# Should I Trade My Boat For A Harley?



## fshr4life

I have a 16-foot C-Hawk center console boat that I just put up for sale on Sunday. A guy has offered to trade me a 2006 Harley 883 Sportster for it. It's probably worth about the same as my boat. Apparently, he bought it for his wife and she didn't want to ride it, so it's only got 600 some miles on it and is in 'mint' condition. He also put Vance & Hines pipes on it and a crash bar. I haven't seen it yet, but I've put a picture below. I've never had a Harley, but I think it would be fun to ride to work. I'm tall though, so I'd probably have to put forward controls on it. What does everyone think? I'm interested to hear, especially from those of you who own or have ever owned a Harley.








====>>







??


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## Nathan

Isn't it hard to fish from a Harley?
















Ok, sorry, I'm of no help, but had to ask...


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## CamperAndy

What would you change your screen name to?


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## Oregon_Camper

Keep the boat...that is a chick Harley.


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## Nathan

Ok, now I feel better about my wise-_ _ _ comment.


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## Tyvekcat

Oregon_Camper said:


> Keep the boat...that is a chick Harley.


LOL

I vote Boat. ( or trade for a good Boston Whaler)


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## Jelly Donut

If you are tall, you will ride that bike for a week and find that it is too small. (even with forward controls) If it was me, I wouldn't do it. Maybe, just maybe if is was a 1200, but it would have to be in mint condition, with a lot of extras, but definately not an 883. Just my 2 cents.

Good luck!


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## 'Ohana

As you'll be the rider, I would sell the boat and buy a bike that fits *you*









Good Luck in which ever you do

Ed


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## clarkely

I vote Bike..............but not that bike....to small..........

so i would keep the boat


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## Ghosty

You have got to be kidding ... if you don't think you can sell the Boat for cash then take the Harley.

Yes it may not be the giant HD that you are use to but there is a tremendous amount of things you can do to "trick" that bike out.... I mean right now all you have is a 16 foot canoe with a motor -- do you even really need a trailer for that ??









Take the Bike .. you will use it daily ... great fuel economy -- sure the top speed is only about 100 !!! but man you can have a blast with it...

But first I would try to sell the boat for $$$$ ... after that take the Harley...


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## jcat67

I'd keep the boat to sell if you must. Heck, if she didn't like the Harley, I'd hate to think I sold my boat to someone whose wife might not like it either.


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## tdvffjohn

Boat....limited to water only, Bike......ride anywhere.


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## Oregon_Camper

tdvffjohn said:


> Boat....limited to water only, Bike......ride anywhere.


...cept on water John.


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## Joonbee

If the bike is worth more OR easier to sell in your opinion. Get it. But do not plan on keeping it.

As stated above. It is a chick bike and it will not last you more than a week. You will not be able to trick it out enoughto make it worth keeping and it will ABSOLUTELY DEFINATELY go 100 mph. That little 883 will explode, you will be lucky to maintain 65-70 with feeling like it is ready to come apart underneath you.

Trade for the boat and then trade it in for a bigger Harley. Like JD said, trust me he has been on a few, at least a 1200, which you will bore out eventually anyway. Can't bore out that 883 enough to make it long/tall enough to be rideable.

My .02
Hope I didn't offend any 883 riders, but is truely only going to make a select few people happy.


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## clarkely

Joonbee said:


> Hope I didn't offend any 883 riders, but is truely only going to make a select few people happy.


X2

How was the maine trip?


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## rock hill

the 883 model is made for the women folk. Nothing wrong with that, but I think you would be disapointed after riding for a bit, I had bikes and before, and it was fun but I began to worry too much about some person hitting me and then my kids would be without a dad, or a dad that was a veggie. I have a bunch of friends that ride, although they don't get out much because of the family. I'd stay away from that bike, too small and like others have said, you can't fish from it.


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## fshr4life

CamperAndy said:


> What would you change your screen name to?


