Motorcycle News - Stylmartin Jack Motorcycle Boots
https://ift.tt/2USArTU Shoes and boots designed for motorcyclists often battle with finding a balance between form and function. They tend to offer either sturdy protection or stylish looks, but rarely both. The Stylmartin Jack Boots, though, delivers both. With protection and padding tailored to riding, these casually styled boots are just as much at home on a motorcycle as they are being worn out on the town. Motorcycles via Return of the Cafe Racers https://ift.tt/2M9riRb March 30, 2020 at 08:54PM
Motorcycle News - The $16,500 Challenge: 2020 Ducati Panigale V2 vs. 2019 Honda CBR1000RR
https://ift.tt/2Usz6Ek The title of this story pretty much sums it all, doesn’t it? Today’s flagship literbikes are getting increasingly expensive, putting them out of the realm of all but the most well off among us. So, let’s look at sportbikes at the lower end of the price scale, shall we? Mainly the Ducati Panigale V2. Ducati’s last V-Twin sportbike, the super-mid comes in at 955cc and $16,500 (well, $16,495 at the time I’m writing this). I had lots of good things to say about it when I got to sample it around the Jerez circuit at the end of 2019. Mainly, I was impressed with how easy it was to ride (a refreshing thing after hustling 200 hp beasts around lately. I know, I’m spoiled) and how well the electronics work. Get the Flash Player to see this player. However, at the end of my review this was one of my closing thoughts: The issue is the price. At $16,495, it’s swimming in the same waters as Japanese literbikes and even the Aprilia RSV4 RR, all coming in within a grand or so of the Ducati. It wasn’t until I could plop myself behind the computer screen again that a little digging revealed a motorcycle within four measly dollars of the Ducati – the 2019 Honda CBR1000RR. Coming in at $16,499, the Double-R is the base version of Honda’s superbike we in America will be getting alongside the pirate-approved CBR1000RR-R SP; and yes, it’s officially a 2019 model being carried over into 2020. With price tags so close, it only made sense to put these two against each other to see which offers more bang for the buck. Before we go further, yes, the standard Suzuki GSX-R1000 undercuts the entire literbike field at $15,599 (again, as of press time) and offers a giant bang for not a lot of buck, but it doesn’t exactly fit the $16,500 challenge dictated by the Ducati’s price tag. So, it’s staying out of this one. However, by the end of this comparison, you should be able to get a good idea how it would have fared. The NumbersSince the premise of this whole thing is predicated on a number, let’s take a look at some other numbers, too. At 998cc, the Honda bests the Ducati by 43cc (955cc), but also has two more cylinders. Being a Twin, obviously the V2 has a much bigger bore – 100mm vs. 76mm. Stroke measurements are 60.8mm for the Ducati, 55.0mm for the Honda. Interestingly, as far as four cylinder literbikes go, the CBR is considered a long-stroke engine. Most others are preferring more oversquare layouts to reach higher revs, and thus, more power. The CBR’s 13.0:1 compression ratio also out-squeezes the Ducati’s 12.5:1. When thrown on the Motorsport Exotica dyno, the Ducati put down 136.1 hp at 10,980 rpm and 69.1 lb-ft @ 9,150 rpm. The Honda made 149.7 hp at 10,500 rpm and 76.1 lb-ft @ 10,000 rpm. It’s no big shock the Honda makes more power and torque than the Ducati, considering its displacement advantage, but here’s the catch: look at the dyno graph. Notice the Honda’s power flatlines around 10,500 rpm, extending all the way to its 13,500 rev ceiling. A little unusual, don’t you think? The only plausible answer we could come up with is an artificial neutering of the bike (presumably via the flapper valve in the exhaust) to meet EPA requirements. It’s unfortunate, but with an ECU reflash, another 10-20 horses should be on tap. Nonetheless, this was the Honda we were given. On paper, things look even more grim for the Ducati. Taking the stated curb weights directly from the manufacturer spec pages (which have been fairly accurate whenever we’ve weighed bikes on our own scales), the Panigale V2 tips the scales at 441 lbs. Compare that with the CBR’s 428 lbs, and not only does the Honda weigh less, but it also has more power. Advantage: CBR1000RR. Street ImpressionsI’ll admit, I had preconceived notions going into this that the Honda would show its dominance swiftly. But this is why we put the rubber on the road; because we know motorcycles are more than a bunch of numbers on a piece of paper. How the sum of parts work together is something you can’t find on a spec sheet. We’re fooling ourselves into thinking these are good street bikes. Consequently, the bulk of this test is track-oriented. However, since these are road-legal motorcycles, we did spend a little time on the street, too. This is where the Honda really shines for one simple reason: everything just works. Honda has built its reputation on quality, and it shows in the CBR1000RR. Turn the key, tap the starter, and the RR purrs to life, holding a steady idle. Its exhaust note is muted, but you know it’s ready to scream when given the chance. By contrast, it sounds like the V2 takes a few more laborious turns of the starter motor to spring to life, and when it does, it initially roars into a high idle before dropping revs slightly. The whole time it sounds loud, and not in a good way. In addition to just the audible noise, which is strange considering the standard exhaust, you hear all kinds of mechanical noise, too. Speaking of the stock exhaust, it sounds guttural, not mean. Of course, this would no doubt sound menacing the moment you stick on an aftermarket exhaust. Where the Honda sounds like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, the Ducati