First motorcycle either Honda Rebel or Harley 833 iron?

Older harleys seemed to break down alot. However they are built alot better now. The rebel is cool looking but you will outgrow it quickly. I would recommend the 883 and later if you want more power after you have enough expierience, you could always get a 1200 kit put on. It will cost approx. 1600.00, but you will yave much more power. You can grow with the 883 but pretty much stuck with the rebel. The 883 should get you about 45 mpg.

For a novice rider the Honda Rebel 250 wins hands down, it might look a bit comical next to "real" cruisers but it's a pleasant little bike, easy to control and for a small-engined cruiser it's not too gutless. You may be 49 years old but if you haven't ridden a motorcycle before then you are still a newbie and you've got to learn from scratch. If you buy a secondhand Rebel and look after it, you can sell it in two years time for only a little less than you paid for it, there's no need to buy a big bike straight away.

Harley Davidsons are... how do I put this? Harley Davidsons are unique but not always in a good way; they look cool and some people enjoy the experience of a bike that is hard work to ride, but if you want a cruiser that's simple to ride, has good brakes and suspension and handles well, then you may be disappointed by Harleys, I think the kind of bike you're looking for will be from one of the Japanese big four.

"Is that a Harley?" "No it's a Honda Shadow".. http://image.motorcyclecruiser.com/f/34506903/1010...

"Is that a Harley?" "No it's a Suzuki Marauder" .. http://images.motorcycle-usa.com/PhotoGallerys/IMG...

"Is that a Harley?" "No it's a Kawasaki Drifter" .. http://jarlef.no/Kawasaki/Images/2004/Cru/2/VN800D...

"Is that a Harley?" "No it's a Yamaha V-Star" .. http://images.motorcycle-usa.com/PhotoGallerys/200...

Having owned several motorcycles I find that the Honda is a superior machine. Currently have a 2004 Honda Shadow Aero which is a joy to ride. One of my sons has an Harley Davidson and has had a lot of problems. However, he is a die-hard Harley owner and would not change. His friends all have Honda's. Honda is definitely a less expensive bike. What it really boils down too is that you ride whatever you can afford.

The harley would make a nice fashion accessory if you wanna play costume shop biker. The honda is a clone of the harley so not so fashionable although probably a better value. Neither is a very good bike. 50 year old design. Very low horsepower for the size, heavy, slow cornering, vibrate like a paint mixer. To me the 883 looks like a tiny girl's bike.

If you want a motorcycle and not a fashion statement you could get so much more bike for so much less money just by accident.

Five years after you buy it, the Harley wil still have some value, the Rebel wont have nearly as much.

If you buy a 250 it wont be large enough to cruise comfrotably on the highway.

Wind will blow a lighter bike from side to side and you wont have enough power to give anyone a ride with you.

My suggestion is go for the Harley, you wont have any trouble handling it and just for your consideration, a Sportster 1200 weighs the same as an 883 with a bit more power.

For your first bike, it is always better to start off with a smaller bike. Because it has less power and weight, it will be easier to learn to control, and not too intimidating. Learn how to master a small bike first, then the transition to a bigger bike will be easier. I am glad that you are taking a course, there are too many riders that have learned how to ride with bad techniques, that last a lifetime.... And for a lot of them, those bad habits have made their " lifetime" a whole lot shorter! Learn the right way the first time.

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