Thanks for all of the replies guys..and for the awesome write-up by ThePope (i was hoping you would chime in!).

I guess I'm going to have to put on another pot of coffee and think it over a while. Although the bikes look the part, Im just not mechanically able to handle the CQR and the challenges it will present to me, it seems. Although a part of me wants to be optimistic and think of it as a great chance for a learning experience! hehe..yeah right.

It's a shame, because they look like so much damn fun. I'd love to mash around the city on one...until it gets confiscated by the police, that is :/

I think, instead, maybe I'll save my pennies for a while longer and get something in the 15k range. Maybe a used ybr/gw, or a cb400.

...the journey continues.

Thanks again, all.