After graduating on the Yamaha,
I picked up a 1984 Suzuki GS750EF, which was basically a predecessor to
the GSX-R's of today. I was attracted to the sporty looks and the power
- which, after coming off of a 50cc enduro, seemed phenomenal. However,
the affair was short-lived as I wanted something a little different and
a bit more up-to-date.
The replacement for the Suzuki
was a 1987 Kawasaki Ninja 750 F1. All black and quicker than the GS750,
I was in love all over again. All this while I was basically riding solo
and just puttering around - my skills were limited and so was the Kawasaki's
dated and worn suspension. I'd almost decided to get her all fixed up when
something awful happened...
I opened up a bike magazine and had my first glimpse of the all new Honda VTR1000F, known as the SuperHawk in the U.S. and the FireStorm in the rest of the world. As is always the case when one falls in love at first sight, the Kawasaki became a distant haze of a memory as I made the necessary arrangements with my financial officer and traded in the black beauty for the red devil with whom I was about to start a new relationship.
And that brings me to the here and
now. The VTR has stolen my heart and done more than it's fair share of
helping me to develop my riding skills. The past year has seen leaps and
bounds in my abilities and introduced me to a whole slew of new friends.
Below is a picture of the wonderful beast and a quick rundown on her specs.
Engine Type: Liquid Cooled 90°, Four-stroke V-twin