Terribly OT: do you need a car...

[Jim March]

First thing: I strongly recommend you separate out the deals for the
car and bike.  The car should go fairly quickly as a lot of used
wheels were recently taken off the market.

As to a bike, I'd look at the Suzuki Intruder 800 first.  They made
the same bike for over a decade, the oldest ones will be 750s and if
in good shape, nothing wrong with that.  Better handling and engine
than the Yamaha VX series equivalents.

DO NOT go for a high-performance 4-cylinder sportbike as your first
ride.  Price the insurance on that - absolutely huge for a new
middle-age rider.  That's the insurance company's way of saying "dude,
I hope your will is up to date!".

BIG issue: do you know how to ride yet?  Do you know what
"counter-steering" is?  If you don't, and you get out on that road,
there's a real good chance you're going to die no matter what the
bike.  That would be about as dumb as strapping on an Indy car and
going wheel to wheel at full speed without knowing what you're doing -
and no, I am *not* exaggerating.

The learning curve will be easier if you already know how to drive a
stick-shift car.  Learning what a clutch is at the same time you're
learning bikes is a bad thing.

My sole wheels are a motorcycle ('97 Buell S3 Thunderbolt, heavily
modded) as has been the case for just about 20 years now.  Haven't
owned a single car in all that time.  Used to street race when I was
young and dumb :).  I *know* what I'm talkin' about.  I also taught
one of the TFUGers to ride :).

Jim