Thanks folks - and yes the insurance issue is fairly frightening. I might be down to getting the CB650R (my next fave from the 600cc class) or waiting until next year for a Trident.
Jeff - thanks for confirming my thoughts on the Trident. I sat on one at GP Bikes this weekend and it just looked and felt perfect to me. I'll look forward to your review!
Sturgess had a Z900RS in the same color scheme that your brother rode in that video (beautifully shot, by the way). Loved it. Speed Twin would likely be my top pick from the bigger bikes. Love the fact that they were able to keep the weight so low - it barely weighs more than the Trident.
And yes - the Scrambler I was looking at is the now-discontinued Full Throttle.
What license will you have when you get a bike?
If it's an M1 you don't really have a good option, certainly not in anything over 400cc
I just got my M1, and if all goes well I will pass the road test to qualify for M2 this weekend. But I still have to wait 60 days to upgrade it. Seems like it might take me that long to find a bike anyway.
Cancellations do come up, you might get lucky with a Trident.
That's a good point.
Another thought is that you could buy a stop-gap bike this year -- something lightly used and relatively modest power to really get a feel for riding. Then, next year (or even in the autumn) sell it off. If you buy smart, you won't lose much, or any, money and then you can have the bike you're really after without missing out on the riding season this year.
C'mon, that makes too much sense. That's not what we do here 
Anyone remember when newbs got a 250cc or smaller to start with?
I'm not saying to go for a 250 cc... but finding a decent 500-700 cc, non-super-sport machine will still give all the right riding thrills and get someone into the sport, plus help him appreciate the Trident so much more when he finally gets it.
Oh I agree - and the Trident is precisely a 500-700cc non super-sport machine that will give me all the riding thrills I want, all the tech I want, plus styling I love and from a brand that I really dig.
The cancellation point is fair - costs nothing to get on a waiting list. But just for some hard numbers, all 20 allotted Tridents at GP Bikes were pre-sold, with a waiting list 10 deep. So a lot of people would have to say 'nah, don't want it' before I got my shot. Shorter waiting list at Sturgess (and I'm on that list) but also fewer bikes coming in.
I don't really see myself buying a bike I don't really want just to hold me over until next year. Although I don't rule it out as I haven't taken a close look at 400 to 500 cc offerings, and maybe when I ride some wee little bikes at the safety course, their awesomeness will present in unexpected ways.
Also working against a stop gap choice is the fact that if I do luck into landing a Trident, it will likely happen later in the season than sooner. Logic dictates that if I am lucky enough to have that many people abandon their positions ahead of me, it will take time for that to unfold. So if it's mid August and I haven't been fortunate enough to land one, it is even less likely that I get some stop gap bike to ride for a two months and then promptly sell the following spring.
What I really need is to rent a bike for a few weeks - but I kinda doubt that's a thing and if it's at all like renting cars it would be super expensive anyway.
Finally - I get the whole too much power for a newbie is a bad thing, thing. But is 90 - 110hp really in the omfg zone? That's basically and Indian Scout - which nobody regards as a barely controlable land missile.
And newbie drops I accept as a probability - but I also accept that I will simply have to shell out the funds for any resulting repairs.
It's not quite an equivalent scenario, but when I was buying my first road bike, everyone said don't spend a lot / your tastes will change / n+1 / yadda yadda. But I felt that if I got a bike that was a bit more costly than an average first road bike - but something I really actually WANTED versus something that would get the job done - I'd skip the likely more costly upgrade cycle (pardon the pun). I have never regretted getting my Pinarello and have never felt the slightest need to get a better / newer / additional bike.
Now, all that said, everyone is making valid points and the extent of what I DON'T know about owning / riding / maintaining / insuring a motorcycle is vast - so don't take the above as my being dismissive of your suggestions - they are very much appreciated.
