I liked this part: "The EBR, on the other hand, is a more raucous, rough-edged 156-horsepower beast ideally suited to the discriminating moto connoisseur who has other bikes to ride for quotidian tasks, and wants a bike he can flog mercilessly on road and track as needed when the sap is rising and really doesn’t care if its around-town fueling isn’t exactly perfect as delivered."
That's what I love about mine anyway. Three things I wouldn't choose the EBR for are the three things the questioner mentioned - commuting, touring and cruising!
I wouldn't be concerned about warranty. Every try to get a dealer to do warranty work? Might as well not have one. I'm speaking from my HD and BMW experiences. I'd be just as happy with a bike that cost half as much and no warranty then otherwise.