Street Glide
Road Master
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 923
Likes: 43
From: New Hampshire
Can you handle a Street Glide? Absolutely. Should you as your first bike, absolutely not.
Get a $3 - 4k beginner bike ( Honda Shadow 750, Kawasaki Vulcan 800/900, Yamaha V-star, etc...). Invest extra money in good quality gear (helmet, jacket, boots, gloves). Ride for a year minimum, then figure out what you want/like, and shop for upgrades accordingly.
Get a $3 - 4k beginner bike ( Honda Shadow 750, Kawasaki Vulcan 800/900, Yamaha V-star, etc...). Invest extra money in good quality gear (helmet, jacket, boots, gloves). Ride for a year minimum, then figure out what you want/like, and shop for upgrades accordingly.
Road Captain
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 698
Likes: 1
From: Texas Hill Country
As others have said, street glide is a little much for a starter bike...however... Dont get a sportster!!.. My wife is 5'2".. Slightly hefty(sorry dear)...we started with a 2011 883 superlow... Within 6 months she hated it.. Traded it in on a fatboy lo, she handles it well.. But we lost a coupla thousand in the lesson, others have said, get a cheaper bike, make sure this is what you want to do.. Get comfortable and then get the bike you really want...jmo
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 211
Likes: 4
From: Florida
Glad your interested in riding yourself. We have quite a few ladies in our HOG club who ride their own bikes, some of which are Street Glides and Heritage,Dynas and Sportsters. I'd have to agree with those who suggested a smaller bike to learn on then decide how large a bike you want to get. Experience is very important to feel safe. Big bikes at slow speeds can be tricky. Best of luck.
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 325
Likes: 2
From: Texas
Just curious (so I know why not to recommend that in the future), what didn't she like about it? I have a '92 Sporty that I've owned since new and despite it not being a rubber mount I still love the thing. It's more of a bar-hopper though.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,062
Likes: 4
From: Boca Raton, FL
As others have said, street glide is a little much for a starter bike...however... Dont get a sportster!!.. My wife is 5'2".. Slightly hefty(sorry dear)...we started with a 2011 883 superlow... Within 6 months she hated it.. Traded it in on a fatboy lo, she handles it well.. But we lost a coupla thousand in the lesson, others have said, get a cheaper bike, make sure this is what you want to do.. Get comfortable and then get the bike you really want...jmo
agreed, the softails tend to be a nice bike for the ladies, they can be lowered easily, have a good low certain of balance, handle well, have a good amount of accessories with windshields, bags etc.
my wife loves her FB, it's a 2011, we lowered it 2in all the way around and bought her the corbin gunfighter that lowered her another inch and she's only 5'3"
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 766
Likes: 6
From: South Dakota
Don't overlook a pre '09 bike either. The narrower frame makes a very big difference. A co-worker of my wife's bought a '12 street glide. He's 5'4. Reduced reach seat, lowered front and rear (has to ride like total hell) and he still cant flatfoot.
I'd also whole heartedly say that the pre '09 Road kings are awesome learner bikes. While they may weigh a bit more the handling is fantastic.
My wife traded up from a Suzuki C50 Boulevard to a Road King. She constantly tells me how much easier it is to ride and handles so much better than the C50 did.
I'd also whole heartedly say that the pre '09 Road kings are awesome learner bikes. While they may weigh a bit more the handling is fantastic.
My wife traded up from a Suzuki C50 Boulevard to a Road King. She constantly tells me how much easier it is to ride and handles so much better than the C50 did.
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: Nashville
I'm in the soft tail column. They actually handle better than a lot of the hondas and other bikes listed because of the lower center of gravity and lower seating. They are also a motorcycle you won't soon get tired of as they are a real motorcycle with the same power as most of the touring bikes.
A good idea at this point in your riding experience is to take the MSF course and rent a few different bikes until you find one that fits you. Everyone is different and not all like just a single bike.
I'd bet you a free dinner at the McDonalds of your chioce you wind up on a Heritage or Deluxe at first. They handle great.
A good idea at this point in your riding experience is to take the MSF course and rent a few different bikes until you find one that fits you. Everyone is different and not all like just a single bike.
I'd bet you a free dinner at the McDonalds of your chioce you wind up on a Heritage or Deluxe at first. They handle great.
Road Captain
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 698
Likes: 1
From: Texas Hill Country
cvo ultra, and a cvo softail custom, she had a hard time keeping up , said it was vibrating her teeth loose.. We went to look at a softail custom, then she saw the denim black fat boy lo, it was all over
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Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 47
Likes: 1
From: west Michigan
My wife took the class also and she rode a Yamaha V-Star 650 for one year and I am going to sell it now as she just got a heritage classic. I have a Street Glide and she has driven it but still feels it is to much bike for her. If you can't get very flat footed on a bike that weighs that much you will struggle as a new rider.
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 325
Likes: 2
From: Texas
she said it felt top heavy, as though she was fighting it all the time, plus we ride lots of highway, 4 of us..street glide,
cvo ultra, and a cvo softail custom, she had a hard time keeping up , said it was vibrating her teeth loose.. We went to look at a softail custom, then she saw the denim black fat boy lo, it was all over
cvo ultra, and a cvo softail custom, she had a hard time keeping up , said it was vibrating her teeth loose.. We went to look at a softail custom, then she saw the denim black fat boy lo, it was all over
Thanks for the info! I'm surprised the rubber mount didn't fix the vibration (which I'm all too familiar with on my hard-mounted '92). That was a missed opportunity by HD. I know it can be done better that that because I have an '00 Buell Lightning and also had a '95 Buell Tbolt not too long ago, both have Sportster-based motors but are smooth as butter on the freeway at any speed (even triple digits).