2007 KTM Street Bike Intro

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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