Motorcyclist - February 2010-TV

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A COMPLETE GUIDE TO LIVING WITH YOUR MOTORCYCLE
84 DOIN TIME
88 SMART MONEY
90 GEAR
92 MC TESTED
94 TRACK TIME
96 STREET SAVVY
97 ANSWERS
98 LAST PAGE
FEBRUARY '10
For news, views and the latest lowdown:
visit www.motorcyclistonline.com
UP TO SPEED
30 BMW S1000RR
The future: available now in Acid Green.
34 MV AGUSTA BRUTALE 990R & 1090RR
A pair of polished brass knuckles from
Meccanica Verghera.
38 DUCATI HYPERMOTARD 796
The most Ducati $10K can buy.
40 HYOSUNG 650 COMET
Lighten up, Seoul brother.
42 APRILIA RS125
Small-bore track star.
44 HONDA ELITE SCOOTER
Go anywhere but the freeway.
46 KAWASAKI KLX110S
Cmon dad, its our turn!.
48 BEN SPIES STERILGARDA YAMAHA YZF-R1
Riding the world-beater.
53 BEN SPIES BY THE NUMBERS
It all adds up to #1.
54 MAT MLADINS YOSHIMURA SUZUKI GSX-R1000
Wringing out the champs last ride.
59 MAT MLADIN BY THE NUMBERS
Seven is the one that matters most.
60 LARRY PEGRAMS DUCATI 1098R
The American Superbike, Italian-style.
64 LARRY PEGRAMS DUCATI GT1000
Doin it in the dirt.
07 CAT TALES
10 UP TO SPEED
All-American Motus V4 sport-tourer, BMWs prototype six
and a slew of new 2010 models.
18 CHECKERS: BEN SPIES MOTO GP DEBUT
20 BEHIND BARS
22 DRAWING THE LINE
24 CODE BREAK
26 MC MAIL
28 ME & MY BIKE
MC GARAGE
10
30
90
48
60 64
54
68
34
12
68 OVERTIME TINA
A humble Vincent single tops the Ton.
73 VINCATI
Take one Vincent and one Ducati and call me in the morning.
74 HERES GIANNI!
The past is alive and well in Mr. Morbidellis museum.
FIRST RIDES
SPECIAL SECTION: SUPERBIKES!
FEATURES
www.motorcyclistonline.com 5
Friends &
Family
IN DEEP
ixty-four millimeters of offset?! You should have
like 10, Michael Lloyd exclaimed as he looked
at the adjustable triple clamps on my borrowed
Yamaha 500 dirt-tracker. How much tire pressure are you
running?
Um, 18 psi.
You should have like 8. No wonder youre having trouble
mid-corner.
Mid-corner? Im having trouble everywhere!
When the Lloyd brothers offered me a chance to ride
the Ducati dirt-tracker that Larry Pegram raced at the
Springfeld Mile (see page 64), I knew I was in deep. The
notion of riding a 1000cc twin around the Pomona Half-
Mile was daunting for someone whos almost a dirt-track
virgin. Almost a virgin? Yeah, well The sum total of my
experience consisted of racing short-track a couple of
times and spinning a handful of laps on a mile.
The good news was there were two events leading up
to Pomona: a double-header round of Eddie Mulders West
Coast Vintage Dirt Track Series at Willow Springs and the
monthly Southern California Flat Track Association races
at Perris. If I could fnd a ride for those, Id be that much
better prepared for Pomona.
And so I called Rod Lake. Id met Rod at Springfeld last
Memorial Day weekend, when I took part in his inaugural
230 World Championship TT. His enthusiasm for this most
American form of motorsports was apparent not only in his
well-prepped Honda CRF230F (which featured a cheater
big-bore motor, CRF150R suspension and brakes, etc.), but
also on the leathers of the numerous racers he sponsors.
A well-heeled sort (he started a little magazine called Out-
side) whos also well connected (he trains at Kenny Roberts
ranch and is cousins with actor Kevin Costner), he offered to
let me ride one of his bikes any time.
That time was now. And Rod had just the thing: a
1978 Yamaha TT500 single in a Lazer frame.
Better yet, the frame-maker himself, Marty
Lewis, was coming down south for the
week, so could transport and fettle the bike
for me.
In theory, dirt-track technique is simple.
Roll off the throttle at the end of
the straight (dont snap it shut),
S
Andrea
Wilson
Some-
times
months go by without
us calling Andrea to
shoot photos, then the
planets line up just right
and her phone rings off
the hook. Thats what
happened this issue as
she shot the various
racebikes that make up
our special Super-
bikes! section.
Michelle
Sylvester
Yes, we
did it
again. When Honda
invited us to the press
intro for its new Elite
scooter, we asked
Michelle if she would
attend on our behalf.
A TV producer by day,
shes a closet scooter
aficionado by night.
Please, no jokes about
fat chicks
Scott
Darough

Wee
Scottys
Indian name is Three
Rolls, because he once
showed up for a photo
shoot with only three
rolls of film. Thank
goodness for digital
cameras! He drew the
short straw this month
and had to photograph
Michelle on a scooter.
Poor bastard
Kel
Edge
Who
better to
photograph the new
BMW S1000RR super-
bike than the man whos
chronicled the World Su-
perbike Championship
since its very begin-
ning? Kel Edge isnt just
a talented shooter, hes
also a charming bloke,
and wasnt bad-looking
in his day.
CAT TALES
Brian Catterson
PHOTO: Andrea Wilson
counter-steer into the corner and trail brake (with the rear
brake only; there is no front) until the back end starts to
come around. Then roll the throttle back on and power
slide through. Run high up in the cushion and you need to
turn the throttle more to tighten your line.
In practice, however, its not as easy as it sounds. Espe-
cially when you dont get much practice: Two four-lap ses-
sions is it, unless you enter more than one class. Speaking
of which, it helps to know which class your bike is legal for
before you go to sign-up. Unlike motocross or roadracing,
with their near-universal class structures, dirt-track rules
vary from club to club. And so my borrowed Yamaha ran
in 500cc Support at the vintage races and Bomber at the
modern ones.
Not surprisingly, with so little seat time on an unfamiliar
motorcycle, I was hardly competitive. But as I did more
laps around Willows sandy, high-banked oval, I started to
get the hang of it. Conditions on Saturday were perfect for
learning: smooth and consistent. But on Sunday the noto-
rious high-desert wind picked up, the track crew watered
incessantly and the surface became rutted and unpredict-
able. Like trail riding at 100 mph, I heard one Pro say.
My results suffered accordingly. Should I say I got sixth and
seventh, or last and second to last?
The short-track races at Perris the following Friday night
went even worse. My frst practice session ended when I
was involved in a pileup before completing a single lap,
and the second was worthless because the track crew
watered right before it, making a muddy mess. With
sub-20-second lap times, the four-lap heat races were
seemingly over before they started, after which it seemed
like an eternity until the mains. As Marty put it, The work-
to-ride ratio is way off.
Yes, it isand yet I want more. Turns out, going racing
might not have been a good idea after all. The SCFTA
holds open practice days on which I could have not
only fne-tuned my riding technique, but also my bike
setup. If Id done that frst, I might actually have
been prepared for Pomona, instead of merely
humbled.
Like swimmers say, once youre in over your
head, it doesnt matter by how much.
MC
Thats me aboard Rod Lakes
Lazer-framed Yamaha 500 at Perris
Raceway. Id say at speed, but that
wouldnt be accurate.
EDITORIAL
Editor in Chief Brian Catterson
Executive Editor Tim Carrithers
Milwaukee Desk Aaron Frank
Pittsburgh Desk Mike Seate
Seattle Desk Jack Lewis
Key West Desk Joe Gresh
London Desk Roland Brown, Alan Cathcart, Ben Purvis
Managing Editor Andreanna Ditton
Associate Editor Ari Henning
Last Page Jeff Karr
Administrative Asst. Terie Gallo
Test Fleet Manager Michael Candreia
Test Consultants Barry Burke, Thad Wolff
ART DIRECTION AND DESIGN
Art Director Joe Neric
CONTRIBUTORS
Phil Aynsley, Raymond Bradlau,Adam Campbell, Bob Clarke, Keith
Code, Scott Darough, Gold & Goose, Keith May, Milagro, Dito Milan, Ed
Milich, Jim Moy, Brian J. Nelson, James Parker, Eric Putter, John L. Stein,
StudioZac, Tim Sutton, Michelle Sylvester, Rafael Tassitano, Shasta
Willson, Andrea Wilson, Kevin Wing
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ngineered in Michigan, designed
and built in Alabama, featuring an
all-new, 1650cc V4 engine, the
2011 Motus MST-01 sport-tourer could
put America back on the map as a builder
of high-performance, sport-oriented
motorcycles. MotusLatin for motion
is the brainchild of company president
Lee Conn and design director Brian Case.
Conn is an entrepreneur in the healthcare
feld, while Case is a product developer
and designer of the Confederate Wraith.
Friends and riding companions frst
and business partners second, the duo
started work on their American motorcycle
concept in 08. We took a piece of paper
and drew our ultimate dreambikea kick-
ass sportbike with a cool look and hard
bags, Conn explains.
The Motus MST-01 (to be followed by
a higher-output, higher-spec MST-R) is
designed for serious sport-tourers who
maintenance and, most importantly, useful
power. Pratt & Miller created the Le Mans-
winning GT1 Corvette C5-R and C6-R
racersalso single-cam, pushrod, two-valve
designs which should answer any ques-
tions regarding the new engines performance
and durability. Targeting 140 horsepower at
7800 rpm and 120 lb.-ft. of torque at 4500
rpm, the fuel-injected Motus MST-01 aims to
provide strong performance across a wide
rev range, with a pleasing countenance that
higher-revving fours lack.
The V4 motor will be mounted longitudi-
nally in a steel-trellis frame, and used as a
stressed member. The 90-degree cylinder
layout affords perfect primary balance, and
twin balance shafts quell second-order
vibration. Motus chose a six-speed manual
gearbox with chain fnal drive. Chain drive
remains the accepted standard for perfor-
mance bikes, and its use heredespite
requiring a power-robbing bevel-drive output
to turn the power sideways from the fore-aft
crankshaftinjects a higher quotient of
sport into the sport-touring equation.
Conventional wheels and tires (17-inch),
New motorcycle startup envisions a
uniquely American sport-tourer
WORDS: John L. Stein PHOTOS: Motus
value comfort, performance and range. The
company has polled hundreds of sport-touring
riders to verify their likes and dislikes. These
guys want to ride long distances on a light-
weight machine with great engine durability
and aerodynamics, Conn says. Motus sees
its opportunity in the sport-touring segment
because it attracts experienced riders with
higher incomes.
Michigan-based Pratt & Miller Engineering,
a powerhouse in sports car racing, has
been contracted to engineer and prototype
the all-new machine. The liquid-cooled V4
will deviate from typical high-performance
E
We took a piece of paper and drew our ultimate
dreambikea kick-ass sportbike with a cool look
and hard bags.
An upright riding position, aerodynamically
enhanced bodywork and integrated, modular
luggage will make the Motus MST-01 a capable
and comfortable sport-touring machine. The
sliding, two-position trunk is especially trick.
protocol by utilizing a single, chain-driven
camshaft nestled in the valley of the Vee
like an American V8, with pushrods and two
valves per cylinder. Design benefts include
compact cylinder heads, simplifed
10 MOTORCYCLIST
he year was 1975. I was living in
Colorado, working my way through
college, when I got a job as a
mechanic at BMW of Denver. It was right
around the corner from my housenot the
new, fancy place, but the tiny old shop
on West Evans, where I was one
of two mechanics. At the time
I had a CZ 400 motocrosser
that I raced and an old
BSA Gold Star that I putted
around on the street. My
only experience with BMWs
was the test rides I took
after servicing them. My friend
and fellow mechanic, Bill Wood,
thought I should know more about the
brand I was working on, so convinced the
owner to loan us a couple of shop bikes
for the weekend. We left Denver on a cool
morning and headed for Aspen to watch
the MRA races at Woody Creek Raceway.
I dont remember the exact route we took,
but two parts stand out: blazing up and
over Independence Pass (12,095 ft.) and
blasting across South Park side-by-side at
90 mph. At the end of the weekend I said to
myself, Ive gotta own one of these BMWs.
And I soon did, buying a totaled R75/5 that
I rebuilt and rode all over the West, one day
ending up at the door of San Jose BMW,
looking for a new throttle cable. They were
looking for a mechanic, and after three
months of considering it, I took the job.
Now, all these years later, my wife and I own
the store. That ride not only changed my life,
it defned it.
1975
BMW
R75/5
THE BIKE THAT
CHANGED MY LIFE
RIDER: Chris Hodgson
THEN: Mechanic and race tuner
NOW: Proprietor of San Jose BMW
suspension (43mm inverted front and mono-
shock rear) and brakes (four-piston/320mm
radial front and two-piston/240mm rear)
are specifed, and will be sourced from top
suppliers like Marchesini, Michelin, hlins
and Brembo. The aggressive bodywork will
be aerodynamically scrutinized using Pratt
& Millers sophisticated design computers,
and the body panels will be created from
fberglass, Kevlar or carbon-fber, as pricing
allows. The 525-pound MST-01 is expected to
be similar in size to the Yamaha FZ1, with its
cockpit designed to 95th percentile stan-
dards, meaning that it should comfortably ft
95 percent of the general population.
The prototype engine is scheduled to
run in early 2010, with a rideable prototype
following as soon as mid-year. If the tallest
hurdleEPA certifcationcan be cleared,
2011 production motorcycles may
be available as soon as late this
year. Price point is expected to
be somewhere in the range of a
loaded BMW K1300GTin other
words, the mid-20s. Motus hopes
to eventually establish dealership
outlets across the country, but until
such relationships are formalized,
the frst production units will be sold
and delivered through the factory in Alabama.
Its impossible to consider the challenge
Motus faces without recalling the inglorious
demise of Buell, which, despite the deep
pockets of Harley-Davidson, got the axe late
in 09. But Motus actually sees a silver lining
in the recent economic woes. The recession
has allowed us to access resources that were
otherwise inaccessible, Conn explains. We
have manufacturers working with us that fve
years ago would not have even talked to us.
And remember, 60 percent of Fortune 500
companies were started during recessions.
Motus Motorcycles also has a larger and
more patriotic goal: reversing the loss of
American manufacturing. From our stand-
point, creating and maintaining a manufac-
turing base in this country is essential, Conn
adds. With such a provocative motorcycle in
the pipeline, we hope that this ambitious and
worthwhile agenda will fnd traction.
Motus liquid-cooled, 90-degree V4 will mount as
a stressed member in a tubular-steel space frame.
Corvette racing powerhouse Pratt & Miller
is leading the engineering effort.
T
o much for the Strada Aperta
name... Ducatis all-new adven-
ture-tourer retains the Multistrada
title, but thats all it has in common with
the previous model. Underneath that
trendy beak-and-jowl bodywork lurks a
liquid-cooled, 1198cc V-twin ft with more
electronic gadgetry than Noriyuki Hagas
World Superbike racer. With ride-by wire
throttle, variable drive modes, traction
control, electronically adjustable suspen-
sion and advanced ABS, this is the most
sophisticated adventure-tourer yet.
The Multistrada 1200 is powered by
a redesigned version of the Testastretta
Evoluzione superbike motor with a valve
overlap angle of just 11 degrees, reduced
2010 DUCATIS
MULTI-
DIMENSIONAL
The all-new Multistrada 1200 is the most technically advanced Ducati yet
WORDS: Aaron Frank PHOTOS: Ducati
Top-of-the-line 1198R Special Edition gets unique
graphics that commemorate the Ducati Corse logo
change. Bare-aluminum fuel tank looks ultra-trick.
S
he next evolution of Ducatis twin-cylinder supermoto,
fttingly named the Hypermotard 1100EVO ($11,995),
sheds a whopping 15.5 pounds and gains 5 horsepower
compared to the original. Nearly 12 lbs. were trimmed from
the motor, thanks to new Vacural-cast cases and a light-
ened crank, fywheel and alternator. Extra power comes
courtesy of new porting, a revised combustion chamber
and a new airbox. Ducati will also offer a track-ready SP
version ($14,495) with increased cornering clearance,
uprated suspension, higher bars and even lower weight
after the addition of forged and machined Marchesini wheels
and, of course, a liberal dose of carbon-fber.
Longer-travel Marzocchi front/hlins shock
combination differentiates the Hypermotard SP,
along with red-striped Marchesini forged wheels.
T
HYPER-EVOLVED
Ducati drops a fitter, faster Hypermotard too
WORDS: Aaron Frank PHOTO: Ducati
from 41 degrees on the superbikes. This
change is said to smooth power delivery, in
addition to improving fuel economy by 15 per-
cent and lowering exhaust emissions by 65
percent. Output remains stout at a claimed
150 horsepower and 87.5 lb.-ft. of torque,
while revised intake and exhaust porting,
altered cam timing and a reduced compres-
sion ratio all work to boost low-rpm torque
and enhance rideability.
The $14,995 Multistrada 1200 base
model offers three different drive modes:
Sport, with aggressive power delivery;
Touring, with progressive power delivery; and
Urban, which reduces peak power by 30 per-
cent. Traction control is standard equipment,
settings automatically readjusted to suit each
power profleor adjusted independently
among eight settings. Bosch-Brembo ABS is
available for an additional $1000.
Ducati will also offer two $18,995 Mul-
tistrada 1200 S variations, both supplied
with ABS and pushbutton, electronically
adjustable hlins suspension in place of the
base models Marzocchi fork and Sachs rear
shock. The Sport version features plenty of
carbon-fber body parts, while the Touring
edition substitutes hard saddlebags, heated
handgrips and a centerstand. The S-models
offer four preset full drive modes that
tailor power profle, traction-control settings
and suspension setup in concert for Sport,
Touring, Urban and Enduro riding conditions.
Vacural-cast engine cases, a lighter and
stiffer composite steel/alloy frame, an
aluminum single-sided swingarm and a new,
blow-molded fuel tank keep dry weight to
a claimed 417 pounds, making the Multi-
strada 1200 the lightest adventure-tourer
on the market. Designed with a more open
ergonomic triangle than the previous edition,
the Multistrada 1200 offers more spacious
seating, a higher, wider handlebar mounted
on anti-vibration isolators and 2.5 inches
of vertical windscreen adjustment. Its is an
ambitious machine, and looks fully capable
of providing the best adventure-tourers on the
marketspecifcally the BMW R1200GS
with serious competition.
12 MOTORCYCLIST
TWIN-CAM
TOURERS
BMWs big Boxers get a DOHC engine upgrade.
WORDS: Aaron Frank PHOTO: BMW
SIX
APPEAL
Outrageous Milan Show bike
previews BMWs forthcoming
luxury tourer
WORDS: Aaron Frank PHOTO: BMW
MWs all-conquering R1200GS
adventure tourer comes gets some
stiff competition this year in the form
of Ducatis new Multistrada 1200. Though
it looks unchanged at a glance, BMWs big
traillie gets a major motor upgrade for 2010,
which should improve its chances of keeping
the 150-horsepower Multi12 in sight. The
GSs old, single-cam Boxer engine has been
replaced with the dual-overhead-cam, radial-
valve powerplant from BMWs Boxer superbike,
the HP2 Sport. This increases peak power fve
percent (now 110 hp) and bumps the maximum
engine speed up to 8,500 rpm, with an even
broader spread of power across the rev range.
Interestingly, the new engine also features
an exhaust fapper valve for the frst time
though BMW claims this isnt to improve power
delivery but, rather, to roughen up the wimpy
exhaust note that has long been a complaint of
Boxer buyers.
The GS isnt the only R-bike to beneft from
this engine upgrade. BMWs venerable R1200RT
also receives the DOHC engine in 2010, offering
the same advantages to sport-touring riders.
The RT further benefts from an improved, Mk. II
version of BMWs Electronic Suspension Adjust-
ment system, which adjusts damping, preload
and now also spring rate at the touch of a
button. The RT fairing and windscreen have also
been reshaped to improve wind and weather
protection, and a new audio system with iPod/
MP3 interface has been added.
B
TWIN-C
2010 BMW R1200GS/R1200RT
Reshaped, two-bolt valve covers are the only exter-
nal change for the new, DOHC R1200GS. Visually, the
rest of the bike remains the same.
t the 2008 Intermot Expo in Cologne,
Germany, BMW General Manager
Hendrik von Kuenheim told us the
applications. Packaging six cylinders between
two wheels has proven problematic, but BMW
addresses these concerns by incorporating
the same compact construction methods as
its recent K-series fours. The cylinder block is
tilted forward 55 degrees, lowering the center
of gravity and making room for electrical
components behind that crankshaft, instead
of at the ends. A small-bore/long-stroke con-
fguration keeps cylinder gaps to a minimum,
resulting in a power train only slightly wider
than a conventional large-displacement four,
BMW says. Displacement will be no less than
1600cc, and torque output will approach 100
lb.-ft. at just 2000 rpm.
Future-caf styling is not production-intent,
but chosen to show off the new engine and
chassis to maximum effect. Exploiting the
caf racers traditional long-front/short-tail
silhouette, carbon-fber and aluminum body
panels frame the motor and are accented
with gill-like intake ducts that visually refer-
ence the triple-outlet side pipes. The chassis
recalls the existing K1300 with near-hori-
zontal main spars connecting the Duolever
front and Paralever rear suspensions. All this
makes us excited about the new touring bike,
although the Concept 6 defnitely leaves us
dreaming of a torqued-up naked bike, too.
BMW CONCEPT 6
A
companys touring platform would be over-
hauled after the S1000RR superbike rollout
was complete. He said to expect an all-new
touring machine with many cylinders, huge
torque and a low seat. Though the touring
capability of the Concept 6 shown here wont
extend far beyond the local coffeehouse, its
production-ready inline-six and chassis will
almost certainly form the basis of a new
luxury-touring bike to be introduced next year.
Straight sixes have long powered BMWs
high-end automobiles, and the confgurations
superior power and unmatched smoothness
are perfect for long-distance touring
The Concept 6s futuristic styling is just for show, but
the six-cylinder engine will see production soon.
V-TWIN
TAKEOVER
The Austrian superbike comes stateside
WORDS: Ari Henning PHOTOS: KTM
welve years is an eon in sport-
bike time, when its not unusual
for manufacturers to completely
overhaul their performance machinery every
two to three years. Even the most beautiful
motorcycle in the worldas many regard the
MV Agusta F4begins to look stale after a
decade-plus. MV has fnally wised up to this
reality, and given the iconic F4 superbike the
frst complete overhaul since its 1998 debut.
Its a conservative update, barely straying
from the original style or specifcations that
now-retired design legend Massimo Tamburini
indelibly imparted on the original. Most will
agree thats a good thing.
Styling differences are especially subtle,
and more related to scale than shape. The
upper fairing is lower, slimmer and ftted with
a smaller headlamp, resulting in the smallest
frontal area of any inline-four sportbike, the
company says. The fuel tank is shorter both
in terms of length and height, to give the rider
more room, and a slimmer tailsection shows
more of the quad-tipped exhaust, now with
square outlets.
Fairing vents are larger, and provide a
better view of the red-painted valve cover that
conceals the 998cc fours radial-arranged val-
vetrain. MVs pioneering Torque Shift System
variable-length intake tract remains intact,
though the EFI system is all-new, built around
dual injector-equipped, 49mm throttle bodies.
An upgraded Magneti Marelli 7 SM ECU
manages two-mode engine mapping (choose
between sport or rain settings), as well as the
MK II traction control system, offering eight
levels of sensitivity.
Like the styling and specs, power and
weight fgures remain in the same neighbor-
hood as before, with 186 (claimed) horse-
power arriving at 12,900 rpm, and a dry
weight of 424 pounds. As MV Agusta boss
Claudio Castiglioni said at the new models
Milan Show introduction, Its hard to improve
on perfectioneven when you take 12 years
to do the job.
n 2009, KTM introduced its
ultra-racy RC8R to the European
marketand kept it there. But
for 2010 the up-spec RC8R is coming
stateside, and its poised to give the
2010 KTM RC8R
Italian V-twins and Japanese liter-bikes a run
for their money.
