Suzuki Bandit, available in 600 or 1200cc versions- neither will leave you wanting for power nor do they have fairings that would invite "biker bozy" to race you at the stoplight. Google up "maximum suzuki" (maximumsuzuki.com ?) good forums for B6 and B12 owners.
I have a Katana 750, and love it, but anything with fairings means $$$ if you drop it.
Lots good things I've heard about the Suzi SV650, definitely sit on one, not sure how high or how forward the postion is.
I also hear a lot of good stories about the Kawasaki Concours, (
www.concours.org), and its owners group (COG).
I would like an old BMW bike, old airheads are the bike equivalent of a W123 diesel, but resale is good on them, so I wont be buying one soon.
Correction on the Honda Nighthawk 750, for the last few years they have been chain drive
Honda changed that mid-production...I think they wanted to get more people into the dealerships for maintenance.
Lotsa good bikes out there, tough to go wrong.
-John