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Comparo: Superbikes
Japan's Road Rockets
Is Suzuki’s newcomer going to rule the pack?
Let’s take a look at how well the GSX-R 1000 cuts it with the other current Japanese contenders for the Superbike crown — not at the Island or the Creek, but on the road where you would be most likely to ride them.
Honda CBR 1000 RRThere were quite a few changes from the 05 to the 06 model FireBlade, so it’s not really a surprise that the bike continues into 07 essentially unchanged. The bike has been campaigned very successfully on Australian race tracks, which may go some way towards explaining its sales success, but we’re inclined to think the overall balance between outright performance and road-friendliness has a lot to do with it as well. | |
What’s it good at?
Despite being sharpened up quite considerably for 06, the Honda is still the pick of the road rockets for only, well, the road. Krusty Fergusson and Josh Brooks can win on the track, but your pillion can also win on the back; the bike is comfortable and roadworthy one or two up, even if it isn’t the almost-a-sports-tourer of bygone models. Good fairing, good bottom-end power and nice, clear mirrors.
What’s it not so good at?Umm, well, err ... nothing, really, except for lacking the absolute top-end performance of its competitors and therefore a smidgin of street cred at the pub. This may be the reason why both the Suzuki and the Yamaha get more respect, while the Kawasaki shares the Honda’s perception doldrums a little. Well, actually, we do think we know why: the Suzuki keeps winning sports-bike awards and the Yamaha always gets a good rap in the bike press. Is that just because it’s so pretty? We hope not. The Honda’s throttle is also a little abrupt. | | | | Who would buy it?Anyone who really cared about comfort but didn’t want to sacrifice performance and handling. And who doesn’t go down to the pub with his riding mates much, or is big enough not to get a lot of chat. And who has a girlfriend or wife who’s actually happy to come along on Sunday morning scratches.
Despite the fact that this is not the standout model among these four in terms of performance, we’ll happily forecast that the FireBlade will still be the biggest seller — especially with the recently reduced price.
QuickspecsModel: Honda CBR 1000 RR FireBlade
Price: $17,290 (plus on-road charges)
Warranty: Two years, unlimited distance
Power: 126.4kW at 11.250rpm
Torque: 115Nm at 10,000rpm
Engine: Liquid-cooled inline four, four-stroke, four valves per cylinder, DOHC, electronic fuel injection and digital ignition
Bore x stroke: 75mm x 56.5mm
Displacement: 998cc
Compression ratio: 12.2:1
Transmission: Six-speed, multi-plate wet clutch, final drive by O-ring chain
Rake/trail: 66.3 degrees/100mm
Suspension: Front, 43mm upside-down telescopic fork, fully adjustable, travel 120mm. Rear, link-type single shock absorber, fully adjustable, travel 135mm
Dimensions: Seat height 810mm, dry weight 1764kg, fuel capacity 18 litres, wheelbase 1400mm
Tyres: Front, 120/70 ZR17. Rear, 190/50 ZR17
Frame: Aluminium alloy twin spar
Brakes: Front, twin 320mm discs with four-piston calipers. Rear, single 220mm disc with single-piston floating caliper
Top speed: 285km/h
Acceleration:
0–100km/h: 3.2 sec
0–200km/h: 8 sec
Kawasaki ZX-10RLike the Honda, the Kawasaki saw a truly major update from 05 to 06 and is therefore essentially unchanged for this model. Someone at Kawasaki must have found a few spare pots of black paint, though, because there’s quite a bit more black on this bike.
We do like the scalloped “petal” brake discs, even though they’re fairly discreet.
What’s it good at?Sunday morning scratching, where the rider can take a break at regular intervals. Raw mounds of accessible power, a humungous flywheel that almost drags you out of corners and ergonomics that are all about telling the bike what you want it to do. Throttle response is silky smooth, a speciality with Kawasaki these days. Excellent slipper clutch and a highly effective Ohlins steering damper.
What’s it not so good at?Comfort, in a word. In a world where sports bikes are becoming as comfortable as tourers were 30 years ago, the ZX-10R stands like a beacon of ... well, of what sports bikes were like 30 years ago! The handlebars are low, the fairing gives limited protection and there’s quite a bit of vibration.
It’s geared too high. Given the amount of power this bike has, it would be good to see some more of it at the bottom end or in the mid-range, but there’s no complaint from us about the brutal push at the top. The ZX will wheelie from 6000 (which could, of course, be good if that’s what you want).
