Since buying the Suzuki in October, using the paddock stand which was purchased for the Street Triple has been a perilous activity. The swingarm lifting bobbins on the Suzuki are significantly lower than on the Triple. What this means in practical terms is that you need muscles like the Incredible Hulk to rotate the paddock stand over centre and get the rear wheel off the deck. Because the bike only has a side stand, it means that you have to hold the bike vertically with one hand to engage the bobbins whilst pushing down on the stand with the other. A recipe for disaster if ever there was one and the one heart-stopping moment was one too many!
A casual conversation with fellow IAM member Rob Van Proemeren (cheers mate!) revealed that he had bought a UK-made ABBA Superbike stand for his Hayabusa and was well-satisfied with how easy it was to use, plus the excellent stability it gave the bike. What's more, there was an ABBA agent based in Nelson, NZ - Christmas present from Jennie solved!
Today was the first opportunity I've had to try it out and what a dream it is to use! The system doesn't use swingarm bobbins but instead, locates on the swingarm pivot shaft to lift from - a totally secure method. Referring to the photo below, the stand consists of two main parts which clamp together. When ordering, you state the make and model of the bike and they send the correct attachments to lock onto the swingarm pivot.
ABBA Superbike stand components
Assembling it is a piece of cake. The left hand part of the stand is engaged onto the pivot whilst the bike is on its side stand and the handle extended for good leverage.
Left hand component put into place
Same procedure for the right hand component, sliding it over the left hand one and tightening the thumbscrew. Any slack is taken out by turning the large screw until it's a snug fit.
Right hand component locked in place
The next step is to hold the bike vertically with one hand on the handlebars. It can't fall as it's supported by the stand. Simply pull forward on the extended lever and up it pops with minimal effort!
Raised rear and rock solid!
Rear view
Forward view
The stand provides a perfectly stable platform for cleaning, chain lubing and adjustment or whatever. I'm anal about wheel alignment so it also provides support for my home-built laser alignment rig ( SEE HERE ). There is an additional attachment which allows both wheels to be lifted clear of the ground at the same time and that is shown in the photos below. As well as being able to remove the front wheel without a front paddock stand or some other form of jury-rigging, it will be perfect for taking accurate suspension extension measurements. At present, the standard suspension settings are far too harsh for my weight and general NZ road conditions. Taking front and rear suspension extension measurements is the first step in properly setting up the suspension for my specific needs. As well as better handling and a more comfortable ride, correctly set up suspension can also significantly increase tyre life. All these benefits from buying a decent stand - who'd have thought it!!!
Finally, a plug for the NZ agent who was a pleasure to deal with. Rapid service and a great product - this is their website: ABBA Stands NZ
Both wheels clear of the deck with easy to use attachment
Due to commitments as an IAM Observer, I haven't done a lot of social riding recently so yesterday was an opportunity not to be missed. The IAM Auckland and Central North Island region organised a social run out to Raglan, a coastal village famous for its surfing and fish and chips on the wharf.
400 km of heaven!
The sun shining, minimal traffic - what could be better? Arriving half an hour early at the meeting point in the village of Te Kauwhata, at least half the team were there already, keen to make the most of a lovely day. The route had been organised by Lloyd, one of my trainees as he knows the area well. It contains some of the best back-roads for bikes that you'll find anywhere. Hardly any straight roads and varying from fast sweepers to highly technical tight stuff with sudden elevation changes; not to mention stunning views if you could take your eyes off the road for a second or two!
Some of the bikes meeting at Te Kauwhata
There was a great mix of bikes on the run - sport bikes, sport tourers, adventure and a big cruiser (more on that later!). The common factor was that all the riders are trained to the Police Roadcraft system. This means that you know how each rider is going to react and position themselves for any given set of circumstances which makes for an enjoyable and stress-free ride. Lloyd was to lead the ride and the system of the second rider stopping at every turn until the last rider had gone past ensured that no-one got lost on the tricky back roads!
