First time...
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5th Gear
Joined: Dec 2004
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First time...
I am new to the forum. I am 18 and never grew up around bikes. No one in my family rides. But i have the odd desire to want one. So i am planning on buying my first bike. What would be a good first bike? I am looking at 1200 sportsters. I found an 04 that is real nice and has the screaming eagle perormance package (http://www.adamecsharley.com/new_veh...720&pov=150097). But i do no that a bike is more of a novelty item rather than a daily driver so getting a bike for that much doesn't leave much for a decent car with a $13000 spending limit between the two. I know that the new sportsters are rubbermounted, making them more comfortable. I found a 98 sportster that is nice but how bad is the vibration really? I like the style of the new 1200C because of the gas tank shape. Did they make those back in the day or only the ones with the small tanks? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. Thank you
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 11,068
Likes: 1,477
From: Texas! Ya mean there's someplace else?
RE: First time...
Welcome to the "real" world! I never thought of my bikes as novelty items. There were many years when they were the only transportation I had. Sun, rain, snow, hot, cold, whatever, it was ride or stay home. When it really was too bad to ride, I split the cost of the work commute with someone.
Sporties vibrate. Newer ones are rubber mounted, so they transmit the vibration less. The older ones do transmit the vibration to the rider more, but unless you're going to use the thing for cross country tours, you can live with it. And those of us ol' farts who started on Sporties used to ride 'em cross country. We're still here, more or less.
Since you say you have $13k to spend for a bike and a car, why not find an older FX or Fl type. Might be able to find one for less than the Sporty you're looking at. Car-type vehicle? Used pickup truck, Chevy or Ford, about 1990. Around here they go for $4k to $5k.
Hope you can find something you like. And remember something else: They're are plenty of good used (blaphemy here) metric cruisers out there for next to nothing. They're good bikes to learn on, cheap to operate, and also to drop (you will).
Sporties vibrate. Newer ones are rubber mounted, so they transmit the vibration less. The older ones do transmit the vibration to the rider more, but unless you're going to use the thing for cross country tours, you can live with it. And those of us ol' farts who started on Sporties used to ride 'em cross country. We're still here, more or less.
Since you say you have $13k to spend for a bike and a car, why not find an older FX or Fl type. Might be able to find one for less than the Sporty you're looking at. Car-type vehicle? Used pickup truck, Chevy or Ford, about 1990. Around here they go for $4k to $5k.
Hope you can find something you like. And remember something else: They're are plenty of good used (blaphemy here) metric cruisers out there for next to nothing. They're good bikes to learn on, cheap to operate, and also to drop (you will).
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 8,978
Likes: 34
From: Cedar Point, NC
RE: First time...
Cappuccino,
Welcome to the forum! Lots of good questions...listen to what Pococj is saying, it's solid advise. Here is a cut and paste from a reply I made to this post...
Too Many Questions
Here it is...
...Seriously though, something someone told me a long time ago when I was buying my first bike.
YOU WILL DROP IT!!
This same guy told me to get hold of a $500 (or less) beater, and learn on that one. You know what? I dropped it! We've all done it, and it sucks. If you can find an old POS that you don't mind tooling around while you learn...I highly recommend it. When you drop that new V-ROD, you will cry. I mean cry like a little school girl that just broke up with her first boy friend after losing her virginity.
Trust me, we've all be there.
After you have dropped the POS, locked up the tires, scared the crap out of yourself, sell it for $499, and enjoy the V-ROD.
My $.02 mind you, but it worked for me.
Did I mention the Motorcycle Foundation Safety Course? TAKE IT!
Near the bottom I made a post. The advice I gave is not original, rather the same advice a wise biker gave me when I started to ride.
Good luck with your decision, and ride safe!
Post pics when you finally get it all figured out.
[sm=icon_cheers.gif]
Mac
Welcome to the forum! Lots of good questions...listen to what Pococj is saying, it's solid advise. Here is a cut and paste from a reply I made to this post...
Too Many Questions
Here it is...
...Seriously though, something someone told me a long time ago when I was buying my first bike.
YOU WILL DROP IT!!
This same guy told me to get hold of a $500 (or less) beater, and learn on that one. You know what? I dropped it! We've all done it, and it sucks. If you can find an old POS that you don't mind tooling around while you learn...I highly recommend it. When you drop that new V-ROD, you will cry. I mean cry like a little school girl that just broke up with her first boy friend after losing her virginity.
Trust me, we've all be there.
After you have dropped the POS, locked up the tires, scared the crap out of yourself, sell it for $499, and enjoy the V-ROD.
My $.02 mind you, but it worked for me.
Did I mention the Motorcycle Foundation Safety Course? TAKE IT!
Near the bottom I made a post. The advice I gave is not original, rather the same advice a wise biker gave me when I started to ride.
Good luck with your decision, and ride safe!
Post pics when you finally get it all figured out.
[sm=icon_cheers.gif]
Mac
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