It could do with more powerful brakes, too, if it’s ridden hard.
What’s different about it?For 2007, the bike gets revised steering damper settings and a touch of black; the muffler covers and rear shock absorber, footrest brackets for rider and passenger, outer front fork and upper steering holder are all black, while the wheels are red.
And the Special Edition gets the most custom-styled paint job we’ve ever seen on a sports bike, with gleaming flames snaking around the bike. Our opinions about this look are divided, but mainly negative.
Who would buy it?The plain one? A dedicated Sunday morning scratcher who wants control above all. Well, that and maximum top-end power. The flamed one? As above, but with a healthy dollop of exhibitionism thrown in. In either case, someone with a life partner who is not interested in Sunday morning scratching, or who comes along in the car.
Having said that, let us add that this is a very easy bike to love. As long as you don’t have to ride it for a whole day or anything...
If there is a winner in this class, given the reasons people buy these kinds of bikes, the ZX-10R is probably it.
QuickspecsModel: Kawasaki ZX-10R
Price: $18,990, Special flamed Edition $19,290 (plus on-road charges)
Warranty: Two years, unlimited distance
Power: 128.7kW at 11,700rpm
Torque: 115Nm at 9500rpm
Engine: Liquid-cooled inline four, four-stroke, four valves per cylinder, DOHC, electronic fuel injection and digital ignition
Bore x stroke: 76mm x 55mm
Displacement: 998cc
Compression ratio: 12.7:1
Transmission: Six-speed, multi-plate wet clutch, slipper clutch, final drive by O-ring chain
Rake/trail: 65.5 degrees/102mm
Suspension: Front, 43mm upside-down telescopic fork, fully adjustable, travel 120mm. Rear, link-type single shock absorber, fully adjustable, travel 125mm
Dimensions: Seat height 820mm, dry weight 175kg, fuel capacity 17 litres, wheelbase 1390mm
Tyres: Front, 120/70 ZR17. Rear, 190/55 ZR17
Frame: Aluminium alloy, twin spar
Brakes: Front, twin 300mm discs with four-piston calipers. Rear, single 220mm disc with single-piston floating caliper
Top speed: 296km/h
Acceleration:
0–100km/h: 3.3 sec
0–200km/h: 7.6 sec
Yamaha YZF-R1Like Muhammad Ali, the R1 has long been the prettiest of the superbikes but it hasn’t lacked punch, either. It could do with more midrange — there’s a distinct hole between 3000rpm and 4500rpm, but there’s very little else to criticise.
What’s it good at?What do you want? Brakes are superb. Gear changes are smooth, the bike tracks and corners beautifully and the suspension can just about cope with the worst roads around. The seat is comfortable, but see below.
Interestingly enough, the R1 is the best-equipped bike in this lot for touring — as long as you’re going one up. It has four webbing luggage loops under the pillion seat and the tank, which is steel, will accommodate a magnetic tank bag.
What’s it not so good at?The R1 is a bit like your mummy in that it tucks you in. The seat slides you forward and almost locks you into position. This is not as much of a problem as it might be because that position is pretty much the right one, but we’d still rather be able to move about a bit more easily.
The steering damper didn’t seem to be quite as effective as the Suzuki’s and the Honda’s.
What’s different about it?Lots of new technology, but almost all designed to make the bike comply with the Euro3 pollution law. You don’t really notice it. On the other hand, the bike copes with rough roads much better than the 06 model.
Who would buy it?Really anybody who wanted an absolutely top-line sports bike but didn’t like big red ‘S’s. It’s almost as good as the GSX-R, which I guess gives away the winner...
QuickspecsModel: Yamaha YZF-R1
Price: $19,399 (plus on-road charges)
Warranty: Two years, unlimited distance
Power: 132.4kW at 12,500rpm
Torque: 1136Nm at 10,500rpm
Engine: Liquid-cooled inline four, four-stroke, four valves per cylinder, DOHC, electronic fuel injection and digital ignition
Bore x stroke: 77mm x 53.6mm
Displacement: 998cc
Compression ratio: 12.7:1
Transmission: Six-speed, multi-plate wet clutch, slipper clutch, final drive by O-ring chain
Rake/trail: 66 degrees/102mm
Suspension: Front, 43mm upside-down telescopic fork, fully adjustable, travel 120mm. Rear, link-type single shock absorber, fully adjustable, travel 130mm
Dimensions: Seat height 785mm, dry weight 177kg, fuel capacity 18 litres, wheelbase 1415mm
Tyres: Front, 120/70 ZR17. Rear, 190/50 ZR17
Frame: Aluminium alloy, twin spar
Brakes: Front, twin 310mm discs with six-piston calipers. Rear, single 220mm disc with single-piston floating caliper
Top speed: 285km/h
Acceleration:
0–100km/h: 3.2 sec
0–200km/h: 7.4 sec
And finally
Suzuki GSX-R 1000Since it’s the new boy on the block, you would expect the GSX-R to bring a bit of innovation to the fray, and it does precisely that.
