August 2009 Archives

Garage:

Harley Davidson Rocker C – Stratstone Harley Davidson

Yamaha FZ6 – Streetbike

 So having spent the day at the Ron Haslam School of Racing last Wednesday, learning how to be the next Rossi, and really hammering it on that Honda CBR600RR, and after a riding a B King for a few days, it was a bit of a shock to the system to jump onto my next bike, the Harley Rocker C.

I mean look at it, it is beautiful, but it is very different from anything I have ever ridden before, and is about as close as you can get to a Chopper without actually going to the custom boys and getting one made. The problem was that having been riding on a few modern sports bikes recently, the first thing that struck me were its faults. I love the back wheel for instance, its huge, and the rear end looks lush, especially with the neat little fold out passenger seat that is concealed under the main seat, but the front end just looks a bit light compared to the rest of the bike. That front wheel is very thin, and obviously without having a huge contact point with the ground doesn’t exactly grip as well as a standard one, let alone give you much stopping power with just the one disk brake on the wheel, which at times felt about as sturdy as a milk bottle top as I tried to get this huge thing to slow down from speed.

The handling leaved a lot to be desired as well, not only does this thing have a turning circle the size of a small country, but as the forks are angled forward, every bump or pothole you go over, doesn’t just send the front forks up and down like on a normal bike, but shooting back towards you, something that definitely proved a surprise the first time I hit one, as I actually stopped to get off and make sure that my a. The bike was still in one piece and b. that my arms were not broken!

Add to this a really lacklustre engine from Harley that has about as much snarling menace as Noddy, although it is the standard 1584cc V Twin its not really tuned to give you that wow factor, and a set of cans that don’t exactly get the hairs on the back of your neck standing up, and you might think this is a bit of a lacklustre bike from the Americans.

Well in some way it is, but then I realised something, yes it may seem a bit naff compared some uber quick Japanese bikes, but that’s not who this bike is aimed at, and I realised I needed to get back to the world of luxuries cruisers and stop looking at the Rocker C as a rival to these. 

Lets be honest here, a Harley is a status symbol, I mean I have ridden a number of the worlds top bikes, but nothing got the attention of my non biker mad mates as when I had the Harley Softtail Heritage the other week. It didn't matter to the masses gathered around that bike that it wasn't the quickest, the cheapest or even the best to throw around a track, what mattered was that here was a piece of real Americana that we had all grown up dreaming of as a kid.

I mean I love muscle cars, and used to have a 1970 Chevy Camaro Z28, yes it wasn't practical, the brakes didn't work half the time, and compared to modern cars it was about as quick as a monkey with no legs, but I loved it!

Why did I love it? Well my vanity is one thing, it definitely garnered attention, secondly I loved the way it sounded, the big V8 engine and that kind of styling you just don’t get in modern cars, and finally, because it was what I had always dreamed of owning ever since I was a kid and had a poster of it on my wall!

I mean this was beautiful thing, and the last thing on my mind when I bought it was fuel consumption or what insurance bracket it would fall into, all I knew as I handed over the cash was that I was fulfilling a childhood dream!

Obviously Harleys have a similar standing in the world, and this one is has got to be somewhere near the top of the Harley tree when it comes to cool. To give you an example, when it arrived at Kerrang towers, our resident yank Keith pretty much started running round in circles around me and trying to dry hump my leg, and not just because it was a Tuesday (don’t ask!) but because he was so excited, and said “Man, of all the bikes you have had dude…….that is the one!” He literally was beside himself with enthusiasm, I hadn't seen this kind of joy since Obama had been elected, or the Cubs had won the World Series….okay that hasn't happened since 1908, but you get the point!

I mean it does look amazing, and once you get the hang of the way you need to ride this thing, I mean I had simply never ridden an almost-Chopper before, it starts to make sense, and suddenly becomes a lot more fun. Also of course, like with any Harley, there are a hundred and one ways for you to customise it, and make it your own, which means you can create a real one off masterpiece for your riding pleasure.

