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I know that the ST3 is a more intense bike, but is it unsafe to learn on?
What a loaded question.
For a total beginner, I would be much less inclined to recommend the Street than a Triumph twin. The Street is not the absolute worst bike to learn on, but it does have so much more potential for you to exceed your abilities that I think it would be needlessly inviting trouble.
The one rather limited upside is, if you take a spill on the Street, there's nearly a hundred pounds less weight on top of you to compound your injuries.
Seriously, I would encourage you not to buy at all until after you've taken the MSF course. At that point, you may find you want to re-negotiate the pact with your wife and see if you can't get authorization from her for a temporary used bike of more appropriate capabilities, for about a year. Here are two points you can use when that time arrives:
* If you make a good choice on a used one, you should be able to get most or all of your money out of it when you sell it. That can go toward your down payment on the Street or whichever one you choose then, and you'll be in a better position to make the right long-term choice for yourself about which one to get, because of the riding experience you will have acquired.
* Also: apart from the cost and anguish if you drop a lovely new bike while learning, there is always the chance you may eventually decide riding isn't for you after all. Happens to a lot of folks for various reasons that they never foresee. If your new bike mostly sits around for a year and then you sell it, you'll take a much bigger dollar loss than on a used bike that has already undergone its depreciation.
These two points will demonstrate to her that you are planning this out responsibly. Maybe that'll help get her to amend the terms.
Good luck.
