At 62 I’m glad to see that I’m not the only one here who qualifies for the senior discount at the movies. Passed (barely) the new rider MSF course a couple of months ago. I had bought a used Triumph Bonneville. Newbee mistake number one. A beautiful bike but too heavy for a brand new rider, at least in my opinion. And being inseam challenged I could not flat foot it.
Found a nearly new Suzuki S40 a much better ride for me. I’m surprised it barely gets a passing mention in these discussions. Yes it did backfire once when I closed the throttle abruptly after revving the engine. And I get that pfft sound when shutting her down. So what. kind of makes me smile actually. It’s a good looking bike in my opinion and it’s light, nimble, belt drive and simple. And it does have some oomph to it. It may be considered a starter bike but I have kept it even after buying a Kawasaki Vulcan 500. I know that’s regarded as a beginner bike too, but it calls for a liitle adjustment in riding style when I switch rides. I like to do my parking lot practice on both bikes. If I can manage the maneuver on the S40, then the heavier Kawi gives me a bit more of a challenge. I really like both bikes for different reasons. That’s just part of the learning process I guess. Anyway, having fun along the way.