First up riding wise, you learn that you need to start planning your corners a bit better when on this beast, as if you don't get the line and speed right you end up on the wrong side of the road, I mean try and take the same line as you would on say, an R6, and you will find yourself looking  at oncoming cars heading towards you instead of flowing through the corner nicely. Also the brakes, they are actually okay when you consider they are designed to bring this big old looking chopper down from say a nice 55mph at a relaxed pace, instead of me trying to ride the front discs like some sort of Brighton mule,  like you can on sports bikes, and trying to get her to stop on a dime.

Yes the exhaust note could still be better, and i would always prefer more power like the Triumphs had, but again, the power level kind of makes sense when you realise that this was designed to look good instead of perform well, and anyway, with the world of customisations that are available for Harleys, I am sure a nice pair of cans would get it sounding as throaty as the Harley Fat Bob or XR1200 I have had the pleasure of riding already, and they sounded blooming ace!

So far it does seem to look like a case of style over substance for the Rocker C, and that's not a bad thing when it looks as good as it does, but i wanted to delve deeper. So I enlisted the help of my good friend Copsey from Express Insurance, my esteemed sponsors, for a ride out on a Sunday. You see Copsey has a Blade, admittedly not exactly a new one, but it would be the perfect bike for me to go up against on a ride, simply because not only would his riding style and bike make me work the Harley harder that I had done previously, just to keep up, but also because I wanted to see if this thing COULD be ridden fast.

So we set out Sunday at 9am for Stafford, Lichfield and the surrounding area, as Copsey knows the roads really well up there, and after the initial shock of being blown away by the Blade straight away, I really started to get used to this bike.

I started to short shift a bit to keep the power on and not let the Harley engine do that plateaux thing it does when you ride it too hard, and immediately I noticed the difference. I then tried to nail the corners, something that is not made easier by the amount you have to lean this thing in just to get it to turn, which, coupled with the fact the foot pegs don't give you a lot of room for maneuver, made this rather tricky, but in the end I found that as always, the key was to plan a few corners ahead and try to get the bike through them smoothly without having to grab too much brake.

Im not going to lie, it was an effort, and I know that Copsey wasnt exactly giving it some, but by managing to do all of this, i was able to keep up with the big man, and then I started to see what this bike was about, and although it was hard work, I had a lot of fun taking it around the countryside of Staffordshire (the road by lichfield Reservoir being a particular highlight as you’ll see in the pics!), even if being in said countryside meant less smooth roads and therefore the amount of times I must have hit a dent in the surface and almost felt my neck give out was agonising because of those angled front forks….but that’s the price you pay for the look! What a look by the way, the one gripe Copsey had was that no matter how hard he knew I was struggling to keep up, he couldn't get over how relaxed and chilled I looked on the bike, and of course after a while he was enviously eying my comfy riding position compared to his full on racer style as his knees stared to give in.

It was when I got back from my frantic ride out that morning though, having been gone for 3 hours that I started to think about what this bike was actually designed for…..and it hit me, forget about short shifting, forget trying to actually get anywhere in a hurry Wilkins, and go back to how you enjoyed the first Harleys you had, and just go for a cruise.

So despite having already been out on the bike for 3 hours that morning, I thought sod it, jumped back on and just went for a nice relaxed ride around Solihull and Brum in general, and thats when I sat back and thought, damn this is what it was built for.

Cruising about town, with no need for too much noise or histrionics, and just looking damn cool. While for some bikers this may not seem the be all and end all of what being on two wheels is about, you cannot argue that it isnt one of the biggest reasons people get into biking in the first place.

Plus it has one massive advantage over a sports bike, and that is the fact that when you actually get to your destination you wont have to spend the next twenty minutes unfolding your spine, knees and legs from the racing position, and that big seat is uber comfy, handy when you are as injured and battered as I am from years of rugby.