A fast, smooth pace was set by Lloyd up front and the roads were so twisty that I don't think I got past 4th gear on the GSX-S on the run down to Raglan and much of it was in 2nd and 3rd! No dramas whatsoever, even with the odd sheep and pheasant out on the road and we all arrived at Raglan with big smiles inside our helmets.
Geoff's GSX-S and Terry's Beemer GS at Raglan.
(photo courtesy of Tessa)
Geoff, Steve and Lloyd - fish and chips on Raglan wharf. Doesn't come any fresher!
(photo courtesy of Tessa)
Nice vista for lunch
With clouds gathering, it was time to get back on the road and start heading north.
Getting ready to hit the road
(photo courtesy of Tessa)
Steve, motorcycle cop extraordinaire waiting for the off on his V-Strom 1000
(photo courtesy of Tessa)
Up front, Lloyd set a great pace again and had chosen another outstanding route back to Te Kauwhata. The back roads north west of Huntly were my personal favourites - all second gear stuff and very little time spent upright! Don't think there's more than another 1000 km left in the rear tyre though so it will be worn out in under 4000 km.
Terry, Steve W, Steve B-J and Lloyd looking at rear tyres!
One of the Riders, Lee, who owns several bikes; brought his Victory cruiser on the ride and I'm sure there were quite a few who were a little more than interested in how it would cope in the twisties. The answer was impressively well, flicking from side to side with little apparent effort from Lee and no wallowing over rough surfaces. I'm sure his butt was in better condition than mine at the end of the day too! However, he did cop a bit of gentle teasing about the large mirror situated in the lid of his top-box!
Lee's 106 cu. in (1737cc) Victory
Even has a mirror in the top-box lid to help combat helmet hair!
The Suzuki performed extremely well. Despite a lot of the ride being done in the lower gears, it still returned not far short of 300 km per tankful. I guess trying to be smooth on and off the throttle had some bearing on this. However, the twisty sections with rough surfaces made for plenty of rider input in terms of countersteering and hanging on when it was jumping about. At present, the suspension is set far too hard for NZ's back roads so there's a bit of work to be done setting sag, compression and rebound damping in the next week or two.
What a fantastic day! A superb ride set and lead by Lloyd, 400 km of twisties with skilled riders who all have a great sense of humour - what could be better than that? I slept well last night!
Well, I've been able to cut loose for the last few hundred km after diligently completing the running in and what a brute it is! If the Street Triple was a rapier, the Gixxer is closer to a broadsword or battleaxe! As mentioned in the previous two posts, both the
demo ride and delivery trip home were anticlimactic in that it was similar to riding my 2009 Street Triple in terms of ergonomics and nimble handling. That’s not denigrating the Suzuki but a
massive compliment to just how good the Street Triple is as a great all-round
bike. In fact, the power to weight ratio of both bikes are not hugely apart and in real world road conditions, we’re only talking fractions of a
second differences in performance up to the legal road limit. The additional 27 kg of the Suzuki isn’t at
all noticeable because it’s carried so low.
Mass centralisation was clearly a major feature of the design brief,
including a single low, stubby Moto-GP style exhaust system.
I've had the silver and black leathers for years honestly - not a Power Ranger!
Having already
said that it’s quite nimble, it’s a bit more flighty and less controllable on bumpy roads than the Street
Triple, bouncing around a fair bit. That's almost certainly because it needs setting up from scratch for my weight and that will happen when everything settles in. The
Triple had lots of attention in that respect and care in setting sag and damping really paid off.
Nonetheless, it’s very good indeed for a sport bike with taut suspension and feels more like
a 600 than a 1000. As mentioned in previous posts, it was noticed that on the most sensitive
traction control setting that it actually activates on tight corners when “pressing
on” in dry conditions. You can’t feel it, but the TC warning light flickers on and off showing that it
is changing power delivery characteristics.
Rider comfort, at least for a person of my height is surprisingly good
and even with stuffed knees; the footpeg height is relatively comfortable.
