Motorbikes

[Womble9]

and this one is also quite nice to watch : http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/Ne.../?&R=EPI-98449

Especially if you've got a Blade sat in your garage eh !!

Looks like Honda have done a great job of putting the Blade right back at the front of the pack. With the testers saying how it doesn't feel the fastest yet the timing showing it is it really does go to show what a well ballanced all round package (typical Honda really) they've put together there. It'll be interesting to see how it gets on against the 1098 in the following test that they mention but for many the choice between those two will be decided purely by whether they want a twin or a 4.

[TheForce]

Especially if you've got a Blade sat in your garage eh !!

erm... well yes ofcourse ! it's always nice to see positive news about your bike.
altough I have to say with all these new 1000CC bikes it's all down to personal taste which one to buy, I think they are all quite equal.

It'll be interesting to see how it gets on against the 1098 in the following test that they mention but for many the choice between those two will be decided purely by whether they want a twin or a 4.

yep, the new Duc is an amazing bike, but for the price of that 1098 Duc I could get a fully tuned new TenKate Fireblade and a year card for the Nurburgring.....

[Eps]

I sat on that Ninja 250 at the MCN show at Excel a fortnight or so ago & it just felt so comfortable...seemed like a perfect riding position & will be a bike I'll consider when I've done my DAS in a few months time

Yeah, it has a slightly more upright 'default' riding position than a lot of sportbikes, which is better for new riders and commuters, etc. However, if you want to, you can still lean right in, particularly on the new 250. Engine/transmission/etc-wise it's the same bike as the pre-2008 Ninja 250: that is to say, economical, quick, and rock-solid reliable. I'm just as much of an advocate of this bike as TheForce is of his sexy 'Blade, so I'll stop there before I write a 10-paragraph post extolling the virtues of what is in my opinion the single best all-round motorcycle ever made.

[TheForce]

hehehe I know exactly what you mean, having a new toy like a sexy motorbike is the best thing !
I'm a huge racing addict, always have been, and the closest I always got to racing was playing racing games or some go karting, but since I have a motorbike to REALLY race around the tracks is like a dream come true ! you cannot believe the adrenaline pumping through my body after some quick laps around the Schleife, Zolder or Assen !

I have just ordered my year card for the Nordschleife, so now I just have to wait for some nice weather to arrive !

I couldn't resist.... last year on the Ring with my 600RR..

[charlesr]

How does doing it for real compare to doing it in Forza or PGR in terms of remembering the track layout? i.e. left or right hand bends, tight, long etc. Does it help or hinder?

[TheForce]

in both PGR3 and 4 the lay out is quite good, just the track is too narrow in the PGR games (especially in he carousel) in real it's a bit wider.
I have to say in Forza2 the track it pretty good like it is in real life, and yes it's a BIG help if you learn the track well in the game. Just the lines with the bikes and cars are quite different.
The thing is there on the ring that if you don't know the track well, it's even harder because the locals will be flying past you all the time and you have to be twice as carefull by entering the corners (especially on a bike).
But as soon as you're up to speed and you know the track, you'll see you can concentrate more on the driving and going quick instead of just concentrating not getting into a crash (and many crash there)....

I real it's ofcourse a lot harder than in the game, the forces that you feel are sometimes quite impressive ! you have corners when entering them with high speeds going quite steep up is quite immense !

I noticed when I was a passanger in my friends Cossie it's exactly the same lines an feeling like I had in Forza, so they did a pretty good job at Turn10!

I can really advice every petrol head to atleast visit it there once, only if it just for watching, the cars you see there every weekend are mindblowing ! It's like the best cars of TopGear parade !

[Eps]

I'm quite surprised that they let you have your mirrors and headlight as stock, TheForce -- most tracks over here require that you remove or cover your headlight and remove your mirrors, etc. for even informal track sessions (and even for my little bike - it has tasted the track once or twice ). Is that not common practice on Dutch and German tracks, then?

[Senna]

That's an awesome looking bike Roy, you're making us all extremely jealous I think. One question I have regarding the Nordschleiffe is what is the mini-oval enbankment like on the track?

Just think what it would be like taking that bike around Laguna Seca, especially the Corkscrew.

Superb stuff.

[TheForce]

I'm quite surprised that they let you have your mirrors and headlight as stock,

the pictures are from the Nordschleife, there you really don't want to take the mirrors of! (you don't want to be surpised in the middle of the corner being overtaken by one of the Ring Vipers) You need your mirrors there.
The Ring is officially a public road where you have to pay "toll" for....
When I'm racing on Assen or Zolder I have to tape or remove the mirrors.

One question I have regarding the Nordschleiffe is what is the mini-oval enbankment like on the track?

Just think what it would be like taking that bike around Laguna Seca, especially the Corkscrew.

You mean the carousel ? It's not really special, you take just like in the game, on the inside and you let it roll through there (in a car it's more exiting), just putting the power on the exit results always in a small power wheely (even with a 600) because you it goes up a bit.

yeah, Laguna Seca would be an awesome track to ride... (will never happen though)
Probably this year (August 14th) I will have a track day on Spa Franc !! now that is one track I REALLY want to ride !! It's still not sure though, but if one of my mates can get a day off we will book it this week ! I can already imagine how amazing it will be going up EauRouge .....

[charlesr]

Might be doing the Ring in June on my ninja6. I'll let you know.

[TheForce]

sure thing Charles, let me know when you go and I will make sure I will be there ! would be great fun to meet each other there !

[Zatoichi_Samurai]

I passed my test finally today!
Any recommendations for a good bike to start with, thats not too expensive to insure?
Looking for something sporty with fairing ideally, was thinking of an SV650, but I'm told in line fours are better than the v-twins?

[charlesr]

For a first bike, the SV will be perfect.

Twins aren't better or worse than 4s. Just different. More low down torque making them easy to ride, but not the same nutty top end (although some of the new ducati engines are getting there).

[Pavey]

Better in what way mate? I would say as a first bike an IL4 would be the worse option, and an sv would be a good bet.

On a twin you have power all though the revs, an IL4 you need to be on the power band all the time.

Each to thier own though really. Try and try the both of them out, and see what you prefer. Some hate the engine breaking of a twin, others swear by it.

[TheForce]

congrats !

For a first bike, the SV will be perfect.

I have to agree with this, and SV is an excellent bike to start with, it handles good.

And like said before nothing wrong with a Vtwin , you can drive it "lazy" , like having power also from low revs..