Ok, so I know I'm a bit late on this post, but I wanted to throw in my own two cents.
I carry a Glock 23. It's not as big as the full-size 22, but it's still a 40 cal (gotta have that stopping power) and holds 13+1. I chose this model because its a concealable firearm but still has some size and load capacity to it. I also chose it because it's a Glock. They are reliable firearms with very easy maintainance. They've actually started phasing in the Glock to the military and are getting rid of those junk Barettas they've had for so many years.
If you're thinking of carrying while riding, I have three pieces of advice for you:
1. Take an NRA training course on personal protection. Can't stess safety enough. The NRA has two courses listed on its website: NRA Personal Protection Outside the Home and NRA Defensive Pistol
http://www.nrainstructors.org/CourseCatalog.aspx. These courses are designed to teach you what to do in situations where you might need to use your CW, but they also go over all of the legal ramifications of using it. Most gun shops have someone who is a certified NRA instructor.
2. If you're carrying and riding, think about how you're going to carry. I would not suggest just putting it in your pocket; although, I knew this Air Force guy who kept his baretta in his, but that's just the Air Force--sorry, different story for a different day. Most concealment holsters tuck into the pants, and it's gonna be uncomfortable riding with the barrel digging into your thigh for hours. Personally I prefer the Galco vertical shoulder holster under my vest or jacket (I don't like the horizontal pull, something about the barrell pointing behind you just doesn't seem save, and the military drilled it into my head that it's not). If I don't use that I'll go with the Galco Skycop. Not sure if that's the exact name, but the holster that goes above the waistline and is designed for air marshalls so they can sit and carry all day comfortably.
3. Become intimate with your firearm. Most people say familar, but you want to know every intricate detail of your pistol, how you draw it, how it fires. That sort of thing can save your life if you ever need to use it. People used to give me crap about my Glock because it doesn't have a "conventional" safety, until I pointed out that if the situation arises that you need to use a firearm you're probably already under duress and your adreneline is pumping. Pulling that safety to the red could be that split second that determines if you live and die; that's what the military taught me.
