Harrie...Did you have a secret?

[MickyGixer]

Harriebird - I hear your gonna be picking up your new baby on Saturday, I do hope we are going to get to have a drool over it soon...:clap :laugh1 :clap

Have a good one hun...:grin2 :grin2

[harriebird]

thanks, it wasn't public knowledge so whoever has let the cat out of the bag

THANKS A BUNCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

yes i am and i will be out on it all day and i dont care what anyone says, i'm gonna love it! i didnt want to say a word after i almost started a riot last time....!

[The Guvnor]

THink youll find it was probably spotted on the Ducati site before anyone gets the blame hun;)

sure youll love it.....................good luck.x

[harriebird]

well it's kind of difficult to know exactly who reads what isnt it!!!!

didnt realise many people from here went on there, knew a couple did but that's all.

sorry, i'll wind my neck in now :clap

[RaceMeNSee]

calm down Harrie! what ever it is , i hope its uber cool! are you gonna keep all the others aswell? you should open your own bike shop! lol

[the captain]

and i dont care what anyone says, i'm gonna love it! i didnt want to say a word after i almost started a riot last time....!


didnt you say that about the duke though

[rembrandt]

and you couldnt believe I wanted to sell the aprilia harrie :laugh1 :grin2 :laugh2you coming out on it sunday then

[DoodleBug]

Ahh Harrie, from the tone of your posts I think I can guess what you're getting. Is it by any chance a bike you have made me get off before now. ;)
Have fun. Shi**y weather for getting new toyz tho.....

[harriebird]

it's gonna be sunny on saturday so who cares!

can't make sunday i'm afraid. but you will have to tear me off it on saturday :grin2

i didnt want to sell it but have slipped off it and not been able to get a foot down quick enough just a couple too many times now.

[harriebird]

didnt you say that about the duke though

yes i did but i've lived the dream and it wasn't everything i thought it would be in the end. it's sad, i'm really glad i took it out on the track, but it's time for a new love now.

[MICKTLS]

Hi Harrie so the rest of us are still in the dark go on tell us what have you bought ???????????????????:rockon

[Lateshift]

Harrie, you didnt start a riot last time so dont go giving yourself credit for that one lass, the only argument that got heated was me and Sam debating what is more noticeable on the road in terms of power ;)

I read it on the Ducati site and had a good idea what you were getting even before you told Jules too, i can understand you not wanting to make a fuss in case people over here gave you an opinion that you didnt want to hear and fair play to you.

What i find interesting is that you havent test ridden this bike before you collect it? surely considering you advise everyone else to take a bike for a test ride you would have done the same before contemplating buying a bike that has double the amount of power as the Ducati and is .9 of an inch taller in the seat before they do anything with it.

(not to mention that 167kg of dry bike is going to weigh the same as the Ducati once its got a full tank etc, okay the Ducati probably weighed 20kg with a tankful, but still 195kg is still 195kg).

Dont take that as a knock (which you undoubtedly will seeing as you seem to think people over here obviously have a conflict of opinions with you) but each to their own, i think you should have test ridden it first. my ZX9R would catch me out if i wasnt 100% on the ball, and the Aprilia still does and they were both matched to my weight and height (meaning i can get the soles of the feet down).

I hope you do enjoy it, i really do, but a "moment" on a 1000cc bike can be that little bit more scary in wet weather than your Ducati or CBR400 will ever be so just be really really careful ;)

[harriebird]

I read it on the Ducati site and had a good idea what you were getting even before you told Jules too, i can understand you not wanting to make a fuss in case people over here gave you an opinion that you didnt want to hear and fair play to you.

What i find interesting is that you havent test ridden this bike before you collect it? surely considering you advise everyone else to take a bike for a test ride you would have done the same before contemplating buying a bike that has double the amount of power as the Ducati and is .9 of an inch taller in the seat before they do anything with it.

(not to mention that 167kg of dry bike is going to weigh the same as the Ducati once its got a full tank etc, okay the Ducati probably weighed 20kg with a tankful, but still 195kg is still 195kg).