Forget the claimed top speed of around 250 km/hr on most of the world's public highways, it's the brutal acceleration
which is the really impressive feature. Sport Rider magazine ran it through the standing start 1/4 mile in 10.6 seconds with a terminal speed of 214 km/hr. With grunt like this, traction control is
clearly a real advantage in reducing unfortunate consequences from a ham-fisted
approach to throttle control! It raises the question of how
much power is sufficient for everyday road use.
In this instance, to borrow the phrase used by Rolls Royce about their cars; it’s “adequate”! To slow the bike down after the brutal acceleration, the Suzy is equipped with radial 4-pot Brembos up front and a single pot Nissin out back, with ABS to make the whole thing civilised. As yet, I haven't had to use the brakes in anger so can't make any objective comments. On the delivery trip home, they were quite wooden, but the dealer warned me that they would take time to bed in. I've done one deliberate hard straight line stop, simply to test the ABS as I've never ridden an ABS bike before. The feeling left me a bit underwhelmed as there was no savage, wedding tackle squashed into the back of the tank-type deceleration. Perhaps that's the point of it - no dramas during heavy braking.
The OEM
tyres are Dunlop D214 sport soft compound.
Excellent dry grip but like most pure sport tyres, require heat to
deliver maximum adhesion. That is likely to
be problematic for IAM mentoring work in all weathers, particularly wet winters.
However, given that the life of these tyres is likely to be somewhat short, they
will be replaced with the outstanding all-weather Michelin PR4’s fairly soon.
Fuel range
came as a pleasant surprise. Range is
important to someone who lives a fair distance from the main centres and
besides, I hate stopping for gas when on the move! With a sympathetic right hand, it’s quite
possible to get around 300 km or thereabouts.
An excellent feature of the instrument panel is a “range until empty”
readout, giving the rider real-time information. Allied with this are instant and cumulative
fuel consumption readings in several different output measurement formats.
Any downsides?
Well, it is
a sport bike so a pillion rider is unlikely thank you for the minimalist seat
and high rear pegs on anything but a short(ish) run. If you don’t plan to take a pillion or go
very far with one, then they might still walk normally afterwards!
On the
GSX-S website forum, quite a few riders have complained that the engine is
snatchy off a trailing throttle. Coming from a Street Triple which had a similar reputation, I would
have said it's a touch sensitive at low openings but not something which can't be lived with. On a constant throttle at slow
speeds, it is a little lumpy but it’s not particularly annoying. However, if it’s used for regular commuting in heavy
traffic, it might become irritating but in fairness, riding a sport bike in those
conditions is not exactly “fit for purpose”!
Another
thing which may or may not become irritating is a combination of the exhaust and induction
noise. It's noticeable when rolling off from fairly high revs in the lower gears, there appears to be a harmonic which can be quite intrusive (read
loud!) I personally like it up to now but acknowledge that it might not be to everyone’s
taste.
The
marketing hype which went along with the bike’s release played quite heavily on
the “hooligan” element of the bike’s nature so it’s entirely possible that the
induction howl is quite
deliberate. Maybe the lumpiness too but more likely to be the consequences of emission controls.
Accessories, plus odds ‘n sods
I’m not big on bling to turn it into a tart's handbag and extras have been limited to strictly practical use. With its pure sport bias, the GSX-S is not set up to be a sports tourer but a range of aftermarket racks are
available to take luggage. I’ve simply opted
for throw-over Oxford
bags which have sat unused in a cupboard for several years. The bags have been on for one run of several hundred km, didn't move and didn't affect the handling of the bike. They don't look too out of place either. I also have a 10 litre yachting dry bag which can be bungeed to the top of the bags to give additional storage for a few days away.
Oxford expandable bags for touring
For paint
protection, 3M matte finish anti-scratch clear film has been applied to the fuel tank and
rear cowl. Absolutely delighted with the workmanship of the guy who applied it. So good that it's virtually invisible.
Arrows showing edge of matte 3M clear anti-scratch paint protection
A Pyramid self- adhesive front guard extension has been fitted to stop road
crap from being fired into the radiator from the front tyre.
