1st bike,,and its a whopper!

[Tattooer]

Hello everyone,

Just bought an 05 Harley Fatboy. Its my 1st bike, im 47 years old. Can an ol guy learn to ride on such a large bike? Ive learned now, by visiting a few web sites that maybe it wasnt such a good idea. But, its here now, so im just planning on taking it slow and easy and try to do this thing. Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!

[dalan]

Welcome tattooer! :smile:

Brand-new Fat Boy eh? 8) Gorgeous bike! Yeah, defintely not the easiest to learn on, and it'll be a damn shame the first time you drop it, but at least she's a well-balanced bike and carries her weight low. Put big, wide engine guards / freeway bars on her, RIGHT NOW.

Have you taken the MSF class yet? If not, do it!

Like to read? Go to amazon.com and order Proficient Motorcycling (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1889540536/qid=1115212541/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-4279196-3359938). Highly recommended. You'll learn A LOT.

You all set for gear? FF helmet, armored jacket, riding pants, gloves, good boots? Not an option!

Enjoy, ride safe, and stick around - this is a great site!

[BlondeBomber]

Hey Tattooer!! Welcome aboard! yes, you better take it nice and easy for awhile. but nice choice in bikes..you need to posts some pics!

[E-Man]

The Fat Boy is my all time favorite (with the V-Rod moving up quick).

Congrats! Ride Safe....

[Chrystal]

Hi Tattooer!

Like others will say, take that course - you'll be glad you did.

Congrats on the new bike. Got pics?

[Wookie]

1. If you haven't taken the MSF class yet, do so.

2. Definately pick up good gear, full face helmet (even if it doesn't fit the image of a Harley), nice motorcycle grade leather jacket (armor is nice), good riding boots (ankle support), good leather gloves and maybe some chaps (I don't use chaps personally).

3. If you can, go out and pick up a small, old, used motorcycle in the $1,000.00 range. Use it for the first 2 - 3 months to learn to ride on, then sell it for pretty much what you paid for it. Even if you loose $100.00 on the deal it will be the best $100.00 you ever spent. Not every body can do this since their investment is wrapped up in the initial motorcycle, but if you can it's well worth it.

4. regardless of what you do get aquainted with the new bike in a safer environment. Find a big open parking lot where you can ride that has no obsticals. Even these can be dangerouse (look at Kellen Winslow Jr. this past week), but it's much safer than the road. Practice everything they teach you in the MSF with the new bike so you know how it handles and feels.

5. Get some engine guards. When you drop the bike it will protect most of and keep it from getting to dinged up.

6. Read a lot, then read more on technique, safety issue, lane placement, cornering technique, etc.

7. Have fun. That's what it's all about, just try and do it in the safest manner possible.

[Tattooer]

Whoa!

Thanks everyone for the great advice. Myself as well as my wife have both registered for the MSF class. Our Harley dealer stongly recommended that as well. As far as gear , we actually geared up before we made the bike purchase. We live in a small central Oregon town, so we wont have to contend with heavy traffic during our learning process.

Thanks again for the fast and friendly advice! Ill get some pic's posted asap.

Regards

[dalan]

Myself as well as my wife have both registered for the MSF class.
:thumbsup:


As far as gear , we actually geared up before we made the bike purchase.
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Sounds like you're off to a good start!

Couple other suggestions:

Resist the temptation of jumping into group rides, no matter how friendly, open, and cordial the riding community in general and the Harley community in particular may be. Group riding introduces a whole new bunch of stress, difficulties, and group dynamic, NONE of which benefits a new rider. We always say, "Ride your own ride", and that's much easier to do if you're alone!

Don't drink when riding, not even a single beer. I know us old guys think we can handle our beer, but riding requires a new level of attentiveness and sharp reactions. I won't ride with even a single lite beer in my system. If this means staying away from poker runs, so be it. ;-)

Never assume cars see you or will respect your right of way. Assume half of them cannot see you at all, and the half that can see you are actively trying to hit you.

[Clair]

congrats on the new bike. Yep, she's big, heavy, powerful ... so just take it easy. We like to teach that starting smaller is better, and for good reason. Starting smaller enables you to learn the skills you need to safely ride without fighting the bike. You can still do it, you'll just have more of a learning curve, that's all.

Realize that riding the bike on the open road at speed is the easy part. Don't get seduced by that. It's the path TO the open road that is a bitch and the most dangerous. Stop and go starting, shifting, braking, left/right turns from a dead stop, left/right turns up a hill, watching for cross traffic, emergency maneuvers ... THIS is where the real riding is, and where you need to really make sure you practice.

As others ahve said, get yourself to a parking lot and just STAY there for a while. Put the ego aside (it's hard to do) and really just practice. Get to know the feel of your bike at SLOW speed. How does it handle? How does it shift? What's braking like? Weave. Braking practice is very important. Starting from 5 mph, then 10 ... working yourself up to highway speeds. You're gonna need it, you're gonna have to come to a dead stop in one hell of a hurry someday and that's not the time to try to figure out how to do it. Learn to balance on teh bike. Try to get across the parking lot in the Most amount of time possible ... i.e., going SLOW. See if you can ride the bike slower than your wife walks.

Stay with us, keep us posted, ask any and all questions ya have. Good people on here, and over at beginnerandbeyond. People here care.

Oh yeah ... don't even think about riding 2-up anytime soon ...

[LoDownSinner]

I want to second the suggestions of the class and the crash bars. The crash bars are smowhere aroud a hundred bucks, and if you have any mechanical aptitude at all you can bolt them on in less than a half hour. The ones Harley make specifically for the softails come with all the mounting hardware and excellent instructions.

Also the suggestion of getting a little, used beater to practice on is very sound. If you live in a very small town and have easy access to open woods or fields, you may even want to consider a dual sport or dirt bike.

