Thanks for asking: What’s ‘mechanical grip’? Should I keep my Aprilia RSV4 standard? Am I too old?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.ค. 2024
- Hello! In today's video:
00:00 - Intro
02:08 - What’s ‘mechanical grip’?
06:35 - Why aren’t there more cruiser tests in MCN?
08:42 - Why’s every review four stars?
12:19 - Best tyre for fast road/odd trackday?
17:45 - Am I too old to be fast?
21:56 - Should I keep my Aprilia RSV4 standard? - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
“Give in to your temptation” - wise words to live by. 👍
When you are older you become much more aware of your mortality, and you also often have others who depend on you to stay alive and 'functional' lol. Your priorities are a tad more complex.
Regarding tyres : to confuse things further, every manufacturer, within a "genre", will have a particular tyre profile, or shape. So perhaps, once you've zoned in on your riding requirements/temp window as neveesy suggested, you could see what kind of turn in response you like, and choose a tyre/profile type accordingly. Eg, pirellis are the sharpest with a distinct V type profile. Some tyres will be a C shape (neutral) , Some a D shape (least aggressive/twitchy). To make things more complicated, you could also match your tyre with your geometry setup to balance it out.
Long story short: get the Michelin Road 6 😅😅😅😅
Great answers and sound advice. 👍
Great questions this week. Good job all around.
Love these videos and met the guy, a gentleman and a scholar.
Monday morning Neevesy video! Hoorah!🎉
Thank you for the great contents.
Hi Neevsey... thanks for much for the content, you should think about launching your own podcast, seriously, could listen for hours.
Now on my question. I have a Ducati Monster 821 which I love to death. Here in the north of Portugal there's not many straights, just twisties which the nice handling Monster is plenty of fun and the 821cc V-twin is plenty of power. With that, I can't stop looking at the Monster 1200S and 1200R with their shiny ohlins suspension.
Considering the bike is more or less the same "chassis wise" compared to my 821 and about same weight, would the 1200S/R would be an improvement in driving fun due to the upgraded suspension? Is a more capable suspension like OEM ohlins provide extra enjoyment on the road or is just exploitable on track?
Yes I could also upgrade my suspension, but to be fair, for the cost of upgrading my 821's suspension, I would get too close fo the price of a 1200S/R that already comes with upgraded suspension, and of course, 1200's will always be more valuable.
(and I'm also no ashamed of saying that for pure shameless vanity reasons, would feel better to have the top of the line model)
I second this a podcast would be a great listen
I’d have to really agree with you in this one. Hated the OEM S22’s but stuck with S22’s when I replaced them on the gen3 MT-09 and not only is the mechanical grip way improved, but the confidence throughout a wider range of temperatures is there. Still don’t trust them in wet, but they still work, and I try not to ride if I know there’s a chance of heavy rain. Also I’m about to turn 39, and got into motorcycling late, but I grew up racing cars and doing extreme sports. So the competitiveness was definitely there. It’s still there, just not in the same way. If I had my current skill but in my mid 20’s I definitely would’ve raced competitively. Hell.. I’d even say if I was where I’m at now was there at the age I started riding. I’d at least have a few years of competitive riding under my belt. I just got too injury prone in my mid 30’s. Makes you think twice before doing something crazy now. And while you don’t remember getting concussions. You remember what life was like before you got them. Concussions and knocking the wind out of myself are good reasons to try not to crash anymore. I’m 2/2 so that’s enough for me. The broken bones and surgery are nothing compared to gasping for air not knowing which way is up with a piercing ringing in your ears. It’s just demoralizing.
Neevesy, you are the best
We love you.
What another week has passed, thanks for the uploads, kills some time while I recover for surgery.
Get well soon, mate 😊👍
Thanks for the comprehensive answer. Sometimes there are concepts that Google can't really help you with, so it's good to hear it from the horse's mouth.
Hey Neevesy, I enjoy these laid-back `Thanks for asking' vids. What are your thoughts on the Yamaha Niken GT? I've been away from riding for 30 years (since my old GPX750) and at 55 want to get out and explore more with a different experience, and not repeat the past too much. I know quite a few reviewers rated the Niken as a fun bike to ride, all be it with a few of them having to swallow their British-bulldog pride while saying so. I'd like to hear your thoughts on the Niken. Thanks, and all the best.
For the guy who was querying the lack of cruiser content... It would help if there were more cruisers being developed and sold.
Honda used to have the VTX range, Kawasaki the VN's, Suzuki the M109 etc. Nowadays its only "premium" brands like Harley, Triumph and BMW that seem to be really pushing this side of the market. It would be great if Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha and Honda could come up with at least one modern cruiser each ( i dont consider the Rebel to be a true cruiser) to return a bit more competition to this market.
