Hey Moto! That's a lotta damn bike there! I sat on one in the showroom, and what impressed me was the COMPACTNESS of it, for a big bike. I've always equated good design in the chassis, with performance. I also like the idea of Yamaha's "feel good" fuel injection system. The Italians have to cut all corners to compete with the Japanese, as far as performance goes. What bikes did you grow up with? I started with the old Yamaha two strokes- RZ 350, RD's...various others, then got into my "British" stage- '73 Norton Commando, '72 Triumph Bonneville, then '92 Ducati 750 Supersport, and finally my '97 Ducati 748. Always liked the European iron!
Unlike most "image conscious" Harley riders, I think that REAL motorcyclists appreciate the engineering of their machines and have tastes that accentuate their INDIVIDUALISM!
The thing I like best about my Duc, besides the sweet mellow honey-rich sound, is the sense of tradition in Italian motor racing, which is inherent in Fabio Taglioni's "desmodromic" valve design. It may not be as vital today as it once was, but DAMN, it looks and sounds cool! Vive Italia!
I guess you know of Yamaha's rich racing history, from the great two stroke engines ("King" Kenny Roberts), remember the TZ 750 flat tracker?! How 'bout the big singles?
Sorry about going off on a tangent, but I've been DRINKING, and these are MY happy thoughts.
Always keep the rubber side down!