The R is a totally different beast compared
to its base-model brethren. The 1195cc,
75-degree V-twin has bigger Nikasil-plated
cylinders that push up against World Super-
bike regulations, and house aluminum slugs
that boost compression to 13.5:1. Revised
porting and more aggressive cams (with
adjustable sprockets for race tuning) conspire
to bump output to a claimed 170 horsepower
with 90.7 lb.-ft. of pavement-rippling torque. If
thats not enough juice for power-hungry riders,
KTMs Club Racer Kit includes an Akrapovic
exhaust and head gaskets that supposedly
add another 10 ponies to the bottom line.
The R-model uses the same lightweight
steel-trellis frame as the RC8, but with new
machined triple clamps with less offset
designed to keep the bike stable at mach
speed. The WP suspension components get
a slick TiAIN coating as well as revamped
spring rates and damping directly aimed at
railing on the racetrack. Forged-aluminum
Marchesini wheels are over 2 pounds lighter
than the RC8s, and come shod with Pirelli
Supercorsa SP buns.
Endowed with this level of components
and tuned to the moon, the RC8R takes the
marques Ready to Race slogan to a new
level. Speaking of which, industry insiders
say we should see the RC8R on the WSBK
grid in 2012.
I
An orange powder-coated frame plus various
blacked-out components look racy.
NEW
BLOOD
The Worlds Most Beautiful
Motorcycle finally gets a
facelift
WORDS: Aaron Frank PHOTOS: MV Agusta
T
2010 MV AGUSTA F4
14 MOTORCYCLIST
2010 MOTO GUZZI CONCEPTS
oto Guzzi revealed a trifecta of
concept vehicles at the 2009 EICMA
expo in Milan. These prototypesthe
V12 LM, V12 Strada and V12 Xare the
frst fruit of the collaboration between
the iconic, 88-year-old Italian motorcycle
manufacturer and former Ducati design chief,
Pierre Terblanche.
Typical of Terblanches genre-bending
designshe created both the Multistrada
and Hypermotard for Ducatithese new
Guzzis mash-up streetfghter, motard and
cruiser styling elements and design cues.
The red V12 LM invokes the classic sporting
archetype of the Guzzi Lemans, while the
matte green-and-silver V12 X tends toward
motard styling with its beak-like nose and
lack of any discernable tail. The white V12
Strada is the most conventional of the lot,
with a classic, upright architecture that will
appeal to many of Guzzis traditional fans.
The three concepts share the same
chassis, which consists of an organically
shaped, cast aluminum semi-monocoque
frame mated to some variation of Guzzis
unique CARC (anti-reactive) single-sided
shaft-drive swingarm. The Strada and X both
utilize a traditional, vertically oriented rear
shock; the LM gets a novel rear suspension
treatment with the rear shock mounted at a
nearly horizontal angle within the suspension
linkage, a space-saving design that allows a
shorter wheelbase.
This new frame design gracefully envelopes
the jutting cylinder heads of the recently
updated, 1200cc, 8-valve engine. Exhausts
on all three are fabricated from Inconel, an
exotic, nickel-chromium superalloy more
commonly found on jet turbines or Formula 1
racers, and all three feature square muf-
fers aft of the oil sump, a design similar to
Giuseppe Ghezzis Quat D exhaust. Air/
oil cooling is enhanced by the unique fnned
cooling elements fanking the steering head.
More than just cosmetic touches, these heat
sinks extract vapor from boiling liquid to
draw heat away from the exhaust valve and
improve cooling.
Any one of these three machines could con-
ceivably be put into production with relatively
few changes, though parent company Piaggio
made no remarks with regard to any imminent
plans. It remains to be seen whether Ter-
blanches design talent can create some much-
needed excitement for Moto Guzzi, or whether
Piaggios ongoing attempts to revitalize the
Guzzi brand will position it for future success.
So far Piaggios maneuvering of Moto Guzzi
has been less than well received by Guzzi fans.
A September 2009 protest organized by the
Italian Guzzi group Anima Guzzi (www.guzzisti.
it) to highlight Piaggios supposed marginaliza-
tion of the Guzzi brand drew over 1500 Guzzisti
to the factory gates at Mandello Del Lario. The
recent departure of Piaggio Chief Operating
Offcer Deniele Bandiera, along with these new
models, may signal a new direction for the
beloved Mandello manufacturer. Lets hope this
optimism is well founded. MC
WILD FILE
VISIONARY
TWELVES
Pierre Terblanche resurfaces with this trio of wild Guzzi concepts
WORDS: Ed Milich PHOTOS: Moto Guzzi
The X-model gets supermoto-inspired styling, com-
plete with handguards, an extra-long banana saddle,
and high-rise suspension.
The Strada provides a good view of the innovative
LED-type lighting and rear-view video system, with
rear-facing cameras on each cylinder head.
The V12 LM initials harken back to the famed Lemans
sportbikes of the seventies and eightiessome of the
finest machines Guzzi ever produced.
M
18 MOTORCYCLIST
en Spies ended the 2009 MotoGP
season in 20th place, right behind
Sete Gibernau, which might be disap-
pointing except for the fact that he earned
those nine points by fnishing seventh in the
fnal round at Valencia, Spain. That was the
25-year-old Texans frst and only appearance
of the year, two weeks after inking the 2009
World Superbike Championship in Portugal.
The three-time AMA champ had already
re-signed with Yamaha to return to the SBK
wars in 2010, before the decision was made
to promote him to MotoGPand demote
James Toseland.
Spies was no MotoGP virgin. Hed fnished
14th in the 08 British GP, flling in for an
injured Loris Capirossi, then eighth at Laguna
Seca and sixth at Indianapolis in wild-card
rides on the Rizla Suzuki. Just fve hours after
clapping eyes on his 240-plus horsepower,
STORM WARNING
In his Yamaha MotoGP debut, Ben Spies shows
hes a force to be reckoned with
WORDS: Tim Carrithers PHOTOS: Gold & Goose
B
What do you do for an encore after winning the 2009
World Superbike Championship? How about throwing
a leg over your 2010 MotoGP bike and coming home
seventh?
326-pound YZR-M1, Spies ended Saturday
practice 5 seconds quicker than he started,
just over a second behind the fve fastest
bikes. Its the frst time Ive set foot on a
Yamaha, so to be only a second off the mix is
pretty good, Spies said. For the frst day, and
only 20 laps on the bike, Im happy. Spies
best 1:33.539-second qualifying lap made
him ninth-quickest, ahead of Italian Andrea
Doviziosos Repsol Honda. Impressed yet?
Flying Sterilgarda Yamaha colors for one
last time in front of 94,177 rabid Spanish
spectators, Spies got a solid start, running
ninth until Marco Melandri dropped him to
10th near the end of lap one. By lap 11,
however, Spies got back around. After passing
Mika Kallio to crack the top 10, he took ninth
from Alex De Angelis one lap later. Running
quick enough to match his 2010 Monster
Yamaha Tech 3 teammate Colin Edwards
1:34 pace up in fourth spot, Spies grabbed
seventh from Dovizioso with fve laps to go
and held on to the fnish.
It was a solid performance from the most
promising American MotoGP rookie since
a certain kid from Kentucky, with a twist.
Bumping Dovizioso back to eighth gave
Edwards ffth for the season. I gave Ben a big
hug after the race, Edwards said. Anything
he wants me to buy him, he can have it.
Next season wont be easy, but starting
out with a guy like Edwards in your corner
cant hurt. MC
inety-nine percent of motorcyclists are law-abiding citizens,
and the last one percent are nothing more than outlaws.
Nobody knows who said that. Maybe its apocryphal.
N
What did happen as a matter
of record and history is that One
Percenter became a badge of
honor for outlaw clubs, its
outlaw brand celebrated with
delicious terror in a thousand
pulp mags and a handful of
Roger Corman B-ficks. Sonny
Barger may (or may not) have
been the frst guy to get 1%er
inked onto his pelt, but surely he
wasnt the last.
Herd nature drives us together
against common threats, or what
H.S. Thompson branded The
Menace. The same focking
instinct requires The Menace to
provide for their common defense
against, um Us.
And who are Us? Were the
good guys: conscientious, ATGATT
ambassadors of the sport.
We meet the nicest people on
our Hondas. We put our best
wheel forward. We sneer at the
unwashed and the ignant. Our
tire pressures are perfect.
That arrogant patch-holder with
us all look bad!
That heinous crime allegedly
occurred at three in the morning.
Whats 122 mph on a modern
sportbiketop of third gear?
On a long, wide, straight, well-lit,
untraffcked expressway at 0300:
no one to hurt but himself,
unless a deer wandered out.
He lost his bike and license
for that, if it makes anyone feel
better.
Still think theyre not coming
for you? A few months back, a
couple on a Gold Wing hit a mule
deer on I-5, backing up traffc for
miles. Wearing armored clothes
and full-face helmets, herding a
Jack Lewis
Behind Bars
THE
NIEMOLLER PRINCIPLE
PHOTO: Kevin Wing
the tattooed arms, loose-meat
pillion bitch and cherry-bomb
drag pipes who wont so much
as nod at our cheerful wave from
our kickass Hyperbusa? When he
gets lit up by the law, we snicker
up our armored sleeve as we
elegantly zip by, frmly wrapped in
fail-safe technology.
Better him than me. He makes
us all look bad.
When a Suzuki rider recently
got popped clocking 122 mph on
I-205 South in the small hours
of the night, his harshest judg-
ments came from fellow riders.
The intertubes lit up with digital
pitchforks and torches: He makes
20 MOTORCYCLIST
shop-tuned, late-model touring
rig along the slab at the speed
limit, they were nearly killed by a
woods rat. Public comment con-
sensus was that they deserved it
for riding that damned donorcycle
in the frst place, how dare they
hold up everyones commute for
a Life Flight and was the deer
okay?
Even Wing Dingers make us
look bad!
Riding a bike brands you as
the minority, and discrimination
against minorities is automatic.
It is instinctive, but we riders
should be better than that. If we
ostracize every rider who doesnt
meet our personal purity test, e
pluribus unum goes straight into
the toilet.
When they came for the one-
percenters, I didnt say anything
because I wasnt a one-percenter
(besides, colors are for clowns).
When they came for the squids,
I laughed at those brain-dead
punks. When they came for the
sport-tourers, I hey! Wait a
minute! It wasnt me making us
look bad!
Then the Lord said to Cain,
Where is your brother Abel?
I dont know, he replied. Am
I my brothers keeper? (Gen.
4:9, NIV)
If you refuse to wave to
scooterists or three-patch bikers
or squids or whomever, youre a
dick. They face the same blind
cagers, get hassled by the same
LEOs and get frozen by the same
sleet. Asphalt burns us all the
same shade of red.
Think about this the next time
you blare on about how young
stuntahs ought to take their
tricks to the track (and what track
would that be, exactly?). When
you were a kid, could you afford
If we ostracize every rider who
doesnt meet our personal purity
test, e pluribus unum goes straight
into the toilet.
a newish sportbike, full leathers
and track-day fees? Or did you
get your kicks where you could?
Be honest.
It was several years ago when
Ex2 and I were passed on the
right by Little Joey Rocket in the
diamond lane of westbound SR
520. Doing about 80, he stood
on the seat so he could see over
the fying front wheel. As the lane
ended and the foating bridge
began, he set it down softly,
slowed, signaled and merged
seamlessly into the fow of traffc.
It was beautiful.
My God, said Ex2. Thats
crazy!
Yeah, okay: crazy beautiful.
I hope that kid lives to be
a cranky old fart, querulously
wheezing on about kids today.
I hope someday he stops to help
a brother on a busted old Harley.
I hope he aces an expert riding
course and raises a litter of
bright, daring kids who under-
stand that outlaw never was a
synonym for criminal.
You grown-ups are making too
much noise! Go play outside for
awhile. MC
P
H
O
T
O
:

R
a
f
a
e
l

T
a
s
s
i
t
a
n
o
P
H
O
T
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:

G
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e

K
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d
arly last year, Hendrik von Kuenheim, president of BMW Motorrad, spoke about the companys
plans for its new S1000RR in the World Superbike Championship: We are taking the battle to their
battlefeld, to play by their rules. This year we hope to develop the bike and fnish in the top 10.
E
The bike that BMW built as
the basis of its World Superbike
effort is a combination of radical
ends and conservative means.
The S1000RR is claimed to have
the most power and the lightest
weight in its class, and it has
perhaps the most sophisticated
electronic aids to performance of
any motorcycle. This puts its per-
formance potential at the radical
end of the spectrum.
The fact that this radical
performance comes from a com-
pany known for its conservatism
becomes a clear statement that
the company intends to change
its image. This is a radical
change for BMW.
The performance may be
radical, and the culture shift at
BMW may be radical. But how
radical is the engineering? Is the
designa collection of unexpected,
original work?
No. BMW has taken a deeply
conservative approach, in
that almost every detail of the
S1000RRs architecture and
mechanical elements follows
precedents set by the Japanese
manufacturers. From the stacked
transmission shafts to the under-
engine muffer box to the twin-
spar frame structure to the cen-
tral ram-air duct, the details are
familiar to anyone whos studied
the Big Fours inline-fours.
This is not to say that the
S1000RR is a copy of any
other bike, but rather that BMW
looked to the Japanese machines
as models of what a super-
bike should be. A conservative
approach is a safe approach, and
the BMW engineers took what
they hoped would be a safe and
sure way to put together a com-
petitive superbike. Now that the
2009 World Superbike season
has concluded, has the safe
approach proven to be the
best course? How has this
Conservative Radical performed?
Id rate BMWs debut SBK
season a success. This is an
intensely competitive series,
and it was especially so this
year. BMW didnt fnish in the
top 10 as hoped, but Troy Corser
led races and fnished 13th in
the series, with Ruben Xaus
not far behind in 17th. Had the
S1000RR performed all season
as it did in the fnal third, a top-10
fnish would have been a safe
bet. Top speed and individual lap
times were very competitive, but
the team often had to use softer
tires to get those times, meaning
that performance went off late
in the race. A best fnish of ffth
came at the Czech Republic.
BMWs conservative approach
thus resulted in a solid develop-
ment season that will surely
serve as a strong basis for this
years effort. But there was one
detail that must have frustrated
the team and caused them to
question their conservative
approach. Most seasons of World
Superbike dont feature the intro-
duction of a new bike by a new
entrant, but the 09 season saw
not only BMWs entry but also
Aprilias new RSV4.
The Aprilia is the frst V4 in
SBK since the Honda RC-30s of
the late 80s, and in many ways
its radical relative to the conser-
vative BMW. Its 65-degree V-angle
makes for a very compact engine,
and the bike looks more like a
MotoGP weapon than a Super-
bike. What must have shocked
the BMW team, however, is that
while they struggled to get up to
speed with the S1000RR, the
RSV4 rocketed to an astounding
season.
Aprilias Max Biaggi was
already on the podium with two
thirds at the second event at
Qatar, and he followed with seven
more podiums topped with a win
at Brno. For a completely new
bike, the Aprilias record was
stunning, with Biaggi failing to
fnish only once during the entire
season. Placing fourth overall for
the season, Aprilia beat every
team except the Yamaha of Ben
Spies and the Ducatis of Noriyuki
Haga and Michele Fabrizio.
BMWs debut season went
very much according to its
conservative plan, and its only
in comparison to the remarkable
Aprilia effort that the question
arises: Was BMW perhaps too
conservative in its approach?
The 09 season saw another
threat to BMWs strategy in that
the Yamaha that won the cham-
pionship wasnt a conventional
inline-four, but rather featured a
crossplane crankshaft, in some
ways a radical departure from
the norm.
The conservatives are under
attack from the radicals. What
else is new? MC
PHOTO: BMW
DRAWING THE LINE
James Parker
PHO
James P
THE
CONSERVATIVE
RADICAL
BMWs new S1000RR superbike sets a
new standard for electronic aids, with
both Race ABS and traction control.
22 MOTORCYCLIST
Some discounts, coverages, payment plans, and features are not available in all states or in all GEICO companies. Boat and PWC coverages are
written through non-afliated insurance companies and are secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency, Inc. Motorcycle and ATV coverages are
underwritten by GEICO Indemnity Company. Government Employees Insurance Co. GEICO General Insurance Co. GEICO Indemnity Co. GEICO
Casualty Co. These companies are subsidiaries of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. GEICO: Washington, DC 20076. 2010 GEICO
m going to get my wish. This year at the California Superbike School, students will ride the new
BMW S1000RR. While the world around us spouts off about speed being dangerous, you might
recall my column about 1000cc bikes being statistically no more dangerous than 600s. Some
readers took that to mean liter-bikes are safer, which I didnt say. What I said was, there is no hard
evidence that liter-bike horsepower, or their potential speed, is an easily identifable cause of crashes.
Then, as now, my theory has been the opposite: that riders tend to be intimidated by gobs of power and
respect the bike. But theories are only as good as they hold up in reality. So statistically speaking, Ill
have the grandest liter-bike vs. 600 experiment ever done on earth under laboratory (the tracks we run
across America) conditions.
I
Earlier this year, I rode the new
Ducati 1198, Suzuki GSX-R1000
and Yamaha YZF-R1 with the boys
here at the mag, and now Ive
ridden the BMW S1000RR well
use at the schools. It is impos-
sible not to be impressed with
these phenomenal motorcycles.
Each has a defnite character,
each has stunning power and
each has its own feel and han-
dling. All have proven themselves
in competition, all bring some-
thing to the table and none can
be ruled out.
As time goes by, big bikes dont
feel that big anymore. Pulling one
of them off the sidestand isnt
substantially different than a
600 of not so long ago. Between
your legs, there is an immediate
lack of intimidationwith the
BMW, more a sense of security
because the weight and feel of
liter-bikes is no longer propor-
tionate to power.
Take a Yamaha YZF-R6
weighing in at 417 pounds
wet with 109 horsepower and
compare the S1000RR at 450
lbs. wet with 193 bhp. A scant 23
lbs. heavier but 2.3 lbs. per bhp
compared to 3.8 on the R6. The
question of what happens when
you roll on the throttle shouldnt
need to be asked, but go ahead.
One answer is 1000s come away
from a stoplight with a feather
touch of the throttle. With fewer
gear changes and far more linear
power, there is no wait time for
power. To me, that makes them
more manageable than 600s.
Not to shamelessly promote
our new bikes, but honestly, if I
had been blindfolded and put on
the S1000RR, I would not have
been able to tell right away if it
were a 600, 750 or 1000. The
handling is that good and that
neutral. I would compare it to a
Honda CBR600RR, and that is a
very nice bike to ride. It passed
my personal test, which is: How
many corners does it take for
the bike to become less impor-
tant than the riding; for it to feel
like an extension of me; for it to
disappear as an object and carry
out my wishes? Its a lot to ask
of a bike not built just for me,
but they are out there and the
S1000RR is one of them.
For me, its all about training
riders in their cornering skills.
Having bikes that meet those cri-
teria has spiked my excitement
levels. Of course, thats all aside
from the massive adrenalin wow
factor that our students will
experience on the straights. For
the faint of heart, the answer
is in the highly sophisticated
electronics these bikes have.
We can put the traction control
in rain mode, which limits
the engine output and power
characteristics to a very mild-
mannered machine. Do you see
what is becoming available to
every street rider now? You can
set the dashboard computer to
have your bike behave the way
you feel, or to comply with the
conditions. Power is rising, but
so is our control over it. Honda
introduced ABS to its CBRs,
and now BMW has upped the
ante with Race ABS. So will
everyone else.
That is the future. Welcome
to it. MC
Keith Code
PHOTO: BMW
CODE BREAK
THE FUTURE IS NOW
For nearly 30 years the California
Superbike School has employed
Kawasaki 550s-600s, but for 2010
students will get to ride the new,
high-tech BMW S1000RR.
24 MOTORCYCLIST
friendly tone. I read that to mean he became
patently condescending. Mitchell says he
decided to give him a ticket after the
violator lit up a smoke and began to whine
more. Offcer Mitchell allowed this violator
to take the lead in controlling the traffc stop.
The man was pushing buttons, and Mitchell
responded.
To be effective at traffc enforcement, an
offcer should decide his intended enforce-
ment action before he makes the stop.
Certainly, there may be times when an offcer
gleans information during the encounter that
might infuence him to amend that decision.
But in my experience, this meant I changed
my mind and did not write a ticket as I had
intended.
Mitchell says violators should treat offcers
the way they themselves would like to be
treated. I agree, but that advice goes both
ways. In this case, the violators most serious
offense was Contempt of Cop. The man
tried to get to Mitchell and Mitchell let him
get away with it.
Kurt D. Smith
Via E-mail
Regarding Offcer Mitchells soapbox rant:
For every sweet, good-natured constable like
him whose good mood is soured by a squid
with no plate who takes a little too long to
pull over, theres also a jerk with a badge who
will throw the book at you, even if you are
respectful, fully insured and registered.
Sean Mitchell
Colorado Springs, CO
Ive been a biker for 35-plus years
and 250,000-plus miles and Im
sorry, Offcer Mitchell, but Im not
buying it anymore. I have collected
my share of tickets and not a
single one of them had anything
to do with me being a danger to
anyone around me. Faster than
those stupid white signs? Sure.
But not as fast as the rat van
that was passing me the last
time I got pulled over.
Tim Akey
St. Louis, MO
I wholeheartedly agree with
the theme of Mike Mitchells
Asking for It article on
respecting law-enforcement
offcers. Not too long
ago I was timing lights in
San Francisco, and as I
approached a busy intersec-
tion, the light went to a four-
MC
Mail
GOT A QUESTION OR COMMENT FOR THE MOTORCYCLIST STAFF? E-MAIL US AT MCMAIL@SORC.COM
NAUGHTY & NICE, CONTEMPT OF
COPS, CHORD DIGRESSIONS & MORE
NAUGHTY & NICE
I loved your December Naughty or Nice
issueloved the exotic machinery, loved the
hot girls, loved the raunchy cover, loved it
all! Now cancel my subscription. Not really,
but I just wanted to prepare you for the likely
backlash thats heading your way after a
ballsy cover shot like that. Fem, and keep
the interesting issues coming!
Mitchell Lang
Wheaton, IL
I have to write in about the Naughty or
Nice spread. I loved itthe awesome
suspension systems, the amazing curves of
the bodywork, the wonderful headlights ...
and the motorcycles were pretty cool, too!
Gary Balduzzi
Valley Forge, PA
Just thought you should know that Genna,
the nice elf, is the cutest girl I have ever
seen! You should include her more often.
What a sweetheart!
Dave Fagar
Royal Oak, MI
Thanks for the love in the December issue.
P.S.I want Mixi for Christmas!
John Paolo Canton
Public Relations Coordinator
Ducati North America
Cupertino, CA
The brand-new models on your December
issue are the meanest, toughest, scariest-
looking that have ever graced your cover. I
am, of course, referring to the models on
heels, not on wheels. They may have
been more suitable for your
October cover.
Matthew Miller
Dahlonega, GA
What can we say? Thats how
we roll here in Hollyweird.
Ed.
CONTEMPT OF COP
As a retired police offcer (37 years of
service, 90 percent of it on the street) and
avid rider (02 H-D FLHRCI), I grimaced as
I read Mike Mitchells Asking For It piece
(Street Savvy, December). I learned early in
my career that an offcer must control the
scene and circumstances during encounters
with citizens. Offcer Mitchell began to lose
control of this situation when he became, a
little upset. He says he used a conserva-
tive and borderline-
P
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:

A
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m

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C
a
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26 MOTORCYCLIST
way stop for pedestrians. I slammed on my
brakes but slid through, a good 10 feet past
the stop line. To my left was a motorcycle cop
staring me down. Talk about bad timing! The
cop just looked at me and asked, You made a
mistake, didnt you? I nodded yes. Youre not
going to do that again, are you? Another nod.
He waved me through to a huge sigh of relief.
I know I had done wrong and was nailed, but
as a fellow motorcyclist, he understood that
mistakes happen. So a big thank-you to law
offcers like Mike Mitchell who try to deal with
fellow riders with some understanding! A little
respect goes a long way.
