Back from (day 1 of) Daytona Bike Week...
 

Mornin all.....

WOO HOOOOOO.... we (Chris, Sterling, Beefcake and I) were all in Daytona for bike week yesterday. As always, freakin spectacular weather - about 80, breeze in the air, sunny... just gorgeous.

Even though the event technically started last Friday, weekdays at the speedway (which is where we spent the day) are surprisingly non-chaotic. We got there by 7:30 a.m., and I managed to get in five demo rides (normally if you can squeeze in three in a day, you're doing good)....

Typically Kawasaki is the only manufacturer (of the major Japanese brands anyway) to bring out sport and supersport models (due to insurance reasons). But to our surprise, Yamaha brought out the R1, R6 and R6S this year (WOOT!). Buell also had the 1125R, however due to the way Buell schedules their demo rides, you basically get to just stand in a line at their booth for hours and WAIT to get on one.

I managed to ride the R6 (daaaaangerously fun), the R6S (love it), the ZX10R (WAY love it), the new Ninja 250 (so much fun!) and the Buell XB9CX (wouldn't ride it if they gave it to me for free). I'll work up ride reports and post up pictures from the speedway later on; and we're heading back down tomorrow night for the Kawasaki party at Hooters (last year was a blast!)

any pics???

show us your bewbies!!!!!!!

Lots of pics (I'll post em later - left the camera at home)... but none of my bewbies. :nee:

no pics, BOOOO!!!

How tall are you, Nee?

5'8", 32" inseam.

:lol: Sorry... I'll get them up tonight... we got up at 4:00 yesterday morning, so by the time we got home last night, all we could do is go to sleeeeeeeeeep.

Okay, just wondering because the R6 sits pretty high up. Interested to hear your thoughts. What were you able to test-ride it on, the track?

It was tall actually, very tall. I didn't know if maybe having the suspension set properly would help with that maybe a LITTLE bit :shrug:

Nope, test ride was just street, though we were able to get up to about 92 mph through a couple sections.

Frankly, I LOVED the thing (taking off from the first traffic light, I was literally giggling in my helmet), but I think it's PURELY a track beast; way too agressive/compact of a riding position to try to ride it daily/on the street.

Were you able to get it past 12k RPM? Thing pulls like mad at that point. the power kicks in around 9k and once 12k hits, you're gone.

I probably did NOT get past 12K. It's funny, I was just skimming over an article on it this morning with the dyno sheet showing the powerband, and I was like DAMMIT, wish I'd read that beforehand, I'd have wound it up higher. :lol:

I was impressed though that the power just seemed really strong and smooth all the way up (but you also have to bear in mind what I'm coming FROM - something 13 years older and probably 100 lbs heavier :lol: )

Neebs, it sounds like an absolute blast!!! I'm with you on the Buell though... last time I test rode one I brought it back early.

:lol: Nick and I were like two blocks from the speedway, stopped at a light... I'm watching my front turn signals jiggle like they're made of jello (as were my innards) and Nick goes "Can we go back now???" We stuck it out, but only grudgingly. :lol:

Seriously :td:

I mean, I'm used to rattle... I have the bike with the eternally stuck gumball. But, damn. The guy asked me what I thought. I looked him right in the eye and said "At the end of the day, it's still just a Buell".

UPGRADE.

:lol: I really wanted to give it a fair shake (though it seems the reverse is what happened).... However, the girl in our group who got to ride the 1125 seemed to be having a GREAT time... she loved it (but then it's supposedly a completely different animal :shrug: )

:lol: Ohhhhhh yes, soon, soon!!

this thread is missing pics.

:gtfo: If you'd read the thread, you'd know why. :nee:

this thread is missing pics.

this post is missing a point. :lol:

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...uter/laugh.gif

We were supposed to be leaving for Daytona Thursday but had to cancel.:bash: Maybe in the fall or next March. :idk:

I agree about the R6...below 8k or even 9k I was like WTF is the power...a few k more and it was like BAM...pay attention !! :rockout:

Why didn't you like the Buell? It was the City X you rode?

i think she said it vibrated too much...
didn't think a woman would mind? :lol:

My I4 bothers me more than the vibes of a Buell.