ditches the disguising; it’s a wolf in wolf clothing, damnit. Once you get moving, the Honda stays true to the wolf in sheep’s clothing theme. The clear power advantage is evident from the moment you slip the clutch. Power comes on strong and linear – assuming you have the Power Mode in setting 2 (of 5). Mode 1 is too abrupt. You still have to shift the old fashioned way, there’s no quickshift or autoblip, but the Honda does it cleanly. So, it’s really not that bad. As for that flat spot in the upper limits of the rev range, on the street it doesn’t matter one bit. The Ducati’s clutch is a touch more grabby than the Honda’s, needing higher revs while you slip to avoid stalling, but once you’re rolling, there’s really no complaint about how linear the V2 applies power. The obvious difference here is the lack of power in comparison. Ducati partially makes up for this deficit with shorter final drive gearing compared to the Honda (which is geared tall), letting you launch off the line with similar quickness to the CBR. The autoblipper lets you shift in either direction without the clutch, and while this is more important on the track, it’s a nice benefit on the street, too. However, we can end all the street talk right here for one simple reason: The Ducati is a fireball of heat under your legs. A longstanding complaint with recent Ducati V-Twin superbikes, the rear cylinder’s exhaust routing goes right under the seat and radiates heat right to the rider’s legs. Despite some rides in chilly weather, the heat was annoying at best. Having experienced past Ducati exhaust heat in the dead of summer, there’s no reason to believe the V2 would be any better. This alone makes the Honda the bike I would pick for the street. Nevermind the fact the Honda also handles well and hardly radiates any of its heat to the rider. Track ThoughtsGetting down to the business both bikes were really meant for, we ventured out to Chuckwalla Valley Raceway to join the folks at SoCal Trackdays for some no-sessions trackday fun. For this portion, Pirelli graciously provided each bike with its amazing Supercorsa TD tire. Designed specifically with trackdays in mind, the TDs don’t require warmers, get up to temperature within a lap, and provide unbelievable grip. Like on the street, on track the power difference is immediately noticeable. But in this case I actually initially preferred the Ducati over the Honda, as the V2 was much more manageable and less aggressive. With the Honda there’s a lot of brain power focusing on taming the beastly power delivery. That’s when I realized the error of my ways. Power Mode was set to 1, meaning power delivery was way too aggro for my tastes. I caved and switched to Power Mode 2, which took a lot longer than expected. The TFT display on the Honda is clear enough, but the button sequence to change settings is far from intuitive, unlike the Ducati. Once there, the CBR became much more enjoyable to ride around Chuckwalla. The tall gearing left me between gears in certain areas, but with its healthy amount of torque you mainly need second and third gears, only dabbing fourth for a hot second. You’re using second through fifth gears on the Ducati, thanks to its shorter gearing and power deficit, but despite the fact you’re shifting more, the autoblipper makes the task less taxing on the rider. You definitely feel the lack of power relative to the Honda, but the more sophisticated electronics, especially the traction control, gives you greater confidence to dial in the power earlier to try and make up the gap as its intervention is hardly noticeable. Meanwhile, the Honda’s crude TC (in comparison) cuts in earlier and harsher than I’d like. Helping to make up the gap are the V2’s steel braided lines and Brembo brakes. Like the traction control system, the Ducati’s brakes are firmer and more confidence inspiring than the Tokico calipers and rubber lines on the Honda (which are still surprisingly competent, all things considered). In typical Honda fashion, the bike turns in easily and feels eager to flick. The bigger surprise was how the Ducati matched the Honda for chassis feel despite being heavier by 13 pounds, having a longer wheelbase (56.6 in vs. 55.3 in.), and a longer rake angle (24.0º vs. 23.3º). Both bikes come equipped with Showa’s 43mm Big Piston Fork, while the Honda keeps the Showa love alive with its Unit ProLink shock. The Ducati, meanwhile, wears a Sachs shock. Chuckwalla’s curvy nature is also riddled with bumps throughout, which makes for a good test of the suspension and chassis tuning. You’re on the side of the tire for a long time at certain spots on this track, and we were at the extremes of the clickers on both bikes just to get something resembling a compliant ride. On the Honda, when you’re ready, you can simply twist your wrist to get a launch out of a corner and pull away from the Panigale. Don’t get too greedy, however, as the crude (in comparison to the Ducati) TC will cut in harshly and kill your drive, even in the lower settings. It’s because of this less sophisticated electronics package on the Honda that you’re forced to work harder for a smoother lap. The goal is to avoid the electronics intervening, while on the Ducati you can be slightly more carefree with the finesse, knowing the safety net has your back and is far less intrusive. So What’ll It Be?This is the kind of test that proves what we already know: motorcycles are more than just specs and numbers on a piece of paper. Motorcycles have soul and their own distinctive character, even if, as is more common these days, that character is electronic rather than mechanical. When it comes to drawing conclusions, I’m left with no clear-cut winner. The Honda’s power advantage and nimble chassis are going to win out over the Ducati. However, the CBR’s weak