1st beginner cruiser

[salomonarthur]

I just finished the MSF Basic Course. Now, I’m doing my research to decide in which cruiser. I should start with. I’m planning to buy a used motorcycle (between 300cc and 650cc – if my basic understanding is correct). I’m 6”1’ 200 pounds. I’m planning to use for a daily commute to work in the city at the beginning with no need to get to the highway (eventually it may change). After the class I do have a lot of respect for motorcycle power. Which cruiser would you recommend me to get. Especially one that will forgive my beginner mistakes and do not get the engine ruin because of my lack of experience.

[Trials]

No idea where you reside but up here in Canada, brand new 2018 Honda Rebel 300cc and 500cc models are currently being discounted by 300$ and 500$ respectively. Is a modern designed and equipped ride with typical Honda outstanding reliability, performance and for what it's worth dealer support.

[Joseph Hanna]

No idea where you reside but up here in Canada, brand new 2018 Honda Rebel 300cc and 500cc models are currently being discounted by 300$ and 500$ respectively. Is a modern designed and equipped ride with typical Honda outstanding reliability, performance and for what it's worth dealer support.

Yea I’d have to agree but i’d probably lean very heavily towards the 500. In the past my recommendation was always the age old, but oh so very good Suzuki S-40. But the Honda 500 is almost identical with the exception that the Honda is a bike with all the modern accommodations. Twin vs thumper, ABS, same weight, wheel base, slightly larger tire footprint and in short just a much more modern motorcycle......as much as I hate to let go of the S-40 as a recommendation it’s probably time

The Honda Rebel 300 is (as far as I can tell) virtually the same bike as the 500 with the exception of the thumper power plant. I’m pretty dang convinced that the 300 would feel small and underpowered within months if not weeks but everyone is different.

Recommendations? Honda Rebel 500

[Shadow Shack]

I have a tough time lumping Honda's new Not-Rebels into the beginner bike category. While on paper it makes the perfect beginner, the reality is a raked tree is something that serves to hamper the learning curve...simply put your front wheel is rotating left to right on a different axis than the handlebars/triple trees and it can be awkward to a wet behind the ears rider. Shoot, I found it awkward when I first sampled it after half a decade of riding. It's just one more oddball quirk that you have to learn to adapt to that wasn't featured in the BRC range bikes.

That said, you can't beat the original Rebel for a beginner bike. At 6' you might find it cramped but www.bluecollarbobbers.com offers an inexpensive foot control relocation kit that opens up more legroom. 32 years worth of production with high production runs means pricing is competitive, just weed through all the amateur hack "kustom bobberz dood" jobs out there and you'll do well. It's a bulletproof bike, and believe me I've tried very hard to kill one of ours at 132K miles while only changing the oil (I have yet to check the valve clearance).