Motorcycle Lifestyle

BMW K1300GT Review

2009-03-27T19:54:00.000+07:00

In our recent review of the 2009 K1300S we covered the host of updates, upgrades and improvements to the K line, so be certain to read that article here for more in-depth info on those changes.

If you’re not of the Harley set, nor ready to join the local Wingnut chapter, but still want to cover distances two-up with contorted sections of pavement between point A and B, then the 2009 BMW K1300GT might be your upscale ticket.

This titan of sport-touring was graced with virtually all of the newness given this year to its sporty brother, the K1300S; therefore the GT packs a similar wallop from the big 1,293cc mill. Yet with the GT you can stuff two roomy standard equipment hardbags full of whatever it is you might fill them with while chasing the wind, or running from responsibility for a long weekend.

2009 BMW K1300GT in Red Apple Metallic. Other color choices are Royal Blue Metallic and Magnesium Beige Metallic.

The German speed tourer picked up a BMW badge and faux venting in the main side cowling to break-up the appearance of the unimaginative acre of bodywork on the previous K bike model. Instruments and instrument trim are freshened up also.

The GT boasts 160 hp at 9,000 rpm with 99 ft-lbs at 8,000 rpm. In addition, BMW claims that 80% of max torque is available as early as 3,500 rpm. The K1200GT produced a claimed 152 horsepower at 9,500 rpm and 96 ft-lbs at 7,750 rpm. According to BMW, though the new GT’s engine is nearly identical to the 2009 S model, its more restrictive exhaust and smaller ram-air/airbox capacity account for the lion’s share of a 15 hp deficit to the new S model’s claimed 175 ponies.

With this considerable boost in peak horsepower, the ’09 GT might be back in contention with the rest of the sport-tourers for top-honors in the 1,300cc (give or take) class. Figuring a worst-case scenario 15% loss of ponies to the back wheel, the Beemer might produce somewhere around 135 hp. This puts it on target with the much larger displaced Kawi Concours 14 that’s seen published dyno results of around 134 hp.

Even if it won’t surpass the C14 in sheer power, the BMW will likely out-pull the FJR1300's 124-ish rwhp. And as much as we like the Honda ST1300, unless Big Red secretly cast some good juju over the ’09 model, it won’t even come close.

But you’re not riding the K1300GT for ultimate speed anyway, you’re riding the GT to go “fast enough,” and do it with some style, convenience and comfort. Let Ricky Racer pass you if he wants; you’ll get to where you’re going with less windblast fatigue and covered in far fewer bug guts than he, thanks to your electronically adjustable windscreen – in tall flavor as standard.

Electronically adjustable windscreen now comes in tall version. Handlebar height is adjustable vertically over a 1.5-inch range and either the standard or no-cost optional seat are adjustable. Lots of personalized fit is available on the big mill GT.

The sport-touring K bike initiates turns well thanks to leverage offered by high and wide bars. The combination of an excellent chassis and electronically adjustable suspension (ESA II) round out the handling package quite nicely.

Additionally, you’ll have the ability to adjust handlebar height vertically over a 1.5-inch range, or tweak the adjustable standard rider seat from 33.1 to 32.3 inches. An optional adjustable (32.3” to 31.5”) lower saddle is available at no cost. Most riders will appreciate the seat at 32.3 inches for its reasonable roominess between seat and peg, however, those with less than a 30-inch inseam might find they can plant only one foot securely at a stop.

Partial-integral ABS is standard on the GT, but unlike on the S model ABS cannot be disabled. BMW says the ability to disable the anti-lock system on the sport-oriented S is primarily for race track settings. The Beemer’s brake system works very well, but some pulsing can be felt through the rear brake pedal whether applying only the rear, or the front brake which also activates the rear. This minor and occasional pulse is a non-issue when compared to past experiences with the FJR1300’s ABS and its propensity to nearly punt a rider’s fingers off the lever when ABS activates.

Looking beyond the K1300GT’s high-feeling CoG, the tall and wide bars provide leverage needed to tip in to corners with relative ease. Once set in a turn, the same excellent chassis as found on the hot-rod K1300S keeps the GT feeling like it’s on a magnetic rail through bends. Also, carrying 75 lbs more than the 560 lbs wet-weight of the K1300S seemed to provide the GT with a more forgiving front end than what I experienced on the heavily sprung S model.

Of the four key motorcycles in this U.S. market segment, Yamaha’s FJR1300 is likely the best match-up to the BMW in terms of overall performance.

The FJR’s steering geometry implies a quicker handling bike with a 1.1-inch shorter wheelbase (60.8” v. 61.9”), steeper rake of 26 degrees as opposed to the GT’s 29.4 degrees, and a slightly shorter trail figure of 4.3 versus 4.4 inches. However, the Yamaha gives up 6 lbs in claimed wet weight to the GT’s lighter, ready-to-ride weight of 635 lbs. Is 6 lbs noteworthy? To some this difference is significant, to others not so much. Nevertheless, an excellent sparring session between these two wicked-fast weekend-warriors seems inevitable.

New found power and traditionally good handling mean the K1300GT is back in the hunt for top sport-touring honors in ’09.

The venerable ST1300 has slightly edgier geometry than the Yamaha with tighter wheelbase and trail figures. But a claimed real-world weight of 719 lbs pegs the Honda as the fatty of the group, while Kawasaki’s C14 is a not-too-distant third for overall heftiest at 670 lbs (679-ABS model).

Any way you slice it; this is a great group of sporty touring machines. Each bike is seemingly able to compensate for any perceived shortcomings by demonstrating strengths the rest may not posses; a four-way fight to the finish is bound to happen. Yet, there’s always the nagging issue of cost…

Choosing ABS-equipped versions of the ST1300 and Concours 14 for the sake of parity: the 2009 K1300GT’s base model MSRP of $18,800 is $3,100 more than the second-most expensive Honda, $4,310 more than the FJR, and a whopping $4,500 costlier than the bargain (and displacement!) champ Kawasaki.

The world’s your (insert seafood reference here) with the new K-GT bike.

And, as usual, BMW Motorrad always presents fans of its products the opportunity to go whole-hog with available options. This time ‘round the Premium Package is the only trim level available and raises the bike’s cost to $22,245, sans freight charges. The package includes every piece of available equipment from the a la carte menu except the Anti-Theft Alarm ($395).

By Pete Brissette, Mar. 23, 2009, Photography by Kevin Wing, Jon Beck

Suzuki Gladius Review

2009-03-27T19:51:00.001+07:00

I’ll never forget sitting on the decaying bench seats in Turn 3 at the “Fastest Road in the West” (Willow Springs) years ago one Sunday afternoon to soak in some high-desert sun and good grass-roots club racing. An unfamiliar looking and sounding bike was piloted with adroitness through what’s called the Omega.

Leaning against the chain-link fence to get as close a look as possible on the next go ‘round, I sheepishly asked a fellow race-watcher what bike was making that distinctly-Twin exhaust note. “That’s the new V-Twin from Suzuki,” said the motorcycle racing fan. My jaw fell open in mild astonishment. I’d only recently heard of the new bike, and was quite certain I hadn’t seen any in dealers yet, and here some die-hard enthusiast was already racing the thing. And so began American riders’ love affair with the Suzuki SV650.

The 645cc liquid-cooled, carbureted 90-degree V-Twin devoid of bodywork took almost no time to reach cult status with its sporty handling and user-friendly low-end and mid-range grunt. Its un-faired design caused the eye to immediately focus on the unique mill hanging from the aluminum, oval-tube trellis-style frame. Not many bike makers in those days embraced the naked streetfighter style for the American market.

Nevertheless, the SV’s ease-of-use made it a hit with Average Joe Rider for commuting and weekend play, while its overall performance caused a groundswell in club racing across the country, all for the 1999 MSRP of $5,699. The bike really was all that and a bag of chips.

The first major update to the SV – and the partially-faired SV650S model introduced in 2000 – arrived in ’03 and included fuel-injection, a new beefy square-tube truss frame and marginal increases in power and torque. In 2007 the fully naked SV was dropped, as Suzuki perceived performance characteristics between the SV and S to be too close. That same year optional ABS was available for the S model, and in ‘08 it went fully-faired as the SV650SF.

Only two years later and Suzuki has come up with a solution to fill the gap left by the standard SV’s departure: the 2009 Gladius.

The new Zook and its name draw inspiration from the Latin word for sword, in particular, a relatively short, more manageable version of longer swords. The obvious allusion is that Suzuki’s Gladius is a new and improved, sleeker, friendlier version of the SV. Equally obvious is the strong design element, one that went virtually unchanged from concept to showroom. With its rounded edges, flowing lines and friendly ergos, the Gladius is also an attempt by Suzuki to capitalize on the growing U.S. female rider segment.

To dispel any idea the Gladius is “a girl’s bike,” Suzuki’s Glenn Hansen points out that through a host of updates the new SV-derived V-Twin made gains in torque and power over the old SV. A safe guess is the Gladius increased torque at least 10% over the claimed 47-ish ft-lbs from the SV. Judging by a Suzuki-provided dyno graph superimposed over a graph from the previous SV, the gain appears across most of the rev range. Horsepower gains looked considerably less, though some increase was evident. It’s worth noting that none of the changes in the Gladius’ mill are found in the current SV650SF.

In a 2006 Motorcycle.com comparison an SV650S churned out 71.1 hp and 45.2 ft-lbs. These are already respectable figures, so any gain in the Gladius is great!

The SV engine reborn

Here’s some of the updates that improve overall engine performance and allow the Gladius’ V-Twin to make more claimed torque across most of the rev range along with a small but notable increase in horsepower.

Engine Updates:
• Cylinders receive racing-derived SCEM (Suzuki Composite Eletrochemical Material) for better heat dissipation, reduced friction, etc.
• 5% increase in crankshaft inertia enhances low-to-mid range output and “highlights power-pulse feel.”
• Single spring per valve versus the SV650’s two springs per valve reduces inertia weight, and thereby mechanical losses.
• High-lift cam for increased torque.
• Throttle body intake funnels, though longer than what the SV650 used, are two different lengths for improved mid-range.
• Idle Speed Control (ISC) system integrated into throttle body –first ever on any Suzuki street bike– improves idle, cold starting and eliminates additional wiring and hoses. The same 10-hole fuel injectors used on the GSX-R600 and 750 offer better atomization of fuel mixture. Two Iridium-tip spark plugs per cylinder complete the package for more thorough, consistent combustion which in turn is claimed to lead to better economy, emissions, power, etc.
• All new compact exhaust with mid-chamber is claimed to increase low and mid-range torque while different length exhaust pipes allegedly improve low-end performance; exhaust design also contributes to lower CoG.
• New radiator is smaller; oil cooler is now liquid-to-liquid rather than air-cooled, and its new design helps centralize mass.

A primary change in the chassis is the switch from the truss-type aluminum frame of the SV to a tubular steel trellis unit. As with the first generation SV, your eyes are quickly directed to the soft but prominent shapes of the frame that blend well with other design elements.

The pre-load adjustable 41mm Showa fork from the SV received a few small tweaks for general improvement, but the key change is a 5mm reduction in travel, useful in reducing seat height from 31.5 to 30.9 inches. Here again we can see a move aimed to attract shorter, perhaps female, riders. The link-type Showa shock retains its 5.1-inch travel and is adjustable for pre-load via the moderately accessible 7-position ramp adjuster.

Wheelbase is 56.9 inches versus 56.1 inches on the current SV650SF; rake remains 25.0 degrees while trail increased from 102 to 106mm.

Gladius maximus uses the same dual 290mm front rotors from the SV, though the two-piston sliding-pin front calipers’ pistons are a little over 3mm smaller in diameter and the master cylinder is marginally smaller. The rear brake pinches a 20mm larger rotor (240 v. 220mm). Wheels are now 5-spoke instead 3, but more importantly, the buns spooned onto the new rims are grippy Dunlop Qualifiers.

One possible downside for spec-sheet fanatics is the 8-lbs disadvantage the Gladius suffers in claimed ready-to-ride weight over the SV650SF’s 438 lbs curb weight. Weight-gain culprits are likely the steel versus aluminum frame and the new exhaust.

First impressions, lasting impressions

I’m willing to bet that even if this bike functions only half as well as an SV – though it certainly does and then some! – Suzuki will still have strong sales based solely on the European-inspired styling. Lead engineers spent considerable time in Europe whilst working on the Galdius, according to Hansen.

Sweeping lines and rounded edges are everywhere: From the 3.8 gal (3.6 in CA) fuel tank with removable two-piece trim that Suzuki says allows an overall narrower design, to the prominent organically shaped headlight, to the highly stylized exhaust, footpeg hangers and weapon-like passenger grab handles, the bike looks more sculpted than engineered.

Even the instrument cluster with centralized tach is easy on the eyes. The gear-position indicator is a good thing for this market, as are dual tripmeters, reserve fuel tripmeter and simple clock. Nicely done! Though wind protection is non-existent, windblast at freeway speeds is tolerable with little buffeting. But if you’d prefer, an accessory fly-screen is available.

The motorcycle’s inviting looks are not the least bit deceptive. Throwing a leg over is easy, as is flat-footing both footsies. Even if you have less than a 30-inch inseam you should feel secure thanks to the low, mostly flat saddle and the bike’s wasp-waisted center. Reach to the upright tubular handlebar is easy, though the distance between grips created a narrower feel than I prefer. Smaller riders will likely appreciate the compact layout.

The bike starts easily and settles into idle quickly courtesy of improvements in fueling as noted above. Light clutch lever action – an important trait for the intended audience – is thanks to a new cam-type release mechanism, and the 6-speed transmission is classic Suzuki: transparent.

Throttle response is good, albeit with a slight abruptness from closed-to-open transition, noticeable mostly in low rpm. Power is manageable and linear but certainly not flaccid. My seat-o-the-pants dyno says that the claimed power gains are there. The Gladius will easily wheelie in first gear with some help from the clutch, over-taking on the freeway doesn’t require downshifting from top-gear, and engine vibes are limited.

Twisty road fun is on the menu, and like the SV, the Gladius will harass faster bikes with its light and quick-steering chassis. However, there is a price point for this bike, and some things must be kept fiscally minded. The soft-ish suspension doesn’t allow perfect tractability through tight rapid-fire corners or over rough pavement if pushed like a supersport. More preload will help settle the chassis, but over compensating too much in this direction will only lead to a harsher ride the rest of the time you’re not dragging a peg. Also, padding in the stylish saddle is either too thin or too firm, or both. Part of the price paid for a low seat; however, a 20mm higher seat is available as an accessory.

Suzuki may have gone backward a bit with the mild downgrade in brake performance. Again, ample performance for 90% of the riders 90% of the time, but more initial bite and overall stopping power would go a long way on this motorcycle. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again here: I’d prefer one, good 4-piston caliper and rotor rather than dual two-piston sliding pin jobs.

With an MSRP of $6,899 the Gladius is sandwiched perfectly between Kawasaki’s new nekkid. parallel-Twin based on the Ninja 650R, the ER-6n, at $6,399, and Yamaha’s budget-minded 600cc Four, the FZ6R, starting at $6,990.

Unless Kawasaki has graced the ER-6n with extra ponies beyond the Ninja 650R’s 65.6 hp as tested in our SV/Ninja 650R comparison, the Gladius may have a peak horsepower edge. Torque between the pair should be very close. The Yamaha’s reviver in-line Four may produce top-end figures similar or slightly higher than the Suzuki.

Razor’s edge performance gripes aside, the Gladius is a well-rounded package and very attractive. I expect many riders, regardless of experience, will take notice.

By Pete Brissette, Mar. 26, 2009, Photography by Alfonse Palaima

Ducati Streetfighter Review

2009-03-27T19:47:00.001+07:00

“Spanish bombs in Andalucía, oh mi corazon.” – The Clash, Spanish Bombs

With apologies to one of the greatest bands ever, this time around in Andalucía it was an Italian bombshell that was stealing hearts. Ducati’s new Superbike-based Streetfighter truly is the bomb.

Unlike nearly every naked bike we can think of, Ducati has created a stripped-down, super-sporting roadster without excuses – no tuning for torque, and no dumbed-down suspension.

The Streetfighter’s engine is ripped nearly unchanged from the 1098 sportbike, differing only in shorter intake tracts that knock off a scant 5 hp. The result is a claimed 155 hp at 9500 rpm, aided by a midrange-inducing exhaust valve. The use of the 1198’s Vacural cast-aluminum crankcase shaves nearly 7 pounds from the engine.

“It’s like 100 liters of adrenaline,” Giulio Malagoli, the Streetfighter’s project leader, told Motorcycle.com about his latest creation. Malagoli is also the inspired mind behind the recently launched Monster 696 and 1100 air-cooled models. The new Streetfighter is now the most radical of Ducati’s naked bikes, replacing the discontinued Monster S4RS that measures up 25 hp short of the SF’s 1099cc Testastretta Evoluzione powerplant.

The standard Streetfighter retails for $14,995, and it boast a fully adjustable Showa suspension and lightweight magnesium for the headlight bracket and clutch and cylinder-head covers - magnesium is about 30% costlier than aluminum but is about 20% lighter, says Malagoli. The higher-end S version’s V-Twin powerplant is in an identical state of tune, but it includes top-shelf Ohlins suspension, lighter forged-aluminum Marchesini wheels and tasty carbon fiber for the front fender and cam-belt covers.

This is quality stuff, but it’s not enough to justify the $4,000 price increase of the S model. Helping it earn its lofty $18,995 MSRP are the most sophisticated electronics offered on any sportbike. DDA is the Ducati Data Analyzer, which records various channels such as lap times, throttle and gear positions, and the speeds of the engine and bike – it’s an extra-cost option on the standard Streetfighter.

But the S’s piece de resistance is Ducati’s traction control as used on the recent 1198 superbike. It first softly retards ignition timing, but if slippage is still detected by the wheel-speed sensors, the fuel injection will cut out to varying degrees to inhibit wheelspin. There are eight settings on the DTC, ranging from “It’s either raining or you shouldn’t be on a bike like this” to “Let’s spin up the rear tire on our way to victory circle.”

The Test
The rain in Spain may fall mainly on the plain, but we found out the wind can howl like a banshee in the Spanish hills. We were greeted at the fabulous Ascari Race Resort near Ronda, Spain, by 50-mph gusts that shook our confidence but didn’t dampen our enthusiasm for this most potent of naked bikes.

The Streetfighter’s riding position lives up to its name, with a tapered-aluminum handlebar placed sportily forward yet several inches higher than the 1098/1198 model. There’s more distance between the seat and its footpegs than the old Monster S4RS, but that’s mostly because the seat is way up at 33.1 inches. This is surprisingly tall for a bike without undertail exhaust pipes, but the Streetfighter’s lean and unfaired design forced the tailsection to contain the electronics, battery and exhaust valve servo. The SF’s fuel tank is an inch shorter than the 1198, allowing a rider to get closer to the front wheel, and its extra height isn’t a problem with the taller bars.

The handlebar is graced with new, compact switchgear. Flicking down the kill switch covers the starter button which is meant to emulate the “trigger catch” of a fighter plane. The instruments are contained in a tidy gauge pack that includes a wealth of information, including a lap timer and a low-fuel tripmeter for the 4.4-gallon tank. Its mirrors are fairly useable, even if they aren’t very pretty.

Pulling out of the pits at Ascari reminded me that the ’Fighter uses a dry clutch system, as it proved to be a bit grabby when taking off from a stop. Toggling through the transmission requires considerable effort in relation to a Japanese literbike, but gearshifts are nonetheless positive. Dialing on the throttle reveals the massive torque (a claimed 87.5 ft-lbs at the crankshaft) offered by the booming V-Twin that easily lofts the front wheel in the first two gears.

We knew, even before riding the Streetfighter, that its engine was going to impress – we fell in love with it when we first tested the 1098. And the note from the stacked twin mufflers is satisfyingly deep and soulful. The major unknown element prior to our ride was its handling qualities.

The SF uses a frame very similar to the 1098/1198 series, but it differs substantially in the steering head area. While the 1198’s fork is set at a moderately sporty 24.5-degree rake, the Streetfighter’s is kicked out at a slower-steering 25.6 degrees. The amount of trail correspondingly is lengthened from the 1098’s 94mm to 114mm. Additionally, a 35mm longer single-sided swingarm extends the wheelbase from 56.3 inches to 58.1 inches.

With these specs rolling around in our heads, we were worried this relaxed chassis geometry might result in a piggish-steering motorcycle. Not to worry.

The SF’s wider and taller handlebar offers much more leverage than the 1098’s low clip-ons, and this enables the ’Fighter to ably carve up the variety of corners offered up on the Ascari circuit’s 26-turn layout. And the forged-aluminum wheels on the S model we tested are a few pounds lighter than the cast-alloy rims of the standard model (and are in fact mostly responsible for the 4.5-lb reduction from the base model’s 373-lb claimed dry weight). The reduced gyro effect of the lighter wheels can readily be felt by a rider (I’ve done back-to-back testing of a similar bike), and they also have a beneficial effect on a suspension’s control of the wheels.

The benefit of the Streetfighter’s more conservative chassis geometry becomes apparent while riding the several fast sections of the Ascari racetrack. Unlike most streetfighter-type bikes, this new Ducati remains sure-footed at high speeds.

“It’s very strange,” said Ducati test rider Vittoriano Guareschi at the bike’s launch about the SF’s stability relative to similar naked sportbikes. A non-adjustable steering damper keeps dreaded headshake at bay.

The Streetfighter’s only high-speed problem is the complete lack of wind protection. This was quite unsettling in our first track session during startling wind gusts. It wasn’t until we adjusted our riding positions by laying on top of the tank that we were able to become comfortable at highly elevated speeds. It would seem unfair to condemn an unfaired bike for the lack of a fairing, but the wind deflection offered by the small proboscis of the Aprilia Tuono is an excellent compromise for this category.

The Streetfighter’s front end sports a stylized aerodynamic headlight underlined by a pair of LED position lights that mimic the headlights on the 1198. It’s actually designer Malagoli’s favorite part of his mechanical baby.

“You can recognize this bike from its face,” the Italian told Motorcycle.com about the intended family resemblance. “Its face is wonderful,” he said proudly.

The powerful Streetfighter is capable of Big Speed (Guareschi reportedly got up to an indicated 168 mph at Ascari), so it’s helpful the bike comes with the superb brakes of the 1198. Brembo radial-mount 4-piston monobloc calipers squeeze huge 330mm rotors up front and are actuated by a radial master cylinder and braided-steel brake lines. They deliver immense strength and major-league feedback. The rear brake needs a good stomp to lock the tire, which is just how we like ’em.

With all this high-spec, high-performance capability, it should be no surprise this bike shines when ridden hard. We’re confident there isn’t another naked that will lap a track as quick, except perhaps the MV Agusta Brutale 1078RR. The Streetfighter, although down on horsepower, is better able to translate its linear powerband to the pavement.

On the Streetfighter S, a rider has the soothing benefit of DTC. I spent my time playing it conservative in the #6 setting, and I was surprised how often the traction control kicked in. This was especially evident in some of the banked turns at Ascari when even mild throttle application lit the gauges’ indicator lamps while leaned over. The DTC intervention is imperceptible in its initial stage of ignition timing retardation, but a rider can feel the fuel cutout when aggressively twisting the throttle that results in a lurchy response. The adjustability of the DTC system allows it to be useful for even the fastest of riders.

Style-wise, we think the Streetfighter is a hit. Ducati’s trademark trellis frame is clearly on display, and the single-sided swingarm shows off a sweet Marchesini behind the shotgun mufflers. It’s not easy to package a big liquid-cooled powerplant nearly inside an unfaired bike, and the exposed rubber hoses on the left side of the engine detract from its otherwise clean looks. The chin fairing is slightly ungainly, but it disguises awkward bits like the oil cooler and filter and the lower section of the dual radiator setup.

One area of common complaint was the bike’s too-smooth footpegs. They proved to be quite slippery, a situation made worse by the right-side heel guard that forces a rider’s foot outboard. Ducati techs filed notches into them as an improvised solution for better grip.

But this is one of our few criticisms of this exciting new expression of Italian sportbikes. We were already thrilled with the sporting balance of the new Monster 1100, and this new super-naked brings it to a higher level via a 50-horsepower surplus. The Monster, however, is nimbler and might be quicker on a really tight canyon road.

Ducati has created yet another lust object for sportbike pilots with a flair for Italian machinery. Well-heeled, middle-aged sportbike jockeys with bad backs are ideal candidates for Streetfighter pleasure, but there’s enough performance on tap to thrill anyone of any age.