points, relatively speaking, are its brakes, and electronics, including the lack of even a quickshifter. Meanwhile, the V2 has stronger brakes, a far better electronics suite, and a chassis on par with the Honda. It comes down to this: If I were to pick a bike to set one hot lap on, the CBR1000RR is it. If consistency over, say, 20 laps is the target, I’d say the Panigale V2 would manage it quicker. But since we’re often forced to pick winners and losers in these comparison tests, I’d pick the Honda. If for no other reason than the desire to unlock its hidden potential. An ECU reflash would bring back the lost power and maybe refine some of the TC parameters, too. Add in an autoblipper and a spring change/revalve in the suspension and it could be a dramatically different motorcycle than how it came off the showroom floor. However, if all you want to do is put gas in and ride consistently to your heart’s content, go Ducati. Just not on the street. It’s so freakin’ hot.
The post The $16,500 Challenge: 2020 Ducati Panigale V2 vs. 2019 Honda CBR1000RR appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Motorcycles via Motorcycle.com https://ift.tt/2Std7JO March 30, 2020 at 03:02PM
F1 News - Formula 1 guess who: How many drivers can you name?
https://ift.tt/3dIIGea There have been many memorable drivers who have graced the Formula 1 grid over the years... But how many do you think you could name from three simple clues? Below is a list of 10 with snippets of their career for you to work out who they are. All you have to do is type in the correct name once you think you know the answer. Go... go... go! #F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://ift.tt/OHg7x6 March 30, 2020 at 11:09AM
MotoGP News - Marquez: Lorenzo wildcard proves "no fear" of motorcycle racing
https://ift.tt/3bBnNPV Reigning MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez says Jorge Lorenzo's Yamaha wildcard at the Catalan GP proves he has "no fear of motorcycling", but was "maybe afraid" of the Honda. Triple MotoGP champion Lorenzo announced his retirement from racing at the end of last year, following an injury-hit first season on the Honda that robbed him of all confidence and desire to continue. However, in the winter he secured a deal to return to Yamaha - with whom he won all three of his premier class titles - as its official test rider, and will take part in a wildcard outing at Barcelona in June. When asked by Spanish broadcaster DAZN for his thoughts on Lorenzo's return to action, Marquez said: "It cost him a lot to adapt to the Honda. The impulse decision which could show up a MotoGP legend "He said he retired because he was afraid after the accidents [Lorenzo suffered two heavy crashes, in a test at Barcelona and in practice at Assen, the latter sidelining him for four races with a back fracture]. "Maybe he was afraid of our bike, because if he has now accepted to do a wildcard [with Yamaha] it means that within him there is no fear of motorcycling." Lorenzo: With the right bike I could have fought for the titleLorenzo recently took to his social media channels to answer questions from fans, and broached the subject of his retirement. The Spaniard said he believes he is still capable of fighting at the front in MotoGP "with the right bike", but didn't feel it was "worth it" to continue to find out. "Honestly, I think that with the right bike I could continue fighting to win races and titles, but it was no longer worth it," he said. "It was something I have already done. "It encourages me more to be good at doing other things while enjoying life." Last week Lorenzo admitted to Sky Sports Italia that fighting for a top five finish on his race comeback with Yamaha was "too optimistic" a goal right now. "Honestly, that would be too optimistic a goal at the moment," he said. "It is possible that you will get to the race without having done any more tests, without having fully understood the bike and without having trained much physically. "Nothing is impossible in MotoGP, even with my role being to help the team." Lorenzo rode last year's M1 at the Sepang shakedown and for one day during the official test at the Malaysian circuit last month, but is yet to sample the current bike. Maverick Vinales has said Lorenzo's wildcard would be important for Yamaha, as it would give the marque a chance to properly test items it would have struggled to gather useful data from with just the race riders at the post-race test. Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport https://ift.tt/2uOa9Ei March 30, 2020 at 08:50AM
F1 News - Coronavirus in F1: Red Bull's Helmut Marko team's drivers to become infected
https://ift.tt/33VyLNx Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko said he advised his drivers to become infected with coronavirus while the season is in hiatus. The 76-year-old said he had the idea to bring his Formula 1 drivers and juniors together in a camp, which "would be the ideal time for the infection to come". "They are all strong young men in good health. That way they would be prepared whenever the action starts," he said. The rest of Red Bull management were against the idea, which was abandoned. "Let's put it this way: it has not been well received," Marko said. The Austrian was speaking in an interview with his country’s television channel ORF, in which he added: "We have four Formula 1 drivers and eight or 10 juniors, and the idea was that we would organise a camp to mentally and physically bridge the dead time.” The camp, he said, would have been organised to ensure the drivers were in the best possible physical shape once the season starts again. The start of the F1 season has been thrown into disarray by the coronavirus, with the first eight races called off and the next events in Canada, France, Austria and Britain in June and July