Hey Guys and Girls,
I am going back and forth with the economics of purchasing a used or a new bike, as my first one. I am 6'7'' 220 lbs, so fit on most bikes is not perfect. I had my eyes on dual sport "tall" bikes such as KLR650 or Versys, as candidates in a new bike category. On the other hand, in the used bike category I was looking into lighter cruisers such as Vulcan 500 or even an old VS700 intruder, as these can be had for ~2K which is at least 4K less than the cost of a new KLR or Versys. My primary purpose would be to ride over the weekend out of the city, for pure "cycle therapy" :) purposes; within a 100 miles radius for starters to get the miles under my belt and develop my riding skills. During the week it would live on the streets of Manhattan, NYC, with an occasional jaunt to grocery store or a ride around the city. If some of you have thoughts or experiences they would like to share I would greatly appreciate it.
Rad

Wow. Three completely different bikes. Go sit on all three. Just sitting on them will probably tell you which type of bike you want.

Opinions will differ, but I always recommend a cheap, beater bike for your first.

Thank you Smash. I sat on the KLR and Versys, Versys has a better overall feeling of comfort. The only cruisers I sat on so far were a bunch of Harley's, out of curiosity, and the one that was a perfect fit was a Vrod muscle. Since I just got my license, and went to a bunch of dealerships before that, I did not test ride any of the bikes. My BRC course was on a Suzuki GS250 which felt small; position of the handle bars, low seat height, and, I guess the wheel base distance, resulted in a feeling of being too forward. Also having to push the knees out in tight turns. I agree with a point of view that owning a used bike to get a handle of things makes sense, the only issue is that bikes that interest me (e.g., Versys and KLR alike) are not much cheaper than the new ones. Hence the look towards cruisers mentioned above, which are much more affordable used. I guess the handling of a cruiser and dual sport is different? Or maybe not so important at this point, as getting a cheaper used relatively comfortable bike and riding. Thanks again for your reply. I wanted to add these few sentences to help clarify my dilemma.

If you're gonna do much city riding, I'd go with the Versys or a V-Strom. I've owned a KLR650, it was great, IF you are riding on really rough (or well maintained dirt) roads. Unfortunately, that "rough road" capability takes away from the "street" side of the bike. Cruisers are great on not so busy streets and the highway, but generally sacrifice handling, braking, and acceleration (things that MIGHT be handy in a city) for style. Plus, their low seat heights make it harder for people to see you and for you to see over other vehicles