The base Streetfighter is a relative bargain at just under $15K, although it certainly can’t be called cheap. But those with deep pockets will want to ante up for the S version. Its Ohlins suspension is exemplary, especially in conjunction with the S’s lightweight wheels, and its traction-control system is a technological leap forward in rider aids.

If you can live without wind protection from your sportbike, the Streetfighter should be at the top of your list of dream motorcycles.

By Kevin Duke, Mar. 25, 2009, Photography by Milagro

Yamaha V-Star 950 Review

2008-10-31T20:28:00.000+07:00

A rational cruiser

By Kevin Duke, Oct. 22, 2008, Photography by Tom Riles, Video by Fonzie

So, there’s another new cruiser on the market, and it’s powered by a V-Twin motor that doesn’t come close to setting new records in terms of size or power. Some may yawn.

But that would be to ignore what’s currently happening in the motorcycle market. Cruisers continue to dominate, nearly doubling the sales total of the higher-profile sportbike market with 436,000 sold over the past 12 months. High-end cruisers are the best selling category, but the smaller classes have recently had a big upturn while the expensive stuff has been tailing off.

Enter the V-Star 950, a new cruiser that is appealing for its combination of manageable size, big-bike style and reasonable price. The new 950 fills a hole in Yamaha’s Star brand of cruisers, slotting in between two long-in-tooth models: the V-Star 650 and V-Star 1100. Star’s design goals for the bike were to offer an easy-to-use platform for all skill levels and rider sizes while providing a full-size cruiser feel with comfort, attitude and image.

To find out how this new entry performs, we accepted Star’s invite to ride it in the hilly backroads of north Georgia. A phalanx of 950s glistened under the morning sun in its four colors and two iterations: a standard version and the Tourer, the latter with a windscreen, leather-wrapped hard saddlebags and a passenger backrest.

Seeing the bike in the flesh, its styling isn’t revolutionary but is a fresher take on the traditional cruiser profile. Its proportions are nicely balanced, especially on the right side where the two-into-one exhaust anchors the flowing silhouette. Cast-aluminum wheels with polished rims are an attractive touch, with the front hoop extra visible on the right side due to the single front brake rotor. Upper fork leg covers add some butchness to the 41mm Kayaba unit, while an intentional gap in the frame below the steering head offers the impression of lightness. The 4.4-gallon fuel tank is curvaceous, and a large chrome airbox cover juts out proudly between the two cylinders. It’s all tastefully done if not ground-breaking.

Thumbing the starter button ignites the fuel-injected 942cc V-Twin without employing a choke lever. The twin-cylinder mill is air-cooled for simplicity and aesthetics, with its 85 x 83mm cylinders arranged 60 degrees apart. A single overhead cam and roller rockers actuate four valves per cylinder. Modern technology comes in the forms of ceramic-coated cylinders for improved heat dissipation and forged-aluminum pistons and connecting rods for durability. The compression ratio is 9.0:1, allowing the use of non-premium fuel. The exhaust note from the single-pin-crank motor is adequately deep but probably not loud enough to save lives. It sounds good but a bit flaccid from the cockpit, so you’ll be happy to know that fitting aftermarket slip-on mufflers is made simple by the ECU’s oxygen sensor being located just ahead of the mufflers.

It helps if you grunt when lifting the V-Star 950 off its wee-bit-short sidestand, although it’s a barely audile grunt. Star claims its newest cruiser weighs 613 lbs, but that’s a ready-to-ride, full-of-fuel number. Yamaha/Star appears to have followed Honda’s lead of providing real-world weights instead of the overly optimistic dry weights usually claimed by OEMs.

It was a cool but sunny morning in rural Georgia, and the air was sweet with the surrounding fall foliage – quite refreshing from our SoCal digs. Refreshing, too, was the way the V-Star 950 immediately felt manageable when negotiating the hilly parking lot surrounding our resort, which contrasts greatly from some of the more gargantuan cruisers available.

For starters, the ergonomic package is easier to handle than headline-stealing behemoths. Even compared to the not-so-huge V-Star 1300, the handlebars are 2 inches rearward and slightly down, and its 26.6-inch seat height is 1.6 inches lower. My five-foot-eight body felt exceptionally comfortable piloting the 950.

"This Star is definitely not an arm-stretcher like the mega cruisers like the Roadliner, but it’s quite responsive and revs out nicely."

The double-cradle chassis of the V-Star is made from steel (rather than aluminum) to keep the price low. Although the 8-spoke wheels are set at a fairly lengthy 66.3 inches apart, the 950 doesn’t feel cumbersome. A 32-degree rake and 5.7 inches of trail is typical of this type of bike, but the combination of 130/70-18 front and 170/70-16 rear tires offers a surprisingly nimble package.

Although the cable-actuated clutch is larger than the V-Star 1100’s, it requires less lever effort to pull. Light, too, is the action from the 5-speed transmission that uses straight-cut gear dogs (rather than 3 degrees undercut) for smoother shifts. Final drive is via a belt for less shift shock and easier customization.

Star didn’t release horsepower figures for the 950, but it did provide peak torque numbers: 58.2 ft-lbs at 3500 rpm, which coincidentally are the exact stats claimed by Kawasaki for the smaller but liquid-cooled 903cc Vulcan 900. On a Dynojet, the Vulcan spat out 53.4 ft-lbs of torque and 47.3 hp. This Star is definitely not an arm-stretcher like the mega cruisers like the Roadliner, but it’s quite responsive and revs out nicely. Although the motor is rigid-mounted in four locations and has no balance shaft; vibration never becomes intrusive – a rider receives only a lightly reassuring thudding from the engine room. The response from the fuel-injection’s 35mm throttle bodies is newbie-friendly.

Georgia’s thick trees gleamed with crimson and gold as we cruised over and down the gently rolling hills of the rural south. The V-Star 950 was in its element as our group ambled briskly on sparsely trafficked backroads. Neutral steering response gives the little-big cruiser a natural feel as it maneuvers through corners. Floorboard-scuffing bank angles are easy to reach, but Star’s research shows that cruiser riders rarely ever request more cornering clearance. For those who enjoy the fun of horizon tilting, Star is wise to fit its cruisers with removable floorboard sliders, which are much cheaper to replace than the entire floorboards.

"It’s a comfy, classy and attractive cruiser that can satisfy relative newbs..."

The usual compromise of a low seat height is harsh suspension, but the 950 has a fairly generous 4.3 inches of rear travel. The single shock has provisions only for preload adjustment, but it gets bonus marks for being the easy-to-tweak ramp-type adjuster that can be altered by a tool in the bike’s tool kit. Together with 5.3 inches of travel from the compliant fork, the Star provides a cushy ride without feeling under-damped and sucks up bumps with aplomb.

The V-Star 950’s cockpit is a pleasant place to spend the hours exploring new areas. Its attractive tank-mounted instrument console includes a countdown reserve, clock and dual tripmeters, controlled via buttons on the right handlebar. A rider has to look down to see the large analog speedometer, which is easy enough, though the digits on the clock and odo are too small to be seen at a glance. A gear-position indicator would be a nice touch on a bike such as this. The bar-mounted mirrors offer a clear view rearward, and the swing-top fuel-cap cover is a nice touch.

Braking duties are handled by a single large 320mm rotor with 2-piston pin-slide caliper up front. It’s low-tech but works surprisingly well, able to howl the front tire at will. A 12.7mm master cylinder is smaller than typical, making for a lighter lever pull. Maximum whoa is achieved by incorporating the rear brake’s 298mm rotor and single-piston caliper, but you’d better be ready to lift your foot of the floorboard to reach the large pedal.

I spent much of my day on the Tour version of the V-Star 950, which is burdened with added baggage of touring accoutrements to the tune of an additional 44 lbs. The shorty windshield worked well for a person of my height, as I was able to easily see above it while enjoying a decent level of wind protection. Tall riders may want to fit a taller screen from Star’s extensive accessory catalog. I like how the 11-gallon saddlebags are lockable and keyed to the ignition, but, like the bags on most touring cruisers, their entry is too small to fit a helmet, even a half-face one. Your passenger will appreciate the backrest and what appears to be a fairly comfy perch.

It should be noted that the quick-release windshield and backrest shown in the accompanying video are from Star’s accessory department; removing the standard components on the Tour model involves the fussy procedure of unbolting them. The scuttlebutt is that the quick-release stuff was too expensive to fit to the Tour model, which would’ve boosted its $8,990 base price (in red or black; $9,090 in silver) above the price-point goal for the bike.

Star Accessories

Star Motorcycles probably does the best job of the Japanese manufacturers in ensuring easy customization, and that often starts with the factory’s accessory catalog. Star’s Dave Pooler told us that a V-Star’s average customer spends more than $1,400 on accessories, with 60% of that at the time of the bike’s purchase. It doesn’t take the brains of Warren Buffett to realize this as a valuable source of income.

As such, Star is ready with a selection of 87 accessories available for the V-Star 950, with 48 of them new to this bike. In addition to the aforementioned quick-release windshield and backrest, the accessory list includes scratch-resistant polycarbonate (rather than acrylic) windscreens in three heights, chrome bag guards and engine shields, driving lamps with a die-cast aluminum mount, and decorative fender-tip brightwork.

Also available are a luggage rack that mounts to the backrest, saddlebag liners, and Jeff Palhegyi signature series “Bomber” engine covers in chrome or black. All-day-ride types might be interested in the line of “Comfort Cruise” seats that have leather seat surfaces and were developed using pressure-mapping technology. Star also offers five new jackets ranging in price from $179 to $299, which seems reasonable, encouraging Star-branded riders.

So, what hath Star wrought in this newest of V-Stars? It’s a comfy, classy and attractive cruiser that can satisfy relative newbs and budget-conscious veterans. Downsides? Its relatively compact ergonomic triangle that works so well for riders of average and smaller stature might be a bit tight for six-plus-footers. Also, its seat feels plush for 40 minutes, then feels less so. Finally, we were surprised to see valve-adjustment intervals of a short 4,000 miles.

But these are small or inconsequential criticisms of a cool cruiser that retails for less than a 10-year-old Honda Civic. There’s a lot of value here for $8,000, as long as you’re not looking for tire-melting power or the manhood-extending allure of 100-plus-cubic-inch motors. Consider that the Jurassic-era V-Star 1100 starts at $9290, or the nicely turned out V-Star 1300 which starts above the $10K mark, and the new 950 looks even more appealing.

I predict Star has a sales hit with the V-Star 950 as long as our economy doesn’t fully implode. One of the few things standing in its way is Kawasaki’s similar-themed Vulcan 900, a bike that with an MSRP a few hundred bucks less at $7,499. Here’s how they stack up on paper.

Victory Models Review – Vegas Jackpot, Hammer, Hammer Sport

2008-10-31T20:23:00.000+07:00

Vegas Jackpot, Hammer and Hammer S get the goods!

By Pete Brissette, Oct. 24, 2008, Photography by Scott Cox, Video by Alfonse Palaima

One decade at a time

Ten years in business is a significant milestone these days, regardless of the goods or services being sold. And continued growth in the face of a receding market is even more impressive. With industry bike sales down approximately 7 percent two years running, the Medina, MN company claims growth in the “low to mid single digits.”

This is how we find Victory Motorcycles coming into 2009: Modest growth where many are declining, 18 models (counting the various iterations) and growing parts, accessories and clothing lines. Additionally, Victory is reaching new markets like Germany and Australia, with more than 100 German dealer prospects on the hook.

Not bad for a company whose parent’s (Polaris) two largest endeavors (snowmobiles and ATVs) are in markets that are suffering so greatly that they make current bike industry woes seem like another day in Candy Land. To Polaris’ credit, its 2008 third quarter earnings are up 7 percent overall, thanks largely to international sales and the success of its Ranger side-by-side vehicle.

Claiming nearly 50,000 bikes on the road, Victory, as the only other mass-produced American V-Twin cruiser company, has bragging rights. However, we need to keep perspective. According to Paul James, Harley-Davidson’s director of product communications, in our State-of-the-Cruiser Address , claims Harley has a “48 percent share of the heavyweight (651cc+) [cruiser] market. This compares to Honda with 14.3, Suzuki's 12.7, Yamaha's 9.2 and Kawasaki's 7.5 percent. All other brands combined (Ducati, Triumph, Moto-Guzzi, Aprilia, BMW, KTM, Victory, etc.) equaled 8.3 percent.” No matter how much Harley sales falter it’s hard to imagine the Milwaukee giant will lose much ground.

To be clear, Victory doesn’t pretend to be David, slinging its tiny American-made slingshot. The company readily acknowledges that Harley’s success (to a point) is Victory’s success, and unlike so many other V-Twin makers, fully honors Harley for its own existence. Victory doesn’t really tout its products or the company to be a replacement for H-D, but rather an alternate take on the V-Twin formula.

Boldly going where no bike has gone before?

Fortune favors the bold, as the saying goes, and the Vision was the equivalent of Victory hopping off Easy Street, making a hard left down Rue de Risqué, and seeing who would follow. The Vision was a decidedly dangerous departure from the time-tested cruiser platform, especially for such a young company, but the vision for the Vision was more than just that. The company conducted heaps of market research, testing and querying current Victory owners, to see if the Vision’s acres of bodywork and heretofore unseen use of smooth, fluid lines would be well-received, or signal the company’s first major disaster. After only a year the gamble seems to have paid off. As we reported only last week in our First Ride, of 99 10th Anniversary Vision models for sale exclusively on-line, all were sold in a whopping 7 minutes.

The Victory team had no illusions about their first bagger’s divisive design. “Some people love it and some hate it, but that’s okay,” says Mark Blackwell, Vice President Victory Motorcycles and International Operations Polaris Industries. “We knew going in it would be polarizing, but that’s how we made it,” said Blackwell.

Taking a minute to editorialize, about the only issue I have with Victory is its chosen slogan, The New American Motorcycle. Its brashness doesn’t really fit with so much of the humility that comprises the entire Victory team. Victory should somehow market and capitalize on the impressive quality of its bikes rather than promote itself as the new kid in town. Word on the street is that many Victory dealers put themselves in a bind by carrying Victory: they simply don’t require the level of service of other brands. Sell a Victory, cling to the profit up front, and lose opportunity on the service end.

If Victory stays its current course of producing high-quality products, and is willing to flex and adapt to a market that will likely shift and morph, there’s no foreseeable reason why we shouldn’t anticipate Victory’s 20th anniversary.

From Victory to Freedom: Victory Engine Timeline

• 1999 V92/5: Fuel injected four valve OHC—67 HP and 85 Ft Lbs of Torque

• 2002 Freedom 92/5 Speed: Refined looks and performance —76 HP and 94 Ft Lbs of Torque

• 2005 Freedom 100/6 Speed: First with 6 Speed Overdrive — 83 HP and 103 Ft Lbs of Torque

• 2008 Freedom 106/6 Speed: —92 HP & 109 Ft Lbs of Torque; 100/6 Speed: — 85 HP & 106 Ft Lbs of Torque

2009 Vegas Jackpot/Ness Jackpot, Hammer and Hammer Sport

If the Vegas Jackpot wasn’t already full of attitude (we won’t even mention the flashy Ness models!), and the Hammer and Hammer S full of muscle-car toughness, all three models received an engine in ’09 to make more known the in-yer-face characteristics of each bike.

The powerful Freedom 106/6 engine, first seen exclusively in 2008 in the Vision, now wicks up the go-power of the Jackpots and Hammers. The 106ci (1731mm) 50-degree OHC Vee with 6-speed overdrive puts out 92 hp and 109 ft-lbs in stock form, but the Jackpots and Hammers get Victory’s Stage 2 cam treatment, boosting power to a claimed 97 hp and 113 ft-lbs. California models should expect about a 2 hp deficit according to Victory materials. Thanks, Cali!

More ponies make ‘Mericans happy, but what’s equally as crucial yet so infrequently achieved in cruisers is weight loss. In addition to the bigger, more powerful mill, this trio of trouble makers is graced with lightened wheels. The Stingray cast-aluminum wheels are claimed by Victory to shave between 15.9 to 17.8 pounds. The Jackpot gets a new one-piece seat, and all three models get a new headlight with improved lighting and a new, substantially brighter LED taillight.

I rode a Jackpot from my home in greater L.A. to Del Mar, CA (just north of San Diego) where the 2009 line-up launch was held. The Lucky Lime w/Extreme Graphics ‘Pot was fitted with a Victory two-into-one exhaust for better flow and enhanced throttle-blipping buffoonery. And during the press ride the next day I spent at least half my time on a standard Hammer and then a Hammer S.

It’s difficult to perceive a claimed 14 percent increase in power from the seat of a bike, but riding bikes with the “closed-course competition only” exhaust seemed to have a more visceral quality. Not only in regards to sound, but in acceleration as well. The motor simply didn’t feel as muted as a bike with a standard exhaust, not that the cammed-up 97 hp is anything to scoff at. The Jackpot with the exhaust seemed to come on the cam ‘round 90 mph (most models do not include tachs). Roll-on power at freeway passing speeds is plentiful even in top gear.

As for the lightened wheels, well, there’s no question that virtually everything about a bike’s handling, acceleration and braking will benefit, though I couldn’t say definitively that I felt a big change in handling. Save for the Jackpot’s resistance to maintain the arc of a turn thanks to the 250mm rear tire, initial turn-in and rapid direction changes come easily.

Historically, the Hammer, like the Jackpot, has suffered the same resistance to maintaining a smooth turn, and for the same reason: a 250mm rear. Since its introduction I often lamented the poor handling of the Hammer, noting the need for a good shove on the bar and constant pressure on the inside bar to prevent the bike from wanting to center itself while attempting to hold a line through a bend. Along came the Hammer S two years ago, and with it came a supremely better handling bike.

During the fall 2006 introduction of the Hammer S, Victory would say only that they changed the type of handlebars from the standard Hammer’s V-shape custom style to a more relaxed pull-back type on the S model. For such dramatic improvements in handling, I wasn’t buyin’ that as the only alteration, and I learned at this year’s press event that I wasn’t alone in my suspicions.

A number of us rider/writer types couldn’t believe that a bar swap was the only fix for the Hammer’s handling, and the most plausible theory was that despite claiming a constant rear wheel size since the Hammer’s introduction, perhaps Victory changed the wheel design just enough in order to alter tire profile, thereby overcoming the big 250’s desire to stand up. It’s also conceivable that Victory had the tires manufactured with slight changes from the initial tire model, yet we’d never know as all the markings on the sidewall would still be the same.

I’m on board with that. Now that the Hammer has an all-new wheel set, riding it revealed a bike that handles just as well as the S model. Fighting the standard Hammer to complete a turn seems to have been cured for 2009. Sneaky Victory!

Ride quality on the Hammers and Jackpots was excellent despite low seat heights that usually equate to limited suspension travel. Riding the Jackpot over 140 miles to Del Mar gave me plenty of time to consider how well-behaved and forgiving the chassis can be, with only the big bumps and potholes taxing the bike’s springs. The Hammer and Hammer S offer equally competent suspension and comfortable rider ergos. Just don’t be surprised when you get Popeye forearms after blasting the freeway at anything over 80 mph.

The transmission retains that reassuring built-in-America ka-thunk, especially when using the hydraulic clutch that requires a heavy pull. Opt for clutch-less up shifting and transitions between gears smooth out to near Japanese-quality.

Other new models and updates

The next biggest news is the introduction of an “all-new” model in the Kingpin Low. Victory stats claim that of the purchasers of last year’s Vegas Low, 43 percent were women. Lowering seat height to 25.2-inches and pulling back hand and foot controls two-inches seems like a successful plan, so in ’09 the Kingpin followed suit. In addition to its lower stance, the Kingpin Low, like the Vegas Low, loses pillion capacity by eliminating passenger pegs and seat. Along with all Kingpin and Vegas models, the Low gets the lighter Stingray cast wheels, brighter headlamp, and improved LED taillight.

Since the Vision was unveiled earlier this year we can’t expect much in the way of updates, yet Victory found a way. Improved stereo speakers were added, and premium models receive billet wheels and chrome fork lowers. Speaking of the Vision, the Ness name wasn’t left out of the 2009 line-up. Father Arlen took his pen to the Vision, adding custom stitching to the lower, carved-out rider saddle, did some fancy flipping of the paint brush, and in the process created a Limited Edition Arlen Ness Signature Vision based on the Street model.

I put in some miles on the Ness Signature Vision as well as a Vision Tour and readily report that rider ergos on both the Street and Tour rival the comfort of the venerable Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic Electra Glide and Honda’s time-tested Gold Wing.

The Vision’s aluminum-framed chassis performed extremely well, never once pitching, flexing or resisting steering inputs. Ground clearance, or lean angle depending on who you talk to, is exceptional and required a concerted effort by me to find its limits. This was my first ride at length on the Vision and I came away impressed during my relatively short time in the saddle.

Finally, rumor has it that Arlen likes his Victory Vision so much that he talked the infamous Sonny Barger into trying one. Barger is allegedly now a die-hard Victory Vision fan. Will wonders never cease?

Kawasaki ZX-6R Review - First Ride

2008-10-31T20:18:00.000+07:00

Major improvement for the middleweight Ninja

By Kevin Duke, Oct. 28, 2008

We’ve now had one day of testing Kawasaki’s thoroughly revised ZX-6R on one of the world’s best racetracks, Japan’s Autopolis Raceway. The verdict: a major improvement!

We were impressed with the 2007-08 middleweight Ninja, but it was let down by a relatively flat engine that had a hard time running with the best in class. Team Green has addressed that predicament by boosting its powerband from top to bottom. Most impressive is the bump in grunt in the upper midrange.

Equally striking is the newfound agility in the 600cc Ninja. Kawasaki has pulled in the steering rake by a full degree and nipped its trail numbers as well as adding an Ohlins steering damper to quell twitchiness. Just as important to its dexterity is the remarkable loss of 20 lbs from the supersport contender.

Styling is all new, borrowing liberally from the ZX-10R. It shares the squinty eyes of its big brother, but it thankfully foregoes the mirror-mounted turnsignals. Gone is the underseat exhaust, replaced by a system that combines an under-engine section with a right-side outlet.

We have one more day of lapping the fun and flowing Autopolis tomorrow, and then we’ll report back next week with a full review of what so far seems to be a highly competitive middleweight sportbike. Stay tuned!

Big Dog Motorcycles Review - First Ride

2008-10-31T20:13:00.000+07:00

By Alfonse Palaima, Oct. 30, 2008, Photography by Gavin Peters, Fonzie, Video by BDM, Fonzie

Established 1994. You might recognize that as Motorcycle.com's latest motto. We’re in good company as Big Dog Motorcycles (BDM) uses it as well. And while MO was just inventing itself in 1994, Sherman Coleman was rolling out “Old Smokey,” his own custom chopper and kernel for a successful business. Fifteen years later, Big Dog Motorcycles is the world’s largest producer of custom motorcycles and has come to produce over 25,000 rolling pieces of art in the process.

Raising motorcycle benchmarks with each model year, this coming annum they’ll introduce a wider spectrum to their lineup with the addition of three new models for a total of seven models in their catalog - six of which are available today. The seventh is slated to roll onto the showroom floor January 2009.

From pro-street to classic choppers to touring, Big Dog Motorcycles will soon have an award-winning motorcycle for you – if they don’t already. Their high-style high-performance motorcycle niche comes from within their 150,000 square foot factory in Wichita Kansas. BDM is proud of their engineering and craftsmanship, from the least expensive model to the top-of-the-line Wolf model. BDM also plans to soon grow out of its 100 national dealers and into the Canadian market with sights on the world market later in 2009. A slow but steady growth process, thanks in part to BDM Founder Sheldon Coleman's leadership, is responsible for growing the brand worldwide.

At Big Dog’s model introduction, held in their new factory store in Costa Mesa California, we got our paws on as many bikes as we could in one day. We also had yet another run-in with Johnny Law, but we’ll save that story for the Christmas party. Not having been on a Big Dog in nearly 5 years I didn’t hop on the headlining 2009 model right away - opting instead to experience the 117ci street rods with a ride on the rigid and retro-styled Pitbull. I have to admit it, the carnival flake paint scheme and stellar shining chrome grabbed my attention first. Surprisingly, the relatively short wheelbase (the shortest at 73-inches) pro-street cruiser was more comfortable than I could have expected with dual-mountain bike shocks stuffed under the saddle and a standard 41mm sleeved traditional fork.