all under threat. F1 boss Chase Carey has said he is aiming to reconfigure the season starting in the summer and trying to fit in as many as 15 to 18 races out of the original 22. The season could run into January next year to fit in as many events as possible. Marko said: "If there is a racing season with 15 to 18 races, it will be very, very tough. There is no possibility to improve your fitness during the season. So it's actually ideal to use this time now." Red Bull are the organisers of the Austrian Grand Prix, which is scheduled to be held on 5 July, but Marko said it was impossible to say at this stage whether the race could be held on that date. "At the current time, you would have to be clairvoyant to make a correct forecast," he said. "I cannot judge whether 50,000 or 100,000 spectators would make a difference. "What is critical, however, is that all European borders have to be reopened, because viewers from all over the world come to such an international event. And it is difficult to assess to what extent the virus can be brought under control in the individual countries." Marko said he suspected he had already had the coronavirus in February, but that because of limited testing availability in Austria he could not be sure. "I had what I thought was a severe cold and the symptoms would match corona," he said. "It was also something that I had never had in this intensity. "I don't know if it was because the test options are currently very limited. But as soon as there is a chance, I would like to be tested afterwards." And he said that Red Bull was contributing to the wider effort among UK-based F1 teams to produce ventilators to increase capacity in the NHS. "Production has already started here, we are producing ventilators," he said. "This is the big plus of Formula 1, that you can react to the greatest technological challenges in the shortest possible time and also have the necessary speed in production. "We have been on the so-called early summer break since last Friday, but the production of those parts that are made for the British government continues during the break." Marko said that if current plans for the season go ahead, for Red Bull, the loss of revenue from fewer races was not that big a blow as they would save more money by running the cars less. "Reduced costs due to fewer races are significantly lower than our losses in revenue," he said. "Our material orders - these are all special spare parts - have already been made every year, as have many hotel bookings. "(F1 owner) Liberty expects a loss of $200-300m in revenue, and this is also transferred to the teams in a quota. That is why we decided to take these austerity measures to make up for this loss of revenue." #F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://ift.tt/OHg7x6 March 30, 2020 at 05:15AM
MotoGP News - Honda: MotoGP handled COVID-19 situation better than "hesitant" F1
https://ift.tt/2QXqraT Honda team manager Alberto Puig believes MotoGP promoters Dorna Sports has responded to the coronavirus pandemic better than "very hesitant" Formula 1 owners Liberty Media. The COVID-19 outbreak, which has infected well over 600,000 people worldwide and killed over 30,000, has forced the postponement and cancellation of many major sporting events, including the opening eight F1 races and the first five MotoGP rounds. F1 was embroiled in controversy during its Australian Grand Prix weekend a fortnight ago, when it was forced to cancel the event just hours before practice was due to get going after McLaren withdrew following one of its team members testing positive for the virus. MotoGP, in contrast, cancelled its opening race in Qatar a week before the event due to restrictions on travel in the country, and has postponed the following races in Thailand, America, Argentina and Spain well ahead of their running. When asked to compare how MotoGP and F1 has handled the current situation, Puig told Autosport: "I think we have to be very proud of the organiser of our Championship. "Dorna has done things with its head, step-by-step, and always listening to the opinion of the health authorities [of every country]. "From there, it has been evaluating what could and could not be done, but it is very interesting how the entire group that works in the World Championship has been protected. "If we compare it with F1, with soccer institutions or with the International Olympic Committee - which have been very hesitant - Dorna has done what it had to do." Last week, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics were officially postponed to next year following increased pressure, while the European Football Championship have been cancelled. Turning his praise to Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, Puig added: "From the first moment, they [Dorna] was aware of the magnitude of the problem. "And for that, you have to have clarity of ideas and be smart, and Carmelo Ezpeleta is." Last week, Dorna and MotoGP governing body the FIM confirmed the 3 May Spanish GP at Jerez has been postponed, and it is expected the following French and Italian GPs will follow suit. An announcement on the Le Mans race is set for the first week of April. Unlike with previous postponements, a revised calendar was not issued, as the ever-developing situation worldwide with COVID-19 makes doing so impossible right now. The schedule issued prior to the Spanish GP's postponement still had all 19 remaining races on the calendar, with Aragon brought forward a week and Thailand taking its original 4 October slot. The Argentine and Austin races are now set for November, forming a second triple-header of races with the finale in Valencia on 29 November. Previously, Dorna and the FIM has mooted the possibility of two-race weekends and running the season into January if necessary. Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport https://ift.tt/2uOa9Ei March 30, 2020 at 04:20AM
