Power To Burn
POWER TO BURN
Brace yourself for the greatest motorcycles in the world
EVERYTHING ELSE IS CRAP. MANY WILL laud the light and precise handling of 600cc machines, praise the balance of the GSX-R750 and claim that these 1000cc repli-racers are “too much.” Too much for what?
CW COMPARISON
MARK HOYER
These are the best motorcycles in the world. They are all about doing something. Yes, they look cool, sound awesome and can even serve as “transportation,” but what they’re really made to do is combine harder acceleration, quicker turning and shorter stopping than any other two-wheeled devices on Earth.
Which is exactly what they do. Putting these six bikesthe Ducati 999s, Honda CBR1000RR, Kawasaki ZX-10R, MV Agusta F4 1000S, Suzuki GSX-R1000 and Yamaha YZF-R 1-on the track at Infineon Raceway is the dream of a lifetime for any performance-bike enthusiast. Well, it is as long as it doesn’t pour rain for the whole day! Yep, Day 1 was a washout. The sun poked out once or twice and the wind came up, but as soon as there was a glimmer of hope the skies opened up and rain came lashing down again. Track officials (many bike enthusiasts among them) felt for our plight and let us sneak into the next day, with three exclusive half-hour sessions amid a car testing day. It was like six Superpole runs for us. Six bikes, three riders, two bikes per session. Tire-warmers wrapped the Dunlop Qualifiers we mounted to all the bikes so there would be as much stick as possible right from the first lap on each machine-except for those parts of the track where water was running across, that is. Yes, Infineon, and all of Sonoma County, was soaked through from an incredibly wet winter, and water burbled up from the ground between Turns 7 and 8. It was stressful, yet exhilarating, and sadly
totally shotgunned the empirical data-gathering of lap-time comparison due to ever-changing track conditions.
Nonetheless, to the credit of CITs fast guys Canet and Cernicky, their late-afternoon times on fully road-legal streetbikes fitted with DOT tires were less than 10 seconds off the 1:38.1 best lap of Ducati AMA Superbike racer Neil Hodgson, a time he logged during an official test at the track a week later that befell the same wet fate as ours. These things arefast\
While track impressions are important and nothing is more fun than probing the limits of performance in a controlled environment, the headlights, turnsignals and quiet exhaust pipes are on these motorcycles for a reason. Therefore, street testing weighs heavily, because we, like you, log way more street miles than track miles. After concentrated three-rider testing at Infineon, we hit the road in a six-rider group to pile on the miles. And for an extra dose of real-world, we left the Dunlop “control” tires in place, reasoning that if you had to cough up for a set of rubber and hadn’t burned them off at the track, you’d use the rest up on the street. Besides, Big D pitches the Q as a tire made to last longer than a 15-lap national, good for both the street and track. We were impressed, as the tires provided consistent, excellent grip and didn’t require wholesale chassis setup changes.
As we swapped from bike to bike during the street ride, and considered them in the garage at CW HQ (with tapemeasure in hand), it occurred to me that remarkably divergent engineering paths had led to the end result of nearly identical performance. The Ducati’s all-steel trellis frame is a vastly different object than Kawasaki’s twin-spar aluminum piece, while the MV combines cast-aluminum sideplate elements with a gorgeously TIG-welded chromemoly upper. Swingarm lengths vary by about 4.25 inches, from the shortest on the Ducati (which also has the longest wheelbase, thanks to the hard-to-package 90-degree V-Twin) to the longest on the Yamaha. Steering-head lengths (along the stem axis) vary an inch. Offsets differ quite a lot, as do front axle diameters. Just examining the fork axle/brake mounts raises questions: Consider the machined-from-billet, triple-gusseted piece on the Ducati versus the much more delicate-looking cast lowers on the Yamaha versus the old-style mounts on the MV. It all has an effect. But what kind of effect? Certainly the engineers have mastered a lot, done the computer Finite Element Analysis of the designs, but they’re still taking major shots in the dark. As advanced and methodical as it all appearsparticularly on the Japanese side-there is no doubt that intuition and real testing still plays the biggest role. As one of the bigwigs in Ducati’s test department told me years ago, “When we design a new frame, we overbuild it at first. It is very rigid and usually works very well, but is too heavy. Then we start removing some of the tubes from the trellis, sending the test riders out each time until they notice the difference and complain. We put back in the last tubes we took out. The frame is then stiff enough, and also as light as we can reasonably make it.”
