Power Corrupts: Absolute Power...is rather cool... [Archive]

slofox

8th July 2010, 11:42

Took The Vixen in to Boyds for its 12k service this morning - first one since I bought it at 9k.

I always hang around and wait for the job to be done - means less travel and usually gives time for a pootle round afterwards. Most days I take the time to snoop around the cluster of bike shops close by and ogle some of the bikes on the floor. Like the Duc's at Ham Motorcycles...:love:

This morning, post ogle, I am back at Boyds just browsing the shelves. Greg comes up and says "Do ya wanna bit of entertainment? You could take this Gixxer Thou out if ya like - it needs a run..."

Well, being the kind soul that I am, I agree to help him out by "giving the bike a run.." :innocent:

Hell's bells - what kind of maniac rides one of those things? I set off up Te Rapa, being gentle I thought until I checked the speedo...ooops...ahhh..hehehe, better close this thing down a little...:o

So we head up to Ngaruawahia and thence back down to Te Kowhai...woohoo! Damn! I could get used to this lunacy. Hit the power band and I'm hanging on hard to stop falling off the back...sheer unmitigated insanity - god knows what the speedo said - I was too busy staying on...:shit:

Wind it back to Boyds trying to stop me teeth falling out of the wide grin...

Pick up The Vixen and head to work. All of a sudden it seems like a kitty-cat. Where's all the power gone?

BUT, the 600 does flick around a bit more readily and is a little lighter to handle and it goes if ya push the revs up a bit. So no trade-in any time soon. Beside, I don't have any money...:angry:

Absolute Power IS rather cool...:whistle:

onearmedbandit

8th July 2010, 11:57

My old girl might be coming up on 10yrs soon but 160 at the back hoop is enough to corrupt me. I used to think 1000's were a waste on the road, that my 750 was all I needed. That changed the moment I first rode one.

Edbear

8th July 2010, 12:01

Well put! Great post, thanks for sharing! :first:

(Now I really wanna go and ride one!)

slofox

8th July 2010, 12:07

(Now I really wanna go and ride one!)

DON'T! Unless you are prepared to buy it. And DAMHIK...

Dogboy900

8th July 2010, 12:10

That made me laugh.
Thats the reason I have avoided riding one! When i took my blade for its first ride i was hooked, its 12 years old now... I don't wanna know what the new big bikes are like!!

p.dath

8th July 2010, 12:12

You make it sound so exciting! I think I'll wait till I get bored of my current 600.

Stirts

8th July 2010, 12:22

Katman

8th July 2010, 12:41

Absolute Power IS rather cool...:whistle:

Until it bites you on the arse for not respecting it.

duckonin

8th July 2010, 12:41

BUT, the 600 does flick around a bit more readily and is a little lighter to handle and it goes if ya push the revs up a bit

Uses less gas and not so many $ to Rego, easier on tyres, there are some pluses !!

Stirts

8th July 2010, 12:44

Until it bites you on the arse for not respecting it.

Absolute Power and I have a lot in common then :D

slofox

8th July 2010, 12:47

Until it bites you on the arse for not respecting it.

Yeah - a man could get in a shitload of trouble wiv one of dem dere gixxer thou's...I thought that too, at the time.

javawocky

8th July 2010, 12:54

...I agree to help him out by "giving the bike a run.." :innocent:...
HA Slofox really know how to get yourself in financial trouble :)

Tested a k4 though and was blown away by the oodles of Absolute power - the newer ones are probably even more so. I might upgrade to another thou in a year or two, but wish I could own both, 600 for the track and the thou for the road - and perhaps the occational track day. Come to think of it, you can't own a GSXR 1000, it owns you!

slofox

8th July 2010, 13:02

HA Slofox really know how to get yourself in financial trouble :)

My dad said I was a "spendthrift and a wastrel"...the bastard...

onearmedbandit

8th July 2010, 13:03

Until it bites you on the arse for not respecting it.