Dont take that as a knock (which you undoubtedly will seeing as you seem to think people over here obviously have a conflict of opinions with you) but each to their own, i think you should have test ridden it first. my ZX9R would catch me out if i wasnt 100% on the ball, and the Aprilia still does and they were both matched to my weight and height (meaning i can get the soles of the feet down).

i dont have any issues with anyone on here. i haevnt posted on here much recently because the boards have been very quiet, i see lots of people i know from here at the weekends and i just wanted a chance to get used to my new bike on my own away from everyone until i was ready.

[harriebird]

the seat height actually has very little to do with things anyway. what matters (as every girl knows) is width :grin2

for example the seat height on the 748 is 790mm. but the seat is wide. on the 749 it is 780mm, again very wide, in fact so wide i can't get both feet down at all as standard.

the gsxrs are all listed as 810mm but are so narrow that it's much easier. the 1000 is the narrowest of the three.

I sat on an 06 R6 at orwells on saturday which is listed as a whopping 850mm, but because the bike was so well-balanced and light, i would have felt quite confident on that even though i could only literally get the ball of ONE foot down!

as for the weight, the 748 is 200kg dry. the gsxr1000 is 166kg dry (admittedly these are claimed figures which have been proved as a little sketchy by your friends and mine at PB)

i no longer feel the need to get soles of both feet down any more, you dont need to have both feet flat on the floor to be comfortable on a bike.

[the captain]

i no longer feel the need to get soles of both feet down any more, you dont need to have both feet flat on the floor to be comfortable on a bike.

what about safe though...especially now the weathers turning...if it slips thats an expensive bike to drop whatever it may be!

Just thinking of ya and those around ya thats all.....just me thinking out loud.:laugh2

[Lateshift]

Sorry, the seat height has shed loads to do with it, if the seat height in relation to the footpegs is wrong to start with then the riding position is wrong, if the seat height in relation to the ground is too high and you cant put the "balls" of your feet down quickly then you are hardly in full control of the bike ;)

Also the length of the bike from the seat to the bars is a big issue, if you look at the track pictures of you on your Ducati you were clearly at full stretch reaching across the tank and your knee height far too low to be able to grip the tank when leaning out of the seat (okay so thats only a track issue ;) ).

Dont let this spiral into an argument, its not meant to draw one, but whether you like it or not there is a valid "other side" to any opinion, the fact that its 166kg dry has already been questioned as you said and i cant find the article i read that actually showed with all the oil etc and fuel it tipped the scale at over 195kg (bearing in mind 1litre of fuel is something like 1kg then you have to wonder how a set of scales can be wrong when Suzuki claimed 166kg for its dry weight and yet 18 litres of fuel would only add another 18kg and yet manages to show 195kg ;) ).

Again its not a debate to persuade you otherwise, but i have ridden a GSXR1000 myself and know just how much of a waste of throttle it would be for me :D

In reality you claimed that the 600's were too much like a 400 (quite how you came to that conclusion is beyond me because most 600's have double the horsepower and torque these days) but your Ducati only throws out around 88hp at the wheel and has the torque of a tuned 600, the bike you are getting is going to have closer to double what you are used to and regardless of how light you are with the throttle its a totally different animal ;)

Not to mention your weight is going to require the bike to be resprung front and rear, otherwise the power is going to be a handful on a bike that is set to have an 11 stone rider on it to get the suspension working.


Again this isn't designed to slate your choice, purely to point out that the grass isnt allways greener, i reckon with suspension changes and a few months getting used to it, you shouldnt have a problem, just dont expect not to be scared by it.

I sometimes regret getting the Aprilia because its not a bike that i can use to its full potential on the road, and certainly not on the track but i live with it (and i know the bike inside out and understand how a bike works too), if you fail to understand that the most important thing on a bike is the rider and that the rider has to fit the bike (hence why on a race bike everything is adjustable to the rider) then you fail to see what people try to point out everytime they try to get into a discussion with you.

