Hi folks, looking to purchase a used bike in the next few months. I registered for the MSF course and I'm looking forward to it. For reference, I'm about 5'10 and 200 lbs, adult in my 30s with an ability to assess risk and use self control - I'm not planning to set any speed records. My desired use case is riding for fun, not commuting. There are a lot of scenic roads near me.
I'd like to get a bike for under $8,000. I'm fine with a used bike and I have a separate budget for safety gear.
I have been eyeballing the Honda Rebel 500 ABS and it seems like a good choice for a few reasons (honda reliability, price, availability, ABS). I'm interested in motorcycle touring at some point and I know that I can install a windscreen and upgraded seat to make that more viable.
Will I want a bigger motor for touring? Is the rebel 500 a reasonable choice? What else should I consider?
Thanks for your input.