Reply With QuoteI would not ride a Harley with a smaller engine! If you like it then get on it and have fun its perfect, they are only as dangerous as the bloke holding the throttle!
First bike .
Just in the process of getting my motorbike license and have fallen in love with a Harley 48 . It's a large bike with a monster 1200cc engine and I feel I need to have one .
I know there's a lot of bikers here , would you guys recommend it as a first bike to be used for pleasure on sunny days ?
I would not ride a Harley with a smaller engine! If you like it then get on it and have fun its perfect, they are only as dangerous as the bloke holding the throttle!
RIAC
TBH albeit a 1200 , the 48 feels like a small motorcycle . Great fun to ride , small fuel tank bugs some . Forward foot controls can be awkward to get used to .
Go for it , good choice of first bike.
Maybe get something cheap you don't mind dropping to get some miles in first, like a Bandit 600 or something. Even do some Winter miles on it. Keep the Harley in mind but get it next year perhaps.
I haven't ridden in good few years and been searching for "first" bike as well. Started looking for 1200gs adv, than non adv etc, looked into bunch if others and tried the 48. Or peanut tank.The tank is a joke, you will need to stop at every other pump if you go on a longer ride. By the sound of it you need it for the city but keep in mind going cross country its gonna be a major hassle.
1200 for the city is over kill and maybe also for you as a first bike, you will need to be very careful.
I decided to go for f800gs, lighter than the 1200 and drivable in the city as well going cross country, to be honest i had bikes for long time and i am quite comfortable around bikes but i changed my mind about going to a 1200 after not a break of few years, even the 800 has a brutal force, it's a cars engine really!
if you want a HD, as a first bike i'd go for a sportster 883, believe me, it bas plenty of power. My moto is always to start with a smaller bike and go up, you will definitely become better rider that way
It's all about enjoyment. If you like it, and would enjoy owning it and riding it - get it. I love my motorbikes and couldnt be without one.
Oh, and don't buy a Harley 883, they are the same bike and weigh the same (virtually) as the 1200's - neither make much in the way if power, but are very tractable.
Last edited by Omegamanic; 15th June 2014 at 21:39.
It's just a matter of time...
Albeit it not a new rider, I've just acquired my first bike in over ten years.
I'd say, what bike depends on intended usage. My intention is to tour, weekends to weeks. With that in mind, you'll always be happier IMHO with a larger engine.
I thought of the 800, as Swissz and it's the one around town, for sure, but on an extended test ride, it was screaming on the big roads, so I plumped for the 1200. I've done a thousand miles over the first couple of weeks.
As much as you want the Harley, I'd agree with an earlier post, until you find your riding style, go for an interim bike. Nowt wrong with a Bandit.
Mention of the Harley 883 reminded me of Erin Baker's blog from the Telegraph.Originally Posted by Swissz
New bike (4 Dec 2006):
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/motorin...adding_crowds/
First accident (28 Dec 2006):
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/motorin...bike_accident/
No bearing on the bike, but an example of why it might be best to make a decision of the head rather than the heart and get the Harley later.
Only issue with the Harley is that it's pretty heavy as a first bike, even though it's not particularly powerful. Lots of weight is generally harder to control at a few critical moments ( starting, stopping, awkward foot position at a standstill, misjudging an overtake etc.) and lighter gives one less thing to worry about. As Burnsey says, also depends how you think you'll use it.
Good friend had an 883 sportster as his first bike, got on really well with it, and he was really into the whole Harley thing.
As ever if it makes you want to ride, must be good!
I got my full bike licence in '82 but had a long lay off from riding until '01.
I'd kept up to date (always been a bike nut) by reading the usual mags etc. Decided to start back in the saddle with a BMW 650.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_F650_single
Nice and easy to ride, with a Rotax single cylinder. Not overly powerful, but enough when needed. Great for commuting to work, and weekends away. Fine too with a pillion (just).
After 18 months, I decided I needed something with a little more "go" and the ability to tour with my wife as pillion. SO I traded the BMW which had been faultless for a Honda CBR600f which I bought new in 2003.
This served me and the wife well for a couple of years, during which time we toured France, and went to a few European Moto GP's on, but the lack of hard luggage meant my wife had to use a rucksack to take some of our kit which made her uncomfortable after a few hours. So in 2004 I traded the Honda in for a Ducati ST3;
This bike does it all for me (and the wife). A 1000cc v twin with real character, hard luggage, and a semi-sporting riding position. We've toured all over Europe on it, and it's been superb. I've had it for 10 years now and won't consider buying anything else as it does everything I need from a bike. It will sit at 120+ all day long on motorways, but lose the luggage & the pillion it's a quick old girl in the twisty bits too.
It took me 3 bikes to find "the one" but that's not to say I didn't love the other two. It's just about finding what you want from your riding, and what bike suits you the best. Whatever you go for, you'll love it I'm sure.
KTM 950/990 Adventure?
Come over to the dark (dirt) side...
The 48 is one of the easier Harley's to ride and a lot of fun,I'd have one in my garage,the only downside with any Harley is weight which can be intimidating for a new rider,but if you're a strong lad it shouldn't be a problem.
