And actually REALLY early on in my selection process I considered it. But I had read some reviews that talked about some reliability problems (and vibration). Probably something that has been addressed in more recent production years, but I was looking at used bikes anyway.
The bike I rode in the MSF class was a Honda Nighthawk 250 — what would be considered a “standard” riding position. The leg position was almost the same as my SV, but the handlebars were MUCH higher. My bike has Heli Bars, which raise the position up about 1.5″ and back about 1″ from stock clipons.
If you’re after the sporty look, then bikes like the Ninja 250, 500, or the GS500F (Suzuki) would be good options (higher handlebar position). Also, if you’re wanting something small with FI, the TU250 is a standard (though not much of the sporty look) that is about the only 250 I know of with FI.