[alanmcorcoran]

At 80 miles a day, he won't be a newb for very long. In a few weeks, he will log more miles than a lot of newbs do in their first year. Cactus, if you can borrow or get a used 250 to start you'd at least know what you are dealing with. The vast majority of us GZ'er's eventually get something bigger. I just listed my '08 on Craigslist today - it was great to get started with, but I just don't ride it much anymore, and when I do, I honestly don't enjoy it as much as I once did. I'll be taking a bit of a hit on it, but I overpaid for mine and bought it new. You should be able to find lots of 250's with low mileage out there from people in similar situations. Probably can get a nice one for 2K.

In any case, welcome to the world of two wheels, take your time getting up to speed and enjoy your first bike!