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Crossplane or 180? Inline or Vee? Two Cylinders or Four? It's time to make some crank calls, as we take our select group of liter bikes and search for the fastest, easiest-to-ride superbike for the street and track

JOHN BURNS

WELL, THIS ONE’S GOT THE BEST WIND PROTECTION, you think to yourself as you get back to full throttle and steer with tail wagging to the edge of the exit and then some, up on the rumble strips bumbabumbawhumba, then rotate slip-and-stickily back to the next tight apex with the brakes mashed hard, before tearing off another clumsy chunk of throttle meat—spin, chortle, repeat... Well, this is fun, but something’s missing.

So stable, so non-threatening, so easy, really... Then the nice Miller Motorsports Park attendants take the Mustang GT away from you and it’s time to ride the motorcycles again. Right, two wheels...

Honestly, nothing makes you appreciate how fast this latest crop of superbikes is like a few laps in a sporty automobile. Corners that approach like old age in the Mustang roar up to your puckered kisser on the BMW S1000RR like the Grim Reaper’s ex-wife seeking a check. I am sorry for that thing I did again this morning, Jesus.

You know not to stab the front brake lever but your fingers stage a coup, only to have the BMW slow so straight and true you realize you could’ve kept the gas on much farther. Or applied the brakes way more gradually. The correct answer is C, both of those. At the end of the straight where you keep scaring your digits, the BMW is just at the top of second gear, something like 115 mph, not all that fast and yet... The press materials make no mention of the afterburner that comes in at 10,000 rpm, part of the BMW Digit Abductor System.

Why are we here anyway? We’re here because the World Superbike-approved Miller Motorsports Park was there. And to solve one of the day’s most pressing issues: Which Openclass sportbike layout is the right one for 2010? On the track, on the street, in the garage? Twin, Triple or Four? This was our Theme, until we remembered there are no liter Triples. So we settled for two Twins, a V-Four and three inline-Fours, one of

which sort of sounds like a Triple if you squint your ears.

Last month’s MasterBike story showed that in all-out track battle, the S1000RR was a decisive winner. We culled this month’s group of liter-class sportbikes based on the peculiar engineering qualities of each to see which was the best allrounder and easiest to ride at the limit.

The KTM RC8R and Ducati 1198R Corse are two distinct takes on the supersport Twin. Honda’s CBR1000RR is the classic killer Japanese inline-Four with 180-degree crank— this one with Combined-ABS for good measure (see “RiderAid Revolution,” pg. 52). Rhythmic counterpoint to the CBR’s Four is Yamaha’s new-think YZF-R1, its crossplane 90-degree crank said to improve traction at the most critical moment—on the gas and exiting corners. Aprilia brings a new take on the V-Four superbike and, of course, BMW’s S1000RR goes after the Japanese juggernaut head-on, with a 180-degree crank, huge power and the most complete electronic rider-aid package ever. To the road! And track...

Miller Motorsports Park, East Loop: (Almost) Purely Objective

Miller Motorsports Park, East Loop: (Almost) Purely Objective

4 4r"T,he 2.24-mile East Course is a highly techX nical challenge suited to lower-powered, better-handling cars and motorcycles,” says the Miller website. “The 2.24-mile East Course has as many as seven major overtaking areas and 14 corners, including the three-turn esses, which have significant elevation change. The feature corner on the East Course is the final turn, a 50foot-wide, nine-degree banked sweeper that leads onto the main straight. It is designed to create last-minute overtaking challenges before the race to the finish line.”

And it’s all designed to separate the men from the chickens. The difference between fast and slow is that while the slow are aghast at how rapidly that next “aiming” cone is getting here (stab the BRAKES!!), the fast are passing them like they’re standing still and contemplating the stiffness of this particular bike’s throttle return spring as it relates to the shape of its throttle opening cam. Luckily, in this beautiful zoo of motorcycling where we’re so munificently kept, there’s a place for all God’s creatures slow and fast (the faster creatures don’t much like to type). In no particular order...