So bike building is still an art. Thankfully we don’t have to grapple with the design side, just ride ’em and marvel at what has been accomplished.
Consider attacking a green racetrack with no warm-up on a bunch of 130to 160-hp motorcycles. This was a study in amazing performance made manageable.
“The sketchy conditions and limited track time at Infineon allowed the Honda CBR1000RR to stand out due to its well-mannered nature,” offered Canet. Yes, the Honda was all polish, yet with a newly honed sharper edge. The CBR was subject to a fairly substantial revision this year. It feels like an all-new bike. It revs higher (12,200 vs. 11,650 rpm), weighs much less (finally on par with a 425-pound dry weight, down big time from the 464 we recorded in ’04) and offered a precision and stability equal to any bike here. Honda has proven over decades that it knows how to make a bike steer neutrally. The CBR1000RR stands as one more example. After a bit too much free lever travel, the brakes came in beautifully, with excellent feel and power, while the lack of a slipper clutch wasn’t noticed. It slowed straight and true and was perfectly settled for a brisk, accurate turn-in, even during hard, downhill braking for Turn 4. It didn’t snap down to full lean with the same urgency that the Kawasaki would, and it also didn’t blast out of corners with quite the same mad lunge, but for more riders, its smoothness and predictability are big assets on the track.
Count those also as major assets on the street. At the end of a long day in the (slightly hard) saddle, the Honda was least demanding. Unlike some of the other bikes, using “style” wasn’t necessary on the street to carry a quick pace. Just sit in the saddle, push the handlebars around to corner, and the rider was welcomed with the same neutrality found in fullaggro hang-off mode. Power has real sizzle up top, there is zero driveline lash and the clutch is buttery smooth.
HONDA
CBR1000RR
$11,299
Ups ▲ Honda Electronic Steering Damper means perfectly damped steering at all speeds A More power: All the Rs finally spell Grrrr! A Easy-to-read tach
Downs T Even more Beast please! ▼ V-Five sometime? ▼ Fuel tank splits your legs wide ▼ Worst mileage, shortest range
Guest-tester and former moto-journalist (now real estate mogul) Brent Avis put it well: “The RR is the best streetbike here. There’s a certain quality and refinement that has always been part of Honda’s Open-classers dating back to the CBR900RR. With this latest CBR-RR, never before have I ridden a bike that is so absolutely neutral. I feel as if I could enter a long constant-radius turn, set my lean angle, step right off and the bike would continue right along through the corner.”
All the usual polish but with more edge, the RR feels like a Fully Integrated System.
What a contrast, then, it was to hop on the MV Agusta F4 1000 S 1+1 in all its rorty, hard-edged glory. First off, the “1+1” thing is there because there are passenger accommodations included on this model. But considering the laughably small pad and high passenger footpegs, it really should be “1+ a half.” Okay, none of these bikes are meant for two-up work, so kudos to MV for at least acknowledging you might have to give your crashed buddy a ride back to the pits at a track day.
Anyway, back to the meat of the discussion: While the MV’s 152 hp and 75.5 ft.-lbs of torque is impressively right in line and even slightly better than some of the Japanese competition, throttle response off the bottom was lacking, and pull down low wasn’t quite as strong. This made exiting corners at the track feel a little less precarious, but it felt like you were crawling off slow, second-gear corners.
“This bike is the most work to ride,” offered Canet. “The riding position is the most extreme, putting a lot of weight on your arms. The engine sounds mean and pulls like it sounds, but does have some throttle response hitch when rolling on the gas too quickly at lower revs. Closing the throttle also upset the chassis, feeling more abrupt than the others.”
