[BrianR]

Elspode, I've ridden a fair bit. My Shadow 750 got great mileage and looked and sounded good. If you're looking at a Suzuki Savage, however, don't. It has paper gaskets and should you ride it hard, they will leak. I know a guy who bought one new in Virginia, broke it in, then rode it to Jacksonville, FL. We had to pull the engine and replace all the gaskets to fix the leaks. It's a basic learner bike, to be disposed of when you're done with it.

The Maxim, is a good bike with decent reliability reports, good looks and sound and price is great for a beginner. I'd go with the shaft drive over a chain for the maintenance and the fact that the chain tends to throw grease on your bike whereas the shaft does not. If you go shaft, remember to check the lash (free play in the shaft) before you buy. Too much lash can give you a hard startoff or even break teeth in the gears.

And post pics of your choice!