Motorcycle Safety & Driveability: BUYING A NEW BIKE, new, bike

Question
IM A REALLY BIG GUY 6'2" 380. AND I'M THINKING OF GETTING A BIKE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO A CAR FOR COMMUTING TO WORK AND SCHOOL BUT I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE WHATSOEVER! WHAT BIKE SHOULD I GET OR SHOULD I EVEN GET ONE?

Answer
First, take the MSF basic rider course to learn how to ride--and also to learn whether or not you're cut out for riding. Do this before you buy a bike. Call 800-446-9227 to find a course near you. The course will give you everything you need to get started practicing on the street on your own bike.

If you decide after the course that riding is for you, you're going to have to do some shopping around to find a bike that fits you. You'll probably be happiest with a standard (Nighthawk, FZ, GSXF, ZR), a cruiser (Vulcan, V-Star, Shadow, H-D, etc.) or an adventure touring bike like the (BMW GS, Versys, V-Strom). For someone your size, I'd look closely at either the V-Star or the BMW GS. If you're on a budget, like most people, find an older Nighthawk or Shadow.

For your first bike, look for a standard (twin or four) 500-650cc, a cruiser (twin) 750-900cc, or an adventure tourer (twin) in the 650-800cc range. The general recommendation for all beginnners is two cylinder engines (twins) no larger than 650, four cylinder engines (fours) no larger than 500. But due to your size, you'll need to go a little larger than that for a good bike/rider fit.

Good luck and welcome to the riding community!

Pat