Which bike do you want reviewed

[sapaul]

Being the kind soft hearted guy I am, I am willing to do a bike review for you. At the end of April and first 2 days in May we have a big bike show here where the public can "buy" a demo ride on a track.

I have been given the honor of supplying track marshals for the 3 days. This puts me in a position of being able to try out some of the the new bikes.

Now seeing as all you guys are my friends, tell me what you would like me to ride and I will try my best to accommodate you.

The show allows each manufacturer to show case 5 bikes each for track riding. No Harley's (sorry we do not let them on the track due to the debris)

Of course I will be thinking of you all affectionately as I gently review these bikes on your behalf.

http://www.zwartkops.co.za/news.php

Ps check out the ladies racing, some very cool stuff

[HYPERR]

No Harley's (sorry we do not let them on the track due to the debris)

I was going to ask about the XR1200X which is not yet available in the US.

I know most of the sportbikes are brilliant on the track. I would be more interested in how a bike like the R1200GS or the Katoom Super Duke does on the track.

[sapaul]

KTM, will be there, so Superduke is on the list, thanks Hyperr, first customer is always the hardest.

[BRUMBEAR]

Buell CR 1125 if they actually have them there?

Triumph street triple R (not sure on the R the one with adjustable suspension)

[jstark47]

2010 R1200RT with the new engine. Or 8v version of the Guzzi Norge if you can get one.

[Marvin]

Yamaha TMAX (the way it handles and the perfect balance will surprize you, even if you are an expert crotch rocket rider you will find out the TMAX will handle the hairpin-tight curves better)
yea, I know its a scooter!
this scooter is more state of the art professional engineering than any high end expensive sport bike and a man with your testing abilities would be able to see that, its a super scooter that would make a beginner look like a professional rider.
My cruiser friends cut down and laugh at my TMAX, ha ha ha! But if they would be able to ride it they would be surprized and they would LOVE it and I believe that would be your reaction.

note: I subscribe to almost every motorcycle magazine out there, ever notice all of those magazines always test and say wonderful things about the models nobody buys? Look at the top selling motorcycles during the last 5 years such as the Honda 750 Shadow, or the Kawasaki 250 Ninja and can you tell me when was the last time you seen these models being tested??
whatever model you test, you should test a popular and top selling brand that more people own and you will win favor with more people.

[erbgottie]

In cycle world this month the Shadow Phantom 750 was a "first ride":

http://www.cycleworld.com/article.asp?s ... le_id=2098

I own shadow 750 and it was tested in '07 when the C2 version came out:

http://www.ridermagazine.com/output.cfm?id=1204291

Ninja 250r new in '08:

http://www.ridermagazine.com/output.cfm?id=1693477

which magazines did you subscribe to?

[jmillheiser]

Triumph street triple R (not sure on the R the one with adjustable suspension)

I second this one

[Wrider]

Yamaha TMAX (the way it handles and the perfect balance will surprize you, even if you are an expert crotch rocket rider you will find out the TMAX will handle the hairpin-tight curves better)
yea, I know its a scooter!
this scooter is more state of the art professional engineering than any high end expensive sport bike and a man with your testing abilities would be able to see that, its a super scooter that would make a beginner look like a professional rider.
My cruiser friends cut down and laugh at my TMAX, ha ha ha! But if they would be able to ride it they would be surprized and they would LOVE it and I believe that would be your reaction.

note: I subscribe to almost every motorcycle magazine out there, ever notice all of those magazines always test and say wonderful things about the models nobody buys? Look at the top selling motorcycles during the last 5 years such as the Honda 750 Shadow, or the Kawasaki 250 Ninja and can you tell me when was the last time you seen these models being tested??
whatever model you test, you should test a popular and top selling brand that more people own and you will win favor with more people.

As a factory certified Tech for Yamaha, yes they're good scooters, but they're still a scooter. I've ridden one. It was impressive in super super tight stuff and low speed maneuvers, but that's about it. (Well ok, impressive acceleration for a scooter too, but nothing compared to a bike of equal displacement.
And yes I've seen tests for all of those in recent years. The main reason they mainly do reviews on sportbikes is that they change every 2-3 years. So that's the main bulk of what they have to review. Look at the Concours for example, it didn't change from it's introduction until 2008. Same with the Ninja 250.

As for the models nobody buys, it's because people here tend to want the pretty plastics and the fastest/best handling/most expensive even if they aren't going to use them. E.G. when's the last time you saw a Lamborghini owner go to the track regularly instead of using it as a city driver?

[Marvin]

Yamaha TMAX (the way it handles and the perfect balance will surprize you, even if you are an expert crotch rocket rider you will find out the TMAX will handle the hairpin-tight curves better)
yea, I know its a scooter!
this scooter is more state of the art professional engineering than any high end expensive sport bike and a man with your testing abilities would be able to see that, its a super scooter that would make a beginner look like a professional rider.


As a factory certified Tech for Yamaha, yes they're good scooters, but they're still a scooter. I've ridden one. It was impressive in super super tight stuff and low speed maneuvers, but that's about it. (Well ok, impressive acceleration for a scooter too, but nothing compared to a bike of equal displacement.
And yes I've seen tests for all of those in recent years. The main reason they mainly do reviews on sportbikes is that they change every 2-3 years. So that's the main bulk of what they have to review. Look at the Concours for example, it didn't change from it's introduction until 2008. Same with the Ninja 250.

As for the models nobody buys, it's because people here tend to want the pretty plastics and the fastest/best handling/most expensive even if they aren't going to use them. E.G. when's the last time you saw a Lamborghini owner go to the track regularly instead of using it as a city driver?

as a factory Yamaha Tech whats your opnion of the FJR1300? the reason I am asking is one Yamaha Dealer in my area isn't afraid to proclaim they are junk, he refuses to sell them, saying that bike is the biggest screw-up Yamaha has ever made and selling or servicing one harms his reputation, what do you think? I kinda think this dealer doesn't have good enough techs that know enough how to repair an FJR1300, or he screwed one up in the past repairing it and maybe got in trouble for it? I have never seen any motorcycle dealer cut down his own product.