Performance Bikes - May 2018 UK

PANIGALE V4 ON THE ROAD
Ducati’s new 202bhp superbike meets the real world
MAY
2018
EXCLUSIVE TEST
MAY ISSUE APRIL 4-MAY 1
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PERFORMANCE BIKES /// MAY 2018
35 SHAKEY: A MARKED MAN
British Superbike champ talks to PB
about the rivals he fears the most.
43 DUCATI V4
PB heads to the South of France to
give Bologna’s latest masterpiece
a quick one off the wrist.
SUCK, SQUEEZE, BANG, BLOW
57 TURBO BANDIT 1200
PB reader builds a 200bhp Bandit, but not
before it’s been through several hedges...
COVER
STORY
BMW HP4 Race: is
it worth the money? 18 65 ROSSI BY NUMBERS
We whip out the calculators for a closer
look at each of his premier class seasons.
THE GARAGE
72 360° GARAGE
PB editor Chris Newbigging finally lets us
into his steamy granny annex-cum-garage.
78 THE MOD SQUAD

Can you improve on the Yamaha YZF-R1
5PW? Yes, you can, and here’s how...
86 OUR BIKES
2008 Honda Fireblade, 2014 KTM Super
Duke R, 1989 Suzuki RGV250K.
THE FRONT BIKES AND PEOPLE
94 RACE BIKES
08 MONTH IN BIKES 16 JEREMY McWILLIAMS COLUMN BMW S1000RR, Yamaha YZF-R3.
BMW’s special dispensation to run the Jezza lobs a KTM up the road at 120mph,
HP4 at the TT, plus all the stories that then gets on with the job in hand. Pro... 98 USED STUFF
matter from the last four weeks. PB’s kit and garage gadgets rated.
18 RUTTER TEST
12 YOUR BIKES PB heads to Valencia to test the mega- 100 LONG-TERM TEST BIKES
Ducati 748/853, Pierobon 1098R, Suzuki bucks BMW HP4 Race against a stock 2018 KTM Super Duke R,
GSX-R1100, Fireblade and Daytona 955i. S1000RR and Rutter’s Macau GP bike. Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
14 MAILBOX 32 BMW TECH 106 CHEAP THRILLS

We opened your mail. Brain bleach and How Michael Rutter’s crew chief Didn’t know you wanted a BMW
antiseptic hand wash at the ready. built an HP4 rival for the roads. F800S? No, neither did we. Until now...
6
Analysing
the best and
worst years of
Valentino Rossi
IN’S
BRITSAELLING BIKES THIS MONTH
BEST-RTSBIKE
SPO GAZIN 12 DUCATI 748/853
MA
12 PIEROBON 1098R
13 SUZUKI GSX-R1100
13 2008 HONDA FIREBLADE
13 2002 TRIUMPH DAYTONA 955i
18 BMW S1000RR
18 BMW HP4 RACE
18 BMW S1000RR MACAU GP BIKE
43 DUCATI PANIGALE V4 S
58 SUZUKI BANDIT 1200
74 HONDA VF400R
78 YAMAHA YZF-R1 5PW
35 Shane Byrne on the men who are out to

spoil his 2018 British Superbike season 57 PB reader Colin Stannard creates
the turbo Bandit 1200 we’d all want
43 86 2008 HONDA FIREBLADE

90 1989 SUZUKI RGV250K
COVER STORY 92 2014 KTM SUPER DUKE R
DUCATI 94 2016 BMW S1000RR
PANIGALE V4 96 YAMAHA YZF-R3
Is 202bhp really 100 2018 KTM SUPER DUKE R
too much for the 102 SUZUKI GSX-R1000R
road? Only one 106 BMW F800S
way to ind out...
MAY 2018 | PERFORMANCEBIKES.CO.UK 5

Photo: R. Schedl
Please make no attempt to imitate the illustrated riding scenes, always wear protective clothing and observe the applicable provisions of the road traffic regulations!
The illustrated vehicles may vary in selected details from the production models and some illustrations feature optional equipment available at additional cost.
KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R

