Ama ride ride
Grey Hound
I had been sitting on the Yamahaâ??s tail for two laps waiting for the rider to give in on the pressure. Studying his riding style and looking for his weak spot. There is no pressure on me and Iâ??m not even working up a sweet. Itâ??s just cool bananas all along. The engine of the K1200 S never feels stresses and the acceleration is smooth, almost beyond belief but easy to control. The chassis is a masterpiece, the brakes typical of BMWâ??s newest bikes, colossal and never fades.
The R1â??s rider looked nervously and too often in his rear view mirror. Iâ??m sure he did not like what he saw. Bingo I found his weak spot. He is uneasy in the corners, overdo things and hangs like a tail less monkey on the Yamaha. The superb brakes of the S allow me to brake safely much later. Iâ??m pushing him.
The spectators went mad as I close in on number 46, passing him on his outside while power gliding out of the third last sweeper of the last lap while keeping the ref.â??s in the 9 000 rpm power band. I never thought it would be so easy passing the Doctor.
Next comes the flip-flop bend. You flip from upright to right and back to left. Again the long wheelbase of the S is without tricks and a healthy handful of trottle flips the bike back upright down the short straight. So easy. One gear up, two down and then grab the front brake with one finger. Not two like the super bike school masters teach everybody. Looking through the last corner while knowing the Doctor never gives up easily. Close the trottle a bit, hit the apex and open it wide again. Yes I did it!
The whole BMW works team are at the wall and in the spectator stand you see only blue and white flags. The finishing line is just here in front of meâ?¦â?¦.Hey wait! Whatâ??s the marshal doing on a bike in front of me? Why is he wearing his white T-shirt over his leathers? Why is he signalling me to go back to the pits? Noooo you cant do that to meâ?¦NOOOO!â?¦..
Silenceâ?¦darknessâ?¦..slowly I open one eye. The red TV stand-by light looks back coldly and reality hits me between the ears. And reality can hurt.
Backtrack a few months. The 2006 Amid bike Expo at Kaylami where I test rode a K1200 S with Red Devil as pillion still haunts me.
The R1â??s rider looked nervously and too often in his rear view mirror. Iâ??m sure he did not like what he saw. Bingo I found his weak spot. He is uneasy in the corners, overdo things and hangs like a tail less monkey on the Yamaha. The superb brakes of the S allow me to brake safely much later. Iâ??m pushing him.
The spectators went mad as I close in on number 46, passing him on his outside while power gliding out of the third last sweeper of the last lap while keeping the ref.â??s in the 9 000 rpm power band. I never thought it would be so easy passing the Doctor.
Next comes the flip-flop bend. You flip from upright to right and back to left. Again the long wheelbase of the S is without tricks and a healthy handful of trottle flips the bike back upright down the short straight. So easy. One gear up, two down and then grab the front brake with one finger. Not two like the super bike school masters teach everybody. Looking through the last corner while knowing the Doctor never gives up easily. Close the trottle a bit, hit the apex and open it wide again. Yes I did it!
The whole BMW works team are at the wall and in the spectator stand you see only blue and white flags. The finishing line is just here in front of meâ?¦â?¦.Hey wait! Whatâ??s the marshal doing on a bike in front of me? Why is he wearing his white T-shirt over his leathers? Why is he signalling me to go back to the pits? Noooo you cant do that to meâ?¦NOOOO!â?¦..
Silenceâ?¦darknessâ?¦..slowly I open one eye. The red TV stand-by light looks back coldly and reality hits me between the ears. And reality can hurt.
Backtrack a few months. The 2006 Amid bike Expo at Kaylami where I test rode a K1200 S with Red Devil as pillion still haunts me.
