Motorcycle Safety & Driveability: Moving up in power and weight, big, upgrade

Question
I started riding last year at 60. The training course used 250cc bikes. I bought a Honda VLX 600 and rode it for the first six months. I found the 600 a bit small power wise so traded up to a Honda VTX 1300.

My question is now I am wondering if that was too big a jump. I already have had the VTX tip over on me when I tried to get off to push it without the side stand down. I could get away with that on the 600. Also, I find the VTX great at highway speed (don't need 100% throttle to keep up with the rest of the traffic) but slow maneuvering is taking more effort.

Any comments are appreciated.

Answer
It may not have been too big a jump, but it may have been too soon. The 600 twin was a good choice for a first bike.

Six months is an "okay" time to move up, but I generally recommend 2-3 years before doing so.

There are subtle skills you acquire as you gain experience, having much to do with overall familiarity with riding; muscle memory if you will. The balance that seems tough early on becomes more innate, your timing becomes more honed and automatic, your clutch and throttle control are more refined.

Small, lightweight bikes (as you have discovered) are very forgiving of all these learning processes. Larger more powerful bikes are not.

Don't feel bad about tipping your bike over. It happens to the best of us. I went all the way over at a gas station once, pushing my bike out of the way of the pump so other people could use it.

Low speed maneuvering takes a lot of skill on any big cruiser, especially when you're learning to do it later in life. I recommend you study the "Ride Like A Pro" DVD and it will undoubtedely help you see what you can do better. I also recommend you take an MSF Experienced Rider Course with your VTX--you'll learn the ropes in a controlled environment and start building some really important skills that you'll use for the rest of your life. Call 800-446-9227 to find your nearest safety course provider.

If you're really feeling threatened by the new bike, park it for awhile and go back to the 600 for a couple years. Put a solid 10K miles on it in all types of conditions and on all types of roads and in all types of riding situations (including training classes) and you'll feel much more comfortable when you hop back on to the big bike.

Good luck!

Pat