Tomorrow I'm looking at buying a sporty or boulevard. I have never owned a bike and don't know what one would be better to learn on and enjoy small trips on.

Done lots of reading and so on I'll have more details of the sporty I'm looking at. A buddy that will be helping me told me tonight if your looking at the boulevard I should come look at his sporty as well.

Goal was to get myself into a fatboy but I don't know now.

I'm 5'6 220 and want to be comfortable with the ride and the bike.

Any tips or feelings towards the bikes would be great

 

I would suggest you start by taking a rider safety course.
A good class will discuss the types of bikes.
You will get information and basic practical skills.

Better than learning bad habits that will stay with you

Good luck

 

Take the class first to be sure you enjoy riding. Sporty or Boulevard, either one you can set up for whatever kind of riding you want to do. Boulevard may be a little easier to learn on, because I believe it has a lower center of gravity than the Sportster. I could be wrong.

 

John, Hi from the UK and welcome to HDF, also to riding a bike. If you are buying from a dealer ask them about training, as they should be able to give you full details of courses in your area, in fact may even run their own. Make that a part of your discussions with them, so you are able to decide which is a suitable bike, also how you can get training to ride it. It may even be better, having visited them, to take a course before finalising your choice of bike.

 

Another note about the Motorcycle Safety Foundation classes. In some states, like Pennsylvania, it is free with the permit costs going towards paying for it. I took mine back in 1998 and I still use skills they taught me to this day.
As for the Boulevard vs Sporty. I have owned both and here are the advantages to the Boulevard C50.

Easier to maneuver
Water cooled (this is bigger than we would all like to admit)
Cheaper to purchase

Advantages to the Sportster
You are never far from a dealership if you need work done or parts. Heck I live in Central PA and I have two dealers within 15 miles.
Better resale - Harley's always hold their value better than a similar Suzuki
The Boulevard is an OLD design now. It's a carry over of the even older Valusia. That's not to say it's a bad bike but when the Sportster has newer parts then you know things are odd.

The opposite of the residual on Sportsters would of course be that it is cheaper to buy used. Oh and there almost as many Boulevard variations as there are Sportster ones. I owned a simple C50 but they sell them as 50,90, and 110 cubic inch models. They sell normal cruiser (C), tourers with silly looking bags (T) and a muscleish looking bike in the M.

 

Agreed with taking the MSF first.

Food for thought: conventional wisdom I've always heard is to buy a used cheap bike (Ninja 250 comes to mind) to learn on for a bit. Test drive lots of things to see what you like (both aesthetically, and comfort wise). Then sell the bike to the next learner in line for pretty much exactly what you paid for. Call it a day if you decided riding isn't for you, or get the bike you really want with your new found experience and knowledge.

 

My first bike was a 2006 Boulevard M50 and if I could go back and change it I would have went with any Sportster over it. I'm 5' 6" myself and the M50 was a little much for me and I never felt as comfortable on it as I do my 2016 '48. Much easier to handle, lighter, and a lower COG! And it's just an awesome bike than the M50!


I also just went to the beginner MSF with a friend of mine and even though I have put around 10,000 miles on bikes in the past few years, the basic class still taught me a lot and also helped me break a few bad habits I picked up over the years! Well worth the time and money!

 

buy whichever bike you like but, IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO, get some training asap. would hate for things to go pear-shaped on you. training may not be required but, it's to you benefit.


cant tell which to buy because there a ton of variables and we can't see either bike.

have fun

 

the safety course is always a good idea....I've never owned a sporty but thought they'd make a nice runaround bike an lots of fun for quick acceleration an handling....I have a fatboy an while it's 100+ pounds heavier than a sporty it has the lowest center of gravity of any Harley I'm aware of an very low seat height. The low CG makes them easy to maneuver in parking lots. You can make it anything you want...stripped down bobber, bagger, retro throw back....

you can always buy an older sporty or other bike to learn on then decide if you want a fatboy...with either Harley there are tons of aftermarket an used parts out there to make it what you want. buy one...ride it an decide what you like an don't like. I go to bike shows an bike nights a lot to look at other bikes for ideas to borrow.

 

MSF MSF MSF MSF. Can't be said enough. Living in PA I had the advantage of it being free, but rewind back to when I took it and tell me it is a $200 course and I'd pony up for it anyways. It will give a great start on good habits that you will use years down thd road. Skills like turn leading and lane position. Seems like common sense but you would be surprised at how many bad habits can and will form. Habits that could potentially kill you or someone else. Take the course and then go test ride some bikes. We're all going to side with a Sporty and compare it to other bikes and yes all of our reasonings may be based on facts and experience but it may not be the same for you.