Return
to the AllMoto index
The one that got away (so far)
Getting naked with a GTS1000 is just one of many ambitions for GUIDO…
One of the dangerous aspects of writing a story like our Bargains for the Brave feature this ish is that the wallet is likely to be given a serious working over. There are so many motorcycles out there worth owning, and so little time. Okay, so I’m a glutton for punishment, or just a glutton as evil tuning genius Phil Tainton once bluntly put it -- that was after I’d called to see what would happen if we gave Hannibal the Hayabusa a rebore and much bigger pistons. It was only making 209 horses at the back wheel.
Where were we? Oh yes, the risks of doing a story on brave bargains. You see I’ve ridden nearly all of the bikes covered (the MV escaped my clutches), owned three of them (two are still in the shed), and some really do get the collector’s glands working.
As a sucker for big and fast sports tourers, and an admirer of brave attempts to turn a market into something it’s not, in the face of obvious resistance, I’ll admit the GTS1000 Yamaha is still top of my list of lust.
I’ve actually made one or two unsuccessful attempts to buy one over the years and will probably get it together one day. The trick seems to be to find the right bike and the right amount of money to pay for it, all at the same time. It’s a co-ordination thing, which I was never good at.
There’s always hope and a really nice project would be to grab this, the ultimate techno toy of its day, and do what lots of people said it really could use at the time – which is give it more horsepower.
Availability of good aftermarket tuning technology (more science, less guessing) has improved since the bike was released and the prospect of getting bigger horses out of such a high-end machine is far less daunting that is was when it was launched. Custom-built cams, a Power Commander and some judicious work on the breathing should be enough to get it stepping out without ruining the looks or reliability. Despite the allegations, I’m not that greedy -- a lazy 130-ish horses would be enough to make the GTS a thoroughly entertaining gadget to ride.
Of course sorting the chassis could be a challenge. Knowledge on the RADD-derived front end is, I suspect, thin on the ground. The first one I rode handled like a pig, but that was because someone had got a little carried away and cranked up the front suspension damping to max. It was like riding an over-powered surfboard while some bastard belted your wrists with a lump of timber every time you saw a pothole. Once the suspension was backed off (who on earth came up with the theory that hard suspension equals good handling?), it was just fine. However even a good one is going to feel a bit ordinary these days. Maybe.
Now here’s a thought: I read something recently which suggested people don’t so much ride or drive their vehicles, but wear them. And this is a great argument for riding the GTS naked – the bike, not me (no point in scaring the kids). Have you seen one with its clothes off? It’s a seriously weird sight, which the marketing folk at brand Yam dubbed the Omega Concept. It was a time when the industry was big on anything called a concept, though what this one meant is a mystery. Nevertheless it’s an intriguing sight, calculated to leave the rider wondering how the whole thing hangs together. At least it was a refreshing change from the standard bicycle-on-steroids steel job that we’ve been (successfully) living with for decades on more conventional machinery.
One day I’ll get one. But if you’re a keen seller, don’t bother contacting me just yet. I have no money – seven motorcycles (including a sodding classic), two kids, plus an unfortunate addiction to flying Cessnas and Pipers have seen to that, for the moment…
You’re always welcome to get in touch via the palatial Motorcycle Trader offices at locked bag 12, Oakleigh 3166; Or on the wire at guy.allen@traderclassifieds.com.au.
Return to top