Cone Kings

CONE KINGS

Getting a handle on it

Saddle-hopping 13 machines can make your head spin, especially if a skid pad is part of the equation.

To distill handling differences between each bike, we set up a simple course in a parking lot at California Speedway consisting of a 200-foot-diameter skid circle, a coned slalom and a hairpin turnaround. Timed runs began with a rolling start and fed into a counter-clockwise lap of the skid circle before slinging directly into Sector 2-a run down and back through the slalom. The final sector was another complete lap of the circle, this time in the clockwise direction.

While times recorded on many of the bikes were fairly close, there were a few standouts. Such as the long ’n’ low HarleyDavidson, slowest of the 13, but a bike that maneuvers with confidence-inspiring stability. Limited cornering clearance rather than tire grip dictated the Dyna Sport’s speed around the circle and relative to the others, it felt like an 18-wheeler negotiating the tight Uturn at the far end of the slalom. With its wide bar and low center of gravity, though, side-to-side transitions through the slalom cones didn’t require a great deal of muscle.

On the opposite (seat-height) extreme stood the tail-saddle Suzuki V-Strom, KTM 950 and BMW R1200GS. Scribing an arc with its pegs all the way around the circle, the Strom edged out the Beemer there, only to give back that and more through Sector 2. While the Boxer’s heads cleared the deck, its slight falling-in cornering sensation knocked it out of the running. The KTM proved to have the moves and agility of a 7-foot center, but after its skinny front skin threatened to tuck more than once around the circle, a full-court press wasn’t going to fly.

Climbing off the stratospheric KTM makes the Multistrada’s relatively tall saddle feel surprisingly close to earth. Taking to the slalom as if it were Alberto Tomba’s twin, the Ducati flicked sideto-side with an ease no other bike could match, although it also tried to right itself around the circle. While the MV Agusta came brutally close to matching its pasta-mate through the slalom gates, its light, neutral steering, track-bred suspension and high-tucked pipes made easy work of the swing shift in either direction around the circle.

In spite of the Buell having the shortest wheelbase and steepest steering geometry, it falls short in agility and steering neutrality. Muscling the XB through the slalom had it bounding from cone to cone with pogo-stick action. A glance at the chart shows the XB12S and Z1000 nearly mirror one another’s sector times on all counts, but they couldn’t feel more different to ride. The Kawasaki is fairly well planted and has neutral steering, but lacks the cornering clearance offered by the Buell.

The Honda and Yamaha also proved among the heaviest scrapers of the lot. Even with its muffler doing the can-can in Sector 3, the FZ1 put in an admirable performance and showed why it’s one of our very favorite bikes. A frequent meeting of peg feelers and road held the Interceptor back from realizing the full potential suggested by its agile chassis, for dragging the centerstand wasn’t far behind.

While there was also no triumph for the Speed Triple, the Britbike offered a solid, no frills experience through the course.

If you insist on having tactile suspension feedback, the Tuono could be the Twin for you-it’s like running you fingers along the road surface. After attacking the course as though flogging a muscle-bound supermoto bike, I was convinced no machine here would shoot down the Aprilia’s time.

Then the sneaky Huns dove out of the sun, the MZ 1000S strafing the cones with deadly accuracy. As the pilot at the controls, I must admit to having been inspired by its clip-on bars and supersport riding posture. Seems a knee out, roadrace-style, around the skid

circle just felt too natural to be denied.

Don Canet