Bike of the Month - June 2011 - Tony V's RF900 'FRED'
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 2:36 pm
Here’s my baby, Fred. She is called Fred because she is Fast and Red. She was donated to me, by a friend, about three years ago.
He had just bought a Ducati ST3 and, along with an older Duc he was re-building, meant that he did not have room for Fred.
His wife had complained, for the umpteenth time, that she couldn’t get the wheelie bin through the garage on collection day so something
had to go. In fairness, he was always Ducati mad so I suppose it made sense to get rid of Fred!
So, out of the Blue, I get a phone call from my mate Al to ask me if I was still saving for a bike and did I want his.
After calling him a few choice names and saying things like, “yes, pull the other, it’s got bells on it” he finally convinced me that his
offer was genuine, and what an offer. At the time, Fred had 18,000 miles on the clock, full service history, 5 months tax and MOT and
after a quick phone call I got a quote for insurance at £77.
I could not believe my luck, so much so, that I called Al back to ask if he was sure he had not made a mistake and he could
retract the offer. He said “she is your bike now Tony, do with her what you want. I loved her but I am happy she is going to a good home”
I later found out that Al had been offered £1000 for her by someone known to him he had declined the offer. We arranged delivery
for that weekend. Al called me on the phone before leaving his house with Fred with instructions to leave my garage open for when he
arrived because it was raining.
He arrived on cue and put Fred straight into the Garage and came in for a cuppa. Trying my hardest not to show undue haste and to
allow Al to enjoy his tea I sat virtually vibrating with anticipation.
After what seemed like a lifetime, we went to the garage so Al could show me around the bike. I could not believe how beautiful she
looked.
She is a 1994 original RF900R on an L plate, in the colour God and Mr Suzuki meant her to be made (sorry guys,
I won’t go there Lol)
I was gob smacked with how good she looked and could hardly wait for my first ride. This was going to be my first ride since
1997, so I was very apprehensive.
It was the next morning when I took her out for her first run, a borrowed helmet and jacket and a pair of jeans, not
the best of protective equipment, but I had to take her out and everything had happened too fast for me to get anything else.
I got across the bike for the first time and was astonished how comfortable she felt. I sparked her up and tweaked the
throttle and suddenly felt very worried, this baby had some serious power, I hope I can handle her.
My plan was to take her for a 10 mile run for petrol, up the road, left at the roundabout onto a dual carriageway
and after about 3 miles round another roundabout and into the garage. All went well and she was filled to the
brim with unleaded. Now, just the reverse to get home again. I pointed her up the dual
carriageway and gave the throttle a bit more blipping and she took off, within seconds I was doing a ton and
within a couple more 120.
I just about shat myself at this point, because Fred just wanted to go, go, go, but I was not ready. Anyway,
common sense won the day and I slowed down to legal speeds and cruised home, the happiest man alive.
The rest is history. I set about doing some mods and after joining the RFOC and meeting you lot, I was a born again biker, but
this time I was older, wiser and had a bit of dosh put aside for the bike I was saving for, which Al’s gift made all the more likely,
But that is the subject of another story once Drac gets desperate for a BOTM again.
Fred has undergone the usual mods, but for the record here they are;
HEL Braided Hoses,
Double Bubble screen,
HID Headlight,
Led Drivers light,
LED Indicators front and rear,
Rear undertray,
Hugger,
GSXR 1000 K7 rear shock,
180 profile tyre, Pirelli Angel ST’s,
Stage 1 dynojet kit,
4 degree ignition advancer,
Iridium Plugs,
K+N air filter,
Wavey discs front and rear,
Tony Archer seat,
Go faster wheel pin stripes,
Motad R race can (Road legal since taking my buffer wheel to it)
Buel 1” drop riders pegs,
Carbon yoke protector,
Bling bar end weights, Suzuki,
15 weight front fork oil (my advice would be to stick with 10 weight)
Diamond mesh infill and front air scoop bling,
Carbon Fender extender.
And what remains is standard Lol.
