Oh, yes. I am back on two wheels. The first ride wasn't long. Neither was the second. But I was riding and it was my bike. After some worrisome waiting, my bike finally arrived at my home. My first ride was only down to the back of my apartment complex, turn around and come back. You know, make sure it runs, shifts, stops. Those sorts of things. I can already feel a huge difference it the mannerisms of an inline 4 cylinder compared to a v-twin like the Hawk has, but haven't any idea yet how different they are. Unfortunately I couldn't get into her really at all Saturday with other things going on, so it was time just to take it to a safer place. For now, she is staying in my parents garage.

I get to explore her more on the ride over to mom and dad's house. The tachometer says redline is just past 11,000 rpm as opposed to the 8,500 rpm I was used to with the Hawk. Cruising at 4-5,000 rpm's, you can't just twist the throttle and scoot outta there like you could with the Hawk. The low end grunt just isn't there. But when the revs spin up to 7 or 8,000, you can really feel the extra horsepower the fizzer has buried underneath all that plastic. Yeah, this is a different animal, for sure. And this animal absolutely screams through the powerband. The Vance & Hines exhaust note is piercing upwards of 5,000 rpm. It appears the 1992 edition of the FZR600 has around 75 hp, which is 30 more ponies than any stock Hawk GT. I can only imagine the new 600 sportbikes such as the fizzers newest sibling, the R6, and their 110 horsepower. Those must absolutely go like crazy. Don't even care to imagine what the close to 160 horsepower that their big brother, the R1, feels like under full throttle. Insane!

I have already noticed the more aggressive riding position. The placement of the footpegs a just a bit higher and inched back just slightly. The bars are narrower and a bit lower to grab. I already know those will take a bit getting used to. Have to make sure not to hold my weight up with my arms, or my wrists will be killing me. Not to mention you just can't control the throttle as well if you have all your weight on your hands. Must have that gentle touch, especially when leaned over in a turn. All in all, though, it wasn't uncomfortable at all.

I love the styling of the Hawk. "Naked Aggression" I like to call it. Now here I am on a fully faired sportbike. I love the streetfighter look. Simple than, you say. Tear off the plastics, throw on a headlight, and your well on your way. Well here is where I'm torn. I am digging this bike, even if it is just because it is new to me. I have ideas brewing in my head. Some involving fairings, some not. So I'm torn on the aesthetics side of the argument. Whatever I do, it won't be for a while. So for now, she is what she is, and that's the way she'll stay. Maybe I'll have a better feel for what I want to do after a season of riding.

There is only a few days to get ready for the first group ride of the year. I am hoping to get her out around town a little before this weekend. So I definitely have some stuff to take care of in the next couple of days. Where are all the suspension adjustments at anyways? Yeah, I got work to do.

Whatever you are doing out there, do it safe and have fun doing it.