[Dragstar Classic 650 cc or 1100 cc?]

Many thanks, everyone, for your responses. The majority seem to favour starting off on a 650 cc and I'm going to heed that piece of advice, I think, and get a few miles under my belt before I go for anything bigger. Thanks again.

[Dragstar Classic 650 cc or 1100 cc?]

Hi. I've had a warm welcome and some sound advice on this members' club since I joined a few days ago, and so I've come back for more. Everyone that responded to my previous post on here has encouraged me - at the ripe old age of 61 - to "go for it" and to buy the Dragstar Classic 650 cc that I've had my eye on since passing my test last summer. Trouble is I've now seen a 2004 Dragstar Classic 1100 cc for a very good price and it's in mint condition. Given that I passed my DAS test on a Kawasaki 500 cc and have since been riding a Daelim Daystar 150 cc every day is the jump in engine size to 1100 cc a completely daft idea? It seems that there is very little in it when it comes to dry weight - another concern of mine - but obviously it's got a lot more power. What would people with a lot of biking experience advise, please? Em

[Fallen in love]

Thanks for the warm welcome and the words of encouragement. Much appreciated.

[Fallen in love]

Hiya. Here's the back story. I'm 61 years young. As a 60th birthday present to myself I decided to learn how to ride a motorbike. Best decision I've made in a while.

I passed my test on a Kawasaki 500 cc back home in Wales last summer, and since then I've fallen head over heels in love with a Yamaha Dragstar Classic 650 cc. Can't keep my eyes off her. The wife's getting worried. Meanwhile, having taken the compulsory 2B motorbike test out here in Singapore, I now ride a Daelim Daystar 150cc to work every day and so, slowly but surely, my riding skills are improving.

So, here's the 64,000 dollar question before I go and make a complete fool of myself: should a man of my age, who's short in the leg and not exactly Mr Universe, even look at - let alone fall in love with - a cruiser whose dry weight is a damn sight more than any 150 cc tiddler? Or is it true that it's really down to a good sense of balance, plus confidence gained through practice, and not brute strength when it comes to handling a mid-sized motorbike?

Your honest answers would be greatly appreciated as I don't want to be crushed to death in the car park before I actually get to ride off into the sunset of my life.

Thanks a lot.

Em