That's a good looking bike you have there. Sportsters are fun, and they are what they are. Have fun and be safe. Please wear you helmet.

 

My first H-D was a Sporty ... Loved that bike!! I've had a Dyna and a few Softails since, and they're all cool in their own way. Like the other posters have said, don't worry about the opinions of others. I live V-Rods, and just bought a Deuce - a Softail that draws opinions both negative and positive. But I dig it, and it's my money. The only real questions I ever ask are, "Is it a H-D" and "Does it make you smile". No further questions!

 

congratz, don`t look back o.O

 

Rob, you are doing it right by starting out on a Sportster. It's a perfect bike to start riding (or pick it up again). They're easy to ride so it's a good way to find out if riding is for you. Guys who like to chop their bikes also like the Sportster because you can do a lot with them. Sportsters depreciate quickly once you get them off the show room floor so it's easy to find good bargains in a used bike. Once you've been on a Sportster for a while you'll probably want to look for a Softtail or Dyna because the Sportster isn't the most comfortable of bike for longer rides. So, as others have said here, enjoy your ride and to heck with what anyone else thinks.

 

Hey robsfirsthd !! You're nutty as a squirrel turd buyin a HD for your first bike !!

"Just like me" !!

Welcome bro and enjoy !

 

Hey Rob, my story is almost the same as yours in that got my first Harley, first bike actually, at age 52 and did it before I got my license. Logically I went about it all backwards and I still have friends telling me I should have bought a little beater bike to tool around on until I learned more about riding. It was too late, I already bought my Sportster. At this stage of the game I can't imagine needing more bike for the kind of riding I do but if the game changes...yeah, theres a few I've got my eyes on (Fat Bob, Soft Tail Slim). Like you, in my mind having a Harley was on a completely different level than anything else out there. I still love looking at it when I go out to the garage. It still puts a smile on my face. It's got a cover on it now for the Winter and I'm not sure what's worse, not seeing it or seeing it everyday knowing I can't go out on the salt covered roads.

Girls bike? I've only heard that on this forum (so far). I don't get it but if girls like it too is that a bad thing? I kept hearing, "Mid Life Crisis?" I'm like yeah, or maybe it's the first time in 15 to 20 years I was in a position to be able to achieve this goal. Sometimes people have way too much to say!

Good luck on your safety course. I'll agree with the others on proper gear. I did have a spill. It was a warm day but I still had on jeans, leather jacket, boots and full face helmet. While I was waiting for the police to come I saw a guy ride by me in shorts, sneakers and a T-shirt. I don't know if I'd have any skin left on my left arm and leg if I had gone that route and I think I would have broken my ankle. This stuff is all personal choice and only you can decide what is important to you but it was drilled into us at the safety course and one spill later and I better understood why.

 

Congrats and welcome to the forum. Keep the rubber side down!

 

welcome to the forum. from Indiana..

 

I kept telling my wife she would love to ride her own bike. She just bought the new Fatboy Lo S and I have not seen her so happy in the last 5 years. And by the way I live in Minnesota (it was 10 below zero the day she bought her bike). Just sitting in the garage waiting for the weather to warm up. She smiles every time she sees it. Welcome to the family. Lots of great people own Harleys.

 

Great start, and welcome aboard! And good on ya for taking a class. After you pass, once a week go find an empty parking lot and do 15 minutes of practice. It will pay off in how fast your skills start to ramp up.

I've had three Sportsters, and they are awesome bikes! They're just pure motorcycle! By the way, when you hear that crap about a 575 pound, 100+ mph bike being a "girl's bike", just give them the standard response: "Oh, I see you like your bikes like your women...big, fat, and slow".

Don't miss a minute of enjoyment before you start with the roving eye thing. Yes, I know Dyna's are sweet, but you're too new to really understand the ugly truth about Sportsters: Sportsters are the gateway drug.

Enjoy every minute! Believe me, when I get a second bike, and I will, a 1200 Sportster is definitely on the short list!