But it has a dB killer up its jacksy. I've not run the bike yet as I had to remove the std can, and fit the Yosh in my smoke breaks during this evening.
Post an update tomorrow on noise levels and to see if the crispness of the Yosh is retained over the cobbling the std can gave me.
Wednesday 15 October 2008
Saturday 11 October 2008
As promised, fettling news
Gone are the horrid heel plates and the over loud zorst, the awful stickers on the tank and hugger, and in thier place, the Optimate socket is fitted and the bike is being drip fed in my garage right now.
What a fuckin PITA it was. I had to drill out one of the bolts holding the seat on and use a stud extractor (thanks to Ian my next doot neighbour) to remove the remains. Drilling into a modern and new to me sports bike felt VERY wrong. Done now, and the bike is lovely and quiet. So I am bidding on a full length RSS Yoshimura can on eBay......
Chain is lubed and PB stickers are applied.
A good days work. Andy, you HAVE to get one of these. Soon.
What a fuckin PITA it was. I had to drill out one of the bolts holding the seat on and use a stud extractor (thanks to Ian my next doot neighbour) to remove the remains. Drilling into a modern and new to me sports bike felt VERY wrong. Done now, and the bike is lovely and quiet. So I am bidding on a full length RSS Yoshimura can on eBay......
Chain is lubed and PB stickers are applied.
A good days work. Andy, you HAVE to get one of these. Soon.
Friday 10 October 2008
Getting jiggy wid it.
At last, the epiphany of the first few confidence filled rides has finally happened. I have bust my duck, and am now totally convinced thois bike should be on prescription only....... I cannot believe that summer riders, born agains, and those fresh from a CB500 can get on this bike and ride it on the roads amongst other users of the Queens Highway. Don't get me wrong, I am no riding God, but at least I have a few big bikes under my belt to take the edge off the terror this bike fills me with when the performance is used.
No knee down yet as I am still building my confidence in the front tyre and the setup of the bike. I'll spend the weekend getting the sag set, and twiddling stuff until I have a base setting, but right now, it seems good, very good. The bike tracks so precisely and unlike the 11, the rear is not constantly spinning as it leaves the tarmac after every bump or crest. On the other hand, this is a bike that needs its steering damper. I had huge wiggle of the bars this morning, hard on the throttle in 3rd gear, 10k RPM as I peeled left off a 120 mph straight over a junction. The road is worn and rough there and the bike was front light, so I should have expected it, but things are happening so fast, and you are thinking SO hard about the job in hand, that by the time the waggle had started, it was over. Keep it pinned and let the bike settle seems to be the way to go.
I had a mini race with a Scooby last night over the common, and the way the bike eats the gears is amazing. You just keep feeding it gears, and it keeps driving. The big difference here, over my previous bikes, is that there is no let up in pull as you select the next higher gear. You don't have to wait for the engine to pick up after a gear change, it just drives instantly. The result is that I am finding it hard to relax on the bike and that translates back through my body to the bike, which is reacting to my tensed body and getting tossed about. Slow up a bit, relax, breathe, and you can go fast again, but I keep finding myself out of breath, and hurting from the sheer physicality of the bike. It could be I am trying too hard to live up to the bikes reputation and performance, or that I need a track day to find out where the bike and I are happiest. Whatever, the bike is so lovely to ride, and the insanity of it so addictive that riding fast just becomes a case of remembering to relax.
On the flip side, it is possible to bimble along. 30 mph in 6th is fine, and the bike will pull happily in 6th from that speed.
So, give me a few more rides, and the bike and I will be much more happy. I could not be more pleased with the actual purchase though. Bargain.
No knee down yet as I am still building my confidence in the front tyre and the setup of the bike. I'll spend the weekend getting the sag set, and twiddling stuff until I have a base setting, but right now, it seems good, very good. The bike tracks so precisely and unlike the 11, the rear is not constantly spinning as it leaves the tarmac after every bump or crest. On the other hand, this is a bike that needs its steering damper. I had huge wiggle of the bars this morning, hard on the throttle in 3rd gear, 10k RPM as I peeled left off a 120 mph straight over a junction. The road is worn and rough there and the bike was front light, so I should have expected it, but things are happening so fast, and you are thinking SO hard about the job in hand, that by the time the waggle had started, it was over. Keep it pinned and let the bike settle seems to be the way to go.
