Fast Bikes July 2014

PLUS
WIN A YAM
AHA
LONGTERM YZF-R6
AND FIVE S ER!
E
DUNLOPS TS OF
T
GIVE AWAYO
!
2014 RIDER CUP
JAPAN VS EUROPE NUTTY NAKEDS

KAWASAKI Z1000 VS BMW S 1000 R
JOHN MCGUINNESS
"OVERTAKING JOEY? I'VE GOT MORE CHANCE

OF S******G IN THE QUEEN'S HANDBAG!"
PLUS: A GRAND DAY IN DUCATI SERVICING, TT CLOSE SHAVES,

GLADIUS-ATOR STOCK VS SUPERTWIN, AND STACKS MORE!
WorldMags.net
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ISSUE 289 JULY 2014
WorldMags.net
30
CORE TEST
A GRAND DAY OUT
ROAD TESTS
BIKES ARENT ALL ABOUT FIVE FIGURES AND ELECTRONIC

AIDS. THE CHEAP SEATS OFFER JUST AS MUCH FUN...
FIRST RIDE
KTM RC390 ADAC Cup ....................24

Rootsy heads to Italy to sample KTMs new A2
compliant RC390 but in race trim ready for some
lucky German kids to abuse!
GROUP TEST
A Grand Day Out ............................ 30

Sportsbikes are available at all sorts of prices and
here we dig out four crackers from around 1,000.
Yes, your summer could look like this!
2000 Aprilia RSV1000

1998 Kawasaki ZX-9R
YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A

12 YAMAHA LONGTERMER!
SUMMER
THE BEST MITTS.
14 ROUND UPGLOVING! WE
2001 Suzuki GSX-R750

2001 Honda FireBlade
MEGA
MOTOS
ROAD VS RACE
Suzuki Gladius ............................... 48

The very humble Suzuki Gladius gets a complete
reworking by the boys at JHS Racing, turning a
happy hack into a genuine TT contender.
THE UNITED STATES.

ON THE S 1000 R. GAME ON!
19 BRUCE CHARGES THROUGH 71 NUTTY NAKEDS: Z1000 TAKES
WorldMags.net
july20 4 www.fastbikesmag.com
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ISSUE 289 JULY 2014
WorldMags.net
ITS THE NEWS
Upfront .............................................10
As ever, its a busy old world out there, so we round up the
news plus win you own Yamaha longtermer!
GEARED UP
Products............................................ 14
We feature the best in hand protection in the form of ten
pairs of top spec gloves coming in at around 100.
GET IT FIRST
Subscribe ........................................ 103

Get your dose of sportsbike hedonism posted to you 13
times a year and receive an awesome VR46 T-shirt!
117
THE KNOWLEDGE
CLOSE SHAVES
MASTERCLASS
Used Buyers Guide .......................... 85

Used prices of Benelli Tornados are very tempting. But
what makes them so cheap? Find out with our guide!
RACE FEATURE
Riding .............................................. 90
Why does riding a bike seem faster than it sometimes is?
THOSE MOMENTS THAT MAKE

THE HEART SKIP A BEAT...
Technical ...........................................92
We spend time on the dyno to check out fuelling mods.
SERVICING
CLASSIC TRACKS
A Grand Day In .........45
Modern Classics .......78
A new bike or a service?
Four of the best new tracks!
TEN WITH
USED TEST
Adrian Morton .........63
Benelli Tornado........85
MVs shapes and colours man.
Superbike or super pain in the arse?
Legal .................................................97
So whats the score when you get rammed from the rear?
YOUR LIFE ON BIKES
Chatter ............................................. 98
Its been another hectic month, with some of you
crashing, having fun with kids and sticking stickers!
Tracks and Travel ............................100

The best in where to go, what to do, and how fast to ride!
OUR LIFE ON BIKES
Staff Bikes ...................................... 104

And what a eet weve assembled. By the look of things
2014 is going to be a very special year at FB Towers...
Kawasaki ZX-6R
Triumph StreetTriple R
BMW S 1000 R
24
KTM RC390
KTM 1290 Super Duke R

Yamaha MT-09
RACE SECTION
Pit Pass ............................................ 112

You-know-who is making everyone look like chumps...
Race Feature ....................................117

Close shaves at the TT dont get closer than these...
COLUMNISTS
Martin Jessopp .................................127

As the racing looms, the day job gets in the way...
W W W.F
ASTBIK
ESMAG.
COM
Chaz Davies.................129
Our man on the Ducati WSB bike...
Steve Parrish.....130
Whats our Steve been up to then?
buyfbgear
fastbikesmag.com
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WELCOME
A Grand Day Out
heres more to life than money, but

in terms of facilitating your biking
dreams it does help if you have easy
access to the green stuff. With most modern
sportsbikes having ve gure price tags
dangling from their handlebars, new
machinery is often out of our reach even if
modern PCP schemes offer an attractive
alternative to nancing our desires.
A dozen years ago we were, no doubt,
having the same discussion. Superlatives
were being daubed all over the superbikes of
the era, and rightly so. These were good
bikes correction, great bikes and the only
thing that has changed is the context they
now nd themselves in (and the odd butcher
of an owner). A well looked after bike from
2002 will perform in exactly them same way
as it did back then better if it has been
treated to some modern rubber and a
suspension set-up. We declared these
machines great way back then, but is a 12
year old bike still relevant? And when it
comes to these bikes, how low can you go?
We decided to go as low as we dare, and
set about nding bikes creeping into the low
four gure price bracket. Check on eBay or
Gumtree and there are a stack of them
about whether they are t for purpose is
another matter. Possessing tax and an MOT,
these bikes are legal, but can they offer the
thrills we demand given how pampered we
are with todays bikes with their plush
suspension, electronics and designer looks?
The answer? Its a qualied yes. There are
some great bikes out there for a bit over a
grand, but you have to sort the wheat from
the chaff. If youre prepared to be patient,
go on some wild goose chases and dont
mind haggling you can get not just a
winter hack, but some summer fun for
a grand that will refuse to depreciate.
It doesnt matter what you
ride in our mind, new or old,
cheap or pricey. Just ride...
30
HOWLOW
CANYOUGO?
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EDITOR
Simon Rootsy Roots
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DEPUTY EDITOR
Benjamin BJ Kubas Cronin
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ROAD TEST EDITOR
Alastair A-Force Fagan
alastair.fagan@futurenet.com
ART EDITOR
Ian Andrea Lloyd-Edwards
ian.lloydedwards@futurenet.com
AD MANAGER
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THEGRIDOFNEWS
Whos qualified where in this months news race?
01 ROAD
If your copy of Closer to the Edge has worn thin,
then you need to watch Road. This lm is a story of
two sets of brothers Joey and Robert Dunlop, and
Roberts sons, William and Michael. Narrated by
Liam Nielsen, its a great insight into the inter
generational private worlds of the Dunlop clan.
02 NINET PROJECT JAPAN

A group of four Japanese custom bike builders
have been given a perfectly good BMW nineT each
to take apart and build them back up again in their
own inimitable style. Clearly an attempt to garner
some publicity for the bike that needs no publicity
(its sold out), we really can wait to see what these
customisers come up with...
01
02
07 ADDICTION
05
03 OFF-ROAD EXPERIENCE
This years MORE date has been set, and youll
be able to try off roading at Bevercotes track in
Nottinghamshire between the 20th and 23rd of
June. The idea of the experience is to serve as a
taster for off road riding. Its just 25 for
everything. Head to www.rideoffroad.co.uk.
06
Triumph Live is back, and the music line-up has

been announced. The omnipresent Toseland will be
playing on Saturday July 12th, alongside Reverend
and the Makers. The event has moved away from
Mallory Park after troubles there, and Gaydon
Heritage Motor Centre will host the event this year.
Tickets are 28 from www.triumph-live.co.uk.
08
05 WIN: DUNLOP GP212 GP PROS
09
06 SAROLA SP7
If there was a prize awarded for style in the TT
Zero race, then this creation, the Sarola SP7 must
If youve got a thing of beauty in your garage

then we want to shoot it alongside a different thing
of beauty as part of our Addiction series. You could
win a set of amazing Dymag carbon bre wheels
thats 2,500 worth of wheelage right there and
imagine how good your bike will be with these on.
Email pics and specs to fastbikes@futurenet.com
08 WE HAVE A WINNER
04 TRIUMPH LIVE
After giving away ve pairs of Dunlop GP212 GP

Pros last month, that had come straight off the
motorsport production line for the TT, weve
managed to get hold of another ve to give away.
This time were offering ve pairs of 120/70 fronts
and 190/55 rears. They are our current tyre of the
year and stick like the proverbial to a blanket. Head
to www.fastbikesmag.com/competitions now!
be up for a prize. Weve not seen form and function

combine like this for a while, and although the bike
looks like a work of art, its designed to do
0-60mph in 2.8 seconds. Robert Wilson will take
charge of the bike in the 2014 TT Zero race, and
given the Sarola SP7 is 50 kilos lighter with 40bhp
more power than John McGuinness Mugen, it
could be in with a shout
Speaking of Addiction, our 2013 winner, Terry

Bunn, has just got hold of his Dymag wheels.
Presented to him by Dymags Nick Hill, Nick saw
the ZX-7R up close and was blown away at the level
of detail put into the bike. For his efforts the set of
carbon bre CA5 wheels should look absolutely
amazing once on. We cant wait to see it.
09 THE BOL IS BACK

News reaches us that the 2015 Bol DOr will
return to its spiritual home at Paul Ricard. If you
dont know what that means then just imagine the
most perfect race ever held at one of the most
iconic tracks in the world all while you gently bake
in the late summer heat. Weve booked the time
off already! Racing takes place on September 19th
and 20th next year, so pencil it in now.
10 GUY MARTIN BOOK

10
Guy Martin has put pen to paper and come up with

what promises to be the most engaging and
entertaining autobiographies in ages. Every single
second in his company is time well spent, as he
cant fail to come up with stories about this, that
and tother, so the book is packed with incident, all
told in his own inimitable style. Stick the kettle on,
its going to be good read that will go
well with the brew!
WorldMags.net
11
UPFRONT
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YAMAHAYZF-R6!
SPEND THE REST OF A YEAR ON YAMAHAS POCKET ROCKET!
people Yamaha are offering one lucky reader
The lovelyprize rideatthe chancefor the rest of 2014. This really
the chance to
a YZF-R6
is a stunning
and
to sample the most focused
supersport machine on the planet! And then the decent folk at
Bikesure are going to insure it for you. Dont we know some
lovely people! So what do you have to do in return for this
bounty? All you need to do is provide us with some words and
pictures that will ll your very own page in the magazine each
month. So get lling in the form dont delay!
QUESTIONNAIRE FORM
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Address: .............................................................................................................
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CurrentMotorcycle:..........................................................................................
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Whenisyourcurrentpolicydueforrenewal?: ..............|..............|..............
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or over
Live in
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Northern Ireland.
Have a garage/
access to one
Be willing to
cover a 500
insurance excess.
Write your
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BASIC ENTRY GUIDELINES:

You must be aged 25 or over
You must live in mainland UK or Northern Ireland
You must have a garage or access to one
You must be willing to cover a 500 insurance
excess if necessary
You must write your copy 500 words a month!
If you t the criteria, simply ll in the form and send it to the address
listed. After the deadline (24th June 2014), a group of randomly
selected entrants will be chosen for a last task (see T&Cs online for
details), for the nal decision on the lucky winner Good Luck!
In no more than 50 words, tell us why

you are perfect for this opportunity:
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MITTPLEASURE
most
wanted
We round up the best mid-priced race

gloves for your hands to hanker after...
Your hands pack in a huge amount of nerves,
and when it comes to motorcycling thats
important for two reasons. The rst is that these
nerves create feel. Feel is wonderful stuff, and the
more of this you get transferred from your bike
and through your gloves to your hands (which
then send it to your brain), the better. Weve
chosen some of the best reasonably priced gloves
on the market (mostly around the 100 mark)
some top spec race gloves, other lower spec
street gloves but they all offer decent feel
wherever you ride. The second reason is that if you
should ever fall off said machine the nerve
endings will soon be communicating lots of
messages to your brain all hurty ones, too.
Thats why its crucial to do your research and
understand how a particular glove is made,
because their construction, materials and specic
design all go towards you feeling less pain when it
matters so long as youve chosen the right pair
DAINESE: VELOCE
89.99
WWW.DAINESE.COM
Daineses glove range is extensive, but we were surprised
to see these Veloce gloves at this price point. Theyre
constructed using cowhide with a kangaroo palm, giving
subtle sensitivity where it matters. Safety-wise, they're CE
Cat II certied thanks to soft inserts at the palm and
ngers with polyurethane knuckle guards. Closure comes
in the form of a cuff strap wi h tightening strap. The
ngers come precurved, and theres also a ladies version.
d
usete&
tes d
SPADA: CURVE
74.95
WWW.SPADACLOTHING.CO.UK
Stingray leather at this price is something weve
not seen before. Its tough old stuff, and is used
on the palm of this Curve glove for added impact
and abrasion resistance. Elsewhere, the glove
uses cow aniline leather with goat leather on the
back of the hand. Theres carbon protection on
the knuckle and cuff and TPU pods on the ngers
which also have two layers of leather to make
the Curve a very resilient glove indeed.
14
july 20 4 www.fastbikesmag.com
RST: PRO SERIES CPX-C

89.99
WWW.RST-MOTO.COM
The C in the title refers to RSTs use of carbon, as
found in the knuckle protection. The palm is
made using kangaroo leather with cowhide in
other areas. The gloves use Kevlar thread in
vulnerable areas and are Kevlar lined for
additional safety. Theres a double wrist and cuff
closure system to ensure they stay on, and a
silicon Powergrip material is used on the ngers
to provide excellent control to your throttle.
WorldMags.net
OXFORD: RP-1
69.99
WWW.OXPROD.COM
Not content with a new range of leathers, Oxford
has produced a new range of gloves, too. These
are the top spec RP-1. Made from goat skin at the
palm and cowhide elsewhere, the gloves also
have an Aramid lining in the upper and a Coolmax
lining to deal with sweaty palms. Stitching is all
external and the wrist, ngers and palm are all
precurved. Theres padding at the pertinent bits, a
little nger bridge and a TPU palm slider.
WorldMags.net
FURYGAN: AFS-18
99.99
WWW.FURYGAN.COM
Fresh in from the Frenchies at Furygan are these
AFS-18 gloves. This is the rms top-spec racing
glove, but it still comes in under the 100 mark.
They use a goat leather construction, using
perforated leather for better airow to the skin.
Theres a Skin Protect lining, meaning increased
abrasion resistance should the external
metacarpal protection need any back-up. They
are CE approved, use extra padding in vulnerable
areas and have two layers of leather at the palm.
IXON: RS MOTO HP
99.99
WWW.OXPROD.COM
Again, not the rms top of the range glove, these
Ixon RS Moto HPs still pack the spec in. They are
CE approved (as all French motorcycle clothing
has to be these days) and are full of features, like
ventilated knuckle protectors, a slider on the side
of the palm, a nger bridge and all constructed
from goat and cow leather with a Noxiguard
fabric inner that protects against tearing and
abrasion. Fingers and palm are precurved for
riding comfort, and are available in up to 4XL.
ALPINESTARS: SP-2
89.99
WWW.ALPINESTARS.COM
These SP-2s are quite a distance from
Alpinestars top spec glove, the magnicent GP
Tech, but coming in at comfortably under 100
the SP-2 is a high specced pair of mits and
borrows a lot from race R&D. More focused for the
road, the gloves get a carbon knuckle, Alpinestars
patented nger bridge on your outer pinkies, slide
panels on the cuff and energy absorbing EVA
impact pads on the palms all wrapped up in a
cow and goat leather mix. Love the ouro, too!
d
usete&
tes d
RACER: HIGH RACER
139.99
WWW.TRAN-AM.CO.UK
Austrian rm Racer has only been in the market
for 20 years, but theyve made a big impact on
the glove scene, and we always hear good things
about the quality of Racer mits. These High Racer
racing gloves feature a kangaroo construction
along the entire inside of the hand, carbon
protection at the knuckles, ngers and cuff, as
well as Knox hand armour protecting your poor
little scaphoid should the worse happen.
WEISE: SHARK WP
89.99
WWW.THEKEYCOLLECTION.CO.UK
Using a full grain leather, Weises Shark gloves
use the Knox SPS scaphoid system, TPU shell
armour on the knuckles and ngers and two
layers of leather at the impact points. The glove
becomes waterproof with the use of a McTex
lining to make sure that your hands stay dry while
it rains outside. Unlike some other waterproof
linings, the McFit system secures the lining
without stitching so it wont twist or pull out.
WorldMags.net
KNOX: BIOMECH
129.99
WWW.PLANET-KNOX.COM
If you step one place down from the Handroid you
get to the Biomech the glove of choice for
Michael Dunlop. It's full of features, like the Boa
closure system, scaphoid protection, nger
sliders and a knuckle with energy absorbing
honeycomb gel. It uses kangaroo leather on the
palm for good feel and aniline leather on the
ngers and back of the band, all stitched together
with high tenacity polyester thread.
15
GEARED UP
WorldMags.net
BUFFALO:
RETROJACKET
If youre after a very cheap and
very cheerful textile jacket, then
this Buffalo Retro jacket could be
what youre looking for. Yes, it is
only 69.99, but it still features a
waterproof and breathable drop
liner, removable thermal inner,
CE protection at the shoulders
and elbows, Velcro
adjustment at the cuffs and
waist, and a zip to attach to
trousers. Its available in a
range of colours and goes
from S-5XL. Impressive
stuff, given the price
69.99
www.thekeycollection.com
HM:QUICKSHIFTERGP
If youve not got a shifter on your bike, or arent happy
with the quality of the factory t version, then this could
be your ideal product. The unit is a clever piece of kit, using
HMs seamless shift system, a built in blipper, and with
each gear having its own kill time and sensitivity. Its a
plug and play system, and can be wired in to aftermarket
dashes to record and display data its got the lot!
780
TCX: X-RAPSNEAKERS
DAINESE:
T-SHIRT
If youve got a tatty old CX500 that youre turning into

some ber caf racer project thing, then in between waxing
your moustache and photoshopping what your bike is
going to end up like in your dreams, you may want to go on
a test ride down the Kings Road. If so, then these TCX
sneakers will come in handy. Surprisingly, given their look,
they are fully CE approved with protection at the toe and
heel area as well as an ankle lock system. Perfect for trips
to the coffee shop/boozer/tattoo parlour.
Classy stuff as
ever from Dainese,
this T-shirt does
whatever business
it needs to. Subtle,
stylish and as
comfortable as a
pair of slippers.
Youll struggle to
nd much
classier
24.99
www.dainese.
com
www.hmquickshifter.com
DYNOJET: POWERCOMMANDERFC
Heres a new Power Commander, in the form of the FC
standing for Fuel Controller. It does what it says on the
tin, in that its a cut down model of a PCV that deals with
fuel management only; so if you want a quickshifter,
ignition module or Autotune facilities then youll have to
go to the full spec product. The FC comes pre-programmed
with a map for your bike, you can download maps via the
Dynojet website, or there is the facility to custom build a
map. You can store 10 maps in the device and access them
via the unit without resorting to a computer as well as
change the fuelling 10 per cent either way of whatever
set-up youre running.
t
besy
bu
129.99
www.nevis.uk.com
211.15
www.dynojet.co.uk
VALTERMOTO: 3.5REARSETS
Valter Moto is one of the biggest brands in racing, but we hardly
see any of it here in the UK. Thats a crying shame because it
really is quality gear, as demonstrated by these rearsets. They are
CNC machined from Ergal and offer a big range of adjustability to
suit you and your riding (there are nine positions available). There
are three shift positions on the gear side, while both toepegs are
spring loaded, which is very handy if youre scuffing the edges. All
in, they weigh 1,280 grams not to mention looking the bomb!
16
418.56
WorldMags.net
www.iomrp.im
WorldMags.net
ANDREANI: MT-09CARTRIDGEKIT
We were astounded at the ability of the Yamaha MT-09 when it was
released, but we noted that the front suspension needed a little fettling to
get it to work to its full potential. If you need some more work on
your new pride and joy then Andreani Suspension has
come up with this cartridge kit for the triple.
Andreani has a big reputation in the WSB paddock,
and this is reected in this fully adjustable
product. Better damping leads to better precision
that leads to happier MT-09 owners check out the
UKs Full Travel Suspension for prices in sterling.
468
SAMCO:
HOSEKIT
You can guess
who these hoses
are for Als got
hold of this set of
Samco hoses for
his race bike. Made
in the UK using
European silicone,
Samco build bike
kits for a host of
machines, and
offer almost any
colour you can
think of. These
replacement hoses
offer longer life
and better
durability than
stock hoses, while
single moulded
Y-pieces reduce the
chance of joint
failures.
97.80
www.
samcosport.
com
www.andreanigroup.com
OXFORD:UNDERSUIT
If you want to keep warm and dry
while in your leathers then Oxford
has come up with this natty
undersuit. Obviously more
applicable for the spring months,
Oxford also does a Cool Dry version
for the summer. Even with the
thermal base on, the suit is
designed to wick your horrible
sweat away from the material,
meaning you should have a
comfortable time while on the bike.
59.99
www.oxprod.com
BAGSCONNECTION:DRYBAG600
If you need to keep
your stuff dry then
a product going by
the name of
Drybag should be
up your street. This
kit bag copies their
roll bags, made from
tough, durable and waterproof welded tarpaulin.
67.70
www.motohaus.com
most
wanted
RIZOMA: PROGUARD
d
usete&
es d
t
Clearly following race fashion, this brake guard does

exactly what it should do protecting anything from
interfering with your front brake lever while in the
middle of a white-hot battle! Its a simple
solution to a problem that
hardly ever happens, but if
it should youll be
thankful for it. And lets
not forget that it gives
your bike racer cool, and
what price do you put on
that? If its 85, happy days!
85.00
www.rizoma.com
ALPINESTARS: MOTEGISUIT
Not everyone wants to wear a one-piece race suit, and
these people are dealt with in ne style by the good folks
at Alpinestars with this Motegi suit. It uses 1.3mm full
grain leather, is multiple stitched, uses Aramidic bre
stretch panels and boasts CE protectors around all your
pointy bits. There is a full circumference zip to join the two
garments together, and premium YKK zips are used
throughout. Very natty especially at under 600.
599.99
WorldMags.net
www.alpinestars.com
17
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IN ASSOCIATION WITH
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WORDS AND PICS: BRUCE SMART
Get your kicks on

Route 66...
looks too
Although it y kicks...
ight for an
stra
Back on familiar
ground, Bruce
makes use of every
minute in America
ince leaving Australia Ive had one

thing on my mind. No, not that. OK,
Ive had two things on my mind, one
of which was getting to the States. Its not the
end, far from it, but after so long in the
wilderness of the world, I couldnt wait to get
to something I was used to.
Crossing into Texas from Mexico, I arrived
in a climate more akin to the north east of
Scotland than the deserts of Texas. I was
bloody freezing, with every bit of warm
clothing I had already on my person. The
States has gone through the coldest winter
since records began in places, with snow even
coming right down to the southern reaches of
Texas. Relieved to be on familiar ground again,
I let my guard down as I crossed the border,
braking fairly hard on a slip road. The front
wheel just slid on the grit that had been laid
down and before I knew what was going on I
was sliding down the road on my left hand
side once again. Bollocks.
Luckily there was no other trafc around,
but I was trapped under the bike for a short
time as I struggled to lift her off my leg.
Unfortunately, Id snapped the left rearset off
in the crash, so had to hold my leg out for the
next few hours ride into San Antonio
I found a major bike dealership there called
Alamo Cycle Plex (www.alamocycleplex.
com) so I popped in to see if they could help. I
Er, where does
your foot go now?
Bruce gets rescued by

another great dealer!
I LET MY GUARD DOWN AND THE

FRONT JUST SLID FROM UNDER ME...
needed a fresh set of Bridgestone T30s, a full

service and now a replacement footpeg, so
expected this to take a few days while they
ordered and sourced bits. But as luck would
have it, the folks there were awesome. Initially
it looked like theyd have to order in the
rearset, meaning a wait of up to ve days, but
later announced theyd just opened up a brand
new box out of their warehouse and taken one
off a mint Gixer 1000 for me! What stunning
service. I had the Beast back in my grubby
mitts by the end of the day...
BOOT CAMP...
My mate Luigi had tweeted Colin Edwards to
say Id be rolling into town on my trip, and
would you Adam n Eve it, he only went and
replied, saying I should stop by his Texas
Tornado Boot Camp. So, I did! To be fair I

knew Colin was out in Sepang for the nal
stages of testing that week, so didnt expect
him to spend his rst weekend back home
with me, but I thought Id stop by the camp
and check it out anyway. Riding up the long
drive to the ranch, straight away the air is
lled with screaming engines, the smell of fuel
and BBQ meat! The rst chap I met was one of
the instructors, Steve Bodak, who gave me the
warmest of Texan welcomes. Despite not
knowing anything about my visit, he invited
me in to the camp and I soon had a beer in
hand while being introduced to everyone
there. As luck would have it, Colin had
apparently mentioned that I may stop by to his
family, and they were incredibly hospitable.
While out on one of the circuits, I was
Bruce with the

legend that is
Colin Edwards!
WorldMags.net
The GSX-R has

always looked
out of place...
19
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T
ake 2!
The scene of Als

last highside...
In the Lone Star state
chatting to some of the lads

when I got a tap on the shoulder. I
turned round and was met by a
guy in jeans, t-shirt, baseball cap
Meeting, greeting and
and shades. He held out his hand
thanking the sponsors...
and said, You gotta be Bruce,
right? Holy crap, it was only Colin
Edwards! I felt like a dizzy schoolgirl. The
Energy Services. Along the way I stopped at
man is every bit as down to earth as he
the famous meteor crater for a few pics, then
appears on the telly. There are no airs or
again in Albuquerque to meet another chap
graces, he says what he thinks and is just one
who is following me on the Facebook page.
of the lads. I spent a long time chatting with
Next up was a quick stop over in Dallas to see
his dad, Colin Snr, about my travels around
my mates from Uni that Id not seen
the world as he too has done some traveling
since their wedding back in 2000.
during his career in the oil industry. That night Gordy and Suzanne had just moved to
we even got to celebrate Jnrs 40th birthday
Dallas from Minnesota, but Gordy was
with some of the best BBQ meat Ive ever
already up to speed with the local
tasted. If youve ever thought about doing the
watering holes and nightlife. It was
camp, I couldnt recommend it enough and
real guuuuuuuuddddd...
Im saving up for it once I get back to work.
Houston was my next port of call
More info at texastornadobootcamp.com.
and I spent four days there with Delta
(www.des-global.com). Theyd very
kindly supplied me with another suit
FRESH KIT
I headed straight to LA to meet some mates for as the original one was now in
tatters, and not exactly a social hit
a few days, before heading back to Houston,
due to being worn by a fat Scotsman
Texas, where I was to meet my sponsor, Delta
Lifes a
beach!
20
Im just a big hairy Am

winning machine, you erican
know?
WorldMags.net
in up to 51 degree heat every day for the last

year and a half! Feridax UK had also kindly
supplied some new kit so I was shining and
smelling like new once more.
Delta had kindly also arranged for some
media attention while there so I was
interviewed by a local online magazine, and
also live by FOX News on their Saturday
morning brekkie show! After that it was off to
the rodeo, but not just any old rodeo. Nope,
this was the largest rodeo
event in the world, Rodeo
Houston now these lads
have big bollocks!
DRIVE BY SHOOTING
Leaving Houston I headed to
New Orleans to meet up with
Kriega USA. First off had to
be Bourbon St, which ended
in a drunken mess once
more. Next day I met a chap
called Chris Bishop who has
also been following on
Some parts of
the GSX-R arent
bearing up...
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
WorldMags.net
r Museum
y awesomeis
The greatest biking

palace in the world
here at the museum, so after a few hours

walking around, Jon Wilkens
and I were making our way to
the Talladega Superspeedway
shake and bake!
A BIG DEAL
Facebook. He and his family lost everything
during the horric ooding which followed
the hurricane that struck a few years back. He
took me to where his home once stood, talked
about the communities that ourished there,
how they pulled together and rebuilt. It was a
pleasure to spend a few hours in his company.
After riding by a shooting in the street(!) I
was soon back on the road, next destination
the fabulous Barber Motorsports Museum
and Racetrack in Alabama. This place has the
greatest collection of vintage and modern
motorcycles and cars on the planet, with over
1,200 currently in the collection. Id arranged
to meet another chap whos following the trip
Generally the roads in the USA

have been nothing special
bikewise, but that changed as I
got into the Deep South, with
Georgia and North and South
Carolina all containing simply
awesome roads. John had been
incredibly kind and got me a new front wheel
for the bike, so changed it in his man cave.
This place was better equipped than some
dealerships, complete with Fast Bikes
centrefolds adorning the walls! Hes another
avid Stateside reader, with editions going back
many years still stacked up all over his
beautiful house. And no wonder the Beast had
THE ROADS HAVE BEEN NOTHING SPECIAL,

