Cycle World

CYCLE WORLD

JUNE 2002 VOL. 41 NO. 6

CW 1962 2002 AMERICA'S LEADING MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE

SPECIAL SECTION: 3×3 COMPARISONS

40 Thrust! Honda CBR1100XX vs. Suzuki GSX1300R vs. Kawasaki ZX-12R. —by Mark Hoyer 46 Show of Force Honda CBR954RR vs. Suzuki GSX-R1000 vs. Yamaha YZF-R1. —by Don Canet

pg. 80

52 Fraternal Twins Aprilia RSV Mille R vs. Ducati 998 vs. Honda RC51. —by Mark Cernicky 60 Euro-Cruisers BMW R1200C Phoenix vs. Moto Guzzi California EV vs. Triumph Bonneville America. —by Steve Anderson 66 City Bikes BMW F650CS vs. Ducati Monster 620i.e. vs. Honda Silver Wing. —by Brian Catterson 74 Roost Kings Honda CRF450R vs. Yamaha YZ250 vs. Yamaha YZ250F. —by Jimmy Lewis

pg. 33

pg. 98

FEATURES

80 Screw You West Coast Choppers’ exhibition of speed. —by Mark Hoyer 84 Riding with the James Gang Does coolness rub off? —by John Burns 88 Doing it the Hard Way A smashing Sportster. —by John Ulrich

EVALUATIONS

94 BMW ComforTemp Underwear Super skivvies. 96 Rev-Loc Automatic Clutch Never stall your dirtbike again.

RACE WATCH

98 Hayden, Honda, Horsepower Two cylinders, 200 miles, one winner. —by Kevin Cameron

COLUMNS

12 UP FRONT Daytona, dimming. —by David Edwards 16 LEANINGS A steam-shovel and a piece of earth. —by Peter Egan 18 TDC All in a row. —by Kevin Cameron

DEPARTMENTS

22 Hotshots 28 New Ideas 32 Roundup 92 CW Library 150 Service 159 CW Showcase 170 Slipstream

pg. 84

CYCLE WORLD® (ISSN 0011-4286), (Canadian Business 126018209RT), (Canadian Sales Agreement Number 99147), is published monthly by Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. Inc., 1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY 10001 and at additional mailing offices. Authorized periodicals postage by the Post Office Department, Ottawa, Canada, and for payment in cash. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Cycle World, P.O. Box 53170, Boulder, CO 80322-3170; (850) 6827654; Fax (850) 683-4094. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.