Some musings on my bikes

[MarJay]

Due to a weird confluence of circumstances, I have ended up riding three of my four bikes over the last two days. While these rides are fresh in my mind I wanted to write some notes down about the experience of each ride, and the differences between bikes. It's also unusual for me to have all 4 of my bikes on the road and legal to ride, so I think now is a good time to get this down onto pape... err... forum. Hopefully you'll find my words entertaining and informative. If not, what the hell! The forum is dying anyway, apparently.

2018 Suzuki GSX-S1000F

https://www.bikechatforums.com/download.php?id=103683

This one is my work commuter. It's probably overkill for an hour on the M3, M25 and M4 and then 20 minutes inside London, but I really like it, and I can't really think of an obvious replacement. It feels quite 'on edge' during single digit temperatures on cold and wet roads, but the Pilot Road 6s do OK. When the weather is dry it's epic. It's neutral handling and feels easy to sling around the many 90 degree bends that are street junctions in London. It doesn't need to be ridden fast, and is relatively happy trickling along at 20mph. If you want to go fast of course all you have to do is take the motor above 6000rpm and it makes everything else go backwards. It does take a little effort to trigger this circumstance but it's easy once it's there. The wind blast is not an issue, and although your hands are out in the breeze a bit the overall weather protection is good. The finish is crap but it has titanium downpipes so the only furry and corroded parts are fasteners and stuff like the bracket that the side stand bolts to. I toppled off it early last year and since then I've kind of been a bit off with it. I ride it to work but try to avoid it other times. The top box also practically limits maximum speeds due to my fear of losing it on the motorway. The brakes are decent with a Brembo master cylinder and Brembo calipers, but the feel is a bit inconsistent, I assume because it's the ABS model and the ABS pump is either providing a huge amount of slack in the braking system, or is not fully pressurising the system until you go to use the brakes. I'd love to take this on a trackday if it wasn't for the weird brake feel.


2011 GSX-R750

https://www.bikechatforums.com/download.php?id=106255

The bike that inspired this torrent of verbiage, my track bike. I took it over to a local back street bike mechanic today to get the fork rebuilt. It was misting a bit of oil down one fork leg, and I'm supposed to be taking it to Anglesey for a trackday at the end of April. I wanted to get it all nicely sorted before then. It's got Continental RaceAttack endurance compound tyres on, but today was surprisingly warm for early April and it felt GREAT. Often when I get back on a proper sportsbike after riding my flat barred roadsters for a winter it feels spiky and recalcitrant and gives feedback as if to say "Is that it, ya wimp!?" Not today. The GSX-S1000F *can* go very fast, but isn't really bothered if it does. The GSX-R just does. With the added bonus of having a quite squishy and surprisingly low seat. The riding position reminds me of my old NC30, but just about comfortable enough for 45 year olds. The excitement triggered on my ride back today reminded me of what it was like when I first had sportsbikes back in the late 90s and early 2000s. The brakes are full of feel and bite and could catch you unawares if you aren't careful. No ABS here. With the fork rebuilt it just felt like it wanted to leeeeeeaaaan and maybe I was imagining it but it encouraged me to try to hang off the bike in corners. Not much else to say other than it's a damn weapon. This bike also has a Brembo RCS19 master cylinder, Brembo calipers and Venhill braided hoses. It does have the consistent feel and excessive braking power you might expect from that spec. The engine is also angry, and it takes supreme self control to stick to 30 and 40mph limits. The GSX-S needs effort to be naughty. The GSX-R needs effort to be good. if I got onto this blind after it's 1000cc brother, I'd swear it was a bigger capacity, but its "just" a 750. It's also by far the best looking bike I own, but it's a track bike so I didn't get it for tarting around so I often forget that fact until it's sitting on it's own on the driveway or something and I notice it's gorgeous proportions and rare, surprisingly muted but also very good looking colourscheme.

2009 Triumph Street Triple R

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/strsmall.jpg

Having gotten my grey and red Gixxer back in the garage after it's little trip to have minor surgery, I saw the Trumpet sitting on the driveway and thought that I just had to take it out around the block. After the Suzukis, it feels like a BMX. The engine sounds epic albeit not as angry as the Suzukis. It's certainly a much more cossetting bike than both of the Hamamatsu origin bikes. It has the lack of weight of the GSX-R with the neutrality and ease of going slowly of the GSX-S. Again, you *can* go fast if you want, but you don't *need to. It's not as powerful as either of it's aforementioned stablemates, but it is still damn quick. At the moment it handles a little oddly because I fitted Nitron shocks to all 3 of these bikes, and this one has reacted in a slightly unexpected way. The Front end feels high and it takes a bit more effort than usual to turn. The seat height is a touch taller than it was before I replaced the shock, so I suspect the issue is not one of preload or ride height at the rear. I looked through some old paperwork and noticed that I've not had the forks apart in over ten years... So that's now booked in to have fresh oil and a bit of a general overhaul of the front end. When it works, it's neutral and helps you, but also can be a complete hooligan when you need it to. It seems to be OK with staying within the parameters of the law whilst still being massive fun, so I suspect it's license losing abilities are less than the GSX-R for example. It's also weirdly comfortable, generally reliable and bland grey paint aside, quite good looking in a sort of quirky way.