THAT CHANGED IN THE DEEP SOUTH...
Man cave!
Bruce, bearing
arms!
One GSX-R, about

to get a good xin
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21
TEA POT ONE
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Thats more
like it!
Action all
areas...
Mind the
Gap!
been handling like a pig, the buckle was huge,

over 10mm travel!
We were soon heading to the famous Tail
of the Dragon at Deals Gap in Tennessee.
This place needs no introduction, but I will
anyway! 318 curves in 11 miles, its biking
heaven and every bit as good as its reputation.
Without doubt, one of the greatest motorcycle
roads in the world. In fact, you cant go wrong
anywhere around US129, just about every
road reveals sections of curves and twisties.
The new wheel made a huge difference, it
felt like it would stick to the road and not just
y off to the side at any minute. That was right
up until I braked, then all hell broke loose!
Turns out the discs are also warped, causing a
severe juddering any time the brakes are
applied. Ach well, brakings for HarleyDavidson riders anyway, eh!
END IN SIGHT...
Next stop was Daytona Beach in Florida and
after the delights of the mountains in the Deep
South, the roads in Florida are quite a
contradiction. Flat, featureless and very
straight. I rode to the tip of the American
continent in Key West, got the obligatory snap,
then rode back up to Miami where I was to
meet my mates for a stag do, organised to
coincide with my visit. Happy days indeed.
From Miami Ive ridden up to New York
where Im meeting the Missus for a week or
so. Next step for me is Boston, Indianapolis,
Chicago, then up to Deadhorse, Alaska. From
there I ride back to Toronto, then down to NYC
again to catch a ight over to Ireland around
the 16th May. Then its the TT, and I get back
to London and nish on the 12th June at 2pm
feel free to come and join me for the last leg!
318 CURVES IN 11 MILES DEALS GAP

IN TENNESSEE IS BIKING HEAVEN!
What strange
fruit...
Theres only one

way to go now!
WANT TO JOIN ME FOR THE

FINAL RIDE HOME?
My plan is to start at Silverstone at 11am on the
12th June, get the nal MotoGP circuit picture,
then ride back to the Cenotaph in London,
arriving there for 2pm. If youd like to join me for
all, or part of the ride, itd be great to have you
along. Just drop me a line either on the Facebook
page, or via info@teapotone.com.
Packing in
the tracks...
22
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FIRST RIDE
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WORDS: SIMON 'ROOTSY' ROOTS PICS: BUENOS DIAS
UPFORTHE
CUP
CHECK OUT WHAT

GERMAN KIDS ARE
GOING TO BE WRINGING
TO DEATH THIS
SUMMER ON TRACK
THE KTM RC390 ADAC
CUP MACHINE...
THIS YEAR SEES THE

START OF A NEW GERMAN
SERIES TO RUN WITH IDM,
THE ADAC JUNIOR CUP...
24
WorldMags.net
Wanna learn the ner points

of racing? Start small...
FIRST RIDE
WorldMags.net
f, in ten years time, we come to salute

some new German wnderkind whos just
won his rst MotoGP title in his debut
year, then KTM can take much of the credit.
Why? Well, this year sees the start of a new
series running alongside the German
superbike championship (IDM), the ADAC

Junior Cup, using the Austrian rms new
RC390 after all, the RC stands for Racing
Competition and this is KTM getting in with
the talent at the ground oor. This one make
series is designed to nurture young riders, from
the age of 13 to 21, to help develop their riding
and set-up skills. The bike and entry fees are
9,000 euros (6,500 euros for the bike, 2,490
euros for entries), which is a reasonable
investment in your offsprings future. Win
this, and you get a try-out for the Red Bull
Rookies series that follows the MotoGP
circus around the globe. Win that,
and the skys the limit
Weve been
assembled at the
Magione circuit
in Italy to
sample this new race bike, but this machine

needs more of an introduction. Yes, its the
RC390, but weve yet to see the production
model in action. The road going version will be
in the showrooms at the end of the summer,
but weve not ridden it so this is our rst
opportunity to test this potentially crucial
machine. 50 machines were plucked off the
Indian production line to become race
warriors, later converted in Mattighofen, but
we need to know more about this bike.
In short, its the faired version of the Duke
390 that was launched last year. In, er,
medium, its actually got a tweaked frame,
new tank, clip-ons and fairings. But the engine
is the same, a 375cc single cylinder bike,
pumping out an A2 friendly 44bhp.
This race version, with its dapper
Akrapovic exhaust (and reduced sized cat)
THIS IS KTM GETTING

IN WITH THE TALENT AT THE
GROUND FLOOR...
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25
FIRST RIDE
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DITCHED
Out goes all the road plastic, rear seat,
lights, indicators, footrests, switchgear, and
standard Metzeler M5 Interact tyres (the
new M7 will be used in racing).
Just imagine this x 30

heading into turn one...
FAIRINGS
EXHAUST
It certainly looks
the business...
replacing the stockers belly can, generates

38bhp. Eh? Whats going on here, where's the
power gone? Well, as the previous version of
the ADAC Cup (where current Moto3 sensation
Jack Miller cut his teeth) used 125cc machines,
it was thought that the full hit of 44bhp was
too much, so a throttle body restrictor is used
to tone down the power.
But other changes are more encouraging.
For a start, all the suspension is fully
adjustable, whereas standard kit only has
adjustable preload. The brake disc grows by
20mm to 320mm. A set of rearsets and race
fairings are added, but the big news is whats
been taken off. All told, nine kilos has been
26
The crash friendly belly exhaust is ditched in

favour of a sponsor friendly side-mounted
Akrapovic. The header is stock, but a new
smaller cat is used to reduce weight.
junked by ditching the road requirements and

scraping the ABS system. The bike hits the
scales at just 138kg. Combine this with the fact
that Magione circuit is a twisty little bugger,
and the day ahead looks like its going to be
lled with fun and that prophesy didnt take
long to be realised.
The rst session was a fraught affair,
learning the bike and track in tandem and
both took some working out. The tracks
course puts an emphasis on quick direction
changes and a series of arcing hairpins, with
one ballsy right hander at the end of a
seemingly innitely long straight. But the
bikes reaction to this scene was a curious one.
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The race plastic has impressed the ADAC organisers, who saw
plenty of bikes go down during the racers rst outing (one poor
lad went down four times) which is a good job seeing as crash
protection is an omission. The screen is higher than standard.
Youd think that you should really boss this

bike, grab it by the scruff of the neck and
manhandle it into submission. But a few laps
of this was enough to realise that a new
strategy was needed. Do this and the soft
suspension and the not-as-sporty-as-hoped
Metzeler M5 Interact tyres soon start
complaining. The WP forks dont have the
most uid action, and the front seemed like it
was ready to tuck as soon as you took one too
many liberties. Elsewhere, the bikes meagre
output was metered out enthusiastically
enough, with the throttle basically used as an
on/off switch given the power available. There
is drive from 4,000rpm, but most corner exits
FIRST RIDE
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DIEGO ARIOLO:
CONTROLS
Given were talking about riders who are busy
growing, theres plenty of adjustability in the
rearsets (which allow an easy change to race
pattern) and the bar levers are span adjustable.
POWERPARTS
Most of the race kit will be
available individually in the
KTM Powerparts catalogue,
so you can tune your road
bike to create your own
replica.
KTM'sproductmanagerseesnotjusta
gridfullofsales,butareasontogetkids
offtheircomputers...
"We want to bring new riders into the
market, especially in Europe, but also into
new markets too. We want to attract
young riders, and we have a full program
for young riders with an A1 licence, then the
A2 category where this bike is. You can
start riding on the street and start racing
on a KTM, and we believe this is important.
We create interest in our products, so it is
not just kids on their smartphones looking
at Facebook. We want to show that good
fun is coming from riding."
KAREL HANIKA:
ENGINE
The only change to the 36kg, 375cc single cylinder engine
is the move to a mechanical restrictor in the throttle
body to curb power to 38bhp. The throttle has been
changed to the progressive unit of the RC8 R
BRAKES
A 320mm disc replaces the 300mm unit, with spacers used on the caliper to
accommodate the bigger disc. Race pads are used, but KTM has wisely ditched
the 1.2kg Bosch ABS system for racing. A new brake lever is also used with a
brake guard and braided hoses are used front and rear.
SUSPENSION
The standard units are replaced by fully adjustable WP units,
43mm units up front, smart monoshock at the rear. This is to
help develop young riders set-up skills, and changes made on
the day demonstrate the advantages to be made here.
IN TERMS OF THROTTLE CONTROL, IT WASN'T

GOING TO BE A DAY FILLED WITH FINESSE...
needed 6,000rpm for anything meaningful.

With a redline at 10,000rpm the timing of each
change was crucial. But in terms of throttle
control, it wasnt going to be a day lled with
nesse
So it was back to the drawing board for
session two, and a chance to let the bike do the
work. Working out how the RC likes to be
ridden is half the battle. Steering inputs needed
to be gentler and more uid, mid-corner poise
required some sympathy to not grind the belly

pan out and braking needed to be kept to the
bare minimum to keep corner speeds up. Now
were starting to get somewhere, and itll be
great to see lightbulbs illuminate over the
minds of kids as they work out how the bike
wants to be ridden. This is the point of the
bike; its a learning tool for real rookies to hone
their limited skills. Set-up helps here, and with
some more preload at the rear and more
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Lastyear'sRedBullRookieschampis
nowmakinghismarkinMoto3,scoring
pointsinhisfirsttworaces.Hespentall
dayembarrassingeveryoneontheRC...
"I guess my Moto3 bike is about 50bhp,
and this is a little heavier with less power.
But it feels so different to my Moto3 bike,
its so hard to compare them. This bike is so
much higher and everything is more or less
standard for the road, even though they
have done a great job with it it looks
fantastic. Because the bike is higher you
actually corner with a bigger angle at times.
But for the beginning of a racing career, it is
a pretty good bike to start on. It doesnt
have so much power, but this is a good
thing because it becomes about the skills
of the rider, not how much money you or
your family has. Ive heard some
complaints about the tyres, but its good to
use them because riders start to
understand what the bike is doing and
where the limit is. Every lap on any bike is
helpful, it was good to try this bike, and you
learn more about riding position, pressure
on the acceleration and braking, and I
learned a few things today although I am
flying to Argentina later on to race..."
27
FIRST RIDE
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engine
Type
Bore x Stroke
Compression
Fuelling
Claimed Power
Claimed Torque
375cc, 4v, DOHC single

89 x 60mm
12.6:1
Bosch EFI, 46mm throttle body
38bhp @ 9,500rpm
35 Nm @ 7,250rpm
chassis
Frame
F Suspension
R Suspension
Front Brakes
Rear Brakes
Steel trellis frame

43mm WP forks, fully adj
WP monoshock, fully adj
Four piston ByBre caliper, 320mm disc
Single piston caliper, 230mm disc
dimensions
Wheelbase
Seat Height
Dry Weight
Fuel Capacity
Price
Watch young talent

bloom on the RC390...
1,340mm
820mm
138kg
10 litres
price
TECHNICAL KTM RC390 ADAC JUNIOR CUP
From
THE CUP BIKE PROVIDES EVIDENCE THAT

THE ROAD GOING BIKE WILL BE GREAT...
Ground clearance is
an issue, or is the issue
middle age spread?
6,500 euros
www.ktm.co.uk
www.adac-motorsport.de
The kids are taught how to

pull victory wheelies...
damping support in the front the bike starts

to sharpen into a proper tool for the job.
The day progresses, and little victories
around the track are won higher gears are
carried through corners, new lines are adapted
and braking markers pushed back or brought
forward all with the aim to extract more
speed and shed tenths here, tenths there. Any
screw up a missed gear, a heavy belly pan
grounding, an early corner entry demolishes
a lap, but you know youre on a good 'un
when it doesnt seem like hard work.
By the end of the day, you wonder what
people do with an extra 100bhp available to
them. In the right environment, and this little
28
1.5 mile track was exactly that, 38bhp is

cock-on and, given the impulses of teenage
kids, this output is more than enough for them
to be getting on with. You end up doing more
with less, honing in on whats important to
ride and having a more engaging and
rewarding day as a result. As a learning tool,
the ADAC bike is a brilliant bit of kit and a
perfect stepping stone into more serious racing
if only there were plans to bring them over
here, why do the German's have all the fun?
But, more importantly, this race bike
provides evidence that the road going RC390 is
going to be a little beauty. Yes, itll be 9kg
heavier, but even as standard there will be
WorldMags.net
another 7bhp to play with nearly 20 per cent

more power as standard. They look sharp and
dynamic, it seems to have enough puff and so
long as the unadjustable suspension on the
stock bikes isnt too soft it should blow its A2
competition out of the water. If youre about to
commit to the likes of a CBR500R or a Ninja
300 you need to hold re because this new kid
on the block for new kids on the block is about
to do some damage.
And as a race bike for eager young pups to
learn, crash and learn some more on, it seems
perfect. Cheating will be very difcult, and on
a grid packed with the same machinery the
cream will naturally rise to the top...
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GROUP TEST
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and D
A Gr
WORDS: FAGAN
PICS: GAWLER
REAL W
EANWHILE, BACK IN THE
OVER 10K. M
NEW SPORTSBIKE COSTS
A
The boys weren't

getting on...
30
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A GRAND DAY OUT
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Out
ay
WORLD
WorldMags.net
French
1000 will get you a rotting
ybe
, a shoddy kitchen or ma
car
out in Monaco. But a
even a night
with a
grand can also reward you
le nowadays,
shit-load of motorcyc
ted talent
brimming with unadultera
Gucci gizmos of today.
albeit without the
isnt an
For most of us, buying new
isnt what it used to
option. Modern life
able income of
be. There aint the dispos
unless youre hounding
yesteryear, and
or racing at the
lap records on a circuit
that road bike etiquette
TT, you'll nd
forward, until
hasnt taken a huge step
likes of the BMW HP4s
you get to the
example.
electronic suspension, for
an early noughties Suzuki
Even on track,
n near the pace of
GSX-R1000 can lap dam
a
HP4, as demonstrated at
a wiz-bang
well Park...
recent club race at Cad
new bikes
While margins on brand
nt for dealers (some
are nearly non-existe
k bike), its the
as little as 200 for a 10
ts keeping the
used bike market tha
see a clean
dealers alive. Youll rarely
ne priced between
secondhand machi
wroom for more
1,500 to 3000 in a sho
particularly in
than a few weeks,
at this test is all
summer. And thats wh
es that don't come
about bargain bik
us implosion.
with the risk of spontaneo
ed a quartet of
Weve gather
rlets from as
inexpensive superbike sta
So lets start with the
little as 1000.
s GSX-R750 K1.
newest bike here; Suzuki
cessor was sharper,
The SRADs suc
some reason
meaner and faster, but for
rket
are teasing the used ma
both models
r is better here.
for the same coin. Newe
s 2001
From the same era, Honda
big CBR to feature
FireBlade was the rst
is absolute
a 17-inch front wheel. Th
ns showroom for
minter was in Branso
are ashing up
just over 2k and others
which is bonkers.
on websites for 1500,
us on social
Those of you who follow
of our plea for a
media will be aware
friendly dealers
ZX-9R. After one of our
re supposed to borrow
sold the 9R we we
so), a small
for this test (and rightly
set in, hence the global
amount of panic
for making Ed
appeal. But thank the lord
the train-infested
from Westbury
estbury, not Ed)
bastard son of Frome (W
t us his absolutely
who kindly len
also a
immaculate ZX-9R. Hes
gets bonus points!
subscriber, so
a bargain used
Lastly, we couldnt run
inclusion of an Aprilia
test without the
ls of the time
RSV Mille. While its riva
s, etc) are fetching
(Ducati 996
pretty looks and
extortionate money for
the Mille remains the
understeer,
ers delight.
functional v-twin thrash
31
GROUP TEST
WorldMags.net
They don't make them
like this any more!
Kawasaki
ZX-9R
Y
SPORTS-TOURER OR NOT, THE ZX-9R

WILL HIT A GENUINE 170MPH
Is that Rutter
on a mission?
ou've got to feel sorry for

the poor old Ninja. When
Kawasaki sluggishly
responded to the FireBlade and
released the ZX-9R, it immediately
opped like a oppy accid thing.
And then came the R1 and GSX-R...
Even this later C1 model was too
heavy, too big and didnt handle. It's
no surprise that theres been no
magic cure for it 20 years on...
But the ZX-9R isnt here for
mockery and pure chastisement
because its morphed into a respected
sports-tourer over the years. Granted,
the big bus is the fattest, slowest and
least sporty of the quartet and will
probably be out-cornered by a horse
but its still eager in the right hands.
And besides, its bloody cheap.
Its size is unmistakable. Laid out
in front of you is a Boeing 747 of a
cockpit, comfy, roomy with a relaxed
riding position. Beneath you, rubber
pegs. Rubber pegs! Those pegs and
pillion grab rails set the tone for the
9Rs ball's in attitude.
Sports-tourer or not, the ZX-9R
boasts some seriously sizeable speed
and will hit a genuine 170mph.
Thanks to a cable-fed clutch,
launching one in a trafc light GP will
see a three second 0-60 time too lots
of weight planting it to the Tarmac
and a lengthy wheelbase aiding a
getaway. Crack the throttle in the
lower half of the rev range and youll
be rewarded with heaps of torque.
Expect to see around 120bhp and
decent wheelies as a by-product.
Perfectly upright, the 9R feels
bloody fast (especially when you
have to think about stopping the old
girl), but the whole delivery is linear
and packs few surprises, though it
can feel a little lumpy at low revs. Ed,
the greatest ZX-9R owner on earth,
has uked the slightly rich carb
set-up on this bike. This,
Viper can
adds bite
32
WorldMags.net
A GRAND DAY OUT
WorldMags.net
If Ed ever sells this
one, snap it up!
ROOTSYS
OPINION
For some reason, Ive always had

a soft spot for the big Kawasaki.
I know it got a lot of stick back
in the day for being too big and
bulky, but it was just a victim
of the era in an age when it
took Kawasaki ages to change
anything. Its ethos is a lot like
the Hondas, in that its got a
turbine-like engine with grunt
galore, it's all day comfortable
and almost maintenance free.
This spotless example was a
credit to Ed, and weve seen so
many mint ZX-9Rs we know
that there are some peaches to
choose from. Youd buy one now
if you wanted a proper fast bike
that handles. Its not the last
word in either, but at these prices
youd be rude to complain..
Rootsy's Verdict 8/10
1998 KAWASAKI ZX-9R FROM 1,000
accompanied by the
Viper can, knocks
out a mischievous
sounding crackle on
the overrun we
thought a full on
things get kinda squirrelly.
British Superbike had ventured to
That said, it steers well between
meet us when Big Ed turned up...
mediocre lean angles and belittles its,
Regardless of carburation, the big
ahem, claimed 190 kilo dry weight.
bus is renowned for a lumpy
The fully adjustable suspension is on
bottom-end and running like a pig at
the soft side of saggy, but its
low speeds. But nd a less
also well damped and the
conned space and the
adjustment works. This
ZX-9R is more than a
makes for epic road
match for the others here.
The Kawasaki is from an
holding at sensible
In comparison with
when just a can would
era
speeds and decent bump
the 'Blade, R1 and Gixer
bring decent horsepower
management beyond.
K1, the ZX-9R is/was a
gains. For a hundred quid
you'll get 5bhp,
While building
barge, but its size, weight
easy...
momentum isnt an issue
and comfortable posture
on the ZX-9, putting a halt to it
have some benets. Itll suit
certainly is. Braking is an area that
heftier pilots and the wife/mistress
could be vastly improved. Braided
would choose the Kawasaki for its
lines and a pad upgrade would be on
pillion perch (but that doesnt win FB
the list here. The Tokico six pots look
tests). Mid-corner stability is
impressive but struggle to anchor the
exceptional so long as the pegs
Ninjas mass at serious speeds...
arent carving patterns into the road,
which is quite likely. Each end of the
bike can be subjected to large
amounts of weight transfer without
Verdict
6/10
too much protest, but if youre
Easy to criticise, but also super-easy to ride, the ZX-9R
has somehow become a bit of an icon. Cheap as chips
ultimately attempting a pace worthy
of hassling the other three on test, it
+ MOTOR, PRICE, SIZE,STABILITY,TOURING SKILLS
- SIZE, BRAKES, SPORTING SKILLS, SLOW MANNERS
ain't going to end nicely because
engine
REAL DEAL
The 899cc has a large bore and short stroke,

with four valves per cylinder.The lump
features magnesium on the head, clutch
and alternator covers, as well as the front
sprocket cover. KawasakiThrottle Responsive
Ignition Control (K-TRIC) delivers the most
suitable ignition timing for power and fuel
economy via a throttle position sensor.Trick,
eh? Keihin 40mm carbs feed the fuel.
Highlights
Sports-tourer
Grab rails and rubber pegs
Conventional fork
Six-pot calipers
190kg (dry)
128hp
chassis
TRACK
Maybe a Ninja, but a ghter.
The ZX-9R uses a relatively lightweight

aluminium perimeter frame. A 46mm
conventional fork is fully adjustable and
gripped by aluminium triple clamps. A
bolt-on subframe was new on the C2, as was
the swingarm. Wheelbase was reduced by
30mm over the previous model. Ball-busting
six-potTokico calipers bite 297mm discs at
the front, and a 220mm disc sorts the rear.
FAST ROAD
Lots of oomph and soft set-up.
HOOLIGAN
Skids and wheelies, just...
NEW RIDER
If it wasn't for the weight, 8!
DESIRABILITY
Ed has owned four!
4
6
5
6
3
WorldMags.net
33
GROUP TEST
WorldMags.net
HondaFireBlade
T
he FireBlade got an absolute

pasting in road tests back in
the day. Suzuki had just
released the GSX-R1000 K1 and
Yamaha was evolving the R1. Both
were faster, sharper and kicked the
living shit out of the 'Blade.
But try nding a clean GSX-R at
sensible money, and you might get
lucky with a pristine Thundercat for
just over 2k, you lucky thing. This
mint FireBlade was nestled in
Bransons showroom and had already
been sold twice, deposits taken, only
for an over-zealous Doris to wave a
thumb downwards.
While GSX-Rs have usually been
spanked and thrashed to smithereens
throughout their existence, 'Blades
have typically led a more docile life.
17,000 miles later, this minters paint
shows no sign of fading, the engine
spins cleanly and the chassis exudes
Baba-san originally
wanted the CBR to be
called 'Lightning'
A class act. The

Fireblade, not Rootsy...
REAL DEAL
Give the boys at Bransons

in
a ring ifyou're interested
ee
this beauty. Go in, nod thr
times, pull downyour
pants and get 5 per
cent off!
engine
2001 HONDA FIREBLADE FROM 1,800
The engine gained 10cc over what it replaced,

its oversquare cylinders allowing for bigger
valves, maximising airow for more power.
The camshafts were 20 per cent lighter, too,
which gave it a sharper engine response.
The crankcases were 20mm shorter, letting
the engine to move further forward in the
frame.The PGM fuel injection and other
electronics have a single controller.
Highlights
First fuel injected 'Blade
17-inch front wheel
Big boot
USD fork
170kg
127bhp
chassis
TRACK
34
It's noYamaha R1...
The engine became a fully stressed member

for the rst time on a Blade inY2K.The
crankcases had been severely beefed up, as had
the swingarm pivots, to take the load of the
directly attached swingarm.The shorter motor
is mounted further forward, and the 20mm
longer swingarm helps aid traction. 43mm USD
cartridge style forks made their debut, as did the
huge 330mm discs and four-piston callipers.
FAST ROAD
Nice and smooth.
HOOLIGAN
Lacks edge and aggression...
NEW RIDER
Great intro to big-ish bikes.
DESIRABILITY
Hampered by the 954.
7
8
6
8
4
genuine box-fresh feedback.

