Is it worth chasing more horsepower?

Hard disagree, but I see where you are coming from.

Buy the history, not the bike.

This is exactly my experience too.

That mod paid for itself in a season.

Import rules make this harder than it should be.

The reputation is a decade out of date.

This is exactly my experience too.

Records matter more than mileage.

Spend the money once and be done with it.