An old big trailie would be an ideal first bike. Something like the Yam Tenere or Honda Dominator or the slightly newer Aprilia Pegaso or BM 650.

Spot on for an 80 mile trip and decent examples will fall within budget. Comfy seat with good visibility (tall seat so you may struggle if you’re a shortarse) and handle more like a bike that a motorbike. Invisible to the plod too. 90ish top speed (40-50 bhp) and really fun bikes to ride. The Aprilia is probably the best looker of the bunch but you’ll need to carry spare bulbs and fuses as they don’t like the wet so much. Fairly cheap to run (tyres/insurance).

(tall seat so you may struggle if you’re a shortarse)

I am.

The Aprilia is probably the best looker of the bunch but you’ll need to carry spare bulbs and fuses as they don’t like the wet so much.

Not sure that sounds like the ideal commuter for South Wales, then?

Don’t get a trailie then.

Another idea is the ER6

Not sure that sounds like the ideal commuter for South Wales, then?

Wasn’t that big a deal really, but then I live in sunny Ireland 😆
Took my Pegaso across Wales a few times and had a blast. Especially one particular really long tunnel (thumping single with twin aftermarket cans makes some noise). The Dommie is probably the most reliable of the bunch and has the lowest seat and least power if your interested in that style of bike. If not, the already mentioned Suzuki SV is a good starter bike with a low seat. Early models are dirt cheap and look awful.

I’m 5foot10 and can both feet flat on the floor on my F650 BMW, it is supposed to make about 50bhp and felt fast when I first got it, two years on it feels a bit slow but is very good for commuting. As I said earlier had a 650 bandit as a hire bike after a dust bin lorry assualted mine recently and it felt bloody fast, they must make 70bhp I would think, whilst it was easy to ride slowly it was tempting to thrash it (it does 80mph in second easily since you ask. I wouldnt have liked this without having a bit my experience under my helmet. It cornered well but felt very small for me and also very heavy. It had the turning circle of a barge too which I found annoying parking it and was suprised to hit full lock so early especially as the BMW is bigger and taller.

Aint the Aprilla Pegaso and BMW f650 the same bikes with different badges?

Aint the Aprilla Pegaso and BMW f650 the same bikes with different badges?

they are indeed

An early Fazer 600 was my very first bike after direct access they are quite cheap now