I sorta agree. First bike and all you will probably end up happier w/ a sound Rebel or something VS. a ragged out under powered 883 that pisses you off every week.

Ride the rebel ( or whatever) for a minute until you can get a loan on a nice Harley. FYI- bike payments are'nt nearly as painful as a cage payment. I'll never finance another car or truck,, but bikes.. no problem!

Dealer vs. private? Ya you'll save money going private but at a dealer you'll have a little more peace of mind... its just up to you. But.. in this case you wont see many 3k bikes a dealer and if you do its probably a POS.

 

Your going to get a lot of different opinions on this subject and like many of the others who have already replied to your question, I also agree with buying a metric as your first bike. There is nothing wrong with starting out on a Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha or Kawasaki. All are good bikes and can be bought for much less than a Harley. The Harley should be your end objective. If you're going to learn to ride, you are going to make mistakes. Better to do it on a less expensive machine than a Harley.

Once you've mastered the basics and feel that you are safe and posses the confidence, I'd move up to a well cared for (used) Harley. A 1970's HD should definitely be out of the question. The 883 is nice scooter and should have ample power for somebody who is a new rider.

 

Oh it not that the ladies can't handle a bigger bigger bike, some women look down right sexy on a bigger scoot..GG comes to mind (Hi Karen ) ... a 6'4" 260lb man/women will looks silly riding a 883. Bike fitment is just as important as anything else and the last thing you want is to put down your hard earned cash just to find out a few week in the bike is too small.

 

Oh yeah....forgot to comment about private vs dealer. Go private. This is your first (learners) bike and you won't have it very long. Lots of people have learned on borrowed bikes, ragged bikes, etc. Again, this is to teach you to ride. Save your money and get something along the lines of a Honda Rebel from a private party. The best advice I can give you though is take the MSF rider safey course. Lots of classes are offered to teach students how to safely ride motorcycles.

 

For $3k you should be able to get a late 80's through '90's Evolution powered 1100/1200 Sportster. I would avoid an older Ironhead Sportster if it will be your first/only bike.

 

I agree. But who knows... this guy could be a midget

 

You will likely outgrow a sporty pretty quickly, I'd go for a dyna low rider. Unless you want to move up to another bike in a year (and remember, you'll be putting money into any used bike, if not in mechanical stuff, in blingage, you just can't help it!!). Just take it slow at first and get used to it, I had a honda 350 when I was 15, rode a few other peoples bikes over the years, but finally got an 850lb EG Classic when I was 45, 800 lbs of bike, it wasn't long till I was used to it. The MSF class help a lot.

 

I would suggest you start with MSF course, then get the Ride Like A Pro V DVD. Then I'd start with a used Honda Rebal to learn on, because when you drop it, you won't be having a fit about damaging your Harley.
As far as insurance goes my EG & the wife's Rebal cost me $400.00 per year through GIECO.

Welcome to riding! Be safe.

 

I'm going to go against the grain and NOT recommend starting on a metric. Get a newer Sportster, ride that for a year or two, then upgrade. You should be able to sell the Sporty for what you paid. The metric, you may or may not get what you paid when it's time to sell. Before you do anything, take the MSF course first.

Progressive is pretty good for insurance, I'm using them right now and have no complaints (other than the Flo commercials)

 

Metrics are fine bikes and there are plenty of deals out there but you posted on the Harley forum which leads me to believe that your heart is set on getting a Harley.
There are plenty of good buys out there on 883's and 1200's I would save up another $1 or $2K and find a good used Sporty. I have seen several 2000 and newer on craigslist in the $4500 to $5500 range. I saw a 98 with low mileage for $3500 a week or two ago. You'll get a far better deal from a private seller and if your not comfortable checking out bikes on your own,find a friend that knows bikes or have a shop check it over for you before you buy it.
I'll be selling my 04 1200 soon but it will be more around $5500. I'm still looking for a deal on a Heritage. Just my.02