A few questions and observations

[L-Jam]

If you're not bored out of your skull, ignore this rambling.

Is it just me that absolutely hates the F'ing rain? Not getting wet - textiles do their job, its riding on a slippery surface. I absolutely despise it, I have no confidence, every corner is a game to try and lean as less as possible, and braking is a calculated risk. I really am not looking forward to the winter.

Just how much powerful is a 636 b1h/a1p compared to my current GS500e? The reason I ask is that my dad is bidding on a few, until he win's one with the view that he will arse around on it for a few months until I can afford to buy it off him, thus being my next bike. Looking at the stats though, my bike produces 45ish bhp? The Kwak makes 105ish? I am scared

Finally, is it just me that gambles on overtakes just a bit too much, to gain what, three seconds before you're stuck behind the next car?

Why do so few people these days want to get a bike? What isn't attractive about it?

I Fvcking love riding; sometimes even a teeny bit in the wet.
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Journalist, student, egotist.
Click here if you're a young biker, wondering what to do after a moped/125!
Skp 50 --> GS 500 --> CBR600F with custom HRC paint jobby --> GSX-R 750 K7, beautiful!

[Alexio]

To be honest it sounds like you are lacking confidence but you're really just complaining about nothing.

I LOVE the rain. I love how that tiny bit extra acceleration causes your back wheel to slide along with you around a corner. I love actually being forced to concentrate when braking, but I've never ever had a problem, well except the time I braked too late, pushed my back brake too hard and locked up my rear wheel before turning in to my drive way. Slippery roads are fun! It left a tire mark down my road

Most of all I love overtaking absolutely everything else on the road while it's pouring down. This is generally easier as well because cars will drive more slowly in rainy conditions.
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will never give up his CG. I look at my fuel gauge more as a progress bar than a fuel gauge.
G: With my GSXR I do often effectively use it as a scooter with a clutch in town.
ms51ves3: why does it need 500 miles? Are you teaching it how to be a piston?

[Mystery]

i dont know why people bother and worry so much about the rain and cornering it just takes that extra bit of skill to stay but thats all but if you get used to it your confidence grows i think well mines has anyway
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Carbon knuckles assure you maximum protect against debris and unfortunate accidents or if someone cuts you off, their side mirror.Mopeds are like chubby chicks.. they are really fun to ride until you're friends catch you on one

[fatsamurai]

The rain doesn't really bother me at all. As long as it's not absolutely chucking it down I don't find that the handling changes much at all. I trust my tyres.

The only thing that I don't like about it is having to wash my bike down every other day in the winter.

There are plenty of things that are unattractive about riding a bike. The perceived danger, not being able to do a proper weekly shop, getting wet and cold in winter.. blah blah. The fun makes up for it all, but people who haven't ridden don't see that.
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Hyosung GT125 [SOLD] -> Suzuki GSX 750W [SOLD] -> SV650S [Crashed] -> FZ6

[Alexio]

[Skudd]

There is a thing in your right hand when you ride a bike, that helps with the power and speed stuff, the overtaking risks, if you feel it is a high risk with no nenefit, don't do it, simples.
Also you need to get out on the road in the wet, that will sort you out. The more you do ride in the wet the better you will feel about it.
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Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[Devils Advocate]

[Devils Advocate]

[Bubbs]

[calyx]

I LOVE the rain.
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Boris - London

[Mystery]

[Devils Advocate]

[Gunny]

Hate cornering in the rain,you could tell me that i`ve got the most advanced tyres absolutely garaunteed to never not ever loss grip in the wet and id still be cautious...just me i suppose--Must be a woos
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WWW.SCOTTISHBIKERS.CO.UK

[Bubbs]

[G]

Just a note that clutch in isn't a great way to go around corners as the suspension is designed to work with the engine engaged. Many years ago I used to do this in similar situations, but looking back it wasn't great and made it worse.

Why it was bad was well demonstrated when I went into the bottom of the mountain on my RS250 and managed to knock it into neutral rather than second/first. Pegs went down and the bike wallowed badly compared to when I had gone in gently on the power every time.

[Devils Advocate]

[Alexio]

[Devils Advocate]

[Jayy]

It's slightly daunting in the wet going into every corner. I don't find it any more difficult on my ZX6R than my old RS125 though.

I'm going to be upgrading to an R1 in less than 6 weeks time though, which will be well into winter by then.

[G]

Shouldn't be an issue regarding power with good throttle control (as I've said before, I've ridden my 4 cylinder bike with more power through winter fine - incidentally mine has a /really/ flat torque curve, with a power 'curve' pretty much a straight line).
However as you've complained of other similar stuff while commuting, I wonder if it's an issue with fuel injection, presuming yours is - my 675 is a bit annoying when coming on the power, but I've only noticed it when riding it on track, not riding a friend's one on the road.

[Devils Advocate]

[Bishbash]

[Jayy]

To my knowledge, it wasn't that bad last year? There was a bit of snow for a week or so but apart from that, wasn't too bad. I've got the memory of a goldfish though.

[Devils Advocate]

[G]