Sports Bikes = Make Sense

Took the Gixxer out for a spin up to CMC at Chesterfield as they had a sale on :D
Found a full textile 2 piece Frank Thomas Aqua suit for £90!!!
It was quite light as well, so I paid for it and will run up in the car to pick it up tomorrow.
They had some 1 piece leathers on sale for £199, but I struggle to fit in them:( 6'4" and 17st). I bought a set of Heine Gereicke leathers of Ebay (UK 48" and I can't do them up across the chest):eek:

Cracking day blasting around the roads back to Matlock and then back through to Derby.
You couldn't park a pinhead in Matlock Bath, ridiculous really.
Really enjoyed the day, but am now stuck at work through the night!
 
Not sure why you're saying you can only have that kind of fun on a dedicated sports bike, there are plenty of road bikes that have enough poke and handling to give the same thrills but without making you fold yourself double, carry all your weight on your wrists and strain your neck to see where you're going.
 
PieEater said:
Not sure why you're saying you can only have that kind of fun on a dedicated sports bike, there are plenty of road bikes that have enough poke and handling to give the same thrills but without making you fold yourself double, carry all your weight on your wrists and strain your neck to see where you're going.
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Nah, Flukester is right.

You can have as much fun on a non-sports bike, but, and just my opinion, you only get the shear adrelenine kick on a sports bike. On those rare days when the roads are dry, traffic is light and both you and the bike are in harmony theres nothing quite like it.

You suffer for it the rest of the time though, and I'd agree a non sports bike is better most of the time. I've had lots of bikes over the last few years, from supersports like the GSXR750, to hyper tourers like the Blackbird, Adventure bikes like the Tiger and Versys, but I keep coming back to sportsbikes, currently on a ZX12R. Like Flukester, I sometimes hate it, especially around town, although putting helibars on has helped, and its ridiculously bad on petrol at 25-35mpg, but when I get onto, for example, the Hawes to Ingleton road, or the Yorkshire TT, and just cracking the throttle open has the bike wheelying over crests, and you're climbing all over it and nailing corners its just worth all the inconvenience.

To be 100% honest, if I had a garage I'd have 3 bikes, a sports 600/750 and a big tourer like an R1200GS, plus somehting like a Triumph Scrambler for sunny, relaxing rides around the yorkshire dales B roads, but at the moment when it has to be just one bike, its a sportsbike that gets the pulse racing just looking at the bike out of the kitchen window!

Berger said:
How can you feel this "Freedom" when you are wrapped in layer after layer of protective leather and padding, and have a full face helmet on....

All I find is that if im having a drive specially to have a drive then bikes just get in the way on the bends, but you cant pass as they just straightline warrior everything.

I would rather have something like an Elise/Caterham that you wont die in straight away if you crash, can corner quicker and is probably just as if not a greater experience?
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Firstly, you feel the breeze in leathers, as they are breathable, so you might look like you're cooking (and you are when you stop) but on the bike you feel very much in the open air, and a full face helmet still gives you far more vision than a car.

Secondly, I can honestly say that I have never EVER held a car up, on the bends or otherwise! I've never had a car come up behind my bike, and if I did I'd assume it was the rozzers and I'd let it pass!

I didn't get out today but I had the last week off work so went up to the lake district on friday. 210 mile round trip, with stop offs at Hawes, Kirkstone Pass and Devils bridge. Had a really cracking ride, including a little play with an R32 Golf and and Elise. Cant say I was impressed by either, although it wasn't the right road for the Elise to show its best. Roads were mostly full of balding business men type cars, one of which amusingly tried to outdrag me in his Audi A4 3.0 diesel.

Heres a pic of the bike parked up at the Kirkstone Pass pub - you'll just have to imaging the lovely pinking sound as we both cooled down :D

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Gorgeous! This is making me even more itchy! Invader I'll have to try that road Reading - Henley, presume it's the A4155? Not been up that side but shall do. Maybe I should take that test-ride on the Sprint up there... bugger.
 
It is indeed the A4155, but as it's normally busy, it's only about 4 miles, which is pants, but it's a nice road. Only takes a couple mins when empty...takes a while when busy though.

Linkeh

Not really driven much around Henley, mostly Reading - Guildford, although the other day I went off North half way back, got utterly lost and had huge amounts of fun on the back roads. :D
 
I'm only here for about 2 and a bit months...but I plan on getting out and experiencing the roads around here more often...slowly learning my car. :)
 
I went out today with the girlfriend on the back, was going to Devils Bridge (with the aim of coming back home via Hawes) until...