The 929 was the rst 'Blade to
receive major aesthetic changes, but
the riding position is still assertive
and unmistakably a Honda. The front
end has a lovely nosey stance, with a
compact and focused feel that
radiates condence to push on. It
seems to pivot around the front-end,
steering briskly, and while the 'Blade
isnt as clinically precise as rivals of
its time, this particular bike feels
absolutely superb.
In many ways, the problem for the
929 was the SP-1 and SP-2. The twins
had Hondas focus and commitment
in competition (WSB was all about
v-twins at the time), and the 'Blades
development suffered as a result, like
it was never meant to see a track. It
lacks character and aggression, but
has stability and excellent road-only
manners on its side. The initiation of
43mm USD forks was more than just
a fashion accessory. The stroke feels
quality throughout, but ridden at 90
per cent, the chassis isnt troubled.
Start to push the boundaries,
however, and it lacks the ultimate
control of its rivals.
Big lean heroics and a wider tyre
choice are helped by the introduction
of a 17-inch front wheel. Along with a
stiffer frame, it made cornering more
WorldMags.net
uid and the 'Blade can carry decent

corner speed. This Bransons bike had
braided lines tted, which is another
recommendation when opting for the
'Blade. Massive 330mm discs look
lovely but committed corner entry
isnt pretty, thanks to poor engine
braking control.
Theres not much wrong with the
'Blades engine, but if involvement
and a kick in the botty are what
youre after, look elsewhere. Oodles
of usable grunt in the rst half of the
throttle, and 130bhp nearing the top,
combined with linearity and a dull
delivery, make the 929 yawnsome for
the hardcore. That said, the engine
never troubles the chassis, which
makes the Honda super-easy to ride.
The 929 was also Hondas rst
attempt at fuel injection on a 'Blade
and it lacks a little renement. It fuels
well right through the rev range but
the throttle is notchy during initial
opening and closing, ensuring
stuttered gear change at low revs.
Plus, Honda gearboxes arent exactly
uid, even to this day.
Verdict
7/10
A cracking bike that was out-performed by rivals of its

time, but still properly fast (if a little bland...).
+ SMOOTH POWER, FRONT-END, NIMBLE
- FUEL INJECTION, SNATCHY 'BOX
A GRAND DAY OUT
WorldMags.net
ROOTSYS
OPINION
The FireBlades popularity ebbs
and ows with fashion, and this
version is pretty unloved at the
moment which means get in
there quick before the secrets
out. Everything about this bike
works. For a start, it was as clean
as a whistle; in great nick. The
motor is sweet, with so much
pull it makes modern machinery
feel a little inadequate. But it
still behaves, so youve got the
best of both worlds there. It
hustles along nicely and while not
razor sharp theres still enough
talent within to make it a real
road warrior, untouchable with
the right pilot on board. Some
elements look a little dated, but
overall it looks proper smart.
IN MANY WAYS,
THE PROBLEM FOR
THE BLADE WAS THE
SP-1 AND SP-2...
WorldMags.net
35
GROUP TEST
WorldMags.net
Aprilia
RSV
Mille
The RSV still

handles well,
unlike Rootsy
A LAIRY BIKE NEEDS

A LAIRY COLOUR!
36
WorldMags.net
f the foursome on test,

theres no doubt the Aprilia
has aged the best. This
specic RSV belongs to Phil; probably
the best RSV owner known to man.
Phil took his car off the road last year
and uses the Mille for his commute,
hacking through South Wales and
into Gloucester daily, taking the
scenic route for kicks. Despite the
hideous red screen and high mileage,
this bike looks and rides like a boss.
From the factory-look swingarm,
and pukka wheels, to the racy curves
and can, the Mille looks fast. And a
lairy bike needs a lairy colour. This
yellow is far from mellow...
You may remember this bike from
a test in FB last year. Well, the
standard state has been altered
slightly, as in comes a new MWR air
lter to go with the open airbox and a
remapped ECU. Phil has also
modied the exhaust. The result is a
rowdy concoction of induction blare
and a performance upgrade of a few
ponies all for around 250.
The standard RSV should deliver
around 120bhp in todays climate, but
it sounds like 150bhp. The induction
bark is colossal on board. As standard
it's loud, but Phils bike feels like a
tank will explode beneath you,
shattering the peace wherever you
go. If the soundtrack was available on
vinyl, itd get several rewinds.
The motor, amid its laboured
A GRAND DAY OUT
WorldMags.net
There's not much in the
way of modern stuff to
touch the RSV...
ROOTSYS
OPINION
Id have one of these, I really

would. A few quid thrown at the
suspension and brakes (and this
particular bike certainly needed
a new set of discs) and I reckon
youve got a perfect trackday tool
that you could do some serious
damage on plus at these prices it
wouldnt be the end of the world
if it ended up wrecked. I cant
believe that same age Tuonos
are a grand more, its one of lifes
mysteries. The Rotax engine is
nigh on bullet proof and not much
goes wrong with them although
when they do parts can be a pain
to get hold of. True, the riding
position isnt for all, but if it ts
you and the price is right youve
just got to get one if only to
make other people look silly!
engine
2000 APRILIA RSV MILLE FROM 1,500
Ducati had long hogged the 90 v-twin

conguration, we know because of the intrinsic
reduction in vibes. Any other design requires
balance shafts, so Aprilia plumped for a compact
60 degree format (with shafts), which meant
it would also rev faster and harder.The 997cc
motor features twin-spark ignition and massive
51mm throttle bodies to re the juices in.This
bike has an open airbox and MWR lter.
Rotax v-twin
WSB race rep
Showa/Sachs suzzies
Open airbox/MWR lter
183kg
125bhp
chassis
The top end holds it back.
The polished chassis was based upon the

identical-looking one from the RS250,
introduced way back in 1994, as was the
tasty swingarm. Both are polished, fat and
impressive.The hlins kit is on the R model is
good, as is the Showa/Sachs combo on this
base model.The excellent brakes are from
Brembo, butyou could t a bungalow behind
the bin of a fairing.The R got a set of Oz wheels.
REAL DEAL
Highlights
TRACK
9
9
FAST ROAD
Loads of beef for roads!
HOOLIGAN
The noise, the skills, the stunts!
8
3
NEW RIDER
All a bit too fruity...
DESIRABILITY
No Ducati, but lovely to look at.
lifetime, still feels

No, it's not an early
crisp and willing
80's computer
today. It fuels well
enough at the
anorexic feel over the cumbersome
bottom, then throughout the range,
Japanese four-pots when you're
producing a delivery that apes a
astride it. Dont forget, Aprilia
turbine. While peak power will only
produced the Mille at the height of
just see it past a modern supersport
the rms GP domination in the
bike, and the top-end does get numb
smaller classes the Noale factory
towards the redline, it delivers the
knew then, as it does now, how to
midrange blow and a sucker punch
build a sweet handling chassis.
to the others that never gets boring.
A lot can depend on the state of
Ducati motors of a similar
a used bikes suspension and
generation spin quickly with a
a murky, hidden past, but
light sensation, feeling like
the RSV still steers
there's little inertia. Here,
The SP edition was a
brilliantly, quick and
the Aprilias Rotax lump is
used
homologation special e
accurate. The front-end
far more agricultural,
wer
for WSB, and only 150
insists on continuous
slightly more lethargic,
made. It used a special
punishment, and
but it pulls hard when
short-stroked
although the shock can get
you're stretching the cable.
motor...
fatigued over time, the RSVs
The throttle is heavy, but
balance remains awless. With a
precise, lending superb rear wheel
wide set-up spectrum, the suspension
connectivity to generate condence.
is every bit as good as the trick Mille
The Aprilias powerplant and
Rs hlins. Theres a bit of pitching
ancillaries arent as uid as the
on the brakes, but the RSV tracks
Japanese bikes. The gearbox is
dened, but heavy, and the rest of the most surfaces beautifully.
controls are marginally awkward.
9/10
You need to grab the RSV and butcher Verdict
If it's a v-twin you're after, there really is no other choice.
it to extract the best.
Fast, sharp and it supplies endless entertainment...
Youre perched in, rather than on,
the Mille, which subtracts a little of
+ MOTOR, PRICE, SET-UP, SOUND, AGED WELL
- NOT A LOT, BITTOP-HEAVY SOMETIMES
the aggression. The v-twin allows an
WorldMags.net
37
GROUP TEST
WorldMags.net
heres a reason why Suzuki

still perseveres with the
GSX-R750 you! The
Seven-Fiddy has been outselling the
GSX-R600 (and many other 600s) for
several years now. This true
middleweight brags the ultimate
blend of power and control for UK
roads, but new its become far too
rened/boring nowadays. While
maintaining the perfect blend ethos,
this successor to the iconic SRAD
swings the opposite way its a little
loose and you cant but help riding
like a complete and utter asshole!
Tagged as a hooligan, a thrashers
delight, the K1 insists on naughty
manners from the off. The GSX-Rs
racy DNA is instantly recognised after
thrashing the other fairies. Everything
on the 750, from the gruff airbox
growl to the high OE peg setting, is
relentless. It makes the 2014 model
REAL DEAL
It can be a mineeld, but

site
Gumtree is the best web
at the cheaper end. Be on
your toes, but we've seen
K1's at 1,700!
A mix of digi
and annie
engine
2001 SUZUKI GSX-R750 FROM 1,750
This incarnation of the GSX-R750 paved the

way for copycat 600 and 1,000cc versions in the
followingyears. But theres nothing remarkable
about the 16 valve,748cc motor, beyond that
its an effective, well- proven design. Suzukis
dual-valve fuel injection system appeared
here rst, with the secondary buttery valve
below each injector nozzle improving throttle
response and providing a more linear delivery.
Highlights
Real headbanger
No gizmos
Showa fork
RGV geometry
166kg
128bhp
10
chassis
TRACK
38
You're the limit!
The750 took cues from the original SRAD

head banger, itself designed using RGV500
dimensions and geometry. By this model
theyd tweaked it for the engine's new
format and created one of the best handling
GSX-R750s ever. Showa USD 43mm forks
provide excellent control, allied to the fully
adjustable rear monoshock. New four-piston
calipers replace near useless six-pots.
FAST ROAD
See above!
9
10
HOOLIGAN
It's a GSX-R...
NEW RIDER
...but still friendly enough.
DESIRABILITY
6
5
Not aged well but holding value.
feel like an ageing pussycat.

And its pace comes so effortlessly.
While theres no denying the 750 is a
bit of a heifer, (its a big, wide bike)
its also the lightest, most athletic
bike here, and of its time. The K1 is so
intuitive that you rarely have to think
on a thrash, other than spotting
scameras and fake village police.
Personally, I couldnt wake up
every morning to something so
hideous on the eyes, but if function
over fashion tickles your fancy, the
Suzuki wins. Dynamically, there
arent any faults in the 750s arsenal.
Wed have to ask Stuart Hall to
conrm, but the chassis certainly
doesnt feel like it's approaching its
teens. Its perfectly poised 100 per
cent of the time, taut and ber
receptive. It steers like a race bike.
12 years later, the suspension feels
as rm and well set-up as ever. It
lacks the high-speed damping control
of modern machinery, but thatll only
hamstring it on a circuit. Yep, it can
sometimes get ighty over extreme
bumps, but the stiffness aids its poise.
The Gixer feels so much more alert on
its springs, awaiting the next input.
While the Honda whispers, the
Suzuki hollers. A rasping exhaust
note encourages more skulduggery
and, despite the cubic deciency, the
WorldMags.net
750 produces similar power to the

'Blade just in ripsnorting fashion.
The GSX-R, despite an honest
midrange, gets better towards the
redline. Youre always waiting for the
revs to catch up with the throttle
below 6,000rpm but theres enough
poke to avoid frustration. Beyond
that, the 750 builds momentum with
vigour, neatly shifting through the
'box the gearing permanently feels
bang-on and picks up beautifully,
probably because the revs are at a
permanently high level...
Suzuki bossed the early days of
fuel injection and the K1 boasts silken
juice transfer. The throttle proves you
dont need ride-by-wire or poncy
S-DMS buttons of today; you might as
well be holding the rear wheel in your
right hand.
It boasts nothing amazing, but its
the whole package that excites. If
youre after something without
compromise for a blend of road and
track work, the Suzuki is the kiddy.
Its your one-stop-shop to four-pot
hooliganism. Silly cheap, too!
Verdict
9/10
The most fun, the most talented, the one that carries
most raw pace. I'd have one today.
+ EVERYTHING...
- ...EXCEPTTHE ANODISED 'BITS'
A GRAND DAY OUT
WorldMags.net
TAGGED AS A HOOLIGAN,
THE GSX-R INSISTS ON NAUGHTY
MANNERS FROM THE OFF...
ROOTSYS
OPINION
I stepped on this and immediately

felt naughty GSX-R750s of a
certain age just do that to people.
Looking at this bike was a blast
from the past, and you could
just imagine the former owner.
Neglect of elements such as
the shock sit in contrast to the
aesthetic additions, like the
shorty levers, undertray and
micro indicators. But with a few
quid thrown at a shock rebuild
and a pipe (remarkably this was
still running a standard exhaust),
youd have a real weapon on your
hands. Great fuelling, perfect
positioning, just enough power
and a bad ass attitude give
you real value for money, and
while it may not be the most
polished in terms of nish, its
hard to argue at the results..
WorldMags.net
39
GROUP TEST
engine
2000 Aprilia RSV Mille
Type
Bore x Stroke
Compression
Fuelling
Tested Power
Tested Torque
899cc, liquid-cooled, 16v, inline-four

75.0 x 50.9mm
11.3:1
40mm Keihin CVKD carbs
128bhp @ 11,250rpm
93Nm @9,000rpm
chassis

929cc, liquid-cooled, inline-four
74.0 x 54.0mm
11.3:1
Electronic fuel injection
127bhp @ 11,000rpm
95Nm @ 9,500rpm
Frame
F Suspension
R Suspension
Front Brakes
Rear Brakes
Aluminium perimeter
46mm conventional fork, fully adjustable
Monoshock, fully adjustable
Four-piston calipers, 310mm discs
Single-piston caliper, 220mm disc
Aluminium twin-spar
43mm USD fork, fully adjustable
Aluminium twin-spar
Aluminium twin-spar
dimensions
1998 Kawasaki ZX-9R
Wheelbase
Seat Height
Dry Weight
Fuel Capacity
1,414mm
810mm
183kg
19L
1,400mm
815mm
170kg
18L
1,415mm
825mm
185kg
18L
1,410mm
830mm
166kg
18L
price
TECH
DATA
WorldMags.net
Price
From
From: 1,000
Mr Ed
0891 50 50 50
www.biketrader.co.uk
2,500
1,500
3,499
Bransons Motorcycles
01935 474 998
www.bransonsmotorcycles.co.uk
Phil McCraken
0891 50 50 51
www.biketrader.co.uk
Frasers Motorcycles
01452 306 485
www.frasersmotorcycles.co.uk
997cc, liquid-cooled, 60 degree v-twin

97.0 x 67.5mm
11.4:1
125bhp @ 9,500rpm
90Nm @ 8,000rpm
748cc, liquid-cooled, 16v, inline-four

74.0 x 46.0mm
12.0:1
128bhp @ 13,000rpm
78Nm @ 10,500rpm
BHP
POWER
180
Dyno data supplied by:
160
140
120
100
80
60
Highest peak power:

Kawasaki @ 128bhp
40
20
2
rpm x 000
10
12
14
KEY: 1998 Kawasaki ZX-9R

2000 Aprilia RSV Mille
Nm
TORQUE
110
Highest peak torque:

Honda @ 95bhp
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
2
rpm x 000
40
10
12
14
16
Fast, owing road,

brilliant bike under
you. This could be you!
WorldMags.net
A GRAND DAY OUT
WorldMags.net
King of the kerb...
THE VERDICT
W
ere not going to lie; buying a
used sportsbike for around a
grand can go spectacularly
wrong. A mineeld full of absolute shitters
is always going to be mixed with the odd
gem. But going to a friendly dealer (like our
buddies at Bransons and Frasers), or
striving to nd a full service history,
alleviates some of the ball-ache and
likelihood of nding yourself in a nancial
hole, but look out for obvious signs of
ex-racers and regular trackday specials.
If the bike looks good, but the tyres look
shoddy, dont be afraid of taking a punt or
asking the dealer to t new rubber. A set of
dodgy hoops can make an exemplary
model handle like a drunken crab on
ketamine. Tyres often have the nal say...
If the modern equivalent costs over
10,000, in many ways the performance
decit of the ZX-9R is comparable with the
cost as in youre getting a tenth of the
performance and equipment of todays
material. For a grand, you cant really
complain at whats on offer here. The big
Kwacker is bulletproof and presents a
certain niche to a certain rider. And up until
a few years ago, a retuned ZX-9R motor
was being housed in Kawasakis Z1000.
What else can you get for a grand? If its
the size and sheer mass that deters you
from a 9R, then theres a myriad of
CBR600s and ZZR600s available. If you
think youve spotted a bargain because a
bike is a few grand cheaper than it should
be, its probably a howler with hidden
secrets and wobbly wheels...
Upwards on the performance spectrum
The ZX-9R was

in front, but not
for long...
Perfect roads for some

pre-TT pretending!
is the FireBlade. Still one of our favourite

Fireblades/FireBlades is the 954, but theyre
fetching strong mullah as much as 4,500
whereas the 929 is an excellent road hack.
So long as trackdays arent a priority, you
won't need to spend much on sorting one.
Hondas are far from unreliable, but there
was a fork recall for the early noughties
models (so check it's been done/not an
import), and watch out for water ingress on
the fuse boards that can cause a fault. Cam
WorldMags.net
41
GROUP TEST
WorldMags.net
sensors have also been known to fail

occasionally. Other than that, just enjoy
feeding the 'Blade petrol, that sexy front-end
and kicking the tyres.
For us, its virtually impossible to split the
GSX-R750 and Aprilia RSV Mille in terms of
performance. Its all down to what type of
thrills youre after v-twin boom or howling
four-pot, but the Aprilia is still far cheaper.
Although the hefty ZX-9R's and Mille's
weights are very similar, one
hides its mass superbly,
the other doesn't. One
is a bus, the other
copies a GPwinning machine.
And don't be
put off by misconceptions surrounding

reliability. 20,000 miles on the dash, and
Phil's Mille is still getting a daily spanking,
with no signs of retirement. We've heard of
plenty of other RSV owners with similar
stories to tell. Miles means smiles!
The Mille R, with its hlins blingery and
OZ wheels, is another option, but youre
running out of v-twin alternatives at this
price point. As previously
mentioned, Ducatis are
commanding big money
for looking pretty and not
handling as well as the
Mille, and TL1000Rs just
arent as
THANKS TO:
Ed for the ZX-9R (and for riding
down to meet us), Phil for
the RSV (and for allowing the
delayed return), Bransons M/Cs
for the Blade (give them a call
on 01935 474 998) and Frasers
M/Cs for the GSX-R (01452 306
485). You are all lovely people.
42
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procient as the base Mille.

The Mille also boasts the best steering
lock ever to grace a sportsbike! But besides
this really useful trait, it's a bike that delivers
so much both on and off track and rarely
lacks performance against the fresh kit of
today, as does the GSX-R750...
Fast Bikes test results are determined by
pure dynamics and outright pace, and this
seals the deal for the Suzuki. In many ways,
it's more enjoyable than the newer Suzuki
models and with a smidgen of coin spent,
you'll have a serious weapon in your hands.
It's still commanding respectable money,
so expect to pay around two grand for a
decent private sale. Just be aware of
headlight protectors and anodised tat!
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A GRAND DAY IN
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WORDS AND PICS: MAT T MCCABE BROWN
A GRAND
DAY IN
01
Three, two, one. Go!
08:30 Its a Wednesday morning. Yesterday

I took the fairings off the bike and as I look
across the room my Ducati is sat on the ramp
waiting patiently for todays major surgery. I
sit with a coffee cooling on the bench beside
me when my mechanic Artur walks in and
icks on his music. Its time to begin.
02
Come on, this is

costing me money!
08:40 The side air box covers, the seat and

the tank quickly nd themselves taken off the
bike and stored on the workbench. As the tank
comes off, the smell of 98Ron petrol lls the air.
03
Its all about

making room
to work in
08:50 The plastic radiator guard is next and
Weve seen that you can

buy a decent sportsbike for
a bit over a grand the same
price as a big service on a Ducati superbike,
as owner Matt Mccabe Brown nds out...
the battery box needs to come off in order to

get decent access to the radiator, but the bolt
holding the front on just spins in its housing.
A little bit of persuading sees the box moved
out the way just enough to help release the
radiator. Once the sister bolt is undone on the
right side of the bike, the radiator is swung out
of the way. It may have been neater to drain
the radiator and coolant system, but doing it
this way saves Artur time and me, money.
espite failing in superbikes and MotoGP last year, Ducati bike sales continue to
impress and the brand name remains extremely desirable here in the UK with used
sales booming. First impressions appear to show that buying used is a much cheaper
way of enjoying Ducati ownership, but is this really true? Traditionally there have always
been two well known facts about Ducatis. The rst is that theyre unreliable and the second
being big servicing costs, especially the two year major service that costs a small fortune.
This got me thinking. Those in the know see straight past the myth about Ducatis
being unreliable and realise that their modern machinery is just as good as those
produced in Germany, Japan and the UK, but it was the thought of servicing costs that
really interested me. With this in mind, I arranged to spend the day at Metropolis Ducati
in Barnet to watch my own 1098S go through its rst major Desmo service...
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04
Let the dog see

the rabbit!
45
FEATURE
05
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The Ducati is
uncovered
08
Locking the
crank
11
Black gloves are

cooler than blue...
09:00 The belt covers are removed and the

front cam cover comes off without any serious
problems. However, one of the bolts on the
top cam cover is obscured by the back of the
airbox. Artur is reluctant to remove to whole
thing just to get to one bolt and after a few
moments, has lifted the back of the airbox just
enough to get the bolt out and cover off. The
spark plugs come out, but theyre both covered
in oil so it looks like seals will need changing.
09:40 After all the prep work, the crank is

turned to move the piston in the top cylinder
to TDC, which is then locked off. This is the
rst chance to check the rst set of shims
and its not good, theyre tight. The external
timing belts are looped off the cogs, the bolts
holding the bridge and the cam shaft in
place are removed, closely followed by the
camshaft itself. Its nothing to worry about so
far, and nothing Artur hasnt seen before.
09
Shim time
10
06
Some full factory

measuring going
on there...
Time to take
the top off
07
10:15 The rocker arm valve return springs are

unclipped to give us access to the shim and the
shim cap. Any residual oil is wiped away and
some paper towel is used to ll the area at the
top of the head to prevent any shims or collets
from falling. The shims are removed, checked for
size and after some calculations, replaced with
the right sizes. When getting the collets back on,
a small amount of red grease is used simply to
hold them in place. These vital bits of the engine
are tiny and seem to take any opportunity to
escape. Its at this point Im really glad for that
paper towel as one slips. This is repeated on
the three remaining shims and once complete a
small dab of oil is placed in the recesses of the
camshafts and some liquid gasket is applied to
the large outer recess to ensure an oil-tight seal.
The cam shafts and bridge are put back on and
torqued to the right setting. Once the clearances
are checked again, the seals are replaced from the
cam cover and its bolted back onto the bike.
12
Dont sneeze!
Its a dirty
business
13
12:35 Its a case of no rest for the wicked for
14
Not much room for

any cat swinging...
11:05 With the top cylinder sorted, its time to repeat the whole process on the front cylinder head. Just
to be sure there no mistakes in the maths, a line is drawn through the calculations for the top cylinder and
a new diagram is scribbled quickly above. When the cam shafts come off, the last of the old timing belts
is fully removed and unceremoniously discarded into an old oil drum that doubles as the workshop bin.
15
Metal porn
Artur. As soon as he nished his sarnies he

was back on the bike, working methodically
through the service. By the time I got back from
the cafe, with coffee and doughnuts, I found
out that it was now time to t the timing belts.
Again the crank is lined up and the new belts
are put into place relatively quickly. Once the
belts are installed and lined up, something called
an acoustic belt analyser is used to check their
tension. Looking like a toy mobile phone, this
little box measures the frequency of the belt
once its plucked and the ideal setting is to get
the frequency on both belts to 110 megahertz.
17
16
12:20
LUNCH
You cant beat the
analogue way
46
Artur breaks out a

sandwich, lovingly
made by his wife.
I head to a cafe
for lunch.
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Belts back on, its time to

see if theyre in tension
A GRAND DAY IN
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18
21
25
Some bright
sparks
Some banging sound coming

out of the ones and twos
Its back to the

simple stuff tyres!
14:25 The timing belt covers are bolted

back into place and two new spark plugs
are screwed in. The radiator is bolted
back on and the coolant is topped up.
19
15:20 The front of the bike is now back together

and the tank and the airbox covers are being
bolted back on. The engine is red up and run
for a few minutes. The clutch sounds very loud
in the conned space, even over the exhaust.
The bike is shut down and the throttle bodies are
now balanced. Were running out of time. It looks
like this wont be nished today, which means
more hours and more money, but if thats what
its going to take, thats what its going to take.
THURSDAY
08:50 The front wheel is already out, the old
front tyre discarded and the new one is ready to
go on. The bike is still on the bench, but now
both forks are out and the front brake calipers
are hanging in space at the front of the bike. An
8mm drill bit is used to clear the hardened brake
dust from the ventilation holes on each of the
front discs and the Rosso Corsa tyre goes on.
26
Out with the old...
22
Will it ever end?
14:45 The nose and the left side ram

intake come off the bike. The old air lter
is removed and joins the old belts in the
bin. A new one just slides into place.
20
Like Tunes, air lters help a

bike breath more easily
23
Nearly there...
27
15:50 The old oil is drained from the sump
and the oil lter is removed and then binned.
The sump cover comes off and the sump lter
is removed and inspected. There are a few very
small bits of metal present and Im mocked
for my bad gear changes and I get a complex!
But it turns out that the metal is nothing to
worry about. Everything is reattached and the
sump is nally lled to the right level with fresh
oil again, another part that adds to the total.
24
But then dodgy bearings

get in the way...
09:25 With the front yokes and forks

off the bike, its become very clear that
the head race bearings are shot. Whats
another 50 between friends?
10:30 The front forks, lled with fresh
Motul fork oil, and the front wheel are back
in. Both calipers are bolted back into place
and the brake and clutch uid is replaced.
The rear pads are checked for wear and
nally a bit of good news, theyre ne.
You cant ignore

the essentials...
16:00 Although not part of the service, I was having the chain and sprockets replaced
as they were, well, knackered. All day the bike has been held in place by a single sided
rear paddock stand, but this was now in the way. The front wheel is tied to the front of the
bench and a platform jack, complete with rubber foot mat, is placed under the sump to lift
the bike. Artur breaks out the angle grinder and both sprockets are quickly changed.
16:30 The new chain is in place and everything is torqued up, but as there is still lots to do,
including the front tyre change, we call it a day with the intention of nishing everything tomorrow.
10:50 The bike is red up. Artur puts on his

jacket, helmet and gloves and heads out.
11:05 After a nervous wait, hes back
and appears happy with its work.
11:10 The moment Ive been dreading as

now Ive got to pay for it all. 1,700 to be
precise including parts and labour. Every
two years you say? Bloody Ducatis!
CONCLUSION: So was it worth it? Well despite the service costing the price of decent winter hack/commuting bike, Id say yes. If
you want a bike like this to perform to its best, servicing of any kind cant be avoided. The reliability of any machine runs hand in hand
with keeping it serviced by somebody who knows what theyre doing. Sometimes the price tag on beauty really can be justied...
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47
FEATURE
48
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SUZUKI SUPERTWIN
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WORDS: BENJAMIN J KUBAS CRONIN PICS: MARK MANNING
I, GLADIUS...
Suzukis unfortunately named middleweight makes an unlikely
basis for a TT race bike. Unless youre JHS Racing, of course...
heres something wonderfully

perverse about taking an unfancied
production motorcycle, especially one
seemingly unt for purpose, and turning it
into a rip-snorting race bike. More so, when
theres a single bike which logic dictates
you should be racing. In this instance were
talking about Suzukis SFV650 Gladius, and
the various mini and supertwins race series
out there. At club level theres more of a mix,
but as soon as you start to get a bit more
serious, looking at the TT and other big road
races, thus far theres only really been one
bike making waves Kawasakis ER-6.
They dominate the grids in the same
way as Kawasakis ZX-10R dominates
every superstock race the planet
over. The only other bike worth
having a go with was Suzukis
SV650, a bike essentially over
a decade old. Able to hold its
own in club events, or in the
Manx TT (as JHS rider Dave
Moftt proved a couple of
years back), it was a solid choice. But only

Bristol based JHS Racing took the ght in the
big league supertwin events seriously. Their
SV was a gorgeous bit of kit, fully hlinsd
up and constantly topping the dyno charts.
It had an extra bit of weight it had to carry,
inherent from the SVs design, and not having
that particular rider of a certain level onboard
that kept it from achieving what it deserved.
The work JHS put into them, and the
similar SV Fagan raced last year, is quite
astonishing. The SV has been metaphorically
parked by Suzuki now though, and given
JHS connections with the UK arm of the
Japanese manufacturer they had to turn
their attentions to the mildly camp Gladius
instead. But what theyve ended up with
looks both a million miles away from
the donor bike, and very much faster.
Its easy to lie back and take in the details
here. We love admiring bikes at FB, but
far prefer to actually ride them and tell
you guys what theyre like. Imagination
can only take you so far, after all. An
WHAT JHS RACING HAS ENDED UP

WITH IS A BIKE THATS A MILLION MILES
AWAY FROM THE DONOR BIKE...
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49
FEATURE
HOW MUCH, MISTER?
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WORK IN PROGRESS
A fully built 72bhp minitwin version can be yours from JHS for around
8,500 plus VAT. The TT version we rode will set you back quite a bit
more, around 16,000 plus VAT, but thats easily reected in spec and
man hours. Go to www.jhsracing.co.uk or call 0117 986 8844
The full-fat SFV is constantly being worked on and updated. The

current state of tune isnt quite as powerful as their previous SV while
James concentrates on other areas, but is still over 90bhp. A big
difference is the SFV is its nearly 10kg lighter than their SV race bike.
STOCK SHOCKER
GOTTA BE A YOSHI
BRAP A BAP BAP BAP!
Not the rear shock, thats a bling factory K-Tech number.

