Can we talk motorcycles for a moment...

I rode a 250 for many years, including touring two-up.  A combined weight of about 22 stone.  It was easy to keep up with traffic on motorways in the UK, spped limit 70 mph.  If you want it, do it

Check out a new HD Nightster.  Great gas mileage, very nimble, and nobody will laugh at what you are riding.  :-)

First take the MSF course. It was a blast. I went into it thinking it was gonna be a waste of time, boy was I wrong. In 6 months from now I'm gonna take the advanced course (same class but on my bike).
I think I paid 325 for the class, every state is different. Best 300 I ever spent.
Best of all for you most of the classes do the training on rebels, so if you drop it, well at least it's not your bike.
The Rebels a great first bike to learn on, buy it used, and when you out grow it sell it for close to what you paid for it.
Now for the money part. Gear!!!!!!!!!!!! It's pricey.
Plan on spending $1200 on gear, 1500-2500 on the used rebel.
Please even if you ride up the street to Safeway for a bottle of ketchup................ gear up.
It's hot, you look nutty to some, it's a must.
I'm not afraid of dieing, it's the healing and not healing that scares me.
Now I'm you by about 6 weeks into this motorcycle thing.
Been banging away at google like mad.
Please say hello to Molly!
http://www.triumph.co.uk/images/Scrambler_2010_gallery4L_1024x768.jpg
This should be your bike. Don't let the 900cc thing scare you off. It's a very mellow tune. And feels lighter then the 500 lbs it weighs.
It's a 70/30 bike= mostly street, you have the umph to ride the freeway if you need or want to. and you can do some light off road fire roads for camping. I'll link you to a 600 page forum thread and you won't find one person who doesn't smile when they ride this bike.
Steve McQueen all the way.

sorry forgot the link
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141616

i been wanting to get my Lic too. I will take the class this fall. I dont know what i'll be able to ride as a new-b. I am tall and my arms are long.  

 

My first bike was a Yamaha 400. I loved that thing. If u tried to go over 65, it would let you know. It would be pulling pretty hard. Which was OK with me. I just loved it to whizz around town on it. A lot of fun.

I then jumped to a Kawasaki Ninja 1100. Much more bike, much more cumbersome. But man, did thing fly on the Parkway. Just so much power. Loved that bike too.

I'm actually looking at one of those Can-Am Spyder 3 wheelers.

I hope you update this thread soon. I really want to see what path you choose.

You will love it for the first 4-6 months then grow to wish you had bought bigger if not flat out hate it. Almost all men that start on a small bike like that do.

my 2cents