GSX-S 750

[Yorick]

I think the bog stock RE is probably one of the best bikes (for what it is and what it costs) that has ever rolled off a production line, it's got a lot of history and Lester Harris running in it's DNA, but I'd rather give up bikes altogether if I had to ride either of those REs.

The Paton is something I wouldn't expect you to understand, we're very different people in that regard.

Pics?

[weeksy]

[KungFooBob]

I think the bog stock RE is probably one of the best bikes (for what it is and what it costs) that has ever rolled off a production line, it's got a lot of history and Lester Harris running in it's DNA, but I'd rather give up bikes altogether if I had to ride either of those REs.

The Paton is something I wouldn't expect you to understand, we're very different people in that regard.

Pics?

https://www.paton.it/paton-s1-r-lightweight/

[KungFooBob]

The Paton isn't a proper road bike tho'

It's a race bike with some lights.

Great for trackdays... if all your mates ride super twins, but I imagine it's a shit road bike.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

They've got Patons at Krazy Horse, can't say I've been impressed looking at them, expensive ER-6s, but I'm probably missing the point.

[weeksy]

They've got Patons at Krazy Horse, can't say I've been impressed looking at them, expensive ER-6s, but I'm probably missing the point.

I suppose that depends on whether you thought the YB4 was an expensive FZ?

ummmm Do i need to bother replying on this bit

It's like a nasty cbr600.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I wouldn't own a Bimota, a mate has 3 or 4 of them, they're all pains in the arse, look weird and the EXUP powered one I had a spin on wasn't as nice to ride as a standard EXUP.

[weeksy]

That's because you don't know what it is or what it did.
Google it, the Italians managed to upset the racing world with it and at the time it was mind blowing.

aye, arguably so... but it wouldn't actually change my opinion on one.

If this is based upon the same bike, i know which i'd much rather have

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I suppose that depends on whether you thought the YB4 was an expensive FZ?

ummmm Do i need to bother replying on this bit

It's like a nasty cbr600.

That's because you don't know what it is or what it did.
Google it, the Italians managed to upset the racing world with it and at the time it was mind blowing.

It got it's arse kicked in WSB by Pirovano on an FZ750, the throttle stuck open on one and it ran into the back of Kenny Iron's bike at Cadwell, causing his death, not a great racing history.

[KungFooBob]

I've said it before (and been shot down for it), but if I had the cash laying around, I'd buy a SB8R in a heartbeat.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

That's because you don't know what it is or what it did.
Google it, the Italians managed to upset the racing world with it and at the time it was mind blowing.

aye, arguably so... but it wouldn't actually change my opinion on one.

If this is based upon the same bike, i know which i'd much rather have

Now there's a lovely bike, I had one for 4 years, brilliant things, better to ride than an OW01.

[weeksy]

aye, arguably so... but it wouldn't actually change my opinion on one.

If this is based upon the same bike, i know which i'd much rather have

Now there's a lovely bike, I had one for 4 years, brilliant things, better to ride than an OW01.

I quite like them as well, but it was a production bike that was well watered down and diluted from the thing that created the spark for it.
I'm looking for the spark, not the 5th cousin twice removed that is now steady and reliable and middle of the range.

How is the Paton in the discussion then based upon that ?

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

aye, arguably so... but it wouldn't actually change my opinion on one.

If this is based upon the same bike, i know which i'd much rather have

Now there's a lovely bike, I had one for 4 years, brilliant things, better to ride than an OW01.

I quite like them as well, but it was a production bike that was well watered down and diluted from the thing that created the spark for it.
I'm looking for the spark, not the 5th cousin twice removed that is now steady and reliable and middle of the range.

You'll have to ask Yamaha if they'll sell you their OU45

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

It got it's arse kicked in WSB by Pirovano on an FZ750, the throttle stuck open on one and it ran into the back of Kenny Iron's bike at Cadwell, causing his death, not a great racing history.

