I dunno.....

 

Look for a wrecked or beat up older 600.
get the motor and suspension sorted out then strip off all the crap not needed and put some race plastics on.

I hope to do this over the winter.

 

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the obvious...
Now I'm a fan of motorcycles and would love to have one if I had the money. You say the price of gas is killing you... you could buy a lot of gas with that motorcycle payment.

 

mainly commuting. i also have a buddy with a GSXR600 that i would ride with.

I know good gear is a requirement and it tops my list. And i have been looking for a safety classes.

Are there any other bikes that would be good for a beginner other than an SV?

 

Dude, my brand-spankin' new BMW barely costs me anything a month thanks to the insane amount of gas I'm saving. He's talking about a sub-10K bike, hell if he rides enough and depending how many miles a week he travels, he could potentially be putting cash in his pocket by purchasing a bike.

I drive roughly 200 miles a week now.

F150 (04 4x4 Screw, 5.4l):
200 miles / 15mpg = 13.34 gallons x 3.25/gal = $43.34 x 4 weeks = $173.34

Bike (2006 BMW R1200RT)
200 miles / 45mpg = 4.45 gallons x 3.25 = $14.45 x 4 weeks = $57.78

Savings by driving the bike: $115.56/mo or about $1000/year ($1300 if you can ride all year 'round).

Insurance? Cheaper on the bike. Not even a comparo. Bike is half the cost of the truck was and MKX is.

Now, with my beemer it obviously costs a tad more than the hundy I'm saving in gas a month. But you can get into biking for around $5-7K for a barely used or brand new jap sport/cruiser/standard bike to learn on. Plus those can get even BETTER mpg's than my monster 1200cc 110hp engine. To the tune of another 10-15mpg's better.

Let the savings and smiles begin!!!
Browse http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/BBS/index.php

Crap loads of great info for newbs, choosing bikes, bike reviews, etc....

 

If i was in your position, I would be looking for a good used bike. I wouldn't really care what it was, just make sure its cheap and is running OK.
There is a 1980 CB750k going for $800. Its got new tires, chain and brakes. This would be perfect to get someone started.

You just need to look in the local classifieds, craigslist and ebay.

After you've been riding a while and have some experience and you want to spend more money on a better bike then you should buy a newer bike.

As for the classes. take the MSF course. its free in some states and is a great help for people with no riding experience.