I still have stupid face on from Saturday! New Shoei 1100, armored leather jacket, gloves - check, check, check. S/S shoes - check. Im sitting on the top of my drive having a WTF holy crap moment. Ok, the bike is warm time for 1st gear.. Its these little things you take for granted.. Turn 1 out of the development - a little wide... Goin thru the gears, im in 4th at 2500 rpm... Ok US1! Holy shi*. This thing pulled like a train, screamed like a banshee thru the supertrapps. Did a 30 mile trip to nowhere. I stop for gas and a Duc rider with his friend on a Trump triple come over and couldnt believe this bike was an 88. Ride the last 10 with them and have some riding buddies local.. WOW this was fun.. My wife told me I got off the bike and looked like I was up to no good as I couldnt wipe the grin off...

 

Great story Kebo! I got excited just reading it.

Now we need some pictures or it didn't happen!

Cheers, SB

 

Oh come on Seb. Calm down.
We've all been there haven't we? Listening to someone else reliving that moment again always puts a smile on your chowders doesn't it?
In this case pictures mean jack. You already have them!

Keep smiling Kebo, above all keep safe. Put yourself under the guidance of an expert if you need to. Enlightenment comes to all those that ask.

 

NICE KEBO - wicked nice man

 

Nice write up,
Brought smile on my face

 

I rode for many many years. Started with dirt bikes around 75 or so. The kids, a business start up etc etc put me on the side lines for 2 decades. Interests shifted to restoring Corvettes where thru either dumb luck or some smarts, I didnt lose money on em.. lol... I still have of all things an 81 that I wanted when I was in College...

Funny thing is the mind set came right back. 180 vision, hitting the angles, the what ifs... The physical mechanics I need to get used to. The bike is big, its heavy. It reminds me alot of my old FJ1200 which was 2 bikes ago. Last bike was a wide glide.

One of my really good buddies is an amature racer. Hes a Hyabusa pilot. He took me out last night and we'll go back out a few more times together. Hes reteaching me the right way and the safe conservative way to ride the thing. Driving it is easy. My shifts and braking are all smooth. turns are clean..

Its all good.

 

It's amazing how it all comes back isn't it?

I had generally not had bikes for nearly thirty years. My previous 1K was a Z1 back in the late 70's.

The thrill of riding the CBR though reminds me of why I used to do this. The luxury of abundant (almost excessive) power; the comfort and quietness of clicking up mile after mile (with just the music in my head, don't have to make polite conversation with passengers); and being secure in the knowledge that you can annihilate 90% of other vehicles on the road if that's what you choose to do.

But the last option is one I rarely choose nowadays, with age unfortunately comes the recognition of both responsibilities and mortality.

Enjoy your new ride Kebo, I'm sure, like the rest of us sad old gits around here, you'll get addicted.

I'm sure your mates 'Busa is a tasty bit of kit, but let's be honest; does anyone really need a 300km/h piece of kit? I'm sure that 220 km/h will settle most arguments out there in the real world.

Especially here in NZ where anything over 140km/h earns you an automatic walk home and a 28 day vehicle impound (while they decide how long to take your license off you).

 

Welcome to the club Kebo, I'd rather have a 'wide grin' than a 'Wide Glide'

Glad you're enjoying your 'old lady'.

 

Big, heavy and well rounded. Like the FJ, more than capable for the longer hauls and you don't know when to put her away for the night. A sheep but can turn into a wolf...

 

Kiwi - Your right on all aspects with the Busa but he does race the bike almost every weekend. He also drives a Honda Ace...

Yep - the wide grin beats the wide glide - it was almost surreal how fast this gets in a hurry.

And yes, mortality and awareness does come with age. I'll take it easy, no daredevil stuff, no crazy speeds - nothing dumb (I hope)...