The Hitcher

Got my new one and had my first hours ride on it after work this evening. All I can say is wow!, so linear and smooth and easy to ride fast even after a short time on it, that electronic suspension is amazing. The engine is great too, giving away about 15 BHP to the Ducati but you’d not notice it’s gone, oh and the sound, sounds way better than anything else I’ve owned other than the Aprilia.

Because Yamaha can build a bike that you can get on and enjoy without worrying about issues with it, burning you with heat and spending most of the mileage you’ve done on it taking it for recalls.

A slight update, on doing further research all 2015/2016 R1s should have had any gearbox issues sorted with a recall from Yamaha, I can get a brand new standard version for not much more but I really like the look of the M .

The 7k miles one is from a Yamaha dealer and comes with their warranty etc, and is completely standard, other one has a tail tidy and slip on exhaust but is from and independent. Model year wise I think the 2017 had a slight update and doesn’t have the potential gearbox recall or crank issues that the 2015/2016s can have. They’re all the same model and same colour as they only came in one!.

There’s a couple of bikes I’m interested in, one is a 2015 with 3k miles, one is a 2016 with about the same and the last one is a 2017 but has done 7k, don’t know what would be the better pick, get ones that’s newer but been used more or a couple of years older but used less. What does everyone else think?.

Neither!, . Mv? No, I’m having a break from Italian bikes, back to a Japanese one!, going to go for an R1M, don’t think the new Fireblade is worth the money over a lightly used Yamaha.

Streetfighter?! Or blade? Neither!, .

Stranger Things is good, I watched Bosch recently which I enjoyed but that's Amazon so probably not a lot of good to you!, unless you do the free trail. Also I'm curious what your stance would be if you saw a Sith biker?, would you still nod .

I'm not sure how I would feel about having an electric bike, I don't think they're quite there yet and I like the sound of an IC engine on a bike. I'd have an electric car in a heartbeat though, quiet, quick, really enjoyed the drive I had in a Tesla.

Sold it , new one incoming .

I had a later RR Classic years ago for off roading, paid £800 for it, I couldn’t get anywhere near 25 MPG though, more like 14!. Others I’ve had that were eye watering were an E55 AMG which did 12-16 and a Cayenne Turbo which did 8-14 .

Broke another mirror , this is now the second in two years of ownership, barely even touched and the arm snapped, Ducati really need to start putting some decent quality mirrors on their bikes, or,novel concept,ones that fold!.

It could be worse, I only used to get 25 MPG out of my Aprilia .

Well that’s one bastardised Bentley off the road at least.

I’d love to have a go on a Multi for a day or two can really see the appeal, if I were doing big mileages or touring I’d take one in a heartbeat over a Panigale!.

You make a fair point, modern 1000s are insanely fast and have never been more forgiving due to the electronics packages, although you have to work a 600 more most of us would probably be just as fast on one and it would feel a bit more involving, I really like both 1000s and 600s personally. How old is the GSXR you love bought?, I did a couple of track days ages ago on a hired K6 or K7 and thought it was great. K6/K7 why that would be practically new to me, mine is a '98 Barely had a chance to ride it so far but it feels quick enough, noticeable that it lacks power low down but I expected that. No doubt it would feel like a lumbering dinosaur after your Ducati! Oh nice the humpback SRAD?, best I can compare to was I bought an early R6 cheap when I had my previous bike-an Aprilia RSV4, yes it did feel a bit softer and not as focussed or fast but it was still really enjoyable to ride, actually made more sense as a road bike imo as it wasn’t set up so hard and was roomier, I appreciate most bikes and would enjoy riding one from the 90s just as much as my digital age,track focussed rocketship, I have a real soft spot for ZXR750s.

You’ve got a Multi if I remember right?. It’s not a bike I think I’d buy just yet but was looking through the brochure while I was waiting about on Saturday and really can see the appeal, they’ve got much more stuff on them than my bike does and look like you could ride one all day, I’d really like to have a go on a 1260 one!.

My XR has been nothing but a total pain. It drops the internet, it drops the phone signal. Sometimes it fails to turn on. Factory reset didn't help. Had it for 18 months too, but I'm looking forward to December so I can justify getting something else. It's going to be a test, everything I have was Apple - but between that, the iPad filling itself with invisible stuff, and the MacBook Pro's ongoing keyboard issues I'm really tempted to say farewell to the brand. I’ve got a 2015 MacBook Pro which is still going strong, interesting that the newer ones aren’t as good?. I swapped over to Macs about 10 years ago now as I had a few issues with pcs that kept going wrong and couldn’t be happier with the OS and longevity of Apples computers, this will probably be my last iPhone though, not that I’ve had any issues with it, it’s just they’re really taking the piss with prices now.

now that looks a lot better and faster It does, I have to admit I quite like it, not sure if I’d get one over a petrol superbike just yet but I’d be tempted, it is like a 2 wheeled Tesla and having had a drive of one I really like those!.

I'd like one of these:

Most warranties don't stipulate main deal I don't t think FYI This is true! The law changed a fair few years ago It just needs to be a VAT registered company and genuine parts I know about this but as it's a new model its needed a few recalls and warranty issues so far smoother and faster to get done at a main dealer, as soon as its out of warranty and more indys start to see them I'm taking it to one of them, not paying main dealer prices anymore!.

I’ve got a sim only on Three, unlimited calls,texts and data for £20. I was a bit apprehensive about swapping to them because I didn’t think their coverage would be as good as O2 but I’ve had this sim a year and a bit now and never had any issues at all. Phone wise I’ve got an iPhone XR had that a year and a half and no issues either.

Dealer: bend over Hitcher: fine, go on then. This is the last time it will be going to a main dealer, warranty runs out next year!.

Got it serviced, some recalls done and new brake pads and a £500 bill , then got soaked on the way home.

I think the bottom fell out of the market, everyone has been buying larger 1000cc superbikes, super nakeds or even adventure sports. As they all now come with all the fancy electronic packages, perhaps making them seem more manageable than in the past? And if you're going to buy a bike on finance as is now de rigueur, that extra cost over a 600 won't seem too bad broken down into monthly payments. Plus are 600cc sportsbikes really that useful on the road, they can feel pretty gutless at lower speeds, by the time you get into the power band you're starting to run out of road.. most 1000's have more immediate grunt so feel better at less crazy speeds(?) I mean I just bought an old gsxr 600 but still I can see the argument has some validity. You make a fair point, modern 1000s are insanely fast and have never been more forgiving due to the electronics packages, although you have to work a 600 more most of us would probably be just as fast on one and it would feel a bit more involving, I really like both 1000s and 600s personally. How old is the GSXR you love bought?, I did a couple of track days ages ago on a hired K6 or K7 and thought it was great.