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Your first harley should be the one you want. Big or small
lite or heavy don't mean snot, you are going to learn to
ride which ever one you get just fine
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You say you used to ride a dirt bike, well all the same principles are there. Major difference is the weight factor coupled with the center of gravity. I went from a 650 BSA to a stripped down 65 Panhead FLH. A year later that was stripped down and put into a ridgid frame with a 3/4" rake. I like the center of gravity low down between my knees. I find it easier to balance. Now 30 years later at 58 I ride a Roadking. Took a bit of getting used to but I love it. I only owned one sporty for about 2 weeks. It seems they just don't seem to command any kind of price when sold used. I think the bigger bikes hold value better, but I could be wrong. EAZY! ...I'm not tryijng to anger any of the sporty riders here, it's just the way it seems to me looking on the local Graigs list ads here.
Test ride them if you can if not sit on them and flop 'em around a bit to see if the weight gets away from you.
I bought my first bike a few months ago after taking the MSF course.
I ended up with an Iron 883 but the Crossbones always appealed to me as well.
The sporty is a little top heavy, but I've never dropped the bike.
I just look like a big noob sometimes when maneuvering at low speeds.
I'm on my first road trip, about 1500miles round trip.
The sporty kicked my ASS. I bought throw over saddle bags for storage and a kidney belt for my back and I'm still in pain after an hour of riding.
The more I ride my Sporty, the more I want a comfortable bike.
I'm still using the stock seat and shocks which most people says is torture.
If that doesn't fix it, I'll be trading it in.
I got lucky and signed up for the trade in deal where I get a year to trade in and if I do they'll give me full MSRP.
Get the bike you want, the perfect model is the one you choose.
YOUR bike needs to be the one YOU like. Don’t worry about what other people say. You’ll ride it just fine and the more YOU like it the more you’ll ride it!!!
I would tell you to get the street bob or get which ever bike you like best now. I fell into the sportster is a good starter bike and although I do love my sporty I now want a road king. My wife has gotten into wanting to ride with me and the sporty is just not cutting it.
However the reality is that I got a great deal on my sporty and I don't think I could have got that with any other model. I own my bike so when I upgrade I don't have to worry about paying my current bike off.
I personally wouldn’t start on anything bigger (or smaller) than a soft tail or dyna, but that’s just my opinion. I started on a Fatboy, and had no problems, if I had it to do over again I probably would have started on a Heritage because it comes equipped with detachable windshield, saddlebags,luggage rack and sissy bar making it great to strip down and bar hop or dress up and tour on. I think it's the best all around bike for the money; these items are usually considered rider essentials if you are serious about riding at all. The Fatboy was a great starter bike because of the low center of gravity, but after buying saddlebags, windshield, luggage rack and sissy bar it would have been allot cheaper to buy the Heritage and they are very similar bikes. More parts are available for the soft tail models for customization than any other bike making them very easy to personalize.
Can you tell I’m a little biased?
I did just recently trade my second Fatboy in for the Street Glide.
Most people (once again in my opinion) who buy Sporties as their first bikes usually don’t spend much time on them before they wish they had bought something bigger.
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Patriot Guard Riders
09 Street Glide
YOU ARE EITHER PART OF PROBLEM OR YOU ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION
I am a small frame female and went from riding dirtbikes and racebikes to a Crossbones. The weight takes a little getting used to it when moving it around but they are so balanced you should have no trouble while riding.
When I rode a Sportster on a Demo ride it did seem a little more top heavy but not unmanageable.
Great, great screen name!
And to the OP,
I had never ridden a bike before, but was considering either an Iron, or a middle weight cruiser metric (vulcan 900, suzuki c50, yamaha 950) as a beginner bike. I signed up for a Riders Edge course and decided to wait until after to make any purchase. Went through the course, which I highly recommend, and felt comfortable enough on a bike to consider any option. In the end, I went with a Low Rider, because it is the bike I really wanted (also love Street Bobs), and figured I wouldn't be happy with something different. In the end, to me as long as you're comfortable with the idea of a Bob, just get that. I think you should always respect a bike, but not be intimidated by it.
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The most important shot in golf, is the next one.
~Ben Hogan
Last edited by cricket1116; 09-10-2009 at 02:01 PM.
First of all, thanks a LOT to all for taking the time to reply to my post.
All your thoughts and advices are sound. Thanks again!
For whoever asked me how tall I am, I'm 6' tall........
I do not have my US driving license yet (I moved to the US a year ago), so the dealer didn't want to let me test any bike - which I understand of course. BUT, I put my ass on many of them...Nightster, Iron, all kinds of other sportsters, and the Street Bob. I don't know when I put my but on the Bob I just loved it! I didn't even really move the bike lol but I thought that was the bike made for me. I love the riding position and the stock mini apes (that I would have put on any bike I would have got anyway).
So my dearler wasn't lying to me? Any bike would do the trick?
MSF Course = Motorcycle Safety Foundation Course, also called Riders Edge. A great course for new street riders that teaches motorcycle safety and low speed and emergency maneuvering.
Most states will wave the riding part of the motorcycle license test if you have completed this course, and many insurance companies give discounts for the course.
__________________
Patriot Guard Riders
09 Street Glide
YOU ARE EITHER PART OF PROBLEM OR YOU ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION
Your first harley should be the one you want. Big or small
lite or heavy don't mean snot, you are going to learn to
ride which ever one you get just fine
Yep, I agree..... BUT do try all of the Harleys that appeal to you... My total time on cycle was; I rode a buds 305 Honda back in 1971 about 4 times, then in 07 took the MSF course on a 250 Kawasaki, that is it... I immediately rented a FXDWG the day after I got my license, it felt HUGE for about an hour... Then, I rented everything Harley makes that appealed to me... At the time, (in my mind) a Harley should look like a Softail Heritage, I tried two of them and a Deluxe, just liked the Dyna better. The dealer in NJ & FL both cut me deals on 3 day mid week rentals....
