Since you say you've never ridden, here's my 2 cents;
If you live near a tourist area or college town, rent a scooter/moped for a few hours - and do it several times. They're really a blast and you can get them up to about 40-45mph. You get to practice all the basic riding skills without having to muscle a heavy bike (you will use muscles you normally don't use) and you don't have to think about shifting - just twist and go. You'll quickly master the concepts and learn the all-important defensive riding skills that will save your life later on. Do this a number of times and in short order, you'll feel much better about adding the complications of a motorcycle. You'll also be in a much better position (confidence) to test drive your motorcycle choices.
The wife and I drive to St. Augustine and Daytona Beach a couple times a year just to ride the scooters and when we travel, we look for scooter rental shops. Eyebrows would rise when we'd pull up on our Gold Wing and rent a couple of scooters, but for about $20 an hour, you just can't beat the fun of zipping around town all the while sharpening your low speed skills.
Now as for a bike, I just bought my America, but I've been riding for about 35 years. These days, almost every bike out there is good. Once you find one that "fits", then consider whether the dealer is one you can trust and whether there is a support group you can turn to. I decided to get back to the basics, but ruled out the UJM because I wanted a bike that wouldn't be obsolete in just a couple of years. The Triumph spoke to me and this site convinced me.
Enjoy the ride.
Steve