The swingarm is completely stock, though, until James
has time to test a bespoke JHS designed item. Rearsets
are unique and only available through JHS.
Its a Suzuki, so it has to be a Yoshimura exhaust, right?

For the end can, yes indeed, one of their natty dual-port
numbers. The rest of the piping is made by JHS to their
own measurements to best suit the state of tune.
Actuated by a Venhill quick action throttle, the engine

makes more than 91bhp via Carillo conrods, JE pistons,
JHS spec Kent cams and JHS valves, springs and collars,
bespoke airbox and a shit load of tuning and dyno work.
invitation to a pre-TT test with JHS and

Avon tyres, at the super fast Castle Combe,
arrived soon after seeing the bike at the JHS
workshops. Better yet, wed get to ride their
TT bike for this years event, which should
be happening as you read these words.
A grinning James Holland greeted us at
Combe, standing within
a trio of his
SFVs.
Two
were in minitwin specication, the other

was the TT bike, box fresh with the only
miles rolled on the dyno. This event was
arranged to set up the bike for the TT on
the new Avon tyres, and James had all his
riders present; including son William, Dave
Moftt and former British supersport charger
Aaron Walker. Theyre here to tell me the
truth about the bike, said James, I dont
want smoke blown up my arse, I need to
know where to go so were ready to race.
Wandering around the bike you wonder
and love that little engine, says James. Itd

be easy for me to jump ship and join the
bandwagon, but we want to be different. This
year, I was led to believe, would be the year
we got the support we needed from Suzuki,
but we need more. I truly believe we have
the better bike or I wouldnt be wasting my
own time and money with it, were just a
small team against a big monster, he said.
The decision to run Avon tyres is also
off the wall, too? I like that Avon are local
and weve always had a good relationship
ITS IMMEDIATELY CLEAR HOW MUCH

POKE THIS HAS OVER THE STOCKER...
how it ever began as a Gladius,
especially as Id taken one along
for comparative purposes. Only
the simple swingarm gives away
its origins, as otherwise its a
brand new bike front to back.
Still, one wonders why JHS
have gone down the Suzuki road,
rather than the favoured Kawasaki?
Ive always been a Suzuki fan
50
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with them. At last years TT nearly everyone

was on Dunlops, but theyve had some
issues recently, factories closing, etc, so we
needed to look elsewhere. We tested some
of Avons tyres last year, and they were
good, but not ready for racing then. Now
weve tested the new ones and everyone
is very happy, theyve done a great job.
The rst time we used them we got on the
podium with young Sam Smith, including
SUZUKI SUPERTWIN
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NEW CLOTHES
The race fairing is a pattern number
from a GSX-R600, although JHS is yet to
settle on one supplier. All fairing brackets
are milled in the JHS workshops.
ALL STOP
Brakes are from pukka Brembo calipers
off Suzukis current GSX-R1000, allied to a
Brembo master cylinder and lever. JHS use
both wavy and traditional discs depending on
track, made in Galfers factory, but unbranded.
FAMILY AFFAIR
Wheels are from a
Suzuki GSX-R600, while
the K-Tech modied
front fork is from the
GSX-R600/750, sprung
to JHS specication and
set-up in house by James
and the crew.
NOT THE NORM

JHS is running Avons latest 3D Ultra iteration,
going against the ow of the usual Pirelli and
Dunlop tment. Theyre the biggest question
mark, but taking a gamble could pay off as
Avon are fully backing the endeavor.
a new lap record. Were going to run Avons

on the superbike too, I feel weve enough
experience to take a chance. Fair enough!
Having not been around Combe for a few
years, I took the stocker for a few exploratory
laps. Like wed found at Llandow a couple of
weeks previously, its ruined by poor ground
clearance, yet the massively bumpy nature
of Combe meant the soggy suspension felt
half useful for a change. It only takes a few
laps to have had enough, mind you, and even
before riding the JHS SFV I know the Gladius
is a oppy blancmange by comparison.
After James Suzuki had done some initial
circulations it was my turn to jump on. The
pegs are a little high for my unt and lanky
form, but not so much as I cant ride it. The
motor is thumping underneath. Its a strong
beating heart and even with the exhaust
bung tted (Combe has strict noise regs), it
sounds how a proper V-twin racer should.
Pulling away its immediately clear how much
more poke this has than the stock bike, and
exiting onto the straight it revs hard and hits
130mph in a blink. A couple of laps in and
Im loving the bike, but as I push a bit harder
things feel a little off. Its nervous under
heavy braking, and I dont even brake
A COUPLE OF LAPS IN AND IM

LOVING THIS BIKE!
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51
FEATURE
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particularly hard. And tapping the gas out of

the slow chicanes, the rear is too high for me
and it immediately sends the bike wide. The
only thing that really shone through was an
abundance of grip from the new Avon hoops.
Back in the pits I tell James how much I
love the engine, but leave it there thinking
Ill nd an extra testicle on the next run and
get my shit together. However, both Dave
and Aaron have some issues with it too,
specically a twitchy front-end and too high
rear screwing the pooch. They had noticed
other things which I would never have
picked up on, but Id managed to unwittingly
diagnose the basic problems. James set
immediately to work, swapping out the rear
10-kilo spring for a 9.5 and lowering the
back by a precise 4mm, then dropping the
forks ush with the yokes to raise the front.
A couple of sessions and tweaks later,
Aaron comes back and proclaims the bike
capable of winning. Dave is likewise as
enthused, which is good as itll be him
ghting Team Green on the island, mere

weeks away. Im intrigued as to how so few
changes can result in such a turnaround,
but on my next stint its very clear.
While still slightly on edge, the front is
much improved and can be loaded up with
relative abandon, allied to ample grip from
the front Avon, while sacricing none of its
fast steering traits. The SFV is wonderfully
fuelled anyway, but the changes at the
rear mean Im able to get on the throttle
much earlier and harder than during the
morning. A hard hitting bulge of torque
catapults you from slow exits, and it revs
quickly enough to then keep it up high as
you click through the close-ratio gearbox.
For what it is, its bloody fast and youd
easily hold your own against bigger tackle
on a trackday. It also holds its line mid-turn
with far more poise, allowing a higher corner
speed, pushing the Avons that bit harder. On
my last session, the tyres had already done
a day of hot laps at national level pace, but
YOUD EASILY HOLD YOUR OWN

AGAINST BIGGER TACKLE...
I was only able to (inadvertently) get the

rear stepping out a couple of times when my
right st had turned momentarily into ham.
It really is a cracking thing to ride, all
of James racers should enjoy themselves
a great deal this year. Im no TT pilot and
therefore have no clue whether or not its
ready to win races, but if anything out
there is going to challenge the Kawasaki
ranks its this bike. We just need a
front-runner to really push it, added
James. With the greatest of respect
to Dave, who does a great job, its
frustrating from my point of view. I
can see no real reason why both of the
Suzuki factory supported riders are
not on our bikes for the TT Supertwin
race. Hes got a point, too, as we can
only imagine a Guy Martin or William
Dunlop would seriously challenge the top
Kawasaki on this rampant little beastie.
In the meantime, good luck boys!
52
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ASHLEY
VOWLES
TYRE DESIGNER AVON
Weve done sidecars at the TT for many
years, but it has a while since weve done
motorcycles. Thats not just the TT, but
racing in general. Our 3D Ultra Extreme
tyre has been marketed as a trackday
tyre, but sales have never been ideally
where we want them. So if we want to
push our sports product we need to be on
track. We did a huge amount of testing
and involved JHS some time ago. They
were having issues with the supply of
Dunlops, and as they were selling our
product anyway they tested our tyres and
gave us some feedback. They liked them,
but had some issues with trail braking
on the front and a little bit of understeer.
So we went off to Spain to test a lot of
tyres, and our test rider left saying they
were the best Avons hed ever ridden
on. Wed involved all our chemists from
all departments and played with the
construction, and then gave the latest
ones to JHS. Its been fantastic as weve
had eleven podiums over three rounds in
Thundersport. Its early days, but we have
to start somewhere and JHS has had a
lot of interest in our tyres. James and the
team have been brilliant in that regard as
its hard to get people to change, so we
really appreciate what theyve done. Our
test here at Combe has gone very well,
were extremely pleased, and are looking
forward to the TT a great deal.
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FEATURE
Spot the difference...
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How real do
you want it?
WHERE BETTER TO
LAUNCH MOTOGP 14 THAN
AT THE FIRST ROUND
IN QATAR!
MOTOGP
WORDS: FAGAN
PICS: MILESTONE/DUCATI/FAGAN
Al got the lucky ticket to go to Qatar to sample every MotoGP bike in the
paddock. The only trouble being that none of them were real...
54
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GAME THEORY
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THE GAME
14
one of us here at Fast Bikes are

massive computer game freaks. BJ
spent/wasted a while playing GP500
on his PC and Ive enjoyed a few MotoGP and
WSB games over the years. Other than the odd
sortie into Grand Theft Auto for random killing
sprees, thats it.
Motorcycle games have struggled to
replicate any tangible realism and real-world
dynamics through a joystick or keyboard.
And nding a balance between pleasing game
nerds and hardcore racers and race fans has
proven tricky.
Car games have evolved into simulators
that double up as driver training programs.
Winners of some games have gone on to drive
real Le Mans cars. Imagine a similar narrative
with a bike racing game where youd get a go
on a proper racer? Itd be a bloodbath.

Thats all about to change with MotoGP 14,
as we found out when we were exclusively
invited to Qatar for the opening round of
MotoGP by the makers of MotoGP 14
Milestone. Where better to launch the ofcial
game? I was the sole motorcycle journalist
amongst a hoard of militant gamers whod
never seen real sunlight (hence the trip to a
night race). I was scared.
Milestone must have been condent that its
new game was a good. Inviting 15 journalists
to travel halfway across the world, risking life
imprisonment for smuggling e-cigarettes into
the Middle East, cant have been cheap.
Me and a lot of the other guys in Milestone
really, really love this sport. We want to bring
to the players the real MotoGP feelings,
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55
FEATURE
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the nearest possible

experience to the reality,
explains Andrea Basilio.
Andrea is Games Director at
Milestone and oversaw the whole of
MotoGP 14. Like most of the guys and gals
at Milestone, Baz is a proper bike nut, and
his Doris used to work for the Yamaha world
superbike team as an electronics engineer.
Once again, Milestone has worked closely
with Dorna to capture sights, sounds and
other aspects that allow unrivalled realism.
Around 100 employees are involved internally
to produce the game, and the game itself had a
one year development span.
The makers also collaborated with the
Forward NGM squad and were used as testing
partners to guarantee gameplay and the bikes
Somethings got to hold

Marquez back - you!
realism, but
who is also a
proper gamer,
says Andrea. The
riders give us feedback on
the general physics and also on the tracks.
They are very precise about the tracks! One
metre is a big difference for them. One of the
coolest things I have experienced with the
riders feedback is was when Corsi said that
in Mugello his braking point was the same
in the game as it is in reality. For me, thats
amazing.
Years of developing the circuits for previous
games have seen tweaks for the older tracks
in MotoGP 14. But what of the new circuits?
All the new tracks on the calendar (Austin and
Argentina) have 3D projects, so the game guys
THE RIDERS GAVE US FEEDBACK ON THE

TRACKS THEY ARE VERY PRECISE...
dynamics were as close to the real thing as

possible. The likes of Claudio Corti (CRT
rider in 2013) and the Moto2 pairing of Mattia
Pasini and Simone Corsi were drafted in. Nico
Antonelli was used for Moto3 parity.
Not every rider is a gamer. We need a rider
who can help with developing physics and
56
import the track projects into the game.

All of the bikes were put on a dyno after
the last round of 2013 in Valencia to sample
engine sound, hence the audio realism. Aside
from overrun popping and accurate traction
control cut, Rossis Yamaha M1 in the game
brags the actual crossplane sound. Its the
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same for all the other bikes. Were sure Neil

Spalding could notice the difference between
the 2013 and 2014 RCVs here. The old dyno
trick, and a new audio engine to improve
the sound of the engines, means real quality.
Critics could argue that because theres no
load on the bikes, it isnt real. Sometimes we
have problems with fans who say that sound
is wrong. No, you are wrong, we say. We are
experimenting with something new, where we
are putting a mike on the bike to improve the
sound, but the wind noise is too strong. And
also, the MotoGP bikes are too loud!
Its important to note that at the time of the
games launch in Qatar, the game wasnt 100
per cent nished. We could only play with
three riders on two tracks but the majority
of the gameplay and physics were nalised,
including the commentary from BT Sports
Gavin Emmett. There are also 3D paddock
scenes exclusive to each circuit that will
appear in the nal version.
The rst noticeable improvement is the
graphics quality. The depth of eld, shadow
and lighting effects are astonishing. A huge
amount of effort has gone into photorealism.
Milestone photographed every rider and bike,
meticulously covering every angle possible
(much to the dismay of some factory teams).
We took a lot of reference from the bike in
certain angles, especially asymmetric views
GAME THEORY
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The graphics are nothing
short of stunning...
GINO REA
THE RIDERS EYE VIEW
We were staying in the same hotel as
Gino Rea current Moto2 rider for AGT/
Rea Racing. After a game brieng in the
hotel lobby, Gino popped round to see
what the fuss was about. And being a
young spunker and keen gamer, he was
itching to have a bash (at the game).
Its more realistic in terms of speed.
With MotoGP 13 you could get away
with a lot more, bump into other riders,
ride over kerbs, even when the semi-pro
physics are on.
You have to be a little bit more careful in
the new game. You really have to slow the
bike down and be more accurate. At the
same time, its more user-friendly.
Its a really good balance between
hardcore GP fan and a pure gamer. Ill be
using it to learn the new tracks!
And Ill certainly be playing the game
to learn Assen in preparation for British
Superbikes and the penultimate round
of the Ducati 899 TriOptions Cup. A
few sessions on the game, along with
some onboards, have already helped the
process. See you on the top step!
Make MotoGP interesting

play the game!
and all the details. We have to recreate the

3D model to be perfect in size (to scale). We
also have to recreate the perfect liveries of the
bike. Fans want to see a Termignoni in the
right place! In the game, Marquez RCV has
a digital dash, while Pedrosa has an analogue
item, just like real life.
One of the big physics negatives in any
earlier bike games was the steering. Thanks
to the physics calculations being three times
more accurate and the input from actual
racers, the feel from your hands to the bike on
screen is far more adept. Think of it as a big
step forward in ride-by-wire.
From a bikers and racers point of view,
the only real criticism we could make was
the moment from apex to when the bike is
upright. Its virtually impossible to control
and remain on the racing line. Unless theres
an actual MotoGP bike acting as a simulator
in your living room, youre never going to
replicate what Marquez and Co are doing
dynamically and a thumb actuating a
joystick certainly isnt.
Pushing the front off the throttle, trail
braking into a turn, you can almost feel the
dull sensation before the front tucks. At the
other end, gradually increasing throttle, the
break in traction has been made more realistic.
With the rider aids turned off, its no real
shock to learn that controlling the bike is
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57
FEATURE
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still ber tricky. The option of manual rider

movement and minimum assist will please
only the elite gamers. Milestone used motion
capture technology for crashes and rider
movements basically, wiring up a dummy
and getting him to chuck himself around
a padded cell, before transferring those
movements into the game.
There are four or ve different riding styles,
from the elbows of Marc Marquez and Ben
Spies to the more conventional styles of Rossi
and Hayden. Even The Doctors dangle makes
an appearance for those who wave a leg under
heavy braking.
Apart from the usual quick races, GP
weekends and seasons, and career modes
(you start as a wildcard and develop your
bike throughout the season), the new game
has a MotoGP legends section. The likes of
and consumption is new for 2014, says

Andrea. Bridgestone helped us a bit with the
new tyres, and we also have some data from
Dunlop to help with Moto2 and Moto3.
There are four different weather situations;
raining, cloudy (wet without rain), dry, and
then a dynamic situation between wet and
dry with a drying line. The grip feeling inside
the dry line is very different to that of the wet
Tarmac. Perfect for practicing UK trackdays.
MotoGP 14 is priced at 39.99 and will
be out sometime in June, and if youre a fan
of the old version and previous WSB games,
its a must-have. Milestone hasnt just raised
the bar for motorcycle gaming MotoGP 14
is one of the best racing games ever made,
replicating the sport we love with massive
success. Only an estimated 250,000 games
will be sold worldwide, which is surprisingly
THE LIKES OF SCHWANTZ AND DOOHAN

JOIN OTHER HEROES...
Schwantz and Doohan join other heroes,

making a total of over 100 riders to choose
from in the game. For the time attack queens,
theres no ghost mode.
Apart from the bikes physics, the biggest
improvement in MotoGP 14 is the new
software detail thats become available (see
the experts boxout for more info). Tyres go
off throughout race distance and sections of
the circuit differ in grip. Tyre temperatures
58
low given the quality of the product, but then

MotoGP is a niche sport in the context of Fifa
and F1. Its such a shame bike racing hasnt
got the following of the four-wheeled brigade
or footie because this game alone opens up
the experience to so many more people. Its
the closest anyone is going to get to racing
one of these things short of holding a gun to
Carmelo Ezpeletas head. But then playing on
MotoGP 14 is going to be safer all round.
WorldMags.net
Go on, make that

pass stick!
THE EXPERT at
Justin Towell is associate editor
Games Radar (a sister publication

at Fast Bikes) and knows a
thing or ten about gaming.
Hes not as scary as he looks.
The Next Generation machines are
running with three times the delity
of the previous generation version, so
theres more samples per second. Its
around 1000 calculations per second for
the physics. They now have tessellated
technology for the track, which means the
track is cut down into miniscule triangles,
and each one of those has its own data
for temperature, moisture and other
variables, which change as the race goes
on. So, if it starts to rain, the temperature
will start to drop, and this will affect how
the bikes handle. Each of these track
tiles makes a record of the data, so as
the tyres pass over, youll see the rubber
being laid down. Youll start with a green
track at the start of the weekend and the
grip will increase each time bikes go out.
PS4 can run the game at 1080p, which is
full HD, so thats the console to have for
MotoGP 14. A PC fully specd will be the
best overall, though.
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INTERVIEW
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that bike that werent as I wanted it. I was

pushing for a deltabox to drag the air over the
radiator, but no-one wanted it. I left Benelli
when the Chinese bought the company, so
about eight years ago, and went back to CRC
with Tamburini. He said to me that he needed
someone after he retired, but in reality it
worked out differently.
I have to have a sensibility to engineering.
Mortons work, current and

past, is all top drawer stuff...
TEN MINUTES WITH
adrian
morton
MV Agustas Senior Designer is a Brit, with an impressive record...

WORDS: SIMON ROOTSY ROOTS
PICS: MV AGUSTA
I was quite good at art at school and thought

what can I do with these skills?
To cut a long story short I went to college in
Norwich where there was Peter Stevens, the
designer of the old McLaren F1 and one of the
Lotus F1s. He was saying that this is what he
was doing for a job, and I thought that would
be great. I hadnt thought about the fact that
all bikes are designed by someone. When
youre 16 you just see cars and bikes on the
road and you dont think about what goes in
to them to be designed and built.
I did four years at Coventry University with

a specialisation in transportation design.
It was an excellent platform. I then had the
good fortune to go to the Royal College of Art
where I did a masters degree in vehicle design.
That was an incredible launch pad, because
there were about 11 people that got selected to
go to the RCA and it was all based on your
potential as a designer. I did a full size
motorcycle and the leathers that were all
linked visually I put all my eggs in one
basket because I wanted to get into the bike
industry because I love motorcycles.
As I was putting the bike on the stand I had

Dave Robb from BMW and Pierre
Terblanche from Ducati offering me a job.
I went to a BMW dealer and couldnt picture
myself designing them at the time, and then
you couldnt get better than the 916, so I went
to Ducati. I couldnt turn that down.
So it was off to Italy in 1995.

Not to Bologna, but to San Marino to the
Cagiva Research Centre where Tamburini was
running it and Terblanche was there too. I did

some parts of the F4, the swingarm, and the
Brutale where I did the original concept with
all the key elements.
Then went to Benelli.

I was the only designer and I had the freedom
to do what the hell I wanted, it was like being
back at college again. It was awesome. I was
doing everything, from seats for scooters, then
working on the new three cylinder platform
so the Tornado. I didnt even move house, I
was only 20km away from the factory and I
really liked living in Italy.
I STILL LOOK AT THE

F4 AND THE BRUTALE
AS THE BENCHMARK
FOR DESIGN...
The Tornado was designed in three and a
half months.
It was done in a company in England called
APA, which doesnt exist anymore. The only
thing that existed from Benelli were the tubes
on the frame, everything else was designed
from scratch. The concept was very risky in
terms of design language, and the production
bike lost a lot from the original. It got lost as a
project as it was industrialised. Thats not the
reality of design, thats the reality of Benelli,
unfortunately. There were a lot of things on
I cant do structural analysis, but I know what

looks right. So the swingarm on the F3 and the
Rivale is just styling, but its styling with some
engineering thought behind it. Its not there
100 per cent for the aesthetics, it has to work.
The swingarm on the F4 as well, that was a
sculpture, it wasnt about making the strongest
or most rigid component. It works inside out,
so you hand it over to the technical ofce to
make it work. Its a balance between
functionality and it having to look incredible
and thats even more the case with working
for MV because there were benchmarks set
that were really high. Benelli for me was like
Lamborghini, but MV is more like Ferrari, and
you do things in different ways.
The world is a different place since the F4

was originally designed.
But I still look at the F4 and Brutale as the
benchmark. I give everything my best shot,
when you have that brand on the tank you
have to make it the best you can. It has to be
special. We dont have the same philosophy as
other brands, who might go through all the
costings in minute details. We have to accept
some parts are more complicated to make
them more distinctive. Designers shouldnt
really do that, but we have to here. Sometimes
I get away with murder!
The F3 is a platform for the range.

Not just the F3. All the frames are the same,
but with slight changes to suit. So for an F3
you need attachment points for a fairing, but
you dont with the B3 or Rivale. And there are
different head angles, things like that. It was
modular up to a point. The main key items
remain the same, and even for the changed
head angle, you just jig slightly differently. I
started on the F3 after the modular parts were
designed. It was a great project to work on
and it costs a lot less than the F4.
Harley was very tight on the F3s

development costs when it owned MV.
For the rst time ever we had to look closely at
costs. The F3 had to have everything that
everyone wants on an MV, and I think it is an
MV. When you put it next to the old F4, the F3
retains the things that makes it an MV.
Honda has to sell millions of bikes.

Their system depends on it. We dont have to
do that, and dont want to do that. Were never
going to be mass market. Were niche, but
wed like that to be a big niche.
I always ask this of the test riders.

