21 May 2000

Update 21/05/2000 : A few new upgrades to the site. The major one is the inclusion of a Classifies section.  Been working on it on and off for a month now. You can use this facility to put stuff up for sale or swap for FREE. Quite a few people have asked for it so I hope things work out. Non-Hayabusa related news : I’ve got a new set of computer speakers ! Altec Lansing 45.1 These are very good speakers. About $200 Aust but well worth it considering the competition. Not exactly Hi-Fi quality but excellent for a computer set-up. Superior to shelf systems worth hundreds more. That means more multi-media type inclusions into the site. Which can only be good ! New sound card coming soon too.

This week I had the Hayabusa serviced in attempt to cure the wobble which has appeared with vengeance – it happens only at about 80kph. It is perfectly stable at any other speed – go figure ? Balancing checked and alignment, refilled dampers done, essentially I need a new tyres. The front are still OEM 56Js and rear Azaros. Anyway in the mean time the dealer (Suzuki Territory) has adjusted the suspension to calm the wobbles. In the process they have transformed the handling of the bike. I thought the OEM settings where pretty good, but now the bike really handles. It’s amazing what little changes can do. Details available next week.
Summary of the new handling characteristics : Less effort is needed to lean and turn. There’s more feeling from the front end. Overall handling feels like an overweight GSX-R but with much more power. Instead for the feedback saying, ‘corner too hard and I’ll thump you’, the feedback you get says ‘your cornering skills are not up to scratch’.

Anyway, it’s now even better to ride, the handling is more to my liking and I’m now trying to come to grips with what the bike can actually do. As my friends used describe my cornering on the Hayabusa as graceful – gracefully slow that is. The thing is so easy to spin. Now they think I’m trying to show off. The reality is that I’m not even trying. Same effort for much better results can’t ask for better. Well, at least until the settings anyway.