This was my first streetbike, and I entered the market totally ignorant of what else was available at the time.  I had originally intended on buying a big dual-purpose bike, a KLR650, specifically, but the shiny blue ZR-7 caught my eye from across the showroom, and I was in love.  At the time, I hated plastic-ridden sportbikes, and the naked, simple essence of the ZR really struck me as something different.  I didn't do any research on the bike, however, and I didn't find out until later that there were similar bikes out there, selling for similar prices, that were better performers.  That used to bother me, but I slowly began to appreciate the ZR-7 for what it was-- an all-around excellent machine.  It wasn't blindingly fast, and parts tended to drag if you cornered too aggressively with it, but it was quick and nimble enough to keep each ride interesting.  Aside from a few teething troubles early on, the bike operated flawlessly for me, and it was a cheaper package than most other similarly equipped bikes out there.  It was an excellent entry-level motorcycle, but I would still recommend it to more experienced riders.  It could do everything-- touring, commuting, scratching, etc-- and do it well.  I sold it because my taste in bikes was becoming a little more focused, but I will always miss it, and someday may return a well maintained used one to my stable.