Looking into the hearts of the machinery, we see the new tri-cam 121 cubic-inch OHV 56 degree X-Wedge engine, available only on the new top-of-the-line Wolf. That’s nearly a 2000cc EFI slap in the saddle – and it’s fully polished of course! The remaining five bikes come equipped with the 117 cubic-inch engine, and two models are available with an optional closed-loop EFI system. All are mated to the six-speed BDM Balance Drive introduced in 2005, bringing the final drive to the right side of the bike for better balance, cornering and maintenance.

Among the other notable cross-the-board features are a newly reduced-effort clutch, a smoother and quieter primary compensator sprocket, 41 mm telescopic forks in the front and hidden shocks in the rear (on some models), Performance Machine calipers and two-piece rotors, a speedometer with integrated LED tachometer, double barrel two into one exhaust and the famous super fat tires.

For the economic-minded rich kid that just bought a $40K chopper, BDM claims 42 mpg for all its motorcycles. For the record, we didn’t get to measure any of our own mileage reports. Although we did notice that the reserve allowance on the Pitbull will carry you much further than experienced on the 2004 Ridgeback. I learned that the hard way.

Despite being in the lineup for 10 years now, The Pitbull has had a complete overhaul in 2008 and returns again in 2009 for it’s 11th model year with not many changes. If it ain’t broke… Declared a best of the best by industry leading magazines, I had to get a taste of the rigid board-tracker for myself. The 20-inch/280mm rear-end matched with a 23-inch/130mm front tire sandwich a frame with 33 degrees of rake and 6-inches of trail.

After lunch at the biker friendly Cooks Corner, friend-of-MO Steve Bohn and I traded off a pair of bikes for the photo stops and remaining miles in our day. The too-cool-in-blue Wolf and Coyote models both shook our bones and filled our egos with admiring female onlookers along our ride.

As the “entry” level chopper and model replacement for the MY08 Mutt, the Coyote ain’t no joke. Upgrading the model and dropping the price a thousand bucks, the new Coyote swaps a spoked wheel for a billet one, includes modified shocks, an updated exhaust, a longer kickstand and softer seat. The Coyote comes with the same 117ci engine and 6-speed Baker tranny available on all the other Dogs in the kennel. Even the seat height is the same, yet it feels like a small bike when you compare it directly to the Wolf, which is 10-inches longer and one inch higher. The only thing small about the Coyote is the price, at the bottom of the spectrum at $23,900. “When we approached the Coyote, we had one goal,” explained Paul Hansen, BDM Marketing Director, “To build a motorcycle that would appeal to a broader range of riders, namely through a more attractive price, but not compromise the design, style, and performance that has been expected from Big Dog Motorcycles for fifteen years. At less than $24,000, the Coyote succeeds on all counts.”

At the opposite end of the spectrum for Big Dog is the 2009 Wolf. Taking up $35,900 on your credit card statement, this shining masterpiece is a surprisingly well-balanced pro-street dream at over 9 feet long. Long and low, with a ground clearance of 3.8 inches, the Wolf packs the BDM exclusive S&S 121-inch X-Wedge engine. The 56-degree, tri-cam engine, with its 4.25 square bore & stroke, boasts a 21-percent reduction in vibration and 30-percent fewer parts. This makes for a stronger, quieter and smoother V-Twin for a killer overall package. “This is a particularly agile bike, even by Big Dog Motorcycles’ standards,” Hansen explained. “With the Wolf’s narrower tire and purposeful frame design, when you get behind the handlebars, it’s almost impossible to believe that you’re riding a bike that is over 9-feet long and tips the scales at over 800 lbs. It is unlike any other Big Dog out there.”

Surrounding the massive powerhouse is a new single downtube 45-degree raked frame and a shallower, more radical swing arm design meant to compliment the sleek long and low overall design.

Not yet available, but meant to expand the touring capabilities of the Wolf, are an optional fairing and detachable hard saddlebags which you can see in the CAD drawings in the gallery. Of the three bikes I’d ridden that day, the saddle of the Wolf had been the hardest on the tailbone. You might be interested in the accessory saddles right from the get-go.

Also returning for 2009 are the top-selling K-9 and Mastiff chops, both available as either a carbed or EFI version and the fattest tire bike, the Ridgeback. The 2009 Ridgeback sports a short 17-inch rear wheel with Big Dog's widest available tire, a big fat 330. That's a 1-foot wide rear tire trailing a hidden shock suspension to provide a beefy chopper style.

In the end, we only had time to check out the ProStreet lineup but we’ll get back in the saddle later this year and bring you a report on the newest tourer when Big Dog gets the Bulldog ready for the market in the spring of 2009.

The 2009 Bulldog will bring back a rubber mounted engine after a nine year hiatus – packing the 117ci six-speed engine with BDM Balance drive. It will be BDM’s full-time touring bagger with paramount design and comfort. From an iPod/satellite radio-ready dash, minimal gauge fairing and lockable hard luggage large enough for a half-sized helmet, the Bulldog is meant to go the distance. Completing the package with floorboards, chin fairing, a 5-gallon gas tank, smooth and controllable 250mm rear tire and a passenger-ready design with a price estimated at $37,900.

HondaCBF1000

2008-09-06T21:33:00.000+07:00

The CBF1000 could be a great and un-intimidating step up the displacement ladder

By Yossef Schvetz, Oct. 16, 2006

You can juggle and play with the figures as long as you want but it ain't gonna help; Big Nakeds haven't been a big success so far and that's a fact. On paper, it should have worked better, at least in Europe where middleweight nakeds such as the Yamaha FZ-6 and Suzuki GSR600 rule the sales hit parade.

But somehow, regardless of their big jugs, the liter-sized strippers have failed to appeal and you'd better not try comparing Italian market sales figures for the 599 to those of the 919; it'll be downright embarrassing.

The big four have noticed this scandalous injustice a while ago and are trying to address the situation.

Yamaha has pushed the lovely FZ-1 towards the ragged edge this year with an aluminum frame, bizarre-ish design and extreme engine tuning, and Kawasaki is following the same route for 2007 with the new version of the Z1000. Both companies seem eager to transform their do-it-all giants into extreme "naked-sports" thingies. Someone in Honda must have thought that redemption for liter nakeds might be found elsewhere then, at the opposite end of the scale. Instead of chasing the city racers and wheelie hooligans, why not go for the mature boys, the once-in-a-while tourers with a family and a mortgage?

Cast a look at the new CBF1000 and you'll understand immediately that a weekend in its company will be more a "let's hold hands" type of thing rather than a sweaty and steamy affair.

Honda product planners seemingly drew their inspiration from the discreet success of the Europe-only CBF600, a cute mid-weight touring naked of sorts and have morphed the 919 into a much more sedate type of tool.

Look behind the half fairing and you'll indeed find the same basic rectangular steel backbone tube frame of the 599/919.

Honda didn't try to re-cycle too many parts in creating the CBF1000 (the seat unit looks too familiar though); it's more as if the bodywork of the CBF600 was simply scaled up by 10% by the 3D CAD software. Compared to its smaller brother, the main differences that stick out are the strange, arc-shaped, silver-painted side panels and the use of nothing less than the latest version of the CBR1000RR mill to propel the thing.

"It's more as if the bodywork of the CBF600 was simply scaled up by 10%..."

The engine choice is a bit bizarre to say the least. From the 174 claimed hp in the RR, the unit has been detuned to... 96 hp in the CBF1000.

That means a good 78 HP have been chopped for "better midrange response". I can't think of a reason as to why Honda would decide to use this engine when they already had good torque producers in the shape of the previous 954 Fireblade mill or the 1100 motor of the Super Blackbird. Why they used a power unit with a relatively extreme bore and stroke ratio is beyond me. Maybe this is paving the road for the new 1000 version of the 919, a bike that will surely come pretty soon.

Till that one arrives, it's the CBF1000 that we are dealing with. By the sound of it you might be tempted to see it as a contender to the new half-faired FZ-1 tested in MO's 2006 naked comparo, but in reality the two are aimed at very different folks. The FZ-1 is all about sharp angles, tight lines and complex syntax while the CBF offers smooth classic lines, soft curves and a plain-Jane composition of its components. The final result is indeed a close cousin to the groovy and well-proportioned CBF600, just not as well groomed in my opinion. I think that the most offending element in the CBF1000's design is that odd, arc-shaped side panel that's stuck smack in the middle of the bike, a rather boring focal point.

Closer examination of the CBF1000 helps to clarify Honda's intentions even more. There's a standard fork with no adjustments, a pair of simple two-piston brake calipers of the floating type, a rear 160-section tire (even the 599 has a 180), and an all-analog instrument panel with no LCD in sight. Hello? Honda? It's the year 2006, remember?

The finishing and detailing level doesn't impress either. So then, we have a sort of budget 1000cc tool which means that in Europe, it's priced a good 15% cheaper than the half faired FZ-1 and that's not small change. OK, the picture is becoming clearer now, yet in my humble opinion, with exactly the same budget, a much more captivating design could have been achieved. A Honda technician catches me casting dubious looks at the CBF1000 before leaving and voluntarily adds: "What do you expect? It's been styled in Honda's German studio." Aha! That would explain.

The aesthetics complaint chapter ends a few minutes into the ride. De-tuned the engine might be, a puppy dog, a pussycat, call it as you like but I've yet to experience such an elastic response and so much user friendliness from a liter tool. With an extreme starting point such as the CBR1000RR mill, textbooks say it shouldn't be so, but smaller throttle bodies and a host of other mods have turned the fire-breathing Fireblade powerplant into a refined unit that purrs happily from what feels like zero RPM.

A close look at the CBF's torque curve published by one of the local mags shows that from a silly 3,000 RPM and up the power unit supplies 61.4 foot pounds of torque and never dips under this figure till 8,000 RPM, climbing to a 68.7 foot-pound peak at 6,500 RPM. And that curve doesn't lie. It's kind of usual to attach the expression "pulls from any revs" to big twins, but this four-cylinder mill could teach some big twins the meaning of "low-down pull".

"When the road gets kinky, the wonderfully grunty motor remains a big source of satisfaction and pull."

When I took the bike from Honda, one mechanic suggested I try starting from standstill in sixth gear. "Do it gently and you'll see it manages". Well, I didn't go that far; I didn't feel like being left stranded with a fried clutch in case it didn't work as planned. But I did try the trick in fourth gear and, by golly, it does pull away! I also let the revs drop to 1,500 in sixth and the CBF gathered itself together without any of the shaking power pulsing and drama that you'd find in, say, a Ducati 1000 at such revs. So then, it turns out that leaving aside the new FJR 1300, this CBF1000 is the closest thing to riding an automatic bike that I've ever tried. On secondary roads that are free of dead-slow hairpins, you can pretty much leave the thing in sixth and forget about shifting.

The relaxed attitude is also displayed in the pilot's environment. It's not as plush as that of a GoldWing to be sure, yet it's still very comfy. There's an ultra-soft seat, a very natural bend in the handlebars, a total lack of vibes and the fairing protects well till 80-85 mph (though not beyond). Considering the budget nature of the CBF1000 there is also a surprising feature in the form of seat height adjustability (with an Allen key) but I didn't have the chance to try that.

So this CBF isn't really a tourer or sport tourer but rather a standard comfy roadster with a half fairing. OK then, doesn't that mean that it should also be a good back road scratcher? Isn't that part of the charm of these high-bar, simple-to-ride tools?

When the road gets kinky, the wonderfully grunty motor remains a big source of satisfaction and pull, but the rest of the package doesn't leave a clear impression. Yep, there's plenty of oomph to drive you out of turns and thankfully, the highish handlebars do help while throwing the CBF around with abandon but there are limits to the idyll too.

"This nice-guy attitude has some limits."

The extra leverage is really needed as Honda engineers put more attention to stability rather than flickability on this one.

Up to 80-90 percent on the speed scale, the CBF1000 does behave itself, supplying a semi-sporty experience, but don't get too serious about getting your adrenaline fix with this one. Pile on the coals and the 160-section rear tire starts to move around.

Slam on the brakes with authority and the fork consumes its entire available stroke in one big gulp without a hint of guilt or remorse.

The progressively-linked rear shock copes rather well with the increased demands but it's the single-backbone frame that at a certain point cries "enough is enough". The well-behaved motor also tries to tell you that torque is torque but still, power is power. What I mean is that plenty of drive at 4,000 or 5,000 RPM is a nice thing to have but when riding above semi-fast speeds, you don't spend much time at those kinds of revs and the lack of kick higher up the range is missed.

'I can't think of an easier liter bike to ride to work with on a daily basis...'

In reality, after 8,000 revs there's a serious drop in power so that you don't even feel tempted to try and bump into the rev limiter and simply hook up the next gear. I must add that knowing about the 12,000 RPM redline potential of this very engine in its Fireblade incarnation left me with mixed feelings about the limited rev range of this otherwise fine unit.

Considering the budget calipers mounted, the braking power was rather good, but also brought to light a strange problem. The top half of the fairing ends in two sharp corners that are positioned exactly in front of the rider's knees. When braking hard, unless I was making a conscious effort to brace myself on the gas tank my knees often met the offending corners. Ouch!

Since we're talking `bout braking, it might be worth noting that I've been riding the standard version of the CBF1000 but there's also an ABS-CBS version with linked anti lock brakes. The CBF1000ST model is equipped with higher-spec Brembo calipers and some of my colleagues reported improved braking power. On top of the sophisticated brakes, the ST version comes with original hard luggage, adding about 10% to the basic model's price.

Back in town, the tables are turned back again. The CBF1000 simply shines here and that's no mean feat for a 1000 tool in the narrow city streets.

I can't think of an easier liter bike to ride to work with on a daily basis except maybe -- just maybe -- the GT1000 I road tested not long ago. The drivers around me are nervous, the weather is extra hot but the CBF maintains its millennium nirvana. The reduced fairing lowers of the CBF let the heat disperse with ease, the seat is still comfy regardless of the massive sweating, all the levers and controls remain buttery smooth and I must admit that I am cursing less than usual inside my boiling helmet considering the heavy heat.

The CBF1000 seems to have a calming effect of sorts.Whether that's good or bad is a matter of taste and personality but on the cobblestone-paved streets I find myself quite happy with the softish springing and damping rates chosen by Honda's test riders for the CBF.It's just too easy to blame and disdain the CBF for not being all sorts of things. Like not being a proper contender to the aforementioned FZ-1 or Z1000 or for not having a more inspiring design or color schemes. But then, it seems like Honda never planned a glittering rock star status for their cute CBF1000.

Moving over to the half-full side of the glass, it's just as easy to praise the fact that together with the SV1000, it's the world's cheapest liter tool. Or that it's almost an up-to-date water-cooled Bandit 1200 rather than a road-burning streetfighter.

The model is not headed to the US this year but seen in a European context, the CBF1000 could be a great and un-intimidating step up the displacement ladder for somebody who's growing out of a 599 or FZ6. Seen as such, the CBF1000 has a rationale behind it, a rationale that can speak volumes to the 40-50 something born-again bikers that are so numerous these days across the pond. It's an easy to live with on a daily basis, 1000cc roadster that could also take you on a comfy weekend-long two-up trip. Does this sound just too serene and relaxed?

Honda seems to believe that the market for this kind of tool and attitude exists and how. I wouldn't be surprised if a year from now, Honda ends up selling more CBFs than the competition sells flashy FZ-1s or Z1000s.

Vespa S 150

2008-09-06T21:28:00.000+07:00

In my head there exists an awards ceremony called “The Scooties” and each year my brain nominates contenders for the best in a variety of categories. There’s no red carpet, just me as the orchestra, audience, comedic host, judge and presenter. One of the most prestigious categories is “Best Aesthetics”. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a whole lot of competition for 2008, and since I’m also the Joan Rivers of the ceremony I can let you know that at this year’s show the award for “Best Aesthetics” went to a hot newcomer, the 2008 Vespa S. “Can we tawk?” sorry I couldn’t resist.

There’s something about this tiny scooter that really sets it apart from the rest. Sure, it’s a Vespa so you’d expect it to be visually appealing, but this baby is different. I think what sets her apart is the fact that she was designed to evoke not just the classic Vespa style, but more precisely a specific model; the Vespa Special 50. I even think she has some resemblance to the Vespa that’s in my garage, the T5. I’ve included photos of the two, so you can judge for yourself. The rectangular headlight is a bit unusual on a Vespa, but it’s the coolest in my opinion.

Speedo, fuel gage, clock, and warning lights all packed into a busy, chromy, cluster.

My half helmet fit nicely. Looks like there's room for a full face helmet under the seat. Tool kit included.

'The dazzling chrome looking bits are a beautiful touch'

The ride feels very similar to a model produced earlier, the Vespa LX 150. The suspension feels a bit stiffer, but it has the same engine, same weight, length, fuel capacity and wheel size. As a matter of fact, some have said it’s little more than an LX 150 with a new body kit. I see the similarities under the hood, if you will, but the Vespa S is so much more; or to confuse things, so much less. The sportier, low profile, single passenger corsa (racing) seat is a style that hasn’t been seen on another modern Vespa until the now. It’s a style that must have received a warm welcome because it’s also been included on the new Vespa Super 300 as a two passenger version. There is also an optional touring seat available if you like to have more seating options (shifting toward the front or back of the seat) or would like to comfortably carry a passenger.

Also on the topic of less, the price of the Vespa S is less than that of the LX 150. It was a pleasant surprise to see an MSRP of $4,099; that’s $200 less than the LX. We we’re taken off guard when they announced the price difference, but it could be due to the LX having more metal on her than the S. The S has a plastic front fender, headset and on the upper half of the floorboard is plastic.

Continuing the less is more theme, I’m pleased to see the return of the thinner leg shield as well. Unlike the others in the Vespa line-up, the Vespa S trades the bulkier glove box for a thin profile leg shield and a pair of catch-all trays. You might not miss the removal of the locking glove box they replace because there’s a good amount of storage under the seat. I was actually able to hang my helmet on the under seat hook and store my gloves, armored jacket and reflective vest under the seat. That’s about all the storage I need to run around town. In the event that you need to haul something bigger, you can always add a luggage rack and top case accessory from Vespa, designed to match their scooter paint scheme. A backpack is also a good option, as long as it doesn’t interfere with your riding ability.

The dazzling chrome looking bits are a beautiful touch, but also one of my few complaints. When the sun was high over my shoulder, they were in such a position that they dazzled me as well. Not good when riding through busy intersections at 40 mph. My other complaint is that the seat has its own separate lock. It cannot be unlocked from the ignition switch unlike most of her siblings. Remove the key from the ignition, unlock the seat, pull your stuff out and drop the seat. Next you put the key in the ignition and start her up realizing you forgot to put away your rented DVD. Turn the key, remove it from the ignition, and unlock the seat. Mostly an annoyance, but remember if you have more than one key on the key ring and drop the seat with the key in the seat mounted lock you stand a great chance of scratching up your paint. So be careful.

The twist and go Vespa S is running on the proven LEADER (low emissions) 150cc, 4-stroke, air cooled engine that produces 11.7 bhp at 7750 RPM. That means you’ll get a top speed of just under 60 mph and very respectable fuel economy of around 60-70 mpg. Air cooling is the norm for scooters with displacements of less than 200cc. You can usually expect a little lower torque out of an air cooled engine but the simplicity of air cooling means not having to worry about the related radiators, pumps, hoses and coolant leaks.

2008 Vespa S on the left and 1985 Vespa T5 on the right.

At 225 lbs the Vespa S is one of the lightest weight 150cc scooters available; even four pounds lighter than the 125cc Yamaha Vino. She handles well on the city streets and the 30.5” seat height helps the rider see and be seen. She has the smallish tires (10” rear, 11” front) you’d expect on a Vespa, great for darting around obstacles and down crowded city streets. Braking is provided by a pair of relatively large (8.66”) hydraulic discs, front and rear. My demo unit was still pretty green, probably explaining why my brakes were a little soft, but at no point did the ride feel unsafe.

The Vespa S is a bit more expensive than other 150cc scooters with an MSRP of $4,099, but when you buy a Vespa you’re also buying desirability and collectability, which means that if you keep her in good shape you’ll have a scooter with a good resale value should you ever decide to part with her.

Fire Red is just one of many colors available for 2008.

The Vespa S comes with a one year factory warranty and 24-hour roadside assistance with a two year factory extended warranty available. Oh, one more thing. Vespa colors are known to have pretty limited runs, so if you see one in a color you like you should probably make your move before they discontinue it. I’m especially fond of the new orange Vespa S. She’s the only one with orange colored stitching in the black seat; a very nice touch. Must… fight… desire to put… down… deposit.

Kawasaki KX250F

2008-09-05T21:26:00.000+07:00

Team Green's redesigned motocrosser packs plenty of punch

By Jeremy Korzeniewski, Sep. 04, 2008

When climbing aboard the brand new 2009 KX250F for the first time, I must admit to a bit of that eerily familiar ‘big guy on a little bike’ feeling. Being 6-foot 2 and 215-pounds pounds, hopping on a small displacement bike often leads to the suspension sagging nearly to the ground. Fortunately, Kawasaki was on hand as journalists tested the thoroughly new bike at an equally new test track in California and Team Green had brought the suspension experts from Showa with them to tune things for each rider. After a few quick turns of the wrench, the KX250F lost that lowrider feeling.

After kicking the beast to life it was time to set off for the track. From that point on, the new KX proved extremely impressive, as it had plenty of power to clear the doubles of the track - even with this mildly-tubby rider on board. More about that later; first, what makes the '09 KX250F new?

Seriously, nearly every single piece of the '09 KX250F has been redesigned. Starting with the (take a deep breath) 249cc, liquid-cooled, four-stroke, four-valve, DOHC 'thumper' engine, a new cylinder head keeps the titanium valves from last year but enlarges them and casts them from a revised material. Along with a straighter intake tract, the new head allows the engine to take much deeper breaths from its single lung. That lone piston spins a new crank which is completely new and has more weight down low - a feature that is immediately felt and provides very smooth operation with little vibration, even at high revs. Also noticeable is the extremely smooth shifting action, which can be chalked up to the stronger gears and new cast-in clutch cable holder.

That powerplant is hung in a new aluminum perimeter frame. Although its design certainly draws inspiration from its bigger brother, the KX450F, it is completely new and shares no parts with any other machine. Kawi's engineers managed to remove 2.2 pounds of material from the new main spars while keeping everything nice and rigid with new engine mounts and newly-shaped geometry.

The totally new front downtube is easily identifiable due to the reduction in material around the head-tube and fewer welds as compared to last year's model. Continuing to the rear of the bike, the subframe features thicker diameter tubes that are set wider apart for more rigidity -- something our well-padded posteriors appreciated.

At the front, off-set triple clamps hold dark navy blue titanium-coated forks. Kawasaki is very proud of its friction-reducing titanium and Kashima coatings, something which no other manufacturer can claim in the 250 four-stroke class. Despite the long travel, absolutely zero stiction could be felt in their operation, so perhaps Kawasaki is on to something here. Combined with the new rear shock and the D-shaped swingarm which sees its pivot placement raised by some 3 millimeters, the Kawasaki's suspenders kept us well cushioned and never bottomed out (after being properly set-up of course).

Rounding out the changes is an enlarged skid plate made from flexible resin as opposed to the previous rigid aluminum. Kawasaki assures us that the new plastic piece is plenty strong. Although you'd never notice it otherwise, we got a good look at the bikes undercarriage while watching fellow journalists lap the track – everything looks fine from that vantage point. The bodywork has the Kawasaki 'speed-holes' at the front and is made from about half as many pieces as before thanks to new molding techniques which allow for multiple colors in one plastic unit. As you would expect, green is front and center on the new bike while black makes up the rest. All in all, it's a mean looker, all the more so when equipped with the new Monster Energy graphics for an extra couple hundred bucks.

Considering that this was our first time swinging a leg over the new bike, we think that Kawasaki did an excellent job of refining its past race-winner. Before setting off, we noted how slim the bike felt between our knees and thighs. After a minute of fidgeting, it’s easy to get comfortable in the saddle. Everything fell easily to hand and the grips were right where we expected them. Ample ground clearance was afforded by the pegs, which felt just a wee-bit high for our liking before hitting the track. Of course, after the first whoop section, we changed our tune and appreciated everything as it was. Those of us large of foot may want to especially thank Kawasaki's engineers for the wider foot pegs this year.

Kick-starting never proved problematic as long as the bike was kept in neutral. When left in gear, we kicked ourselves silly with no results. Kawasaki recommends leaving the bike in neutral for starting. The shifting mechanism is now a ratcheting design and finding the next gear was never a problem, and neither was locating neutral after coming to a stop. Despite the heat of the mid-day California desert sun and machine's constantly being abused, the bike showed no signs of overheating, which could possibly be due to Kawasaki's newly-designed radiators which are now six-percent larger and feature more cooling blades.

