[David N.]

+1 on MSF. Countless motorcycle veterans have taken MSF later in their riding careers and been absolutely surprised to learn very basic skills that they had no clue about. MSF does a good job of hitting everything you need to get started, and can warn you through all the typical squid-like things that new riders typically do (and suffer for).

BTW, to advance your training even further, I recommend Twist of the Wrist by Keith Code once you've ridden for a little while. Even tho some of his tips are disputed for ultimately fast track riding, they are all extremely useful for your typical canyon-carving and keeping solid control of your bike.

If you are going to get a Ninja 250 or 500, I highly recommend that book to teach you how to hone your skills past MSF training.