First birthday this weekend for my car.

Can't believe one year has passed so fast. Car has been faultless from day one apart from the expected guzzling of Honda's finest motor oil from time to time. Granted I have done only 8500km in the 12 months, but due to the speed restrictions the number of running hours is substantial. No additional expenses than what I planned for, except a puncture and ridiculous number of S2000 accessories, memoriblia and cleaning products.

The main issue about the car has been me. The thing I have had to do with this car is adapt my driving style. After spending the last 15 years with front wheel drive and turbo's - I have to admit that having normally aspirated 250hp right under your backside has taken a lot of getting used to.

One very basic and obvious conclusion. This car is very fast for the money, those top 3000 rpm's are like warp speed compared to the impulse power below 6k - You only get the real perspective when you match it against something else which you expect to very quick. I don't go out for racing other people - but occasionally you get the chance to stretch the legs on the car. The other week I had to kill an hour before the garage opened for it's service, so I was taking it easy on the mountain road with the early morning sun and the lid down (something similar to buttertubs pass in N. Yorkshire but with different scenery and no sheep). Went past a junction and 6 Jap superbikes (Fireblades etc)- slid in line behind me, I picked up the speed and I was going into the corners fast - but still within my comfort zone. The ninja's were very close behind - the first rider was that close he could have pulled off my radio mast. These bikers were not touring types, as they were all single riders, full leathers and no maps or luggage - they are local lads who sprint up and down these back roads every Sat and Sun morning. The road is too narrow and tight for them to pass on the corners but they would know the road as well as me - a head is a decent straight and perfect opportunity to overtake. The corner preceding the straight I took in 2nd trying to keep it smooth rather than mad max fast. 1st gear would have allowed an earlier VTEC, but I have stopped using 1st after some previous pampers moments under hard acceleration. The road was clear and despite me giving it the full gas I expected the bikes to easily skip by me before the next upcoming lefthander. Hard in VTEC 2nd and the bikes are in hot chase but can't make it past - snick 3rd - keep accelerating for a few seconds more and bikes close behind but no chance to pass now - corner coming up very very quickly - hard and deep into the corner on the brakes, a little bit too hot for the corner as I stayed on the gas longer than I should, car wiggles a touch on entry but quickly settles. After a few more corners I hit the hazards, slowed to the left and waved the bikes through - got a good wave from all of them as they sprinted to their rendezvous- point 2km up the road - to repeat the run they had just made. Maybe they were just as surprised as me that they could not overtake.

Anyway - here is to another year with the S2000 - probably the last one so hopefully will get a lot more km's out of it in the next 12months.

 

Nice post. Poole Bank by any chance?

 

Hey, Kobe

Wow - I was riveted! Roll on Chapter Two! Have you signed a publishing deal yet?

(I may not see your reply for a week BTW - In an hour or so I'm off to do the same thing in the Pyrenees )

PS
My 1st anniversary is 17th July. I can't believe it's gone so fast. I must have been in VTEC all the time