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+1... as an MSF Instructor I couldn't have said it better. Amazing how many people come through with no experience at all who already have an R1, CBR 1000, large Harley or other cruiser.... We try to inform but sometimes Darwin rules.During your rider course you probably heard the term more than once about your "riding career" or some variation of that. Riding is an growing, learning, evolving thing. If you enjoy riding then trust me your first bike is not going to be your final bike. So comments by friends and others about a bikes size being a determining factor is really useless for the most part. There is a reason they put everyone on 125,150,200,250cc bikes in the riders course. Learning the art of slow maneuvers is one of the big keys to motorcycle competence. I would encourage you to spend time learning to ride well. I frankly find that the bigger bikes don't facilitate that skill building in the same way. Since your not focusing in the off road area maybe worrying about having to pick your bike up over and over again isn't weighing in on your decision, but it is a factor at some point of having to pick up a bike.
During our riding careers we tend to migrate up to bigger and bigger bikes. Some stay there. It is a learning experience. I find I am going the opposite direction now to smaller and smaller bikes. I find them more fun, easier to ride well, and very economical. So enjoy your motorcycle journey. Take what you learned to heart in the MSF course and ignore your friends. Whatever you decide to ride enjoy the journey, but be safe.
A lot of people that love to ride will end up with 2 or more bikes in the garage that meet riding criteria that isn't handled well by one of the other bikes they own. You may find the same thing as your riding career progresses. I have found that there is no such thing as "one size fits all" and not every problem can use a hammer to fix it.
Have fun on your bike.
I was thinking of getting a Shoei full face helmet, a jacket and gloves at least. I don't know much about the boots though. I'd like to get some, but I have a 14EEE foot and wonder how easy it will be to find some.
I wear a basic industrial sort of steel toe boot. Heavy leather uppers, 6" overall height I think. You can get a nice pair for $200.
Here you are:
Amazon.com | Thorogood 804-4203 Men's American Heritage 6" Classic Plain Toe, Safety Toe Boot, Black Walnut - 14 3E US | Industrial & Construction Boots
I just found out there is an Advanced Rider Course in my town taught by a local motorcycle cop that competes in that sport. I'm planning on signing up for that as well as soon as it makes sense. I want to get as good at riding as I can to be as safe as possible out there.
One of the things that nearly bit me when I was a newer rider was riding on some twisty mountain roads. I had traveled the road before, but didn't know it that well. I had not traveled it on a motorcycle. I had a new to me VFR and was LOVING every minute of it. It wasn't my first bike as I had owned several others and I really wanted that VFR. So I bought it. Unfortunately I was enjoying it a little too much and misjudged a coming curve. I didn't know just how much of a decreasing radius the curve was as it was blind and I was carrying way too much speed into that curve. It is a common mistake riders make and it can get you killed.
I got lucky I was able to get it slowed down and that there was a very very wide shoulder there or it was going to be motorcycle splat all over the side of that cliff wall. I was overly confident of my skills and the ability of the bike. It is easy to get overconfident when your riding a machine like that. The day was saved, but I about had to go to the hospital to have the motorcycle seat surgically removed from my very tightly clenched butt cheeks and I never forgot that lesson.
So take it easy. Motorcycles are a lot of fun. As others pointed out this is not an inexpensive hobby! LOL