R1 - Any good? Which one?
Discussion
Well it's arrived 
Still not 100% fighting fit, so only took her for a quick ride out this morning...
Negatives first:
- Sounds s
t. Standard cans are feeble
- Doesn't give me a semi looking at it like the 1098
- Lack of fuss at low speeds makes you want to open it up, just to get that sense of occasion. Really needs to get above 8500 ish before it sings and in first gear, this is already pretty much at NSL
- As above, tall first gear feels a bit odd
- Not a negative so much, just a difference - lack of engine braking will take a while to get used to
Positives
- Feels half the weight of the Ducati
- Steering is super precise
- Starts first time, without drama or heart in mouth moment
- Clutch is 'normal' unlike the collection of nuts and bolts that some bloke in Bologna cobbled together one Friday
- Mirrors work
- Will be a doddle to commute on -1098 hates filtering at 20-30, R1 will do this all day long
Still not 100% fighting fit, so only took her for a quick ride out this morning...
Negatives first:
- Sounds s
t. Standard cans are feeble- Doesn't give me a semi looking at it like the 1098
- Lack of fuss at low speeds makes you want to open it up, just to get that sense of occasion. Really needs to get above 8500 ish before it sings and in first gear, this is already pretty much at NSL
- As above, tall first gear feels a bit odd
- Not a negative so much, just a difference - lack of engine braking will take a while to get used to
Positives
- Feels half the weight of the Ducati
- Steering is super precise
- Starts first time, without drama or heart in mouth moment
- Clutch is 'normal' unlike the collection of nuts and bolts that some bloke in Bologna cobbled together one Friday
- Mirrors work
- Will be a doddle to commute on -1098 hates filtering at 20-30, R1 will do this all day long
catso said:
So light, it defies gravity... 
Nice bike though.
Haha, tried for about 10 min to get it the right way round but thumbsnap wasn't playing...Nice bike though.
Anyway, thanks
Really pleasedOnly other bikes have been v twins, so this is all new territory. Next step a new set of tyres and possibly something from Yoshi to make it sound less like a moped...
Edited to add - what's the decat option talked about earlier in the thread?
Edited by donutsina911 on Sunday 20th July 17:40
First commute done...
1098 makes the commute on the M27 a pain in the arse, from start to finish. Will it start? When it starts will it drive the neighbours potty? At what point will it do its best to overheat and/or stall? Will my hands feel like I've just been using a pneumatic drill for an hour when I arrive?
R1 was a pleasure. Definitely less of an event, but at seven in the morning surrounded by half awake Facebooking/texting drivers, I just want an easy ride in and it definitely ticks that box. Only downside is that the 1098 gives an early warning to drivers a mile away, whilst the R1 just purrs along silently, so more conscious of being seen rather than heard.
Only had one chance to open it up and it's a different kind of sensation - slowly, slowly,slowly, bang compared to linear and always on 1098. Think I was a bit quicker through some of the corners which surprised me, so will do a back to back at the weekend.
Anyway, picture the right way up this time:
1098 makes the commute on the M27 a pain in the arse, from start to finish. Will it start? When it starts will it drive the neighbours potty? At what point will it do its best to overheat and/or stall? Will my hands feel like I've just been using a pneumatic drill for an hour when I arrive?
R1 was a pleasure. Definitely less of an event, but at seven in the morning surrounded by half awake Facebooking/texting drivers, I just want an easy ride in and it definitely ticks that box. Only downside is that the 1098 gives an early warning to drivers a mile away, whilst the R1 just purrs along silently, so more conscious of being seen rather than heard.
Only had one chance to open it up and it's a different kind of sensation - slowly, slowly,slowly, bang compared to linear and always on 1098. Think I was a bit quicker through some of the corners which surprised me, so will do a back to back at the weekend.
Anyway, picture the right way up this time:
donutsina911 said:
First commute done...
