What is the most practical Harley for a woman?

Question

5'4" Not wanting to spend half my yearly income. Have driven ATVs and snowmobiles so not afraid to handle a 2-wheeler.

Answer 1

Pracitcal, Harley, woman. You nuts? Those don't go together.
Just kidding. Set your butt on the seat if your feet are close to flat on the ground thats good. How far can YOU lean it over and still pick it up. What ever you like....

Answer 2

I have a 1997 1200 Sportster. I bought it used. I commute to work on it whenever possible. I have looked at Softails and such but I have a hard time justifying twice the money. To me, that is not practical. If you get a used Sportster and look at the depreciation over time, you will find you not only spent less on it initally, but also it depreciated less. For example, in a couple of years a $9K Sportster might lose $1 or $2K but a $15K Softtail might lose $2 to $3K. I understand bikes other than Harley's hold their value even less so they may be even less practical. Go to http://www.nadaguides.com/default.aspx and you can play with some depreciations.

Most people here have said Sportster. In my opinion, it's not only the most practical bike for a woman, but a man too. However, I would not want to go cross-country on my Sportster. That would be like going cross-country in a Hyundai instead of an Expedition. It can be done but it won't be an easy ride. For my daily commute, the Sportster is very practical. One day I want a bigger bike but to start, the only practical Harley is a Sportster. I would go to a 1200 though and not a 883 as suggested by others. Get some extra power under you. Weight-wise I don't think you will notice a difference.

Being a woman makes no difference. Go to RideLikeAPro.Com and there you will find that the size of the rider makes no difference in control of the bike. Skill and technique is how you control a bike.

Answer 3

your size should not be a problem, a sportster low might be just the ticket. I would suggest a softail standard over the sportster if you plan to do much distance, it will be much more comfortable, and the seat highth is actually lower on the bigger bike. theres really only a little wieght difference. the resale, trade in difference is quite substantial between the two however, and the softail will retain a lot more of its value.
If you have never ridden two wheel before, I would strongly suggest trying a smaller bike first, since it will be much easier to pick up if you lay it down or drop it, which everyone does sooner or later. as far as price is concerned, the sportster low will run around 7000 for the 883, and about 9000 for the 1200.

Answer 4

ATV's and snowmobiles are much different than bikes.

If you have your heart set on a Harley as a first bike give serious consideration to a used Sportster.
They are the smaller and less expensive model, they weigh 200 lbs less than the Big Twin models and you can find a clean used Sporty any day of the week for under $5,000.00.
A year from now ,if you are inclined you can sell it for what you paid for it and graduate to a bigger bike.

Answer 5

Based on price alone, I would have to say an 883L Sportster. Lighter weight than a softtail and the Low model is designed for smaller people. You can find an 883L late model 2004 on up for about $5-7K used with low miles almost anywhere especially on Ebay. The 883 is great on gas but, a little underpowered for my taste. If you want more power, look at the 1200L Sportster. There will be a price difference though. That said, you can ride anything you want to if you put your mind to it. Take some test drives at the Harley dealership and see what's comfortable for you.

Answer 6

My first response would be to say there is no special Harley for womens. And then I would say that there is a Harley for every taste and size of biker. I have seen women riding big 800lbs dressers and doing fine and I have seen men riding Sportsters and doing fine. It is all a question of what you can handle and what you like. What do you want to use your Harley for?
Will you ride it up and down the boulevard and occasionally trailer it to some biker week?
Or will you enjoy to ride it on long trips (alone or with friends) around our beautiful country.
With your height I would suggest a Sportster 1200L around $9,700MSRP - seat height 26,3" - bike weighs 557lbs.
Until recently the Sportsters where quite uncomfortable to ride - but since they started to rubbermount the engine - they are much nicer to run.
If you do have a permit - go rent a Harley for a day to figure out which one you like. Do not be embarrassed - everybody has been a beginner at one time.
Good luck and have fun.

Answer 7

Look at a used Softtail Standard. The seat height is lower than the Sportsters and can be lowered even more if need be. It is a large bike but easy to handle. You can find a good deal on a used Softail if you take the time to look around.

Answer 8

Better stay with a 883 or a 1200. A little less weight and plenty of power for ya. If you want to handle something a little bigger try a Deuce or Low rider, only about 26 inches off the ground to the top of the seat.

Answer 9

I am the same height as you. I have a Heritage Softail Classic. The seat is low enough for me to put my feet flat on the ground. It is heaver than the Sportster but the weight is low so it rides better. The lighter the bike the more flighty it will get as you go faster.

Answer 10

You can ride any Harley you want but as far as the money factor goes you'll probably need to go for the Sporster.The only thing about that is everyone I know that has bought one wanted a bigger bike in a very short time.Go to your local Harley dealer and check them out.Good luck and have fun.

Answer 11

You should be able to put both feet on the ground to balance the bike when you are at a full stop.

However only one of the answers got close to the most critical aspect of "which" bike to ride: If the bike is ever "laid down" you should be able to pick the bike up and get it back on its wheels without any help. Very critical if you're ever out riding by yourself and (for what ever reason) drop the bike or lay it down (assuming you're not injured)....it's a matter of safety.