[harriebird]

Also the length of the bike from the seat to the bars is a big issue, if you look at the track pictures of you on your Ducati you were clearly at full stretch reaching across the tank and your knee height far too low to be able to grip the tank when leaning out of the seat (okay so thats only a track issue ;) )

agreed 100%, i was going to look at rearsets to help a bit with the knee height thing but it was just more money i wanted to spend on a bike that had too many things that needed doing for me to actually fit it properly.

the reach to the tank on the gsxr is much more comfy, the tank is really short. I noticed this with the 03 R1 as well. for comparison i sat on the 05 R1, and this was a longer reach and my knees weren't bent as nicely on the gsxr.

when i can afford it i will take the bike to be set up properly, but i want to give it a go with what parkys do to it first. the seat is going to be cut down for me and they will lower the rear and the front for me. it doesnt need to be perfect over the winter, and it doesnt need to be perfect for the track either as it wont be going near the track until i am totally happy with riding it on the road.

erm....shane last time i looked at becky she doesnt have both feet flat on the floor either! sorry to be cheeky, and i know i have a long way to go before i can claim to be able to be as in control of a bike as she is, but she's the one telling me that i dont need to get both feet down! (as well as the excellent advice on bikegirl http://www.bikegirl.co.uk/resources/newbies/vertically_challenged.html which i dip into regularly)

the only time i miss both feet down is sometimes when i f**k up filtering in the mornings, and i'm going to be using my CBR for riding to work.

thanks for the opinions though, i know you're not having a dig it's fine. :cuddle

[Dal]

I know all about agonizing over which bike to buy. As most of you know I took delivery about 3 weeks ago of a 2005 Aprilia RSV'R'. But, I very nearly didn't. I looked at lots of bikes and like Harrie I have height deficiency problem! Although I'm 5' 8" I only have a 29" inside leg. So I narrowed it down to a few bikes I liked and started there, the list included Aprilia (Various Models) Benelli TRE RS, MV Augusta 750 F4, Kawasaki ZX10R (New Shape), Ducati 749s and a few others. I then looked at the practical aspects of each bike eg: Insurance costs, running costs, perceived and real, reliability again perceived and real, seat height etc. I then went around and looked at each model, sat on them asked the dealers lots of questions (I spent around 4 hours at On Yer Bike). This is where the Aprilia nearly never happened. I sat on the RSV Factory (06) and although I could reach the ground on both sides, the bike was parked on a gravel drive and I could not get enough grip to push the bike forward or backwards without slipping, so I decided it was a no. I tried the older shape RSVR same story, in-fact this was higher (or the seat was wider) I was just about to knock the Aprilia off the list when I thought for the hell of it I would try a standard RSVR and to my surprise it was lower. I then had to find another to confirm it wasn't a fluke. but no sure enough it was lower.

So back to the list, The MV was discounted because of it's age 5 Years old now, the Benelli dismissed on reliability and parts availability, the Ducati it was just to much money for what it offered. So that left the Aprilia and the ZX10r. I have to admit I love the looks styling and everything else about the green monster. But the insurance was 270.00 a year more, the bike was going to cost another 1500.00 over my budget. But the main reason I adventurely dissmissed it was because it scared the hell out of me 175BHP and 174KG (dry) my 2.7 4x4 with about 2500kgs only has 175BHP.

So I decided after speaking to people on hear and other forums to go for the Aprilia and I have to say the bike has far more ability than I will ever have, ok so it's only 138BHP believe me it's more than fast enough :eek:

One other thing I will share which I wasn't going to. Three days after getting the bike I was washing it on my drive and pushing the bike backwards I lost my footing and dropped the bike. Thank heaven for R&G's and I was changing the exhausts anyway. I'm quite lucky that it was easy for me to pick it up again (after looking around to see if anybody noticed :o )

It used to be that if you wanted to buy a bike in Japan they would lay it on the floor and if you couldn't get it back on it's wheels you couldn't buy it :reading

[the captain]

erm....shane last time i looked at becky she doesnt have both feet flat on the floor either! sorry to be cheeky, and i know i have a long way to go before i can claim to be able to be as in control of a bike as she is, but she's the one telling me that i dont need to get both feet down! (as well as the excellent advice on bikegirl http://www.bikegirl.co.uk/resources/newbies/vertically_challenged.html which i dip into regularly)

the only time i miss both feet down is sometimes when i f**k up filtering in the mornings, and i'm going to be using my CBR for riding to work.

thanks for the opinions though, i know you're not having a dig it's fine. :cuddle

Fair comment.....appologies if im a bit dubious but for someone of youre stature to buy a bike without a test ride and what not, to me, seems like another duke episode waiting to happen...i hope im proved wrong!