R&G crash mushrooms have been fitted to protect the bike in the event of a
drop (shudder).
R&G aero-style crash protectors
A handlebar mount for
the GPS has been installed and the standard halogen headlamp bulb has been
replaced with an identical wattage but higher output Xenon bulb of the type I
used on the Street Triple. This has
benefits in terms of visibility in both daytime and night riding. A small flyscreen is to be added, as much for
looks as protection and that’s about it. Not even sure whether I'll bother fitting the Escort radar detector/screamer setup which I had on the Triple.
OEM 60/55W Halogen (L), Ring Automotive 60/55 Xenon +130 (R)
(Both on dipped beam)
In summary
It’s a
beast of a bike and a lot of fun to get to grips with. As mentioned earlier, very much like a big
Street Triple with added steroids. In some respects, it’s
the sort of bike that encourages immoderate behaviour - a sort of “Who you
lookin’ at” teenager with acne bike rather than a mature adult that says “I don’t have to prove anything”! Having said that, it’s also pretty
sophisticated in terms of electronics and is a good example of just how far
bikes have developed an the last few years.
Value for money? Heck yes!! Fun?
In spades!! Addendum: Nov 2018. A 3 year, 45,000 km review of the bike can be found HERE
Well, the new bike is here and the Street Triple has gone... sniffle, sniffle! I put the Triple on the NZ equivalent of eBay
and the level of interest was amazing. I
could have sold it multiple times over but couldn’t be more pleased with the
outcome. The new owners are a lovely
young couple from Northland who did some thorough research and decided that
mine was exactly what they were looking for.
I hope they have as much fun as I’ve had with it over the last 6 years. Despite the prospect of a new bike, I was sad to see it go as it's done everything so well but it's gone to good people. Hand-over was a perfect arrangement as it
happened at the dealers in Auckland
at the same time I picked up the Suzuki!
New owners Ray and Sandy, with Ray's dad - gone to a great new home!
Picking up the new bike on the Friday afternoon of a holiday long
weekend probably wasn’t the smartest move with the Auckland Southern Motorway
clogged with dimwits in cages hell bent on getting an early start out of the
city. Quietly filtering down the almost
stationary traffic, it was really noticeable that there were plenty of drivers
using their mobile phones and oblivious to what was going on around them. I lost patience pretty quickly, dived out through the suburbs and went home
the long way round through the countryside. After all, it’s about the journey,
not the destination.... and certainly not clogged freeways full of knuckle-draggers!
Anyway, I’m getting ahead of myself……
I thought it would be worthwhile to record some initial impressions of
the 190 km trip home on a new bike and contrast them where appropriate with the
Street Triple and Blackbird before those thoughts become blurred. Naturally, they are personal ones
shaped by the bikes I’ve owned and the type of riding I’ve done over the years
but here goes!
As mentioned in the previous blog post, the transition from Street
Triple to Suzuki 1000 wasn't even on the radar, until a
brief test ride two weeks previously which surprised me as the Suzy felt very similar to the
Triumph in many important respects, albeit with a shed load more horsepower! Actually, I'd sat on a friend's "F" faired model the previous weekend and found that my feet could go flat on the deck. That's what really started it so I blamed him to my wife!
About to leave the dealer and face holiday weekend traffic!
Travelling in heavy traffic on the motorway at slow speeds and indulging
in a bit of filtering confirmed that despite the difference in weights (Triple
~170 kg dry, Suzi ~209 kg dry), the Suzy carried its weight very low and was
ergonomically similar to the Triple – instant confidence! I could also get my feet flat when the traffic stopped - important for an err... mature guy with stuffed knees! Rob, the salesperson at Holeshot
Motorcycles reminded me before I left that the brakes would take some bedding
in. He was bang on the money – nowhere
near as powerful as the Triple despite them being 4 pot radial Brembos so I added a few more lengths of following distance. They slowly improved throughout the journey
but have not yet reached the standard I’m expecting.