KTM RC8R

Suspense killing you? The KTM RC8R is the bike with the really light throttlereturn spring, which can be mistaken for abruptness. In fact, engine response is only abrupt when your hand is. Smooth is a good thing on the track, and all the fast guys gave the KTM’s 75-degree V-Twin high marks for its prowess. Our fastest creature on the day, Associate Editor Mark Cernicky, went third-quickest on the orange bike. And back-by-popular-demand Contributing Editor Nick Ienatsch (who teaches the Yamaha Champions Riding School at Miller) notes: “The KTM’s power and mapping are very manageable, which makes it easy to feel the rear tire.” And its Twin pulsation and lower output of 151.5 horsepower meant that tire lasted a good long time (the BMW’s was definitely more used by day’s end).

The whole bike instills confidence when you’re on the gas. Linear-steering and nicely balanced fore-to-aft, the chassis has a great feel, while the

engine makes excellent low-end and midrange power that allowed Cernicky a choice of gears in various places. Everybody liked the KTM’s more upright ergos (but some complained about a slightly funky bar angle). What’s missing here is the kind of explosive top-end steam that would’ve allowed the RC8R to make up the missing 1.8 seconds that separate it from the track winner. Some of us like that about it. Best time for Cernicky: 1:41.11. Under our designated medium-fast guy, Senior Editor Blake Conner, the KTM ran 1:50.19. (Say, that’s only like 5 seconds faster than AARP-card wielding me, who, once returned to form, will be drinking the Blake milkshake. Stay tuned. And stand well clear...)

BMW S1000RR

Speaking of throttle-return springs, the one on the BMW is the stiffest, as well it should be; you don’t want to be whacking this one open willy-nilly, as its 176.3 horses (a few ticks behind last month’s reading) are 21 more than the next closest bike (Honda).

With the Beemer’s traction control set to Slick mode (least obtrusive), our slowest rider was disappointed he couldn’t muster enough speed to even get the system to activate at all (far as he could tell anyway), while Ienatsch says a liter bike on the track is supposed to wheelie and skip around. “Wheelie control is way too nannyish,” says NI, “and way too coarse. How many riders wheelie over backwards on the track?” Well, the BMW feels like a bike that could do it in the right (wrong) hands. At the same time, NI liked the BMW very much on the track and says he rarely felt its TC and never its ABS.

"Corners that approach like old age in one of MMP's Mustangs roar up to your puckered kisser on the BMW S1000RR like the Grim Reaper's ex-wife seeking a check."

Interestingly, spinning the S-RR’s rear tire all around Miller (quite a bit tighter of a circuit than last month’s Motorland Aragón MasterBike venue in Spain) caused vector problems at corner exits for Cemicky; switching from Slick to Race—a higher level of intervention—allowed him to run a couple tenths quicker. With all that power, the BMW seemed never to be in the wrong gear (though we barely ever got out of second). It also means the German bike, though it’s got the same excellent Brembo Monoblocs as most of the other bikes here, could use even more braking power. Cemicky wound up pulling the lever onto his fingers and wishing for more brakes, and he ran second-fastest on the Beemer: 1:40.89. Conner also set his second-quickest time on the BMW: 1:47.27. For some reason, the BMW Shift Assistant (quick-shifter) was taking the day off at Miller, which only put the BMW on equal footing with the other bikes. A couple days later, it returned. We only work here.

HONDA CBR1000RR

That’s three Rs, mate, and like I said, only 21 horses less than the BMW. The CBR is what every Honda used to be known for: transparent function, seamless control interface and a big tent we can all get under. On a chilly day at a cold racetrack, everybody instinctively wants to ride the Honda first. Cernicky did. Later in the day after warming up all the bikes and reaching a Zen state of acclimatization, he ran a best lap of 1:41.16 on the CBR—nice but next to slowest of our six contestants.

Conner concurs, with a 1:50.95 his slowest clocking of the day. Attaching any word synonymous or related in any way to “slow” to the CBR1000RR is completely oxymoronical, but there it is. It’s all relative.

Nick I. uses words like light-feeling, responsive, predictable, trustworthy traction feedback—and notes the CBR chassis could easily handle more power and stiffer suspension. NI also noted the bike’s ABS cut in a little too soon for his taste, then free-wheeled for a nanosecond before reapplying itself— not a good feeling for an experienced rider on the track, a sentiment with which Cernicky hacksolutely agrees. (And we all loved the CBR in the rain, on the street, a few days later.)

