Why is it people insist on buying 600cc+ 100hp+ bikes and take them to 1/10th of their potential? That ninja will be as fast as anything else on the road EXCEPT true sport bikes. Big fucking deal. Don't listen to anyone. Just get a good 70hp bike that is 350lbs and comfortable to ride.
I have my 2000 SV650 and I've never even thought about getting something faster or more sporty. It is more than enough bike for me. It's relatively comfortable. Easy to ride. Fairly light. It is also fairly forgiving. I'm never looking for more power. Just for shits and giggles one day I was riding next to my buddy in his 4 cyl Camry. We were at a light and he rev'd at me. Before I shifted into 2nd gear I was 8-10 cars in front of him. He's not a car guy at all, and I'm no bike stud, hell, I didn't even launch the bike really, and I put that much distance between him and me by 60mph.
Sadly, since I don't have health insurance, I'm really not riding the bike now. I know I have some medical coverage with the bike, but even so, if I crash, I'd rather die than have to come home to $100k in hospital bills.