Had some idiosyncratic GT forum posting issues, so removed most of the readability enhancing formatting which seemed to resolve them.
Do I follow MotoGP?
See if these hint to you whether I might - or not.
My remaining two rides, both owned and ridden since new. Flogged the beegeezus out of both over the years I do all my own maintenance including rebuilds. I had to hunt around for some images. The only ones I could locate reasonably quickly without sending out a search party, these aren't the best, but will serve to illustrate the point.
I have owned big capacity sports before, e.g.750SS Desmo & 860GTS Ducatis along with a bevy of Japanese others over the years back in the day, and could have bought an Aprilia Mille 1000 or GSX-R 750 at the time instead of those illustrated below. e.g. Owned by mates of mine, I have ridden both of those big bores and with them, extensively, but [u]I prefer rapiers to broadswords[/u] and bought these instead at the time, respectively early '86, mid 2000. Never regretted it. Touch wood, neither have been down the road yet, although I've had many 'interesting moments' over the years, on, and off the track.
The RGV is stable ...until its upset. A lot of people fit steering dampers to them, and they have the lugs prewelded on the frame head OOTC. I didn't as I detest dampers because A. I like very quick steering, and B. can't abide the loss of road feel on the front end a steering damper imparts.The acceleration of the RG's 500 square four in the particular to 200kph is always bemusing in how it catches out those overconfident in their big bores. Of course it can't compete above 220kph (247kph terminal tucked stock) when the opportunity presents to wind it up past that in a straight line of course, but everywhere else it eats them for breakfast, even today mostly, and at just 154KG dry, is still competitive under brakes -when I have use them, even with its tiny 240mm front rotors. Its biggest handicap today lies its bias ply tyre profile as I can't obtain the same lean angles or cornering footprint as I can with the RGV running a modern radial profile tyre rim. Except on the racetrack it doesn't matter though, as out on the street even with the 'boy racers' it becomes largely academic. There are exceptions of course. I ride with them. ;P But IME over the years most riders talk the talk much better than they can walk the walk or twist the wrist. Anyway without further ado;
My 'first born' ...hahaha..rides like it looks.
Suzuki RG500 Gamma
128KG dry.72PS claimed, dynos at 70. Requires high corner speeds - of which it is well and truly capable, although to render those capabilities, its RPM needs to be maintained in a narrow band between 10,000-11,000RPM +/-500RPM through constant gearbox manipulation. Far [u]more challenging[/u] to ride than the RG500. The [u]mental workload[/u] is extremely high and it requires a far higher level of competence, confidence and experience to ride at the top of in its envelope, hence its reputation as a 'kid killer'. No longer produced of course, long ago taken off the learner legal capacity and initial license issue permissible lists. I love it.
Do I follow MotoGP? Kinda'. Zealously up until it went four stroke and was renamed MotoGP. As you can see where my heart lies. Suck and blow, the other two cycles are redundant AFAIC. =] I still follow it, but not sure if its my age or the current composition, especially with the 250 two strokes gone which used to show the up and comers and feature the closest most exciting racing, I don't find the racing half as interesting in the four stroke era even if some of the personalities still are.
