I want to get a motorcycle. But I dont know if I want a street bike or a cruiser.?

Right now, you have no clue: You can only judge a bike by its appearance. Take a riding course. It will give you some idea of what you want to look for in a bike. Don't worry about purchase decisions until then.

Just so you know, cruisers can be as uncomfortable as sport-bikes.

Insurance will almost always be less for a cruiser.

Your first bike should not be a new one.

first off, cruisers are street bikes.

Difference between cruisers and sport bikes.

Insurance will be cheaper on a cruiser.

Yes, shaft drive is essentially maintenance free (the fluid has to be changed every once in a while) and chains have to be serviced weekly at a minimum for long chain life. Cruisers generally have longer maintenance intervals for things like valve adjustments, less body work to remove and replace for maintenance, and better access to the engine and transmission than sport bikes so maintenance will likely be cheaper overall on a cruiser.

Comfort is in the eye of the person whose butt is in the seat. Some people think cruisers are comfortable, some don't. Your body is unique. Go to a dealership and sit on the bike that you think you might want to buy. See if you think it is comfortable.

Mileage really depends on the bike and the rider. Most sport bikes and cruisers will get 40 plus mpg. Some over 50.

Insurance will always be cheaper on cruisers. You will have to call your insurance agency with specific bikes in mind for a comparison.

Think cruiser like a Honda Shadow. Instead of a sport bike like a GSXR, think sport standard like a Suzuki Bandit, Yamaha FZ1, Kawasaki Versys, BMW F650 or F800, Triumph Bonneville, etc. Lots of standard, comfortable riding positions with many different engine types and possibilities.

A cruiser IS a street bike. The only bike that is not a street bike is a dirtbike.

A shaft drive is less maintenance compared to a chain drive but honestly, a chain drive isn't really too much to maintain. It just needs to be kept lubricated and you need to adjust the tension on it once or twice a season.

Just go for the bike you find most comfortable. If you like the sport bike style, go for a sport-touring bike as opposed to a super-sport bike. For a new rider, a super-sport is a very unforgiving motorcycle and you can quickly get over your head riding one.

Dan H said it all.

By "street bike" you seem to mean sportbike.

Its not like there are only two classes, big lumbering choppers on one end and supersports on the other. There are vast niches and subniches in between. You may want to look at the last Honda Magnas, Kawasaki Eliminator, Kawasaki Vulcan 500 and Hyosung GV650. These are all small, inexpensive and light (which makes them good handling as well as managable for novices) comfy cruisers with sportbike motors. Triumph Boneville and Harley Sportsters have the same virtues but are a little more pricy.

i'm no longer an expert by potential of any potential yet my different 1/2 had under no circumstances ridden a motorbike-he began out w/ Honda Shadow-750 I do believe-under no circumstances had a difficulty-comfortable operating bike-ask a broking-maximum have alot of adventure w/ understanding how each and each and every bike handles-stumble on a small dealership that couldn't fascinated contained in the sale purely :O)

[copy and paste James' answer]