The insurance game is the same whether it is cars or motorcycles. The flashy, high performance, highly desirable (appealing to thieves) toys will always be more expensive. And, unfortunately, motorcycles carry with them a much higher risk factor (to you and the insurance company), and so the premiums increase (relatively).
All is not lost, though. As mentioned above, you may be able to back off on the medical coverage if you have good stand-alone medical insurance. Similarly, if the bike isn’t your sole means of transportation or if you always keep some money squirreled away for a rainy day (which you should, if at all possible), you can raise the deductibles to lower the rates. Just make sure you understand the trade offs as you adjust these things; if your medical insurance has a big deductible, then you should consider keeping enough medical coverage on the bike to cover that and, if the bike is financed, the bank may set limits on how high your deductibles can be.
In the end though, the biggest deciding factor is you. As a general rule, the folks riding great big cruisers and tourers are likely to be at least middle-aged family types just cruising down the highway while sportbike riders tend to be more thrill seeking and are likely to be looking for twisties and/or (unfortunately) just have more horsepower than brains (a.k.a. Squids). The insurance companies know this and count on it. And, obviously, if you have tickets or accidents on your record, that won’t help.
Fortunately, if you’re still under 25, the insurance companies will dramatically lower your rates when you cross that threshold and they will also lower them when/if you get married. Loyalty can also help; all of my cars, my house, and my scooter are covered by State Farm and have been for years, so I get “accident free” (Knock on wood), “multiple lines”, and “multiple policies” discounts. Oh, don’t forget to ask about discounts for the MSF course. It may not make a big difference, but every little bit helps.
And, finally, don’t be afraid to shop around. Quotes are free, even over the phone. For reference, I’m 31, single and live in middle Georgia. Both Progressive and Geico quoted me $1400-$1500/year for full coverage on my GSX-R600. Meanwhile, State Farm charges me roughly $285/year for the same coverage. Granted, they don’t offer a MSF discount and they won’t cover riding gear, but the money I save on insurance can easily cover gear replacement.
Good luck and be safe!