EYE-CANDY... WITH SUBSTANCE We all like a bit of eye-candy, but there needs to be some substance to it, or it can be something of a let-down. So, how do the specs stack up? Well, the fork is a KYB 48mm closed chamber, the shock is a KYB 50, there are Excel rims 21- inch in the front, 18-inch in the rear, Brembo takes care of the braking and clutch, a 9.8l tank gives you a huge amount of ride time and the Akrapovic exhaust provides the sound track.‘ And what is it you hang onto’, you ask? A nice set of Oxia fat bars and grips, the bars themselves are a nice bend and width. Aesthetically, this bike is a stunner, the blue and fluoro yellow works really, really well, and a fluoro bar pad carries that theme through.
The black Excel rims and an awesome-looking LED head light work together to give it all a bit of class. The factory graphics are sweet and carry all the brands associated with the race team. The gauge cluster is a fairly standard unit across the board, nice and easy to use. The flag handguards, skid plate and side-stand are always welcome additions. The airbox is easily accessible for those regular filter changes.
SEAT TIME This is what I’ d been waiting for, and, to be honest, at first I was feeling a bit ho-hum about it. I found the frame small, which for someone of my‘ athletic’ build is a bit offputting. I had one of the boys ask to have a ride, a great opportunity to see if I was right,
32 KIWI RIDER