Motorcycle News - Sam Troy’s Trophy – Honda GB400 TT Cafe Racer
https://ift.tt/2UMQW3P In recent years we’ve seen a spate of new motorcycles inspired by classic bikes. Models like the Kawasaki Z900RS and the Triumph Thruxton R were released with convincing backstories explaining why they were made and what influenced their creation. It’s a clever marketing tactic used to coax us into believing these bikes are more credible than those being released by their competitors. This tactic isn’t anything new though. It’s been happening for decades and has actually resulted in the release of a few motorcycles that themselves are becoming classics. In Japan during the late ’80s, Honda was testing how the Japanese market responded to these tactics by developing a bike called the GB400 TT or Tourist Trophy. Motorcycles via Return of the Cafe Racers https://ift.tt/2M9riRb March 30, 2020 at 01:53AM
F1 News - Coronavirus: Mercedes F1 to make breathing aid
https://ift.tt/33TZlqt A breathing aid that can help keep coronavirus patients out of intensive care has been created in under a week. University College London engineers worked with clinicians at UCLH and Mercedes Formula One to build the device, which delivers oxygen to the lungs without needing a ventilator. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) devices are already used in hospitals but are in short supply. China and Italy used them to help Covid-19 patients. Forty of the new devices have been delivered to ULCH and to three other London hospitals. If trials go well, up to 1,000 of the CPAP machines can be produced per day by Mercedes-AMG-HPP, beginning in a week's time. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has already given its approval for their use. Ventilator consortiumMeanwhile a consortium of UK industrial, technology and engineering business in the UK have come together to produce medical ventilators for the NHS. The "VentilatorChallengeUK" consortium includes Airbus, BAE Systems, Ford, Rolls-Royce and Siemens. Companies in the consortium have received orders for more than 10,000 ventilators from the government, although MHRA approval is still pending. Production is due to begin next week. Dick Elsy, chief executive of High Value Manufacturing Catapult, said: "This consortium brings together some of the most innovative companies in the world. "They are working together with incredible determination and energy to scale up production of much-needed ventilators and combat a virus that is affecting people in many countries." What do I need to know about the coronavirus?Rapid responseProfessor Rebecca Shipley, Director of UCL Institute of Healthcare Engineering, told the BBC: "Normally medical device development would take years but we've done that in days because we went back to a simple existing device and "reverse engineered" it in order to be able to produce them quickly and at scale." Reverse engineering means they took apart an existing off-patent CPAP device, copied and improved the design and adapted it for mass production. Early reports from Lombardy in Italy suggest about 50% of patients given CPAP have avoided the need for invasive mechanical ventilation. UCLH critical care consultant Professor Mervyn Singer said: "These devices are a halfway house between a simple oxygen mask and invasive mechanical ventilation which requires patients to be sedated. "They will help to save lives by ensuring that ventilators, a limited resource, are used only for the most severely ill." How does CPAP work?It pushes a steady flow of air-oxygen mix into the mouth and nose of patients. This is done at pressure which means the lungs remain open and so it increases the amount of oxygen entering them. This reduces the effort needed to breathe in, especially when the alveoli - the air sacs in the lungs - have collapsed as a result of Covid-19. Unlike a simple face mask linked to an oxygen supply, CPAP delivers air and oxygen under pressure, so there needs to be a mask creating a tight seal on the patient's face, over their mouth and nose or a transparent hood over their head. This is less invasive than a ventilator, for which patients have to be heavily sedated and have a tube inserted into their airway. But a note of caution was sounded by Duncan Young, Prof of Intensive Care Medicine, University of Oxford, who said: "The use of CPAP machines in patients with contagious respiratory infections is somewhat controversial as any small leaks round the mask could spray droplets of secretions on to attending clinical staff." Prof Mervyn Singer said if a tight seal is maintained on the mask or, even better, a helmet is worn, and clinical staff have adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) then this risk would be minimised. More than 2,000 Covid-19 patients are receiving CPAP on general wards in Lombardy. Andy Cowell, Managing Director of Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains, said: "The Formula One community has shown an impressive response to the call for support…we have been proud to put our resources at the service of UCL to deliver the CPAP project to the highest standards and in the fastest possible timeframe." As well as Mercedes F1, the collaboration also included Oxford Optronix, a small business that has manufactured oxygen monitors for the devices. #F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://ift.tt/OHg7x6 March 30, 2020 at 02:09AM
Motorcycle News - Custom Bikes Of The Week: 29 March, 2020
https://ift.tt/2y9IN1N
This Z1 sticks to the formula. It’s more visually subdued than most of the builds from the Japanese workshop, but we like it that way. Every part has been stripped back to the metal and either upgraded, replaced or refinished.
