This would be a great bike to start with. Like swimming, you may as well jump in the deep end. The perfect bike makes the appearance at :20 into the video.

 

Great feedback so far, thanks all. Well, I am not young, I am 27 years old. I'll go out on a limb here, but my weight usually stays between 115-120 and I am 5'7. I don't have much control over that. I want to also point out, during my course, it was pouring rain out. Not trying to make excuses on why I dropped the bike. But it wasn't easy for me, seeing how I never had been on a bike. I shouldn't say I have no experience. When I was younger, I bought a little dirt bike. Had no gears, and was a cord pull start. Max speed was 35 mph. Until the muffler fell off, due to bad bolts. I rode it almost everyday. What I really want to stress, is my weight, and a bikes weight. Which is why I am asking. How much does personal weight, if any effect the handling of a bigger bike. I don't see getting a scooter. I did well on the rebel, outside of the drops. Would it just be easier to stay on that, and go up? I just figured, if you weigh much less than a bike, then counterweight and leans, probably wouldn't have much effect. Thanks again

 

Size doesn't matter so much so long as your feet comfortable hit the ground - strength can be an issue. With a heavy bike if you get out of sorts it's going to be more difficult for you to keep it up in certain situations. I'm 5'11" but only about 140lbs and I don't have any issues on my Dyna - it takes a bit more grunt in some situations when the wife is on the back but she's only an additional 110lbs. Together we're less than a lot of people are solo. I would really suggest finding something cheap that you can learn on to begin with if your finances allow - maybe a Suzuki S50 or the like. Something that has some grunt but is friendly in the weight department. Others mentioned the amount of money it's going to cost to repair any Harley if you drop it and that's a real legitimate thing to take into account. Some people do fine in the MSF and puttering around parking lots but just aren't comfortable when they get out on the road with a lot of traffic. Your first bike should probably be something that you can handle and not take too much of a financial hit on should you need to repair it or sell it if you decide riding is not for you. I went too top heavy and fast with a YZF-600R as my first bike - I paid the price both physically and financially. Luckily my pride was hurt more than I was but it cost me $800 to replace the plastic fairing parts I scuffed up on the bike and that was with me putting them back on myself in 2001 money. Welcome to the forum and biking world - make a decision you're comfortable with and enjoy the ride. Be careful out there.

 

The weight of the rider has absolutely nothing to do with riding the bike and never has. No reason you can't go straight to a Harley if you want. Many low center of gravity Harleys are more stable than a 250 cc metric bike. It is very easy to drop a small skinny tires metric bike if the pavement is wet. Buy and ride what you want with two caveats No passengers for 2,000 miles and purchase the ride like a pro videos and practice the exercises for two hours a week.

 

I'd say start with something lighter. But not for the exact reasons that others have given. I think that if you go straight for a Harley or other heavy bike, you will learn to ride it wrong. By being nervous of its weight, you won't learn to handle it correctly and instead develop bad habits that will put you in danger if you have to ride out of your comfort zone (eg. in an emergency, swerving etc.)

You will get confidence much quicker on a smaller, lighter bike, where you are much more likely to learn how to handle a bike "correctly". Once you are super confident on it, and bored with it, you will be better placed to ride the heavier bike correctly without having to "unlearn" bad habits. I believe that you will get more confident and be a better rider on your Harley in less time than if you had spent all the time on the Harley from the first place.

But I know that this isn't really the answer you want to hear, and doesn't match with what you believe (especially since you haven't spent any real time riding) so I don't expect you to take my advice. I'm posting it more to see how other riders react to what I have to say more than anything.

