ORIGINAL: whaap

That's fine. My thinking is that a person of normal, average intelligence would know that you don't want to "grab a handfull of throttle" in any type situation.

It's not that there isn't a risk involved. There is in any endeavour you undertake.

When I retired from the real world I got a job selling metrics for awhile. The typical story is a person buys a 250 - 350 or even a 500 cc because they are "beginners" and you'll see them back in the dealership within a month because they've outgrown their beginner bike and now want a real bike. That awkward, clumsy beginner stage is relatively short lived and unless they've got money to throw away they might as well buy the bike they want because, if they don't,in a month they'll be wishing they had.

Is there risk involved? Yes. But, if they're aware of the risk, again I think the average person can handle it for that brief period of time.

ORIGINAL: ultraultra

I would really suggest a Deluxe over a Sporty. They are a much easier bike to ride because of the balance. This opinion may pi$$ off the Sporty riders, and that is not my intent. The sporty just rides higher, and to me, just feel top heavy. The wife had one years ago (before we met), because everyone TOLD her that was the bike she needed toupgrade to from a Honda Rebel. Well, that experience ended badly. She was afraid of anything else, because she had one bad experience, and the "big twin was just too much power to handle". Then, she had an eye for a Low Rider. I tried to get her on a Road King, but the extra weight scared her. I had her try a Heritage.. again she was scared. Then, (to my delight), a salesman suggested she try a Deluxe. She sat on it, and her face immediately lit up! She now has an '07 Deluxe.. had it for just over a year now, and couldn't be happier with ANY other bike.

ORIGINAL: celticgent

the problem with this logic is that a beginner doesn't have the instincts to control the bike.

you need practice to be able to make the right decision in a split second.

this is MUCH harder to do on a more powerful and heavier bike.

example:

let's say she hits a pothole and it surprises her so she grabs a handful of throttle to hold onto the bike...
a 250cc ain't gonna pop a wheelie or buck her off, but my 1200R WILL do that if you redline it.


if i had started on my sporty instead of my (doggish) 750 shadow ace i would've been in trouble quite a few times.

a less powerful and lighter bike is more forgiving of mistakes, which is what a beginner needs.

let's say yourwife had never driven a car and just got her driver's permit...do you run out and buy her a Viper...i mean, it's the right foot that makes the car fast...she can control it and won't make any mistakes, right?

why exactly does every beginner course start on 300-400 lb bikes with low horsepower? it ain't just cause it's cheap...it's because beginners make mistakes and mistakes can be deadly on a bike.

just my .02$

ORIGINAL: scottburns8ball
I would agree. I bought my wife a Suzuki Boulevard C50 for her first bike. It "only" has an 805cc engine, and is dragging anchor compared to her Sporty 883. Problem is, the C50 was unrideable for her. The bike is bigger than a FatBoy in length and width and wheel base. It is about 150-200lbs lighter due to the extensive use of plastic. I know other women who ride the **** out of this bike, but for her 5'2" 120lbs soaking wet frame, it was intimidating to her. An unconfident rider is as bad or worse than an over confident rider. Plus, bikes of that size are not forgiving. One mistake and she may go down. When I got my wife a Honda Rebel 250, she felt confident on the smaller bike, felt in control and was able to hone her skills.A bike of that size will let you understeer, oversteer or whatever and still let you correct yourself in time.
My suggestion would be to get a smaller bike first. For example, we bought a 2002 Rebel 250 for $1700. She rode it for a year. I could have sold it for $1700, but traded it in to the Harley dealer and still got $1300. They hold their value very well. It was worth every penny of that $400 to get her a year of experience under her belt.
BTW, on the C50, she dropped it 5 times in less than 20 miles.This was after taking the MSF course.In the year she rode the Rebel, about 1000 miles, she never dropped it.
If this was her 2nd bike, I would say go alittle bigger. But with this being a first bike, it's best to start small.

ORIGINAL: whaap

The original poster did not ask "what kind and size of bike should I buy for my wife. He asked for opinions between the 883 and the 1200. My remarks were based on the OP question concerning whether to go with the 883 or the 1200. A person can more than likely get into as much trouble with the 883 as they can the 1200. Come on, there isn't that much difference in the two bikes.

Now, if his wife is not capable of handling either bike, that is a totally different story. As far as whether to buy an 883 or a 1200, I stated my opinion (a belief).