developing muscle memory on a 500 lb bike when I'm
planning to switch to a 700 lb bike

I also dont feel like spending more money than necessary. If doing so vastly improved my margin
of safety, that would be one thing, but I dont believe that it does or would.

Buy the bike you want.

If you are new or inexperienced, all you have to do is proceed with that
fact very firmly in mind. You are new and inexperienced.
Be careful. Dont put yourself in questionable situations. Proceed slowly. Learn as much as you can.
Take a rider course. Go one step at a time.
Use your common sense!

My friend who has been riding for 25 years bought a new Dyna Super Glide Custom the same day I got my Fat Boy.

He laid his down in less than a week. Not too bad. Couple dings on the bike, couple dings on him. All will be OK.
He took a turn too fast. Why?
He was used to a different bike and experience notwithstanding, he failed to take that fact into consideration.

I have almost 2000 miles on mine so far without a problem so far.
I have no illusions about it. I dont think those 2000 miles make me a good rider.
Still, I try to employ all the tactics I mentioned above every time I ride.
I take nothing for granted.

A smaller or less expensive bike would not have made me any safer.

Buy the bike you want to spend years riding and learn to ride it slowly, carefully, and sensibly.

You will be happier and safer in the long run (In my opinion)

 

Huh? Higher center of gravity, yes. More powerful? Not according to the specs.
The Twincam 88B specs show 85 ft lbs of torque at 3000 rpm while the
Evolution has 79 ft lbs at 3500.