I'm a newbie to the forum, but I'll add in a few bits. Good to see that you have a better sense for the risks that go along with the rewards of riding than it first appeared! Here are a couple of practical thoughts. The numbers 250, 500 etc being used refer to the size of the engine measured in cubic centimeters. The bigger, the more powerful. The bigger, the more expensive. A major factor to consider --other than how safe it would be for a new rider to get on a big powerful bike--is also where you will be riding it. VCU is in Richmond -- a big city with big city traffic and parking issues. Trust me, you don't want to be knocking around town in a big expensive powerful cruiser. You want a small nimble quick bike, like a honda, yamaha etc in the 250 to 500 range MAXIMUM! You can ride it anywhere and park it anywhere.
As for the motorcycle safety classes --they're a no brainer. Number one, you'll learn important stuff about riding; number two, in most states I am familiar with, passing the safety course gets you a certificate that means you don't have to take the state riding exam (you usually have to still take the written exam). This can be a BIG advantage. You dont' need a bike --they provide. And you probably will want to get some actual experience in before purchasing your first bike. Have fun and enjoy. And keep in mind that it is actually somewhat hard to find a bike that the seller admits has been "dropped;" on the other hand, I've never met a motorcycle rider who HASN"T gone down. (We must be trading the same "to be dropped" bike around.) You will fall. Several times. Be better to do it at slow speeds on a bike that you don't care a lot about. As you don't know a lot about buying bikes, think seriously about finding a yamaha or honda dealer and getting a used bike from that source. They're likely to have gone over the bike.