Oh, I'd still be a fisherman. I do most of my fishing with a fly rod with waders on anyway


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## fshr4life

Thanks for all the input. It seems that the consensus is that I should keep the boat and stay away from an 883. If I had any other decent offers on my boat right now, I'd take them, but this is the only serious one I've got so far. This guy is ready to trade tomorrow, so I owe him an answer. I checked and it will cost me $600 at the Harley dealership to put forward controls on it, not to mention all the necessary riding gear I'll need. That being said, I think I might go ahead and trade my boat for the 'chick' Harley, learn to ride on it, and then trade it in for a bigger bike later if I want when I have the money. I don't know. I'm not really set on getting a bike, but this just kinda fell in my lap. Also, I can't really afford to go straight for an expensive Harley right now with our brand new Outback. I grew up riding ATVs, but never a street bike, so this might be good to learn on. I can also ride it to work and save gas money. OR, I can tell this guy no and hope that someone else makes an offer on the boat. Decisions, Decisions....


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## birddog74

If you get the 883 you could pack a cute little Barbie pole in the saddle bags and fish some sub division ponds.







If you are male..........I mean tall. dont do it. Not only will it not feel right it wont LOOK right.


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## fshr4life

birddog74 said:


> If you get the 883 you could pack a cute little Barbie pole in the saddle bags and fish some sub division ponds.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If you are male..........I mean tall. dont do it. Not only will it not feel right it wont LOOK right.


Ha Ha! Nice!


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## jcat67

Oregon_Camper said:


> Boat....limited to water only, Bike......ride anywhere.


...cept on water John.








[/quote]

That's funny.


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## Livin4weekenz

I also say no don't do it !









It is a chick bike!









also resale on a 883 isn't great


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## puffer

Take it for a spin then decide.Do whatever your heart desires.


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## clarkely

Since it was his wife's....does it come with pink handlebar Tassles









Sorry had to do it..........Good luck with whatever you decide.........Cough Cough Not the bike Cough Cough


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## JerseyGirl86

Well, I think I can help with this, since I'm a "chick" and it's apparently a "chick bike"









Definately keep the boat or sell it outright..no trading...you can fit more friends on the boat than the bike and what's a good time without friends? There's nothing like being out on the water...except for camping.









Plus, the "chick" in me is afraid you'll get hurt on the bike.


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## fshr4life

I've been thinking about this a lot and I appreciate all of your opinions. I've decided that I'm going to go take a look at the bike this weekend and trade if it's in mint condition the way he says it is. I'm confident in my manhood. I've got a friend who's had Harleys his whole life who's going to go with me to check out the bike and take it for a test ride for me.

I'm in the Army, so I feel pretty confident that I can sell a Harley faster than a boat, even if it is an 883. There are a lot of Soldiers who want to get a Harley, so they sell pretty fast on a military base. A lot of guys ride 883s because they're cheap. If I do ride it, it will only be to learn, take the riders' course and go to and from work on post (a total of 5 miles per day at speeds around 25 mph). The general here rides a moped, so I don't feel too bad about an 883. I've got enough 'street cred' pinned on my uniform to make up for it. The gas savings would be pretty good over my Silverado and there's a motorcycle parking spot right next to my office. As it is now, I have to park about half a mile away and walk to get to my office since my truck is a land yacht. I also have a place to store the bike at my house (the guy who lived there before me built a custom shed to store his Harley), but I am probably going to have to pay to store the boat over the winter if I don't sell it since they're closing our on-post storage lot and we're not allowed to park boats in the housing area. I'm already going to need to store my Outback, so I don't need that added expense.

So, although trading for an 883 is not necessarily the ideal situation for me, I think it will work out OK for me at this point in time since I don't have any other decent cash offers on the boat and I can use the 883 right now. Even with the current bluebook value on an XL883, I should be able to break even on my boat or maybe even make some money if I sell the bike, so that's not too bad. If I keep it for a while, I think it will hold its value better than the boat anyway. And, if I decide I really like this Harley gig, it would be a lot easier to trade in a Harley for a new one than show up at the dealership with a boat...

I'll keep you guys informed.


