I had never been on a motorcycle until taking a motorcycle safety class in June.  I eventually bought a used Honda 750 Shadow Aero, which I really like.

I started out training in my own neighborhood, spent a lot of time in a parking lot just learning to successfully turn from a stopped position.  

After a little over 800 miles on my bike, I'm pretty good in the city.  At the same time, I have not been able to get comfortable at highway speeds.  I feel unstable at anything over about 55 mph, and grooved payment really bothers me.

So my question to all of you veteran riders is this...do I just need to keep pushing the envelope relative to highway speed, or is my bike tool light?  Or put another way, would I feel more comfortable, more secure on a larger, heavier bike?

Any thoughts you might have are appreciated.  

Has your bike got a screen? If not you might find it will stop the buffeting you get. Ok, it doesn't look cool; but it really does help.  

Yes, I do have a windshield on it.  Doesn't really seem to help.  

I think it may just be caution getting the better of you, and nothing at all wrong with that. At 70mph on a motorway overtaking artics and buses it can get a little scary, especially if you've got a good side wind blowing. There's always the others option,"ride it like you stole it". That usually takes your mind off it!!!  

So, would this be less of a problem if I were riding...let's say a 1800 Honda?  

Bigger bikes bring their own problems with them; but generally stability doesn't seem to be one of them. Great on straight roads, a pig on tight corners. It's all dependant on the type of riding your going to do?  

I really am thinking about moving up to a Honda 1300R VTX.  Of course, a test drive may tell me a great deal.  While I really like my 750, it seems to really wobble in the wind at higher speeds.  

I've been checking the dry weights of the shadow compared to the 1300r vtx. The shadow is 230kg whilst the VTX is 305kg a difference of 75kg. Without taking into consideration the rider's weight and height, i believe the weight ratio between the two is significant enough to make a difference to it's stability. But, as you say a test ride on a few bikes of different makes and models will give you a better grasp of the type of bike that would suite you best. And it a good excuse to go the the local bike showroom.  

I think you're right...and hanging around a dealership is always kind of fun.  Been reading reviews of the 1300 vs. the 1800, and the 1300 seems to be a much better bike overall (particularly with a $4,000 lower price tag).  

Good hunting, let us know which bike you finally choose.  

I will.  Either next week or the week after, I am going to test ride a 1300.  Really looking forward to it.  

Hey indadman, I know you have probably heard this alot but the best way to get over it is to get used to riding in it.  You will come across quite a few different scenarios that will give you the pucker factor as you start off.  Just keep riding.  If you hate the highway speeds, get away from the city and enjoy the open roads away from traffic.  Go out to the country side and enjoy the fresh air.  As far as the rest of it goes, experience is the best teacher.  Just take what you have learned from your safety class and apply it to the road.  

Ride Safe,
Kirk  

Excuse me for jumping in here but if you are not comfortable on your 750 at that speed what makes you think a bigger bike would make it better?? There is something to be said for ironing out your riding on a smaller bike.Ok i'm in a different country and female and only 5'1" but i can do 130kph on my 250 no problems (don't tell the hubby).It moves a bit in the wind but that adds to your ability to handle different situations. My Vulcan 500 is just as good although i'm not leagaly supposed to ride it yet!!! We have a graduated license system here,nothing over 250cc till you get your full license, takes about a year.Maybe it is not the actual cc size of the bike but the design of the Honda that doesn't suit. Bigger is not always better   I am a learner rider but have ridden on the back of all our bikes for 34yrs.  

You know, I kept hearing that at around 1,000 miles things started to come together...and I'm amazed that I can see that happening.  I hit the magic 1,000 mile mark last weekend, and today I was comfortable at 65 mph.  I even got up a little over 70 mph, but did not feel as comfortable.

All of that said, I took up motorcycling as a convenient hobby, and I am enjoying it way more than I ever thought I would.  It is a great way to relax and meet a number of good people.  

I think I know exactly what you're talking about, indadman. I bought a Honda Shadow 600 a few weeks ago and am uncomfortable above 55 or (especially?!?) in wind. I also wondered if the extra weight of a bigger engine would help stabalize the ride. I find the question floating in my head "am I going to lay this over or drift into traffic or off the road?" when in crosswinds. Hopefully, in another 700 miles, I'll be more comfortable. For now, I'm doing the back roads method for increasing my comfort with speed. Thanks to everyone for the input and indadman for sharing!