Depending on how tall you are, the Ninja 250 is a great starter bike, but if your a bigger dude, then possibly the EX500 is for you. Best thing to do is take a training course to get your license, and you learn alot, ride someone else bike, if you dump it...oops! Its not yours so you dont have to pay for it! But seriously take a riders course first..it will test your skills as whether or not you should throw a leg over a bike. Good luck! Let us know what you get for your first bike!