Well everyone, its basically the spring, no matter how much snow falls in April, and this is the time when people start asking the question: "I want to get a bike, but I've never ridden before... What should I get to start out with?"
Yeah yeah yeah, we answer variations of that question dozens of times a week, and each and every time, there's dozens of different answers offered by different people, sometimes the same person offering different answers that contradict their previous one...
Well, here's my official answer that I'll always use in the future, regardless of who's asking the question, how old they are, what bike they're interested in, or what phase the moon is in:
Almost every bike made today is a good bike. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. When it comes to beginner bikes, anything can be the first of many bikes to come, or the very last bike you ever ride in your life. It all depends on what you do with the bike once you get it.
The main thing to ask your self when it comes to buying your very first bike is if you want to (a) learn how to ride a BIKE; or if you want to (b) learn how to RIDE a bike.
If you chose (a), then any bike is fine. If (b), then start small, practice often under varying conditions, and make small steps up in the performance range.
But regardless of what bike you buy, if its a 140 hp R1, or if its a 17 hp Nighthawk 250, you need to be careful when you ride. It takes time to learn how to control a bike. It takes even more time to learn how to react to certain situations on the road. Some bikes need to be ridden differently than others. Pulling the throttle back and feeding out the clutch on a Ninja 250 results in a steady building of power. Do the same on a GSXR-750, and you will be sitting on your ass watching the bike do cartwheels down the road in front of you.
Have fun no matter what you chose, but be safe first and foremost.
BC.