When they park up do people come over and
have a look? So long as they do, thats what an
MV should be. It has to stand out.
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63
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ROBERT DUNN S
ktm
u
uk
a ng e swap rom
sportsbikes to a naked
isnt hard when you
do it the KTM way...
ve never been
the type to bu
y things on a
the Superduk
whim, so I lo
e for a while
oked at
before buying
running a 17
it. At the tim
0bhp GSX-R10
e, I was
and chopped
00 K4, but I ha
the Suzuki in
d a test ride on
straight away
now, and sinc
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. That was th
e then Ive do
ree years ago
ne half a doze
to the Al s on
n trackdays an
it in June. Th
d Im going
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Dy ag wheel
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s, they r aw
esome. Add to Ive made to it is the
quick hifter
that the Akrap
(and a PCV to
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calm the sava
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d Ive never
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s the only
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owned, but I
best bike v
wouldnt h lf
ever
like to f t le
with a n w 12
90!
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W W W.F
ASTBIK
ESMAG
.COM
NS
ICATIO
MODIF
ES
NN
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ROBE PERDUKE
U
KTM S
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PERFOolution titanium exha
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Dynojet PCV kshifter
Dynojet quic r lter
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ETICS
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PHOTOGRAPHY: JESS
MODE L : JE S S I M A K E-UP A R T IS T: R A DJE N
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Nutty Nakeds
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WORDS: SIMON ROOTSY ROOTS PICS: JONNY GAWLER
BMW S 1000 R VS
KAWASAKI Z1000
Two new and

naked thoroughbreds
stunt their way onto the
green for our latest Rider
Cup test the Kawasaki Z1000
and the BMW S 1000 R...
awasaki continues to impress by sending yet another

representative to the Rider Cup. The 2014 Z1000 is light years
ahead of anything else Japan produces in this class, and is
testament to the Green Machines commitment to produce new and
challenging bikes if only every other manufacturer was up for the
ght like this... But even Kawasakis nest is going to have a job on
its hands dealing with the new BMW S 1000 R yes, an S 1000 RR
without an additional R. That tells you all you need to know about
this machine a bike whose only compromise to the class seems to
be the removal of its fairings. Were all very excited about this bikes
arrival, not only because it boasts massive power and capable braking
and suspension components, but also because its loaded with gadgets
galore, all designed to be engaged at exactly the right moment, no matter
your skill level. In these terms, its like a Cray supercomputer being
pitched against a ZX-81, but can the Kawasaki craft a sneaky win here?
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71
FEATURE
JAPAN VERS
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styling and
design
You cant deny that the Kawasaki has had
some serious love in this department.
Regardless of whetheryou like the look
or not,you can tell that the Zed has been
sketched, CAD-ed and clay modelled to
death.The result? It looks like something
that Judge Dredd would ride on his day
off, such is the menace it possesses.
That low snout raises a few eyebrows,
although it seems weirder than it actually
is from the pilots perspective. But as a
whole, it works. Delve deeper andyou
are rewarded by a feast of neat touches,
like the sculpted die-cast mirrors,
crafted exhausts, eccentric rear wheel
adjuster and colour coded cowl-less rear
seat. Kawasaki crap on about Sugomi
design, the Japanese word describing
energy and aura, but as much as we
dislike this marketing guff, the Zed is
certainly in possession of something
special that would make us go out
an polish it, even if it didnt need it.
The BMW, on the other hand, is
laughingly similar to its sportsbike
brother.Yes, we know that there have
been all sorts of changes made to turn
the R into something very different
than the RR, but to the untrained eye
the German designers have failed in
this task. Its akin to a spy putting on a
fake moustache and hoping that hed
go unrecognised Is this a bad thing,
though? No, is the short answer.The
BMW has the air of a reader special
about it.Theres a glint in its eye and the
pointy front and even pointier rear house
between them a bike that looks toned,
honed and ready for action. It may not
look pretty (the collector box being a
particular eyesore) or be endowed with
a designers clever styling cues threaded
throughout, but it has presence
KAWASAKI
BMW
9/10
7/10
THE KAWASAKI
STRUGGLES IN THE EMINENT
COMPANY OF THE BMW...
suspension and ride
The BMW outperforms the poor new Zed
in every sense here.The R uses the RRs
46mm Sachs suspension, albeit using revised
geometry gures and damping to relax the
ride a little. Even thought the bike feels tall
and ungainly when presented with its rst
corner, by the third of fourthyou feel right
at home, knowing the bike will sniff out an
apex perfectly.The rear, too, is RR sourced,
and thus more than able to cope with the
148bhp it rips out.The balance to the bike
is impressive, there are no chinks at either
end.And thenyou add in the Sports extra
suspension accoutrements, namely the
Dynamic Damping Control system. Flown
in from the HP4, this semi-active system
provides the magic carpet ride that the stock
damping is so nearly capable of. Stick in
your mode of choice, which are otherwise
synchronised with the ride settings (oryou
can ick through bespoke soft, normal
or sport presets), andyou are presented
with an array of performance although
72
even on the softest setting

the Rs suspension is compliant
enough for balls out road riding.
The Kawasaki struggles in this eminent
company.Though the riding position works in
the bikes favour, the control at the Horizontal
Back-link rear is poor.The fronts not so
bad, as is always the case with the Showa
SFF-BP forks, with a supple feel and action,
but any pleasantness over the bumps here
is quickly quashed by the rear returning a
choppy ride. It manifested itself leaving town
on our rst ride, with Al on the BMW noting
how poorly the Z1000 was tracking through
a bumpy roundabout. Find a corner thats
snooker smooth and its ne, but soonyoull
nd the composure goes, the stroke stutters
and the ride becomes more of a grind .
KAWASAKI
BMW
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6/10
9/10
SUS EUROPE
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JAPAN VS EUROPE
BIKE BATTLE
bells and
whistles
riding position and ergonomics

Ifyou were blindfolded and led up to the S
Thou thenyoud swear thatyou were on
the faired bike untilyou putyour hands
on the bars.Then things really change, as
they are set at and wide, almost comically
so.The whole bike has a real sense of the
second generationApriliaTuono about it.
It feels tall, stiff and ungainly a feeling
that takes longer thanyoud expect to melt
away. But melt it does, and onceyou get
used toyour arms being in such a wide
position, the BMWs physics means that
its easy to push into a turn though a little
harder to get it changing direction, like
whenyoure hammering it round and out of
a roundabout. Life up to a ton is bearable,
but beyond thisyou need to grityour teeth
and duck down as low asyou can go.

The Kawasaki is typically Japanese
comfortable and conventional.The bike
seems compact, despite measurements
saying otherwise, meaning its easy to get
acclimatised to, no matter the speed.The
bikes weight, a not inconsiderable 220 kilos,
is noticeable, but it feels like its placed low
and centrally, heightening low speed control.
You sit more in it, whereas BMW plopsyou on
the SThou, a feeling heightened by the lofty
tank. Its the easier to get on with initially,
until the suspension comes into play
KAWASAKI
BMW
8/10
7/10
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Theres really no competition here. Five

years ago the Z1000 would be perceived
to be well specced, what with its radial
calipers, Big Piston forks, fancy dash
and LED lights. But like with almost
everything out of Japan, it gets blitzed
by the European kit.Though Kawasaki
could have put a quickshifter, steering
damper and traction control on the
Zed (what with it developing one of
the best systems on the market the
KTRC kit as found on the ZX-10R), it
chose not to and thus left it open to
ridicule by its Euro rivals.Take a deep
breath and well list the BMWs spec
(in this Sport version). Ride by wire,
riding modes, Automatic Stability
Control, DynamicTraction Control, race
ABS, adjustable quickshifter, Dynamic
Damping Control and last, but not
least, heated grips. And whats this?
Freakin cruise control!This thing is
loaded like Dominos most expensive
pizza,you know, with the stuffed crust
and hamburgers in but with none
of the calories. And it all works, is all
synchronised and can all be turned off.
KAWASAKI
BMW
5/10
10/10
73
FEATURE
JAPAN VERS
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engine
Kawasaki didnt see t to do much with
the 1,043cc motor powering the Zed,
and we dare say they were right in this
thinking.The changes that were made for
the 2014 bike mainly centred around the
bikes fuelling, though cam timing was
revised to give the bike more of a kick
in the midrange. And the news is that it
all works well. New, shorter gearing gets
the show on the road quicker, leading to
the big shove of torque that opens the
gate to the crest of power approaching
11,000rpm.Theres a softness to it
thatyou can work with here, and the
exibility thats contained within is
seriously impressive.Top gear will power
you from zero (with a fair chunk of
clutch) to over 150mph, meaningyou
can do whateveryou want in between.
But the BMW does everything better,
and unlessyouve just jumped off
an RRyoull wonder what the faired
bike offers on top.The powerplant is
phenomenal, and once its spinning
theres no stopping it.The two bikes
share the inline four concept, but they go
about things so differently.The Kawasaki
labours in this company, but the short
stroke BMW is just so instant. Want
to overtake a string of ca Oh,youve
already done it. In top. OK, theres a bit
more shudder in sixth untilyou hit three
grand, but from here its all purposeful
untilyou go through the redline and
hit 12,000rpm. Up at that level things
are certainly a blur, but it produces the
sort of speed that will have the hairs
standing on the back ofyour neck.
KAWASAKI
BMW
THERES A SOFTNESS
TO THE ZED THAT YOU
CAN WORK WITH...
8/10
10/10
day to day
Its hard to contain the BMWs natural
enthusiasm, andyoull have to keep on
your toes to ensureyour licence stays clean.
Because of the lack of wind protection, at
leastyou wont be busted for massive speeds,
but a day at 100mph will haveyou reaching
for the Radox.You might struggle at these
speeds between fuel stops too because the
bike returns decent fuel economy gures
around 45mpg while ridden enthusiastically.
The Beemers mirrors arent much cop very
vibey but thats the only gripe. All the
electronics are easily accessible and onceyou
get used to which button does whatyoull be
on the case. Everything can be changed on
the hoof, too, which is a nice touch. Servicing
comes once ayear, when BMW techs decide
74
fuelling and throttle response

what needs doing to determine a cost.
Life is simpler on the Kawasaki. Good, if thats
whatyoure after. Its frugal on the dino juice
shouldyou want a meander, and the switch
to a 17 litre tank, from 15, is welcome.The
smooth motor is reected in a nice view in the
mirrors, no numb digits and a seatyou can sit
in all day.The dash is simple enough to use,
especially given no gadgets, but the tacho is
half on an LCD display (to 3,000rpm) then
uses lights which giveyou no clue whether
youre close to7,000rpm or the cusp of
8,000 revs. Nowt wrong with a needle...
KAWASAKI
BMW
8/10
8/10
Kawasaki has got things just about cock

on here, and that rings true throughout
the rev range. Given this isnt a ZX-10R,you
need to build in a degree of softness to that
opening throttle crack, and thats exactly
whats been done on the Z1000.This means
that slow stuff is all easily delivered, with
no unexpected lunges thrown in to scare
the bejesus out ofyou.The story continues
further up the rev range, where things get
more focused, but by this timeyou should
be knowing whatyoure doing and able
to take advantage of the Kawasakis new
found directness. Its designed to impress
out of the showroom, which is what it does,
whereas the BMW could intimidate initially.
Even though BMW has knocked off 2,000
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revs and 30-odd horsepower from the

lump, theres a real urgency to the bike and
its fuelling. It wants to pack everything in
and demonstrate its ability even though
youve only just got on it. Granted, its not
a beginners bike and so isnt fuelled like
one, but it still takes a more nesse inyour
right hand thanyoure probably used to.
This is exposed in the more delicate areas,
such as at a corner exit or onyour way to a
12 oclocker, but the different modes offer
different responses. But theres no excuse
for riding with the rain mode in the dry!
KAWASAKI
BMW
9/10
8/10
SUS EUROPE
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JAPAN VS EUROPE
BIKE BATTLE
price and value

for money
BMW play a little trick here, fully
loading their press bikes in the hope of
impressing.And it works, because what
were presented with is a bike in its full
regalia no more questions can be
asked of it. But what this also does is up
the price. So while the standard S 1000
R has a ticket of just 9,990you then
start adding the extras or opt for the
Sport at 11,390 (and then add 390 for
cruise control and 205 for an alarm).
The temptation is there to buy the
standard bike, and dynamically thats all
you need. But a salesman will persuade
you to buy a bike fully loaded by banging
on about how hard a standard one will
be to shift. For a GS maybe, but its
poppycock in this market. But forget all
of the electronic gizmos for a minute,
because this is a mightily impressive bike
bereft of these gadgets. Huge speed,
inherent balance, deft control its
everythingyoud want in a hyper naked
machine. Looking beyond the Kawasaki,
even the fully kitted Sport can justify
its price tag as it eyes the ApriliaTuono
V4R and KTM 1290 Superduke R.
The Kawasaki is all a little bit lacking,
really. It breaks the ten grand barrier by
300 (but busts it with ABS), but look
whatyoure getting less electronics,
less power, less poise and a look that isnt
for all. Were happy for manufacturers to
leave all this kit off a bike, but just dont
charge like its still on there! Its 2,500
more than the Z800, and that gap needs
to close (by the 1000 coming down...).
THE BMW NEEDS

NO ENCOURAGEMENT
TO GOOF ABOUT...
KAWASAKI
BMW
radio rental?
It should come as no great surprise that both
bikes like to perform in this arena.Thats
the whole premise of the naked; ditch the
fairings and shift the riders body weight back
and, whoops, theres she goes again ofcer
The BMW, given its surfeit of power, needs
no encouragement to start goong about.
Find a crest in fth, and itll readily give its
one wheel salute. Wheelies at a lower level
are a little more fraught given the sharp
throttle response, again harking back to the
oldApriliaTuono. Stoppies are awesome,
and ifyou turn everything off and getyour
body position cock on thenyou can sign up
foryour rst spin class althoughyou have
to open up the Dynamic Pro mode which
costs money when it really shouldnt.
7/10
9/10
braking
But the Kawasaki isnt far behind, and its
actually the more forgiving bike for this kind
of caper. With stacks of grunt to play with
anyone can get the front up, but once there
its a cinch to balance too. More weight and a
less focused front tyre means that stoppies
are only for hot sunny days on certain
surfaces untilyou swap the rubber over. By
and large, the Beemer works better for the
more experienced and at higher speeds
while the Kawasaki will holdyour hand and
walkyou throughyour rst nervous steps
onyour way to becoming a stunt legend
KAWASAKI
BMW
8/10
9/10
Kawasaki offers an ABS option for another

500 more, and this brings it up to the
braking technology of the BMW. Without
intervention, both systems work very well,
offering feel and power by the bucketload.
The Kawasaki brandedTokico radial mounted
calipers on the Zed bite on a set of, now
conventional for Kawasaki, wave discs (now
bigger), and do so very effectively. Given the
mass they have to stop, the softer suspension
set-up and less able OE tyres, the Kawasakis
units do a manful job, with these other
elements highlighting any deciencies.
The BMWs stoppers are pinched from
the RR, meaning phenomenal power, but
metered well to enableyou to grab a stful
without everything going all Marc Marquez
WorldMags.net
onyou.TheABS is particularly impressive,

especially on the road where it is a real
boon in non-perfect conditions. It works in
steps according to the riding modeyoure
in, which seems perfectly logical to us.The
fact thatyou can turn this off in an instant
is also appreciated because we know from
experience that the system isnt up to track
forays in the dry. All told, both bikes offe all
you could want when it comes to stopping
its just that BMW gives it toyou for free,
while Kawasaki expectyou to pay some extra
for the full gamut of performance available.
KAWASAKI
BMW
8/10
10/10
75
WorldMags.net
New visage
Mild engine changes
Showa SFF-BP forks
New horizontal shock
221kg (kerb)
122bhp
TRACK
chassis
engine
Highlights
Dodge the bumps.
Its the running gear thats seen the most

signicant change, although the ve piece
cast aluminium frame is similar to before,
going over the engine for a slimmer waist.
Mass centralisation is also in evidence, with
the exhaust and rear suspension redesigned
to achieve better balance.The 41mm Showa
BPF is a brilliant change, reducing internal
pressure but retaining better damping force.
FAST ROAD
Tries, but shock lets it down.
HOOLIGAN
Proper fruit loop!
NEW RIDER
Soft enough to consider.
DESIRABILITY
If you like the looks...
engine
chassis
price dimensions
results
Naked RR
DDC leccy suspenders
Quickshifter
Ruddy cruise control!
207kg (kerb)
148bhp
7
9
6
7
Properly focused.
The chassis is based on the RRs ally perimeter

frame, but the rake angle is increased by 0.8
degrees and the trail is 5mm longer than the
RR. Wheelbase is upped by 22mm, meaning a
less aggressive stance. Kerb weight is 207kg.
46mm Sachs forks sort the front while another
Sachs unit sorts the rear. An optional extra,
as seen here, is the BMW DDC system as seen
on the HP4. Wheels are 10-spoke alloys.
FAST ROAD
The faster the better.
10
9
HOOLIGAN
Hardcore, you know the score!
NEW RIDER
Look away now.
DESIRABILITY
No looker, but a go-er!
POWER AND TORQUE

180
Type
Bore x Stroke
Compression
Fuelling
Claimed Power
Claimed Torque
1,043cc, l/c, 16v, inline four

77 x 56mm
11.8:1
EFI, 38mm oval throttle bodies
122bhp @ 10,500rpm
99Nm @ 7,500rpm
999cc, l/c, 16v, inline four

80 x 49.7mm
12.0:1
EFI
148bhp @ 11,500rpm
106Nm @ 9,000rpm
Frame
F Suspension
R Suspension
Front Brakes
Rear Brakes
Twin spar aluminium

41mm USD Showa SFF-BP fork, fully adj.
Horizontal monoshock, fully adj.
Four-piston rad calipers, 310mm discs
One-piston caliper, 250mm disc
Aluminium composite spar

46mm USD Sachs fork, DDC adj.
Sachs monoshock, DDC adj.
Four piston caliper, 320mm discs, ABS
Single piston caliper, 220mm disc, ABS
Wheelbase
Seat Height
Dry Weight
Fuel Capacity
1,435mm
815mm
221kg (kerb)
17 litres
1,439mm
814mm
207kg
17.5 litres
Price
From
9,699
Kawasaki UK
01628 856750
www.kawasaki.co.uk
BMW Motorrad UK
0800 777155
www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk
11,390
78 POINTS 87 POINTS
Highest peak power:

BMW @ 148bhp
160
140
120
100
80
60

BMW @ 106Nm
40
20
2
rpm x 000
10
VERDICT
12
14
Unless you adore the looks of the Z1000, or wont

exploit the delights of the BMW at its upper
echelons, then its an easy job to walk on by
when youre strolling through the showrooms.
The Zed is a solid bike, in both senses, but when
you want to push the pace on the rear shocks
nature and the lack of any safety net reins in your
ambitions. Life is very different on the BMW. Its
stupidly powerful, stunningly braked, delightfully
suspended but not much to look at. Does the
later matter when a bike is as strong as this? Nope!
JAPAN 2-4EUROPE
TRACK
TECH DATA
76
Highlights
The motor of the RR has been tamed to 160bhp.

The cylinder head ducts have been redesigned
and the valve lift adjusted to plump the
midrange.The rev limiter has been dropped to
12,500rpm. Helping the retune is the BMW-X
engine management system, which allows
the R to brag 100 per cent ride by wire that
allow the rider aids to function. It also uses
the cylinder selective anti-knock control.
7
chassis
engine
KAWASAKI Z1000 SE 9,699
The 1,043cc engine is very similar to the

outgoing unit, but with a few tweaks for more
performance and economy. New oval subthrottles help keep the engine slim(ish), throttle
bore is remains at 38mm and a new secondary
set of ECU actioned throttle valves aids a linear
response by regulating airow better. Intake
funnels are now split by length, two short,
two long. Cam timing has been revised.
JAPAN VS EUROPE
BIKE BATTLE
BMW S 1000 R SPORT 11,390
BHP
FEATURE
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16
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CLASSIC TRACKS
WorldMags.net
THE
WORDS: ROOTSY
PHOTOS: FB ARCHIVE
MODERN
CLASSICS
AND HOW TO RIDE
THEM YOURSELF
A
wesome tracks arent just restricted to epic rings

of yesteryear, because a new wave of circuits has
appeared around the world each of them every
bit as good as their forefathers (if not a little better).
Thanks to the input of large amounts of cash and the
imagination of some clever circuit designers, these new
circuits offer an incredible experience in some amazing
locations and all set to a back drop of ne facilities, easy
access and superb safety. Racing goes to some of these
tracks, and not to others, so if you look beyond MotoGP
youll nd some cracking tracks that you must tick off...
WorldMags.net
79
FEATURE
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11
14
10
13
PORTIMAO
12
15
If youre heading to the

Algarve, pack your kit!
omehow built within a year, with

the paint still drying at the rst WSB
round held there in 2008, Portimao
is a ne example of if you build it, they will
come. WSB did come, as did F1 for a test,
and other race series, but since opening its
doors, the circuit has struggled to survive in
the downturn. But survive it does, and we

should all be grateful for this because it has
fast become one of the best tracks in Europe.
A massive straight, huge undulations,
blind turns and lovely owing sections make
it a real riders favourite. The rst turn is fast
and ballsy, the second slower, before the track
wriggles its way uphill, taking
The crowd goes wild!
in a big left hand hairpin and
two more rights. Then its
take-off time, which needs
you to pick out a line on a
sighting lap. The front lifts,
or rather the road disappears
beneath, before setting it up
for a left, then a blind right
back downhill. Then its two
more lefts then get set for the
rights that get you back on the
straight gathering ever more
speed until things get serious.
A good exit will get the front
lifting over the lip, then its on
with your next lap.
1
2
8
Portimao has the

weather, the track and
is priced well, too!
HOW TO RIDE:
PORTIMAO
Luckily,PortimaoontheAlgarveisa
homefromhomeforusBrits...
1)GowithaBritishoperator
Focused, No Limits and Hottrax make
regular visits to Portimao, and not just in
the off season. Youre looking at under
500 for three days on track, meaning you
just have to get a cheap flight out there. A
proper bargain. Head to the web for more.
2)Bookdirect
If youre only after a day, the circuit has a
few dates on the calendar, meaning you
can drop in for the day for 120.
www.autodromodoalgarve.com
3)SplashOut
For 1,599 you can get three days on track
on a BMW S 1000 RR with instruction on
how to pilot it!
www.race-academy.com
No wonder hes happy...
3
13
11
5
14
10
15
12
CIRCUIT OFTHE W
AMERICAS
This Texas super circuit is
nothing short of brilliant...
Youve just got to
go with the ow
at COTA...
80
hat. A. Track. COTA is a

remarkable facility built
just outside one of the most
pleasant cities in the world, Austin. It
couldnt be anything but American, such
is the bigger, better, faster nature of the
track. With its red, white and blue borders,
you need to keep it on the grey stuff in the
middle not an easy task, granted, although
its super safe and impressively wide.
The rst turn is bizarre, given the uphill
approach which helps braking, before
attening to enter the tight left. Then strap
your self in for a series of fast right/lefts.
Theres plenty of vision, meaning you can
concentrate on arrowing through these turns.
The last of these climb, then it drops downhill
over a left to hit the hairpin before the back
straight. Take a breath now, because youve
got a kilometre to pound out. Hard braking
nds a tight section that eventually ows,
before hitting a long, long, long right which is
epic. Two last lefts nish the lap off, before
being presented with that hill again
WorldMags.net
HOW TO RIDE:
COTA
ItseemsthatCOTAisnthappywith
trackdaycompaniesrockingupmaking
theplacelookuntidy,muchtolocal
riderschagrin.Shortofstumpingupthe
$55,000hireprice,youllhavetogoona
RideSmartschool.
1)A day of instruction with RideSmart will
set you back $485, but the problem will be
finding a bike to do it on as the school
doesnt do rentals. There are plenty of
places doing street rentals, but none thatll
do track hire. Head to the forums for more.
www.ridesmart.info
7
8
18
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4
17
14
16
15
13
11
10
12
CLASSIC TRACKS
YASMARINA
If you do business out in the Middle East then

shake on a deal at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi...
mile long track itself is designed with cars in

mind, but its a rocking place to ride a bike.
The start and nish straight is unremarkable
enough, but pleasingly the rst corner is faster
than your usual stop and go rst turn. The
next three turns are fast too, all able to test
your TC and ability to change direction
quickly. Next up is the slower stadium section
although there arent many stadiums that
look like this before the launch onto the back
straight. Theres a big braking section at the
end, then some quicker right-lefts, before
another section of slower stuff. Then the hotel
section is next as you thread yourself in
between the ornate buildings that really dont
look as if they belong alongside a track
amazing if its dark and the lights are on. Then
theres a tight, almost tunnel-like straight
before two more rights to lead you back on
another lap. Given theres no elevation
changes, the track is still an experience
perhaps not the most characterful, but given
the setting something very different...
rom the surreal surroundings of the

ve star facilities, hotels and
whatevers moored up in the marina,
to the tunnel that takes you from the pitlane to
the track, its fair to say Yas Marina is like no
other track. A monument to money, the 3.5
Just in case you didnt know

where you were...
Cadwell, it aint...
HOW TO RIDE:
YAS MARINA
BoththeCaliforniaSuperbikeSchooland
theDucatiRideExperiencehasbeento
YasMarina,butasyetneitherhasany
dateslinedupforaschoolherebut
keepyoureyesopenforfuture
announcements.Otherwisetrackdays
arefewandfarbetween,whichisacrying
shameheadtoQatarinstead!
www.superbikeschoolme.comwww.
ducati.com
12
Imagine this to yourself

all day you can do it!
PARCMOTOR
The home of our SBOTY test,
we think this track rocks!
arc where? Parc Motor, thats where.

This facility has been funded by the
Catalan equivalent of the ACU,
and boasts not just an amazing track,
but a supermoto track, kart track,
motocross circuit and miles of enduro
trials. The circuit itself is top notch,
and is set in a gure of eight
conguration, meaning you head
under a tunnel after the tracks
rst corner, a slightly downhill
5
left hander. After the bridge is
a fast right uphill, meaning you
can be greedy on the gas, before
another right that needs more care.
The slowest part on circuit is the lefthand
hairpin, which leads to a third gear left with
an awesome exit. Gas hard and youre on
the back straight which goes over the track
at its end. The left here opens up and you
scream downhill to two tricky rights and then
a slower left. A kinked straight is next before
you face a series of rights to get you back to
the long start/nish straight. Decent facilities,
spectacular surroundings and realistic pricing
means wed live here if we could.
11
10
9
7
HOW TO RIDE:
PARC MOTOR
3
2
6
Parc Motor has some

amazing views..
WorldMags.net
tsaharddaysrideawayoraboutan
ouroutofBarcelona.
1)Bookwiththetrack
The circuit itself runs bike trackdays, and at
79 a pop they offer great value.
www.parcmotor.com
2)Hireityourself
Yes, Parc Motor works out pretty
reasonably if youve got enough mates.
www.parcmotor.com
3)DoaSpanishtrackday
ZM Racing offer plenty of dates at
Parcmotor, starting at just 80
www.zmracing.com
81
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
ife On Bikes
L
BUYING
DING, MODIFYING, FIXING AND
RI
MASTERCLASS
Riding ...................................................90
Going fast is sometimes easy sometimes very hard. Why is this?
Technical....................................... 92
We pop down to JHS Racing to check out what goes on in the den...
Legal ....................................................... 97
OUR LIFE ON BIKES
Staff Bikes................................104
What an array of machinery! We know were very lucky bunnies
here, and we promise to look after each and every one of them!
Kawasaki ZX-6R KTM 1290 Super Duke R

BMW S 1000 R Yamaha MT-09
Triumph Street Tripe R
Forget the rear-ending gags, because this is a serious business...
USED BUYERS GUIDE
YOUR LIFE ON BIKES
Chatter .............................................98
All your anecdotes and crazy stories from another month on Planet FB.
Tracks and Travel..... 100
Benelli Tornado 900.....85

Many of us are tempted when we spy a Tornado for sale in the
classieds. But should we go splurging on this Italian superbike, or
should we not touch it with a barge pole?
Where to go on your bike and which tracks to go and have a blast on!
WorldMags.net
83
WorldMags.net
WORDS BY: JON URRY
PICS BY: JONNY GAWLER
WorldMags.net
UsedCURRENT: BENELLI TORNADO TRE 900

2003
T
he late 1990s and early 2000s

were a great time for the
Italian motorcycle industry.
Thanks to Ducatis dominance in
world superbikes and Aprilias
ability to bring exotica to the
masses with the RSV,
machines from the land of
pasta and pizza were still
regarded as exclusive, but
now also affordable and
reliable. The days of dodgy
electrics and questionable
reliability were a thing of the
past and riders were buying
with condence. Although a few
companies still upheld the grand
traditions of Italian design
Seeing the resurgence of their
industry, and fancying another
bite at the superbike market,
in 1999 Benelli released
details of their new three
cylinder sportsbike the
Tornado. Although well
established in the scooter world,
Benellis glory years were long
forgotten by most. But with a new
management team keen to recapture
past heroics, the Tornado was boss
Andrea Merlonis crazy project. But
this project needed to prove its
credentials rst ...
Making a mockery of the WSB
homologation regulations (another
ne Italian tradition), Benelli actually
raced the Tre in 2001, a clear year
priceguide:
2,000- ,2
Cheapest private:
2,995
2004 bike with 15,600 miles, described as

immaculate with a few extras.
Our choice private:
3,600
A later 2008 model in the unusual black/silver

and with only 9,000 miles on it.
Cheapest dealer:
3,699
2004 bike with 8,000 miles and a FSH.

