What is a good bike for a beginner?

[Merlynn]

Don't be such a wuss! Get yourself a Triumph Rocket III, (2300 cc) flip-flops, shorts, T-shirt, sunglasses, and wind that bad boy out on the interstate until you see 120 mph+ on the left side of the speedometer needle. Nothing like on the job training!

NOT! Just kidding!!! Seriously, listen to Sled dog and others. Research is good and half the fun of looking for your bike. I highly recommend Joe Barbieri's book "The Biker's Handbook" for some good advice on getting into the Harley world. Easy to read, heck you don't have to buy it, just go to Barnes and Noble and read it in the aisle!

Hey Sled dog don't get your knickers in a twist but I'm not fond of crotch rockets either. Twice in the last six months I've had two immature idiots lane split me from behind passing me by less than two feet with a 30+ mph differential in heavy traffic. Never heard them or saw them til they blew by me. I wave at all bikers what ever you ride is good but I could cheerfully put those two clowns in the hospital and feel good all day. JMAO.

 

[hogie]

I just completed the Rider's Edge course in August. I obtained my cycle licens shortly thereafter. I had never ridden a Harley before the course and had not ridden a cycle in 25 years prior to taking the course. After the course I have rented a number of harleys to try and get a feel for what my first purchase will be. I highly suggest renting first because what I have learned has really helped my decision making concerning my first bike.

I am 6' 1" inches tall and weigh 220lbs. I have driven the sportster, softail deluxe, street glide, Road King and dyna wide glide. Of all the bikes, I found the stree glide to be the easiest to ride and the most enjoyable. Frankly, I found the sportster the hardest to ride and the least enjoyable. Having said that, they all were a blast to ride. Many experienced riders have told me you don't pick the bike, the bike picks you. I can honestly say, after riding the street glide for almost 8 hours straight, I did not want to get off. It was a total thrill. I also learned quickly the size of the bike is misleading. I found the street glide and the deluxe to be very easy to handle.

My advice is to rent. Not only will this allow you to ride various bikes, but you will improve your skills as well.

Good luck!

 

[mrs2cool]

I never said the Sporty is a "Starter Bike". I wouldn't even have picked it for my second bike. BUT it is paid for and was taking up space in the garage,so I figured - what the he--? After riding it for a while I'm ok with it and the money I got for my Rebel,I'm putting into the Sporty to make it "MY bike", And it is still alot cheaper than buying a new anything else.:rider

 

[DYNAGUY]

Some people take to motorcycles like a fish in water. Some people dont need to even get near one. I think it has a lot to do with your mind set. A little fear is a good thing, To much fear is a bad thing. What ever you get , wheather you take a MSF course or not. RESPECT THE MACHINE.

 

[taylormade]

As someone who has never owned, ridden etc. a bike before...what is a good one to look at getting for a beginner?

I have never owned a motorcycle or have ever ridden one before and bought a 2008 street bob. I took the Riders edge course and after practicing in parking lots and backroads, I feel very comfortable and ride my bike everyday with no problems. Go get a bike that fits your body style and budget and take a motorcycle course and you will be fine!

 

[theklanchXL1200N]

I am in agreement with the guy who suggested the dirt bike. I had one when I was a kid and hadn't rode in about 18 years. I bought a quad then about a year later I bought a Harley. I bought a sporty because that was what I liked. But if I would have found a bagger that called to me I probably would have bought that. Someday I'll have that road king or something along those lines (not a softail don't like them) I have rode sportsters, a softail, a dyna wide glide, and a super glide, a v-rod (first bike I was on in about 15 years) a road glide (too much fairing) and my buddies old shovel head electra glide. I am fortunate to have some pretty trusting friends, I know. But they all know that I am not gonna hammer on their stuff and if anything would happen we would be going to the bank in the morning! I never rented or demoed a bike before I bought one. In fact for most of my 20's people would ask me why I didn't have one and I always had two responses: One was that I would kill myself and two was I couldn't afford what I wanted. But every once and a while I would ask one of my riding friends to spin around the block on their bikes and they would always oblige.

Why do you want a bike? I am a firm believer of NOT buying a bike to save gas. Buy one for pleasure. You have no idea how much fun it really is. But you have to be safe and respect the machine. It will kill you if you don't know what you are doing. Or someone else will kill you if you don't know what to do in a sticky situation in traffic. The crotch rocket statement was a little inflamitory, but there are guys out there in sandals and shorts riding wheelies in traffic, I wonder if they know how easy it is to die doing that. I can see how guys think they give "us" a bad name. I rode a crotch rocket one time and knew it wasn't for me. a 600CBR Honda. I was still in my "I'd kill myself on a bike" mindset, and I almost did. I got way too throttle happy and thank god nothing happened, except for ruining a perfectly good pair of boxer shorts!! I had no respect for the machine. You would be suprised how much respect a couple of years and a family will give you.
I guess a bike is a lot like a chainsaw, in the right hands it is a completely safe tool, but in the hands of the ignorant it is about as safe as giving an AK-47 to a pissed off mail man.

