Hello everyone,
I have started researching and looking at Harley motorcycles. My situation is that I have an 18 year old mentally handicapped daughter. She loves motorcycles and this is a good opportunity for us to spend time together. I will be buying a sidecar in addition to the Harley and researching that as well. I know enough to be dangerous and have never ridden. I do plan on taking riding classes prior to buying. I visited one dealer that recommended the touring class motorcycles. Road King's to be more specific. My plan is to visit a few more dealers and ask riders their thoughts on the subject. So, I think the appropriate questions are -

1. Any recommendations on any specific Harley models?

2. Any recommendations on sidecars?

3. Any recommendations at all since I don't know what I don't know?... :-)

Thanks in advance for your thoughts! All feedback is much appreciated!

 

Well, how about staring with how you plan to ride? Local, long distant touring? Just you and your daughter?
THere are a ton of questions before we can give good answers.

Welcome to the forums, and good luck to you.

 

First place to start is to find a MSF class (cost $20 here).
For sidecar questions try this forum.
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/hacke.../?daysprune=-1

 

The Ultra will be great for you, & your daughter!! Definitely should take a safety corse!!!

 

Thanks for the quick responses and questions! Some trips will be local, some will be long distance touring. Planning to have my wife sitting behind me and the daughter in the sidecar.....:-) MSF class tip and sidecar forum are greatly appreciated!

 

Welcome to the Forum from sunny Arizona. The Best thing you can do for yourself and deciding on what you want is to go to the dealership and rent each model for the day. Make sure you take your significant other if that person is going to be touring with you. Everything else will be peoples opinions....good luck.

 

As I new rider I would suggest you steer clear of sidecars, they have some handling quirks that an experienced rider can deal with, but when you are just learning to ride I think its a bad idea. A trike (which HD makes) will be much more neutral handling and has the bonus of a reverse gear without which I would be willing to bet you get yourself into a spot, its also got a sizable trunk and can easily tow a trailer.

HD Tri-Glide

 

HD quit making sidecars. Get a Ural with side car for about $12K. Great fun bike.

 

Ride a couple of years on a regular bike first to get experience, then get a sidecar

 

If you want to take 3 people on a motorcycle a big touring bike and a sidecar is your only choice. The Roadking would be the best choice for this. All the Touring models are the same engine/transmission and frame, just with different trim options. The Roadking is the lightest of the group and therefore will have the most hauling capabilities. Sidecars take some specialized training on how to make them work safely. See if the local MSF trainers can reccomend a course, or just a local resource for that training. Good luck!