I had a mini race with a Scooby last night over the common, and the way the bike eats the gears is amazing. You just keep feeding it gears, and it keeps driving. The big difference here, over my previous bikes, is that there is no let up in pull as you select the next higher gear. You don't have to wait for the engine to pick up after a gear change, it just drives instantly. The result is that I am finding it hard to relax on the bike and that translates back through my body to the bike, which is reacting to my tensed body and getting tossed about. Slow up a bit, relax, breathe, and you can go fast again, but I keep finding myself out of breath, and hurting from the sheer physicality of the bike. It could be I am trying too hard to live up to the bikes reputation and performance, or that I need a track day to find out where the bike and I are happiest. Whatever, the bike is so lovely to ride, and the insanity of it so addictive that riding fast just becomes a case of remembering to relax.
On the flip side, it is possible to bimble along. 30 mph in 6th is fine, and the bike will pull happily in 6th from that speed.
So, give me a few more rides, and the bike and I will be much more happy. I could not be more pleased with the actual purchase though. Bargain.
Thursday 9 October 2008
Scrub the plates
I'm not jealous, I'm not jealous, I'm slightly jealous I guess
Looks nice - only the Suzuki badge puts me off, but you've been buying bikes with parts made of cheese for as long as I've known you
I'd scrub the plates in the pictures though - otherwise I'll be putting a new registration on my van and getting you some (more) points ;)
Looks nice - only the Suzuki badge puts me off, but you've been buying bikes with parts made of cheese for as long as I've known you
I'd scrub the plates in the pictures though - otherwise I'll be putting a new registration on my van and getting you some (more) points ;)
K5 in the shower.....
OK, so it is not exactly IN the shower, but these are the pics of it after its first shower at my place.....
Last night was glorious, so some more pictures fro you to tsk at below.
Another fine morning, though foggy here today first thing. That has all burned off now and it is really warm out.... I washed the bike last night and enjoyed the sinking warmth of the Westerly sun on my back as I dabbed the bike dry with paper towel. Even had a pint of home brew and the radio on whilst cleaning it. For a moment back there, it was summer again....
I thought the handling was getting a long time to get used to, so I checked the bike over last night. All looked fine.
Then I checked the tyre pressures. 22 front, 28 rear. It should be 36/42. Oh dear. After bringing them to the correct pressures the bike is much better, and with the weather so lovelty today, I hope to give both the tyres a proper pasting on my way home.
BTW, watch out when you buy PB this month. Some issues are £3.99, and some are £2.99... Check out the new PB forum for the reasons why.
Last night was glorious, so some more pictures fro you to tsk at below.
Another fine morning, though foggy here today first thing. That has all burned off now and it is really warm out.... I washed the bike last night and enjoyed the sinking warmth of the Westerly sun on my back as I dabbed the bike dry with paper towel. Even had a pint of home brew and the radio on whilst cleaning it. For a moment back there, it was summer again....
I thought the handling was getting a long time to get used to, so I checked the bike over last night. All looked fine.
Then I checked the tyre pressures. 22 front, 28 rear. It should be 36/42. Oh dear. After bringing them to the correct pressures the bike is much better, and with the weather so lovelty today, I hope to give both the tyres a proper pasting on my way home.
BTW, watch out when you buy PB this month. Some issues are £3.99, and some are £2.99... Check out the new PB forum for the reasons why.
Wednesday 8 October 2008
Cold, damn cold
4am, got called out. I had to gear up in the freezing cold garage to avoid waking the ladies, then push the bike up the road to start it. That can has to go, or I have bought another solution to hopefully keep the shorty can which I think looks great (Nik prolly hates it). http://tinyurl.com/52kswe I could refit the standard zorst, but that involves messing with the now disconnected zorst valve..... I'll let you know what I do. I'll also try to get some pictures taken today, be warned though, they are from my phone..... Oh and fastest run to date? 174 mph (indicated)...... Stupid, bad, dumb, yeah I know that, but you would, wouldn't you? Some more pics, and I'll add the advert pics too as the bike was clean when they were taken!
It is all in the details.... Above, chain adjusters. Below, shorty Yoshimura can.
It is all in the details.... Above, chain adjusters. Below, shorty Yoshimura can.
R+G crash bung city. Front axle, bar ends, frame, and swingarm.
Trick looking DLC forks and radial calipers. Smoooooooooth.
