Different, Yeah, they're losing market-share...
In the supersport market, charging more, offering less, offering the same old shit, and getting dinged in the press for all of that will kill your business.
I think slippers are always useful, even on the street.
But, even if I didn't, 600 sales are driven almost entirely by magazine reviews, and once they claim "you need it" and your bike doesn't have it, or it's not the top of every comparison then it's time to listen and change.
Honda keeps saying "This is good enough for you" and expects the public to agree and pony up the money when really Honda needs to listen to the consumers when they say "This is what I want and what I'll spend my money on"...and lately it's not the 600rr...