From the first tentative lap around the Rynoland track in Anza, Calif., we felt at ease with the smooth power delivery. Some added compression damping was needed after the first lap, but that was largely due to the 215-pound rider, which is considerably heavier than the typical motocross racer.

After getting things adjusted, the KX felt like an excellent handling machine. While wallowing just a bit in the sandier sections of the course thanks to the tight steering geometry, the hard-packed dirt allowed us to rail through the corners without fear of putting it down. Wheelies were a quick blip away in first gear while a mild clutch drop was needed to bring the front up at speed. Once there, everything felt well balanced and easy to maneuver. On a motocross bike, the brakes should be easy to modulate without fear of locking them up unless desired - no problems there. Sliding the tail around tight turns proved ridiculously simple, which is definitely a boon for those who ride on smaller tracks.

The grounds-crew on-site kept everything nice and smooth on the track, so we ventured out to find some less ideal conditions. We found plenty of places to ride the new bike and it always proved steady and relatively stable for a race machine. Despite our best efforts, the green-machine never placed a tire wrong. The power delivery will never catch you off guard thanks to the four-stroker’s smooth power-band. We felt no undue spikes, just smooth power from low revs straight up to its power peak. That's not a bad thing in the least, especially when the conditions get loose. We found some very sandy off-road single-track nearby to tackle where we greatly appreciated the thinner center-section and light weight, all of which conspired to keep us on the bike and off the ground. What's more, the clutch proved very smooth and never grabbed throughout our entire torture-test.

After all was said and done, we walked away quite impressed by the Kawi. There were literally no glaring faults to speak of, though the same could likely be said of all four Japanese 250s. For our money, though, nothing else quite matches to cool of the new '09 Monster Energy Edition. The blacked-out bodywork combines with the green hubs to make for a very distinctive bike right off the showroom floor. The base price for the new KX250F is $6,499 with the Monster model running a bit more at $6,699.

Suzuki Hayabusa

2008-08-31T22:06:00.001+07:00

When Suzuki’s Hayabusa debuted in 1999, it inspired controversy for two aspects that would go on to become iconic: its controversial aerodynamic styling and its ability to open a giant can of whup-ass on anything else on the showroom floor.

After word got out about its 9-second abilities down the quarter-mile and its 190-plus-mph top speed, its “Eye-Abuse-Er” nickname became less prevalent. Soon the Busa was seen by some groups as the hottest thing on the street, and the mighty falcon became one of the primary canvases on which to polish frames and bolt on big-tire kits to up the bike’s badass-ness.

Now nine years on (and with a manufacturers’ agreement to limit top speeds to a laughably sedate 186 mph), the Busa was hit on the chin in 2006 by the Kawasaki ZX-14. The Kawi proved to be quicker and more powerful but also smoother and more comfortable. Regardless, the Busa remained as popular as ever and was unmatched for its street cred. Fearing a “New Coke”-type backlash, Suzuki engineers didn’t want to stray too far from the original Busa concept in this new redesign you see here. It’s still unmistakably a Hayabusa even if every fairing panel has been remolded. And it’s not much different underneath, either.

Your 9-second streetbike has arrived.

Turnsignals set into the ram-air intake ports and angular dual exhaust canisters are clues you’re looking at a 2008 Busa.

While it’s the new skin that first grabs your attention, it’s the unholy monster motor underneath that has earned the Hayabusa its veneration. Potent and durable, it has been the inspiration for a closer relationship with god among those who have twisted its throttle to the stop. For ’08, this legendary lump has received a 2mm longer stroke to yield 1340cc instead of the old bike’s 1299cc. New forged pistons are lighter and stronger and produce a 1.5-point increase in compression ratio to 12.5:1. Also forged is the crank, as it attaches to new chro-moly rods that are now shot-peened for added strength. Cam chain adjustment is now accomplished hydraulically, which also helps reduce mechanical noise.

Up top are 16 new titanium valves that save 14.1 grams on each intake and 11.7 grams on each exhaust for a significant weight loss in this critical area, allowing the replacement of double valve springs with lighter single springs. Valve sizes remain the same, but a new camshaft now forces greater lift on both the intake and exhaust poppets and has revised timing. It’s all fed by a pair of double-barreled 44mm throttle bodies. They use a version of Suzuki’s Dual Throttle Valve system that has a secondary throttle valve mounted above the primary that’s controlled by the bike’s electronic brain to maintain the ideal velocity of the intake charge based on rpm, throttle opening and gear position.

Controlled by a new high-powered Engine Control Unit, Suzuki says that the Busa has the company’s “most powerful, most advanced digital fuel-injection and engine management system.” Another important task of the ECU is controlling the different parameters of Suzuki’s Drive Mode System. Like the GSX-R1000 and ’08 Gixxer 600/750, the Busa has a handlebar-mounted switch to set the power mode into three available positions. It produces full power in mode A, the default setting, while mode B has a bit of the power edge clipped off. Mode C might be an asset in the rain, but it neuters all the excitement out of the muscular motor.

'Suzuki claims the new bike cranks out 194 horsepower at the crankshaft'

How muscular, you might ask? Suzuki claims the new bike cranks out 194 horsepower at the crankshaft, a 21-horse (12.1%) improvement. Torque is boosted 8.5% to 114 ft-lbs. The old 1299cc engine produced about 160 ponies at the rear wheel, so we expect this new one to spit out around 175 horsepower on a rear-wheel dyno.

“The new 2008 Haybusa is just so freakin’ fast it is unreal,” relates Neale Bayly from his experience at the press launch. “Accelerating off the corners with a quiet whoosh from the twin pipes like it had been shot out of a Howitzer, it feels like some sort of macabre video game flicking through some of Road America’s tighter sections. It starts making lots of power early, and by the time the needle is past five grand all hell is letting loose. It pulls without a break until the rev limiter kicks in with a bang somewhere around 11 grand.”

Suzuki claims a 21-horsepower increase in the new Busa, which should yield about 175 ponies at the rear wheel. Yee haa!

Although it shares no bodywork with the previous model, the ’08 Hayabusa remains as distinctive as ever.

Bayly also told us that the response from the high-tech fuel-injection system is flawless, aided by injectors with fine-atomizing 12-hole squirters instead of the previous four. “Giving superb throttle response from very low in the rev range all the way till the rev limiter kicked in, the system was faultless. One area that can cause problems with fuel-injection systems is at lower rpm on small throttle openings, but this was not the case with the big Suzuki.”

At the dragstrip, journalists struggled to break the 10-second barrier, but Jordan Motorsports Racer Aaron Yates was able to just nip into the 9-second bracket. We expect an epic duel between this uprated Busa and the more powerful 2008 ZX-14 for the honor of quarter-mile champ. Out on Road America, the new Busa handles a lot like the old Busa with extra power. This shouldn’t be much of a surprise considering that the bike’s twin-spar aluminum frame is nearly identical to previous, so we’ve got the same 23.4-degree rake and short 3.7 inches (93mm) of trail. A revised swingarm shortens the wheelbase a scant 5mm to 58.3 inches and features an additional strengthening rib for less flex.

“Don’t expect to go diving up the inside of any supersport bikes at a track day,” says Bayly, “but do perfect your passing wave as you cream them coming off the turns. Not that any of this should be surprising when you consider the bike weighs in around 500 pounds full of fuel, it is just a good idea to remind yourself of these facts before all that horsepower lets you get carried away.”

The old Busa’s most glaring shortcoming was the performance from its old-tech six-piston front brakes that were barely up to the task of slowing this earth-bound missile. We’re happy to report that Suzuki has now fitted up-to-date radial-mounted four-piston calipers to the magic Bus. They bite on 10mm-smaller 310mm discs that have a half-mil extra thickness (5.5mm) to handle the heat. Bayly tells us they are a major improvement.

Also aiding heavy braking is the new slipper clutch that Bayly says it quite effective. The clutch also has the Suzuki Clutch Assist System that increases the amount of force on the clutch plates without using stiffer clutch springs. The clutch also features a new friction material for better feedback at the engagement point. In addition, the width of a few transmission gearsets were revised and the upper three gears are sprayed with oil for reduced wear and quieter operation.

As for the Hayabusa’s new clothes, we’ll leave the aesthetic judgments to you. Aerodynamic efficiency, something the old Busa had over the more powerful ZX-14, is optimized with a wider fairing and a 15mm-taller windscreen to better shelter its rider. The body panel joints are now smoother and have no exposed fasteners, and the top of the fuel tank is lower to allow a tighter full tuck. The tailsection has an enlarged speed hump that will stir some commotion on the message boards, and it also sports integrated turnsignals that are said to “evoke a jet engine motif.” Front turn indicators are nestled into the edges of the air intakes in the nose.

Aesthetically speaking, the Busa’s new tailsection and mufflers are going to take some getting used to.

Does the new Hayabusa have what it takes to handle the newly upgraded Kawasaki ZX-14? We can’t wait to find out.

'The clutch also has the Suzuki Clutch Assist System that increases the amount of force on the clutch plates without using stiffer clutch springs.'

Also sure to be controversial is the Busa’s new exhaust system. The triangular muffler canisters on the 4-into 2-into-1-into-2 arrangement look ungainly but are a product of more stringent emissions standards. A catalytic converter is placed where the four head pipes meet under the engine.

“Listening to the sound of Aaron Yates and the new Suzuki Hayabusa going past a few feet from pit wall at close to 190 mph, I just couldn’t believe how quiet the bike was,” Bayly relates. “Almost knocking me off the wall, the sound of the windblast was actually louder than the exhaust.”

In the unrestricted environment of a racetrack, the burlier Busa doesn’t fail to thrill, allowing full use of its mega power. “With walls and fences everywhere, and the big fairing allowing me to get right under the airflow, the view across the clocks was surreal,” says Bayly. “The closeness of the walls greatly exaggerated the already intense speed, and every time you crank the throttle the track just seems to come at you in fast forward. The power is seamless and oh so abundant.”

So, depending on how you think about streetbikes, perhaps Suzuki’s claim of the new Hayabusa as “the ultimate sportbike for the road” has some merit. For some, it’s just too heavy and too powerful, but for others, this invigorated Busa is exactly what they’re looking for. We’ll give Bayly the last word.

“As the first significant overhaul to the all-conquering Japanese bird since 1999, the new 2008 Haybusa is everything the old one was and more. Faster, better handling, and with stronger brakes, the performance element is not going to disappoint. Looking sharper and more modern, without losing its distinct appearance, Busa lovers are not going to be unhappy either.

“And for the rebel without a clue, who thinks their V-Twin’s 67 horsepower and a set of loud pipes makes them a Bad Ass, well they are still going to hate the big, ugly lump of plastic as it goes by them at close to the speed of sound.”

Suzuki GSX650F

2008-08-31T22:01:00.001+07:00

By Brad Puetz & 2WF.com, Jun. 20, 2008, Photography by Brad Puetz & 2WF.com

When I think of Suzuki motorcycles the first two models that instantly come to my mind are the GSX-R and SV-class motorcycles. Both are extremely capable and popular motorcycles in their respective classes, performing well on both the street and track. I have owned a healthy number of GSX-Rs and have spoken with many happy SV owners at many a track and local bike nights.

One motorcycle in the Suzuki line-up that never really gave me that warm fuzzy feeling, however, was the Katana. The Katana was Suzuki's answer for an inexpensive entry level motorcycle with sportbike looks and sport-touring comfort. While I am sure there are plenty of happy Katana owners out there, the somewhat alien-looking styling of the bike has always turned me off.

Well, for 2008 the Katana has received the axe to make room for the all new 2008 GSX650F. The new Suzuki is purpose built as a low-cost middleweight for the novice rider or the economical commuter looking for a comfortable ride with a sporty design. The GSX650F is based off the European Bandit 650 naked bike. It's an inline-Four with minimal upgrades from the Bandit such as full fairing, remapping for more revs and suspension which has been slightly tweaked.

A first glance of the blue and white GSX650F revealed the classic color combination and appearance of its close family relative, the GSX-R. It's no coincidence the front fairing shares a strong resemblance to the previous generation GSX-R600 and 750s. While it will not be mistaken for an exotic Italian bike, the GSX650F has clean sporty lines in a design that is a big improvement over the Katana models.

The GSX650F features an attractive and easy-to-read instrument cluster with tachometer, dual tripmeters, reserve tripmeter, clock, fuel gauge, and a useful gear-position indicator. Moving around on the Suzuki is easy with a roomy cockpit, comfortable one-piece seat with a low seat height and a well-positioned, rubber-mounted, tubular handlebar.

The GSX650F sports a liquid-cooled, fuel injected, 16-valve, DOHC 656cc engine utilizing a bore and stroke of 65.5 mm x 48.7 mm. The Suzuki Dual Throttle Valve fuel-injection system provides smooth acceleration. Four-hole injectors are used for optimum fuel atomization and greater power output. The cylinder head achieves a narrow included valve angle of 17 degrees for high intake and exhaust efficiency. Cam profiles are chosen with a priority on low-to-mid-range power output to deliver performance that is well suited to an entry-level street rider.

The Suzuki's full fairing design wrapped around a double cradle steel frame will have you thinking GSX-R thanks to the sport-oriented design. Geometry numbers are 26 degrees of rake and 4.25 inches of trail, with a 57.9-inch wheelbase. The fork is a 41mm Kayaba unit with adjustment for preload only. The rear shock comes equipped with adjustment for both rebound and preload. Heading out on the open road? The 5.0 gallon gas tank should allow you enough capacity to bust a few bugs before having to refill.

Taking the Suzuki out for its first excursion I was really looking forward to a day in the saddle that wasn't going to have me walking like a cripple when I returned with knees and back aching. The layout of the GSX650F suited me nicely with an easy reach to the bars and a relaxing bend at the knees. The riding position was well suited to both cruising and aggressive riding when the road gets a little twisted. Wind protection was decent and there was a good deal of room to tuck in if needed.

'The GSX650F motor has all the necessary ingredients to deliver an entertaining ride...'

The GSX650F fires up easily and runs smooth without unnecessary vibration. Spin the flexible motor up and it does a great job of putting the power down where you will likely be spending most of your time, in the low- and mid-range. Chasing through traffic full of stop signs and motorists, I really came to enjoy the motor which was well-suited to this type of riding. The short first gear on the GSX650F was a nice change from the supersport bikes which come equipped with gearing more suited for the track than stop-and-go traffic. Just dump the clutch and start clicking through the 6-speed transmission without worry, the GSX650F surges forward without a hiccup. An effortless clutch pull and smooth-shifting transmission made city traffic a breeze. With no under-tail exhaust or excessive engine heat pouring out at the legs, the Suzuki was quite bearable if traffic came to a stop for any amount of time.

There is no berserk rush to the power delivery but it won't put you to sleep either. Redline is at 12,500 rpm but it likes to be run in the 4,000-8,000 rpm range where it sings nicely in the power curve. The GSX650F motor has all the necessary ingredients to deliver an entertaining ride to anyone in the market for an inexpensive sporty ride in the middleweight class. If you are in the mood for utter madness, however, this motor will probably not suit your primal likings as the Suzuki pumps out the ponies in a pretty civilized manner.

Overall handling on the Suzuki was quite balanced and agile. It turns in well, sticks to a line, and can be gassed hard out of a turn. While not being the most sophisticated chassis, the GSX650F isn't going to do anything to get you in trouble. That is, of course, if you don't push it far beyond its limits.

I tried to do just that to see where its breaking point was. I saw my opportunity in the form of two rapidly approaching GSX-R1000s in my mirror with some young aggressive riders at the controls. What better way to see how the GSX650F would fare against some much more advanced hardware. As I let the young bucks come by, they took a quick glance, surely with fear in their eyes as they observed my proper upright riding position and the very intimidating backpack carrying my camera. I decided to tag along the rear as we hit a twisty section of road. As it turned out, the little Suzuki didn't fair too bad, staying right with my two test subjects quite easily until we hit some open road where the bigger bikes could flex their muscle. Soon I was a mere speck in the mirror as Suzuki's natural pecking order took over and the GSX650F was shuffled to the back.

'Overall handling on the Suzuki was quite balanced and agile. It turns in well, sticks to a line, and can be gassed hard out of a turn.'

The GSX650F is quite composed, and its 475-pound claimed dry weight transitioned nicely at a moderate pace. The wide handlebar does a good job of giving you the proper leverage to position the bike into the apex. While it is quite balanced and agile, it might not be your favorite track-day weapon. At more serious speeds while pushing the bike, the front end seemed to have a touch more trouble staying composed, becoming quite uneasy and a little on the springy side. The rear seemed to be doing a good job keeping the back end in line, but I was easily able to find the limits of the front fork with a good amount of flex and some quivering at the bars. You could tie the GSX650F into a bit of a knot if you really wanted to get aggressive with transitions, throwing the bike hard on it's side or really doing some late braking.

Speaking of brakes, while not the strongest I've ever put my hands on, they do have good feel and more than capable stopping power. The GSX650F comes equipped with Tokico 4-piston front brake calipers and 310mm brake rotors combined with a lightweight single-piston rear caliper and a 240mm rear brake disc.

Keeping the rubber side down were Bridgestone Battlax BT-011s up front and BT-020s in the rear, with a 120/70 ZR17 and 160/60 ZR17 front/rear tire combo. These tires worked excellent in many different conditions. My two weeks with the bike were filled with a generous amount of wet-weather riding on the GSX650F, and the Bridgestones gave me good confidence in the rain, enough to ride a few wheelies in a slight drizzle for some photo opportunities. In the dry conditions they were equally up to par, providing good traction both front and rear.

I have found that some people tend to think that because I race motorcycles I am a total speed-crazed adrenaline junkie always looking to run off with the neighbor's daughter. While the latter may be true and it may not be a bad idea to keep the daughters locked up, I actually do enjoy a restrained leisurely ride on a motorcycle that is composed at street speeds and not excruciating on the body. In fact I found that the GSX650F was really starting to grow on me over the two weeks. Constant commuting in the rain had me quite happy that I was riding a motorcycle with a mild temperament and a chassis I could trust.

While the limits of the GSX650F's capabilities can be reached quite easily by an experienced rider, I was not turned off by the Suzuki. Instead, I grew to appreciate the many qualities the GSX650F possesses. This is no one-trick pony. In fact it's an extremely versatile motorcycle. Whether you are into sport riding, touring or everyday commuting, the GSX650F has the ability to do it all. At an MSRP of $6.999 this will surely be an attractive option for the budget-conscious rider or someone looking for that first bike that gets it all started.

Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Standard

2008-08-31T21:58:00.000+07:00

By George “Longride” Obradovich, Aug. 29, 2008, Photography by George “Longride” Obradovich

With the Sturgis Rally now over and done with, I can settle in and report on the Flame Blue Pearl 2009 Harley-Davidson Electra-Glide Standard that carried me there and back again. Many bikes that are tested by magazines are ridden a few times over a few miles, but this bike was ridden over 2500 miles and 9 days, so I didn’t just test this one, I lived with it. When you spend that much time on a bike the good, bad, and ugly really stand out.

The Electra-Glide Standard is a base model for the touring lineup. As such, with a beginning MSRP of $16,999 it and the Road King are the lowest priced FL models.

Let’s get the technical items listed first. As we now know from the press launch reports on the 2009 OE and CVO models, the entire touring line received an all-new chassis for better stability and handling.

Also standard on all ’09 touring models is EITMS, or Engine Idle Temperature Management System. The previous years for the 96-inch motor had a rash of complaints about rear cylinder heat roasting legs in hot climates, so Harley addressed the problem with the EITMS system.This bit of Harley tech stops fueling to the rear cylinder when engine temperatures get too high during idle; it’s also now rider activated or deactivated by rotating the throttle grip forward for a count of five seconds.

Lots of changes, same Harley style.

In further efforts to alleviate heat issues, the crossover pipe of the exhaust system was rerouted, now running beneath the engine instead of under the rider‘s legs for better heat reduction. The front suspension received new spring rates to complement the new chassis and the new multi-compound Multi-Tread tire from Dunlop. Additionally, the “Isolated Drive System,” or more commonly, cush drive, now has its housing molded into the rear wheel hub.

Standard features include the 96 Cubic Inch Twin-Cam motor, throttle-by-wire, 6-gallon gas tank, six-speed overdrive transmission, Brembo brakes, and beautiful 28-spoke cast wheels. Options include ABS brakes, a security system, and electronic cruise control. So that’s quite a list of features, old and new. Is all this technology really that great? How do all the new changes work, you ask? Read on.

Since I have a 2001 Electra-Glide, I can fully appreciate the changes made to the new ‘09 touring models. At first glance, the new bike doesn’t look all that different from my ‘01, but a trained eye sees the larger fuel tank shape and different exhaust routing. A couple of Florida-based bikers noticed I was riding a 2009 model at Sturgis; they looked it over with a tiny gleam of envy in their eyes.

This bike looks great from any angle. The paint is gorgeous.

The first chance I got to ride the bike was from Milwaukee to Chicago in the typical Midwest August heat – 92 degrees. Getting caught in a traffic jam on the way home, I can tell you that the EITMS system combined with the new exhaust routing works well. I felt almost no heat on my thighs where even my ‘01 would have been roasting them a bit on this day. And the system is so seamless; you wouldn’t even know it was there. No muss, no fuss.

The Twin-cam lump pulls smoothly from idle to redline. No injection glitches or surging could be felt anywhere in the powerband. The electronic cruise control makes this bike an absolute pleasure while hauling down the highway. I can’t say enough good things about having cruise-control on this bike. It was easily my all-time favorite feature. It is so nice to be able to set your speed on the highway and sit back and enjoy the view without hand cramps or worrying about speeding tickets.

This new bike doesn’t suffer the same buffeting that previous models endured from crosswinds or the turbulence generated by tractor/trailers or larger vehicles. The instability or “wobble,” that can be encountered in such windy conditions (especially on prior year models with their bat-wing fairing) seemed non-existent with this model.

Getting the 1000 miles to Sturgis and the 1000 back was really nice on this Electra-Glide, but I had a couple of nits to pick. I found the six-speed transmission to be loud and obnoxious at times. It went into gear with a loud clack and each gear whines a different tune. I could tell which gear I was in by the sound it made. Fifth gear is especially offensive with a whine loud enough to make me think something was wrong. Maybe because the rest of the package is so quiet the gear noise seems so noticeable. (I had a similar experience to Longride’s during my time on the new touring rigs at the ’09 model launch. It’s worth noting, however, that noises not normally noticed on other or similar bikes tend to be amplified as they bounce around the cockpit of bikes with such large fairings and/or bodywork. Locating the source of a noise can be like chasing a phantom. –P.B.)

Also of note, I had a small issue with the “new and improved” suspension. The highway ride was compromised by the stiffness of the suspension. Now, I am no lightweight at 250 lbs, but for even me to think the suspension was too stiff is a first for me. Usually I mash motorcycle suspension into mush on most bikes; I think Harley went a little too heavy on this one. Not that the bike is uncomfortable, but sharp highway jolts will jar you pretty good. Since H-D is emphasizing the handling on their new tourers, I think they designed this one more for corners than the highway. Corners on a Harley? Are you kidding?

Classic and functional cockpit. Sixth-gear indicator light is nice.

Beautiful wheels. The Brembo brakes are fantastic.

The 96-inch motor and six-speed are the heart and soul of this bike.

Yes, folks, this one handles. It is yards better than my ’01 and certainly the best handling Harley tourer ever. After taking this on a couple of spirited rides in the Black Hills, I can say that new chassis works. Iron Mountain Road in the Black Hills has everything from fast sweepers to 15-mph switchbacks, and is a real nice road to test the handling of any motorcycle. That stiff suspension makes sense when attacking the corners, and although the turn in seems a bit slower and heavier than the older bikes, once you get it heeled over, you are rewarded with dead solid handling and better ground clearance to boot. Corner speeds that would have my ’01 Glide doing the wobbly can be taken with ease on ’09 touring chassis. It is so well composed compared to the older generation frame that the difference is very noticeable. Add in the excellent Brembo brakes, which can haul the bike down from speed with two fingers, and you have a package that will eat those highway miles in comfort and can give you some excitement when the road gets twisty.

