S'pose I better sign in, having just acquired one of these beasties. I've always wanted one, I came very close to buying one new in 1994, but the dealer was a prime twatwaffle so I bought a Triumph Trophy instead. Lately I'd been thinking about getting a hot "classic" sprotsbike from the early nineties, something that was desirable in my early years of road riding: Fireblade, ZXR750, RGV250, something of that nature. However this RC36 popped up at the right price and in very good condition for its age (a rare thing in NZ where people either neglect them completely or bodge them up with very non-original parts) and I figured a sports-tourer would be more useful than a pure sports bike. These things were no slouch in their day so performance will be more than adequate to keep me amused on the street, I should think. No, it is not a modern bike and the 800 is said to be streets better in terms of handling, but I didn't want a modern bike: I wanted a cheap "classic" I could bond with and keep for a long time. So here it is: a 1996 with 109K km on the clock. It's had an easy life by all accounts, and shouldn't require any major maintenance for a while with many of the less frequent stuff replaced recently. Sorry, crappy phone pic. It hasn't even been washed :lol: Love the V4 sound and the cam gear drive whine!
So I took it for a first spin today on a nearby twisty road. :drinkers: It's got Diablo Stradas that are quite worn, and worn to a funny shape. The DPO had 20 psi in the tyres when I picked it up :crazy:. I need to tweak the hand lever positions a bit; although they are on the alignment marks, they are quite a bit upward rather than in line with my wrists. Adjusted the reach of the levers out a bit for faster access to the goodness, and that made it a bit more responsive. Foot levers are good, but I have to get used to them, I keep finding the side stand tab instead of the gear shift. It was scary at first, peeling in to the corners. This thing is seriously low to the ground compared to my KTM 640!! :lol: I haven't had a road bike for a few years now, and I've got out of the habit. Tip it over and the ground is RIGHT THERE!!! :scared: I've also got to get used to this engine and the way it revs as I found I was only using 4-7,000 rpm. 4 is a bit low, and it can rev a lot higher without me popping in to and back out of a higher gear in short distances between corners. Strangely it seems to labour in the mid-range compared to the 640, and so spends a lot more time revving from the low numbers. Guess I'm just more expert at keeping the 640 on the boil; and more used to it, plain and simple. Despite being quite unsettled on the bumpy roads compared to the long travel WP suspension I'm used to, my inexpertness, and the worn tyres, I was quicker in the slow corners than I am normally. It was fun, and it will be an utter delight once it is set up and I'm up with the play. Let the games begin!
Welcome & enjoy, I just had a friend return from an extended visit of your fine land and it sounds like it would be VFR paradise.
:welcome: to the madness from across the pond Nice ride you got there mate. Remember this bike is not a KTM so be careful
Thanks for the welcomes, fellahs! BTDT already! :redface: At my turnaround point on Satdy I thought I'd pull over and read the sign at the entrance to a 4wd track I haven't ridden. Went to take off again, wheelspin, try again with more throttle, more wheelspin and bit sideways. Yep, the track shoulder wasn't just damp grass but a bog! A bit of finesse with the clutch and we were outta there though. Like all my road bikes this thing will end up doing many a gravel road, I just gotta remember to keep it on the hard base.
