Interesting thread this. I owned two T/cats back in 98 & 99. Yes, they were not the most sought after 'sportsbike' as the other makes always attracted more attention. Looks were another factor, T/cat was different. Whilst owning the T/cat I also rode friends Honda CBR6's. I far prefered T/cat for a number of reasons. Comfort, midrange, airbox sound & more. Just a shame the frame was steel, not ali. I then went on to acquire a ZX6R as it was lighter, but not better! I still have my ZX6R but always hanker after a T/cat again.
Comparing my T/cats with my existing Fazer 600, well it's not a fair comparison. As you would expect, Tcat has more power & far better suspension. But they are different & made for different tasks. Both excellent bikes.