At least sport-touring-bike season. And maybe now those ridiculous stripes on my Hillside jacket make a little more sense.
As sportbikes go, the VFR is pretty tame. Sport Rider clocked it through the quarter-mile with a 11.22 @ 119.80. What I need is a genuine literbike. Not because I can take advantage of a full literbike’s capabilities, but because everybody should have one at least once. So watch this space come the weekend. I’m taking a low-cost, definitely vintage approach to this first-world problem.
if you put me on a literbike,within the first 5 minutes I’d probably end up sliding down the road on my back with the bike careening away.
This is the main reason I don’t have one. I almost bought a Triumph speed triple (1050cc) and my dad sensibly talked me down to a street triple (675cc) because ‘you’ll kill yourself’ He was probably right
I raced a 600F2 back in the day, and thought I’d never want a liter bike. Had a first generation VFR and GSXR1000, too - both were amazing, and made speed in different ways. One light and quick at the top, the other twitchy on the front but with stupendous torque.
Last fall I found a well-kept low mile RC51. Wow - it’s truly amazing. 1000 V-twin, both Edwards and Hayden won championships on them. Power and torque, you bet. Only $3800, and I spent about a grand to update the ECU and take care of the few known issues. Awesome, and pops and burbles, shooting blue flame out the exhaust. Handles well, too.
Can’t wait to hear what you’ve discovered…
Sorry, I meant GSXR 750, not 1000.
Your discussion of your RC51 is NOT HELPING my attempt to stop binge-buying motorcycles!
Everyone should own either an RC51 or TL1000R once, just for the noise. The TL is sort of shite and hideous but still fun. Unfortunately the RC51 would destroy you physically; it’s a spry-person’s bike.
New 2015 GSXR1000s are discounted to $9999CAD at my local dealer. Only my hunt for an Aprilia RSV1000 Factory is preventing me from making an impulse buy.
That’s insane — equates to $8k USD.
Unfortunately for me, you started me searching for US market bikes… http://www.cycletrader.com/dealers/Ridenow-Powersports-Tricities-2940038/listing/2014-Suzuki-GSX-R1000-112376782
Also sort of mental here is new 2014 ZX14Rs are stickered at $12,500CAD. If my ZZR1200 weren’t so damn charismatic I’d be zooming around looking like a 9-second Monster Energy commercial.
Happy to be of no help!
Vintage liter bikes have an appeal for riders not looking for the ultimate performance envelope. I’ve missed my ’80 Z1-R 1000 since the moment it left my driveway 25 years ago. The low-RPM growl, the lower-frequency wail at redline (ie no “angry bees” sound, like that emanating from modern sportbikes.) You won’t get tired of it.
That is one husky lookin’ chick on that bike.
😉
hey, it’s Ohio!
Jeeze Jack ;
Just go buy one before you’re too old & stiff to enjoy it .
Every so often I borrow one of my Son’s race bikes just to remind me why I prefer standards .
-Nate