[b4turbo]

Just seeking a bit of advice for you pros lads and lassies ...

Just bought meself an old R1 as a stablemate to the big feck off BMW and I have a few questions to you lot ...

Firstly, I was going to trade the RT for a TDM / Varadero / GS style bike but with my years clocking up on me and my allergy to rain, I said to myself, where would I get a bike with the weather protection that the RT has, and considering it has paid for itself over and over, where would I get a bike for zero euro. I just fancied a change so I hit donedeal at speed.

Had a deal done for an Aprilia Falco, trading the BM against it (it was a fine day, it would never rain again in Ireland) but the lad went back on his word so feck him, I'm an straight fella, if I say something, I do it, he didn't, we moved on ...

So, I saw this R1 on donedeal, the lad needed money in a hurry, I had a bit of cash burning a hole in my pocket and it was a toss up between the R1 and a 2002 Blackbird. As I now intended on keeping the BM, no point in keeping 2 touring bikes so off to Portlaoise to meet the lad with the R1. Test drive - stalled it twice taking off, not good but then I got it going and memories of the GSXF came back ... until I twisted the go knob a bit more and oh Christ, make it stop number 1.

Anyway, I bought it, my buddy CB750 drove it home while I drove my car and we got it to Cashel. He took it home and on que, he rang to say he'd go for another spin, drop it over to Tipp for me.
Well, am I happy ... took it to work on Friday, 24 miles away, all went well, had a blast as it were, takes getting used to but that power is addictive. Went for a spin from Cashel to Dungarvan over the Vee today, clocked up some 245kms, a full tank of go juice ...
It rained, stopped in Cahir for coffee and I could squeeze a cup full of water from my T-Shirt, not to mention me undercarriage ... was I smiling, sure was ...

My impressions .. I love it. the seating position is great, not too hunched over. I have one gripe tho, the angle of the bar ends. My wrists were sore when I got home, would different bar risers with a better angle help ?
Also, as you see in the pics, she needs touching up and the wheels are pitted so I'll have to refurnish them too.

Oh, I may have a letter from the Garda speed dept too ... fecking Yamaha ...

Anyway, here she is with her big sister ...
 BMW Vs R1 xxx.JPG (374.34K)
Number of downloads: 39

[Playtime]

noice addition to your stable Seamus

enjoy and stay safe

[Hogkiller]

Mate of mine had one of these a few years back, savage yoke! On the point of sore wrists, your putting too much pressure on your arms while riding! Two things you could try, first adjust your levers/switch gear to an angle that suits your hand position, second if you grip the tank with your knees while riding/braking etc this will relieve the pressure you are putting on your arms and take away the pain!
Best of luck And wear well.

[try1ng]

Very nice - mind the license!

[Shinwacker]

Lucky, lucky you. Delighted for you mate, it does take a bit of getting used to going from a Cruiser type bike to a sports bike. I have two bikes at the opposite end of the scale, a Blackbird and a Harley, mind you I broke the Harley. The bikes are so different they are called Oscar and Felix, named after the two lads from the odd couple.

So what's the difference when riding them, well the usual things like you said, getting used to the sitting position. That stuff aside the real differences are it's just two different days out. My mate Kinger has a Harley and a Bussa, so we would chose which bike we would be taking and then we would decide where we would go. The Harley's being a touch slower means we tend to take it easy and our range wouldn't be as long as the sports bike. The Sports bikes being a bit quicker we could cover a bigger distance in the same amount of time. that being said they offer a different type of fun, each of the bikes. We would be on two of the world's fastest bikes and no one would hardly give them a second glance. When we rumble by on the Harley's whole towns have been known to stop and look at us. Yip the Harley's are pure posing machines and we become like stars in our own little movies.

When we park up people want to have there picture taken sitting on the bikes. The general non-biking public just love Harley's, all the men want to be us and all the women want to go with us Kids also love the old Harley's, ha-ha it's all a good laugh when your out on the old hog. Withe the riding position being more relaxed on the Harley you tend to be just a tad more chilled out riding the Harley. Charity spins and stuff like that are ideal for the Harley.

Now that being said about the Harley's and believe it they are all great fun. The Blackbird is the man for "pure" biking pleasure. The power, the speed and the handling all make up for a class day out. It's more internal the fun, as no one ever give the bird a second look. Other bikers look at you with that knowing look, they all know how quick it is and how well it goes. Like yesterday Waterford and back 320 miles for me here in Drogheda. I arrived home with a huge grin on my face and only other bikers would really understand the feeling of being on such a quick bike.

