So I won a 2010 Road King Classic in a charity raffle, and decided I'd take a MSF class and learn how to ride. I completed the class over the weekend and did fairly well. I took the bike out to a school parking lot tonight and started to get a feel for it. Needless to say, I dropped the bike gently twice, and one time I ended up on the ground after giving it too much throttle when trying to turn right from a complete stop. I also didn't feel very comfortable with the bike in general

Thankfully I'm not hurt, but my pride and ego are damaged. I've come to realize that it is way too much bike for me and will be selling the bike.

Now my question is, I'd still like a cruiser since I'm a bigger guy and not a fan of the sport bikes. Any suggestions or help on something that might suit me better, even if it's not a Harley? Thanks in advance for your help

 

Keep the bike.

Go buy a little used 250-500cc bike for a few hundred bucks.

Learn about the 'Friction Zone'. Chances are, if you'd been slipping the clutch when you gaaave it too much gas, the bike wouldn'tve jumped too hard to stay on top of, then you pull in the clutch a bit, and start over. It just takes a little practice until it becomes MUCH easier. Drop your little bike a few times until you're not dropping it anymore, and you'll be good to go.

 

Ageed.Buy a cheap smaller bike and learn how to ride.Once you get the feel for it there's nothing to it.It's all balance and feel.
If you sell it you're gonna miss out on a lot of good times.

 

Dude, bikes are like shoes.

You gotta find what fits you, what is comfortable on you, what meets your needs in terms of what you want to do with the bike, and (of course) what looks good to you.

My advice is to park the bike and shop around.

You should be able to trade in the new RK on darn near any bike out there, metrics included.

OTOH, a RKC is a really nice bike. Like the others said, before you conclude you can't handle it perhaps some additional instruction and practice is in order? Then again, maybe not. The point is that currently you don't know what you don't know.

I'd start by figuring out what you're looking for in a bike, why you want one, and go from there.

Chin up...it's one of the better problems to have, if you have to have one!

Best,

Doc

 

Keep the bike and keep practicing, you will figure out the balance of it and what you are capable of doing on it. If you gently dropped it and you picked it back up then what's the problem? you'll get the hang of it soon enough.
My first and only bike was a road king, and I dropped it too. You learn quickly.

 

I'm with the others. You don't learn how to fly in a jet (even if you win it in a raffle). Park the RK, scan craigslist and the metric shops and find a cheap beater to learn on.

Or if you're really ready to give up that easily, donate the bike to another charity to re-raffle so you can at least beat the IRS.

 

+1

 

Try a pint of a favorite brew before each new riding session. I assume you are of age. A novice rider is naturally nervous & overthinking. Your ego is bruised more than that steel horse.

 

Like some of the others said, keep the bike and get something smaller you can practice and gain confidence on. Hey my first street bike is my streetglide and two years and 13,000 miles later I can tell you that you will improve with seat time.

 

Get the "Ride Like a Pro" DVD. Then do like the others suggest and in a few months you won't remember what the problems were. I might point out that there are a lot of women on this forum that ride big touring bikes. They, just like everyone else, had to learn how. Good luck to you.