I mean yes there are better bikes out there, and yes you shouldn’t grab a Rocker C expecting it to perform or ride like a modern Jap bike, but there is nothing out there like a Harley, its the brand that kids still dream of, and of course it looks simply breathtaking.

More importantly though, after a turbulent first couple of days with the bike, it ended up making me smile, and sometimes that can be enough. I have mentioned before with Harleys, its almost not the getting there that really matters, it is the arriving, and with this bike, you shouldn't expect to be blown away when you ride it, but you can expect there to be a crowd gathered around the bike when you get off.

Now for the hardest part when it comes to Harleys, the price, the normal Rocker C goes for over £14k, but right now at Stratstone Harley in Birmingham my good friend Jase has them on offer at rather large discount of £12,999 for the one I had, and just £10,999 for the standard Rocker. Its still a lot for a bike, but remember that this is a Harley, and they don’t exactly come cheap anyway!

If your wondering what the insurance quote would be like if you were to run out and grab one of these tomorrow, here are a range of quotes from Express Insurance to give you a ball park figure based on my current circumstances ie. living in a city centre, with secure parking and with a good lock to give you an idea:

Oh and while I remember, I need to give you the quotes for the Suzuki GSF 650 S Bandit I had last week as Emma was on holiday – so here we are!

So final impressions of the Rocker C, well its a beautiful bike, and the feeling of riding over that big back wheel is almost primeval at times, plus you will not look cooler anywhere you go, but if its riding thrills your looking for over style, then perhaps you shouldn’t be looking at a Harley.

I suppose it comes down to what kind of a person/rider you are, one who does it to push themselves to the limit and take on twisty roads and track days, or one that likes to hit the motorways and cruise everywhere looking cool. There is no right or wrong answer, as long as no matter what you’re riding you are enjoying it.

Up next, I’m going to spend a few days on the Yamaha XJ6, before jumping back onto another beast of a Harley, the Road King, which got delivered today!

So until next time my Illustrious amigos, ride safe!!

Garage:

Harley Davidson Rocker C – Stratstone Harley Davidson

Yamaha FZ6 – Streetbike

Wow what a day!!!

I have had the MOST fun morning ever, and I have spent the rest of the day bouncing around in my own little way telling everyone that I’m the next Rossi……….I am…………….honest…….well maybe not ,but there is a reason for this ridiculous claim!

I went to the Ron Haslam School of Racing at Donnington….ahhh yeah!!

I have been toying with the idea of doing some racing next year, however preposterous that may sound…………and yet I have never actually done a track day……which is kind of handy if you want to race on track………whoops! So having garnered some expert advice from the guys at Streetbike and Pure Triumph, we came to the conclusion that if I wanted to race on a track……….it would be a good idea to do a track day…..so I suppose the main bullet point you should take from this paragraph, is that if you want to get good on a track….do a track day……….did I mention getting on a track?

Yet I didn't want to just go on an open day, swing the bike around a few bends (probably using my indicators!) and think I was ready to head into a Championship….as that is the kind of thing I would normally do and end up maybe a tit out of myself and rearranging my brains on the tarmac.

This is where the Ron Haslam School of Racing comes in, they got in contact and suggested if I was looking at doing some racing…….on a track…….why not come down and do one of their courses……on a track??

Quicker than Usain Bolt (I'm feeling topical tonight!) running the hundred metres with some chicken nuggets dangling from the finishing line, I said……….”erm” but luckily that was quickly followed by a “Yes!”. The lovely Jenny set the whole thing up for me, and then this morning I set off to Donnington on  the Harley Rocker C!

That reminds me, I have a Harley Rocker C……did I not mention that? Oh okay, the lovely people at Harley have given me one for a week, so I will be riding this crazy looking thing for the next 7 days, and will let you know what it is like! I also had an awesome Suzuki B King from Streetbike for a few days, but I was planning on taking it out on a big ride, and then they sold it (they are a bit good at their jobs at Streetbike!), so I had to take it back, but not to worry, I will be getting my hands on another one soon for a big review, needless to say that in the short time I had it, it made an impression.

