But Weeksy - you're right!
No need to apologise, the great thing about opinions is that everyones entitled to have a different one!!!
But to your point;
There will always be a difference in straight line speed as newer bikes get introduced, but its a matter of keeping the difference as low as possible.
I have got the brakes as reasonably setup as I can (reasonable in terms of performance/price) with Brembo race m/cyl, P4 (4 pad) calipers and wavey disks (nice aren't they!) so she'll stop better than most of the Jap stuff, its just that I'm need to come from a long way back to make these out-braking moves!!!
Fitting a 54mm system allows more breathing space at the top end hence better top speed and will narrow the gap.
As for best investment of money (and I know you'll enjoy this ), it's not just throwing hardware at the bike, its going to the CSS (or other race school) before I get a 54mm system or any other performance goodie (or RS!!).
I'm nowhere near good enough to get the best from my bike as it is and never will, but I hope to get closer to this goal with the CSS.
Any Muppet can go fast in a straight line as you can buy straight line speed, but you can't buy corner entry/exit speed, you can only learn this (and expedite this learning with the correct teaching).
Blimey - that's enough crap!!
Tim