Suzuki GSX-R1000?

I agree (yet again) with Choptop . He has a great break down of all the bikes. A litre bike can be a ton of fun on the street or track. They can also be just as deadly as any 600 if you do not have the proper discipline in your right hand.

I think Ferraripete will agree with me on this though. As for sliding a bike on the street. Chances are you will never do so. If you do, you are going WAAAAAY to fast for any type of street riding environment. However, you can still use up all of your rear and 90% of your front tire(s) on the street and while moving, um, "rather briskly". You can still be within marginal limits of certain street riding scenarios.

Again, it is riding within YOUR limits and not that of the bike. As others have said on this thread, the factory or showroom streetable *racebikes* limits are way above those of the average street rider.

I'll leave you with this thought though. (espeically the squids who may read this.) before you decide to "drift" or "slide" your bike on the street.

If you love your bike set it free. If it comes back to you, you probably highsided. Either way you need new leathers.

Cheers!

Scott

 

Which is why I am getting a ZX-14, while its not the ultimate cornering track bike its comfortable and will leave everything in the dust on the open road or stoplight drags, scraping your pegs through the corners can be fun but sooner or later you'll hit a patch of gravel or oil and bite it hard.

 

Which is exactly why I don't ride on the street any longer. That reason as well as; soccer balls, grandma's with poor eyesight and early stages of dimentia, sucide squirrels, dogs who like to chase things, kids chasing after the dogs who like to chase things, slippery man hole and sewer covers, johnny law with bad attitudes towards motorcyclists, squids who think they can out ride you from stoplight to stoplight, drunk drivers, too much center line tire wear of a perfectly good $350.00 set of Michelin Pilot Powers, and the movie Torque.

Gotta save it for the track.

 

My gods he's a corn holer!!!!

 

ahhh...the old h2! what fun they were/are!!

 

Throttle response anyone?

 

Frank:

A lot of these guys claim to slide both ends of the bike. I suspect not. It's realitively easy to make the back end step out (too far and you highside, not a good thing). Making both ends slide, on the street is reserved for those on a dual purpose bike, and just escaped from custody. All others have way too much sense.

From someone who's lead a National Road Race, I think that I ought to know.

Art

 

Getting sideways or backing it in is fun on the supermoto. But your right. If I'm on the 888 I keep the wheels in-line. I have no desire to spit the Duc down the road. That tends to get REAL expensive.

Darrell.

 

again Art chimes in with the voice of experience.

like he said, rear end slide is easy with modern bikes. Just twist the throttle.

Front end slide can be had several ways...

set yer suspension up wrong and go ride hard you'll push the front end around the track all day. Ride hard enough on that set up and you'll find the limits of your front tires traction. Not fun, I've done it.

another way is to just go in too fast, load up the front end braking too hard, then expect the magic of tire traction to save yer butt as you try to pull the bike over hard hoping to make the corner. Sometimes its works. Other times you get to enjoy about a tenth of a second of front end slide. It seems like about a millionth of a second. As you are sliding towards the rumble strip on yer butt you will have time to think recall that ever so brief feeling of the front tire slipping right before your shoulder slammed into the pavement.

Modern sportbikes and race replicas are serious machines when ridden in anger.... even by punters like me.


See ya at Sears on Wed.

 

Art,

What do YOU know about bikes and going fast??? This guy with the turbo hayabusa that has 345hp slides BOTH ends all over the street. You think you are faster than him? HA!

 

you have an 888 also?
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http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Article_Page.aspx?ArticleID=3149

 

Peter, love your bike. I have a 93 SPO. Purchased it in 98 with about 1200mi on it. I was actually saying to a friend of mine a short while ago, that a front number plate would look great on that bike.

Best regards.
Darrell.

 

when you are ready...i will tell exactly how i did mine. it is very, very cool and surprisingly legal.

pic is actually out at otay specifically the olypic training center corner...a nice knee dragger.

 

I'd like to think of myself as a competent road racer and mc rider. But getting knee down on public roads is crazy. I've only done it twice and each time while I felt confident in my line, my tires and the situation. I came outta the corners with certain level of queasy-ness. I guess I felt out of my element while in my element so to speak.

Good on you guys for being able to do it with out a second thought.

On the flipside, when on track, if its not on the pavement is when I get nervous.

Yes I know, Knee down doesn't necessarily = fast.

 

scott,

i really agree with you w/ respect to riding on the street. i have heard you mention in past posts that you don't even ride on the streets anymore as it is clearly dangerous. i totally agree w/ you and while i am no longer racing, i seldom ride on the streets either. the area where the foregoing pic was taken is actually quite unique as dmoore may agree...very, very little auto traffic and no foot traffic. the fact that a friend was taking pics was the only reason that i threw it in there on that section of road.

again...you are correct for all the proper reasons. btw...i only ride w/ my leathers and if i am just going out for a commute or to run an errand...i take a car. too dangerous on the roads and i would rather not take too many chances.

peter

 

Stop light drags are fun but sooner or later someone will pull out in front of you or hit a pot hole and you will bite it hard too.

And thank you RSV for calling out racerboy on sliding both ends anywhere. I am a mid pack intermediate trackday rider and I shudder to think about the average joe sliding around the track.

Back to the original topic. As usual Choptop is right on the money. My opinion is the Gixxer 1k is a fantastic bike. When it comes to the new crop of sportbikes, everything 600cc and up is more "capable" than the average rider. If you want a Literbike, get one, just be careful of that right hand twisty thingy when leaned over a little. It can put you on your ear very quickly. Pretty much just pick the one you like to look at the most and ride within YOUR limits.

 

Ferraripete

That is a fantastic bike. If you have anymore pictures of it I would love to see them. [email protected]

 

great advice here..........