For that high price, I'd get a kawasaki KLR 650.

Yep, it is a wee bit pricey...but you must admit that it sure is cool lookin'

Cool, but for some reason the front end reminds me of Robin Williams's face...

-Blast

Big Toe,

Mainly dirt bikes, then finally a 1998 Yamaha 1100 Virago Special Edition. Oh, she was sweet! Beautiful as the Milky Way, powerful as a cheetah (yes, you can pop a wheelie on a shaft-drive bike!) and handed like a drunken cow. DW took the MSF class with me so as to be a better passenger. We spent many hours together riding the back roads of Texas. *sigh*

Like most guys, I gave her up after getting our first kid. DW is a stay at home mom, so we couldn't afford for me to get incapacitated.

Yep, I lead a much safer life now.

-Blast

Awesome bike for the money. I think about buying one every year...but can't justify 3 motorcycles ATM.

Ditto to what blast says, in spades...

But keep in mind that there is a huge learning curve with bikes when it comes to operation. I'm not just talking about wet roads, or avoiding cars either.

I'm talking about developing a hyper defensive driving mindset, as well as being able to see hazards that you would have never even thought of in a car.
Like the pea gravel in the center of almost every intersection and in emergency lanes that can take you down faster than a pole axed moose. And uneven pavement that can cause the front forks to wobble. Stuff like that. These things can only be gained from experience and time on the road.

And please, please, please ALWAYS wear safety gear and insist that any passenger do the same. Helmet, GLOVES, clothing and footware. ALL the time!!

Why do I say this? Because the accident that put me in intensive care for 2 weeks in the early 90's happened when I was just "running to the store" 2 miles away. So what did I do? I figured I didn't need to donn all the gear as it was right up at the corner.. Nuff said..

And for Heaven's sake, don't run out and buy an 1800 CC monster, or a rice rocket that can go 0 to 170mph in the blink of an eye. You'll just wind up in the ER, or the funeral home.

Instead, get a bike that you can handle and that you can outgrow as your experience grows. ( ask your motorcycle class instructors opinion, and other experienced riders.)