We ST owners will have to blow our own trumpet though Monty, nobody else is gonna give us credit.
I had a hoot in the inters, mixing it with much more powerful, much more sporty bikes, generally giving the four-valvers a hard time and, as KeefyB is my witness, going past quite a few 748's and 996's.
Mind you, how many people from the 748/996/998 section are going to be putting posts up along the lines of "There I was hurling my 996 round Chris Curve into the Gooseneck, when a dodgy old geezer on an ST2 came past me on the outside, comprehensively outbraked me into Mansfield and cleared off..."
Not gonna happen is it. All of the people I went past (and talked to afterwards) had mysterious handling problems with their bikes, or misfires or fuelling problems or dodgy tyres etc, etc...
Dave Harris who was swapping between his 996SPS and his 998R was the only superbike owner who complemented me on my riding (with the exception of KeefyB - who doesn't count 'cos he's my riding pal and is always generous and encouraging with his comments to me and every other rider)
[Edited on 10-5-2004 by Jools]