James Burleigh
Well-known member
Yesterday was my first ride on a pure sport bike, and what a kick in the pants! :yahoo:
Getting on it for the first time to pull out of the driveway was challenging. "Where in the hell are the pegs?! :blink: Do my legs even bend that far up?" But I figured it out and soon got comfortable.
I rode out to Marin County near the coast to meet a couple of buddies for breakfast. Then we headed out to Hwy 1. Jim took the lead on his K1200RS, then me, then Kurt on his new Kawi Concours (pre-14), which he bought after receiving all those comments from FJR riders on this forum.
I soon became fairly comfortable in getting the feel of the controls, and quickened my pace. What I realized as I was flying through the Hwy 1 twisties along the coast, decelerating into the corners, shifting my body inside the center line before leaning, flicking the bike over and leaning way in, keeping head up and looking all the way through the turn, then rolling on the accelerator on exit as the bike straightens up--what I realized was that THIS is what they are talking about regarding cornering technique on a motorcycle. It's all about this kind of motorcycle. On larger bikes it makes a difference; but to really FEEL the difference on control and handling, and speed, it takes a sport bike. On this light, nimble, smooth, state-of-the-art, high-lean-over-clearance sport bike, all the theory and talk and training came together and made sense; you can feel, you can experience, the difference rider input and ergonomics can make. And I wasn't trying to go fast through the curves (that just comes with the nature of the bike, knowledge of cornering theory, and practice); I was trying to be smooth.
I watched Jim in front of me, moving smartly through the curves, but he was much more leaned over than I was. With that "tiny" little bike I was on, I could go around those same curves with the bike practically vertical, 'cause I was leaned way off with my eyeline pretty much at the level of the grips, and pushing the bike upright--meaning I had a lot more clearance, traction, and speed opportunity than he had (or that I explored--although it was mostly sunny, the roads were still damp in places).
Here are some other observations:
Getting on it for the first time to pull out of the driveway was challenging. "Where in the hell are the pegs?! :blink: Do my legs even bend that far up?" But I figured it out and soon got comfortable.
I rode out to Marin County near the coast to meet a couple of buddies for breakfast. Then we headed out to Hwy 1. Jim took the lead on his K1200RS, then me, then Kurt on his new Kawi Concours (pre-14), which he bought after receiving all those comments from FJR riders on this forum.
I soon became fairly comfortable in getting the feel of the controls, and quickened my pace. What I realized as I was flying through the Hwy 1 twisties along the coast, decelerating into the corners, shifting my body inside the center line before leaning, flicking the bike over and leaning way in, keeping head up and looking all the way through the turn, then rolling on the accelerator on exit as the bike straightens up--what I realized was that THIS is what they are talking about regarding cornering technique on a motorcycle. It's all about this kind of motorcycle. On larger bikes it makes a difference; but to really FEEL the difference on control and handling, and speed, it takes a sport bike. On this light, nimble, smooth, state-of-the-art, high-lean-over-clearance sport bike, all the theory and talk and training came together and made sense; you can feel, you can experience, the difference rider input and ergonomics can make. And I wasn't trying to go fast through the curves (that just comes with the nature of the bike, knowledge of cornering theory, and practice); I was trying to be smooth.
I watched Jim in front of me, moving smartly through the curves, but he was much more leaned over than I was. With that "tiny" little bike I was on, I could go around those same curves with the bike practically vertical, 'cause I was leaned way off with my eyeline pretty much at the level of the grips, and pushing the bike upright--meaning I had a lot more clearance, traction, and speed opportunity than he had (or that I explored--although it was mostly sunny, the roads were still damp in places).
Here are some other observations:
- The bike's small for me--although I got accustomed to it, I think a ZX-14 or K1200R is the bike for me.
- When going real slow and turning, beware the handlebar not turning all the way because your hand hits the tank.
- My neck was sore all day from having to pinch upward.
- It stops on a dime, which further lends confidence to corner approach.
- It felt heavier in the front than my FJR, meaning that it took more effort to change direction. It didn't just flik over.
- Knowing I had a lot of lean-over clearance gave me more confidence in the curves.
- I got a lot of head buffeting, and checking my blind spot meant further violent buffeting.
- Although it redlines at 11.5, I never got past about 7K.
- The bike will accelerate, and just keep pulling, in all gears.
- OK, I say all gears, but I never got out of third; coulda stayed in second all day.
- With the mirrors I could not see directly behind me or my blind spots (no blind spot mirrors), which was nerve-wracking.
- I never lightened the front tire, since I never got close to the redline or really throttled that goose.
- Curiously, and probably because I didn't flirt with higher RPMs, I felt it didn't accelerate as quick as my FJR.
- It's easier to bring this bike to a smooth full stop that the Feej, on which I often feel like I'm bobbling when I pull up to a stop light. Probably a weight and size factor.
- I want one.
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