Ron Wen
Raleigh, NC
CHORD DIGRESSIONS
It was interesting to read Jack Lewis column
(Behind Bars, December) about his old
BMW and his Silvertone guitar. I am a guitar
teacher and was reliving my history with gui-
tars and motorcycles. My dad started me on
Gibson guitars (Dad is gone, but I still have
the guitar) and I have pretty much owned all
the top models. My bike riding started about
the same time with a Honda 70. I just threw
my leg over to try it on and was hooked.
I didnt get my frst bike until 96. After an
overseas military tour, I continued my career
as a Navy guitarist and needed a second
vehicle. Quite by accident, I acquired a 92
Honda Nighthawk. I had discovered the
HOV lane and how bikes were legal. I took
the required riders class on base and truly
discovered the joy of riding.
I have made a career picking the guitar,
have some really nice gear and am now
showing youngsters how to play. My only
connection with bikes is my subscription to
Motorcyclist and the occasional stop at the
local bike dealers to try one on.
Thanks, Jack, for an article on this rainy
day that took me back to see my father Bob,
bikes and boxes.
Michael Durig
Chesapeake, VA
I have been reading your mag for a while now
and have always enjoyed the content. That
is, except for Jack Lewis. I typically could
get through, oh, about a paragraph before I
gave up. It wasnt for lack of trying, either.
This month has been the exception. To my
surprise, I fnished reading his words and
actually went back and read them again,
enjoying it as much the second go-through as
the frst. I just might have to revisit my stack
of back issues and try a little harder.
Richard Meyer
Bellevue, WA
Lovely guitar story but, seeing the old BMW, I
read on hoping it would turn into a road story.
Should have sent that one to Guitar World.
George Perkins
McAllen, TX
DISSENTING OPINIONS
While reading Keith Codes Time, Space
and Speed column (Code Break, December),
I could not help but think of where some
riders, specifcally Valentino Rossi, look in a
turn. They look almost straight down at the
track, which goes against everything Ive ever
learned, and contradicts KCs column. Maybe
he could explain this new technique?
Karl Rowlands
Tokyo, Japan
Rossi et al might appear to be looking straight
down at the track, but their eyes are assuredly
looking through the corner.Ed.
In James Parkers Innovation, Take 2
column (Drawing the Line, December), he
covers the new Yamaha YZ450F and its
reversed engine layout. He gets one thing
right at the beginning of the article when he
mentions the Cannondale E440, but then
states, Neither was ultimately successful,
but their problems had more to do with
money and markets than with their innovative
architecture. The concept of the reversed
cylinder head languished. Excuse me? The
450cc family of ATK dirtbikes, the succes-
sors of the E440, has been around for the
last 10 years. First you give credit to Suzuki
for being the frst company to bring EFI to
production dirtbikes (the E440 did it frst) and
now you give credit to Yamaha for taking up
a technology that was essentially abandoned
several years ago. ATK has been building
the 450 MX, XC, Enduro, Super Motard, Dirt
Track, and 450 MX and VR ATVs for years. So
please give credit where credit is due and at
least mention ATK in the future when talking
about U.S. motorcycle manufacturers.
Aaron Russell
Foley, AL
If the Cannondale were truly successful, it
would still be sold under that name, no? As
for ATK, perhaps if we heard from someone
at that company once in a while, it might be
higher on our radar.Ed.
DUCATI, DUCATI, DUCATI
All you ever talk about is Ducati, Ducati,
Ducati. I live in the Chicago/Milwaukee
metropolitan area and you cant even buy
a Ducati anywhere for 100 miles in any
direction.
Krepotkin
Twin Lakes, WI
Youre obviously unaware of Chicago Cycle in
Lincolnwood, just 40 miles from your home in
Twin Lakes. Theyll hook you up with that new
Streetfghter youve been craving.Ed.
Your article on the Bayliss Edition 1098R
states that its the frst road-going Ducati
with twin injectors. Not so. My lowly
2000 996 Biposto has twin fuel injectors
per cylinder. Or should I say, had when it
left the factory. It runs much better with an
aftermarket chip and conversion to a
single injector. Thanks and keep the Ducati
articles coming!
Lowell Martin
Poolesville, MD
NOT-SO-SUPERMOTO
I was enjoying the 12 Bikes of XXXmas
article, and then I got to the two supermotos
and had to laugh. My Husqvarna SMR510
would smoke both of those bikes, and its
half the price of that $20K Slowzuki! My
Husky is a real naughty street-legal ride. Its
lighter, puts out more power, has way-tricker
components and is ready to race right off
the showroom foor. Ive beaten the snot out
of it, raced it several times and have ridden
it to work for more than two years without
any trouble. Wake up and smell the Husky!
John Faison
Whiting, NJ
Wake up and smell the husky? Sounds like
youve never been the lead dogEd.
1974 BMW
R90S
NAME: Fernando Costa
AGE: 62
HOME: So Paulo, Brazil
OCCUPATION: Retired pharmaceutical executive
PHOTO: Rafael Tassitano
o tell you the truth, I wasnt really
interested in motorcycles when I
was growing up. When I was about
19 years old, however, my brothers friend
got a f at tire by our house and asked if
he could keep his 1967 BMW R60 at our
place. It sat there for three days, and every
night I would sit on the bike. To this day, I
remember exactly what it felt like with its
two big cylinders sticking out. Soon after I
got my f rst motorcycle, a 1968 Gilera 175,
but I never forgot that BMW.
Over the following years I owned a
couple of Yamahas, but when BMW intro-
duced the legendary R90S in 74, I found
myself standing in the local dealership in
downtown So Paulo being coaxed to take
a little ride by owner Edgard Soares. I told
him, I dont even have money to put gas
in the bike. But Edgard was persistent: He
told me, I didnt say you had to buy it, just
take a ride to see if you like it. Well, I did
take that ride, and soon sold everything I
had: my car, my motorcycle, a camera I
got some f nancing and bought that R90!
On that day I didnt only get a new
motorcycle, but also a lifelong friend in
the form of Daniel Basconcellos,
the dealerships service technician.
Daniel now owns his own shop, and
35 years later still does all the
restoration, repair and maintenance
on my bikes.
Even with the R90S, I never
did forget about that 67 R60 that started it
all. So in 88, after spending 12 years living
overseas, I came back to Brazil and found
one at the same dealership that sold me
the R90S. Since then I have also acquired
a 39 R61 and a 52 R25/2, which Daniel
has almost f nished rebuilding. Admittedly,
working on these bikes in a country like
Brazil isnt easy. There arent that many
around and the resources arent like what
you have in the States. The Internet has
made f nding parts so much easier. Before,
it was all word of mouth. I found out about
Martin Kornhaus in Germany and every-
thing would be done via fax. Now, I get all
my original parts online from shops in the
U.S. and Germany. When original parts are
unavailable, Daniel hand-fabricates them in
his machine shop.
Except for the R61, which now sits in my
living room, I still ride all of these bikes on
a regular basis. The best trip I ever took on
my R90S was 1000 miles to Buenos
Airesback in 1976! I know for a
fact that bike could make it around
the world, even today. Those bikes
are bulletproof.
I have a passion for all of
these motorcycles, but its
not hard to pick a favorite:
the R90S. It was the f rst
BMW I ever had from
zero mileage. Its my
love. MC
T
28 MOTORCYCLIST
WORDS: Brian Catterson PHOTOS: Kel Edge/BMW
Germanys first true superbike
changes everything
They say: A new
benchmark in terms of
riding dynamics, safety
and innovation.
We say: Youll get no
argument here.
wish I had a photo of it, or better yet
a video. And I really wish Id done it
on purpose, rather than by accident.
But to be honest, I was just along for the ride.
Approaching the blind double-right before
the stunning Portimao, Portugal, circuits
steepest downhill, I passed three slower
riders and then realized I was in way too
hot. Snatching at the brake lever and
banging a quick downshift, I felt the BMW
S1000RRs rear end slew sidewaysand
just stay there, with no chattering, hopping
or high-revving histrionics. Spying the apex,
I pointed the bike in that general direction,
let off the brakes, gave it a touch of gas and
disappeared over the brow of the hill, leaving
my fellow test riders mouths gaping.
The fact that I was able to recover from
such a profound error in judgment speaks
volumes for Germanys frst true superbike.
Because it was the bikes standard slipper
clutch and optional Race ABS that not only
saved my bacon, but made me look good.
And thats just the tip of the iceberg; the
S1000RR is also available with Dynamic Trac-
tion Control. Honda offers ABS on its CBRs,
and Ducati has TC on its 1098R and 1198S,
but only BMW offers bothnot to mention a
ride-by-wire throttle, a quick-shifter and vari-
able drive modes.
To say the S1000RR has been long
awaited is an understatement of epic propor-
tions. It seemed like an eternity between April
08, when BMW Motorrad President Hendrik
von Kuenheim announced plans to build the
bike, and our frst ride in November 09. But
really, BMW fans have been waiting for this
bike since Reg Pridmore won the inaugural
AMA Superbike Championship on an R90S
way back in 1976.
The S1000RR also marks a major change
in BMWs corporate philosophy. While the
Bavarian Motor Works has always offered
sporty cars, its bikes have been less so,
aimed predominantly at tourers. The second-
generation K-bikes launched in 05 were a
bold step, but they were still big and heavy,
and hardly suitable for racing. This S1000RR,
however, is a true superbike.
A clean-sheet design (see the First Look
in our September 09 issue for technical
details), the S1000RR was four years in the
making, and contested the full 2009 World
Superbike Championship before production
models were ever built. Race results were
generally lackluster, but the team made
progress and learned a lot, and should return
much stronger this coming season. More
importantly, the lessons learned were fun-
neled back to Munich and incorporated in the
production bikes.
To test the motorcycle that BMW Motorrad
USA VP Pieter de Waal called the most
important model ever, the worlds press was
invited to the Autdromo Internacional do
Algarve. Built in 2008 at a cost of $250 mil-
lion, the undulating 2.9-mile circuit features
every manner of turn, both slow and fast,
making it the perfect test track. The fact that
I
30 MOTORCYCLIST
Button on right handlebar lets you select which
of the four drive modes you desire. Your selection
doesnt take effect until you close the throttle and
pull in the clutch lever.
A maze of hoses connects the front and rear brake
calipers to the underseat ABS pressure modulator.
Braking performance varies according to the
selected drive mode.
Ducati introduced its 1198S at the same
track one year earlier set the stage for some
seat-of-the-pants benchmarking.
Helping to illustrate how aggressively BMW
is looking to change its image, all 40 test-
bikes at the press intro were Acid Green. Not
most journos favorite (Nuclear Baby Poop,
one called it), that color is aimed squarely
at the urban Bike Night crowd, so it will be
interesting to see how it fares. Most of those
on hand preferred the black or silver options,
and especially the red/white/blue Motor-
sports motif, which costs an additional $750.
A word about price: While the base-model
S1000RR retails for a reasonable $13,800,
the options add up fast. Race ABS adds
$1000; Race ABS with Dynamic Traction Con-
trol costs $1480; and the Shift Assist costs
another $450. So a fully equipped machine
costs $15,730. Of course, our testbikes were
fully equipped.
Throwing a leg over the S1000RR on pit
lane, I found the seating position to be sport-
bike-conventional, and very accommodating
for my 61 frame. BMWs designers said
they aimed for the 95th percentile, meaning
the bike should ft all but 5 percent of riders.
The seating position felt just as good in
motion, without any gas tank fares, fairing
edges or heel guards getting in the way. Its
an easy machine to move around on.
For the frst of our four sessions, we were
asked to follow a racer (in my case, chassis
engineer Ralf Schwickerath) for three laps,
and to select the frst of the four available
drive modes, Rain. This reduces peak power
(to 150 bhp) and slows throttle response,
making it ftting not only for slippery and wet
conditions, but also for re-learning a chal-
lenging circuit. Though to be honest, it just
felt slow. While I was cruising around, I noted
how easily the 422-pound (dry) machine
changed direction, yet how stable it remained,
even when gusting sidewinds caught the bike
cresting the fourth-gear rise onto the front
straight. The suspension felt great too; I only
increased compression damping in the shock
to prevent the rear end from squatting and
the bike from running wide at corner exits.
Once Ralf waved me by, I promptly selected
While the Bavarian Motor Works has always
offered sporty cars, its bikes have been less so,
aimed predominantly at tourers.
Riders-eye view shows analog tach with 14,000-rpm
redline, shift light and digital display with speed,
gear and drive mode: Rain, Sport, Race or, as
selected here, Slick.
the second mode, Sport. This restores the
engine to full power (193 bhp at the crank,
BMW claims, or around 165 bhp at the rear
tire) and quickens response from the E-gas
ride-by-wire throttle. And just like that, the
S1000RR was transformed. Suddenly it felt
downright fast, inhaling the long front straight
in one gulp and making third-gear Turn 1 look
like a sharp bend into a blind alley. Yet even
so, power felt smooth and linear. The shift
light was set for 12,500 rpm5K shy of the
power peakso when I saw it fash, I toed
the shift lever, the Shift Assist quick-shifter
cut the spark and the transmission engaged
the next gear seamlessly.
All was not perfect, however. Ostensibly
optimized for street riding, in Sport mode
both the ABS and TC cut in too early for
racetrack use. The former was particularly
bothersome as the pressure modulator did
its thing under heavy braking, causing a
moments pause as the lever went numb right
when I wanted to tip it into a corner. This
wasnt a function of braking alone, however,
as the ABS also works to prevent the rear
wheel from lifting. I could also feel the TCs
wheelie control cutting in, slamming the front
end down abruptly and then snatching it back
up again.
For my second session I toggled up to
Race mode, and here the S1000RR worked
as it should. Though power output remains
the same as in Sport mode, throttle response
is quickened further, and both the ABS and
TC allow more aggressive riding. Suddenly
the ABS wasnt cutting in anymore, and the
rear tire stepped out and spun a little at
corner exits, particularly the off-camber ones.
The rear wheel also came up a little on the
brakes, though I still felt very much in control.
After lunch our two 20-rider groups were
combined into one 40-rider feld, and our
riding sessions were extended from 20 to 30
minutes. I left it in Race mode, concentrated
on hitting my marks and soon found myself
in the groove, marveling at how easy it was
to ride this powerful sportbike fast. And it is
fast: I saw 275 kph (170 mph) in sixth gear
Say what you will about the Acid Green paint, but
the S1000RR certainly looks the business. Its
unique asymmetric styling features differently
shaped fairing louvers and headlights.
32 MOTORCYCLIST
Metric system? The single Sachs shock and the stout
46mm fork feature 10 positions of compression and
rebound damping. Rear ride height is adjustable via
an eccentric mount.
Red/white/blue Motorsports color scheme resembles
that of the factory World Superbikes, and costs $750
extra. Accessories include various Alpha Racing
parts, carbon-fiber bits and matching apparel.
at the end of the front straight.
For the last session of the day I selected
Slick mode, which as the name implies is
intended for use with racing slicks. As sold,
this mode doesnt appear on the S1000RRs
menu; you have to snap a plug into the
underseat wiring harness to activate it. Again,
power output remains unchanged, but throttle
response is quicker yet, ABS is disabled from
the rear wheel (allowing you to back it into
corners), TC lets you seriously hang out the
rear tire and the wheelie control only works
when the bike is leaned overthough youre
limited to 5 seconds of fun. Mind you we
werent on slicks, remaining on the stock
(and quite excellent) Metzeler Ractec K3s.
Thats when things got really exciting. In
all honestly, I have never ridden a production
streetbike that performed this much like a
racing Superbike. Where the Ducati 1198S I
rode here a year ago was fast yet tractable,
the BMW felt like a monster on a leash. An
invisible, technological leash.
I admit Ive criticized ABS in the past, and
dreaded the day it would appear on sport-
bikes. Likewise TC, which in my mind has
equalized racing to the point that technology
alone wins the day. The BMW S1000RR has
changed my mind about both. You can turn
them off, together or separately, but I only did
so for one lap, just to say that I did.
Contrary to popular belief, you can have
a rollicking good time on an E-bike. That you
can do so with a much greater margin of
safety only makes it that much better.
tech
SPEC
EVOLUTION
A clean-sheet superbike, closer to the competitions
offerings than anything else in BMWs range.
RIVALS
Every other contender on the World Superbike starting grid,
from the Aprilia RSV4 to the Yamaha YZF-R1.
TECH
Price $15,730 (as tested)
Engine type l-c inline-four
Valve train DOHC, 16v
Displacement 999cc
Bore x stroke 80.0 x 49.7mm
Compression 13.0:1
Fuel system EFI
Clutch Wet, multi-plate slipper
Transmission 6-speed
Claimed
horsepower
193 bhp @ 13,000 rpm
Claimed torque 83 lb.-ft. @ 9750 rpm
Frame Aluminum twin-spar
Front
suspension
46mm Sachs inverted cartridge fork with
adjustable spring preload, compression
and rebound damping
Rear
suspension
Single Sachs shock with adjustable
spring preload, high/low-speed compres-
sion and rebound damping
Front brake Dual Brembo radial-mount four-piston
calipers, 320mm discs with optional ABS
Rear brake Brembo single-piston caliper, 220mm
disc with optional ABS
Front tire 120/70ZR-17 Metzeler RaceTec K3
Rear tire 190/55ZR-17 Metzeler RaceTec K3
Rake/trail 23.9/3.8 in.
Seat height 32.3 in.
Wheelbase 56.4 in.
Fuel capacity 4.5 gal.
Claimed dry
weight
422 lbs. (427 lbs. with ABS)
Colors Acid Green Metallic, Mineral Silver
Metallic, Thunder Grey Metallic,
Motorsport red/white/blue
Available Late 2009/early 2010
Warranty 3 yrs./36,000 mi.
Contact
BMW Motorcycles USA
P.O. Box 1227
300 Chestnut Ridge Rd.
Westwood, NJ 07675
201.307.4000
www.bmwmotorcycles.com
VERDICT
The real deal: The competition should be very worried.
WORDS: Roland Brown PHOTOS: Milagro
Perfecting the art of naked aggression
ack-to-back sessions on the Misano
circuit had been exciting, exhausting
and a great way of confrming the
pace and poise of the new Brutale 990R
and 1090RR. The smaller-engined 990R was
enjoyably quick and sweet-handling, and the
1090RR that I rode immediately afterwards
was better still.
But a street ride earlier in the day had
revealed that MVs new naked bruisers had
developed a softer edge. Cruising through vil-
lages and around bumpy hairpins in the hills,
the Brutales performed with a sophistication
and comfort that was a distinct departure
from their predecessors.
Such polite behavior was not what I was
accustomed to from the Brutale. From the
moment Massimo Tamburinis gloriously
original 749cc four bludgeoned its way onto
the street six years ago, the Brutale backed
up its snub-nosed, barrel-chested look with
performance that was well, brutal.
That rev-happy, 127-horsepower original
was followed two years later by the Brutale
910, which added 9 bhp and some useful
fexibility. Then in 2008 came the Brutale
1078RR, claiming a rampaging 154 bhp, but
MVs answer to a Mafosos machine-gun had
too much of everything to make sense.
This latest Brutale heads in a different
direction. The 990R and 1090RR are the frst
tangible results of MVs takeover by Harley-
Davidson over a year ago; 85 percent of their
components have been changed. And rather
than adding more brute force, MV and its new
parent company have decided to make them
more refned and easier to ride.
Most new components are shared by both
models, beginning with the previous Brutales
signature shape, subtly revised with a new
headlamp that incorporates a polyellipsoidal
lens plus a string of LEDs. New mirrors hold
LED turn signals in typically neat MV style.
Other changes include a redesigned instru-
ment console, larger air ducts and a tail light
integrated into the tailpiece.
Paint is the quickest way to tell the two
models apart. The 990R has red or black
paintwork with silver sidepanels, while the
1090RRs two-tone scheme of either red/
silver or black/white includes the tank and
tailpiece. The 1078cc four also has a bright-
red cylinder head.
The two powerplants are very similar, with
the larger unit retaining the 79.0 x 55.0 mm
dimensions of the previous 1078RR model,
and the smaller engine using a 3mm smaller
bore to give a capacity of 998cc. MVs trade-
mark layout of 16 radial valves and central
B
They say:
Prepare to be
conquered.
We say: In a
kinder, gentler,
Brutale kinda way.
34 MOTORCYCLIST
camchain is retained, but numerous parts
including the generator, lubrication system
and gear-change assembly are smaller and
lighter. The larger motor also incorporates a
slipper clutch.
A new injection system combines Mikuni
throttle bodies with a Marelli control unit that
gives the rider the option of a softer map for
wet conditions without reducing peak power.
Both Brutales come with MVs race-devel-
oped traction-control system, which adjusts
ignition timing and fuel delivery when revs
rise too quickly.
The frame retains its blend of steel tubes
and aluminum sections, but with slightly more
relaxed steering geometry, softer suspension
and a 20mm longer swingarm. New wheels
save weight, more so with the RRs forged
rims. The RR also balances its $18,000 price
with a steering damper, adjustable footrests,
upgraded brakes and suspension.
So the new Brutale is less powerful, has
lazier geometry and softer suspension, right?
Forgive me for thinking that maybe MVs new
American owners had begun a secret mission
to turn the original Italian brute into a softie,
better suited to the freeways back home.
But the 990 engines deep, guttural growl
says the Brutale is still plenty menacing, and
one burst of throttle was enough to blow away
any doubts. On the short, straight stretch of
road heading out from the Misano circuit, I
crouched forward, delicately rested my foot
on the rear brake, wound back my right hand,
and was rewarded with the sight of the front
wheel rising skyward.
Not that I had seriously doubted that even
this smaller-engined of the two new Brutales
would live up to its name. That claimed 139
horsepower is plenty for a naked bike, and
these models are both 6.5 pounds lighter
than their predecessors. The 990R not only
sent its tach needle ripping round the dial at
the slightest provocation, it also pulled from
low revs with satisfying enthusiasm.
Predictably, the 1090RR has even more
low-rev grunt. The bigger engine had just
a touch more vibration than the 990R, but
is still very smooth thanks to the added
balancer shaft. It responds from well below
3000 rpm exiting steep hairpin turns, making
effortless progress with little need to shift.
That was just as well, because if the
Brutales have a faw, its their rather snatchy
midrange response. In other respects, both
bikes are impressively rider-friendly. More
relaxed geometry and that longer wheelbase
gave calmer steering feel along with the
naked fours fickable nature.
The Brutales new-found civility was wel-
come on the road, but doesnt come at the
expense of racetrack performance. On the
contrary, the motors smoothness helps make
the bike brilliantly rev-happy and entertaining
The Brutales cockpit has been completely remodelled.
The new instrument cluster, handlebar, clamp and key
block are all aimed at improving the bikes fit and feel.
A steering damper resides beneath the 1090RRs bars.
Rather than adding more brute force, MV and its
new parent company have decided to make them
more refined and easier to ride.
tech
SPEC
on the straights. Slightly abrupt throttle
response doesnt prevent either of the big
fours from storming out of the bends with a
controlled savagery that is hugely addictive.
Despite that lazier steering geometry, the
Brutales navigated chicanes easily, thanks in
no small part to the leverage afforded by their
wide bars. But I wasnt totally happy after
my frst session on either model, as both
were a bit soft and imprecise, despite having
been set up slightly frmer than the standard
settings we had used on the road. Both
front ends moved around slightly going into
bends, and the steering damper-less 990R,
in particular, fapped its bars exiting the slow
left-hander onto the back straight, as its
shock compressed under my weight.
Fortunately, the solution in both bikes
cases was as simple as dialing in a bit more
compression and rebound damping at each
end, after which both models carved through
the slower turns with infnitely more preci-
sion. The 1090RR felt so solid that I just
about managed to get it through Misanos
scary-fast (I saw 160 mph) kink without
shutting off.
The frmed-up front end allowed full use of
the front brakes, especially the RRs ferce
blend of Monobloc calipers and 320mm
discs (the 990R has conventional radial
Brembo calipers and 310mm rotors). There
was enough cornering clearance to maximize
that bikes sticky Dunlop Qualifer RR rubber,
as well as the Pirelli Diablo Rossos ftted
to the 990R. I wasnt aware of the traction
control, which MV says is effective yet less
intrusive than other systems. The fact that
nobody crashed in three days says they might
be right.