YAMAHA YZF-R1

Four one-hundredths of one second faster than the Honda and one one-hundredth slower than the KTM careened the crossplane-cranked crustacean from cone to cone, eliciting many of the same sort of affectionate exclamations as the Honda as Cernicky rode it to a fourth-fastest lap of 1:41.12. Suspension borders on too soft, but with excellent front/rear balance and great traction feel—helped out in theory by the engine’s V-Four-feeling, sort-of-Triple-sounding 90-degreecrank motor.

“If not for the ass-wagging through the Attitudes (the esses) probably caused by the weight of those hideous huge exhausts,” says MC, “the R1 would be closer to being my favorite.”

Nick Ienatsch rated the R1 brakes top and thinks the R1 feels fantastic at a 95 percent pace. Beyond that, the bike’s weight makes itself felt, and the nice cushy seat begins to muffle that critical butt/rear-traction line of communication. We went pretty stiff on the RI ’s dampers and wanted a little more. As a track tool, the stock R1 is a bit streety. So kudos to it for beating out a couple of harder-edged combatants anyway.

And while we’re on the topic, it needs to be pointed out that although a couple of the new players may have handed the Honda and Yamaha a performance drubbing, none of them can match the Yamaha in particular when it comes to control feel, and the CBR to a slightly lesser degree. No other manufacturer here seems to understand as well as Yamaha that riding a motorcycle skill thily is all about delicate hand move-

"Luckily, in this beautiful zoo of motorcycling where we're so munificently kept, there's a place for all God's creatures slow and fast."

ments, and no other bike serves up the tactile near-perfection of the Ri `s controls. From lever shape and throw to throttle stiffness and bar angle, this bike feels like a couple of engineers from the piano department were drafted in to lend a hand. Some of the Euro-bike controls feel almost crude in comparison. Not quite, but almost.

APRILIA RSV4 R

How about that Aprilia, then, our reigning Best Superbike and crowd favorite (though not the overall winner) of last month’s MasterBike shootout? For starters, this Aprilia is the standard R model, not the Factory, so it gets no Öhlins suspension. But both bikes have the same engine. While with all these bikes, again, it’s ridiculous to use the word “slow,” this RSV4 just doesn’t quite have the acceleration we anticipated—though it in fact makes about 5 more horsies than the Factory we tested last December and is right in the hunt with everything here except the nutjob BMW.

And everybody loves it. NI waxes on about it being racebike twitchy and alive, loves the committed feel, size and layout. Cernicky, another 5-foot8-ish runt, also raved about the riding position and ability to move around. Cernicky felt like he could carry great cornering speed, but exits in Track power-delivery mode were a dodgy proposition, sometimes resulting in scary slides (no traction-control here except from your right hand).

Switching to the Sport map and its slightly less-edgy delivery provides less drama and faster laps on a tight track like the East Loop, though purists such as Ienatsch like to tempt fate with the Track setting, being careful to have the bike pointed in the right direction before opening the old power sluice. Sonically, the RSV4’s noise can’t be beat—a bit louder than the Yamaha, but quieter than the Ducati with its Termignonis in place.

Conner lusts after the Aprilia also, its pulsating exhaust note, ruby lips and taut young feel.. .and was disappointed to learn he turned his second-slowest time on it—a 1:49.04. Under Cernicky, the RSV4 finished last: 1:41.65.

The RSV4 Factory was runner-up to the beastly BMW in last month’s MasterBike contest. Could it be that screaming idiot World Superbike announcer Jonathan Green is for once right when he screeches that Biaggi’s bike is too stiff? In contrast to the flexi-flyer Ducati, the Aprilia frame feels solid as a brick. Too stiff for a tight track with a few bumps in it? Sometimes what feels fast isn’t.

DUCATI 1198S CORSE

And sometimes what doesn’t feel fast is. Says Cernicky, “The Ducati is so lovely to look at and listen to, I felt ashamed when I worked at it but couldn’t link certain sections to put what I’d consider ‘the lap’ together.

So I was very surprised to find out the Duc was my fastest lap of the day. With DTC on level three (of eight), I couldn’t feel it working but I trusted it, running up to the limit instead of creeping up to it.” Like Cernicky says, if you’re in a corner fast and not trusting the front to stick, just open the throttle and let DTC deal with it.

