It's been a while since I've ridden a medium-sized bike. I've been renting and test riding big bikes for a while now, so this is my first mid-size bike in a while. Personally"I think you have to ride it at least once."There are a few domestic bikes that I have been thinking about. For example, the air-cooled 4-cylinder Honda CB, the YAMAHA Serow, and the oil-cooled Suzuki. The SR is one of those bikes.
The single seat was handmade, and the FCR carburetor and Yoshimura muffler were used.My friend's Cafe Custom SR, which I got to see for the first time at the Bonfire Petit Two.I was also inspired by an old colleague who showed me a picture of his SR on Facebook and said, "I used to ride one of these.
Even at a quick glance, you might think, "Isn't this an SR or an FTR? But the suspension is transplanted from the FZR250RR. The engine has been bored up. The rest of the bike is made of Yoshimura and OHLINS parts... Except for the frame, the rest of the bike has been customized and has been ridden from his school days until recently.
Unlike the Ninja 650, which has very few custom parts due to its unpopularity as a reimported model, this bike is full of fun to play with.
As I felt right after I rented it, I could feel the real pleasure of riding a motorcycle just by trudging along the hilly residential streets in my neighborhood. Not only does the big single feel like a beating heart, but the 24 horsepower can also be used for riding around town, and the bike's lightweight body is a boon.
So, here are my impressions. As usual, this is the ramblings of an amateur.
Lovely place.
Here is the official PV of the new SR400, which was recently newly released in response to the EURO emission regulations, but I think the model I rode is basically the same. Like they say in this video."Enjoyment and sensation at everyday speed range"I was able to taste plenty.
With the latest large (and some mid-size) motorcycles, it's difficult to enjoy a feeling that is only possible with a speed range that would be insufficient no matter how many licenses you have."If you like it, you'll love it."I'm not sure if it's a good thing or not.
Power in your hands.
Maximum output: 19(26PS)/6500, maximum torque: 29(2.9kgf-m)/5500. If you simply look at the specs, the SR400 has the same specs as the recent 250cc class, but it's not so slow that it's a problem.
The next day after I rented it, it was so easy to handle that I could twist and turn on the turnpike while revving it to the very edge of the red zone.
And even at that point, the speed was well within the normal range for the turnpike. It's impossible for a liter bike, or even my Ninja 650, to go anywhere near the red zone on public roads (unless you force it in first gear), so in that sense it's a real challenge."The joy of using up"This is a bike that allows you to enjoy your daily life.
Primitive ride quality
Air-cooled single-cylinder without balancer. The product is designed to emphasize the throbbing feeling of the heartbeat, and it also makes you feel like "I'm riding a motorcycle right now! I'm riding a motorcycle now!
With its bias tires and slender frame, it seems a little far from the word "stiffness" when riding, but the light weight of the bike, combined with the feeling of the bike flexing and fluttering through the corners, makes me say, "This is good enough for me. This is enough for me.
Classical appearance
For my generation, this is the shape of the motorcycle we used to scribble in the corner of our notebooks when we were kids.
Weight reduction? What's that? Does it taste good? Whenever you look down at the speedometer while driving, you can see the blue sky reflected in the chrome of the headlight cover.
The speedo and tachometer are analog two-lens gauges, which can be hard to read in an instant if you're used to digital gauges, but this design is the only way to go for this bike.
Even the kill switch is designed to be flawless.
Wide variety of custom parts
Even if you don't like the way it looks, there are plenty of custom parts available to make it look any way you want it to.
It's easy to make the engine over 500cc. It also comes with a main stand as standard equipment, so you can enjoy not only the maintenance but also the customization by attaching and removing parts yourself.
I don't like to see the same cars lined up next to each other at intersections, so I tend to choose minor cars for my four wheels. Spoked wheels are a pain to clean... Even if you think that spoked wheels are too much trouble to clean, Y's gear has cast wheels, and it's a big attraction that you can change the shape of your car into any shape you want (at a lower cost than other cars), whether it's a cafe, bobber, or trucker.
