Paging those on 014's...

I thought that too - hence the not disturbingly so - but it just does seem
more than I recall 010's moving around.

I miss the VFR's brakes - though the GSX-R is a whole lot better than the
Hornet when it comes to slowing down

Still have this idea though that I wouldn't be any slower on a VFR than the
GSX-R. That ride to Snetteron being a case in point that I could just get
into a rhythm and fling the thing around quite happily - something that
doesn't happen that often on the GSX-R - possibly because it steers so
quickly along with the different geometry.

Dunno - but I do know that was one of the most enjoyable rides I've done if
taken purely from a 'cornering' point of view

 

Current owners of 1.2 litre supertankers too - I doubt anyone would
count the ZRX as a "sportsbike".. But, Avon AV45/46ST all day long,
they do them in Blade and ZX12R sizes, so must have had a fairly diverse
audience in mind.

 

It's not really surprising, there's a big difference between riding on the
track and the road, I reckon. I don't think that many of the advantages of
the Gixxer over the VFR would be brought into play whereas the softer
suspension of the VFR would be pretty useful. Tab had the reputation of a
god on his CBR thou on the road but I bet he wouldn't have had that much
luck on the track with it.

Er...so you're uncomfortable with the bike because it's capable of being
steered more quickly? I'd take a WFDD card for that and miss a turn.

 

Not uncomforable with it, I guess what I meant was that quicker steering
means it feels more flightly - gets upset more easily, that sort of thing.

 

Yes and no - whilst you do have to work them hard, there is fun to be had -
it just requires a fair bit of focus - which i guess is your point. However
they do make decent power and certainly can be ridden pretty well on the
road - though you never get past third gear most of the time.

I quite enjoyed 'pootling' along in third yesterday doing 70'ish - it was
wet, I was in a relaxed frame of mind etc.

However - the VFR took me 450+ miles at similar speeds (througout) ending
with a slightly stiff back and not feeling particularly dead. I'm not sure
how I'd feel after 450 miles on the GSX-R. (Poof etc - cripple more like
)

Also, the brakes on mine are a bit shit after 2 winters and 3 summers.

I'm not taking it as a criticism - I love the GSX-R but I am aware of it's
short comings. The problem is then what to consider as an alternative.

I want a fully faired sporty-ish bike, but I simply don't want to spend what
Honda/Triumph et all are asking for them.

 

This is exactly why I got rid of the R6, I now do all the same things I
used to do, only I can do them faster because the bike isn't flicking
around trying to fight me when the roads turn shitty, it also doesn't
seem to care if I'm in 3rd or 5th(5 speed box, see..), and there's less
discomfort after a long ride because I'm not hunched over the tank.

Maybe you should try a retro for a while, Dan. Perhaps your local
Suzuki dealer has GSX1400 they'd let you have a go on?

 

I did.

A few of them do this.. The ZRX pegs for instance are about the same
height as those on a 9R, I don't believe it's possible to deck my pegs
out without going completely off the edge of the tyre, something I'm
keen not to test. Flicking it sharply into a corner however is nothing
like a sports 600.

That however, you've got me on.

No worries, was just a thought.

What about the Sprint RS, it's cheaper and a lower fairing really
contributes nothing to wind protection?

 

If they didn't do anything, they wouldn't be fitted surely?

 

Have you tried one?

Lower fairings really do next to nothing with regards to wind and
weather protection, their main purpose is to improve aerodynamics at
high speeds.

 

Indeed. Ready to take a bow, Lozzo?

 

Colin Irvine says...

My Thunderace will do all of this. I've commuted, loaded it up with soft
luggage and gone camping, and had some mental blasts out on back roads
on this bike. I can do almost anything except motocross on it. There's
only one bike I'd replace it with, and that's a ZX-9R. I reckon they are
about the same in ability, but the ZX is comfier for me.

 

I have /just/ grounded the stand on the left on the Pan, but that was
two up without adjusting the pre-load and going for it a bit (lot). I
was more worried about how bloody quick I'd thrown it into the corner
than I was about the stand just scraping.

Without pillion it wouldn't have been anywhere near the ground.

Sage advice young Champ. I defy most (not all) people to leave a Pan
behind - even in quick bends.

Something I've bemoaned often - bikes have generally become very single
minded over the last few years. Which is probably why I've stuck with
the Pan for the last 4 years - it does everything I need - commuting
each day, scratching (limited perhaps but less limited than people
would think) and of course it's a dream for touring.

 

I love my ZX9 - a review in one the mags a while back said it was wrong
to keep comparing it to the 'Blade/R1/GSXR because it was really the
VFR's bigger brother with character and attitude thrown in. I've track
dayed it, commuted it and long distance Sunday blasted it and I think
it's brilliant - I'm a big K fan but I wouldn't swap this bike for the ZX10

 

Champ says...

I don't really have a need for a pillion seat, but I can't afford a
gixxer thou, hence my desire to own a ZX-9R as they are affordable.

 

On Mon, 04 Oct 2004 18:16:46 +0100, Champ wrote:

I can assure you that the "fairing" on the Z1000 provides absolutely no
protection from the weather. Although it does permit you to cruise for
nearly an hour at 110mph.[1]

Were you thinking of a ZRX or something like that?

[1] Then it runs out of fuel.

 

IIRC they still have one pre registered for 5.5k in Fowlers Bristol.

 

On Mon, 04 Oct 2004 22:11:18 +0100, Champ did witter on about:

My mate Swampy took is SO with him on his K3 to Switzerland this year...

http://simonb.zapik.com/swiz2004pics/SWITZERLAND_2004_018.jpg

 

I do have a scrape on the belly pan of my ST:-

http://simonb.zapik.com/bikes/stscrape.jpg

 

Ginge wrote

Can I just say at this juncture that a 1.2 engine is a mental thing to
put in a bike frame.

Thanks

Paul.