Just stopped in a field? No such luck...


Hmm something missing from this photo?


****! :( .

Ruined my afternoon a bit!

I had just passed a car nailing it in 3rd gear, snapped as I changed up to 4th. Seems like half of it was already snapped and today just finished it off. Was probably snapped when I bought it as I've only done around 300-400 miles and I've lubed it well in the time I've had it.
 
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I miss biking! Even cosidered getting a 125 or 250 just to get back out on 2 wheels, but I realised this would be a massive waste of cash on my part and should save harder to get another 600 at least :)
 
Flukester said:
Anyone else been our hooning today ?, there were a lot of decent cars out in the Dorset countryside also having heaps of fun.
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I was out hooning the past two days, round Brands :p

Saturday wasn't so great though, first race, last lap, went and crashed on the exit of druids (got the rearset peg down mid corner, lifted the rear wheel enough to spin it up and down I went :p) So missed the second race on saturday and was back out today.

I'm now in the process of selling my Daytona road bike though, it just seems pointless having a bike that quick on the roads, there is no way you can safely push it to even 80-85% of it's limits, whilst taking a ~£1500 bike out on track for a race and you push it to >100% of your limits at least in relative safety...

Dunno if I'll actually bother getting another bike once the Daytona is gone or just keep the race bike and the mr2 for the road, if I do get a road bike it'll be something sedate and easy to ride like a bandit or something 'dull' :p
 
Ouch St0rmer!!! :eek:

Unlucky m8, but glad to hear it wasn't more serious.

I'd get back to the dealer you got it from and quiz them about it if as you surmise, the chain was in seriously poor mechanical condition when they sold you the bike.

Also, when you get round to ordering a replacement, if the bike hasn't already had a gearing change I strongly advise going for a 16t front and 44t rear sprocket ( 1 tooth down on the front and 2 up on the rear ).

You will be simply amazed at the transformation and performance increase for the price of a couple of sprockets.

Might as well bung on new sprockets if fitting a new chain tbh and what better excuse to "up" the bikes "oomph"?. :D
 
St0rmer66 said:
Ruined my afternoon a bit!

I had just passed a car nailing it in 3rd gear, snapped as I changed up to 4th. Seems like half of it was already snapped and today just finished it off. Was probably snapped when I bought it as I've only done around 300-400 miles and I've lubed it well in the time I've had it.
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omg, v lucky, imagine if it wrapped round wheel and locked it up... or even worse somehow got round your ankle.

what make is chain ?, i had a chain snap on zx12 after about 10k miles though admittedly it was badly worn with uneven links and tight spots. i would go back to where you got it from and get a refund..

i had asked dealer to put on a high quality chain but it was unbranded, never again, only gonna use DID from now on.
 
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I was out yesterday too.
Took the backroads way from Twyford to Box Hill. Glorious weather and made me realise just how good the Tiger 1050 is.
 
Wasnt out myself :(
Was redecorating my bedroom lol how crap :/
But I wasnt really in the mood lol not recently, everytime I go out there is old bill everywhere and sooo many crap drivers/riders its not fun lol, maybe that was because I went out on the bank holiday prob worst time to get on the roads :p but also Ive got a track days this week so was keeping my bike safe for that :D
 
Fireskull said:
everytime I go out there is old bill everywhere and sooo many crap drivers/riders its not fun lol, maybe that was because I went out on the bank holiday prob worst time to get on the roads
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Thats true - thats the reason I went out on friday. Much quieter roads, hence less Police.

SKILL said:
I'm now in the process of selling my Daytona road bike though, it just seems pointless having a bike that quick on the roads, there is no way you can safely push it to even 80-85% of it's limits, whilst taking a ~£1500 bike out on track for a race and you push it to >100% of your limits at least in relative safety...
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Thats one of the reasons I haven't done many track days. When I did one a couple of years ago it stopped me enjoying road riding as much for exactly the reasons you say. Now though the track effect has worn off again, so I can get plenty of adreneline pushing a road bike at 70%. If I lived closer to a track I'd probably do what you do, but I'm about 100 miles from the nearest track days (apart from Croft, but they are few and far between) so I have to make do with the Yorkshire dales instead! Plus I love touring, so could never give up a road bike.
 
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