Go with the dirt bike or street and trail or dual sport whatever you want to call it. Play in the dirt, drop it a couple of times and buy a used one. You can get on a dirt bike (not street legal) for under $2K used if you look in the right places. Then when you want the Harley buy a bagger if you are still worried about dropping it. The baggers have the crash bars on them from the factory, which will help your legs if it goes shiny side down.

Buy leather and ride with it on. (I admit I am guilty of not wearing leather till it gets cold) AND ABSOLUTELY A MUST IS A DOT APPROVED HELMET!!! I cannot stress this enough, my buddies old lady would not be around if it wasn't for her leathers and helmet. She got beat up when she hit the road on her sporty, but she had on the right equipment so she lived to tell and laugh about it! Again respect of the equipment you are using and respect of your limitations.

Good luck on your quest and take the safety course. Ten times if you need to.

Remember the old saying as it applies here too: Guns don't kill people, people kill people.

 

[Bubbaglide]

Likie many, take the course first. the beginning classes are usually held on 250 cc bikes that someone else owns. That's the best part. If you drop it, it's not your bike. That said, you will lear lots of very useful techniques while not worrying about dropping your pride and joy (it IS a Harley after all) The Riders Edge of MSf courses are wonderful. Also look at the Ride like a Pro DVD for some other excellent techniques including how to pick up the beast when you drop it. ANd you will drop it sometime.

Good luck on your choice and welcome to the greatest fun you can have.

Bubba

 

[harleyjim]

Hi,

Having not ridden anything but a dirt bike when I was a kid, the bug hit to go ridding again. I agree with everyone take a MSF course it helped alot. Go talk to your dealership they can be helpful. I personaly new what I wanted in a bike so I started out with a Road King they are a very manuverable bike and easy to handle as you can see buy mine, a lot of police departments use them.

 

[sneyers]

Ahhhhh..... The old which bike should a beginner buy thread again...

Here's my 4 cents (inflation, and the goverment needed additional revenue for the 700 billion dollar bail-out).

There are only 2 types of riders, those that have been down and the those that will go down. "New" riders tend to have an "oops" more than experience riders...

Having said that, I will now violate the "you gotta ride a Harley no matter what your experience level" is rule...

Buy a bike you really don't care about. Get something that you can drop because you forgot to put the jiffy stand down, dropped because you tapped the front brake while doing a slow speed turn and dropped because you where on an un-even surface, dropped because the bike stalled pulling away from your driveway/stoplight/intersection/girlfriends house/or just what ever.

It would be really bad to spend a boat load on money on the harley of your dreams (or harley you care about) only to have it be dropped a few times. Get something you can drop, get something you can make mistakes on. Get something cheap, that you can re-sell cheap. Save your money and get some experience under your belt.

Your ability to learn and make those new rider mistakes (that we all have made) is directly related to the cost of your first bike, IMHO. Something cheap, easier to get over dropping it. Something expensive, less likely to try a maneuver you learn in class because you may have an oops.

Rider training is great! Do it! Then do it again! Then do it some more! But, it does not replace experience gained on the road...

Want to take a class that will really help you after you've been riding a while? Try Freddie Spencers riding school or Keith Code's. They have classes for riders that want to sharpen their skills on the street. And they teach more advanced techniques than the MSF classes.

I agree whole-heartedly with Sleddog. When you've done all that he recommends, spend the money to rent each type of harley you think you might like. Then take your riding style a what you intend to use the bike for into consideration before you buy. I wanted a Fatboy so bad I drempt about it. On the Saturday I happened into the dealer to find the Fatboy of my dreams I had rented a Road King for the weekend. Well I put a hold on the Fatboy only to go back Tuesday after riding the king all weekend and cancelled my purchase and ordered a Road King. Virtually the same price but the Road King came with all the bags and a windshield. It rode alot nicer too. Be patient. New harleys are beautiful but pricey. There's alot of good advice on this thread. Be smart and stay safe. Good luck.

 

[biscuit]

I agree whole-heartedly with Sleddog. When you've done all that he recommends, spend the money to rent each type of harley you think you might like. Then take your riding style a what you intend to use the bike for into consideration before you buy. I wanted a Fatboy so bad I drempt about it. On the Saturday I happened into the dealer to find the Fatboy of my dreams I had rented a Road King for the weekend. Well I put a hold on the Fatboy only to go back Tuesday after riding the king all weekend and cancelled my purchase and ordered a Road King. Virtually the same price but the Road King came with all the bags and a windshield. It rode alot nicer too. Be patient. New harleys are beautiful but pricey. There's alot of good advice on this thread. Be smart and stay safe. Good luck.

2 great posts in one reply.I can do nothing except concur and completely endorse the advice these guys are giving you.We dont always listen to voices of experience,even when they're moderately phrased.But these guys have given you the good oil.
Hold yourself in check until you know exactly what you want and how capable you are.
You'll enjoy it more and you'll probably live longer.