I was in your position in summer of 2008. I figured gas was going to be above $4 from then on and I'd never had a bike so it seemed like a good excuse. My car was a gas hog. My brother located a cheap Yamaha 250 that didn't run. I had always worked on cars, so I got it running pretty easily. I passed the written test for the permit. Then I took the MSF beginners course to get my license. Having taken that course has already saved my neck many times. Would have just been on my own otherwise. A couple months later I decided the 250 was too small and I had been looking on xs650 websites to get the 250 going, because the were so similar. I mentioned to a local bike mechanic that I'd like an xs650 and he said he had one for sale! An '81 which was also a non-runner they'd picked up to fix and sell. I bought it before they fixed it. Paid his friend $5 to bring it over his truck. Got it going. The rest is history.
The '80s bikes have the most used parts available and the cheapest parts. You can also get most of the parts for '80s new from the dealer if it comes down to that. The '80s bikes have a lot of modern or more evolved features that are good to have. I would avoid a 1980 year myself because of the rear disk brake on it and how I like to be sloppy with chain oil. The '80s bikes have handlebars that are bad for your shoulders and are less that ideal for the hand brake - wrong angle of the hand. CB750 bars fit and are cheap and come in a big variety used. The '81 and up seat is uncomfortable on long rides unless your bars have you leaning forward. The 1980 seat though is a little different and will fit and is better, so I put one of those on. And bars from a CB750. Ebay is my main source for the kind of parts that don't wear out. Otherwise new parts from Mike's or the dealer.
One important thing the MSF doesn't cover at all for some reason is pulling out to the left and right from a stop. I leared that from a police video on Youtube. I also mastered low speed riding from a video on Youtube. MSF covers that, but not enough. Slip the clutch, drag the rear brake hard, and have the motor revved to go slow. I spent lots of time doing that in a parking lot, using the parking space lines as if they were cones. I think developing that fine control helps with everything else.
That's the first step to out back rusting in the weeds.
