A few years ago, I got back into riding after 25+ years. My first bike was a '74 Honda CB750 and I wish I still had that! There were no MSF courses back in the early '90s, so I just had to go out and learn on my own. I got back into riding on a '22 Scout. I think it was just the right size for me at the time to get back into riding. The dealership had a Super Chief which had all the doo-dads that I really liked, but I was worried about the weight and handling it. I kept the Scout for about 15 months or so and traded it in on a leftover '22 Chieftain Limited. I love the Chieftain and have no worries about going longer distances which was a limitation for me personally on the Scout. My wife also got into bikes. We bought a used Honda Rebel 500 which was perfect for her to learn. She traded that in for a Scout Bobber and loves it.
As a brand new rider I bought a new 2024 Nightster Special with the Rev Max 975T engine. I bought it after taking the MSF and it was the right decision. I put it in rain mode for the first 200 miles or so. I then was comfortable enough to put in in Road mode until it got broken in. Now I ride 75% sport mode. With the ride modes I was able to grow into the bike without having to buy a new motorcycle. I would recommend finding a motorcycle with actual modes that can significantly throttle back the power for learning and then working up to the most aggressive modes.
A few years ago, I got back into riding after 25+ years. My first bike was a '74 Honda CB750 and I wish I still had that! There were no MSF courses back in the early '90s, so I just had to go out and learn on my own. I got back into riding on a '22 Scout. I think it was just the right size for me at the time to get back into riding. The dealership had a Super Chief which had all the doo-dads that I really liked, but I was worried about the weight and handling it. I kept the Scout for about 15 months or so and traded it in on a leftover '22 Chieftain Limited. I love the Chieftain and have no worries about going longer distances which was a limitation for me personally on the Scout.
My wife also got into bikes. We bought a used Honda Rebel 500 which was perfect for her to learn. She traded that in for a Scout Bobber and loves it.
As a brand new rider I bought a new 2024 Nightster Special with the Rev Max 975T engine. I bought it after taking the MSF and it was the right decision. I put it in rain mode for the first 200 miles or so. I then was comfortable enough to put in in Road mode until it got broken in. Now I ride 75% sport mode. With the ride modes I was able to grow into the bike without having to buy a new motorcycle. I would recommend finding a motorcycle with actual modes that can significantly throttle back the power for learning and then working up to the most aggressive modes.