Thanks for taking the time to read the tale of Fred.
Happy, dry and overall SAFE riding guys.
Tony V.
He had just bought a Ducati ST3 and, along with an older Duc he was re-building, meant that he did not have room for Fred.
His wife had complained, for the umpteenth time, that she couldn’t get the wheelie bin through the garage on collection day so something
had to go. In fairness, he was always Ducati mad so I suppose it made sense to get rid of Fred!
So, out of the Blue, I get a phone call from my mate Al to ask me if I was still saving for a bike and did I want his.
After calling him a few choice names and saying things like, “yes, pull the other, it’s got bells on it” he finally convinced me that his
offer was genuine, and what an offer. At the time, Fred had 18,000 miles on the clock, full service history, 5 months tax and MOT and
after a quick phone call I got a quote for insurance at £77.
I could not believe my luck, so much so, that I called Al back to ask if he was sure he had not made a mistake and he could
retract the offer. He said “she is your bike now Tony, do with her what you want. I loved her but I am happy she is going to a good home”
I later found out that Al had been offered £1000 for her by someone known to him he had declined the offer. We arranged delivery
for that weekend. Al called me on the phone before leaving his house with Fred with instructions to leave my garage open for when he
arrived because it was raining.
He arrived on cue and put Fred straight into the Garage and came in for a cuppa. Trying my hardest not to show undue haste and to
allow Al to enjoy his tea I sat virtually vibrating with anticipation.
After what seemed like a lifetime, we went to the garage so Al could show me around the bike. I could not believe how beautiful she
looked.
She is a 1994 original RF900R on an L plate, in the colour God and Mr Suzuki meant her to be made (sorry guys,
I won’t go there Lol)
I was gob smacked with how good she looked and could hardly wait for my first ride. This was going to be my first ride since
1997, so I was very apprehensive.
It was the next morning when I took her out for her first run, a borrowed helmet and jacket and a pair of jeans, not
the best of protective equipment, but I had to take her out and everything had happened too fast for me to get anything else.
I got across the bike for the first time and was astonished how comfortable she felt. I sparked her up and tweaked the
throttle and suddenly felt very worried, this baby had some serious power, I hope I can handle her.
My plan was to take her for a 10 mile run for petrol, up the road, left at the roundabout onto a dual carriageway
and after about 3 miles round another roundabout and into the garage. All went well and she was filled to the
brim with unleaded. Now, just the reverse to get home again. I pointed her up the dual
carriageway and gave the throttle a bit more blipping and she took off, within seconds I was doing a ton and
within a couple more 120.
I just about shat myself at this point, because Fred just wanted to go, go, go, but I was not ready. Anyway,
common sense won the day and I slowed down to legal speeds and cruised home, the happiest man alive.
The rest is history. I set about doing some mods and after joining the RFOC and meeting you lot, I was a born again biker, but
this time I was older, wiser and had a bit of dosh put aside for the bike I was saving for, which Al’s gift made all the more likely,
But that is the subject of another story once Drac gets desperate for a BOTM again.
Fred has undergone the usual mods, but for the record here they are;
HEL Braided Hoses,
Double Bubble screen,
HID Headlight,
Led Drivers light,
LED Indicators front and rear,
Rear undertray,
Hugger,
GSXR 1000 K7 rear shock,
180 profile tyre, Pirelli Angel ST’s,
Stage 1 dynojet kit,
4 degree ignition advancer,
Iridium Plugs,
K+N air filter,
Wavey discs front and rear,
Tony Archer seat,
Go faster wheel pin stripes,
Motad R race can (Road legal since taking my buffer wheel to it)
Buel 1” drop riders pegs,
Carbon yoke protector,
Bling bar end weights, Suzuki,
15 weight front fork oil (my advice would be to stick with 10 weight)
Diamond mesh infill and front air scoop bling,
Carbon Fender extender.
And what remains is standard Lol.
Thanks for taking the time to read the tale of Fred.
Happy, dry and overall SAFE riding guys.
Tony V.