Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Ha! Just finished watching that episode. Keen to see what he does with suspension. Reckon I might you know...Seems to be proper capable thing with a few mods. Also, Pol Tarres has me fantasising hard.

Marketing at its finest.

See also:

https://www.redbull.com/int-en/videos/fim-hard-enduro-red-bull-romaniacs-2021-pol-tarres-pov

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TBMCe2zh8og

On a different topic, this past fortnight in Swindon have been an unsettling number of motorcycle offs. Lots of smidsy and t-bone type collisions. A few fatalities.

I think the cyclist incidents haven’t even made the news recently here.

On the local biker fb page I’m a bit concerned by the comments. It feels like a lot of the road.cc type shit. Us vs Them.

All the footage of crashes published so far, the bikers have had time to slow or stop or swerve and avoid had they looked further up the road.

There’s discussion about whether the latest smidsy was actually riding illegally on the road, but the worst is that they made no change in speed or direction:

https://www.wiltshire999s.co.uk/dramatic-cctv-motorcyclist-collides-car-crossing-path/

Interesting how that story has "motorcyclist collides with car" not "motorcycle" or "driver", like it was a deliberate act!

It made the back page some 5 years ago.

https://journalmetro.com/actualites/montreal/1173905/lart-de-relater-le-deces-dun-cycliste/

Language and context has been forever failing cyclists in news stories. Interestingly it also fails motorcyclists.

This biker may have been a bike thief, but I am a little concerned - I would have expected a thief to possess greater skill than the average rider. They need to win the chases and evade, not get t-boned at obvious junctions.

Joy of language.

Do cyclist incidents even make the local news?

Poor riding style after time off?

Local that I know from the mechanics has said he'd sell his ZX9 for around 2k. It's a 2001 or 2002. Price seems about right. He's in no rush either so I've put the Blackbird back up for sale and will just let the advert tick over while I ride it. If nobody shows interest then I'll just carry on.

ZX7 with the 9 engine is better

@pdlouche any interest to you? Thought this was your way-ish but may be way off.

ooooo...

Yea RG postcode is 50 miles away.

Owned since '15 and parked since '16. That fills me with dread.

But you love rebuilding engines?

Do I though?

Last time I checked the 9 meant 900cc's. Are you not supposed to be shopping for something smaller and lighter? Like a 90's 400 ninja.

ZX9R would be less than 200kg, which is the main concern.

I tested the DR’s carb setup in rush hour traffic this afternoon. Definitely did not make any friends. Absolutely loved it. Forgot how aggressive the bike can be. Super light, insane tight steering potential.

After so many ruts and slow green lane riding, revving the pants off it through town traffic was a pure delight.

Trying to reach the edge of knobblies is a bit tough though.

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The voice of sense! 😁😁😁

Nothing sensible about a 400 ninja though. :)

You want a really light bike with as much power as possible for £2-3K. Not an easy job in this day and age. Maybe the ZX9 will be the best option before spring and bike prices going up.

At least you're not worried about fuel costs.

Based on what you've written here it seems to me you want a much lighter bike that makes less deadly speed. That is not a ZX9.

Fair point 😂 I’d always go for the higher cc though. Might be a height thing though. 😁

You might be right. Depends what kind of riding you want to do as well.

I’ve long arms and smaller bikes do not suit. The GSXR I had was great and all my mates complained about the reach! I feel cramped on CBRs or VFRs.
Saw a CB1000 on gumtree today - too tempted! And I’ve no idea about unfaired bikes!

Mmm. There’s good advice and there’s good advice. I keep contradicting myself I know.

I was talking about it earlier with one or two guys. My problem is that the Blackbird is heavy, wide, and effortless.

Space in the shed is at a premium, and the bird is cumbersome to pop in and out each day. Something thinner and lighter will go a long way on the accessibility front. If I can fit the DR next to it again, I am happy. The blackbird is just so so so wide.

The speeds and power is just too effortless on it. You don’t even notice you’re going 100, and certainly if you keep the revs below 7k you don’t feel much of anything. Above that? Okay, it’s pulling you back in the seat.

I quite like the idea of a more aggressive power delivery like the ZX9. It will be a more active ride.

Not that I want to get out of shape, but that I want more than a silky smooth ride followed by “oops, that was 130 again”.

Am I making any sense?

Buy my blackbird!! Ha!

No way are they less than 200kg - they're massive. Big, heavy old school super-fast buses. No point swapping the bird for one.