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Motorcycle for a newb
Thaiboxer
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So my girlfriends father has two Harley Dynas sitting in his garage, and he always jokes the anytime I want to take one out all I have to do is show him my motorcycle license....
As such, I really want to get some hours in riding and get my license. Well right now I am thinking the best way to do that would be to get a cheap bare bones motorcycle that way if I dump it (and live) it won't be a huge loss financially, unlike if I were to dump one of his $20k+ Dynas.
Now, he and his family are "harley people", myself I really respect Honda as a brand and company. So I am really only looking at those two companies.
Since ultimately this decision is going to be based on, what bike will be the cheapest for me to learn to ride on?
Now the the Honda Rebel has an MSRP of $3100, while the base Harley is the 883 Sportster which has an MSRP of about $6500.
My question is, while the cheaper Honda will cost me less out the door, if I plan on selling this thing in a year or so, do you think the Harley will hold it's value more over that time? In which case I spend a little more up front but lose less in the long run? Eventually I would just trade up for a nicer model ( assuming it is a hobby I end up enjoying) or riding his Dyna most of the time.
As such, I really want to get some hours in riding and get my license. Well right now I am thinking the best way to do that would be to get a cheap bare bones motorcycle that way if I dump it (and live) it won't be a huge loss financially, unlike if I were to dump one of his $20k+ Dynas.
Now, he and his family are "harley people", myself I really respect Honda as a brand and company. So I am really only looking at those two companies.
Since ultimately this decision is going to be based on, what bike will be the cheapest for me to learn to ride on?
Now the the Honda Rebel has an MSRP of $3100, while the base Harley is the 883 Sportster which has an MSRP of about $6500.
My question is, while the cheaper Honda will cost me less out the door, if I plan on selling this thing in a year or so, do you think the Harley will hold it's value more over that time? In which case I spend a little more up front but lose less in the long run? Eventually I would just trade up for a nicer model ( assuming it is a hobby I end up enjoying) or riding his Dyna most of the time.
Playing WoW "only when you are bored" is like smoking "only when you are drinking".
Thaiboxer on
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If not, do so before buying a bike. At the very least, it's worth it because they'll loan you a bike for the day so you can get your feet wet without dumping your own bike. At the worst, you'll learn something that might save your life.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
Also, definitely take an MSF course.
Buy some useless stuff at my Cafepress site!
If you're looking new, and want to go Harley I'd recommend a FXD Dyna Glide or FXDL Dyna Low Rider. Honda Rebels are nice cars, but like Bouncing_Soul said up there they are quite small and easy to grow out of. The Shadow VLX is just a step above the Rebel and really is a very nice bike for the price.
O_o
The 883 makes 20ish less horsepower than an SV650 (a bike on the very threshold of beginner bikes, yes, but still) and weighs damn near 200 pounds more. Race bike it ain't. You want to put him on a FXD that weighs 50 pounds more and has twice the displacement? You think $13,000 is a good investment on a first bike?
Thaiboxer, if you want a Harley, the 883 is great. It's got the tamest power out of the HD lineup, and is probably the best handling as well. The Honda Shadow VLX or Spirit 750 are also good choices. I would avoid the Rebel, they make good MSF bikes but I don't think you'd be happy with one for any length of time. I'd also really steer you towards used for your first bike -- you mentioned selling it after a year or so, and there's no reason to eat new vehicle depreciation on something you're not keeping or even sure you'll like. As long as you don't bang it up too much, you should get about what you paid for a used bike when you sell it again.
:roll:
As for a starting bike, don't go with the rebel. It might be good as a commuter bike (as in nothing over 45 mph) but you'll grow out of it in like a month at most. If you're planning on taking your girlfriend anywhere then forget about the Rebel as it's going to struggle with just you on it. I highly recommend the Sportster if you're looking at a cruiser. I went out and got a Kawaskai Vulcan 500 and while I don't regret purchasing it as a starter, I think the Harley would have been a wiser purchase initially. Also, really look at the used market if you can.
Another aspect I wasn't aware of when you buy a bike is the maintenance required. I actually like getting my hands dirty so it's a welcome hobby but make sure you know what you're getting into. My bike is chain driven so I have to lubricate my chain every 400 miles or so or even after it rains. I can see how this would be frustrating to a lot of people so if that's your case get a belt drive or shaft drive.
One last thing, make sure a cruiser is what you're looking for. While cruisers are a blast to ride they don't have anywhere near the handling of a sport bike. I sometimes think I would have been better getting a sport bike or even a standard instead of a cruiser since I tend to take turns somewhat fast and end up scraping my bike a bit.