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## fshr4life

This guy is 6'2" and 300lbs and loves his Sportster!


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## Jelly Donut

Well good luck with the trade. If this is your first street bike, then it might be perfect to get your "sea legs" on.









I know you will enjoy the ride. Remember, owning a HD is a way of like, kinda of like being a Outbacker. Your family/friends will always have something to buy for you for the holidays or your B-day.

Maybe the first customization you can do is the forward controls. Tinkering and doing "mods" on your HD is part of that way of life and fun. Cold beer, greasy hands and working on your bike...that is fun (most of the time), but saying you did it yourself is evener cooler! And to me, the louder the better.









Again, good luck and send pictures!

Sean


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## Nathan

fshr4life said:


> This guy is 6'2" and 300lbs and loves his Sportster!


Ok, I dare anyone to tell that guy he's riding a chick's bike!


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## 'Ohana

fshr4life said:


> So, although trading for an 883 is not necessarily the ideal situation for me, I think it will work out OK for me at this point in time since I don't have any other decent cash offers on the boat and I can use the 883 right now. Even with the current bluebook value on an XL883, I should be able to break even on my boat or maybe even make some money if I sell the bike, so that's not too bad. If I keep it for a while, I think it will hold its value better than the boat anyway. And, if I decide I really like this Harley gig, it would be a lot easier to trade in a Harley for a new one than show up at the dealership with a boat...
> 
> I'll keep you guys informed.










Then by all means go for the bike







After all there's no use in having a big boy toy if you can't put it to use









Ed


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## muttbike

Don't know what you are asking for the boat, but a quick nationwide craigslist search puts the 883 in the $5-6K range.


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## battalionchief3

ANY Harley is better then a stupid boat...... I am on Harley #2 after 9 years of riding and would never get rid of my Harley for anyone or anything, period. BUT if your a big dude, be advised its a small bike. It would be a good starter, its easy to control. Unlike me, I started out on a 600lb road king, hopped on, rode away and never looked back. That was probably not the smartest thing to do but.....I made it. If you do get it within 6 months you will want to get a bigger bike, unless it scares the heck out of you then you could sell it. The decisions is pretty clear to me.....


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## BoaterDan

battalionchief3 said:


> ANY Harley is better then a stupid boat......


Good Lordy, such BLASPHEMY!! How can I ever take you seriously again?


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## fshr4life

battalionchief3 said:


> BUT if your a big dude, be advised its a small bike.


I'm not a small guy. I'm 6'2" and 215, so I'm sure a bigger bike would be a much better fit. If someone wants to give me the extra 10 grand I need for a bigger bike, then I'll go get one right now. Otherwise, I'll learn to ride on this one and make a decision about how I like it without sinking a bunch of money into it right off the bat









I'll probably put some road pegs or forward controls on it so I don't look like a monkey riding a football. OK, I'll probably still look like a monkey riding a football, but at least it will be a really loud football with Vance & Hines straighshot pipes... Come to think of it, my neighbors will probably really hate me since I leave for work at about 0530...


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## battalionchief3

Its better to have loved ( a Harley ) and lost then to never have loved ( a Harley ) at all....Just don't sell the boat and go buy Longenburger baskets or something......


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## JerseyGirl86

BoaterDan said:


> ANY Harley is better then a stupid boat......


Good Lordy, such BLASPHEMY!! How can I ever take you seriously again?








[/quote]

My goodness, I agree! Such angry words from the Chief!


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## JerseyGirl86

battalionchief3 said:


> Its better to have loved ( a Harley ) and lost then to never have loved ( a Harley ) at all....Just don't sell the boat and go buy Longenburger baskets or something......


OK, you've redeemed yourself. THAT was funny! And by the way, it's LONGABERGER silly! Did you see the new Fall basket?!?









HEY! FSHR4LIFE, you get that bike and you'd have to change your name!


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## BoaterDan

battalionchief3 said:


> Its better to have loved ( a _*BOAT*_ ) and lost then to never have loved ( a _*BOAT*_ ) at all...


