YZF1000 R1

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HISTORY

As mentioned earlier, the trusty, much love Blade was starting to creak a bit and was heading for its second MOT. I was beginning to look at other bikes, younger and sleaker, and she knew it. I remember the day I parked her nonchelantly at Marriots and wandered in... only to sneak out behind her on a 1998 model R1 which I had borrowed for a test ride.

WOW! and WHAT a test ride! Many of you will realise Marriots is in Birkenhead, but wanting to give it a good try out on some of my favourite roads, we rode out to Mold (North Wales) and onto St. Asaph... and back again of course. Eep! What a tool this was! I eventually got the bike back to Marriots (creeping past the Blade) but my mind was made up. I wanted one! The ride back on the Blade felt slow and ponderous in comparison. I can remember feeling excited for days after that test ride.. and that hadn't happened after any sort of ride for a long time!

The bike you see above was the one I bought on my 30th birthday (waited for birthday to get cheaper insurance). But, my God, was it sad to see the Blade go.. I seriously had deep feelings for that baby but, her time was up *SNIFF*. I later learnt she went to an ex GSXR1100 owner so he should be VERY happy.

The bike has changed a bit, and I festooned her with multiple blue alloy add on bits, a Blue Flame exhaust and, of course, a fuzzy seat ! Also, a double bubble black screen, the much favoured shrinkwrapped steel hoses, titanium disc bolts and caliper fasteners and Harris adjustable reasets (for my little legs). There was also that spectacular puncture on the East Lancs Road, whilst going through roadworks, which needed a replacement back tyre after a mere 1000 miles..

This was a 2 pronged spike, the 2 prongs having inserted straight through the outer part of the tyre on the offside... OUCH ! The tyre never went flat and I only noticed as the journey suddenly got a lot more "bumpy".

June pictured at 2001 Egg Run with her improvement to the R1 vinyl lock space cover (supposedly a "pillion seat").

CRASHES & NEAR MISSES AND A MUGGING!

My first summer passed without incident as I ran her in gingerly (except for above prong in tyre)

Unfortunately, I was tempted out one brisk March day, only to find myself sliding on my belly with bike alongside me as we hit some frozen compacted snow which hadn't thawed ! "And you looked like such a good rider back there, Dear" said the old lady who helped pick me and R1 up. Hmm at least it was low speed and only cosmetic (to bike and self) although a bit of a shock as this was my first get-off since the first Blade 4.5 years earlier.

The next incident was even more disturbing and upsetting. Once again, I had sustained a puncture on the East Lancs road ! I had a stupidly soft compund tyre on the front which was almost worn down anyway after 800 miles (Avon RZF - basically a trackday tyre I had bought on special offer with the rear) - this meant the slightest shard of glass or grit would result in said puncture. It was 6.30pm on a bright hot sunny day in June so I pulled up at some traffic lights and called for AA assistance. Took off my helmet as it was so hot and waited by a VERY busy 3 lane A road.
Next thing I knew, four lads walked up to me demanding I hand over the keys. Initially, I thought they were joking and laughed nervously. Then, the ring leader sat on the bike and tried to push it away (hard as it had a flat tyre and steering lock on). Another picked up my bag and ran off. Another picked up my helmet, and, as well as kicking me with his mate, started bashing me around the head with it! I ran up to lad by bike and pushed it over onto him (so he would also have to pick it up to make off with it). This made them even angrier and I cannot for one minute comprhend how I wasn't knocked out by the blows to my head by my, by this time, caved in FM helmet.
Despite the audaciousness of this attack in broad daylight, and with no-one else at traffic lights coming to my aid YET, and also possibly surprised by my stubborness to go down, they demanded the keys again. I stated they were in the bag their friend had just run off with (a lie). Even they weren't prepared to pin me down and frisk me under the circumstances and backed off shouting they were going to kill me if I was lying to them. I ran off for help which was forthcoming by a young boy on a pushbike who had seen the whole thing and went for his Mum & Uncle's aid. The police arrived having had a report of a female being beaten up (so at least someone did SOMEthing!) - at this point I completely went to pieces and burst into tears.
Despite providing an "E-fit" of the ring leader (which looked remarkably like June's brother, Emyr) and prowling around the local estate in an unmarked police vehicle hoping to point them out, I have heard nothing since.

Getting the bike back together after this took a while - it had only sustained minor cosmetic damage to the nearside again, but I had a lot of shenanigans changing the tyres which caused a wobble. Once I had cracked all this, I went out for a high speed run, only to hit a load of potholes approaching a 90 degree bend on THE SAME road I had come off on with the ice earlier in the year, This time, I slid it again but landed on the offside causing cosmetic damage again (very low speed) but after this, it was in serious need of a new exhaust - hence the Blue Flame endcan.

The best thing about this bike is the way it excites me every time I ride it. I have had numerous wobbles and slides from the tyres which keep me alert and the pulse racing. I think you need to be slightly psychotic to ride this machine, but I love it!

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