RockMoto

I haven’t had much interest in riding 1000cc sport bikes – more power than I’ll ever use and a lot of ’em are kind of big to muscle around in corners. (I’ve ridden a few, but not lately.) Then a few weeks ago my GSX-R750 went into the shop at Suzuki and I found myself staring at a small group of press bikes to borrow in the meantime. Yes, a line of bikes and I can have the key to any of them, it is as tantalizingly wonderful as it agh agh agh agh…drool. Anyway, I was about to ask for the key to another 750 when my dear friend Garrett said, “You really need to ride the 1000.” I hemmed and hawed for a moment and then realized that he was absolutely right.

Mah frayunds! I have seen the light. I love this big honking hellion on wheels. It has unspeakably smooth power delivery and nimble handling. Practically turns like a 600. Muscle from the moment you crack open the throttle and a huge, wide, glorious powerband. Agh agh agh. It is way, way easier and less intimidating to ride than I expected. Plus there are all these cool hand controls for the instrument panel and the A-B-C mode selector so it’s kind of like being a pilot without the radio gear or the jumpsuit or the plane. But very close.

HOWEVER, after much deliberation upon the matter, I am not trading in my 750. First, because I love her to pieces. Second, because I still don’t need all the power of the 1000 and, frankly, I’d rather keep working on my skills on a bike that’s less likely to scare the guano out of me when I get on the gas mid-corner. Mostly, though, I like the idea of riding a smaller bike really well instead of doing just okay on a flagship machine.

So, when my 750's done, big G goes back to the lineup. At least I know how it feels. Agh agh.