Toward the end of the day, I pulled in after
what I thought was my fnal session. Step-
ping off the 990R, I was informed that I was
signed up for one more session aboard the
1090RRright now. Er, yes please! I was
hot, sweaty and aching from a day spent
at speed on this high-barred hooligan of a
motorcycle, but I wasnt going to miss a fnal
blast. The Brutale is a little bit kinder to its
rider than it used to be, and even more fun
to ride. MV Agustas American-led revival is
off to a promising start.
The Brutales new swingarm is 2.2 pounds lighter
and has been extended 20mm for greater high-speed
stability. A forged insert is an attractive contrast and
protects the swingarm in the event of a crash. Revised spring and damping rates are a welcome
change. Other comfort updates include a softer seat,
rubber-mounted handlebar and footrests, and a
redesigned cush drive that smoothes acceleration.
The smaller Brutale is designed more for the street
than the track, but its torquey 998cc engine and
light handling make it a joy in either environ.
EVOLUTION
An Italian-American marriage creates a lighter, more refned
naked thats every bit as thrilling as the original.
RIVALS
KTM Superduke R, Triumph Speed Triple, Ducati Streetfghter
and Monster 1100.
TECH
Price $15,000 (990R), $18,000 (1090RR)
Engine type l-c inline-four
Displacement 998cc (990R), 1078cc (1090RR)
Bore x stroke 76.0 x 55.0mm (990R),
79.0 x 55.0mm (1090RR)
Compression 13.0:1
Fuel system EFI
Clutch Wet, multi-plate
Claimed
horsepower
139.0 bhp @ 10,600 rpm (990R),
144.2 bhp @ 10,600 rpm (1090RR)
Claimed torque 78.2 lb.-ft. @ 8000 rpm (990R),
84.8 lb.-ft. @ 8000 rpm (1090RR)
Frame Steel trellis with single-sided
aluminum swingarm
Front
suspension
50mm Marzocchi fork with
adjustable spring preload,
compression and rebound damping
Rear
suspension
Sachs shock with adjustable spring pre-
load, high/low-speed compression, and
rebound damping (990R: spring preload
and rebound damping only)
Front brake Dual four-piston Brembo calipers,
310mm discs (990R), Dual four-piston
Brembo Monobloc calipers, 320mm
discs (1090RR)
Rear brake Four-piston Brembo caliper, 210mm disc
Front tire 120/70ZR-17 Pirelli (990R),
Dunlop (1090RR)
Rear tire 190/50ZR-17 Pirelli (990R),
Dunlop (1090RR)
Wheelbase 56.6 in.
Claimed dry
weight
419 lbs.
Colors Red, black (990R), red/silver,
black/white (1090RR)
Available Now
Warranty 12 mo., unlimited mi.
Contact www.mvagustausa.com
VERDICT
Sleeker, more sophisticated, and as sharp and ferocious
as ever.
36 MOTORCYCLIST
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WORDS: Tim Carrithers PHOTOS: Milagro
The most Ducati $10,000 can buy
here is no such thing as a bad trip
to Italy. Its sunny and 68 degrees
outside Via Cavalieri Ducati 3 in Bo-
logna. Stepping inside for the obligatory pre-
ride presentation, two things become clear
halfway through the frst double espresso:
This new midsize Hypermotard isnt the fast-
est Ducati or the sexiest. But for an upscale
brand in a decidedly down market, the 796 is
Bolognas most important piece of news for
2010 for one simple reason: You can buy one
for less than $10,000.
Building a proper Ducati for that sort of
dough was more complicated. The engine, for
instance, isnt a 796 at all. Why? The newest
desmodue twins actual 803cc displacement
doesnt roll off the tongue nearly as well. And
though it shares some bits with the Monster
They say: The 796 rides
the common ground
between manners and
madness.
We say: Hypermotard Lite:
same great taste, a little
less thrilling.
696 millincluding its 88mm boretheres
more to it than an 8.8mm-longer stroke.
Redesigned pistons bump compression to
11:1, working above a new crankshaft with
848-style fywheels. Condensed engine cases
are 2.6 pounds lighter, accounting for most of
the new engines 4.2-lb. weight savings.
Intake amendments begin with a new
airbox and ductwork feeding 45mm throttle
bodies governed by a Siemens CPU. On the
exhaust side, a pre-muffer stashed under
the swingarm pivot lets the engine exhale
through slim underseat cans with a socially
acceptable bark while maintaining its alleged
81-horsepower bite. And the 21-plate APTC
slipper clutch lets us shift from second to
frst without creating an international yard
sale in some sodden Italian apex when sunny
and 68 segues into 55 and torrential rain.
Stopping for espresso in the perfect little
town of Monzuno, old men smoke cigarettes
and give us a look reserved for escaped
mental patients. I wring out wet gloves on the
patio and question my own sanity.
Who ordered the monsoon? Just keepin
it real, says one of one of our corporate
escorts. It was either Ettore or Massimo, Im
not sure whichwet notes are hard to read.
Purging forged bits used in the 1100s steel trellis
makes the 796s frame lighter and just as stiff. Triple
clamps are new as well. The single-sided swingarm
cues its Sachs shock with an 1100-style linkage.
T
38 MOTORCYCLIST
tech
SPEC
Not to worry. These Apennine mountain roads
range from tight and narrow to tighter and
exactly wide enough to pass some mental
patient in a Fiat Punto without trading paint.
The 796 sits noticeably lower than its big
brothertoo low if youre taller than 5-foot-
10but the 1100 seat will ft, which is good
news if youre tall. Ergos invite moving around
in the cockpit. These roads insist. Sliding
toward the broad, fat handlebar makes
steering easier. The front Bridgestones
blunt profle doesnt. Springs are too soft for
anyone over 180 pounds. And though theyre
perfectly adequate for this mission, the
Brembo stoppers lack the power and feel of
their upmarket brethren. Still, the net result is
athletic and nimble enough. Bolognas latest
twin has an obliging personality, despite a
few endearing/annoying Italian quirks.
Its all about the midrange: more trusty
7-iron than a Big Bertha titanium driver. This
is mostly a good thing. Power builds nicely
from idle to 6000 rpm, though delivery is
less enthusiastic from there to the 8000-rpm
peak. The gearbox that felt stiff leaving the
factory gates with 124 miles on the odom-
eter is coming around after another 80. The
chasm between frst and second is more
problematic, especially downshifting into the
bottom cog for some soggy decreasing-radius
left. Overall gearing is tall as well, so tight
corners have the twin spinning above its
midrange happy place or lugging somewhere
below it. Abrupt low-rev throttle response
hardly helps the cause. Take what consolation
you can from the fip side: That same long
gearing lets you firt with 50 mpg in cruise
mode. And after dripping dry over lunch at
Casa Rugiadaone of the top-three bike-
friendly eateries in all of Europewe emerge
to actual sunshine and drying pavement.
Pick up the pace enough to lay down some
of that midrange in third and the 796 is back
in its happy place. Picking it up to the point
where metal bits touch down reveals the inevi-
table limitations of price-point suspension and
brakes. But once you adapt to the smaller
engine and compact ergonomics, Hypermotard
Lite turns out to be a pretty good idea: 27 lbs.
lighter than the 1100 on Ducatis scales and,
better still, $2000 easier on the wallet. You
might be able to buy more motorcycle for less
than $10,000 in somebody elses showroom,
but you cant buy more Ducati.
No stroked 696 here. The 803cc twins crankcase
castings are significantly lighter, and theres a new
crankshaft inside with 848-style flywheels. No dry
clutch? The APTC slipper spins in oil.
A steel handlebar replaces the 1100s tapered-
aluminum bit. New switchgear is excellent. The
orange-backlit Streetfighter-style LCD dash lets you
toggle through vital data with a rocker on the left.
The non-adjustable fork and downmarket Brembo
calipers will be acceptable concessions to that
$9995 sticker price for entry level Ducatisti. For
everyone else, the aftermarket is waiting.
EVOLUTION
A downsized version of the fashionably belligerent
Hypermotard 1100 for under ten grand.
RIVALS
Aprilia Dorsoduro 750, Ducati Hypermotard 1100,
Kawasaki Versys, Suzuki Gladius
TECH
Price $9995
Engine type a-c 90-deg. V-twin
Displacement SOHC, 4v desmodromic
Bore x stroke 88.0 x 66.0mm
Compression 11.0:1
Fuel system Siemens EFI
Clutch Wet, multi-plate slipper-type
Claimed
horsepower
81.0 bhp @ 8000 rpm
Claimed torque 55.7 lb.-ft @ 6250 rpm
Frame Tubular-steel trellis
Front
suspension
43mm Marzocchi inverted fork
Rear
suspension
Single Sachs shock with adjustable
spring preload and rebound damping
Front brake Dual Brembo four-piston calipers,
305mm discs
Rear brake Brembo two-piston caliper, 245mm disc
Front tire 120/70-R17 Bridgestone BT016
Rear tire 180/55-R17 Bridgestone BT016
Wheelbase 57.3 in.
Claimed dry
weight
368 lbs.
Color Red, matte white, matte black
Available Now
Warranty 24 mo., unlimited mi.
Contact
Ducati North America
10443 Bandley Dr.
Cupertino, CA 95014
408.253.0499
www.ducatiusa.com
VERDICT
An relatively accessible level of hyperactivity.
tech
SPEC
Price $6099
Engine type l-c 90-deg.V-twin
Displacement 647cc
Measured
horsepower
64.2 bhp at 9000 rpm
Measured
torque
42.3 lb.-ft. at 7500 rpm
Frame Tubular-steel trellis
Front
suspension
41mm inverted fork with
adjustable spring rebound and
compression damping
Rear
suspension
Single shock with adjustable
spring preload
Front brake Dual two-piston calipers, 300mm discs
Rear brake Single-piston caliper, 230mm disc
Front tire 120/60-ZR17 Bridgestone BT56
Rear tire 160/60-ZR17 Bridgestone BT56
Wheelbase 56.5 in.
Curb weight 473 lbs.
Contact www.hyosungmotorsusa.com
VERDICT
The sum of its low-spec parts is not enough to overcome
its low-spec price.
WORDS: Eric Putter PHOTOS: Putter Power Media
generation ago, Americans scoffed at
the English and European motor-
cycles rolling onto our shores. In
the 1960s, many discounted the Japanese
onslaught. Now, 21st-century America is in
the midst of another Asian invasion, and
Hyosung is leading the charge.
The Korean companys sportiest offering
is the GSX-R-look-alike 650R. Unclothed,
half-faired and cruiser versions are also avail-
able. All bikes are powered by a fuel-injected,
647cc V-twin thats similar in architecture to
another Suzuki, the SV650.
The R-models handlebars are clipped to
an upside-down 41mm fork that offers com-
pression and rebound damping clickers, but
no spring preload adjustment. Out back its
the opposite, the single shock offering only
preload. Niceties include dual trip meters,
a pair of bungee hooks on the tailpiece,
ample underseat storage and a helmet lock,
as well as a multi-position brake lever and
adjustable footpegs. The seating position is
boy-racer tight, but the seat itself is broad
and comfortable.
While its 64 horsepower and 42.3 lb.-ft.
of torque are fairly respectable, the newly
fuel-injected powerplant is buzzy, slow-revving
and has a decidedly coarse six-speed trans-
mission. A fghting weight of 473 pounds
doesnt bode well for the bikes handling,
either. Although it looks modern and sophis-
ticated, the fork doesnt bestow the chassis
with great feedback or bump management,
and the dual-piston front brakes lack power
and feel.
In terms of overall build quality and perfor-
mance, the GT650R is 70 percent the bike
that a current SV650 is at 80 percent of the
Suzukis $7499 price tag. To offset this harsh
reality and add some peace of mind, the Hyo-
sung comes with a two-year warranty that will
lure some riders making the inevitable used-
versus-new-bike purchasing decision. Other
than a brake lever that continually popped out
of its number-one setting, our testbike was
solid during the 1000 miles we rode it.
Hyosungs game plan reads like that of
A high center of gravity and longish 56.5-inch
wheelbase make the GT650R slow to change direc-
tion, but super-stable at speed. Based on the bikes
appearance and design, the engineers clearly have
an appreciation for Suzukis.
Hyundai, a Korean manufacturing giant that
was nearly laughed out of the American
auto market by the media and consumers
when it arrived in 1986. After proving itself
with simple, sturdy econoboxes, Hyundai
now steals unit sales from Japan Inc. and
Eurocentric brands. We expect Hyosungs
motorcycles to be on par in much less time.
They say: A perfor-
mance machine at a
budget price.
We say: That depends
on your definition of
performance.
A
The digital speedo to the right of the analog tach
uses a bright, legible Vacuum Florescent Display.
Commonly used in DVD players and microwave
ovens, its durable and inexpensive to manufacture.
40 MOTORCYCLIST
RS-3C
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cnecfcurc||l|nenclpcpu|crnuff|erncpe.InePS-3
|yncnyncuw|lnlneYcn|nurcncnecncncceenc
ccrnerlcnecfcurprccucl||nefcryecr.Ncw|l|ce|ng
cfferecw|lnc||gnllw|llnecnec|c|cncpecul
w|lnccecul|fu|ccrccnf|cerccneenc-ccp.
- 304-l SR||nec lc|n|e lee| MlG-we|cec
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- CcrcRn cnc I|lcn|un nuff|er |eeYe RSl|Rn
cre Rn|y cYc||cc|e fRr lne 2008-200 GSXT300P
Hcyccuc.
Rear Fender Eliminator Kit
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K|lrec||yccccnely|elcycurc|ke.Inerencln|ng
||Ne ncY|ng c rec||y cRR| |RRN|ng c|Ne w|ln c g|gcnl|c recr
fencer/lc||||gnlcenc|ylncl|cck||ke|lccnecffcf
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ncNe yRur r|ce |RRN grecl. Afler c|| - |l |nSRrlcnl lncl
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- SuSer ||gnlwe|gnl
- 3rec||Rn |cer cul cnc ly|ec fRr lne lrccN.
- AYc||cc|e FRr SuzuN| GSX-P00]750]T000 cnc
Ycncnc P-T MRlRrcyc|e.
Yoshimura understands that attention to detail and
a little tweaking here and there can yield big
results. Yoshimuras RS-3C and Rear Fender Eliminator
Kit are a couple of extraordinary products that are
examples of The Yoshimura Edge.
5420 Dcn|e| Slreel, Cn|nR, CA T7T0 - 800.34.T - www.yRn|nurc-rc.cRn
Price $5499
Engine type l-c two-stroke single
Displacement 125cc
Claimed
horsepower
32.5 bhp @ 11,000 rpm
Claimed
torque
15.8 lb.-ft. @ 10,500 rpm
Frame Aluminum twin-spar
Front
suspension
40mm Marzocchi fork
Rear
suspension
Sachs shock with adjustable
spring preload
Front brake Four-piston caliper, 320mm disc
Rear brake Two-piston caliper, 220mm disc
Front tire 110/70ZR-17 Dunlop Sportmax
Rear tire 150/60ZR-17 Dunlop Sportmax
Wheelbase 52.9 in.
Claimed dry
weight
280 lbs.
Contact www.apriliausa.com
VERDICT
A superb learning tool, a hoot to ride and sure to draw
stares at any track day.
tech
SPEC
WORDS: Ari Henning PHOTOS: Kevin Wing
They say: When the
competition gets tough,
theres no other bike
like it.
We say: How tough can
the competition be in the
125cc class?
prilias RS125 is one European
exotic you can buy today. But theres
a catch: The little two-strokes blue
exhaust haze restricts U.S. usage to the
racetrack.
Fair enoughthats where this race replica
belongs. Beneath the lively colors of that
Jorge Lorenzo-replica bodywork is a race-
proven 125cc Rotax single, liquid-cooled to
keep cylinder temperature consistent. Crank-
case induction favors top-end power thats
perfect for the track. Theres no premixing
required, the automatic system metering
lubrication precisely to keep the engine
internals happy.
The product of years of racing experi-
ence, Aprilias polished aluminum frame and
bridged swingarm are manufacturing master-
pieces, offering GP-spec rigidity and precise
handling. Rearset foot controls provide plenty
of cornering clearance at steep lean angles,
and that asymmetric swingarm makes room
for a tucked-in silencer. Youll drag an elbow
before hard parts touch down.
While we didnt drag ours, we did go
through a set of knee pucks wringing the
thing out around Willow Springs Horse Thief
Mile. Flowing and tight, its the perfect place
to explore the Aprilias abilities. A wet weight
just over 300 pounds makes it a master of
momentum, perfectly content to fick into
most bends without scrubbing off any speed.
All it takes to turn it in is a light push on the
narrow clip-ons and the bike is on its side,
tracking with superb stability.
The standard Dunlop rubber is up to most
track tasks, though front-end grip is a limiting
factor. Thankfully, the front tires contact
patch sends plenty of feedback through the
stout 40mm fork. Rear tire movement is
controlled by a single shock wedged between
the rear frame spars. Adjustability is limited
to shock spring preload, which is unfortunate
but entirely acceptable considering the quality
of the rest of the bike and its reasonable
$5499 price tag.
Despite a seemingly insatiable appetite
for uninterrupted speed, robust brakes are
there if you need them. A four-piston caliper
is ready to bite down on the front wheels
320mm rotor with exceptional strength and
progressiveness.
As with all two-strokes, low-rev power is
lackluster. The bulk of the output is focused
between 9500 and an unmarked redline
around 11,500 rpm. Keeping things spinning
in that sweet spot requires quick use of your
left foot, but it pays off with smooth, strong
power. Considering the bikes stellar handling
and cornering capabilities, a well-ridden
RS125 will give a 600cc sportbike a run for
its money on tighter coursesespecially with
sticky, track-spec tires.
While its a pity you cant ride the RS125
to the track, its ridiculously easy to load in
your truck. So whether youre an aspiring
roadracer looking to build your skills or an
experienced enthusiast in the market for a
new track toy, the RS125 is the two-stroke
alternative to the 600cc status quo.
Dressed to impress in factory livery, the 125s sharp
bodywork mimics that of the 250cc Grand Prix
machine on which Jorge Lorenzo won the 2006-07
World Championships.
A
42 MOTORCYCLIST
bernzomatic.com/quickfire
Check it out today at your local hardware retailer.
2009 BERNZOMATIC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
tech
SPEC
WORDS: Michelle Sylvester PHOTOS: Scott Darough
y introducing the Honda Elite 110
scooter in the starlet- and paparazzi-
heavy Brentwood area of Los Angeles,
the nicest people people gave journalists
a sense of what their latest little scooter
is really good for: cruising quickly around a
traffc-mad city with breezy ease and a playful
attitude.
For the past year Ive reluctantly been four-
wheel-bound courtesy of a shattered wrist
and broken shoulder (bicycle and rollerblade
accidents, thanks for asking), thus the
chance to ride the Elite 110 couldnt have
come at a better time. Sure, the doctor had
warned against doing anything dangerous,
but how dangerous could a Honda-sponsored
Poker Run around the City of Angels really
be? So camera in hand, I hopped on the lil
scoot and zipped off to Red Bull headquar-
ters, the frst stop on our list.
Every traffc light in L.A. is like the start
of a Grand Prix: Once the red light goes out,
everybodys throttle is pinned. Even so the
Elite held its own, peeling off the line easily
while leaving cars in its wake. At the next
light it came to a stop just as swiftly courtesy
Price $2999
Engine type l-c single
Valve train SOHC, 2v
Displacement 108cc
Transmission Automatic
Claimed
horsepower
na
Claimed
torque
na
Frame Steel underbone
Front
suspension
33mm Showa telescopic fork
Rear
suspension
Showa shock
Front brake Nissin two-piston caliper, 190mm disc
Rear brake 130mm drum
Front tire 90/90-12 Chen Shin
Rear tire 100/90-10 Chen Shin
Wheelbase 50.2 in.
Curb weight 254 lbs.
Contact www.powersports.honda.com
VERDICT
Not as chic as a Vespa, but you can buy a lot of shoes with
the savings.
of its great brakes, something many scooters
of this size/price point lack. The brakes are
linked so that a squeeze on either lever actu-
ates the opposing brake, hauling things down
rapidly thanks to the single front disc and
reasonably powerful rear drum.
The 110cc four-stroke single has enough
juice to easily top 45 mph. Even commuting
up and over some of L.A.s steepest and
most heavily traveled roads, I was never at a
loss for power, thanks in part to the PGM-FI
fuel injection. But while Honda claims the
Elite can achieve 100 mpg, I never saw any-
thing higher than 80 riding around town.
Perfect for the urban landscape, the Elite
has a 9-gallon storage compartment that
gave me plenty of room for my helmet plus
my oversized purse, shopping bags, etc.
There is also a handy little glove box right
in front of your knees that keeps small
items within easy reachlike the three 6s
I collected during the poker run. The two
helmet hooks under the seat and the bag
hook above the glove box also work great for
hanging grocery bags.
Zooming all over L.A. at the press intro,
I fell in love with the Elite. Its a bouncy
Quick pick-up and solid stopping power make the
Elite an excellent urban companion. Clever storage
spaces and hooks offer a place for your helmet,
groceries and other necessities.
ride with a great motor, excellent stopping
ability and great maneuverability. Heading
back to the hotel where we started, I had to
admit that the Honda isnt as stylish as the
hipster-trendy Vespas that litter the city. But
at $2999, its a much better deal.
When I got back to the hotel, another 6
was waiting for me, making me the poker run
winner with four of a kind! And Honda surely
has another winner on its hands with the
Elite 110.
tt
They say: All you could
ever ask forand more
in a scooter.
We say: An around-
town all-rounder, as
long as youre not
freeway-bound.
B
44 MOTORCYCLIST
tech
SPEC
WORDS: Ari Henning PHOTOS: Adam Campbell
They say: A KX450F-
inspired ride for the
aspiring little ripper.
We say: And an
entertaining toy for big
rippers, too!
he secret is out: Riding mini-bikes
is just as much fun now that youre
an adult as it was when you were a
kid. After discovering that KLX110s are being
ridden by parents as often as the children
for whom they were purchased, Kawasaki
decided to go with the fow and update the
model to better suit kids of all ages. The
result is the 2010 KLX110 and the all-new
KLX110L.
The KLXs 111cc four-stroke single is
strongerbetter for hauling 150-pound-plus
loadsthanks to revised cam timing, a
freer-fowing exhaust and reduced piston-ring
tension. You can kick-start it if you want,
but its a lot easier to push the button on
the reshaped handlebar and let the battery
expend its energy. An additional gear in
the transmission brings the count to four,
allowing riders to make better use of the
KLXs extra oomph. More power requires
more control, so stiffer springs and frmer
damping rates have been implemented at
both ends to help resist bottoming and
Price $2099 automatic, $2249 L-model
Engine type a-c single
Valve train SOHC, 2v
Displacement 111cc
Claimed
horsepower
7.3 bhp @ 7500 rpm
Claimed
torque
5.8 lb.-ft. @ 4000 rpm
Frame Steel backbone
Front
suspension
30mm Showa telescopic fork
Rear
suspension
Showa shock
Front brake 90mm drum brake
Rear brake 110mm drum brake
Front tire 2.50-14 IRC
Rear tire 3.00-12 IRC
Seat height 26.8/28.7 in.
Wheelbase 42.3 in.
Claimed dry
weight
162 lbs.
Contact www.kawasaki.com
VERDICT
An absolute riot for the young and the young at heart.
sharpen handling. A centrifugal clutch keeps
things simple for less experienced riders, and
a revamped shift drum makes gear changes
even smoother.
For more advanced riders, the KLX110L
ups the ante with a heavy-duty manual clutch
that lets you ring every drop of power out of
the high-revving engine. At 28.7 inches, the
L-models seat is nearly 2 inches higher than
the standard KLX, opening up the ergonomics
for larger riders. Part of that height comes
from a longer fork and shock that add an inch
of suspension travel, the better to handle
rougher terrain and more aggressive riding.
To introduce the 2010 KLX110s, Kawa-
saki opted to throw the normal Power Point
presentation out the window and let the bikes
speak for themselves. Any bashfulness we
felt about riding a childrens bike vanished
during our frst laps on the little thrashers.