This bike makes the case for evolution and intelligent design all at once. Ridden at a slow pace, it feels a little flexible and agricultural. Pushed harder, it just responds and feels more able and powerful the faster it goes. Look no farther than 88 foot-pounds of torque and a 150-plus horsepower peak that occurs

below 10,000 rpm to understand why the Ducati ran so hard on the East Loop.

Nick praised its linear steering, and everybody loved its gentle-onset-butpowerful brakes and telepathic chassis. In spite of a seat that’s so short the tailsection hits even shorties in the coccyx with every weight shift, the Ducati just takes care of business, with visceral, bowel-compressing thrust that howls on top, too. At Miller, the Ducati under Cernicky ran 1:39.33—leaving the way-more-powerful, 30-pounds-heavier BMW over a second-and-a-half in its booming wake. Arrivederci, beeches!

Conner did his best lap on the Ducati, too.

WORD ON THE STREET: Subjectively Speaking

Do these bikes make sense on the street? That’s a good question, Billy. Once upon a time, a man in a yellow hat approached and asked a pair of magazine testers about the then-new Kawasaki ZX-11 they were riding, the fastest thing in its day. “Wow!,” he said, upon being given the brief. “Where can you ever use that performance?”

“Any side street...” deadpanned my old Cycle mag cohort Ty van Hooydonk.

And it’s still true today.

People who attempt to air these bikes’ full performance capabilities out on the public roads will have short life expectancies. The beautiful thing about these motorcycles is that you can generally pick a gear and carve to your heart’s content in unruffled relaxation, whistling along in the lower rev ranges with no need to consult the tachometer, dropping down a gear now and then maybe to experience internal combustion as few lucky people ever will. On the street, really, enough is enough, and the BMW’s extra 20-plus horsepower above 10,000 rpm isn’t much of a performance advantage except on very rare occasions.

Top-shelf bikes get top-shelf suspension, so the ride isn’t always plush, but it is always controlled and precise. We’re not riding commuter bikes here, bub.

Great brakes are a given (and ABS is worth every penny if you ride where it rains much), along with great hardware and small, magnificent feats of engineering art that make stopping for a nice coffee and admiring your own good taste a big part of the experience. Finally, somewhere in our caveman brainstems, it’s just nice to know you’re packing the biggest, gnarliest club around. It’s not really necessary to whomp anybody with it. Starting with “A”...

APRILIA RSV4 R

On the street the number-one thing the Aprilia has going for it is the sound it makes, a luscious aural soufflé of deep bass, whiny whirring and whistly intake. Beyond that, it’s stiff of spring and frame and its thin, flattish seat encourages you to carry a lot of weight on the footpegs as much as possible. But if

you’re about 5-foot-8 or not much taller, it also fits like a glove, with the most natural sport-riding ergos of the bunch. This spring, its not-by-design heated seat was a good thing; last August it reminded us that medium rare beef happens at a mere 140 degrees F. You can carry a thin passenger short distances. Mirrors are vestigial, but maybe the Italians are onto something here? Ignorance of the law is no excuse but true ignorance sometimes is: I had no idea you were back there, officer....

Around-town is not really the RSV’s forte; its fueling is a little hiccuppy off idle, and it needs a fistful of revs to get rolling. Hang on tight when it does, and be prepared to make new friends wherever you stop.

BMW S1000RR

For being such an animal, the BMW is also a very nice streetbike, following in the footsteps of the Honda and Yamaha but for a louder exhaust note that doesn’t let you lose track of the fact you’re straddling 176 horsepower. The rider interface is slightly coarser, with less-precise controls that sometimes transmit more harshness and vibration through the bars and footpegs than the highly refined Japanese machines. The BMW’s fit and finish aren’t quite up to standard, either—with tacky-looking plastic trim, and does a black frame go with a polished swingarm? But the mirrors are useable, you get self-cancelling turnsignals, there’s a toolkit back there, decent passenger accommodations if you’re not going so far— and the rider’s seat is also up there with the Japanese offerings comfortwise. No major complaints, really. You could go places on this one, and the blunt-tipped ignition key fits the damping adjusters perfectly to soften and firm things up as needed.

Leveraged Buyout

A quick trip to the parts catalog to look for the hidden costs...