Described as in good condition.
Our choice dealer:
3,991
A 2012 reg bike with just 4,000 miles and in

head-turning red. Looks a bargain.
Ex-demo:
6,299
A Tre with just 7 miles means this is a

pre-registered bike, probably not a demo.
Storm
WARNING
The Benelli Tornado had the potential to be

a smash hit. However, poor reliability saw
this Italian triple fall short of the mark...
WorldMags.net
85
USED BIKE GUIDE BENELLI TORNADO TRE 900

engine
898cc, liquid-cooled, 12v, inline triple

88 x 49.2mm
11:1
Electronic fuel-injection
114bhp @ 11,500rpm
83Nm @ 8,000rpm
TRE RS AND LE
chassis
Frame
F Suspension
R Suspension
Front Brakes
Rear Brakes
Aluminium cast sections with steel trellis

43mm inverted forks, fully-adjustable
Monoshock, fully-adjustable
Two-piston caliper, 240mm disc
GEARBOX
AIRBOX
The Tornado has a bolt at the end of the alternator shaft that holds the
alternator drive dog in place. Although thread-locked in place by Benelli, after
a while it can come loose, causing metal to meet metal resulting in a very
expensive engine rebuild! The company released a belleville washer (used on
the TnT) which cured the problem, but older bikes may not have this tted.
Ask for proof that this mod has been done on an early bike.
dimensions
Wheelbase
Seat Height
Dry Weight
Fuel Capacity
1,419mm
840mm
198kg
18 litres
In a remarkable display of stupidity, the airbox water

drain empties directly over number two cylinders spark
plug. This has the predictable result of causing the
coil to corrode and fail. The modication to stop this
happening simply involves tting a rubber grommet
and a length of pipe to the hole to redirect the water
away, so isnt a huge problem, but ask the owner is he
has done this and if not check the engine for corrosion.
speed
WorldMags.net
Type
Bore x Stroke
Compression
Fuelling
Tested Power
Tested Torque
0-60
0-100
60-100
Stg Mile
Standing Mile
Top Speed
3.28 sec
n/a
17.51 sec
12.27 @ 124.26mph
n/a
161.82mph
In 2004 Benelli launched the Tornado RS. Costing 2,000 more than the stock bike it came with OZ wheels, uprated Marzocchi forks, radial
brake calipers and few carbon bits. Inside the engine more aggressive cams, a new fuel injection map and an adjustable slipper clutch added
7bhp while visually the black frame and red/black fairing looked meaner. In the used market they may command a few quid more that a stock
model, but dont pay over the odds. The 2002 LE (Limited Edition) was the homologation special and came with hlins suspension, magnesium
wheels and carbon bodywork. Only 150 were made, but as they didnt sell you can still get a new one for 11,499
CAMCHAINS AND VALVE CLEARANCES
86
CLUTCH: PART 1
CLUTCH: PART 2
Early Tornados suffered from poor quality control on the camchains with some even failing
within 6,000 miles. Believe it or not, the ofcial service intervals from Benelli require the
camchain being changed at 14,000 miles! Be very wary of models approaching this mileage.
The valve clearances need to be checked every 6,000 miles.
Early Tornados suffered from a host of clutch issues caused by the clutch
plates, basket and accentuating arm. There was an update but owners of the
early model usually either use RS or TnT clutch parts to cure the problem. Early
clutch baskets have been known to fall apart!
A poor clutch action can be caused by

the levers pivot hole, which can become
elongated. A new lever isnt cheap at 90, so
check all is well.
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
insuranceguide
before the homologation LE or

even the stock road bike were
launched. In fact, by 2003 when the
road bike nally appeared, the race
team had already disbanded without
a single top ten nish to its name.
Never mind. Back to business, would
the road bike live up to its billing?
On the face of it there was a lot to
like about the Tornado. A clever
design where the air was sucked
through the bike and out of its tail by
concerning, however Benelli

reassured everyone by pointing out it
was aerospace glue, not just a tube of
Pritt-Stick
With a cool look, sorted chassis
and the inherent character of a triple
engine that even included such
modern technology as a slipper
clutch as standard, the Tornado
should have been a hit. However,
Benelli very quickly ran into the usual
Italian issues...
rider1 35, 5 yrs NCD, licence 5yrs,

0 points, garaged, BS31 code, 8,000
miles per year, no pillion cover, no
accessories.
tpft
133
As well as supply problems, the

Tornados electrics started to play up
and the triples reliability was being
called into question. Camchains were
wearing out at a frightening rate,
service costs were higher than
expected, electrical gremlins were
commonplace and nally, to top it all
off, the motor developed a few
alarming traits. The Tornado may
have looked good, but with the Foggy
Petronas bike being humiliated on
300
comp
154
excess
400
rider2 40, 7 yrs NCD, licence

18yrs, 3 points, garaged, BS31 code,
8,000 miles per year, no pillion cover,
no accessories.
Withacoollook,sortedchassisandtriple
character,theTornadoshouldhavebeenahit...
the twin underseat fans meant that
the radiator could be located behind
the motor. Not only did the fans look
cool, by repositioning the radiator
Benelli could give the Tornado a steep
head angle and forward weight bias
for better agility. Then there was the
actual chassis, which combined cast
aluminium sections with a tubular
steel trellis in a blend of Italian and
Japanese design. The fact they were
then glued together was slightly
excess
tpft
103
Bike:
excess
250
comp
117
excess
350
20043,500
Quotes from www.comparethemarket.com
The Benelli has

a lot of fans.
Two, in fact...
The lump
worked, just
not for long
enough...
ELECTRICAL: PART 1
ELECTRICAL: PART 2
The battery cables are not really man enough to deal with
the voltage the starter motor requires, which results in a
sluggish turn-over. Owners report the solution is to simply
add a second set of 8mm cables, but again, ask if this has
been done if the starter seems strained. A straining starter
can lead to a damaged sprag clutch and a big bill.
The dash on early Tornado models (Sagem ECU) is about as

watertight as a sieve. Electrical faults caused by water getting
into the dash are very common so look for any signs of this
such as warning lights or a misting within the dash. Benelli
updated the dash; however, as the later bikes use a different
ECU (Walbro) you cant swap the dashes over.
For those of a weak

constitution, look
away now...
The Tornado was well

specced, but ultimately
failed to deliver
WorldMags.net
87
USED BIKE GUIDE BENELLI TORNAD
TRE 900
WorldMags.net
runningcosts
Service interval:
Minor
Major
Valve clearances
6,000 miles
12,000 miles
6,000 miles
Service cost (main dealer):

Minor
300
Major
600
Valve clearances
In Major
Right fairing:
256
RH Engine casing:
42
Brake lever:
92
Thanks to Moto Corsa: 01747 811196

And on the web: www.motocorsa.co.uk
Italian exotica has

never been so cheap
for a reason!
alsoconsiderthese:
Private
3,60
Deale
4 0
Engine
Po r
T qu
998cc, c 8v w
120
10 N @ 7,800
Private
2,0
Deal
2,400
Engine
Po er
T qu
1, 2 / 8 V tw
127b
98N @ 7,800 pm
Private
3,0 0
Deale
3,300
Engine
Po r
T qu
88
track (to a point), triples werent

cool and no one wanted a ckle
Italian bike when they could have a
reliable one for the same price. Sales
dried up and despite Benelli
increasing the capacity to 1,130cc in
2004, they had missed the boat.
Or had they? After suffering some
nancial issues in 2004, Benelli
stopped production of the 900 and
MotoGB bought the UKs franchise,
as well as any unsold bikes, from the
previous importer. With a supply of
new Tornado 900s in crates, and
Benelli still producing the 1130,
MotoGB ensured that every Tornado
that was sold subsequently had all
the teething issues thoroughly sorted
out. Very quickly, those that were
willing to take a chance on the
Tornado discovered they were getting
a hell of a lot of bike for their money
as the bottom fell out of the market.
Initially the Tornado was priced at
11,500, however today you can get a
new one for 6,500 and a used model
for less than 3,000. So is it is the best
bargain of the superbike world?
A few quid spent on the
suspension and the Tornado 900 can
be transformed from a quirky Italian
bike to a proper track thoroughbred.
It may be limited in power, but the
triple motor sounds, feels and
responds well and once you sort the
jerky fuel injection with a fuelling
module, the Tornado is actually a
pretty decent machine on the hoof.
The chassis is excellent and although
the riding position is extreme, this is a
great bike to be seen on.
As long as you ensure a used bike
has been through MotoGB to get the
main issues sorted, buying a Tornado
900 is the cheapest way to own a
piece of true Italian exotica. Its a
unique machine with an interesting
history, decent ride and evocative
exhaust note not to mention two big
fans under its tail
Verdict
6/10
Abikeyoucancertainlylearntolove,butwhenbuyingused
itsletdownbyconcernsoverreliabilityandrunningcosts.
+ HANDLING, ENGINE, LOOK, NOISE
- RELIABILITY, DEPRECIATION, PARTS
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
MASTERCLASS
WorldMags.net
Im on lap record pace!

It might feel like it but the
reality is far from that...
IT FEELS SOOOOOOOO FAST!
Feeling fast and going fast are two different things. But why is this?
ANDY
IBBOTT
SCHOOL DIRECTOR & LEVEL 4 COACH
AndyIbbottstartedriding
motorbikesat14years-old,
andtheyvebeenhisliving
since1992,whenhebecame
acourier.In94hedecidedto
becomeabikejourno,and
joinedFastBikes.Toimprove
hisridingskillshestartedracing
arented250LC,switchingtoa
600forthefollowingseason.
HebecameafulltimeCSS
coachattheendof1999,and
nowheadstheUK,Europe,and
theFarEastschools.Having
sufferedanastystroke,Andy
isbackinthethickofthings
attheSchoolandlovingit!
he harder we ride, the less smooth we

become until we can get to a point when
we think we are absolutely on it and it
really does feel like we are on it. In truth, however,
were going a lot slower than we think and the
only thing we are on is a knife edge of traction
created by aggressive, sloppy and frantic control
actions. Im sure weve all done this and tried and
tried to push through the barrier only to nd we
are going slower and slower and massively
increasing the risk of a very big crash!
When you put your mind to it, riding proper fast
will actually feel slow. It sounds like a
contradiction, but when we are riding fast we will
nd a rhythm and
with that comes
speed where you
feel like you are, to
use an American
phrase, in the zone.
Everything you do will be in a very controlled and
very precise manner.
The three main areas we tend to get over active
with when riding fast are the throttle, the gears
and the brakes. Smooth progressive roll on goes
out the door, replaced with sudden, aggressive and
jerky throttle openings. This causes the bike to
become unstable as weight is transferred front to
rear and back again, compressing and unloading
the suspension to such a degree that the tyres can
lose grip, even with little lean angle!
If you want more acceleration out of the turn
then start your roll on a little sooner and be more
progressive as you go through the corner. This will

reduce the chances of losing traction and having to
roll off and then back on again but harder...
Jumping down through the gearbox is another
fast riding trait. This causes a mismatch between
the front and rear wheels speeds and the bike
slews and sways into the corner making it hard for
you to judge when to turn, or even if you can turn
at all! Match your rapid downshifts with a smooth
blip of the throttle to keep the front and rear
wheels in line. Slipper clutches do help if you are
rough, but there is no substitute for being smooth.
Advice on the initial brake pull is an example.
Were told it should be a gradual application to
settle the bikes
suspension and
not lock up the
wheel. Sounds
good and logical,
but like most good
advice it can have severe consequences if applied
in the wrong situation.
Lets take a one second(one heartbeat)gradual
squeeze at 60mph and compare that to a racers
fteen hundredths of a second (thats half the time
it takes to blink) brake pull. How would that
impact your accident avoidance capabilities?
Without doing the maths, but knowing you are
travelling at 88 feet per second, its safe to say it
would be many more yards before you stopped the
bike. Advice? Hard fact? Hmm, Keith and I prefer
hard fact and the school is all about teaching good
old fashioned solid information!
Put your mind to it and

riding fast will feel slow...
contactcsstobook: tel08700671061 emailinfo@superbikeschool.co.uk web www.superbikeschool.co.uk

90
WorldMags.net
RIDING
WorldMags.net in touch with

If you've got a riding problem, whether it's on road or track, get
Andy Ibbott; his knowledge will set you free: fastbikes@futurenet.com
How good is your
throttle control? What
condition is your rear
tyre in? How compliant is your
suspension? Do you often nd
the rear tyre spinning up as you
twist the throttle? Do you like
your 2010 R1 as it is or would you
prefer to tame it down a bit? Do
you ride your bike at many
trackdays and nd that only
bikes with traction control are
leaving you behind?
If you could spend that money
on something else, possibly
something that you could use
on any bike on the planet, would
that be a better investment?
Do the latest bikes need TC or is
this rider aid to help those with
weak throttle control? In other
words, if you could improve
your throttle control would
you need traction control?
I may be biased, but investing
in improving throttle control
would be my choice!
The Fireblade makes do

without TC, and theres nowt
wrong with that!
TOTALCONTROL?
With all the latest bikes
on the market featuring
traction control, should I
be getting rid of my 2010 R1 that
doesnt feature this or fit an
aftermarket system to it?
Jay, Nantwich
ANDY
SPIDEY
PECK
TRACKATTACK
Last year I did my rst
trackday at Mallory Park,
which I loved! For this year
Im planning on doing more, but at
other circuits. How do you go about
learning new tracks without
wasting lots of time on track?
Phil, Preston
Thats great. Do you
have a favourite road
that youd always
ride? If so, how is this your
favourite? Can you describe
the features which you
expect to see on this road
for every corner? What do
you remember about
Mallory Park? Did you
have any favourite
corners there? Could
DEPUTY CHIEF RIDING COACH AT

CALIFORNIA SUPERBIKE SCHOOL,
DEALS WITH YOUR RIDING RIDDLES,
WHETHER ON ROAD OR TRACK.
CONTACT HIM THROUGH
FASTBIKES@FUTURENET.COM.
you could either banish the

unfriendliness or nd some
landmarks on the track to make
friends with would that help to
make the bad corners less so?
Its highly likely that your
favourite corners have good
reference points (RPs) that you
can use time after time and
the bad corners have fewer
or no RPs at all. The RPs are
immovable, permanent features
that you can use to locate
yourself and appoint a purpose
to. Go ahead and draw a circuit
map of Mallory Park as you
remember it, putting in all the
things that you can remember
for each corner. After you have
done that look at the drawing
to see if there are any obvious
gaps or empty spaces do
these correspond to your bad
corners? What would be the
minimum number of RPs per
corner that you could sensibly
use to help you get round? Two,
three, ve or ten? Would three
sound achievable to mark the
entry, middle and exit of each
turn? Some turns may need
more; Goddards at Mallory may
need a couple in the middle, for
example, to keep you on line. If
you can highlight at least three
reference points, at each new
track for each corner, and draw
them on a circuit map you will be
well on the way to accelerating
your learning of a new track.
What could a reference point
be? Could it be a surface repair
patch, a change of surface, the
beginning, or end, or a kerb,
a service road, surface skid
marks? Anything which is on the
track or permanently making
contact with it can be a reference
point. If the track is completely
barren and clean, your choice
of RP will need to extend to
other non-track features.
Reference points are

immovable circuit features...
Why is Mallory a
favourite? The cafe does a
mean egg and chips...
you describe the features which

made these corners your
favourites? How about the corners
you didnt like. Were there any of
these? Why were they not as good
as the others?
Could it be that the corners you
liked had many familiar features
and the ones you didnt like either
had some unfriendly characteristics
or nothing memorable at all? If
WorldMags.net
The skill in developing RPs is to

have the right number; too many
will make you busy and not
enough youll feel lost looking
for them while looking at
them too long, rather than being
aware of them, will inhibit your
progress too. All of these skills
can be learned at a Level 2 School
and are equally applicable
for road riding as trackdays.
91
MASTERCLASS
WorldMags.net
Technical
Fitting your own exhaust can

save you money later on
Looks expensive...
JHS RACING OWNER/BIG CHEESE

JamesHollandrunsJHSRacing
inKeynsham,andheisour
gotoguywheneverweneed
abikelookingat.JHSRacing
wassetupinthemid1990s
andhassinceexpandedas
itsreputationhasgrown.
Theworkshopdealswith
everything,fromscootersto
superbikes.Havingbuiltand
workedonraceSuzukiSVs
andTriumph675sJameshas
awealthofknowledgewith
thesebikes,butelsewhere
Jamesknowledgeisas
extensiveasitgets.Sofrom
tyrettingtoMOTs,fromdyno
worktosuspension,James
reallydoesdoitall.Andherehe
is,passingonhisyearsinthe
businesstoFastBikesreaders!
MODERNTUNING
Its not all grinding ports, changing jets and

polishing heads anymore, oh no...
hese days modern tuning is

very different. Now you
have pipes, air-lters,
Power Commanders, the Bazzaz,
Motec, the list goes on and on.
Most road riders will do some of
those items, and then want to move
on and explore other options, but
costs are a big limiting factor now.
Modern engines are very good
though, you
cant just wang
on an exhaust or
t a set of cams
and get ten
horsepower,
those days are long gone. The best
known tuning aid is the Dynojet
Power Commander (PC) for
adjusting fuelling. Its a fantastic
piece of equipment, cutting edge in
terms of support and theyre
reaching forward all the time,
especially with all their different
modules theyll be doing some

direct access ECU stuff soon, too.
Bazzaz is the new kid on the
block. Its a great system and you
get a form of basic traction-control
(if your bike doesnt already have
it), a quickshifter and map switch
thrown in. Costs work out about
the same, but overall you have
some good choices available.
Many bikes have a form of one as

standard, but that said, Neil
Spalding makes a lovely one at
Sigma which you can adjust and
play with.
Most tuning these days is
electronic though, and many dont
realise that with a PCV or similar
you can seriously improve the
connection between the throttle
and the rear tyre. Its not
necessarily about getting outright
bhp power at peak, its about
getting it through the entire range.
Bikes are so good now. Kawasakis
range are nished by hand and I
dont know of another big
manufacturer who does that.
Thats one reason why theyre so
good in standard form. But you can
still spend time on a dyno and get
great results for not a lot of money
including better fuel
consumption, which these days is
becoming more important.
We always recommend that
before you make any changes to get
a base run on your bike. We see it
all the time when people book in
for a custom map, but they have a
problem somewhere.
So we do a base run,
then t the relative
items and then do a
custom map. No two
bikes have the same
air-fuel ratio outputs, be it the same
model or different ones, and you
must consider what and how you
use your bike, too.
Fitting exhausts is ne. A lot of
the top brands do a huge amount of
R&D, like Akrapovic and
Yoshimura, if youre just putting a
You dont instantly get 10bhp

from an exhaust anymore...
Working on the bikes is getting
harder though. Like bikes now
having eight injectors, which
generally entails getting the airbox
off, plus you must tap into crank
sensors, gearbox sensors and so on.
Theres also performance aids
like slipper clutches which help.
contactjhsracing: tel01179868844 email jhsracing@lineone.net web www.jhsracing.co.uk

92
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net KIT
toolofthemonth ESSENTIAL WORKSHOP
Blueprinting
Thats an old term now, which rst
came from the old Manx Nortons.
Youd buy a set of blueprints and
strip your engine and match it to
them. Now, blueprinting is a word
not used much, although the
principals still apply in some regard
as you still try and get rid of any
casting marks even if theyre not so
pronounced nowadays. Less
friction means more power, so if
you have oil clinging to items you
SNAP-ON RETAINING RING

PLIER SET 149
We use these for our gearboxes
and theyre mint! When you do
gearboxes, the circlips they use
are very small, but these are
reversible via a dial. One way is for
squeezing the circlip together,
then I turn the little dial and the
same action separates the circlip.
Normal ones are a pain in the
backside, and luckily these are
perfect for our Suzuki gearboxes
on our race bikes. I also like them
as its a neat little set, and
sometimes the simplest ideas are
the best especially when they
make your life a bit easier.
to come off. The injection system is
hidden and its a lot of work, you
must be prepared for it. And do you
have the tools to get to it? BMW
uses a lot of Torx stuff, for example.
Hondas Fireblade is reasonably
easy, though everything still has to
come off, its a fair bit of work and
Fit a full system and youll

need a custom map...
need to get it off, although its not

about polishing, thats a big myth.
Finishing combustion chambers
and the like is a ne art, and theres
also stuff like weight matching
pistons and con-rods, balancing big
and small ends and your
crankshaft. You can go through
everything meticulously if you
want, but its not cheap and most
dont unless youre racing.
However, one thing thats started
happening is were getting
customers with pre-2005 bikes who
want a lot of tuning done
including internals probably to
keep up with modern bikes power
gures. Otherwise, unless youre
racing, modern engines in stock
forms are good enough.
its easy to get into a pickle. And

then you still dont have a base run
to see if what youre tting will
improve it, and you can only have a
generic map downloaded off the
internet and still have to pay
someone to do a custom map.
If you bought it from us, nine
times from ten we dont charge to
t the item, its free to make sure it
goes on properly. There may be
tricks of the trade where we may
not put the unit where the
instructions say, due to an item like
an alarm or other mods that
prevent it. We have seen people t
them, and not a single injector has
been tted right, so we have to do
the whole lot again anyway to nd
where the problem is, and thats by

the hour! Its easily done where
folk dont read the instructions
properly. We see it a lot with
Hondas where people have lifted
the tank, seen the injectors,
unplugged them, plugged in the
PCV and it doesnt work. Theyre
the wrong injectors! Or theyll
unplug the secondary buttery
plug, rather than the main throttle
position plug, and wonder why
their bike wont start. We see it a
few times a year.
Although some bikes are
reasonably straightforward, like
Yamahas, that still doesnt stop folk
from cutting the wrong wires by
accident. You can do it yourself,
and I know some people who have
done it themselves with an
Autotune system and a laptop. But

most people just want it done and
want to see their dyno printout. It
doesnt hurt to save yourself some
money, but when it comes to a PCV
where we t it free and then set it
up, why would you bother? But if
you must, take your time, do it one
bit at a time and for goodness sake,
read the instructions RTFM!
Are you any

good on a PC?
DYNO EXAMPLE: BEFORE AND AFTER 2008 YAMAHA R1

225
200
175
150
125
100
Tuning DIY
Yes, you can do some work
yourself, like tting a Power
Commander, but it depends on
what bike it is. Some are absolute
swines to t things on, like BMWs,
its not fun at all. Its a major job as
the whole seat and the airbox has
James loves a good idea...
BHP
can on. But if youre talking de-cat

pipes or full systems you have to
sort your fuelling as youve
changed an important part. A lot of
exhausts have bafes and with the
Bazzaz, for example, you can have
two maps via the supplied switch.
A good dyno operator can do that
for you, and overall you should get
much better drivability. This is all
before we even think about getting
inside the engine and changing
anything if youre after a lot of extra
horsepower.
75
50
25
Youve paid for these,
now pay for a set-up!
rpm x 000
10
12
14
16
next month
yamahamt
WE RIDE THESE FANTASTIC NEW

MACHINES - YAMAHAS NEW MT125!
WorldMags.net
93
MASTERCLASS
Tec
TECHNICAL
WorldMags.net
What is that scribble on the

side of a tyre trying to tell us?
EVERYTHINGYOUNEEDTOKNOWABOUT
TYREMARKINGS
BrynPhillipsknowsjustabouteverythingthereistoknowabouttyres.HavingworkedforBridgestone,
DunlopandContinental,heisnowthetechnicalmanagerattheUKslargesttyredistributor,CambrianTy es.
yres are crucial

elements of a
motorcycle as they are
the things that basically stop
you falling over. So its worth
ensuring they are kept in
tip-top condition and that the
tyres are not only suitable for
your bike and are inated to
the correct pressure, but that
they arent past their sell by
date. Yes, tyres do have
a best before date
Most people
know if their bike
has a 120/70 front
tyre or a 190/50
rear, but what do
these numbers
actually mean? A
modern sportsbikes
rear tyre will have
something like
190/50ZR17M/C on the
sidewall. This means the
tyres section width, which is
the width of the tyre, is
190mm and its aspect ratio,
or height, is 50 per cent of its
width, so 95mm. However,
tyre manufacturers are
permitted to vary the width
by +/-4 percent of the stated
size to allow them to tune its
handling characteristics.
After these numbers are
94
two letters, usually ZR on a

sportsbike. The Z is the tyres
speed category, in this case Z
means above 149mph. The R
simply means the tyre is of a
radial construction. If it was a
cross-ply there would be a hyphen
in place of the R. The 17 denotes
the tyres diameter, 17-inch, while
the M/C means it is for a
motorcycle. Hopefully this
was obvious! After the
numbers there is a gure
(73W) and these are the
around the load and speed

indexes and these tell you that the
tyre is capable of more than
168mph. Without brackets means
up to 168mph.
Alongside, or somewhere near
these numbers, on the sidewall is
the DOT code. This code indicates
that the tyre conforms with the
United States Department Of
Transportation regulations.
Following the DOT code
will be four digits
moulded in a separate
Atyrehasashelflife
ofaboutsixyears...
load and speed indexes

for the tyre. The 73
means the maximum
weight the tyre is rated for at
maximum pressure is 365kg while
the W represents 168mph, but
there are loads of other letters. H,
for example, is up to 130mph
while L is a maximum of 74mph.
The load indexes run from 20
right through to 90, which is a
600kg maximum weight for very
large tourers that get loaded up
with a pillion and luggage. On the
vast majority of tyres for sports
bikes there are also brackets
rectangle and these

show when it was made.
A tyre marked 3613 was
built on the 36th week of 2013.
This is a crucial piece of
information because tyres do go
off over time. A tyre has a shelf
life of six years or so, although
this can vary depending on how
its stored and is affected by
temperature, humidity, ozone, etc.
Tyres are made in a variety of
places as manufacturers have
plants all over the world, so each
tyre is stamped with a Made in
location. Most original equipment
WorldMags.net
tyres (OE) on Japanese bikes are

made in Japan, while European
bikes mostly use European built
tyres. Replacement tyres,
although identical in their
markings, are also likely to be
built in Europe rather than Japan
to save shipping costs, although
Bridgestone, for example, still
builds their radials in Japan.
Finally we have the tyres
actual name and its model.
In this case Bridgestones
Battlax S20 with a letter
F after it. Sometimes
manufacturers make
model specic OE tyres
and in this case a
different letter may
appear after the name to
signify it is a special or
specic tyre. When
Bridgestone sell replacement
S20 tyres they will not have the
letter as they are a general tyre
suitable, and tested, on a variety
of different models. However, you
can order a manufacturer-specic
tyre, although it isnt normally
necessary as the non-OE has been
thoroughly tested by Bridgestone.
The same is true for other rms.
Sometimes, however, the front
tyre simply has an F and the rear
an R, you can probably work out
this code
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
MASTERCLASS
WorldMags.net
If you've been a naughty biker, you need some

decent advice, get it from: mail@whitedalton.co.uk
Legal
NEW EPISODE: REAR ENDERS

