Just go out buy what you want. You only live once. I never rode a bike before intill I purchased my 2006 Fatboy last may. I learned how to ride it by gettin on it. I rode my bike to my first day of class on riders saftey course sponsored by ABATE. My Instructror said you got ***** coming to class and not having a endorsement. I told him Guys that ride Harleys have the biggest ***** of them all. My Instructor laughed and I ended up be the top driver in the class. I credit this acheivement to riding my bike before I went to class. I live in Southeast Michigan and the riders course that is sponsored by ABATE is $25 dollars. The class is worth every penny!!

 

I would say, go to the dealer and sit on each bike of your choice to see which one is more comfortable to you. I had 0 riding experience and bought a fatboy. I have the riding pro DVD's also and just rode around the neighborhood until I became comfortable. Buy what you want, and drive it at a slow pace until comfortable.

 

Bad plan. As many others have suggested I'm sure, get yourself something smaller (and used!) for getting your sea legs back, so to speak. Also sign yourself up on a local motorcycle safety course. A good way to get back into it, and handy for insurance breaks as well. Once you've got a few miles under your belt, and are back in the swing of things, start considering the Fatty. For now, file it in the "someday" category.

 

Disagree. Out here, the safety course is Fri. night and all day Sat. and Sun. They provide the 250cc scoots for 2 days of riding.

Lots of people including lots of women do that and then get right on a HD. My wife jumped right on the Wide Glide without issue. Never rode a motorcycle before. Not once.

A WG is a lot taller than a FBoy and is raked out more which might bother some people. She didn't want the Deuce because it isn't red. [&:]

Who's paying for that intermediate, smaller bike?????

 

This is the strangest thing I've ever heard. A dealer in Hurst Texas will let you buy a smaller mortorcycle then up tofour months later trade up and only pay the difference in price. Not wholesaletrade, but just the difference. Then up to four months later, do it again and again. Untill you find the bike you want. Isn't that wild?

http://www.fullboar.com/Trade_Back_for_FREE.asp

 

put the crash bar on it...you probably won't drop it, but it's $150 insurance, You cant tear anything else up on it for just $150, and in a slow "fall over", it'll keep the bike from smashing Your leg...

 

After learning on a Honda 360 twin in 1973 I progressed through the Honda 750 to the first year of issue Goldwing. After having a child I quit riding in 1985. The Harley fever struck in 2003. After cruising the dealership I suffered from amixture of sticker shock and pure fear of these huge heavy bikes. I settled on a used Yamaha V-Star 1100 and purchased it for a third of the cost of my current Harley. I started riding in the neighborhood for a short period of time, took the riders course and built confidence over that year. I moved up to a used 2002 Heritage Softail and sold the V-Star. The Heritage is truly easier to handle. I am now in a hopped-up Street Glide.

My lady caught the bug from me and has progressed from a 2005 883 Low Sportster to a 2006 Low Rider to a 2007 Softail Deluxe. She dropped the Low Rider once in a parking lot - a fluke with the crash bar taking mild scratches. Get crash bars!

For me personally, working my way up slowly is the way to go. The fear factor is very individual and very important. Only you know this. Go slow, take the courses offered, find a place to practice with notraffic. Good luck. You'll be on the Fat Boy soon!

 

Yeah - personality and other pshchological profile stuff as well as physical stature can and will affect different folks...well....differently. Working your way up though is never bad except from a financial standpoint. And even then, the old bike can always be traded or sold. That said, in our gotta have it now culture, you will prolly handle the Fatboy without problems if you have a good brain. I took my Deluxe in for it's overdue 2500 mile service today and was given an 07 heritage as a loaner bike - oh darn! Its a very nice bike, but it also showed me I made the best choice for me in the 06 deluxe. I'm only 5'7" and the Heritage stretched me out quite a bit. I put 50 miles on it tonight and my lower back was starting to hurt. I would have to modify this Heritage to accomodate me which brings up a point for telling you about this experience. I love the Heritage - its really the same bike as my deluxe when its all said and done. And, I know a lady thats barely 5'3" that rides one. But, its lowered, the mini-apes are tilted back, and the seat has been changed out to put her farther forward on the bike. All the same things i would have to do to get this bike I have on loan to fit. I have to tip-toe this one and can barely reach for the kick stand up and down. Its no problem because I'm a pretty decent rider now and strong. But when you buy that fatboy make sure it fits you cuz it makes a huge difference. I can almost flatfoot my deluxe, the seat places me farther forward and my knees are bent properly when on the floorboards, or when i need to stretch out on the highway pegs. I have no reach issues with the handlebars so consequently I feel a whole lot o control on my Deluxe. And very comfy on long rides, or short. Hell, I have to stretch out damn near straight legged to pressure the rrear break pad on this Heritage. While I'm at it I might as well give a review/comparison of the 06 88twin to the 07 96 twin though its really just an echoe of most things written. The 07 is smoother overall and of course its got the overdrive gear. All I can say is "big deal". My deluxe is way torquier, and more fun to ride. Really, its got a better more spirited feel to it than this 07. Of course, I have a pcIII, upgraded air intake, and bassani road rage 2-1 on it too. I've also been allowed to ride my wife's 07 deluxe before too which is completely stock. I will also admit I've searched for another gear on the 06 once or twice on the freeways or long rides - but really I like the toquier power band feel of the 06. Even the 06 Bob I had with its 6 speed transmission had a torquier band to it. So I'm happy I have the 06 88B and not envious of the 07's 96 whatsoever. In fact, I'm really happy that dumb luck put me on it versus an 07. I was just about to lay down the cash for an 07 deluxe when the salesman showed me what became my 06 deluxe with only 1100 miles on it for substantially less money than the 07. Plus, it had HD large bags on it with the stiffeners-so theyre almost like hardbags -and very roomy. Plus it came with a passnger seat back and luggage rack. So it was set up like a heritage - only better. I would like to ride a tweaked 07 someday to get a more fair comparison. But as it stands right now, I can't friggin wait to get my main squeeze back from the shop.

 

A Fat Boy is not to big a bike if you can lift it off the side stand and haveboth feet flat on the ground.
My first bike was a 05 Super Glide. Had a biker buddy of mine help me get it home from the dealer and show me how to ride it in an empty parking lot. I lived on a military base at the time and would ride around the base early on the weekends until I was ready for the SoCal traffic. I did this for about 3 weeks before taking BRC. No issues with the course.
I sold the bike in Jan 2007. Moved to Okinawa and took delivery of my 07 Night Train the day before the taking the ERC. I had exactly 1 mile practice on a new bike before the course and had no problems.
Like most of the others stated: take it slow and "ride your own ride".
You'll do fine.

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I passed my test and bought an 07 Fatboy for my first bike - 850 mile on and all is well.

I LOVE THIS BIKE !

(nb - its very stable and solid, just don't go too fast round the twisties !)

Good luck