If I'm real honest I just couldn't say which is best, they are so different and offer such a different biking experience which are two great days out. Some days are just made of the Harley and visa-versa. I do hope this all makes sense to you.

Shins

This post has been edited by Shinwacker: 08 August 2011 - 11:04 AM

[Kelpie]

Nice machine! Wear well and enjoy.

I have the R1 and the TDM900 and I can't think of a better choice of bikes to compliment each other and satisfy my biking needs. I've had the R1 just over 3 years now and can't imagine ever wanting to sell it. Same goes for the TDM, I'll have had one for 3 years in November.

Flash has a R1200GS and 954 Fireblade so we have sensible days and not to sensible days!

[b4turbo]

Ah Kelpie, I'd hate to see you in my mirrors on the R1, although I can't see feck all in em anyway !!!!!!!
Thanks for the replies, I know the story of locking in the knees against the tank, and it does indeed help, its just the angle of the bar ends, was tempted to try these
I'm struggling to keep the front wheel down at the mo so making it a sit up style bike may only compound the problem ... save on front tyres I suppose.

Took it to Limerick today for VRT, computer said no so I've to go back next week. Overtaking is so easy on that bike but you just have to keep an eye on the speedo, bledy hell it goes from 90kph to "eh hem " in a heart beat.
I'll bed it in for a while, do my usual rear brake stuff till I trust it, suppose a track day would improve confidence on it, or make sihte of it !!!

Anyway, what do ye lot think of those bar risers, considering I don't want to make a total wheelie machine out of it ...

[nab301]

b4turbo, on 09 August 2011 - 08:32 PM, said:

Anyway, what do ye lot think of those bar risers, considering I don't want to make a total wheelie machine out of it ...

Not that i've ever ridden an R1, but having fiddled with one of my bikes, fitting higher bars may not be comfortable in isolation, you may need to modify the seat and pegs also .... and just end up wit a lightweight Fazer

Can you not get adj clip ons (vario ?)

This post has been edited by nab301: 09 August 2011 - 09:46 PM

[b4turbo]

nab301, on 09 August 2011 - 09:43 PM, said:

Not that i've ever ridden an R1, but having fiddled with one of my bikes, fitting higher bars may not be comfortable in isolation, you may need to modify the seat and pegs also .... and just end up wit a lightweight Fazer

Can you not get adj clip ons (vario ?)

Yes Nab, higher clip ons are available, I was just wondering if they would be a compromise on the compromise, if I was going to do it, I'd do it full on ...
I got an angry text from a 62 year old R1 rider that states " if a Granny and pensioner can ride an R1 in stock form, who the hell do I think I am changing it "

Nuff said, it's staying stock for the present, or until Billy gets sick of waiting for me while I nurse me wrists !!!!!

[Kelpie]

b4turbo, on 10 August 2011 - 12:56 PM, said:

Yes Nab, higher clip ons are available, I was just wondering if they would be a compromise on the compromise, if I was going to do it, I'd do it full on ...
I got an angry text from a 62 year old R1 rider that states " if a Granny and pensioner can ride an R1 in stock form, who the hell do I think I am changing it "

Nuff said, it's staying stock for the present, or until Billy gets sick of waiting for me while I nurse me wrists !!!!!

Ha ha! If that's my mate Bill on the red R1 you're referring to, give him my love.

You WILL get used to the R1. You just need to keep at it. If I don't ride mine for a few months, my wrists hurt, and my neck even more but after a week or so of regular R1ing, I don't notice it. It's not much fun in traffic though as the lower the speed, the worse the weight on your wrists. It also helps to push your backside further back in the seat and take more weight on your belly if you're getting tired. I'm short and round so it's easy for me.

Also try putting just your toes on the pegs for a while, just to move your weight around a bit.

[b4turbo]

Yep Kelpie, the very man .... Billy is a bit of a legend on that R1, scaring the locals and making off with their daughters and all that stuff ...
With my considerable 15 stone, I'm sure I can move it about a bit, as said, I find it fairly comfy, its just the angle of the bars more than the positional height, a feck it, I'll get used to it ...

Guess I better put the BMW on trickle charge, looks like I wont be on it for a while !!!!!!!

[b4turbo]

I took the R1 out for a bit of a spin earlier ... my visor touches my nose at kph






I love that bike ....