Quick Picks
QUICK PICKS
Forget the stopwatches, which bikes were liked best?
Yamaha’s R1 is the bike that does the most for me. It may not be as fast as the ZX-10R, but is more usable.
-Claudio Corsetti, Moto Sprint. Italy Editor and track-day instructor with plenty of laps under his belt; age 39
For me, the R1 offers the capabilities of the ZX-10R, but gives more feedback and warning when
nearing its limits. -Markus Lehner, Töff. Switzerland 20-year moto-journalism veteran with 125 and 250cc racing experience in the Swiss Championship; age 44
Kawasaki ZX-636 was the most fun to ride in bistest. With more setup, the ZX-10R could
change my opinion. -Christer Lindholm, Bike. Sweden Three-time German Superbike Champion, competed in World Supersport Championship 2000-01; former Swedish Supersport Champion currently racing Kawasaki ZX6RR;age 37
The GSXR750 offers the right balance between handling and power. The 1000s were too aggres-
sive and difficult to handle, particularly with worn tires.
-Barry Veneman, Kickstart. Holland Raced 500cc GP in 2001 on
Honda NSR500V; Dutch Supersport Champion past two years; age 27
The ZX-10R has the most power, is light and has very good cornering clearance. For me there
is no other choice. -Oriol Fernandez, Motociclismo. Spain Spanish Supersport Champion in 1998, 2000 and 2001; placed third 2003 Spanish Formula Xtreme; currently racing YZF-R1; age 31
The ZX-10R and YZF-R1 are both faster than R1000, bufare no match for the amount
of fun I have riding the Suzuki.
-Kei Nashimoto, Motorcyclist. Japan Top-10 finish Suzuka 8-Hours 1999-2000; competitor AllJapan Superbike Series; age 33
I prefer the YZF-R1, finding it very easy to ride. It’s smooth, comfortable and easy to move around
on, has excellent brakes and good power-it’s the entire package. The weird thing is, I was 2 seconds a lap quicker on the ZX-10R! -Michael Neeves, MCN. England Road Test Editor with Supersport club-racing experience; age 34 Even though the Ducati 749R didn’t do the best lap time, I prefer it to the others because it feels closest to a 125cc GP bike and sounds incredible.
-Gabor Talmacsi, Motor Revu. Hungary Lead rider for Team Semprucci Malaguti; fourth season of
MotoGP 125cc; age 22
I found it easier to explore the YZF-R1 engine’s full capabilities than the ZX’s. -Rafael Paschoalin,
Motociclismo. Brazil Two seasons of club-level roadracing; age 20
Yamaha’s YZF-R1 is the most complete bike available at the moment for someone at my level. It
has a sledgehammer of an engine, yet offers the best combination of brakes, chassis and engine. -Sam Macclachlan, Australian Motorcycle News. Australia Sport Editor with a bit of “proddy bike” racing experience Down Under; age 27
The R1 is very beautiful and is easier to use than the ZX. A normal guy can get more out of the
Yamaha than the other Open-classers. -Nuno Oliveida, Motociclismo. Portugal Racer and last-minute replacement for Editor Alberto Pires, whose wife was expecting; age 29 The Kawasaki ZX-10R is closest to the power, handling and sensations of a real Superbike.
-Marcus Barth, Motorrad. Germany Former German Superbike Champion; currently third in
BMW BoxerCup Series; age 30
I found the Ducati 749R was the easiest bike to ride to my personal limit. It’s a bike that makes me
want to improve, and allowed me to try harder without feeling that I was taking too many risks. -Thomas Baujard, Moto Journal. France Test Editor and recent roadrace convert having competed in a French endurance race; age 26
The Yamaha R6 offers the best balance of handling and power. The way it brakes and goes through
corners I find is more fun than having a bike with 50 horsepower more. -Andreas Bildl, PS. Germany Suzuki Cup since 2000; currently racing German Supersport National Championship; age 40
While not my personal quickest, the Suzuki GSXR750 provided the greatest experience. Here’s
hoping the future holds a lOOOcc bike with the 750’s handling characteristics. -Don Canet, Cycle World. USA Road Test Editor and one of several to test Catalunya’s road the hard way; age 42
