Journalism

Rizla Suzuki Moto GP GSV-R

Vivaldi British Superbike ride

Click here to see Janie's Journalism archive

Rizla Suzuki Moto GP GSV-R

My heart’s pounding, threatening to explode. Adrenalin’s surging through my veins. My throat’s dry, my tongue’s like cardboard and my brain ignites with a nervous fire as the bike erupts with a prehistoric roar. The deafening howl rips through the air and hot anticipation surges through my body. This is it. The ride of my life. The one I’ve been waiting for. I cocked a leg over Rizla Suzuki’s Moto GP GSV-R and took a long, deep breath.

Five laps. That’s all. Five mind-blowing laps. I’d never ridden at Valencia before (Play station doesn’t count!) and the Bridgestone slick tyres were also a new experience for me. And then there’s Chris Vermeulen’s 240 bhp, 220 mph, GSV-R bike. It’s priceless. It’s a piece of history. And I’m about to throw it into the last, long left hander before the start finish straight. Gulp.

My knee kissed the track, fleetingly. Breathe. Don’t crash. Relax. Hold on. Look up. My mind was racing. The track disappeared at warp speed as I tucked in and sneaked though the gears. I catapulted down the straight, hanging on for dear life. Third, fourth . . . . The Pit board flashed past me. Rizla blue uniforms hung over the pit wall. Time to brake. Now!

Chris Vermeulen’s advice managed to find space in my swirling mind. The carbon brakes needed to be much hotter than steel ones in order to work well. I squeezed with the usual two fingers, not knowing how much or how little to give. My speed halved in an instant. Down the gearbox to third, grateful of Chris’ road-shift set up as opposed to the ‘upside-down’ race-shift that his team mate John Hopkins runs, and I’m back on my knee as the GSV-R drives hard to the next turn.

Nothing could’ve prepared me for just how utterly magnificent this ride would be. How does it feel against my road going GSX R1000? It’s extraordinarily easy to ride. Everything feels natural; (once you’ve fought the nerves and pressure of the day) It’s just more honed, more refined and a lot, lot faster. At a healthy pace, it’s kind and unbelievably manageable. The power delivery felt smooth and progressive, but also endless. Did I hold the throttle back to the stop, heck- where’s the stop!

Somehow, I’d expected a peaky power that would scare me witless. But that simply wasn’t the case. . not at journalist speeds anyway. Wind it up to a Moto GP pace and I’m pretty sure it throws off the sheep’s clothing and becomes a wild animal that only a GP rider like Chris can control.

As I pulled into pit lane, I heaved an emotional sigh of relief. I’d managed to keep the GSV-R bubble side up whilst under the watchful eye of the entire Rizla Suzuki team and the world’s press! But I was also disappointed that it was all over so damn fast. I’m the only woman in the world to have ridden this bike and I will never, ever forget the experience, every mind-bending second of it!

Vivaldi British Superbike ride

It was ridiculous. Exactly where in the script did it say “Janie rides British Superbike- cue lashings of torrential rain” It didn’t. It shouldn’t have. But it did, in stupendious proportions.

As if I wasn’t nervous enough. Basically, take my Gixxer Thou’, throw about seventy grand at it, which’ll buy you upgraded suspension, brakes, more power, better cooling, aerodynamics, etc, . . and ta-da, you’ve got one muvver of a bike. A 205bhp Superbike. Gulp!

So when Vivalidi (as in the spuds) offered me a test ride of their BSB bike, I thought it’s rude to say no. I mean, if I won the lottery, and wanted to buy my bike a make-over, this superbike is pretty much the ultimate goal. It’s a road bikes final destination, its nirvana.

“Honestly Janie, you’ll be fine.” Scott Smart grinned. Yeah Scotty, you’re Barry Sheen’s nephew, Paul Smart’s son, I’m Janie. Big difference mate.

Only he was totally right. The team had softened rider Ollie Bridewell’s fuel mapping to accommodate my riding style and ability and the abysmal weather. But tweaks or not, this bike’s power delivery beggared belief. How could something so potentially brutal still be so smooth and manageable?

Before I launch into nonsensical streams of dry mouthed, sweaty palmed gibberish, the bottom line is that in the hands of riders like Scotty, these bikes are total animals. But with me, as long as I kept it between 5 and 10,000 rpm (maximum power is at 13,000) I was literally singing in the rain. Well - shouting really. Very, very loudly.

It was a once in a lifetime ride. Wet or not, I needed to know what the power really felt like. I grabbed a fistful. Bloomin’ Heck! My bum shot back in the seat as the Gixxer lept forwards. I glanced down. No-where near 13,000 revs. S***! The next turn launched itself at me. Huh- already? Change down, or was it up? Oh heck just tip it . . .

The race gearbox is upside down to a regular road bikes, but it didn’t really take too much getting used to. OK, so I went completely the wrong way and sneaked second instead of fourth (on more than one occasion) but hey . .I had a lot on my mind. Lucky me!