I've been riding for many years. My last motorcycle was an SV650 and the salesman who sold me the cbr said I would not like the performance after having owned an SV. He was wrong. What is wonderful about the CBR is how easy it is to ride. This is a boon for new riders but means that experienced riders can jump on and flog it for all it is worth. I do agree though that the suspension (while plusher than the ninja 250 around town) needs some work for more spirited or track use.