VFR is a good choice but did you consider the FZ6 when you were looking around.

I'm with the VFR and FZ-6 crowd.

I assume you mean an SV650, since you stated you didn't want a litre bike.  I rode a 2004 SV650S for two years, and at 80 miles an hour it (a) didn't have much get up and go left in it and (b) had just enough head-shake in that parts-bin front suspension to make me a little nervous.  I really enjoyed it when I had a cross-town commute, but when I started super-slabbing it she had to go.  If you have 10K to spend, you are way past the SV650 price point anyway.

I corrected both of the above concerns with my 2007 ZZR600.  Cost me less than 7K out the door.

Wow, an old thread came back to life, might as well give an update.  First I bought an SV650S in 2005 and in 2008 I got a Ducati 848.  GS is long gone and SV is about to go to a new home soon.  848 is the keeper since I don't commute anymore.

Cheers

How about an old GS 750 and stick a nice windshield on it?