So, I wanna drive a Harley! Second opinion requested :)

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My experience is that riding a Harley is like strapping a saddle on a manatee. There are lots of cool bikes out there that you don't have to have weighed at a truck inspection station when the lights are flashing. And, you won't be one of those guys with a HD sticker on their minivan.

Pick something that speaks to you personally. For me, I like the sound of a V4.
 
Weatherbee said:
My experience is that riding a Harley is like strapping a saddle on a manatee. There are lots of cool bikes out there that you don't have to have weighed at a truck inspection station when the lights are flashing. And, you won't be one of those guys with a HD sticker on their minivan.

Pick something that speaks to you personally. For me, I like the sound of a V4.
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Wait....you're telling him to get something that speaks to him personally, after telling him what not to get? :confused:
 
I saw a girl riding the iron yesterday. She was bleeding on her seat. Screaming about how her boyfriend was talking to another girl. She asked me for a cigarette. She looked cute on her little iron 883.
 
TdotMurderer said:
I saw a girl riding the iron yesterday. She was bleeding on her seat. Screaming about how her boyfriend was talking to another girl. She asked me for a cigarette. She looked cute on her little iron 883.
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I can only hope to aspire to such heights of intrinsic coolness as yourself. Minus the short-changed endowment of course...
 
My $0.02...

1) my impression is you haven't really considered what risks you're taking on with riding, mostly because you don't seem interested in taking steps to mitigate that risk. (Also, riding in flipflops is a terrible idea, if you were planning on emulating that). I highly recommend you take some time to think about the bad things that can happen while riding, and how much of that risk you're willing to take on. Flip through a book like Proficient Motorcycling (http://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1889540536). Not saying you shouldn't ride, but think beyond the fun and the image, and count the real risks you're going to take on by doing this.

2) listen to what people are telling you here about gear. Don't get leathers (especially not from Doc's) just because of the look. Get stuff that will (A) protect you when you fall (assume you will fall), and (B) you're willing to wear in hot weather when you're stuck bumper to bumper in downtown Toronto. You want a chin bar on your helmet (most frequently the impact zone in falls), armor in your jacket, gloves that will protect your knuckles and palms, boots with hard toes and ankle coverings, etc.,. Assume that you may have to skid on asphalt for ~10 seconds in whatever you're wearing (or not wearing), and make your gear decision appropriately. What is they say..."dress for the slide, not for the ride"?

3) Look into the metric cruisers (Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha), they often provide better bang for the buck. I knew I wanted to do the cruiser thing so I picked up a Vulcan 900 as my first bike last year. The Vulcan was a great starter bike, plenty of power to keep you interested, and really nimble/easy to handle for the size. I got some flack for starting on a 900cc but had no trouble handling it at all (but I'm a pretty big guy). The bike is pretty forgiving overall, the torque rolls up gently, throttle's not twitchy. I highly recommend you look into the Vulcan/Shadow/V-Star, but if you've got your eyes set on a Sportster, go nuts. You can always sell it down the line. (incidentally, I'm selling my Vulcan 900 now after upgrading)

4) I upgraded to a Harley Night Rod Special very recently after test riding one. IMHO, the V-Rod is the only Harley worth owning. Not sure how you'd afford it as a student, but if you like the the Iron, look into the Nighster or the Night Rod - both might treat you better long-term. I recently rode my Night Rod 800km at 120+km/h, and was pretty comfortable on it. Not sure I could have said the same on a Sportster.
 
gtamike - Thanks! I was actually looking to read something about motorcycling so thanks a lot for link. Yeah, I'm looking at other cruiser bikes too. I searched through the those models you've mentioned a couple a days ago while browsing other sites. About safety, the people at Doc's seemed knowledgeable and they said that all the gear I was getting was safe. What's so bad about Doc's?

Also, I did not mean to sound like I wanted to emulate what I discussed. I discussed it for the sake of image.

oomis - Um, my entire point of signing up for this forum is to see what other people's advice. My title specifically says, 'second opinion requested'. I specifically said in my last post that "I don't know much about motorcycles". I never said anything about swearing to understand. Also, you sounded really nasty both to me and the people who are trying to help me. I really don't like that. I am new... if I was really good at motorcycling, I would not tell other people trying to help him to stop. I would not think of colourful similes meant to denigrate their dreams either. That's plain mean.

All I talked about was my experience... What else can I refer to? Really? Yes, I will be making lots of mistakes because I don't know anything except that I like cruisers. YES, I will be buying a bike that speaks to me. Matter of fact, I will also buy the relevant starter bikes that will lead to the bike that speaks to me. This does not mean I will not be looking at other types of motorcycles and finding the right one. Again, I mentioned the Iron because it relevant, but it doesn't mean it can't change.

Thanks to the people who are actually helping me though. When I say I will come back and reread posts when I get the capacity to understand what it means, I mean it.
 
If your heart is set on the Harley then just get one. It's not that big of a deal. Personally, I would never buy a Japanese V-Twin cruiser since the majority of them are liquid-cooled and radiators look ugly on a cruiser. They also have a lot of chrome plated plastic parts, barf.
 
CruiserGoneSport said:
Hlalf vs. full helmet. My buddy has his jaw wired and is eating through a straw because he switched from half to full
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If this isn't written backwards, then he is lucky he had the full -- if he had a half or 3/4 likely he would not even have a jaw anymore.

Granted, helmet style is a choice and some choose half or 3/4 helmets, I doubt anyone can argue that a full face offers more protection than any other type available.
 
conundrum - Yeah, I was browsing a couple of sites about motorcycle accidents and that got me really worried. I dropped by Doc's yesterday, and exchanged my 3/4th helmet with a full helmet. I feel better now, lol.
 
Good call on the helmet exchange.

As for equipment, I used to ride in all leathers but am sooooooooo happy to wear breathable armor on those hot days when I'm stuck in traffic. I used to carry water and have to pull over to strip and soak to cool down enough to keep from passing out. Heat exhaustion is a real safety hazard especially on those high humidex days....

Also, as my handle indicates, I used to ride cruisers but, after experiencing several close calls where I didn't feel the bike was helping me avoid situations, I decided a more nimble ride is safer (when respected).

ymmv.
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