I take this side of the argument, I started on a Harley and have always rode Harley's. but it does not have to be new, does not have to cost $20,000 and does not have to be the biggest Harley in the showroom. I recommend starting on a medium sized used bike you can have some pride in.

There's some really great deals here https://www.hdforums.com/forum/motorcycles-for-sale-74/

Good luck.

 

I learned the fundmentals of riding long before I ever got on that Rebel. It was (as I stated above) my first street bike. (My first bike was mini bike when I was around 10 followed by a few different dirt bikes) Note that I also suggested the class to learn first since they supply the bike and teach the fundamentals (I think most states are using the same classes). I would never suggest learning the fundamentals on the Heritage or any large bike for that matter. If anything I think most new riders could benefit from riding a dirt bike where they don't have any traffic to deal with. I just don't think it is as important to make the first street bike a small one like many suggest once the fundamentals are in place. Did I really benefit from the transition between the Rebel and the Heritage? Hard to say as it depends on how many skills remained after 26 years. Some probably did but 26 years is a long time and I did not get on any bike during that time. I was indeed nervous the first day I got on it and for a few days following however it was so easy to handle I got over that pretty fast. As far as maneuvering I do indeed like the Heritage better. The Rebel as I recall always felt squirrely and the Heritage always feels stable. The reason I said it was a gut feeling though is due to the number of years that passed. My gut feeling is that I could have got on the Heritage as my first street bike and done just as well. Each persons situation is unique though and it may be different for others. FWIW, the long break between them was in part due to hitting a deer at 60 MPH on the Rebel and in part due to raising 3 children during which time I did not think it was practical to ride. (Even with two riders it's not practical to try to take three children anywhere) Now that my children are pretty much all raised now I decided it was time to get the Harley I had always said I would get "IF" I ever decided to ride again. Regardless of any of this I do know for certain that I enjoy getting on the Heritage much more now than I ever did the Rebel. My wife seems to agree since she is faster at getting on the back of the Heritage (Once she got over the fear from my hitting the deer) than she ever was the Rebel and she is even considering getting a bike herself which she never did back then. (For those that are trying to figure out how long I have been married I'll tell you. I have been happily married since March of 1985 to my one and only wife)

 

First off, only you know whats right for you.

Being in a similar situation a few years ago, I can tell you what I did.
It had been 25 years or so since I had last ridden seriously, or owned a bike. I decided that I wanted to try it again, to see if I still enjoyed it as much as I remembered. I reminded myself that a LOT had changed between then and now.

In case I didn't really enjoy it anymore, I didn't want to tie a bunch of money up into it. I also reasoned that a mid-size bike would be more appropiate to get back into the swing of things. I also figured that 1) If I wrecked a bike, I'd rather wreck a $2500 one than a $20000 one and 2) A mid-size cruiser would be easier to pick up than a larger bike. I distinctly remember telling the wife that if I put a $2500 bike in the ditch, realistically I could leave the dang thing in there!

I found a local guy selling a Suzuki Intruder (805cc) for $2300. I bought it and rode it for a year. I sold it for $2500 and used that money towards a Kawasaki Nomad which I rode for 2 years. I traded it for my 2012 Ultra Classic. I'd do it the same way over again.

Good luck and enjoy the ride whichever way you go.

 

Way too expensive. Find something else.
Now I've seen the posts telling you to buy something smaller til you get the hang of it and for a younger rider I would agree however you are long enough in the tooth to know what you want,so I suggest buying the bike you want right now and learning on it.
My old lady for example. She is a new rider. I bought her a 450 nighthawk which she outgrew so I now have a 750 shadow she is riding. Point being I've now got bikes I've got to get rid of as her experience level increases. I should have just bought her the bigger bike to start and let her cut her teeth on it instead of forking out money each time she outgrows a bike.
Then there are the differences in handling on each bike which takes her a few weeks to get used to so for that few weeks she is hazardous.
Up to you but I think you are old enough to know what you want.