You mean other than winning F1 when it was essentially a one brand dominated race since forever and resulting in everyone back in the late 80's wanting one?

In 1987/88 if you didn't want a Bimota then you were either Japanese or dead

But either way, bikes like the YB4, the Paton Superlight, the 888, the OW01, etc, changed peoples perceptions on the race track and lit up imaginations everywhere - except in dull people

In 87/88 I wanted a YZR500, 4 strokes were for old men.

[Yorick]

ummmm Do i need to bother replying on this bit

It's like a nasty cbr600.

That's because you don't know what it is or what it did.
Google it, the Italians managed to upset the racing world with it and at the time it was mind blowing.

It got it's arse kicked in WSB by Pirovano on an FZ750, the throttle stuck open on one and it ran into the back of Kenny Iron's bike at Cadwell, causing his death, not a great racing history.

That's not true. I saw it happen.

Kenny Irons was killed on warm up lap of the British F1 race at Cadwell Park on 26 June 1988. Irons was twenty-seven-year old.

Accident happened when the bike of fellow British rider Keith Heuwen developed a misfire and slowed exiting Charlies onto Park Straight. Irons' bike hit the back of Heuwen's with Kenny being thrown off and tumbling down the side of track into the bottom of the dip on the straight. Irons' machine slid up the track out of harms way, but a following rider dropped his machine as bunching riders tried to slow, this riders machine then slid into Kenny Irons at quite some speed so causing him fateful injuries. Keith Heuwen and the other rider escaped injury. It is believed Kenny Irons was still alive when taken to hospital (possibly Louth Hospital - but that is not confirmed), other sources state he died at the scene.

Kenny Irons was competing in the 1988 "MCN/EBC Brakes/Dunlop Tyres Superstock Series". It has not yet been confirmed if the race at Cadwell Park was a round of this series.

[weeksy]

Anyway, Cheesy, lets have some pictures of your new bike...

I think he's already on his way back to the dealers with it to buy that FZR750 above

[Tricky]

I applaud the honest appraisal and I recognise that same feeling.

These bikes are great, they're hard to fault, do everything fairly well, etc, and I'm sure you'll have plenty of fun on it - but as you've discovered they're not really going to set your heart on fire.

Personally I think it's because people like us are/were used to the bikes that came out in the 80's and early 90's that really did set your heart on fire. Your FZ750 might be an old bike but back in it's day it was the cream of the crop and that quality has endured so you still feel it even today - and even though these newer middle range bikes might handle a bit better or be a bit faster they still don't ooze that quality feel or light a fire underneath you.

Anyway, in it's own right the GSX is a great bike, it goes well and yours looks good too, I'm sure you'll enjoy it if you accept it for what it is.
The only thing I'd say is don't spend a load of money buying stuff for it trying to turn in into something else, ride it for what it is.

AS you've said before though, no bikes do that to/for you any more.... So i think it's as much as 'you' have changed as a person and become less excitable rather than the bike.

I think you're right there, he has got very sort of old before his time in the last few years

Iccy- your " these bikes" statement seems to lump the vast majority of bikes into one category ( without I suspect ever having ridden most of them) and it's the sort of thing my old dad used to say about " modern" or "Japanese" bikes in the 70s ...
I take each bike on my opinion of its merits, irrespective of it's age, power, or any other aspect- above all, for me to really like I bike it has to give me pleasure, and for that, I have to either love riding it, or love to look at it - if does both for me then it's special.

Cheesy's GSX leaves me stone cold and I disagree with you in that I definitely don't think it's a great bike, an OK/good one maybe but not what I'd call a great one, and I couldn't see me ever owning one, but each to their own eh.
I too was used to bikes that came out in the 80s and 90s (70s too), owned loads of them, still do a few, and enjoy them but in terms of riding experience, some of these " newer middle range bikes " light a fire for me that they older ones simply don't- I suspect one or two of them could for Cheesy too, just maybe a GSX isn't the one to do it, but if it isn't, it can be changed - trying and owning different bikes is what its all about and fun

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

That's not true. I saw it happen.

