Options for my next bike

I'm thinking of getting another streetbike, not to replace my current one, but to add to my garage (hopefully I'll have one by then). Here are the most likely candidates, ranked in order of preference...

1998 Yamaha YZF-R1

"Yamaha's all-new hyper-sports 1000cc YZFR1 is a totally new model, based loosely on the YZF1000, but with a new chassis and much, much lighter engine. Yamaha has managed to shave off an amazing 20 pounds from the powerplant which contributes to the new model's incredibly low weight of just 390 pounds for the complete bike.

The overall wheelbase of the bike is just 54.9 inches, the shortest in its class. With a claimed 150 horsepower at the crank and just 390 pounds to haul around, on paper this bike looks truly awesome."
Quoted from Motorcycle Online.

This looks to be exactly what I wanted before I bought the VTR: a YZF600 with more power and lighter weight. What more coud anyone ask?

View the more pics of the new R1.
More info at Motorcycle Online.

1998 Kawasaki ZX-9R

"Kawasaki has totally revamped the ZX-9R for '98, concentrating especially on getting its weight down to 403 pounds dry. Kawasaki was not quick to offer power figures for the new 9R, but rumor at the Milan show was that the machine would produce around 144 horsepower at the crankshaft output.

Both engine and chassis are completely new, and Kawasaki has followed the same path as Yamaha in significantly shortening the engine. Bore and stroke have been changed to 75mm x 50.9mm. Wheelbase has been shortened to 55.7 inches to quicken steering

Styling is still very much in the Kawasaki line of things, with Lime Green and Black available throughout the world, as well as a blue version outside of North America and Candy Red for the USA."
Quoted from Motorcycle Online.

Hmmm... Seeing as my only real problem with the earlier ZX-9R was its excessive heft, a diet (with a modest power boost thrown in for good measure) makes the '98 ZX-9R sound like a winner to me.

1996+ Suzuki GSX-R750

Of course I'm considering the production bike with the best power-to-weight ratio in history: the 1996+ Suzuki GSX-R750. I like the idea of 115+ horsepower moving a bike that weighs less than 450 pounds wet. Can you say, acceleration?

Sure, it's not the best sport bike to tour two-up with, but so what? I already have a VTR, remember?

8-01-97: I rode a 96 model today, putting on about 30 miles worth of high speed runs, quick accelerations, and canyon carving. My impressions...
What a bike! The press was right when they said this bike hits hard; it's the first streetbike that has resembled my 2-stroke dirtbike in terms of the turbo-like hit at 10,500 RPM. The press got the midrange and low-end wrong though: they are weak only when compared to its top-end burst. The bike is nice and mellow below the 5 digit RPM mark when it makes some serious power. Without a doubt, the best part of the bike for me was that on-slaught of acceleration which is a counter-opposite to the VTR's methodical, linear powerband. I bet a VTR would out accelerate a GSX-R750 on the early going, but once the 750 hits 10,000+, it's good night Irene!

It's a light, flickable, comfortable, tight, responsive, quick, agile, adrenaline releasing beatuy of a motorcycle. If my ride were a test-ride before a purchase decision, I'd be buying one, without question.
Is it better than the VTR? Hmmm... They are both wonderful bike with different strengths and weaknesses. Hopefully I can afford both so I won't be forced to choose. [But what a dilemma!]

Motorcycle Online has the press release for the 1996 bike scanned onto their website. How nice.
View a dyno graph of the 96 model versus the 95 model. Huge difference.

As you can probably tell from the bikes listed above, I am looking for a high-performance inline-4: something that has an obscene power-to-weight ratio, handles like its on rails, and can out accelerate a top-fuel dragster. Any takers?

Japanese 4 stroke 400

I'd love to get my hands on one of the Japanese 400's, but they don't officially sell them here in America, so it's a long shot.

From what I've read, the feeling of flinging one of these little babies into a corner at 14,000 RPM, with their howling exhaust notes and sub-400 pound wet weight just shouldn't be missed.

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