Oh yes, that is very true. Best saved for the track if you really want to wind the wick up. On the road I never probably see above 8k, there is just no need to.

onearmedbandit

8th July 2010, 13:03

2wheeldrifter

8th July 2010, 13:12

Absolute Power and I have a lot in common then :D

no no no no.... your just CORRUPT ! :eek:

Eyegasm

8th July 2010, 13:31

Ahhhhhhh yes I can see it now......

A new thread in a couple more days titled....."New bike or financial sense"

And then.......

A thread a couple of days after that titled....."Slofox's Vixen - K8 GSXR600 for sale"

And then.......

A thread a couple more days after that titled "The Corrupter is home"

:rofl: I can see it happening too.

Slofox mate, you make the whole thing about riding so appealing.
It makes me want to hurry up and sort my shit so I can get the 675.

Cheers
Eyegasm

Rogue Rider

8th July 2010, 13:41

LoL....... Thats why my latest attempt of a sports bike is a naked Speed Triple, I feel like I am goin alot faster with all the wind resistance/ noise...... I couldn't stay alive on a gixr thou these days, temptation would always get the better of me, and I'd hate to have my mrs debt free with the life insurance spend up lol........

Gremlin

8th July 2010, 14:30

1.5 years since I owned one, and I still feel the pull. Tis like a recovering alcoholic. Occasionally my head gets a word in and reminds me about the massive inconvenience losing your license causes

Big Dave

8th July 2010, 17:50

Ronin

8th July 2010, 17:52

Absolute Power and I have a lot in common then :D

Apparently I must spread it around some more before I give it to you again...

slofox

8th July 2010, 17:55

Nice for a quick flick, but I find it an absolute power a chore of self control on the heavily Policed roads around Akl. I personally prefer something pinable and crap NZ roads compliant - rather than a devolved racing machine.

Yeah. I agree. I was thinking that as I was trying not to fall off the back and hoping my arms would shrink back to their normal length...

neels

8th July 2010, 18:03

It's just your bike shop trying to sell you your next upgrade, after all it worked last time.

I know what you mean though, I had my brothers FZR1000 to hoon around on for a while, not quite a GSXR1000 but still scarily easy to wind it up to well over legal speeds without even thinking about it. I kept it in 2nd around town so when I got the urge to open it up I was still doing something resembling a sensible speed.

jeremysprite

8th July 2010, 19:09

I tookn a zzr600 out for a ride. I thought THAT was fast. Would love to see how a modern thou compares though!

Or a 160bhp Ducati even...

slofox

8th July 2010, 19:14

It's just your bike shop trying to sell you your next upgrade, after all it worked last time.

He SAID he wasn't doing that...

jimbo_on_travels

8th July 2010, 21:24

rustyrobot

8th July 2010, 21:47

Ahhhhhhh yes I can see it now......

A new thread in a couple more days titled....."New bike or financial sense"

And then.......

HEHE!! I was thinking the same thing myself. Some foxes never learn eh? :)

miloking

8th July 2010, 22:27

Absolute Power IS rather cool...:whistle:

Litre bikes all the way mate! I know i wont ride any other ever.... (unless its even bigger :D)

onearmedbandit

8th July 2010, 22:50

SMOKEU

8th July 2010, 22:54

I can't wait to get my hands on a 1000cc straight 4 sports bike.

onearmedbandit

8th July 2010, 23:04

You honestly won't comprehend it. I've been riding for 20yrs, had my thou now for 4yrs, and still it blows me away everytime I ride it. From it's totally flexible nature through to the way it twists your perception on acceleration. It is too much for the road, in town you have to be very aware of throttle application, even partial as a slight movement on the throttle will have you going from 55km/h to 90km/h before you've realised.

I wouldn't recommend going from your 250 to one, it doesn't make sense for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the power will intimidate you. There is no two ways about it, it still reminds me to keep my head about myself. What this will mean is you won't get the best that you can out of the bike. Whereas if you went to a 600 or 750 as your next bike it would give you a better grounding for riding a 160+hp litre bike. Secondly you are riding a 20yr old bike with 20yr oldsuspension. Get yourself something that handles well that you can appreciate without it trying to kill you.

