There were lots of reasons I got the 650R for my wife as opposed to keeping the 250R I already had at the time.
1.) I wanted a bike for her that SHE picked out for herself (within reason). Not the bike she picked out for me, or one that I picked for her.
2.) Since I'd already gained experience with a 250, I knew of its strengths and shortcomings. One thing about the 250 that is not forgiving is the throttle response and power delivery. Mine had a tendency to start of rather harshly in 1st gear, then in 2nd it was rather tame for a second and then take off as the RPM's climbed. Cruising at highway speeds may require a lot of shifting, and I knew this wouldn't be desirable for her. I also knew the suspension on the 650 is far superior to the stock suspension on the 250. Overall, it's just a much more refined bike.
3.) I liked the 650 also, and wanted her to get something new that I would also enjoy.
4.) The blue bike was just too pretty to resist.
Really, that's it in a nutshell. If finances had been an issue I would have just kept the 250 - at least for awhile. But her interest in riding came at the perfect time and hit us at a financial "sweet spot."
She's not in it for the same kind of thrill that others like about riding. It's not at all about riding aggressively or dragging a knee for her...and that stuff comes in a distant 2nd for me. It's all about just getting out there, spending some time together, meeting and hanging out with some new folks with the wind in our face on some slick rides. For her, conquering something new that she'd never done before is also a big boost.
No one will ever exceed a bikes potential...However, you can get tired of what it has to offer...I replace PCs at home every 2 years, new car every 5 years. I am averaging a new bike every year, etc...Nothing wrong with change...People who don't change...Now that is a problem.
For those who aren't in it for that same thrill you speak of so often, race bikes are probably not for them. That doesn't mean that they have to go the cruiser route either, because maybe that doesn't fit their style (nothing wrong if that IS their style).
The fact that I'm on my 2nd ZX600 (different generations) in a year has nothing to do with my wanting that Duc 848 or ZX10. I've just found that for the type of riding I do I want the powerband that those bikes have to offer. I'm not sick of the I4 600 at all - it just doesn't behave the way I'd like at "street speeds."
The first bike I rode on the street (legally) was an '82 Yamaha Maxim 550, but I'd been riding dirt bikes and ATV's for a long, long time prior to that. Despite the experience with 2-wheeled machines in general, learning to ride on the street took some getting used to, and I had more than my share of close calls. Had the power and technology of today's bikes been accessible to me back then I probably wouldn't be here to talk about it now. I rode a few other bikes in between the Maxim and the present, learned lots, and most of all I SURVIVED.
Fast forward to last year when I got back into riding, the 250 was perfect for that situation, and I was lucky to have discovered its strengths, which are not mentioned enough. I never was able to ride it to its limits, but was tempted by the I4 600's so much that I finally gave in, and here we are today. I made a bad decision getting rid of the 250, and I now regret it. Fortunately, it didn't really hurt me financially since I rode it for almost a year and only lost a couple hundred $$$. Now, I'm in the market for another one, and will probably get that before I go for the 848 or 10R. It just makes more sense.
So there ya go - you asked for real world experience, how's/why's? Now you got 'em.
