[caper]

as someone who has roadraced for years with willow and wera, as well as a street rider over 20years. here is my general advice (I didn't read the whole thread). buy an older bike...not new, and not a loan on it if you can help it. bikes are reliable as hell. they can be tracked and ridden hard and they don't break easily. a used bike will still give you tons of power. I street ride my 01 gsxr1000 (former race bike) and while a newer 1k is faster...this thing will get up and go and you really don't need to be going faster lol.

another note...the money you save on the bike, GET GEAR, more importantly WEAR the gear...that's boots, jacket and gloves and of course a helmet. don't go cheap on this stuff. how much is your head worth to you? how about your skin? it get too hot in the summer, youre uncomfortable...how uncomfortable is a skin graft?

whatever bike you choose to get, take to a track day, better yet a race school. learn how to ride it right, see what its capable of! its far more capable than you think. to put this in perspective, a good rider like a Jeremy toye will lap a fast track like willow on a ninja250 faster than 95% of the street riders on a 1k! im dead serious. there are guys who THINK theyre good riders (or fast) then there are actually good riders (who are fast). you want to be more like the second guy - with skills...not the guy who thinks he has skills

whatever bike you get, choose wisely where you open it up and make sure youre pointed where you want to go etc. a 1k can get you in trouble pretty quick if youre acting a fool. and if you get a smaller bike don't let anyone tell you its too slow etc. a good rider can make a bike fast.

above all, always ride within your limits. good luck!