Tail tidy with LED plate lamp, LED rear light, standard undertray.
Dirty little minx....
Tuesday 7 October 2008
Jim Inherits a legend.
The GSX-R1000 K5. Feck me! After months and months of looking and research, and swapping my mind from bike to bike, I finally placed my cash where my balls were, and bought a GSX-R1000k5. Why the K5? Wel, it is the lightest GSX-R1000, has the best finish, and the fattest mid range. It is also deemed to be comfy for 6ft plus blokes, and most importantly, came in an all black colour scheme with a Yosh can as standard.
1st impressions are a bit sketchy. Early rides on any new bike are always hard to quantify as you get used to a new riding position, new handing, brakes, suspension, controls and so on. But I can tell you, it is fast, very fast. I saw 168mph on the speedo last night on the dry M5 North, and the bike was still gatheing pace. Conversely, you can leave it in 2nd and the bike will pull cleanly from 1500RPM all the way through to 13kRPM making town riding and filtering easy and smooth.
The bike is comfy and not at all bum up, head down with plenty of space to move around and keep the blood flowing to the parts that may last GSX-R made white and blue with numbness and lack of circulation. The most amazing thing for me though, is the weight of the bike, or lack of it. Pushing it in the garage last night made me double check for someone giving me a helping hand it was that light. Sittingh on the bike at the lights, in neutral, waiting for the traffic to move the bike is poised and so easily moved about to get your feet on the pegs, stretch your back and pat it on the tank. The 11 used to be a whale, though I never felt it was, mostly due to lack of a comparison. This thing is mental.
100mph in third and the bike will wheelie off the throttle without a chop. I have not used the higher part of the rev counter, I've set the shift light to flash at 10k RPM, as by then the bike is going fast enough to wonder when the hell it is ever going to stop........
One thing that must change is the can. The PO has cut the can down by 2/3rds to make the bike look more MotoGP as he felt the Yoshimura RS3 Oval was too long. The result of that is that the bike is VERY loud, too loud, even for me. I have the standard can, and will have to refit it, together with the exhaust valve gubbins and see what is what.
That is it for now my friends, let me know if you want to try it, you'd be very welcopme.
1st impressions are a bit sketchy. Early rides on any new bike are always hard to quantify as you get used to a new riding position, new handing, brakes, suspension, controls and so on. But I can tell you, it is fast, very fast. I saw 168mph on the speedo last night on the dry M5 North, and the bike was still gatheing pace. Conversely, you can leave it in 2nd and the bike will pull cleanly from 1500RPM all the way through to 13kRPM making town riding and filtering easy and smooth.
The bike is comfy and not at all bum up, head down with plenty of space to move around and keep the blood flowing to the parts that may last GSX-R made white and blue with numbness and lack of circulation. The most amazing thing for me though, is the weight of the bike, or lack of it. Pushing it in the garage last night made me double check for someone giving me a helping hand it was that light. Sittingh on the bike at the lights, in neutral, waiting for the traffic to move the bike is poised and so easily moved about to get your feet on the pegs, stretch your back and pat it on the tank. The 11 used to be a whale, though I never felt it was, mostly due to lack of a comparison. This thing is mental.
100mph in third and the bike will wheelie off the throttle without a chop. I have not used the higher part of the rev counter, I've set the shift light to flash at 10k RPM, as by then the bike is going fast enough to wonder when the hell it is ever going to stop........
One thing that must change is the can. The PO has cut the can down by 2/3rds to make the bike look more MotoGP as he felt the Yoshimura RS3 Oval was too long. The result of that is that the bike is VERY loud, too loud, even for me. I have the standard can, and will have to refit it, together with the exhaust valve gubbins and see what is what.
That is it for now my friends, let me know if you want to try it, you'd be very welcopme.
Monday 6 October 2008
What I did on my holidays
Took a drive up from Como to Chiavenna and the Splugenpass in to Switzerland. Absolutely stunning, and the weather was fantastic, which was a bonus. The road was really tight and twisty - would be awesome on a motard.
Welcome to the PPRS Blog!
Hello gents!
I've set up the new place for posting PPRS chit-chat and news. Anything goes, so jump in and enjoy!
This is all a bit new to me, and something of an experiment, so I don't know if it'll work, or if it'll be any more use than the usual mailing list, but it thought it would be fun to try.
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