I’ve had the Rebel for 2 months now and 1000 miles. While she’s no speed demon going away from lights. She can handle anything I thow at her (except not freeways so well)., curves, straight, hills, etc. Use her to learn everything you can, practice all the things which you can screw up on her but you wont’ be able to on a heavier or more powerful bike. Stopping on a hill (keeping your right foot on the brake rather than 2 footing her), counterstearing, throttle control, shifting (you’ll have alot of practice), brake contol, tight cornering, etc.
On twisties in the mountains I can keep up with any of my friends with bigger, faster bikes.
To put it in perspective, this past week I rode my friends Triumph Legend for 100 miles and while it was fun and fast my bike is more nimble and if I’d been dealing with that weight when starting I know I’d have dropped it more. Then I test rode a Yamaha VStar 650, a Honda Shadow 750, and a Yamaha FZ6. The VStar 650 really didn’t have much more acceleration than my Rebel (more comfortable at freeway speed) and more space between gears, the Shadow was way quicker but it was so darn heavy for cornering, I’m sure glad I got good on the Rebel. The Yamaha FZ6 was fast but I found the riding position hurt my neck and arms.
But the important thing is I could control the stearing, throttle and brakes fine on all these bikes because I used the Rebel to teach me and quickly. In two months with the Rebel I’m doing more than my friend who started on the Legend did in a year.