I think they should come out with something that looks like the old TeleGlide/Hummer, stick a little (250-650) V-Twin in it, and price it competitively with the Rebels and other little scooters. With gas prices going to the moon, I bet they'd sell a bazillion of them.

 

My 1200C was also my starter bike and I believe it is also my finisher bike. I've been out on 150+ mile trips with others riding their big bikes and I don't have any troulbe at all.

I considered buying a smaller bike and working my way up but figured I need to be extra cautious learning anyway so why not get what I want. Sure, I had a few extra pucker moments with handling the 600lbs. but I have never dropped it and I had respect for what it could do from the beginning.

I don't think Harley should have an entry level "beginners" bike any more than Porsche should bring back the 914. The Boxster was entry level enough as is the Sportster from Harley. Both serve their purpose well without dropping below their respectful companies' mark.

 

Well, indeed a starter is a starter, and they just would not be kept long. I do not think would help Harley, except to sell lower price bikes, and they are already not to happy that a sale could be as low as 10K already with a sportster. My experience is that they all get smaller as you learn how to manuever them better and better. How many guys find the Sporster a starter? lots. I think if you want a Harley, it is in you and you will get there. A harley is a harley. I owned a metric, and may have another someday, but I have never found anything to match the feeling of my harley.

 

+1

 

Way freaking cool!!My dad brought me home a H-D Sprint in pieces and made me (with his help) assemble it and get it running and we even rattle canned the frame and tank ~ If that isn't a "starter" bike I don't know what is ~ I loved that bike and rode it to death ~ our neighbor's pool house/Tool shed burned and burned half our garage and it was toast ~ 12 years old and heart broken ~ but wouldn't trade the memories for gold!! BLEED H-D!!

 

The Buell Blast is the closest thing Harley's gonna get to a true "starter/learner" bike. I want one, too like Schumacher said, "Ride the snot out of it!" Other bike manufacturers are getting rid of their "mid-sized" starter bikes. Honda makes the Rebel 250 and will continue to make it. They discontinued the old 450 Rebel long ago. Too bad, that was a good little bike. Honda also just discontinued their 600 cc Shadow. So now Honda is going from 250 straight to 750. I don't know how long the 1100 will last with the popularity of their 1300 VTX line, either.

The V-Star 650 is a popular "starter bike", but at the same dimensions as the 1100, why not just go with the bigger bike as the "starter/learner", and even get some real use out of it later on?

As has been said, starter bikes are meant to be somewhat "disposable"...learn on them, and then trade up. I think a salient point of the original post, though, is that people usually stick with what they are familiar with, and what they know works for them. If they start out on a Kawi, they tend to trade upon a Kawi. Start on a Honda and trade up on a Honda. I started on a Honda 750 and ALMOST traded up to a Honda 1300. Test rode the Sportster Low, and a couple of months later decided on the Harley. I kept riding the Honda until my finances got in order, and finally got my '07 Low in September with 12 miles on the clock. I have 5,960 miles on it now. I put over 10K on the Honda.

So Harley has their Buell Blast as a starter bike, and their 883 as the next step up for the cruiser crowd. Harley is not getting rid of the 883 Standard or the Custom; they are getting rid of the 883 Roadster. For people who prefer a bit more power and want to stick with the venerable Sportster line, the 1200 is very popular in all it's models, and shows no sign of going away. For those who want even more power and comfort, as well as a bigger bike, the Dyna models are not going away, either. Then there's the ever popular Softails, and the tourers. For those who want something completely different, there's the V-Rod.

Teek

 

I think the idea has merit. But I think they would need to make sure it had the Harley name, and everyone knows it is a Harley, and push it as the perfect entry level bike. Problem with Buell is that a lot of people have no clue that Buell has anything at all to do with Harley. (Same as withany other make Harley has had but not with the Harley name). And the Sprint, or anything like a 125, or 250 is just TOO small. You would thinkMOCO could come up with something that is the right size and weight and quality, at an attractive price. My 2 cents.

 

I believe the Sportster line fills that need while givingthe ownersomething to grow into, and not out of. Harley's foray into smaller bikes has been tried -and failed. IMO, Harley provides a total experience in motorcycling with its current size line-up, and too much would be missing from that total experience with any smaller bike they might produce. The experience is what MoCo markets and their current bikesfill the requirements ofthat defined experience.

 

No No No No!

HD should bring back the Deuce and get rid of the Rocker.

They should focus more on good lines.

If you want entry level go burn some rice.

 

Listen to this guy. He knows what he's talkin' about. Especially the part about burnin' rice.

You want a little Harley? Why? I know you have tried to explain, but I just don't get it.

Ric