My advice would be to get a used bike first. I picked up a 97 Honda Shaddow a couple of years back. I realized that even though I really wanted a motorcycle I only used it about 2 weeks out of the year. So being to practical for my own good I sold it. It was a great bike but I'm glad I bought it used because I discovered that I didn't care for it as much as I'd hoped.

But if your really into it. I'd say shop around a bit. look to see what else you can get for that price. You've got some time before spring rolls around anyway.

I say it's a great first bike-The price is right-The bad part of it is, your lack of knowledge of the Harley. the things are made to be user-serviceable, and with any regular use, you must service them quite a bit-If you will avail yourself of the small bit of knowledge you will need to fore-go their service package (routine maintenance combined with what you should have if you are wanting a Harley, BASIC MECHANICAL APTITUDE, i.e. internal combustion is not a complete mystery to you like most weekend warriors) You can save yourself the headache of having this thing ina shop more than you have it on the road-

Harley is temperamental, and a routine maintenance checklist for one should resemble something akin to a helicopter's, though staying on top of it, not as technically advanced or expensive. If not your sole means of transportation, then it's your testicular tickle, an extra payment every month, and more debt-Overall, this model is a good first Harley, because it does not come with all the frightening mechanical baggage of a full-sized, and much more expensive, money valve.....

Your call, Testosticlees, but I would definitely consider taking on the study of basic maintenance that you can perform, rather than letting a dealership milk you, as so many do......

My opinion of Harley-Davidson is, it is a good bike, it can be a bike that serves you many years, but you can't just jump and go like you can with a rice-burner...

My other opinion of HD has to do with the hype of recent years as it relates to the efficacy of owning one....

Wow, Choggie, I think that is the most sense you have ever made in a comment. I do have a small working knowledge in mechanics and internal combustion. As far as having a while for spring to roll around, well I'm in Korea, and the bike will be picked up when I return this fall. As far as not using it? I'll be in the Fort Hood area of the for the next couple of years, so the weather will usually be prime, and it will be my primary mode of transportation, as my wife will take my car to have for here and our new born. Well Thanks guys. Anyone else got any advice?

My father (the old soldier- what is it with vets and motorcycles?), who has ridden motorcycles for over 40 years and currently owns a Harley has always had the following things to say about owning one (as I have asked and so has my brother):

1. Don't get a Harley for your very first motorcyle. Get a smaller, lighter, not so high powered, and less expensive bike. Yeah, it might not be as macho, but you need to get used to operating one and controlling it (yes, this does take some training- and its apparently best to work yourself up to a bigger, higher powered bike like a Harley Sportster. He, for instance, rode Kawasakis and Hondas all during his military service- only got the Harley in the 80s). Also, gods forbid you crash the damn thing, you won't be destroying something beautiful (his words, he loves Harleys), or costing yourself a fortune getting it fixed or replaced (he did this once, nearly totaled his Hog when I was a little kid, had it rebuilt completely which I am sure cost $$$)

2. Never have your motorcyle be your primary mode of transportation, it is far to limiting in what you can do with it (ie. haul stuff unexpectedly, or give people rides), and it also exposes you to all sorts of other misfortunes on a daily basis, ie: inclement weather (he actually knew a guy who died of pneumonia from getting caught on his bike), or motorcycle theft (bikes are way easier to steal than cars apparently), and there is often the problem of finding a secure place to park one for several hours at a time.

3. Please, for the love of your wife and kid, take a motorcycle training and safety course and learn the proper ways to handle a bike and the laws of ownership and operation. These should be offered through your state highway patrol and I am not sure about Texas, but likely you have to take one of these courses to become a certified operator of a motorcycle.

Also, whatever bike you buy, wear a helmet... although my father is a member of ABATE and has worked to change legislation to allow riders to choose whether or not to wear a helmet, he would tell you flat out that despite his arguments for personal choice and freedoms, only an idiot would not wear appropriate head protection, and probably rattle off to you how statistically better off you are wearing the proper protection.

That's all I can think of at the moment... if anything, I would be less concerned about the service regimen than the other things, one can learn the rudiments of motorcycle maintenance fairly easily, but riding skills take time to develop, and you are far more likely to kill yourself from inexperience than a past due oil change.

Well Raven its nice to see your back. Been to busy for the sift huh? Well the bike is going to be MY (just me) primary mode of transportation, I'll still have my Grand Prix. As far as all the safety is concerned I have this to say: On post or off, on duty or off, the military requires you to wear pants, long sleeve shirts/jackets, eye protection, gloves, helmet and boots at all time when operating a motorcycle. If you don't and you crash, your on your own as far as covering the costs of medical care. Plus, I'm just not that stupid to not wear it. The Sportster 883 is actually not a powerful bike, which is why i was wanting to start with it, but after talking with some guys at work who's lives revolve around bikes, they have convinced me that the sportster is just to small for me. And i think i agree. It is a small framed bike. I still have some thinking to do about it, though im pretty sure I will be getting a bike, it just wont be a sportster.
Oh - and the motorcycle training and safety course is almost required as well, though i look at it as something to help me, and lower my insurance rates.

You're in a shitty position. 1) You don't want to get a nice new bike and take a spill because you're a motorcycle no0b. But on the other hand, 2) you'll never get a Harley this cheap again.

I'll do my best to put my loathing of Harley's aside for a moment.

1) Sportster 883 means 883 ccs. I understand guys usually get a bike for the power, but I got my first dirt bike at 11 and my motorcycle license at 16. I still haven't ridden anything over 600 ccs. Anyone who tells you 883 ccs isn't powerful is lying to your face. You won't find a single bike out there over 1200 ccs (with the possible exception of a new BMW, but I can't find information on that anywhere online at the moment). If you take an ABATE training course, the motorcycles they use are around 200ccs. If you get something that big for your first bike, you're asking for disaster. [Maybe I'm blind, but I don't see anything about hp under specs on their website. I don't imagine an engine that size is going to be very wimpy, though.]

2) If it's the Harley image you're trying to achieve by buying one, the 883 Sportster doesn't cut it. It's the most "girly" of the Harley line.

3) You're not small. That bike probably won't be very comfortable for you. It really does have a small frame. 27.5" seat height (their estimate for a 180 lb. rider) is tiny. I'm 5'4" and I could put both feet flat on the ground at 27.5". You're 10" taller than me. That's not going to be comfortable at all. My dad is 5'10". He was storing a Harley for a friend in our garage for a while. [The 1200 version of the 883 Sportster.] He said it was ungodly uncomfortable to ride, even at his height, because the riding position forces your knees to splay outward.

Basically, a new bike is a bad idea. That model at that price isn't that good of a deal. [It's only about $150 under MSRP.] Wait 'til you get back. Take an ABATE (or similar) course. Then you can take anything you want for a test ride.

Pretty good avice, red. As far as finding a bike with more power than a 1200, well, i know suzuki has a 1300, but thats still not shit compared to this. Haha

Oh jeez. And 1600+ lbs. too. That's one huge bike.

harley?? pffffffff. Triumph much better