Track Day Report - K1200R Tries to Eat Me

BobFV1 · Post by **BobFV1** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 8:56 pm

Hi Gents -

Did the TEAMAZ track day at Firebird International Raceway West Track today. Last time I was on this particular track was for the Keith Code school. I was riding my Yamaha R1 today - I have not dyno'ed the bike but it is a MONSTER. I have Graves velocity stacks, K&N filter, Pilot Powers, Akropovic exhaust - the bike is a beast.

So I lined up for the first hot session with the intermediate group and in front of me was a new K12R! It was a street bike, looked pretty much stock. I did not run against it in the first session, but in the second session, coming in to the 3/8 mile back straightaway I found myself right next to the K1200R as he pulled up next to me after flying through the turn right behind me. I paced him up through about the halfway mark of the straightaway and then rolled the power on and lost him. I can only get about 125-130 MPH on this short straight but he was not able to hang on the top end with the R1.

A little later on in a carousel turn he actually dropped inside of me and passed me in the turn. I was really surprised because my R1 is pretty nimble and I have heard the KR is not, but the rider was very competent and he smoked me in this turn. I must qualify this by adding that I still have a real hard time keeping the back end of the R1 underneath me when running hard in turns so I stay backed off a little bit - I am always able to make up the difference in the straights.

So - those are my completely unscientific and anecdotal observations. I would basically put the difference between the bikes this way - My R1 is a Hooters girl with giant silicone breasts who all the 20 year old guys at the beach swarm around like flies on doggie doo. The K12R is a sleek German beauty with brains and the ability to hold her on against the Hooters girl in the "physical realm".

Ride safe.

PS - You would expect an R1 to beat a K12R in a straight out power contest, but I was impressed at the performance of the bike, particularly in the turns.

Post by **DJ Downunder** » Mon Nov 07, 2005 3:43 pm

Thanks Bob.....so....the K1200R has smaller breasts..............nice..

DJ

BobFV1 · Post by **BobFV1** » Mon Nov 07, 2005 10:55 pm

Ha ha

Yes DJ - this is the female equivalent of the KR:

Post by **new2BMW** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 12:10 am

Yes DJ - this is the female equivalent of the KR:

She is much more aerodynamic than I expected!

Seriously though, I too would have expected the KR to be faster in the straight sections until I read your post. Now that I think about it though, I guess the lower weight and better aerodynamics of the R1 make for better roll-on acceleration.

Curious. What speed were you at when you were pacing him just before opening it up and leaving him behind? What gear were you in?

BobFV1 · Post by **BobFV1** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 8:46 am

new,

He pulled up next to me coming out of the decreasing radius turn 4:

That turn has a tight entry and I usually slow to about 45 in 1st or 2nd gear, then as soon as I get over into the turn, I do the straight in 3rd gear. So this would have been (for me) a third gear roll-on from about 70 to 130.

You know - I am very used to this track and it was this guy's first time out on this bike, so he may have been on the brakes much earlier than me at the end going in to turn 5, but I had the feelig that I left him once I got in to the higher RPM's on my R1.

That is nothing for any KR afficianado to be embarrassed about - the R1 is quite capable up in the higher RPM's. I have a stock 180 HP at the crank, plus mods mentioned in the OP, a 190 rear tire and minimal losses through my chain - the KR has 165 at the crank and looses about 15 in the drive shaft mechanism, plus it's heavier - so flat out on the track I would expect the results I got.

CupOHemlock · Post by **CupOHemlock** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 7:31 pm

Hmm... how long was that straight? I can get up to 140 in a hurry on my K-R

COH (Rich)

BobFV1 · Post by **BobFV1** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 10:53 pm

CupOHemlock wrote:Hmm... how long was that straight? I can get up to 140 in a hurry on my K-R

COH (Rich)

Hemlock - it's about 3/8 mile. By the time you get in to the turn to the point you can roll on the throttle, you are easily 150 feet in to the straight, and of ourse you have to brake for a decreaser at the end - so I don't think you would be able to hit 140 on this little strip - although good on you if you could!