| I wouldn't give a stuff about exclusivity. IMHO bikes are for riding and the kit that skids has got on his bitza 748RS/998 seems to me would make a better bike than a 996/998R.
For all the bling and carbon and the homologation status of an 'R', they're still miles away from being a pukka race bike.
I'm not knocking R's of any description, they are lovely things that are true objects of desire, and exclusive in that only the true enthusiasts (who spend all their disposable income on bikes - despite not being wealthy) or the well heeled can afford them. If I could afford a 999R then I guess I would have one...wait a minute though, I could have a 999S and a Multistuka for the same wedge.
So flame me if you like, but I think that the whole 'R' thing is more about designer labels and status than it is about riding. Nothing wrong with that, no more than wanting to dress in designer labels, but it makes me sad to see such lovely bikes just stood in someones front room, or in a vacuum bag, or with owners that are so scared of riding them as God intended (in case they get a stone chip on the carbon fairing) that they just pootle about posing.
I don't know the guy personally, but the attitude I love to see is from a guy like Chillo who rags the ass of his R. They have, after all, been built for that singular purpose. For some reason 748/749 R owners seem to be less precious about their bikes too (probably down to the price difference) and can often be seen giving their bikes some proper exercise rather than treating them as precious museum pieces.  |