And, in other news...

That nice Mr Kawasaki's excellent little 650 Versys could do with just a teeny weeny leeetle more ground clearance, even when the hugely flaccid-phallus-like footrest hero blobs are removed. I know I've lowered my machine, but not by very much and it was dragging the hero blobs before then, which is why they got removed in the first place.

This whole lack of clearance issue came to light today when I was hooning a section of the A507 Baldock to Buntingford Alps TT <cough> sorry, I meant riding sedately between these two delightful Hertfordshire towns in a gentlemanly manner. I came across a bend I've taken hundreds of times before only this time I forgot that it tightens up ever so slightly, so if you get your entry line wrong you can end up perilously close to the kerb and thence into the scenery. Naturally I instantly deployed that devilishly clever countersteer technique I've been practising for many years and miraculously saved myself from a few months of bread and cheese three times a day, and a couple more nights in the local butche^^^ Hospital.

However, at the point of maximum danger I was startled to hear an almighty graunching coming from the undercarriage of my trusted bolide and my foot went a bit wobbly. As an inveterate hooner who likes to hang off a bit I tend to ride with my toes on the ends of the pegs when cornering, so it was obvious that Mr Frey's finest Daytona Roadstar GTX boot was laying its own version of a darkie on the tarmac and the graunching sound was the result of some of the finest slanty-eyed pig alloy being forcibly mated with a section of John Loudon Macadam's superb road surfacing material. I didn't hang around to see what their barsteward offspring looked like, but someone showed me a picture of an Aprilia Moto 6.5 once, so that gave me some idea of the possible horrific outcome. Now I have to put up with a scraped bit on my bike, which doesn't please me in the slightest.

Now, the question is... do I try and develop rearsets, do I remove the lowering kit, do I just cut the footrests down by an inch, do I buy another sports bike, or do I stop riding like a nobber on the excellent roads we have round here?

Btw, the new Pirelli Diablo Stradas are performing very well, because they just worked today and I never had to give them a moment's thought.

Originally Posted by Lozzo

Now, the question is... do I try and develop rearsets Yes if it's not to hard to do so, do I remove the lowering kit depends if you can reach the floor ok without it, do I just cut the footrests down by an inch i wouldn't unless i had to, do I buy another sports bike nope a nice naked would be cool though, or do I stop riding like a nobber on the excellent roads we have round here? nope you'd be letting the side down if you did

Originally Posted by Lozzo

Now, the question is... do I try and develop rearsets, do I remove the lowering kit, do I just cut the footrests down by an inch, do I buy another sports bike, or do I stop riding like a nobber on the excellent roads we have round here?

I think given your age, you should sell the Versys and get one of these:



It comes in black and has three wheels which should help prevent any future metal/tarmac interfaces

There's a decent space in front of the rider for a litre capacity 4 cylinder engine, and I'm sure I could rig a chain drive to the rear wheel... hmmm <strokes chin>

If you like riding fast get a sportsbike, if you like to take in the scenery keep the Versys

Ride like me then you will have no worries about anything scraping on the ground...EVER...

The road Lozzo is on about but at a slightly slower pace and without the grinding. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w78rSN8YfNA

Lozzo, can you not stick your knee out to keep the bike more upright?

[dizzyblonde]

Originally Posted by beabert

If you like riding fast get a sportsbike, if you like to take in the scenery keep the Versys

You realllllly don't know Lozzo do you........

just de-lower it, only girls lower their bikes anyhow, hth

Or get a trumpet sprint