Its a soap opera in its own right; you end up in the back of the car, so whos to blame?
I passed a couple of cars in a

queue on a dual
carriageway. I then came up
behind a Mercedes which was the
slow vehicle at the head of the queue.
I moved to overtake and just as I had
completed my nal life saver/over
shoulder check the Mercedes
suddenly and violently stopped. I
hammered on the brakes in a pretty
spectacular stoppie, but I just clipped
the car. It was enough to send me
and my third party only insured bike
for a skittle down the embankment.
My bike, which is worth about 3k,
has about 2,500 pounds worth of
damage to it. Luckily, I was pretty
unscathed apart from a spectacular
looking cut and some fairly purple
bruising. I am t and expect to be
fully recovered in a week or two at
most. I dont want to bring a personal
injury claim, but my insurers seem a
bit clueless. The basic thing they are
saying is that as I went into the back
of a car I must be to blame but I just
went for a routine overtake. The
police were reasonably sympathetic
and are not looking to prosecute
anyone. I understand that the
witnesses say that I passed them
unremarkably, and I understand at
least one says the Mercedes just
hammered his brakes on. The
Mercedes driver has said he braked
for a pheasant, but I am far from sure
Bugger...
he said this at the time. I dont think I

have done much wrong, but I now
have a wrecked bike with most of the
nance to pay on it and my insurers
wanting to pay out the pretty modest
claim for the Mercedes driver if
there is any claim at all. What should
I be doing?
Jamie, Blythe.
If what the police has
indicated to you is correct,
then you have a case. The
duty of a vehicle being overtaken is
to maintain a safe and steady
course. That is established law. A
driver has to anticipate, with
reasonable skill, the range of
probable things other drivers might
do, but you do not have to anticipate
every conceivable folly. Your life
saver was doing exactly what you
should be doing because the greater
risk is another bike deciding to go for
an overtake past the same car rather
than a driver banging on the brakes.
However, if the driver genuinely did
tell the police or other witnesses at
the time that he was braking for a
pheasant (as opposed to making it
up later) then you do have a problem
because the driver is entitled to

brake for a hazard. I can quote you
all kinds of cases which consider
these points, but the two major
points in law are the overtaken
drivers duty and whether it was
within the reasonable band of
responses for him to slam on the
brakes. I suspect most judges would
say that slamming on the brakes for
a pheasant whilst you were unaware
of a bike overtaking you (the driver
has no duty to constantly check his
mirrors if he is being overtaken
unless he is changing his road
position) falls within the band of
reasonable response. However, the
Judge is going to have to nd there
was a reason for the brakes going on.
You do not have to anticipate the
anchors going on without a reason. If
the driver did not immediately
mention the brakes when rst given
the opportunity then I would bring
your claim to the small claims court.
You were unimpressed by the rm
selected by your insurers. Well, your
insurers own that law rm and my
experience of them is they are as
poor as you anticipated based on
your rst impression. Personally,
You do not have to anticipate

every conceivable folly...
you are better off on your own in the

small claims system and well done
for manning up with your injuries.
In the small claims system the
Mercedes drivers insurers will have
to defend a claim, worth less than
5,000 and you will only have to
risk the Court issue fee. As your
bike is your main form of transport
remember to bring a claim for loss
of use. For a main form of transport
75 per week seems to be about
what judges will order but you
wont get loss of use at that rate
if you put all your public transport
costs in as well. The small claims
court is pretty straightforward. You
might want to look up a case called
Ali v DBrass which is available for
free on www.bailii.org which sets out
a lot of the law which will help.
WorldMags.net
ANDREW
DALTON
PENAL SERVITUDE PREVENTOR
TheFastBikesLegalClinicis
compiledbyAndrewDalton,
andhisbikeridingbarristers
andsolicitorsatWhiteDalton
MotorcycleSolicitors.
Theydealwithpersonal
injuryclaimsandtheirsister
company,MotorDefence
Team,dealswithallthe
motoringoffences.
Theyknoweverythingabout
bikelaw.Andrewisaformer
Londonmotorbikecourier
turnedbarristerandsolicitor,
andweknowhesgood.All
theWhiteDaltonlawyers
arequaliedbarristers,or
solicitors,orboth-andthey
allhavefullbikelicences,too.
Theydontactforinsurance
companiesortheprosecution.
TheyareBritainsmost
specialistlawpractice,
andiftheydontknowthe
answertoyourquestion,
thereprobablyisntone.
Don't relyontheadvice
fromyourinsurance
appointedsolicitor,get
properindependentadvice.
For road traffic offences
call Motor Defence Team
0800 280 0912
For non-offence cases

call White Dalton
Motorcycle Solicitors
0800 783 6191
Visit their websites

whitedalton.co.uk
motordefensesolicitors.co.uk
97
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103
LONGTERMERS
WorldMags.net
Isnt Mother Nature

considerate...
Price from new:
8,999
Insurance group 15
Modications
Price
GB Racing protection bundle 212.56

GB Racing bullet sliders
66.60
ROOTSY KAWASAKIZX-6R636
TIME ON TEST:
2 MONTHS (FBK288)
0 0 5 8 9 ODOMETER
MILES
BHP
GAIN: TBC
NEXT
AIM: EXHAUST
this month i have mostly been Struggled to get to a service interval...
f theres one problem with new bikes

its that they have to go back and get
an oil change after only 600 miles. So
just when youre starting to get used to a
machine and developing a feel for its
nuances it gets spirited away, drained of
its oil and relled. Yes, yes, its one of
those nice problems to have, but its
perennially difficult to schedule it into the
chaotic routine of Fast Bikes. Maybe we
should get organised one of these days
What with Easter, holidays, testing
and launches I was in the surprising
position of having to stick miles on the
ZX-6R to get the mileage up to the 600
mark. So one afternoon I took the back
way to Kawasaki sticking 200 miles on
it in the process and enabling me and the
bike to bond in the process.
Things started wet, but buoyed with
condence from my KTM launch, I
started trying to get the traction control

to light up. But heres the thing.
Manufacturers have loaded their
machinery with the latest in electronic
aids, but the fact of the matter is tyre
manufacturers have hardly been sticking
their feet up on the job either. Theyve
created some awesome rubber, and in the
form of the Bridgestone S20s tted to
the ZX-6R it takes enormous sts of
unnatural throttle action to get anywhere
close to losing rear traction. The fronts
Another issue is the fuel reserve. The light

comes on, but thats all it does. So it
doesnt tell you how many miles youve
done on reserve or give you a countdown.
It just glows, providing you with no more
useful information than that. I think the
intention is for you to ick to the
odometer to make a mental note of the
milage, but thats not a good system.
Mods wise, Ive had an aborted
attempt at tting a set of Valter Moto
rearsets. I didnt start in the best of
moods and it soon went downhill when
they came back from our photographic
studio in a jumble and with no
instructions. I set about the brake side
and discovered that they were race
versions, so with no capacity to t the
The fuel light comes on when you

hit reserve, but thats all it does...
not bad, too, offering plenty of grip in

damp and wet conditions. Combine this
with the way the Kawasaki glides through
turns, and you barely notice that its wet.
Only the absence of ABS on this bike is a
chink in the armour but its a 1,000
option if you feel the need, the need to,
er, slow safely.
Whats less than perfect is the seat,
and this is the only area where we havent
bonded yet, so heres hoping my arse
moulds better to the perch as Ive got a
big trip to Europe planned next month.
brake light equipment so I tidied that

away, while on the clutch side the rod
didnt want to t to the gear selector
mechanism. After a prolonged head
scratching session I put both sides back
to standard (after swearing at the reverse
thread gear rod) and got in touch with the
importers to see if its them or me. Given
my skills on the spanners, Im betting its
me Next month, theyll be sorted!
contacts:
GB RACING WWW.GBRACING.EU
Seeing Gaffa tape is

never a good sign...
They went on
and off like a
tarts knickers!
One side
went on...
104
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LONGTERMERS
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ALASTAIR KTM1290SUPERDUKER
TIME ON TEST:
3 MONTHS (FBK287)
0 1 0 0 2 ODOMETER
MILES
BHP: TBC
GAIN:
NEXT RAID THE

AIM: POWER PARTS
this month i have mostly been Exploring the limit of grip and the KTMs safety blanket
he shite weather of late has been

an ideal test environment to
explore the Super Duke Rs
traction control and ABS in a safety sense
rather than a performance enhancer.
Consequently, Ive been riding like a right
James Blunt, which gives you some idea
of just how brilliant the system is.
Ive been spending most of my time in
Street mode, gradually upping the pace
until the TC kicks in. On cold tyres, in

damp conditions, right through to
sun-drenched Tarmac and scorching
rubber, the KTM holds your hand and
feels pretty much uncrashable. Aside
from excess load on the front mid-corner,
the ABS has saved me more than once
and the TC light has been permanently
illuminated when riding in iffy conditions
despite the excellent mechanical grip.
The TC light has been permanently

illuminated in iffy conditions...
Get through that, stones!
Im hoping KTM will install the Bosch

MSC on the Super Duke R very soon.
An over-exuberant throttle hand on
cold tyres at a slight lean angle corrects
itself, subtly repositioning to upright
without a vasectomy. Like most KTMs, it
bullies you into all sorts of naughty
business its just taken a little time to
adapt to its renement.
Im also seriously impressed with the
OE tyres. The Dunlop Sportsmart 2 is
close to becoming the tyre of the year for
me; superb warm-up time, epic grip, just
as epic stability, and, er, epic wet
performance.
In terms of modications, weve
WorldMags.net
Price from new:
13,999
Insurance group 17
Modications
Price
R&G rad guard
74.99
started this month. The boys at P&H

Motorcycles were harping on at how
important a radiator guard is for my 899
Panigale race bike. Judging the appalling
state of the UK roads, and the fact I often
ride in a group of mates, it only takes one
errant stone to thwart a trip out. R&G do
an orange item for under 75. A radiator
costs ten times that. It was a no brainer.
The R&G item is secured via two bolts at
the bottom of the SD-Rs rad, and a few
cable ties at the top. It takes two minutes
to t. Its still a no brainer.
The Super Duke R is a bike thats taken
time to fully appreciate (and Ill admit to
being a little over-critical at rst sight),
but were in love now. As you can see
from the last few mags, weve been riding
a number of the KTMs rivals. Lets just
say Im chuffed the 1290 is in my garage.
Hopefully well go searching for some
horsepower next month...
contacts:
R&G RAD GUARD WWW.RG-RACING.COM
105
LONGTERMERS
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ROOTSY
TRIUMPH STREETTRIPLERABS
0 1 1 5 6 ODOMETER
MILES
TIME ON TEST:
2 MONTHS (FBK288)
BHP: 95.2
GAIN: NA
NEXT SORT
AIM: IT
this month i have mostly been Wanting to send it back...
inckley, we have a problem. I was

expecting my rst hoot of a ride
home on the eets Street Triple
R, after the ZX-6R was back at HQ having
a uid change, but this wasnt in the
script. It took the grand distance of two
yards to feel that something was up, and
that something was around the bikes
steering head.
Rather than have an easy, free feel to
the steering, there was some resistance
to it. The feeling is like the head race
bearings are shot, such is its initial
reticence to steer not good on a 1,000
mile bike. If youve ever wrongly routed a
cable, so it pulls on the steering, its like
that. Syrup in a steering damper is
another similar feeling. The cables around

the headstock are indeed tight, but if you
lift the front wheel up the steering just
doesnt want to shift and the feeling is
consistent throughout its full range of
movement, hence me pointing the nger
at the bearings...
So that was the end of the japes, as I
rode home trying to work out what was
wrong. The inability to steer transfers
itself to the rest of your riding, and while
the bars would turn, they didnt with the
BHP
uidity Id like, so the rest of the ride was

ruined. Boo!
To be honest, the rest of the bike
doesnt feel brilliant, like they all should.
The motor doesnt have the pep to it that
we normally associate the Street Triple R
with. I went for a wheelie in second, as I
have done a million times on an ST-R, but
there was some reluctance to it that Ive

not encountered before. I had another go,
with a bigger handful, and still barely a
sniff. Hmm
Then the throttle cable has so much
slack in it, its ridiculous. There must be a
quarter turn of play before the cable
actually pulls on anything. Paul Young,
former racer and Triumph tester, hated
this on any bike, and hed be having
kittens if he was presented with a
throttle like this on a Triumph. How you
can meter the bikes power accurately
when youve got to turn the gasser 90
degrees, then one more degree to actually
apply the power, is beyond me. At least
this is a simple x...
Then weve got the ABS being unable
to be turned off because the ECU has not
been told to open up the option while it
goes through the PDI check. The problem
here is that ABS is great, until it isnt.
There are instances, like on track or on a
hot sunny blast, where all the ABS does is
interfere and run you wide on your
approach to a corner youre never going
to lock the front up. So the ability to turn
it off is a boon. If youve got a Trumpet,
check through the set-up menu to see if
you can turn yours off. If not, you need to
connect the bike up to Triumphs
software, so that means taking it to a
dealer or in our case back to the factory.
Hopefully a quick trip home will rid this
bike of that Friday feeling that it currently
has. Its a lesson for all of us, too. Dont be
blinded by the shine of a new bike. If
something is wrong, say so to your dealer
and get them to sort it out pronto!
POWER AND TORQUE

90
Peak power: 95.2bhp
80
8,049
Insurance group: 15
Rather than have an easy feel,

the steering was resistant...
It may look all nice

and innocent, but
problems lie within...
100
Price from new:
70
60
50
40
Peak torque: 60.7Nm
30
20
2
rpm x 000
106
10
12
14
16
Giving you
the eye...
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More noise
required!
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LONGTERMERS
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BENJAMIN
BMWS1000RSPORT
TIME ON TEST:
2 MONTHS (ISSUE 288)
0 0 7 6 6 ODOMETER
MILES
BHP: 148
GAIN: NA
NEXT CHANGE
AIM: MODES
Price from new:
this month i have mostly been Getting used to POWER!
n last months exciting instalment,

the S 1000 R was just a few miles
away in the back of a van, winging its
way to FB Towers. Id hoped that it was
going to be the cheaper, traditionally
suspended version as it weighed in under
10,000, and nobody here at FB had
ridden that one yet. As it turns out, BMW
has given us the all singing and dancing,
electronically suspended naked nutter
instead. Ah well, well make sure we get
our hands on one in an upcoming test,
Im sure.
We cant actually complain too much
really, as weve experienced BMWs take
on lecky suzzies before on the sublime
BHP
POWER AND TORQUE

180
160
140
Highest peak power:

148.31bhp
120
100
80
60

105.94Nm
40
20
2
rpm x 000
10
12
14
16
11,390
Insurance group: 17
HP4, and it really is the future. It was a bit

of shock jumping onboard it though,
mostly because I havent ridden much in
the last three months. As for the reason
why, all Ill say is it shits itself a lot, and it
isnt an Italian bike! Anyway, my rst real
day back riding began sedately on
Charlies Triumph Street Triple, a short
jaunt of just a few miles. Then later on I
got aboard the S 1000 R, and it twisted
my melon, man!
It is hugely fast, as youd expect from a
naked bike laying down near 150bhp, and
So for the time being I have kept it on

Road, and its been with mixed results.
The suspension feels nice and its still
bloody fast, but the traction-control is
unbelievably intrusive. Apparently on
Road its completely different to the
Dynamic and Dynamic Pro settings,
which use another TC system entirely. It
may be the rst proddy bike with two
separate TC controllers, unless Ive got it
completely wrong. To stop it from being
The array of buttons and options

is bewildering at rst...
initially I was rather glad of all the

electronic aids holding my hand and
stopping me from doing anything overly
stupid. Doesnt take much, after all...
Speaking of which, the array of
buttons and options on display is
bewildering at rst, literally not knowing
anything about the bike at all. Its even
got cruise-control, which Ive only
experienced before on bikes that dont
belong within these pages. There is a lot
you can do with the riding modes, and the
suspension modes, together or used
separately. Its going to take a while to
get it all down pat, and speaking with
Fagan who did the launch only helps to a
certain point. Ill learn on the hoof.
Show us the money!
annoying one must be gentle on the

throttle as you progress. If you try and pin
it, especially in the lower gears, it
suddenly feels as though youve hit the
kill switch. But bizarrely, it keeps on
revving though you feel like youre
slowing down. Huh?
As I said, you can get around it
somewhat by being progressive, and the
truth is the engine is so strong and
volatile youre seriously shifting even if
youre piling on the gas slowly. Hell, at
40mph in top gear if you yank the gasser
it jumps forward and pulls like a train. It is
massively impressive, BMW do keep
getting things very right these days.
So, in the next few weeks Ill be
exploring its capabilities and nding
which setting I prefer, although Ill hazard
an early guess itll be Dynamic with a bit
of targeted ddling on individual
settings. It is also as friendly and useful
as I thought itd be, so already Im quite
sure my prediction of it being the best
everyday super naked will come to pass.
My only bugbears are the clutch lever,
which my ngers can barely reach, and
being a grip-whore Id like to try stickier
tyres than the OE Contis. Apart from that,
its all good, so roll on next month.
Back of the head
shots only from
now on we thinks...
108
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LONGTERMERS
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CHARLIE
YAMAHAMT-09
TIME ON TEST:
1 MONTH (FBK289)
0 0 5 1 8 ODOMETER
MILES
BHP: TBC
GAIN:
NEXT MILES AND

AIM: MILES
this month i have mostly been Jumping off of one three pot to another
ell I must be doing

something right. Last week
the tyres were hardly cold
having taken the Street Triple just over
the thousand mile mark when I get a
second set of keys of something to play
with. These were for another comparison
triggering three pot, but this time from
Japan, and indeed, Japans Dark Side the
MT-09 from Yamaha.
Why the Dark Side? Well according to
the MTs Big Cheese Shun Miryazawa
Japan is full of Stereotypes, conformists
and traditionalists. But there is another
side that the MT-09 has been designed to
capture passion, madness, creativity

and underground subcultures, And here it
is on two wheels the Dark Side.
My rst knowledge of the MT-09 was
Rootsys smile after returning from the
launch in Croatia. A 9/10 score, ace motor,
low weighted stunter that is every bit as
good as the Street Triple, aye? My god, I
am in for a real treat on that basis
though, granted, Roots can lift the back
wheel higher than I can hoist the front.
But the initial promise here is for a fun
lled bonkers riding year.
So having read the hype, and studied
the form guide from our group test where
Price from new:

Insurance group:
6,949
14
it was pipped to the post by the Street

Triple in a four horse race (including the
KTM 690 and Ducati Hypermotard), it
was nally time for my rst ride.
I am quite taken with the motard
styling of the MT-09, though can see a
few things that need to be stylised before
I will be totally happy. Ill give the rear a
tidy so that nothing gets in the way of the
LED tail lights, then reduce the indicator
size, add a Renthal bar and t smaller
All it wants to do is point to the sky in

the rst three gears...
mirrors. These are my rst thoughts of

cosmetic change. But that will come in
time My mind is in overdrive
remembering how boss the FZ8 looked
after some attention a few years ago.
The ride itself will take some getting
used to. I have to admit that the rst ten
or so miles on any new bike is like hell on
toast to me, but after this bedding in all
generally comes good.
As I have done barely 50 miles in a few
short stints, I thus far cannot really wax
lyrically about the ride, although I can say
that, yes, things are feeling a bit snatchy
on the throttle, its certainly soft on the
front and all it wants to do is point to the
sky in the rst three gears which is
nice. I have much to learn about the
MT-09 and look forward to the education.
I think it will be teaching me a thing or
two about life on the Dark Side...
Apparently you need never break the
speed limit on the MT-09 and still have
bundles of fun. Theres handy then given
my little spell off the machine...
No scraping
the tail please,
Charlie boy!
Very handsome it is too!
Charlies got ABS!
Something might have to

be done about the forks...
110
WorldMags.net
Need more noise!
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PA D D O C K S , R A C
S
ULTIM AT E AC CE SS TO TH E WO RL D'S RA C E
PIC: REPSOL MEDIA

112
WorldMags.net
E RS & TE AM S
WorldMags.net
arquez
,anareawhere M
on to corner entry ing abike in on its nose
clearly excels. Pitch meleanisa recipeto
so
while still carrying e, butsomehow Marquez
STYLE entalchange
THE NEW ea fundam
setany machin ghis RC213V calm and
up
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Riders whomak omeround very often.
achievesthis,kee cess.How he does this,
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ro
to thesport don sone,Garry McCoy
in controlin thep s, butthe paddockhas
ts wa
oGP
ow
KennyRober
only Marquez kn likeitbefore. Marquezs
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another ridersw anda different riding
verseenanything to this advantage,
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andskill,regardle Spies notedthathecould
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tit
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ebefore(althoug
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But whoever th y to go!
has got a long wa
WorldMags.net
113
WorldMags.net
ULTI MATE ACCE SS TO THE WOR LD'S RACE
PADD OCKS , RACE RS & TEAM S
P: P C RUBBER
U
Bye Bye Bridgestone

B
ridgestones announcement
that they would no longer
supply the MotoGP paddock
with rubber from 2016 didnt come as
much of a shock. The Japanese rm
has had its ups and downs in the
series from successfully ghting to

establish its products against the
might of Michelin, to deecting
criticism about the performance of
its tyres in the light of some big
crashes but most riders will be sad
to see Bridgestone leave. Why?

Because riders like consistency, and
in the spec Bridgestone, they had
that. Sure, it wasnt suited to all men
or all machines, but you knew what it
would do and more importantly,
what it wouldnt...
So what next? Dorna had already
smoothed the waters for
Bridgestones rivals to come up with
a tender. The spec tyre will likely stay,
much to the disappointment of
many, and that will more than likely

be provided by Michelin who will
nd that the game has moved on
massively since they were last in the
class in 2009. But this has huge
implications on chassis design, as
engineers build their machines to
take full advantage of the grip
available to them. Change the
amount of grip on offer and you may
as well rip everything up you thought
you knew and start again
The Battlax will battle
no more after 2015
STAT
ATTACK
Jerez was Marc
Marquezs
100th
race
in the world
championship (which
took him to a neat tally
of 100 points for the
season) of which hes
won 36, and counting
A MotoGP
centurion...
Whos HOT
MARC MARQUEZ
What more can you say?
JACK MILLER
A star in the making...
CHRIS WALKER
His bike was on re!
Whos NOT
CAL CRUTCHLOW
If he didnt have bad luck,

hed have no luck at all...
JORGE LORENZO
Rossis showing him up.
JOHN HOPKINS
Cant nd the pace yet.
114
WorldMags.net
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE
PODIUM GUYS
A LONG WAY
AHEAD OF THE
REST. ITS NOW
EMBARRASSING
Cal Crutchlow after Jerez
WorldMags.net
PIT PASS
Knife time
ith Marc Marquez already

beating a path to his next
world title, his rivals took
to the knife in an attempt to come
up with something to take the ght
to the leader. Dani Pedrosa and
Stefan Bradl were both operated on
by MotoGPs go-to surgeon, Dr Mir,
after the taxing Jerez round for arm
pump issues. With Lorenzo still not
race t after surgery over winter and
Cal Crutchlow mangling his hand the
war of attrition is hotting up a mark
of how hard Mr Marquez is making
everyone ride
Kawasaki Cup?
MOLE: REWRITING THE RULES
PitShadow
Quite recently there was an
announcement from the BSB
organisers saying they were going
to allow Jakub Smrz's Panigale to
use special pistons from Ducati's
super expensive Superleggera to
eke out a bit more performance,
making it a bit more
competitive. Now then, quite a
few forum heroes and so forth
have cried foul, saying it's not
fair that Ducati gets special dispensation, regardless of the fact the perk
will be removed if they start winning too many races. Well, I hate to
burst a lot of bubbles here, but had Stuart Higgs and the BSB massive
not made tweaks here and there to their rules, there would only be
about three manufacturers on the grid. Both Yamaha and Honda had to
have some small concessions made for the R1 and Fireblade to be in
with a shout, and even then only with national importer backing. Ask
yourself this now the top Honda squad has pulled out for 2014, how
many other 'Blades are there in BSB? One or two, yes, but how are they
doing? You must look no further than superstock championships to get
a real idea of which bikes are competitive out of the crate. How many
R1s, Fireblades or GSX-Rs do you see rolling around? None to very, very
few. The question you need to ask yourself when it comes to BSB is
what would you rather see? Rules being stuck to like glue, or a varied
grid of different makes taking chunks out of one another? I know what I
prefer, so I'm not too fussed that small rule changes like that which
allows Smrz a bit of extra oomph are passed. I want the variety out
there and it's not like one bike gets too much of an advantage, is it?
Higgs and Co. are very adept at making sure everything stays within a
reasonable variance, and I applaud them for that fact. As FB has also
alluded to this month, I'm told there's already a huge amount of green
machines in the BSB paddock. It's not Kawasaki's fault they have the
best product out there, it's for everyone else to pull their nger out and
update their bikes accordingly, then MSVR wouldn't have to constantly
massage their own rules. Not too often, at any rate.
There's a danger Dorna's meddling in WSB will see something hideous
like that happening, as why would any team or manufacturer pour
money down the drain on a bike which isn't good enough out of the
box? Scott Smart, my good man, you've a lot on your plate to ensure
this doesn't happen, especially seeing as how the current WSB rule book
allows all makes a fair crack at the whip. I'll be watching that one closely.
Lastly, I had to laugh in Argentina, listening to press room know-it-alls
spouting how Marc Marquez couldn't use his braking on the edge on the
front tyre technique (that nobody else can), due to the track, therefore
losing his big advantage. Didn't
bother him, did it? He just rode a
little more traditionally and still
made everyone look completely
stupid. I do wonder how long it'll
take for us to get bored of it, but
for the moment, I can't get
enough of the kid!
Honda is sorely missed

this year in BSB...
t doesnt matter how you sell your bikes, as long as you sell them.
And Kawasaki must be rubbing their hands with glee having seen the
long list of riders on Green Machines in the British superstock class. Of
a grid of 40, there are just nine bikes that arent a ZX-10R, so even at
racer rates Kawasaki will be quids in. This is on top of the 14 bikes in
BSB, half the grid in European superstock and nine bikes in WSB. Forget
the old mantra of win on Sunday, sell on Monday because the real
money business is being done on track! Who's getting the commission?
There is only one machine to

be on in superstock...
RATE-A-SERIES WHERE THE ACTIONS AT

MOTOGP The battle for seconds good...
WSB Decent scraps and all for rst place!
BSB Impressive stuff between Byrne and Brookes.
If only it would go the

distance like this...
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TT 2014
Inspired by Dan Kneens

save of the century (check
out YouTube), we asked an
elite bunch of TT racers
what their hairiest
moment around the Isle of
Man course has been...
WORDS: AL A-FORCE FAGAN
P IC S: DAV E COL L IS T ER , IOM T T.COM
garyjohnson
I havent made that many
mistakes round the TT. In
my newcomer year I had a
little bit of an issue with
the section on the run up
to Ballaugh Bridge. There
are some white kerbs
there, and I got a bit too
close. Id been warned about it, but in
between concentrating and trying
to learn the circuit while
going fast at the same time I
made a slip up. Its caught a
few people out in the past
and theyve paid the price for
it. It was good in a way because
now Im nowhere near it. I set my
bike up a quarter of a mile
before to make sure I dont. I
made a mistake at Signpost,
hit the banking and went over
the bars one year, but that was
at about 2mph! The brakes
semi-failed me they got too hot
and started to fade, and I didnt
realise until the last moment.
Gary Johnson having a moment
but not one that he remembered!
NOW I SET MY BIKE UP

