Better motorcycle for a beginner: Yamaha Virago / V-Star 250 or Kawasaki Vulcan 500?

  • Thread starter Thread starter zamboni25
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zamboni25

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I am a male in my mid 40s, 5'7", 185 lbs. Have not ridden since I was a kid. Taking Motorcycle Safety Course in a couple weeks. Very excited to get started. Hope to use the bike primarily for commuting to work in town. Tend to keep vehicles for awhile, so would hope to keep any bike at least a few years. Also hope to test ride a variety of bikes before buying; but beyond fit / comfort, also concerned about safety, maintanence ease / cost and reliability. Don't know much about motorcycle repairs (yet), so would prefer something I don't have to fuss too much with initially. My wife (5'5") and my teenage son (5'4") are also expressing interest in later learning to ride. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.
 
Vstar or virago would be a good start for you. Especially if you would like your wife and son to get involve in bike riding. You do not want to buy anything fancy or new at this time.

Take this opportunity to get your hands comfortable on the throttle feel, physics, reflexes and riding them on the road. You will feel comfortable knowing that your son and cherish wife are on a comfortable bike to learn on and not feel intimidated by a bigger bike. If you get a bigger bike you will usually deter new riders from learning faster and safer. This is very important factor to think about, safety. Always wear proper gear. I want you and the whole family to enjoy bike riding in the long haul as a hobby.

Gradually , in couple of years or so you and family will be a lot more comfortable riding and have a better idea of what bike you and family actually want later to upgrade. U wil be a better rider in the long run. Good luck in your riding adventure
 
I owned a Vulcan 500. Very easy to ride. Very low for beginners and enough power for hwy riding. Also low maintenance (belt drive, etc.)


Good Luck...

P.S. I also got lots of compliments on how great the bike looked. The larger vulcans have exhaust on the right side only so the left side looks weird. But the 500 have exhaust of both side and looks nice on both sides.
 
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