[Gunther1000]

Well I don't know just how many different bikes you guys have ridden or owned but for me Every bike is different. Powerband and mid-range delivery is a huge feel factor and can change the whole ride enjoyment for street trips. The feel or Comfort of a bike is workable if it does what you want it to motor wise. Build Quality and durability are important to me as well. If I can see several dependable Turbo (= Stressed) Gsx-R's hold up for many hard miles and very few Yamaha/Kawi bikes, I am maybe a little more inclined to believe those bikes are built to take some abuse and will give me plenty of life.

And for the record, I would Ride any bike regaurdless of looks if it ran just how I wanted it to and gave me a high degree of pleasure.

Sure most new 1000's are plenty fast, but there all still very different bikes.
I must be a strange motorcyclist if I think my 06 looks better than most new bikes but I will not say that it is better. However it still does everything I look for in a sportbike and to me is not far enough behind anything new to warrant an upgrade yet... When that time comes it will take more than a look at what is sexy to deside. Or we would all be on the (older) R1 cause it has held the sexiest Jap bike award for some time in my eyes. It's just everything else it does other than sit in the parking lot that I have a problem with.