The gixer and the R6 are the bikes of choice down here. The R6 actually has a slight edge as far as parts and about par in performance.The F4I is the Honda version of the FZR and the 600rr is like the R6. The F4i has older tech and isn't as fast, the 600rr is cutting edge tech with all the bells and whistles. Yes the Gixer is faster and has more parts but the difference is usually only exposed by thr best riders. For occasional track days any would be more than servicable since it will take time to exceed the limits of the bike. I've found on the track it's a lot more about the rider than the bike. There's no way I should be eating up an R1 at the track but I can with the wrong rider on it. If you keep your eyes open you can find a salvage title superhawk for cheap. There were a couple on Ebay recently.

 

could not agree with you more I am so sick about all the hype of these new 600s (they are not real world fast at all) I have riden a 03, 04 and 05 r6s all co workers and have no reason to believe the other brands are any diffrent are total dogs having this thing everywere in the power band down shifting and still just feels like a dog roll on in any grear lower than 7,000 forget it. we were riding down town and it was a short section of road and we had to get to the right lane to turn there was a punk in a volkswagon bus who was slightly ahead of us (and there were cars behind him) did not want us to get over so he speed up my buddy had about 50 ft he was in third gear at 4000rpm nailed it and decided he not have enough poop or time to get passed the bus and get stoped and missed the turn I am not kidding. yah some is inexperience (but he has had his r6 for about 1 year now and 4500 miles on the clock) I have ridden these things and I am not suprised. I ride with these guys all the time and I pull them like a freight train would a match box car. And this mistery power surge that kicks in around 10 grand and ripps your arms off I am still trying to find it 12 grand 13 grand 14 grand 15 grand were is it (at least on the r6). NO THANKS!!!!! I take my mighty hawk and ripp my arms off right off of idle. and thats the truth These bikes may be fast in the quarter mile and on the track but there yugos in the city!! It takes alot of english to be fast off the track on a 600. Its funny I had a 2000 CBR600f4 that seemed to feel way better to me I just think the 600s are getting out of control I believe the next r6 red line will be 17,000 rpm were getting close to F1 now

 

having just moved from a 600rr to a superhawk i might be qualified to respond.

for street riding the 600rr was not a good choice for me. at 6'1" and 225 i found the rr to be a tiny bike, and uncomfortable. my longest rides were about 8 hours in the saddle, and though i survived it was never comfortable. in the city dancing through the gearbox could be entertaining at times, but a chore at others. gear selection is important, and you find yourself either buzzing at 8000rpm in case something should happen, or trusting yourself to the universal harmony and puttering about at 3000rpm. very little happens below 8000rpm. i tried the corbin seat, but it was no good for me since it severely limited my ability to move around on the bike.

on the track all was forgotten. the 600rr is the best track bike for 95% of riders. end of story. at our local track i'd catch the big bikes before the last turn, get left behind on the straight, and pass them by turn 2 - they'd never catch me again before the next straight.

the superhawk is *way* better as a streetbike, and immensely entertaining. i still miss the rr sometimes, but usually only when i'm riding much harder than i should be on the street. the difference in fuel economy is irrelevant to me, since i never got more than about 125 miles on the rr before my butt and wrists were politely requesting a break...

my girlfriend's opinion matters a lot to me, and it might to you too. she thought the rr was drop-dead gorgeous, but hated riding it. she's only 5'5" but found that on the rr her knees were around her armpits (desirable elsewhere, but not on the road), her butt was roasted by the exhaust, and everytime we stopped she slid up my back (again, desirable elsewhere but...). as long as i remember that the superhawk is not a supersport, she loves riding it. she says the vibrations make her feel funny, like when you used to climb the rope in gym class...

and the superhawk on the track? dunno, since i use my track-prepped gsx-750r...