How can an upright bike with a Hayabusa engine not?? To be fair actually they now put the new B King engine in the Hayabusa….that’s how good the 1300cc plant is, and the rest of the bike is pretty damn fine too. In fact I can’t wait to get back on one ASAP, but until then, Streetbike have given me a Yamaha FZ6 to have some fun on, so I will let you know what that is like in the next few days after I have given the Rocker C a good seeing too.

Now where was I? Oh yeah…….Track Day!

So having arrived on probably the most un track day like bike ever, albeit a very cool one, the sun shining and perfect racing conditions at track side, I went into the Paddock Suite,  signed up and got on with turning myself into a racer! First of all I got fitted for all the right racing gear (flip flops and nipple tassels not really being the order of the day!) and headed off to my first race ever briefing!!! After learning about the different cones designed to give you help braking, turning in and hitting the apex, and a quick safety chat, we went out to the pit lane to meet our instructors.

I was on the Premier course, which consists of a half day with three track sessions on track (yay!)with an instructor and all the trimmings! The gentlemen who had obviously pulled the short straw to be lumbered with me was a lovely chap called Adam, who I immediately hit it off with, and I was paired on track with a gentleman who was quite a novice road rider, but who had done a few track days, giving me a good bench mark to work with.

In the first session it was all about learning where the braking points are, how the bike feels and handles, and obviously getting to know the layout of the track…….which is kind of handy when you think the Honda CBRR600 we were on tops out at 170mph, which coupled with the fact that Donnington is one of the most technical circuits around, did seem quite daunting.

I needn’t have worried, as I immediately felt at ease on the bike (similar to my old R6!), and even though we were getting passed at an alarming rate by the others, I was determined to get the basics right before I gave it too much welly (I know this doesn't sound very much like me and my normal gung ho attitude, but I have always wanted to race, and I wasn’t going to waste this opportunity to learn from some of the best riders around!).

This first session also serves as a great way for the instructor to take have a look at your riding style and pick up on anything that isn’t quite right, which for me translated mainly to my body position on the bike. When you are riding on a road, you often assume that you have a good position in the bends and are getting a good lean on the bike, but for someone like me who has never actually had his knee down before, I was about to find out exactly how wrong this assumption was!!!

Adam took the time in between sessions to get myself acquainted with exactly how to position yourself on a bike to allow you to actually get it round a race track, and after a few minutes practicing on the bike on a stand in the garage, and with the wise words of Adam ringing in my ears, it was time to head out for session two.

Immediately, by getting my body positioning right I was able to really get the bike over into the corners, and combining this with the short-shifting we had learnt, and changing up through the gears without the clutch, I found myself suddenly start to look a bit like an actual race rider. Still, I was getting passed with ease by some of the other riders, and so after session two, it was time for another chat with Adam.

This time, he felt it would be better if I went out solo with him, as he felt I was really getting the jist of all this lark, and he wanted me to simply try and stick to his back tyre, and brake less so that I would be smoother through the corners, especially the old hairpin where I was scrubbing off much too much speed before entry, the problem being that you then don't carry enough speed into the next segment.

We headed out on my final track session, and wow, what a difference, suddenly I managed to start feeling the racing line with ease, and all the body positioning, braking points and gear changes that I had been working on became second nature, and felt very natural, and so I decided to give it some!!!!

Not only was I not getting over taken, but I was suddenly going past a lot of the other bikers (Yes i was overtaking on track….ohhhh mummy I’m a racer!), and I really felt like I was Rossi flying through the Esses, flim flamming my socks off, and I even got my knee down a few times….hell at one point I got so low my knee, elbow and foot were all practically touching the ground!

I felt so relaxed, at no point did nerves kick in (luckily an affliction that rarely strikes me!), and I even started improvising the gear changes, finding the best gear for me for certain corners, and really opening this amazing bike up.