Hucking the bike over jumps and pushing
feet-up, two-wheeled slides had all the riders
grinning from ear to ear. Shorter fnal-drive
gearing and slick shifting action made for
surprisingly rapid accelerationand
wheelies!and the reshaped shift lever is
much easier for adult-sized feet to operate.
The updated suspension is a big improve-
ment over that of the previous model. The
2010 KLX felt taut railing berms and only
Both KLX110s feature remodeled bodywork with
fenders, shrouds, fuel tanks and side panels that
mimic the look of the mighty KX450F motocrosser.
bottomed-out on the ugliest of landings.
Bigger, beefer, tapered roller bearings replace
the loose balls in the steerer tubes lower
race, a strategic update aimed at increasing
durability and reducing maintenance.
Both models put on 18 pounds for the new
year, but thats a small price to pay for the
convenience of electric start and more abuse-
friendly components. No matter which model
you choose, the KLXs have the versatility to
entertain the entire family. Just make sure to
share the seat time with the kids MC
T
46 MOTORCYCLIST
SUPERBIKES!
48 MOTORCYCLIST
ne day after its moment of triumph on this strip of rubber-streaked Portimao tarmac,
the blue-and-white Yamaha is unchanged but the feelings of its rider could hardly be
more different. As the factory YZF-R1 sweeps through the last, fast right-hand curve
and onto the Portuguese circuits pit straight, Im savoring its stunningly strong and smooth
acceleration, enjoying the crisp four-cylinder howl from the underseat exhaust and wishing my
all-too-brief ride could last just a few more laps.
SPY VS. SPIES
UNCOVERING THE SECRET TO BIG BENS
STERILGARDA YAMAHA YZF-R1 SUPERBIKE
O
WORDS: Roland Brown PHOTOS: StudioZac
SUPERBIKES!
What a difference to Ben Spies emotions
in the World Superbike fnale just one day
earlier, as he had ridden past a crowded and
anxious pit wall in ffth place toward the end
of the second race, checking his board yet
again to see the number of laps remaining
count down with agonizing slowness. He
was desperately hoping that nothing unex-
pected would happen, that the exhaust note
wouldnt falter to signal some problem. That
fnally the checkered fag would be waiting
and hed become Yamahas frst ever World
Superbike Champion.
That is exactly what happened, of course,
as the 25-year-old Texan crossed the fnish
line to earn the 11 points suffcient to cap a
memorable roller-coaster of a season, and
end Yamahas two-decade-long wait for the
title. Not that Spies ever remotely looked
like making a mistake in those fnal laps,
as he ended the season with the same con-
trolled aggression with which he had begun
it. Having taken pole, he dominated race
one while title rival Noriyuki Haga buckled
under the pressure and crashed out.
It was a spectacular debut season
from Spies, who stamped his class on the
championship. He earned his promotion to
Yamahas MotoGP team with a record total
of 11 pole positions and 14 race victories,
most on circuits he had never seen. His
season was a hugely impressive display of
pace, consistency and commitment.
And it was an equally brilliant frst year
for the revamped R1, which had achieved
in one season something its predecessors
never managed, despite coming agonizingly
close several times. The racebikes perfor-
mance vindicated Yamahas decision to give
the production R1 the most comprehensive
redesign since its introduction in 1998, and
in particular to follow the frms YZR-M1 in
adopting the crossplane crankshaft whose
Ben Spies Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike benefited
from the cutting-edge through-rod fork and shock
technology developed for Valentino Rossis YZR-M1 in
MotoGP. The sticker keeps track of settings.
The Marelli-based fuel-injection system was
modified to incorporate multiple maps and traction
control with the potential to alter the settings for
each corner.
50 MOTORCYCLIST
smoother power pulses helped Valentino
Rossi transform the frms MotoGP fortunes
a few years earlier.
Id suspected that the new produc-
tion R1 would make the basis for a great
racebike ever since being blown away by
its outstanding throttle response at its
press launch at Eastern Creek in Australia
last January. Despite that, few people had
expected Spies to make such an impressive
start as he did at nearby Phillip Island the
following month, when he took pole position
plus a win in race two, after being run off
the track twice in the opener.
Eight months later, the R1 in the Portimao
pit lane had acquired Sterilgarda sponsor
logos but was otherwise little changed. At a
glance it looked like a hotted-up version of
the production bike, albeit one tuned with
the very best components from suppliers
including hlins, Brembo, Marchesini and
Akrapovic. Look more closely, however, and
the clues to its exotic breeding are clear in
the high-tech Marelli dashboard, the host of
buttons for adjusting fuelling and traction
control, and in the many electronic sensors.
As the Yamaha mechanics unrolled the
tire-warmers from the #19 bike, I threw a
leg over its thinly padded seat and found it
felt typically light, tall and frm. I briefy took
in the cockpits blend of bare carbon-fber
fairing inners and big, black-anodized triple
clamps with broad, gold-fnished hlins fork
tops poking through.
Despite its production origins, this is one
seriously high-tech motorbike. On its left
handlebar are four round, colored buttons
for pit lane speed limit, launch control, and
to allow Spies to adjust the engine map and
traction control to suit conditions and tire
wear. Those variables can also be adjusted
automatically, depending on gear position or
GPS-determined location on the circuit.
Given all this, it seemed slightly strange
when a mechanic stepped forward to fre
up the engine by pressing a button on the
opposite handlebar, as though this bike was
straight out of a showroom. Yamaha can
meet the 356-pound minimum weight limit
with starter in place, so retains it. There
was no mistaking this R1 for anything
remotely ordinary, though. Even at virtually
idle the exhaust note was gravelly, deep
and malevolent, leaving no doubt about this
engines intentions.
Yet there was no hint of bad manners
from the bike as I pulled in the light-action
clutch, hooked into gear, blipped the equally
low-effort throttle and pulled away up the
Portimao pit lane. Out onto the circuit, wind
open the throttle fairly cautiously, and
Yamahas tuning work involved new cams with more
lift and duration, plus modified ports and combus-
tion chambers. The result was a maximum output of
around 215 bhp at 14,000 rpm.
A rats nest of cables and components reside within
the R1s nose. The electronics package consists of
more than 20 sensors and is tended to by a team of
three engineers.
The R1s subframe was replaced with a new assembly that holds the fuel payload below the seat, improving
mass centralization and allowing a much bigger airbox under the dummy tank.
SUPERBIKES!
blam! The R1 shot toward the frst turn with
a gorgeously crisp and well-metered torrent
of acceleration, immediately feeling as
viciously powerful yet rider-friendly as youd
hope of an all-conquering racebike.
For todays test Yamaha had turned
down the power slightly and increased the
level of traction control, though the R1 was
still kicking out close to 200 horsepower
through its 190mm-wide Pirelli slick. And
making lots of smooth power through the
midrange, too, though inevitably it lost some
drive when I went through a couple of turns
a gear too high on my frst lap. The engine
pulled from about 6000 rpm, but with
nowhere near the force available at higher
revs. The R1 lacks some of the rival Ducati
1098Rs low-rev torque, but benefts from
having alternative gearbox ratios.
Once Id worked out which gear I needed
to be in, the Yamaha was as breathtakingly
rapid as Id expected, revving so quickly
through the lower gears that I was glad to
be able to shift with a slight tap of my left
boot on the quick-shifter. Out of the slightly
uphill left-hand fourth turn, it lifted its front
wheel slightly and held it there as I hung off
to the left and shifted into third, the bikes
perfect fuelling and balance making what
might have seemed scary hugely thrilling.
Revs built with stunning rapidity until trig-
gering the instrument consoles row of lights
at the 15,000-rpm limit, slightly up on last
years R1 Superbike. Peak power is increased
by a small margin, too. Yamaha claimed
over 210 bhp for the R1 last season and
was even vaguer this year, when the fgure is
about 215 bhp. That puts the R1 roughly on
par with the opposition, perhaps slightly down
on the Aprilia RSV4 and Honda CBR1000RR,
although not enough to be at a notable
disadvantage.
The Yamaha was into ffth gear and
revving hard by the time I ran out of nerve
and sat up to brake toward the end of the
pit straight, by which time it was travelling
seriously fastthough not at the 190 mph
that Spies had managed en route to victory
a day earlier. He was fastest through the
speed trap in Portimao, and although the R1
was rarely the fastest bike throughout the
season, it always had the speed to keep
Spies in contention.
Whats clear from this Superbike season
is that now, more than ever, absolute
horsepower is not critical. More important is
how that power is delivered, with help from
the increasingly sophisticated electronics
used by all the teams. As Yamahas racing
manager, Laurens Klein Koerkamp, put it,
We were thereabouts on top speed. If you
can win in Monza you cant be too bad, and
we should have won both races. Robbed of
victory after running out of fuel in the last
turn at the teams home circuit, Spies win
in race two came despite his top speed of
195 mph being well down on the 202 mph
of Max Biaggis Aprilia.
In my handful of laps I didnt feel the
traction control kick in, possibly because I
wasnt going fast enough to spin the rear
Yamaha had turned down the power slightly and
increased the level of traction control, though the
R1 was still kicking out close to 200 horsepower.
52 MOTORCYCLIST
Pirelli, and perhaps because its not easy
to detect. The system is very smooth. We
control the torque rather than cut it, said
the teams electrical expert, Davide Gentile.
Today its a bit softer than the racing
setting, so you can slide less. Spies did
not need a lot of wheelie control. Usually
he rode with a very strong engine, and not
much traction control.
While Spies openly praised the cross-
plane engines throttle response, a less
well-known issue was the relatively heavy
crankshafts detrimental effect on handling.
You need a lot of strength to turn the bike,
said Gentile. The torque delivery is so
good, and it [the crankshaft layout] is much
better for the tires, but it made it diffcult for
the handling.
Everythings relative, of course, and by
the standards of a production supersport
this ultra-light and superbly suspended R1
felt wonderfully quick and easy to turn. In
this it was helped by Spies riding position,
which has footrests set well back and very
wide handlebars to give more leverage. Part
of the reason I didnt have a problem turning
the R1 was doubtless that, at 64 and 185
lbs., Im even taller and heavier than Spies,
who at a very ft 511 and 160 lbs. is big
for a racer. You need some muscle with
this bike, Gentile says. It can work with a
very strong rider, not with a smooth riding
style. Luckily, Ben is big and strong.
Spies size also meant the R1s suspen-
sion was better set-up to cope with my
weight, so its hlins fork wasnt remotely
fazed when I called on the huge stopping
power of the ultra-trick Brembo radial four-
pot calipers at the end of the straight. The
Yamahas frm, hlins-equipped rear end also
meant that it stayed stable as it powered
onto that same straight through the fourth-
gear right-hander, while I jammed my head
behind the low screen, glanced up at the pit
wall and wished I had a few more laps on this
searingly fast yet rider-friendly Superbike.
As the closeness of the title race sug-
gests, there was very little between the
Japanese Yamaha four and the Italian Ducati
twin in this most competitive and thrilling of
seasons. The R1 was certainly very good,
as it confrmed by winning national titles
in Germany, the Netherlands, France and
Britain. At world championship level, the most
crucial factor was arguably not the R1 but its
rider. Spies kept his cool until the very last
lap, while Haga couldnt quite cope with the
increasing pressure of chasing his own frst
championship after years of trying.
The combination of Spies and the Yamaha
was blindingly fast, won half of the years
races and overcame some bad luck to win
the title by a narrow margin. The R1 wasnt
perfect but it was competitive in every area,
and Spies physical strength allowed him to
negate its potential weakness. Overall, the
revamped R1 was fast and agile enough to
get the job done, and to deliver that frst
World Superbike title to Yamaha. Ultimately,
that was all that mattered.
The 2009 World Superbike Championship was
this close for most of the season, until Haga lost
the front in Portimaos sketchy downhill hairpin,
handing the title to Spies.
19 World Superbike race number
462 SBK points earned
6 Points margin over runner-up Noriyuki Haga
6 Laps Haga completed before race-one crash
260 Career SBK starts for Haga
41 Career SBK wins for Haga
28 Career SBK starts for Spies
24 Career SBK fnishes
14 Career SBK wins
65 Total Yamaha SBK wins
1 Total Yamaha SBK championships
11 Superpoles, a single-season record
6 Fastest lap of races
17 Podium fnishes
0 Previous champs earning zero points in the
opening race
16 Finishing position in race one at Phillip Island
2 Younger SBK champs: James Toseland in 2004
(23 years, 11 months) and Troy Corser in 1996
(24 years, 11 months)
12 Position on all-time SBK win list after a single
season of racing
94 Diamonds in Spies $45,000 championship ring
3 AMA Superbike Championships
8 Consecutive AMA Superbike wins
7 Finishing position in Yamaha MotoGP debut at
Valencia, Spain
5 2009 FIM roadracing titles earned by Yamaha:
Superbike, Supersport, MotoGP, 250cc and 125cc
4 MotoGP appearances before his Yamaha debut
at Valencia
61 Laps completed at Valencia MotoGP test
4 Final ranking at Valencia MotoGP test
3 Valentino Rossis fnal ranking at Valencia
MotoGP test
BY THE
NUMBERS
As the sixth American champion
earning the ninth American
championship in 22 years of
World Superbike racing, 25-year-
old Ben Spies racked up a
stunning record between Phillip
Island and Portimao. But the 2009 season
stands out in the record books for more
than just coming down to the wire.
BEN
SPIES
2009 World
Superbike Champion
WORDS: Tim Carrithers PHOTO: Yamaha
SUPERBIKES!
DUMBED DOWN?
MAT MLADINS YOSHIMURA SUZUKI SUPERBIKE MAY BE SLOWER
THAN IN YEARS PAST, BUT IT STILL WARPS TIME AND SPACE
WORDS: Ari Henning PHOTOS: Andrea Wilson & Brian J. Nelson
54 MOTORCYCLIST
SUPERBIKES!
our laps into my stint on Mat
Mladins AMA Superbike Champ-
ionship-winning Yoshimura Suzuki
GSX-R1000, I fnally build up the courage to
roll the throttle wide fippin open. The resul-
tant rush is literally breathtakingthe same
stomach-churning sensation I felt when I
dove out of an airplane. Heading onto Auto
Club Speedways banked pit straight, the
front Dunlop fnishes its salute to the sky
as I shift into third gear. I keep the throttle
pinned through fourth and ffth as the
massaged motor propels me forward on a
tsunami-like swell of power that overwhelms
my brains ability to keep tabs on time and
space. If this is what a neutered 2009
AMA Superbike is like, I cant imagine the
full-blown machines Suzuki ran previously!
The K8 [model year 2008] Superbike
was putting out about 205 horsepower.
The K9 Mladin won on this year has about
190, explains Yoshimura Suzuki crew
member Denis Ackland. But its not just the
horsepower; its how fast it spun up. If you
were to stand behind the K8 and the K9,
youd know which one was the Superbike.
One would sound angry, the other just like a
streetbike.
In years past, there was much bemoaning
the predictability of AMA Superbike racing.
Yoshimura Suzuki teammates Mat Mladin
and Ben Spies were winning by 10-second
margins, frustrating racers and spectators
alike. When the Daytona Motorsports Group
assumed control of AMA Pro Racing in 08, a
furry of rules changes attempted to level the
playing feld and revitalize the ailing American
racing scene.
The DMGs initial class structure was
met with stiff opposition. The new series
organizers proposed a Daytona Superbike
class featuring a motley crew of middleweight
fours, triples and larger-displacement twins
running in place of the 1000cc Superbikes.
Heavily invested in Superbike racing, the Big
Four Japanese manufacturers objected, and
instead proposed a nearly unrestricted Fac-
tory Superbike class. When the smoke fnally
cleared, the rulebook contained two compro-
mise classes: American Superbike for 1000s
and Daytona Sportbike for middleweights,
triples and twins.
But while previous AMA Superbikes were
heavily modifed inside and outfeaturing
extensive engine work, works suspension
and chassis parts, and exotic electronics
the new American Superbikes must be built
using only readily available, homologated
parts. Modifcations are limited to minor
cylinder head work, exhaust, fork internals
and aftermarket shocks, brakes, wheels and
electronics. Teams must also use spec fuel
and tires, of which they are allowed a set
number per event.
Yoshimura Suzuki team coordinator Rich
Doan explains: In 08 the bike was full
works, a real Superbike. Pretty much the
only difference between the AMA bike and
the World Superbike was the cams. [The
AMA permitted changes in duration but not
lift.] Before we had factory titanium con-rods
and lightweight, forged pistons. Now we cant
touch anything below the head gasket.
As a result, the current Superbikes
The fans come to see the fastest riders on the
best equipment. Now its been dumbed down.
Theyve taken the super out of Superbike.
Unlike the unobtanium AMA Superbike of years past, the new DMG American Superbike is essentially a
Superstock bike with a ported head and big brake calipers, as one racer put it.
F
56 MOTORCYCLIST
Besides softer fork springs, the Yosh Superbike
was exactly as it came off track after Mladins final
race in New Jersey. Countless hours of professional
setup make it run and handle like a dream.
The most outspoken among DMGs detractors is
Suzukis Mat Mladin. Now retired, he still lobs
insults at the organization from his home in
Australia via Twitter.
Despite a 1.6mm longer stroke, the 08 Superbike
revved about 1000 rpm higher than the 09. If
theres one modification we should get back, its the
lightened pistons, says crew member Denis Ackland.
Factory teams that had previously seen themselves
as partners in AMA Superbike racing now consider
themselves at odds with the group, fighting to
maintain the 1000cc status quo.
arent far from those on your local dealers
showroom foor. But the fans dont want to
see stock bikes, complains Doan. They
come to see equipment they cant buy. They
come to see the fastest riders on the best
equipment. Its been dumbed down and
equalized. Theyve taken the super out
of Superbike.
The rules changes havent done much
to tighten up the racing, either. With Spies
gone to World Superbike, Mladin ran about
a second per lap slower in 09 than he had
in 08, yet still regularly fnished well ahead
of his competitors and went on to take his
record-setting seventh championship. The
Australian joked that his times had nothing to
do with the bike; hed just gotten tired of the
DMGs foolishness and had lost interest in
the series.
Regardless of how un-super the Amer-
ican Superbikes are, the Yoshimura Suzuki
GSX-R1000 is still an impressive machine,
and I was plenty nervous about riding it. After
all, it produces nearly one horsepower for
every two pounds of its 370-lb. weight. Did
I mention that Id never turned a lap at the
Fontana facility?
Ackland fnishes unrolling the tire
warmers and nods. I climb aboard and dis-
cover that the sky-high seat and low clip-ons
force me into an ultra-aggressive stance.
The cockpit is complex but organized, and
completely unrecognizable from stock. A
Yoshimura gull-wing top triple clamp resides
behind a large Motec dash that registers
everything from fork travel to lambda sensor
readings. On the right clip-on is the kill
switch, the pit-lane speed-limiter and the
launch-control button, used to curb wheelies
and wheelspin at the start. On the left
handlebar is a repurposed ignition switch
that allows a choice of two ignition maps,
and below that a set of arrows for toggling
between traction-control settings. Mat
pretty much always ran with it set to zero;
SUPERBIKES!
he was faster that way, Ackland points out.
I set it to three of fve and ride cautiously
onto the track.
The GSX-Rs stinkbug stance is the
result of abundant rear ride height, added to
make the bike steer quicker and help keep
the front wheel on the ground. Theres also
an extra inch of foam stacked on the seat, an
ergonomic tweak to accommodate Mladins
6-foot frame. Shifting follows the normal
street pattern to accommodate the limited
fexibility in Mats left ankle, the result of an
airplane crash nearly 15 years ago.
Tipping the bike into the frst chicane, I
nearly run off the inside of the track as it
snaps over alarmingly fast. Steep steering
geometry, lightweight magnesium Magtan
wheels and pointy Dunlop rubber make
the bike turn much quicker than stock. Its
unnerving at frst, but within half a lap the
rapid turn-in feels divine, and lets me go from
straight up to cranked over in a split second.
As with most racebikes the suspension
is frm, but not as stiff as when Mladin rode
it. The forks 1.1-kg/mm springs have been
swapped for 1.0s, which are better suited
to the lower g-forces generated by a mere
mortal. Although they felt rock-hard when I
bounced up and down on the bike in the pad-
dock, the Showa fork and Ohlins TTX shock
feel wonderful on the track, especially when
leaned over gliding toward an apex. The bikes
precise handling, heart-squeezing accelera-
tion and freakishly strong Brembo brakes let
me do things I had no intention of doing, like
skating the rear tire into turns and wheelying
from corner exit to braking zone.
The power is astounding. There are no
steps or dips, just potent midrange that
morphs into arm-stretching top-end rip. Wheel-
ies occur frequently and unexpectedly. Its an
absolute rush to ride, but I cant imagine the
skill and nerve it would take to race it.
So, where will AMA Superbike racing go
from here? Mladins domination has fnally
58 MOTORCYCLIST
come to an end, the Australian retiring at the
end of the season. After more than a decade
of racing in the States, that decision was
bound to come sooner or later. But Mat is
quick to point out that the DMGs Byzantine
rules helped make it sooner. Honda and
Kawasaki are out, too, leaving only Suzuki,
Yamaha and the various privateer efforts.
Right now, theres no returning champion
and no dominant rider, Doan observes
thoughtfully. Its going to be a hell of a
battle. So the DMGs rules changes were
successful? I wouldnt say that. With Mat
and Ben gone, its just a natural changing of
the guard.
My time aboard Mladins Superbike melds
into a nirvanic blur of acceleration, braking
and slanted views of the horizon. Blazing
down the pit straight, I see a small fgure
beside the banking. As the GSX-R inhales
the yardage between us, the fgure grows
into the familiar shape of Sport Riders
associate editor, Troy Siahaan, waving
frantically and pointing at the pit. While Id
been scheduled to take just fve laps, Id
somehow lost track of time and turned nine.
Blame it on the GSX-Rs ability to warp the
space/time continuum.
BY THE
NUMBERS
7 AMA Superbike Championships
82 AMA Superbike race wins
27 Previous win record, held by Miguel Duhamel
12 Single season AMA Superbike wins
10 Race wins in 2009
9 AMA Superbike Championships won by Yoshimura
Suzuki in the past decade
52 Consecutive Yoshimura Suzuki race wins
38 Age at which he retired
24 Age at which he started competing in AMA
Superbike
1996 First year racing in America
4th Position at the end of his frst AMA Superbike
season
11 500cc Grand Prix starts (1993 season)
6th Best 500c GP fnish
18 World Superbike starts
1 World Superbike poles
4th Best World Superbike fnish (Laguna Seca 2003)
55 Career AMA Superbike poles
3 Consecutive AMA Superbike Championships
(twice)
47 2009 championship points margin
1 Points behind teammate Ben Spies in the 2007
championship
2 Daughters with wife Janine: Emily and Jessica
2 Number of races he boycotted due to safety
concerns in 2009, at Topeka, Kansas
2 Number of riders who beat him to win races in
2009: Josh Hayes and Larry Pegram
3 Daytona 200 wins
7 Last race number other than #1
From lap times to pole
positions to national
championships, Mat
Mladin has laid claim
to nearly every AMA
Superbike record there
is. Heres a rundown
of the impressive
numbers hes had a
hand in
MAT
MLADIN
Seven-time AMA
Superbike Champion
WORDS: Ari Henning PHOTO: Andrea Wilson
SUPERBIKES!
60 MOTORCYCLIST
ALMOST FACTORY
LAPPING LARRY PEGRAMS
PRIVATEER-PLUS DUCATI
1098R SUPERBIKE
ts been years since any other Super-
bike could consistently challenge the
dominant Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-
R1000s. Its been even longer since another
racer rattled the otherwise unfappable Mat
Mladin. But Larry Pegram and his Foremost
Insurance Ducati 1098R managed both in
2009. Not only did Pegram score three AMA
American Superbike wins (two admittedly
in Mladins absence), he also inspired the
normally no-excuses Australian to complain
about Ducatis unfair power advantage.
We rode Pegrams 1098R at Putnam Park
Road Course in Mount Meridian, Indiana, just
a few weeks after his two Topeka victories.
Mladin is rightthis is a very fast motorcycle.