Considering the non-slipper clutch and electronic antiengine-braking system employed (an air-bleed into cylinder #2), we expected better braking stability than we got, especially considering the MV’s lackluster front binders. The $2IK asking price is a lot of money to be paying to get five-year-old brakes. Other models such as the limited-edition Senna have radial front brakes, so it won’t be long before the customer
MV AGUSTA
F4 l000 S
$21,495
Ups ▲ Gorgeous, plus great tit and finish A Adjustable footpegs A Feels like a racebike
Downs T Drop 40 pounds now, ask the Japanese how! T Like Ducati, needs a redline on the tach ▼ Great finish except for the rubber strip on windscreen edge
gets the trickle down, but for ' now, effort is high and outright power so-so. Everything about the bike feels hard, from the seat to the steering effort to even the lever pull, which makes the bike feel racer-like and totally impractical for the street. But we’re pretty sure if you are nosing around for a high-priced exotic liter bike, you aren’t looking for daily transport. But, damn, this thing is the best-looking rack upon which our bodies have ever been tortured. Okay, so it isn’t that comfortable, but it does feel good to ride. Does that make sense? The overall riding experience, from sound to the admittedly hard edges to the rock-solid stability combine into something that does feel special and strangely pleasurable, even riding to and from your favorite backroad.
“A true Italian Stallion,” surmised Canet. “Not quite as refined as the Japanese mounts, but spirited and soul-stirring."
Of course, spirited and soul-stirring are chewed up and spat out by crushing power and ruthless efficiency. Say hello to the Suzuki GSX-R1000.
“The GSX-R used to be a thrashy racer in a group of more refined street-biased machines,” said Avis. “But now the Suzuki is nearly an equal in its refinement while still offering a bit of an edge to give a little extra zing. I completely clicked with it. The Suzuki isn’t as crazy-fast as the Kawasaki nor as refined as the Honda, but it fills and spreads the gap between the two so well it is just a pleasure to ride. Plush suspension soaks up typical street nastiness, the brakes get things hauled down with a good sense of urgency and feel, while the motor is just solid from top to bottom.”
Peak power was second to that of the Kawasaki, with a torque curve that is an absolute work of art in its linearity. The GSX-R 1000’s 998cc engine also offered the most over-rev. An impressive powerplant.
But where the Honda and Kawasaki offered a perfectly planted, essentially neutral feel, the Suzuki’s ride was a little livelier and slightly less solid-feeling. There also was more vibration from the engine.
SUZUKI
GSX-R1000
$10,999
Ups A Look at that Hayabusa-like quarter-mile time! A Lightest by 10 pounds A Low-price leader A Gear selection indicator
Downs ▼ Non-adjustable steering damper ▼ Soft saddle, yet uncomfortable ▼ What’s that strange pipe thing hanging off the side?
Said Cernicky, “Heavy initial turn-in, but once the GSX-R was decked in the corner, its narrow bars required nearly zero input. I had to ride in the back of the saddle to let the front end do its thing. Though the bike was stable, I had some trouble finishing a few corners at the track-good thing the abundance of manageable power was there to help light up the rear to finish them off. Brakes felt awesome on the street, but I had to squeeze them hard at the track to get the Suzuki slowed.” Street-ride complaints centered on the seat, which for felt plush and comfy when first sat upon, but (butt?) aggravation soon followed.
Because Suzuki has so unerringly followed the philosophy behind the GSX-R, everybody felt immediately at home. The nature of the power and predictability of the chassis lend the big Gixxer a certain feeling of flexibility of line that would help the rider in a racetrack situation. There is a strong character here, informed by 20 years of sporting focus. Road or track, this is an impressive combination of performance elements, with just enough snort to remind you it can do the business.
For a creamy smooth feel on the road, nothing quite matched the Yamaha YZF-R1. Since 1998, the Rl has offered stunning styling and excellent performance. This year, frame and swingarm are revised, and tweaks in the cylinder head were said to improve flow. We expected better at the track, however.
“It felt high in the rear and surprisingly nervous through the bars, yet ran wider than the others out of turns,” said Canet. “The engine felt soft in the lowto middle-rev range, but keep in mind that’s relative to the others in this group. The front brake also lacked the power of the others (MV an exception), requiring notably more effort at the lever.”
