Finally upgraded from the $700 broken, running on one of two cylinders, no alternator, machine gun backfiring Ninja 500 I was practicing dirty on around my neighborhood all last season. Can't believe I broke even when I sold it. Can't believe anybody bought it.
Took the MSF, got endorsed, and went with the bulletproof brand. I got a 96 SECA 2 with 12,700 miles. Owned by an older man and very well cared for. Upgraded rear shock and Vance and Hines exhaust. There's not one scuff anywhere and all plastics are oem. Immaculate bike for $1700.
I've picked up all but highway riding very fast and I feel very comfortable on main roads. I already adore this bike, but it's not my only one. Even though I like Yamahas for being the most durable bikes out there, there's uniform agreement from Wikipedia to every magazine that the 2005/06 Suzuki GSX-R1000 is the fastest production bike ever. So with my self esteem issues I went and bought one with full bolt-ons and tune that dyno'd 185 at the wheel. I've stayed true to the word I gave everyone that said that's the worst to begin on. It gets started and power walked around the block every now and again while it waits for my skills to achieve its own.
But hey, just owning it fixed the self esteem issue. :p Hope some of you will be at the Woodward Dreamcruise. I live right there. I'll ad myself to the map when I'm at my PC. The iPad isn't in to it. Things I want to do are ad a massive oil cooler, front mounted mirrors, that really cool front fairing I saw in somebody's profile pic, firm up the front shocks (not leaking, but soft and I weigh 240), and get advice on fuel additives to avoid the misery of servicing carburetors or acknowledging that the worst invention on earth exists.
Anyway, glad to be on, hope I don't drive the forum experts nuts with questions.