Cheers for the answer, much appreciated! Good to get an explanation of the methods you've all used for scoring. I do think you balance out the star rating by the in depth review and the comparison reviews things so in reality this is a problem (I'd guess 70% of bikes are 4 star) that I think MCN does better than anybody else in solving. Bike purchases are weird, because they are almost always an emotional purchase. But I also liken buying a bike to buying a pair of shoes. You might fancy some spangly, Prince style platform boots but if you are going to be hill walking in them not going to work well! MCN still does a great job in helping you work out if you should buy the bike that you want to buy. Even in the comparison tests though, it's often the case that different bikes are better for different things, even when an overall winner is clear. I think instinctively I'd just like to see some difference so you get a clear pecking order, but I accept that it's almost artificial doing that if the bikes are very level. I suggested dividing it by price, but maybe desirability matters more? Otherwise CFMoto would be outselling Ducati. A tough one for sure. Cheers pal.
MN's tyre advice is good sense; match tyres to actual use & weather, not ambition.
Smart jacket Neevesy 😎
To the guy with the RSV4, I've been taking mine to the track for many years. My most important upgrade was related to ride height. If you get fast enough on an RSV4 they can bottom out to great detriment. A 200 series rear tire and adjusting the rear shock up a bit solved the problem for me. Unfortunately I had to bin it at 90 mph to figure that out. After that I would say racing brake pads and rear sets for better writing position. And of course getting your suspension professionally set up at the track is worth its weight and gold.
Brilliant again, I’ll buy the next MCN, I hope the CBR didn’t edge my new RS660, eeek ❤
Hi Neeves, great content as usual and great to see the channel growing. As you were long term Arai customer and recently switch to Shoei, can you advise how they compare with the model you use and why you have changed ? Also do you buy into the market info that a lid has to be replaced every few years ? You have always answered queries on Twitter being a great source of knowledge, Keep up the great work, wishing you big success.
Hey Michael, thanks for another interesting and thought provoking video! I was just thinking, you are on record for your strong views on the state of wind/noise protection from adventure type bikes, and I agree! So which bikes in your experience have given the best protection from the elements? Perhaps you can break it down into A2 friendly, followed by middleweight (one for sporty riders and one touring style) and finally high performance in sporty/touring styles. Keep up the great work!
Great series of videos. Keep it up. Who do you think is or was the best or most influential female racer. From the likes of Tippu Rinni, to Jenny Tinmouth, Maria Cstello etc..
Ian - I would look at the Metzler M9RR tyres, i run them on my 1299 and a mate runs them on his Daytona Moto 2. They heat up so fast and after a few mins they turn really well. I did a trip to the Isle Of Wight and it was a mosoon all day, still we could push on a bit and they feel great. Had super corsas before and they just don't last long.
thanks for answering my question! i binned it on my first test, my first ever crash in leathers ): not giving up though, have two more days scheduled this month alone!
Upwards and onwards! Good luck for your other tests 👍
Crashing is part of it so its good to get the first one out of the way and ease the fear of it happening again. If your not already doing so I highly recommend videoing your laps (see vids on my channel) along with overlaying it with data if you can. This allowed me to analyse my laps to see where I need to improve and along with having a slow ish bike (120bhp bista bike!) has really helped bring my track riding on a few levels. Having confidence in the bike has also really help hence I run decent tires, suspension (re-worked oem) and brakes.
@@dwhxyz yeah im quite lucky, it was a brutal crash and i just walked away from it. sad though because i ruined a good friend's bike in the stupidest way - a marshal had borrowed it and took it out in the group before me, adjusted the brake lever all the way out, and i didn't realise - i usually like it all the way in. i never tested it, just touched them for the first time on my outlap and went flying over the bars. stupidest rookie mistake ever.
I always assumed that, despite the clear independence of MCN from brand influence, you continued with the ridiculous stars out of 5 ranking for your tests, to keep cosy with all the bigwigs. I look at owners' reviews and they're an average, so are more nuanced......apart from owner bias, of course. All of my stats are out of 1,001 to avoid any possible confusion. Your vlogs are great....continue!
Looking forward to reading the review of the super sports.
I downsized from an R1 to a Street Triple in 2010. I must have liked the Street Triple because I kept it for 12 years. Only part-exchanged it last year for an R nineT, which I really enjoyed riding.But want a second bike and fancy a what I would call a Genuine super sports 600.
I want to buy new.
