You can have your sportsbikes.

**Oscar** · 18th November 2010, 07:10

I hear ya...

I had an RC8 for a couple of weeks and whereas it was a hoot, it weren't exactley comfortable...and it was a waaay sharper tool than I'm used too.

I think given long enough on it, I may have got the hang of it, but I think by then Mr Plod would have had me licence...

**BMWST?** · 18th November 2010, 16:37

i love the bigg sports bikes they are so cabable.And despite their mega top ends they can be ridden at a much more relaxed pace,but still have amazing brakes,ground clearnace and overall handling.its a pity they all so small nowadays

**george formby** · 18th November 2010, 17:22

Had a similar experience a while bike. Jumped off my TDM onto an 05 fireblade.

Had no problem with the throttle but I'm still waiting to find out what happens over 8000 rpm. The brakes, hmmmmm, squished me plums on the tank. Suspension, ruptured a kidney riding over a chuppa chuppa stick & my poor knees said hello to my nipples for the first time ever. The term "clip ons" became clear when I had braces fitted to my wrists after a 60k ride. Handling, sportsbike, eh? The first tightening apex corner scared the bike & it tried to hide in the ditch but I wrestled it round with a buttock death grip & protracted OOOOOOOOOHHHH F@#$%%%&*K. Visbility was an issue too, a sunroof in my helmet would help or bending my neck back 45o. Otherwise I had a 50/50 view of helmet lining & front mudguard.
Soooo, when I got out of traction & had another go I gave it a little thought, it's just a bike, bit like mine but a different colour really. I made an effort to think about my position, get my knees into the tank, push the footrests, weight the bars & move my butt on the seat in a harmony of motion & commitment

Yup, loved it!!! Would find it hard to live with on the road due to long distance comfort & my survival instinct kicking in at only 20% of the bikes potential but I was sold. You will see me wobbling round a track at some point. Be afraid.

**emaN** · 18th November 2010, 18:39

Originally Posted by Woodman

...Its an Aprilla rsv1000 mille thingy...

THINGY?!?!?!? THINGY?!?!?!?
Oooooo, many have been kneecapped for much much less

**warewolf** · 18th November 2010, 19:36

Originally Posted by Woodman

it feels like the bars are connected to the front axle.

That's an oft-used compliment for sportsbikes.

Originally Posted by bart

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,

aka "Riding a slow bike fast is more fun than riding a fast bike slow."

**Woodman** · 18th November 2010, 19:46

Rode to work this morning round the inland highway and it started feeling a bit betterer. Its still way too fast, and the front wheel came off the ground once when I accelerated going round a corner

, but it was fun.

Note to self: The throttle may work the same as the KLR but it is connected to something entirely different.

I am just too cautious to own one of these.

**JATZ** · 18th November 2010, 19:47

I had a look at the offending beast today, parked right outside Woodmans office...
seems bigger in real life

and very nice too, although it needs twin pipes. Can't say I wanted to ride it though.

**Padmei** · 18th November 2010, 19:48

Originally Posted by Woodman

I am just too cautious to own one of these.

Did anyone else read this??? FFS have you seen yourself on video???

**gav24** · 18th November 2010, 19:48

Yeah, I prefer my DR now as go anywhere - more fun bike. Barts got it right - I used to race a "mille Thingy" about 8 years ago in the UK, in the Nationals against R1's and Gixer thous at the time mainly, with a few Ducati's as well, (also in the Mille cup 1 make series on road tyres)
- and with slicks on, on a race track it was the most fun race bike I ever had - Scraping the fairings with silly lean angles and just riding rear wheel slides on the wave of Torque these things make.
But when I took my Dads road version of the same bike out on the road - I bloody hated it! Once you've ridden a bike (any bike) near the limit, riding it (or any other bike) at 40-50% is just annoying!
Now I just ride the DR - anywhere and everywhere - and bloody love it! I get my adrenaline fix with Vintage MX - same theory really flat out on slow old bikes with shit suspension = Big Fun

**Night Falcon** · 18th November 2010, 19:48

I took a ninja 650 for a spin at my last service...it felt like riding a shetland pony on steriods...the gear lever wasn't set up for my tech 10's so it I couln't manage the changes too well....2nd gear round town was interesting at 6000 rpm

**Woodman** · 18th November 2010, 20:11

Originally Posted by Padmei

Did anyone else read this??? FFS have you seen yourself on video???

Ha ha but seriously I am not that comfortable on the road even on the KLR

Originally Posted by gav24

Yeah, I prefer my DR now as go anywhere - more fun bike. Barts got it right - I used to race a "mille Thingy" about 8 years ago in the UK, in the Nationals against R1's and Gixer thous at the time mainly, with a few Ducati's as well, (also in the Mille cup 1 make series on road tyres)
- and with slicks on, on a race track it was the most fun race bike I ever had - Scraping the fairings with silly lean angles and just riding rear wheel slides on the wave of Torque these things make.
But when I took my Dads road version of the same bike out on the road - I bloody hated it! Once you've ridden a bike (any bike) near the limit, riding it (or any other bike) at 40-50% is just annoying!
Now I just ride the DR - anywhere and everywhere - and bloody love it! I get my adrenaline fix with Vintage MX - same theory really flat out on slow old bikes with shit suspension = Big Fun

Yea the torque is pretty cool. What is the redline? just curious cos I don't think I got anywhere near it yet.

**JATZ** · 18th November 2010, 20:24

Originally Posted by Woodman

Yea the torque is pretty cool. What is the redline? just curious cos I don't think I got anywhere near it yet.

Tomorrow then

I'll be in about the same time as today, and I'll bring a camera, I reakon you could hit 160

in the carpark

**sinned** · 18th November 2010, 20:29

Originally Posted by Woodman

Yea the torque is pretty cool. What is the redline? just curious cos I don't think I got anywhere near it yet.

Reaching for the redline with wide open throttle on any big sports bike is a mind altering experience

**bart** · 18th November 2010, 22:00

My mate has been threatening me with his late model 'blade (CBR1000RR). I sat on it, and it fit like a glove. I haven't riden a rice rocket for a decade. What shall I do?

It's a bit like giving up smoking. You know it's bad, but you've always got that urge to see 250km+.