well DRFTR....I'm glad you think the more money you spend equals quality...that's exactly how the manufacturer wants you to feel. Scorpion helmets are now being used by many AMA racers and been crashed proven just like Arai's. It's all brand preference when it comes to gear. You can get a great Shoei for under $500....as for leathers, wait...from the way you talk, you probably don't even own a set of full leathers. Jackets...again, preference if you wanna spend alot of money you would buy Dainese, but you can save money by buying Alpinestars, Icon, Teknic, and lastly Joe Rocket. Buying the most expensive gear doesn't prove a thing, soo don't bring that argument to the table.

nice cop out though....you would rather do straight line racing than taking it up in the mtns...how big are your chikin strips? all the way across? don't motorcycle e-thug talk so much. Go over to GSB and alot of the guys who are weekend racers used 500's and SV's to tear up the track and would most certainly lap you around the track in a lower hp bike. You talk like a Squid recommending bikes that end in a "R" .....

Lucky C....take a look at gear....goto like Cycle Gear here locally and try stuff on to see what fits and what's in your price range and then purchase online from www.kneedraggers.com or another online dealer, though Cycle Gear is not too badly priced on some items. Get a good helmet, I'd advise not spending over $300 on your first one....a KBC or Scorpion will suit you just fine and just get a good leather Jacket, and a decent set of boots...don't worry about the riding pants...pretty much everyone rides in jeans anyways....if you ever want to step it up and goto a track day or a mtn run, look into a cheap set of 1pc leathers...you can always find someone selling a cheap one on GSB or you can search online...but again, brand preference will advocate price...

good luck!

oh yeah, my suggestion....the SV650's are pretty darn quick and great for beginners as they are light and nimble....older honda 600's are nice as well...but none of us can tell you what to get because if you come across a deal, you'll get it, just like the rest of us would do...just do your research and goto a used bike dealer and sit on as many different bikes as you can to see what you like and fits you the best.