I know flat feet on the ground isnt neccessary. but SOME of both feet is always a greater advantage than anything less...as is confidence. thats why bex is as good as she is, she's a really good confident rider, some people naturally have it, some have to work for it, but its not impossible. i just hope this time youre sure about your choice of bike.....having a big machine doesnt make you a better rider and it wont make people respect you more as a biker....knowing your limits and whats right is most important and i know youre not gonna go jumping in with both feet without looking!

It was a brave decision to loose the duke seeing as it was such a dream of yours, and thats cool!! muchos respect.....lets see if it works out for ya...fingers crossed eh!:clap

[harriebird]

thanks shane :cuddle i can get a good bit of both feet down on the gsxr. on the 600 when parkys lowered it i had balls of both feet down, and that was just on the suspension being lowered. the 1000 is a teensy bit lower (but def. noticeable) and parkys are cutting the seat down too so it should help even more.

to be honest i dont need the respect of anyone else as a biker, i am happy with what i do. i recognise where i need to improve, sure, and i dont think i'm cocky about how i ride. but while i constantly compare myself to others (a girly thing i think), as i get older i care less and less about what other people think.

and i'm not so daft as to think i will magically become a better rider as a result of having a big bike! but i hope the experience i've gained as a result of riding a badly set up (initially) ferocious v-twin on many a bad day and in some of the worst weather i have ever ridden in, WILL make me a better rider.

i am aware that with the 748 i kind of wanted to make a statement, but it was also about a bike that i had always always lusted after. someone on another site made the point that, if i didnt buy it then i would always be wondering what if what if etc. i agonised over it, i really did, but eventually went for it. and i have learnt loads about myself and riding and life along the way. i have had so many good experiences that i wouldnt have had otherwise, so i can't consider it a waste really.

i'm well aware of the risks of buying without a test ride, but for me this time it was more about the dimensions/living with the bike etc, and the sensible sidestand alone will make living with this bike a million times easier! plus the hydraulic clutch was just too much for my delicate wrists :rolleyes: when filtering or round town at the end of a long day. and i did test ride the 748, and look what happened there!!!

i sat on everything i could think of that was an option, and like goldilocks, the gsxr1000 was "just right" :grin2 at the end of the day i've been thinking seriously about it since doodlebug found himself wondering what happened at brands in march (was it march???!) :cuddle sorry mate but there was bonding to be done!

[stu600cc]

Been on hoilday so havent seen this post

Harrie i take it you bought a 1000

Go easy girl hope you enjoy but thats a lot of power to handle , bit of a jump though

How a 1000 is smaller than your duke duke i dont know.

[Lateshift]

There is only 1 flaw in your thinking there Harrie, the 748 was never ferocious and if you think it was then you are in for a shock, the 748 will never be able to rip your arms out of the sockets like the GSXR will and the 748 being a twin would have been more forgiving in wet weather than any 1000cc inline 4 will (due to the power pulses).

This time last year saw me wheel spinning the ZX9R everytime i changed gear, (the Aprilia rarely did it) i thought the clutch was slipping until i realised it was the wheel spinning :D

Also hydraulic clutches arent what give Ducati and Aprilia riders the headache, its the fact that twins tend to be overgeared and dont like low revs, hence the need to ride the clutch a bit to keep the bike moving, that could have been changed with a sprocket change, where you will notice a difference on the GSXR's is that the 1000's have never particularly liked low speed filtering without clutch control and even then only respond well to sensitive throttle control or they feel a bit snatchy ;)

Its a shame about the Ducati, but if i am honest it didnt suit you, you never looked really comfortable on it, and i am sure i wasnt the only person that wondered how you could have enjoyed riding it in such a weird position, if the GSXR fits then as i said i am sure its something you will learn to ride in time, get used to its quirks etc.

