I actually had the seat off because I had just finished putting it back together. I wanted to rake it 5degrees so I went two in the neck and have three in the trees(no pic yet though). The trail is solid this way and I can run a taller front tire if I decide to. I have a seat that I made(my first venture in that area) and it's pretty nice though plain because I just covered it in leather with no design.
Thats a good riding position on the ZRX and it also has more of the nekkid look which I personally like.
The 113 is a very very strong motor and I went with a five speed and changed sprocket size to accomadate a better highway ride. It still has a great takeoff though just because of all the displacement. The bike without the seat has the 96 while I had the frame down and was raking it I sent off the motor and had it trued up again along with increasing the size of the valves. I put the cams in when I got it back. I have only ridden it about a mile and I bent a pushrod seeing what it had but that will be put back together tomorrow.
They're both good looking bikes, but I think I like the 96 better. The colour, the style, it's more the sort of thing I would go for. Might just be that the big one is predominately white, never my favourite colour on a bike.
I think I'd enjoy those engines, but a more standard-like riding position like the ZRX would be more to my taste. The V-Strom actually is even more upright and the pegs lower and more forward, with higher bars, than the ZRX. Think (really) big dirt bike. I must admit my knees would appreciate some highway pegs to kick my feet out on would be nice, though, on those long days in the saddle.