One thing I'd like to add. When you start putting around on your Fat Boy, make sure that you hav the handlebars square and pointed forward when you come to a stop. If not, it will transfer the momentum of the motorcycle in the direction the bars are turned, and most likely end up in an embarrashing low speed drop.

[VanDawg38]

Good on the class. Team Oregon has some great instructors.

I hate the term "crash bars". Let's call them engine guards. :)

Couple months on a small, cheap, beater bike is a great idea. If it just prevents one fall, it'll pay for itself.

As has been said, don't even think about riding 2-up yet. Better for the Mrs. to get her own ride. (Maybe the bike suggested in the previous paragraph.)

Finally, congratulations on your purchase. Plenty of great roads in central Oregon. Here's one a little north of you (I'm guessing).
http://home.comcast.net/~rrpaulsen/three_peaks_loop/maupin.jpg

[x_cuesme]

Hey Tattoer-

Welcome to the world of two wheels! Yes, an old guy can learn to ride a bike- I started at 47 last year- you picked a beauty to learn on!

It is very true smaller bikes are recommended- and if you can afford an old beater, it's a good idea- but it can be done, and done safely, on a larger bike. Everyone's already given you all the right advice, so I just want to say hi and hope you stay around!

x_cuesme

[Mer]

I hate the term "crash bars". Let's call them engine guards. :)


Ditto!!! I've got engine guards on MY bike! Welcome Tattoer. Nice bike you have there, just take it slow and easy. You do have a beautiful part of the country to ride in!

[LordSmoke]

Congrats on the bike! Like most everyone else has said - course, gear, beater bike to start are all good. You might also check out the "Ride Like A Pro" video at http://www.ridelikeapro.com. Good review of same techniques taught in MSF and especially useful to beginners on new, big bikes is the idea of starting with large circles, turns, figure-eights and working down to smaller radii as you get comfortable/proficient.

[Logan]

Welcome to our world.

Keep in mind that 1st time riders & born-agains over 40 on big bikes are over-represented in the accident statistics.

Like others have said:

Proper training, proper gear, blood level alcohol of 0.00% whenever riding, tip-over bars, taking it slow, no passengers till more experienced, small cheap learners bike if possible.

[RockyMtnRoadRash]

Also the suggestion of getting a little, used beater to practice on is very sound. If you live in a very small town and have easy access to open woods or fields, you may even want to consider a dual sport or dirt bike.


That's a great suggestion. A cheapo little Japanese enduro from the 80s won't set you back much, and when you're done learning on it you'll still have a dirt bike to goof around on. Sweeeeeet.

Also, Fat Boys are awesome.

[MsPotatoPotatoHead]

Can't add much to what everyone else has said, but I'll re-stress a few points since I'm one of those who jumped to a much too big bike too soon and have personal experience to back up my advice!

Take the MSF course.

Put engine guards on your Fatboy.

Buy a small beater bike to practice on after the MSF. Get REALLY comfortable - I'm talking 1000 miles at least...5000 would be better - on that small bike before you take the Fatboy out of the parking lot.

DON'T ride in groups unless it's just with one or two people who COMPLETELY understand that you're a newb and will moderate THEIR ride to accommodate you.

Don't even think about two-up riding with your wife until you've been successfully riding the Fatboy for at least a year.

Other than that, a few actual riding tips. Like Tom said, make sure your handlebars are absolutely straight any time you apply the brakes (especially the front). Having your handlebars turned when braking is a quick trip to the pavement. LOOK where you want to go - if you look at the ground, you will go there. If you look at the guardrail in a curve, you will go there. Look THROUGH curves to the exit. Look straight ahead and at least 50-100 feet in front of you when stopping.

The Fatboy is a big, heavy (and beautiful) bike. Once moving, it handles like a dream. But at walking speeds, it is a handful, and that is when you are most likely to drop it.

Good luck and keep us posted!

[CT biker chic]

:biker: Good advice to heed from those above. I have kept my little Honda 200 Twin Star around insured and registered for just that reason.....someone is always looking for a small bike to use. I ride all the time so I do not mind going out and helping people get is some time on the road before going on up to a bigger bike. I have engine guards on that as well as any other bike I have had. MSF courses a must. They offer lots of skills that you will need! And ride.... all kinds of weather becasue you will encounter it!!! Congratulations on the Fat Boy. It is a very nice bike....I am looking at a Heritage Softail Classic...someday! Ride lots, safe, and yes....LOOK AHEAD!!! :thumbsup:

[mediajackl]

Totally second, third or fourth the idea of parking the Fat Boy for a couple months, while you get yourself into riding mode. Probably more to it than you expect, and with the Fat Boy's weight...yikes. Magnificent bike, last thing you want to do is drop it, or worse (think: Kellen Winslow Jr. Different kinda bike, but they both would be tricky in own ways for new riders).

I did about four months and 1,500 miles on the Honda Rebel before I bought the my Harley - and it's a used Sportster, not a gleaming new Fat Boy! I will forever be grateful for every mile I spent on the Rebel. That bike went down a couple times; the Sportster never has.

Spend a couple grand on a nice metric midsize, tool around for a while, then sell it. You probably won't be out more than a couple hundred bucks for the "extended rental." It will be cheaper than having the big bike repaired at the Harley shop, trust me.

Some of your Harley-riding buddies - I bet from your moniker you already have some -- may tell you that it's fine to start on a Big Twin. I got that, too. But how many of them remember what it's like to be a brand-new rider? They probably started out on a Honda 350 or a Sporty decades ago, and have forgotten their drops and near-misses.

I still get jibed by a buddy about buying the Rebel. But he been doing this 35 years, and learned on a trail bike.
Every new rider I speak to understands fully.

Welcome to the board! Enjoy the adventure!