Reading ride reports on the Suzuki in the press, one common complaint is
that it’s a bit snatchy from a trailing throttle. That’s actually a fair call but the
same complaint was levelled at the Street Triple when it first came out. That gave me an advantage on the hand-over and didn't find it particularly intrusive on the trip home having got used to the Triple.. However, the new experience is only
over 200 km so time will tell.
Leaving the motorway and getting out on to the country roads, it was
nearly as nimble as the Triple, but not quite.
It did take a bit more effort to change direction through tight twisties
. It has a 190 section rear tyre
compared with a 180 on the triple, a slightly longer wheelbase and more
weight. These factors will have some
impact but as already mentioned, the difference isn’t huge. Pushing it through the twisties as confidence
grew saw the traction control activation light come on a few times. Not a big deal as Rob had set it at "Old Fart" mode, the most sensitive of the settings.
I’d like to think that it was because the tyres were new rather than my
age or perceived competence affecting his decision!
Stubby, raspy end can and chicken strips virtually gone in under 200 km
Handling over bumpy surfaces saw the bike skitter about far more
than the Triple, but not in a particularly alarming way. You certainly had to be a bit careful getting on the
throttle! It’s not a fair comparison at
present though as the new bike running gear needs to loosen up before sag and damping can be properly adjusted for my weight. I set the Triple up properly for my riding weight using quality aftermarket componentry and besides, international road tests
say that not many bikes can live with a Triple in the tight stuff.
The ride was in warm, dry conditions and the D214 sport tyres stuck well. Rain grooves are minimalist and like most sport tyres, they require heat to make them stick. From experience with the OEM Dunlop Qualifiers on the Street Triple, the prospect of riding in the rain in cooler conditions does not fill me with excitement, particularly as I have to do instructing in all conditions. The good thing is that the D214's should be dead pretty quickly and can be replaced with Michelin PR4's, which I love to bits. Oh, and a real plus is that the turning circle is miles better than the Triple. Having had to step off the Trumpy a few months ago when I stuffed up a feet-up U turn on a narrow country road in the presence of a rider I was mentoring makes me a bit sensitive to a lack of steering lock. Mercifully, the only significant damage was to my ego.
As the traffic thinned out, the ability to get on the throttle improved,
even though running-in revs and engine loads were strictly observed. The Suzuki has about 45 bhp more than the
Triple but that’s nowhere near the end of the story. If you do the math, the power to weight ratio
of both bikes aren’t a mile apart.
Coupled with the wide torque spread of the Triple, it’s only when wind
drag starts to kick in at (say) above 100 km/hr that the Suzuki has a
significant advantage and clears off.
For everyday riding where corners, road conditions or other traffic
impact on speed, the difference between the 2 bikes is nowhere as much as you
might think.
Menacing in matte grey metallic paint
The muffler is one of those stubby Moto-GP jobbies slung low for mass centralisation. It's got quite a bark too which is quite pleasing. At certain highway speeds and a neutral throttle, there is a droning harmonic-type noise. Unsure at this stage whether it came from the airbox, muffler or both. Will investigate further although it wasn't really irritating.
At about 3/4 distance home, my butt started to ache a bit, causing a bit of shuffling about on the seat. It's far too early to draw any conclusions about this. The seat may soften, my butt might adjust and if they don't; the fall-back will be an Airhawk pneumatic pad like I used for the Rusty Nuts 1600 km in under 24 hours organised event on the Street Triple (HERE).
Old Geezer plus new bike photo op on Coromandel Wharf
The instrumentation display on the Suzuki is superb, although overwhelming at first glance! As well as the normal speedo/odometer/tacho/temperature functions, there is permanent ABS and 3 stage traction control which can loosely be described as Old Fart (or rain if you prefer), spirited road riding (2) and trackday (1). There is also "off", reserved for those who's surname rhymes with Rossi. The rocker switch on the left bar also allows several fuel consumption options. The one I particularly like is the one which counts down the km's before fuel is needed. Let's hope that it's not wildly inaccurate!
