A watershed or...not

**kerryg** · 1st November 2005, 15:30

Originally Posted by Pathos

I've always felt that if something doesn't feel right from the beginning you won't like it.

Yes, Motu said something similar and it may well be right. Actually there are 2 issues. The first is that at this stage the bike feels a bit "strange" (can't exactly say why though). It might be that it's an ergometric/riding position/whatever thing and that the bike's too small or I'm too fat and old and stiff more likely, or that I just need a bit of time to get used to it. So I've decided I'm going to persevere with it and see if that strangeness wears off.

The second issue is less about my particular bike than about the type of bikes i.e. modern sportbikes. As the first modern supersport bike I've owned I thought it would make me ride better and faster. Light, flickable, great brakes etc. But I suspect (I'm not 100% sure though...so hope still lingers that I'll discover a talent for riding sometime soon...) that even if I get used to it I'll still be slow. So it may end up being a question of whether I want to tootle around slowly, and not particularly comfortably, on a potent sportsbike and never exploit its capabilities...or get something more practical and better suited to my nana style of riding.

I thought about doing some post classic racing a while ago (soon gave that idea away) but someone offered me a bike that had been raced successfully by one of the better riders and I thought about and decided, hell no....the last thing I want is someone to say "look at how slow that old geezer's going on xxxxx's bike...". Better to ride an inferior machine, let's you keep your self respect.

**britneys underpants** · 1st November 2005, 16:05

Hope this goes some way too make you feel a little better about your bike.

I ride with an eclectic bunch and one older friend who is eeeeeeeeeextremely fast maintains it takes him over 5000 k's before he can confidently ride it too his limits. Not the bike or the tires limits - his limits. It’s rare that I find myself at the front with him. When I first bought the ZX12 I rocked on up too a big turn out of sports bikes in the morning and went home that evening a broken man. But weeks and weeks and thousands of k's later I'm having a magic and sometimes mental time.

Another thing, some days my head isn’t quite right, (but with the right therapy I’m hoping I can become a fully functioning member of society) and I have flagged a ride because me and the bike and the environment haven’t gelled. It sometimes feels quite dangerous and Ive just turned around and ridden quietly home. And this is on bikes Ive owned for years and know very well

Head up old chap and remember you have made a very astute decision in purchasing one of the best bikes from the marquee of kings.

Have a nice day.

**gav** · 1st November 2005, 21:54

Hey kerryg, rather than a postclassic, how about a crack at bucket racing? Can give you some experience of trying to improve your riding ability "on the edge" at a smaller outlaw and not have to risk dumping your pride and joy. Admittably most of the racers are "axe weilding homocidal maniacs" but generally they'll help you out and should be able to scrounge a ride or two to wet your appettite!

**M1CRO:Me** · 1st November 2005, 22:12

Some very good replies here and my 2 cents? Well, had mine for three years now and it took a long time to know the ins-and-outs of "this" bike (upgraded from a GSXR1000 and a CBR1000 before that). But, it is a continual learning experience as changes in tyres, suspension settings, pillions always nearly put me back to square one

Stay with it and give it a chance!