VTR 1000 F (Firestorm) with Delkevic Stumpies WITH Baffles

[@Blackscorpion1963]

Oh yeah got a nice bark here bro. The micron is 1. too long, and 2. too muffled. We share the same Christian name. I been in to bikes over here in New Zealand since I bought my first; a 1976 Yamaha DT250E at start of '81. By the end of '81 I had gone from the DT250E to a 1977 Honda XR250, to a 1977 Yamaha TT500 and finally to a brand new 1981 Yamaha IT175J...progressed on to a 1979 Honda XR500, then a 1981 Suzuki RM465 motoX - wow that was a really quick bike - I tall geared it [38 rear sprocket and 11-12 front] for high speed off-road gravel riding, fitted a Boyesen power reed to smooth out the insane power-band [it was raced locally] and ran it on expensive Bel-Ray 2 stroke oil - got some great speed, traded it in on a 1987 Suzuki GSX750E my first road bike, what a come down...traded that on a 1979 Suzuki GS1000E, quick bike but engine was loose and used oil, no wonder it was quick. Traded that on a 1986 Yamaha TT600 - missed my thumper. And finally traded that on a 1985 Kawasaki Ninja GPZ750 - my first Kwaka. And while riding it at high speed in April 1990 aged 26, I had my big off, failing to take a corner, slid across the open road at 11.15pm and I slammed in to a farmer's paddock concrete fence post and instantly amputated my left leg at the knee. I was lucky to be found and was never unconscious. 12 hours of surgery. Fractured pelvis, ruptured urethra in penis, nerve damaged too, colostomy formed. Kidneys failed on 4th day in Intensive Care. Ambo trip to another hospital 200km away and placed on kidney dialysis machine. Septicemia [blood poisoning] set in to remaining leg stump and the threat of it entering vital body organs meant a hemipelvectomy operation ensued [complete left leg amputated as well as hip and left side of my pelvis plus left testicle removed] - I ran the hospital's blood bank dry as surgeons rushed to save my life - a fresh blood supply was needed as all the septicemia had to be flushed out. It was during that massive operation I had my near-death experience. By some miracle surgeons obtained a fresh supply and I survived. Spent 14 days in the Intensive Care Unit and my body was receiving the max doses of morphine my body could manage to alleviate the worst pain I'd had in my life. I had wild hallucinations, was totally paranoid and couldn't do a thing about it, sweated profusely, my hair began falling out, you name it - it happened and I experienced it. Frightening doesn't begin to describe it. Forget the movies - I was living my very own horror show. To survive my body ate itself and lost an incredible amount of weight. I was a successful athlete at the time; 5 years riding as a senior road cyclist, triathlete, and marathon runner -my doctors and surgeons believed my high fitness level contributed greatly to my survival. One of my Intensive Care Nurses who was the same age as me attended the hemipelvectomy operation to save my life - and she too like me was/is a Scorpio, our characteristics is we tend to be a bit extreme, described my operation; "I never ever knew the human body could take such trauma...and live to talk about it". I spent 101 days in hospital and came out fitted with a prosthesis. It took me years to adjust to wearing a prosthesis as I had lost so much muscle down the lower left side of my torso. There is no stump. I used elbow crutches for getting about mainly. I returned to the gym to regain muscle strength and endurance. Within ONE year I competed in the same Half Marathon I had as an able-bodied runner, however this as an amputee athlete using crutches on my one good right leg. I finished the 21.1km race in a time around 3 hours 22 minutes. In 1992 - 2 years after my near-death motorcycle accident I completed my first full Marathon on crutches on my one good right leg at the age of 28 in 6 hours 28 minutes. I then researched intensely to discover the world's fastest time for a lower limb amputee over the Marathon. The time was 6 hours 22 minutes. In the 1994 Christchurch Marathon here in New Zealand I finished the 42.2km distance in 5 hours 58 minutes 13 seconds using crutches on my one good right leg. I beat the existing World's Fastest Time by 23 minutes! Later I discovered the original time was for an amputee who wore their artificial leg and used crutches and so had 2 legs! So effectively I was the world's very first lower limb amputee on ONE leg using crutches to compete in a full Marathon - and my time remained unbeaten for ? 19 YEARS! I contacted the Guinness Book Of Records to have my time officially recognized. Now those were the days without email and only physical snail mail existed remember...Guinness Book Of Records wrote back to me and informed me it would cost $500 for my time to be officially recognized/verified. Now I wasn't a sponsored athlete back then and certainly was in any position to be able to afford to pay the expensive $500 fee amount. So I never got my official recognition - and you know what - I have my race certificate verifying my time and as far as I'm concerned that's enough for me. Oh BTW - the amputee who beat my time in 2015 used ergonomic crutches with shock absorbers. The crutches I used never had such technology. The shock absorbers provide an advantage - I know this as I have a set of the crutches now! The technology wasn't around in 1994...But good on the amputee who beat my record as I have always believed records are created to be broken! I completed 6 Half and 6 full Marathons from 1991 to 1998. Such physical exertion though doesn't come without a price. And in 2010 I had my good right leg hip joint replaced. My shoulders, arms, elbows, wrists, and hands are still in great condition. I like to swim and ride my mountain bike for exercise these days. I still love motorcycles though my wife refuses to let me buy one. Ride To Live, Live To Ride. I love photography especially cars, motorcycles, and trucks [I'm a truck & bus mechanic by trade] - if you would like to browse my photo albums of mainly classic, muscle, pony cars & hot rods, and pickups, motorcycles, and trucks on the Flickr website please click here: www.flickr.com/photos/35707376@N00/albums

[@shnarklevonbarkle110]

I've never seen those "stumpies" before. They sound perfect with the baffles. I've been debating whether to get a Superhawk or a tl1000. The suzuki has the allure of a whore who doesn't put out, but just because she won't put out, it doesn't follow that she's any less aluring. The VTR is more forgiving while still providing a heart thumping good time. I'm probably going to go with the VTR1000. Those stumpies might be the deciding factor. They sound incredible!

[@geoffreymandzuk5708]

What...!?