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Howling Terror |
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Howling Terror Super Spammer
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FretGrinder |
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FretGrinder World Chat Champion
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Posted: 21:48 - 14 Jun 2020 Post subject: |
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Robby wrote: |
My mistake, it was Poseidon. I get confused with the usernames, because I think of both of you fisting mermaids. |
I'm never gonna eat fish fingers again ____________________ Yamaha MT-09
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Fisty |
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Fisty Super Spammer
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wr6133 |
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wr6133 World Chat Champion
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :
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Posted: 11:09 - 15 Jun 2020 Post subject: |
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wr6133 wrote: | As a K1 GSXR owner my back, neck and wrists are definitely jealous.
The spec sheet on them seems phenomenal value for money. |
Yep. I went out for a ride yesterday for a couple of hours. It's absolutely astonishingly good. It grips, it turns and it inspires confidence from the first moment. The compression damping on the front end is a bit high, It's very sporty - I think I can dial that out, but it only really affects the ride quality and not the cornering confidence.
Honestly I've never ridden a 'big' bike that is as confidence inspiring pre-setup. The Buell had a table in the manual to tell you how to set it up for your weight, and my Street Triple needed a fair bit of fettling including new lighter springs on the front end to make it work for me. THis bike? No not at all. I'm aware of the slightly increased width of the bike being a Japanese I4 but weight wise it just feels right. It's a lot heavier than my ST3, but it hides it so well, and it's very very quick. It's not mindblowing - I was kind of expecting more engine wise as I've never owned anything more powerful than my 954 blade which I think is supposed to be about 140bhp, and on paper this is a tad more but it's so much friendlier. The Blade constantly felt like it wanted to spit me off. People used to say that the 954 was the best roadgoing sportsbike of it's day, but I didn't get on with it. It felt like it was on it's tippy toes all the time, and that the suspension didn't want to work for me. It also felt like I should be looking over my shoulder for blue lights constantly.
The GSX-S? it's a pussycat. I'd happily send my other half out on it even though she's had her license for 2 years and never ridden anything more powerful than an ER6N. I know she's not that good at 'use of throttle' and 'use of speed' so she'll probably never go over half revs, and she'll have a great time doing it. and she'll have it on it's ear and if she stuck her gangly leg out she'd probably get her knee on the deck too.
I'm making it sound a bit soft, but it really isn't. It's very well judged. If you try, it goes FAST but if you don't want to try, it doesn't force you.
The criticisms I have so far are twofold: One, that the brakes are a bit... not spongy, but there is a lot of travel on the lever before anything happens and I suspect this is related to the ABS. I'm also used to my Street Triple which I can stoppie on demand even though as many of you know I'm hardly a talented stunt monkey. If you pull them hard you stop but I think maybe a bit of hard use and maybe some sintered pads might go a long way to sorting this. Secondly, the finish is crap on some of the more overlooked parts. This bike has obviously been used through winter, and things like the downpipes are beautiful and mint, but the gear linkage rod, gear lever, the sidestand frame lug, the chainguard bracket and many bolts have gone all white and furry. Easily fixed, and for me not a problem as I'm going to just get it dirty anyway but for a 3 year old bike it's a bit poor form.
I'm very happy with it as a bike, but it some ways I'm a bit disappointed. It's going to sound crazy, but I'm worried that it's too good. I bought it to commute on, and barreling up the M3 bolt upright is a bit of a waste.
It does also start to put questions in my head as to whether I need the Street Triple any more... No bike I've ridden since 2012 when I bought the Street has even remotely come close to doing that. This is high high praise for the GSX-S. Nothing can match the noise and the anger of the ST3 though, so it'll probably stay - I've always said it was a keeper.
I am honestly surprised and a bit aggrieved that we don't see more GSX-S's at every bike meet in the UK. The Z1000SX is very popular, and deservedly so but it is dynamically inferior to the GSX-S. By a long old way. The fact that Suzuki aren't selling as many as they can make is a crying shame.
