Yeah I wouldn't get a liter bike for a first either. I went from a 250 Ninja to a 1000 one day and it's not really the straight line speed that's scary or anything there is just a lot more room for error in cornering such as exiting and what not.

I agree with the post above, the SV650 is an awesome bike I rode one of those as well, he knows more about bikes than me as well I'm sure so...lol