The motorcycle thread

[sleekism]

Originally Posted by dave351cid

i`ve had dirt birt bikes for most of my life except the last couple of years.

cant wait to get another one but i`m trying to save up and build a shed on my block of dirt so bike will have to wait its turn. i like the style of the DR400Z , i`ve got short leg disease and dirt bikes seem to be getting taller every model.

only road bike i`ve had was a `81 FJ650 shaft drive. would like another roady to.

I suffer also from short leg disease but you will find that the DR's have a lot of suspension travel so there not actually big.

For me the big 4 stroke singles are the V8 muscle cars of the motorbike world.

For me the sound of a big single ticking over with straight through exaust does it every time.

And I would love a electric starter for the DR it's a pain in the *** frukin around with the decompression and the idle when trying to start the beast bit I will give credit to Suzuki those engines are bulletproof.

Anybody know where you can get a DR800 from I have heard some foreign markets have it, i would love to take a big DR on motocross and show those 15grand water cooled 5 valve pansies whos boss.

You can't beat a big air cooled single.

[woodsy109]

I've got a Honda CBR 954 Fireblade 02 model.

It goes a hell of a lot faster than the old EL.

[damon90]

02 wr 400 for me built to race enduros and yz 450 for me old man who fell off friday and dislocated his shoulder

[Gobes32]

Originally Posted by xbcool

never tried a 426 but started a few yz450f's and a crf450 not much harder than starting the old xr400, I will admit being stuck on a snotty hill trying to kick a thumper can be hard.
and yes I'd rather be riding em than trying to start em.

still a pussy for wanting a button. :

450's have auto decompression. Nana could start it!!!!!!!!!!

[^kicker^]

had a few bikes over the years.
CRF450 is my toy at the moment..

[schmidty]

Originally Posted by xbcool

never tried a 426 but started a few yz450f's and a crf450 not much harder than starting the old xr400, I will admit being stuck on a snotty hill trying to kick a thumper can be hard.
and yes I'd rather be riding em than trying to start em.

still a pussy for wanting a button. :

426 has blooody high compression. 450 has auto decompression, and crf is still much easier to start. I hurt my leg pretty bad on 1 ride, and 3 people spent about 20 minutes trying to start my bike. Can't even roll start it in anything less than 5th gear because it wont turn the back wheel.


And thats like saying people are weak for wanting power steering, or lazy for using remote controls! I'll keep my power steering, remote control garage door, and my button start bike will complete my comfortable life! :

[Gobes32]

I have an '02 YZ 426F. So much fun it should be illegal. Until you want to start the bastard. Get the sequence down pat and you are set though.

[dave.747]

Ive got an 06 SV650S.

Im looking to get a dirtbike for next summer.

[Mutley]

Originally Posted by luxury-pack

Suzuki GSX 1100 efe
Yamaha IT 250

Mmm. A mate of mine bought a GSX 1100 efe new. It had the 16" (I think???) front wheel and was prone to tank slapping. I witnessed this first hand in the Adelaide hills one day. It all ended well though.

[Mutley]

My bikes were as follows
XL 500
XL 250
RGV 250
ZX10 Ninja 1990 model
ZZR 1100 1995 model
XT 600

Currently haven't got a bike (am in the middle of a breeding programme!) but dream of getting one soon. My favourite was the ZX10.

[Monkey]

Originally Posted by Outbackjack

Those 850 guzzi's were/are a really nice looking bike.

They were a great bike for there time ,classic 70's styling ,big air cooled V twin and handling the Japanese bikes lacked .

[pb02]

I had a 2002 CBR 600F4i which was sold to buy a ZX6 RR. (ex race bike)

The Honda was great to ride, very comfortable and capable of very good lap times around the island. The kwaka was completely different, it was good fun to ride but used to shake it's head out of the corners and never had the same feel as the honda.

I want to get either a CBR 600 RR or the Blade.

[Squalo]

1994 Honda VFR750 with a few mods:

2004 R1 forks/radial brakes/front wheel, CBR954 tripleclamps, Ohlins rear shock, 1992 VFR750 8-spoke rear wheel, Wolf dual carbon fibre underseat exhaust with custom aluminium inner fender, Indigo stainless steel full header system. Also has some body mods - CBR1100XX side panels and mirrors/indicators, custom twin projector headlights, custom LED rear lamps.