You know it could happen at any time. You’re going to have your bitchin’ new liter bike all polished up and gorgeous, and when you’re pulling up for gas somewhere, diesel, dammit, is going to get under your foot and there you go, tipping over. Maybe you can live with scuffed bodywork, but if one of your levers is toast, no riding for you. If you break a front brake lever, this is the OEM breakdown:

BMW

$370.12

(must buy master

cylinder also) or $271.95 for an accessory folding lever without master

Ducati

$116.99

Aprilia

$114.99

KTM

$105.87

Yamaha

$55.72

Honda

$34.78

Road Test Editor Don Canet, the numbers guy, likes that each adjuster has a ring numbered 1 through 10 so you can tell where you are in the range by looking.

DUCATI 1198S CORSE

The S Corse package, yours for just $24,995, includes the pair of Termignoni pipes pictured and an ECU you can swap yourself, but why would you if you have $24,995? That’s what manservants are for. If your estate is less than five acres, the Termis are a bit loud, but they are pretty dang glorious when you’re out bombing around the outback. Like the original 916, you will assume the position, a sacrifice some are willing to make for the sake of pure sport riding. If you need to ride far to get to the good parts, you’ll learn to lean upon your left forearm on that lovely aluminum gas tank. Those Öhlins suspenders are worth every penny, though: dial back the damping and the ride is relatively plush. Mirrors are useless, passengers can get their own Ducati; don’t they have jobs? Time to invoke the words of Qx-Cycle Editor Phil Schilling yet again: Using this Ducati as a streetbike is like using fine Scotch for paint thinner.

Then again, with the miracle of modem fuel injection to soothe the savage V-Twin beast and Öhlins suspension to smooth the ride, this Ducati can go places, too.

HONDA CBR1000RR

As impressive as the CBR1000RR C-ABS is around a racetrack, riding it in the company of these exotic Euro bikes really drives home just what an incredible piece of engineering this motorcycle is.

It turns lap times roughly comparable to the best of them, but it’s as civilized, user-friendly and quiet as a Civic when you want it to be. An apartment dweller in a building full of angry women with cats could ride it to work the night shift with no complaints from the cats. The seat’s fine even two-up, controls and levers fall readily (and silkily) to hand, nobody complains about the ergonomic layout, the engine runs buttery-smooth all the way up to where it makes 155 horsepower, with a strong clutch and monster midrange that make it dragstrip-junkie Canet’s darling. The gearbox works perfectly, the mirrors are clear, parts are available everywhere... and guys who’ve been to art school even admire the CBR’s design. Then there’s the advanced ABS—a thing we all love when it’s wet, chilly and downhill—not to mention a headlight worthy of a Newport Beach PD helicopter when it’s also dark. There’s nothing not to like. It’s no DN-01, of course, but... Overall, it’s a shame the CBR’s quiet competence makes it

somewhat boring. It finishes dead last in Chief Statistician Conner’s “Riding Excitement” category. Cernicky says he’ll bring his own damn excitement.

KTM RC8R

As a streetbike, the KTM has a lot going for it. For one thing, it’s the only bike here with adjustable ergonomics. Raising the handlebars all the way and lowering/forwarding the footpegs reveals the bike’s dirtbike roots as it rotates you into the most upright seating position of the bunch—excellent for sporty street riding. Even more impressive is that the tailsection can be raised/ lowered! The main thing that needs fixing—the thin seat—is an easy-enough wrong to put right, and KTM stepped up with new heat-abatement measures for 2010 said to cure our main complaint with our last RC8.

Control Tire: Pirelli Supercorsa SP

Even as we’ve entered an age of production superbikes equipped with active traction-seeking systems, be it DTC on corner exits or ABS slowing for the next, the time-honored importance of having competent rubber meeting the road remains. It’s also good practice in a sportbike comparison to use a common “control” tire, giving each bike fair and equal footing. Anticipating chilly conditions at Miller Motorsports Park, we fitted the bikes with Pirelli Supercorsa SP radiais, a street/track-day tire we chose for its broad temperature operating range and trustworthy performance without a requirement for tire warmers. Following a day of circuit use, the same tires served us well on a wet and dry street ride. “Pretty amazing grip for a ‘street tire,”’ say Associate Editor Mark Cernicky’s notes. “Single-compound design rolls nicely into turns instead of a dramatic dive off the shoulder.” Some bikes used them up more than others (176 horsepower, traction control or no, will do that), but the Pirellis showed impressive durability under extreme duress (thy name is Cernicky....)