This bike came equipped with ABS for that extra margin of safety. For me, the jury is still out on ABS on motorcycles. I tested the ABS on this bike by purposely locking the front and rear wheels and you can feel the heavy pulsing as the ABS activates. I really didn’t like the feedback, and I guess I don’t want to rely on technology to save me from taking the time to learn proper braking technique in the first place. I guess for most, this is a good option to get on a bike, but being the old, stubborn guy I am, I just can’t see myself with an ABS bike. At least it is optional on the touring line. (ABS is standard on all CVO FL models. –P.B.)

As far as the ergonomics on this bike, it is still just like the Electra-Glides of old. The tank is noticeably bigger, but the bars, floorboards, and seat seem about the same. The stock seat is comfortable. I did two days of 600-plus miles, and I wasn’t too sore at the end. The new six-gallon tank gives Iron Butt types some extended range. Gas mileage varied from the high 30s on a fast highway blast into a headwind, to the high 40s on a normal highway cruise. The six-speed transmission really helps on those high-speed highway runs. At 80 mph, the motor is only turning about 3000 rpm. Nice and relaxed. Set the cruise and kick back. This one can eat the miles quickly, if desired.

The only drawback here is acceleration in overdrive is pokey at best. Expect to click down one gear for decent passing speed. One other feature that I didn’t talk about was the increased load capacity of the hard bags. Each bag is now rated to carry 5 pounds more than before, so you can get to your destination with more stuff. This is a really nice feature for us pack rats.

So are the new changes worth it? Does the new technology on the 2009 Harley-Davidson Electra-Glide Standard make a better motorcycle? Absolutely; but as you can tell from the article, some of the changes have some drawbacks. For example, the suspension that was great on the twisty roads was not as good on the highway. ABS is still a nice option for those that want it. It could save your bacon, but I just can’t bring myself to love it. My favorite extra is the optional cruise control.

The six-speed transmission is fantastic on the highway, but whines around town, and acceleration while in overdrive is less than stellar. The new chassis is 100% better that the old one. It gives a more stable highway ride and is rock solid in the corners. The EITMS system and changed exhaust routing took care of any annoying heat issues without any drawbacks. The engine ran perfectly, didn’t leak a drop of oil, and didn’t use any oil over the 2500 miles either. Nothing came loose, fell off, or didn’t function as intended. Fit and finish is top notch, and the Flame Blue Pearl paint is perfect. This is typical Harley-Davidson quality.

Puttin’ a smile on my face!

I guess the conclusion is that the bike just plain works! And although the tank and exhaust look a bit different, the bike still has “the look and sound” that has drawn people to Harley-Davidson motorcycles for oh-so-many years. Before riding this bike I was thinking of getting a new 2009 Electra-Glide. After riding this bike, I’m going to have to do more than think about it.

Star V-Max

2008-08-31T21:55:00.000+07:00

By Kevin Duke, Aug. 26, 2008, Photography by Nelson & Riles, Alfonse Palaima, Video by Fonzie

The word icon is described as an important and enduring symbol. For Yamaha and Star Motorcycles, the VMax stands near the top of its bikes eligible for icon status. First seen in 1985 and barely revised since, this all-new VMax has gone through a decade-long gestation, with development work going back to 1997. The first running prototype was judged to be too big and the power too linear.

The 2009 Star Motorcycles VMax - an icon reinvented.

Now sold under Yamaha's Star Motorcycles banner, engineers grappled with the concept of a rebirth of a legend. Star is positioning the new VMax at the edge of the expressive/aggressive personality of the modern cruiser category. As such, they use terms like hot rod, muscle, power and respect to describe what the VMax represents.

To make sure Star was hitting its target audience, they conducted extensive market research with focus groups. Owners of the previous generation (which have an average age of 45-plus years) insisted a new version should have improved handling, increased power, a better riding position and continued use of shaft drive. And they were adamant for Star to use a V-Four engine and "keep the V Boost!"

Key to the new VMax's success is a cast-aluminum frame that uses the giant engine as a stressed member.

A larger, more powerful engine was always going to be necessary, especially after the arrival last year of the Hayabusa-powered Suzuki B-King. An all-new V-Four (see sidebar below) was created, achieving Star's goal of reaching the 200-horsepower mark.

Bringing the VMax into the 21st century required enormous improvements to the flexi-flyer steel chassis of the old bike, so they threw it out and created an aluminum frame that uses the imposing engine as a stressed member for added rigidity. But getting a long, shaft-driven chassis to handle up to Yamaha's standards proved to be the most challenging aspect of the new bike, causing a delay to the bike's introduction until they got it right.

The production version of the chassis consists of a cast-aluminum perimeter-style frame and new alloy swingarm. The subframe is made from Controlled-Fill cast-aluminum sections and extruded-aluminum. The chassis' geometry is closer to cruiser specs than sportbike numbers, with a 31.0-degree rake, 148mm of trail, and a 66.9-inch wheelbase. The previous model had sportier geometry: 29.0 degrees, 119mm, and 62.6 inches, respectively. This latest Max is about an inch wider and 3.7 inches longer overall.

It all adds up to a machine with immense visual punch. The VMax's crowning accents are the aluminum air intake scoops that are now functional. The scoops are hand-polished to a fine luster (taking 40 minutes each!) then are clear-coated for an enduring shine.

A large tachometer figures front and center with an inset digital speedometer. Tank-top info screen is small and hard to see while riding.

What appears to be a fuel tank is really just a cover for the non-pressurized airbox and a place to mount a digital info panel that includes a clock, dual tripmeters, fuel gauge, gear indicator, coolant temp, mpg, intake air temp, throttle angle, stopwatch and a countdown indicator. Its electro-luminescence display is said to be clearer and faster than LCD. While the info panel is placed too low to be easily seen while riding, the giant muscle-car-like tachometer is in full view and is augmented by a shift light placed prominently alongside.

Upon firing, the VMax settles into a steady but menacing rumble. The V-Four, with its contra-rotating balance shaft, is quite smooth, but a rider never forgets there is something substantial reciprocating between the knees. A blip of the throttle reveals a fairly heavy flywheel effect, as revs don't soar as quickly as smaller, sport-oriented engines.

The Heart of the Beast

Though built as compact as possible, the 1679cc V-Four VMax motor is a substantial lump.

Exhaust cams are gear-driven by the chain-driven intake cams.

Forged-aluminum pistons sit atop fracture-split connecting rods, just like the latest sportbike motors.

A convoluted exhaust system spits spent gasses out of titanium-skinned quad-exit mufflers.

When building a replacement motor for an icon like the VMax, Yamaha/Star engineers knew they had to recreate a legend. While the old 1198cc V-Four was the bees' knees in 1985, it would take a large injection of power to be king of the hill in 2009.

The mantra of the muscle-car era was "there's no replacement for displacement," and the new VMax hums the same tune. While its 66mm stroke was retained, the '09 Max gets a big-bore treatment by enlarging its cylinders from 76mm to 90mm. This yields an engine with 481cc extra, a 40.2% bump to 1679cc.

Like the upcoming Aprilia V-Four Superbike engine, the VMax uses a chain to drive the intake cams, and from there a gear-set turns the exhaust cams, keeping the engine as short as possible. Valve-adjustment intervals are only every 26K miles. Star also tightened up the 70-degree vee cylinder angle to 65 degrees, also the same as the Aprilia mill. Combined, this tightened up the distance between the cylinder heads by a little more than 1 inch, and the monster motor is 7mm shorter overall.

Much of this new engine uses technology seen on Yamaha's top-line sportbikes. A Mikuni fuel-injection system uses a quartet of 48mm throttle bodies with 12-hole injectors, and it's operated by Yamaha's ride-by-wire Chip-Controlled Throttle (YCC-T). The three-processor ECU measures parameters (wheel speed, crank position, temperature, etc) every 1/1000th of a second. Interestingly, a Star-supplied chart says YCC-T also takes into account a lean-angle sensor, which, along with the standard ABS's wheel-speed sensors, could be deployed as a traction-control system. A look at our tire-melting video shows this not to be the case.

Also borrowed from Team Blue's R-series sportbikes are variable-length intake stacks (YCC-I) that use 150mm snorkels for strong torque at low revs. At 6650 rpm, the trumpets raise up to reveal shortie 54mm intakes for a V-Boost-like top-end hit that voraciously rockets the bike quickly through the gears.

Inside the motor are more sportbike-derivative pieces. Pistons are made from lightweight forged aluminum, and they rise and fall on the 180-degree crank inside ceramic-composite cylinder linings. The connecting rods are fracture-split and carburized for strength. The new combustion chamber is much flatter (a 29-degree included valve angle) and nets an 11.3:1 compression ratio which requires premium fuel. Magnesium engine covers try to keep weight down as much as possible.

Spent fuel exits into four header pipes that join in a large under-swingarm collector before flowing into a pair of four-exit mufflers with titanium skins. Inside are an oxygen sensor, two catalyzers, and an EXUP power valve.

What it all adds up to is a colossal 197 crankshaft horsepower at 9000 rpm. The final version of the previous VMax (last sold in '07) was rated at a paltry 133 hp at 8000 rpm, a whopping 48.0% less. Prodigious, too, is the new Max's torque production. Its 122 ft-lbs at 6500 revs dwarfs the 86.8 ft-lbs at 6000 rpm of the old bike to the tune of 40.6%.

There is so much power on tap that a Star rep related a story of how its rear tire was slipping on a rear-wheel dyno drum when testing its max power. Even adding a passenger didn't completely stop the slipping! I didn't manage to get him to reveal what numbers came up on Yamaha's Dynojet, but reading between the lines, we expect rear-wheel dyno figures approaching 180 hp. Note that Suzuki's B-King pumps out about 160 horses at the back wheel.

With nearly 180 rear-wheel horsepower on tap, the VMax gets down the road like nothing else on it.

The VMax's tank-mounted info panel has a display that shows how much throttle is being used, but that's the last place you'll want to be looking if the throttle is cracked more than a quarter turn. Despite being muted by a substantial 684 lbs full of fluids, 200 ponies have a way of bringing the future quickly into the present. Serious thrust is available at just 2500 rpm, and it just keeps building exponentially from there to the 9500-rpm rev limit, accompanied by an impressive and distinct V-Four yowl. The outrageous powerband is linear but explosive, so much so that the midrange opening of the YCC-I is barely perceptible - acceleration changes only from "holy s*%t! to "Hello, God!"

The VMax is fitted with a drive system that helps and hurts. Hydraulic clutch actuation eases lever effort, and gearbox throws in the 5-speed tranny are short and precise. A race-style slipper clutch works okay, but it seems a bit incongruous to be doing high-rpm downshifts on a so-called cruiser. However, this is no ordinary cruiser and, in fact, might better be labeled something like a muscle naked. Star's Warrior is correctly termed a power cruiser, and the VMax is certainly something quite different.

The VMax's rear wheel is driven by a shaft, creating some suspension issues but enhancing its tire-smoking corner-exit abilities.

While the gearbox is first-rate, the shaft-drive system partially falls on the negative side of the ledger. Focus groups may have insisted on a shaftie, but this arrangement has its dynamic compromises, no matter how well it's designed. It's heavier, so a rear suspension can't react as quick, and it also makes the bike suffer a jacking effect that results in a stiffer and higher rear end when under power.

Meet the new burnout king.

A set of 6-piston radial-mount calipers clamp down on 320mm wave discs with the assistance of standard anti-lock modulation. Note the modern headlight and scrumptious aluminum intake scoops that are polished by hand.

The jacking effect is actually quite minimal on the VMax, so kudos there, but there's no getting around the stiffer rear suspension with the throttle twisted. Bump absorption isn't as compliant and, worse, the minimal weight transfer makes this the most difficult 200-horse bike to wheelie that I've sampled! Long black darkies are typically the result of mono-wheel attempts - taller, heavier riders, who induce more weight transfer, have an easier time of it.

However, this shaft-drive byproduct has hooligan benefits of its own. Without much rearward weight transfer, the reasonably sticky 200mm Bridgestone BT028 has a snowball's chance in hell of not melting when the V-Four is given its head. If you've even been foolish enough to want to mimic the rear-wheel-sliding corner exits of pre-traction-control GP riders, the VMax stands head and shoulders above anything else on two wheels. Tire-spinning corners exits have been part of my fantasy world that rarely transfer into actuality, but Mr. Max makes them ear-to-ear-grinningly real.

In regard to the bike's ultimate acceleration, the VMax is absent a probable electronic trick and equipped with an unexpected one. First, we're thrilled to report the ECU doesn't limit power in the lower gears like on many other modern hyperbikes. Electronic intervention comes into play once 220 kph (136.7 mph) is reached, as this is the Max's top-speed limiter. However, to not handcuff dragstrip performance, the limiter is lifted to a 230-kph (142.9 mph) threshold when a quarter-mile acceleration run is sensed! For what it's worth, I saw 145 mph on the speedo before I ran out of open road.

When it comes time to shed speed, the new VMax is worlds apart from the wimpy brakes of its forbear. Up front, a four-position lever actuates a Brembo radial-pump master cylinder that feeds a pair of 6-piston radial calipers biting on 320mm wave-type discs. They proved to be very powerful but not overly sharp. A Brembo rear master cylinder powerfully fires a single-pot caliper and 298mm wave rotor, and it was when using the rear brake that I was grateful for the bike's standard ABS which isn't intrusive.

In terms of real-world usability, the VMax performs better than expected, although it's a bit clumsy at lower speeds. The narrow handlebar and cramped riding position of the old bike has been opened up by moving the grip position an inch further forward and about a half-inch taller. The seat height is listed at a modest 30.5 inches, but its broad seating area gives narrow-hipped people like me a bit of struggle to reach the ground firmly with both feet. A stepped seat-back isn't just for comfort; it's also to keep you aboard the bike during 1G acceleration.

Dressed to the Nines

Extra menace can be found in the carbon-fiber section of the Star accessory catalog, accented by billet-aluminum bling.

Star understands better than most Japanese OEMs that personalizing a motorcycle can be an integral part of the ownership experience. As such, it offers an extensive line of accessories for the new VMax.

Few materials are as emblematic of contemporary speed and racing as is lightweight carbon fiber, and Star delivers with an assortment of lovely composite pieces manufactured in-house. Tasty carbon bits include fenders, tank covers, seat cowls and side covers, but the beautifully made stuff isn't cheap. A set of the C-F air intake scoops costs a whopping $999.95.

Functional components include a flyscreen, touring windshield, hard saddlebags and a passenger backrest. An optional tail pack can attach to the passenger seat or an accessory aluminum luggage rack. Upping the bling factor is as easy as bolting on some billet aluminum covers for the cams, master cylinders and swingarm pivot.

The VMax's riding position is open and comfortable for rides longer than a quarter-mile.

Underneath the seat is 3.96-gallon fuel tank, same as the old bike, which helps lower the bike's CG. The VMax manages decent heat control through its dual radiators that keep its frontal area as slim as possible. Out of Ramona, stuck in traffic, I could feel a little heat on my ankles and shins, but not bad considering the engine's enormous output.

There are decent views out of the bar-mount mirrors for keeping an eye on your tail during your inevitable extra-legal antics. Freeway cruising is very comfortable for a naked, as a rider is sitting down in the bike, making even a 90-mph lope (with its overdriven fifth gear) quite bearable. A 2-year warranty adds peace of mind.

Star should be commended for the suspension it fitted to the Max. Both ends are produced by Soqi, a Yamaha subsidiary, and both the 52mm fork and single shock are adjustable for spring preload and both compression and rebound damping. But their best feature is tools-free knurled knobs to easily dial in optimum rebound damping at both ends, plus rear compression damping; a screwdriver needs to be unsheathed only for front compression. The rear end also has a handy hydraulic preload adjuster on the bike's left side that can be altered on the fly if you're flexible - otherwise, do it easily at a stop.

Although there are better bikes for cutting up the twisties, the VMax acquits itself well for a machine of its size.

Who wants to rumble?

The suspension is good stuff, but it is faced with the formidable task of controlling a hefty machine and its shaft-drive dynamics. Action from the titanium-oxide-coated fork legs is quite good, even with substantially increased spring rates. But the rear end often struggles with isolating bumps, faced as it is with the shaft-drive compromises. Backing off rear preload and compression damping soothed things somewhat, but it never responded like an optimized chain- or belt-driven bike.

More successful is the new VMax's handling qualities, one of the old bike's weakest aspects. Now with the new aluminum chassis, a beefy fork and a forged-aluminum lower triple clamp and a cast-aluminum upper, the big Star is ready to intimidate lesser riders on pure sportbikes down a canyon road.

Although it makes a Suzuki SV650 feel like a mountain bike in comparison, its handling is better than expected, with a chassis that feels stiff and responsive in steering transitions and a fork that offers decent front-end feel. You don't have to be a racetrack refugee to drag pegs on the VMax, but available lean angle is actually very respectable for a beast like this.

Any handling deficiencies it has are related to throttle response and the shaft drive. The YCC-T is endowed with a program to reduce engine braking feel by letting a bit of fuel seep through on trailing throttle, and this works seamlessly most of the time. But in some instances, the compression-braking effect is quite pronounced and, worse, unpredictable when it happens. Chopping the throttle mid-corner can unsettle the chassis, and a rider can feel some drivetrain lash with an uncertain throttle hand in corners.

The 2009 VMax - like nothing else.

When I first heard about the new VMax, I had two thoughts: First, it was about damn time! Second, hanging a $17,990 price tag on a Japanese bike can be akin to wearing cement shoes. But while I still wonder how well second- and third-year models will sell, I do see a lot of value in this scintillating machine.

Recreating an icon is never easy, but that's exactly what Star and Yamaha have done with the 2009 VMax. It has a few flaws and limitations, but its overall persona extends the Max's icon status. It's as distinctive as bikes come, it has terrific attention to detail, and it offers a thrill ride that can't be equaled by anything else on two wheels.

Just 2500 units (with commemorative badges) will be available for the 2009 model year, and more than half are already sold. You only have until October 31 to get your order in on the '09 VMax. Those who ordered early should see their bikes by the first part of November.

Ducati Desmosedici RR

2008-08-29T18:01:00.001+07:00

By Kevin Duke, Aug. 07, 2008, Photography by Alfonse “Fonzie” Palaima, Video by Fonzie

It doesn’t take long to be intimidated by the outrageous Desmosedici RR. If the stratospheric $72.5K price tag doesn’t get you, the menacing mechanical cacophony upon start-up will. Observers are sucker-punched straight into the gut, and the beautiful racket portends an experience unlike any production streetbike in the world.

It’s quite incredible that a manufacturer has offered such a repli-racer to the public. The D16RR is literally a MotoGP bike built for the street. And not those scrawny 800cc prototype racers currently on the grids – we’re talking the big-gun near-liter-sized versions. As such, the RR carries a compact 989cc V-Four engine inside a version of Ducati’s trademark tubular-steel trellis frames.

The engine itself is a jewel. It features the same bore and stroke measurements (86.0mm x 42.56mm) as those on Ducati’s 2006 racebike, the D16GP6. It uses the “Twin-Pulse” firing order in which the crankpins are offset by 70 degrees (cylinders fire at 0°, 90°, 290° and 380°) to generate what Ducati terms as “soft pulse timing.”

No soft pulses are felt from the D16’s saddle – this thing snorts and sprints around a racetrack like a rampaging demon, as we found out during a few lapping sessions at Willow Springs Raceway.

Our test unit was equipped with the race ECU and exhaust system included with each Desmosedici, a no-brainer swap for the standard street exhaust. So equipped, it is said to achieve the magic 200-horsepower mark at 13,800 rpm when measured at the crankshaft. As for rear-wheel power numbers, those who have had it on a Dynojet dyno say it’s pushing nearly 180 hp. Peak crankshaft torque of 85.3 ft-lbs arrives way up at 10,500 rpm.

'The Desmosedici is like a barely tamed wild animal.'

I was anticipating the D16RR to be high-strung, and its rumpity idle and menacing bark when revved did little to assuage those feelings. But then, despite a heavy clutch pull, the 16RR pulled out of pit lane smartly and without frantic revs, despite its light flywheel effect.

Yet this is no pussycat. Get hard on the throttle, and the D16 romps forth like a Gixxer on nitrous! It shows itself to be quite torquey but then comes on with a wicked surge past 10,000 rpm that inhales literbikes on straightaways like they are 600s. Every straight, no matter how short, becomes a passing opportunity. Vibration gets intense at high revs, putting in the mind of the rider a question: “Are you sure you want to use that much throttle?”

Yes we do!

The Desmosedici is like a barely tamed wild animal. It’s highly visceral and with an intensity that threatens to overwhelm a rider’s senses. It sounds downright angry on trailing throttle, as a 13.5:1 compression ratio threatens to skid the rear wheel if not for the racing-style slipper clutch. At neutral throttle it emits a menacing grrrrrr! that would be antithetical to anything from, say, Honda. The throttle response from the 50mm Magneti Marelli throttle bodies with 12-hole 'microjet' above-throttle injectors is a bit snatchy, adding to the brutish impression.

The D16’s handling characteristics are similarly racerish. Its chassis geometry (24.5-degree rake, 3.8 inches of trail and 56.3-inch wheelbase) is said to be identical to the MotoGP racer, but these numbers are fairly conservative in the street-sportbike realm. So, despite the reduced gyroscopic forces from the ultra-lightweight forged-magnesium wheels and a relatively light claimed dry weight of 377 lbs, the D16RR doesn’t flick into corners as quickly as expected.

And, like other racebikes I’ve sampled, the Desmosedici proved to be sprung too stiffly for my minimal weight and talent. The suspension was made more compliant after some adjustments, but its heavy springs remained too unyielding – I could still feel the rear end topping out over bumps. Its pegs are high and very rear-set, making it surprisingly difficult to drag a knee. And the $72K price tag doesn’t encourage pitching it in with abandon! Basically, the supremely capable D16 scoffs at the abilities of mere mortals.

"Never have I ridden a machine more capable of exacerbating my ineptness than this 400-lb pit bull," said senior editor Pete Brissette after a wide-eyed session aboard the Desmo.

The Desmosedici is also unique for its specially developed Bridgestone tire combination. It uses a typical 120/70-17 front, but at the rear is a 16-inch (instead of 17) hoop on which is mounted a 200/55-16 ’Stone. Despite the intended grip enhancement of this oddball size, the D16’s devilish motor proved to be willing and able to spin up the tire exiting Willow’s sweeping Turn 9 and onto the front straight.

'...the most mind-altering aspect of the D16RR is the part when the gloriously wicked V-Four comes on cam and hurls itself into the next corner with a 14,000-rpm wail'

No matter the gear, the Desmo’ pulls ferociously and demands full attention. Shifts from the cassette-type six-speed gearbox are thankfully smooth, as info from the LCD bar-graph tach is impossible to take in during the bike’s banshees-from-hell increase of velocity. The hyper acceleration makes a rider wish for less fore-aft seating room, as there’s no bum stop in the carbon-fiber subframe to prevent a rider’s frightened ass from sliding rearward. A test rider with more skill than I saw a heady 170 mph on the 16RR’s speedometer on Willow’s shortish front straight.

Braking from such considerable speeds is ably handled by a set of Brembos that are reputedly the same as the MotoGP bikes use in wet weather. One-piece monoblock calipers put a firm but not abrupt bite on 330mm steel discs. They actually don’t feel as aggro as the 1098’s sharp front binders but are nonetheless very powerful given a strong squeeze. Corner entries are also aided by an excellent slipper clutch and stiff springs in the gas-charged Ohlins fork.

Like all Ducatis, the Desmosedici is stable when laid over on its side, but a combination of the stiff springs and the possibility of tens of thousands of dollars in damage that a simple crash might entail kept Casey Stoner-esque elbow-dragging thoughts from reaching my hands.

But the most mind-altering aspect of the D16RR is the part when the gloriously wicked V-Four comes on cam and hurls itself into the next corner with a 14,000-rpm wail. Race-prepped R1s easily fall victim to the claimed 200 horsepower on tap like krill to whales.

So, there’s a lot to like about the thrilling Desmosedici, but its big-ticket price tag doesn’t guarantee perfection. Along with the racer-stiff springs, a street rider will also be disappointed in the amount of heat given off by the 102-dB racing exhaust pipes that exit out the upper part of the rear tail constructed from ceramic carbon fiber. And, for as much as this bike costs, we might’ve expected a traction-control system like the potent 1098R’s.

On the plus side, the Desmosedici offers an unparalleled three-year warranty that includes free service. Its first major service is due at 7500 miles – we wonder how long it will take most D16 owners to pile on that many miles! Also, in addition to the race exhaust and ECU, the D16RR is also delivered with a bike cover and a track stand.

