Retiring the VFR400 NC30 - but just from track days
The NC30 has served us well over the last few years. It was the bike that introduced me to track riding, the first bike I took away to Euro track days and the first bike I got my knee down on.
When I wanted something faster, the 400 then became the bike that Alisa started tracking; first at ladies and novice track days, then to open track days and later to Euro track days.
It's been a great track bike. It's not very powerful, it's not that fast, so there's not too much chance of getting it too badly wrong. It's great in the corners, super nimble and very forgiving. The brakes are great due to upgraded discs and pads and the new Nitron shock and raised rear height has helped with control.
At the same time the front suspension is somewhat overwhelmed (even with heavier springs) as it's old technology. It's also under powered in the straights compared to pretty much everything it shares the track with at most track days.
Now that Alisa is ready to trade up to a bigger bike for the track we are retiring her. But this is also because we like the bike and the constant track days, the loading and unloading into vans, trucks and stills for euro days are slowly taking their toll on what is after all a classic 1989 bike.
So it's retirement for 'the weasel' as we affectionately call her...she weasles her way through the big bikes at the narrow and bendy tracks like Cadwell.
The good news is that we won't be getting rid of her. She's had a thorough clean, a complete service and all new fairing to bring her up to scratch. She will now be reserved for road riding on sunny days.
Thanks for all the track memories, but there's a lot of life left in the old girl yet.
