Post by larry on Mar 18, 2019 9:32:28 GMT 10
Hello Everyone,
After a bit of searching, was contacted by a VTR owner (now ex-owner) who was happy to swap
my BMW R1200RT for the VTR.
This was back in December. Last week finally got to take the girl for a ride.
Took me days to wipe the smile off my face and a few more to forget about the
pain in the wrists. Cannot recall when was the last time I rode a bike with
clip ons - 40 years would be close.
The bike felt like a 250cc on steroids.
Once I had a 'full' license, the 250 got the boot and everything was over 1000cc, except to two Ducatis.
One was an 860 bevel drive, the other a 600 Pantah.
Hence the reference to a 250cc. Come to think, the Pantah also felt like a 250, relatively small,
nimble and chuckable.
I need to get used to the relatively cramped space and work out how to move on the VTR.
Still, extremely happy with the choice, happy with the noise and happy with the chuckability
of the unit. Brakes may need attention in the future.
A bit of background.
Started riding legally a 250cc two stoke road bike. Found the pods could be swapped for 350cc items.
Some of you who are old enough may recall the Yamaha RD 250/350 and/or the Kawasaki A1 and A7.
'Traded' it for a Ducati 860. Not the fastest but this thing handled like it was on rails. Remember one
night coming back from Kiama heading to Sydney. Got to the bottom of Mount Ousley, dialled in
a WOT and held it till I got to the top. Flowing and fluid through the bends.
This bile eventually gave way to a Suzuki GSX1100. This was an Allan Hale special. He was
clocked at 147mph down conrod at Bathurst during the 1980 Easter races. Whilst reasonable
quick, it handled like a bucking bronco when pressed. More often then not, it felt the need to
spit me off.
Sold it for a 600 Pantah. After the death of a dear friend of mine in a M/C accident, I sold the Pantah.
Few years later bought an ex-police BMW K100RT. Not much character. Went about its business
in a 'as a matter of fact' way. Wooden brakes. Very stable though. I remember coming back from
Katoomba during a major storm cruising on 160kph without a drop of water on me and blissfully
unaware of the weather. Rock solid.
Due to work commitments, it was sold. I then got involved in racing Go-karts culminating in racing
Super karts. I don't scare easily but, doing 200kph, 3 - 4 inches off the ground and having your eye balls
bounce around making your vision blurry until you slow down for the next corner, certainly did it for me.
In saying that, the adrenalin fix was at an all time high.
In about 2011, bought a Ducati Monster 696. Nice bike, great brakes, good handling but somewhat
under powered. Traded it on a 2005 BMW K1200S. Boy did this thing have balls. Very comforable, very
powerful and really good brakes. Two fingers was all that was required. The power was more then I
could handle and made me realise I am not as young as I would like to think. SWMBO certainly
reminds me of this fact every now and then.
Ego got the better of be and a 2017 Ducati Monster 1200S took its place. Great bike, great handling,
extremely good brakes and very powerful. Power wheelies at 160kph in 'race' mode.
Too much for me (again
)and traded it on the 2007 BMW R1200RT. Not a bad bike as such but felt clumsy and
heavy. Did not give me the same weather protection as the K100RT. Great range with 27 litres of fuel.
The rest is history. I think the VTR will be my last bike now.
Compared to the last few (modern) bikes, the VTR feel antiquated. This is not criticism a mere observation.
I have read through 80% of the Technical posts on this forum and have began to get an understanding
on the bike.
There is a lot that I can relate to the 860 Ducati I had. Mainly the 'backfire' through the carbys, using a
different way to blip the throttle and fickleness of a large capacity V twin.
Whilst the exhaust sound is not as musical as a bevel drive with Contis, it is close enough to allow me to reminisce.
Just on that note (no pun intended), I find the exhaust to be on the loud side. I also believe it has standard cans.
Finally, being of a technical mind ( I have done a lot of work on what amounted to be various race vehicles),
I really appreciate the technical details in the reply to some posts.
