R6's, Friends, and Good Byes

So, my friends are the best. I hate the thought of leaving them, but I know I'll make some more. It might take a while. Thanks to Chad, Wade, Dan, Sherry and my dad for letting me ride their bikes. Thanks to everyone who has ever offered their bike that I turned down. Thanks to everyone who would let me ride their bikes if I had asked. You guys know how to put a huge grin on my face.

People I know, people I kinda know, and people I have only recently met saying good bye to Moscow, and the Palouse in general, very hard. I'm not looking forward to it. I'll probably shed a couple tears as I say good bye.

You guys are my family and have made Moscow my home.





Dan, whom I only kinda know, offered me his r6 and as payment, he would only accept my inputs to the local motorcycle community, and maybe him giving me some left over beer from his last party (which I turned down so he wouldn't have to buy it for his next party).

I mostly wanted to ride a supersport to prove to myself that I didn't want it. So, I got on it, and knew exactly that I really didn't want it, but I'd sat on them before, and I knew that already. So, I backed it out of the garage and down the hill, turned it around and thumbed the starter...crank...nothing....more....crank crank crank fire....ok...there we go.....a slight twist of the throttle....yeah....uneventful. Which I expected.

Knowing I'd have to actually put it in gear before it got any fun, I dropped it into first and let go of the brake, down the hill, a touch of gas, let the clutch out. ok...less....umm....jerky than a twin, but also less pull. Granted, I haven't ridden a vtwin smaller than 1000cc's and this only has 600, but still, not really what I like.

It pulled ok in whatever gear I was in, but never really got really low in the rpm's either. too low and it didn't pull half what the twins do. Get it up in the revs a bit and that's where it comes alive, but because it wasn't my bike, and I don't like to rev bikes way up, I never got the bike to where it would really shine.

What appeals to me most about a twin is being able to go in whatever gear I am in, no shifting to find power, and I felt like I'd have to do that.

But, it had plenty of power, lots more power than I'm used to, which was really nice, and some decent wind protection too. I also felt really stable on it. I think I honestly was going as fast as I ever have on a bike and I was feeling really good about it. Unlike a cruiser, there's no "herding" as Jim would say of the bike....you just go around the corner...the bike understands and goes.

I'd love to have one as a track bike, 20 minutes a session, and not much else. It just wasn't comfortable on the straights.

Controls were great though.....probably the most refined of everything I've ridden. Brakes didn't BITE, but they bit plenty. Steering was stable.

Overall, great bike, not really happy with power delivery due to the fact that I like low end power, and not happy with the riding position. Other than those 2 things, it is a great bike!


......rather have the duc though.....