After passing a test, uk one is better than the joke in the US btw, I rode a gsxr400 for 2 weeks, got bored bought a cbr600 98 model. Should cost you about 3k and will be way better than you, really. Spend the rest on fairings when you crash, and you will crash. If you are not prepared to set fire to your money because, trust me on this, when you crash it will burn a lot of cash then try a cb500 for six months then flog it and trade up. If you think my choices are a bit wussy then by all means by a fireblade and be one of thoe fellows with all the gear and no idea. Even now after many years I only ride a little GSXR750 (with a yoshi exhaust, pc3usb and 6hrs of dyno time admitedly), funny thing is those blades and r1's don't seem to get away :twisted: .
In summary, the cbr 6 will look after you, there are many of them so repairing or replacing it should be cheaper. They do 150mph so they are not slow. The handling can only be described as excellent. Use bridgestones. The residuals are excellent so IF it survives it's time with you you do not lose too much.
Do spend $1500 on leathers, gloves, boots and a decent lid. I've trashed mine three times now and walked away with it hanging off me in strips. Do keith codes school or similar. Best money you can spend because right now I gaurantee you have no idea how your bike goes round corners. Would you buy a huge gun without some idea of how to safely use it?
okay lecture over, have fun, buy cbr6 and if you're not a total numpty you should be ok. My first three years of riding cost me about £25000 in repairs and new bikes but I refused to learn so some of that was my fault. Okay all of it was my fault, my bike dealership was like a crack dealer.