Bruce,
I was recently in your position and rather than selling a bike, I ended up buying another one.
I've owned my 996 for 5 years now and it has 23,000 miles; when I first bought it, it had 6000 miles on the clock, so I have racked up a considerable amount of street miles. I comutted on it, took trips, putted around town, et cetera and my MPG are hovering in the high 40+ mpg range, I think your mapping is off.
However, I was getting to a point similar to the one you're in now; on the street the bike feels compromised and bored; it barely feels like it's moving at legal speeds and having any "fun" on it would surely constitute a serious fine and/or jail time.
So, instead of selling it (which if you don't need to, I wouldn't) I pulled the street bodywork and made it my dedicated track bike; I've already done 10+ trackdays on it, and it is truely in its element on the track.
I do have some lingering meloncholy about not being able to take it out every now and again for a quick blast, but to abate my withdrawls, I got a left over 2007 GT1000.
I looked at the S2R and Hypermotard, but both were a little too performance minded and I knew that I'd eventually end up tracking them too, and I"d be back to square one; what I really wanted was a comfortable street bike with adequate psg. accomodations.
Anyway, sorry for thelength, but my advice would be to use the 998 in the right context (the track) and find yourself a bike to ride on the street and 2up that suits your riding needs and accomodates you ergonomically (something the FZ isn't getting done) and enjoy each in their rightful setting.
If you sell the 998 you're going to take a bath on it, which is why I'm hanging onto my 996; it is fully depreciated and I own it free and clear, if I don't need the money, why sell?
I think you should dedicate the 998 to the track and enjoy it. A set of nice (Catalyst, Sharkskinz, et al) track bodywork with a quality track paint job will run you $1100 or less; less than a single OEM replacement panel or tailsection for your Bostrom!
My, very verbose, two cents worth.
PS:
Here's my 996 shortly after I bought it (I powdercoated the wheels and added the Braketech rotors):
Here she is now:
Not bad for a nearly 9 year old bike and a 15 year old design.
