If you don’t mind cruisers a smaller 250 or even 500 cc cruiser style bike might would be good for you. Smooth and even power delivery and usually a low seat height. It will give you the ability to get the experience under your belt without an over sensitive fear of gun and run and hoping your brain can catch up to you . Look over some of the other guys posts for the sport bike side of things.
Personally for cruisers I would recommend the Vulcan 500 more to do with my experience. It is a shorter in length motorcycle which will give you sport bike like agility in low speed maneuvers. It also utilizes the same 500 cc motor the Ninja uses. Only a slightly different set up for the cruiser ride. You will have plenty of ooomph to conquer the super slabs and doesn’t get pushed around by traffic cross winds easily. Its top speed is 100 though you will never need it. It easily has get up go for lane changing and passing when you need it. I got around 45 – 51 mpg depending on my mood.
As a first…er …second first bike it would do well for you.