04-11-2016, 07:44 PM
Got the chance to compare my CB on the track against a Bonneville 800 and a Kawa Z800 (pity it wasn't the W800, a much better matched machine to the others).
The Triumph was interesting; it was faster around the track due to what felt like an easier / quicker turn in - a bit more nimble then. This may have something to do will the expensive Ohlins he's had fitted to the machine. The single front disk couldn't match the CB however, so braking needed to be started earlier. Also, it didn't feel as fast on the straights, despite some other modifications the owner has done (mostly to improve the now excellent low end torque). I'm not a big fan of the Bonneville look, so have no designs on swapping my CB this way.
The Z800 is more of a sit up and beg (which suits me) naked street racer. The owner, a slip of a Vietnamese lad, told me he wasn't impressed with the big mileage comfort - though for the few laps I did on it it was certainly comfy. It felt marginally faster than the CB, though not the 45% or that it has on the CB11. The Z800 has 112BHP I think he said. It didn't feel that must faster, but then I have a pretty loud exhaust on mine which probably makes me _think_ it's going faster. The handling was superior to the CB, at least for zipping around cones and that, with a lovely silky, zippy, sportyness to it. But then that's because it's not a tourer like the other two - the pillion seat is for very small buttocked women (or men), it seems to me.
If you've read this far, then consider answering this question: would Olins (or YPV or one of the other suspension kits) be a waste of money. The Bonny certainly handled better but that may be because it's a Bonny, rather than because of the Olins.
The Triumph was interesting; it was faster around the track due to what felt like an easier / quicker turn in - a bit more nimble then. This may have something to do will the expensive Ohlins he's had fitted to the machine. The single front disk couldn't match the CB however, so braking needed to be started earlier. Also, it didn't feel as fast on the straights, despite some other modifications the owner has done (mostly to improve the now excellent low end torque). I'm not a big fan of the Bonneville look, so have no designs on swapping my CB this way.
The Z800 is more of a sit up and beg (which suits me) naked street racer. The owner, a slip of a Vietnamese lad, told me he wasn't impressed with the big mileage comfort - though for the few laps I did on it it was certainly comfy. It felt marginally faster than the CB, though not the 45% or that it has on the CB11. The Z800 has 112BHP I think he said. It didn't feel that must faster, but then I have a pretty loud exhaust on mine which probably makes me _think_ it's going faster. The handling was superior to the CB, at least for zipping around cones and that, with a lovely silky, zippy, sportyness to it. But then that's because it's not a tourer like the other two - the pillion seat is for very small buttocked women (or men), it seems to me.
If you've read this far, then consider answering this question: would Olins (or YPV or one of the other suspension kits) be a waste of money. The Bonny certainly handled better but that may be because it's a Bonny, rather than because of the Olins.