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A good friend of mine, who had NO riding experience whatsoever, not even dirt bikes as a kid, bought a brand new GSXR600 against my advice. He totaled it with 92 miles on the odometer. He wouldn't even take the safety course. He promised us all he would ride it slowly (under the speed limit), but after crashing admitted he had it up to 100mph on day 1. His exact words were: "I was fine going in a straight line, it was the corner that screwed me". He flipped over a guard rail, and luckily got away with a broken arm and no life-threatening injuries. The bike was financed and insurance paid it off, fortunately for him. He will never get on a bike again.
Clearly, modern day 600cc+ SS's are NOT beginner's bikes, by any stretch. That said, for experienced riders, a larger bike adds a new dimension to the riding experience. It isn't that I NEED the power the 9R provides, but it is fun to play with and it is also nice to have in traffic, out on the open highway, and even pulling out of turns when riding the twisties. Honestly, riding the bigger bikes makes you appreciate the smaller bikes that much more. Just because you have access to more power, doesn't mean you necessarily have to use it. It all comes down to personal responsibility.
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