Again, hyper bikes are proving to be a fine adjunct to natural selection. If squids become an endangered species that means more air for the rest of us. I've go nothing against stunters, as long as they're professional about thier sport and don't endanger others. Stunt riding takes an amazing amount of skills, hopefully learned somewhere other than public streets.
Last week, I spent an hour at a major intersecton near Youngstown, Oh. It was a beautiful day, the bikes were out and, suprisingly, sportbikes were on par with the cruisers. Of the dozens of riders I saw, there was only one wearing a helmet. Though the curiser riders were older - and should have known better - the sportbike riders were to-a-man young and seemed to be not-too bright. While it was apparant that several of the bikes were crash-inspired repaints (primer, mismatched plastic, missing lowers and one case of really, really, bad orange) it didn't seem to occour to anyone that death might be stalking them. Kind'a got me thinking that death might actually be too proud; there should have been a blood bath, otherwise.
As for the comment that an old guy, like you, shouldn't ride an R1, the kids was right; an EX-500 should have been enough for you to dust him in the twisties.
BTW, it was nice to read that young girls still admire older guys, who actually know what they're doing. Good for you!