Snetterton Track Day

Ginge!

By a whole second.

 

commonly-received wisdom. I.e. compare the trade-in cost of getting
rid of your 'blade for a new Gixer thou against getting the engine
blueprinted, gas-flowed head, full race system, power-commander etc.
etc. etc.

I've had 2 Yamahas. I liked them both. It's like you said a few years
back: "[bikes] - they're all pretty much the same, just pick the one
you like the look of".

I've had it two years - fancy something different. Well, actually, I
fancy another supermoto, and a sportsbike I don't mind crashing. Ginge
has sort of offered my my old Yam SZR (+cash) back for my 'blade. It's
sort of madness, but also tempting. It'd be a great short-circuit and
b-road tool.

 

Boy, was I ever wrong. I might take that zx10 test ride after all.

 

wrong about what - bikes all being the same? Or the economics of
tarting up your 'blade -v- buying a ZX10?

 

Bikes being all the same. I almost cried when I remembered my jaunt back
from Spain and then sat on a mate's R1. It was like sitting on a cushion
made of angel's feathers resting on a cloud in heaven compared to the blade
which is like having an angle grinder rammed up my arse.

 

You've got the older shape Blade though haven't you? The one the mags raved
about as being comfortable and easy to use
and great for days in the saddle etc etc.

Are you saying they were wrong?

 

ANYONE who sits on mine and compares it with a gixxer thou or an R1 will
agree in regard to the comfort of the seat. Mine is more akin to a sports
400.

 

Or 'kerb' as it's more usually known.

 

darsy says...

Safety nazi

 

How cheap? How scratched? How old?

Can you wait until my insurance payout arrives?

And, most importantly: what colour is it?

 

1 year, 5000 miles, small hole in lower RHS fairing and can.

Blue.

 

Mind you, it won't be sitting around decreasing mileage...

 

Hmmm... probably more expensive than I can afford at the moment.

Unless I get a big fat injury compensation cheque, but that could take
*years*.

But it's not going to be sitting around gaining value either, is it?

 

I wasn't all that impressed by them at my recent Brands track evening.
Possibly because they had less time, and so it was all a bit more rushed,
but they came across as grumpy, disorganised and a bit impersonal.

 

I usually went into that a bit too slow - I think because the tarmac slopes
away from you a little on the entry, and it's hard to see how tight the
corner actually is. The only times I got it right were when I thought '****
it', and just went for it, on the grounds there was plenty of run-off if I
did mess it up.

 

It's about time we had the full Ivan history I reckon. Go on, you know you
want to.

 

No worries. I may trade it in.

 

It still comes down to the fact that however good an R1 is you can't say you
own a Kawasaki.

 

"it's all good."

 

Heh, how much was down to the bike and how much the rider.

Having just shown the MiL the photos I reckon I could gain another 10
secs per lap if I just let go of the front brake once in a while...