Joined Oct 2010
1K Posts | 0+
midlands
Just back from the Isle of Man after a series of meetings with our man out there / his clients
"If you fancy borrowing one of my bikes and for me to lead you on a lap of the (37 mile) TT circuit ... bring your kit"
Sigh
"Yes ... ok then ... that sounds good"
I'd never met this guy before ...
He's got 5 x stunning bikes and decided to let me loose on an MV Augusta F4
He was on a Ducati and by **** can he ride!
He told me that out of town there are no speed limits but in town ... there are and you have to be careful ... which is why when we went through Douglas at 85mph in a 30 zone and sped past a lolipop man so close and so fast that his lolly must have spun I was a little "surprised"
Out of town and when I saw him shift his body in readiness for a lh bend and go round with his knee planted on the deck I knew I was out of my depth
Bearing in mind the thing he'd leant me is like a fookin F1 bike and I was already shitting mesen.
Hes fitted and mapped a full titanium race system with no baffles and it sounds like an F16 on steroids ... very addictive ... but the noise confused me for the first 15 mins as at 4ooorpm I thought I must be doing a gerzillion mph = disappointment to see 40-50mph on clock!
Get up to 10,ooo rpm and its a white knuckle experience ... it goes fookin berserk!
Up and onto the mountain part of the circuit and I cannot believe how tight the bends are.
I was going round them at maybe 50 - 70mph ... my host was undertaking me at probably 100 - 120 with his bike almost horizontal ... then dropping back to **** me again.
He has in the past clocked an average speed lap of the TT circuit of "around 100mph" ... which is bloody fast!
Coming out of one 90 degree bend onto a straight bit (where the proper TT bikes hit 190mph) with me tucked an and accelerating nicely past 125mph he once again tore past me and absolutely left me for dead doing what must have been 160mph ... and he went round the soft right hand bend AT THAT SPEED while I sat up and tried to shed speed before Mr Death shook my hand.
Of all the places I've been ... I would most certainly like to live in the Isle of Man.
The climate isn't like the Channel Islands but the peeps are lovely, there are some fabulous hotels, restaurants and bars ... max 20% personal tax. No corporation tax.
And you can ride like a loon without fear of plod.
Having said that ... 4 of his mates have had horrific smashes including one who lost an arm.
Would I buy an MVF4?
No
It's far too difficult to ride and you are so tippy forwards that you feel like you are in the middle of a head-over-heels before even setting off
Silky smooth gear box
Light clutch (uprated maybe cos it really was light)
Stunning brakes
Another huge difference of course was the lack of engine braking
Host commented after "it must be like riding an electric motor after a big V-twin"
He also said "I rode it well" ... so I know he is a big fat liar liar pants on fire!
Has my opionion of TT racers changed?
Yes
I thought I had an iota of an understanding of what must go through their heads
Now I am at a loss ... they are mental ... gods? Yes... mental gods
"If you fancy borrowing one of my bikes and for me to lead you on a lap of the (37 mile) TT circuit ... bring your kit"
Sigh
"Yes ... ok then ... that sounds good"
I'd never met this guy before ...
He's got 5 x stunning bikes and decided to let me loose on an MV Augusta F4
He was on a Ducati and by **** can he ride!
He told me that out of town there are no speed limits but in town ... there are and you have to be careful ... which is why when we went through Douglas at 85mph in a 30 zone and sped past a lolipop man so close and so fast that his lolly must have spun I was a little "surprised"
Out of town and when I saw him shift his body in readiness for a lh bend and go round with his knee planted on the deck I knew I was out of my depth
Bearing in mind the thing he'd leant me is like a fookin F1 bike and I was already shitting mesen.
Hes fitted and mapped a full titanium race system with no baffles and it sounds like an F16 on steroids ... very addictive ... but the noise confused me for the first 15 mins as at 4ooorpm I thought I must be doing a gerzillion mph = disappointment to see 40-50mph on clock!
Get up to 10,ooo rpm and its a white knuckle experience ... it goes fookin berserk!
Up and onto the mountain part of the circuit and I cannot believe how tight the bends are.
I was going round them at maybe 50 - 70mph ... my host was undertaking me at probably 100 - 120 with his bike almost horizontal ... then dropping back to **** me again.
He has in the past clocked an average speed lap of the TT circuit of "around 100mph" ... which is bloody fast!
Coming out of one 90 degree bend onto a straight bit (where the proper TT bikes hit 190mph) with me tucked an and accelerating nicely past 125mph he once again tore past me and absolutely left me for dead doing what must have been 160mph ... and he went round the soft right hand bend AT THAT SPEED while I sat up and tried to shed speed before Mr Death shook my hand.
Of all the places I've been ... I would most certainly like to live in the Isle of Man.
The climate isn't like the Channel Islands but the peeps are lovely, there are some fabulous hotels, restaurants and bars ... max 20% personal tax. No corporation tax.
And you can ride like a loon without fear of plod.
Having said that ... 4 of his mates have had horrific smashes including one who lost an arm.
Would I buy an MVF4?
No
It's far too difficult to ride and you are so tippy forwards that you feel like you are in the middle of a head-over-heels before even setting off
Silky smooth gear box
Light clutch (uprated maybe cos it really was light)
Stunning brakes
Another huge difference of course was the lack of engine braking
Host commented after "it must be like riding an electric motor after a big V-twin"
He also said "I rode it well" ... so I know he is a big fat liar liar pants on fire!
Has my opionion of TT racers changed?
Yes
I thought I had an iota of an understanding of what must go through their heads
Now I am at a loss ... they are mental ... gods? Yes... mental gods
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