Just in case anyone is interested, Suzuki are doing 0% finance and £500 off a brand new one of these at the moment. I didn't want new as I'd be adding miles to it and the depreciation might be a killer, but for someone as an only do it all bike, I'd give it serious consideration if I were you. Just make sure you cover it in ACF50 if you're gonna ride through winter! ____________________ British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another. |
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chickenstrip |
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chickenstrip Super Spammer
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Posted: 11:34 - 15 Jun 2020 Post subject: |
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MarJay wrote: | for someone as an only do it all bike, I'd give it serious consideration if I were you. |
Been saying it for years. Litre IL4s make great all-rounders. Not the very best at anything in particular, but they have enough of most attributes to keep you happy. Tart 'em up and personalise them a bit, and you have the makings of a keep-forever bike. ____________________ Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE! |
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :
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Posted: 11:50 - 15 Jun 2020 Post subject: |
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chickenstrip wrote: | MarJay wrote: | for someone as an only do it all bike, I'd give it serious consideration if I were you. |
Been saying it for years. Litre IL4s make great all-rounders. Not the very best at anything in particular, but they have enough of most attributes to keep you happy. Tart 'em up and personalise them a bit, and you have the makings of a keep-forever bike. |
Agreed... to some extent. This is not a GSXR, and it most certainly is a better all rounder than a GSXR, R1, Blade, or ZX10R. This is what people should really buy instead of those dumb adventure/giant trailie/stilt bikes. This is the evolution of the sportsbike for people who can't bend themselves onto a race rep. This is the evolution of the sportsbike for people who want to do distance in comfort. This is a modern ZX9R, a modern CBR600F with more power. It's a VFR with 50kg less and 50bhp more. As I said, Suzuki deserve to sell a boat load of them, but it doesn't have TFT this and bluetooth that. Why do people need that?
I watched a Youtube vid by a car journo who just bought a 2018 Kia Stinger, brand new with $15,000 off of the list price. He then complained that the worst part was that the infotainment was two years out of date compared to other cars!!! My first car was a Ford Fiesta Ghia, and the Ghia meant you got a radio and a rear wash wipe as standard and that was it! No crumple zones, no ABS, it wasn't even completely carpeted as I recall - not even head restraints.
Forget TFT this, bluetooth that, riding modes this... this bike is a great bike for being a bike and nothing more. It's exhilarating and fun and it does everything pretty well. It's also great value as a new bike. It does have ABS, and it does have traction control, and that's a good thing these days - but it's got some of that old school charm lacking from many modern bikes. I love it and I'm glad I went for it. ____________________ British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another. |
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chickenstrip |
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chickenstrip Super Spammer
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Posted: 12:02 - 15 Jun 2020 Post subject: |
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I've still never ridden a bike with ABS or any of the other electronic stuff that's standard fit these days. I suppose I knew pretty much what I wanted from biking from an early stage, and just haven't seen fit to dilute any of that experience. I've got more performance and better handling, better braking than I had years ago, but the overall experience of riding hasn't changed.
It's nice to try something different now and then, but after 30-plus years, I guess I know what I like, what I can actually live with. Nothing you've said about this GSX comes as a surprise to me, nor would I expect anything less. ____________________ Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE! |
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
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UncleFester |
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UncleFester World Chat Champion
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
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UncleFester |
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UncleFester World Chat Champion
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chickenstrip |
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chickenstrip Super Spammer
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Posted: 15:32 - 15 Jun 2020 Post subject: |
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Btw, DON'T SELL THE STREET TRIPLE!
I never would have sold mine if I could have afforded to keep it along with the Fazer.
That and the KR1 have to be your keepers! ____________________ Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE! |
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
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Robby |
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Robby Dirty Old Man
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
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Robby |
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Robby Dirty Old Man
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slowside |
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slowside Nova Slayer
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha |
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha World Chat Champion
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chickenstrip |
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chickenstrip Super Spammer
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Posted: 14:02 - 16 Jun 2020 Post subject: |
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha wrote: |
MarJay wrote: | Agreed, but I still don't understand why adventure bikes supplanted sports bikes as the British rider's genre of choice. |
Because age. Old needs comfort. A GS is comfier than a zx9r. Has to be. Old also needs different fantasy - old has done 'pretend to be hailwood.' Old now rummages in costume wardrobe one more time - picks out new cosplay item; adventure-before-dementia garb is donned. Needs relevant bike. |
I think it's mostly a certain subset that came to bikes later in life. Maybe it was the Mcgregor thing that inspired them to take it up in the first place. I'm not so sure that many adventure bike riders have done the 'pretend to be Hailwood' bit, or any other bit for that matter.
My tastes haven't really changed much in the years I've been riding. I never went for the adventure bike thing. It's just not what I've ever wanted from biking. If adventure bikes were the only choice, I'd quit riding. ____________________ Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE! |
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wr6133 |
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wr6133 World Chat Champion
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chickenstrip |
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chickenstrip Super Spammer
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Posted: 14:27 - 16 Jun 2020 Post subject: |
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I'm sure it is, and I'm not knocking other's tastes. It's just not what I want from a bike. ____________________ Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE! |
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
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Old Thread Alert!
The last post was made 3 years, 314 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful? |
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