Possibly the most interesting novelty is the Suzuki Drive Mode Selector (S-DMS). Forget being able to change the suspension characteristics on the run, a la BMW. On the new GSX-R you can change the computer’s mapping from A (full roar) to B (softer bottom end) and finally C (detuned). And it’s all done with a handlebar switch while you’re rolling. Suzuki says the modes are designed for different sections of the track, such as open, tight, twisty, wet and so on. What it boils down to, in our opinion, is really that A is for the track and C is for the road, but the rider always has the choice.
There are too many other changes to list here. Let’s leave it at saying it’s considerably more technically trick but also heavier.
We’ve been given an interesting insight into the discussions that led eventually to the bike that’s now in the shops.
“The latest mission given to the development staff for the new GSX-R1000,” says the factory, “(was) to keep it on its track of continued evolution, was to further heighten its class-leading basic performance aspects — ‘running’, ‘braking’ and ‘cornering’ — and at the same time provide the machine with comprehensive adjustability to allow more and more riders to match it to their own personal tastes and thus make the machine's high performance more accessible to a greater number of riders.
“This development policy arose from the conflicting opinions of two development test riders working on the GSX-R1000 — one test rider favored linear engine power characteristics, while another test rider demanded more ‘peaky’ characteristics generating strong power from low rpm. The two riders debated their opposing points of view in a series of discussions. Their conclusion: the best solution is to let the bike suit the rider's tastes rather than expect the rider to get used to the bike.”
An admirable aim and it looks like Suzuki has hit the target. The bike’s adjustability is outstanding and performance is staggering. But the changes come at some cost. We’ve already mentioned the increased weight. The bike has also lost that staggering bottom-end urge that set the 06 model apart. Other than that, meet the new king. Same as the old king.
Yes, the Gixxer rules again.
What’s it good at?Allowing you to personalise it for yourself and any riding conditions while remaining relatively roomy and comfortable.
What’s it not so good at?Catapulting you off the line like the previous model. That’s actually a gain, not a loss! It doesn’t sound as aggressive. The electronic steering damper doesn’t quite catch all the fork movement.
What’s different about it?At first sight, mainly the S-DMS, but it’s been improved in many different ways.
Who would buy it?You would, as you very well know, if your girlfriend or wife (sorry, this is mainly a boy’s bike and indeed a boy’s category — and that’s not according to us, that’s the sales statistics) was considerably more accommodating and you could afford a lot of track time. Oh, and if you had, say, 10 new points for your licence every couple of weeks.
The GSX-R’s combination of power, on-road competence and adjustability makes it the current superbike king.
QuickspecsModel: Suzuki GSX-R 1000
Price: N/a as I write this, but presumably competitive
Warranty: Two years, unlimited distance
Power: 136kW at 12,000rpm
Torque: 117Nm at 10,000rpm
Engine: Liquid-cooled inline four with one balancer shaft, four-stroke, four valves per cylinder, DOHC, electronic fuel injection and digital ignition
Bore x stroke: 73.4mm x 59mm
Displacement: 999cc
Compression ratio: 12.5:1
Transmission: Six-speed, multi-plate wet clutch, slipper clutch, final drive by O-ring chain
Rake/trail: 66.2 degrees/98mm
Suspension: Front, 43mm upside-down telescopic fork with electronic steering damper, fully adjustable, travel 120mm. Rear, link-type single shock absorber, fully adjustable, travel 125mm
Dimensions: Seat height 810mm, dry weight 172kg, fuel capacity 17.5 litres, wheelbase 1415mm
Tyres: Front, 120/70 ZR17. Rear, 190/50 ZR17
Frame: Aluminium alloy twin spar
Brakes: Front, twin 310mm discs with four-piston calipers. Rear, single 220mm disc with single-piston floating caliper
Top speed: 295km/h
Acceleration:
0–100km/h: 3.2 sec
0–200km/h: 7.5 sec
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