I had an 03 954RR with a full Micron Serpent exhaust and Power Commander and it was very fast. Not gonna be as fast as an 06 GSXR 1000 but it is still a lot faster than you need it to be.

 

Shadow, I had a 99' 900rr (up until 2003) and rode a 954rr for a weekend (on buying,the bike) It is a CBR- No thrills.. Looking back- you have the options of builting a better bike..
You are limited to - Honda only produced the bike 2 years, as an attempt to make the CBR929rr better. Again the 929rr made very few years.. So parts are limited (after market)
Then the TRUE difference- YOU will have be able to accept- is the four cylinder engine( short powerband/with the Blast of Horse power-then nothing).. Besides that - the handling was good, and your right , the bike is lite.. Yet it just never has the power of a True liter bike..
Not every riders option.... I enjoy the Twin.. So- the same dealer that let me out on that 954rr. I did buy a bike- the first 2003 RC-51 in Asheville NC a week later..
Only for the the enjoyment of V-twin, and the handling...
Good luck

 

Gonna have to respectfully disagree... To be fair, my bike was not stock but it made good power everywhere. I could run that thing down to idle in 6th gear and it would still pull. Pinning the throttle in the first few (or any) gears that thing was fast as ****. Top gear roll-ons to pass on the freeway were effortless and blindingly quick. When I got my 04 1000RR it took some tweaking to get it to have the same lively quick feel as I had from my 954RR.

 

there's no replacement for displacement! never owned a 954, though.

 

[quote=jbaxx;294706]Gonna have to repectfully disagree... To be fair, my bike was not stock but it made good power everywhere.
Your opinion is not taken badly... An opinion is what the man asked for... And the 954rr is a good bike, Yet as you said it was not stock, which collaborates my opinion-"That you have options to make it a BETTER bike(PC3, exhaust).
Yet, lugging a in-line 4(valve train, bottem end bearings) -is not as forgiving as the Twin...

 

I've ridden a few IL4s it's for sure different, the whole turning and everythihg just the balance is different from a V. I love being able to toss the thing around like I do (and also enjo) my knee hair!)