What is the best harley davidsion motorcycle for a first time rider?

Answer 1

Your question is the best Harley Davidson for a first time rider. My answer would be first take a class then go to the dealer and sit on everyone and pick the one you feel comfortable on. A very comfortable bike is the Road King, they handle great and are well balanced. I have been riding Harley's since the 70's and there is nothing like them. It is the best bike made. If you buy a Sportster first you will just want a bigger one in a few months so skip the sportster and go for the cruisers. Buy used you will save thousands of dollars. Once you learn how to ride, test ride a Rice Burner then Ride a Harley, you will pick the Harley.

Answer 2

We could pick at every make and model in this forum, but the man asked the question about Harley's, so I will try to answer. I've ridden a lot of miles on damn near everything with two wheels. If you are inexperienced I'd suggest staying away from HD till you get some miles under your butt. My first HD was a soft-tail and I liked the seat hieght and foot position. Weight is a problem for some riders, especially when you are in trouble. If you have riding time already and are confident you should try out a ride on a dyna. They are a versitle bike for a harley and seem to fit most who move up from the sportsters. Yeah, harley has some mechanical issues, but the craftsmanship and engineering of today is a far cry from the AMF days of the 1970's. I've seen some Evo's with miles on the clock that make BMW riders notice, so don't be put off by somone harping to you about breakdowns. I would suggest that if this is your first bike to try out the many types of less expensive rides out there. Harley's can cost you a bundle, and learning on one can really cost you! I have six bikes in my stable and the harley is ridden the least... but that is a personal choice. Seems the speed and comfort of the sisssy jap bikes converted me and the reliability of BMW sealed the deal. However, if you want to ride to experience the biker culture, then HD riders are a great group to hang with. See ya on the road!<<<<<<
Forget all of what I said..cornporto has given the best response in this whole thread so far!! Superior Philosophy!

Answer 3

Don't listen to the poster's here that are talking bad about Harley's. They don't know crap, a Harley Davidson is the best motorcycle made. I see a lot of old Harley Davidson motorcycles on the road, when it the last time you saw any rice burner older than 10 years. The first harley made was in 1904 and it is still running. There is nothing wrong with Jap bikes, but like the other poster said ride the Jap Bike then the Harley and you will want the Harley. Anyway I would go with either a Softail or a Dyna Glide.

Answer 4

You'll want one that's light and easy to handle if you're learning, as a heavier bike takes more skill to ride. The best choices from The Motor Company are going to be the Sportster and the Buell Blast (a bike they designed especially for first time riders). I'd also recommend taking a training class when starting out - Harley offers one called Rider's Edge, and it's based on a similar class taught by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.

However, when you're learning, it's easy to make careless mistakes. I once forgot to put the sidestand down on my first bike, walked away, and then saw it fall over a few seconds later when I was too far away to catch it. You may want to consider getting a cheap, small, used bike like one of the many 250-650 cc cruisers from Japan for your very first bike, so that if you do make some goofs when learning, the dings and scratches won't be on your dream bike. Just a thought... but I'm glad I started on an old and beat-up bike myself.

Answer 5

I agree with moto man - first and foremost, take the course. It's not just a great teaching tool but it's way fun too. In my opinion, a Harley of any kind is not a good first timer bike. Shop around, sit on some bikes, feel the weight of them under you. Don't just go for the name value so you can say you have a Harley. My husband has been riding bikes of all kinds for almost 20 years now. Now, his first bike that he owned was a Harley, but not the first one he rode. His is a Sportster, but he just bought a Honda VTX1800 last year and likes it way more, plus the Harley was giving him some mechanical problems, and it doesn't even have that many miles on it. The Sportster is Harley's "smallest" bike, but by no means the easiest to ride. They have a very high center of gravity, i.e. more tip-over potential, and even veteran riders say they are more challenging to ride than heavier bikes. I am a new rider myself, got my license 2 years ago. I bought myself a 2005 Suzuki GZ250 and I love it. Got some seat time in to hone my skills, and now I'm ready to look into stepping up to a little bit bigger bike. Bottom line, be safe and have fun!!


P.S - not every new rider drops their bike by the way, but getting a bike suited to your skills will help this to not happen

Answer 6

Either the 883 Hugger or the new 1200 Sportster Low Rider are the perfect bikes for a beginner. Both have center shift, low seat height, and the handle bars are a comfortable reach for longer trips. Saddle bags and a back rest are great add-on accessories. I have been riding for 41 years and ride a 2003 Harley Dyna Low Rider.

Answer 7

I have a 07 Dyna Superglide. Its my first Harley as well as my first bike. The real question is in your budget. You can get on a Sportser cheap or you can go all out and get a dresser. All the bikes other than Sportsters have the same size engine. If you want a bike for road trips look at a Road King or an Electra-Glide. If you want to just cruise town, then any of the Softtails or Dynas will be good. Good Luck and be safe

Answer 8

An 883 Sportster.
It's the lightest, cheapest bike Harley offers.

Answer 9

Harleys are not really the best bike for a beginner. They are expensive and on the heavy side.If you've got your heart set on a Harley start on a used Sportster ,ride it a year and trade up to the Big Twin of your choice .I'm partial to the FXR. I suggest starting on a Jap bike they are for beginners,and(Sissys) they are cheap and light and you can just throw them out when your done.

Answer 10

Don't listen to these idiots running down Harleys.You'll never own a better bike than a Harley.If it is in your budget buy a big twin, a Sporster will only make you yern for a bigger one.I own 4 Harleys including a Sporster and they are all good dependable bikes.Don't settle for any jap crap.Good Luck