View from the bridge of the Starship Enterprise
The Beast safely back at home!
So what now? The main thing is to get used to it and get the break-in period over and done with. With a few mentoring sessions already scheduled with the Institute of Advanced Motorists, the 1000 km service should be reached in about a week, then it will be time to see what she'll do! Some matte 3M anti-scuff film will be installed at the service to protect the rear of the tank and the tailpiece from throwover bags. The guys at Holeshot Motorcycles already installed paddock stand bobbins and a switched wiring take-off for my GPS and radar detector as part of the deal. Just have to figure where to put 'em. A front guard extender to keep the crap out of the radiator is already on order and engine crash protectors will be ordered shortly. A small Suzuki screen is on back-order. THOUGHTS AND CONCLUSIONS SO FAR As I've only done one 200-odd km run from the dealer plus a 45 minute demo ride 2 weeks previously, the thoughts are only first impressions. Reading back through what I've written, I don't seem to be jumping out of my skin about the Suzuki. That would be a wrong impression - I love it and am really looking forward to riding it how it's meant to be ridden. If anything, it's a strong complimentary reflection on just how good the Street Triple is. Totally bullet-proof in the 6 years of ownership, sublime handling and the power to weight ratio means that it won't be embarrassed in bigger company - horsepower is only one side of the equation. If I enjoy the Suzuki as much as I've loved the Triple, I'll be a happy man! My thoughts also turn back to the 1135cc Honda Blackbird which graced the shed for 8 years before the Triple. The fastest bike in production when it first came out and also bullet-proof. On the downside, it was a tad too tall for me and carried its weight pretty high too which is why it had to go as I aged - low speed handling and parking on big cambers could be problematic. Comparing it with the Suzuki mass centralisation and lower weight, sharper handling and modern electronics isn't fair to a bike that was at the top of the tree when first released in late 1996. It does go to show however, how far motorcycle technology has evolved in 20-odd years. I'll still look back on the Blackbird with huge affection but then was then and now is now - time to move on. Finally, a personal acknowledgement of the great service I received from Holeshot Motorcycles, right from the demonstrator ride through to riding away on the new bike. Being gushy about their service would do them a disservice. Suffice to say that throughout, Rob, the guy I dealt with was friendly, accommodating and utterly professional. Looking forward to building a long-term relationship with them. Oh, and they are also Triumph agents so if the rumoured 800cc Street Triple ever gets released, there might be the opportunity for more business (subject to Executive Permission from Jennie of course)! Can't wait for the next stage of getting to know The Beast! Addendum: Nov 2018. A 3 year, 45,000 km review of the bike can be found HERE
Spring has sprung in NZ and a young man's thoughts turn to...... noooo - get a grip and tell the story!
Sometimes, near-serendipitous things occur which leaves one thinking, "How the heck did that happen?" Well, a couple of events over the last week or so have ended up having that effect on me!
Regular readers of this blog will know how much I love the Street Triple which was bought new in 2009 after having ridden a Honda Blackbird for the previous 8 years. It's done everything well..... out for a "brisk" ride with the lads, touring, mentoring advanced riding classes and is the most comfortable bike I've ever done the Rusty Nuts 1000 miles (1600 km) in under 24 hours endurance ride on. It's also been supremely reliable - a rectifier replaced as part of a world-wide recall and 2 mirror stalks replaced under warranty due to rusting - the sum total in 6 years of ownership. The original review is HERE
The intention has always been to replace it with another Street Triple, albeit a sports "R" or "RX" version when the time came. The light weight at 170-odd kg plus a modest seat height are ideal for someone who turns 68 this month! There was no real hurry to replace the current bike as it's still in excellent nick but then a couple of things happened.......
The awesome Street Triple RX
The first thing was that Executive Permission was granted to get another bike with no grovelling whatsoever (the quid pro quo has not yet been discussed though, haha). We all know what it's like when that happens - instant perusing of the Triumph catalogue and a good deal of on-line reading about the sportier Street Triples!