Wed known that since the frst practice ses-
sion of the season at Daytona, when Pegram
posted the top speed of 199.9 mph. But not
only is this bike blindingly fast, its also among
the most user-friendly racebikes weve ridden.
Pegram can thank Ducati Corse for that.
Pegram Racing is not a factory effortLarry
manages and fnances the program himself,
and prepares the bikes in-house. But thanks
to Ducatis impressive commitment to sup-
porting privateers, he was able to effectively
build a factory racebike using catalog parts.
All the parts that arent stock, anyone
can buy right from the Ducati Performance
catalog, Pegram says. Except for the ECU,
and you can buy that straight from Marelli.
Anyone could build this bike for $100,000,
including the $40,000 stock bike.
How closely does Pegrams kit-bike
resemble Noriyuki Hagas World Superbike
machine? Very closely, it turns out. Motor-
wise, our bike is so similar, Pegram
explains. The factory team runs different
cases. Theyre basically the same, but have
a different oil window. They use a crank
thats pre-balanced for the kit pistons. We
run the same pistons, but balance the crank
ourselves. They have a different head that
can ft an air restrictor; otherwise the head
is the same. They use a kit close-ratio trans-
mission; we have to use the stocker. Thats
it. Different parts, but very close in spec.
Electronically speaking, the two bikes
are identical. Pegram uses the same
Magneti Marelli Marvel 4 ECU, uploaded
with the same software. More importantly,
Pegram has a world-class team of number-
crunchers. Crew chief Massimo Capanna
has 30 years experience in Grand Prix,
working with Kevin Schwantz and Wayne
Rainey among others. And Marco Urani,
Contrary to what his competition claims, Larry
Pegrams 1098R is not a true factory Superbike.
Its assembled in his Ohio shop from catalog parts,
and makes about 15 less horsepower than Noriyuki
Hagas World Superbike.
Pegram sets the rev limiter at 11,800 rpm, compared
to 12,200 rpm for the factory bikes. Weve gone
three years without an engine failure, he says.
So much for Ducati reliability questions...
I
WORDS: Aaron Frank PHOTOS: Andrea Wilson
SUPERBIKES!
How closely does Larry Pegrams kit-bike
resemble Noriyuki Hagas World Superbike
machine? Very closely, it turns out.
the teams computer tech, came directly
from Mika Kallios factory KTM 250cc GP
squad. Their experience, and their ability
to decode the data, has been a huge help,
Pegram confrms.
But while their engines are similar,
Pegrams chassis is less like the SBK
machine. AMA rules require stock fork exter-
nals, limiting brake choice. The really good
Brembos, with bigger-pistons, are 108mm
spacing and the stock forks are 100mm
spacing, Pegram says. The kit swingarm is
the same as Hagas, but American Super-
bikes use 17-inch wheels (as opposed to
16.5s) and spec Dunlop slicks.
Still, the racebikes handling is markedly
improved over the already-sublime stocker,
especially in tight corners. The stock 1098R
can be slow to turn-in and hard to steer at
lean. So much torque and telepathic traction
make the bike want to go straight. Pegrams
racer snaps in like a 600 and is more respon-
sive at lean, largely due to reduced fork
offset (30mm, compared to the stock 36mm)
that pulls in the front wheel and sharpens
steering response.
Eight-level-adjustable traction control, plus
wheelie control that constrains both the angle
and duration of any airborne trajectory, enable
ferocious forward motion. Even exiting Put-
nams last turn in third gear, one higher than
optimal, the Superbike claws for the clouds
before youve got it anywhere near straight
up-and-down. Chaos continues the length of
Putnams undulating front straight, wheelying
hard over the frst rise in fourth gear, then
hard again in ffth over the second crest.
Rushing toward Turn One carrying an extra
20 mph compared to a stock 1098R clarifes
Pegrams comment about the brakes.
Pegram wouldnt give up a number, but we
reckon this bike delivers around 205 rear-
wheel horsepower, compared to a reported
220 bhp from a factory bike. Pegrams
engine-builder, Dave Weaver, says the biggest
difference between the AMA and SBK bikes
is fuel. Stateside Superbikes use Sunoco
260 GTX spec fuel, which Weaver claims
makes less power than pump gas. Weaver
says tuning for this fuel costs six to eight
percentor around 15 bhp.
Even on lite gas, the 1098R Superbike
is a potent package. Pegram just wishes
he wasnt the only one in the AMA paddock
waving the Ducati fag, if for no other reason
than to silence the haters.
I would love for someone else to put
together a Ducati just like mine, Pegram
says. Some guys think my success all
comes down to the bike, and having
someone else out there would show thats
just not true.
Larry (left) is in it for the long haul: After Im done
riding, I want to keep the team so I can yell at some
kid, and tell him how I would have done it better!
62 MOTORCYCLIST
SUPERBIKES!
64 MOTORCYCLIST
cannot do this, I told myself as I
wrestled the big Ducati through the
Pomona Half-Miles rough and rutted
turns. Thrown in at the deep end, out in
practice for the Open class of Gene Romeros
West Coast Flat Track Series, I tried to stay
out of the way as the other, more experienced
riders dive-bombed under me going into
the corners and slingshot past me on the
straights. I dont think I breathed once my
frst two laps.
And then a magic thing happened. Real-
izing that the bike was never going to turn
with the throttle closed and the tires plowing
through the ruts, I grabbed a big handful mid-
corner, the rear wheel stepped out, the front
pointed straight up the track and suddenly
everything was right in the world!
I wont pretend that I set a new track
recordor even went fast enough to make
the feldbut for the frst time in my all-too-
brief dirt-track career, I felt like I knew what
I was doing. And that I might actually be
worthy of writing about this bike I was
allegedly testing.
For as long as anyone can remember, AMA
Grand National Dirt Track racing has been the
sole property of Harley-Davidson and its iconic
XR750. Sure, King Kenny Roberts (Yamaha),
Ricky Graham and Bubba Shobert (Honda)
won championships on rival brands, but
theyre the exceptions to the rule. Not since
the early 70s, when guys like Gene Romero
himself were riding BSAs and Triumphs, has
Harley had any real competition.
It wouldnt be accurate to say thats about
to change, but the wind is starting to blow
in a different direction. And the bike shown
here is at the forefront of that movement.
Most race fans know Larry Pegram as a
roadracer, and well they should, as he won
three rounds of the 2009 AMA American
Superbike Championship aboard the Ducati
1098R featured on the previous pages. But
he cut his teeth in dirt-track racing, winning
more AMA amateur titles than anyone else
in history and three Grand Nationals aboard
Harleys and Hondas tuned by the legendary
Skip Eaken. More recently he rode a Lloyd
Brothers Racing Aprilia at select races,
but his primary focus was roadracing, and
Ducati wasnt keen on him riding another
brand. Which got him thinking
I missed dirt-trackmy last year racing
full-time was 1992, Pegram laments.
Ducati gave me a Hypermotard with the
two-valve 1100 motor, and the power pulses
felt just like a Harley. So I thought, lets
build one.
Look ma, no brakes! View over the high and wide
Vortex handlebar is sparse, with only a throttle, kill
switch and clutch lever. Clutch fluid reservoir looks
strangely out of place.
This particular Ducati GT1000 came with twin
shocks, but was modified to run only one, like the
SportClassics did in years past. A remote-reservoir
Penske gets the job done.
I
HOLY
TOLEDO!
OHIOS LARRY PEGRAM
AND THE LLOYD
BROTHERS BUILD A
DUCATI DIRT-TRACKER
WORDS: Brian Catterson PHOTOS: Andrea Wilson
SUPERBIKES!
Pegram enlisted the help of the Lloyd
brothers, David and Michael, who bought
a wrecked GT1000 with a salvage title
for $5000 on eBay. Measuring the stock
chassis, they realized the numbers werent
too far off, so rather than building a custom
frame decided to tailor it.
After modifying the swingarm to clear the
spec 19-inch Dunlop (nee Goodyear) tire,
they lowered the rear of the bike, deter-
mined the correct leverage ratio, made new
shock mounts and bolted up a fully adjust-
able Penske. Those changes kicked out the
steering head, so they made up some new
bearing races to bring it back in as far as
possible without the front tire hitting the
forward cylinder head.
Removing the cross-bracing let the frame
fex more to cope with rough tracks, while
relocating the battery and electrics above
the engine increased forward weight bias
to give the front tire a better bite. The
front end consists of a Honda CBR600F4
fork bolted to adjustable Baer Racing triple
clamps, while the rear brake was liberated
from an Aprilia campaigned in the AMA
MotoST series. A custom gas tank, seat and
foot controls, AirTech fberglass tailpiece
and Performance Machine aluminum wheels
completed the chassis.
The stock 992cc V-twin already made
decent power, so Pegrams engine-builder
Dave Weaver just fowed the head and
installed a set of Ducati Performance cams
and high-compression pistons. That boosted
output to 94 horsepower at the rear wheel
slightly stronger than a good-running Harley.
The difference is an XR motor lasts one
weekend, while this thing will go thousands
of miles, Pegram quips. Its a lot cheaper,
too, adds David Lloyd, whos a big propo-
nent of production-based engines. It costs
$25,000 to build a competitive XR, whereas
weve got less than half that in this bike.
Pegram debuted the Ducati at the Spring-
feld Mile last Memorial Day weekend, and
still remembers the reaction. When we
unloaded it people were laughing, but they
stopped after I transferred directly from the
heat race.
Unfortunately, the main event didnt go
as well. Pegram ran just outside the top 10,
but the bike lost power as it got hotter. A red
fag due to rain gave him a second chance,
but the bike blew an oil line and he crashed
unhurt.
A confict with an AMA roadrace meant
Pegram couldnt compete in the second
Springfeld Mile on Labor Day weekend, but
he did take part in the Indianapolis Mile
the same weekend as MotoGP. For that the
Lloyd brothers got serious, hit up Ducati for
a second engine (which came from one of
the Hypermotards used to make Terminator
Salvation) and had Vintage Motorcycle Com-
ponents build a custom frame, tilting the
engine up and moving it forward to put even
more weight on the front end.
Pegram found the framer handled even
better than the stocker, and ran as high as
fourth in his heat race before falling while
challenging for third. That put him on the
third row for the semi, and the best he could
manage was fourthone position away from
making the show.
So what next? The Lloyd Brothers would
like to contest the entire 2010 AMA Grand
National Championship, but fnding funding is
proving more diffcult now than it has in the
teams fve-year history. They need a top rider
who can win races, but none of them want to
get off their Harleys because they get parts
allowances and contingencies. Thats too
bad, because if this thing wins, it would be
the best thing to happen to dirt-track racing
in years, says David. I ask guys, Do you
want to be just another rider to win on a
Harley, or the frst to win on a Ducati?
Pegram is also keen to do more dirt-
track races, but would like to pick and
choose which events he competes inand
may not even be available for those. Id
like to go to a few of the good tracks, but
if Im in the hunt for the Superbike title, I
wouldnt be allowed to. So hopefully, I wont
be allowed to!
The stock-framed GT1000 Larry Pegram rode at
Springfield (top) and the framer he rode at Indy
(above). Chad Cose rode the latter at Pomona, but
failed to qualify.
66 MOTORCYCLIST
otorcycles make good medicine. Sidney M. Big Sid Bib-
erman learned that lesson as a young boy growing up in
Norfolk, Virginia, making restaurant deliveries with his father,
a butcher. His father could be a cruel man, and Sid remembers the
occasional glimpse of off-duty sailors racing motorcycles along the
Norfolk city streets as his only joy during those endless, back-breaking
delivery runs. A few years later when Sidby then an American GI
and big-time motorcycle enthusiastreturned from overseas duty and
found himself betrayed by the man he thought was his best friend,
motorcycles saved him again. Sids tormentor was the best motorcycle
drag racer in the Tidewater region. To punish him, Sid built his Vincent
Rapide into the fastest bike on the Eastern seaboard, and then used it
to beat the man so soundly that he eventually gave up motorcycles for
good. Revenge, it seems, is best served on two wheels.
M
68 MOTORCYCLIST
MotorcyclesVincent motorcycles in particularcontinued to
soothe and save Sid for four more decades, while he raised his family,
opened his own motorcycle shop and earned a rock-solid reputation
as one of the worlds foremost Vincent experts. Then, in September of
2000, Big Sid faced his fercest opponent yet, when a serious heart
attack almost killed him. Of course, a Vincent motorcycle once again
saved his life.
With bad knees, a failing back and a faltering heart, Sid was just
waiting around to die. Desperate to pull him from this enduring funk,
Sids son Matthew, an English professor at the University of Louisville,
made an insane proposition. The two of them, who never got along
well in the frst place and especially not in the garage, would build one
last motorcycle together. It wouldnt be any garden-variety restoration,
however. It would be a Vincati. This was the mythical hybrid of Sids
WORDS: Aaron Frank PHOTOS: Bob Clarke
years. We needed another quest to keep Sid
going, Matthew says. Though The Rattler
(Sids 10-second, methanol-fueled Vincent
Rapide) had won dozens of drag races, Big
Sid never held an offcial speed record, which
remained one of his life-long goals. Scanning
the East Coast Timing Associations record
book revealed a number of 650cc speed
records within reach of a well-prepared Vin-
cent single. Father and son decided to make
a record attempt at the ECTAs Maxton, North
Carolina, race course. Perhaps since Im more
aerodynamic than 65, 300-pound Big Sid,
the Bibermans asked me to ride the bike.
Maxton is a sleepy nowheresville on the
broad coastal plain along the North and South
Carolina border. Its an unremarkable place,
except for an abandoned, World War II-era
airstrip secluded in a stand of pines just out-
side town. Thats now known as the Maxton
Monster Mile, home to the ECTA speed trials
and Ground Zero for the fastest motorcycles
on earth.
Tina looked somewhat out of place among
the dozens of 200-plus mph, turbocharged
Hayabusas (our sister publication, Super
Streetbike, was hosting its annual Top Speed
Shootout the same weekend), but viewed from
any angle the vintage Vincent is a beautiful
and timeless machine. Tina is a bit of a bas-
tard, in the best racing tradition. The chassis
comes from Lexs 1953 Rapide, dressed up
with Black Lightning-style aluminum fenders,
brakes, a sleek, sectioned fuel tank and the
saddle from Big Sids own Black Shadow.
The single-cylinder motor is originally from a
1950 Comet, extensively modifed by Sid and
Steve Hamel, another world-renowned Vincent
performance specialist.
Hamel built the engine to racing specs,
boring an aftermarket Terry Prince cylinder
barrel 6mm over to bump displacement from
499cc to 598cc, and ftting a custom piston
to raise compression to 9.5:1. An Amal MK
II carburetor was ftted, and a Lucas D Victor
points ignition fres a double coil that leads
to a twin-plug head. An Andrews race Cam
and Terry Prince crank and caged rod balance
the bottom end. Behind the motor sits a four-
speed Norton Atlas transmission, prepared by
well-known Norton racer Carl Hockinson.
Raw brass bar clamps, chunky, Vincent-
logo valve caps and countless knurled knobs
Big Sids pep-talk is priceless: Just go out there
and give that little bitch all youve got!
Overtime Tina combines a single-cylinder engine
from a 1950 Vincent Comet with the chassis from a
1953 Vincent Rapide. Black Lightning-spec fenders
and dual drum front brakes give a factory-racer look.
two favorite bikesthe Vincent Black Shadow
and the Ducati 750 GTa machine that had
animated Big Sids imagination for decades.
The project, which healed the broken rela-
tionship between father and son and saved
Sids life at the same time, is chronicled in
Matthews excellent memoir titled Big Sids
Vincati, which will be released in paper-
back this May. This story is not about the
Vincati, however. This is the postscript, and
an attempt to tie up some loose ends. The
1000cc V-twin engine that powers the Vincati
came from a Vincent Rapide given to Sid by
his old friend Lex, who was dying from cancer
at the time. When the Bibermans went to
retrieve the Rapide, Matthew made Lex a
promise: Well use the chassis too, he said.
Once the Vincati is done, were going to fnd
another engine and build up a bike to race.
This is the story of that next bike, nick-
named Overtime Tina. We did all the work on
this bike after-hours, Matthew explains, and
she just reminded me of a Tina! Overtime
Tina was built to honor Matthews promise
to Lex, and to keep Sid alive for a few more
70 MOTORCYCLIST
Matthew meant.
Working on motor-
cycles quite literally
kept Big Sid alive.
Sids next move
was to try a different
exhaust on the bike.
The frst three runs
were made using
an oversized, 2-inch
diameter header,
and Sid suspected
that changing to a
smaller-diameter,
1 5/8-inch pipe
might improve
power. Sid swapped
pipes frst thing
Sunday morning,
and removed the
foam air flter as
well, before sending
me out for a fourth
run. The bike still
fell fat in top gear,
recording a disap-
pointing 98.53 mph.
When I returned
to the paddock we found the real source of
our problemand it had nothing to do with
carburetors or exhaust. Idling up to the pit,
just yards from where Sid sat on his stool
beneath an EZ-Up, Tinas motor seized tight.
For a tuner like Big Sid the racing is incidental,
a slim justification for the countless hours spent
tinkering in the garage.
and turnbuckles make The Vincent (as the
banner decal on the fuel tank so defnitely
states) pure industrial art. Sixty years later the
Vincent still looks ahead of its time, with
frameless construction featuring front and
rear subframes bolted directly to the motor
and Rube Goldbergian technical solutions like
the teeter-totter linkage that operates the dual-
drum front brakes. I especially appreciated the
sculptural engine cases, after Sid told me to
run my hand over the left timing chest. Feel
familiar? he asked. Phil Irving [the legendary
Vincent engineer] told me himself that it
mimics the shape of a womans breast.
Matthew did the honor of kicking Tina to
life for the frst time. A deliciously deep, big-
bore bark erupted from the open race pipe, a
noise so primitive that even the Busa boys
looked up from fddling with their digital boost
controls. I suited up and climbed aboard
for my frst ride, up the 1-mile access road
leading to the Monster Miles starting line.
Big Sids pep talk was priceless: Just get out
there and give that little bitch all youve got!
It took a few tugs to yank the right-side,
reverse-pattern shift lever up into frst gear,
and then I was off toward the starting line. I
was immediately struck by how non-vintage
the Vincent felt. The girder fork and proto-
monoshock rear suspension literally foated
over Maxtons broken-concrete surface with a
level of plush compliance utterly unexpected
from such an antique machine. The high-com-
pression single idled fawlessly and Sid had
the big-throated carb fettled to perfection,
delivering perfect throttle response. Torque
output was stronger than expected, equal to
any modern air-cooled single, and Tina pulled
with authority through the lower gears. Even
the braking performance was passable
excellent, in fact, by drum-brake standards.
My frst run started well, even if I ignored
Sids advice and brought the little bitch
slowly up to speed. One mile is a lot of room
for a single, and even at a relaxed pace I was
well into fourth gear at the half-mile mark.
Tina pulled strongly until around 5000 rpm
and then ran out of steam, like she was
starving for fuel. Still, we exited the timing
trap at 100.38 mphfast enough to set a
record in the 650cc vintage four-stroke gas
class (MVG-650/4).
I returned to the paddock and reported to
Sid, who was hungry for details. Tina hadnt
been on the dyno yet. In fact, she hadnt even
been beyond 50 mph on the streets around
Matthews suburban Louisville home, so top-
gear performance was essentially untested.
Sid bumped the main jet up from 320 to 330
and sent me out again. This second pass
raised the MVG-650/4 record to 105.506
mph, but power still fell off far before redline.
Matthew retarded the timing slightly for the
days third (and fnal) run, but that was a step
backward, resulting in a top speed of just
98.63 mph. We retreated to Maxtons fnest
dining establishment, a Greek-owned Italian
joint in a strip mall in nearby Laurinburg, to
come up with a
new plan.
Noshing on
gluey spaghetti in
a cramped restau-
rant booth, Big Sid
was glowing. The
funny thing about
land-speed racing
and drag racing,
toois that for the
vast majority of
participants, its not
about racing at all.
For a tuner like Big
Sid, what matters
is designing and
building the fastest
motorcycle pos-
sible. The racing is
incidental, a slim
justifcation for the
countless hours
spent tinkering
in the garage, or
daydreaming about
solutions. To be
challenged like this
was the best possible outcome. If we went
fast right off the trailer, Sid would have been
bored out of his skull. Instead we faced a
genuine problem, a performance puzzle, and
the challenge lit Sid up. I could see what
The real Big Sid story is wonderfully retold in Mat-
thew Bibermans book Big Sids Vincati, a must-read
for anyone who appreciates motorcycle culture. The
paperback version arrives in stores this May.
The BigSid.com team (left to right): Logan Robison, Big Sid Biberman, the author and Matthew Biberman.
I was horrifed, certain that I had just
broken some irreplaceable, 60-year-old
engine internal right in front of Sids face.
I was sick to my stomach, but Big Sid was
unfazedin fact, he was more excited than
I had seen him all weekend. This was what
he lived for. Get that sucker up on the work-
stand, he said, and lets fgure out whats
going on.
It didnt take long. In seconds Sid had the
front valve cap off and we could clearly see
the problem. Insuffcient clearance between
the valve stem and guide had caused the
exhaust valve to seize, and forced the pushrod
to unseat from the rocker arm. The tight
valve also explained the high-rpm power loss
we experienced. I apologized profusely, even
though it wasnt my fault. Sid just laughed
it off. You didnt do anything wrong, he
insisted. Tina just told us she was done for
the weekendand that little bitch waited until
she was right in front of me to say so.
The Overtime Tina project started as an
attempt to settle some unfnished business,
and lucky for Big Sid, its not over yet. Hes
going to have to stick around for at least
one more year to see Tina run at her full
potential. The best Vincent Gray Flashes
(the legitimate factory racing singles) are
capable of 125 mph. Sid is certain that Tina
Big Sid poses with The Rattler, his methanol-fueled, 10-second drag bike, in the late 1950s. Based on a rare,
red-framed Vincent Rapide, The Rattler won more than three dozen drag-racing trophies (and countless street
races, Sid says) before it was officially retired.
is capable of similar performance, given a
properly operating exhaust valve and a
bigger carb. Sid now plans to do some
additional headwork in preparation for a trip
to Bonneville next summer for another record
attempt. Big Sid is not done yet.
Besides, hes still got a lot to learn. Tina
taught us not to expect records to come
without effort, Sid said after the fact.She
allowed us to experience the full range of
emotions that come with land-speed racing,
all over the course of just two days. In the
meantime, Overtime Tina has sprouted a
small headlamp taken from a Triumph Trophy,
a matching tail lamp and a modest muffer.
Shes been spotted roaming the streets of
Louisville, with Matthew in the saddle. Big Sid
doesnt ride anymore, though he did throw a
leg over Tina in the staging area at Maxton
on Sunday morninghe later emotionally
admitted that was the frst time in four years
he had straddled a motorcycle. But as long
as the Vincati and Overtime Tina are out in
the garage, Big Sid can still wrench away on
his beloved Vincents to his hearts content.
Nowadays, thats medicine enough.
I was horrified that I had broken his motorcycle,
but Big Sid was unfazedin fact, he was more
excited than I had seen him all weekend.
Even in single-cylinder configuration, the
Vincent motor is one of the most beautiful ever
made, with deep cooling fins and voluptuous cases.
This one has been bored from 500 to 600cc
The Vincent presents interesting and innovative
technical details everywhere you look. This
teeter-totter front brake linkage is a typically
clever solution.
72 MOTORCYCLIST
ig Sid Biberman has been a
Vincent man since 1950, when
he took his frst fateful ride on a
Shadow he borrowed from a friend. In
the early 70s, after 20 years of die-hard
Vincent worship, Big Sid was similarly
smitten with the 1972 Ducati 750 GT.
This was the frst of Ducatis big twins,
and Sid found the idea of a more-modern
sporting V-twin understandably appeal-
ing. Soon Sids garage housed both a
Vincent and a Ducati, and for most of
that decade he switched back and forth
between the two. Naturally, he often
wondered about a bike that combined
the best qualities of both. The Vincati
answers that once-rhetorical question.
