You can have your sportsbikes.

[Woodman]

Got this bike to hoon around on to my hearts content for a couple of weeks. Its an Aprilla rsv1000 mille thingy. Its an ex race bike that (I think) won the bears champs a few years back. I must admit it looks very pretty, and sounds even better.

I was going to take it for a hoon over the takaka hill and back this evening, but after a wee squirt at lunch time I realised that I cannae ride it proper. I am not really a very confident road rider. Its way way too fast and reaches the KLRs top speed without even trying and is hard to get round corners. I reckon I would be quicker over the Takaka hill on the KLR with knobblies. Anyway i rode it home to Richmond tonight over the inland highway and will ride back to work tomorrow and there it will stay until the guy comes and picks it up.

i would much prefer to spend a day on my Klr than this

[Padmei]

I know where you're coming from. Going over the Whangas on the adv bikes with upright seating & wide bars I couldn't comprehend how you could feel comfortable on a very fast roadbike kinda squished up & leaning forward etc. I've never really ridden a sportbike for more than a KM so have no real experience but respect for those who can ride them fast (& safely)

Would be Fking cool to take it round the track tho aye? Wahoo

[Sensei]

At least you are man enough to know you limits & a 2000 Mille R isn't the bike to be crashing to beautiful .

[DMNTD:Me]

Good on ya Mr Woodman for knowing where it's at for you!

I know where you're coming from. Going over the Whangas on the adv bikes with upright seating & wide bars I couldn't comprehend how you could feel comfortable on a very fast roadbike kinda squished up & leaning forward etc. I've never really ridden a sportbike for more than a KM so have no real experience but respect for those who can ride them fast (& safely)

Would be Fking cool to take it round the track tho aye? Wahoo

Interesting as I personally feel the same with an up right bike
Each to their own eh

[junkmanjoe]

whats on the bench on the right woody...........what ya got there.....

[tigertim20]

I would much prefer to spend a day on my Klr than this

I hear you, its difficult going from one type of bike to another. shit even if you ride sportsbikes ONLY, it can be a big thing to change from say a CBR to an R1, everything is that little bit different, but you cant really rule it out untill you put some real kays on it. I used to hate cruisers with a passion, I figured if you wanna go slow as fuck, hold people up, and just be comfortable on a stupid big padded seat, get a fucking car.
then I rode one. still hated it. then put some big kays on one, and now I get it, I understand it now, i just had to get past the mindblock and give it a fair go.

Having said that, i dont want a cruiser, i doubt I ever really will, but i understand them now, and accept them for their merits.
Each to their own, we all have our preferences with boobies, and women, and booze, the same is so for bikes!

[Taz]

I tried to own a sports bike again a year or so back. I had no problems riding it but just found it way too limiting. I kept going past interesting roads and not being able to explore them as the sports bike was not that great on gravel and corrugations . I feel you can only do the coro loop a finite number of times and still enjoy it. Adv bikes all the way for me and no limits to where I can go

[warewolf]

Probably a good call Woodman, but I reckon you'll get used to it after a few rides. Jumping from road to adv to dirt bike I found I had to mentally 'change gear' as the ride is so different. Heck even going from seal to gravel and back again on the same bike requires a change in style. I am sure the thing goes round corners fcuking brilliantly.

They are each a different kind of fun. I miss not having a well-sorted road bike, too.

[Woodman]

I used to have a gsxr750 in the olden days and I loved it, but don't remember it being this hard to ride, it feels like the bars are connected to the front axle.
Don't get me wrong the power is fricken awesome and i know it does handle good, I just don;t know how to ride it. padmei is right a track day (with some proper coaching) would be awesome.

maybe I will put a few more miles on it. can't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Yeah seal to gravel can take a bit of transition time.

Funny taz i was looking at all the sidetracks on my way home tonight, mind you I do that in the car too.

Jo the thing on the bench is my Benelli looooong term (probly never finish) project.

[ducatilover]

A massive change in bike there... each to their own, I'm on the other foot and hate high up bikes. My pathetic little legs can't hold them up or reverse them. I also like the 90's Honda "sit in the bike" seating rather than on the bike seating.

Then again, I am a Honda owner.

[helenoftroy]

Probably a good call Woodman, but I reckon you'll get used to it after a few rides. Jumping from road to adv to dirt bike I found I had to mentally 'change gear' as the ride is so different. Heck even going from seal to gravel and back again on the same bike requires a change in style. I am sure the thing goes round corners fcuking brilliantly.

They are each a different kind of fun. I miss not having a well-sorted road bike, too.

+1

Variety is the spice of life!!

I love having 3 different bikes in the garage,tho its taken many years to acheive!

Have to say ...if I could only have 1 bike it would be an adventure bike(cause they do it all)

[bart]

I went from dirt to sport to dual purpose, and to be honest, I miss the crampt, leaning forward riding position. You truely become one with the machine. I remember being shit scared of my ZXR750 for the firsts few hundred km, but once in the groove, shit it was fun. The R1 was even better.

BUT....in the end I found sports bikes very one dimensional. Riding a bike designed to do 280kmh at just over a third of it's potential isn't fun. Riding a bike designed to do 140kmh at over two thirds of it's potential is way more satisfying, (and then go silly and do it on gravel/dirt/tar/grass/sand etc).

But hey, take it for a few more rides. If you keep your licence, you'll have a blast.

[thepom]

I,m with you on that one bart.....I ride my blackbird and am now a bit more cautious but when I get on my africa twin I have an absolute ball.....beats the blackbird hands down for fun so thats why its up for sale.....nothing to do with my missus saying its a death machine and she will put her dancing shoes on for my funeral when I am all crushed and broken...again....

[Crisis management]

I think you need a second opinion Woodman, lend it to me..........







I suspect I would be as terrified of it as you are tho!

[Okey Dokey]

Gotta agree with you guys about the relative fun-ness of various bikes. Working on my TF125 is one kind of fun; out on the road on my gsxr is another. I am lucky to be able to enjoy both, but if I had to be a one bike only gal, maybe I would look at a dual purpose or adventure...