Looking to buy a sport bike...

One. You don't drive a motorcycle, you ride one.

Two. I'd stay away from a sportbike for the first motorcycle. Look you're 17 and as you say you've never ridden a bike before....that's a very dangerous combination and when you throw in the concept of a sport bike that is almost over the top for this mix. If I were to make a recommendation I'd look for a Dual Purpose bike---these are, in effect, an enduro off road bike that has been made street legal. Because they are more of an enduro, they tend to be thumpers (single cylinders) and do not rev as fast as a multicylinder sport bike, as a result they aren't as fast on the pavement but also being an enduro, they can go many places that a sport bike can't---meaning off road.

Look! Every old biker has crashed, and most old bikers assume they are going to crash again---consequently crashing is something you have to learn---and IMHO the best place to learn to crash is in the dirt where your less likely to be killed by a caged driver on a cell phone.

Bikes I'd recommend the KLR (the 650 is too much for novice riders, but it is a great bike) as a good quality novice bike, and many good quality used ones can be found if you search around.

Rap

Thanks for your insight, I really appreciate it. I know you don't drive a motorcycle, but it was the only word I could think to put in there to differentiate between riding as a passenger.

One of my best buddys was killed on his bike last year. Ran into the back of a slow moving truck.

Motorcycles are for organ donors.

I am an organ donor :O

Motorcycles don't kill people, bad drivers kill people.

Interesting statistics with motorcyclists---those with less than six months of experience with riding a motorcycle rack up more then half the fatalities.

I've ridden a bike since I was 16 an average of 25,000 miles a year. To people who ask me what recommendation I'd make for riding a bike, I say fear--nothing makes you a safer rider than the assumption that everyone is out to kill you. Sorry to hear about your friend (I always hate to hear about motorcycle fatalities) but it sounds like his fear factor was lapse if he hit the rear of a slow moving truck. After all, modern motorcycle brakes when effectively used are far better than the brakes on any cage.

BTW it is my opinion that two programs could be used to dramatically reduce road fatalities--all road fatalities. First--after being awarded a DUI, a MOV operator be given a motorcycle only operators license for a year---either they'll stop drinking and riding or the problem will solve itself. Second, that all MOV operators be placed at positions of risk (like motorcycle riders)--say on the front bumper of the vehicle. One this will encourage alert MOV operation and will abate the rather silly notion of a 'safe" MOV. I'm sorry, but if a ton and a half weight is moving at 60mph, it is inherently hazardous regardless of seatbelts and airbags.

Rap

People make mistakes. Mistakes on motorcycles are much more likely to be fatal than an mistake made in a cage.

Both cars and bikes are dangerous. That's a given. I've been driving safe for over a year now, no near misses, I don't drink or do drugs, I'm a very safe driver. As I'm sure most people on these boards are. But I'm just trying to find a safe bike that's easy to learn on. At this point I don't want to get an offroad bike because I won't be going offroad with it at all and I have a very limited amount of money, I actually have nearly no money right now, but I'm looking for a job. I like to have a plan, so I was hoping someone could point out an attractive bike that isn't too expensive and is safe for me to start learning on. I'm not sure to go heavy or light, but I'd assume lightweight would be better...