crb Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 (edited) I'm in NE Ohio and decided to get a bike. I am taking the riders edge course in May and hope to narrow down the bike search by then. I have zero experience riding and currently researching gear and bikes. I was planning on getting a cheap bike under $6.000 just for me to ride but my wife decided she wants to ride with me when I get some experience. Went to the local Harley dealer and my wife decided the budget is not sufficient. She found a used 2006 Harley Ultra Classic that we both liked. We aren't really wanting to buy yet so we are continuing to look and are not sold on that bike or Harley. We are going to check out gold wings and some other bikes. Edited March 6, 2011 by crb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-bus Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 Welcome! My $.02.... get something smaller on the cheap. Learn to ride and maneuver, then sell it for what you paid. Starting out on a full-on bagger wouldn't be a good learning experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jst2fst Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 Welcome to OR! I'm not really much help on picking out beginner bikes. But goodluck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 Welcome!I definitely wouldn't start out on that bike. I'd get something small and cheap that you're okay with dropping/wrecking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jblosser Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 Are you the guy from XD Talk? Welcome aboard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad324 Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 welcome!My advice: buy a intro metric cruiser (cheap as hell...like $3k cheap now less than 6yrs old), put some miles on it then upgrade when the comfort level is thereOh and don't buy from State rape, they piss me off to no end Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL9 F4i Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 Glad to see ya made it over! Welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluboi22 Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 Welcome aboard.. Check craigslist for a bike you can find decent ones there.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJ Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 Glad to see you over here crb! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollywood3586 Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 welcome.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crb Posted March 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 Are you the guy from XD Talk? Welcome aboard!Yes and also a member of Buckeye Firearms Forum.I am so confused which direction to go at this point. I am not sure if I just buy a bigger bike or buy a smaller bike and trade it a year later for a bigger bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gl1200 Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 Welcome , riders course is a good way to start , I agree with the comment ,start with something smaller and learn the ropes them there is no limit . Be Safe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crb Posted March 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 Okay I just read the motorcycle handbook and learned I can't have passengers for a year anyway so smaller bike it is just for me for now and I can trade up later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJ Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 Yes and also a member of Buckeye Firearms Forum.I am so confused which direction to go at this point. I am not sure if I just buy a bigger bike or buy a smaller bike and trade it a year later for a bigger bike.Just like me with picking a first gun! Way too many choices. I'm not very knowledgeable on the cruiser side, but you can probably get a relatively inexpensive Shadow/Magna/Virago 750, ride for awhile & flip it later in the year (or keep it for your wife to ride next year after you get something bigger) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crb Posted March 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 Wife just got back from the store and said since she can't ride two up with me for a year she is interested in getting her license to ride and we can ride separate. I know what you mean about the first gun it took me 6 months to pick my first gun. It goes much easier after your first LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJ Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 Wife just got back from the store and said since she can't ride two up with me for a year she is interested in getting her license to ride and we can ride separate. I know what you mean about the first gun it took me 6 months to pick my first gun. It goes much easier after your first LOL!Sounds like you've got a keeper there!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LINK Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 Welcome to the site! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-bus Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 Wife just got back from the store and said since she can't ride two up with me for a year she is interested in getting her license to ride and we can ride separate. I know what you mean about the first gun it took me 6 months to pick my first gun. It goes much easier after your first LOL!Nice wife! That would be the icing on the cake in my world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crb Posted March 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 She just signed up for an MSF course! I thought I was lucky before my wife conceal carries and likes gun and shooting what more can I ask for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beegreenstrings Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CbrGirl Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunseeker270 Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 I'm a new biker but got tired of buying small and outgrowing after a season on other rec vehicles. Did it with boats and rvs because I thought I couldn't handle larger ones. IF you take a course and use their little Buell, you should have no problem advancing to a larger bike and feeling comfortable. Course my bike is like an SUV and I don't do the type of riding most of these guys do so for what it's worth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 Welcome! My $.02.... get something smaller on the cheap. Learn to ride and maneuver, then sell it for what you paid. Starting out on a full-on bagger wouldn't be a good learning experience.Definitely agree. $6,000 is a VERY healthy budget for a first (or second, or third) bike.hell, my brother's shopping leftover 2009 models for $5,000-$6,000 (suzuki and yamaha). The word "Harley" adds several thousand dollars to the price tag for no conceivable reason...Cruisers aren't my thing, so my basis for prices may be a bit off, but there's no way a first bike needs to cost $6k... Spend $2,000, learn, drop, beat up your first bike, and then go buy the bike you really wanted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 I'm a new biker but got tired of buying small and outgrowing after a season on other rec vehicles. Did it with boats and rvs because I thought I couldn't handle larger ones. IF you take a course and use their little Buell, you should have no problem advancing to a larger bike and feeling comfortable. Course my bike is like an SUV and I don't do the type of riding most of these guys do so for what it's worth.I hear this a lot - "I learned on a GSX-R 750, and I was fine." I would never contend that it CAN'T be done; only that it's opening yourself up to more expensive mistakes.Very few cruisers on the market are going to overwhelm you with wheelie-popping horsepower or torque. The extra weight of a larger cruiser might catch a new(er) rider off guard, and the longer wheelbase on some models can make for shitty handling though.Search Youtube for "learning to ride crash" or something similar, and check out what kind of bikes come up most often. Again, i'm not saying that buying a large® bike for your first means you WILL crash, but it definitely ups your chances by a significant percentage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFM Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 I learned to ride on a Harley, literally riding it off Farrow's parking lot. It was heavy, slow, and on the more fun rides the floorboards will lift the backend off the ground. I went the other way, and got a smaller, more powerful, and cheaper used bike at that. I have never wistfully looked back and thought "Gee, I miss riding the pig. I just want less of a bike now..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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