I have tasted the dark side...
 

Well I have finally tasted the forbidden fruit and had my first ride on a big boys toy!!

Borrowed Bill's R1 at Jerez for a session and oh buy, how scary was that!!

Fast as a fast thing and tips in like nothing i have ever ridden but scary as hell once its there as the front feels so different to the duke! Where the duke feels glued to the track the R1 feel light and floaty and as if it's skipping even though it's not. I also now see why these boys get through sliders so quickly as its virtually impossible to keep your knees off the tarmac!

Speed down the back straight was phenomenal however I did bottle it and brake earlier when it was heading to 160 :o

Wouldn't mind having another go when i was not feeling so delicate and on a circuit i knew better, but even better I have now st on a K5 and it looks like fun :devil:

:o Oh no,you'll have to wear burberry if you become a chav!:mad:

:cool: She doesn't do plaid she's big into spots....

[Edited on 12-10-2005 by berto]

:saint:Hi Berto,did'nt forget the camera then?:rolleye:

Liily, you know it makes sense:o
Dukes are great but you just dont get the buzz like a jap!:burn:

thats why we always go back to them !!:devil: xxx mav
and it suits you !!

This years tally 5 trackday = 7 K5's down 4 totalled 2 reparable 1 one sided. (Pricey)

They seam to have a bit of you they want to Chu

Do I want one (So much it hurts)
:saint:

I've been lucky to have ridden lots of bikes via my position with No Limits, but the R1 I rode at Snet, even though it wasn't hugely sorted, just a trackbike with a few mods, but it was unbelievable. You're right about the front end Lil, the Duc just feels so planted, but the R1 wants to lift in every gear, so much so that you just can't open the throttle fully, but when you do, wow, it really is a scary rush of adrenilin

TBH, too much for little old me. My instructor mates Lawsey and Old Man Mick have a K4 and a K5 and they've often said have a go, but I've not taken them up on it, (yet), maybe Jerez as they're both going to be there and you can really use the power.

WeeJohnyB

try the k5 next time your at snetterton, makes the R1 seem tame

Good on you Lil!

I have to say here, all you Ducati devotees (like me) who can't get on with the front end feel or lack of it from the gixxers and R1's need to try the ZX10. The front end on that is very nearly as planted as a Duke (when it's on the floor!) and the feel is on a par as well. And it would also make an R1 feel tame!
Go on, give it a go, you know you want to! :devil:

(Before the ugly one gets here!)

She was tempted but as soon as she came back in her first words were she's staying Italian :D

Lol, Yeh, that's what I said until I tried the 10! :sing:

Lily, you really frightened me there, i thought you had considered a 999:lol:

Hope you had a great time out there and the shoulder is on the mend

and that's bad because....? (I think I might regret saying that)

Looks like your on the mend then Lily. Good on yer.

Alan, let the old timers live their dreams, us new age men get to have all the fun on the latest and greatest

Bloody hell John,at long last youve got a 749R then!:lol:
butch

:lol:

Jen

I wouldn't mind the 10 tbh and the R1 is probably bottom of my list of bikes but it was good to have a go and I wouldn't mind another chance when I am a bit moe with it :)



Shaun - on the mend......hmmmmm, will tell you when i stop crying...lol. Seriously though I guess its not too bad although I think I got through Jerez by sheer determination that I was not going to miss it and I am seriously paying for it with pain now :(

Not sure I agree, there's nothing like the front end feel of the Duke - the ZX just wants to wheelie (as you say) and feels OK, but it aint a Duke.

Tim

I thought she said Brazilian............but my hearing, i think i need muffs!:lol::lol:

ooooh ya bitch!!!:rodent:

Any so the story spins around once more :)

The problem is Tim that I don't think it is entirely possible to have the total rock solid stability of a Ducati front end AND be able to have a fast, responsive turn in and steering feel.
I spent a lot of time on my 748 addressing this and did improve it immeasurably form where it started, but it still steered very slow and had very heavy steering compared to any jap 4 you care to mention.
Another part of the problem for the jap bikes is that Ducatis generally have better quality suspension as standard and that also makes a big difference to the amount of feel you will get from the bike.
As a standard unmodified road bike the ZX10 is much closer than any other jap bike I have ridden, and also has a better riding position.


P.S. Lil, any time you want a go on it you are very welcome ;)