Back from the St. Louis cycle show...

[sdiver68]

ZX-6RR won my votes for best looking, best feeling, and most desired bike award (other than Yates championship GSXR 600).  One question though, all the best parts in theory but a skinny unbraced swingarm when the other 2 new 600's have these massive braced swingarms???  And how much is the race kit?  Rep didn't know but told me count on 4-5k?  For a few shims and a black box???

Boo to Honda for having the F5 up on a pedestal where you couldn't sit on it... >:(

Little birdie (but very trustworthy on this) told me Gateway's first race weekend is in June and showed me the Gateway schedule...wonder where the early races are this year???

Also, 2mm overbore's in SS....

The new GSXR1000 looks too much like the R1, imho...

A cruiser caught my attention, the Honda Rune.  It's very cool.  Also, sat on a V-Rod VERSA...smaller feeling than I thought it would be.

Honda was showing their 1200+cc, turbocharged, 2 passenger PWC.  80 mph?

[r1owner]

Yeah, that Yates 600 was CLEAN (for a race bike) ;)!

I think the CBR600RR looked better than the ZX6-RR.  I didn't like the fender on the swingarm of the ZX6.

I have to agree that Honda sucks nuts for not letting us sit on the RR though.  WTF, they are going to build a billion of them.

I thought that Honda cruiser was over the top too!  The reach to the bars looked like only Shaq could reach ;)

That trials dude was a trip too man.  Great entertainment!

[Super Dave]

Early races?  Daytona...

Looks like I've got Blackhawk for April 3rd, and probably CCS racing on April 5-6.

Road America at the end of April.

I think those are cold enough.

Braced swingarms?  Do you think they need it?  I think the casting techology has just came so far that they can make wild castings like that reasonably inexpensive now.  The swingarm is now part of the "style", so make it wild.  

You like the 6RR?  I thought it was pretty similar to the R6 but uglier...

[sdiver68]

You like the 6RR?  I thought it was pretty similar to the R6 but uglier...

Well, I guess I liked the radial brakes, slipper clutch, adjustable singarm pivot, and upside down fork so maybe that colored my perception  ;D...not to mention Kawasaki has never been down on HP.  It also "felt" the smallest.  Regardless, I'm on a GSXR next year (or maybe an SV, lol, there is one calling my name)

As for braced swingarm, I'm not an engineer so I'm not sure if it's nescessary or not.  GSXR 600's do pretty well without them, but the 750/1000, F5, and R1/6/7 all have braced swingarms.  In fact, the swingarm on the F5 looked like another frame!

See ya in April.  Yeah, those will be cold.  I was kinda hoping for a March race @ Hallet.  Regardless, Daytona is in the plans for me.

[tigerblade]

I was there Saturday afternoon.  I agree that the Kawi felt the most track-ready.  Of course it would have been nice to be able to sit on the Honda...  ::)