can you get it soda or bead blasted? if so that should get rid of #top coat# but then you will still have loads of work to get it to polished standards,polished bike bits look great but pain to keep in tip top condition if you ride it!
 

i prefere tankbag over tail bag for few reasons,i can see its still attached to bike while im riding(seen a tail bag fall off before!)can put directions/map in clear top pocket(still use a wrote down directions over a sat nav) ,can get my leg over easyer (on bike of course) and take pillion if needed!
iv also got small top box wen i need it and throw over soft panniers (that i hardly ever use)
iv also got a small tank bag that i use for just go to shops etc to put a few daft bits in and so easy to just place on tank
the only downside of tank bag is can mark your paintwork if you get crap on it thru magnets(but only if you pick up metal swarf etc from work like i can do!

yea as already mentioned use a good quality bit in an impact driver or take to a garage to do as once rounded off there a real pain,it might also help getting some heat from a blowtourch or similar onto each bolt before you try loosen it to try and soften the locktight,if in doubt leave it to a garage to do

iv got a pair still attached to a front wheel spare off a 99 600 if you still need them?
 

there is nothing wrong with ebay as such but i would def sugest you go view any bike your interested in and take cash and if you like what you see make an offer for amount your happy with or go home and bid,i would never bid/buy a bike or car without seeing in flesh 1st!
iv sold a few cars on ebay and most have simply come and viewed and made offer but iv sold to bidders who havnt even looked and asked questions and pay realy good money and i could have sold any old crap(which they wasnt!)

i used to be the same and rode in all weathers and felt much safer on a bike on the snow and ice than i did a car but now im the opposit in that my bikes stop in the garage in winter weathers and its car or bus for me!dont know what changed me as didnt have an off in the snow etc but i deffo wont ride in snow/ice again!

looks a nice 600 you got there and in the best colour    as already mentiond check plugs,caps etc and like you say check  airfilter(maybe replace if not been done for a while?) if bikes been sat like you say the petrol will have gone off so maybe drain tank and carbs and fill with new and that might help (petrol goes off bloody quick now!)  possible needs a carb ballance etc?

iv been riding bikes 24 years now and the fazer is the best all round bike and grin factor iv ever rode its great for the ride to work and back with good fuel econamy and comfort etc and a blast for the summer(wen its here!) for more speed etc,it does everything i need it to do but a restricted one will of course be slower and maybe less fun in some ways but in my opinion the restriction on your(and others)licence is there for good reason as you are learn to ride a bike(and you will keep on learn your life) i sadly lost a friend when he was 18 mainly due to him jumping from a 125 to a 750 and the speed was too much for him and he lost it,i worked up in small stages and im glad i did as these bikes are bloody fun but can be bloody dangerous to newish(and not so newish )riders
id say bide your time with your restrictors and then after you got a couple of years of learn to ride remove restrictors and see how great the fazer is in full power mode,if your a speed freak id sugest go get yourself booked in on a race day at a track as much safer tan been on the road!

i got my stainless set from farjo which had 2 collars broke,i cleaned them  up and welded them back together fitted over the pipe but on the bench,upon fitting to bike one of the unrepaired ones also split so i had to repair that one as well! been fine since so fingers crossed,
your repair should do the job just fine but if not get a price for getting yours welded up as will be much cheaper than a new set of pipes!
 

just because your fazer got you for speeding you turned to the dark side and got a triumph!
 

there is a gauze type gasket fitted between the header(or manifold depending on what you want to call them)these are specific to the bike(might fit other bikes)so not something you can get from halfrauds etc you could maybe use exhaust paste etc instead
 

dont know anyone in that area but ow about doing it yourself,a set of polish mops(cheapish) and a drill and just your time saves you eaps of cash!