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Since I have plenty of time before my safety course in March I went our yesterday and test "sat" several bikes.

The Honda VLX seemed a bit small for me and the seat felt uncomfortable.

Suzuki Blvd M50. Liked the way the bike felt but is probably out of price range for first bike. Still looking for an other models to try. The Savage 650 (S40) didn't feel like a good fit. Was not to impressed with the dealer that was of course trying to up sell me to a new or bigger bike. "A big guy like me could handle a larger bike". Probably won't do business with them in future.

Yamaha V Star 650 felt pretty good.

Kawasaki.......going to try next weekend

BMW F650 Was pretty good also.

Triumph America. Felt comfortable.

The position of my knee's didn't feel right and my lower back seemed to be taking a lot of weight on the bikes that didn't feel right. Enjoying the search for the right fit. Also "shopping" for gear at the same time. Fortunatly my wife is supportive the the bike plan and enjoys going with me on the look and see trips.

good luck on finding your new ride! it's also a great bonus that your wife is supportive.

i was very picky when i bought my bike, i only wanted a suzuki sportsbike and i only want red/black.

the only comfort testing i did was if i can flat foot while on the bike.

Randy95 wrote: The position of my knee's didn't feel right and my lower back seemed to be taking a lot of weight on the bikes that didn't feel right.

Many cruisers put alot of weight on your back. You can usually buy a seat that is more ergonomically correct, and therefore much more comfortable.

Good luck with your shopping, and have fun

FWIW...
I got the bug this past June, took the MSF class in September and bought my FIRST bike EVER the second weekend of October.
I had NO experience, other than the three-day MSF course (and regular bicycles).
My first "fall in love" bike was the VStar 650 Custom. I knew, just starting out that I don't want anything very big at all...even though the bigger ones look a little nicer.
I kept looking at the 2005 VStar 650's (blue with the blue ghost flames), but wasn't able to make any purchases. Then, the blue Vstar was gone. I was "heartbroken".
I hit a local Suzuki dealer and found my new love...a blue M50.
When I sat on it, it just felt a little better than the VStar. It felt a little more "solid", and I was more comfortable on it. I was concerned with it being my first bike, and being a little on the "big" side for a newbie, but I knew it was the one I "needed".
Took the class, passed it no problem on a Kawasaki Eliminator (125cc). It's got the "cruiser" shape, so I wanted to use that one during the course to make sure I wanted a "cruiser". It solidified my point in wanting a cruiser 100%.
I kept going back and forth between the Yamaha place and the Suzuki place. The Yamaha was a 650, and I know it was plenty of power for me, but the new 650 Customs didn't "speak" to me the same way the M50 did. The styling and the lines of the M50 just seemed smoother.
I finally decided on the M50. I was able to purchase a 2005 M50, new for about the price of a 2006 VStar 650 (due to them just coming out).
When I first got on it to ride it home (45 mile ride as my first "test"...very nerve-racking...) I was scared to death. I just took my time, took a couple of back streets at first before getting on the main highway home.
By the time I got home, I was SO EXCITED I didn't want to do anything else the rest of the day! Too bad I had to be somewhere that night. I ended up riding the bike, though.
To this day, I do not regret buying the M50. I know if I would've gone with the VStar, I would've been thinking to myself all of the time, "I wonder how the M50 rode..."
If you look around, I'm sure you'll be able to find a used M50 or even a Marauder from a few years ago. It's a great bike, and I wouldn't trade it for anything else...at least not until I get more experience and am able to financially move up to a Vegas or Hammer.
Hope that helps some, in your decision!
Again, brand new biker, brand new bike, I'm 5' 11", 190 lbs., if that helps any on the size-chart.
Enjoy! This is a fun part of the whole process!!!

That's great. I went to the NYC bike show a couple weekends ago and sat on everything I could to get a feel for them.

Was not to impressed with the dealer that was of course trying to up sell me to a new or bigger bike. "A big guy like me could handle a larger bike". Probably won't do business with them in future.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think bike weight is more about what you're comfortable leaning than what you can handle with strength?

It's all about the center off mass and the bike's inherent balance. Most people who think they're not "ready" to ride my bike would be surprised at how easy it actually is. The 500cc CX500 I started out on was much harder to balance as is my buddy's Sportster 883, both because they are top heavy.

Ill agree with zoo on that one. I've sat on a mean streak and was suprised how easy it was to handle.

My CX500 isn't too bad though it is decidely top heavy, what I do like about it is the seating position is more upright than a cruiser so there is no pressure on my lower back.

The Victory Vegas is another bike that was surprising (at least to me) in how well balanced and "not heavy" it seemed.
And it's purty, too!

Zoo's on that one. The Meanie is a big bike but doesn't handle like a pig at all.

A lot of people think that big cruisers are simply too big for all new riders. I have to disagree -- wieght distribution is key, as is individual responsibility on the road and knowing one's own limits.

Good luck with that ride.

brbolin wrote:To this day, I do not regret buying the M50. I know if I would've gone with the VStar, I would've been thinking to myself all of the time, "I wonder how the M50 rode..."

I've seen you post this a few times now... I wonder, could you be reassuring yourself so much because you are wondering "I wonder how the Vstar rode?"