WHAT THE HELL? Get on, start the engine and right away I’ m going“ what the hell?” It feels gutless and there’ s absolutely no sign of any torque at all. It feels initially like a de-tuned 250cc commuter. How wrong can you be? Dead wrong it seems. I pootle up the road, into 2nd, 3rd, all anticipation and joy draining from my soul like being told I need a root canal. Its alriiight, but torque? There bloody isn’ t any. I look at the TFT dash, the red line is at 10 and a half. For a wee single? Hmm … So, I wind some throttle on past 5000rpm and suddenly the stupid appears. And the joy is back. Anything under 3000rpm and it behaves like your maiden aunt, all“ excuse me, I think I might faint”, but twist the throttle, and ready to race appears. The gloom of night turns into bright tropical sunshine in a nano-second, to really mix my metaphors. It becomes an absolute fun-factory, light, nimble as a ballet dancer, and it flies.
Twisting the throttle of this heroic little single past 7k’ s in 4th, I broke the law around Scenic Drive, and then some, plus, as you’ ll soon discover, its got‘ corner-like-a-bastard’ on speed-dial. As far as fun goes, this should be illegal. I stopped and adjusted a few things, dash layout, and found a screen for quick-shifter. I kid you not. Quickshifter? Nuts, not to use that, why was it ever off? Jesus. What a bloody wonder that thing is. Gotta be one of the smoothest, buttery snicking gearchanges up and down, ever, perfect. Hell. I always figured fun was impossible under 650cc on road. I was being enlightened, fast. Yes, it will destroy your equilibrium and turn you back into an instant hoon. Yes, it will ruin your day, because the next corner will beckon and you’ ll be late for the dentist, and, yes, it will take a lot of convincing the wife that you need another bike.“ But it’ s just a little thing – it’ ll take up virtually no room in the garage, you’ ll
KIWI RIDER 53