Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Hi all,

Recently passed the Motorcycle Safety Course, passed the DMV motorcycle knowledge test, and got my M1 license.

Been enjoying my new-to-me 2006 Honda Rebel 250 for about a month now. Mostly city rides, but have stretched the legs in short freeway runs. The rebel is fun to ride in the city, but definitely struggles in the freeways, large hills in the city, and the hills/mountains in the surrounding area. Have been wondering if it's time to upgrade already (after 1 month).

I've been looking at the V-Star 650s, CX500s, CB650s, etc. I thought I was gonna have to choose between a V-Star 650 and an S40 Boulevard, until my co-worker said he will sell me his 94 Magna for the same price as the other two I'm considering.

I've started asking around about the Magna, and it's been a coin-flip: Some say it's too "big" of a bike for a beginner, while others say I have good wrist control to tame it.

I've heard that "It's easy to do dead" especially with a beast like the Magna, but I also play it safe when I ride... I'm more the "I'll get there when I get there" type.

-The S40 is the lightest and easiest to take around in city commute, but I can't do long rides on the freeways.
-The V-Star is more comfortable in the freeway, but is less manageable in the city (though still doable)
-The Magna is heaviest but is the most fun to ride on the freeway, but the most cumbersome (due to weight) with city commute, especially when stuck in traffic on an upslope.

Any thoughts from the knowledge pool would be greatly appreciated.

The Rebel 250 is tiny and asthmatic, any of those bikes will be far more capable. The S40 wakes up a LOT with an intake, exhaust, and rejet...otherwise they're very anemic, too. The V-star 650 is a tiny chassis, so I guess it depends on your height and weight. I don't like them personally. I think a Shadow 600 VLX or 750 Spirit/Aero would be a good next bike. A V4 Magna is an enormous step from a Rebel 250, but it also depends on your own mechanical aptitude, so only you can answer that question.

I'm 5'6" 170 lbs.
For my size, I found the V-star and the S40 to be best in size and weight for me, and also an easier transition from my rebel.
I imagine the Magna to be too unwieldy for city commute but was the most fun (and most muscle) on the highway. I had a harder time trying to turn it around on a flat driveway (it was 525+ lbs), but once I was rolling... I didn't want to stop.
I will be considering a Shadow 600 or 750 in my search.
Thank you for the suggestions.