Sids is one of just seven Vincatis in
existence, and the only one in North
America (the other six are all in Aus-
tralia). His started with a 1973 Ducati
GT rolling chassis, purchased for $2500
from an aspiring vintage racer. It came
complete with all the necessary bodywork
and trim, along with brand-new, 18-inch
alloy wheels. The Vincent motor acts as
THE VINCATI
Engine by Shakespeare, chassis by Michelangelo
WORDS: Aaron Frank PHOTO: Bob Clarke
a stressed member, and the downtubes
from the Ducati frame have been cut off to
make room. The motor comes from a 1953
Vincent Rapide. Big Sid is a hot-rodder
at heart, so of course the motor has been
massaged with high-compression, 10:1
pistons, ported heads and other modifca-
tions that increase output to around 80
horsepower at the wheel.
From the saddle, the Vincati is almost
indistinguishable from a stock Ducati GT.
The factory Ducati instrumentation and
switchgear are retained, and the Biber-
mans have assembled the bike with such
careful attention to detail that you would
hardly guess this isnt a factory job. Since
the Vincent engine is roughly the same
size and shape as the 90-degree Ducati
V-twin, the bike handles nearly the same
as well. Its not until you start the
motor, and notice the slight differences
in cadence, vibration and sound, that you
realize this isnt your average 750 GT.
On the road, the Vincati does bring
together the best elements of both bikes.
The Ducati is bigger and roomier than the
compact Vincent, with a more comfort-
able riding position and more stable
high-speed handling. The Vincent V-twin
is uncommonly smooth-running and
quick-revving (especially considering its
age!), with a robust midrange perfectly
suited for the fast, sweeping roads the
Ducati chassis prefers. Its no wonder that
both the Vincent and the Ducati 750 GT
remain in demand by vintage enthusiasts
who actually ride their bikes. And as far
as Sids question about mixing the two
machines together? The Vincati is a very
satisfactory answer indeed. MC
Sids is one of just seven Vincatis in existence,
and the only one in North America.
B
HERES GIANNI!
WORDS & PHOTOS: Phil Aynsley
GIANCARLO MORBIDELLI NOT ONLY RAN HIS OWN GRAND PRIX TEAM,
HES ALSO ONE OF THE WORLDS PREEMINENT MOTORCYCLE COLLECTORS
COLLECTOR SERIES
74 MOTORCYCLIST
n one side of his elegant card it
says Giancarlo MorbidelliVintage
Motorbike Collector. On the reverse
is a photo of a 70s-era Grand Prix bike, also
bearing the name Morbidelli. Clearly there is
more to this man than just being a collector
of old bikes. Although he has done a pretty
good job of doing just that with over 250
bikes on display in his museum in Pesaro
on Italys Adriatic coast. Another 250 await
restoration out back.
As you enter the large, modern museum,
this impression is driven home by the two
bikes fanking the stairs leading to the
viewing area overlooking the collection. On
the left is the frst motorcycle Morbidelli built
in 1967, a 125cc two-stroke Grand Prix bike.
On the right is the last complete bike he built
in 1997, the mighty 850 V8 sport-tourer. In
the space of those 30 years he made his for-
tune manufacturing woodworking machinery,
ran a Grand Prix team that won four world
championships using bikes of his own
design, set up a factory (MBA) that produced
competitive privateer GP bikes in quantity and
slowly continued to accumulate motorcycles.
Continuing up the stairs the view is jaw-
dropping. Four main halls house the bulk
of the collection which is laid out in chrono-
logical order, production bikes mixed with
racing models in an ever-escalating ode to
the technological improvement of the motor-
cycle. Each bike stands on its own mirrored
plinth so you can easily see the bits normally
hidden by fairings. Niches in the walls hold
individual motors and other mechanical bits
and pieces. And most importantly, the bikes
are generously spaced, so you get an excel-
lent view of each.
The oldest bike on display is a 1906
Swiss Moto Reve, candle sitting proudly in
its headlight nacelle. The most recent is a
late-80s Ducati 851 Superbike. In between
is a smorgasbord of both the everyday and
the exotic. You dont see a 1942 vintage,
supercharged 250/4 Benelli GP bike on every
street corner! On the other hand, you used
to see Honda 350 Fours there all the time.
Something for everyone. At the rear of the
building is a smaller room holding all of the
Morbidelli racing bikes.
Behind the main building is the busy work-
shop where both Morbidellis own bikes, and
those of like-minded collectors, are restored.
A pair of 50s vintage GP Mondials have pride
of place at the moment. Also here is where
the latest Morbidelli creation is taking place:
a mind-blowing 750cc V12! Designed to ft
in a CBR600RR frame, this jewel of a motor
is due to be completed soon. Giancarlo says
(via translation), It is not the horsepower
that is important. It is how it sings! The
mans passion continues.
The Morbidelli Museum is located at Via
Fermo, 39 - Pesaro. It is open Saturday after-
noons from 2 to 7 (but like all museums in
Italy, call rst). MC
O
Machines are organized chronologically at the
Morbidelli Museum. This is the modern hall,
which contains everything from pedestrian Honda
production bikes to exotic factory Superbikes like
Raymond Roches Ducati 851.
Benelli, like Morbidelli based in Pesaro, is well
represented. This supercharged 1942 250/4
makes more than 50 horsepower. Developed
during the war, it never saw Grand Prix action.
The last Morbidelli motorcycle, the 1997 850 V8
sport-tourer, greets visitors at the main entrance.
Featuring a liquid-cooled V8 and Pininfarina
styling, its an elegant, advanced machine.
Book-ending the V8 at the main entrance is the
very first Morbidelli produced, a 125cc two-stroke
GP bike from 1967. Morbidelli motorcycles won
four 125cc world titles in the 70s.
COLLECTOR SERIES
76 MOTORCYCLIST
Close-up detail of the DOHC single in a 1954
Mondial 175. Mike Hailwood, among others, helped
make Mondial one of the most successful names
in racing during the 50s.
No Italian motorcycle museum is complete
without one of Count Domenico Agustas amazing
machines. Cecil Sandford won the 1952 125cc
world championship on a Bialbero Competizione
like this.
A smaller, fifth hall contains Morbidellis own
motorcycles. Machines range from 125cc two-
stroke singles to 500cc two-stroke square fours.
Morbidelli produced racebikes through the end of
the 82 season.
Giancarlo Morbidelli poses with a mock-up of his
latest engineering project, a 750cc V12 designed
to fit in a Honda CBR600RR frame. He hopes to
have a running prototype soon.
COLLECTOR SERIES
78 MOTORCYCLIST
GB
SPOT
R
INK
RINGLEADER: Joe Neric
MSRP (2009): $11,499
MILES: 129-2622
AVERAGE FUEL MILEAGE: 41 mpg
ACCESSORIES & MODIFICATIONS:
Firstgear Silverstone Tail Bag, Honda
Carbon-Fiber Tank Pad, Tech Spec
Gripster Pads
Tips, Tweaks, Fixes and Facts, plus Buyers Guide and Expert Q&A from the Industrys Best
DOIN TIME
A Complete Guide to Living
With Your Motorcycle...
STAFFERS RIDES
HONDA
CBR600RR-ABS
fter three months and 2600 miles
of trying to convince myself that
the CBR600RR isnt that great,
I give up. For me, this is the worlds best
sportbike, mostly because it refuses to
do anything wrong. We even got through
the frst bit of scheduled maintenance
A
without a hitch. Changing the engine oil and
flter at 600 miles was easy, even if you do
have to remove some fairing bits to lay hands
on a flter that lives directly above the exhaust
headers. Being somewhat mechanically
reclined, I spilled oil all over them. The good
news is I dont have to do it again until the
odometer rolls over 8000 miles.
Meanwhile, I changed a few things to make
the two of us more compatible. Tech Spec
Gripster Pads ($44.95 from www.techspec-
usa.com) keep me from sliding my junk into
the fuel tank under hard braking. Installation
was easy: Heat the surface with a hair dryer,
peel and stick. The pads blend nicely with the
Hondas graphics and the shape of its tank,
plus theyre removable and reusable. Those
confrontations with my crotch scuffed up the
back of the tank a bit, but a genuine Honda
Carbon-Fiber Tank Pad ($34.95; www.power-
sports.honda.com) covered the evidence and
should prevent further damageto the tank,
I mean.
My 27-mile commute takes 45 minutes
to an hour in traffc, which makes wearing
a backpack uncomfortable. Firstgears
PHOTOS: Tim Sutton
This is the worlds best sportbike, mostly
because it refuses to do anything wrong.
84 MOTORCYCLIST
RINGLEADER: Aaron Frank
MSRP (2008): $11,599
MILES: 5899-6129
HS Performance reusable oil flter
HONDA
CBR1000RR
y long-term CBR, like many 2008
examples, has a thirst for oil. Honda
has advised that consumption
nearly a quart per thousand miles when the
bike is ridden hardremains within accept-
able limits. Even though the bike remains
mega-strong on the
dyno and shows no
signs of excess wear,
Ive been watching my
waste oil closely for
evidence of anything
untoward.
Not wanting to
dredge dirty drain
pans or hacksaw
used oil flters in half,
I decided to install a
reusable, lifetime
stainless-steel oil
flter from HS Perfor-
mance Parts ($140
from www.hsper-
formanceparts.com). Not only does this
element offer vastly superior fltration and
performance compared to a conventional
paper flter, it allows you to easily inspect
engine debris close-up, to more accurately
monitor conditions inside your engine.
M
Silverstone Tail Bag ($119.95 frstgear-usa.
com) literally takes the load off my back.
Handy external pockets carry bungee cords
on one side and a tire plug kit on the other.
Another pocket up front packs a rain cover
and shoulder strap for easier handling off the
bike. Unzipping the fap reveals 100 cubic
inches of cargo roomenough to swallow my
lunch, an extra face shield and even some
homework. It expands to 830 cubic inches to
let me haul an extra full-face helmet, but the
coolest features are adjustable dividers to
separate sensitive contents.
After noticing a tendency to squat under
acceleration with the factory suspension
settings, I dialed up spring preload on the
rear shock. That was a step in the right direc-
tion, but the bike still squats. As it stands,
shock spring preload is fve clicks stiffer
than stockthe ride home wasnt much
fun when I tried sixand the forks spring
preload adjusters show one line less than
when I started. Now I have a choice. Go on a
diet, or fnd someone to help me fnd spring
and damping rates to match my weight and
novice-level skills. Guess which one Im
going with
Aftermarket suspension of some sort is
next on my shopping list, but I dont what to
blow the budget, so were talking rebuild, not
replace. Stay tuned.
No scratches under that trick carbon-fiber tank pad.
Honest. Tech Specs Snake Skin grip pads are func-
tional and subtly cool. Keeping the warning stickers
is proof of my immense coolness.
Ditching the backpack in favor of this Firstgear tail
bag lets me arrive at any destination less fatigued. It
expands to ingest one large Honeybaked ham or two
small cats, but not at the same time.
The frst line of defense is a super-
strength neodymium magnet mounted to the
top of the flter body that captures ferrous
debris before oil even reaches the flter ele-
ment. The element is made from laser-cut,
medical-grade stainless-steel micronic cloth
that captures debris down to 35 microns
instead of a paper flters 95 microns. Fine-
grained sand measures 60 microns, while a
white blood cell measures 25 micronsthis
is exceptional fltration, in other words. The
stainless flter fows seven times better than
paper, too, so the bypass valve is less likely
to allow unfltered oil to circulate the engine
during extreme cold temperatures or high-
pressure situations.
It works, too. After removing the flter
the frst time, we placed it over a clean
shop rag and blew
it out with com-
pressed air, then
marveled at what my
mechanic Greg Moon
described as a pile
of galactic space
dust. After some
study, he IDed the
iridescent powder as
transmission-derived
(normal) and not
piston ring material
(abnormal). Mission
accomplished.
Sure, $140 will
buy you 40,000
miles worth of disposable flters, but with
better fltration, better performance and
improved peace of mind provided by the
unique view this flter gives you inside
your engine, we think this HS Performance
lifetime flter is money well spent.
Prices range from $139-$154, depending on applica-
tion and finish (raw billet or black-anodized), with
availability for nearly every Japanese and European
sportbike and most Harley-Davidsons.
PHOTOS: Gron4 Photography/Jim Moy
RINGLEADER: Eric Putter
MSRP (2009): $6099
MILES: 151-1213
Warning label removal
DOIN TIME
HYOSUNG
GT650R
ever one to discriminate against
bikes (or babes) based on their
country of origin, Im going to live
with this sexy Korean for a year.
Hey, dont laughthis is serious busi-
ness. During our initial 1062-mile dance,
the newly fuel-injected GT650R proved
to be a friendly partner that doesnt do
anything untoward when gently man-
handled. Other than a faulty brake lever
adjustment wheel, the GT didnt exhibit
any weird peccadillos, slap my face or step on
my toes too hard.
Midway through our frst song, after
blowing 50 percent past the deadline for its
1000-kilometer (621-mile) break-in service,
the middleweight V-twin was remanded to
Hyosung of New Jersey in Metuchen. At
912 miles, it got the full spa treatment,
oil and flter change and valve inspection.
Three hours and $288 later, a well-dressed
mechanic reported that all eight valves were
well within spec and nothing else needed
more than a furtive glance.
Unfortunately, going forward, the GTs
maintenance schedule calls for a peek under
its valve covers every 6000 clicks (3728
miles). For comparisons sake, Suzuki lets the
SV650s valve train bang around for 15,000
miles before a preliminary inspection. In
the coming months, well see if Hyosungs
vigilance is warranted.
Armed with a clean bill of health, the GT
was strapped to the Ivans Performance dyno,
where it made 64.2 horsepower at 9000 rpm
and 42.3 lb.-ft. of torque at 7500 rpm. Com-
pare that to a stock SV650s 67-horsepower
run on the same dyno.
Weighed on DeMan Motorsports ultra-
accurate racecar scales, the fully gassed,
ready-to-ride GT rolled in at 473 pounds,
minimally biased toward the rear end (232
lbs. front/241 lbs. rear). Thats a full 44 lbs.
heavier than the last SV650 Motorcyclist
tested.
With the critical fgures generated, initial
fxes on the agenda include getting the front
stoppers to stop and the engine vibes to stop
vibing. Brake pads and lines will assuredly
do the trick for the former, while a set of anti-
vibe bar ends will likely cure the latter.
Moving forward, more cheap-and-dirty
fxes will be thrown at the GT in search of
its missing mojo. Being that Hyosungs dont
enjoy the same sort of aftermarket support
as their Japanese counterparts, fnding bike-
specifc parts will be a challenge, but well
search far and wide for suspension, motor
and ergonomic possibilities.
The mission of this long-term evaluation is
twofold: 1) Bring the GT650Rs performance
closer to that of an SV650 with relatively
inexpensive, cost-effective fxes; and 2) put
an untested Asian brands wares through the
ringer while objectively reporting on how it
fared in our not-so-delicate hands.
Stay tuned. MC
Other than a faulty brake lever adjustment
wheel, the GT didnt exhibit any weird peccadillos,
slap my face or step on my toes too hard.
The GTs two-piston calipers and 300mm discs look
better than they work. Bringing the brakes up to par
is one of the first items on the Sungs To-Do List.
N
86 MOTORCYCLIST
acing success isnt the only
measure of sporting supremacy,
but for the Suzuki GSX-R1000,
seven AMA Superbike titles in the last
seven years is a pretty good start. The
144-horsepower weapon was the liter-
class force to be reckoned with, bumping
Yamahas 130-horse R1 into second
place in its freshman year. But Suzuki
needed something new to accommodate
03 AMA and World Superbike rules
that would allow 1000cc fours. Plus,
Yamahas fuel-injected 02 R1 made the
factory nervous.
They shouldnt have worried. Put-
ting 152 horses in a more respon-
sive package, the second-generation
GSX-R1000 crushed all comers. Fresh
software and hard parts let 988cc four
rev quicker than its predecessor with
more power from the bottom up and
dead-accurate fuel delivery. Slip into
top gear and vibration is minimal on the
freeway, where a handful of throttle punts
you from 60 to 80 mph in just under
three seconds. Serious business begins
at 6000 rpm. No need to exceed 9000
on the street, but the big GSX-R inhales
a quarter mile in about 10.0 seconds at
140 mph if you do.
At 444 lbs. with a full 4.7 gallons of
super unleadedenough to put 190
miles between fuel stopsthe 03 ficks
into tight bends with a minimal effort and
carves fast ones on the proverbial rails.
Radial-mount Tokico four-piston calipers
are light-years ahead of the fade-prone
six-pot bits of 02. The whole package
R
SMART MONEY ALSO SMART
HONDA RC51
2002 | $6270
The basis for Nicky Haydens 02 AMA
Superbike title came with a new frame,
lighter, longer swingarm, more com-
pliant suspension and enormous 62mm
throttle-bodies. Steering is lighter than
the 01, but still relatively heavylike
the rest of the bike.
DUCATI 998R
2002 | $13,125
The last, best iteration of Ing. Massimo
Bordis 916 came with the latest 999cc
Testastretta twin and upwards of 140
horsepower, plus top-shelf hlins suspen-
sion and ultralight Marchesini Corse
wheels and a selection of racy carbon-
fiber lingerie.
YAMAHA YZF-R1
2002 | $5975
Yamahas first major redesign of the
1998 original gained more precise road
manners from a stiffer third-generation
Deltabox aluminum chassis and stiffer
springs at both ends. Suction-piston
throttle-bodies give the R1s fuel-injec-
tion supremely linear feel.
2003-2004
SUZUKI GSX-R1000
feels bulky compared to an 09, but humane
ergonomics and superior wind protection
make it a whole lot more comfortable on
all-day rides, especially if youre tall.
Aside from a few minor issues, GSX-R
holds up well over time. The stock clutch is
fragile. If its sloppy, slipping, noisy or grabby,
look elsewhere or factor in the price of a
more durable aftermarket alternative. That
steering damper goes south over time, giving
you inconsistent feedback through a set of
bends. Damping disappears from the stock
shock in a few thousand miles. Gold anod-
izing often peels off the fork tubes, especially
on weathered example of the breed. A loose
headlight assembly usually means broken
mounting tabs. Take a close look at the DLC
coating on the sliders as well. Imprecise
throttle response
is often traceable
to a maladjusted
throttle position
indicator. Beyond
that, watch for the
usual evidence
of ill treatment:
loose, stripped or
missing fasteners,
shoddy installation
of aftermarket bits,
oil/coolant leaks
or concealed crash
damage. Other-
wise, the founda-
tion for two AMA
Superbike titles is
still a super bike.
MC
CHEERS
Hall of Fame horsepower in
a stiff, obliging chassis with
brick wall brakes.
JEERS
Rougher round the edges
than an 03 R1. Shock fades
over time.
WATCH FOR
Shagged clutch, rough idle,
spent steering damper.
VERDICT
The former Superbike king is
still a stellar street bike.
VALUE
2003 | $5875
2004 | $6335
WORDS: Tim Carrithers
PHOTO: Suzuki
88 MOTORCYCLIST
Simple stuff to make your bike better.
EASY UPGRADES
orged magnesium wheels, big bore kits and carbon fber
bodywork are fantastic upgrades for the independently
wealthy, but what about the rest of us? This months
GEAR is dedicated to sensible stuff to actually improve your ride
without breaking the bank.
F
GEAR
Traxxion
Dynamics Fork
Springs
Unless youre a
jockey, odds are your
bikes OE springs
arent the ideal rate.
Thankfully, better
handling is just a
spring swap away.
Traxxion Dynamics straight-rate
fork spring kits are available
for all popular motorcycles and
are manufactured from lightweight
chrome-silicon steel thats guaran-
teed for life to be within 2% of the
claimed rate. Kits cost $109.95 and
include spacer material and installation
instructions. Ride something peculiar?
Traxxion will wind you your own custom springs for a nominal fee.
www.traxxion.com
Autolite Xtreme Sport Iridium Spark Plugs
Time to replace your spark plugs? Deposits
and deterioration can slow spark formation
and keep your engine from performing at its
best. Autolites new Xtreme Sport plugs are
engineered with a tapered iridium-coated
center electrode for a more focused spark
and better ignition an easy way to get more
muscle and miles per gallon. The iridium-
enhanced electrode also resists erosion
better than standard materials, so your plugs
will last longer. The plugs retail for $9.95 a
piece.
www.rkexcelamerica.com
Galfer Braking Components
Upgrading your braking package is
an easy way to increase your bikes
performance, feel, and safety. Galfer
stainless steel brake lines feature
64-count braiding and a PVC coating
in your choice of 10 colors for about
$90 a set. Hoses are made on-bike
with pre-positioned fttings, and
come with banjo bolts and crush
washers for quick and easy instal-
lation. Galfers brake pads run the
gamut from everyday street pads like the G1054s (starting at $58 a
set) to the recently released G1003 race pads that have been used
by the likes of Mat Mladin and Ben Spies.
www.galferusa.com
Motion Pro Tire Gauge
Infating your motorcycles tires to the proper
pressure is as important as making sure
theres oil in your engine. Crummy pencil
gauges and crummier gas station varieties
offer rough approximations at best. At
$92.95, Motion Pros professional-grade
tire gauge is a worthwhile upgrade. Its large
liquid-flled face reads in 1 psi increments
and is accurate to within 1.5 percent of its
60 psi maximum. An integrated pressure
relief valve makes easy work of dropping tire
pressures for time on the track.
www.motionpro.com
Vance & Hines Fuelpak
To many motorcyclists chagrin, sport
bikes are tuned as much for emissions
as for power. The $279.95 Fuelpak from
racing legend Vance & Hines provides
your FI bike with the optimum fuel/air
ratio for precise throttle response and
maximum power. Set-up is simple: plug
the unit in, select your bike and any
applicable modifcations, enter the set-
tings, and hit the road. No computer or
dyno runs needed. Programmed settings
are the result of extensive dyno and road
testing. Upgrades dont get much easier.
www.fuelpakfi.com
WORDS: Ari Henning
90 MOTORCYCLIST
Zero Gravity Corsa Screen
It may not be a direct performance upgrade for street riders, but a
Corsa screen from Zero Gravity sure will make your bike look faster.
Superior clarity, excellent ft, and superb strength and fexibility make
the Corsa a favorite with racers at all levels. Made from the fnest
grade acrylic plastic, the Corsa screen has a steeply tapered shape
that provides excellent aerodynamics and a distinctly MotoGP
appearance. The Corsa is available for late-model sport bikes for
under $100.
www.zerogravity-racing.com
Driven Sprockets
Changing your bikes gearing is the easiest way to improve per-
formance, and Driven Racing has everything you need to upgrade
your drive train. Bolting on a larger rear cog or smaller countershaft
sprocket (or some combination thereof) will improve acceleration and
lets you set your bikes gearing for the roads you ride most. Drivens
case-hardened steel front sprockets start at $24, and their hard-
anodized aluminum rears start at $55, and can shave over a pound
off your rear wheel compared to the stock steel ring. Rear cogs are
available in gold, red, blue, green, black, and chrome.
www.drivenracing.com
Gilles Tooling X-Treme Levers
Professional racers know the importance of an ergonomically correct
cockpit. Thats why so many choose Gilles Tooling X-Treme levers.
Properly adjusted hand controls yield better feel for more precise,
relaxed riding, and the X-Treme levers offer up to 50 adjustments.
German engineered and beautifully machined from billet aluminum,
the Gilles levers feature a compact adjustment wheel and an inte-
grated hinge that reduces the potential for breakage in the event of
a crash. X-Treme levers are available in several ergonomic variations
and anodized colors for $189.95.
www.gillestooling.com
Leo Vince GP PRO Slip-On
Bin that boat-anchor of a stock exhaust can and strap on one of
these MotoGP-inspired slip-ons from Leo Vince. Lighter, louder, and
tuned for power, the GP PRO slip-on is TIG welded in typical Italian
style and is supported by a beautiful carbon fber bracket. Built with
experience garnered from years of racing, the $519 GP PRO is said to
increase power and torque by up to 5% across the board. The remov-
able dB killer insert cuts the exhaust volume without squashing its
character, keeping you and the neighbors happy.
www.leovince.com
MC TESTED
SHOEI
RF-1100 HELMET
WORDS: Ari Henning PHOTOS: Shoei
hen I heard Shoei was replacing
the RF-1000, my frst instinct was
to stockpile the lids to hold me
over for the next decade. The RF-1000s
excellent ft, no-fuss shield changes,
great venting and stunning good looks
make it one of the best all-around lids
available. Could Shoei really improve on
something so good?