So, when the news came out that Honda is reintroducing the CBR600, I was delighted.
But I did wonder how this would compare to the RS660.
I went from an 07 R1 and 14 Hp4 to a 14 Street triple that I kept for 3 years. Ended up buying 2. Now I'm back on a daytona R
Love your videos! You do an awesome job! My question is that in corners I feel that somehow I have more pressure on my inner foot and are afraid of pushing the bike under me in leaning, I don’t know what I do wrong in my body position to feel so?
Best videos
Big fan of this video series, keep up the fantastic work! A few episodes back you mentioned the use of rear brake to add some stability in cornering. I grew up riding off-road, and because of that I've always used a lot of rear brake when street riding. Is it possible to use too much rear brake as a road rider? Or are there other bad habits associated with rear-brake usage on the road? I've done this since I first started riding sportbikes in the '90s. I currently ride a KTM 1190 Adventure, which is my first bike in all these years to have linked braking, yet I still find myself adding extra rear brake into/through corners to scrub speed or add stability, but maybe this is slowing me down or a bad habit for some reason? I don't do any track riding, so maybe the distinction of being faster or slower is a bit irrelevant, but still curious to know your thoughts on proper rear brake use!
So Mr Neeves when might you be coming to learn about Colombia? It's great climate,spectacular scenery and stunning motorcycling roads,dirt tracks.Great weather all year round and you can dispell a few rumours???
Nice weather all year round
Interesting about the MCN ratings, I think the 5 star rating is great as it leaves a bit of room for external factors, not least the preferences of the potential buyer. I imagine lots of people would go for the bike with the highest rating, and picking a bike that scored 85% over one that scored 84% would be crazy without trying both bikes, but that's probably what would happen. Both bikes getting 4/5 stars is a better approach in my opinion 👍
Anyway, to my question - people (me included) get a bit carried away shaving a few grams, or even kilos, on their road bikes, but I can honestly say I don't really notice the sudden increase in weight when I fill up with petrol (on the road), do you???
Hi Neevesy, thank you for another great vid - I think you’ve really nailed something here with this format! A question for you - my lovely wife bought me a 3 day Almeria trackday for a recent birthday, and I intend to take my pride and joy, a 2019 Fireblade SP, out there for the trip. However I’m a little afraid of getting it wrong and damaging my immaculate bike (I do have a bit of a history with this, having crashed a couple of bikes on track before). Do you have any tips for keeping it shiny side up when riding something that you absolutely must not cartwheeel into the kitty litter?! (your experience of riding Rossi’s M1 springs to mind!)
@iainwhite3476 I’ve switched to Michelin Road 6 tyres on my 2020 Street Triple RS after a few sets of Supercorsas. I worried about them being not sporty enough, but they’re simply superb in dry and wet (but I haven’t done a track day on them yet), and are lasting far far better.
Agree with this, Michelin all the way, the Road tyres made a massive difference for me, much grippier in the cold and wet (which is all the time if you're in the UK!)
Age is a state of mind not gonna give in early to adventure bikes will ride sports bikes until late 50s if still possible
Hi Neeves, would you consider doing your own track training school?
That would be a big operation! I do one-on-one training, though. Check out some of my YT Shorts 👍
Hi Neeveys, Being following your great "channel2 for ages and love all the advice you give out, it's so helpful. I am looking for that unicorn bike! I thought that the Honda Transalp was it, but then Suzuki Brought out the 800 Vstrom RE, with 19" wheels. I would much prefer the Translap with a 19 Alloy wheel, would do you think of changing out the wheel or rims from 21"to 19".
As I will never got off road and feel that the a 19 110/70 is better than a 21 90/90. Your thoughts
Thanks
Best investment is in yourself. No parts will equate to better training.
Now that I'm middle-aged, I'm struggling with worsening knee pain when cornering on the super bike. To compensate , I've started turning my toes inward on the pegs to press the inside knee into the tank, rather than dangling a knee-out towards the pavement. I've noticed that I have better control over the steering with both legs clamped to the bike, but is this bad practice? What's the purpose of putting the knee down....if at extreme lean angles you have to tuck the knee against the bike anyway?
Love these videos Michael. Regarding suspension, I reckon that setting the suspension sag on a bike is the best bang for buck one can do because it can have such a big effect on how a bike handles & feels on the road. Would appreciate your opinion on this.
Hung my one piece Leathers &
Knee Sliders up years ago
Had an NC30 Honda a jewel of An Engine , the Grey Import 400cc/250cc SportsBikes
Bikes were amazing more Tech
Than some Bigger Bikes 14:04
Hey'up Neevesy.