The Desmosedici RR we tested was the so-called “Team Version” that mimics the factory’s Marlboro-sponsored Corse GP bikes with its broad white fairing stripe; a team sponsor decal kit is provided with each bike. Also available is another version in the same “Rosso GP” color (a shade lighter than typical Ducati red) and white number plate on the tailsection but without the white stripe.

Sadly for trust-funders, movie stars or hedge-fund managers, all 1500 examples of the Desmosedici RR have been spoken for. If you’re lucky, you might find a potential customer who has backed out of their $5000 deposit. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck on the rollercoaster that is eBay. If you’ve got deep pockets, you won’t want to miss out on this brilliant and humbling machine that looks as good in a living room as it does on a racetrack.

Husaberg 450 Enduro

2008-08-19T16:53:00.001+07:00

By Dirck Edge

When KTM bought Husaberg several years ago, Husaberg loyalists immediately wondered about the direction KTM would take their beloved company. Husaberg had always been a maverick, and employed eccentric design and technology to develop bikes that developed a virtual cult following. For a while, it almost seemed like KTM would let Husaberg die a quiet death.

Now, KTM appears to be using Husaberg as a premium brand employing new, radical technology that may eventually work its way into KTM's own line-up. The 2009 Husaberg 450 Enduro (likely to be called the FE450 in production) is the perfect case in point. What is so radical about the new Husaberg 450? A number of things, really.

As children, we learn about gyroscopic forces while playing with common toys. Spinning a top, for instance, or playing with a yo yo. When an object spins, it creates resistance to movement (inertia). Aprilia, for example, raised the effective center of gravity of its flagship sport bike (the Mille) several years ago in order to make the bike turn better. This confounded many observers, but the fact of the matter is that Aprilia addressed a fairly simple engineering principal regarding location of the crank and its effect on handling.

The new Husaberg design addresses this concept in a radical way. The position of the crank on the new 450 (which actually will displace 448.6cc) has been moved more than a few millimeters (which Aprilia accomplished). In effect, the crank has changed time zones. Nearly four inches higher, and more than six inches rearward of last year's crank position, Husaberg has attempted to place crank inertia precisely at the center of the rolling axis of the new bike. According to a Swede who has been racing the machine (quite successfully) in the World Enduro championship, the new bike handles like a machine of much smaller displacement (think about a 250cc motocrosser versus a 450cc motocrosser). This is precisely why Husaberg undertook the design exercise in the first place.

While radically repositioning the crank shaft, Husaberg designed the new single in a manner that lays the cylinder nearly flat (at a 70° angle). This opened up space for a uniquely placed airbox and fuel tank, which aid performance and further centralize mass. Husaberg is also employing a plastic rear subframe on the new chassis. According to Husaberg, this makes the subframe lighter and stiffer, while allowing a more complex shape that will accommodate the mounting of electric components and closer integration of the muffler system.

So there you have it. KTM is letting Husaberg be Husaberg, after all. This new Enduro model won't be cheap, but it just might be more nimble than any dirt bike of comparable displacement. The new FE450 should go on sale later this year.

Aprilia Dorsoduro

2008-08-11T13:44:00.001+07:00

Supermoto Style Done Just Right

By Yossef Schvetz, Jul. 31, 2008, Photography by Piaggio

For Aprilia’s sales floor managers: If a potential Dorsoduro buyer walks into your dealership, blindfold him and seat him on the Dorsoduro, start the engine and let him play with the throttle. Another sale - done.

It’s been a long, long time since an engine’s sound got me so horny, provoking uncontrollable spasms in my annular muscles down there and unhealthy tension in my branded knickers. In our PC/castrated- exhaust era, we’ve seemingly forgotten just how important the aural appeal of a bike really is. Need more? The Dorso’s sound could be likened to a good mix of industrial techno grind with Uzi sub-machine gun at full chat undertones, and it perfectly depicts this little mean machine’s attitude: Nervous, raring to go, craves for your inputs at any given moment and responds to them with infantile enthusiasm.

The visual side of this multimedia experience doesn’t lag behind. This is Miguel Galuzzi’s first full project at Aprilia, and it’s not hard to see that the guy burned the midnight oil, sketching and modeling foams deep into the night. I am downright tented to define the Dorsoduro as his finest creation ever, and that’s quite a compliment considering that Galuzzi penned the original Ducati Monster. It’s not easy to find other scoots that have such a precise and well-defined vision, such an array of well-distilled and exciting forms. In my eyes, the Dorsoduro can take a well-deserved pole position in the “moto design” starting grid, sharing the front row with other luminaries such as the Hypermotard and the last version of KTM’s 990 supermoto. As we’ll see, it’s addressed at quite a different type of rider, but that’s for later.

So then, former Aprilia president Ivano Beggio isn’t around anymore, and Piaggio, the big Italian two-wheeled mama holds the reins. But still, this bike really captures the pioneering spirit of Aprilia, being daring, original, high-techy and, as noted, the design could burn holes through walls. Just a mid-sized supermoto, and yet Aprilia put its best engineering resources into this one, and the result is quite original in that sense.

It’s easy to start from the cycle side of things, as the frame borrows heavily from the last small Twins family, the SXV/RXV 450-550 twins. Not a bad bloodline, as the smaller V-Twins have conquered already a world supermoto championship or two. Just like in those, the front part of the frame is steel tube trellis affair that meet cast ally members midway above the mill’s V center. It’s cool-looking even if it reminds a me a bit of the MV F4’s solution, not a bad inspiration source after all.

The engine’s just as high tech. Not yet another Big Twin but a 750 and that’s already a sign that something is different. Unlike the last crop of 1000cc-plus Twins that need to sacrifice the perfect balance 90-degree angle in order to keep bulk in check (see Buell, KTM, Morini), by being smaller, Aprilia’s Twin has that magic number between its jugs. No wonder that on the saddle this engine felt really smooth. A stacked gear-shaft layout keeps the mill’s length in check in order to maximize swingarm length.

But the real gem is the full fly-by-wire throttle that fully controls the butterfly valves in the throttle bodies according to the inputs from the rider’s right hand. Aprilia has been among the first manufacturers to play with ride-by-wire in its MotoGP contender, the RS3 CUBE 990. Although Yamaha has beaten Aprilia in the race for a production system with its R6, it’s interesting that the guys from Noale still went for such a system in a non-all-out performance tool like the Dorsoduro. By gaining total command from the engine, Aprilia didn’t have much trouble in adding three different power settings. A rider can toggle between Rain, Standard and Sport. Guess where I left it most of the time… ?

The most interesting bit of spec about this new engine is not the impressive 92 claimed horsepower, a healthy output that should put Ducati’s Hypermotard 1100 under some pressure. It’s actually the fact that a peak torque of 60 lb./ft is achieved at a lowly 4500 rpm, smack in the middle of the powerband! Aprilia wisely chose to go for friendly and available torque rather than record numbers. If with such a mild state of tune this little V is capable of 92 hp at 8750 rpm, then with some simple hot-rodding, it should be able to rev up to 12K and deliver 600SS numbers. Don’t be surprised if super sporty middleweight shows up in Aprilia’s line up sooner than later.

With such a lush tech spec, it’s not surprising to find in the Dorsoduro other nice features like “Wave” brake discs, radial calipers, a double taper handlebar, and fully adjustable suspension.

Off we set, following a riding guide sent by Piaggio. The guy knows how to gas it, and after warming up for a few miles on the good old Tuono, I’m all set to swing a leg over the Dorso’. A few minutes into the ride and I’m all smiles. The long and flat saddle let’s you place your bottom wherever you see fit – for tall and spindly guys like me, that’s already a very good start. Gas it now and my cheeks are splitting from so much grinning, the aforementioned soundtrack puts me in real attack mode. Down for first, feather the light clutch and the Dorso drives on with authority, second, third, gears glide in perfectly, fourth, fifth gear, I’m keeping it pinned now, trying to keep our mad guide in my sights.

As expected, the engine is less stellar in the higher reaches of the rev counter. But the fun part comes soon enough. Throw the Dorsoduro into a good bend, and it thrives, flick it good into a tight hairpin and it shines. This thing reacts so happily to steering inputs that I find the 410-lb claimed dry weight, hard to believe. The bike feels like the spec sheet is a good 60 lbs off the mark.

'Down for first, feather the light clutch and the Dorso drives on with authority, second, third, gears glide in perfectly, fourth, fifth gear, I’m keeping it pinned now, trying to keep our mad guide in my sights.'

Bendy bits are over? That’s so sad, and yet roll the throttle on and the drive-by-wire system will find pretty good drive regardless of rpm. Okay, the oomph level down low might not be comparable to the atomic drive of the Morini 1200 or Ducati’s HM1100, but just because of that, the Dorsoduro actually helps you by not being so violent in its power delivery. So I said early on that the Dorso is a different animal, and this is exactly the point. Less brutal than a HM1100 or KTM 990, less intimidating while on the limit, much more friendly than those two hairy beasts. You do end up riding it smoother and faster, a boon if you are not VDB (Thierry van den Bosch, Aprilia’s hard-riding supermoto star).

The Dorsoduro might lack the immense rigidity of the HM1100’s bombproof frame, a rigidity that makes Duc’s Hypermotard a very demanding thing to ride. But exactly for that reason (Aprilia claims to have intentionally designed some flex into the frame), the Dunlop Qualifiers have an easier time finding traction. The little slides and blurbs while cornering hard fool you into feeling that you are some sort of supermoto god. And I am not!

Chill out for some minutes and you’ll find that there’s another side to this “Hard Back” thing (Dorsoduro in Italian) and that you don’t have to be in interception mode all of the time. Trotting along I discover that the engine is real smooth, the throttle response is simply sweet and that the hard-looking, off-road inspired seat is actually very comfortable. Or to put it in another way, this scoot is far from being a narrow focus racer in disguise – it’s actually quite an all-rounder. I could see myself riding one to work on a steady basis.

And that’s exactly the quality that I’ve been missing in all the supermotos I’ve tested so far. I have never fallen in love with supermoto Singles – too little creature comfort, too vibey, too narrow-focused, either as 450s or big 600-650cc Singles (although I’ve yet to ride KTM’s new 690). Big, liter-size supermotos have not convinced me either so far. They might be exciting rides, but on a long-term basis I found them too demanding, too crazy to live with, as one such specimen almost shortened my life when it landed on me (ended up with just three broken ribs… ). And here, all of the sudden, out of nowhere, another approach to the SM theme and Aprilia’s “mid-size SM” just feels so right.

Wot? No complaints whatsoever? Sorry, in my short test ride I haven’t been able to find much to bitch about. While standing at a stoplight after a run, it was a very hot day and there was plenty of heat blowing out from the engine bay, enough to turn my left you-know-what into an omelet. Not really a problem, as most of us have two rounded jewels. Other than that, I heard some colleagues saying that the ride-by-wire response is a tad too aseptic.

But to find out for sure I’ll need to have a Dorso’ for a long-term test. I promise to be a good boy and will take the thing to the nearest supermoto track only once a week.

2009 Harley-Davidson Model Line-up

2008-08-04T16:52:00.001+07:00

y The Motor Company brings in some new Muscle for 2009

By Staff, Jul. 24, 2008

&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://oascentral.verticalscope.com/RealMedia/ads/click_lx.ads/reddot.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/harley-davidson/2009-harleydavidson-model-lineup-86622.html/L50/1275710825/TopRight/VertScop/Kawasaki-MCL-ros-FY08-300x250/Kawasaki-MCL-ros-FY08-Top.html/666155344e556957305873414330415a?http://clk.atdmt.com/OMT/go/vrtcpksm0030000044uim/direct/01/?rnd=1275710825" target="_blank"&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;img src="http://view.atdmt.com/OMT/view/vrtcpksm0030000044uim/direct/01/?rnd=1275710825"&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; It’s been a busy summer for Harley-Davidson. The Motor Company has built a new museum in Milwaukee, purchased an Italian premium motorcycle manufacturer and is gearing up for its big 105th anniversary bash.

While they’re still translating the MV Agusta purchase agreement from Italian to English and preparing Bruce Springsteen’s trailer for his anniversary concert over a beer at the museum’s Motor restaurant, the people at Harley-Davidson have been busy preparing the 2009 model line.

We’ve already taken a close look at the Custom Vehicle Operations bikes in our 2009 Harley-Davidson CVO Models Review. Harley-Davidson has unveiled the rest of the 2009 line, highlighted by a new V-Rod power cruiser and an all new chassis for its Touring models.

The all-new VRSCF V-Rod Muscle, according to Harley-Davidson, “brings urban energy to the VRSC power cruiser platform”. The latest V-Rod is powered by the same 60-degree liquid-cooled DOHC, eight-valve, Revolution 1250cc V-Twin engine with Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection as is in the V-Rod and Night Rod Special. In the Muscle, Harley says the Revolution mill is tuned to produce 122 hp at 8,250 rpm and up to 85 ft-lbs. of torque at 7,000 rpm.

The all-new VRSCF V-Rod Muscle “brings urban energy to the VRSC power cruiser platform"

The wide, angular air-box cover, 240mm rear tire and two (one per side) subtle but stout exhaust pipes gives the V-Rod Muscle a strong, solid appearance. Other design features include a new clipped rear fender with integrated brake/turn/taillight and five-spoke cast aluminum wheels, LED turn signals integrated into the mirror stems and new internally wired handlebar cast with riser.

The V-Rod Muscle, as well as the returning VRSCAW V-Rod and VRSCDX Night Rod Special, is available with an optional non-linked Anti-Lock Braking System; all three machines use Brembo brakes. The Muscle’s front suspension is a 43mm inverted fork, another unique item amongst the V-Rod bikes.

Harley-Davidson’s seven Touring bikes all receive a brand new chassis for 2009. The frame, swingarm, engine mount, wheels and tires have all been redesigned.

“Under the skin, our 2009 Touring models are essentially new motorcycles,” says Bill Davidson, Harley-Davidson vice president of core customer marketing. “There is likely no profile on the American road more distinctive than that of a Harley-Davidson Touring motorcycle, and we were able to retain the character of each model while significantly improving the riding experience in many ways.”

The new chassis provides a rigid backbone that Harley-Davidson says can support an extra load of 70 pounds over the 2008 Touring bikes. That’s good news for those with overstuffed saddlebags. The engine isolation system has been revised to reduce the vibrations from the 1584cc Twin Cam 96 V-Twin engines with ESPFI. A new Isolated Drive System compensator integrated into the rear hub is also designed reduces noise and vibration.

An Electronic Throttle Control system replaces the mechanical cables with the wiring from the throttle grip sensor routed inside the handlebars, making room for a factory-option cruise control system.

The 2009 Road King, Street Glide, Road Glide and Electra Glide come with a new low-mounted license plate with LED illumination. The Road King Classic’s license plate has also been moved to under the tail lamp while the Electra Glide Classic and Ultra Classic Electra Glide have new LED rear fender tip lights.

Harley-Davidson’s Dyna line-up returns for 2009 with a new silver-face speedometer, low-profile front fender and fuel sender. The FXDB Street Bob has also got a new chopped rear fender with an LED tail light and blacked-out features.

The eight bikes in Harley-Davidson’s Softail line return for 2009, with the FLSTC Heritage Classic getting the most significant updates.

The 2009 Heritage Softail Classic has new trim along its seat, saddlebag and front fender. The fuel tank is adorned with glass-filled 3D badges and is topped by a retro ‘Cat Eye’ console.

The five bikes in Harley-Davidson’s Sportster line are back for 2009, all with new low-profile front fenders. The 883 Custom, 1200 Low and 1200 Custom Sportsters also get new retuned suspensions.

2008 Yamaha YZF-R1 Project Bike

2008-08-02T13:15:00.002+07:00

By Adam Waheed

Most of us remember the time when we first discovered motorcycling. For a lucky few it was as a kid riding with the family. Or perhaps it was on your neighbor's rusty, oil-leaking dirt bike. Well, for me it was when one of my friends rolled into our high school parking lot on a shiny new sportbike. That was it. I knew right then that I had to have one. A few months later and after what seemed like never ending early mornings at school followed by late nights working, I had a big enough down payment to make one my own.

And it didn't take me long to realize one of the simple joys of sportbike ownership - styling it out. At the time I was all about looking cool. The fluorescent green windscreen, the obnoxiously loud aftermarket muffler; yeah, I was that guy and I loved it.

Since then a lot has changed in the sportbike accessory world. Not only has the quality of the finished product increased, but the sheer abundance of aftermarket options has exploded. Even the OEMs now recognize how popular accessorizing your bike is and many, like Yamaha, have a full catalog of dealer available parts to up-style your ride. So after a decade or so since our first attempt at pimpin' our ride, we're having another go with the goal of improving or bike's performance and overall grin factor on both the street and the racetrack - all without the gaudy green windscreen.

If you're a sportbike enthusiast then the 2008 Yamaha YZF-R1 needs little introduction. This iconic-looking 1000 was the original liter-classer. Its combination of an agile, lightweight chassis, powerful high-revving engine all wrapped in edgy, streamlined bodywork set the standard for fashionable sportbikes. At a standstill the R1 exudes both speed and style. And when in the saddle, a simple wide-open rap of the throttle in any gear is all it takes for it to get your attention - fast.

We began our endeavor buy installing some of Yamaha's aforementioned GYTR accessories. All the components are direct replacement and can be installed at home by most garage mechanics.

First, a replacement comfort seat was installed with an extra layer of gel padding for enhanced coziness on those long rides. Externally the seat features some detailed embroidery as well as an R1 logo emblazed on it.

We also put on a dark smoke windshield that looks far sportier on the street, yet when tucked in behind it at speed you can still see through it. A carbon fiber tank pad and a carbon fiber trim piece on the triple clamp help give it more of a personalized look, as does the solo rear seat cowl.

GYTR Dual Slip-On Carbon Fiber Mufflers (designed for closed-course use only) replaced the plain looking stockers. Installation was almost too easy. Simply loosen the rear tail section, then unbolt the stock mufflers where they are mounted in the tail section as well as where they connect to the exhaust mid-pipe and voila' your done. Installation was literally a 30-minute ordeal start to finish. Since the R1 is fuel-injected no jetting changes were necessary. After installation, the bike ran reasonably well, however, if you really want to optimize fueling you're going to need an aftermarket fuel-injection module (more on that later.)

We were surprised by how light the stock mufflers have become, but the replacements were even lighter. We were also astonished by the fit and finish of the pipes. The carbon fiber is real and looks super trick yet the brushed stainless-steel end caps help keep things elegant. Typically, there is some period of break-in with mufflers when they eventually get louder, but after over a thousand miles both on the street and racetrack, they sound exactly the same as the day we installed them - deep and throaty, and as long as you keep the rpms low they aren't overly loud. However, swing the throttle wide-open for a second and you'll instantly become the bad boy in your neighborhood, so use some discretion. Keeping them looking good has also been a painless exercise as the carbon fiber is simple to wipe down, although the end caps do need a little more TLC as they get pretty hot and grease and road grime more easily sticks to them.

To match the increased airflow through our upgraded mufflers we installed a GYTR High Flow Air Filter. The GYTR piece is a direct replacement for the OE paper filter. Not only does the filter flow more air while still providing excellent filtration, it's washable, meaning it's the last air filter you'll ever have to purchase for your R1.

When installed together, however, the stock fuel-injection mapping can't keep pace with the increased flow in and out of the engine. Most of the time the engine runs reasonably well but on deceleration it would pop and sputter - exhibiting tell tale signs of a lean, fuel starved engine. Unfortunately the bikes fueling requirements can't be directly changed via the stock ECU, which means that an aftermarket fuel injection module needs to be installed.

This led us to Bazzaz Performance, whose Southern California operation has become renowned for its sophisticated engine management products; which were originally developed while founder, Ammar Bazzaz, worked as an engineer for the Yoshimura Suzuki squad during current AMA Superbike rider, Mat Mladin's first three AMA Superbike titles in 1999-2001. Currently Bazzaz has developed an entire line of state-of-the-art engine management hardware and software that bring superbike levels of technology to the consumer.

We knew we needed a fuel-injection module so we could remap the Yamaha's eight fuel-injectors for a stronger, more precise running machine. Bazzaz Performance solves that problem with its all encompassing aftermarket unit that incorporates the fuel module, a quick shifter and traction control. Yes, traction control!

2007 KTM Street Bike Intro

2008-07-29T20:06:00.001+07:00

What's Angry, Orange, and Fun to Ride?

By Gabe Ets-Hokin, Senior Editor, Feb. 15, 2007, Photography by Joe Bonello

KTM. If you haven't heard the name, you've still probably seen the bright-orange blur of one of their products anywhere there's an off-road motorcycling event in the world. KTM has grown from an obscure maker of 100cc tiddlers to a dominant force in off-road competition, offering a wide array of enduro, moto-cross, Supermoto and other machines of all different displacements, from 65cc junior bikes to hulking 999cc adventure-enduros.

This year -- 2007 -- marks a huge step in the history of the 54 year-old Austrian company. They're getting into the vast US street market by expanding their dual-sport and Supermoto offerings and by introducing a few all-new models, including the 2007 990 Superduke. And to tell the world about it, they wisely invited Motorcycle.com to test it out on our home track, the Streets of Willows in scenic Rosamond, CA, the only town in California that somehow manages to be more horrible than Bakersfield*.

You want one, don't you? Yes, you do.

KTM claims everything they make is "Ready to Race", but how does that equate to a product that is first and foremost a streetbike? Be patient, read on, and you will find out; plus you will find out all about the new 690 Supermoto and the 990 Adventure.

If you've enjoyed our new "Scotch Watch" feature (nominated for a 2006 MotoWeb Best Feature award**) I am sorry to disappoint you: KTM is a no-nonsense company that is all about riding and racing; no fancy dinners or cocktail receptions for the US press. We did enjoy a stunt show courtesy of KTM stunt rider Oliver Ronzheimer and some nice gifts from KTM's stylish accessory catalog before KTM's media relations and design people told us about their new product lineup.

This is what a professional rider on a closed circuit really looks like. KTM stunt rider Oliver Ronzheimer shows off.

The big news is KTM's all-new 990 Superduke. KTM's designers wanted KTM's entry into the naked roadster market to have a "special, unique appearance," and their insectoid***-inspired vision has that, in spades. With sharp creases, bold colors, minimal bodywork and cool touches like the truncated exhausts and tiny "wind spoiler" mounted above the tiny instrument display, this KTM will get plenty of attention, even parked next to a wild custom chopper.

Plastic shrouds that look like they came off a giant motocrosser cover a 999.9cc liquid-cooled, DOHC four-valve V-twin motor that is extremely compact and lightweight thanks to its 75-degree V-angle and dry-sump design. A counterbalancer keeps things smooth. Fueling is by Kehin EFI, and the twin exhausts are catalyzed and have integrated heat shields, all neatly tucked up into the bike's abbreviated tailsection. Power output is around 120hp at the crank.

If this looks good to you, follow the big orange truck to a motorcycling event near you for some test-riding fun. Check http://www.ktmusa.com for more information.

The motor goes into a chrome-moly trellis frame that is not only nice to look at, it's also about as light and rigid as a frame can be. Suspension is race-ready WP components, with a 48mm fully-adjustable upside-down cartridge fork and fully-adjustable linkage-less rear shock. The suspension is much more street-oriented, with two inches less wheel travel than the 950 Supermoto's. Tires are the grippy, proven Dunlop D208, with a 120/70-17 in front and a 180/55-17 in the back. Wheelbase is a stylishly short 56.6 inches, rake is a steep 23.5 degrees, and KTM claims the dry weight is only 406 pounds.

In 20 years these brakes will be on a middleweight cruiser.

To complete the package, there is a matte-finished 4.8-gallon plastic tank and a programmable instrument display. There's also a minimal seat with passenger pegs, and besides what might be the smallest windscreen on a motorcycle ever, there's not much else, really. The only component of this bike that isn't pared-down to the bare essentials is the price tag; $13,998.

Also a big deal was the all-new 690 Supermoto. The media people didn't know if the bike would arrive in time, as they were held up in customs, but at the last minute a truck arrived at the track with a small fleet of the new thumpers for us to sample.

This bike is a purpose-built streetbike, not a dirtbike with a wheel kit like many Supermotos. The frame is a trellis unit, with a huge space for an airbox and a distinctive cast-aluminum ribbed swingarm. Front suspension is the same fully-adjustable 48mm upside-down unit on the 990 Superduke, but with more travel. Wheels are spoked jobs, with Behr aluminum rims and Bridgestone BT-090 European-market street Supermoto tires, a 120/70-17 in front and a 160/60-17 in the back. Rear suspension is a fully-adjustable monoshock with a KTM "Pro-Lever" linkage.

