Beginner motorcycle weight?

Question

I want to get a motorcycle and learn how to ride. Is a Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200N(around 545lbs) or similar too heavy for a beginner? If it is too heavy, what is a weight I should be looking for?

I am 18, 6'3'' 195lbs.

Answer 1

At over 6' and nearly 200lbs, NO the Sportser is NOT to heavy. HOWEVER, if it is your FIRST bike I really recommend getting something you don't mind dropping. Even experienced riders drop their bikes occasionally. BEST I recommend the beginner rider get a "Dual Purpose" bike, preferably with a few dents and scratches.. An hour or two of riding in the dirt is worth several hundred miles of street riding, to the novice rider, A Suzuki DT350 or Honda XL350 is light & powerful. If you must have the Sportster look for a good deal on one with some miles on it, then trade it in next season, for a shiny new one. Ride 2 LiveStrong!

Answer 2

A beginner bike should be low enough and light enough that you don't have any problems handling it. And no sport bikes, and no other high performance bikes. Would you teach someone how to drive in a Ferrari or a Viper? No, so don't try it with a motorcycle either.

A nice 750cc or smaller cruiser is the way to go. Enough power to be fun and deal with the highway, but manageable enough to learn easier. Really best bet for first bike if probably a 500cc cruiser or standard bike. Or around that size. Get something used and cheap. That way if you drop it you're not out bike dollars. Then after you've learned and out grown the bike you can probably sell it for what you paid and get something nicer.

Answer 3

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RE:
Beginner motorcycle weight?
I want to get a motorcycle and learn how to ride. Is a Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200N(around 545lbs) or similar too heavy for a beginner? If it is too heavy, what is a weight I should be looking for?

Answer 4

At your size and weight, you could learn to ride with one of those large motorcycles.... BUT

I recommend against it. Your first motorcycle WILL end up on its side several times. It's better to have that happen with a used beater of a motorcycle than with the brand new expensive motorcycle of your dreams. Take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course. Then get a used beater of a motorcycle, maybe a Yamaha Virago 535 or a Suzuki Savage. Ride the beater around for six or seven months. Then sell it and buy the bike of your dreams.

Answer 5

Yes the HD is a bad choice for a beginner.
I would suggest a Kawasaki 250 Ninja, that bike is less than 300 lbs, it will go 100mph and get almost 100mpg
If you don't like that bike then go with a Yamaha 650 V Star, or a Honda Shadow 750, all these bikes will go just as fast and faster than any HD

Answer 6

No it's not too heavy but I would agree with others that your first bike should be something cheaper. After you take the MSF course, you will have a better understanding of what type of bike you can handle, but regardless I would buy used first. You may never drop your bike, but there's always the chance and better to learn on some used, cheap bike that you don't mind marking up than that brand new Harley you really want. Take the MSF course, buy a used 500cc to 750cc cruiser, hone your skills for 6 months to a year then get the 1200N or whichever bike you want.

Answer 7

Yes, its way too heavy.

Most developed countries it would be way illegal for a leaner to ride - in the UK learners are limited by law to 12 horsepower 125cc machines, and in many other countries there's a 250cc limit.

If you want to learn to ride well get a much smaller bike. Dirt bikes are the best learner machines - especially for the longer-legged.

This because they steer well at lower speeds, are light, and one won't suffer much damage if you drop it.

The ideal bike weighs nothing - any weight is a compromise for price, rigidity, power, suspension, brakes, comfort & reliability. This why modern bikes are largely made with expensive allloys, carbon fibre, titanium etc - of couse harleys still use a lost of cast iron - but they're more interested in looks and sound than in handling & other functional aspects.

Of the harley range the1200 sportster is the best - its the one that's closest to a modern bike. Its still an old-fashioned push-rod 2 valve air cooled motor with cast iron bits in a bent round-tubed steel frame, weak brakes and a riding position that's better for looking cool than controlling the bike - but its not as bad as other harleys - or the japanese harley copies.

Answer 8

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It depends on engine configuration among other things. Also, if you set the idle pretty high, it'll cause the bike to push itself faster when off the throttle (though it's not good in the long run). You'll still slow down from 20-30, but you may putter at 10-12mph instead. My zx6r will push itself at around 10-11mph when off the throttle. Long story short, no there is nothing wrong with the bike. Also, perhaps they increased the idle speed of the engines at the MSF course to make it harder to stall out, and therefore easier for beginners?

Answer 9

No, its not too heavy. What don't you get a Yamaha or Honda sport bike? A Harley Sportster is more of a girls bike and you may want to try sitting on one first. Their pretty low to the ground. If you want to spend money, look at a BMW.

Getting back to the weight thing, there are techniques to pick it up if you lay it down. A girl can even pick it up if she knows how.

Answer 10

Motorcycle Weight