Regards,
Larry
After a bit of searching, was contacted by a VTR owner (now ex-owner) who was happy to swap
my BMW R1200RT for the VTR.
This was back in December. Last week finally got to take the girl for a ride.
Took me days to wipe the smile off my face and a few more to forget about the
pain in the wrists. Cannot recall when was the last time I rode a bike with
clip ons - 40 years would be close.
The bike felt like a 250cc on steroids.
Once I had a 'full' license, the 250 got the boot and everything was over 1000cc, except to two Ducatis.
One was an 860 bevel drive, the other a 600 Pantah.
Hence the reference to a 250cc. Come to think, the Pantah also felt like a 250, relatively small,
nimble and chuckable.
I need to get used to the relatively cramped space and work out how to move on the VTR.
Still, extremely happy with the choice, happy with the noise and happy with the chuckability
of the unit. Brakes may need attention in the future.
A bit of background.
Started riding legally a 250cc two stoke road bike. Found the pods could be swapped for 350cc items.
Some of you who are old enough may recall the Yamaha RD 250/350 and/or the Kawasaki A1 and A7.
'Traded' it for a Ducati 860. Not the fastest but this thing handled like it was on rails. Remember one
night coming back from Kiama heading to Sydney. Got to the bottom of Mount Ousley, dialled in
a WOT and held it till I got to the top. Flowing and fluid through the bends.
This bile eventually gave way to a Suzuki GSX1100. This was an Allan Hale special. He was
clocked at 147mph down conrod at Bathurst during the 1980 Easter races. Whilst reasonable
quick, it handled like a bucking bronco when pressed. More often then not, it felt the need to
spit me off.
Sold it for a 600 Pantah. After the death of a dear friend of mine in a M/C accident, I sold the Pantah.
Few years later bought an ex-police BMW K100RT. Not much character. Went about its business
in a 'as a matter of fact' way. Wooden brakes. Very stable though. I remember coming back from
Katoomba during a major storm cruising on 160kph without a drop of water on me and blissfully
unaware of the weather. Rock solid.
Due to work commitments, it was sold. I then got involved in racing Go-karts culminating in racing
Super karts. I don't scare easily but, doing 200kph, 3 - 4 inches off the ground and having your eye balls
bounce around making your vision blurry until you slow down for the next corner, certainly did it for me.
In saying that, the adrenalin fix was at an all time high.
In about 2011, bought a Ducati Monster 696. Nice bike, great brakes, good handling but somewhat
under powered. Traded it on a 2005 BMW K1200S. Boy did this thing have balls. Very comforable, very
powerful and really good brakes. Two fingers was all that was required. The power was more then I
could handle and made me realise I am not as young as I would like to think. SWMBO certainly
reminds me of this fact every now and then.
Ego got the better of be and a 2017 Ducati Monster 1200S took its place. Great bike, great handling,
extremely good brakes and very powerful. Power wheelies at 160kph in 'race' mode.
Too much for me (again
)and traded it on the 2007 BMW R1200RT. Not a bad bike as such but felt clumsy andheavy. Did not give me the same weather protection as the K100RT. Great range with 27 litres of fuel.
The rest is history. I think the VTR will be my last bike now.
Compared to the last few (modern) bikes, the VTR feel antiquated. This is not criticism a mere observation.
I have read through 80% of the Technical posts on this forum and have began to get an understanding
on the bike.
There is a lot that I can relate to the 860 Ducati I had. Mainly the 'backfire' through the carbys, using a
different way to blip the throttle and fickleness of a large capacity V twin.
Whilst the exhaust sound is not as musical as a bevel drive with Contis, it is close enough to allow me to reminisce.
Just on that note (no pun intended), I find the exhaust to be on the loud side. I also believe it has standard cans.
Finally, being of a technical mind ( I have done a lot of work on what amounted to be various race vehicles),
I really appreciate the technical details in the reply to some posts.
Regards,
Larry