Gabe contemplating a trip into the dirt.

The front brake is a single four-piston radial-mount caliper with a 320mm floating disc. KTM claims it weighs 335 pounds dry.

The motor is as new as the rest of the bike. The new LC4 engine is a fuel-injected SOHC four-valve, liquid-cooled, counterbalanced 653.7cc four-stroke single with an all-new six-speed transmission and "Alder Power Torque" slipper clutch. Catalyzed exhaust enters the atmosphere via a pair of huge, vertically-mounted mufflers that look like they came off a semi-truck (but are actually similar to what KTM uses on their race thumpers). "KTM should offer some of those little flappers to put over the tips so they go ?lank-clank-clank' at idle," I helpfully offered to a KTM person. "Ha, ha," they responded, unconvincingly. It's all good for a claimed 63hp at the crank; look for about 54hp at the back wheel.

The bike is finished as minimally as you'd expect. There's a 3.7-gallon fuel tank, an all-new instrument cluster similar to the Superduke's, tapered aluminum handlebars, a dagger-shaped headlamp/fender unit, a tiny storage compartment under the seat, and an LED tail lamp. At press time, KTM didn't have a price, but expect it to be in the $7,000-$9,000 price range.

The other notable machine was the revised fuel-injected 990 Adventure/Adventure S. It uses the same 999.9cc motor as the 990 Superduke, but with shorter gearing (both the internal gear ratios as well as final drive) and tuned for more midrange. The chassis is also similar, with 48mm USD forks and rear monoshock; however, the wheelbase is five inches longer than the Superduke and the bike weighs in at 456.4 pounds (claimed, dry). Along with the fuel injection there's also a high-tech ABS system standard that weighs but three pounds (even though claimed weight overall is up 20 pounds compared to the 950 Adventure) and is easily deactivated by a dashboard switch. Pricing is $13,998, and an extra 200 bucks gets you the ?' model with blacked-out cosmetics.

After 40 minutes of tech briefings we're eager to ride these bikes, so as soon as it ends there's a comical race to change into leathers and dash outside to grab one of the six Superdukes available to ride. I'm able to get onto one in time, and I note the manageable (but still high) seat height and very comfortable ergonomics; the pegs aren't too far back or high, and the tapered bar puts me in a slight forward lean. The motor fires easily, with little vibration and a light feel from what must be a small, light flywheel. The exhaust note is distinctive, with a sharp, mechanical flatness that sounds mean as hell. I click into first and head for The Streets' front straight.

I was expecting it to feel like a modified version of the 950 Supermoto I rode last year, but trust me, this is no Supermoto. The motor revs to redline quickly, with power and torque in every gear, yet it is almost fussy in its precise power delivery, making it difficult to modulate power in very tight, slow corners. This is compounded by the much taller gearing of the Superduke, but give it some open road and the light, free-flowing nature of the powerband leaves no doubt; this is a very fast bike, with a motor perfectly suited to a naked roadster.

2009 Buell 1125CR Introduction

2008-07-25T22:15:00.000+07:00

By Staff, Jul. 22, 2008, Photography by Buell

New 2009 Buell 1125CR

Buell took a page from the simplicity of design of the XB streetfighter models and applied the iconic stripped-down philosophy to the company’s first and only liquid-cooled sportbike, the 1125R. Called the 1125CR, this nearly-identical sibling of the racier-looking 1125R loses the big fairing/windscreen found on that bike in favor of a minimalist flyscreen sitting atop on new, single piece headlight. The new Buell also has slightly lower (about 8% from the 1125R) final drive gearing for improved acceleration according to Buell materials. We say that means even easier wheelies. Everything else on 1125CR is carried over from the 1125R.

We can easily imagine the C stands for café as Erik Buell gives his insight on the bike. “Part superbike and part streetfighter, the 1125CR is my vision of a 21st century café racer,” said Buell. “It’s got Clubman-style bars and a flyscreen instead of a fairing...”

New, streetfighter version of the 1125R, the 1125CR retains virtually everything about the 1125R while fulfilling Erik Buell's vision of a café racer.

Something the CR version of the 1125 will receive that the R version will also get is targeted fuel injectors, relocated O2 sensors, and updated engine spark and fuel maps. A day late in our book. Drats! Okay, we’re miffed we didn’t wait a little longer to test a 2009 1125R; the test unit in our recently published 2008 Oddball Literbike Comparison suffered from poor fueling at small throttle openings. But, we’re glad Buell was listening to those in the press as well as 1125R customers with similar issues! If these revisions clear up the rough running problems of the 1125R, and now 1125CR, these machines should be an even bigger hit than they already are (or hopefully will be in the CR’s case). Best of all is that this fix will be available for existing 1125R machines from 2008. Get to your Buell dealer ASAP if you got a bummer!

According to Buell materials this fix will provide “improved drivability below 6000 rpm, even crisper throttle response, improved heat management, and significantly improved fuel economy.”

2009 Updates for XB line

Buell XB Lightning Streetfighters, powered by an air/oil/fan-cooled Thunderstorm V-Twin, get a new look thanks to a blacked-out frame, forks, engine and other components. Lightning models powered by the Thunderstorm 1203 engine upgrade to the Buell ZTL2 front brake with four-pad, eight-piston caliper, a design that debuted on the 1125R in 2008. The XB12Ss gets fitted with the same supermoto-inspired suspension as the 2008 XB12STT, and the new seat on the 2009 XB9SX lowers the seat height by 1.3 inches to 30.1 inches.

The race-bike-like XB12R enjoys these same updates as well as new Pirelli Diablo Corsa III tires.

All 2009 Buell XB models will be fitted with a new, more durable Veyance Hibrex drive belt with Flexten Plus technology, the same belt technology that was originally developed for the Buell 1125R.

2009 Updates for Ulysses and Ulysses Short

The sport-touring Buell Ulysses XB12XT, introduced mid-year 2008, joins the versatile, all-road Ulysses XB12X in the 2009 Buell Adventure Sportbike category. Both models feature new aluminum footpegs with an aggressive “sawtooth” pattern. The new Buell Ulysses Police XB12XP is a “special duty” motorcycle intended for government agencies and private security firms requiring a quick and nimble pursuit-and-patrol vehicle capable of travel over a variety of road surfaces. It comes equipped with a special wiring harness for easy installation of an Emergency Response Kit, which includes special compact, hard-shell top and side cases, a siren, and LED police pursuit lamps.

2009 Blast gets new paint, and two Buells go the way of the dodo

For 2009, the Blast is offered in new Sunfire Yellow, and Midnight Black, both with Stardust Silver wheels. Lastly, the Lightning XB12S and Lightning Super TT XB12STT will not be produced for 2009. Too bad on the SuperTT, that was a fun bike.

2009 Triumph Models Line-Up

2008-07-24T22:53:00.001+07:00

The storied British manufacturer reached into its past to name the new cruiser, the Thunderbird. The parallel twin-cylinder 1,600cc Triumph Thunderbird features a six-speed gearbox and belt drive. The new cruiser will have a range of accessories and optional ABS.

The 2010 Triumph Thunderbird will arrive in dealerships in the summer of 2009.

Triumph’s award-winning Daytona 675 receives several modifications that reduced its weight by 6.6 pounds while claiming an additional three horses.

The 2009 Daytona will come standard with a hydraulic cam chain tensioner and a higher ratio first gear from Triumph’s race kit. Triumph says the new Daytona’s three-cylinder engine will have a 450 rpm higher rev limit than the 2008 model, whose engine had the highest score in our recent Supersport Shootout.

Triumph also added a lighter exhaust system, recalibrated fuel injection and a revised cylinder head with new valves and a modified combustion chamber that it claims will produce 126 hp and a redline of 13,950 rpm.

The Daytona 675 will also receive an updated suspension with high and low speed damping and new radial-mount Nissin monobloc brakes.

The new Daytona 675 will be available in December in ‘Jet Black’ and ‘Tornado Red’.

Triumph also introduced a new higher-specification version of its Street Triple.

The 2009 Street Triple R features the 2008 Daytona 675’s fully-adjustable inverted fork and radially mounted four-piston caliper brakes. The new model will have the regular Street Triple’s 675cc fuel-injected three-cylinder engine, which Triumph says produces 106 hp at 11,700 rpm.

Available in September, 2008, the Street Triple R will come in graphite with orange graphics. An orange version with grey graphics will be available in January, 2009.

Triumph also provided a number of updates to its iconic Bonneville to mark the bike’s 50th Anniversary.

The 2009 Bonneville features touches of ’70s styling and a number of chassis changes.
The new Bonneville has a new 17-inch cast alloy front wheel, down from 2008’s 19-inch front. Other visible changes include shorter mudguards and megaphone silencers inherited from the Thruxton. The Bonneville’s seat has been lowered by an inch while the handlebars have been moved closer to the rider for a more relaxed posture.

Triumph is also introducing a higher-spec Bonneville SE featuring an upgraded instrument panel, chromed tank badges and brushed alloy engine casings.

To celebrate the Bonneville’s golden anniversary, Triumph introduced a limited edition T100. Triumph will produce just 650 Bonneville T100 50th Anniversary bikes, each uniquely numbered and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Bearing the original 1959 model’s orange and blue colors, the anniversary model also features white piping, special side panel decals, a chromed cam cover and a gold Triumph logo on the seat.

The regular Bonneville T100 will also return for 2009 with a new blue and white color option and minor detail updates.

The Bonneville and Bonneville SE will be available in January, 2009 while the T100 and 50th Anniversary Bonneville will be available in July 2009.

The Rocket III, Rocket III Classic, Rocket III Touring, Speed Triple, Tiger, Sprint ST, America, Speedmaster, Scrambler and Thruxton will all be back for 2009 with detail and color updates.

2008 Honda CBR1000RR: MD First Ride

2008-07-24T17:45:00.002+07:00

It's your birthday. You sit before an inferno of flames (OK, maybe you're younger than I am). What kinds of wishes are going through your mind? Maybe a plasma TV? How about a new bike? OK, now we're getting somewhere. But what kind of bike? This is your birthday and you're making wishes! So let's make a wish.

You know you want something with MotoGP in its DNA. A lot of it. It's gotta have the signature pedigree of a world champion, say, Nicky Hayden. Of course, it should spring from the hand and mind of a god of Grand Prix ... Kyoichi Yoshii of HRC, the demigod behind the RC211V. That'd be the guy.

Naturally, such a creation would be light and lithe. 435 pounds, wet, at the curb, full of gas and ready for a long day of unwinding your favourite tarmac. And horsepower! TONS of it, natch, but hey, you're going for a ride so you need to be able to use it, not be prohibited by some vestigial survival instinct. It's gonna be small but comfortable. Precise yet forgiving. Fast though tractable. It's gotta wrap a whole lotta cool kung fu in something you can swing a leg over, but still become part of.

Close your eyes and blow the wax from those cheap candles across the room! Uh, oh...you forgot to take a deep breath! No worries, mate, because you don't need to wish. This bike exists, and this spring you can have one for less than Paris Hilton pays for a pedicure. Well, after the tip anyway.

No doubt this bike is the 2008 Honda CBR1000RR. There's not much hype in the hoopla. Honda went all out to redesign the new flagship liter bike, and they've adhered to a core set of First Principles to bring us something very special. These principles are: incorporate race proven technology, maximize power to weight, and create new technology. Honda invited MD to Laguna Seca to prove to us how well they hit the mark.

One of the first things you notice about the new 1000 is its styling. Maybe you like it, maybe you don't. But take a moment and think about what you see. It's narrower, for one. From the profile you can see that the fairing upper is shorter, almost stubby. Honda claims this is a functional design to minimize the effort required to change direction at high speed.

The exhaust pretty much catches your eye right away. Is that a bad thing? Or does it just intrigue you? It looks awfully low-slung, tidy ... and angular. The bike surely has reduced frontal area for improved aerodynamics. The integrated mirrors and turn indicators are pretty slick; that obviously consolidates two sources of drag.

What's tugging on the back of your mind is that Honda has placed function over form. No matter what, the design that performed better won the day. Are high pipes stylish? Maybe so, but they deliver mass high on the platform and near the rider. The single most important aspect of the "power to weight" principle for this mega-horsepower liter bike is not power or weight. It's where you put the weight and how you make and manage the power. Laguna Seca provided an excellent opportunity to put these principles to the test. There's no place to rest, and every turn flows into the next over elevation changes and blind rises. A good mix of fast turns and low gear exits provides a litmus test for throttle control and chassis response.

When you slip into the contours of the '08 CBR1000RR, one the first things you notice is that the riding position is relaxed and forgiving. But not so much that you can't be aggressive. And it's narrow. My average 5'10" frame was never crowded, folded, or forced to interfere with itself. Your legs can meld with the fuel tank and not feel like they're being pried apart. There's 1000cc of big inline four between ya and you'd never know it from the supermodel waistline. In fact, in the effort to reduce and centralize mass, Honda managed to make the engine 30mm narrower at the frame rails and 15mm shorter from the cylinder block. This narrow engine now has an integral bottom end and cylinder block. The sleeveless cylinders are more closely spaced and plated with a nickel silicon carbide (aka Nikasil) matrix that is similar to the platings used on Honda's grand prix two-stroke cylinders.

Since the engine is shorter, it allows 3mm shorter exhaust valves and moves the super-light cams closer to the center of mass. Together, the new cams are a whopping 1.1 pounds lighter than before ... and that's rotating engine mass. The larger bore pistons (up 1mm from 75mm) are of identical weight to the '07. All of that yields an engine that is 5 pounds lighter. The curved radiator is narrower as well, but the January test conditions at Laguna won't serve to test how well the bike cools. This might be one to keep your eye on.

Rolling down the hot pit and entering the track, some of the engine and geometry characteristics are already obvious. The HESD (Honda Electronic Steering Damper) senses the casual pace and steering around obstacles at low speed is effortless. You roll off a little, steer, roll back on, and there's an odd feeling. It's not jerky. There's no driveline lash, but there's something going on that doesn't feel like every other bike. It's the Honda Ignition Interrupt Control system. This is an interesting bit of new technology that you can't really test on a racetrack, but swinging around the gas pumps or maneuvering around the parking lot you might be glad it's there.

The IICS measures the rotational velocity differential between the crankshaft and the countershaft. This is zero when the transmission is fully engaged under acceleration or deceleration, but in the transition between the two there's a very brief moment of time when the gear dogs are off their leash and the cog is free to rotate a few degrees. At this point the countershaft and crankshaft are no longer rotating at exactly the same rate. And when this difference reaches a pre-programmed threshold (different for each gear and only between 2000 and 6500 RPM) the IICS will kill ignition pulses to soften the clack when the dogs engage. So this obviously isn't something you'll notice or need on the racetrack, or even during sportriding, but it's a good example of the lengths Honda has gone to in order to tame their new full liter beast.

Like any bike in its class, the CBR1000RR pulls hard and strong. Usually longer than you have racetrack, so there's never a moment when you're not under the spell of acceleration. At Laguna, you can fall deep into this intoxicating trance as you exit Turn 3 and rocket, with measured application of throttle, through Turn 4 and accelerate at just shy of relativistic speeds to Turn 5. You'll welcome the narrower fuel tank at times like this, as you can get a pretty good grip on it (or at least you'd better) with your legs.

Turn 4 doesn't require much braking, even on big bikes, but it does require that you roll out and set both your entry speed and turn point. This is a transition. You're on the gas, you're off, you're turning, and then you're on the gas again. But you wouldn't know it was so complicated. Honda's latest incorporates another bit of new technology called the Idle Air Control Valve.

Technically, this system debuted on the '07 CBR600RR, but its refinement in the '08 is quite an accomplishment because you'd never know it was there. The system uses a stepper motor controlled valve (to allow varying amounts of air, rather than just being full open or closed) to bleed air through the closed butterflies of a throttle body and raise the idle speed. This reduces engine braking. This also eases the transition back to acceleration. It's not clear what kind of effect the system has in corner approaches like this, but for the next bend, Turn 5, there's some significant braking, turning and throttle transitions all happening at the same time. And it's all effortless.

Effortless, that is, except for the braking. Shedding 290,000 joules of energy is no easy task. That's the combined mass of motorbike and this rider slowed from 130mph to 80mph. It takes a 75watt light bulb an hour to do that. How long does it take your brake fingers? I'm not sure, but when Turn 5 is looming large it had better be a lot sooner. The new 1000RR does a compentent job in this department. As part of the Yoshii-san diet plan, the monobloc calipers are 4 ounces lighter and have aluminum pistons that, all combined, save 1 pound of unsprung weight. Add to that Suzuka 8 Hour-derived rotors with some serious thought and empirical data applied to where the holes should be, and you might expect something extraordinary when you pull the brake lever. But alas, the brakes are "merely" up to the task, and not nearly as special as the CBR1000RR as a whole.

Braking as hard as you please, the front is quite stable with minimal dive. The transition from braking to accelerating through the apex is aided by another new technology, the Assisted Slipper clutch. This is probably one of the best enhancements to the package, because it affects the bike in a lot of different situations. The slipper unit doesn't just help you out on those frenetic downshifts and late apex bombing runs, it actually helps reduce clutch hand fatigue, improves feel, and saves weight. It accomplishes all of this because it eliminates heavy clutch springs and hydraulic plumbing. The clutch is cable operated. Here's how it works.

To begin with, it probably shouldn't be called a slipper clutch. Slip/Anti-Slip is more like it. The Slip/Anti-Slip design uses the engagement surfaces between the clutch plates as a cam to both increase the pressure under crankshaft acceleration and reduce the pressure during crankshaft deceleration. The lighter clutch springs are a godsend, and the system works seamlessly. In fact, the direct, linear feel of the strictly mechanical lever, and its light pull are surprising on a bike this powerful. In terms of outright slipper performance the jury is still out. Without doing a back to back test, I'd say there are slipper units that might work better in slip mode; however, this clutch will probably win over lots of fans for its overall performance.

The power delivery of the new CBR1000RR could almost be described as confidence inspiring. That seems like an oxymoron for a modern liter bike, but many things have come together to keep the rider confident he understands what the machine is doing. Obvious factors like Honda Pro-Link do a great job of isolating suspension energy from the chassis, allowing you to feel the traction, but the new exhaust must play a factor in smoothing out the power delivery. You may find it's looks, well, interesting, but consider this: there are 3 chambers to its design, and exhaust gases are routed both by an externally controlled servo motor and internally through an exhaust gas pressure controlled valve. It all fits in a compact package that rides low and provides excellent cornering clearance. The entire exhaust is free from exotic materials and is mostly constructed of stainless steel. It's light, built to last, and even has a 5 year warranty.

Laguna Seca throws just about everything at the rider and the machine, and as you grab gears and your gizzard over the dip on the hill approaching the Corkscrew, you're about to test another thematic element that keeps cropping up with this motorbike. Transitions. It's like a chorus or refrain. You know this had to be a meditative mantra for Yoshii-san and his engineers. Flicking the bike left and then, at just the right time, to the right for the famous rollercoaster, it's amazingly easy to hit your apex. It's nimble and responsive like a 600 with poise. If you've ever ridden the first generation CBR900RR then you'll remember how important this agility is to Honda. The ensuing generations of motorcycles have obviously left that ride as relevant as a neolithic wagon wheel, but the response and precision of a MotoGP bike can be felt in every corner without the vague and nervous feeling of its long dead ancestor. And as you roll back on the throttle during this plunge down the Corkscrew, you can be thankful for the HESD. Sleeping in the pits and napping in the smoother bits, the unit is fully awake and on the job where it needs to be.

Honda's theme of mass centralization is evident in the pitch to the right down the Corkscrew. Riding the '07 1000RR back-to-back with the '08 makes this crystal clear. It is an accomplishment because the '07 isn't exactly a porker (curb weight is around 452 lbs). The '07 is noticeably wider with a higher center of gravity, and it doesn't turn quite so well. That's definitely a consequence of an updated geometry ... with a tenth of a degree less rake (23.3 deg) and a whopping 3.8mm less trail (96.2mm). It's an interesting fact that the '08 is now running similar geometry to the '07 CBR600RR.

It should be said at some point that the bike only truly came alive around Laguna once Terry Newby of Sport Tire Services fitted Dunlop's latest D211 GPs. This wasn't a tire test, so we can only compare the OEM Dunlop Sportmax tires against these soon-to-be available WMDs. The CBR1000RR is a streetbike and it comes with street tires. They work well in most conditions, they wear like they should, and they're resistant to heat cycles. That being said, they're not appropriate for fast laps around a racetrack. Of course, this is why Honda arranged for the D211s. I was never very comfortable riding around Laguna on the OEMs. On the track they were vague, and more than once I found my knee suddenly flat on the tarmac when only moments before it had just been barely skimming. That sudden increase in lean angle was a bit disconcerting, and I would have had to find another explanation had it not disappeared outright with the fitment of Dunlop's latest and greatest. Honda test rider and former World Endurance Champion Doug Toland was puzzled by my observation, but I'll stick by it. The OEMs will serve you well in all street conditions, but they're not appropriate for the racetrack.

No lap around Laguna is complete without an eyeball peeling romp over Turn 1 at over 140mph. Doug Toland claims his speedo reads over 160mph at the bridge, but I was too lily livered to look. The large tachometer is the prime focus of the instrument cluster, and I'm ashamed to say that I never once glanced at the speedometer. But I did notice on my out lap that Honda provides a mileage estimate on the tastefully laid out cluster. There's even a shift light before the rev limiter, but again, I was too busy having fun and looking where I wanted to go rather than exploring the clocks.

I took the shameful pacifier approaching Turn 1 and short shifted my way over the crest. I did my best to prepare for coming out of lightspeed for Turn 2. Here again the brakes did their job just fine, but at an ever increasing amount of effort. I tried adjusting my brake lever a bit in the pits, but I couldn't shake the brake fade. It was never dangerous by any stretch, but after enough laps it was definitely noticeable. I can't help but wonder if the aluminum pistons in the new calipers weren't conducting too much heat back into the hydraulic system. I did get a chance to ride an HRC kitted CBR600RR, and I must say that even though it was probably just as heavy it was much easier to brake and felt like my 250 of yesteryear. This should give Honda something to do this year while they kick back and catch their breath after knocking our socks off with this seminal motorcycle.

We had the chance to ride an HRC kitted 600 . . . pretty cool

And once you catch your breath, you might decide to exhale and buy a few Honda CBR Accessories. Several are already available, but I was only able to sample the new "e-cushion" or 'Energy Cushion' seat. Honda claims the seat to be more durable than a gel seat. They were so proud of the seat that they couldn't wait for us to try it. They made a point of installing the accessory seat along with the new Dunlop D211s during the lunch break. Good thing too. It's a winner. I wasn't sure it was worth mentioning to Honda, but the stock seat was really slippery. It was hard to keep a good, solid riding position while hanging off the bike. The new seat fixed all of that, and it ceased to be a problem.

If you're a racer or a track day rider, you'll love how the entire license plate and turn indicator platform unbolts in one piece a la the Yamaha R6. Racers also have HRC power up kits available, and Honda made it a point to promise us that racers will definitely be able to purchase these kits from any Honda dealer, Scout's Honour.

In short, this is a 1000cc beast, cleaned up, coifed, and barely domesticated. Honda feels a great deal of social responsibility in releasing a weapon like this. Of course, they'd also like you to live to buy the 2010 evolution, so a lot of effort has been placed on making this bike maintain impressive specifications and still allow mortals to do amazing things with it. We could gush over the horsepower or try to find new and clever ways to say, "Hey, dude, this bike is fast." But that would be a waste of your time.

As I sit here and mull over my experience on the '08 CBR1000RR, I'm not reminiscing over a horsepower fix or adrenaline rush. I'm just struck by how civilized this bike is. Like a giant silverback gorilla next to you in line at Starbucks that orders a vanilla latte. Even though he doesn't have any money on him, you know the barista just won't say no. And the gorilla even says, "please".

From a rider's perspective, there is precious little the 2008 Honda CBR1000RR doesn't do with calculated success. It works so well because of the dedication and accuracy of its design and engineering. It's not exactly rolling art, so you won't have to worry about paying for that. And with an MSRP of $11599 you really can ride it like you stole it. So when you flick your new '08 onto your knee and feed the roaring animal so cleverly ensconced beneath you, remember where it came from and give Nicky and Yoshii-san a salubrious, soul-nourishing wheelie. They understand.