When the session ended, I had a real buzz on, and I wasnt the only one, when we got back to the pits Adam came boucing up to me, face beaming proclaiming “You’ve got it!! That was s**t hot!” He then went on to say how he was actually surprised at how hard I could brake (handy when you have overcooked it on the straight and can see your instructors bike getting ever closer as you try and scrub off the speed!), and how I had one the smoothest riding styles he had seen…….I asked him if I was his first pupil feeling some sort of sarcasmn heading my way…….but it turns out he has been doing this for years…….get in!

I must admit, and this it the sound of me blowing my own trumpet (think the Johnny Briggs theme – but more upbeat!), but it really did feel like second nature to me, I always knew I could ride fast, as I’m a bit stupid and dont have the part of the brain that says “Oh slow down or this might hurt”, but I really wanted to see if i could nail the actual ART of riding on a track, and even after just one day, I can’t believe the huge strides I made!

We headed off to the Paddock suite for the debrief, and to have our report card from our instructor read out to us, and I was gobsmacked when mine  my feedback stated I was one of the best Adam had seen (insert joke about short sightedness here), and that I had made his job easy………saweeet!! He even gave me a rating of 88 out of 100 for my performance, not bad for a first timer!

After that, it was time for a quick chat with my fellow riders, some coffee, a lovely lunch and then back home on the Rocker C to Kerrang Towers!

Did I have a good day….no…….I had a brilliant day! Honestly, everyone at Ron Haslam’s School was so friendly, funny, knowledgeable and polite, and just seeing all of the other riders faces afterwards, whether novices or track day experts, was immense……. everyone came away making some drastic improvements to their riding, and more importantly, having had an amazing time doing it!

I can’t think of a more enjoyable way to spend a day, than at the home of GP racing, with some of the best instructors in the world teaching you how to ride fast….and smooth….and even getting a gumby like me to look good!

My only wish was that I had booked myself in for the Elite class that afternoon, as I was itching to get back out on the track and learn some more!

I would like to give a massive thanks to Ann, Jenny, Adam and everyone down at Ron Haslam’s School of Racing for a truly enlightening and awesome-tacular morning, and if there is one thing that you can bet on, then it is me going back to do another session with this lot as soon as possible. If you have ever thought about doing a track day, but wanted to get some instruction, or consider yourself an expert but want to improve your technique then I can’t recommend what a great day out you will have at the School, plus you will be amazed at how quickly you will improve with proper training, my only advice is would be to book it now, as they only do about 20 days a year and they fill up fast.

Oh yeah, and you know that racing I am thinking of doing maybe next year………well who knows, but at least I know its not a complete pipe dream anymore, and to say I am excited at the prospect would be an understatement…….watch this space….although I doubt my fellow Express sponsored rider Shayne “Shakey” Byrne in the World Superbikes is quaking in his boots! Talking of which………….

Just when I thought my day couldn’t get any better, I popped my head into Kerrang Towers to meet the lovely Emma from Express Insurance, my esteemed sponsors, who had just taken delivery of my new branded leathers, which I am sure you will agree look pretty damn hot…….and yes they have my name on them……I’m so vain!!

Seriously though, this means that you simply have no excuse to not come and talk bikes with me if you see me out and about on various machines around the country or at any race/track days, in fact, I would consider it rude of you not too!

So for the next few days I will be putting the miles on the Harley Davidson Rocker C, and my first impressions are, well especially after today, that it isn't exactly a track bike, but you knew that already! My goodness though, it is incredibly good looking, so check back to read my full review of the bike later in the week!

Garage:

Suzuki GSF650S - Streetbike

So after the rain returned on Wednesday, at least the sun is out today!!

So having been on the Bandit for almost a week, I must say it has pleasantly surprised me! Okay it’s not uber quick, and doesn't have the looks or sounds that other bikes can stake a claim to, but you know what…….it’s a good bike!

I have found myself riding around on it like a hooligan though, as you really can given the fact that its not race tuned, yet revs up to 12,500 rpm, its light and you can chuck it around, and thanks to the ABS stops on a dime!