I agree. That's the only thing that keeps me going every day I come home from work to the four kids I traded for it.


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## Nathan

BoaterDan said:


> Its better to have loved ( a _*BOAT*_ ) and lost then to never have loved ( a _*BOAT*_ ) at all...


I agree. That's the only thing that keeps me going every day I come home from work to the four kids I traded for it.
[/quote]
So are you saying you traded kids for a boat, or the boat for the kids?


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## tdvffjohn

HEY! FSHR4LIFE, you get that bike and you'd have to change your name!









Why? I ve known plenty of fisherman who rarely fish from a boat


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## fshr4life

tdvffjohn said:


> HEY! FSHR4LIFE, you get that bike and you'd have to change your name!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Why? I ve known plenty of fisherman who rarely fish from a boat


I'm not going to stop fishing! I just don't use my boat that much. Here's a little salmon I caught last fall _without a boat_.


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## livetofish

Leave the bike with me and go fishing in your new boat.


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## Oregon_Camper

fshr4life said:


> HEY! FSHR4LIFE, you get that bike and you'd have to change your name!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Why? I ve known plenty of fisherman who rarely fish from a boat


I'm not going to stop fishing! I just don't use my boat that much. Here's a little salmon I caught last fall _without a boat_.









[/quote]

Do they allow you to keep those baby salmon?


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## fshr4life

I've caught 60+ pounders in Alaska. They definitely don't get as big in NY. The one in the picture was probably around 30-35 pounds, but I was in a catch and release only area, so I put her back.


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## tdvffjohn

You could see by the smile on the fishes mouth that it knew it was in a catch and release zone.


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## battalionchief3

JerseyGirl86 said:


> Its better to have loved ( a Harley ) and lost then to never have loved ( a Harley ) at all....Just don't sell the boat and go buy Longenburger baskets or something......


OK, you've redeemed yourself. THAT was funny! And by the way, it's LONGABERGER silly! Did you see the new Fall basket?!?









HEY! FSHR4LIFE, you get that bike and you'd have to change your name!








[/quote]

NO







Im not really into paying 300 bucks for a basket.....


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## JerseyGirl86

fshr4life said:


> HEY! FSHR4LIFE, you get that bike and you'd have to change your name!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Why? I ve known plenty of fisherman who rarely fish from a boat


I'm not going to stop fishing! I just don't use my boat that much. Here's a little salmon I caught last fall _without a boat_.









[/quote]

I've got a 15 yr. old fisherman who NEVER fishes from a boat and an 8 yr. old fisherman who lives on a boat but never catches a fish!







The 40 yr. old fisherman??? He's sooooo generous.... when I ask where the day's catch is, he tells me he kindly gave them away to the poor souls at the dock.







Yeah, right....

But I wish you luck on the deal with whatever you decide!









BTW...is that a salmon or a small whale?


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## JerseyGirl86

battalionchief3 said:


> Its better to have loved ( a Harley ) and lost then to never have loved ( a Harley ) at all....Just don't sell the boat and go buy Longenburger baskets or something......


OK, you've redeemed yourself. THAT was funny! And by the way, it's LONGABERGER silly! Did you see the new Fall basket?!?









HEY! FSHR4LIFE, you get that bike and you'd have to change your name!








[/quote]

NO







Im not really into paying 300 bucks for a basket.....








[/quote]

I never would either....I hate those damn baskets!







Now, shoes?....that's a different story.


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## SDCampers

Sell the boat and buy a bike that fits. A Sportster is a chick bike.







If you have cash in hand you can buy a reliable Yamaha and have cash left over for fishing accesories. My theory...Buy a Harley, buy the best, Ride a mile, walk the rest.


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## battalionchief3

SDCampers said:


> Sell the boat and buy a bike that fits. A Sportster is a chick bike.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If you have cash in hand you can buy a reliable Yamaha and have cash left over for fishing accesories. My theory...Buy a Harley, buy the best, Ride a mile, walk the rest.


