On a positive note..

[mexican]

Man, I was tempted to say something similar. It was a HUGE deal when my dad got me a used, 1976 Honda CB 200. Can't imagine just letting an awesome bike lkke that just sit there.

I konw it! How does he dare

 

[mexican]

Some people shouldn't have nice things ! Not meaning to sway off topic here and get moderated , but hope your wife is on the mend Lupe ? Been in my thoughts since seeing your post !

Yes sir, she is home now

 

[mexican]

Lupe, what's the nearest race track to you? Take it there for fast rounds or keep it as a collectable, I haven't seen in recent years a Gixxer with such a low mileage.
These bikes are not meant/good idea for the public roads. This being said, my first bike was a superbike

The closest track is about 30 miles from here, i might follow your great advise

 

[aquilla]

The only danger, apart from that to overestimate your skills but that is a problem more common to the younger ones, is that you will easily become addicted.
You don't have curbs, potholes, trucks, drivers on the phone or sleep deprived and you can really enjoy the scope for which that bike was conceived, namely brutal acceleration, braking hard and top speed.
If you go there make sure you have good tires, that's the number one priority. Have fun!

 

[dobervol]

The only danger, apart from that to overestimate your skills but that is a problem more common to the younger ones, is that you will easily become addicted.
You don't have curbs, potholes, trucks, drivers on the phone or sleep deprived and you can really enjoy the scope for which that bike was conceived, namely brutal acceleration, braking hard and top speed.
If you go there make sure you have good tires, that's the number one priority. Have fun!

All this, plus the sessions at most tracks are limited to about 20 minutes at a time, rest, snack and/or class time, and then another session, etc. So if you get uncomfy after 20 minutes, that's all you have to ride at a time, usually. And going around the same track, you learn all the curves and don't have to guess about what's around the blind corner on an unfamiliar road, whether it's a double-apex, opens up, closes up, or as in the case of many of our corners in rural TN, require several corrections as you ride around about 300 degrees.

And while it's a pretty bike, and will be very reliable, it still doesn't have enough value as a 2002 to feel incredibly guilty if you were to go down and scuff up the fairing or need a new blinker for on-road riding. In all honesty, if I had the chance to do regular, at least once a month, track days, this is the EXACT sort of bike I'd buy, even though loving Yamaha, I"d probably go for an R1.

 

[aquilla]

At only 400 miles I would ride it nowhere near my limits, let alone the bike's limits, for us mortals at least twice as high as our personal ones. As I said, highly unusual for a bike like this to be basically still new after almost 20 years.
This type of bikes n plenty of space to get used to and the race tracks generously offer that.
Speaking of which, I should start visit them again with my Daytona 675, also long neglected.

 

[mexican]

The only danger, apart from that to overestimate your skills but that is a problem more common to the younger ones, is that you will easily become addicted.
You don't have curbs, potholes, trucks, drivers on the phone or sleep deprived and you can really enjoy the scope for which that bike was conceived, namely brutal acceleration, braking hard and top speed.
If you go there make sure you have good tires, that's the number one priority. Have fun!

Actually, the 1/4 mile track is only 2,5 miles away from me, and you are right, at one time i was addicted, i was there every weekend!

 

[mexican]

At only 400 miles I would ride it nowhere near my limits, let alone the bike's limits, for us mortals at least twice as high as our personal ones. As I said, highly unusual for a bike like this to be basically still new after almost 20 years.
This type of bikes n plenty of space to get used to and the race tracks generously offer that.
Speaking of which, I should start visit them again with my Daytona 675, also long neglected.

Sad story behind that bike and reason for been a new old bike, hope i can tell it around a fire on the next RAA

 

[Steel]

Yep. Pretty much EVERY bike with even modest power for weight will wheelie, if you know what you're doing, and proceed to learn and apply some "rules" specific to the particular bike, beyond the general rules of physics, but the only danger of a liter-bike is that it will wheelie MUCH easier than most, if you don't expect it.

My BMW/Triumph dealer got so sick and tired of kids asking if the S1000RR would wheelie that they put a sign on the front of every one they put out on the showroom floor that said, "YES, it will wheelie!" They pulled them after I couldn't help myself, and told them it wasn't a good idea, as someone could get killed doing it and sue, claiming the dealer encouraged it, even though it's illegal in TN.

But I felt their pain. I own nothing but really fast bikes right now. How many of you guys with Rockets have wanted to slash your wrists over all the guys at the gas pumps asking/saying, "I'll bet that thar thang'll go real fast...."? And how hard has it been to not say, just once, "That's why you're so smart, Inspector Columbo"?

The power comes on way different than on a cruiser. It was the first race bike I had ridden, and had to figure it out. My nephew said think of it more like a 2 stroke, the power comes on way higher in the rpms. Just always remember to cover the rear brake just in case.

 

[dobervol]

The power comes on way different than on a cruiser. It was the first race bike I had ridden, and had to figure it out. My nephew said think of it more like a 2 stroke, the power comes on way higher in the rpms. Just always remember to cover the rear brake just in case.

Yep. And in that regard, a true race 600 like an R6 is arguably worse if no one warns them, because it behaves like a tame little kitten until near 10k rpm, and then becomes almost a liter bike. I've seen more than one guy who was pretty skilled on a very powerful cruiser, get on a 600, and shrug like, "This is nothing; I'd rather have my cruiser." You tell him to wind it out to the redline, and only THEN shift, and you get, "OK, fine. It sounds like angry hornets now. I still don't get wut the big de........OOOOOOOOSHEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIITTT!!!!"

I've always maintained that if someone learns to ride on a sport 600, they have to shift more if they want to keep it in the power band, but they can also learn at their own pace, if they're mature enough to control their right hand.

No reason, though, that most sane, middle-aged guys can't start out on a liter bike, because they usually have the mental strength to not go crazy with clutch, throttle and brake until they gradually build up a comfort level with the bike.

But if I'd been given either a 600 or liter sportbike back when I was a teenager, I'd have killed myself.