On the horsepower front, it might be time for four valves per cylinder. The whole Genesis five-valve thing has been around a long time, but the Rl made the least torque with a peak that came at 10,100 rpm, 1500-revs-plus higher than the other bikes.
“The engine is like a really big R6,” said Avis. “Pretty mellow off the bottom and in the middle, then starts to wail up top. But by that time the other Japanese bikes were gone.”
Dragstrip and top-speed numbers were still impressive thanks to a comparatively easy launch mode and that wailing top-end power, the yellow screamer clicking off sub-10 in the quarter-mile and turning in a 181-mph top speed. But for sheer, overmuscled immediacy, you’ll have to look to other big four-cylinder bikes.
Of course, this is again a relative thing. Out on the road, riders praised the comfort and smoothness of the Rl, plus the
YAMAHA
YZF-R1
$11,599
Ups ▲ Killer styling, great paint A Lightest clutch lever pull A Standard blue/white $300 cheaper A 26,000-mile valve-adjust interval
Downs ▼ More torque, please T Higher-effort brakes than all but MV ▼ Long reach to non-adjustable clutch lever ▼ Steering damper, yes, adjustable no
I excellent mirrors. Steering effort was a little higher than average, but getting into the flow at a brisk street pace let the smooth torque curve and excellent throttle response shine through. The sixspeed gearbox was one of the smoothest and most positive, with a light, easy-pull clutch further adding to the almost luxurious nature of the Rl. As one staffer recently noted, “This is what Lexus would build if it were making motorcycles.”
It’s still a stunner in styling terms, too, and for sheer, crisp badass lines, the Rl might even outdo the MV’s classic gorgeousness. Add that 50th-anniversary bumblebee paint and it has to be the coolest thing going.
In stark contrast to the peaky and smooth, turbine-like nature of the Rl, the Ducati 999s was a study in immediate torque. But as nice as the motor is, the Due is all about chassis. Associate Editor Cemicky, and the rest of us, praised the Triple-Niner for its total unflappability.
“The 999 instills confidence that it can be leaned over as
can over as far as needed,” said Cemicky. “You point the Öhlins-suspended front end where you want to go and the rear just follows obediently. The quickrevving V-Twin power was super-predictable, allowing very early throttle application.’ The Ducati did offer the best chassis feel, and true to Cernicky’s point, one echoed by Canet, tightening line, hitting your apex and an overall racebike-like composure were strong suits here. But for $24K, the suspension better be superior!
Thinking back to the 916, it is funny how awed we all were when it made a full 103 ponies on the dyno. It is just amazing that the Italians have pushed the big V-Twin so far. This 999 made 130 horsepower, with 73 silky ft.-lbs. of torque. (Note to Ducati: While we appreciate the fact that every 999s comes with a track-only ECU and Termignoni 102-db exhaust in the crate, and that you were kind enough to fit them to our test unit, we want fully legal road bikes! You are hereby on double-secret probation.)
At least one tester felt the Due’s Brembo radial brakes were best, but we all were irked by the abrupt rev-limiter and lack of red zone on the tach. Hey, Bologna, you guys have a lot of red paint lying around, just put a tiny bit on the tach...
We all expected the 999 to shine on the track but were quite surprised to find it not that uncomfortable on our winding-road tour. Okay, so much for damning it with faint praise. Have at it, Canet: “No, not a very comfy streetbike. It scored higher than the MV primarily because it places less weight on your arms, and the seat is slightly more accommodating.”
DUCATI
999s
$23,995
▲ Superb chassis ▲ Finely honed and highly polished A The fuel miser of the group A Best trackday-only bike
Downs ▼ Sub-par fit and finish T Harsh rev-limiter ▼ Most expensive T Too-light throttle spring
Adjustable footpegs and the comparatively long reach to the bars helped comfort for tall riders, while a highly polished yet sharply honed nature give the bike an old-money feel. It is surprising, then, to get this comment from Canet: “From the rider’s perspective, the Ducati is the least finished-looking, with gaps between the fairing, headlights and air inlets. Plus the mirrors, like those of the MV, are nearly useless; the stickers should read ‘Objects Appear to be Your Elbows.’ ” But like the famous line from Cannonball Run, “What is behind doesn’t matter!”