Really enjoying the Q&A format, as it often gives the, "Oh...I'd never realised that" moment.
Since you're a self-confessed tyre nerd, I've a question on tyres and touring.
I'm planning a trip out into the Alps next year and I was wondering what your thoughts were on always putting fresh new rubber on the bike before a big tour, or squeezing out those last 2000+ miles on the existing set, when you'd probably go past the wear marks or even going down to the canvas and having to spend money on a new tyre while abroad? ( ask me how I know!! 🤣)
Best Regards
G
I recommend put fresh new rubber on your bike before your tour. The roads in mountains can be very abrasive, purposely to give tyres more traction given the environment. If your 'old' tyres still have a few thousand miles left in them, keep them, for when your 'new' tyres wear out and have the 'old' pair refitted. Store your 'old' tyres horizontally in a black bin liner out of sunlight.
@@deanmsimpson yes, most of the time I have fresh rubber before I leave for a trip. It usually works out I need the tyres replacing from the previous year of riding.
It's a rhetorical question as there's always a debate on the topic.
Thx
G
@@AManAstray That's fair enough, I understand. Safe travels on your next tour 👍
If you could only have one bike, to do everything, as your only vehicle....what would you choose?
Thanks.
👍
A question please sir! I have a gen 4 S1000RR which I use on road and track (thanks to your recommendation!). I’ve never been brave enough to turn off the TC but I’ve been tempted to on a track day to see what it’s like. Should I?? Also, after 45 years of practice I’m still rubbish at wheelies. If I have the high wheelie set on the bike…will it know not to flip - can it catch itself? I’ve not been brave enough to try!
Hey, can you next time please take my question?
I have been lucky to have nice bikes R1M, R6(Stolen from Canary Wharf), S1000RR sport and now S1000RR M.
How do you keep your bikes safe when you are touring? How do you choose hotels? Do you carry chains? I am so scared even to go to supermarket or any shops on Sunday ride that someone will nick it.
Those "Litelok" look interesting. They're a deterrent.
There's a really good lock that goes on your throttle/brake lever too@@deanmsimpson
Hi Neevesy, Im having the most difficult time fiding a good helmet. Its not only what helmet to choose from, but then theres the matter of will it fit ( i have a wierd head i guess). Im from a small country and tried to go to a big box US motorcycle store and the only helmet that i thought fit correctly and met the safety features that i wanted, started to hurt 30 miinutes after my first ride. Can you recommend a good way to narrow down what type of helmet will be best for you prior to going to theses stores? or is tehre a store somewhere that would be more experienced in helping in getting the correct helmet for your shape, and the features you want? Thank you, Love the videos!
Did you ever get to grips with split throttle bodies on the BMW? Worth doing for racing?
With the price of trackdays , tyres , racing ,through the roof and if you want a new 1000 it’s 20k+ , where do you see this industry in 10 years, surely it can’t go on
Top G 🏁🫡
Should suspension adjustability be a factor when chosing a bike? I’m 183cm and hover around 90kg, depending on the time of year. Is upgrading to aftermarket weight adjusted springs enough to compensate the lack of adjustability?
Right around christmas that number goes up a bit, you know what i mean?😉
I know i am not neevesy but weight is a big factor. I am lucky enough to be around the 70-75kg mark that most manufacturers set as a standard weight so i don’t have your problem specifically. But a change of springs for your weight is a great way to mane the suspension work wonders for you. Much cheaper than buying new forks and rear shock all together, because you might not need a huge span of adjustability if the span is on the money.
(Read ’might not need’)
@@HeyAddieImTojothank you for the reply! Luckily, I don’t ride that much around winter time, especially the hollydays :)
Neevs for president 24’
😄😄👍👍
Will the superbike test you mentioned also come out in video format on TH-cam?
Which one, mate?
@@neevesybikes The one you mentioned in the beginning of this video at 1:05-ish. th-cam.com/video/YQe1Hafy5-M/w-d-xo.html
Ah, the supersport test. It’s in 27 Dec issue of MCN 👍
You have such a humble & pleasant attitude it always makes your vids enjoyable.
You are cleared no mug on a bike BUT i have one question for you
" how many cream eggs can you push up your bum...?"
Three
Did you unwrap them first?
Where can I find this test you speak of between the zx6r, rs660 and triumph
765?
In MCN on 27 December 👍
@@neevesybikes ohhh okay I thought I missed it
Every time Neevesy opens his video with just "hello" instead of his Obi-Wan impression, I'm just a tiny bit disappointed.
☝️ #33 🏍🔥🔥🔥
🎇👆✨️🥇🎨🧿🎯