 

Drop that price $4k and it might be a decent deal.

 

Too expensive IMO. I started out on V-Star 1100 and then bought my first harley, a 09 Street Bob. I agree before you get on a large touring bike that you need to get your feet wet and see if you feel comfortable handling a touring bike. But, do what you think is best for you. Take the riders course and see just how comfortable you are. Best of luck.

 

How far are you from Plano, TX?

2012 RGU - $20k - 3275 miles

http://www.cycletrader.com/listing/2...ltra-104727136

Remember... the prices you see for sale online are "asking" prices. It's a buyers market for toys right now. Plus... winter is coming! I've bought every bike I ever owned over the "winter" (quotes 'cause I'm a CA native). Prices drop even more.

Personally... I find NADA, KBB etc to be just about useless for motorcycle pricing. You want to see what things are selling for... look at the old listings of bikes that have actually SOLD on ebay.

The price for the bike you looked at is not totally out of line... but I make it to be about 10ish percent too high. I bet if you walked in with $16,000 in a briefcase... they couldn't be happier to let you ride it home.

 

Thanks for making my point even more clear. You had motorcycle skills long before you ever rode your first street bike. You weren't a novice when you started on your Rebel, and you certainly weren't one when you went to the Heritage. My original advice was for the OP (supposedly a complete novice), not a rider with experience.

After taking that first course, the rider has been introduced to the fundamentals of riding in closed course conditions. Is someone really proficient at those skills, especially in real road conditions after a 2 day course? Not in my opinion. Some guy that has never ridden a motorcycle before in his life goes to this course, and then climbs on a Harley touring frame, and rides in normal traffic conditions? I suppose it is possible, but I think that the guy would be a danger to himself and anyone else in the vicinity of his riding.

I agree 100%. That's where I learned how to ride.

Once someone has some real world riding skills and some SA (situational awareness), I'd agree with you. Are someone's riding skills firmly in place after a basic rider's edge course? Not even close, in my opinion. Reference the story about my friend's wife and her Sportster in a previous post.

You didn't mention before that it had been 26 years since you rode. The fact remains that you had significant dirt and street bike experience. The skills were already there, you just had to access them again.

 

Please re-read my post..not suggesting a smaller bike, just one less expensive. Sorry if you got confused.

 

The bike you are looking at is too expensive by far for the mileage. Keep looking, and don't be in a rush.

I took the motorcycle safety course in my state about 10-11 years ago, with literally zero riding experience prior to that. After I got my M endorsement, a buddy was kind enough to loan me his almost 20 year old Honda Shadow (I think it was a 700?) for a week or so, and I put a couple hundred miles on that. Over the course of the next 10 years I was able to borrow or rent several Harleys for 2-3 days at a time (Sportster, Heritage Classic, Road King, Fatboy, Road Glide), but never more than 1-2x per year. I'd guess that in the decade between when I got my license and got my Road Glide (beginning of this season) I probably had 4000-5000 miles in the previous decade at most. I've put 3500 miles on my bike this summer (got it in June, is my first bike). I was comfortable with it from the first week I got it, and I couldn't imagine spending my first season on a small bike.

On the other hand, I know buddies with limited riding experience who have went the other route and say they are glad they did. You have to make the decision for yourself. So many factors are completely case by case. Different riders have different natural ability, are naturally more or less observant, have better/worse reflexes, are more/less cautious, ride in varying levels of traffic, etc. Realistically analyze yourself. Ask your experienced riding buddies for their honest opinion, and remind them and yourself that your life is at stake. Are you a good rider? Do you have fast reflexes? Do you naturally make the right decisions on the bike? Are you conservative and cautious? What are the traffic and road conditions in your area? I think those questions are as important as anything else in considering whether you need to break yourself in on a smaller bike or if you are good to go on the larger bike you eventually want.

If in doubt, play it safe.