1098 makes the commute on the M27 a pain in the arse, from start to finish. Will it start? When it starts will it drive the neighbours potty? At what point will it do its best to overheat and/or stall? Will my hands feel like I've just been using a pneumatic drill for an hour when I arrive?
R1 was a pleasure. Definitely less of an event, but at seven in the morning surrounded by half awake Facebooking/texting drivers, I just want an easy ride in and it definitely ticks that box. Only downside is that the 1098 gives an early warning to drivers a mile away, whilst the R1 just purrs along silently, so more conscious of being seen rather than heard.
Only had one chance to open it up and it's a different kind of sensation - slowly, slowly,slowly, bang compared to linear and always on 1098. Think I was a bit quicker through some of the corners which surprised me, so will do a back to back at the weekend.
Anyway, picture the right way up this time:
Glad you are enjoying it ... as an 'all-rounder' they are surprisingly good ... I did 700 miles and a track day on mine this weekend with no issues at all other than mental tiredness this morning. 1098 makes the commute on the M27 a pain in the arse, from start to finish. Will it start? When it starts will it drive the neighbours potty? At what point will it do its best to overheat and/or stall? Will my hands feel like I've just been using a pneumatic drill for an hour when I arrive?
R1 was a pleasure. Definitely less of an event, but at seven in the morning surrounded by half awake Facebooking/texting drivers, I just want an easy ride in and it definitely ticks that box. Only downside is that the 1098 gives an early warning to drivers a mile away, whilst the R1 just purrs along silently, so more conscious of being seen rather than heard.
Only had one chance to open it up and it's a different kind of sensation - slowly, slowly,slowly, bang compared to linear and always on 1098. Think I was a bit quicker through some of the corners which surprised me, so will do a back to back at the weekend.
Anyway, picture the right way up this time:
The lights on the R1 are superb and find it is these that make drivers aware of my presence rather than the noisy exhausts.
Power is exactly as you mention... until you decat / cans and map it then it doesn't feel so flat low down... it makes the power seems more linear.
Two things.
1) Commuting to/in London on a bike in the summer - fk that. A million mopeds, buses the size of ferries and enough Addison Lee drivers to last me a decade. Have to endure this twice a week for 6 months.
2) The R1 is seriously fking good. It's insane. Doing speeds on corners I could never achieve on the 1098 (same tyres (Pirelli Diablo RC)...and it's effortless. Like a wet fart until it picks up, the thing howls like a Russian we being double tapped when you're on it - and it makes you want to be on it all the time. I used to look forward to riding the Ducati, but the R1 is on another level - I'm constantly looking for reasons to go out. It's good enough to want to chop the 1098 in and get another...and I never thought I'd say that. Ever.
1) Commuting to/in London on a bike in the summer - f
k that. A million mopeds, buses the size of ferries and enough Addison Lee drivers to last me a decade. Have to endure this twice a week for 6 months. 2) The R1 is seriously f
king good. It's insane. Doing speeds on corners I could never achieve on the 1098 (same tyres (Pirelli Diablo RC)...and it's effortless. Like a wet fart until it picks up, the thing howls like a Russian we being double tapped when you're on it - and it makes you want to be on it all the time. I used to look forward to riding the Ducati, but the R1 is on another level - I'm constantly looking for reasons to go out. It's good enough to want to chop the 1098 in and get another...and I never thought I'd say that. Ever.
As someone who built up a deep dislike for Yamaha in the early 90s and have never owned one since, I fell into 5VY R1 ownership earlier this year. I have to concur that it's an astounding bike. Deeply impressed by mine.
For a 10 year old design it gives away little to the current Fireblade and has a shed load more character than an S1000RR - the induction roar is old school Kawasaki good. It also has to be one of the best looking Jap bikes of the 21st century.
I love its animal side accentuated by the lack of any electronic aids. It's a bit slappy, very wheelie prone (big floaty 3rd and 4th gear jobbies off crests at silly speeds!) and the brakes are fantastic. The only limiting factor is that the suspension is too harsh for road use and is causing some scares when really trying to crack on, on the road.
