New tyres = new bike, holy smokes !
I don't know how to make short posts when I'm a) excited and b) talking about my bike, this post won't have much point but I felt like giving props where props are due.
Well, my old tyres (front pirelli, back shinko *ugh*) were due for tyre heaven as they had pretty much no tread left (apart from chicken strips, where the tread looked brand new!) and Donor told me about these Avon tyres, and reading threads on here it seemed the general concensus was that new Avon tyres = awesome and Motohaus = awesomer. So I went in yesterday to see what tyres I should get and Kerry (I see why so many people hold this man in high regard.) helped me greatly on which tyre to choose, so I chose a set and took the bike back today to get it done.
My bike is old, ooooold, it took some trouble on their part to fit the tyres and on inspection the other guy working there, I think his name was Matt? He had an accent, anyway he called me over to show me that I infact had no brake pads left (well, pretty much) and that it would basically be a crime to let me go knowing this. So $65 later I have a new brake pad (holy shit, I don't have to grab a fistful of brake just to stop in 50km zones!). The guy said he was glad I let him put new ones on, I said with a little sarcasm that I would like to live past 250cc, he promtly said "I think you'll need to know a little bit more about your bikes before you go above 250cc". He sure put me in my place, and rightfully so.. riding on such shitty brakes was a dick move on my part.
So about an hour or so in the bike is ready and I paid (a decent price, I might add.) and get some tips from Kerry on riding on new tyres and off I went.
This is where it got interesting.
Now I thought my bike was just too small for me (Tall, not fat), and that cornering on such a bike was always going to be awkward. I've ridden a few other bigger 250's and found that the cornering was much better and along with the ZZR1100 I sometimes....ride... *cough*.... that the bike as a whole turned into the corner, almost with the sensation that it's falling over (which it isn't, it's just a nice feeling). My bike never did this, my front tyre always needed air every 200km or so, when I went into a corner I had to force it down rather than ride into it.
Now, though. It moves as a whole and I finally feel like I have an actual complete motorcycle, one that can take corners on and one that I can be confident in taking corners on.
I just thought I'd share with you all on how I smiled all the way from Western Springs to Manurewa, it's not the most worthiest topic to be a thread, but godamn, I just can't believe it? I'm still on a high from the sensation I get from taking small corners, I can't _wait_ to break the tyres in and tackle some good twisty roads.
By the way, Motohaus in Western Springs = good. Kerry is a fucking top bloke, apologised for taking a while on my bike, when I should be apologising for not looking after it! If you're in need of tyres I highly reccommend you go see him, they do not skip corners and were 110% on everything they did on my bike. Can't speak highly enough of him.
ANYWHO, I shall go rehydrate after typing such a long postHope at least one person reads it :P hehe
Time to get to work and watch the hours count down untill I can take these tyres out on the road again.
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Originally Posted by zeocen
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