Guess what I've been up to...

[JetPilot]

Well Tuesday morning get up to find a sms on phone " RING ME ASAP" from Phil. I did this promptly at 6am to find out what the emergency was.
Phil says how would you like to come on a 2 day test ride with 4 others on 5, 2008 600's.... ummm let me think YES
So got 2 days of with both the bosses (work and wife) threw on the leathers and of to meet Phil.
We pick up the bikes up at 9 ish, which were CBR600RR, ZX6, R6, GSXR600, Triumph 675 triple. Got introduced to the fellow riders(Greg, Steve, Ken) and head of down the coast to get away from the rain. Doing this was proving very difficult to do, but nether the less I was having a blast.
At first I was not pushing to hard, but just getting a feel for the bikes. We rotated bikes every 100ks.
Stopped at Berry for a coffee and pie then headed further down. Starting to push the bikes abit now in the wet. Ended up at Bega where at 4 in the arvo most of us where very cold and WET. Phil being the hardcore rider that he is,rode all day in only a t-shirt and leathers with summer gloves... no wet weather gear.
The last hour of the ride into Bega was hard rain and fog, not good to be riding in, but you get this. Still gotta grin from ear to ear.
A call was made and there we stayed the night at the pub. This followed with beers, dinner and discussions on the bikes and there characteristics. Notes where taken for Australian Motorcycle News by Ken with photos of sorts and fuel consumption etc. No shoes where required as we only had the boots to wear and they are soaked. So bear footed it was. All the gear was drying in front of a heater.
Second day up at 7 to get ready for another day in the rain. Heading towards Cooma now and climbing into the mountains. Fark its was getting cold with wet gloves and gear. Still the rain was starting to ease... thank God. Stopped for some photo opportunities and then whats that a dry road. Finally a chance to see what these babies can do.For the next couple of hours was spending chasing Phil and Greg through the mountains at speed. I wont go into it but it was a blast fanging the 600's through the mountains. These bikes don't start working until 10 thou. Greg is one of the fastest road riders I have ever seen, well for 1 or 2 corners then he was gone.
Rollon's were done, and by this time we had gone through Tumut and heading to Gundagai for a late lunch followed by another discussion on the bikes and final preferences. We had to be back In Sydney by 7.30pm at the latest so from there it was Hume all the way home.

So look out for the write up and maybe a few pics of Phil and I.
These 2 days, despite the weather, was the best. Since I can remember I have always want to be a test rider for a Mag.
A big thanks Phil for giving me this opportunity.
Lets hope Mat we kindly let me do it again in the dry.

[Benno]

Awesome work Rod! I think there'll be a few jealous people around here Me included!

So give us the scoop guys, which did you like best and why!

[JetPilot]

Awesome work Rod! I think there'll be a few jealous people around here Me included!

So give us the scoop guys, which did you like best and why!

Maybe you should just read the Mag...when it comes out

[Benno]

I'll do that anyway! So, details!!!!

[Tinman]

Bastard! J/K Nice work mate! so so Jealous

[Mel]

I'll do that anyway! So, details!!!!

Yeah Spill! C'mon Rod... pweeeeeeeese?

[brendanzxr]

You lucky son of a biatch, awesome rod so jealous , you would've been grinning ear from ear, i would. So which one out of the 600 lot did you like best? huh huh?

[Wattie]

utter bastard!!

[Phil]

Even though the weather was, as Ken put it, shisenhousen we had a great time. As Rod said we even got a few dry roads that really changed my opinions on 2 of the bikes that I had'nt been keen on before.

All in all we had fun - but the ZX9 felt like a big comfy sports tourer when we got on to ride back home. The test will be in the issue out in about 3 weeks.

Whilst we only got a small window to really give them a fang it was a great test of their user friendliness and the last 3 1/2 hours on the hume a test of thier mile munching ability. All were fun to ride and had some thing to offer, and if ridden in isolation would be a great bike.

For me three were very close with 2 others a bit behind, but still great bikes if you like that particular look - or tank badge.

Here are a couple of pics.

IMG_0480sml.jpg

[Wattie]

i hate to say it, but that Gixxer looks ace!!

[QLDZX6R]

Tough job mate,some of us get the breaks though Good on you,hope you put in a good word for the Kwaka-even though the Honda's supposed to be the bees knees!

[Phil]

Forgot this one, can I just say that gore tex boots are really great, once the water gets in - it doesnt get out - more than a cup out of each one

[JetPilot]

My choice from top to bottom.
Suzuki, Triumph, Kawasaki, Honda, Yamaha.

To be honest I would be very happy with any one of these bikes if I bought it.
Some just stood out in different areas.

[Six Addict]

ive never met either of you... but i hate you....

i guess it helps to know the right people

[brendanzxr]

i hate to say it, but that Gixxer looks ace!!

Ditto dude , the new gixxer 600 , white one mmmmm.