Why did you quit riding bikes?
I quit riding bikes as I moved to the US in 2007.
My last bike was a 1994 FZR 1000 (don't let the age fool you).
1070 ccm cylinder upgrade, 6-speed transmission from the 750, shorter and wider swing arm from the 750, nice upside down front shocks with WP progressive springs, rear twin action oehlins dual shocks (gas and oil), adjustable height with some illegal bones (I had it higher when I was at the race track), Scott oiler, free floating brembo brakes front with 4-piston calipers from the 0W01 (enthusiasts will know), Ceramic brakes, ceramic race clutch with aluminum cage (the normal clutch was not capable to handle the torque and slipped a lot while upshifting without pressing the clutch), custom made foot armatures (buddy of mine made them), Eagle Mach 1 race exhaust with EXUP delete, dynojet stage 2, Full set of Armin- Schwarz Bearings (The guy supporting YAMAHA Race team and the first bike having the bearings in was the OW01). The set was transmission, motor, piston, rod, swingarm and wheel bearings- was alone ~$4000, and some other minor things- total value of the upgrades was about $25000. I had measured 164hp at the rear wheel and max speed with original sprockets was about 283 km/ph (real- not per speedometer)- measured at Hockenheim Ring finish lane, 0-60 with short sprockets close to 2 seconds.
I kinda loved the bike, especially because it had carburetors- if you ever felt the difference, you know, why I prefer carburetors over injection on a bike. One of the big reasons is, that the newer bikes reduce electronically the power, as they would simply start spinning the rear wheel- problem- you as rider have no influence on this- and what I noticed- it makes you slow out of the curves ;-)
The reason I had to sell it (I basically gave it away, because I had only one month to get rid of everything), I called SC DOT and they told me some horror stories about emission and conformity papers, which would had been a tremendous runaround and lots of cost- just the emission conformity papers would had been already $2500. It was simply too expensive.
As I came here and it was already too late, I've seen, what's driving around here and my first thought was: yeah- emissions are your concern... My bike was adjusted with o2 sensors and all.
If I would had known, what I know today, I would had brought it here, would had bought a US- Frame and simply installed my bike in it.
I don't know why, but I never bought another bike.
Right now, after buying some land and building a house, still not finished, I would not have the money for it- as I always started to improve the "situation" with some expensive upgrades.
I miss it, though...