Walk the rest???? My 60 year old father rode his around the US. No walking involved....

http://www.somdnews.com/stories/08082008/i...315_32171.shtml

Little story...few years ago my dad had a Honda interstate. We went for a ride, stopped for gas. I had a 97 roadking. Well the girls who drove by stopped and said, "nice Harley"....Dad let that one slide. So on the way home stopped for ice cream and they had all the classic muscle cars out. Nice guy come over and told me, " you can park with us so someone does not ding your Harley". I said, thanks but I wont be long. Never spoke a work to my dad.....3 months later, 2003 HD ultra classic. Said he could not have his own son " one up" him.

Buy a Harley, no one says " Hey, nice Honda"


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## Just Add Dirt

If you get that chick bike, than the fish wont fear you anymore. Sell the boat and buy a bigger boat; that's a chick size boat also!









Eric; AKA: [email protected]


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## Al G

I would trade for the Harley in a heartbeat. I have owned 12 motorcycles and at least that many boats. Currently I have a pontoon boat and a 1800cc Honda Goldwing. Many have said that the 883 Sportster is too small. I agree, but I think it is far better to start out on a bike that is too small than one that is too big. In the replys to the original post there is one that takes a shot at Harleys and one that takes a shot at Hondas. Don't pay attention to either. There are many brands of bikes and they are all good. Ride the Sportster for a while. You will decide for yourself what is next, and you will have a bike that you will get your money back out of if you decide to upgrade to a larger bike. I am 61 years old and ride a Goldwing because my wife and I like the comfort, preformance and safety of this bike. I don't really care if someone comes up to me in a parking lot and says "nice Honda", although it happens. Boats are generaly very hard to sell. There is a great market for bikes at the present time and a Sportster should be easy to sell if you decide to upgrade.


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## fshr4life

I went ahead and traded for the Harley yesterday! It really is in mint condition and only has 688 miles on the odometer. My buddy who's been riding Harleys his whole life took it for a test drive for me since I don't have a motorcycle license yet and he said it rides like a brand new bike. There's not a scratch on it anywhere and it sounds great with the Vance & Hines pipes on it. I can fit on it fine. Sure, it's small and I could easily stretch better out on a bigger bike, but the price was right -- I didn't have to shell out any cash for it at all since it was a one-for-one trade for the boat. I had three other cash offers on the boat. The highest was $3500, so the bike was the best deal. I bought the boat two years ago for $4600 and put about $1000 or so of upgrades on it, so that's a great trade in my book. I don't care if it's a 'chick' bike. I'll learn to ride on it and then decide what to do. Thanks for all of your insights and comments. I'll post some pics after I take my rider's course and get my license.

JD

P.S. All you experienced riders, please feel free to give me any tips or pointers since I'm a total newbie to road bike riding. I grew up riding ATVs, but never a road bike.


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## fshr4life

Just Add Dirt said:


> If you get that chick bike, than the fish wont fear you anymore. Sell the boat and buy a bigger boat; that's a chick size boat also!


Oh, the fish _will_ fear me because I'll get the heavy duty Barbie fishing rod at Walmart! That's a nice boat you've got there Just_Add_Dirt!


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## Just Add Dirt

fshr4life said:


> If you get that chick bike, than the fish wont fear you anymore. Sell the boat and buy a bigger boat; that's a chick size boat also!


Oh, the fish _will_ fear me because I'll get the heavy duty Barbie fishing rod at Walmart! That's a nice boat you've got there Just_Add_Dirt!
[/quote]
You outta get the Ken & Barbie Canoe and fishing outfit: that'll scare the crap outta them pesky buggers...
Thanks for the compliment on the Key Largo...she's a real offshore fisher, set up for the busting the billfish and poundin' flounder. That's a 80lb yellowfin...was one heck of a fight!!
I'd trade my Jap Yamaha 850 triple anyday for that 883; that'll be a great bike to get started on. I think you got the better side of that deal.
I've been spending most of this Summer ATVing...any tips on places to go in the Mid-Atlantic area would be appreciated...
Eric

PS My Grandfather taught me to fish, at Montauk Point L.I. (he had a boat there) and Heather Hills State park... we used to fish Cod; they're all gone now


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## Livin4weekenz

P.S. All you experienced riders, please feel free to give me any tips or pointers since I'm a total newbie to road bike riding. I grew up riding ATVs, but never a road bike.
[/quote]

For starters always wear a helmet, glasses, pants never shorts, gloves, sturdy leather boots no flip flops, and at times a leather jacket.

road rash hurts bad real bad!

be safe have fun welcome to the club!