If you’re used to riding modern bikes, older variants often disappoint—as anyone who has ridden the old and new Katanas will realize. But we’re betting this Z1 can hold its own with any sporty modern roadster, and will probably hold its value better too. [AC Sanctuary RCM-507]
Jody started with a brand new Bobber Black and installed Thornton’s wide wheel conversion kit—which includes custom triple clamps, a new number plate mount and new light mounts.
The CB1000R styling is too plasticky for our tastes, but it looks like Honda has got the ‘neo retro’ look sorted with this rendition. It’s said to be inspired by the CB900F of four decades ago, and it’s clean without being bland.
The squared-off styling was probably the main culprit, since it didn’t appeal to fans of the curvy CB750 or those looking for something more contemporary.
Motorcycles via Bike EXIF https://ift.tt/2Mf9b0c March 29, 2020 at 12:13PM
Motorcycle News - Church of MO: Year 2000 World Supersport Shootout
https://ift.tt/3bz19HV And so it goes; only four years after Ashley came down from the mountain with the MO tablets, and had gained some traction with the holy men and the moneychangers in the temple of Motorcycling, and had enough money to hire a real photographer – along comes Minime and Roland to kickstart the me-too movement years ahead of its time and trash the Suzuki. Luckily, the world little noted, nor long remembered what they said here, but it can never forget what they did. Somehow, we survived anyway. This current crisis, too, shall pass, and when it does, may MO have a new birth of freedom, amen. Year 2000 World Supersport Shootout600(4)+748=Fun
By MO Staff Apr. 12, 2000
Photography by Kevin Wing
Los Angeles, April 12, 2000 — Food is a funny thing. You can line up five chefs, give them all the same ingredients, and you’ll end up with five different dishes. Motorcycles, it turns out, are much the same way.In this year’s World Supersport shootout, three of the five bikes are completely unchanged from 1999, only one model has been revised, and only one model is included that was omitted before. Still, even with so many similarities, we came up with a completely different end result than what we had last year. That’s what you get for having different chefs stir your pot. We’ve gathered together the main contenders for the World Supersport title: four 600cc four-cylinder machines from Japan and one 748cc V-twin from Italy. All bikes compete head-to-head not only in what often turns out to be the most-competitive race of the weekend but also on showroom floors and back roads as more and more consumers opt for agility and light weight over a 130 horsepower motor pushing around a far more portly mass of semi-precious metals. While Honda’s CBR600F series motorcycles have generally been regarded as the best all-around 600-class machines made, Suzuki’s GSX-R600 has long been the cream of the crop in racing circles. Last year Yamaha followed up its amazing YZF-R1 with the YZF-R6 that did to the 600-class what its big brother did to the liter-bike class. This year Kawasaki completely redesigned its ZX-6R in order to better compete with the rest of the 600 Supersports and, hopefully, secure the title for Team Green. Where does the Ducati fit into all this madness, then? After all, can a bike that has an additional 150cc on its nearest competitor yet is still down on horsepower be taken seriously? Or is the chassis, which is almost identical to the all-conquering 996, enough to place the Ducati at the head of the class? We went into this test with the goal of finding which machine is the absolute best all-around 600 Supersport motorcycle made. We took into account not only racetrack prowess, but also street-skills and drag strip times so that no matter what is your preferred domain, we hope to provide you with the info you need to chose the right mount.
