will this be your first motorcycle? dirt bike do not count. the size of the bike does not matter to any rider. a small bike can get you just as easily killed as a bigger bike. Im 37 now, and have been around bikes since i was 16. i used to ride the streets (sportbike), then had too many close calls for my liking and went track only (road race on a closed circuit courses--mid ohio race track, grattan, gingerman, VIR, Daytona, blackhawk farms, barber, road atlanta to name a few). did this for 6+ years all over the mid west and down south. got out of it last year during a race as i almost hit a metal guard rail at 120 cause my rear tire spun up. i used to race 1000cc bikes, but found a 600cc bike to be much easier to handle and more forgiving.
granted cruisers and sportbikes are not in the same motorcycle class. but they each have their ways to hurt you very badly.
get a bike you feel comfortable on, take the MSF class!!!!!!, wear your GEAR (ATGATT!!!--lid, jacket, leather above ankle boots, gloves, riding pants). and look it over mechanically (brakes, tires, chain, head stock (tripple tree bearings), wobbly wheels from pot holes/curbes, oil leaks, fork leaks, rear shock play, swingarm play, ect, ect, ect.
i miss my old race bike. 2007 gsxr 600 fully race built!!! 15k into the bike.
