748's

[Wolfie]

Any Good ?? bloody lovely to look at

[FF_Mark]

If I can talk Elaine round that what I want next.

[Sharon]

Do what Clint does just go out and buy it They do look nice

[FF_Mark]

I wouldn't dare do that, I'll just sulk until she lets me buy it

[RICKB]

Great bikes. but!!! a bit like a fighter aircraft ya cant relax riding one. They need constant input to get the best out of em. only deformed riders with no feeling in there knees/wrists/back/bum need apply. in other words a damn fun bike with NO compromises. (Lurvly Engine).

[Gmac]

I agree with Rick .. I was gonna buy one of these (well a 996) but after riding my mate's 916 for half an hour I could only just pull the clutch in my arms/wrists were that numb.You need to be constantly on the revs to keep em performing,but they handle sooooooo well it's forgiveable.Unfortunately I could not forgive the TOTAL lack of comfort.If it's purely a track machine or a pose you want get 1.If you want a bike you can actually spend some time riding under normal conditions .. don't

[wes]

My m8 has got a 748, the power is abit flat compared to the 916 (obviously!), he said my GSX-R 750 would beat it hands down for power, but they are a gorgeous machine though, I would only go for a 916 / 996

[carl_harker]

Lovely bikes, but the handling is setup more for a track than bumpy London roads (anyone gone down Grays inn road recentlly, me Blade takes off!). Most riders would not even notice the difference. Wes you are right the gixxer would beat it on outright power (i had a 750m as well), but the ability to punch out of bends in any gear bloody fast is worth it. I would rather have ricks TL anyday though!

[wes]

Carl, I haven't go the 750M anymore, i've got a 750 WT SRAD now, I couldn't believe the difference in handling! the old 750M handled like a tank, and provided some very scary "moments" . I haven't been on grays inn road recently, but if it's anything like morgate / city road then it's goto be pretty bad, but old street round about makes up for it, double apex the roundabout entering from city road, and a quick change of direction to get onto old street, best bit of the journey to work

[carl_harker]

Yep know that route as well! Grays inn road was ok on the old gixxer cause the suspension was shagged, but the blade has been sorted by Maxton and is now rock hard! Plus with a very square macadam (winter i hate it)and a bald dragon evo on the front (yes mismatched!)it makes it real fun.
I like my old 750m it had a bent frame (wrote it off three times!)but i was so used to i didn`t give a whoops! Imense fun.

[wes]

I got a new set of BT56ss last week, to replace the BT57 front and BT010 rear that came with the bike (hard front / soft rear, fills you with confidence that one!). The guy in the shop said take it easy for the 1st 50 miles because they are abit slippery when new (you can guess where this is going can't you). I was on the way to work the next morning, took a right hander slowly (20 mph) and bang, i'm on the floor, front wheel slipped from under me . I had hit a patch of diesel (that stuff should be banned) also smashed my visor clean off, and the f*cker wouldn't run properly after that, changing the plugs sorted it out. Luckily I was only 5 minutes from my house so it wasn't that bad!

My 750m used to stick at 3000RPM when off the throttle, most annoying! Rebuilding the carbs only helped for about a week, so in the end I got a set of 34mm Mikuni slide throttle carbs, it was almost like having turbo lag until 6000RPM, but then it just took off and I prayed for no bends!

[RICKB]

Carl. Funny that!! i was gonna mention the TL as a better alternative but dint like to blow my own trumpet .
BUT!!! Great looks. great handling. FANTASTIC Engine.
An a LOT cheaper & more reliable.

[carl_harker]

And a tl sounds better than a duke with race cans! Only problems were with the early tls didn`t have a baffled sump so when you wheelied it for long distances (erm not me guv but my mate shouldn`t have let me have a go)all the oil drains back hence it eats the crank. The handling scare was no problems just people not used to a bike that bites back, christ they should try riding an early 1100 slabby with a quick action throttle thats scary, or get a nice weave at 120+ on a Katana!
Wes glad your bikes ok mate! I either try and fit me own tyres (hard work!)or at least take the wheels off and get em fitted to loose wheels, then you can quickly run a sander over em to get rid of the procetive coating. Only need a bit of scrubbing in then. Just scored and excellent deal on a brand new avon av50 190x55x17 for the blade £70! Mate bought two rears and one front from fwr, sold his bandit and has a spare. Normally would go for bt010 but for the price can`t really refuse.

[wes]

Now you tell me about the sander! I will remeber that for the next time! I got the tyres fitted at FWR, I don't know why they don't just do that from the factory, would save alot of accidents from happening

Can't argue with £70, that's nearly half the price of the rear i just got I was thinking of getting a pair of BT010's (both my old tyres were bald as a very bald thing), but I wanted to see if the 56ss' made much difference to the handling, but now i'm abit weary of leaning it just incase! think i'll get the sander out tomorrow

[carl_harker]

They cannot do this from the factory as the coating stops the rubber going off. If you take a scrubbed in tyre thats done say 500 miles and leave it in the garage for eight months it would be a rock hard piece of crap like a ching sing! I had a word at sidcup motorcycle tyres about this all they need to do is quickly run a sander over it would save loads of accidents, they were gonna build a scrubbing in machine out of an old balancer! Apparantly a machine is available in the states for about 5k

[RICKB]

He He. I' v got straight through Carbon Cans on mine the whole street shakes when i fire her up

[wes]

I was behind a 996 on the way to work this morning with twin carbon cans, they sound so cool, I want a v-twin next!

[FF_Mark]

Oh my god, how foxy is this

[wes]

[Wolfie]

bloody lurrrvly

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I want one

[wes]

998R :

[RICKB]

Now THATS a bike. (need to change mi pants again)

[carl_harker]

Oh look its raining the ducs cut out and the tl flies by!
Lovely bike though wish i had a pot of money!

[wes]

Both bikes approach the corner at high speed, OH GOD the TL went straight on and into the forest , but the duke kept it all together

[carl_harker]

hang the tl is taking a short cut down a green lane, the duc has stopped halfway round the bend to phone his friend James to ask him what to do!

[wes]

Both bikes eventually made it back to the pits. Whilst parked up, a tiny gust of wind (wouldn't even blow an ant away)brushed passed the duc and, OH GOD it has fallen over , definatley the worst side stand in the history of the world

[carl_harker]

Tarqin at this point sells it to carl who sprays it matt black rewires it using a Honda Superdream reg rec, turns the preload right up. Then he uses it to catch squids on shiny bikes and commutes on it.

[RICKB]

"Rick just smiles knowingly"

[blackRS]

I love ducati's !!!!

espically the 916

[BigDave]

Nutters!!!

[freddie]

rickb
its all in the riding style
i fit bikes with sculptured seats better
cos i got shortish legs
dukes,blades but find zxr's tilt me too far forward
putting more weight on my shoulders
everyones different according to style and taste

[carl_harker]

ha ha just reread this old thread well funny! And still sticking with the Avons they are that good! The new ones have a simlar tread pattern to the d207`s really makes it work in the rain.

Freddie would like to get you on a zxr400 round cadwell mate bet you would fly, not being a tall large (read overweight)giot like me. And me blade shock is still far too hard on the springing but the damping has well gone off. Wallows like a goodun now. Ohlins and a vist to mctechnics in ipswich when i can afford it.

[BigDave]

Why do you think I have a big lardy 1400 bike??
Like owner like bike!!

I did eat all the pies!!