Faults:

Front left shock has seal leaking - ends up with a fine oil film on the lower fairing.

General Comments:

This bike is fairly stock except for an Erion slip-on, K&N filter, and little larger back sprocket than stock.

Pulls strong from about 4k. It's no slouch below 4k though. Other rider revs their bike to wheelie up. Not necessary here. 1st 3 gears with no clutch popping gets it done very time.

Hitting that 150mph mark is no problem. Even with the gearing I can get 65mph in 1st gear.

And on the 3.5 gallon (or so) tank I can get 160 miles pretty consistently.

Bike is stable, doesn't shake its head coming out of corners. In fact - the faster you go the more compliant it is with your input.

A ride from Sacramento to Yosemite can have you in tears though - while the seat feels OK for short hops - maybe 50 miles, longer than that - say 4 hours will have you winching at every little bump.

Not a lot of heat pours off engine - but it does naturally, as per Honda and forums, run high on temperature. Fan comes on at about 220 degrees. But, it doesn't bog - doesn't feel sluggish. It just runs a little hotter than you might expect. Keep good oil in it and it's not a problem.

Faults:

The alternator (generator) burnt out (twice) at 35,000 and 56,000 miles: Had it rewired.

General Comments:

The handling/steering is ultra-quick; as a result it can shake the bars under acceleration on a bumpy surface, but experienced riders do not need a steering damper (the bike is telling you to lighten off the throttle, just a bit).

The braking is powerful, but progressive and with good feel.

Although not as powerful as its competitors, or more modern large sports bikes, the power is good all through the rev range and, because it is so manageable, can be used more effectively to make up any shortfall. The on/off throttle response is not the problem that journalists make it out to be; a few hours riding is enough to tune yourself into it: after that the instant response is a plus.

For a large sports bike the comfort is very good, it can be ridden all-day (over 500 miles), then the next day! The riding position is more upright and comfortable than its competitors.