My trepidation dissipated the moment
I slipped the new RF-1100 onto my head.
Ahhh, the 1100s ft is just as superb as
its predecessor, and you cant beat that
new-helmet smell. A fully removable liner
makes keeping things fresh that much
W
With the RF-1100 theres no questioning whether the
chin vent is open or closed. A forceful stream of air
cools the wearers brow and leaves no doubt.
A new tighter-ftting visor increases the peace
even further.
The RF-1100s new CW-1 shield is about
5mm taller and extends further toward the
temples. That may sound nominal, but the
larger eye port improves peripheral vision and
provides a better line of sight when looking
through tight turns. The shield is held in
place by Shoeis new spring-loaded QRSA
(Quick-Release Self-Adjusting) base plates,
which actively pull the shield against
the new eye port beading to insure
a precise, tight seal every time
you close the visor. Changing
the visor is the same 5-second
procedure it was on the previous
model, and the handy shield
preset lever is retained.
After over 4000 miles of
one-on-one time with the
RF-1100, Im pretty pleased
with Shoeis latest street
offering. I love the way it cuts
silently through the air, and
the venting is the best out
there, but the tabs require
frequent lubrication and have
a tendency to pop off their rails
if neglected. As with Shoeis
Hornet dual-sport helmet, the
snaps that hold the liner in
place are weak and the back
of the liner has started to come
loose when I pull the helmet on. A
dab of superglue remedies the problem
but annuls the removability of the liner.
The RF-1100 is available in your typical
pallet of solid colors, as well as metallics and
an arresting assortment of tasteful graphics.
Despite the small drawbacks, the RF-1100 is
an instant winner and a worthy replacement
for the do-it-all RF-1000.
SHOEI RF-1100
PRICE: $399.99-$499.99
CONTACT: Shoei Helmets
www.shoei-helmets.com
VERDICT
A step above its predecessor in nearly all respects.
easier, and the Snell 2010-compliant design
means more shell sizes for better ft and
protection.
Shoei says the RF-1100 improves on
comfort, noise, aerodynamics and venting.
Venting is too passive a word for what the
RF-1100 does. Its more like ram-air for your
head. The large tabs are easy to operate
with a gloved hand, and their independent
functionality allows you to tailor airfow to suit
your preferences.
A more aerodynamic shell and revamped
cheek pads help make the RF-1100 one of
the quietest helmets Ive worn. Shoei uses a
new forming technology to integrate the rear
spoiler into the shell for smoother lines and
better aerodynamics, which not only makes
things quieter but reduces head buffeting
and resistance to directional changes. Inside
the helmet, reshaped cheek pads extend
further forward to wrap around the chin,
reducing turbulence and blocking road noise.
92 MOTORCYCLIST
BLISS-STAR SPORTBIKE BODYWORK
WORDS: Mike Seate PHOTO: Raymond Bradlau
ALPINESTARS SP-1 GLOVE
WORDS: Ari Henning PHOTO: Joe Neric
espite the showroom success of lim-
ited-edition, racer-replica sportbikes,
manufacturers havent quenched the
publics thirst for motorcycles that look like
the Pros rides. A solution can be found at
the Internet auction house eBay, where Hong
Kong-based Bliss-Star offers a truly dizzying
ven if its just a minor tip-over, odds
are your hands are going to suffer.
The easiest way to avoid the dreaded
meaty paw is to don a set of quality mitts,
and Alpinestars has over two dozen models
to choose from.
The SP-1s orbit in the upper strata of
A-Stars Performance Riding category, and
feature all the bells and whistles you need in
a sport/track glove. A beautifully constructed,
full-leather carcass plays host to carbon-fber
knuckle and fnger armor, with a full gauntlet
array of aftermarket bodywork kits.
I shudder to think what the worlds copy-
right lawyers think of Bliss-Stars work, but
the riding public sure digs having the ability to
cloak their bikes in factory livery. Ready-made
kits abound to make your Kawasaki ZX-6R a
Kevin Schwantz-era Lucky Strike Grand Prix
and wrist cinch for added security. When I
frst pulled these gloves on a year ago they
felt a little tight, but within a week theyd
broken in and that snug ft now equates to
excellent control feel.
Not only do the SP-1s look good and ft
great, theyre functional, too. A series of
cartwheels after a racing high-side let me
test their impact protection. Scuffs on all
sides of both gloves and gouges in the armor
attest to the violence of the incident, yet my
hands were fne. Okay, so the seams are
tough, but that tumbling crash didnt test the
durability of the suspiciously supple leather.
Next up was a high-speed low-side that sent
me body-surfng down 50 feet of wet pave-
ment. Waiting for the crash truck, I noted with
satisfaction that my SP-1s were soggy and
battered but still intact.
After two crashes the SP-1s have some
stressed seams and torn-up palms, but they
did their job and saved my hands from harm.
I couldnt ask for more. MC
replica or turn an ordinary Honda CBR into Troy
Bayliss Infostrada SBK winner. Like most prod-
ucts manufactured by off-shore Internet sup-
pliers, the bodywork is amazingly affordable,
with graphics so detailed and well-executed the
kits seem too good to be true.
To see whether Mr. Keung could live up to
his word, I threw him a curveball by ordering
a custom set of bodywork for my 2000 Ducati
996, decorated in the oddball green-on-green-
on-red livery of the Stobart Motorsports British
Superbike team. Well, call me Michael Rutter,
but the bodywork arrived looking superb, and
mounted to the 996 using the stock hardware
after drilling just a few holes.
Granted, the plastic resin is not as tough as
stock bodywork, and some minor modifcation
was required to get a proper ft (mounting lugs
for the taillight were absent, requiring a bracket
to be fabricated). But at $369 for a full fairing
and painted seat unit, you cant complain.
BLISS-STAR BODYWORK
PRICE: $369
CONTACT: Bliss-Star
www.stores.ebay.com/bliss-star
VERDICT
An inexpensive way to look like Hayden or Rossieven if
you only ride to the local Hooters.
D
ALPINESTARS SP-1 GLOVE
PRICE: $119.95
CONTACT: Alpinestars
www.alpinestarts.com
VERDICT
All the protection you could want without delving into the
webbed-fnger territory of full-race mitts.
E
here are riders who are perfectly
comfortable delving into their
bikes engine, yet are appre-
hensive about pointing a screwdriver at
the forks damping adjusters. Unlike the
engines explicit tolerances and torque
specifcations, tuning the suspension
is largely subjective, and its easy to
feel nervous about messing with those
mysterious anodized knobs and screws.
But theres nothing mysterious about
suspension tuning. In fact, suspension
setup and adjustment is a scientifc and
systematic procedure, and theres no
reason you cant learn to do it yourself. It
just takes experience.
You can get that experience at the Cat-
alyst Reaction Suspension Tuning School.
T
The curriculum is designed to teach riders
the skills and give them the confdence to
tune their own suspension. It accomplishes
these goals through in-depth discussions,
hands-on experience and loads of track time.
The one-day school I attended was held at
Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, California, in
conjunction with a Trackside Services (www.
trackside-signmeup.com) track day. Like any
back-to-school experience, theres some
homework involved. Students should review
their owners manual and get familiar with their
motorcycles suspension and determine the
adjustment range. Youll be twiddling your own
dials during your track sessions, so make sure
you have the needed tools packed in your tool
box. And dont forget to reset the adjusters
once youve counted the clicks or turns!
Under the tutelage of CRST owner Dave
Moss, students are introduced to suspension
theory and mechanics and taught a method-
ical, systematic approach to tuning that is
immediately put to use on the track. The syl-
labus consists of six sessions dedicated to
covering the primary variables of suspension:
spring preload, compression and rebound
damping. Each session is broken down into
10 minutes of theory discussion, about 30
minutes of track time, and then a 10- to
15-minute debriefng. Sessions begin with
an explanation of the design and function of
the component being studied. We start with
the basics: For session one, its the fork cap
and spring. With the vitals in hand, Moss
explains the mechanics and theory behind
the parts and how it infuences the ride.
Troubleshooting tips are doled out and the
relevant terminology is introduced, but thats
where this hands-on school departs from your
typical suspension seminar.
Its easy to say too little spring preload
in the fork will cause excessive front-end
dive when braking, or that too much shock
rebound will make the bike wallow mid-corner.
To appreciate what that means, you have to
experience it. The real meat of the school is
the track time. After a few warm-up laps, stu-
dents enter the hot pit and crank the knobs
in one-third turn increments, always moving
from softest to hardest. Dave instructs us to
CATALYST REACTION
SUSPENSION TUNING SCHOOL
Shedding some light on the black
art of suspension tuning
WORDS: Ari Henning PHOTOS: Dito Milan/Got Blue Milk
Dave Moss has been racing and tuning for over a
decade. He tunes for AFM, WERA and AMA racers and
also contributes to the On the Throttle video series.
Tips are doled out and the terminology is
introduced, but thats where this hands-on school
departs from your typical suspension seminar.
94 MOTORCYCLIST
be consistent and only ride at 80 percent;
you need the free mental RAM to monitor the
bikes behavior and analyze the changes you
are making.
By systematically moving through the
adjustment range one area at a time,
students get a feel for the adjustments infu-
ence and get something tangible on which to
hang the handling descriptions. You intention-
ally touch the limits in order to feel what too
much of this or too little of that feels like,
and how it changes handling. Sometimes the
shoddy setups we toyed with messed things
up so badly that they made the laps uncom-
fortable and even a little scary. But thats an
important part of the learning experience and
the reason its critical to do this stuff in the
right environment.
Back in the classroom, theres time for
refection and note-taking before a discus-
sion regarding how the changes affected the
chassis, which setting worked best and why.
Moss is an affable and patient instructor (he
did time as a school teacher in England) and
elicits thoughtful responses from the riders
regarding what they felt. Proper terminology
is encouraged and errant language corrected,
and everyone must take part in the debriefng
discussion which is the last critical step
in cementing understanding. After the frst
session students scribble wildly in their work
books, but as the day progresses comments
grow more concise as we begin to understand
what the bike is doing and why. Thats the
beauty of the school, Moss says, seeing
the riders become familiar with the feel of
the suspension and gaining the vocabulary to
describe it.
Under Moss guidance and with lots of
seat time and refection, riders arrive at an
optimum suspension setup, with detailed
notes on how they got there. At the end of
the day, its time to see how they perform as
a whole. Youve got several free sessions to
fnd out, and if something feels amiss, theres
still time to test and tune. Most students
were impressed with how dialed their bikes
felt, and spent the free sessions hauling the
mail on Thunderhills newly repaved surface.
Looking to get a handle on your bikes sus-
pension? Tuition to the CRST School costs
$295 ($215 for the track day plus $80 for
the school), which is a better value than night
classes at your local city college.
Moss has a half-dozen Thunderhill schools
planned for next year, but check his website
(www.feelthetrack.com) often as the program
is likely to go national. MC
Get oily! Students examine the fork and shock
internals as part of the classroom sessions, which
aids in a comprehensive understanding of how the
components work.
Trackside Services run an open format with no
groups or time limits, which contribute to a relaxed,
low-stress experience.Master tune Moss is always
close at hand should you have a question.
Do I look awkward? I should. Many of the laps were
ridden with far from ideal setups, but experiencing
what the wrong setup feels like is an important step
in reaching the ideal one.
ts cold. That nifty thermometer
you got for Christmas read 30
degrees when the garage door
went up, but the sun is out, skies are
blue and all is well. Rolling up the ramp
that leads to work, its a whole lot colder
than that at 60 mph. Now things are
getting a little weird. Numb toes and
fngertips are nothing new, even inside
decent boots and gloves, but three ramps
later you cant stop shivering. After four
or fve morecant recall exactly how
manyit feels like somebody brewed a
pot of decaf instead of the good stuff.
Despite a full eight hours of sack time,
youre sleepy, cranky and mildly dopey.
Whats up with that?
I
For starters, the wind is pulling heat out
of your body faster than your body can pump
it in. According to the handy-dandy National
Weather Service windchill chart, 30 degrees
in still air is equivalent to 10 degrees at
60 mph. At that rate, exposed skin is 30
minutes away from a case of frostbite. Maybe
less. The sleepy/grumpy/dopey syndrome is
more than 43 percent of the seven dwarfs.
Its your bodys way of trying to warm up,
otherwise known as the early stages of hypo-
thermia. That, according to the Mayo Clinic, is
when body temperature drops from the usual
98.6 to something below 95 degrees. Ignore
sleepy, grumpy and dopey and youll meet
oblivious, unconscious and your maker in
roughly that order. Its an insidious process,
but easily reversible as long as you know
what to do when.
Your metabolic furnace needs fuel, so
start with a good breakfast. No Pop Tarts.
And take the next ramp toward somewhere,
something or someone warm before sleepy,
dopey and grumpy arrive. Warm food and
drink at the frst likely place is usually all it
takes, but caffeine confounds the process
so skip the French roast. Segue to a warm
bathtub or shower stall if that doesnt work,
and if youre still pale and shivering, call the
doctor. Slurred words or blue skin mean the
doctor should see you now. But as with most
painful experiences, prevention is better than
any cure.
Chilly in the driveway can literally translate
to freezing at 70 mph. Know your enemy. Cue
up an online weather report for the route du
jour, and dress accordingly. Multiple layers
work best, letting you peel off what you dont
need down the road. Start with something
thin against your skin to trap heat and wick
sweat away to evaporate in the outer layers:
form-ftting long undies made from high-
tech synthetics like Patagonias Capaline or
Polartech Power Dry. Wool or silk are solid
natural alternatives to cotton socks and
drawers that trap moisture against your skin
for hours. A microfeece jacket on top of that
will keep in heat while helping to dissipate
moisture from below. But a breathable lami-
nate fabric like Gore-Tex Windstopper keeps
wind out as well, which is the key to keeping
body heat in. Slip an electric vest underneath
to keep your core temperature up on long,
frigid rides.
Your outer layer is the frst line of defense
against weather as well as impact and abra-
sion, so choose wisely. Leather provides
better pavement protection than anything
else, but fends off wind better than water.
High-end textiles come together in gar-
ments that are ready for just about anything,
including an unexpected monsoon. Just make
sure everything fts well enough to let you
move around on the motorcycle. Add insu-
lated gloves and boots for those sensitive
extremities, keep your brain engaged at all
times and youre ready to roll. MC
COLD CASE
Survival 101 for the shrewd winter warrior
WORDS & PHOTOS: Tim Carrithers
When the dash says 32 Fahrenheit in the driveway,
youre looking at well below freezing on the freeway.
Add an electric vest to your proven winter ensemble
or take the car.
96 MOTORCYCLIST
ESCAPE 2 AFRICA
After losing my job to the world-
wide monetary meltdown back in
August, Im taking a break from
the progressively depressing process
of looking for a new one to visit friends
in Namibia later this year. I have some
savings stashed. They have plenty of
everything, including a guesthouse in
Windhoek just waiting for me. I have a
stock 2006 BMW R1200GS and a
standing invitation to come visit.
Im planning to use up a
three-month tourist visa, so
time wont be a problem.
Accommodations and
such are gratis, so money
shouldnt be either. The
GS and I have a fair bit of
mileage under our belts on-
and off-road, but weve never
taken on a mission like this. The
bike will be outftted here and shipped
ahead of me since theres no way Im
riding all the way to Africa. Advice? Am
I crazy? Recommended reading? What
accessories, modifcations or additions
to the BMW tool kit are essential for
exploring the Skeleton Coast? There are
lots of things to learn and I dont expect
to learn them all here. Im just getting
started, so any resources or mission-
critical information you can pass along
would be great.
George E. Corby
Southfield, MI
If there is
an upside to
being abruptly
unemployed, it sounds
like youve found it.
But since Africa holds
more potential menace
for the unwary and
the dim than, say, Michigans Upper
Peninsula, seeking expert advice is the
best way to stay out of trouble. In this
case, our elected authority is Ron Ayres
of Ron Ayres Adventures (www.ronayres.
com), world-class professional tour guide
since 1999. Heres his advice
No, youre not crazy. I envy you!
Namibia is a safe, clean and very hos-
pitable country. The food is great, the
people are friendly and English is widely
spoken. Its the countrys ofcial lan-
guage, although German, Afrikaans and
Oshiwambo are more common in some
areas. Namibia is a great place to enjoy
GOT A QUESTION FOR ANSWERS?
SEND IT TO MCMAIL@SORC.COM ANSWERS
Q
A
WORDS: Tim Carrithers PHOTOS: Ron Ayres, BMW
your GS. There are no four-lane
highways. The few B roads
are well-maintained two-lane
highways. C roads are usually
gravel with occasional patches
of sand and are usually in
reasonable condition. The more
numerous D roads are always dirt
or gravel and the condition ranges from
passable to something suitable only for 4x4s:
GS Heaven. Although there are speed limits,
unless youre passing through the infrequent
town or village, you can drive at whatever
speed you feel comfortable without fear of
being ticketed. The Skeleton Coast is a worth-
while ride, but its not nearly as daunting as
the name suggests. Most of it thats accessible
by motorcycle is paved, but its very isolated.
There are other areas of Namibia that offer a
more interesting visit: the giant sand dunes at
Sossusvlei, The Brandberg, Fish River Canyon
and Fort Sesfontein, to name a few.
Recommended reading? Pick up a copy
of The Lonely Planet Guide to Namibia for
all the information youll need on the history
of the country and a description of the most
interesting sites, along with recommendations
for reasonably priced accommodations and
meals. There is only one BMW motorcycle
dealer in the country, but its a good one,
located in Windhoek (pronounced vind-hook).
Its not necessary to make special modica-
tions to your GS. If you intend to spend a lot
of time exploring the D roads, get a set of
Continental TKC-80 dual-sport tires and carry
a tubeless tire repair kit and a portable air
pump. If youre going to be especially venture-
some, take some tubes along, with equipment
needed to break down the tire. I carry the
BeadBrakR and Cycle Pump from Best Rest
Products (www.bestrestproducts.com). My wife
Barb and I have been riding in Namibia regu-
larly for more than 10 years and have traveled
through most of the country on various GS
models. We love the place. Im sure that you
will too.
STREET CLOTHES
I am 35 years old and ride a new Kawasaki
Ninja 250. I have about 10 years of riding
experience. My riding outft consists of
a full-face helmet, Vanson leather jacket
(with no armor or padding), jeans, Alpine-
stars Gore-Tex boots and gloves. I have
been looking at riding apparel lately and
would like to upgrade my outft to one that
contains more protection.
I mainly use my motorcycle to commute
to work and it appears that I have two
clothing options: I can either get riding
clothes like those in Alpinestars city col-
lection that look like normal clothes, or I
can get a suit to wear on top of my regular
clothes. Am I missing another option?
There appears to be a bewildering array
of different items from many manufac-
turers. Could you recommend a set of
riding gear for a non-racer who commutes
and seeks greater protection?
Vic Anand
Lansing, NY
Theres at least one more option that
works around our offices: Stash a set of
work clothes near your desk and show
up early enough to do a quick wardrobe
change. That may or may not be feasible
if your work environment is a privacy-free
cube farm, but think it through and ask the
powers that be. Otherwise, slip an Aero-
stich Roadcrafter suit (www.aerostich.com)
over your normal business duds. Starting
at $797 for the one-piece model, its not
cheap, but neither is a trip to the emer-
gency ward. The armor alone will make a
huge difference in the event of a tip-over.
Everybody who rides to work in this office
has one, along with a story or two of how
it spared them from grievous bodily harm.
Unlike most off-the-
rack alternatives,
Aerostich offers
various custom
tailoring options,
along with a list
of other extra-
cost options
that make it fit
the ride as well as
the rider. Plus, the
company is in
Duluth, Minne-
sota, so if youre
unlucky enough to
scuff up your suit,
send it back and
they can fix it. MC
MOTORCYCLIST (ISSN 0027-2205) FEBRUARY 2010, Issue 1355 Copyright 2010 by Source Interlink Magazines, LLC. All rights reserved. Published monthly by Source Interlink Media,
LLC, 261 Madison Avenue, 5th Flr., New York, NY 10016. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offces. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40612608.
Canada Returns to be sent to Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2 Canada. Subscription rates for one year (12 issues): U.S., APO, FPO and U.S. Possessions
$18; Canada $30 U.S. funds (price includes surface mail postage and GSTReg. No. 872093125RT0001). All other countries $42 U.S. funds per year. For subscription information call
800-800-7433 or 386-447-6318 (internationally) or write to Motorcyclist, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235 or e-mail motorcyclist@emailcustomerservice.com. POSTMASTER:
Please send address changes to Motorcyclist, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235. CONTRIBUTIONS: Should be mailed to 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, CA 90245. They must
be accompanied by return postage and we assume no responsibility for loss or damage thereto. Any material accepted is subject to such revision as is necessary in our sole discretion to
meet the requirements of this publication. Upon publication, payment will be made at our current rate, which covers the authors and/or contributors right, title and interest in and to the mate-
rial mailed including but not limited to photos, drawings, charts and designs, which shall be considered as text. The act of mailing a manuscript and/or material shall constitute an express
warranty by the contributor that the material is original and in no way an infringement upon the rights of others. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Six weeks notice is required to change a subscribers
address. Please give both old and new addresses and label. Mail to Motorcyclist, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235. Please include name, address, and phone number on any
inquiries.
URBANK, Calif., Feb. 1Struggling
giant NBC, battling a viewer ratings
avalanche that threatens to land
the once-great network somewhere south
of HGTV, has been forced to amp-up its
offerings for the traditionally sleepy summer
rerun season. Spearheading the planned
NBC comeback is the innovative Then Came
Bigfoot. Set on the gritty, mean streets of the
San Fernando Valleymade famous on the
classic CHiPs (NBC, circa 1977)this daring
mash-up is said to blend the wistful on-the-
road ennui of Then Came Bronson (NBC,
1969) with the raw, monkey dung-finging
chaos of Mutual of Omahas Wild Kingdom
(NBC, 1963). Stir in the achingly repressed
sexuality of I Dream Of Jeannie (NBC, 1965),
sprinkle it liberally with the sweaty determina-
tion of The Biggest Loser (NBC, 2004) and
youve got Then Came Bigfoot. Plot? Who
needs a plot with costumes like this?
But will couch-bound America drop their
remotes, pick up their Pringles and set a
spell with Then Came Bigfoot? Just how low
are our standards? Star power just may be
the key. Names like Shatner, Pitt, Heston,
Clooney and Hasselhoff have been men-
tioned (though not in relation to this project).
We shall see
One thing is for sure: When Then Came
Bigfoot premieres at 8 PM on May 21st, you
can bet the Motorcyclist staff will be front
and center on the sofa. And if Then Came
Bigfoot sucks, we can always bail out and
make fun of American Chopper on the DVR.
MC
NBC RATINGS DEATH-SPIRAL
SIRES MAN-BEAST REALITY SHOW
B
WORDS: Jeff Karr PHOTO: Keith May
98 MOTORCYCLIST
RIDERS LOOK OUT
FOR EACH OTHER.
We are who we insure. Markel associates are riders like you
ZKRVKDUH\RXUSDVVLRQDQGNQRZKRZWRSURWHFWLW:HKDYHUVWKDQG
knowledge of what should be covered when insuring your bike and the
accessories that make it your own. We offer things your homeowners
or auto insurance carrier might not provide extras like diminishing
deductibles and replacement cost coverage. At Markel, weve got
your back and its covered with over 35 years of expertise in
powersports insurance.
For an instant quote, talk to one of us at 1-800-236-2453
or visit markelinsuresfun.com/mm
Tom Conroy
Marine Director
MARKEL AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY
Ducati Hypermotard 796:
The new way to go Hyper
Whether its working the daily commute or attacking the open roads, the 796 will ride the common ground
between manners and madness by mixing Ducatis unrivalled twin-cylinder power and sportbike heredity
with the lightweight and minimalist supermotard concept. The Ducati Hypermotard 796 - only $9,995. See
your local Ducati dealer today.
www.ducatiusa.com
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