Originally Posted by
OreoGaborio
Welcome to the site.
The expression I like to use when people ask what they should start on is "It's your FIRST bike, not your last".... buy a cheap piece of shit to learn the basics. The majority of new riders drop their first bike at least once, if not a few times. There's no sense in buying your dream bike right off the bat just to be a nervous bitch every time you throw a leg over it. Get something you don't mind scratching up and once you learn the fundamentals of riding you can get something nicer.
As for engine size, people say smaller is better... I started on a 600 and although I don't wanna be a hypocrite, I will be... because it almost got me into serious trouble more than once. It's very tempting to hold the throttle wide open and see how fast it'll go. A smaller bike, while it'll get you into just as much shit as a bigger bike, at least it'll give you more time to think "wtf am I doing?" and roll off the throttle before you get to ludicrous speed.
Bottom line: you can learn how to ride on any bike, but a smaller, cheaper, lightweight bike is the smarter choice.