Maybe start with something used. Insert “everyone lays down their first bike” comment.
I think it’s a solid bike. It’s in the cc range where it’s not too much bike and leaves room to grow. It’ll have a good top speed where you can use the highway if you have to and if you’re on the back roads you’ll still get out of first gear. The speed will top out a a pace faster than you should be going. If it looks good to you then do it.
The main question you have to ask yourself is if it’s the riding style you’re in the market for. I don’t think it would be a good choice for day long rides, but if you’re just popping out for an hour or two then it’s perfect. Comfort on a bike that style is not the designs top priority. If you’re gonna use it to commute to work daily then you are gonna be limited on what you can take with you. You’re certainly not gonna get groceries on it.
I’ve ridden mine since 2014 with no issues and no desire to upgrade. I do think they expect you will remove the rear fender, that needed to be eliminated from age.
I support the other guys primary point. What is your riding style. I learned to ride on a supermoto so wanted to keep an ability to stand on my pegs even when I transitioned to a ‘commuter’ bike. I ride neutral, but it leans and counter leans great on turns. I test rode 2 dozen bikes and ended up going with this because the value for price was unmatched imo. I ride basically daily 30 min each way to work and the bike feels great but on hour long rides you feel it… there is no windscreen so tuck painfully or get blown. It’s a joy to ride, plenty of power for me even on CA freeways.
for what it’s worth I rarely hit speeds over 160km, If I was going to race it I would shorten the front forks probably. I’d prob get a street bike or sumo for that.
Did you go to a driving school to learn to ride or are you learning by yourself? If you can already ride quite confidently I guess it’s a good first bike. But if you are still learning to stay on the road a used bike would be better.
Its a solid bike. Decent power to get out of the way, nice power band and power to grow into and have fun with but not so much too much power as to get you into too much trouble (IT still absolutely will) I started on an R3 which was a superb bike but I definitely wished I got an SV650 or MT-07 first. Definitely look at used
