Motorcycle Safety & Driveability: is this a good first bike?, kawasaki ninja zx, dirt bikes

Question
I've had a lot of experience with dirt bikes, but very little with street bikes.  A friend of mine owns a 2000 Kawasaki ninja zx-6.  I have ridden it quiet a bit, and feel very comfortable with it.  I'm looking at getting a sportbike of my own.  I have found a 94 suzuki rf 900r.  It is in good shape and a good price, but is it a good bike for a beginer?   I have ridden it, and other than feeling much heavier and harder to control at low speeds (below 30mph), it feels much smoother than my friends.  The  power curve doesn't seem to have that sharp spike that pulls the bike away from you  up past the speed limit, and above 40 mph, it feels more stable than the ninja.
I'm confident that I could handle this bike just fine, but would like an outside opinion from someone that doesn't know me, as to wether this bike would be good for a beginer that does have a little experience.
Oh, I am 24 years old, and my experience with dirt bikes was in high school and junior high.  My experience with street bikes was very little in high school, and a lot in the past 3 months.
Thank you,
Josh

Answer
Joshua,

Since you've ridden the ZX-6 and liked it, you should be good with the RF900R. The Katana is propbably not the best bike for a "pure" beginner (with no riding experience). But since you do have dirt riding experience (the best kind) and at least some street riding time, you could ride this bike safely as long as you take it easy in the beginning and get to know the bike.

Make no mistake, the RF900 is a FAST bike and can get you into a ton of trouble in the blink of an eye. But it's also a good "beginner" street bike as it's not as radical and peaky as the ZX-6, and it's more comfortable. It will be a good distance bike if you decide to go on longer rides. Like you say, it's heavier and more stable, but those are OK traits for a first street bike. As you get used to it, you'll learn to work with the slow-speed issues.

Overall I'd say you have enough experience to ride the bike safely as long as you remain disciplined and respectful of the bike and what it can do. I strongly sugggest you take an MSF rider course, either the beginner course or the intermediate course. Later on, I also suggest you take a track class to get a sense of what the bike (and you) are capable of. A track class will also enhance your street riding skills and confidence. You can find more on the MSF class at www.msf-usa.com.

Good luck, ride safe,

Bill Roberson