Hawks are slow, Hawks are slow

[Maritime]

Ok so all I've read is Hawk's are slow but they handle great. Well handle great was true right away, slow was too but not the right slow. We got ours running ok, was quick but my 79 GL would blow it away 0-60. So I thought it was what it was. I WAS WRONG. just got done a rejet and spring bake on stage 3 hord kit install. After ruining a set of plugs and fixing that I went for a shake down ride. SHIT EATING GRIN! IT is now as quick or quicker from 0-80 as the gl and yes it tops at the Ton but now getting there is soooo fun. Love it more now. Warned my son do not whack open the throttle!

[Talon]

Yep, jet kits really wake the Hawk up.

[bk94si]

Fast and slow are relative terms. My VFR is way faster but the Hawk is plenty fast enough at all legal speeds.

[Maritime]

Fast and slow are relative terms. My VFR is way faster but the Hawk is plenty fast enough at all legal speeds.

yep, it's now fast till I shouldn't be going this fast LOL

[Ziggy]

Think of a Hawk as a Mazda Miata.

[bk94si]

Think of a Hawk as a Mazda Miata.

good analogy!

[bitzz]

I tell people the Hawk is a moped motor in a GP frame. They're NOT fast... but they are so easy to ride, they are confidence inspiring enough that the rider can exercise all their talent. A modern supersport can be intimidating, a Hawk Isn't

[nt650hawk]

Tell that 85 HP Ducati that i beat in 2008

[Talon]

Tell that 85 HP Ducati that i beat in 2008

Exactly. I was thinking there are a bunch of SVs I raced against that would not consider a Hawk slow.

[6]

Tell that 85 HP Ducati that i beat in 2008

hehehe

They are slow compared to modern sport bikes. but still fast enough to be fun. Hop off a newer CBR and onto the hawk and its slow. Hop out of your corolla and it feels like a rocket ship.

I have ridden some damned fast hawks too. behindthetimes 280lb hawk with J.D.'s 90 something hp motor being the apex of that. They are FUN. But the stock ones are awesome just how they are too. Hawk will still smoke your neighbors 5.0 mustang. they are fast, just not bike fast. The bar for bikes is set high.

[Maritime]

All good points and agreed they are way more fun than a bike that can go 200 MPH but can't turn. My son took it out the first time after the tune and came home with the same shit eating grin I did. He loves it now. He's making excuses to go ride now, instead of just going to work or school etc.

[6]

Exactly. I was thinking there are a bunch of SVs I raced against that would not consider a Hawk slow.

I've took down my fair share of sv's as well. Almost all I raced against for years and I have a lot of trophy's as a tribute to the hawk.

But.

I NEVER in my years of hawk racing, pulled an sv Dow the straight.

I could gain on entries, gain mid corner, I can even usually start my drive off earlier and get those generic fucks on exit.. but come into the front straight, by the time we are really rolling, they ALWAYS pulled on me.

Given, I don't have Gino's or JD's or maybe your motor (don't know what you have in there) but I've never passed one on pure contest of power.

But again, that's the fun of racing a hawk. It will let you outride the next guys equipment... If you can.... And damn is it frustrating for them when they pull two bikes on you on the straight and you pass them back by the exit of turn 2.

It's a riders bike.

Imo, an unskilled rider, beginner, street rider on a hawk, vs the same on an sv. The SV will win. Skilled rider on a hawk vs skilled rider on a. Sv, I'll put my $ on the hawk. You gotta be able to use what it has to offer. Anyone can hold it wide open. Trick is, how much of the lap can you keep it there.

[Maritime]

I've took down my fair share of sv's as well. Almost all I raced against for years and I have a lot of trophy's as a tribute to the hawk.

But.

I NEVER in my years of hawk racing, pulled an sv Dow the straight.

I could gain on entries, gain mid corner, I can even usually start my drive off earlier and get those generic fucks on exit.. but come into the front straight, by the time we are really rolling, they ALWAYS pulled on me.

Given, I don't have Gino's or JD's or maybe your motor (don't know what you have in there) but I've never passed one on pure contest of power.

But again, that's the fun of racing a hawk. It will let you outride the next guys equipment... If you can.... And damn is it frustrating for them when they pull two bikes on you on the straight and you pass them back by the exit of turn 2.

It's a riders bike.

Imo, an unskilled rider, beginner, street rider on a hawk, vs the same on an sv. The SV will win. Skilled rider on a hawk vs skilled rider on a. Sv, I'll put my $ on the hawk. You gotta be able to use what it has to offer. Anyone can hold it wide open. Trick is, how much of the lap can you keep it there.

I believe this whole heartedly. I'm able to carve a corner on the Hawk at speeds I'd never get the GL to do, or a dozen other bikes I've owned or ridden. I have an uphill "S" bend on my commute and I have steadily been able to add speed and carve it faster on every ride and yet to get to the limit of the Hawk, It's a 55 MPH road and 35MPH corners and I have done 80MPH so far through it without breaking a sweat or feeling like it's dangerous. I can get 65-70MPH on the GL and it's all I can do to keep the line from the bumps and imperfections in the Chip Seal, Hawk just stays planted and holds the line through the hard right, uphill to the hard left. Coming home it's a hard right downhill to a hard left and same thing. I was Pissed yesterday on my way home when I hit traffic and had cars doing 40 in front of me, I almost turned around to go back and do the turns again but I had to be home and couldn't take the time.

[Talon]

Given, I don't have Gino's or JD's or maybe your motor (don't know what you have in there) but I've never passed one on pure contest of power.

700cc, total loss, running stock carbs. While not able to pass SVs on the straight, I have been able to hold them off provided I got the gearing right. TZ and Honda RS 250s, that's another matter.

[6]

700cc, total loss, running stock carbs. While not able to pass SVs on the straight, I have been able to hold them off provided I got the gearing right. TZ and Honda RS 250s, that's another matter.

The motor we have now is a 700cc total loss. It's stock as can be other than that. The old motor was stock, total loss, just jetting and a pipe.

There where other places left I could find some lap time without opening the wallet, and I have trouble dumping money in a bike when I know there are still changes I can make with my riding that can pay decent dividends.

Plus I just love beating that dude on the $15,000 bike on my $2400 garage built pile. It's possibly the most satisfying feeling ever to show that some things still can not be bought, even these days.