[strongjannabiz]

I started on a 84 GR650 and currently own a KLR 650, now neither one of those is a big HP producer but certainly heavier bikes with a little more power than a modern 250. For a guy of your size I would go with an older 500cc bike, not enough power to get you in trouble that fast, but enough that you can still have fun. I wouldn't recommend buying a brand new bike as your first, odds are you will damage it in some way, maybe not crash it, but dropped it at low speed or forgetting to put the kick stand down is less painful if its a little beat up in the first place.