[adouglas]

Mo powah definitely isn't necessary.

Whether it's even fun or not really depends on your real-world riding.

My street bike is a GSX-R750 and it's terrific when I get a chance to really ride it. Power, braking and handling are all wonderful.

The problem is, I NEVER EVER EVER get to unleash it in the real world, and since starting to ride on the track I really notice how much I have to hold back.

This awesome motorcycle is just plain pointless for the riding I actually do the vast majority of the time, which is commuting. I live 19 miles from work and it takes me 45 minutes to an hour. I could do it on a Vespa and get to work just as fast.

I do maybe half a dozen recreational rides off the track a year, and even then I spend much of the time stuck behind a car. When I'm not, I hold back because of legal and safety concerns. I COULD ride a hell of a lot faster, but I don't have the opportunity. I can count on the fingers of one hand the moments I've really enjoyed what that bike can do this year.

Really starting to think about trading it in and returning to the world of small bikes sooner rather than later. I'm torn because I really do like the bike itself. I just dislike the mismatch of environment and capability.

Would a Ninja400, RC390, R3 or something like that be as fun on weekend rides? Probably not, but it'd be close enough and it'd be MUCH better for the workaday riding that reflects real-world use.

If I were limited to only one motorcycle, I'd stick with it... but I've got a dedicated track bike to meet the need for performance.