KAWASAKI
ZX-10R
$11,199
Ups Ladies and gentleman, 160 horsepower! An excellent streetbike Smooth throttle response
Downs Styling? Uh, teardrop head lights aren't crying just from speed... Tinted lens makes tach hard to read Hard to launch at strip
One thing you won’t see behind you is Green.
This is a kinder, gentler Kawasaki ZX-10R? Holy mother... The brute force of this engine is stunning. There is 160 rear-wheel hp on tap, with 78 foot-pounds of torque. From 5000 rpm, it is all King Kong torque, ready for crushing! While all the fourcylinder bikes would lift the front end in fifth gear at 7000 rpm with only the slight suggestion of a bump in the road, the big Green Machine would do it 2K sooner.
At the track the power was eye-popping, yet throttle response was as clean as could be. Nevertheless, heed the words of Canet: “It was really, really important not to get greedy with the throttle on the Ninja.”
Cernicky, meanwhile and true to style, loved the precision with which he could light the rear up at will.
“Dude, the power was right there!” he exclaimed while making a throttle-cracking motion.
The revised chassis is much more planted than before, while still turning quicker than anything here. The bike feels plush, almost cushy when you first get on at the track, but then it settles in and goes where you want it to when you want it to, quick.
“Overall, the Kawi felt nervous and edgy relative to the
other bikes, but this new version was nothing like the 10RI rode at Infineon two years ago,” said Canet.
Thank the steering damping and revised chassis. The wheelbase is .3-inch longer (still shortest at 55.1 inches), a heavier crank bridles somewhat the awesome power. Nonetheless, Cernicky had wheelie trouble launching the 10 at the strip, which was reflected in the 10.02-second ET. But if you examine the terminal speed of 147 mph, it’s clear that once it was off the line, power is getting thrown down. Canet and Cernicky, both national-level roadracers during their two-wheeled careers, felt that at the track, given setup time and familiarity, the 10R was the weapon of choice.
So, overall, extremely powerful and just controlled enough at the track. That nervousness Canet speaks of is the very directional instability that allows the 10 to turn so well. Brakes were excellent and the slipper clutch a thing of beauty.
How does all this translate to the road?
“What a surprise the big ZX turned out to be on the street,” said Canet. “I didn’t experience any hint of headshake at a fast street pace. Handling was light and precise with a very good feeling of throttle control, and it has my favorite ergonomic layout and saddle for the street.”
“Where the old 1 OR just felt plain wicked, this new version feels much more friendly and tame. It has ‘dual citizenship’: total craziness when you ask for it; mellowness when you don’t,” said Avis, “ft really can trundle along at wanker speeds all day and the steering damper and well-sorted chassis keep life intact no matter your level of sanity or insanity.”
Witness the series of corner-exit black marks left by Cernicky as we ripped up our favorite backroad test loop one last time. No, not for the faint of heart, nor for the inexpert rider, but pull the trigger and hang on!
These ultimate are performance, six amazing motorcycles. “amazing” isn’t But enough. in the battle Which for is what puts the Kawasaki ZX-10R on top of the list and makes it the winner here.
Are there other bikes that are more accessible to more riders and easier to ride on the racetrack for everybody? Yes there are. Count the GSX-R1000 and very much improved
CBR1000RR among them. Performance margins are incredidibly slim between all of these machines, and riding any of them without back-to-back comparison will leave you awed with each liter bike’s competence and unique character. But these motorcycles are about grabbing you by the short-and-curlies, about having the visceral, no-holds-barred kick-ass character that sets them apart from other streetbikes. The ZX-10R has this, plus was equally if not more comfortable on the street than the Honda or Suzuki, and as nicely polished and easy to ride at a sporting pace. While the previous 10R was a savage beast, like a barely legalized racebike, this new one is at the same time less savage, but more beast.
Okay, so everything else isn’t crap, but the liter-class sportbike that brings together all the elements of ultimate performance and mega thrills into one streetable package is the ZX-10R. Ride one and be amazed; it will take you as far as you want to go.. .just don’t get greedy!
