PVA - staying on topic, just goto your nearest license center, get the book, flick thru it and go straight into doing the learner's test. It's so easy it's not funny. Then get some lessons and get some experience on the road. Once you get confident and realise the fact that all cars are trying to kill you it becomes very easy.
You'll be restricted to a 250 for the first year, but I guarrantee it'll be worth the wait. Any std sports bike worth anything will do at least a 11.5 - 12 second pass on the 1/4.. mine is 14 years old and will still crack a 12..