The second thing that happened was reading about rumours that Triumph would be releasing an 800cc version of the Street Triple. A few worries crept in. If I get a new 675 now, what will be the impact of the rumoured 800cc Street Triple? If I wait for the 800, will I be waiting for a year or two and will I actually like it when it comes out? Aargh! The course to true love never runs smooth (errr....so they say). The result? Procrastination and not knowing what to do.
Now it so happens that I was at a gathering of Institute of Advanced Motoring riders and a fellow Observer turned up on a brand new fully-faired Suzuki and invited me to sit on it. The big surprise was that as a relative shortarse at 5' 8", I could get both feet flat on the deck. Whilst the bike itself didn't offer immediate emotional appeal as I'm more of a fan of naked bikes these days, it did open my consciousness to other options.
Fast forward to last weekend....... I was in Auckland to help run a training course and ended up sitting on the new non-faired Suzuki GSX-S 1000A in a Triumph/Suzuki dealer showroom - seat height was perfect! Would Sir like to take it for a spin? Just about bit his arm off! It's quite a small bike but I was a bit nervous about the offer, particularly with the weight at 207 kg compared with 170-odd for the Triple and my knees not being in pristine condition.
About to take the Suzy for a test - massive grin concealed by helmet
The salesman appeared to be remarkably relaxed at the prospect of letting an old geezer take out a beast with close to 50 horses more than the Triple. He quickly indicated the essential controls and rather pointedly said that he'd set the traction control (yep, 3 stage traction control!) in Granny Mode. Actually, he didn't use those words but would lay money that was what he was getting at. Incidentally, if you look at the photo above, there is a black mark on the plastic just below and forward of the "S" brand badge. There is also a scuff on the muffler which doesn't show on the photo. These were apparently incurred by someone turning off the traction control and giving it a handful. Maybe the salesman had every right to be cautious!
Within moments of heading out of the showroom, I was amazed at how easy the transition from the Triple to the Suzuki was - it's incredibly similar in terms of general "feel". It carries its additional weight really low so the extra kilos aren't apparent. In fact, it was amazingly similar in terms of both nimbleness and ergonomics to the Triple and it was these features which made the transition from one to the other so easy. The engine is based on the 2005-2008 GSX-R 1000, which has more torque than later versions, but with modern engine management electronics and a brand new rolling chassis to carry it. The engine produces about 145 ponies, traction control (4 including turning it off!) plus ABS to deliver power and braking in a relatively sane manner. The term "sane" is relative as the first twist of the wrist up the motorway would have had the Long Arm of the Law doing more than frowning if one had been around. The acceleration was absolutely ferocious. Radial 4 piston Brembos brought a bit of sanity to scrubbing off speed though! Filtering through traffic in urban areas was just like being on the Triple - no drama whatsoever.
To cut the tale short, I came back with a grin a mile wide and put a deposit on one. Had the choice of electric blue (too much like the old Blackbird), red and black (does nothing for me) or matte metallic grey. The latter was perfect - understated menace and unlikely to attract unwarranted attention! Picking it up later this month when the new shipment arrives.
The beast in blue (Suzuki brochure photo)
The beastie from another angle (Suzuki brochure photo)
Must say that getting a new bike right now took me by surprise and buying a Suzuki was an even bigger surprise, but the test ride really was that good! . I think it will be the right choice for my current circumstances. I'm certainly not discounting a return to a Triple if and when when Triumph release the 800 (rumour late 2016 or 2017) but the Suzuki should be fine for now. I'll be putting the Triple up for private sale in the near future.
I found a review of the Suzuki from a UK rider on YouTube. His language is pretty colourful but is in context with his surprise as to its performance and is relatively amusing. I'd like to think that my riding standard is a sight better than his though! Maybe the test got to him. Maybe the test got to me, haha!
When I've had the Suzuki for a week or two, I might put a post together comparing it with the Triple and some overall impressions.
