When a new bike comes out and the motoring journalists get their hands on it, they give you the story in the midst of the hype of the excitement. You get to hear about all of the things that the new bike does and how you are able to torque the front wheel off of the road with just a vigorous twist of the throttle. The mere hours that they got to spend on the bike testing all of the high points of the bike that have been touted by the manufacturer are not enough to tell the real story. The thrill of the acceleration, and the editorial flourishes that come with a short-lived summer romance with a motorcycle that sell magazines, get clicks, and entices readers into this endorphine rich love affair.
Fast forward 4 months, 6 months, 8 months. The romance is over. Sure you still grin when you really give her the beans when there is a gap in traffic. When she is all done up after a thorough wash and shine and sits in the driveway giving you that "come hither" look. Most often she has a decent coat of dust on her, and for the most part, she has been relegated to a good MPG-ing, always set to B mode, commuter. Why did the jouros all tell me that my hair would be on fire the whole time I was in the saddle?
Let me tell you. First, they want to be invited back to the next year's product release. Second, it is fun to ride a new bike, no matter what it is, especially if it is someone else's bike and you are riding it for FREE! Third, they want you to read their review, so they spice it up and tell you that you must have the bike and it is the best thing since sliced bread. That is not the exhaustive list, but that is a few reasons.
Enter the "Living with it" review. Undoubtedly, one of the testers will be smitten enough to actually purchase the bike and ride it. Day in. Day out. Really get to know the machine. This is one of the most honest and yet still favorable reviews that I have read about the FZ09. It was performed by TeamZilla's Lead Editor (I know! I thought that they just sold helmets and gear too! I guess they are spreading their wings.), Sean MacDonald.
Here is why you should read it really... It may or may not reference a guy that many of you might be familiar with. I know that I have talked to this guy on several occasions, and he is a great dude! This could be really cool for him as well!
A snippet follows:
TeamZilla said: