Total Motorcycle Community Forums

I am new to motorcycle riding. Actually I have never rode before. I will be starting the basic course next Thursday. I will be buying a bike after I complete the course. I have been all over Craigslist looking at every conceivable bike but I'm still a little lost.
I am 45 years old, 6ft, 235pds. I am looking for a bike that once I am trained my wife can be a passenger. Our daughter has just left for college. So we are just looking for additional recreation. We currently ride a tandem bicycle but now we want a little more fun. I am leaning toward the cruiser type bikes. But I am looking for some input

Hello Ernest and welcome to the forum. Go buy your gear. 50hp/500lbs. This won't be your last bike.

Said another way - you should plan for your first bike to be your learner bike. Taking the course means you're about as qualified to ride as a student pilot is to fly paying passengers after his first solo.

Less than 50 hp and way less than 500lb works better to learn with. 500cc or less.

Middle aged guys who go out and buy a new Harley for their first bike after taking a riding course are over represented in single motorcycle fatality rates. (they are also really painful to watch out there in the wild as it's quite clear they aren't really in control of the machine)

Two things: 1) Your experience in the BRC will help shape your idea of what kind of bike you want. Lots of beginners have an idea of what kind of bike they want, then they take the course and experience what bikes feel like, and change their minds. 2) Go to a dealership and sit on lots of bikes, all different styles (with their permission, of course). This will also help firm up your ideas of what feels right and natural for you.

I also thought I wanted a cruiser until I started sitting on bikes. I ended up with a Bonneville (naked standard) for my first bike. Felt like I had much more control with my legs underneath me in standard position than pushed out in front of me, cruiser-style. But YMMV.

Thanks for the suggestions. I am looking forward to my class next Thursday. I will look into the standard bikes. I was not aware. I only knew about sport, touring, and cruisers.

Friend of mine took the MSF course then bought a cruiser style bike. He didn't feel fully in control of his machine so he asked me to give him some pointers. We spent a Saturday morning in a parking lot with some pop cans for course markers doing MSF type exercises and more. The cruiser couldn't maneuver nearly as nimbly as my (then) 5 year old BMW. He couldn't stand on the pegs, its turning radius was huge and so forth. So when I stood on the pegs and slalomed and looped thru the course to show him what could be done with skill and a more nimble bike - he got rid of the cruiser and bought a BMW much like mine

I like to be able to follow the dirt roads as well as the paved ones so for me, "Adventure Bike" or "Dual Purpose" motorcycle is the way to go.
We still have lots of dirt roads out here in the western US.

I started with a 650 V-Star. I rode it five years and for 50,000km. (30,000 miles).

It doesn't have a lot of HP but has enough power to ride through the mountains and enough power to merge onto a highway and to pass when you need.

Don't buy your first bike wanting it to be suitable for two up. In fact your fist year shouldn't even include two up riding. Until all the skills of riding are second nature, you shouldn't put another person's life at risk. How would you feel, if your lack of experience/response to an emergency situation caused serious injury to a family member? There is no getting around that once it happens.
Focus on something comfortable and manageable so you can become the best rider you can. Then upgrade to a more two-up friendly ride.

I wish I had received this post earlier. I ended up buying a 2002 Honda Shadow 1100 Sabre.
I did learn the hard way that I have to take it slow. Not only am I riding by myself but as soon as spring come I am taking the class again.