Right then....Mr Red....i aim to please...hope this is enough
Very first impressions ie first half hour........everything was tight & stiff & the bike felt substantial......but a little heavy....wee bit wobbling on pulling away in 1st and felt like i needed to clutch it more to get the momentum up...........later on all sense of weight had been forgotten & it was most likely just getting used to another bikes particular controls....
more muscle is required on the bars compared to noggyfighter.....possible slight ache on my right wrist....dunno why...maybe i was tensing a bit whilst flapping in the rain......maybe im used to my Renthals....but it is a different style where i think you've gotta be more push/pull on the bars or more pronounced with the counter steering...i also stopped caring about that later on...........the seat is painful after 100 miles in comparison to the 600 sofa seat.....but is just about time to fill up anyway before the light comes on at 130....
Im pleased with the physical size of the bike...i kinda thought they were smaller but is a good size & has a good road presence.......i had to do quite allot of filtering & it still felt slim enough to squeeze through.......the gilles rearsets are awesome and really comfy for me..i didnt have any aches or awkwardness from the pegs...real chuffed coz they are ultimate bling which serves a good purpose..
It is really nice to have lights again
.....they are useful.
Something id never get round to fitting but now own.......heated grips.........switchable morale
It looks stunning...kerbside appeal is right up there...it gets a few looks.....fair play to Chris he has done a good few tasteful mods & i suppose being on foc-u and being used to seeing fazers kinda numbs the fact that joe blogs looks and thinks it looks exotic......the integrated rear lights and indicators really make the arse end tidy and sleek & the Akra can & rearsets complete the eye candy nicely......i stopped for a sandwich during one of many tailbacks due idiots & looking at her definitely gave me a semi
.
Ok that was a bit boring for a review....i best go all Jeremy Clarkson now.
But foc all that...........that's just the bread in the sandwich.......what's inside pandoras box........ooooooer!!!!!
Lets remember im after a sunny day hoot bike......i want performance to match the bling......i want good handling & i want to reminisce about it...............yes.....it is foccin stupendous!!!!.......the Akra can sounds shit hot..real deep & grumpy.....actually the engine is generally deep & grumpy.....i expected a bigger version of the fzs600 engine but no no no it is different.....even at standstill you can feel the engine moving you about as it moans about being stuck in traffic......the 600 is like really happy & smooth & perky....when it goes it shouts "weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"....,"moooooooore"...,,it wants to please.......like a springer spaniel...this gen2 engine is more like "am comin to eat yur babieeeeeeees & you will be greatfullllllllllll!!!!!"..........hmmmmmm.....i suppose what im describing is grunt then.......ye it foccin grunts all over the place
.........oink oink!.
Ive never experienced power quite like it.......3rd & 4th gear overtakes are a real experience........but i wouldn't particularly say that id take chances to overtake that i wouldn't on the 600...,my riding style is the same & the 600 is still quick enough........but it is the package.....& as a package overtakes are more fun.......it is quicker.....but noisier........the noise is really addictive...like my old Type-R K&N Typhoon air intake noise.....a proper reverberation.......it is fun in a box.....just so nice to hear........produce 1000 bio mechanical wasps....stick them in a sealed can.......shake it like foc & fire it into the hadron collider & i reckon there'd be a simillar noise
.
& handling is real plush....yes it is heavy...yes there's more steering input required.....foc up & it'll push you to the outside of a corner.........but get it right...pick a line & it keeps that line superbly.....you can feel the rear suspension working but instead of skipping about over the road it is like a gyroscopic tank turret that stays stable regardless of the bumps....& ive never leaned so much on a bike before.......even my wet weather riding which i am actually scared of was eventually more on par with my usual normal dry riding on the old 600 if im not trying to push it.
So to summarise......yes i like it