But at tyre change time i would invest in a 180 tyre instead of the 190, it will help it turn easier and getting rid of chicken strips on a 190 tyre can take some doing if you arent throwing it through corners ;) :D

[Dal]

it will help it turn easier and getting rid of chicken strips ;) :D

Errrrrrrrr WHAT?

[the captain]

But at tyre change time i would invest in a 180 tyre instead of the 190, it will help it turn easier and getting rid of chicken strips on a 190 tyre can take some doing if you arent throwing it through corners ;) :D

i can vouch for that.....i got about 10mm each side that wont go away...it disapeared a few weeks ago but theyre back!

[harriebird]

it's just the sheer amount of force required to pull the clutch in. i just do not have forearms of steel any more, used to when i was climbing but not now....so the hydraulic clutch did give me a headache but maybe for different reasons to you.

well for someone who didnt look comfortable on a bike, i sure as hell felt comfortable on it in the end, with no problems on long journeys at all. it was a hell of a lot more comfortable on long journeys than my CBR is.

if i hadnt snapped my lever in france i would have had no problems with the 600 miles in one day....except the filtering required to get back to the train at the end! i did find it a bit awkward on the track though, couldnt hook my knee round the tank, like you were saying before.

it was a different bike once darren had got his hands on it, it really was, handled so much better (as you'd expect) and gave me 2 million times the confidence in it that i had previously had.

i will bear in mind what you say on the tyre front, but will see how i go with the ones that are on there first...... i think it will take a while to get rid of the chicken strips but i'm looking forward to trying. maybe not tomorrow....i might save it til sunday when i get back from my weekend with the ladies :grin2 i am joking!

(i'm sure there are many more flaws in my thinking though, but thank you for saying there was only one!)

[SDM]

..........you will notice a difference on the GSXR's is that the 1000's have never particularly liked low speed filtering without clutch control and even then only respond well to sensitive throttle control or they feel a bit snatchy ;)


................getting rid of chicken strips on a 190 tyre can take some doing if you arent throwing it through corners ;) :D

You ain't wrong on both accounts Mick ;)

Take it easy H and enjoy.............:clap :clap :clap

[richy rich]

you dont need to have both feet flat on the floor to be comfortable on a bike.

i can only just get one foot down properly lol

[two]

congrat on the new ride...

it'll rip your arms off :)
( and mine if you'll let me have a go ;) )

enjoy

[kasandrich]

Congratulations on getting a new bike Harriebird!

Hope you enjoy it, I know you will, a new bike is always great fun..........What coloiur is it?

I wish I could afford a new bikehttp://www.essexbikers.co.uk/forum/images/icons/icon9.gif.......no I don't, I love my bike and wouldn't know where to start looking for a new one.........mind you a big V twin would be nice, no, no, **clears head of all new bike thoughts**

[WebTone]

Good luck and well done for getting what you want. Hope it all goes well. I expect I might just see you somewhere around Saturday. Parky's will look after you as it already sounds like they are.

What colour? Just so I know when you burn past me as I pootle along. LOL

[Dal]

........mind you a big V twin would be nice, no, no, **clears head of all new bike thoughts**

Just think of the money you could save by only needing half the number of spark plugs :laugh1

[Dal]

Good luck Harrie! I hope the Gixer is everything you want it to be.

Just take your time and get to know it slowly, treat it like a wild stallion, expect the unexpected.

I've had the Aprilia 3 weeks now and it still scares the **** out of me (but I love it) but little by little we are making progress. ;)

And the main thing is ride at your pace! :)

[Juvenilerider]

I'm jealous as **** harrie! it's gorgeous, and the can is lovely.

[WebTone]

You look good H.:skip

Just need some blue & white leathers to match now. LOL

[stu600cc]

Wheres the pics Harrie?????

[harriebird]

You look good H.:skip

hmmmm...have i been spotted :grin2

pics to follow soon, i've been away with the girls and just got back. plus i want to get rid of the revolting reg plate holder, stick a tail tidy and new exhaust hanger on so i can get rid of the pillion pegs. oh and maybe a wee sticker for the undertray

but it's bloody lovely and i'm a very happy girl :grin2

[AlexG]

Sounds nice, has it got a naughty exhaust yet? I mean you do realise that its the law to have a noisey one on a gixxer :P

[DoodleBug]

......i've been thinking seriously about it since doodlebug found himself wondering what happened at brands in march (was it march???!) :cuddle sorry mate but there was bonding to be done!

