im finally gonna switch over to a bike when i return from iraq.  thing is, im pretty new and dont know much and by the time i return home and shop around i want to have an idea about what to buy.  im a pretty small guy. i only stand at five and a half feet and a mere 135 pounds so i need something that is small and relatively easy to ride.  i am pretty much just looking at cruisers so if ya got some ideas, id appreciate it.  

I would stay with the Honda Spirit 750 or smaller.  I started riding about 10 months ago and the 750 has been a great bike to learn on.  

Just thought I'd throw in my experience. I'm 5'8", 135 and My 2004 Honda Shadow VLX (VT600) fits me great.  

I am 5'-8" and I just bought a Suzuki C50 it fits perfectly I can stand flat footed on both sides while on the bike. It also has foot boards as opposed to the pegs most of the bike I looked at. I also like the fuel injection it starts without any choke adjustment or waiting for it to warm up in cool weather. The price was another consideration. My Suzuki was under $7000. It's an easy bike to ride I haven't ridden in almost 20 years and was worried about it being too heavy to get used to but it handles real well at even a slow crawl.  

If you're active military, at least the Marines require a safety course (something to do with several distracted then dead marines a long time ago).

Odds are you can get the safety course for free.

I would also agree on size, keep it smaller. I started on an 800. I spent months on hand picked routes practicing. My wife got a 650 Savage, and I could ride that like nobody's business.
If my wife didn't decide that she likes being on the back of my bike, I'd probably still have it. It would run up to 85mph without a quibble (some days on 495 around Boston, that's just right lane speed). It handled well, took me touring 3000 miles in under 2 weeks (with a couple of days to visit relaives).  

I wouldn't advise starting out on anything much smaller than 500cc. 500-800 is fine for local riding, but still has enough power to get up on the interstates from time to time. If you plan on spending long hours traveling on the bike, you'll probably want something that is at least 700 pounds, to soak up the road bumps.

regards,
Joe  

If you have little or no riding experience, I would recommend finding a friend with a 250cc size bike you could ride just to get the feel for it. Otherwise, sit on and ride as many as you can and pick what you like. Also consider what you plan to do with the bike, commuting, short trips, touring, 2up etc. as thay will have an influence on what will work best for you. Don't let some salesman talk you into something bigger than you can handle 'cause it can ruin your enjoyment.
Good luck and enjoy!  

My advice is to look used. There are a lot of good used cruisers out there and they have already depreciated. I have owned eight motorcycles in my life and all have been used. Not a clinker in the bunch. Sit on them, if your feet hit the ground and you like what you see they explore the mechanicals with someone who knows what there looking at. Don't necessarily think small. A fifteen hundred rides just as easy as a 900 and the power saves you in hairy situations. It all depends on fit and feel.  

from one beginner to a soon to be beginner..i have an 03 suzuki katana...perfect bike to learn on...it has it all looks, speed, handling, and it also soundus awesome with a yoshimura custom exhaust...and best of all its cheeeeeap! only thing i hate about it is its kind of heavy, you dont feel it much when u ride just when ur stopped i would say..its about 460 lbs with a full tank i think...to tell u the truth im 5 11 and 150 lbs and i honestly dont know if i could pick it up if i layed it down lol...i would just leave it lay and walk  home haha no jk it is a great beginner bike tho..very cool    

I'm 5'7" and 180lbs. I stopped by two dealers and explained that I'm new to riding. I going to be taking the MSF Course before making a purchase. The first dealer was a mult-bike dealer (Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki). I explained I was looking at the 250cc class as a commuter to start out with. He felt a larger bike might be a better choice, something in the 650cc Class. When he showed me the smaller bike I could see why. He then showed me a Boulevard S50 and a V Star Custom. I like the Star better than the S50. About a week later I went to a Honda Dealer and received the same response from the Sales Rep there. The Honda Dealer showed me a Spirit and an Aero both are 750cc. I found the Aero to be more comfortable and better looking than the S50 and the Spirit that I looked at. It was a hard choice between the V Star and the Aero, but the more I consider it the more I like the Honda. Now to get started on the MSF Course and see what kind of deals come around as winter approaches.  

I'm 5'5" and my first was a suzuki marauder 800, I now have a Vstar 1100.  The 1300 was an inch higher seat and felt a little too high.  You can get the seat hight on the manufactures web sites but it still wont give you a feel till you sit on it.  When you come home goto a bunch of different dealers, don't just sit on them, lean them over against your leg to feel if it awkward or too much weight.

Thank you for your service, come home safe, and remember there is always someone to talk to about over there.  

Cruiser bicycles are balloon-tired bikes with heavy duty frames and were America’s standard bike. Their wide tires and simple mechanicals are ideally suited to riding on flat sandy beaches, which means that they remained popular.
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Roopa


New Hampshire Treatment Centers  

I just bought my first bike and I got a 07 Suzuki Boulevard M50 and I love it. Perfect size, plenty of room to grow and lots of power.  I am also new to here hi all.  

Schedule the motorcycle course now, so that you can take it when you return from the sandbox. There is often a waiting list for them.

My suggestion is find a low cost used bike in the 450-700cc range and plan on about $200 in fix-up (tires, cables, tune-up, etc.) This size handles freeway traffic and speeds quite well, as well as being small enough for you. I have an old Honda 750 Sabre, and it is great on the freeway with my 300+ lb frame. My wife is much smaller and has a honda 500.

You will dump the bike. This is a given. Get the right gear. Get the training. Get a bike that won't show a scratch as well.