I took the 800 around Zwartkops circuit on Sunday, and wow, what fun it was! I think the 800 will see to even closer racing than what we had in the BoxerCup.

I am definitely going on a bike diet. Selling the 220 kg 1100, and my 141 kg Suzuki DRZ400E (any buyers?) and replacing them with an 800 and probably a 250, 2 stroke, Husqbanana with a power to weight ratio of about 2 kg per horse power.

With weights of about 200 kg & 105 kg respectively. Will that qualify me for "the biggest looser"? Think I'll have to also get a footups bike with a seating disorder to make up for the loss in weight.

The 800 is extremely user-friendly, feels light and very torquey, and has a reassuring deep bass, throaty purr, similar to that of the ultra reliable boxer engine. The 800 obviously doesn't have the torque or power of the 1100, but in exchange for that one can abuse the throttle without having to worry too much about the back end sliding out before getting the bike upright out of a corner.

With the bike being so light and gentle, rubber consumption is minimised, so one of the greatest costs to racing will be minimised.

The standard front-end, being so soft, obviously takes some getting used to in comparison to the 1100's tele-lever front suspension. I think this also gives one the idea that the brakes aren't as potent as on the 1100, but this is probably just more due to the front-end dive one experiences by slowing for a corner with the 800 as it still brakes hard.

With a little bit of work on the bike, within the allowable and some necessary race mods, this is going to be one awesome bike to race.

You will be able to focus more on other aspects of your racing, in comparison to the 1100, the 800, having a parallel twin layout, mit keine zylinders sticking out on the sides, you will not have to worry about hitting a kerb with a cylinder head when apexing too close for comfort. We still have knees to think of though.

In racing terms, the 800 will definitely be a lot of fun, opening a whole new world of racing to lots of people that have thought about coming racing but were put off by either the boxer engine or the cost involved with most other forms of racing.

Average lap times would probably be very close to the 1100 especially on shorter circuits like Zwartkops and especially on tracks like Polokwane.

Saturday will also see 2 BMW R1200S from Nelspruit racing.