I wholeheartedly agree about the Victory line. I have owned about a dozen bikes in the past & by far the Victory is the best i have owned. Very reliable,powerful. It feels & handles extremely well. It`s made in USA by a rock solid American company- Polaris. In the 15,000 miles I have ridden it, the only time it`s been in the shop is to add more chrome & LED`s !  

Logged about 50 miles so far on the Suzuki C50T and it rides real nice.  I keep forgetting to turn the signals off when I turn and sometimes hit the horn when I do remember.  LOL    So far there is nothing I don't like about it.

Pretty minor details considering its been over 30 years since I've been on a bike.  

My husband is 53 and just bought a V-Star 1300.  He last rode in his late teens.  He bought the bike BEFORE taking his Motorcycle Training Course and was worried that he bought too big a bike for him to handle.  (He's 6' and about 190 lbs.).  He's very careful riding (I'm the fearless one).  Anyways, bottom line is that he's very happy with it.  I let him drive solo for about a month before I got on as a passenger.  He handled me well!  Bottom line for me is that after one ride I decided sitting in the back seat wasn't for me and have signed up to take a course too with plans to buy a bike next year.  I will buy a much smaller bike, but I think it's so amazing that so many of us "baby boomers" are getting back in the saddle - and with a huge increase in lady riders!  Taxman702 - you'll thank your wife for "letting you" buy the bike!  When my husband first told me he was buying a bike, I thought "organ donor" and freaked, but now with the kids grown up, it's a great way for us to reconnect and have something in common that we do together besides raising kids and bringing home a paycheque!  "Feel the fear and do it anyways" is my moto - but be assured that we are now much safer riders in our boomer years.  

Hi,
I'm 49 yrs old, 5'8", 185 lbs. I rode for a very short time about 25 years ago. My little 350 Honda was stolen before I really had a chance to get the feel of it. I'm looking for a good cruiser for a beginner and am leaning towards the 2008 V Star 1300 Tourer. I'm a little worried that this may be too much bike for a beginner but want something that will be comfortable and reliable for a 450 mile trip I'll be taking to a vacation home on a regular basis. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Thanks!  

I am 45 years old, 6', 200lbs, and had not rode a bike in 25 years. I bought a 2008  yamaha v-star 1100 silverado 2 weeks ago and love it!!! I took it to the shop for the 1st service and to have an oil filter relocation kit installed so I dont have to drop the exhaust every time I change the oil. I,m glad I did not buy a smaller bike because my wife wants to go for rides, and the 1100 is just big enough.I am using my bike for my main source of transportation.  

I started riding again after 35 years and bought a 07 Vulcan 900. It is easy to handle and a good bike for me at 6' and 220. I also rode by friends bike a VTX 1300 and it is much harder to handle than the Vulcan. Give it a try.

rmkaty  

Thanks for the info and advice. I'll let you know how I make out!  

Everyone seems to be returning to the 2-wheeled world. Any suggestions for a 5'9" 150lb, 22 year-old.  I'm signed up for  a slew of MSF courses and can't wait to get riding.  I am smaller than most people so I was looking at the V Star Classic 650s, as opposed to the larger Shadow 750s, or Suzuki C50s. So any insight for someone of my stature, and I'm not a speed demon (but I live in nowheresville and highway driving will be a must) and I love to just cruise around town in my 88' Vanden Plas (too bad its got 4-wheels and a roof)!  

I'm 49 just picked up a 1983 V65 Magna with 1600 miles.It is not my frist bike but I will need to learn to ride it .  It is a lot biger than my silver wing was and quicker too. It needed mantanence and the carbs cleaned ,mouse nest! Oil ported the motor and put on some new tires. Will being riding to work and on week end cabin runs. My two sons have lay down bikes hope to do some riding with them also.  

Hello,

I also am looking into getting my first cruiser.
I had a little Honda 50 when i was 8 i think so i can safely say I dont know anything about them since I cant remember that far back.

I am 32, 6'2" and 270lbs. I am a dying bread of corn fed farm boy I guess. I linebacker build than a Chris Farley build and feal I am strong enough to handle a larger bike that would fit my build.

My brother has a vulcan 1500 and When he has actually allowed me to sit on the bike, it feals right to me as far as ergonomics go but I am fairly sure that this is too much of a bike for me as a complete beginner to riding. As I am just getting into this by looking into what kinda of bike to get, I have a VERY healthy respect for these machines and what they could do to you.

I would be using this as a daily to get to work as the cost of gas in my 5.3 v8 silverado is killing me.
I am going to need something that is capable of city and freeway use as far as 100 miles as I am in construction sometimes I use the highways and sometimes I dont as job sites change.
I also would be adding a luggage rack that should hold up to 50 lbs (Toolbag)

I would like some suggestions on what size, model bikes would be able to support the weight of myself and gear while still having the ability of highway use and the manuverability needed for ease of mind to someone just getting into riding.

cost is an issue, I will be looking used, and reliability is also important regarding to cost because I cant have it in the shop every other week  

for all of you looking at bikes, don't let the salesperson over sale a bike to you. They never tell you about the insurance . Insurance for anything over a 1100 goes high.Then again after 1500. You can't go wrong with a nice 900 to 1200 cc. be safe Wag  

I am 62 years old. The last time I owned and rode a bike was 30 years ago. The largest bike I owned was a Honda 350 Scrambler. Over the past couple months my wife and I discussed buying a cruser. We chose the V-Star 1300 tourer. It turns out it was a great choice. Pleanty of power, great center of gravity, handles like a dream. After 30 years I was concerned about getting on a large bike but found its liek the old saying of riding a bike. Once you learn you never forget. Although the V-Star 1300 was quite a bit heaver than an old Honda 350 Scrambler I found it to be easer to handle on the highways due to its weight. I think the V-Star 1300 is a good choice for a cruser.  

I am 47 years old and have never owned a bike.  I am scheduled to take a beginning riding class on the 27th and I have been looking at a used BMW 1150 RT.  I noticed that none of the previous posters mentioned a BMW, but from talking with several cruisers the BMW is the bike to have.  

I also just started back riding after 40 years. Pass the class and bought a v-star 650 out of the paper. Great bike- 60 mpg. paid for itself in the gas savings.
Looking to get the 900 kaw based on a lot of reading. I have looked a the c50 as well and have come back to the 900 due to the balance of the bike. I do not think that you can go wrong with either. I think that this is the last bike that I will have. I ride to enjoy, no hurry just want to be able to get out of the way . My wife rides about 20% of the time or I would not get the larger bike. With both of us on the 650 it had to think about passing a slower car. I am 230 and the wife is 150 the rating of the vstar is 198lb. Go sit on the  bike and read the forums regarding issues with the bikes.  

Good feedback on the C50. I am 48, 5'11" and 205lbs. Never ridden before but pretty much decided on the C50. Good to know it handles well for you since you have a smaller frame and lighter than me. The NJ Motorcycle manual says to get a 250cc bike for beginners to learn on but I dont even know if you could buy a cruiser that small. And although I like the C90 or M109, that is just way too much machine to handle for a beginner. The Suzuki C50 (and M50) has received very good reviews and I am confident that I will be able to handle it and enjoy it; even enough power and room in the back for the old lady. It seems to be very practical at this point as far as what I need and what I plan to do with it (commuting and weekend crusing). I can always upgrade to a bigger cruiser after a few years of experience under my belt.

Enjoy, George in Trenton, NJ