My Ducati is still getting ridden as it's a different experience altogether, but my GSXR750 is unfortunately feeling very limp and boring in comparison, not to mention less comfortable.
Only real change beyond sorting the suspension to work to modern standards, is that the seat could do with more padding and less of a downward slope. I would research it, but I can't really face the R1 forum as they refer to each other as being in 'squadrons' which manages to be both chavvy and ghey in one go.
For a 10 year old design it gives away little to the current Fireblade and has a shed load more character than an S1000RR - the induction roar is old school Kawasaki good. It also has to be one of the best looking Jap bikes of the 21st century.
I love its animal side accentuated by the lack of any electronic aids. It's a bit slappy, very wheelie prone (big floaty 3rd and 4th gear jobbies off crests at silly speeds!) and the brakes are fantastic. The only limiting factor is that the suspension is too harsh for road use and is causing some scares when really trying to crack on, on the road.
My Ducati is still getting ridden as it's a different experience altogether, but my GSXR750 is unfortunately feeling very limp and boring in comparison, not to mention less comfortable.
Only real change beyond sorting the suspension to work to modern standards, is that the seat could do with more padding and less of a downward slope. I would research it, but I can't really face the R1 forum as they refer to each other as being in 'squadrons' which manages to be both chavvy and ghey in one go.
3DP said:
As someone who built up a deep dislike for Yamaha in the early 90s and have never owned one since, I fell into 5VY R1 ownership earlier this year. I have to concur that it's an astounding bike. Deeply impressed by mine.
For a 10 year old design it gives away little to the current Fireblade and has a shed load more character than an S1000RR - the induction roar is old school Kawasaki good. It also has to be one of the best looking Jap bikes of the 21st century.
I love its animal side accentuated by the lack of any electronic aids. It's a bit slappy, very wheelie prone (big floaty 3rd and 4th gear jobbies off crests at silly speeds!) and the brakes are fantastic. The only limiting factor is that the suspension is too harsh for road use and is causing some scares when really trying to crack on, on the road.
My Ducati is still getting ridden as it's a different experience altogether, but my GSXR750 is unfortunately feeling very limp and boring in comparison, not to mention less comfortable.
Only real change beyond sorting the suspension to work to modern standards, is that the seat could do with more padding and less of a downward slope. I would research it, but I can't really face the R1 forum as they refer to each other as being in 'squadrons' which manages to be both chavvy and ghey in one go.
I swapped out the rear shock for a 4C8 unit on mine then gave the bike to KAIS Suspension to refresh / setup ... it's transformed it.For a 10 year old design it gives away little to the current Fireblade and has a shed load more character than an S1000RR - the induction roar is old school Kawasaki good. It also has to be one of the best looking Jap bikes of the 21st century.
I love its animal side accentuated by the lack of any electronic aids. It's a bit slappy, very wheelie prone (big floaty 3rd and 4th gear jobbies off crests at silly speeds!) and the brakes are fantastic. The only limiting factor is that the suspension is too harsh for road use and is causing some scares when really trying to crack on, on the road.
My Ducati is still getting ridden as it's a different experience altogether, but my GSXR750 is unfortunately feeling very limp and boring in comparison, not to mention less comfortable.
Only real change beyond sorting the suspension to work to modern standards, is that the seat could do with more padding and less of a downward slope. I would research it, but I can't really face the R1 forum as they refer to each other as being in 'squadrons' which manages to be both chavvy and ghey in one go.
Mr OCD said:
I swapped out the rear shock for a 4C8 unit on mine then gave the bike to KAIS Suspension to refresh / setup ... it's transformed it.
Cheers - 4C8 shock might be the cheaper route. It's slightly over sprung and heavily over damped, front and rear, but I don't know the history of any work that's been done before on the suspension in the bike's 12k mile life.Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff