Frogfoot

Oh dear, it's September and I haven't posted for months. Yes I have been riding, I am back to commuting everyday due to some child care changes :) And we've had this crazy warmish, sunny August (and really Winter was pretty tame even for here). The VFR gets ridden most days, but I make sure the Daytona gets out once a week. That new bike has been kind of a pain as it's had several factory recalls - great they're proactive about fixing things, annoying as its been in the shop several times. While the weather has been nice, my wife's schedule has not been so well timed, so getting out for a ride other than a commute has been problematic. I did get the VFR up the Putty, where I spent the morning practicing my photography on passing bikes. Need a lot more practice. The Daytona is proving a really sweet ride. Initially I was starting to think I would actually get rid of the VFR but the VFR comes into her own on the commute, and about town far better than the Daytona at that. I'll also be doing lots of Sydney Canberra trips next year and she will shine on that too. So happy to keep them both. However, get the Daytona on the open winding road and she is just fantastic. I have managed one full day ride of about 350km trip and had a ball. Definitely no regrets there. I've upgraded my gear as well, with a jacket and pants from Berek, new boots to fit. Never had full leathers and they are way more comfortable than I expected and kinda confidence boosting too. Still it may be a long time before the knee sliders get any scratches, I just don't ride like that. In other news, my 70 year old dad has dug up his licence and bought a KTM 690 Duke in order to get some practice in - I think his idea is that next time he comes over (he lives in NZ not AUS), we can go for a ride together. He'll ride my VFR and I'll take the Daytona. What a cool idea. (oh and if you're worried about his age... he took up mountain biking at 60 and last year completed a 100km single track mountain bike race so he's no slouch) I may get out this Sunday and can post after that. Are you interested even if it's not VFR rides?

Thanks HS, yes it sounds fantastic even on stock pipe. Starting to wonder what the VFR would sound like with aftermarket pipes. Wish I could find some I like.

Thanks, very much enjoying it.

Well the big reveal has finally taken place at work (on a week when it seems most of the other riders are away, lol) so I'll reveal it here too. I have a new bike, after suggestions from the Mrs that my VFR was too old. As silly a statement as that is, I wasn't one to argue. One condition is that I put the VFR up for sale, which I dutifully have, but have had no interest, no surprise there. I had been considering the GSXR750 for several years and it was top of the list, having ridden it and the 600 a couple of times over the past years. I focused on the 700-800cc, just personal preference, it limited the choices quite quickly. I decided that I wasn't interested in a dirt/trail bike, or an adventure/dual-sport bike. I did want something different from the VFR, and previous experience with the Ducati Streetfighter and later the Triumph Street Triple eliminated the street fighter style. So the list was really short. So short, I rang around the various brand dealers looking for something to compete with the GSXR. The Ducati 848 Evo was out of my price range and so was the MV F3. The supersport 600s and the litre bikes were just not what I was looking for. Then I rang Triumph and things changed. The new 675 was about to be released and the price was similar to the GSXR. It wasn't far from my 700-800 range, and I expected that the triple would be more rideable than an inline 4 600. It also came with a lot of stuff that the GSXR didn't. With the interest in them building, I put a holding deposit on one simply so I could get a look in. It was subject to final decision and I expect if I turned it down, someone would get an early present, as the guy who paid a deposit the day after me is still waiting for his to arrive on the ship. In preparation I rode the GSXR a couple of times, to make sure I would be happy with that style of bike, as well as testing it in city traffic and highway, finding it comfortable. I also rode the new Street Triple which has the same engine as the Daytona. This gave me some idea of the new bike. The GSXR sat as a very strong second choice, and I had a happy grin every time I rode it. When 675 finally arrived in the shop it was an easy decision. I still had to wait for my money to be ready and just before Easter I rolled out on my new bike. Yes, on a 600cc equivalent supersport, lol. But its 675 and a triple. And a month later I still have that silly grin on my head. A totally new bike for this year, it shares almost nothing with the older Daytonas. It is my first bike since I bought my VFR in April 2004, As its the R, it comes standard with ABS, Brembos, Ohlins and a quickshifter as well as some carbon bits. I've put 800km over a couple of rides in the past week or so and I am very very happy with my choice. It is quite different to my VFR. The seating is more aggressive, but I don't find it uncomfortable. It's about 80kg lighter and about 20% more powerful than my VFR, so its quick and easy to steer. The Ohlins and the bike feel very positive and I find it very confident in corners and over rougher roads. A little harsher ride than the VFR but much more confidence that it will stay where I point it. At the rev limits enforced in the break in, its actually very economical and I can get around 300km from a tank. That was a surprise. It sounds great even with the standard pipe. I'm still running it in, so I haven't had a chance to really let it loose, but the sound is really nice. There's even a little popping, crackling on closing the throttle that sounds very cool. I haven't decided what to do with my VFR though at this stage it will continue to be my main ride. The VFR is much more suited to the commuting and poor weather riding, and is better at distance (though not by much) and two up. The Daytona is mainly to be a fun bike for weekends and sunny days.