Harley-Davidson motorcycles are more of a brand than a bike, so they’re not known for being reliable or comfortable to ride compared to a lot of other bikes. That being said, they’re perfectly fine if that’s what you want, and you understand that you’ll have a higher likelihood of something like a persistent oil leak, or annoying electrical issue.
The local motorcycle school by us uses Yamaha dual sport bikes for taller riders, they’re pretty inexpensive compared to other bikes, they can take a beating, and they’re pretty easy to buy and sell used.
I have a tall buddy that got a Honda NC700X as his first bike and he’s been riding it for years on pretty long road trips. It has an automatic transmission and ABS brakes, so compared to a lot of bikes, it has a surprising amount of safety features.
Of course, get what you like. The old saying is it’s better to buy a bike you’ll grow out of, then to buy a bike you’ll grow into.
Fucking fantastic summary! I appreciate your warning about Harleys, as I had no idea.
Sounds like Yamahas and Hondas are the two main go to’s at least in this thread, and I’ve even seen a Yamaha that looks like a Harley before! Just wasn’t sure if that was the way to go, as the owner described it as a cheaper version of one. Definitely don’t want to pay more for just a brand, if the thing if gonna fall apart like that.
Harley-Davidson motorcycles are more of a brand than a bike, so they’re not known for being reliable or comfortable to ride compared to a lot of other bikes. That being said, they’re perfectly fine if that’s what you want, and you understand that you’ll have a higher likelihood of something like a persistent oil leak, or annoying electrical issue.
The local motorcycle school by us uses Yamaha dual sport bikes for taller riders, they’re pretty inexpensive compared to other bikes, they can take a beating, and they’re pretty easy to buy and sell used.
I have a tall buddy that got a Honda NC700X as his first bike and he’s been riding it for years on pretty long road trips. It has an automatic transmission and ABS brakes, so compared to a lot of bikes, it has a surprising amount of safety features.
Of course, get what you like. The old saying is it’s better to buy a bike you’ll grow out of, then to buy a bike you’ll grow into.
Fucking fantastic summary! I appreciate your warning about Harleys, as I had no idea.
Sounds like Yamahas and Hondas are the two main go to’s at least in this thread, and I’ve even seen a Yamaha that looks like a Harley before! Just wasn’t sure if that was the way to go, as the owner described it as a cheaper version of one. Definitely don’t want to pay more for just a brand, if the thing if gonna fall apart like that.