The bike is great for a beginner. The clutch is extremely forgiving and that´s what gives most beginners most trouble. My sister is learning on one right now. If you have never ridden a bike at all this is a great one to start on. But if you have a chance to even ride a dirt bike I´d suggest you familiarize yourself on one and then get the 600. The GS500F has a reasonable top speed of 115mph but the acceleration is a little sluggish until you hit the sweet spot (approx 6k rpm) its tuned down for beginners. If you plan on riding wheelies or getting more power from it you can probably have it tuned since its actually got plenty of power its just tuned to be a beginner bike.