:lmao:

Personally, it isn't THAT it vibrates. It's HOW it vibrates.

Yeah I rode the CityX, and my friend rode the regular XB9R. The gut shaking vibrations seemed common to both. :lol: I just didn't like it. It was really quite nauseating (literally) how badly it shook. And then in neutral it was exponentially worse (to the point I thought the mirrors were going to rattle right off and you couldn't see what was coming up behind you).

Power wise, it wasn't half bad. :shrug: From what I recall of it, seemed similar to the SV (just the closest thing I can compare it to since those are the only Twins I've ridden so far). And while it was actually TOO upright for my tastes, it wasn't uncomfortable. Oh and the brakes were INSANELY good. (I'm an optimist - I have to find SOME redeeming qualities in it :lol: )

:rofl: This was no vibrator; it was all out jackhammer.

What she said!!! :lol:

That is part of what I hated... the inside out caliper makes trail braking impossible (unless you want to stand up in the turn). I'm quite sure if I got used to it... I could get out of the habit. I'm just not that interested :lmao:

They warned us ahead of time that they were really, really REALLY good, but come the end of the ride, I still managed to grab just a LITTLE too much, and nearly stoppied. :dvrofl:

Yeah Marko mentioned that the perimeter brake systems is pretty damn good.

The 1125R is much better with trail braking.

When we go back down this weekend, I want to see if I can get a demo on an 1125R. I've been hearing good things about them and they have several to demo.

Well I guess Nick and I will go play with the 250's some more, while you stand in line for the 1125. :lol: :nee:

You think they'd just do a sign up type deal.

Not for the 1125. Apperantly they are really popular so they are doing the demo's for them alittle different.

Well they are great bikes for sure. Honestly the most user friendly and ridable bike I've ever been on.

Buell does their sign ups for demo rides different than anyone else. Everyone else, you go stand in line, you tell them what you want to ride, and they have a grid with the schedule; they'll tell you, "Ok, the soonest I have for that one is 2:15..." or you ask them "What do you have on a ZX10R later this afternoon."

Buell doesn't do time slots, they do "groups" and they'll tell you "each ride is approximately 25 minutes; right now we're on group 12, and we're about 2 groups out for the bike you want." They recommend you come and wait a little while prior to your group, then they announce the group #, and it's first come, first serve from there.

EXCEPT for the 1125... the 1125 is in such demand that they make you just wait in line there till it's your turn. They only had either two or four I beleve (1 or 2 in each of the two groups of bikes) so it's much harder to get a turn on one of those. When we asked about them, the kinda laughed at us.

How long was the wait for the 1125?

:shrug: they said a couple hours. We didn't wait. Went and rode the ZX10R instead. :lol:

Yeah that sounds fun...NOT. Lets wait in line for a couple hours. F that. I'd like to ride a ZX10R.

The 10 was funnnnnnnn. We got standby on that. For Kawasaki, if you ask for something in particular, and they're all booked, they'll tell you (once you've already turned in your waiver paperwork) to just show up at a ride time, and if people don't show, they'll take people first come, first serve on standby.

i keep scrolling through this post looking for pics. and there are none. dub tee ef.

OK.

I'll trust you and swing a leg over one JUST to see... I'm skeerd, but I'll do it. JUST to ride another motorcycle :)

Cool! Congrats! Sounds like fun times!!

Where Are The Pix!!!!!

Workin on uploadin them as we speak.

Your I4 is also 57 years old.

And pink.

:zowned:

Double-team on the ownage. High five.

I can't wait to be able to ride it more than just in the parking lot :lol:

where are the pictures...jesus h christ on a stick

She fuckin has a whole new thread with pics. Do a search and stop asking.

:D thank you... :lol:

You motherfucker. 16 years old....like your girl. Kid toucher.

But she looks 22. It's all good, nucka.

Touche.

I'd rather find a chick that looks like she is 16, but is actually 22... :idk:

I do that sometimes.

Yeah, cause the other way is not only sick, but also illegal!

Problem is...these chicks avoid your ass like the plague.

You'd be surprised... I do well for myself...

Not to often!

I dont believe you.