Okay its not going to win best looking bike of the year, and maybe the reason I’m riding it so hard is to make up for its lack of big bike power, but its also refreshingly easy to jump on and ride. Apart from my big blast the other night, it has mostly been a case of commuting on the Bandit, what is was obviously designed for,and man this thing makes trips around town easy.

I really like the display as well, with an analogue rev counter, and digital Speedo and readouts, it just seems tidy, and the huge wing mirror stalks mean it gives great all round vision for those not so confident about what might be coming up behind them.

If you have owned a big sports bike or cruiser and jump straight on one of these of course it will feel underpowered, slow, and not as responsive, but for what it is, and that's the key thing to remember, I mean its not in the same price bracket as any full on sports bike so of course its not going to be as good as them on a track, I reckon you might find this thing easier to jump on everyday, especially when its raining, and have some fun!

The interesting thing is the price, it comes in at an OTR of £5600 for the new ‘09 model I am riding, so its not going to break the bank, and is significantly cheaper than the GSXR600 at £7,600, and don’t forget the Suzuki GSX650F, the sportier sister of this, of which you can now pick up an 08 version for about £5,500, with 0% finance over 3 years at Streetbike. They also do a 1,200 cc version of the Bandit, at only £700 more, so if your confident enough for more power, maybe give that one a try!

I cannot really fault the Bandit 650 S, its fun, reliable, practical and good value, but I might be tempted to go for an 08 model on the 0% finance deal as you can snap those up for about £4,500, although they will not have some of the newer features. Hell if you have just passed your test, or are looking for a bike in this range – there are so many options, and the only really limiting factor is the depth of your wallet!

Talking of which I will get some insurance quotes for the bike when the lovely Emma from Express Insurance returns from holiday next week…….but as you can probably guess its blooming cheap!

I have one more day of riding around on the Bandit before heading to Streetbike after my show tomorrow to pick up the beast that is the B King, and exciting news, I will also be picking up a brand new Blade on Saturday from Brindley Honda!!!

Oh and next week, well I get to play with a Harley Rocker C…..bring it!

I’ll blog back shortly to say my final piece on the Bandit, and also to let you know what the B King is like!!

Until then Amigo’s, ride safe!

There are times when I really think that motorcycle riding might be just one of the greatest things in the world, and I really feel sorry for people who don't have this life affirming joy at their disposal!

I mean honestly, tonight I came home from work a bit stressed out, and I never get stressed out……….ever, especially because I love all of my jobs so much, otherwise I wouldn’t do them, but at the moment, I have so much on that I have to rely on other people for certain things, and when they let me down, I just cannot understand it.

So I was stressed, and having ridden the Suzuki Bandit 650 S for the whole weekend in and around Birmingham, while its clearly one of the best commuters around, I didn't think I would be able to go for a proper blast on it and still get that sense of really pushing it and being on the edge.

And yet here I am, sitting in bed at 10.10pm on a Tuesday with a calm brain actually able to think again, a completely different outlook to the problems I was facing, and a huge grin on my face….so how did that happen?

Well I often think people do get snobby about bikes, they sneer at smaller or slower ones than there own, and laugh at people who are riding something that doesn't have enough torque to stop the earths rotation. Hell I can understand, I mean would I prefer to nip out on a Suzuki VanVan or a GSXR 1000…….I mean I loved that VanVan, but come on………….a 125 versus a superbike? No contest!

I like power so much I may as well have it tattooed across my face! Riding this Bandit S has made me think though, take cars as an example, I suppose that if we were honest we would all like to be cruising around in a Ferrari 575 Maranello or other such supercar, but a. I don’t really know anyone who can afford one, and b. it’s not exactly practical for the school run (not really an issue with me, as I would have already sold my kids to get the Ferrari!).

