Old Skool Biking

[Blade]

Something Duke and Kingfixer and I reckon plenty more will agree on, old Skool biking is still cool.

Went for a ride yesterday with Rocket on some lovely local roads. We had a great time. We were both on pretty much the latest and greatest sportsbikes available and although it wasn't a brain out session we weren't hanging around either.

Traction control, race abs, power modes, slipper clutches, electronic engine braking, anti wheelie etc, etc..... we had it all yesterday.

I did the same roads today on an 11 year old sportsbike. No electronics at all and probably 60 bhp lighter. Sportsbiking has definitely changed in the last decade but boy can old Skool still be cool.

Regardless of the fact I was 60 bhp down and with no electronic assistance I reckon I was comfortably quicker on the same roads in the same conditions today and boy did it feel good.

Don't get me wrong sportsbike advancements are for the better of us all and long may that progress continue but let's not forget biking is about fun and I reckon I had more fun and more speed on an old chugger of a vtwin today than on the latest weapons grade hardware yesterday.

There is very little finer than a sweet chassis and a set of sticky tyres to put a smile on your biking boat race

[duke63]

Its the thing that has stopped me buying a Panigale so far.

My 748 runs so sweetly and is so good to ride on the right roads, I know i could not possibly have any more fun on anything else. I think it feel slow to and then look at the speedo and realise I'm moving far quicker than i thought i was.

[Monty]

I wouldn't expect much difference on the road between the two bikes, at least not without a full frontal lobotomy!

[Blade]

Twins are deceptively quick Duke.

It feels slow till you look down and think oooooohhhhhh yeahhhhhhh

[Kwacky]

Kind of my thinking in sticking with a 600.

I reckon my ZX6R and the like is the last of the pure sports bikes. All the power, no gizmos and very little EU restriction. Which is why I intend to keep it.

[TonyB]

I think I'll be on the lookout for an out and out sports bike next year. It'll be for an occasional Sunday blast so won't be spending top dollar on it. More than likely a ZX6R. I've had a '97 GSXR600 SRAD, an '06 Daytona, an '11 Daytona and a '99 R1 in my sports bike history, I feel a Kwak should be in there too.

[Perkles]

I understand where your coming from but the latest bikes have changed the way you can handle the latest power outputs.I never thought I would see the day I could thrash a 180 Bhp super bike ,I like my traction control and anti wheelie gizmos thank you very much

[DaytonAndy]

I understand where your coming from but the latest bikes have changed the way you can handle the latest power outputs.I never thought I would see the day I could thrash a 180 Bhp super bike ,I like my traction control and anti wheelie gizmos thank you very much

Maybe you could all along you just needed to believe

[Perkles]

I understand where your coming from but the latest bikes have changed the way you can handle the latest power outputs.I never thought I would see the day I could thrash a 180 Bhp super bike ,I like my traction control and anti wheelie gizmos thank you very much

Maybe you could all along you just needed to believe

Nah I'd end up high siding it to the moon
If you gave me two bikes one old school and one of the latest techno laden super bikes I'd have the latest one all day long

[Blade]

I can recommend the 2003/04 B1H model of the zx6r.

That was a proper bonkers 600 well actually 636 but you know what I mean

[Blade]

Perks I wouldnt under estimate what a set of sticky tyres and a bloody good chassis set up can do mate.

Electronic this and that is all very good and I'm a complete and utter fan really I am . I'm not in anyway knocking progress but sticky hoops and good suspension still rule supreme and all the electronics in the world won't ever make up for those two fundamental ingredients is what I was trying to get across.

I was definitely as quick if not quicker on a well set up 130 bhp superbike than I was on a 190 bhp missle with all the electonics on the same roads over the last few days.

Even with all the electronic management in the world the top end of a 190 bhp sportsbike is largely redundant on the road. It's dam good fun don't get me wrong but if any of us are extracting the last 9/10ths out of a 190 bhp sportsbike on the road we should be competing in the Isle of Man TT as that takes some skill and balls.

Don't get me wrong the ten gets a dam good thrashing, just ask Kwacky he said it was pulling like a train in wales it's just there is a limit of what we need compared to what we want.

Riding quick is all about confidence and if you get that from a sweet chassis or the reassurance of electronics aids looking after you ultimately it's confidence and feel that are allowing us to go quickly.

Each to there own and electronic progress is cool but so is old Skool cool sticky tyres and a sweet chassis in my book

[Perkles]

My old gsxr 750 when set up and fiddled with by k-tech was awesome,supercorsas and a hot track day was heaven on it.I was very confident on that bike ,maybe I just have fell in to much love with my zx10r
I actually miss my old Ducati monster quite a bit as well

[Blade]

I'm not surprised your in love with your zx10r mate its an amazing bike and an awesome amount of fun

[duke63]

Actually i quite like having old skool and the latest electronictrickery stuff.

I would agree though that a well set up old skool bike will be just as quick on the road but then its not all about speed on the road but how riding the bike well makes you feel.

I'm still tempted to take the 748 on track next year as it runs and handles so well on the road I would like to see just how good it might be if i pushed a little bit harder.

[Kwacky]

There's a place for tricked up bikes with computers and the back to basics type of two wheeled fun.

So long as it puts a smile on your face.

[Blade]

Totally agree and happy enjoying both

[rocket]

I think you were quicker cause there was less traffic

On the road there's only so much you can use I've not had the traction control cut in yet on the Ducati which I'm pleased with it feels like it has a well sorted chassis and it can cope easily with the power. Maybe it has traction control to sell the bike not because it needs it. On another matter the electronic braking system I'm very happy it has the function to turn down the engine braking I can tailor the bike to how I want rather than just putting up with it.

The gixer was old school maybe if it had traction control on it I may not have crashed buthh then again I never really had that spinning up unless it was done on a purpose.

[Blade]

Nothing to do with traffic Rocket mate, the SP was on fire yesterday and was cornering on rails.

Could have been new tyres I suppose as I was loving the new rubber but tbh I think it was as simple as just having fun, rekindling my love for the big old girl and hence feeling confident.

Going back to Sunday I had the tc kick in a couple of times. It's very subtle and hard to notice but it was definitely kicking in. I think it was on bad surfaces but largely due to the rear tyre being past its best I suspect. Glad the tc was there and not in anyway knocking it, it's very much a great thing and I would definitely want it on my next bike.

[Perkles]

as long as we enjoy them and get home safe thats all that matter really

[Blade]

Totally agree Perks.

Didn't mean to start a debate on tc or NO tc just enjoyed the SP so much yesterday I wanted to ramble on about it and how a 11 year old bike can still make you grin from ear to ear