Yeah there are those who have gone from a 250 to a thou. But it's still not something I would recommend.

slofox

8th July 2010, 23:07

I wouldn't ride one when its slippy and wet :P

On the other side, are the engine management systems on the 2007+ GSXR Thou and the 2009 R1 that good..? e.g if you were inclined to communt in the pouring rain - does the pussy control switch make things more controllable?

Well, my 600 has a pussy switch too and it is pretty effective - pulls the vixen's teeth right out if you want it to. But to be honest, you get just as good control with your right wrist - I mean you do have the choice as to how far you turn the thing. I never use the pussy switch. The K8 600 is very tractable at lower revs. As was the thou this morning. I left it in grunt mode all the time - didn't bother with the pussy switch there either. These are very useable bikes and perfectly tame unless you want to unleash them. Then they take off...my arms are still longer than this morning, I'm sure...

miloking

9th July 2010, 07:15

Yeah there are those who have gone from a 250 to a thou. But it's still not something I would recommend.

Yeah but its just sooo much fun :) Seriously i went from 400cc -59hp to 160hp and within month i was getting power commander and droped tooth on a front sprocket because i needed more acceleration...yes power definately corrupts :D

breakaway

9th July 2010, 07:27

insomnia01

9th July 2010, 08:23

I had the pleasure of looking after a mates K4 1000 Gixxer at the start of the year ( got a house with it as well ) whilst he was on holidays for a month & the main thing that got me was the weight differance, Scooter with a full tank weighs in @ 240 - 250kg wheres the Gixxer was no where near 200kg I'm sure ( not sure on the weight of a fully tanked Gixxer ) riding out to Kawhia for the virgin ride took some getting the hang of, damn near threw it on the ground going into my first set of twisties because of the lack of weight but managed to contain the power until I had the weight issue sorted & thats when I really noticied the power & how easy it came on. I took sometime getting use to Scooter again I tell you

onearmedbandit

9th July 2010, 08:49

It always gets me how people say that 1000s are 'too much power'. Shit, it's not like it's going to pull a wheelstand and flip right over when you touch the throttle. It only goes as fast as you twist the go handle. Definitely very usable bikes. Until the first power band hits in first gear, which makes you just wanna twist that throttle till the front comes up :ride:

I agree, they don't have too much power. But if your only experience of riding is a 250 and you hop on a thou, you will most likely be too intimidated to thrash it or you'll get caught out by how quick they do accelerate.

onearmedbandit

9th July 2010, 08:50

Yeah but its just sooo much fun :) Seriously i went from 400cc -59hp to 160hp and within month i was getting power commander and droped tooth on a front sprocket because i needed more acceleration...yes power definately corrupts :D

Straight line acceleration? Or acceleration out of a corner?

imdying

9th July 2010, 09:28

Nice for a quick flick, but I find it an absolute power a chore of self control on the heavily Policed roads around Akl. I personally prefer something pinable and crap NZ roads compliant - rather than a devolved racing machine.Best ever reason to move out of Auckland :yes:

I wouldn't ride one when its slippy and wet :PWhy not? They're as easy to ride in the wet as any other sportsbike, probably easier.

On the other side, are the engine management systems on the 2007+ GSXR Thou and the 2009 R1 that good..? e.g if you were inclined to communt in the pouring rain - does the pussy control switch make things more controllable?That's the thing, they're not uncontrollable in the slightest, you don't need any of those switches.

I can't wait to get my hands on a 1000cc straight 4 sports bike.It will blow your mind.

Big Dave

9th July 2010, 09:41

Best ever reason to buy a practicle bike, :yes:

There ya go.

SMOKEU

9th July 2010, 09:49

I agree, they don't have too much power. But if your only experience of riding is a 250 and you hop on a thou, you will most likely be too intimidated to thrash it or you'll get caught out by how quick they do accelerate.

I thought half the fun was riding something with more power than I can handle.

MSTRS

9th July 2010, 09:54

I thought half the fun was riding something with more power than I can handle.

You thought wrong.
It's not fun discovering that you can't handle what's under your arse. That realisation usually happens when it's too late...

onearmedbandit

9th July 2010, 09:54

I thought half the fun was riding something with more power than I can handle.

