I need your help, am I the right size, & should I buy a 250?

[Nightsbane]

I will give the briefest introduction possible to explain my situation, and thank you in advance for your advice. A motorcycle was always something I wanted to have someday, but in the back of my mind seemed like one of those things that might always be just a dream. Then a year ago my car bit the dust, and I had next to no money to buy a replacement, as so I took the 500 I had and bought a 50cc scooter from a dealer. It ended up being a rip-off and cheap piece of chunk that broke down in two weeks. The dealer had closed up shop and I was screwed. I scrounged up what I could to buy a Kymco Super 8 50cc. The ride was much better, as in my opinion the Super 8 is simply the best scooter model on the planet. The only issue was that while the dealer told me I would go 35, but it would barely hit 28 at little to no wind. I didn't feel safe with all the traffic up my butt, so the dealer let me trade it back in towards a 150cc super 8. This one has some serious power and rides fairly well. It can go up to around 65-70, but honestly it doesn't feel too safe at that weight past 45-50.

So now I am at 150cc and it requires a license. I signed up for the MSF course, and had to wait six weeks to get in, but last weekend was my three day class. I only took this so I could drive my scooter, and then perhaps later get a motorcycle, but something unexpected happened. I caught the bug. All I was riding was a 125cc Kawasaki little cruiser but I was totally hooked. I knew that weekend I had to be on a bike as soon as possible. To be honest, my scooter can blow any mid size cruiser off the line with its low end power, but it's not about that. I just feel like I am not really a part of the "club" of cyclists on a scooter regardless of what my state registered title and tags say. I also get tired of being made fun of incessantly for the scooter as well.

Having said all that I am now on the hunt for my first motorcycle. I plan on selling my scooter, and have some other deals in the works to end up with up to around 4000.00 once everything is sold. I am trying to figure out what to buy. The range rides seemed alright, they had gz250's but I never got the chance to sit on one. I went to a local store planning on picking up the honda rebel, but I was cramped and felt like a clown on it. I am right at six foot and 200 pounds. I sat on a Honda Shadow Spirit 750 and was in love with the feel and the look, but I am unsure about jumping right up to 750, as I don't know how difficult that will be to do. I went into my MSF course with zero motorcycle experience or knowledge and had trouble with the gears at first but other than that be the end of the weekend the bike felt second nature.

So should I buy a Honda Shadow 750, or buy a Suzuki gz250 to get rolling? I sat on one a couple minutes at a local dealer and it seemed a lot better than the rebel. The particular bike just went on clearance (if it's still there) and is $3000.00 brand new with the three year warranty. The main thing I am concerned about is not wanting to look like a dork. I don't want "scooter syndrome" and feel like I have a pair of training wheels on when I pass other bikers around here, of which there are many. I do not want to look like I am sitting on a toy, but I also want to be safe and feel confident. I also was almost completely set on the shadow so I could buy something that could go on the highway right way, but I am mostly an in town cruiser. I may need to use a bike to go to class this fall 25 minutes away on a light traffic 60mph blacktop. If I buy the shadow it feels like I will have the bike I need for a long time, as it can do most everything, but I do not want to buy a 4000.00 bike that I cannot control and bust up. I don't have the money to just buy bikes whenever I feel like it, so this decision is important. As I said though, I am a cruiser, I don't care too much about drag racing, I enjoy the smooth rumble of an engine while enjoying a sunset. Lastly my daughters want to be able to take rides with me and I want them to have space for short rides in town.

So there it is longwinded, but I would appreciate ANY and ALL advice you could give me. Even in my office my motorcylce addiction causes my ears to perk up and hear every single bike that rolls by my house all day, and has been all week. I've got to be on one soon! :rawk: