Paid $2,995 for it, $6,500 for the Honda, both new from the dealer.

fuel mileage. You could try a oerformence chip.
https://www.magnumtuning.com/en/detail/evo-tech-motorcycle-performance-chip/honda/cbr500r

Hopefully added a few ponies and definitely loses a few pounds + much prettier.
Also gave it a much nicer Ducati like twin sound, sounded like a sewing machine stock.

street talk always was advantage Kawasaki in engine performance. The difference in them prehistoric days was the frame and handling and those were Honda's Bailiwick. If you had ever really laid into an old Kaw 2 stroke 3 cylinder and felt that momentary disturbance in the force...well that's what happens as geometries change and raw horsepower flexes the entire freaking frame under your ass. Lotta fun but not a feeling you want when you're carving some S's with bad intent.

So it was a fair fight-max speed and power Vs a bike you could ride to it's max in relative safety.

Well anyhow that's how the tale was told to me. Maybe your honda has some virtues you just haven't recognized yet...

...750 Kawi triple 2-stroke would scream past me on the straight then I'd pass him in the corner, thing looked twitchy, that's for sure.

... pure and simple. I had a friend in high school who fucked himself up pretty good riding one on a twisty campus access road. It twitched out and ran him into a curb. He still limps.