So we don’t,  we drive Ford Focus’, Smart cars, or in my case a battered 20 old £200 BMW! Why? Because its practical, cheap to run, and still puts a smile on my face. It is different with bikes, as the price ranges are smaller, with even the most outrageous bikes fallen within the £15k bracket (well mostly!), and you genuinely have the advantage of knowing that most bikes are pretty well built and reliable, and therefore its just finding the one that works for you, is within your price range, and does what you want it to, but still this snobbery exists, which I find funny.

That's why I always try and look at each bike I ride for these diaries within its own right, obviously if you compared the Yamaha Tenere I rode a few weeks back directly with….say the CVO Fat Bob….it would seem silly. Yet just yesterday I was approached by a rider who literally could not stop raving about just how much fun he was having on his Tenere, and how he didn't care that he might get blown away by other, faster bikes, because that was not the reason he was on two wheels, he wanted that sense of “I can go anywhere!” and he loved the plucky one cylinder engine that will probably still be running long after we have been turned into coal by huge external pressure…….yay!

I’m saying all this, because when I picked up the Bandit S, a lot of people were giving it the old, “Yeah that's a bit rubbish mate, not exactly gonna keep up with me on a blade is it?”……my response….well no of course not, but if someone wanted to keep up with a Blade, they would simply buy a Blade (PS I will actually be getting a Blade for a proper test ride in a few days, and I can’t wait…..I’m such a hypocrite!)!

The idea behind this bike is to provide an uber comfortable commuter, with a slight sports edge, and having ridden its cousin the GSX650F which is kind of the next link in the chain before you get to the GSXR, you can see where it is slightly less sporty, but slightly more forgiving. The ABS fitted is immense to start with, and honestly riding around town it is light, nippy, and the gearing is quite cleverly done to make you feel that by giving it some tank up to about 7,000rpm, you’re really pushing it …….when your not.

Its not as smooth through the revs as the GSX650F, but it does feel lighter and easier to manage at slow speeds, and taking it out to Shropshire tonight (I just literally set off with my phone in my pocket – it has GPS sat nav – and enough money for fuel and that's it……is there anything more liberating!) made me actually realise just how good a bike this is.!

You should be bringing up 100mph in third, and with the added comfort factor of the bike not being fully faired so your ankles aren't somewhere near your arse, you actually have a nice upright riding position, and because its not a huge uber powerful bike, I found myself able to really give it some into corners, knowing that I wasn't going to be going straight on through the next field because I wouldn't be able to slow her down in time! She leans into bends nicely, and while you have to ride the revs and gears hard to really get her up in the performance stakes, like any good bike it responds when ridden hard.

If i had just passed my test, or was looking to graduate from say a smaller bike to something within the 600-700 range, this would be on the list. Yes its not the most attractive bike in the world, but again, it does what it is designed to do bloody well, I mean I took it out for a two hour thrashing and  was genuinely surprised by how much fun it was, and hell anything that could put a smile on my face after the day I had deserves praise indeed.

I blasted past pubs on tiny leafy lanes, gave it full taps down some lovely country roads and dual carriageways, as well as swinging through a few villages, and she just coped with everything I had to throw at her. Sure she doesn't exactly sound like the heavens are angry and want vengeance, but the nice, quite controlled note you get from that 4 cylinder engine still turned a few heads!

I suppose what I am getting at are that bikes are ace, and so many people I have spoken to go and get huge racers and never ride them to their potential due to many factors, confidence, ability, sanity etc, I mean there is nothing worse than having an awesome bike, but never taking it out because you are too frightened of it, or are too scared of scratching the paintwork, and it has to be said, some bikes nowadays are so powerful you hardly use a tiny proportion of their full potential, so its nice to come back off a ride and feel you you really have ridden the thing to its limits.

So I would suggest maybe not overlooking some of the commuter bikes within this range, as long gone are the days when a commuter had to be boring, and I for one can’t wait to take it for another blast tomorrow night!

