I ended up buying a new Harley

[Gbourdon]

Well I just bought a new Harley Sportster Custom. I never thought I would buy a sportster because I like the bigger bikes better, but for the price of a new Super Glide I could have 2 sportsters. The 2004 is the first year for the rubber mounted engine and a wider rear end. Lowered seat hight over last years. The one I bought has forward controls, a factory alarm system and lots of chrome. 10,950 out the door.

I decided to go with a cruiser to keep me out of trouble. I tend to ride way to fast on a sport bike. Plus the insurance is about 1/3 of the cost on a cruiser.

 

[mazdaspeedpower]

Nice.I've been thinkin about getting a bike. I've never riden before, so I would buy a lower power cruiser, that is used to get used to riding nice and slow. Then move up to a nice powerful bike. I'd love to get a sport bike, but as you mentioned insurance kills, so I'll probably stick with cruisers. Also been considering a dual purpose/enduro type bike to learn on, like a small 250 or something. Any sugestions? Post some pics of your bike, not just the promotional one.

 

[Gbourdon]

I suggest a motorcycle rider course. They are kind of lame but also can be very beneficial. Plus you usually get to ride provided motorcycles instead of laying your own down. I had to take a course because I got my License when I was 16. In New Hampshire you have to take the course unless you are 18 or older. (I'm 23 now)
I have to go pick it up on wednesday. I'll have real pics then. I learned on an old sportster. They are just really heavy bikes. It's fast enough for me. They will get up and move. This one makes 70 hp and weighs around 530 pounds. I would suggest that your first bike be something cheap that you don't mind laying down. My other bike is fugly. Most ugliest motorcycle on the road. I bought it for 500 bones on my lunch break. I put a new rear tire on it and put about 2500 miles on it over last summer. Got my money out of it and I still have it. Never broke down on me but as I said it is ugly as hell. 1980 GS750L. I'll post pics of that one too.

 

[Mad Ryan]

I suggest a motorcycle rider course. They are kind of lame but also can be very beneficial. Plus you usually get to ride provided motorcycles instead of laying your own down. I had to take a course because I got my License when I was 16. In New Hampshire you have to take the course unless you are 18 or older. (I'm 23 now)
I have to go pick it up on wednesday. I'll have real pics then. I learned on an old sportster. They are just really heavy bikes. It's fast enough for me. They will get up and move. This one makes 70 hp and weighs around 530 pounds. I would suggest that your first bike be something cheap that you don't mind laying down. My other bike is fugly. Most ugliest motorcycle on the road. I bought it for 500 bones on my lunch break. I put a new rear tire on it and put about 2500 miles on it over last summer. Got my money out of it and I still have it. Never broke down on me but as I said it is ugly as hell. 1980 GS750L. I'll post pics of that one too.

Good advice here...

Motorcycle rider courses are the way to learn how to ride. I'd stay away from new bikes for your first bike too as you WILL drop the thing a few times before you get the hang of things. Suzuki's SV-650 makes a great starter bike that has lots of room to grow into, as does the old Honda 650 hawk. Both can be had fairly cheap used. Get one that someone has lightly banged up so you won't feel bad when you do the same thing. (you save a few bucks too) Just make sure it's mechanically sound.

 

[Gbourdon]

Yeah but the resale wouldn't be as good. I thought about it and I agree. I planned on like 8k for a sportster.

 

[SilverproES]

Yeah but the resale wouldn't be as good. I thought about it and I agree. I planned on like 8k for a sportster.

Point well made. I'd much rather be riding any Harley too.

Nothing wrong with metric cruisers...except when you go to sell it second hand.

 

[jred321]

i hate harleys. my cousin owns a few harley shops, and they've just never been my thing. to each his own. congrats

 

[Gbourdon]

who buys a bike with resale value in mind? I buy what I want to ride not what I want to sell.......my pops has a 2002 Midnight Star with a big air kit, aftermarket carbs, cobra slash cut pipes, and it drowns out harleys like they were mopeds....much faster too......total cost with mods = $13k. Resale value is the furthest thing from his mind......and it looks better and holds together better than a Harley too.

I gotta give it to harley though....they finally stopped mounting the engine in the Sportster directly to the frame this year.....they've actually entered the 19th century and discovered rubber mounts!!!! Yay!

I plan on trading up to a Dyna Glide Lowrider in a year or two so resale is a big factor in my opinion. I dont like bikes like the Midnight Star or that Road Star Warrior. In my opinion they are not very nice looking. Plus they just feel cheesy to me. They dont ride or sound anything like a harley. I like the pop.pop...pop.pop...pop.pop... sound you get with a harley because of the uneven timing. Just a different style I guess.

 

[Gbourdon]

Actually I take part of that back. The midnight star is pretty nice looking but the warrior. No way.

 

[Monstermile]

I'll be right behind ya. I sold my last Harley back in 98 due to financial reasons. Been w/o a bike since then. I'll probably be buying a 1200 Custom this spring. I have always like the feel of Sportys. I've owned two. They handle alot better than the big twins and with a 1200 you can keep up with the big boys. I imagine with the bigger tank and new rubber mount frame that they will be alot better on long distance trips too. I have a friend that owns a custom fabrication shop so I'll be geeting my parts at pretty much cost. So they'll be alot of modding going on once I take delivery.

 

[Mad Ryan]

I like the idea of anyone on a bike. I really don't care what kind of bike it is. I think that when you look at the interest costs, maintainance costs, and insurance costs for the average HD you really don't make all that much on the resale, that's assuming you finance a big twin at the going rate. I ride a liter class sport bike because I can't stand bad handling bikes. I like having a 440lb (weighed with a half tank of gas) bike with 140 or so HP that I can take out and flog on a race track or tour with equal ease. If anyone doubts the touring part, I ride extensively, all up and down the west coast, to include several 1000+ mile days. Most guys don't ride that much, regardless of what they ride. The main thing is getting more people out on the road on bikes so the clueless fuckers in cages see us for a change.