I started with a smaller bike as well....but because I have been around myself for a little while :-) I knew I would not be able to control myself on a nice winding road ;-) So after trying out my bosses CBR and a buddies Kawa I opted to go the cruiser route....nice and slow.. Since I had not done a lot of riding I got a Honda 600 VLX which has since been replaced by a Shadow Sabre ACE 1100.
The 600 went on to a friends wife who is quite petite and needed a light weight bike to get confident with ;-)
As far as James Party Hopping Idea goes ......not unless you're sticking with OJ and Coke all night....booze and 2 wheels mix even less than booze with 4. I drove an Emergency Response Audi back in Germany for a few years and Thursday and Friday that was our usual fare.....not a pretty sight.