2 RRs on 9

[Mad Otter]

My friend Bill shot some video on the way up Hiway 9 yesterday out of Saratoga...there were 4 RRs on the ride, a Duc 848, and R1, and a ZX10R...lots of fun.
YouTube - 2 BMW S1000RR riding with Alan up to 4 corners!

[Deans BMW]

Alan, back when I had San Jose BMW in the 70's, I lived in Boulder Creek and Hwy 9 was my commute every day, loved that road. looked like you guys had fun............Sigh.

Was at SJBMW saturday and picked up a new G 650 GS thumper to replace my 650 KLR.

[Mad Otter]

Dean
I'm used to riding that road during the week...since I live in Scotts Valley and work in SJ. Sunday has a few more vehicles and one hell of a lot more bicycles so the pace is correspondingly off a tad. Still fun though...
So why didn't you get the 450?

[Guest24]

He wanted to look like me, Alan.

[Deans BMW]

Alan, I wanted to replace my KLR 650, I have a 2010 R1200 GS on order, did not plan to buy the bike but it was fun to ride and could not pass it up. The R12 GS will replace my 05 R 1200ST. I lived in Scotts Valley with Walt Andrews and Fran Crane when I first bought San Jose, also road Bear Creek from Boulder Creek to 17 a lot.

Alan stay safe and hope to see you next time I am there in about a month or two, 950 miles the short way, 1200 miles the prefered way each way.

[shreddr]

Originally Posted by Mad Otter

My friend Bill shot some video on the way up Hiway 9 yesterday out of Saratoga...there were 4 RRs on the ride, a Duc 848, and R1, and a ZX10R...lots of fun.
YouTube - 2 BMW S1000RR riding with Alan up to 4 corners!

awesome road! i am sure that thing is a blast to ride, and i noticed a few power wheelies, but the sound is so buzzy, it seems very frantic. the throaty roar of the big twin is so much more appealing to me, especially with the proper exhaust

[Mad Otter]

Originally Posted by shreddr

awesome road! i am sure that thing is a blast to ride, and i noticed a few power wheelies, but the sound is so buzzy, it seems very frantic. the throaty roar of the big twin is so much more appealing to me, especially with the proper exhaust

In reality the sound is not buzzy at all...more like a formula 1 "howl". Unfortunately the GoPro camera that was used picks up quite a bit of wind noise that gives it a distorted sound. While I do love the sound of a twin I have to admit the visceral reaction to the RR under acceleration is astonishing. You sense an a pent up rage or anger within...it gets the blood going, believe me.
As for Hiway 9 itself...a great road although this particular day there was an AIDS ride in the area so the bicycle traffic was heavy. I was riding much slower than usual due to the typical situation you run across with cyclists...two abreast, weaving into the lane, and standing on the side of the road with the bike half in the lane. Early weekdays can be tons 'o fun though...there are 3 Carousel-like corners and numerous esses. I tend to give wide berth to the left hand Carousels as quite often an inattentive cager will cross the DY on their way down the mountain. The local Gendarmerie tend to flock to these roads as well...citing motorcyclists for speed infractions (excessive) and reckless demeanor, but almost never the motorists for illegal U-turns in blind corners, pedantic pace while causing quarter mile long lines of vehicles, and driving on the wrong side of the road. Hmmm, a bit like everywhere else I imagine?