Costa Rica is an awesome place! I am studying down here right now (I am from Seattle, WA) and am having a blast. The beaches are beautiful, bike friendly drivers and a very favorable exchange rate- 330 Colones per $1 US. Yet it's true, sportbikes are rare and expensive and enduros are the preferred mode of transportation. But it's definitely a beautiful, and as far as Central American countries go, fairly safe and secure. I miss my SV650 so badly... If I wasn't a poor university student, I'd do one of these motorcycle tours and/or ship my bike down.
Thanks for the excellent article, MO!