They are nice to start on. They don't have as much grunt as the SV650's but still a nice ride. I like the half faired bikes, I've got an 04 SV650S, and the power is plenty until you learn to use it. Its not straight line rocket but it will get you going faster than most cars and sips gas. You will learn more about riding on a smaller bike than getting something larger. When you're ready to get something else then just do what your friend did and upgrade.