Fuel efficiency is great!
For this rental, I only filled up the tank once just before returning the car. The fuel light came on on the way back on the Tomei Expressway, and the final fuel consumption was about a little less than 30 km per liter.
Hmm? What is it?
High speed cruising is hard.
As I mentioned in yesterday's article, cruising at 90km/h in the left lane is a comfortable range. I can drive in the center lane of the Tomei Expressway, but I'm a little nervous because I'm worried about the driving wind and the acceleration from there. The overtaking lane... It seems a little impossible.
So, as a machine for touring far away from home, it is a little hard for me to get used to medium and large tourers.
Compact size
I guess this is an advantage for some people, but for me, who is 177cm tall (but with short legs), the position is a bit tight. I feel this way with the standard seat, which is so thick, so if I were to get a thinner seat like the Cafe Custom, it would be a car for short distances only.
Step position
This is a problem that can be solved by using a back step, but when you put your foot down when stopping, the step always touches your jeans. It's inevitable that the hem will get dirty.
Slender bias tires feel vulnerable to external disturbances.
This was the biggest disadvantage this time. Of course, there is no problem at all when driving normally, but lately I have been afraid of the ditch roads that I frequently encounter in the mountains....
With the bikes I've ridden in the past, including the Ninja 650, the only time I've felt any real disturbance was when the road was really rough, and it was mainly just a visual scare....
Thanks to this, I was running at a very low speed all the way through the vertical groove corner.
I still think we need cells....
Kickstarting as a ritual is great fun, and I'm sure once you get used to it, you'll always be able to do it easily with one shot, but I'd still like a cell too!...
I wrote in my previous article, "I pushed it to the store because it was just before the return time..." The reason for this is that the small window to check the upper dead center of compression is a little difficult for old eyes.
Once, on the way back from Hakone, I stopped and set my ETC card before getting on the Odashi, but it was a dark place and I couldn't check the small window, so I had a lot of trouble starting the engine.
The reason why there are fewer pictures than usual is because I felt it would be a hassle to kick the engine after stopping the car... In fact, the reason why there are fewer pictures than usual is because I felt it would be a hassle to kick the engine after stopping the car....orz
summary
I thought it was one of those bikes that can be ridden in town for short distances and in the city, where you can enjoy the true joy of riding. Even while riding it."Same flavor as Harley-Davidson's 883..."I've always felt that it was.
It would be great as a second bike if it was a bit bigger and could use both kick and cell... I don't know if it's KAWASAKi W400/650/800 or not...
And the W400 seems to have a kick starter kit as a stock optional part.
However, this bike is also"A list I'd like to borrow again"I would like to ride it again when it gets warmer after the winter.
Even at a quick glance, you might think, "Isn't this an SR or an FTR? But the suspension is transplanted from the FZR250RR. The engine has been bored up. The rest of the bike is made of Yoshimura and OHLINS parts... Except for the frame, the rest of the bike has been customized and has been ridden from his school days until recently.
And even at that point, the speed was well within the normal range for the turnpike. It's impossible for a liter bike, or even my Ninja 650, to go anywhere near the red zone on public roads (unless you force it in first gear), so in that sense it's a real challenge."The joy of using up"This is a bike that allows you to enjoy your daily life.
Weight reduction? What's that? Does it taste good? Whenever you look down at the speedometer while driving, you can see the blue sky reflected in the chrome of the headlight cover.
The speedo and tachometer are analog two-lens gauges, which can be hard to read in an instant if you're used to digital gauges, but this design is the only way to go for this bike.
Even the kill switch is designed to be flawless.
With the bikes I've ridden in the past, including the Ninja 650, the only time I've felt any real disturbance was when the road was really rough, and it was mainly just a visual scare....
The reason why there are fewer pictures than usual is because I felt it would be a hassle to kick the engine after stopping the car... In fact, the reason why there are fewer pictures than usual is because I felt it would be a hassle to kick the engine after stopping the car....orz