My "learner" bike was a '97 F3 (CBR 600) and even it being on your list of newbie compatible bikes, I don't recommend it. My F3 was immensely fast and felt just as squirrelly as any new 600. And yes I laid it down within a week and spent over $800 on fairings, etc. The only real difference between an F3 and say a Gixxer 6 or an RR is a mere 10 pounds and 12-14 horsepower. People seem to stress "newness" of a bike as the sole component of it's performance and rideability. But even a lowly 1991 ZZR600 is a sub 400 pound (190 Kilo.?) 95 horsepower bikes, which translates to 0-60 (0-100K) times well sub 4 seconds, and top speeds (gearing change required) well over 150. I think the key to a new bike is something that sits a bit more upright, which lends itself to a more controllable nature (i.e., your inner ear is your center of gravity finder, the more centered a riding position, the more stable you are). Yes I agree, an EX500 would be a fairly good starter bike, but please, have some respect for the older 4's!