Heading for the track
I’m aware that there’s always a honeymoon period when you get a new bike, but how long does it last? I’m asking because I’ve been heading into my garage pretty much daily since it arrived simply to stare at the R7, resplendent in the famous Speed Block livery, in this case harking back to the factory YZR500 GP bike from 1978.
It’s a special edition paintjob to celebrate 60 years of grand prix racing, costs £300 extra, and transforms the R7 from a decent-looking supersport into a knee-wobblingly beautiful machine, if you ask me.
But don’t worry, I’ve not just been looking at it: I’ve been out on the road covering decent miles too, and the bike’s appeal is only growing.
That’s because it’s one of the new breed of supersports, akin to the Aprilia RS660 and perhaps the Ducati SuperSport – bikes that aren’t too extreme to use everyday, with middling power figures, sensible price tags and a comfy riding position. Yamaha don’t even sell an R6 for the road in the UK any longer, instead pointing that sharp-edged bike at racing and trackdays.
I’ve done a 200-mile day on the road already, which may not
‘I want to ride it around every BSB circuit’
sound much, but I’m still pretty new to this, having only passed my A licence in September 2019. It was my biggest ever day in the saddle. The bike shrugged off that sort of mileage no problem, though. It was slightly odd when a biking neighbour asked if it was electric, though. I hadn’t thought it was that quiet, but maybe the CP2 motor’s bark needs livening up a little…
I’m really pleased to report it’s comfortable, because I’ve got big plans for it. Ever since doing a beginner trackday session with Neevesy last year for a video project, I haven’t stopped thinking about circuit riding. So, with this bike’s motorsport heritage front and centre, my mission in 2022 is to try to ride every circuit that BSB visits during a season, working in conjunction with MSVT, Silverstone and Knockhill. The obvious problem is Thruxton, which is the UK’s fastest track but doesn’t hold bike trackdays, so I’m not quite sure how I can make that happen… if you have any ideas, get in touch!
Between all that I’ll be riding it on the road too, of course, to judge what it’s like as an everyday companion. I have plenty of trips lined up, as well as the B-road blasts I enjoy so much around where I live. I can’t wait.