[Jim]

Elwood on this board bought a Sportster for his first bike…here is his well written review :

https://bestbeginnermotorcycles.com/forum/forum-topic/1285/sportster-first-bike

[Matt]

Have her sit on and look into a Honda Shadow VLX (and possibly the larger 750 Aero).

The VLX is a very smooth engine compared to the sportster imo.

Since she’s had a spinal fusion, a cruiser is probably not the ideal bike for her. The seating setup on most cruisers (certainly any with a forward foot position) puts a lot of load on your spine during bumps. Having her feet directly under her would be the best and easiet thing for her. I honestly don’t know what other cruisers are setup this way.

Look into the Triumph Bonneville as a smoother bike, with better seating position, and all the classic class of the sportster.

—
“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.”

[WeaponZero]

The Harley Sportster is just as good of a first bike as, say, a Honda Shadow 750, which many people start out on. First of all, if you like Harleys you know what you’re getting yourself into: Low tech for a high price, and notorious problems including a rough ride and oil leaking problems (not true with Twin Cam 88 powered Harleys) that Harley lovers claim add to the “character” of the bike.

If you really want to own a Harley brand motorcycle as your first bike, then the Sportster 883 is your only option, but the general consensus is to go smaller and cheaper for your first bike so that when you do have to make those inevitable repairs due to newbie screwups, it doesn’t cost you the price of another bike.

[Dagger]

Hmm.. Harley.. Triumph.. No offense but are you looking to get a bike to ride or just looking for something to impress people on? If you just want something to show off then honesty I’d go with a nice Triumph.. I think they have more class and style than a Harley these days.. If you’re looking for a bike to learn how to actually ride then there are several smaller cruisers in the Harley “style” that you could learn on for a quarter of the price..

I just want to make it out of this life alive…

[Sporty Fan]

Ride what you enjoy. Harley, Suzuki, Honda…. Get to work with that smile on your face and have a good time. When I give the low salute to the fellow bikers, I don’t read the brand on the tank first. My sportster is comfortable, reliable, fast enough and a pleasure to ride. To the young lady reconsidering after starting up the engine…. your teeth will chatter at about 60MPH, so it might not be the bike for you. Good luck and be safe!

[MattN]

bonnevilles are 450lbs according to there website.
69hp isn’t too bad either.

[Author]

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