Before I start, I love quiet pipes, and wish I had the standard can for the R1. Better for my ears and attracts a lot less attention when you're bouncing off the limiter. The Bandit has quite a nice deep tone with its db killer in, but the R1 was a little more raucous. Time to repack it.
With a little research done, I've been hearing good things about Acousta-fil fibreglass packing. Not cheap, but worth it if it lasts a few years.
Here's the Australian-made Screaming Demon can that was fitted to the bike when I bought it. A little long by modern standards, and takes me back to the Hindle pipes of the nineties. It's good quality, but I want rid of the main badge and will rotate the can so the small maker's badge at the bottom is hidden around the back.
Considering the old tyres, this bike impresses immediately. Admittedly a little bit wary on roundabouts because the tyres are as hard as wood - but as they clean up a little, it starts to inspire a little bit more confidence. (They will get changed for Rosso II's soon, I just wanted to make sure everything else was going to hold together before lashing out on new boots.)
Suspension is nice, sublime, stiff but supple, and doesn't pound you like the Bandit or older bikes. Old, conventional forks don't caress you in the slightest, they can leave you feeling tired and drained after a few hours. Modern (we're talking twenty-year-old modern) forks can deal with the shit underneath, and leave you feeling pretty bloody rested in fairness.
The naked R1's biggest attribute? It's absolutely bloody solid!
A massive difference when compared to a frame with some flex. And with the ProTaper bars, you're pulled forward enough to be in a slightly racer-like position, which is much more comfortable for me than sitting dead upright. This oozes quality, and you can feel how capable a bike like this is straight away. If it was the faired bike you would expect it, but the handlebars make you think differently.
Now the engine feels harsh at lower RPM (wear/issues?), but as the power winds on, oh so nicely, it smoothes out. In any gear, a quick blast up to the ton is a walk in the park, like any sportsbike should be. I think this is a much better hooligan tool than the fully-faired bike, and I look forward to getting a few lessons.
I've not done enough miles yet...
I'll be back with more soon, but I really like it. It's quick, and it wheelies much too readily when you give it large. Yeah, this will be a fun bike. It inspires enough confidence to let you know that it will look after you whatever happens on the road, but is going to throw your bollocks in a bush if you start taking the piss.
On that note, here's a video of it sat still, where it can't do any harm.
So far, the most painful part while knocking up the streetfighter has been the wiring or, more importantly, where to hide it. While also making it look tidy and functional. Where the manufacturers have loads of room within a fairing to put everything neatly, we need to move it somewhere else.
Traditionally, the headlamp shell would hold a fair section of wiring, but my LED light is pretty chunky and I'm guessing it's going to run quite hot with the huge heatsink on the back of it - I'll keep an eye on that.
There seems to be a fair bit of room under the airbox (above the engine) so I'm putting what I can in there. I'm also moving two relays under the seat along with the fusebox, purely for ease of access. The fan relay can stay under the airbox. I'll keep the headlamp fairing loom intact with all plugs so it can be put back to standard at a later date.
Gumtree and Marketplace are taking up my life. Both sites are out of control! Where commonsense once led the way, I keep asking:
1) Do I need another project? No, I have too many, walk away now.
2) Do I need another project? Of course, one more wouldn't hurt.
After all, I could sell something to make more room...
Streetfighters.
I've always wanted the genuine sportsbike version, with all the proper kit from the period - suspension, brakes etc. - but never felt like ripping the fairing off a perfectly good bike. So I kept my eye out for something that maybe didn't matter. Something that hadn't been looked after in the first place and either needed new fairings, or a new look altogether.
So what is it about the older sportsbikes?
They're old school cool, and aggressive. Making good power, proper suspension, with handlebars and no fairing. What's not to like?