Garage:

Yamaha XJR1300 – Streetbike

Okay, so probably the most horrible week of weather of the year, I mean I know I have used the term biblical before, but honestly, it has been more like Monsoon season in the Tropics than summer in Brum, but without the added attraction of monkeys on every street corner (I don't actually know if monkeys like hanging around street corners, I just saw a few doing that when I was in the rainforests of Mexico, maybe they were waiting for a taxi??).

So what have I learnt this week? Well I can say, having given the Thunderbird back, it was quite nice to have the Yamaha XJR1300 to get back on to, as it does have a whole lot of old school power, and yet it is just so manageable, even making riding around in the horrible conditions we have been having quite fun!

Its a top bike, and to go with what I said about it the other week, joins that group of nice 1,000cc bikes that you can really have some fun on, without having to feel like your riding it on the limit, like the FZ-1, Street Triple etc.

It has got the added advantage of just looking pretty damn mean too and it has an ace reliability record, and on top of that has the reputation as one of those bikes that once you buy, you keep forever, and I can understand why, as it is just so easy and fun to get on and eat up the miles!

Also its a right bargain at the moment, with 3 years 0% finance down at Streetbike with just a £99 deposit, and suddenly you realise what a hell of a lot of bike you’re getting for £7800 otr, oh and if your worried about the insurance, those people at Express have given me the guide below:

So there you have it, a hell of a lot of bike, with that huge 1,300cc 4 cylinder plant, Ohlin's Shocks, and that mean retro muscle bike image for a bargain price tag!

If you are reading this thinking, well that’s the bike for me, but I have about as much of an idea about bikes as a pygmy caveman who spent his whole existence living in Wales during the Paleo-Jurassic era, well then don’t forget the awesome new industry website Get on which can guide you through all the rather daunting first few steps!

I took back the XJR today to Streetbike, and look what they gave me in return!

Yes that’s right the Suzuki SV650 Bandit, an absolutely bullet proof commuter bike with a sports edge, absolutely perfect for someone who has just passed their Direct Access and is looking for something to get around on that has a bit of zip, great handling, and enough power to thrill without really scaring you.

It’s known as one of the easiest bikes to ride in the world, and I am looking forward to taking it out for a blast, although it doesn’t quite have the raw power or looks of the XJR, but hey, that’s not what it was built for!

I will be riding this for the next week, before the guys at Streetbike sort me out with something a bit special, after me harping on about the Thunderbird so much, the Suzuki B King………..oh momma does that have some power!!!

I have also got some awesome Harley’s lined up to ride over the next few weeks, starting on the 17th, and if you have always fancied riding a Harley, but have never had a chance to, well in addition to being able to pop into Stratstone Harley Davidson here in Brum and take one out for a test ride, Harley are now bringing the bikes to you as part of their Judgement Day Tour 2009!

Its so cool, a big truck full of 26 Harleys is doing a tour of the UK, and at each stop it makes you can book in to do a test ride just by visiting here as long as you have held a full UK bike license for a year,you can simply log on, pick a bike to ride and then jump on when the Truck arrives at its set locations!!!

What a top idea, and already over 3,000 people have taken them up on the service, and guess what? It’s coming to Nottingham next weekend at Holme Pierrepont, so why not book yourself in for a test ride now, and make a day of it!!

Now moving on, firstly you will notice that no silly RSS widgets or owt are needed to read these blogs now, which is nice, as I have come upon a way to update all of the Motorcycle Diary Blogs at once, but even more exciting than that is, thanks to my esteemed sponsors Express Insurance these Diaries will soon be enhanced by video content as I look to make the articles much more involving, not only will I be video blogging about the bikes, but also I will be able to record my journeys with a bike mounted camera to highlight each bikes performance, handling etc.

I can’t wait, as not only will the Diaries have their own channel on YouTube.com, but it will allow me to bring so much more passion, noise and colour to these blogs!! Woo!

Right then, with the sun out for the first time since…….well since I can remember, I am gong to take the Suzuki off onto the open road!

I will blog back in the next few days to give you my first impressions, so until next time my illustrious compadres, ride safe!