Hey, Vera I am a returning rider after a 25 year hiatus. I stand 6 foot even and was seriously considering a Ninja 650R before I found an '03 VFR I could not resist. I still think the 650R is a great all around choice for a beginner since it's light, has a good seating position and is inexpensive. '08 around for mid-5k. Saw many of your posts on riderforums.com because of the Kawi connection. David