I like your sensibility in choosing a bike of modest HP for your first (or first in a long time) bike. A skillful rider on a 620 monster can embarass many a newbie on a litre-bike, although that could be said about most bikes, and a newbie has NO business on a 100+ hp machine (I call 'em organ donors). I own a 2003 Ducati ST4s. It has 0-60 in 3 seconds power but it doesn't due anything I don't ask - very predictable, and does everything well. It's like my 560SEC on the freeway and like a 997 Porsche in the twisties. Ducati makes all their bikes fun and responsive. I would go sit on lots of bikes to see what really fits you and ride as many different makes you can. Sportbikes run the gamut from pretty good to unf87cking believeable - almost 200mph, quarter mile in the high 9s fast. To me, those are like a bigblock chevy powered golfcart.