Still got the bootprint on my jacksy!

Have fun, and yes a 180 rear does make a bike turn much, much easier, I have experimented with both on the VTR, all a 190 really acheives is beefier looks, which a gixer thou doesnt really need!

[stu600cc]

The difference between a 180 and a 190 is that with a 190 you need to be lent over more to acheive the same speed a 180's profile is a lot steeper less rubber to roll over

[stellaartios]

The difference between a 180 and a 190 is that with a 190 you need to be lent over more to acheive the same speed a 180's profile is a lot steeper less rubber to roll over

I was told to replace my 190 with a 180 as a 190 is just a fashion item lol , however i did wear my tyres out with chicken strips untouched and i have replaced with a 190 again DOH still got chicken strips , will deffo get a 180 next time :clap

[Lateshift]

Its not fashion, its just that a 190 tyre gives more traction on straight lines because its a bigger footpring, but its more useful on a race track in reality, because of the speed bikes carry in corners on a track it gives them a little more rubber to tarmac, however even the Pro-bike riders often use 180 tyre sections for slightly quicker steering, but the difference is more noticeable on the track than on the road.

The fact is with a 190 tyre slightly more lean is required to get to the edge of them, but a 180 tyre in theory will tip the bike into a corner quicker because of the slightly narrower footprint.

The best way to describe it really is that going into the corner (for me anyway) it always felt that on a 190 the lean angle was more excessive, but it would roll in to a point and then feel like it was tipping in (almost like it had just gone beyond the edge of the tyre), with the 180 cornering feels more progressive to the point where you are at the edge of the tyre and cornering feels more natural and stable, does that make sense?? :D

[robsal0230]

Good secret that!!

[stu600cc]

Its not fashion, its just that a 190 tyre gives more traction on straight lines because its a bigger footpring, but its more useful on a race track in reality, because of the speed bikes carry in corners on a track it gives them a little more rubber to tarmac, however even the Pro-bike riders often use 180 tyre sections for slightly quicker steering, but the difference is more noticeable on the track than on the road.

The fact is with a 190 tyre slightly more lean is required to get to the edge of them, but a 180 tyre in theory will tip the bike into a corner quicker because of the slightly narrower footprint.

The best way to describe it really is that going into the corner (for me anyway) it always felt that on a 190 the lean angle was more excessive, but it would roll in to a point and then feel like it was tipping in (almost like it had just gone beyond the edge of the tyre), with the 180 cornering feels more progressive to the point where you are at the edge of the tyre and cornering feels more natural and stable, does that make sense?? :D

Yes that wat i was trying to get at :clap

[harriebird]

we'e bonding folks...had an AMAZING ride in to work today, and it was only the A12 :love3 !!!

the riding position feels so comfy, feels like i'm wrapped round the tank without even trying. he's a keeper i think :skip

at this rate, first service will be next saturday :eek:

[DoodleBug]

Brands, brands, brands, brands, brands

[harriebird]

by the way, i was leaving work on Friday just after 5ish, and someone in a silver car slowed down to let me out of the junction - I'm sure someone shouted my name - was it someone from here?!

(it was a bit of a wobbly right turn so sorry about that!)

doodlebug my gsxr will not be going on the track just yet but nice try!!!! :clap

[DoodleBug]

DO IT, DO IT, DO IT, DO IT, DO IT, YOU WILL, YOU WILL, YOU WILL, YOU WILL
:grin2

[SDM]

Harrie, the person in the Silver car was Graeme (Whippet) he told us he slowed down to let you out

[harriebird]

i thought it might be either you or him - given that i have managed to ignore you down that road before (unintentionally!! :rolleyes: )

the wobble was due to the pressure of someone watching while i checked left and tried not to slip and pull out all at the same time :grin2 honest :grin2

what a gentleman :grin2

[harriebird]

oh yeah, and OI DOODLEBUG, NOOOOOO!!!!!