Entry level Harley
 

I'm thinking within a year or so I'm gonna realize a childhood dream of learning to ride a motorcycle and it will be a Harley. Was just wondering if a Harley 1200 Sportster would be a good first bike.

I don't know. I rode a dirt bike once. It felt quite strange! It felt like I was on a bicycle, but I didn't have any pedals, and it went by itself.
I live no further than 5 miles from my work. I wouldn't mind getting some kind of bike, but I don't like being straddled on 2 wheels. That's just not for me. :hellno: I like having atleast 4 wheels. :p

Midnight Flyer if you have never riden a bike before I sugesst you take a course in Motorcycle safety and take your time learning as much as possible including first and foremost defensive riding!!!
A 1200 sportser is a great starter bike if is light enough for you to get the feel of the road and get comfortable with leaning into your turns. I started out on a 1200 when I was 19 and road it until I bought my Heritage Softail this past February.
Just remember to always expect the unexpected when on the road and pay attention aim high, low and wide and you should be ok.
Good luck.

Jimmy

Find a place where you can practice your DMV motorcycle skills test.
Doing a tight figure eight without taking your feet off the pegs is a good exercise, and will get you use to balancing and use of your clutch and throttle.

Happy Trails! :D
YouTube - Jack Nicholson in Easy Rider

Yaaahhhhh...nit-nit-nit...fuh-fuh-fuh...Indians! :lol:

There's a Harley dealer in northwest Arkansas that gives lessons on how to ride, safety skills, and everything else that goes with riding.

after buying your harley, you have to be sure to buy everything that has a harley logo on it, and display them proudly. make sure to show off that harley helmet, those harley sunglasses, harley gloves, boots, socks, belt, belt buckle, the pants, and of course the jacket! shoot, even get yourself a harley coffee mug. :p

Aint that the truth :roll:

1200 is a girls bike. For real you will want another bike with in 6months. I started riding at 20 years old. My 1st and only bike was a 2006 street bob. Had the big v-twin on it with the 6speed. I almost bought a 1200 but thank god the salesman talked me out of it. I wouldnt of been happy with it. For another 2gs i got a V-Twin. I mean if all you can afford is a 1200 then buy it. But if you can spare a couple xtra Gs then go with a V-twin. By the way riding is not all that hard. Just keep a look out for all the A-holes around you. Here are some pics of my bike before i sold it. God i miss it. :tears:

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/t...ictures036.jpg

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/t...ictures037.jpg

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/t...ictures006.jpg

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/t...ictures005.jpg

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/t...ictures039.jpg

Here are some pics of the toys for tots run i went on. No lie there must have been 2500 plus bikes. It was crazy.

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/t...ictures001.jpg

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/t...ictures002.jpg

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Damn Mackman, that is one AWESOME looking bike!

Thanks i ended up putting a solo seat on it. Took the sissy bar off. My girlfriend use to ride with me alot. Then her uncle die on a bike and she would never get on with me again. It was a blast riding. I will have another one day. When i get the money$$$ Plus there is nothing like a Harley. It is a true bother hood.

YouTube - Harley Commercial

This is what HARLEY is all about.

[QUOTE=Mackman;484454]1200 is a girls bike. For real you will want another bike with in 6months. I started riding at 20 years old. My 1st and only bike was a 2006 street bob. Had the big v-twin on it with the 6speed. I almost bought a 1200 but thank god the salesman talked me out of it. I wouldnt of been happy with it. For another 2gs i got a V-Twin. I mean if all you can afford is a 1200 then buy it. But if you can spare a couple xtra Gs then go with a V-twin. By the way riding is not all that hard. Just keep a look out for all the A-holes around you. Here are some pics of my bike before i sold it. God i miss it. :tears:


What are you talking about for another 2 g's you got a v-twin???? The 1200 is a v-twin, its just a slightly smaller v-twin.I dont understand what you mean by saying you got a v twin for an extra 2 g's. You got a bigger v twin. you didnt go from a single lunger or a 4 cylinder to a v twin. You went from a v twin 2 a bigger v twin.And that salesman didnt talk you out of buying that 1200 because it was a worse bike he talked you out of it because he wanted that extra 2 g's.Thats a damn nice bike you had but if that was your first and only bike you have nothing to compare it to. You cant knock every other bike if you have never ridden them. while I am not a sportster fan, the 1200 is far from being a girls bike. I know a few true honest to god bikers that bleed oil that have sportsters that would make that street bob cry in appearance and performance. Thats a nice bike but please try not to get the Harley Superiority complex. there is far more to biking than being able to take home something that the dealer tells you is the thing to have. Not picking a fight but dealership bikers rub me the wrong way. You might not be one but your are giving off some serious signs.Not trying to make anyone mad but please read what i am replying to and then read my reply. It fits.

Be sure to only ride it within 20 miles of home and pull it in a trailer everywhere else as well. I know thats not all Harley Owners but that seems to be the method of the modern day new school Harley dealership bikers.Pull it in the trailer and only take it out of the garage if there is less than a 10% chance of rain 50 miles away.

hellz yeah!

anyway, here is a v-rod muscle that belongs to one of my uncles. he's since had some custom pipes put on and had some racing modifications done on it. i don't know exactly what, but that bike is now easily capable of hanging with european exotic super cars.

http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...uscle004-1.jpg

http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...dmuscle005.jpg

Your right. The 1200 is a v-twin. I dunno why i typed that. :confused: Im just saying every MAN i talked to who had a 1200 sold it and got a bigger bike. Look at the used bikes at the dealer most of them are 883s and 1200s. Cuz people get rid of them as soon as they can to go bigger.

But buy what you want. I was just trying to give you a heads up. I have ridden a 1200 one time for 150miles. The thing had no balls and it seem just overall too small. I just didnt like it.

If anyone is interested in a real ride look up the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challange, and you will get a thirst for real freedom of the road. A race from Key West to Homer Alaska with only V twin Harleys. I am already making my plans to do this ride in 2011. A high school friend of my father's made the entire run this year and said there is nothing on the Earth that could even compare to the thrill and exhaustion you feel.
My girl is all for it and my dispatcher told me to enjoy myself but would not garuntee my job would be waiting for me So once plans are final with the organizers i am going to sign up...

Jimmy

How long does something like that take?? Miles??

This years run Started on June 20th and officialy ended on the 4th of July in Homer Alaska, It is roughly 7000 miles and the winner is supposed to get $500,000 in gold, There has been some question about how legimate the run is according to some people they are beginning to question the organizers. The winner is going to be announced at Sturgis on August 11th.
Supposedly you have to hit specific check points along the way with in a cetain time frame and be the first to get to the final destination. As far as I am concerned I just want to do it just for the thrill of riding 7000 miles on my bike just to say I did it!!!

Jimmy

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...10/ahhhhhh.jpg

D'oooooh! --- Ahhhhhhhh!