First time bike?
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6th Gear
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Illinois
First time bike?
WIfe went and got her MC license. Very raw obviously. I'm thinking of a HD 883 as a first time bike. Found a 2005 with 3100 miles for $4500. Eventually she will be driving the Heritage when she gets the experience. Any thoughts out there?
Thanks in advance. Guido
Thanks in advance. Guido
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 163
Likes: 37
From: New Jersey
I have seen people post this same question before. A lot of people have said the Sportster is too high and would be better off with a softail.
I assume she can handle a bike somewhat since she got her license, otherwise she might be better off with a Honda 250 Rebel to start.
Have her take a MSF course. Best money spent.
Ken
I assume she can handle a bike somewhat since she got her license, otherwise she might be better off with a Honda 250 Rebel to start.
Have her take a MSF course. Best money spent.
Ken
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,520
Likes: 270
From: Wellsboro, PA
Go for it! Start small, let her get the confidence (not experience!) and then start getting bigger. My 1st bike (safety course about 10 years ago) was a Suzuki Intruder 800. About like an 883. Once I got confident & knew I liked riding, and got out onto a 65 mph speed limit, I knew I had to go bigger. I had the Intruder for about 2 months before moving up. Depends on her level of confidence. I'd say do the 883 for the rest of this year, and if she's up to it, go for the Heritage next spring. The price is right --- $4500, for a bike that you know you won't keep. (Maybe she'll be ready to move up to it in October! Who knows? Up to her.)
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,351
Likes: 461
From: Illinois
I agree it should be your wife's choice, within budget of course. Picking out a bike for someone else is as hard as picking out a gun or a mate for someone else.
The one who is going to be holding and handling it should make the final decision. Nothing at all wrong with steering her in the right direction though.
Dennis
The one who is going to be holding and handling it should make the final decision. Nothing at all wrong with steering her in the right direction though.
Dennis
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,560
Likes: 279
From: North Cental Iowa
Get a cheap metric that sits low, & that you can peddle easily. The Heritage is actually easier to ride than a Sporty if you both have enough guts just have her ride that, depends on how raw she is. Whatever you get make sure you can peddle it soon without losing too much $$ cause she won't be riding it for long with that Heritage waiting in the wings.
Advanced
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
From: NE Wisconsin
Agreed. That being said, my wife started on my '01 Sporty 1200, (which doesn't have a rubber mounted engine like the '04 & newer) when I got the Ultra, and she did just fine (5'5, 180ish)
Her only complaint is how much it shakes.
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Road Warrior
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,537
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From: The Great River Road, Wisconsin
Thats funny, for that is usually the attraction, not a deterrent.
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Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 529
Likes: 2
From: Minnesota
I started with a 2005 Sportster 883 after getting my license. It was a good learning bike for me. I drove it for 3 months to the end of the riding season and in the spring I moved to the RK.
I highly recommend the MSF basic rider's course as well for new riders.
I highly recommend the MSF basic rider's course as well for new riders.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 6,066
Likes: 1,945
From: Somewhere on the Bourbon trail
I'm also new to riding. I took the HD Rider's Edge back in 2011. When I got the MC endorsement, I bought a new XL1200C. For me, it was an easy bike to ride as the Sporty was agile and 'fairly' light and wanted to get use to riding.
I just bought a 2013 RK back in October and that's easy for me to handle now. I'm vertically challenged at 5'7", but with a couple mods on the RK, I can have both feet flat on the ground.
Personally, I think the Sporty is a good choice. If she's gonna use the Sporty to get her confidence up and then get rid of it for the Heritage, the 883 is a good choice. However, for me, after about 6 months of riding, she may want a bit more power to keep up with the bigger bikes as she gets her confidence up on the longer rides. That's why I chose the 1200 to start. I still have my Sporty, as it's still a fun bike to ride.
You might want to check out the 1200 if that's an option for you, as the price diff may be very little.
Good luck.
I just bought a 2013 RK back in October and that's easy for me to handle now. I'm vertically challenged at 5'7", but with a couple mods on the RK, I can have both feet flat on the ground.
Personally, I think the Sporty is a good choice. If she's gonna use the Sporty to get her confidence up and then get rid of it for the Heritage, the 883 is a good choice. However, for me, after about 6 months of riding, she may want a bit more power to keep up with the bigger bikes as she gets her confidence up on the longer rides. That's why I chose the 1200 to start. I still have my Sporty, as it's still a fun bike to ride.
You might want to check out the 1200 if that's an option for you, as the price diff may be very little.
Good luck.