72 year old "one eyed Jack's" back from SDO with a new 1098

72 year old Former 60'-70's flat track racer, old one eyed Jack Lambert
(only 15% vision in his left eye) Is back from working in Sand Diego
thoughout the summer (high voltage electrician) an brought with him to the
canyon this morning his new black 1098. Jack had all the de-California mods
(new full exhaust, airbox & performance ECU map for more HP) installed. I
knew he'd been riding Mt Palomar near SDO & told us it was prolly the best
road in the USA. His near lack of any chicken strips said he wasn't just
joshing' us.

Jack is kind of special to me because he was right behind me when the deer
T-boned me from the right side of the road and 500 feet to the North of us.
He even asked if he could move my bike out on the flat for me and I nearly
lost it.Along with Jack was Kelly who no-one has seen for awhile on his 06
GSXR-1000 who also witnessed my accident and helped get me to safety along
with his wife.

Also on hand was a new MV Brutalle (looked common except that slanted
headlamp) and new 749 + about 5 other 06-07 GSXR-1000's and a new R1.were
all parked with the same group. Anyway the 1098 cost Jack near $20K after
mods, tax & licence.

I rode to the canyon both Sat & Sunday this weekend but Saturday was pretty
quiet compared to this morning. Sunday I rode out with a DJ on his XL-650
(who was doing the dirt part of Apache trail to lake Roosevelt & back as
well). Also in our group was a new CBR-1000 and an 04-GSXR-600. Once in the
twisties we all got passed by Deven a well known local racer on, get this,
an old Honda Hawk 650. He was obviously in a big hurry.

After B-fast I asked Jack some of his impressions about his new 1098 and he
remarked it was a Spartan track bike with a 1" thick seat pad, He mentioned
a gal asked him about comfort and he replied that if he wanted comfort, a
couch and a fat women was what that was for:) I asked him to start it up
and it sounded wicked but a quick rev on the throttle and I could feel a
relatively strong pulsing vibration (plus dry clutch noise) from the engine
or like a typical Duc liter+ race rep twin.To me it looks like a CBR-1000RR
from the front but sides & rear have a definite Ducati look. Jack had an
RC-51 and still has an 06 GSXR-1000 plus an old 750 Ducati SS.

I asked him how the 1098 compared to his former RC-51 and he just said no
contest.The RC is heavier and down 100cc in displacement but out of
respect, I didn't ask how it compared to his GSXR-1000 because I already
knew the answer to that one based on the July Sport Rider Comparo which
said the 1098 was not even in the same league with the i4 1000's, even with
the extra 100cc and for street bikes the 4's are not so spartan but still
get the job done. One last thing that was impressive about the 1098 was the
factory theft alarm system activated by the key just like newer cages.

--
Bob Nixon, SV-650, Chandler, AZ.

"_Bob_Nixon_" <bilbo.DeleteThis@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:d8bMi.142694$Mu5.100144@newsfe15.phx...

Good Report Bob,
Those Honda Hawk 650's are still fine machines!
How you digging the new SV a week later?


--

Andrew
00 Daytona
00 Speed Triple
71 Kawi H1
05 Kiddo