Originally posted by Ddriag:
Swoop! you don't need an R6 mate! You'll go too fast, offend the coppers and waste good beermoney on tyres and aspirin. You want a nice brown 1979 BMW R100RT with special go faster brakes and slinky(TM) suspension. I can scare myself totally Sh*tless at normal roadspeeds, and I've learnt all about late braking (i.e 7-800 metres before the roundabout or yer dead). I'll swap with you if you want, you dont know what youre missing!
Ddriag.
oh yes I do.
lessee now.....in order, I've ridden:
Honda C70 moped (Ratty) 50mph top speed (downhill), handled like a panzer. Bloke I used to work with sold me this, it had been stood in a barn for 3 years.....started 3rd kick.
Kawasaki AR80 (Karen) 65mph top speed, 0-60 in about 15 seconds, bloody uncomfortable, bits used to fall off....including the kick start.
Suzuki RGV250L (Suzi) 128mph top speed, 0-60 in 5 seconds, damn uncomfortable, power band came in like a whip, handled like a GP bike. Engine seized eventually.....apparently a power valve dropped into the cylinder....detonation followed. The barrels on RGVs are chrome plated so after this not only did it need a re-bore but replating as well. 2 weeks later the gear box seized. I got arrested for dangerous driving on this.....was doing 50 in a 40 zone, a cop pulled in behind me (mirrors are crap on RGVs, cant see a thing) and struck the siren on when about 2 feet behind me......I completely toejam myself and almost fell off....so the bastard said I wasnt in control and charged me with dangerous.....needless to say it got thrown out of court (amazing how may witnesses you can find when there's free beer involved), didnt even get any points for the speeding.
Husqvana Christ knows what No speedo on these, dunno how fast they go. These things are single cyl, 2 stroke, 500cc off roaders......you wouldnt believe how much wheel spin you get on grass.
Honda CBR600F2 (Henrietta) 145mph top speed, 0-60 in 4.5 seconds, bloody comfortable but handling nothing like the RGV. This was a mates bike, he lent it me while the RGV was shagged. A month after I gave it back he crashed into a lamp post. Check out the October 1997 edition of Performance Bikes.....that's me with the crash damaged CBR. We raced this bike for a season, just minor league, a learner racer took me out on a sighting lap at 6am one morning, now I've got a pin holding my elbow together.
Kawasaki KL400 (Sharon) Damn, these things are single cylinder, 4 stroke off road bikes. You can pull away in top gear. Damn slow but who cares when a mate has lent you another bike while yours is knackered.....again.
Kawasaki ZXR400L3 (Megan) 140 mph top speed, 0-60 in about 4.5 seconds. This one was black and purple with pink graphics.....real sexy bike. The exhaust downpipes rotted through eventually (only the bits you can see are stainless steel) and then some dozy cow backed over it in a carpark, I got a whole new fairing, screen (black) and completely new exhaust out of it. Can you believe a Micron carbon fibre race exhaust (full system, not just end can) was cheaper than the standard Kawasaki one.....that and a dynojet kit increased BHP to 70 (dyno'd) and gave me 145mph top end. Some bastard stole this bike from outside my appartment in Amsterdam.....and if I ever find the git I'll rip his balls off. Only bad thing about ZXRs is the suspension......a 100 mile trip is like being attacked by a trainee mugger specialising in lower back, kidneys and ribs.
Triumph T595 (unnamed - on loan) Christ knows what the top speed it, damn fast anyway. While I was at college the Student Union held an auction for RAG week.....one of the things they auctioned was a blast on the back of a T595 supplied by a local bike shop.....and what with me being a motorcycle instructor....I got the job of being the driver. All I can say is, the test rider for Triumph must be a 6'8" gorilla with a concave whole in his chest where the fuel tank fits.
Honda RVF400 (unnamed - rental) 117mph top speed (limited), 0-60 in about 5 seconds. Rented this one while the ZXR was being fixed, I was really pissed off about the speed limiter but apparenly all Japanese imports are like this. However, if you want a bike that handles well this is it. I've never, ever, leaned a bike over further than an RVF......absolutely astounding.
Kawasaki ZX-6R (unnamed - rental) 160 mph top speed, 0-60 in about 3.5 seconds. Great straight line performance, comfortable, show it a corner and it went all to peices......not trying to say all ZX-6Rs are like this....but this one was.
Yamaha YZF-R6 (Winnie) 165 mph top speed (claimed by Yamaha anyway - I've gotton close), 0-60 in 3.5 seconds (every day). Surprisingly comfortable, handles like an RGV (shreckin great) and cruises at 120 without blinking. That'll do me pal, no need for mods.....this bike does everything I want it to without complaint.
Oh, and as for swapping......gee, let me think about that one for a while.
[This message has been edited by Swoop (edited 04-01-2001).]
