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A friend of mine was telling me that he was disappointed that other riders were better than him because they rode faster in the twisties. My friend was an ex-roadracer and was very fast in his time. He is still a very competent rider but did have a horrible crash that ended his racing.
I told him that just because other riders may ride faster and are willing to risk more does not make them better. I know I ride way slower than I used to and it is more that I don’t want to take the massive risks of bailing in very dangerous conditions than my abilities. And yes, I am sure that I do not have anywhere close to the abilities I had when I was younger.
Besides the fact that riding like that is nuts and believe me, many of my friends and myself are very lucky to be alive, it just doesn’t make any sense! The track days that are easily available provide a way a riding fast and taking you and your bike to your limits in much safer conditions.
I guess you can say that if someone is faster than you on the racetrack they may be better. In reality, the better rider is the one who rides to their comfort level, staying safe, enjoying their ride and using their head to enjoy this wonderful sport we all love.
The Origins Of The Hayabusa
The Hayabusa made you consider things you’d never considered before. Take the definition of “corner.” We all know what that means, right? We find them on winding back roads, or at intersections with other roads. But is there really a corner on the freeway or interstate? No, you say? The 1999 Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa said yes.
Let me explain.
At the 1998 press launch for the 1,298cc copper-and-gold beast, it seemed impossible that Suzuki wanted us to spend an entire day at Circuit de Catalunya in Spain, followed by a day of “touring” on the road. Further to this, we even had a track session in the morning before our, um, tour. This was a 550-pound missile sent to kill the Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird and crush the previous king of speed, the Kawasaki ZX-11. It wasn’t a racer replica built to win some crazy (nonexistent) 1,300cc roadrace championship.
Yet there we were. And it was amazing what this bike did on this Spanish Grand Prix racetrack, lap after lap, with only a mildly spongy front brake lever to show for its remarkable speed and not insubstantial weight. Well, that and fairing sides and engine covers that scraped on the tarmac, particularly in the long, right-hand turn 3, where this bike demonstrated stability on the edge of the tire that belied all its might and girth. No one at the launch could believe what we were getting away with. Draft passes as we dipped into fifth gear down the long front straight. The Hayabusa ripped through fifth gear like most bikes did third.
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