Is a Honda Shadow a good beginner bike?

I really want a cruiser style bike and wanted to know if thus was a good choice for beginners. I'm poor so I'll have to get a used one.

I think a Honda Shadow is almost ideal as a first bike. Cruisers are big and heavy (relatively) but the have a lower center of gravity so they don't feel that heavy. They are relatively easy to handle. They aren't -hot- bikes, but a Shadow 750 can cruise at highway speeds all day without the engine beating its little heart out, without getting blown around by the wind like a smaller bike. So you can learn on it, and then not 'grow out of it' right away. Finally, the Shadow is an extremely popular model! It's water-cooled, meaning quieter, smoother, longer-lasting, it's a Honda which means it's bulletproof and will last forever, and your local Craigslist is probably crawling with good used ones.

Someone recommended the Suzuki Savage, and that would also be a good starter bike. But there you're talking about a 600cc single, not nearly as nice as a 750 twin. (The Savage is one of the most ironically-named bikes in history. It's kind of like naming a yorkshire terrier 'Killer' 8^.

The Shadow can make a good first bike.

Good choice - not too much HP plenty of torque - last forever - lots of great used bike available on the market- 600-750 both good choices.

The Honda shadow 750 is a good one to learn on. I used to have one that I paid $2500 for. I really liked it and I'm a very large man. It did just fine with me on it. If I had a passenger, it didn't like it too much, but after you got her rolling, she would run good. If your a small guy, you might look at something a little smaller to start with, but the shadow 750 wouldn't be bad. I suggest that you make sure you can hold it up. Get a buddy to spot you and make sure you can lean it over pretty far and still stand it back up. I wouldn't go with the 1100 shadow to learn on, although that is what I learned on. I also wrecked it. Trust me though, after you ride it a for awhile and get comfortable riding, you'll want something bigger. If you are a very small guy, a Rebel 250 might be a better choice.

If no prior riding experience it might be a bit too much to start out with, they are not small bikes and it's better to start smaller to learn on. But take a MSF Basic Riders Course before you do much else, know it's an extra expense but well worth it in saving on insurance costs (plus it just might help save your life).
A bike like the Suzuki Savage 650 might be a better starter.

Best there's

That model might be a bit too big to start off with a smaller one like a Honda Rebel might not be as stylish but much easier to learn on.