At just 416 pounds, this bike’s a willing urban accomplice, with light, precise controls and steering, and a willing, revvy, magnificent-sounding Twin with a near-perfect powerband for street use. Not too loud, not so quiet.

Some of us old-school types would have a hard time shelling out the money for a bike covered in so much flat black, but our favorite 16-year-old kid took one look at the KTM and said, “Now that is a cool motorcycle.” (And KTM makes some shiny RC8Rs, too.)

YAMAHA YZF-R1

See Honda. At 445 pounds, the Yamaha’s within a pound of being the portliest bike here and sort of looks it, with the Studebaker Hawk-does-HelloKitty styling doing it no favors in most eyes. But for sheer seamless function and ease of use, it takes a back seat to no bike. The extra weight and plushness that hold it back on the track make it more cush on the street, gentle zephyrs waft smoothly over its wide snout, and

the more mature you get, the more you appreciate a little peace and quiet when you're out scaring the bejeezus out of people. (Joke! Please ride responsibly.) The Honda's ergos are a smidge more upright, but the Yamaha is very close and has a more crowned, supple seat some short-legged pelvises prefer. Taller riders like the Honda ergos better. Left-brain types like Canet point out that the Honda's midrange power smokes the Yamaha's and makes it

easier and faster to launch with less clutch abuse. Right-brain types are willing to give up a little midrange (every bike here has enough midrange to power EIC Hoyer's fire engine, anyway) to feel and hear the Yamaha's distinctive syncopated V-Four-feeling beat. You can dance to it. And you can carry a partner on back. The Yamaha's just weird enough to be interesting and may even look better after you crash it a couple of times.

May We Have The Envelope Please...

Everybody gets all bent when we say it, but it's never been more true than this time: These bikes are all winners! Seriously, it's time to ship another fun-packed and exciting issue of The World's Biggest Motorcycle Magazine, and we're all wandering dazed around the compound, swapping keys and notes with pretty much zero consensus and no bike that stands out as a clear Decisive Victor.

We all love our sport-tourers and dirtbikes and even our scooters and cruis ers-but the bikes under review here are the ones that make our pants really dance, the ones the manufacturers assign their brightest minds to get right. All six of these machines are the real deal, but they put their priorities in different plac es. They all blend overkill horsepower, envelope-pushing style, exotic trickery and high-end componentry to mix the ultimate street-going two-wheel perfor mance cocktail, but each bike blends them in slightly different ratios and uses different garnishes. Olive or onion? Little umbrella? Grand Marnier floater? Car

bomb? Each to his own.

To come up with a winner this time, we were forced to adopt scientific methodology using advanced statistical analysis techniques, such as addition. Our own Blake Conner, a college graduate, devised a scoring system so ingenious no one but him really understands it (kidding...), but we’ll all play along anyway because it’s getting late. And, in the end, the point spread between the lowest-ranked bike and the winner is just 18.6 points out of a possible 400. Our favorite bike, then, is 5 percent more desirable than our least favorite. Which feels just about right.

And the overall winner is the Aprilia RSV4 R. It’s not perfect but it makes such nice noises and it’s so beautiful we couldn’t help ourselves. Number two is the other exotic Italian, the Ducati. We couldn’t ignore its shiny gas tank and its classically trained performance, even if with all the fancy stuff this Corse model gets, the price is hard to swallow. The BMW finished third (first in the Performance category), maybe because it frightens us a little? In fact it’s a little harsh overall, and maybe its electronics are a little more complex than they need to be. We’ll check back in a couple of years. Followed by the Honda in the gray flannel suit and the Yamaha. And we have no idea how the KTM finished last—lots of us like it a lot, but there it is. The RC8R is only 95 percent as hip as the Aprilia.

Has there ever been such a bumper crop of amazing Open-class sportbikes? No, there never has been. Pick the one you like and ride like the wind. You won’t regret it. Well, not by any more than 5 percent. □

Results

PERFORMANCE

SUBJECTIVE