I wouldn't say it's a great 1st bike but I would say that it's a great bike. I mean really great.....way beautiful/sexy. Fuck it if you can afford it, run with it. I just don't get the whole big bike thing...VFR 400, RGV 400, FZR 400. I've never needed to go over 135MPH, I'm harder on the breaks and if there are any turns, any turns at all, i'm faster than most 600 a lot of 750s and all 1000