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Whatever you ride it's probably faster, better handling and smoother than the machines of our youth. Tell your tale of Whoaoooooooooo! I'll start:

My bike amazes me. It's quiet and docile in everyday riding, but it becomes Mr. Hyde at a twist. It does 0-60 in 2.9 seconds, and a low 11 second quarter mile. What this means is if I snap the throttle open at 4,500 rpm in first, the wheel goes right up. If I smooth it a bit, the front wheel skips along as the bike goes to over 60 mph in first gear. The acceleration is violent, and you are grinning from ear to ear.

Also, it's real easy to throw into twisties. Amazing steering geometry that I'm still creeping up on. The brakes are HUGE.

I know you sport bike riders have even more awesome experiences. But cruiser riders are amazed as well. What happened to motorcycles?

Ok you want wooooaaa. How about this. I had a BMW R1150 RT which was three years old, new model of the same bike due to come out, so we ordered one. Then we went to one of the big shows that we have here and for a few bucks and a signed indemnity you get to try out the latest bikes on the race track. Under supervision of course. My wife and I tried the Triumph ST1050, really great bike. The yammy FJR1300 also really good and a few others like the KLR 500 Kawa. The BMW stand had three brand new K1200S's but would only let them out on an invitation only basis, we new most of the sales guys and scrounged a couple of tickets and of we went. At that point I got two comments from my wife. "I never knew you could ride like that" and "that bike just blows me away. From there we went to the main BMW stand for the unveiling of the three new models. The R1200RT, R1200ST and the K1200S. My wife took one look at the new RT and in a loud enough voice to embaress me said. "No way are we getting that RT it looks like a tank, thats just horrible. we are getting that K1200S and thats it. BELIVE ME I WENT WOOOOAAA ALL THE WAY HOME AND AM STILL GOING WOOOOAAA.

Don't do anything rash--I hear Honda is coming out with a V-5 1300cc sport tourer ala the CBR1100XX, only faster still. I could never figure out where to go 178 when I had an XX. though.

oldnslo wrote:Don't do anything rash--I hear Honda is coming out with a V-5 1300cc sport tourer ala the CBR1100XX, only faster still. I could never figure out where to go 178 when I had an XX. though.

It's good to know you have that power though John ... You never know when you might need to pass a car on the highway

It was very addictive. I was lucky to only get one ticket in 15,000 miles of ownership.

"The BMW stand had three brand new K1200S's but would only let them out on an invitation only basis, we new most of the sales guys and scrounged a couple of tickets and of we went."

Lucky dog. I like the ads for that bike: "Pass Cessnas". Heh, heh.

I notice that even the 'lowly' Moto Guzzi 750 runs sub-14 second 1/4 miles. The Kawi ZX-10R pumps out 163 hp at the rear wheel. Would a Moto GP bike have done that 15 years ago?

What about the BMW HP2? 100 hp in an off road bike? A boxer no less.

In 1983, my 900 Seca ran the 1/4 in the high 11's, according to period tests. Cycle World beat an 11.77 out of one. Not a real big deal, but there are still quite a few bikes that can't do that. And get mileage in the 50's at the same time. These days, they are working hard for every little bit of horsepower gain. Much higher revs, new bore coatings, higher compression, all of it. No wonder they fly. What is amazing is they stay together as long as they do.

I can't comment - I still ride one of yeterday's bikes

Mine too, is from my youth...The year I graduated college, to be exact. It is modified, though, and keeps me happy.

I think I was in the third grade when my bike rolled off the line. But that technology is working just fine for me.