Which sport bike to buy for a novice rider?

Kawasaki 250R.

But since that's not in your options, take the Yamaha FZ6R.

learn to ride on some thing smaller that way when you fall off it will be going slower and your in with a chance. Riding skill is more important that doing 0 to 60 in 2 seconds. Try learning to ride on a trials bike through a local club, learn that and you'll learnt to ride for the rest of your life. 0 to 90 in 5 seconds is crap untl you need to be able to do it, but 70's the limit so wants the point.

Any of those would be fine. 600-650cc is not too big to learn on, for a normal-sized person. So long as you can sit on the bike with both feet flat on the ground.

Also Suzuki SV 650 or V-Strom, and Honda 599 aka CB600 aka 'Hornet'.

Also I always recommend you start on a used bike. (By 'you', I mean anyone, of course.)

How big is he?
The power is only half of the problem, the chassis is designed to get experienced riders to their edge, not beginners past theirs, Get a used Standard or Cruiser for a year.

To much power.
Have him read this -
http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151947

Yamaha FZ6R

First if he is a first time rider he should take the M.S.F. beginner rider course after completion he will get a insurance discount. All those bikes are great but are very fast for a beginner i know he wants but take the course first he will get recommendations from people who know.

Any of those 600s would be a good choice as far as sport bikes are concerned.

I started with an 1100cc bike and a lunatic of a father.

The words "sport bike" and "novice rider" should not even appear in the same sentence.

The words "sport bike" and "novice rider" should not even appear in the same sentence.

I see a lot of bad anwers given to beginners on this site. It is not recommended that a beginner start on any of the bikes listed. Each one is capable of 150mph. Does that really sound like the kind of bike you should learn on. There are two entry level sportbikes on the market in the U.S. The Honda CBR250R and the Kawasaki 250R. Anyone advising that you start on a 600cc or larger sportbike is giving you irresponsible advice. At the link below you will find these statistics. In 2009 4,595 motorcyclists met their deaths. The Highest number of these deaths came from sportbike riders with less than one year on their license. Cruisers were the safest style of motorcycle. The bikes you listed have hair trigger throttles. They also have a front wheel weight bias. That means that an inexperienced rider can make a much faster turn than they intend to. The manufacturers make these because people buy them and dealers sell to beginners because they want a sale. Check out the data yourself. These bikes are not for beginners.

Those bikes are probably the biggest I can see a novice safely operating. If this guy takes his msf and does exceptionally well, then he can prob handle one of those three if he has good self discipline. If he just does ok and still seems shaky in some areas of riding I wouldnt recommend the 650cc class. Learning on a smaller displacement motorcycle will be more beneficial to him regardless if he can handle something bigger.