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New Kiwi on a 109

3K views 17 replies 10 participants last post by  biker-chicky 
#1 ·
Hiya guys, just checking in and introing me. im an old fart from way down the bottom of the Sth island. Bluff in Fact. And have just picked up an 07 Red M109r, Ive been riding for over 40 years so have had a huge range of bikes including hayabusa and recently a zx14. I bought the 109 sight unseen and flew to ChCh to ride her home. Saw the bike and she looked immense, and beautiful. amazing to look at.

So bit the bullet paid the money and climbed about the beast and headed for home. Within the first 20 kms, Im thinking what the f*** have I done, this thing handles like a council bus, changes gears like an old tractor, and just felt a total pig. By the time I hit Temuka (150+kms), it was starting to make sense to me, riding that magic carpet of torque. By Oamaru I was really starting to enjoy the ride, the comfort, the great power delivery and getting the feel for the handling. Just after leaving Oamaru I was passed by 2 sportsbikes, an R1 and a zx6 and that of course set up a challenge, so I pushed these bikes, and pushed them hard. The zx6 rider was I guessing a novice as he was erratic and sometimes outright dangerous to try staying ahead of me. The 109 had no problem dealing with him either on the straights or cornering, but the R1 was more fun, he totally outrun me in the corners, but getting back onto the straights and I was right with him. We both overtook a car doing 90kmh, just before Palmerston and he downshifted and booted it so I kicked big red back to third and pinned the bitch. at 230kms on my speedo he backed off, straighted up and looked in the mirror and nearly shat himself, no more than 10 feet behind him was this big red bitch breathing right down his neck.
We stopped at dunedin and the guy just couldnt believe the sheer grunt of the big girl. He claimed he had hit as high as 260, and I was right there. I think his speedo was more optimistic than mine as best I saw was just over 230.
But anyhow, the point of that was that last 40 mins or so totally transformed how I saw the bike, instead of this lumbering great red whale that I was ridding like a cruiser, she transformed into this fire breathing beast that rode and handle like a muscle naked bike. I totally loved it, Sure its clunky, its bloody heavy, and in a few weeks I'll have a left forearm like Popeye, but ridding the bike the way she was intended really opened me up to her.



The last 2 hours home were brilliant, roads I knew well, and had ridden dozens of bikes on, i just let the beast have her head and just hung on for the ride.
Totally love Big Red now, and my wife will laught when I say this, but I can see her in my shed for some time to come.

If I had test ridden the bike before buying it I probably wouldnt have bought it. But now that we understand each other you'll have to pry her from my dead hands

Bugsy
 
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#2 · (Edited)
I want to be the first to welcome you, and conrgratulate you on your purchase. Moreover, I want to give you props for having the best buying/1st ride experience I've ever heard of in my entire life. I enjoyed the manner in which your story was so well detailed, that I almost felt like I was right there with you.

Great job Bugsy, and be safe ALWAYS!!!

JUDAH-9
 
#8 ·
Thanks for the warm welcome guys. Yeah the bigshots do sound nice, not too loud.
Hey Skidmark, will catch you round the traps somewhere and maybe you can introduce me to the Darkside. im also a drag race fan and cant see bike tyres lasting very long.
 
#9 ·
Welcome to the forum and congrats on your new ride.:welcome: I enjoyed reading your introductory story. Sounds like you had an epic ride pushing Big Red and giving her the beans. Glad you did not get into trouble with the :cop:
 
#18 ·
Welcome, wow beautiful country! I'm looking forward to more pics. I know it's hard to stop for pics. This one you posted sure is great!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Planing a British Columbia Meet, PM if you are interested? June 21-25, 2018 some place in southern part of the Kootneys.
 
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