Motorcycle Safety & Driveability: Too Big Too Early?, big, upgrade

Question
Pat,
    A little over a year ago, I purchased a new 600 Shadow VLX.  It was my first bike with no prior experience.  I picked up the skills required for riding quickly and instantly fell in love with biking.  My wife enjoys riding on the back with me and wants to hone her skills on the 600 so I purchased a 1700 Yamaha Road Star.  With over 8000 miles of commuting to work every day rain or shine 100 degrees or 30.  Do you think that this jump is too soon or am I going to picking this large bike off of the ground more often than my wife has to pick up the kids from school...  I have ridden it about 65 miles so far in 2 days and am madly in love with it.  

Very respectfully,
Kevin

Answer
It might be a little too soon, but if you developed a good deal of confidence and skill with the VLX, the Star shouldn't be too much of a leap.

It's going to require that you be a lot smoother with the clutch, throttle, front brake, and balance at low speeds. Be careful about the situations you put yourself in (such as having to come to a stop while slightly leaned over) and leave yourself lots of room to do maneuvers you only gave a passing thought to with the Shadow, such as doing a U-turn. Plan on it taking you a solid 4-5 months to really get used to the bike and familiar with the way it balances, handles, turns, and stops. Commuting every day is a GREAT way to continue to ride well, build skills, and assimilate riding prowess into your everyday life.

It would make very good sense to sign up for an Experienced Rider Course (ERC) and spend a day really getting to know your bike. Call 800-446-9227 to find a course near you.

Pat