I took the red one, it appeared to be the more muscular, which it is, and the larger, which it isn't, there's nothing in it. We both flawed it as we merged onto the motorway, and already it was clear that the Ninja had the edge on low down pick-up and acceleration. The CBR unit working in a V4 delivery format, with stronger power from mid range on, the first 3-5,000 revs not really putting the bread on the table. Equally when it came time to swap, I found the CBR incredibly easy to lean into corners, helped by it's lower centre of gravity, it handled much more smoothly, but felt a little heavier. The controls, all of them, being stiffer, less flexible and less willing, a deft hand required at all time.
Sports bikes are strange animals.
You either fit or you don't. The CBR and I didn't. This is much more fundamental, and in fact I don't understand how anyone can buy a bike with anything less than a full day at the helm in a variety of riding environments. Alexis for one preferred it over the Ninja. But, it all comes down to personal taste and in this instance the Ninja, although less well presented in terms of detailed quality and ergonomics, is, for me, a more pleasant riding experience more of the time and a bike which I could easily live with on a daily basis and enjoy every moment, either in town or on open B roads.