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## Carey

battalionchief3 said:


> Sell the boat and buy a bike that fits. A Sportster is a chick bike.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If you have cash in hand you can buy a reliable Yamaha and have cash left over for fishing accesories. My theory...Buy a Harley, buy the best, Ride a mile, walk the rest.


Walk the rest???? My 60 year old father rode his around the US. No walking involved....

http://www.somdnews.com/stories/08082008/i...315_32171.shtml

Little story...few years ago my dad had a Honda interstate. We went for a ride, stopped for gas. I had a 97 roadking. Well the girls who drove by stopped and said, "nice Harley"....Dad let that one slide. So on the way home stopped for ice cream and they had all the classic muscle cars out. Nice guy come over and told me, " you can park with us so someone does not ding your Harley". I said, thanks but I wont be long. Never spoke a work to my dad.....3 months later, 2003 HD ultra classic. Said he could not have his own son " one up" him.

Buy a Harley, no one says " Hey, nice Honda"








[/quote]

I read this whole story...

Your dad should write a book about this.

Fullfilling a life long want, goal or dream is something few of us ever do. The fact that he put things aside to fulfill his dream could change peoples lives, especially to people in retiremnet or people getting older..

To take a long 4 month ride like your parents done gives hope to many people thinking they missed the boat when it came to a dream.

There story of there travels gave me the feeling of great respect to your Mom and Dad.

Carey


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## BoaterDan

Nathan said:


> So are you saying you traded kids for a boat, or the boat for the kids?


The last summer I owned her (the boat, that is) we went out one time during the summer, each of us trying to keep a toddler from climbing over the gunwale (had to throw that in there for you boaters) the whole time. Not too enjoyable.

Now, if there is anyone who would trade a day with your boat for a day with 1-4 of my kids, let me know. In the spirit of full disclosure, they like to argue, whine and play video games, and seem to be allergic to responsibility and work, but they're cute.


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## Nathan

BoaterDan said:


> ...
> Now, if there is anyone who would trade a day with your boat for a day with 1-4 of my kids, let me know. In the spirit of full disclosure, they like to argue, whine and play video games, and seem to be allergic to responsibility and work, but they're cute.


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## Oregon_Camper

BoaterDan said:


> Now, if there is anyone who would trade a day with your boat for a day with 1-4 of my kids, let me know. In the spirit of full disclosure, they like to argue, whine and play video games, and seem to be allergic to responsibility and work, but they're cute.


...are you sure you're not talking about my kids?


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## tdvffjohn

or mine?


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## 'Ohana

Oregon_Camper said:


> Now, if there is anyone who would trade a day with your boat for a day with 1-4 of my kids, let me know. In the spirit of full disclosure, they like to argue, whine and play video games, and seem to be allergic to responsibility and work, but they're cute.


...are you sure you're not talking about my kids?
[/quote]








Me thinks he's talking about mine
















Ed


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## battalionchief3

Al G said:


> I would trade for the Harley in a heartbeat. I have owned 12 motorcycles and at least that many boats. Currently I have a pontoon boat and a 1800cc Honda Goldwing. Many have said that the 883 Sportster is too small. I agree, but I think it is far better to start out on a bike that is too small than one that is too big. In the replys to the original post there is one that takes a shot at Harleys and one that takes a shot at Hondas. Don't pay attention to either. There are many brands of bikes and they are all good. Ride the Sportster for a while. You will decide for yourself what is next, and you will have a bike that you will get your money back out of if you decide to upgrade to a larger bike. I am 61 years old and ride a Goldwing because my wife and I like the comfort, preformance and safety of this bike. I don't really care if someone comes up to me in a parking lot and says "nice Honda", although it happens. Boats are generaly very hard to sell. There is a great market for bikes at the present time and a Sportster should be easy to sell if you decide to upgrade.


