missing it...so...do something about it.....

So for those people who have known me for many a moon, they will know all about the facts about my bike building and the fact that I've basically been a petrol head since the year dot..and recently with the weather and the sound of straight fours opening up their gutz going across the bridge next to the office...I'm missing that feeling of speed that you get on a bike...
Touring for me is a question mark, to me , the only reason you expose yourselve to the elements is for speed...max out adrenalin rush being bounced all over the frikken shop and winding up the throttle and whispering "Warp speed number 9 Mr Sulu" into your full face helmet..
After watching V 4 Victory with Joey (see below) and getting that memory bank opened up regarding the A7, I made a call about a classic Honda RVF400, thinking this would be enough to keep me interested...however, that call, in a wild and wonderful way..landed me with an old fellow coach from my International rugby coaching days and he is an equal petrol head and backs it up with a collection of racing homologation bikes that includes all the classics, RC30,RC45,OW01,GSXRR and as it happens, an old favorite, the Kawasaki ZXR750R(R).Back in the day when I was at my peak of petrol sniffing, this was a bike I would have sold Granny for but at the time the "sleipner" project took that budget.
Well, as we had a chat he suddenly mentioned that he actually had a spare first year K1. You know, usual bits, alloy racing tank, close-ratio box, 39 mm keihin flatslides..and he offered me the bike at a decent price...
In classic fashion, I always end up with something which everybody else finds a pain in the ass on the streets as they're difficult to ride as they're meant for the track, but thats the envelope you wanna break through like chuck in "The Right Stuff"..

Out of the crate they have the following tag;
A Race version (superbike omologation special - "K" model) was also built, but in limited numbers. This was called ZXR750R (or ZX7R in the US). The race version had the same frame as the J models, but it sported 39mm Keihin Flatslide carburettors, full power engine, close ratio gearbox, alloy tank, fully adjustable suspension front and rear, single seat and was 5kg lighter than the J models. Both K1 and K2 have the same spec.

Please note the "full power engine"...
Okay, in standard trim they carry so much excess weight that its a damn shame, but its a great start with the RR features already in place.
Lots to shave off and work on so you eventually get to a compromise with lights;

However, this takes time now that I've sold off all my racing parts...
And despite the fact that the bike is very old now, I'm sure with the specs I'll be happy enough trying to get through the traffic with the tall first gear which means everything under 5000 revs is a hassle..almost a 4 stroke version of my fav old two stroke, the RD350LC without the power valve!

These bikes are classics and here is the first year endurance that was deemed from Fogarty as the most powerful beast he'd ridden:

A must have.....