Is that Foggy or Minime? We’ll never tell. Before this shootout even started, the Ducati 748 was a favorite among staff members. Its scrumptious bodywork and superb back road manners made up for a very stiff ride. The Duc’s motor makes only 89.6 horsepower but all of it is readily available anytime you twist the throttle. Such is the nature of a twin.The Ducati was in its element at the racetrack. Roland Sands, the 1998 AMA 250 GP Champion, said that no matter how fast he went on the 748 he felt like there was a whole other level of performance. Most testers agreed and said that no matter how fast they rode, the Ducati still had something left, even if they didn’t. Despite this, the Ducati’s average lap times were over one second per lap slower on average than all other bikes. This might have to do with the way the motor makes its power or the way the chassis prefers high cornering speeds instead of the more squared-off cornering line preferred by bikes with more power. Given enough track time, most riders would be able to alter their riding style and, on a tight track like the Streets of Willow, at least match the lap times of the Japanese fours. Once a rider adapted to the Ducati he was one with the universe. We expected the Ducati to fail miserably at the drag strip. Its dry and grabby clutch seemed destined to conspire with meager horsepower numbers to make this a walk down the grocery aisle instead of a hell-bent run up the quarter-mile. The Ducati did finish last at the drag strip, posting times that were more than one-half second behind the class-leading Yamaha, but it was the easiest bike to launch and the maligned clutch seemed impervious to even the most ardent abuse. Unfortunately, the GSX-R took a little trip to the infield infirmary, needing attention after Sands flicked the bike down the track, mid brain-fart, thinking he could do same things on the Suzuki as he does on his 250 GP bike. This wasn’t good news for some testers who wanted more time on the bike, but it spoke volumes about how confident a rider became aboard the Suzuki. It also spoke volumes about Sands as his eyes looked like saucers when he realized we might have to pay for the damage. Roland, the bill is in the mail. Roland, after you tossed the bike, we don’t think anyone wants to come give you a high-five. On the street, the GSX-R was a fairly decent ride. The ergos are definitely more suited to race tracks and twisty back roads than a trip down the 405 freeway, but the bike offers solid wind protection and a motor that’s smooth. The placement of the controls are well-thought out and everything works fluidly, rarely necessitating a second thought or a change of any sort. Overall the Suzuki GSX-R600 is race-worthy straight out of the box. It’s biggest flaw is that the competition is so intense. Calvin’s looking pretty sharp these days… The Honda CBR600F4 won last year’s shootout and looked poised for a repeat performance. As a street bike the F4 is about as good as they come; only the ZX-6R and its superior wind protection and broad power range was preferred. As far as ease of riding goes, everyone agreed that no other bike offered a platform that was as friendly or easy to negotiate as the Honda. Its smooth and powerful motor, comfortable ergonomics and decent wind protection make this one of the easiest to ride Supersport motorcycles. It is easy to feel comfortable quickly on the CBR600F4.On the track the Honda exhibited the same characteristics as it did on the road. Most testers got up to speed quickest on the F4 and it drew comments such as: “If you’re not an expert, this bike is the best choice.” Lap times were typically one second per lap faster than the Ducati. …but he’s still no Roland Sands. At the drag strip, the CBR was slightly more than three-tenths quicker and two miles per hour faster than the 748. The F4 was relatively easy to launch although its upright seating position made it tough to get our weight up over the front end to help keep the front tire on the ground. The motor pulled strong, making it easier to keep the rear tire from spinning as violently as on some of the other bikes. But, once out of first gear and into second and third, the main complaint was a rev-limiter that seemed to cut in too early. Where most other bikes’ power began to taper off near red line, signaling a shift-point, the Honda’s mill kept pulling harder as the revs increased and we repeatedly found ourselves blowing a perfectly good launch by hitting the rev-limiter and not shifting soon enough.Second Place: Yamaha YZF-R6 This is Roland after our lunch buffet at the Indian food restaurant. Last year, Yamaha’s R6 tied with the F4 for the top spot in our shootout and, like last year, the R6 ruled the track, drawing comments like, “I just didn’t expect that,” when describing the R6’s handling characteristics.Average lap times were in the neighborhood of one second faster per lap than any other bike, regardless of the rider. Both the brakes and the motor are strong while offering the amount of user-friendliness commonly found on less hard-edged motorcycles. The suspension has the same sort of balance that makes the Suzuki such a great track bike, but the R6 ups the ante with better components, more power and lighter weight for a sharper-edged package. While the R6 is designed for the experienced rider, even intermediate riders and novices may also appreciate the Yamaha’s virtues. Here’s Jeff gettin’ down to business. The R6 responds well to talented riders … and riders like Jeff. The YZF-R6 is an excellent street bike, although