M696

[eltristo]

I was going to swing by today to check it out, but I was in a hurry when I left work.

[teddy037.2]

That's like putting lipstick on a pig.   

werd. dark is the best color... that way all the rubbish bits kinda blend in, like ninja.

[DRKWNG]

DAMN!!  There sure is a lot of love for this bike on here today. 

So, did anyone go down to see it?

[WillS]

ok, it's white
and here is the big surprise, it runs well stock
very fun
120 mph and loving it
with stopies and joy

[DRKWNG]

How irresponsible of you...   

[eltristo]

As much as I like any of 'em, I like the white.  And the spec numbers are nice...

[MadDuck]

I looked at that 696 today.  Mixed bag to me.  I like the trailing arm, the rear shock set up and the seat. There's kind of a nifty scoop deal right in front & above the horizontal cylinder head. While it does have radial calipers up front there's just something odd about how they designed the casting. Meeh, no points won or lost there really. The bars, mirrors and headlight look a bit like an after thought. What I don't like is the "tank", the exhaust (from exhaust port to the tailpipe end --- although there's a bit of neat plumbing off the rear cylinder) and, what bothered me the most I guess, was the bracketing for the passenger foot pegs. That bit of design & casting is horrible.

By contrast a R6 was sitting across from the 696 and the fit, finish and attention to detail is heads and shoulders better on the Yamaha.

[island_duc]

Another odd thing about the front brakes that I noticed in LA is that there is a short brake line that runs over the front fender, bridging the two calipers.  I wonder what that's for?  It looks totally odd.  The reason why I noticed it was because the one I was looking at had already worked its way loose from its clip, so it was dangling loose.  If it will do that on the showroom floor, I can only imagine the problems that will bring the owner once the bike is actually ridden. 

[MadDuck]

Another odd thing about the front brakes that I noticed in LA is that there is a short brake line that runs over the front fender, bridging the two calipers.  I wonder what that's for?  It looks totally odd.  The reason why I noticed it was because the one I was looking at had already worked its way loose from its clip, so it was dangling loose.  If it will do that on the showroom floor, I can only imagine the problems that will bring the owner once the bike is actually ridden. 

That line exists so that there is hydraulic action for both calipers. The short line over the fender is lighter and simpler than having two separate lines from the master cylinder. It does need to be secure though, you're right. There is a big warning about that  on the Superbikes when you are removing and reinstalling the front wheel.  El Tigre, up in the Bay Area Monsters club crashed his superbike at a track day/ race recently because he severed that line and had no front brake when he needed it. 

[DRKWNG]

El Tigre, up in the Bay Area Monsters club crashed his superbike at a track day/ race recently because he severed that line and had no front brake when he needed it. 

That is sure to bring a nasty end to an otherwise tasty day...

[teddy037.2]

at least he walked away from it... crazy pics of the action, too...