Have a full engine gasket kit hanging on the wall for the day it gets overbored to 840cc, which should see it up to 120-130rwhp.

[luxury-pack]

Mmm. A mate of mine bought a GSX 1100 efe new. It had the 16" (I think???) front wheel and was prone to tank slapping. I witnessed this first hand in the Adelaide hills one day. It all ended well though.

Was wondering if anyone would mention that. I have done 55 000kms, and it has only ever done it once. The front tyre was nearly flat. On a ride to Port Hedland, I rode for about 30 kms with neither hand on the bars, and it was fine. Over cattle grids and everything.

[Mutley]

Originally Posted by luxury-pack

Was wondering if anyone would mention that. I have done 55 000kms, and it has only ever done it once. The front tyre was nearly flat. On a ride to Port Hedland, I rode for about 30 kms with neither hand on the bars, and it was fine. Over cattle grids and everything.

I thing the problem was a 'bump' mid corner. The small front wheel which was popular at the time (GPZ 900, CB 1100R, Katana 1100 etc) made bikes easier to steer into a corner at the expense of high speed stability. (These days they achieve the same results by changing rake and trail so I've been told???)

[kypez]

I've had a few bikes...
1997 Honda Moped (A whopping 65cc, 3 gears)
1998 Yamaha 2 Stroke 135
2002 Kawasaki zzr 250
2002 kawasaki ZX6R 636
2004 Kawasaki ZX10R

and now I have a 2007 Yamaha R1.

Best quarter I did on the Kawasaki was a 10.805 stock. Was fun till some bast@rd stole it!!

Any of you guys do the creek? I do 1'47"s which is pretty poor given the machines I've been on... :(

[Squalo]

2004 Kawasaki ZX10R
and now I have a 2007 Yamaha R1.

Any of you guys do the creek? I do 1'47"s which is pretty poor given the machines I've been on...

Anything under 1'50" on a streetbike at EC is not mucking around!

Excellent progression of bikes there. So, what was/is the faster bike - the nutcase ZX-10R or the new R1?

[kypez]

Stock, I think I'm a little quicker on the R1. It turns in quicker and I can get on the Gas earlier without the thing jumping up on me (much!). The ZX, I dropped 1 tooth on the front (hehe)... That made it very interesting. Before I did that, 1st gear went all the way to 183!!?? By dropping the tooth, I had more midrange and usable power around EC (which is primarily a 2nd gear track). Down side was it was very jumpy and would slide around 7 and 4 if on the power too early. Torque is more linear on the R1 and it keeps pulling right through, where the 10 seemed to choke in the middle, then go nuts up top. But both really like it up top. The handling is what sets them apart!!

I feel the R1 is better balanced, but the pegs are WAY too low. My boots kept scraping even though I was on my toes!! Need higher rearsets. Also, the R1 is heavier, which you feel, but since EC has no quick direction changes, its hardly noticable, but still apparent.

ZX - WAAAY MORE FUN!!!!!
R1 - More ridability and quicker lap times.

[mcnews]

I found the front end a bit prone to patter and getting untidy on the 07 R1, how did you cure that? A bit more preload on the rear? Turn is was really nice though, just that under brakes and at the end of the chute the front would patter away a fair bit.

[kypez]

Originally Posted by mcnews

I found the front end a bit prone to patter and getting untidy on the 07 R1, how did you cure that? A bit more preload on the rear? Turn is was really nice though, just that under brakes and at the end of the chute the front would patter away a fair bit.

Ohlins adjustable dampner... That helps a lot over the stock... With my weight (100 kilos now that I'm bulking up again), I dont need to play with the preload. I did get a lot of tank slap out of turn 12 on the gas, but under braking, I never had issue. There will always be a little movement, but that part of racing on a not so good track (read EC!!! Turn 2 is a shocker with that tear right down the middle of the corner!)

During turn in, it felt like I had oversteer which I really loved. Tightened the corners. Simply loved that feeling... The 10 was more neutral.

[blur1]

mines a 98 r1.... doing 1.47s at the island.