The 2008 CBR1000RR has a U.S. MSRP of $11,599. It will be available in the four color schemes shown in the photo below. For additional details and specifications, visit Honda's web site here.

By Stephen Bowline
Photography by Kevin Wing

2008 Yamaha Street Preview

2008-07-24T17:41:00.001+07:00

Fighting for the Yamaha spotlight with the new Star Motorcycles Raider is a revised YZF-R6 sportbike. But the tuning-fork brand has also unveiled two small-bore streetbikes (a supermoto machine and a similar dual-purpose 250), plus a heavily tweaked XT225 that jumps to the status of XT250.

But the big news is the made-over R6. The previous R6 tied for second in MO’s 2006 middleweight shootout behind the Triumph Daytona 675, but it has stiff competition in this class, not least of which is the stellar ’07 Honda CBR600RR. To gain a leg up, the Yamaha screamer has received a myriad of updates to its engine and chassis.

Starting off in the engine room, Yamaha engineers have thrown the R1’s variable intake system at its lil’ bro R6. The Yamaha’s Chip Controlled Intake (YCC-I) varies the length of the intake snorkels depending on rpm to broaden the range of usable power, which is something the peaky R6 really needs. As before, an EXUP exhaust valve works similar magic on the outlet side through a MotoGP-styled titanium muffler. More titanium is found in the intake and exhaust valves, and lightweight magnesium is used for its engine covers. Yamaha claims to have made some 50 refinements to the engine for a reduction of internal friction, including wider crankshaft bearings, and the compression ratio gets a bump from 12.8:1 to 13.1:1.

A look at the ’08 bike reveal modestly revised bodywork that is said to offer better aerodynamics. A closer examination exposes an all-new aluminum frame with thicker areas at the steering head and swingarm pivot, but now without a frame crossmember in the search for optimum chassis rigidity. Balancing that out is a new swingarm with additional internal ribbing, with a new forged-aluminum section replacing an extruded-aluminum section. A magnesium subframe that replaces an aluminum component should help pare weight, but this new R6 has a claimed dry weight of 366 pounds, 9 more than claimed for ’07.

Rake (24.0 degrees), trail (3.8 inches) and wheelbase (54.3 inches) remain unchanged for 2008, but a new lower triple clamp and revised outer fork tubes combine with increased fork offset for an intended improvement in front-end feedback. This combines with revised ergonomics that shift the rider and clip-ons forward for a purported benefit in turn-in response. The 41mm fork now has high- and low-speed compression damping adjustments, in addition to rebound and preload, the same available adjustments as the rear shock. Both ends offer a wider range of ride-height adjustments.

The new R6’s front brakes are top-shelf items, boasting forged one-piece radial-mounted calipers biting on a slightly wider 310mm rotors (up from 4.5mm to 5.0mm) via a radial-pump master cylinder.

The other item of note that has changed is the R6’s MSRP. Last year it varied from $9,299 to $9,399 depending on color choices. This year the Team Yamaha Blue, the black Raven and the Liquid Silver models come in at $9,599 and will be available in November. A Cadmium Yellow version with flames will arrive one month later at the lofty price of $9,799. The R6S, which is basically a 2005 R6, is still in Yamaha’s lineup at a reasonable $8,299.

WR250X/WR250R

Here’s one we didn’t see coming. Yamaha has been keeping tabs on the bourgeoning dual-purpose and supermoto categories and has delivered one of each in the 250cc engine class. The WR250X is the supermoto version, fitted with 17-inch street tires front and rear. The WR250R is a street-legal enduro bike. (The dirt-only WR250F remains.)

Both are powered by a “fresh-sheet design” 250cc liquid-cooled DOHC engine. Both are fuel-injected and feature forged-aluminum pistons and lightweight titanium for its intake valves. An ECU-controlled EXUP exhaust valve and an electronic intake control valve help broaden the powerband as much as possible for an engine that produces max power at 10,000 rpm. A first for a Yamaha on/off-road model is the use of a plug-top stick coil for ignition.

A tri-axis arrangement of crankshaft, transmission output shaft and countershaft keeps the engine size tidy, and a wet sump that tucks up between the frame rails reduces the height of the engine. A six-speed gearbox has a wide spread of ratios and shower-type lubrication for street-use durability. Slightly taller final-drive gearing is also better suited for the street. An petite alternator made from rare-earth materials provides the juice to power the EFI and compact street lighting. Don’t bother looking for a kickstarter, as the street-legal WRs fire up only via the magic button.

The double-cradle frames of both bikes are inspired by the YZ and WR off-roaders, using a mix of cast- and forged-aluminum sections plus a steel downtube for the best compromise of strength and rigidity. A new asymmetrical swingarm is part of the package. Triple clamps are a mix of forged-aluminum (lower) and cast-aluminum (upper), and an aluminum steering stem also reduces weight.

The WR250X is a quarter-liter supermoto-inspired machine, so it’s got a bigger front brake and stiffer spring rates in the fully adjustable suspension than the WR250R. They both consist of a 46mm fork with 10.6 inches of travel up front and a rear shock with 10.4 inches of travel. Brakes consist of wave rotors front and rear, with a 298mm front and a 230mm rear.

Styling is pure supermoto, with clipped fenders and 17-inch street tires (a 110/70 in front and a 140/70 behind). A narrow midsection is made possible by a small 2.0-gallon steel fuel tank. A “gripper” style seat keeps a rider attached to the bike during 12-o’clock wheelies, and it’s positioned 1.4 inches lower than the WR250R to 35.2 inches. Its narrow width of padding means frequent fills of the tiny tank won’t be objectionable. The compact gauges include info for speed, time and trip length, with no mention of a tachometer. A “measurement mode” allows stopwatch function and a distance-compensating tripmeter.

The 280-pound package will hit dealers in January when it’ll sticker at $5,999.

“Not exactly an enduro, a supermoto or a sportbike, the WR250X is for riders who ride mostly paved surfaces,” reads Yamaha’s PR materials. “Its sibling, the off-road inspired WR250R, is for riders who spend more time in the dirt.”

And this WR-R enduro fills the need for serious off-road players who need street-legal abilities for transferring across public roads. It weighs in 4 pounds less than the WR-X and is distinctive for its use of a smaller front brake rotor (250mm) and off-road tires. It’s also 100 bucks cheaper at $5,899.

XT250

Another contender for your dual-sport dollar is this nicely upgraded XT. The previous XT225 was a meek and mild playbike, but it’s undergone significant tweaks to make it more appealing.

It starts off under the tank where the air-cooled single-overhead-cam Single was bumped up from 223cc to 249cc. A forged piston pumps fuel from a 33mm carb, while a lightened crankshaft allows it to spin up quicker. Starting is electric.

Frame construction is steel, although the XT has a revised design that offers greater rigidity than previous. The suspension is similar to before, but its 36mm fork is a new design with the same 8.9 inches of travel. The only provision for adjustment is to the rear single shock and its rebound damping. Although rear travel is reduced a bit from 7.5 inches to 7.1 inches, ground clearance remains the same 11.2 inches, and an aluminum skid plate takes care of the rest. Providing a seat height of just 31.9 inches will be a real boon to short or unsteady riders.

Agility on tight trails is assured thanks to a generous 51-degree sweep of steering lock and a reasonably short 53.5-inch wheelbase. Brake specs have gone way up, now with a fairly large 245mm front rotor and a 203mm rear disc replacing an old-tech drum brake. DOT-legal knobby tires are a 21-incher up front and an 18-inch rear, both on spoked aluminum wheels.

A new 2.6-gallon gas tank has increased capacity, though California riders must make do with just 2.4 gallons probably because of an evaporative emissions charcoal canister. The instruments consist of a new multifunction LCD panel. For the kind of bike that will probably get dropped a few times, it’s nice to know the turnsignals are fastened to flexible mounts and the shifter and brake pedals will fold rather than break.

You can see the new XT250 at your dealers this month at an MSRP of just $4,399.

By Kevin Duke. Sep 11,2007

2008 Suzuki GSX-R600 Review

2008-07-24T17:40:00.001+07:00

There are only 18 racetracks in the world which are deemed worthy of MotoGP competition. So when Suzuki invited Motorcycle.com to Italy’s Misano World Circuit to test its revamped GSX-R600, we were chomping at the bit.

But why send a bunch of scribblers overseas to ride what may be perceived as simply a warmed over and restyled middleweight Gixxer?

Well, the GSX-R600 is a veritable lynchpin of Suzuki’s lineup. It not only outsells every sportbike on the American market (about 20,000 in 2006), it’s the best-selling Suzuki among all of Team S’s extensive catalog, according to Garrett Kai, American Suzuki’s Senior Communications Specialist.

So, 16 hours of traveling had us situated at the seaside resort town of Riccione, just down the street from the 2.6-mile Misano circuit where we’d have two days to wring out the tweaked Gixxer Sixxer in its new set of clothes. (Or we would’ve if persistent fog not spoiled each morning’s track sessions.)

As is typical with Japanese sportbikes, Suzuki generally adheres to a four-year model cycle in which they follow up a clean-sheet design with a freshened up version in its third year. This 2008 GSX-R600 is an updated riff on the 2006 version.

Anyway, the major theme with this revision is a boost in midrange power to go along with its new exterior duds. As 600cc sportbikes have been endowed with bigger top-end horsepower numbers, it’s come at the expense of accessible power at lower revs. Suzuki has addressed this problem with a host of changes to the Gixxer’s engine. Tech heads will want to check out the accompanying sidebar for more info on how they did it.

Tuning for Torque:
Not always a dirty phrase

The expression “tuned for torque” is often vilified by those who have seen exciting sportbike motors neutered in the search of more bounteous midrange power. But the demand for higher peak outputs from middleweight sportbikes have come at the expense of low- and mid-range performance. As such, whacking open the throttle below 8000 rpm on a contemporary 600 is most often met by response so flaccid that a Camry might beat you across an intersection.

Suzuki’s rejoinder to this conundrum is a plethora of revisions to the GSX-R600’s existing motor. Typical tuning tricks employed to gain more power down low include:

- Increased compression ratio, from 12.3 to 12.5:1

- Newly tapered intake ports to increase velocity

- Intake camshafts with slightly reduced valve lift

- Exhaust pipe diameter shrunk by 3mm for boosted power at peak torque revs

- Overall muffler volume increased

Fuel atomization is improved by changing the fuel injectors from 4-hole units to 8-holers. The addition of iridium-tipped spark plugs helps ensure a fuller burn.

Internally, the ventilation holes between cylinders again go up a couple of millimeters to reduce parasitic pumping losses. Suzuki makes no claim for higher peak output from this engine, but a Suzuki-supplied dyno graph shows greater horsepower and torque across the bulk of the rev range. Our seat-of-the-pants dyno confirms this assertion.

Although the Gixxer is just in its mid-cycle revision year, it looks like a ground-up redo when it’s seen in its fleshier new flesh. “We created this to be more than the fastest machine on the racetrack,” said Suzuki’s aptly named product planning guru, Norihiru Suzuki. “In short, we wanted it to be beautiful.”

Bodywork from front to rear is completely new, giving the G6 a more contemporary countenance. A nose job is the most obvious change. A centrally located low-beam projector light is flanked by dual high-beams for a purported increase in side-area illumination. A “position lamp” is placed above the main headlight. Situated below are dual scoops for ram-air induction. Turnsignals remain neatly integrated into the rearview mirrors.

A little further back is a new gas tank that ups fuel capacity by 0.5 liter to 4.5 gallons. Below are curvy new side fairings with an X shape, while a more flamboyant tailsection includes integrated turnsignals with clear lenses. Four colors schemes are available in the U.S. The white/silver version might be my fave, and yellow/black and all-black iterations join the traditional Gixxer blue/white combo which includes a blue seat. Kudos go to Suzuki for providing a passenger seat cowl at no extra charge, unlike the other OEMs.

An item borrowed from the liter-sized GSX-R is the electronically controlled steering damper, and this makes itself known while rolling out onto Misano’s foggy pit lane during our first session. While the previous unintelligent damper made low-speed steering a bit awkward, this smarter version has seemingly no affect at parking-lot velocities. “Movement has become more neutral,” says Suzuki’s aforementioned Suzuki.

To be honest, that’s about all I could glean from the new bike during our first session that was shrouded by thick mist. Vision was greatly impaired, which is doubly troubling when it’s your first time riding a new race circuit. Compound this with a fogged up faceshield, and even a GS500 with a plug wire pulled off would be exciting.

This might’ve been a good time to experiment with the Suzuki Drive Mode Selector that is a new addition to the smallest GSX-R, but I didn’t need any new distractions. More on the S-DMS later. In the meantime, the cold track temps yielded low grip for the newest Bridgestone sport tires, BT016 Hypersports, resulting in a few slides as I wobbled my way through the mist.

The second session of the day was thankfully blessed with a moderate amount of sunshine, upping grip levels and extending visibility greatly. Now that I could get a handle on the track and see where I was going, the Gixxer revealed itself to be the excellent sporting tool GSX-Rs are known for.

Nothing new in the geometry department, as rake, trail and wheelbase remain the same as previous: 23.45 degrees, 3.82 inches (97mm) and 55.1 inches, respectively. As such, the G6 is as trustworthy as ever. Turn-in is obedient, and the bike’s slim and compact stature makes its rider feel like a master. One of the great challenges of Misano is the Curvone, a fifth-gear sweeper that tests a rider’s courage a motorcycle’s stability. The GSX-Rs new steering damper helped make it a knee-down corner at a-buck-thirty-five.

Sensations new to the little Gixxer arrive with the throttle open and closed. As before, the Gixxer uses the Suzuki Dual Throttle Valve system which consists of dual butterfly valves in each throttle body. The primary is directly connected to the throttle cable, while the secondary is controlled by the ECU based on rpm, gear position and primary valve position. The secondary also is adjusted by a new, faster computer to maintain intake velocity. These work in conjunction with the new 8-hole twin fuel injectors per cylinder. Suzuki’s exhaust butterfly valve is also controlled by the ECU to optimize power at all rpm, working in conjunction with slightly increased muffler volume for the ’08 model.

The above is a mouthful that, together with the midrange-enhancing tweaks for ’08, results in throttle response free of stumbles and lurches. More impressive is how the middleweight mill pulls from the smaller numbers on the legible tachometer. Midrange squirt now likely exceeds the Kawi ZX-6R and even the trick new R6, though my butt dyno still says the CBR600RR is the 599cc bike to beat in this respect.

When it’s time to bleed speed, the Gixxer has a couple of enhancements to do it easier. Reacting to the front brake lever is a master cylinder with a 2mm smaller bore for increased pressure at the caliper. A 2mm smaller leading piston in the front calipers maintains the same effort required at the lever, according the Suzuki’s Kai. The radial-mount Tokico calipers bite on new 310mm discs with four more buttons, now 12, for better heat dissipation. The extra weight from the added buttons is offset by 0.5mm thinner rotors, now at 5.0mm.

That’s a lot of tech details to describe brake feel that, to my hand, don’t feel much different than before. They have a softish initial bite but are plenty powerful. Journos faster than me had praise for them, and it’s feasible that they would better be able to handle the rigors of racing than the previous binders. If it makes you feel better, you might appreciate knowing that they are said to be the same brakes as used on the heavier and faster Hayabusa.

While we’re in the braking zone, let’s touch on another notable tweak: a better slipper clutch. Suzuki has added an additional clutch plate with revised friction material and a modified drive cam shape. Tech stuff aside, I can say Suzuki has taken a good back-torque-limiting clutch and made it better, able to suck up sloppy and/or rapid downshifts without upsetting the chassis.

As speeds grew faster throughout the day, it revealed the Misano circuit to be the bumpiest GP track on the schedule. But the Gixxer responded very well at sucking up the imperfections. Suzuki reports only mild internal revisions to the 41mm Showa fork and the Showa shock for ’08.

With the first day of riding sessions completed, the spoiled and smart-assy journalists and I looked forward to the next day when we’d have a full day of riding in the sunshine. Well, it turns out that Misano would be a fickle lover. Fog thicker than the day before kept us off the track until well after lunch. Oh, feel our pain!

This gave us time to literally and figuratively kick some tires, of which the BT016 Hypersport Bridgestones will come on all Gixxer 6s and 750s for ’08. That rubber is mounted on new, cooler wheels that are said to be lighter, though Suzuki didn’t say by how much, so it’s obviously not a lot.

Eventually the fog abated somewhat and we suited up for another couple of sessions. This time the murkiness enticed me to try out the Drive Mode Selector first seen on the 2007 GSX-R1000. Mode A is the full-power setting. Mode B offers softer throttle response at all rpm ranges, while mode C is knocks back power even further.

Cat begins with the letter C, and another name for cat is pussy. All I’m saying is that I could only tolerate one lap in C mode before frustration set in. It might make sense on a 160-horse literbike, in the rain, but it mutes a 600’s power too much.

Mode B, on the other hand, was quite entertaining. It felt like the thrust of an early-‘90s 600, so the power wasn’t as clipped as I anticipated. It was actually enjoyable to dial on the throttle to the stops exiting corners without much fear of launching myself to the moon.

Still, riding in any setting but A mode is like having sex with a porn star in the missionary position – it may be fun, but it’s not all it can be. The acrobatics really bust loose after 10,000 rpm when the Gixxer shrieks to its power peak around 14 grand, with 2000 revs of overrev headroom before its 16K redline.

The S-DMS is just one part of what Suzuki refers to as “rider-friendly performance.” The instruments include a handy gear-position indicator, and the shift light is programmable for rpm and brightness. (Oddly, there is no lap-timer function.) Adjustable footpegs are again part of the ergo package, still the only bike in the class to offer this desirable feature. And the shift lever is easily adjustable for the best fit for feet and can be simply converted to a GP-style shift pattern if that’s your preference.

So as I wiped the Adriatic mist from my faceshield for the last time, I was sure I was stepping off the best GSX-R600 yet. Its most desirable changes are its punchier midrange and its sharper styling, with bonus points for a more compliant slipper clutch.

On the negative side of the ledger are two areas in which bigger numbers are less pleasing. The G6’s claimed dry weight is now 363 lbs, an increase of 9 due largely to the revised exhaust system. And its MSRP takes a $500 jump to $9399. That’s $300 more than the Kawi, but it’s $200 cheaper than the Honda and Yamaha.

Which one would we most want to park in our garage? In the spirit of the election season, we’d better congregate ’em and hold a caucus!

By Kevin Duke. Mar. 05,2008

Kawasaki Ninja 250R

2008-07-24T17:38:00.002+07:00

By Alice Sexton, Feb. 20, 2008, Photography by Adam Campbell

The year was 1988 and I was standing at the entrance of Coleman Powersports in Arlington, VA, looking at a sea of chrome, plastic and metal. I’d bought my first bike there and after one summer and 3,000 miles on a 200cc machine, I was ready to move up. Right smack in front of me were two black and red sportbikes that looked more like Samurai blades than anything else. The Ninja 250 and the Ninja 600 parked nose-to-nose made my heart race with thoughts of screaming past the DC police at 3 am on my way home from a night of slam dancing at the 9:30 Club. I sat on both, decided that with thirty-five dollars and only a six-pack to my name, I couldn’t afford the 600. And why buy a 250 when I was moving up from a 200cc bike?

Fast forward 20 years and I’m swinging my leg over a bright red (just like my hair) 2008 Ninja 250R ready for a road test. There are so many new aspects to the 2008; it’s hard to know where to start. First and foremost, this little screamer doesn’t even look like a 250. The new sleek and contemporary body styling more closely mirrors that of the 600 model. Kawasaki wisely left off the 250 sticker, so only a true bike-ofile would know the difference. There’s a new windscreen, new 2-into-1 exhaust with single canister and a new two-piece seat with optional rear seat cowl ($99.95) to finish off the sporty look. Wow.

The updated and overhauled Ninja 250R looks every bit the part of the bigger Ninjas.

At 5-foot-1, the new 30.5-inch seat height had me on my tippy-toes, but the bike is so light (reported 333 lbs. dry, up nearly 30 lbs) this was hardly a concern. The narrow seat certainly helps those of us who belong to the inseam-challenged group or the new rider who feels most comfortable with both feet down. Kawasaki research indicates that 62% of Ninja 250 owners are new riders, and 33% of that group is women. Being able to plant both feet firmly on the ground is one of the most cited concerns for all beginning riders who are purchasing their first bike.

Once in the saddle, the seating position is a tad sportier and more forward sloping than before, but still quite upright with an easy, comfortable reach to the high and wide bars. This makes a trip through city traffic much easier than one might be if reaching for low-slung clip-ons. Reach from seat to footpegs was so comfortable I had to make myself take note. Levers are easy to command and the feel is quick and responsive. The clutch engaged rather far out, but even with my 2.5-percentile hand, I had no problems.

New for 2008 is a large speedo right in the center, with a tach to the left and new gas gauge to the right. Apparently a gas gauge is important to Ninja 250 owners, so now they have a big juicy one. At first I thought I would miss the center tach, as my last experience with the previous model was thumb-wrestling riders at a Kawasaki-sponsored trackday to see who would get to ride the screamin' little 250s. Keeping an eye on revs is crucial when trying to ride as fast as you can on the track, not so for street riding, which is the most common use of the 250. Big speedo, good. Gas gauge, better.

Most new riders needn't be concerned with engine temps, but running out of petrol might freak them out! Kawi did away with the temp gauge in favor of a very practical fuel gauge.

The quarter-liter Ninja turns quickly and with seemingly little effort, making it loads of fun through tight twisty canyons.

There are so many improvements to the 2008 250R it gets difficult to focus on what might be the one best change-up, but perhaps the most important upgrade is the move up to 17-inch wheels. I never had much trouble finding 16-inch rubber for the old bike because I knew where to look, but my test group seemed to agree that the new six-spoke wheels, wider rims and more accessible modern tire selection was at the top of the list, with an A+ for more neutral handling at low and high speeds. The new and larger 290mm front and 220mm rear petal-style rotors with dual-piston calipers give the ’08 250 much improved and noticeably more sportbike-like stopping power.

For me the most notable improvement is the suspension. I’ve put plenty of miles on the previous model and the ride always had an uncertain soft feeling. A 37mm Showa (36mm on previous model) front fork and a new Kayaba rear shock with five-way adjustable pre-load make for a stiffer and more precise, crisp ride. Surely adding to this stability is the improved chassis with diamond-type frame. The 26-degree rake angle is 1 degree steeper than the old 250, so the quarter-liter Ninja turns quickly and with seemingly little effort, making it loads of fun through tight twisty canyons.

Rounding out all of the improvements that make this little Ninja feel like a big bike is the newly engineered 249cc parallel-Twin motor. Although it’s based on the previous engine, Kawi says 70% of it has been re-designed, including new cams and a revised cylinder head, to result in a claimed 30% bump in mid-range power. Dual Keihin carburetors were fitted instead of a fuel-injection system. Fuel injection, although standard on the European models, would have pushed the sales price above the $4000 threshold where the American market allegedly draws the line. The Ninja’s powerplant engineer, Kozo Arai (no not the helmet guy!), was on hand to oversee our test rides, and although he spoke absolutely no English, he did show me his club-racing license from Japan where he competes on a ZX-10R, so you know the right guy was working on this project!

Weighing quite a bit less than the average test rider in our group, I had no problems with acceleration. Throttle response was even and predictable, another big plus for beginners. The bike seemed most happy at a steady 8-9 grand in every gear. I rode the little Ninja right up to redline in every gear and it pulled steadily all the way through. The best part was that I couldn’t even scare myself – I was laughing like a crazy maniac!

62% of Ninja 250 owners are new riders, and 33% of that group is women.

Since its inception in 1986, the Ninja 250 has been among the best-selling bikes in Kawasaki’s line up. In fact, Kawi sold more little Ninjas in 2007 than anything else in its lineup! Most buyers are beginners, but many keep the highly fuel-efficient little Ninja for commuting. The 2008 version claims 50 mpg from its 4.8-gallon tank. After 100 miles of city, freeway and canyon riding, I still had well over half a tank on the dial.

Read all of the statistics you want, the new Ninja 250R is just a flat-out blast to ride. Wind it up and let it go, it screams and howls like a factory racer. It’s sleek, sporty, and has a big bike feel without the struggle or the price tag. I was so busy having fun that I barely noticed the bike beneath me and had to force myself to focus on testing the components.

While the new Ninja 250R has been a favorite among beginners, this new version was also designed to capture the heart of the more aggressive, mature rider. And, at an MSRP of just $3499 it’s right on the money.

________________________

Alice Sexton is Director of Communications with the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA), and has been riding motorcycles for 20 years.