Hi Will!
First off, thanks for letting me look over your shoulder and ask a bunch of newbie questions during the 2 day school at VIR August 15&16, 2012. I was the guy who was asking about the R&G frame sliders while you were picking a rock out of the fairing and replacing the slider after a crash. Incidentally, I'm in the process of replacing my Yoshi's with R&Gs.
Soooooo, I get home from the school, more in love with my S1000rr than ever after riding your brilliant machines, and I take it for a two mile ride and it just feels terrible! I may be jumping the gun a bit because the tire pressures were off (I usually ride 33F/36R, Metzler K3's but the gauge indicated 33R, didn't even bother checking the front, just assumed a proportionate reduction in PSI) and the bike has been sitting for a few weeks but the steering felt awful.
It seemed like the front tire was concrete and when I would go to countersteer, the handlebars would actually turn (after first feeling like concrete) instead of leaning the bike? Anyway, I'm going to go for a real ride this weekend to verify but in the meantime, it made me curious as to what modifications have been made to the student bikes regarding suspension, steering dampener etc.....? Can you tell me the settings you're using? My bike is still right off the dealer floor stock.....
I am on a mission to make my bike feel exactly like what I rode at CSS!!!!!
Thank you sir!
Ferenc (Fadi)