the seating position is a bit more racing-oriented than the 6R or F4. Also, both the Kawasaki and the Honda offer better wind protection. The R6’s motor is a awesome in the upper revs, but there is a lack of bottom-end power that makes passing cars a shift-before-you-go proposition. The suspension soaks up the road nastiness better than we’d expect from a bike with such exemplary track manners, and it looks as sexy as any Japanese 600 ever has.At the drag strip we discovered another niche for the R6. While we expected the Kawasaki to rule while the R6 struggled with wheelies, we found that because the R6 had the most top-end power, it could pull out a good E.T. even if the launch was sub-par. The only problem we had The R6 responds well to hacks like Minime, as well. was the gearshift lever position that caused a few missed shifts during the initial runs. When we simply raised the lever one notch to get a better pull on the linkage, the problem went away.Even the clutch, which we expected to be fragile, lasted far longer than we expected, withstanding repeated full-throttle, clutch-slipping runs down the quarter-mile. It’s nice to see that Yamaha, in their quest for ultimate performance, didn’t sacrifice much if anything in the way of durability to eek out the last 100th of a percent of performance. First Place: Kawasaki ZX-6R Kawasakis have often been considered as horsepower bikes that tended to lack refinement. With its total make-over for 2000, the Kawasaki ZX-6R looked poised to trounce all-comers on the track just as it had on our dyno, posting an impressive run of 96 horsepower, tops in the lot above Honda’s F4 (95.5 bhp) and Yamaha’s R6 (93 bhp). The Kawasaki and its rider, gloating in victory. Shameless. Kawasaki puts a lot of stock in its AMA/ProStar drag racing effort so we expected the ZX-6R to be the king of the drag strip. However, on a hot day in the high desert the clutch wasn’t up to the abuse. With a best run only two-tenths of a second faster than the Suzuki, the Kawasaki fell three-tenths of a second behind the R6, although it posted a trap speed only one mile per hour slower, hinting that if we were able to get a better launch, the 6R may have ruled the strip. When the ZX wasn’t spinning the rear wheel, the clutch slipped so much that the motor over-revved with each shift since the clutch was unable to hold the next gear.On the street the Kawasaki was our clear favorite. The fantastic motor made beautiful sounds and, matched to a smooth transmission, the upright-yet-still-sporty seating position made any sort of roadwork a Nigel doesn’t like to wheelie. The ZX-6R does. Nigel learned to adapt. pleasure. The seat is soft and, coupled with well-damped suspension and great wind protection, the ride seemed more VFR800-like than a race-track weapon.Once on the track, however, the ZX-6R showed that the changes made to the bike over the past year add up to more than just a higher MSRP. Without any changes to the stock suspension settings the front end felt fine, although the rear end moved around more than we would have liked. Because the bike turned well into the corners, we left the ride-height adjuster alone and increased the compression a few clicks. This helped settle things down, but the bike never quite attained that balanced feel of the 748 or the GSX-R600. The Kawasaki’s lap times were only a few clicks off of those posted by the R6 even though some testers felt they just couldn’t get the suspension totally dialed in to their likings. The motor made good power off the bottom and that allowed the bike to attain high velocities down the following straight. Mid-corner the bike would touch down occasionally, though no hard parts dragged. In all, the ZX-6R is a tremendous all-around package. Conclusion: Your bike is somewhere in this line-up. All you have to do is decide what’s most important to you. At the end of it all, the Kawasaki wins by virtue of its all-around package. Much like the Yamaha YZF-1000 that ruled the open class a few years ago, this Kawasaki does everything well and nothing bad. It has excellent street manners, fully adjustable suspension that has potential to improved lap times considerably, and a motor that is without a doubt the best in class. It’s true that any of these bikes here would put a smile on anybody’s face: But nothing here covers as many different types of riding and pleases more riders than the Kawasaki.The Yamaha was a close second because it’s such a kick-ass bike that makes you feel like a hero when you ride it. It’s hard-edged (though not as much as the Ducati) and not bashful about it. A great bike for sure, but it lacks the ZX-6R’s all-around usefulness. The same could be said about the Suzuki, but it’s still toting around a few too many pounds and it needs an infusion of horsepower. That’s OK though, we hear a new GSX-R600 is on the way for next year. The Honda and the Ducati are exact opposites; most testers wished the Ducati had more of the CBR’s user-friendliness and that the Honda was a bit more focused. We know, we’re a tough bunch to please but when you’re splitting hairs we can’t be bashful, can we? And at the end of it all, we kept coming back to the ZX-6R. Different testers, a few changes and look at what happens to the pecking order in the Magic Kingdom of World Supersport. The post Church of MO: Year 2000 World Supersport Shootout appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Motorcycles via Motorcycle.com https://ift.tt/2Std7JO March 29, 2020 at 08:50AM |
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