500s are pretty limited. Ninja 500EX or the Suzuki GS500 (more like a sport bike without a fairing). 600 CBRs and ZXs tend to be bullet proof and great all around bikes. The Yamaha YZF600 (not the R6) is a great do-everything bike too. Mid 90s bikes are really the workhorse bikes before all the manufacturers started to make the geometry more aggressive and repli-racer. Go to the local dealers and sit on as many used bikes as you can. Each has a different feel, bar reach, seating position, etc. You may fit on Kawis better than any other brand for example. Once you figure this out, you can narrow your search to a year (if you want a specific color scheme) or range of years.
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2005 s2000