I'm 180lbs medium build, excellent driver with a flawless driving record, I have quick reaction time and I'm highly observant of my surroundings. I don't speed or drive recklessly. I have good balance as I use to skate, cycle and snowboard I really don't want to go the rout of buying a smaller weaker bike to learn on. Do you guys think I would be making a mistake going straight to the big boy??

"I have quick reaction time... " Therefore a 700 lb bike is right for you? Poor reasoning, dude. You need that new 2015 HD model, the Non Sequitur. A bike is much more about what you want to do with it than your reaction time and its weight. Example: a mechanically inclined dude might have a wonderful time disassembling a 350 Honda down to the frame and rebuiding it over the course of two years. No riding involved whatsoever. If your dream is to take a heavy bike in the back of a pickup truck to Bike Week in Daytona Beach, that's definitely a Harley. Reaction time has nothing to do with it. You want a bike where reaction time really matters, get a twitchy zero-to-sixty-to-zero-in-5-seconds superbike and learn to race.

A 100 pound girl can lift a 700 pound Harley back on it's wheels, if knows the technique.

Hulk Hogan can wear a tutu, you cannot ride a Vespa, let alone a 250.

Go get the Harley if that is big enough for you, about half of all noobs start with big Harleys.

Take your money and go to a Motorcycle Safety Foundation beginner's course. They supply small bikes to do the track part of the 2 day education. Make your motorcycle choices after competing the course.

You may end up wishing for an entirely different motorcycle format!

Rule of thumb, don't buy a bike you can't pick up if it falls over.

Having said that Harleys aren't considered all that fast, compared to a sports bike, so it's probably not the worst choice you can make.

Some can handle the huge Road Kings, the V-Rods and some Nightsters---Go for an Iron 883 or Fat Bob!

Just realize that you will likely dtop it/ do some damage. Anything HD comes at a premium, a low speed parking lot drop due to a rookie mistake can cost thousands.

700 lb relates to a Sportster , which is an excellent bike .. if you only do hard road driving HOG's are probably nice but I always loved my Sportster .

I recently got rid of a 950lbs of Goldwing for a 380lbs of Ducati once you are riding it makes no difference . and every body above also gave you a great answer so it is up to you.

you should be fine im 13 and could hold up and push around my dads harley