This is the only bike I have that is especially loud, with the GSX-R still having it's catalytic converter and the GSX-S having a completely standard system. I don't think I'd want to use this for my 6am commute, but it's not especially offensive either. I bought the Arrow system mainly for it's lightweight properties rather than performance enhancing or sound... but it does sound epic.

1990 Kawasaki KR-1S
https://www.bikechatforums.com/download.php?id=106898
https://www.bikechatforums.com/download.php?id=106938
I have not ridden this since the very back end of last Summer, but I could hardly write so much on the 3 diesels without discussing my two stroke project. Yeah, it's not the best looking, and yeah it's been off the road for most of my ownership. And yeah it's a bike from 1990 but sheesh if it isn't a shed load of fun. The sound, the smell, the mad seemingly endless rev range, the total lack of weight and surprising cornering ability. It's fantastic. I just need to be able to trust that it won't blow up on a ride. I've not got to that point yet so I usually stay within 10 miles of home just in case but I'd love to take it to a bike meet or cafe on a sunny Sunday, just to see what reaction it gets. It's currently fully functional but with a very long and quite worrying travel in the front brake lever. It stops, but I'm not sure what would happen if I get the fluid hot. Might it go back to the bar? I'm not sure I want to find out, so in my 'to do' pile in the garage I have some braided hoses and a master cylinder rebuild kit. I will get around to sorting it, maybe over Easter.

So there's my fleet, if you made it this far, thanks for indulging my blathering!
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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.

[struan80]

Smashing collection of bikes. I havent seen a Kawasaki like that before. My favourite is your Street Triple.

[virus]

seeb a bit wierd to say this as a firm suzuki fan but i wouldnt say no to a quick thrash on the triple and the kr1s, not that id fit well on a kr1s tho being 6ft of fat bastard lol.
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own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.

[mentalboy]

Fun write up.
Surprised the KR1S hadn't had the braided hose upgrade years ago, I always assumed that it was the first thing anyone interested in stopping did when buying a large secondhand Kwak. Upgrading the calipers, or at the very least the pots, was also not uncommon.

This feels like teaching granny to suck eggs.
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Make mine a Corona.

[MarJay]

[mentalboy]

Yeah, there's no feeling on this earth that can be compared to that gotten from winding up a smoker and wondering if today's the day the piston makes a rapid break for freedom and in which direction.
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Make mine a Corona.

[MarJay]

I found this image on my PC today...

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/chinookcornersmall_165.jpg
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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.

[recman]

I take it the Street had the original twin underseat cans on when you got it?
Did it have the original rear shock too?
I noticed a considerable difference when I replaced my rear cans, not sure exactly how much they weigh but I know they're bloody heavy!

[MarJay]

[MarJay]

For anyone interested in my time with the Street Triple - I've owned it for 13 years - you may want to keep your eyes peeled for a forthcoming issue of Classic Motorcycle Mechanics. I have no idea which issue, but I believe my next article will be in one, and it's about my Street Trip! it seems the bike is now in the age range to be considered a classic... Mad considering how damn capable the bike is.
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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.

[MarJay]

One from Anglesey circuit at the weekend:

https://scontent-bru2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/492892668_4322106701354468_4084145886730607111_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=f727a1&_nc_ohc=2PXAKraPhDkQ7kNvwHL3hY-&_nc_oc=AdnANw3Rebc7TMSOYJJSdDVktAQ9ZpOyAVbG_UpgGmUHz2pxPUqBDWSU5jgT7bMTH5c&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-bru2-1.xx&_nc_gid=8yGA-K3g-vlw5yS9-vfNsw&oh=00_AfHpIAy7WvNJAqxUrFSHzBIYYkgAW3agi-b1X7_4e9EoBA&oe=68169D6A
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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.

[Grumpy Grandad]

Nice Collection of Bikes MJ I'm only a little jealous

I really like the look of your Triumph.

Cheers
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Life may begin at 30, but it doesn't get interesting until about 75 mph.