 

My experience recently, I am 52 short legged and weigh in at 175 have not been on a bike in over 30 years and little experience back then. Bucket list buy a Harley so I bought a new fat boy lo and I was intimidated by the power and weight. It set in the garage until April, I had scheduled to take the basic riders course which got cancelled. Unfortunately the sun came out before the next scheduled date and I fired her up and started riding. The balance was great it even felt nimble but oh those slow turns there was a problem not so much left turns but right turns sucked. At 200 miles I attempted to dodge potholes/craters at the entrance to a gas station (right turn) went wide and caught the curb and went down, minor damage to bike and a possible cracked rib due to phone in chest pocket. Jumped right up got her started and licked my pride having crash bar helped bike was not flat. I was lucky!! I got back on the bike the next day and put another 100 miles on. This happened in the first week of April I then got up to 500 miles on the bike and finished my riders course yesterday, it really helped me and everyone else said the same!! Here is my 2cents worth for you. If you have the funds buy a 250 and learn on it you will get bored with it really fast when you learn to ride it comfortably then sell it and buy your dream bike. Harleys are heavy mine is 736lbs and I have had to hold her up a couple of times if I were not flatfooted or if I did not have sufficient upper body strength I would have laid her over. Your body weight has very little to do with keeping the bike up, strength, skill level and sure footedness do. When you buy your dream bike put on a crash bar and practice in an empty parking lot my bar saved a lot of $$ to my bike, I wished I would have practiced in a parking lot first. I rode my bike yesterday and my skill level and confidence were higher still have a long way to go but felt much better with my turns. Good luck be safe and congrats for taking the riders course. NoRegrets

 

At 27, you have the time to buy a small bike, to make sure you really like riding and then move up. At your age, if you stick with riding, you will own a series of bikes. No reason to spend what a Harley costs until you are sure this is for you. You can get a 500 cc metric for under $5K so you won't lose that much if you decide otherwise.

That being said, it is certainly possible to start with a Harley. If you want a traditional Harley look in a smaller, lighter package designed for smaller riders, you might try the new sportster model, the XL1200T. And then buy the Ride Like a Pro video which talks about slow speed maneuvers on heavyweight bikes. As others have said, riding a heavy bike fast is easy. Where you will drop it is in slow speed maneuvers in the parking lot. Those skills are what take some development.

 

I usually am of the same thought as Uppercase JC. That is the weight of the bike is a lot easier to handle, if the center of gravity is low. I have seen too many people purchase bikes that they were not happy with 1 month down the road because it was too small. That being said, after reading about your experience and concerns, and I'm not trying to be a wise azz, and I'm not trying to be hurtful, but not everyone is made to ride a motorcycle. I'd give some serious thought to a 3 wheeler, or another hobby completely. IMO, I don't see you being a safe, enjoyable, happy rider. I hope I'm wrong, but whatever you decide, be safe.

 

It's not all about the weight of the bike and the rider. Remember you've just done 2 days in a parking lot!! Now add a heavy Harley, inexperience, and go onto busy roads with traffic and idiots and it will likely be a disaster. IMO buy a light, cheap motorcycle for a couple thousand dollars and use it to get your road experience after you've spent a good few hours in your neighborhood and in more parking lots.
I'm a 57 year old female and own 2 Softails and have also had a Streetglide within the past 2 years. I'm a return to motorcycles rider after a 26 year gap. Like riding a bicycle the mechanics of riding never left me but holding up a Harley for a few weeks was very intimidating, even after I took the MSF. I barely slept the first few weeks after getting my Sportster (which I traded after 8 weeks for a Heritage), just the thought of backing it up and turning corners filled me with dread.

Thinking about what gear to be in and when to brake and accelerate in traffic, what lane to be in, where the signals are located, all these things are mind blowing for a new rider. The lighter and smaller the bike, the easier those things are. In a few months you can sell the cheap starter bike and confidently pick out the right Harley for you.

 

I just went throught this with my girlfriend. She passed the Harley rders edge course and still in my opinion was not ready for the street. I picked up an 883 low sporty which at first she said was to heavy. Well after a few weeks in the parking lot and on some empty roads she has since got comfortable with the bike and doesnt even realize the weight anymore.

Sounds like you may have dropped the rebel due to lack of skills like grabbing the front brake in the parking lot. If Harley is what you want to ride i suggest the sportster 883 Low or regular with a crash bar then get out and practice.

You need to have good start, stop and turning control before you hit the streets in my opinion. A 2 day MSF will teach you the skills to ride but will be up to you to perfect them.