There are some weekends which lift the soul and the one
just gone was one of them. The
Wellington chapter of the internationally-recognised Institute of Advanced
Motorists were hosting the annual general meeting and to make it a memorable
weekend, had organised a whole load of related activities. A number of the NZ Police are also IAM
members, both use the Roadcraft training system and we were generously offered
the use of the magnificent facilities at the Royal NZ Police College.
I’d originally intended to ride the 600-odd km to
Wellington on the bike but Jennie was keen to spend some time catching up with
old friends in the region so her MX5 was pressed into service for a bit of
4-wheeled fun!
On the first day of the conference weekend, the morning
was split between cornering exercises on the skid pan (mercifully dry at the
time) and low speed handling skills. I
enjoyed a lap on the pan in the MX5 which was great fun but spent most of the
time photographing the skills on display.
The police instructors were the best of the best and had donated their
time for the weekend – outstanding!
Bikes and a lone MX5 on the parade ground!
Briefing by police riding god at the skid pan
Incoming IAM President Carey Griffith and a pensive-looking writer at the briefing!
The way that the police were able to throw their fully-laden BMW's and Hondas about was jaw-droppingly good. Never try to do a runner because you'll lose!
Not a sight you want in your mirrors on the open road!
Do try and keep up, people!
After cornering practice on the skid pan, it was time to sample low speed handling through almost impossibly close cones. It was a privilege to watch the police show how it should be done with their wide, heavy machines.
Standing start right-angled turn with cones little more than a metre apart
Lock your steering over, look into the distance and GO!
Incredible display of skill weaving through close cones (Photo by Mark Fleming)
Round the cones 2-up too, no worries!
Some of the team - yours truly kneeling (L)
After a splendid lunch, it was off to the town of Martinborough, over the Rimutaka mountain range - twisty and technical nirvana for riders! On this occasion, the police riders were very happy to mix in for a rare social occasion which was great. It was also great to be driving Jennie's MX 5 whilst she was out in the city with a mate. My passenger Mark was not only the President of IAM NZ, but a very experienced police driver and head of the Serious Crash Unit in one of the Auckland policing districts. He joked that the run would be my Advanced car test. I took this as license to "make progress"! I asked after the run whether he'd passed me and with a straight face, he replied that he'd certainly passed something. Not quite sure what he meant, but it was a reasonably quick trip! One of the other riders later told Jennie that her car "goes a bit" and I received "THE LOOK" (a female trademark) for my pains.
Perfect lines, no room for error! (Photo by Mark Fleming)
Look what's following the MX5! (Photo by Mark Fleming)
There was a short stop at the Rimutaka summit to re-group and it was noticed that a bunch of Harley-riding "rebels" parked there didn't hang about once they noticed the strong police presence!
Temporary traffic lights to hold us up - aarrgh!
Time for coffee!
IAM Observer (Instructor) Catherine on her awesomely noisy Kawasaki (Photo by Mark Fleming)
After a quick coffee, it was time to return to Wellington for the evening activities of a visit to the regional traffic control centre followed by a lovely dinner at a city restaurant. A wonderful way to end a packed and fun-filled day.
Day 2 was the business end of the annual general meeting so no time for hooligan activities. IAM is growing fast in NZ and it's really heartening to see riders of all ages and all types of machines wanting to raise their skills rather than thinking that they have nothing to learn. It's uplifting being with fun people and no egos who never stop learning. And how awesome were the police instructors for giving up their time to be with us? Just outstanding!
Part of our 8 hour journey home yesterday was across what is known as the Desert Road - part of the Tongariro National Park in the central north island. The road at its peak is 1000 metres altitude (3500 ft) and can be a god-awful place in bad weather. Although there had been a light dusting of snow in the early hours, it was spectacularly clear when we passed over it The active volcanoes really stood out and the view was breathtaking. As I said at the start - an occasion to lift the soul!
Mt Ruapehu - 2800 m (9000 ft)
Jennie's wheels and Mt Ngauruhoe - 2300m (7500 ft)
