So pumping the accelerator could actually make it harder to start by leaning out the fuel/air mix?
 
Graham it may be a good idea to fit a new fuel filter to eliminate that as a possible cause, unless you know that it has already been done recently.

OK! So finally got round to do some testing. I turned the key to "on" and left it for a good 10 seconds. Couldn't hear anything but was in a noisey environment. Turned it over and it started fairly easily! Not amazingly but had no issues with start up first go! No acceleration needed. :). So my question then is, what does this prove? Is the fuel pump slowly going? Fuel filter need replacing? Or just an older vehicle and it'll do that?

might not prove anything...perhaps they tuned it to run higher fuel pressure and it takes a little longer to build up than factory?
 
on the fuel thing a filter only takes out particulates... any fuel can and will clog injectors over time... BP ultimate has a lot of detergent in it to try to clean out deposits of fuel and carbon, but on the cbr it has secondary showerhead injectors and they only come on over 90% throttle and 6000rpm.... the fuel basically dried in the injector nozzles and blocked them... the normal injectors have had no problems... i'm actually wondering whether all the additives they put in to clean the system while its running make blockages worse for areas with low flow.... Just my 2c.

Not one of Toyota's best designs.
The reflectors can sometimes be very tight to get out, and you will need the two screwdrivers to lever them out without breaking the reflector.
I can understand a reluctance to use force but there is no other practical way to get to the globes. 

 

Congratulations, I had wondered if a globe could be changed that way.
I hope you pulled the RTR fuse in the front trunk as a safety measure before reaching in.