I realise that a fatboy is a horrible first bike to learn on, but i got a deal on it that couldn’t be passed down. I also didn’t want to buy a smaller bike that i would be upgrading from in a short time. The smaller bikes don’t hold there resale value much at all. So i figured i’d start with the bike i wanted.
You can shovel around your rationalization all you want; it still smells the same…. The Fat Boy is a terrible first bike. -But this is what you have, so go with it…. take the MSF course. By all means buy a set of crash bars for the FB…. you will need them. Its not a question of if, but when you will drop the Harley, and thats an expensive bike to be replacing parts on.. (BTW the guy that said the FB is 800 lbs: total idiot) My Heritage Softail only weighs 695, according to the local CAT scale.
The reality is the center of gravity is going to make riding the Harley very easy…. but just like any bike, respect its power and don’t get stupid. Realize that you will not be winning any drag races on this bike, and you cannot go knee-dragging with your friends, BUT, you will be beating the ladies off with a stick.
Ride like you are a target; that means act like every 4 wheeled vehicle driver is out to kill you,…. because they are. Use the MSF tactics and develop some of your own that will become obvious to you. Ride safe, stay alive.
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If you’re learning to ride, expect to drop the bike. with a FB, you don’t wanna be dropping that, so I’d get a dirt bike like a small 250cc and learn on that. It will be a big jump to the FB, but you’ll be better equipped with the basics of how to ride rather than trashing a $10k bike.
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You can most likely learn how to ride on the fatboy.
However, I strongly urge you to take the MSF course. ALL two wheeled, one track vehicles (i.e. bikes) turn, start, stop and handle the same basic ways. It will be much easier and safer for you to ride that Fatboy after you have taken the MSF course.
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Let’s face it, if you are a new rider, you are GOING to drop your bike. I say, take the course and drop THERE bike! Everything you learn will transfer directly to your Fat Boy. It could take a year of learning on your own to equal what they condense down to a couple of Saturdays.
I also highly recommend the book "Sport Riding Techniques: How To Develop Real World Skills for Speed, Safety, and Confidence on the Street and Track." I know it sounds like the last thing a H-D rider would want to waste $20 on, but it is by FAR the best written and most useful motorcycle riding book out there–AND the author explains why your Fat Boy can stop faster than any sport bike!
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http://www.amazon.com/Sport-Riding-Techniques-Develop-Confidence/dp/1893618072
You bought an 800lb motorcycle to learn to ride on? D’oh! Not the best plan my friend. Also, does your state not require you to take the MSC before they’ll even issue you a motorcycle license?
Go take the MSC first, drop THEIR bike instead of yours, and then apply what you learn there when you start to ride your Harley. There will be MAJOR differences in how your bike handles and responds to rider input, compared to the little bikes the MSC is taught on, but the basics will always apply. Until you learn how to safely maneuver your bike I’d spend a lot of time in wide open parking lots or grassy areas doing starts & stops, ever tighter turns & circles in both directions, figure eights. Learn how to use counter steering.
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I think you are required to take the MSF course for a new license if you are under 21
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Take the course, I rode for many years and ended up taking the class for ins. reasons. Even with many years of riding I still learned a thing or two in the class. If you take the class and pass you do not need to take the road test for your license.
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You definitely should go take the MSF course. It will give you the groundwork to learn on your fatboy. Just remember, your FB weighs over twice as much as the bikes you will be riding in the class. The good news is if you learn to manage the weight, the bike is actually quite easy to ride and easy to maneuver. I HIGHLY recommend getting the Ride Like a Pro V dvd after taking the course. This DVD and the exercises shown in it greatly improved my slow speed handling of my FB. Jerry "Motorman" Palladino explains clearly how to properly handle a heavyweight motorcycle, which will dramatically improve your skills quickly. Good luck!
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You can shovel around your rationalization all you want; it still smells the same…. The Fat Boy is a terrible first bike. -But this is what you have, so go with it…. take the MSF course. By all means buy a set of crash bars for the FB…. you will need them. Its not a question of if, but when you will drop the Harley, and thats an expensive bike to be replacing parts on.. (BTW the guy that said the FB is 800 lbs: total idiot) My Heritage Softail only weighs 695, according to the local CAT scale.
The reality is the center of gravity is going to make riding the Harley very easy…. but just like any bike, respect its power and don’t get stupid. Realize that you will not be winning any drag races on this bike, and you cannot go knee-dragging with your friends, BUT, you will be beating the ladies off with a stick.
Ride like you are a target; that means act like every 4 wheeled vehicle driver is out to kill you,…. because they are. Use the MSF tactics and develop some of your own that will become obvious to you. Ride safe, stay alive.
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40 years on 2 wheels
’06 FLSTCi
Use the bikes the class provides, how did you plan to get it there if you can’t ride.
Used smaller bikes do hold value once they reach the price floor, a 2000 model is about the same price as a 2003. You buy it cheap use to learn and sell it for about the same money.
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First of all, a fat boy, is just fine for a first bike. As long as your big enough and strong enough, to hold it up. Fat boy’s, are a very docile bike. Relatively, hard to get over your head on one. How ever, you will most likely. Put, the bike down sometime. Almost everyone does. I ran into a wall, my very first time on a bike. Granted, I was 12, at the time. It took me a few hours, to get used to riding. I fell over four times, in that time. By the way, I had no one, to teach me how to ride. Taking the coarse, will save you the cuts and bruises. I got, learning how to ride. That alone, is worth the price. I could barley walk, the next day.
I’ve been riding for 34 years and I still take the coarse, every other year. I’ve never had a crash, plus the maneuvers taught in the coarse, have saved my life a few times.
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A Fat Boy is what I want to buy too. I completed a 3 day course through RideSmart in Feb. 2010. I do not have a bike to practice on, to master the skills everyone here mentions. The much needed riding confidence is a must too and can only be achieved through practicing. I am 6′ tall, weigh 205 lb., and I do workout 5 days per week. Someone mentioned here that a dirt bike could be a good means of practicing. I have one! Well, it’s up north (Grand Canyon area in AZ), I’m in Phoenix, but I will definitely bring it here to practice on it. Thank you all for the great advise.
Does anyone know if you can change the tires on an HD Heritage to those of a Fat Boy? And if so, are there any bike modifications that would have to be made? Does the tire change compromise the ride and handling of the Heritage?
Thank you all.
I understand where you are coming from. I am 6′ tall and weigh 205 pounds (fit). I took the 3 day Ride Smart course and obtained my ME License. I had never been on a motorcycle before the course. I researched all bike types and knew I wanted a cruiser. I changed my mind from a HD Fat Boy to a Honda Stateline for many reasons. The modern features, liquid cooled engine, shaft driven, fuel-injection, ABS/CBS, and the cost; less than $13,000. I plan on getting this bike by the end of July. It does weigh less than the HD FB. I will get the crash guards too. I did not want to invest on a small bike only to out grow it and try to sell, in order to move up to the bike I wanted. I plan on practicing on a dirt bike I have in the meanwhile. Ride smart, ride safe, ride your ride…
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