OK just got back from this mornings session. WHOOO what a lot of fun. Got to ride these bikes:
Kawa ER6-n
Yammy MT01
Yammy XT 660
M50 Suzi Boulavard
KTM 990 super duke
Triumph 675 daytona
BMW R1200GS
usually within one lap I am into the bike and can get the best out of it, the exception this time was the Daytona 675. It is a nasty twitchy unpredicatable little bastrd. The wheel will come up with the least provacation, the back end will not settle and I was cramped and uncomfortble. The throttle is as nervous as porcupines having sex and you are so far over the front wheel with so much "O Ring" in the air I thought I was being indecent. This has confrimed my believe that only experianced riders should buy that type of bike.
The Kawa ER6-N by comparison was much better, the power came on cleaner if not as strong. The back end was solid and inspired confidence. Ergos are not as cramped. Altogether a much better ride.
The suprise of the day had to be the M50. I asked for the Mean Streak and was told Sorry non to ride at the show. I know why. I scraped both side pegs on the M50 down to nothing. Zootech illustrated a guy at the Dragon who levered his bike off the deck. I can well believe this happening at the track. The M50 was a pleasure to ride, low C of G, easy to manouvre at slow speeds or walking backwards. The power delivery was clean and the gear changing very deliberate. It was more comfortable than I expected and had more power than you need. All in all I would score this bike high.
Next came the fun boys, the Yammy XT 660 Motard is a blast, suprisingly quick and I would blast any super bike on the Dragon on this machine. The sheer fun factor makes this bike a worthwhile commuter come Sunday runner. Not a machine for a pillion they would fall off after the first three turns, it is that quick. Typical thumper, you are going quicker than your ears tell you.
KTM 990 super duke, the bike rides well enough but there is something missing. The fun factor is just not there, it's a very serious bike, it corners well but not exciting, it accelerates OK but not arm wrenching. Maybe I am knocking the bike too much because these are track conditions, however I did the back to back comparison with the BMWR1200GS. There is no comparison. This bike corners better than any bike I have ever ridden. No joke, balls to the wall on that Kyalami track and I had the marshall telling me to slow down, he was on an R1 and there were guys on other race bikes behind me who I left behind, the marshall slowed down to let them catch up and when he signalled them into the pits he gave me one extra lap at full blast and he could not lose me. This bike has fun factor.
Big dissapointment was the Mt01. Awful bike on the track, the back end wallowed all over, the steering was anything but precise, the power had a lag no matter what gear I was in and the gear pegs and brakes felt very uncomfortable.
Bike of the day I have to give to the ER6-N. I think Kawa have done a supurb job with this machine and have put a 600 on the market that is well behaved but not in any way lacking.
Going back with the Goose on Sunday, couple of others I have yet to try.
I spent my therapy money an a K1200S
The therapy worked, I got a GS now
A touch of insanity crept back in the shape of an R1200R
That's a shame about the Mean Streak. I was looking forward to a review from an unbiased source who has ridden a lot of different bikes. If you're ever state-side, you're welcome to ride mine!