Kenny Irons was killed on warm up lap of the British F1 race at Cadwell Park on 26 June 1988. Irons was twenty-seven-year old.

Accident happened when the bike of fellow British rider Keith Heuwen developed a misfire and slowed exiting Charlies onto Park Straight. Irons' bike hit the back of Heuwen's with Kenny being thrown off and tumbling down the side of track into the bottom of the dip on the straight. Irons' machine slid up the track out of harms way, but a following rider dropped his machine as bunching riders tried to slow, this riders machine then slid into Kenny Irons at quite some speed so causing him fateful injuries. Keith Heuwen and the other rider escaped injury. It is believed Kenny Irons was still alive when taken to hospital (possibly Louth Hospital - but that is not confirmed), other sources state he died at the scene.

Kenny Irons was competing in the 1988 "MCN/EBC Brakes/Dunlop Tyres Superstock Series". It has not yet been confirmed if the race at Cadwell Park was a round of this series.

Thanks, that's different to what I read, I saw it live on telly, but it's so long ago I can't remember any detail

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Anyway, Cheesy, lets have some pictures of your new bike...

I'm in the office today so you'll have to wait, I was hoping to get away early this afternoon, but apparently the NCSC want my opinion about something I can't talk about.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I think you're right there, he has got very sort of old before his time in the last few years

Iccy- your " these bikes" statement seems to lump the vast majority of bikes into one category ( without I suspect ever having ridden most of them) and it's the sort of thing my old dad used to say about " modern" or "Japanese" bikes in the 70s ...
I take each bike on my opinion of its merits, irrespective of it's age, power, or any other aspect- above all, for me to really like I bike it has to give me pleasure, and for that, I have to either love riding it, or love to look at it - if does both for me then it's special.

Cheesy's GSX leaves me stone cold and I disagree with you in that I definitely don't think it's a great bike, an OK/good one maybe but not what I'd call a great one, and I couldn't see me ever owning one, but each to their own eh.
I too was used to bikes that came out in the 80s and 90s (70s too), owned loads of them, still do a few, and enjoy them but in terms of riding experience, some of these " newer middle range bikes " light a fire for me that they older ones simply don't- I suspect one or two of them could for Cheesy too, just maybe a GSX isn't the one to do it, but if it isn't, it can be changed - trying and owning different bikes is what its all about and fun

I don't know why some of seem to think I'm not that keen on the GSX, I really like it for the 50 miles I've done on it so far, I'm never going to give an emotional gush about a bike, for me they are lumps of metal and plastic, I don't form emotional relationships with machines, I used to but you end up attached to something for no reason

It's a good bike, not a great bike, there's nothing outstanding about it, but I don't think there's been an outstanding bike for a long time, maybe the original R1 is the last out standing bike, I haven't kept up with bike development since 2004 so I'm probably wrong.

The GSX is right for me at the moment, I wanted a newish road bike, it had to be reliable, comfortable, fast enough, well made (amazingly the GSX has the best finish of anything I've looked at) and look okay, I can go through the bikes I rejected and why if you want, but the only one that came close was the CBR650, and that may have suited me better, but I rejected it based on the couple I looked at looking like 10 year old bikes despite only being 3 years old, the brakes and suspension looked cheap and I just preferred the GSX.

I have no desire to own a KTM - I had a 1986 one in 1989 and it put me off them, yeah I could look at them again but if I don't want to I don't have to, same goes for MV Agusta, had one, don't want another one, I don't smell of wee so BMWs are out, Kawasaki and Yamaha don't make any thing I want, and buying a Honda feels wrong (another reason the CBR was rejected)

But as Tricky says, it can be changed if I want to, I've still got the FZ, YPVS and Z1170R so I haven't lost anything by buying the GSX, maybe I was a bit of a drama queen about buying a bike (under statement there) but it's bought so now I need to ride it.

It's still a weird shape.