I wouldn't let the weight of a sports Harley put anyone off, they're not that heavy and very easy to manoeuvre. I like the look of the 48 but didn't buy one for the reason mentioned above, the fuel tank is crazy. You have to plan your ride around petrol stations, 70-90 mile range at most.
I bought an 883 iron stage 2 but quickly wanted a bigger Harley, sadly not got round to buying one yet.
I'm firmly with the 'get something droppable for your first bike' crowd. It's not the power that will cause you to come unstuck, it's learning to manage all that weight and momentum, and a Harley is a heavy bike. Imagine how gutted you would be if you dropped it. Best to do 12 months on a middleweight bike - you will learn lots in the first year and be much more prepared to move onto something such as the 48. Buy smart and you won't even lose money on the first bike too.
Thanks for all the advice guys .
At the riding school , I swapped from the Honda CBF600 to the Honda Hornet and enjoyed riding the Hornet much more than the CBF .
I guess what I need to do is to go test drive ,or even rent a bike or two before I decide,once I get my license ;).
I quite like the look of the 48 myself and have thought about moving up to the 1200 many times although the small tank does rankle a touch. Here's my 883 which is a great bike, enough power certainly around town but not good for long distances either power wise or comfort and that seat doesn't help either. They are heavy though and not the most manoeuvrable so not your perfect all rounder if that's what you're after but they are a nice way to get from A to B if B isn't too far away from A and they certainly attract a lot of attention. Good Luck!
That is a nice looking bike GIB984 with some tasteful mods. Many people complain about the peanut tank on the 48er ,but I believe it's relatively easy to replace it with a larger tank ,like the one on the 883 .
The bike i buy wil be purely for fun and recreation.,for now .
Just got to pass that bloody mod 1 now ;) .
Did my test a couple of years ago ( had no work on for a week so did it mon-fri, great fun )
Not fallen off but I did drop the bike when taking it for its first MOT, was pristine and only fell onto its side, looked like it had been in a proper crash :(
Ah, the ride home of shame. I still wake up in the middle of the night hearing the people at the garage laughing :)
There's no shame in that. Dropped my first bike (Bandit 400) about 5 times during the first month, mainly pulling out of junctions and turning right or low speed manoeuvring. Dropped my second bike (VTR1000) once nose first in a ditch, nice chap in a Range Rover stopped and helped me haul it out, and then again after a disk lock incident in Manchester city centre. Some lads in a van who I thought would be pissing themselves laughing actually rushed out to help me pick it up, then one of them dashed back to the van to get some polish and started working out the minor scratches in the fairing! 5 minutes later you'd never known it had happened apart from the bent disc carrier...!
Since then I've always been super cautious with low speed stuff and improved immeasurably. The only droppages since then have either been supermotos on mixed tarmac/dirt track days, or when I hit diesel on my Z750. Touch wood eh!
Thanks mate. I remember the mod 1 well!
I'm sure you'll be fine although I know how 'sphincter twitching' the whole experience is. I had a lesson the hour before to go through all the various manoeuvres and you'd have thought I'd never been on a bike - my control was awful and I put my feet down more than they were on the pegs and I was sure I was going to fail.
Good luck!
As it happens, I've been out today, road testing a couple of bikes I'm interested in; a Honda NC750X and a Honda VFR800X Crossrunner.
Of the two, I really like the NC750 - it is such an easy bike to ride, suitable for both Mod 1 and 2 training and thereafter.
I've also ridden a Honda NC750S and, of the "S" and "X", I found the "S" a bit easier because it has a lower seat and less ground clearance.
The NC750S is a serious contender for me, but there are a couple more (Triumph Tiger and BMW GS) I want to try out before committing
I used a Honda nt750 last month to zip round south of France for the bike racing at Toulon, very impressed with the mpg and the ride.
As for the OP, just pick up a Honda transalp 700, great first bike.
What is involved in getting a motorbike license these days? Unfortunately I stopped biking just as the second test was introduced (early 80's) so never got round to getting a full license. I needed a car at the time, so moved on, but always regretted not pursuing a full bike license. Two wheels are calling me back...
Many hoops to jump through these days . But at least you will be a fairly competent rider when you get a licence .What is involved in getting a motorbike license these days? Unfortunately I stopped biking just as the second test was introduced (early 80's) so never got round to getting a full license. I needed a car at the time, so moved on, but always regretted not pursuing a full bike license. Two wheels are calling me back...
https://www.gov.uk/government/public...rcycle-licence
There's all the information you need on and around this siteWhat is involved in getting a motorbike license these days? Unfortunately I stopped biking just as the second test was introduced (early 80's) so never got round to getting a full license. I needed a car at the time, so moved on, but always regretted not pursuing a full bike license. Two wheels are calling me back...
In summary, there are four elements: the Compulsory basic training (CBT); the computer-based Theory test (multiple choice test on the Highway Code and also a hazard perception test); Module 1 is off-road and involves demonstration of handling skills (slow manoeuvring, emergency stops, hazard avoidance etc.); and finally, Module 2 involves some practical/safety questions and an on-road test.
Get it done because the test(s) will only ever get more difficult!
I worked at the training school where Erin obtained her lincence , she was going to fall off whatever she rode . Nice lady , but some people are not really cut out for two wheels .
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