"AlpineBiker" – Touring in the Alps

Life and technology have moved on at a frightening pace in recent times in virtually every aspect of life, and this presents you with two very different choices; the first, stick with the tried and tested, things you know work and are comfortable with, the second; embrace change and the new, and learn how far things have moved on from what you previously thought was more than acceptable.

Nowadays we all use PC’s, but wouldn’t accept the slow processing speed and small memories of the original machines we started with. Today we want huge processor power and terabytes of memory. Cars that once were top of the range have long been superseded by lighter, faster, and safer vehicles, with aids to cosset and support the driver, traction control, air con, GPS, Bluetooth, parking beepers, cruise control, the list is endless. The world of the motorcycle has moved on tremendously too. Bikes are now technological masterpieces, smaller, lighter, faster, and if you buy the latest sports bikes, you’ll probably get traction control, different engine maps, anti wheelie, etc. etc.

Despite brief ownership of a GSXR1000K2 and a Kawasaki ZX-10R, I had singularly managed to resist full acceptance of the onset of technology (as far as my sports bike ownership is concerned) for almost 10 years , taking great pleasure in ownership of an HRC race/road homologated RC45.

As the years wore on though, I noticed I had started to become envious of those on track days with faster bikes (in fact virtually everyone else’s bike was faster than the RC), and although I hardly ever saw another one, and it garnered a lot of admiring glances whenever or wherever I rode it, and the unique engine note turned heads ( especially through it’s open Micron pipe), it just didn’t cut it on the track.

As time passed I enjoyed my track forays less and less, after all, what’s the fun of riding when everyone passes you on the straight and you don’t have the power to overtake anyone else? My 122bhp 750 was outclassed by pretty much every modern 600 too. At Magny Cours Club circuit, even as far back as 2004, I was at 200kph on the RC at the end of a straight, but easily managed 190kph with the wife as pillion, on a CBR600RR!

My friends frequently badgered me to sell it, but I didn’t want to, clinging to the fact that there were only 1000 of these bikes worldwide and I had one. My wife was convinced I’d be buried with it, such was my desire to hold onto it!

Fast forward to early 2012, and I was in a bike shop with Andy and came across a 2006 R1 in Yamaha’s yellow speed block colours.

I thought back to a test ride I’d taken on one in 2006 when I was in Germany, but back then I decided to buy a ZX-10R instead as I enjoyed the engine character more, but this R1 in yellow started the questioning as to whether it might not be different, fast, and “interesting” enough to persuade me to sell the RC?

Andy continued to pressure me and asked why I kept the RC, and when the only answer I could come up with was nostalgia, I knew the game was up and I had to move on, so two days later the RC was up for sale, and was snapped up by a Brit almost immediately, thereby giving me the funds to actively look for it’s replacement.

I identified my purchase criteria knowing that as its primary use would be on track, it had to be fast, a relatively new model, have a slipper clutch, be low mileage, AND, had to be reliable and comfortable enough (within reason), to be used as a backup for my tours (if necessary) The biggest thing though, was that it had to be a bike I looked at and WANTED to ride, and above all, put a smile on my face every time I rode it.

I guess I knew it was an R1 I wanted, and I quickly narrowed the search down to a 2007/8 model, the last of the truly sorted original R1’s before they switched to the new and much more expensive cross plane version. This model year had the slipper clutch I wanted, and with nothing but favourable write ups, I set off in search for a blue one, which handily would match my Arlen Ness leathers! I found the bike I was to buy almost immediately, but bad weather meant it couldn’t be test ridden, and after looking at a couple more, one which looked mint but turned out to have a dented frame, I went back to the first bike and bought it.

A 2008 bike with only 11,000kms on the clock, it had the low mileage  I wanted, and it was clear the previous owner had maintained it fastidiously. Immaculate in blue with a double bubble screen, and with a reduction in price for new front brake pads and tyres negotiated off the price, the only remaining point was the purchase of some crash protectors to prepare it for the track. So, at the end of February I became the proud owner of an R1.

Last month I posted on here the tale of its first track day at Dijon. Finally I had a bike that had a blistering top speed, handled well, and one on which I could now not only pass people, but which allowed me to run at the same pace as the others in my group. Running side by side with other bikes up the main straight at Dijon at 260kph knowing its still accelerating was fantastic, and overtaking became a new found pleasure.

I changed the gearing quite quickly though as the 15 tooth front sprocket (original is 17 tooth) meant the engine was always screaming and noisy around the 4000rpm mark, and I prefer the acceleration and less noise that the 16 tooth sprocket now gives. I’m learning to get used to the steering going light under hard acceleration, something it does in each gear blasting up the Dijon main straight!. The handling from the front end is dialled in almost to perfection, but the rear still has a tweak here or there needed to be 100% right, but it’s not far off. On the road it’s actually too fast, as is virtually every litre bike these days, self-restraint is a valued commodity if I want to keep my licence!

There is a blotch on this happy tale though. After a few rides and after changing the front sprocket, I started to notice that the ride had developed what I can only call a pogoing effect. Initially I thought this must be down to the chain having a tight spot, but it was particularly noticeable at 3000rpm and after the bike had been ridden for half an hour. I started to worry that it was a coil, spark plug lead or plug breaking down. Rides over any distance or time over 30 minutes became problematic and uncomfortable as I pogoed up the road unable to hold a constant throttle. Eventually after a ride out on my own one day, I turned back early because it had got so bad. 20kms from home the engine management warning light came on and the bike ground to a halt. Great!  The dashboard was now displaying a fault code, 15. From reading numerous forum reports, I knew this to be the throttle position sensor, so I switched the bike off, turned the throttle several times from fully closed to open and back, and was able to limp home afterwards.

The previous owner had already had the TPS part replaced six months and 2000kms earlier, so very kindly he is contacting the fitting garage to get them to replace it again for me under warranty. Other than this small glitch I’d have to say the bike has met all the criteria I looked for. It’s good looking, is VERY fast, handles well, is surprisingly comfortable, and it makes me smile each time I ride it. I never thought that I’d sell the RC45, but having embraced new technology I’m glad I did, I’m having a blast, and hopefully will continue to have one for a long while to come!