The winning bike is EXACTLY the bike that I have been drooling over and dreaming of for nearly two years (now even better for this model year).
But I was (thankfully) coaxed OUT of buying that bike for my first bike three months ago by a wise salesman, and walked out with the Stormtrooper Penguin instead.
That WILL be my next bike for sure. Won't make for a great commuting bike, so I don't want to give up the 6R, but when I win the lottery, that will be my 2nd weekend fun bike.
My favorite of the group overall is the GSXR750. Has a very light feel to it (very well balanced) and great ergonomics for a super sport. Also better in the low revs then most SS's. I rode my buddies a while back and loved it. Still I think my next bike with be a FZ1 or Ninja 1000.
The r6 was designed for the track and hasn't been updated for 5 years. In the meantime, the competition (except Honda) has made serious moves forward with completely new models. IMO, the CBR has been a better street bike than the r6 for 5 years, and this year, Honda improved it.
My guess is Yamaha will come back in the next couple of years w/ a new SS using the new triple & technology from the fz-09. It'll probably be worth waiting for.