G'day Zed14, welcome to the forum
I'm in QLD so won't be able to help with a test ride
but I'm sure if you attend a local RTE (Ride To Eat) you'll get to sit on one, have a look over the bikes there and have a chat about them at the very least
Before I got my first ST I did a lot of research on all the sport touring bikes available and the ST came out on top for price, realilabilty, comfort and the fact that they are a great all rounder road bike.
I didn't like how quite they are so I added some after market exhausts which give the bike a great note
As for comfort I added bar risers (I'm 6'3" tall) and after market seats and screen to make it perfect for the wife and I
The ST is a excellent bike when standard (there are people in the club that find the stock setup perfect for them) but as with any bike there are many mods that can be done to improve the bike and make it perfect for you and with the ST it can be done for very little cost
(Unless you decide to go crazy with mods for the fun of it
)
Anyway, good luck and I hope you find the right bike for you.
BTW you are always welcome to attend any RTE even on another brand of bike (We have some guys rock up of spyders
)
Cheers
Shiney