Ok....after all this, I'm still trying to figure out the right thing to do.
I have my tank off for other reasons, and so replacing the sensor housing would be easiest if I did it now.
Does ANYONE know of an instance where the plastic failed, broke, or otherwise disintegrated all on its own without someone attempting to remove it? If so, I'd be inclined to replace it with brass while the convenience factor is there...and of course insulating said brass fitting with the appropriate strip of duct tape as Greg suggests. If not, I'll leave well enough alone and wait for failure sometime down the road and just cuss again at the fuel "quick release valve" when it doesn't quick release again.
And if I use the brass fitting, is it appropriate to use the copper antisieze to fill the air gap between the sensor and head in all cases? Or only if my bike is running too rich? And is that rich condition only experienced during warm-up? Or all the time? Or is it a case of YMMV?
Sorry, I know all the answers are imbedded in here somewhere. I just don't have the patience to take another 4 hours of my life to review all the posts again.