I don't see how you can go wrong...like everyone else has said.
It's got PLENTY of pull. Just twist the throttle. It's well behaved. The balance is good. It's light enough and the center of gravity is low enough that pretty much anyone can pick it up. And, it is big enough to enjoy riding it all over the place. You won't learn to ride it and then almost immediately say I want something bigger.
You've got at least half the battle won by finding the bike that fits you well and you feel comfortable with it. Only thing worse than having to ride a bike that you hate is having no bike to ride. And, that might be debatable.
Love my Savage. Wish it were a little more comfortable for long rides and maybe a little longer (more room) when riding two-up but it's a great bike.
Anything you want to know about the Savage, someone here knows it and will be glad to help you out.
As for quirks...mine always looks like it's begging me to ride it whenever it is sitting in the driveway. It just looks so lonely. It likes to go "poof" when you kill the engine. They sometimes develop rattles but the solutions for all those are available right here. Nothing major.
Enjoy the class. Learn everything you can. It will put you on a great footing for your first biking experiences. Good luck, have fun.