Ok, I've gone through the forums, learned what I have to do as far as taking a test and such to get my license. However, now I'm looking for enthusiasts to make some suggestions regarding the type of bike I should buy. ;-)

I've ridden a little bit before. Had my temps in the States, rode a friends bike around town. Now I want to get something that I can learn on, used, without a lot of plastic since I'll probably lay her down once or twice as I learn. I'm not looking for anything fancy, but the more power, the more fun it'll be when I drive through the mountains from Zug to St. Gallen, as I probably won't get a new bike for a year or two yet.

A friend of mine in the States just suggested the BMW naked bikes (not that I have any idea what he means, I have to ask him!) or a Suzuki crotch rocket of some sort. A friend of his recommended a Yamaha XT or Honda XL series.

I have to find out if these models exist over here, have the same/different names, etc, but I'm opening the floor to any suggestions and comments! Oh, keep in mind that I'm tall and somewhat skinny (194cm, 85 kilos) with gigantic feet (48, though i'm not sure this is relevant!), so the really short bikes might not be the best choice. :-)

Thanks for the help!
Lance

crotch rocket-super fast, don't do it, you'll die in the mountains, plus your height and big feet will make for uncomfy driving; naked bike = no frills or plastic.
I suggest you get something under a 600cc, but you'll need to check your license to be sure of what you are allowed to drive, (HP).

As long as I test on something above 35kw, I can drive anything. Apparently that's a recent change for us over-25 folks.

As for the rest... isn't the risk of sudden death part of what makes for a thrill in riding? Kidding - but given my tendency for extreme sports (skydiving and such) I'm not terribly worried about that one, hehe.

Just from my experiences, the idiots on the road who think that they are alone and can drive the way they want, generally end up giving their internal organs away before they reach 30.
There are hundreds of deaths each year from poor driving skills and those people who drive reasonably well can still be hit by the others who pass on solid lines, filtering traffic, taking corners too sharp.
Just some warnings for you! My mirror got (MIRROR!!) clipped by another biker passing over a solid white. Nearly shit myself!!!
Be cautious and enjoy the views while stopped, not while driving!
If you like corners, go street, if you like upright sitting and some off road, go trail, if you like a Hog, well there is no substitute but you need $$$. Stick to under the 600 range until you get really comfy with the riding, then use your saved money for the bigger bike in a few years.
P.S. don't cut cash on the helmet, your life depends on it and you'll get headaches if you ride too long with an uncomfy helmet.

I'd recommend a second-hand one of the following:
Suzuki Bandit 600
Honda Hornet 600
Yamaha Fazer 600

Naked bikes, easy to ride and good position for the tests you'll do to pass the exam.

Thank you very much for the advice, Lob! I'll take a look at those.

try and give you some advice and you groan me? not too nice really.

Well, he wasn't asking for your opinion regarding the safety aspects of riding a motorcycle. I actually thought the exact same thing.

Thank you. ;-) I tried to gently turn the subject with my first response, but... anyway, sorry for any sense of negativity that the little thumbs-down button brought!

It can be removed you know.
I was just offering some riding experiences to the thread.

Good list, and good call on buying used. I'd add the Suzuki SV650 and Kawasaki ER-6 to that list for their easy handling and mid-range torque. Many of the 600cc fours are a bit buzzy for a beginner.
The mid-sized twins give away top-end power to the fours, and of course to bigger bikes, but they will easily keep up on twisty roads. The ER-6 and SV650 are widely hailed as being capable of humbling far bigger and more expensive bikes when well ridden. They're also a lot more forgiving of sloppy rider input. As PC is trying to point out, a high-powered sportbike is likely to bitchslap you when you make a mistake that a milder bike would let you get away with. The only time you would miss the extra power of a bigger / sportier bike should be on long freeway trips, but who buys a bike to do a car's job?
Do yourself a favor and go ride some of these midrange, multipurpose bikes before you commit to a crotch-rocket. I'm sure it will plenty of fun for you.

If you are looking to cruise around a bit more sedately and get a good view of what's around you, a big trailbike or adventure bike could be the thing for you. Have a look at the following:

Honda Transalp 600/650
Honda Africa Twin 750
Suzuki DL650 V-Strom

These bikes have very forgiving power bands with emphasis on smooth delivery and midrange torque. They don't handle like roadbikes, and they aren't as quick, but the riding position will suit your frame well. Personally I love big adventure bikes but I'm too damn short to ride them.

As well as the above suggestions also checkout the Kawasaki Z750 (also naked), I loved mine and it is a nice bike to take your test on. Saying that, anything without a fairing on it has a distinct advantage for the test over here, much easier to perform some of the manouvers with a decent turning circle.

Noob question: What's a fairing?

fairing is the expensive plastic at the front end of the bike

google it man...

I have a similar build (196cm, 110 kilos) with appropriately sized feet (48 - however this has never really been an issue). You are best off going to a few dealerships and test-sitting various bikes. Unless you are after a sports bike, you shouldn't have too many problems finding one which suits your frame. Unfortunately I am very keen on race bikes but they keep getting smaller and smaller. Especially getting the knees into the indent in the tank is usually the problem.

As for the size of the engine, another option would be to go for an over 600cc bike which is restricted in power. That would open up a whole range of generally larger bikes for consideration. In addition, once you are comfortable riding, you can remove the restrictor and have all the power available. Triumph have some 865cc bikes with 68hp which can be restricted to 34hp. Saves you from getting another bike anytime soon. And believe me, however impressive a bike might seem, once the inital excitement has worn off, you will want a lot more power.

he does not want to do a restricted test though

Nevertheless a good way to get started - do a few hundred or thousand kilometres with restricted power to get used to riding a bike. Then remove the restrictor and get used to the additional power before taking the test.

R1 - 180 PS @ 12,500 rpm
R1 restricted - 33ps or so

I would not bother. Having gone from 11ps to 100-odd, I can say I survived

I agree, it's definitely possible. It helps to be sensible though when moving up 100+hp - at least while you're on the bike.