Yesterday I had my first ride on my 2014 N1k ABS. Previous bikes include the Honda VFR 800 and 4 Bandits and a GSXR 1100. The bike has been in my garage for 6 weeks in this, the worst Wisconsin winter in 40 years. It had 1 mile on the clock from going up and down my driveway.
Not being a born Wisconsinite, I didn't realize that going from inland to the Lake meant a temperature drop from 59 F to 38 F so it got cold quite insidiously and turned a pleasant ride at the start into into freezer !!!
ok now the bike. The book says the rev limit for running is in 4k and that equals 60mph in top - so don't run it in on the Interstate. Some people report a clutch which is in/out but I found it quite soft and progressive. The engine vibes were not apparent. The front brakes were superb but the rear brake was surprisingly weak - perhaps it needs bedding in.
On my Bandits, I wired a sounder under the seat and fed it from the indicators: that reminds me that I haven't left the indicators on and warns pedestrians on crosswalks in towns. I haven't wired that yet and so I left the indicators on a couple of times and that can be FATAL and cause a car to pull out in front of you if the driver thinks you are turning. It's THE most dangerous error I am prone to. I will wire a sounder and I have a bright red LED strip that I will attach to the dash...
The seat - I was fearful that it might be too tough and sporty after the Bandits, but it wasn't a problem despite my skinny male bum. As men get older, their bum migrates upwards and forwards and they sit on their bum bones
Handling - best handling bike I have ridden and I mean going straight, on a really bad road surface with tar snakes and potholes and ridges and ruts - the bike never twitched - ever ! I did the same road in my V6 Camry last week and it was thrown about all over the place. I don't know about bends yet apart from roundabouts which it took well.
Engine characteristics. Going from a Bandit to a N1k, the first thing you notice is that when you unwind the power, the engine braking is extreme and can be used instead of the brakes. Its like a single cylinder speedway bike. That is because of the 11.5:1 compression. I reckon that could be dangerous if there was a car tailgating me, so I need to unwind in a high gear.
Stalling. The light flywheel on sport bikes means that dropping the clutch at 1k rpm will stall it - not like the Bandit 1200. I mastered that very quickly and there is no need to scream the engine - just give it 400rpm more than a big flywheel 1200
Tires: I read that THIS bike is sensitive to even 2lbs pressure to I checked the tires and got them spot on with 2 different gauges.
I could go on all day about the bike but overall its the best bike I have every ridden (since 1964) and it feels so safe and planted.
Now we are back to freezing rain and high winds so I have to sit here and bore you guys for another 10 days (at least). I cant wait to get 600 miles on and then give it some real stick coz I KNOW it's going to be a broad grin machine. I LOVE it. (Note the White Rose of Yorkshire)
Not being a born Wisconsinite, I didn't realize that going from inland to the Lake meant a temperature drop from 59 F to 38 F so it got cold quite insidiously and turned a pleasant ride at the start into into freezer !!!
ok now the bike. The book says the rev limit for running is in 4k and that equals 60mph in top - so don't run it in on the Interstate. Some people report a clutch which is in/out but I found it quite soft and progressive. The engine vibes were not apparent. The front brakes were superb but the rear brake was surprisingly weak - perhaps it needs bedding in.
On my Bandits, I wired a sounder under the seat and fed it from the indicators: that reminds me that I haven't left the indicators on and warns pedestrians on crosswalks in towns. I haven't wired that yet and so I left the indicators on a couple of times and that can be FATAL and cause a car to pull out in front of you if the driver thinks you are turning. It's THE most dangerous error I am prone to. I will wire a sounder and I have a bright red LED strip that I will attach to the dash...
The seat - I was fearful that it might be too tough and sporty after the Bandits, but it wasn't a problem despite my skinny male bum. As men get older, their bum migrates upwards and forwards and they sit on their bum bones
Handling - best handling bike I have ridden and I mean going straight, on a really bad road surface with tar snakes and potholes and ridges and ruts - the bike never twitched - ever ! I did the same road in my V6 Camry last week and it was thrown about all over the place. I don't know about bends yet apart from roundabouts which it took well.
Engine characteristics. Going from a Bandit to a N1k, the first thing you notice is that when you unwind the power, the engine braking is extreme and can be used instead of the brakes. Its like a single cylinder speedway bike. That is because of the 11.5:1 compression. I reckon that could be dangerous if there was a car tailgating me, so I need to unwind in a high gear.
Stalling. The light flywheel on sport bikes means that dropping the clutch at 1k rpm will stall it - not like the Bandit 1200. I mastered that very quickly and there is no need to scream the engine - just give it 400rpm more than a big flywheel 1200
Tires: I read that THIS bike is sensitive to even 2lbs pressure to I checked the tires and got them spot on with 2 different gauges.
I could go on all day about the bike but overall its the best bike I have every ridden (since 1964) and it feels so safe and planted.
Now we are back to freezing rain and high winds so I have to sit here and bore you guys for another 10 days (at least). I cant wait to get 600 miles on and then give it some real stick coz I KNOW it's going to be a broad grin machine. I LOVE it. (Note the White Rose of Yorkshire)
