well, used definetly.
look for a 600cc bike for starters, or maybe an SV650. the honda CBR600F3s are good starter bikes. they were made from 95-98. i've ridden one, they are VERY forgiving. i currently own a 99 CBR600F4 and i'm glad i didn't start out on it, as it's much more rigid than the F3 and while it is forgiving, it isn't quite as forgiving.
i've heard good things about the suzuki SV650. it's a half naked bike, makes good torque, and it's supposed to be good for beginners and experts (i know a guy that races one, he loves it).
stay away from kawasakis. they're overweight pigs.
how tall are you? i'm 5'6" and i can barely flat foot both feet on my F4. if i do flat foot it, my grollies are imbedded in the tank. not necessary to flat foot both feet though. i can balance at a stop with the ball of one foot on the ground and nothing else. i rode an XR650 a few years back and if i put one foot on the ground, the bike was tilted over big time, but somehow i managed to get it going every time w/out problem (the XR is an enduro bike, on and off road, and sucks at both!).
gear is extremely important. leather...head to toe, and a solid helmet. full fingered leather gloves are a MUST. look for ones that have armor in them. you might balk at spending $100 on a pair of gloves, but if they hit the tarmac, you'll be glad you had them (i shredded a pair of $110 gloves when i went down on Laguna Seca...it sucked, but my hands were unscathed.) helmets....depends on how much you value your head. if you have a $20 head, wear a $20 helmet, at least that's how the saying goes. look for quality in a helmet. Shoei and AGV are both good. Arai is very good, but i've heard a lot of complaints about them too. you want a helmet that is at least SNELL 2000 rated. boots are a must. something full leather definetly. you don't need $200 racing boots for the street, but something sturdy definetly. as far as covering the rest of you....
jeans are weak, but do-able. you'll shred through a pair of jeans like cutting warm butter. been there, done that. doesn't feel good, but sometimes dressing up in full leather just isn't feasible on the street.
jacket is very important. if you're moving to san diego, it's gonna suck wearing a leather jacket in that heat (believe me, i know) but better safe than sorry. don't wear a Wilson's jacket. you'll shred it quick. find a sturdy motorcycle jacket that's breathable (a lot out there are perforated) and something that's got some body armor built into it. spending $2-300 on a jacket sounds like a lot, but it's cheaper and less painful than a skin graft.
why all this talk about gear and crashing? you dress up to go down. PERIOD. everything you put on should be able to hold up in a crash. i hear so many people say "well, it won't happen to me." BULLSHIT. if you're not willing to suit up for safety, you probably shouldn't be on a bike. if you think you'll never crash, you shouldn't be on a bike. i'm not trying to bash you or flame you, and i'm sorry i'm going off a little bit here, but i hear too many people not giving a shit about safety when they get on a bike. they tossed the helmet law in PA a few months ago, and i've seen so many IDIOTS riding around without helmets it makes me sick. yeah, it's your life and you can do whatever you want with it, but it sucks when my insurance rates go up because of these accidents and extensive injuries that could've been prevented by wearing the proper gear. i don't suit up in all my gear to protect me from myself. i suit up to protect me from the person in a car that isn't paying attention and almost takes my life. you wouldn't believe how many times i've almost gotten hit because someone in a car wasn't paying attention to the road.
long post, but i wanted to stress the importance of gear over anything. plan to spend $800 on some good riding gear and go for a bike that's a bit cheaper. you can find good ones for $4k easily.
look for a motorcycle safety class also. i know they have them in San Diego. the benifit of taking a beginner class is you get to use one of their bikes. if you drop it, oh well. it wasn't yours
taking a beginner class before you get your own motorcycle has it's advantages as well. you will have no bad habits to break and you'll learn a lot.
hope i've helped out a little. i've been riding for almost 5 years (took last year off though, sucked), so really that's 4 years riding experience. i've got about 40K miles under my ass on 2 wheels. i don't know everything, but i've got some experience.
Mike
Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below 
