...those that have crashed, and those that are going to crash.

That's a common saying and (as I belong to the former group) I can say it's pretty accurate. However, motorcycling is one of my favorite activities & I've been riding since 1987. I would NEVER discourage anyone from trying it out, but it's not for everyone. You have the right idea starting out with a rider course and a middleweight bike. Starting with a 500cc or 600cc bike is a good idea because you can grow into it as your skills improve, but it's not too small either. Have fun & good luck!

Oh, and yeah... most bikes either have a reserve switch or an "idiot light", but no gas guage. My Ducati only has a low fuel light.