Got a test ride on and R1 today. I have been trying for a while. 3 dealers i have visited said they had no demo bikes and did not know who had one. So i was surprised when I walked into CMC chesterfield last week and they said yes they had one and that i could go out on it. With a previous day cancelled due to rain. I got up this morning and saw it was dry, i chucked my gear on and went straight down to CMC. I got there early with the hope they would just send me out which they did. Unfortunately while i was speaking to the dealer it started to rain.
Out i went on super corsas and with little knowledge of the roads in the area. The first 10 minutes it was 30 zones which get highly policed so i watched my speed and tried to get used to the bike. I gave the brakes a few stabs and they felt ok a really heavy lever and seemed to have decent power. However later in the ride when i pressed on a bit they don't give much feel and felt a bit under powered for the bike .I was worried about the seat pad being so thin, i was on the bike an 1hr 20 mins but had no rear end pain. The bars are positioned racey but if you did not grab on to them like you were strangling a cat my legs and upper body could take most of the weight and the riding position felt quite comfy. Riding in the 30 zones like on any super bike is not the best the fuelling is very nice and smooth but the throttle is a bit all or nothing it actually felt better in first gear. I got to a country lane and gave the bike some beans. WOW this bike is fast i rode the gsxr 1000 down and im pretty confident at opening the throttle feeling the surge and being shot were the front wheel is pointing. The R1 took my breath away it really felt that fast the front wheel skipping in the air and the urgency at which that bike fired me down the road was breath taking. I really struggled to find some decent roads were i could test the bike out until the last 20 mins. I had been in a lot of traffic or 30 40 zones and when they did clear a bit it was very damp and still raining. However i got to a round about, headed up a random road and it was clear and pretty dry so i gave it some beans and lent it over a bit. The bike handled the roads nicely it was a little hard for the road but it was so easy to turn in and held a line to the point i had to remind my self i was on super corsas on wet roads. On the way back to the dealers the road opened up and i gave the throttle a good twist to make sure i had not imagined how fast it was before. Nope it fired me up the road saving the rubber on the front wheel as it hovered a couple of cms off the floor. After getting off the bike and contemplating my thoughts I like the R1 a lot it made me feel pretty special and even with the road conditions i really enjoyed riding it i dont think i would have pushed on so much on many other bikes as it just gave me so much confidence. The acceleration is to me was unreal a little bit scary which i love( it may be the position or the way the bike makes the power but it did feel really fast). But it does have some down sides the brakes as previously mentioned. The throttle has no resistance at all and felt numb and has all or nothing feel to it. I struggled to get tucked in on the bike I want to put some miles on one and some would have to be motorway so it would have to be bearable which i think it would be with a bigger screen.
"80mph" sorry officer I possibly could not have done that I'm no Valentino Rossi.
Wow what a day for you mate. Shame it started raining, bloody Britain for you! Did you get any photos or did you just have too much fun out there to remember Lol!!?
One of the first thing's I did to the MT-10 was to change the pads for EBC EP series, the standards as you say lack feel but do have good power. The EBC have way better feel and more bite.
Great write up, makes me want to go and have a ride myself as i've never been on a big bore Superbike, a D650 was my biggest unless you count 20 miles on a mates Super Blackbird, more towards sport tourer really.
In my honest opinion defo go for another test ride on the Beemer, it's not bonkers like the GSXR it's more refined but when you want it to rip your head off it doesn't take much persuading . But it's all down to taste enjoy the test rides and accomilating your thoughts on it all!!
I love the look of the R1, Personally thinking Yamaha are really upping there game with models at the mo, I think Ill probably keep a yammy next and as much as Id like the R1, with my weak flipper Ill probably go MT10 but who knows haha, fantastic write up mate!
Remember: If in Doubt use Full Throttle, It may not make the situation any better, But it will end the suspense...
Blade wrote:The R1M is definitely one of my favourite bikes.
Not ridden one but the looks and sound are amazing.
I have and it is an awesome m/c , not fuelled for town riding and its a bit stiff for the bumpier roads but get it on some decent tarmac and its a proper weapon , its definitely built for the track. Its smaller and lighter than my Daytona 600 and has twice the power and more electronics than the space shuttle .
he had to put the standard system back for the TD but he has the full Akra system on it for normal use
