The Official AVForums Bike Showroom part 2

FZR400RRSP

You can practically guarantee you won't be the slowest, I really wouldn't worry about that.
As for your rear shock, I can't remember if the B1 shock is rebuildable, but if it is it would be worth getting someone like MH Racing to fit a softer spring and revalve the internals.
Most manufacturers, even on sports bikes, fit springs that will cope with pillions.
Provided you don't carry a pillion, a softer spring will help no end.

Are your damping adjustors at standard settings?
Maybe a previous owner has cranked up the compression damping, making it even less able to cope with bumps.
Worth checking.
Or maybe adjust it yourself.
Turn the compression damping down until you feel the ride is comfy (take notes of how many turns/clicks)

soggs

Well I'm not going to be able to compete with all the bikes in here, but here's my lowly CBR600 It's my first bike that I bought when I passed my test 6 years ago. Didn't really ride it much until this year when I moved and I now use it for commuting. Was tempted to get something a little more commuter friendly like a CB500 but there's nothing wrong with this bike, still got it where it counts


Honda CBR600 by Soggs, on Flickr

FZR400RRSP

Remarkably tidy and standard looking for an early 90's bike.
My first knee down was on one of these.
I had a VFR750 at the time, I swapped shots with a friend who got one of these 'jellymould' CBRs.
Next thing I knew, jeans to tarmac interface.

soggs

Cheers, although it's not quite as tidy now. That was taken when I bought the bike and I think the plastics are starting to wear a bit and break as parts of the fairing are a bit loose in places, but it still doesn't look bad for an early 90s bike

Ha ha sounds like you had fun on your mate's CBR, even if your jeans suffered Not got down that low myself yet, still feel I'm quite a novice rider even though I've had my licence for 6 years, although the daily commute is boosting my riding confidence slowly.

Hulligan

Have had a fiddle around with the suspension but I seem to make it handle worse so I put it back to stock, think the rear shock is rebuildable so I'll have a look at getting a softer spring put on. Cheers Fzr.

My first go on a big bike was a jelly mould CBR, was the 1000 though, big heavy beast compared to mine, was far comfier though.

Hulligan

So as mentioned previously i had an evening Trackday at Cadwell today.

Pleased to say it went great, had an amazing time, chatted to some nice people and best of all, got to ride my bike how it should be ridden, and I didn't bin it.

All I can say is that was the best £40 I've ever spent on a bike "upgrade", given me so much confidence In what the bike and I can do. All I can say to anyone in this thread is if you haven't done one, get a trackday booked asap!

Only one issue I had was one guy on there was unbelievably fast for our group, should have been in advanced group imo but besides that can't fault it.

Think I've been bitten by the trackday bug now though.

FZR400RRSP

A rider acting the fast hero in your group should have been moved.
Let him act the big man with the big boys.
We used to act strongly against guys like that, along with people showboating (wheelies etc)
Glad you enjoyed it though.

Hulligan

On one session I was overtaking a guy on a tl1000 and a guy on a ducati going round Chris curve before gooseneck and he came screaming past all three of us on the inside, sat all three of us up then buggered off. The evening lasted longer than expected as my mates bike s electrics decided to go into haywire mode leaving us stranded on the a15 for 3 hours until RAC came!

FZR400RRSP

Yours wasn't a well run track day.
Again, we didn't allow overtaking on the inside of corners, precisely to avoid people getting a scare and sitting up.
Some never recover from being made to sit up and wobble off track, so we didn't allow it.
Overtake on straights or round the outside (but not in an intimidating way)
Whose trackday were you on?
Name and shame!

Hulligan

Was no limits, besides that one guy it was fine really, any accidents were cleaned up quickly and the staff were friendly enough so can't complain as it never scared me, just didn't think he should be in a novice/inters mixed group

In fairness, we didn't have any stoppages for our group so we can't have been that bad, advanced however got red flagged at least 3 times in the four sessions