I rode my brand new Street Glide home from the dealer... in the rain. They asked if I'd like to come pick it up on a better day, and I didn't even blink. If you "ride", you're going to get wet.. period. I put on between 10-12k miles a year and it doesn't matter if it's cold or wet. As long as it's safe, I'll ride.
Now for a bit of useful advise to the person asking. I've owned many bikes over the years, including Japanese bikes. It's all in what will make YOU happy. One thing I've noticed is that your insurance rates will be extremely different based on model and displacement of the engine. Since most of the newer Harley's are the 96" engines, the insurance will be nearly the same.. HIGH. If you go with something around 800cc, you'll have plenty of power (it hasn't been that many years ago when an 800cc engine was considered massive), and your insurance rates will be much MUCH cheaper. For instance, on my Boulevard C50, I pay around $140/year with Progressive, full coverage. For the Harley, I pay about $600.
Is the insurance influenced more by brand or displacement?
Theft risk has to be greater with HD than with Suzuki (and I love the M-109s!)
BTW, I carry rain gear in my saddle bags! ;)
I never understood those who bragged that their bike had never been ridden in the rain. Shoot, I recently was caught in a hail storm and rode through it for 10 minutes between rain storms. There was not good place to seek shelter and the windshield / helmet face shield protected the paint on my tank and skin on my face. If I'd know that weather was coming, I'd have avoided it. But you do what you gotta do when it hits you. I use the bike for work commutes also. In Ohio I would rarely ride if I avoided any chancy forecast.
Now for a bit of useful advise to the person asking. I've owned many bikes over the years, including Japanese bikes. It's all in what will make YOU happy. One thing I've noticed is that your insurance rates will be extremely different based on model and displacement of the engine. Since most of the newer Harley's are the 96" engines, the insurance will be nearly the same.. HIGH. If you go with something around 800cc, you'll have plenty of power (it hasn't been that many years ago when an 800cc engine was considered massive), and your insurance rates will be much MUCH cheaper. For instance, on my Boulevard C50, I pay around $140/year with Progressive, full coverage. For the Harley, I pay about $600.
Geography has a lot to do with it as well. I pay $240 per year for a TC 88 HD. Since the Bro/Sis-in-Laws are my agents, I'm biting the bullet and using Progressive (Only large displacement motorcycle coverage that they provide in their agency). Despite Progressive's socialist political positions. Those rates are typical of this area.