Where's the fun in that though? Being able to 'handle' the extra power is where the fun starts. When you've hit the apex and are winding the gas back on out of the corner, feeling the bike respond through it's tyres and suspension, adding a bit more power, balancing the throttle between 'highside' and 'too slow' is addictive. On a 250 or 400 you can just nail it out of the bends blindly, there's no fun in that (to me anyway). All of this is of course track riding, which I do try to get out to do regularly. I still have fun on the road, but not that type of fun. There's no room on the road for leaving no margin of error.

Big Dave

9th July 2010, 10:12

Where's the fun in that though? Being able to 'handle' the extra power is where the fun starts. When you've hit the apex and are winding the gas back on out of the corner, feeling the bike respond through it's tyres and suspension, adding a bit more power, balancing the throttle between 'highside' and 'too slow' is addictive. On a 250 or 400 you can just nail it out of the bends blindly, there's no fun in that (to me anyway). All of this is of course track riding, which I do try to get out to do regularly. I still have fun on the road, but not that type of fun. There's no room on the road for leaving no margin of error.

Yeah - but only a reasonably small % of riders are interested in the track. 'Idling' around everywhere on a 160+hp bike is far less fun than caning the bejaysus out of a 50hp job on the road.

imdying

9th July 2010, 10:22

There ya go.Heh, I rode mine to work this morning, and for me, it doesn't get any more practical than that... I don't need to 'move the cows to the milking shed' or anything like that. Sure it would be nice if I could park it in town, but then I don't do that on my 45hp bikes either.

I thought half the fun was riding something with more power than I can handle.Yeah, it's a good way to get a rush if that's your thing. Problem is, with a 14000rpm redline, and a bike that'll step out at 3000rpm, you can get out of your depth pretty readily.

Yeah - but only a reasonably small % of riders are interested in the track. 'Idling' around everywhere on a 160+hp bike is far less fun than caning the bejaysus out of a 50hp job on the road.I have some of each, and they're both fun. 'Far less fun' is completly incorrect, there are plenty of days when I simply don't want to cane the bejaysus out of my ride, like this morning, after a late night... quite happy to cruise along, with the odd squirt of the loud handle to wake me up :yes:

madbikeboy

9th July 2010, 10:27

SloFox - I read your observations with interest...

So, I have a worked GSXR1000 K2, with lots of Yoshi goodness, PCIII, cams, innards reworked etc... It does struggle a bit to keep up with modern traffic, and sometimes I find myself wishing for a little more power going uphill. I've owned Scoot for a long time, and I've ridden everything else, and I still own what I have. 500-800k's out of a rear tire. Chains with monotonous regularity. She eats brakes. She is cranky and tire sensitive, and on cold tires she will light up faster than anything the Soweto Militia can muster.

Scoot has perhaps the best throttle control of any bike I've ridden - loads of set up time and a virtually blank checquebook means all the nastiness is gone. The result is interesting, tire squirm is easily controlled, black lines out of each corner of the track is de riguer. She lifts the front out of second and third gear corners, and it will stay aloft as long as you have the bravery.

Litre containers are wonderful, but as others on this thread have pointed out, it can end in a messily unhappy ending. I've been riding a lifetime, and I have days where I realise that my skill and intentions sometimes get mixed up. I've seen young'ins jump straight from a 250 to litres, only for the inevitable to happen. The gap is much wider than you'd ever imagine, and those who have made the jump either have Rossi'esq talent, or they haven't been spanked yet.

A thought to ponder - I ride a thou, but I race and track day a 600 - part of it's economics, but a big part of it is the recognition that despite loads of training, mentoring, track days, race days, thousands of kilometers on many roads around the world, I don't have the skill to ride a litre bike on the track at 110% all the time.

I love the pint on the track. And I have a love hate relationship with the crack addiction of a litre that sits one floor below me as I write this. But, it's hard to justify the heart-rate increase at 3am when I leather up and ride WFO................

onearmedbandit

9th July 2010, 10:45

Yeah - but only a reasonably small % of riders are interested in the track. 'Idling' around everywhere on a 160+hp bike is far less fun than caning the bejaysus out of a 50hp job on the road.

