good first bike

[nastychumbucket]

I am just starting to look into getting a bike. I have very little experience (just on a dirt bike) and I want to get a street bike to drive around town and to and from work. I went down to the dealership the other day and they showed me a Yamaha V Star 650 and said it would be a good first bike and would last me a long time. I like the cruiser syle, but I'm not sure if it is a good size for me or not ( 5'7" 200 lbs) what do you guys think of it for a first bike?

[Bachstrad37]

The VStar is a great first bike. You'll fit that bike just fine.

As far as longevity, you can do a lot with a VStar. You might be power hungry a bit later on, but you can mod it to give you this power.

You should also look at a couple other brands/models. Suzuki has an M50 that's nice. That's an 800cc. Kawaski has a couple of Vulcans you might like. Fit is really important. Try them all out as you may like the posture of some bikes more than others.

Also, if you haven't - get yourself enrolled in an MSF course in your area. It's the best money you'll ever spend for motorcycling.

[bok]

the V-Star 650 is a nice place to start. Bachstrad37 has suggested some other viable options although he forgot my favorite like (Honda Shadow).

height and weight don't make much difference, what you need to do is sit on a bunch of bikes and find one you like the feel of...oh yeah and MSF/BRC is a very wise investment.

[VermilionX]

and yeah, for cruisers... even up to 800cc is still cool for newbies.

[nastychumbucket]

thanks for the advice. I have already started looking into the classes and definately plan on taking one.