I'm thinking of selling the motorcycle I have now, the smallest Yamaha cruiser (V-Star 650), and buying something a little different, and would like any advice from any bike riders. I have been riding my V-Star for two years now, and it's been a good starter bike, but I'm ready for something a little lighter, quicker, and less of a pig -- a more standard bike... and I'm over the chrome fixation too.

I'm a fairly inexperienced and conservative rider, and am less impressed by quarter-mile speeds, highest horsepower bragging rights, and the ability to pop a wheelie than I am in a comfortable, smooth highway ride, good ergonomics, and responsiveness in handling and acceleration -- I want to be able to accelerate away from hazards when appropriate, but don't need the bike with the most CCs on the block. I'm also fairly small at 5'7", so any tall monsters or very heavy bikes wouldn't be my thing -- seat height has ruled out some bikes for me. I have a strong preference for liquid-cooled over air-cooled, and would like a fairly standard seating position rather than something that requires me to hunch low over the gas tank.

I have had the opportunity to ride both a Triumph Speed Four and Speed Triple, and liked them both a lot -- they feel great and look great too. I have an idea the Speed Triple may be a bit much for me in the sense that it has more power than I am ever likely to use, but on the other hand, is there really any danger to a moderate rider having a lot of power? I'm also reading good things about the Suzuki V-Strom and of course the Suzuki SV650, but have never ridden either. I also read great reviews about the Kawasaski KLR650, a rather visually-unappealing (to me) dual-sport, but the reviewers sure love it.

Any advice or thoughts?

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1983 300D-T
348,000 miles