I understand what you're saying, but I don't 'idle' around everywhere either...

imdying

9th July 2010, 10:52

I understand what you're saying, but I don't 'idle' around everywhere either...Yeah, you have to remember he lives in Auckland so his perspective is a little different :yes:

Big Dave

9th July 2010, 10:53

I understand what you're saying, but I don't 'idle' around everywhere either...

Well I didn't think you were scratching your nuts at the same time.

onearmedbandit

9th July 2010, 10:55

Well I didn't think you were scratching your nuts at the same time.

Mine are so big I have to put them in the back of the bike anyway. Any sctratching has to wait until I stop.

Big Dave

9th July 2010, 10:57

Yeah, you have to remember he lives in Auckland so his perspective is a little different :yes:

There were 4 cops cars in town the last time I went through Fairlie.

onearmedbandit

9th July 2010, 11:00

There were 4 cops cars in town the last time I went through Fairlie.

Best Donuts shop in all of the South Island. All the South Is cops meet there, looks like it was your lucky day that they all decided to meet up.

Big Dave

9th July 2010, 11:03

All the South Is cops meet there,

Don't believe it. None of them were nude.

imdying

9th July 2010, 11:03

There were 4 cops cars in town the last time I went through Fairlie.There were no cops last time I did Christchurch -> Nelson -> Christchurch... what's your point? You said "'idling' around everywhere", which wouldn't apply to the open road in any case.

Edbear

9th July 2010, 11:08

Most powerful bike I've ridden was the Bandit 1250S and 100km/h was "idling" on that, so a Gixxer thou with 1st gear good for 160km/h+.... how else could you describe legal road speeds? :yes:

javawocky

9th July 2010, 11:08

...I love the pint on the track. And I have a love hate relationship with the crack addiction of a litre that sits one floor below me as I write this. But, it's hard to justify the heart-rate increase at 3am when I leather up and ride WFO................

Back in the day you gave me some advise that 600's are more fun. I ignored it and got the SV1000s - which is a great bike and was still fun :p -- But now that I have changed to the 600 I am having lots more fun on the road. Shes more nimble, more fun to rev up without going silly speeds - unless you are stupid enough to let her rev. I can't wait to take Scarlett out to the track, cause I know its going to be a blast.

Also when the weather gets nasty the SV need very special care with the right hand, you can relax more on the 600. Its a pussy cat until you rev it up too much then it becomes a cougar, rrraaawoo!!!

onearmedbandit

9th July 2010, 11:09

Don't believe it. None of them were nude.

Well they were before they heard an Aussie in leather was fast approaching.

Big Dave

9th July 2010, 11:13

There were no cops last time I did Christchurch -> Nelson -> Christchurch... what's your point? You said "'idling' around everywhere", which wouldn't apply to the open road in any case.

My point is that to fully utilse a 160+hp motorcycle requires a race track. A lesser powered vehicle requires less self control to keep a licence intact. No matter what road you are on.

I think the ZX14 eg is amazing. Give it big wraps - But I personally don't want to confront the devil of catching buses for three months that lives within my wrist every time I ride it.

As said many time - if you do the track thing - all bets are off - if you are buying an 'absolute' for road use, nice work on the self control. Hope you survive.

onearmedbandit

9th July 2010, 11:16

My point is that to fully utilse a 160+hp motorcycle requires a race track. A lesser powered vehicle requires less self control to keep a licence intact. No matter what road you are on.

I think the ZX14 eg is amazing. Give it big wraps - But I personally don't want to confront the devil of catching buses for three months that lives within my wrist every time I ride it.

As said many time - if you do the track thing - all bets are off - if you are buying an 'absolute' for road use, nice work on the self control. Hope you survive.

Why do we need to 'fully utilise' our bikes everytime? And to be perfectly honest, 99% of my riding is on the road. I've lost my license more times when I was younger and dumber on smaller bikes than I have on the thou (once for a little little wheelie in town, 3mths for careless use). And I'm still alive too.

