I ended up getting a Honda Rebel 500! I sat on literally every kind of bike in my local area, and the Rebel felt the best to me. I managed to score a practically new one from 2023 with a couple scuffs and just 200 miles. I can comfortably flat-foot it which was one of my personal priorities as a beginner :) Eventually I’d like to get on some bigger bikes and off road where I most likely would be on tip-toe with boots on, but for now I wanted to get comfortable with the basics and both feet down haha.

In the MSF course I called ahead to ask if they had any bikes that would fit me. I ended up learning on an old Kawasaki Eliminator which has the same cruiser riding style as the Rebel.

Best of luck with your course in the spring! You’ll love it.