Sporster 1200 as first bike

[Trlink]

I'm looking to buy a bike. I've never ridden before but I've had atv's and ridin bikes a lot. Mid 20s working construction and in good shape. I drive manually, so I'm sure I can coordinate shifting. Good general mechanical knowledge. I want to buy a sportster 1200. Would that be a decent starting place.

Thanks

[Cool The Kid]

Youve never ridden before but you ride bikes a lot?

Dont get the 1200. Too powerful, too heavy. Swallow your pride + start small or dont ride at all.

[distantThunder]

if you start off with the 883 cc HD, then you can trade up after a year or two. I'm not saying that it's impossible for you to start with the heavier bike ... people do it. You might handle it just fine. But you just need to take it easy and build up your handling over time. But there are some typical beginner mistakes that we all make ... and dropping the bike is often one of them. That stuff is easier to handle on a lighter bike.

take a look at the yamaha 950, or the Stryker as options.

good luck,
dT

[goalie]

Originally Posted by Cool The Kid

Youve never ridden before but you ride bikes a lot?

Dont get the 1200. Too powerful, too heavy. Swallow your pride + start small or dont ride at all.

Its the bike I learned on. No problem for the patient rider willing to respect the bike. Go for the 1200 Sportster and you'll be loving life.

[FNA]

I know plenty of guys whose first bikes were big inch HDs (well back when big inch was 74ci or 1200cc).

Start doing arm curls so you pull the SOB upright.

IMO you'll be safer than on a 600 sport bike.

[Cool The Kid]

Originally Posted by goalie

Its the bike I learned on. No problem for the patient rider willing to respect the bike. Go for the 1200 Sportster and you'll be loving life.

The problem with this is you don't know how patient you are until you are on the bike

And odds are not in dude's favor, just by what I know about human nature. If you have horsepower, youre gonna use it

Maybe there are folks out there who can legitimately learn how to ride on a Hayabusa. The question people have to honestly ask is, are they really one of those folks, or are they gonna be one of those dudes who hits a bump, jerks the throttle and crash into a bus stop?

The other question is, what is there to be gained by learning on a big bike? Nothing really. At the minimum dude should start with an 883

[bglaze]

My dad started out on a Sportster, I just bought my first bike, though and it's a Honda Rebel. So I went the opposite route. =)

[goalie]

We are all different in our temperaments, etc. I don't want the OP to sell himself short. There are legit reasons to start smaller, but I honestly do not think a lot of folks need to. I respect other's opinions on the issue.

[Biker Dash]

My only caviet with a Sportster as a first bike is how it feels balancewise. the few I have been on feel kinda top heavy when compared to my Shadow. I would be concerned that the top heavy feel might bbe more intimitading to a new rider. That being said, It should not take long at all to get used to the feel of the bike, and even the 1200 is not overly powerful. Yes, I personally might recommend the 883, but I do not think a 1200 would be a bad choice.

[zmago]

They are fairly top heavy, and once they start tipping over, they're going down, at least the tall ones like the XR1200. My friend, who has been riding since 1975, got on mine, rode it around fine, stopped, put his feet on the ground, and fell over. I stopped at a stop sign and put my right foot down on some loose gravel. The sole of my boot slipped and I toppled over. Just another thing to watch out for.

p.s. once it's on the ground, it's heavy to pick up.

[Dodsfall]

I've owned a handful of 1200 Sporties and they are dependable machines and easy to maintain. They are a pretty decent workhorse of a motorcycle, simple and efficient.

They have a lot of torque, but the power curve is fairly flat without surprises. They won't accidentally wheelie or peel out the rear wheel from under the rider as long as common sense is used while riding.

They are fairly heavy machines, however, and a bit harder to manage than a lighter one when moving at slower speeds. The 1200 and 883 are virtually the same weight at about 565 pounds.

I started my street riding career on a much lighter motorcycle, a CL350, after riding several years on even smaller machines of various types off-road. I would recommend starting on the street with something fairly light until the controls and riding in traffic become somewhat comfortable.

[Cool The Kid]

Originally Posted by goalie

We are all different in our temperaments, etc. I don't want the OP to sell himself short. There are legit reasons to start smaller, but I honestly do not think a lot of folks need to. I respect other's opinions on the issue.

It just seems like people always want cosigns to make potentially bad decisions. A 1200 is heavy at low speeds and powerful enough to get someone completely fresh to riding in trouble. I am not sure I would ever recommend something like a Virago 250, but I think dude would be much better off starting on something like a VN500C or whatever just for a year or two. You have all the time in the world to get your bike once you learn how to ride, why rush jumping onto something that could overwhelm you?

[goalie]

Originally Posted by Cool The Kid

It just seems like people always want cosigns to make potentially bad decisions. A 1200 is heavy at low speeds and powerful enough to get someone completely fresh to riding in trouble. I am not sure I would ever recommend something like a Virago 250, but I think dude would be much better off starting on something like a VN500C or whatever just for a year or two. You have all the time in the world to get your bike once you learn how to ride, why rush jumping onto something that could overwhelm you?

Wow, far be it from me to rush someone into a bad decision. I think too many people sell others short. But only the individual really knows.

Vini, Vidi, Vici -- I came, I saw, I conquered. It would not quite be the same if Ceasar declared, "I came, I saw, I decided I'd try something a little smaller first."

[zmago]

Yeah, but Caesar had a bit of practice before he invaded Gaul.

[V8Thrasher]

Or do what I did....get an old ass bike from the 80s, for me an 83 Honda Shadow VT700, 500lbs and 64hp/40lb of tq of a starter bike for $1300

[Badlands-4-2]

Good bike with predictable power. As mentioned earlier, you may tip it over. Get the engine guard. You may not like the looks, but it can save a lot of damage. Look only at the newer ones with the ruber mounted engine. 2004 and newer I believe.