Big Dave

9th July 2010, 11:18

Because it's there and it's glorious.

imdying

9th July 2010, 11:20

My point is that to fully utilse a 160+hp motorcycle requires a race track.Totally agree :yes:

A lesser powered vehicle requires less self control to keep a licence intact. No matter what road you are on.Less, but not much less sadly :(

I think the ZX14 eg is amazing. Give it big wraps - But I personally don't want to confront the devil of catching buses for three months that lives within my wrist every time I ride it.Self control man! And move out of the most heavily policed state in NZ!

As said many time - if you do the track thing - all bets are off - if you are buying an 'absolute' for road use, nice work on the self control. Hope you survive.Definitely more fun at the track, but it's that more word that's important, having a lot of poke to push you around is still a whole heap of fun on the road. I'm getting too old to want to rape my bikes everywhere, so the self control thing isn't too much of a problem these days. I don't see survivability being a big issue, I'm never going to be Rossi, and I don't feel the need to treat every ride like I'm going to be. I admit that late at night it can be hard not to treat little bumps in the road as a challenge for the front wheels contact patch / ground relationship :D One day that empty road will have a police car with it's lights off, but that's not a totally uncalculated risk.

avgas

9th July 2010, 11:23

I don't know what your talking about.
I don't miss power sliding this at all....

I console my life by drinking continuously......

Big Dave

9th July 2010, 11:27

It's the ease with which they do it - which is about how awesome the bikes are. Fart and you are doing 160.

Big Dave

9th July 2010, 11:36

I don't see survivability being a big issue,

No, not one of my personal concerns either, and no crusades this end, but you can't deny the bigger the number the bigger the mess and it's pretty easy for a relative greenhorn to get one - which is why with the cautionary tone.

imdying

9th July 2010, 11:39

No, not one of my personal concerns either, and no crusades this end, but you can't deny the bigger the number the bigger the mess and it's pretty easy for a relative greenhorn to get one - which is why with the cautionary tone.Yeah, I wouldn't recommend anyone rushes out to go from a 250 to one... if for no other reason than they're going to miss out on a huge chunk of fun bikes.

madbikeboy

9th July 2010, 11:51

Back in the day you gave me some advise that 600's are more fun. I ignored it and got the SV1000s - which is a great bike and was still fun :p -- But now that I have changed to the 600 I am having lots more fun on the road. Shes more nimble, more fun to rev up without going silly speeds - unless you are stupid enough to let her rev. I can't wait to take Scarlett out to the track, cause I know its going to be a blast.

So in other words, MADBIKEBOY was right...!

12345678910

javawocky

9th July 2010, 11:59

[QUOTE=javawocky;1129806146]Back in the day you gave me some advise that 600's are more fun. I ignored it and got the SV1000s - which is a great bike and was still fun :p -- But now that I have changed to the 600 I am having lots more fun on the road. Shes more nimble, more fun to rev up without going silly speeds - unless you are stupid enough to let her rev. I can't wait to take Scarlett out to the track, cause I know its going to be a blast.

So in other words, MADBIKEBOY was right...!QUOTE]

12345678910

No no no, I refuse to admit you were right. ok ok, I suppose you are right in the sense that a Wii is more fun than a PS3 :P

Lurch

9th July 2010, 12:00

Slofox, out of curiosity did you ever ride the SV thou?

slofox

9th July 2010, 12:46

Slofox, out of curiosity did you ever ride the SV thou?

No. Just the 650.

After reading through all these posts, I would have to say that overall, my impression was that I personally, am happier on the 600 - at the moment anyway. Mainly because of the more nimble handling. That little bit of extra weight in corners was noticable on the thou and it was nice to lose that back on the six. Even though I did wonder where the power had gone. Still, as has been said, the sixes will do it for you if you wind 'em up. And there's nothing quite like that screaming howl they produce from about 10k upwards...specially as you scream past the loonie who's screaming past the line of cars...

Getting back on the six after the thou made me appreciate just how nifty the six is. And how tractable. And I felt more confident on it as well. I guess the thou put a different perspective on the six. One that I appreciated.

Have to say, though, that winding the throttle a little when coming out of the first roundabout on the thou was pretty cool - until I saw the speedo...