[sub]Oh, boy.[/sub]
Envy
Awwwww YEAH!!!
VROOOOOOOOOM!
Whew!
Just got back from a ride. I chose PCH for my first trip. As expected, it was jammed in Santa Monica. I got some lane-splitting in. Traffic was heavy until about Malibu, but lightened up for the ride through Zuma. I behaved myself because the local constabulary are always on the lookout for sport bikes, but I still broke the speed limit by at least 20 mph. I went to that big rock that sticks out like a tooth and got off the bike for a bit. Traffic was okay on the way back, and I was doing 80 when I saw the CHP. I slowed down to the 55 mph speed limit pretty quickly and passed without being molested.
Traffic came to a stop before Pepperdine University. I split lanes to the major intersection, and saw that traffic was stopped as far as I could see. People coming north were waving and shouting, “Go back!” I took the cue and backtracked to Malibu Canyon Road. I was puttering along at 65 when I came upon the line of cars. That slowed me down until Mulholland. Mulholland was good, and then Topanga Canyon slowed again. The 101 was a parking lot. (More lane splitting.) The 405 was so-so until I got over the Sepulveda Pass, and then it stopped. After riding about 100 miles my ass was getting a bit sore. Lane splitting can be nerve wracking, and moreso on an unfamiliar bike. But I did it anyway. Home safe and sound, I have about 125 miles on the clock.
I really, really like having all that power at the twist of the wrist. (Insert joke about a “swift one off the wrist” here.) I can’t wait to find a cop-free zone to really wring it out! 
I’m sure there’s at least one other person who posts here who has an R1. Any long-time reviews?
Verrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyy nice!!!
Power aside, how do you like the handling compared to the Seca?
Well, it’s the top selling sportsbike (at least where I am) so I’m sure it shouldn’t take long. Anyway, have you got any track days planned?
Turbo Dog: It’s a heavier bike and higher as well. The forks don’t turn as much as the Seca. All that means that it doesn’t maneuver well when you’re pushing it around the parking lot. Handling at speed is different. The Seca is a little pea-shooter that is easy to flick around. Sometimes, just for fun, I swerve around in my lane. I tried this at about 65 mph on the R1 and its handling is much heavier. The seat is about as comfortable as the Seca, but the position takes a little getting used to.
Of course they are totally different machines. The Seca II is a standard class with about 1/3 the horsepower of the R1. It can be fun on twisty roads (and I’ve dragged pegs getting onto freeways), but it’s basically a cheap, fun form of transportation. The R1 is much more serious. I don’t want to push it too hard until I get some new leathers (my current jacket is getting looser, thank the gods and Dr. Atkins) but I don’t have any speed jeans yet. Also, high RPM operation needs to be watched until the 600 mile service.
Anyway, the R1 is heavier and not as easy to flick around (at least not yet). The power is the big thing. The Seca redlines at 9,500 RPM and 6K seems like I’m getting onto the downhill side of the power curve. (Actually, I think torque peaks at about 5,800 – some sort of physics thing.) The R1 is just loafing at 80 mph.
The R1 feels like it’s riding on rails.
Gest: I’m not a racer; I just like the speed, power, and the feel of it.