It usually takes me about three to four blocks of riding an unfamiliar bike before I'm comfortable enough to really try it out. From then on, it's just ride.

 

To get comfortable on a new bike takes me a couple dozen miles. To get confident, well that takes a little longer depending on the bike. Anywhere from a couple of days to a few weeks of riding.

 

Riding a dirt bike is the best way to get started. You learn more, and more safely, on the dirt than anything you can do on the street. So you have a good basis already.
When starting out on the street, stay in the low traffic areas and just get used to leaning and turning, using the brakes, etc. Experience and an MSF course, are the best teachers.

 

You should try going from a 650cc Suzuki to a V-Max. The power was a little intimidating until I had gone around the block 2 or 3 times.

 

Paud --- the similarities are even greater. My 1972 Honda CL 350 was also gold. Ran great, but was always blowing fuses

 

Ain't no time limit or time period .
U'll just know....U'll turn corners without thinking, shift by sound, ETC,ETC, U'll Just Know...

 

The day I bought mine I rode home from the dealership (about 100 miles) the back way, through some serious curvy roads. showed the bike off to some friends around town (about 20 miles riding) rode back home, then was off to my fiances house, (60 miles away). After 200 miles the first day I was fairly comfortable on the bike in any condition, before the end of the week I had rode 500 miles, then went back to the dealer to have some performance work done, after all that me and the bike are one.

 

Been riding street bikes since I was 17 ( 46 now ). First bike was a Honda CB750 with a full fairing. Rode the **** out of that one and never thought about comfort, just sort of hopped on it and never looked back. My RKC is the heaviest bike I've owned, and it's a pure pleasure to ride out on the open road. City traffic took some getting used to at real slow speeds.

 

Won't take long if you ride as much as possible. A lot depends upon the bike. For example, a Honda 750 is one thing.......an Ultra Classic is something else. Be sure and take a Riders Edge course. Will be very beneficial to you and you will learn from the experience. Another tip I've learned is to never ride in a hurry. Always assume the cager will do something stupid.....LOL

 

take a motorcycle safety class, start with the beginner then ride a while and take the advanced class riding a dirt bike is very different from riding a large displacement street bike, let a trained instructor show you how to stay alive so you'll be able to enjoy many years of riding in the future.... good luck