!

In short:
Better
Handling
Suspension
Engine (so far, low rpm fuelling is much better)
Ratio of female to male pillions
Number of flat-capped old boys wanting to tell me about BSAs

Worse
Pillion head height
Doesn't sound like a triple

At length:
It doesn't sound like a triple - I never thought the noise would be so
important, but the howly-rasp did make me smile. However, the noise
this bike makes isn't bad.

It also feels tiny. The difference in weight as you "weigh" it between
your legs or push it around is a fair bit. Riding it makes you feel
like you're floating along as the speedo disappears out of view.

The way it handles took a few miles to recalibrate to. I think the
suspension on the 955i had seen better days. Especially towards the
end of my ownership it would need between 1 and 4 inputs to get round a
corner, which wasn't my idea of fun, especially in the wet. I'm not
that confident the previous owner helped any as when I got it no two
fork settings were the same.

I can't put it all down to the 10R being the best, etc, as we're
comparing a 7 year old bike (and all that entails) with a 0 mile bike.
However, it does everything I want in a way I would want it to. I've
not even got above about 4.5k revs yet either, and that's only been a
couple of times.

When I rode Bonwick's I thought "I've got to get one". Last night I
was heading back up the A50 on a part that parallels the M6 and the
thing swooped so perfectly round each corner that I knew that I was on
the right bike.

I was quite taken with the looks of the R1, and it was between the R1
and the 10R. I didn't even consider a blade, and perhaps I should've
ridden an R1 but the BOSM ride left me somewhat besotted.

I rode a (Monz's?) GSXR and Bonwick's 10R back to back at BOSM. There
was something about the 10R that I liked better, but I'm not sure I
could point at it.

Cost didn't really come into it. I've been saving the pennies here and
there for a while, with the sole purpose of buying a bonkers bike. It
just so happened that the '05 10R was the bike I wanted, at a nice
price.

Also, the finish on the SV still taints my view of Suzukis if I'm
honest. For example, the bolts that held the rider's seat on rounded
out after about three seat removals. I wasn't that ham-fisted, and
there were many other little niggles that added up.

I'd also like to thank Motorcycle Direct, as they've come up trumps yet
again on the insurance front.

 

Heh. I'll see what he can do tomorrow. I might be able to pick it up
tomorrow evening, and it'll give me something to do while waiting for
the ferry.

 

I think I will. I hope I will, anyway.

 

snip>

I've sent you an email detailing the fucking about I did with the
suspension on my bike. I think Champ just backed the whole lot off to
the softest settings before he was happy and you might want to do
something with it on the island.

To say it's harsh from standard is understating it a bit and the
mountain will soon show up any problems.

 

Stoppit, stoppit, stoppit.

Especially as it's just so easy to whack another 10 grand on my new
mortgage at the moment. Mind you, if I do that, I'll do a deal for
one in cash.

 

You've had one clit bike so why not have another?

Aren't you better off using the 0% on offer from Kawasaki?

 

I'll read that, and no doubt discuss the finer points over a beer or
two in the next few days.

I've just taken it out to get it past the 600 mile mark, and purposely
went via some twisty bits and bumpy bits to get a feel for things.
Everything seems to be settling in quite nicely, but I'll be bearing in
mind a few choice facts, one being that this is significantly more
powerful than the last bike.

 

In reality, I doubt I'll get another one this year. There really
isn't any point as all my weekends are taken up with the mtb racing in
the summer, I won't ride it in the winter, and I can't use it for
work.

So I think I'll wait till next Spring and have a GSX-R1000 K7.

That said, I really fancy a big V-twin, but I don't want an Italian
bike. All I could come up with was an SP2, anyone got any other
suggestions? Must be a supersports bike.

Technically, yes, I would be. However, I'd rather not own a bike
that's financed and have monthly payments to worry about. I'd only
need to borrow money if I bought one this year, so that's another
reason to wait till next Spring.

 

I don't think you've got any choice these days, short of waiting for
KTM to make something. V-twin sportsbikes = Italian.

--
Krusty.

http://www.muddystuff.co.uk
http://www.muddystuff.us
Off-road classifieds

'02 MV Senna '03 Tiger (FOYRNB) '96 Tiger '79 Fantic 250

 

I think you can still get Heskeths.

 

And you can shut up as well.

 

Well, the KTM Superduke is a strong contender. Given it's just a toy
the tank range doesn't worry me.

 

As good as the GSXR in terms of handling? Outright power I'm not too
fussed about as they all make enough for me.

 

*drool*

 

Heh heh heh, you naughty man.

Nice one Christo, just needs the streetfighter conversion now.

 

Yes, prices new start from £10,000 and go up to double that depending
on the model.

Definitely not supersports though, more of a (sport-ish) tourer.

 

Yamaha MT-01.

 

Somehow I doubt that would handle anywhere near as well as a GSXR, and
that's one of the criteria for any bike.

 

'Tis certainly a fantastic bike, but you did say "must be a supersports
bike". To me that means R1/ZX10/Gixer etc. But I don't read any bike
mags, so it could be the genres have shifted & I'm just out of touch.

--
Krusty.

http://www.muddystuff.co.uk
http://www.muddystuff.us
Off-road classifieds

'02 MV Senna '03 Tiger (FOYRNB) '96 Tiger '79 Fantic 250

 

I saw an MV Agusta Brutale around Bishopsgate this evening. Christ it
was lovely, which ain't bad for something with such wanky looking
exhausts.