For a Harley to take a poke at a Honda is like a Chevy taking a poke at a Ford......The great debate. Ford, Chevy, Dodge or Toyota.....Harley, Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha......


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## battalionchief3

fshr4life said:


> I went ahead and traded for the Harley yesterday! It really is in mint condition and only has 688 miles on the odometer. My buddy who's been riding Harleys his whole life took it for a test drive for me since I don't have a motorcycle license yet and he said it rides like a brand new bike. There's not a scratch on it anywhere and it sounds great with the Vance & Hines pipes on it. I can fit on it fine. Sure, it's small and I could easily stretch better out on a bigger bike, but the price was right -- I didn't have to shell out any cash for it at all since it was a one-for-one trade for the boat. I had three other cash offers on the boat. The highest was $3500, so the bike was the best deal. I bought the boat two years ago for $4600 and put about $1000 or so of upgrades on it, so that's a great trade in my book. I don't care if it's a 'chick' bike. I'll learn to ride on it and then decide what to do. Thanks for all of your insights and comments. I'll post some pics after I take my rider's course and get my license.
> 
> JD
> 
> P.S. All you experienced riders, please feel free to give me any tips or pointers since I'm a total newbie to road bike riding. I grew up riding ATVs, but never a road bike.


Watch out for cars.....loud pipes save lives.....crashing sucks......dont forget to pick your feet up when you go and put them down when you stop....gravel and oil are incompatable with motorcycles tires


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## mountainlady56

battalionchief3 said:


> Walk the rest???? My 60 year old father rode his around the US. No walking involved....
> 
> http://www.somdnews.com/stories/08082008/i...315_32171.shtml


WOW!! That is a fantastic story, and one to save and share for generations to come. Thanks for sharing!!
Darlene


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## fshr4life

Thanks for the comments. I went and bought a good helmet and riding gloves. I then had to go stand in line at DMV for a couple of hours to get it registered and get my learner's permit. (Anyone who thinks that the government should run health care should immediately go to DMV to register a vehicle







). I went out on a short, low-speed ride. I killed the engine the first couple of times I tried to start. I guess I was afraid I was going to pop a wheelie like the knuckleheads on "funniest home videos" if I gave it too much gas. Luckily, that wasn't the case and once I got going, it was a lot of fun. I definitely need some more practice, but I'll get it if the weather will cooperate. I also signed up for a motorcycle safety course in September. I'm not planning to ride anywhere but on back roads and empty parking lots until after I take the course.

I had a picture taken of me on the bike. Do you think it looks too small?


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## 'Ohana

fshr4life said:


> Thanks for the comments. I went and bought a good helmet and riding gloves. I then had to go stand in line at DMV for a couple of hours to get it registered and get my learner's permit. (Anyone who thinks that the government should run health care should immediately go to DMV to register a vehicle
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ). I went out on a short, low-speed ride. I killed the engine the first couple of times I tried to start. I guess I was afraid I was going to pop a wheelie like the knuckleheads on "funniest home videos" if I gave it too much gas. Luckily, that wasn't the case and once I got going, it was a lot of fun. I definitely need some more practice, but I'll get it if the weather will cooperate. I also signed up for a motorcycle safety course in September. I'm not planning to ride anywhere but on back roads and empty parking lots until after I take the course.
> 
> I had a picture taken of me on the bike. Do you think it looks too small?


Congrats on the getting the H. D. and it looks as tho you have a well thought out plan on learning to ride by taking it one step at a time









You'll really enjoy the safety course as they teach a lot of good stuff









Just a couple of years ago, I took the same course after I had been riding for a very long time and was really suprised at how much I didn't know









And IMO you don't look to small on the bike at all









Ed


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## fshr4life

'Ohana said:


> And IMO you don't look to small on the bike at all


Thanks!


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