I'm going to be sick...

[SliderPhoto]

To answer your questions..

I'd race it, and pray up and down that if I do crash, that it doesn't do any damage I can't fix by selling a lung.  As far as insurance... I don't street ride.  

I wouldn't do it then. Not for a race bike. If you're taking out a loan, you WILL pay insurance unless your bank takes your lung for colateral. :)

One thing I have learned is that having a bike with nice expensive goodies just makes it more expensive to crash. And you'll find yourself on the sidelines longer trying to afford to put it back together. That doesn't mean I listen to my own advice. :)

[Baltobuell]

 NEVER, NEVER, I say NEVER, finance a toy. If I didn't keep that oath to myself I wouldn't be able to afford the toys I have.

[r1owner]

but I'm kinda looking for someone to help me justify the purchase.  ;D

For me personally, its kinda hard to justify spending that kind of money for something that is supposed to be performance oriented, when I can go drop 10K on an 04 R1 that will smoke the 999.  ???

[ecumike]

For me personally, its kinda hard to justify spending that kind of money for something that is supposed to be performance oriented, when I can go drop 10K on an 04 R1 that will smoke the 999.  ???

Gots a good point.. If you're gonna race it, why are you getting it?.. Really... look at why you are buying it.. are you paying for $24K worth of speed? NO. Are you paying for the looks? You can get a cheaper one and get a replica paint job.

Sure it'd look nice on the track, but it's not a parade, it's a race. And if it's a race you wanna do, you can get alot more bang for your buck, as posted above.

Unless you're into that sorta thing. ;)

[cornercamping]

Yeah, you guys are right.  I'm not sure if it was the thought of having such a nice motorcycle got to me, or the thought of actually getting approved for the loan that got to me.   ???  Bah.. back to the R6 in the garage  ;D I'll have to find another luxury to compensate for not getting the Ducati.  Maybe get rid of all the zip ties and duct tape on my bike, and buy Dzus fastners and new bodywork  8)  That should quench my thirst for a luxury motorcycle  :P  She'll be brand new again...

99/00/01/02 Yamaha R6 with 19,634 miles on her  ;D

[cornercamping]

For me personally, its kinda hard to justify spending that kind of money for something that is supposed to be performance oriented, when I can go drop 10K on an 04 R1 that will smoke the 999.  ???

This wouldn't matter for me.  I'd run the same lap time on both (slow), and neither would make me any faster than riding the R6 I have now.  One would just make me crap in my leathers faster than the other.   :P

[251am]

 We bought an '02 Duc, ST4s with the 996, Ohlins rear, TiN coated usd Showas, Corse Superbikes in Saukville Wisconsin can help you with an Italian affliction. LOTS of machines. Expensive and I'll never regret it.  ;D  

[Super Dave]

This wouldn't matter for me.  I'd run the same lap time on both (slow), and neither would make me any faster than riding the R6 I have now.  One would just make me crap in my leathers faster than the other.   :P

If that's the case, and it is with most people, you should drop a few dollars on working with me.  

http://www.team-visionsports.com/pages/953779/index.htm

I won't make promises, but I can certainly point you in a better direction and give you some feel and feed back...and that's usually what racers need.

As for logical...I've got this H1 project still going on for the past four years.

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

Sounds like you've come to your senses.  Before I started racing, I had a ZX11.  I dropped it one day while canyon carving in Pennsylvania.  When the bike was back together, she was completely polished, had custom candy paint with flames, ect, ect, ect.  The bike was so nice that the Speed Channel guys used it as background for the running order chart during the AMA at Road America.
  
Unfortunately, the bike wasn't fun any more.  I was so worried about damaging it that I couldn't ride the thing like I used to, and that just ruined all the fun I could have had with her.  If I ever have another street bike, it will be an ex-race rat that's been "pre washed."  No heartbreak there!  

[EX#996]

 
 If I ever have another street bike, it will be an ex-race rat that's been "pre washed."  No heartbreak there!  

And when the squids walk up to you and say....  "Whoa, what happened?"  and you say "Turn 5 at Road America"  the look on their face is priceless!   ;D

Dawn   :)

[cornercamping]

If that's the case, and it is with most people, you should drop a few dollars on working with me.  

http://www.team-visionsports.com/pages/953779/index.htm

I won't make promises, but I can certainly point you in a better direction and give you some feel and feed back...and that's usually what racers need.

As for logical...I've got this H1 project still going on for the past four years.

Well, unless you are a miracle worker.... I'm helpless.  Ever since my highside that caused this neat bone to pop out of my shoulders, I've been a chicken  :'(

[cabbage996]

As a Ducati owner I'll give you my opinion.  I bought my Duc in 2000 when I had a job and the money to pay for the maintence and quirks that come with owning the Duc.  $600-$700 every 6000 miles for the valves, waiting for parts to come in etc.  Parts are about 2x as expensive as jap bike parts.  Now that I'm in vet school and living on a restricted budget I don't have the money to throw around on the 996 anymore.  It's paid off, but I still can't afford it.  I don't know what your finances are, but if you even have questions as to whether you can afford it, you probably can't.  I remeber thinking I could easily afford the thing and I was always throwing more money at it than I wanted.  I don't think the "R" models come with a warranty either.  My advice, run unless you've got lots of extra cash sitting around.