FOR IT A QUARTER OF A MILE
BEFOREHAND...
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RACE FEATURE
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TT 2014
dankneen
I WAS OFFLINE, BUT I DIDNT

THINK IT DESERVED THAT SORT
OF REACTION!
Its got to be that one, I

suppose. It was a bit of a
nightmare year for me to
be honest, I had quite a
few problems with that
bike. I dont really know
what happened. It was one
of them, it just decided it
was going to take a big tankslapper, it was
doing it quite a lot to be honest. Youd be going
along, same line, but it just wanted to tie itself
in knots. I was probably ofine a little bit that
time, but I didnt think it deserved that sort of
reaction! Being a Manxman its always been a
little easier to learn the circuit, but we only get
to race it once a year.
conorcummins
You should recall that
Conor had one of the
biggest crashes weve ever
seen at the TT, when
Cummins somehow
survived a 140mph-plus
crash at the Veranda. As for
close shaves...
It was 2006, my rst race as a newcomer. It
was the superbike race and I just hit
Rhencullen very wrong. I hit it on an angle,
right on the piss, and it landed on the back
wheel, which snapped and threw me every
which way. My heart was in my mouth and I
had to do another ve laps after that! Insane.
johnmcguinness
Ive had a couple, running
wide and stuff, but I had a
massive tankslapper just
after Kerrowmoar, and I
mean massive. It was that
vicious it ripped the clocks
off and broke the steering
damper. That was in 2005,
in practice, and Ill never forget it. It icked my
feet off the pegs and my foot was trapped
under the back wheel and bent the back brake
lever and bent the fairing. It did a fair bit of
damage. And it did a lot of damage
psychologically to my head, because through
that section of the course, even to this day, Im
pretty average. People say I got a tankslapper
and I rode out of it. No chance. I was an
absolute passenger. It went, bang! Lockstop,
lockstop, lockstop. I was looking for damage
limitation, where I could get up the kerb and
make it as soft a landing as I could. But as its
at in top gear there it was going to be tricky.
joshbrookes
Dan Kneens bike

gets a beating...
The biggest moment I had

on the course was over the
jump at Rhencullen and
it was on TV! Visually it
looked worse than I
thought. I just thought it
was a bit of a wobble and
carried on, didnt think
much of it, but everybody made a big hoo-haa
about it. At BSB, the things normally out of
control 90 per cent of the time anyway! Twice I
ran wide at Sarahs Cottage on the exit. I got in
too quick, and got on the throttle too early. On
the way out I had to roll off. But no dramas.
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RACE FEATURE
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jameshillier
I actually crashed at the
Creg and that was quite a
moment. It was in the
Senior race a few years
ago, and wed changed the
bike quite a lot, gearing
and ECU changes, and I
braked where I thought I
was braking before but I was wrong. Plus,
there was a big tailwind down towards the
Creg and I went in way too hot, and ended up
eating the air fence. I hurt my neck a little bit
and the bike was broken, so I just had a beer.
I havent had many moments really. I dont
ride like that, I just try and keep things
smooth. If you do ride like that you need to
change, in my eyes, as its only a matter of
time before it doesnt end nicely. I agree with
riding hard like on short circuits in some
sections, and there are areas where you are
pushing on, but its pushing the boundaries a
bit. You need to use your head here...
Backing it in
and the TT dont
go well together...
THERE WAS A BIG TAIL WIND AND I WENT INTO THE CREG WAY TOO
HOT AND ENDED UP EATING THE AIR FENCE...
Steve Plater
grinding out
another lap...
120
And John
McGuinness about
to do the same
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Nothing to see
here, its not even
a close shave!
TT 2014
Josh Brookes
127mph for the rookie in 2013. So, 2014?
ince 2009 when I very rst came to

the island, I did a couple of laps that
year on a bike, a few laps in a car and
I went on a bus tour with a load of other
people listening to John McGuinness talking
his way round. I was just a tourist, you know?
But from the moment I lined up on the
startline I realised the TT was something
special and knew I wanted to do it one day. I
just thought well, what have I got to know
about the track, the racing and that sewed the
seed.
In 2010 I came back and said I wanted to
ride, and the team (HM Plant Honda) said no,
dont do anything silly like that. Anyway, I
came to watch some racing and did some
more laps in a car and on a bike. But it wasnt
until last year that I got the go ahead to race.
Up until that point, I was just coming over
during race weeks and learning while the
much. I think once youve done laps as a racer,

thats when you can learn from a DVD. It all
happens to quick, its just a blur, you see trees
y past, corners y by and you dont even
know where you are on the track. After my
rst proper practice session last year, that
evening I watched a DVD and it all made
sense.
The best thing I did to prepare was to drive
the course in a car because youve got the
comfort of music and heat, a notepad to write
down little things, and youre trying to absorb
as much info as you can.
That moment after the rst practice session?
It was quite overwhelming. The rst lap I did,
I followed Milky and that was easy. It was a
very comfortable speed and I knew what was
coming. We were barely over the speed limit
in some areas, and when youve got someone
to follow, you just mimic what theyre doing.
I DIDNT WATCH A LOAD OF DVDS, I DIDNT

SEE HOW ID LEARN MUCH...
event was on, but as soon as I got word that I

was going to be competing, I came over on
private weekends, got a hire car and just drove
around, learning the track. Id do maybe four
or ve laps in the morning, check the rest of
the island out, and then do another four or ve
laps in the evening.
There was no set pattern on how I was
learning. I just made sure my mind was fresh
with more laps, and by the time I came here to
race, Id done somewhere in the vicinity of 100
laps. It was just homework. I didnt watch a
load of DVDs as I didnt see how Id learn that
The problem with that is, if they get it wrong

and go through the hedge, you go with them
although I had every condence in Milky.
The next lap, youre on your own. That
becomes a challenge, as youre riding by
eyesight and not by sensation or knowledge.
Its purely about how much your eyes can take
in. Its so hard to visibly accept what youre
seeing and to mentally calculate how to
operate the bike at these speeds.
The rst lap was like, you know when
youre watching TV, and the speech of a
person and video is out of sync? The lips are
Brookes has to cope with a

change of machinery in 2014...
Simon Andrews,
closer to the edge...
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RACE FEATURE
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moving and the sound is coming a split

second later? Thats the same as my rst lap
by myself. Everything was coming at my eyes
quicker than reality, but on my second lap, it
was like the tracking had been corrected!
Ive spent loads of time as a commuter on a
motorcycle in Australia, but not so much here
in the UK. Its kind of halfway between what
you do on a race track, where you nd the
absolute limit of your bike and its capability,
completely ignoring the potential danger and
running risks. You nd the maximum of your
tyres, suspension, your chassis and your
ability. And then when youre riding a street
bike, Im nowhere near the capabilities of the
bike or myself; Im literally riding at a speed
where I can monitor whats going on around
me. The TT falls somewhere in between
that. There arent the sheer unknown
variables like trafc, lorries, dirt and
potholes. But youve always got to be
in that zone where you have to be
ready for anything. Its about nding
that pace where you know youre
going to make it round each lap.
This year Ill take it as it comes.
Essentially, Im only one day more
experienced than I was last year.
Its a year on, but the rst day (in
2014) on the track is only one more
than last year. Im still a newcomer,
and Ive got so much to take in. I
guess the rst few days are going
to be getting up to speed from last
year. I did a 127mph lap in 2013
but Im not going to start by
going in with a 127mph lap.
Ill probably start on a
115mph, then go to a 120mph,
then a 125mph, Id hope, and
see where it goes from there.
If we progress in a similar
pattern to last year, then
yeah, Id like to do a
130mph lap. I think the
top boys will step it up
again this year. I think
youll see a 131mph lap as
an old era time. Im
expecting 132s this year. I
think thats where its at, with
the bikes, the guys, with the
competition, everyones in good shape this
year. But, yeah, Id like to think the 130mph is
possible at the end of race week...
As debuts go, Brookes

was mightily impressive
I DID A 127MPH LAP IN 2013, BUT IM

NOT GOING TO START 2014 BY GOING IN WITH
ANOTHER 127MPH LAP...
THE MASTER: JOHN MCGUINNESS
RETURNING FROM INJURY, HAS MCPINT GOT MORE WINS IN HIM IN 2014?
Being a Honda man, John
McGuinness (unlike Guy Martin
whos riding an ER-6) couldnt get
away with riding another
manufacturers supertwin in the
Lightweight TT. There has been an
attempt at jazzing up (boring out) a
CBR500, but there wasnt enough
power for the task in hand.
Which is a shame, as McPint
could beat Joeys record this year if
there were seven races to win.
122
I could match Joeys record this

year as Im starting six races. If that
happens, Ill do a nude streak down
Douglas promenade. Is that a
promise? Absolutely. You can hold
me to that, but theres probably
more chance of me shitting in the
Queens handbag. Joey did the treble
when he was 48 years old, so times
probably starting to run out for me a
little bit now.
I remember speaking to Joey
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when he matched Hailwoods record

of 14. He felt a little guilty when he
passed it. I won 14 in 2008, and I felt
the same. If I got to 26 and was still
feeling good, still feeling sharp and
riding competitive bikes, why not
carry on? Whether Id get to that, I
dont know. To win 20 is insane. To
win 26 is just a pipe dream. Ill just
keep going, you know? If the times
right, Ill go for it, but its not a goal.
Its just another challenge for me.
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FB RACING
A-Force
PIC: BONNIE LANE
urning up to the rst round of British Superbikes at Brands

Hatch for the Ducati TriOptions Cup, I wasnt exactly prepared.
With tight budgets and time constraints, the P&H Motorcycles
boys had done a mega job just to get the 899 Panigale race-ready
despite me collecting parts around the paddock on practice day!
With zero miles and a box-fresh motor, we wheeled the bike up to
the Dynojet dyno and pleaded for some running-in time. This meant a
just as gentle free practice session, making sure I kept the revs below
7,000rpm and not smashing the granny out of it.
Cruising round at 60 per cent resulted in a set-up gamble for
qualifying. When I say gamble, I mean I didnt have a chufng clue.
Most of the 899 racers are running much softer shock springs than
normal, so we left the 8.0 spring in the TTX GP. Were using the new
hlins gas pressurised cartridge kit, which has to be the plushest fork
internals Ive ever sampled. We left the 899s basic geometry alone, set
the traction control at two, the Engine Braking Control at three, and set
out for qualifying...
As soon as the pace was upped, we had some serious ground
clearance issues that couldnt be remedied in the pit lane. The beautiful
Termi exhaust was decking out at Paddock Hill and I had no toes left
after scraping the pegs around Clearways. Other than that, the bike felt
epic, but I qualied in a dismal 15th place. With three on a row at every
BSB round, I had some work to do.
I didnt think Id need a slipper clutch, thanks to Ducatis ingenious
Engine Braking Control (EBC), but it turns out I do. EBC is controlled via
buttons on the bar and copes well with mid-braking to apex, but not
the initial spikes caused by downshifting. But then something
beautiful happened. I was on the paddock scooter collecting some
passes from the race ofce and
bumped into Mr Slipper Clutch
himself. Yep, Neil Spalding from
Sigma Performance was at
Brands and happened to have an
899 clutch with him (please note
this wasnt another journo freebie. I had to hand real money over to
Spalders for the privilege...).
A standard clutch is far easier to maintain than a racing slipper
clutch but the benets of a proper slipper far outweigh the hassle. But as
part of the cost-cutting measures over the 1199, Ducati made the 899s
crankcase on the clutch side a one-piece job, meaning clutch
maintenance necessitates removing half the bike. A fair few of the top
boys have the 1199s magnesium case, which makes life much easier.
So, onto the rst race of the weekend, which was held in horrendous
conditions. It rained pretty much all day on Sunday and, although much
has been said about the surface at Brands Hatch, there was denitely
something spilt between the entrance to Graham Hill and Clark Curve.
Round one was more about

testing than racing...
The rest of the circuit had decent grip, but any lean angle or an eager
right hand on the slippery section ended in a crash. If you werent
two-wheel drifting, you werent winning. And I wasnt winning. My
P&H teammates led the way, with Leon Morris taking the win from
Dennis Hobbs. I managed to stay on in a lonely race and claimed 10th
spot. Seeing as top ten was the target, I was happy enough.
The second race on Monday was, thankfully, bone dry. The track
was damp during warm-up, but other than upping the ride height and
lifting the pegs for more ground clearance we were still gambling.
And again, my teammates hit the front, although Rob Guiver bagged
the victory from Morris and Hobbs. I struggled to 13th place, in
desperate need of some tracktime, testing and set-up answers. After
coming back from injury, I also need more time in a race environment. I
quickly realised that mentally I need more focus.
While Leon Morris weighs as much as my ball bag, he has more
talent in his ball bag than I have in my whole body. Still, its devastating
seeing your team-mates clambering onto the podium. I was busting my
balls, ghting the bike,
thinking I was on super-fast lap
times, but it turns out the lap
times were dismal. In fact, it
was the slowest lap of Brands
Indy Id ever done in race
conditions. Bizarre when you think how adept the lil Panigale is. The
899s are still a little off the 848s pace of the last few seasons 48.1 is the
lap record, and the leaders were only in the mid-48s.
But I cant think of another bike that exudes so much mechanical
grip from the rear, backed up by the excellent traction control. It takes a
huge amount of brainpower to enable the throttle to be opened and get
the rear-end squirming. My bike, even in its relative standard state, is far
from slow. Its lacking some midrange oomph but when we get our
hands on the MWR air tubes and lter, and the blanking plates to
remove the emission-friendly air system, there should be another 5bhp
in the bag. And hopefully well slot the Sigma clutch in for the next
round at Donington world superbikes. Then well see...
I DIDNT THINK ID NEED A SLIPPER

CLUTCH, BUT IT TURNS OUT I DO...
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125
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COLUMNIST
RIDERS BMW
TT ROOKIE DIARY
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Martin
Jessopp
By the time you read this, Martin Jessopp will have tackled Bray Hill for the rst
time. Heres what the TT newcomer has been up to in the closing weeks: hire cars,
practice laps with the Dunlop brothers, karting and racing...
i Fast Bikers, I guess

well start with the Isle
of Man TT launch. As
youve probably heard from
Fagan, we all went karting at
Jurby on the island. Al was
surprised at the level of
carnage, but thats what
happens when you put a load
of bike racers in a cage. To be
fair, it was pretty tame
compared to what goes on in
Macau... And it only took us
three hours before getting
kicked off!
They put me in a hotel room
with Rutter, which was as
miserable as ever! I got moaned
at for everything I did. On the
rst night I went out with Rutter
Martin leads the Dunlop
and Michael Dunlop, and met
brothers and James Hillier.
with John Barton for a few
Looks legit...
cheeky ones. Thankfully, they
stopped serving at midnight... At the time it was shit, but
looking back now it was a week before the rst round of
British Superbikes. I promised Id behave myself, but
going out with these road racers, well, theyre a different
breed to the guys in the BSB paddock who mainly stay in
their rooms and do press-ups.
I managed to get some laps in with James Hillier in a
hire car. Im so lucky, Ive been out with the fastest guys
round there, draining information from them. I also
managed to get a lap in with the Dunlop brothers. I
thought thatd be great, but in typical Michael Dunlop
fashion he spent pretty much the whole time talking about
shagging. It was the weekend before his rst BSB race and
he was more interested in the state
of the girls in the paddock. When
youve won four TTs in a week, its
not going to be hard for a lad.
British superbikes at Brands
Hatch wasnt quite what we were
looking for. I was running top-ten
pace all weekend, but to come away
with a 12th and a 14th meant points
on the board and the bike has
improved massively.
A few weeks later was round
two at Oulton Park. It was another
weekend where we didnt quite
full our potential. We really
struggled with getting the BMW off the line, but we only
have to do it once at the TT!
From Oulton, it was straight to Gloucester airport and I
jumped on a plane back to the island, going round and
round in circles in a hire car. I even managed to do Phil
Crowe just after the Creg heading into Brandish.
I did some laps with John Barton this time round. He
has quite a different way of teaching to Milky Quayle.
John gets less excited than Milky. When youre in a car
with Milky, he still thinks hes on a bike. He gets so into
it, giving you detail of every single bump on every
corner. John highlights the important areas more,
but both have been invaluable and Im grateful.
I managed to get another
six laps in during that 24-hour
period, so thats about 15 Ive
done in total. Not quite as much
as Josh Brookes, who did 100
before he started. Peter Hickman
is a newcomer this year too, and
hes done around 80. With all my
commitments I havent had time.
But Im at a stage now where
Im condent of getting on the
bike and racing now. There were a
few areas I wasnt sure on but its
nearly dialled in. Right, off to the
North West 200. Busy, busy!
I THOUGHT
A LAP WITH
MICHAEL DUNLOP
WOULD BE GOOD
BUT ALL HE DID
WAS TALK ABOUT
SHAGGING!
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COLUMNIST
DUCATI WSB
WORLD SUPERBIKE
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ello FBers, how are we? I

guess I have to tell you about
my month, though its not
been exactly how Id hoped. Im
nding it hard to go into races knowing
what to expect right now, because the
Ducati is such a different kettle of sh.
As I found out in Aragon, its one thing
to ride it quickly, and completely
another to race it in amongst other
bikes. That was my rst real taste of it
in Spain. So, yeah, its not gone to plan,
but then I never thought wed be
winning races this early on, either.
Weve only had three races so far,
and though I have high expectations of
myself I have to be realistic. In Aragon
we just didnt nail it on the head. A lot
of little issues popped up that were
nobodys fault, but it entirely derailed
our weekend. It didnt help that I was
Chaz and
to blame for a mistake I made myself in Dave having
a knees down
Superpole, too.
I dont think were expected to be winning, and at
some points in Spain we were there or there abouts. It was
really strange stuff, like when we changed the gearing on
Saturday. You expect the gearbox to feel different, and it
was a little better, but doing that shortened the swingarm
a little bit and it played havoc with our clutch and engine
braking strategies. So we spent all
of Saturday trying to get rid of rear
wheel chatter, which was coming
from that, and it didnt feel like we
nailed it. On Sunday we had
another work around, and though it
was better, it still wasnt right, it
wasnt the bike I had been riding.
So a lot of simple things are
missing before we nd the complete
package, thats what I feel like at
the moment. Assen was the same.
We tried to x some problems or
take the bike with a setting thats
usually good at Assen due to the
compression at the rear, which is
quite stiff. We went in that direction early in the weekend,
but by the time the race came round it ended up hurting
us due to vibration on corner entry; not from engine
braking or the clutch, but just from being too stiff in the
rear. Thats what I think anyway, its a lot of learning
nding out why things are happening...
There have been times when the bike is really smooth
and I can ride it like I want. But then there are others
where you try and push and you reach a limit via
vibration. Not chatter, vibration caused by the clutch, or a
stiff setting or the electronics, Theres a lot of tiny things
causing it.
I watched myself at Assen and there was one shot
between race one and two that I showed my mechanics. It
was me tipping into turn nine, I think. It showed me and a

bunch of guys going in, all running the same pace and
line, but with my rear starting to hop at the last second.
That carries on as I turn in, so the rear tyre starts to ex,
pushes back and starts bouncing. That then transfers to
the front and you see me try to commit and pitch it in, but
then I stop. I just hold it because
Im trying to hold the thing on the
fat part of the tyre by releasing the
brake to get a bigger contact patch.
I cant just go in there and let go of
the brake.
It is what it is I guess, early
days and part and parcel of
developing a bike on a two-year
deal. The annoying bit is I dont
have a bike I feel like I
can consistently ride
hard on at the
moment as I cant
be 100 percent
condent in
it. Its hard to push through the
small issues, but when weve got
grip it is awesome. Lose it, and
it becomes hyper sensitive and
on the Ducati every small
change makes a huge difference.
Anyway, the team are
working on it, while I work on
my road licence. Thats right
guys, Im joining you lot! I
did my CBT yesterday and
have the full test soon,
which you can read about
in FB. See you at Donny!
ITS STRANGE.
WHEN WEVE
GOT GRIP IT IS
AWESOME. LOSE IT,
AND THE PANIGALE
BECOMES HYPER
SENSITIVE...
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129
COLUMNIST
EX-RACER & TEAM MANAGER

MotoGP INSIDER
WorldMags.net
Steve
Parrish
S
o then, whos been watching

BT Sports MotoGP
coverage? Or have you been
viewing highlights on ITV? I must say
BT gets better with each broadcast.
Their rst one had issues, for sure,
but it will keep improving and the
level of coverage is impressive. I also
think the MotoGP Tonight show is
great. Motorcycling has been crying
out for something like it for years and
I think Craig Doyle is fantastic, were
lucky to have him.
Things like commentary and so on
will always be subjective, and you
can never please everyone, but BT
know they still have a lot to do and
theyre doing it. I hope more people
subscribe and watch their efforts,
although the ITV highlights show is
also doing well and its great that
everyone can see MotoGP. Im not
Youd have thought JT would
sure how many people can watch the
know better by now...
full BT shows, though for us diehards
its amazing to have hours on end
about so much at the start. Rossi has undoubtedly
covering everything, but for the
changed his style, but Im not sure any current generation
casual viewer theres ITV everyones a winner.
rider, no matter how good they are, is going to be able to
Although the racing, while super interesting, hasnt
do what Marquez does itll have to come from the next
been as close or exciting as wed hoped. Its not Marc
generation. Fair play to Rossi for trying to get under Marcs
Marquezs fault hes too bloody good. Hes like a
skin by passing him a few times, but it just doesnt work.
motorcycling rally driver the way he slings it in and out of
Marquez has so much up his sleeve that nobody can touch
turns. The others must change their style to catch up, they
him. I dont think weve even seen what hes capable of
have little choice really otherwise nobodys ever going to
yet because nobodys even slightly pushed him yet. Look
touch him in the next ve years.
What makes me crack up is the old fat journos who say how he dealt with Rossi in Qatar, while healing from a
broken leg! He doesnt even have to get a good start as he
you have to come from 250s to be a MotoGP racer. Well
can work his way past everyone. He could win every race
now it must be Moto2 as you need to back it in and spin it
this year, and thats scary
out. Things turn around, always. Weve had at least four
I still think Lorenzo is the only
different styles backwards and
one who could push him, but he
forwards over 30 years as things
needs sorting out. He hates the
change where people have had an
2014 tyres, but for a couple of
advantage and itll likely change
races he was on last years hoops
when Bridgestone disappears. Its
and it didnt work bar a fast
always been the way, and Marc is
qualifying time. Its all a bit
just the newest to hit the scene.
peculiar as he was Mr Clockwork,
However, what the hell was
lap after lap, now hes all over the
wrong with Jorge Lorenzo in Jerez?
place. He also needs an Oscar for
Or the rest of the year for that
the way he celebrated third place,
matter! To say he was too unt in
what was that all about?
Spain was utterly bizarre, as hes
Anyway, who should replace
one of the ttest in the paddock.
Bridgestone? Some Chinese tyre
Somewhere along the line
would be funny I think, but Pirelli could be a choice as
something is really wrong, its ludicrous if tness has
superbikes are only a couple of seconds off MotoGP
actually come into it. Something has got into his head,
already, and thats with steel brakes. Actually, dont get
hasnt it? With the greatest of respect to Rossi, and I love
me started, steel brakes would instantly make racing
Valentino, theres no way he should be beating Jorge. I
better in GP, and save lots of money on arm pump
was a little disappointed with Jorge; if things had been
operations, but thats a row for another day. Anyway, Im
normal he would have been second to Marc and Pedrosa
off to give JT a lift on Plummet Airways, ha ha!
third. Dani could have been second had he not dicked
MARC MARQUEZ
COULD WIN EVERY
RACE THIS YEAR,
AND THATS A
VERY SCARY
THOUGHT!
130
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PLUS

2014 RIDER CUP

JAPAN VS EUROPE NUTTY NAKEDS

"OVERTAKING JOEY? I'VE GOT MORE CHANCE

PLUS: A GRAND DAY IN DUCATI SERVICING, TT CLOSE SHAVES,

ISSUE 289 JULY 2014

A GRAND DAY OUT

BIKES ARENT ALL ABOUT FIVE FIGURES AND ELECTRONIC

KTM RC390 ADAC Cup ....................24

A Grand Day Out ............................ 30

2000 Aprilia RSV1000

YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A

2001 Suzuki GSX-R750

Suzuki Gladius ............................... 48

THE UNITED STATES.

ISSUE 289 JULY 2014

Subscribe ........................................ 103

Used Buyers Guide .......................... 85

THOSE MOMENTS THAT MAKE

A Grand Day In .........45

Modern Classics .......78

A new bike or a service?

Four of the best new tracks!

Adrian Morton .........63

MVs shapes and colours man.

Superbike or super pain in the arse?

YOUR LIFE ON BIKES

Tracks and Travel ............................100

OUR LIFE ON BIKES

Staff Bikes ...................................... 104

KTM 1290 Super Duke R

Pit Pass ............................................ 112

Race Feature ....................................117

Martin Jessopp .................................127

A Grand Day Out

heres more to life than money, but

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02 NINET PROJECT JAPAN

Triumph Live is back, and the music line-up has

05 WIN: DUNLOP GP212 GP PROS

If youve got a thing of beauty in your garage

After giving away ve pairs of Dunlop GP212 GP

be up for a prize. Weve not seen form and function

Speaking of Addiction, our 2013 winner, Terry

09 THE BOL IS BACK

10 GUY MARTIN BOOK

Guy Martin has put pen to paper and come up with

BASIC ENTRY GUIDELINES:

In no more than 50 words, tell us why

2) By submitting this competition entry form you give

3) By submitting the entry you agree to be bound by the

We round up the best mid-priced race

RST: PRO SERIES CPX-C

If youve got a tatty old CX500 that youre turning into

Clearly following race fashion, this brake guard does

WORDS AND PICS: BRUCE SMART

Get your kicks on

ince leaving Australia Ive had one

Bruce gets rescued by