also with cruisers moving up means a heavier bike as much as more power. I’m not sure on the specs of the Vulcan, but if I recall, the Yamaha Vstar 650 only has like a handful more HP than the Vstar 250 and nothing close to the hp of a lot of sportbikes.
you ARE taking the MSF? IMO thats the first step to seeing if riding is for you. they’ll likely start you off on the rebel or something similer (looking through I think the MSF in San Fransisco says they use Kawasaki Eliminators instead) so first off, you’ll get an idea of how cramped or not some of the beginner bikes are, and when you butt test larger bikes while looking for your ride, you’ll note the difference in weight between the two.
I mention SF not because I’ve any idea where you are, but because thats where I’ll be taking my msf course (not specifically inside the city, but around somewhere) and also because they’re the only one’s I’ve seen so far that use the eliminator. but that thing’s a 125 thumper, and TINY. I’ve never sat on one, but I think someone at the local cop shop rode one to work, because I always saw it parked outside. and man it looked tiny.
the hyosung is DEFINATELY my current favorite, and fortunately for me, there’s several dealerships to choose from. I like the looks, the size (for a 250) that it’s oil cooled, that it’s got a good guarantee. but I also plan to butt test a few before I commit to one or the other.