PURE, RAW
AND PROUDLY
EXCESSIVE
Let the LED headlight guide you as you embrace a
hell of a ride on this heavenly creature. Packed with
gut-wrenching performance and equally evil looks,
this BEAST 2.0 clearly isn’t for the faint of heart. If
you think you’ve got what it takes, challenge yourself
to see what real power and precision can feel like.
Find out more from your local authorised dealer
or visit: www.ktm.com
SIMON LEE
THE TEAM
18
Rutter tests his EXCUSES, EXCUSES
lightweight Macau
bike against the HP4
CHRIS NEWBIGGING
EDITOR
chris@pbmag.co.uk
I’m not late, I’m on European time.
AUSTIN SMITH
ART EDITOR
austin@pbmag.co.uk
The kids left that disc lock on there.
MICHAEL RUTTER
TRACK TESTER
editorial@pbmag.co.uk
Sorry, didn’t realise she was with you...
MARK WHITE
TECHNICIAN
Can’t touch that, it’s got beef in it.
JOHN McAVOY
ROAD TESTER
English isn’t my first language.
JEREMY McWILLIAMS
COLUMNIST
Yeah, damp kerb, nothing
I could have done...
THERE’S nothing glamorous about the back road that more or less links my house
JOHN BENNETT
VLOGGER
to the dyno at BSD a few miles away: it’s windswept, rutted, and a local accident www.youtube.com/lambchoprides
blackspot to boot. I didn’t realise the webcam
was still on, m’lud.
But it’s here where I truly appreciated the next-level performance of the Ducati
V4 – not the track launch, not a runway test, nor even the dyno where it cracked KAR LEE
out 202bhp moments earlier. Normal road, FORUM EDITOR
extraordinary motorcycle – the sheer rate of ‘Even Britain’s If I look directly into the
camera, it’ll steal my soul.
acceleration doesn’t fit my frame of reference
for a road bike. And that was only a brief ride:
fastest road
CAROLINE BARRETT
Johnny spent a couple of days in the south of tester was EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
caz@pbmag.co.uk
France seeing if something so extreme can gobsmacked by I thought donner meat was vegan.
really work on a public road, from p43.
On the same note, Rutter got his first taste the performance’
THANKS TO
of the HP4: a bike with some big claims attached to it, and an even Tracksense, Brittany Ferries, Matt Marrett, Phil Read,
Colin Furze, Central Oriental Superstore (Sandy branch)
bigger price tag: even moneybags Michael can’t afford one, so his
team built the closest thing they could for the Macau GP.
His DIY HP4 met the real thing, with the
superb standard S1000RR along as a
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exclusive test, and even Britain’s
Call 0844 848 8872
fastest road tester was gobsmacked greatmagazines.co.uk/pb
by the performance on offer. See
SUBSCRIPTIONS AND BACK ISSUES
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contact CDS Global on Bauer@subscription.co.uk
Chris Phone from the UK on 01858 438 884

Phone from overseas on +44 1858 438 884
Newbigging NEXT ISSUE ON SALE

Editor, chris@pbmag.co.uk MAY 2, 2018

THE T FOUR WEEKS
TURN TO P18
E
EXCLUSIVE
TE ST
C A R B O N - F R A M E D R OA D R AC E R
BMW MOTORRAD
BMW HP4 to make

TT appearance?
Germans pushing to get carbon-framed racer approved for the Senior
MW IS HOPING to give its performance, so few have Hickman took it PB has learnt that BMW hopes to get
B
for demo laps at
carbon-framed, track-only experimented. last year’s TT
the HP4 on the start line for the same
HP4 Race an outing at the But the organisers have recognised reason – a fairly logical follow-up to
TT, taking advantage of the value in interesting exemptions: Peter Hickman’s demo lap for a promo
the exemption that allows ‘interesting’ Norton’s SG V4s, Padgett’s RC213V-S Organisers gave video last year, when BMW tagged on
Padgett’s RCV
bikes to side-step the usual rules on and the Suter 500 generate as much special permission
to PB’s road bike TT super-test, in order
homologation, PB understands. social media exposure as race wins to get closed road footage.
The Senior itself is technically an and lap records – if not more. You It does raise the question of who
open-class free-for-all anyway – a can’t open YouTube in June without might run it – front-running riders
hangover from the days of over-the- seeing yet another fly-by vid... In aren’t usually the sort to gamble
counter Grand Prix bikes and full recent years, they’ve also allowed on unproven machinery. But
factory teams. But in recent years, the special cases to race in the then, Michael Dunlop doesn’t
Superbikes have proved an unbeatable Superbike race at the start have a ride in the Superbike
combination of cost/availability and of the week. classes yet...
8 PERFORMANCEBIKES.CO.UK | MAY 2018

SUBSCRIBE NOW SPECIAL OFFER PAGE 70
DUNLOP TO SUZUKI: “NO, THANKS” FAREWELL,

MICHAEL DUNLOP has and a new CBR600RR rider for the roads season in Dan RALF WALDMANN
heightened his man of road
racing mystery reputation by
Supersport bike, and then joining
Hawk Suzuki’s team for the
Kneen, so arguably a second
ride is there for the taking.
AND IVANO BEGGIO
ruling himself out of the most Cartagena BSB test. MD also does very well in MOTOGP LOST two important
obvious option for a Superbike But he later confirmed he terms of mid-size sponsors, so a faces recently – former front-
ride just weeks before the wouldn’t put pen to paper with self-funded team without a major running rider Ralf Waldmann and
season starts. Stuart and Steve Hicken’s name on the side is also a Aprilia founder Ivano Beggio.
The TT’s fastest man got fans winning squad, thanking them possibility: his 133.9mph Waldmann passed away aged
scratching heads by posting for their hard work, then leaving lap-setting ex-Hawk S1000RR just 51 from a suspected heart
pictures of his self-run team’s the next question unanswered... hasn’t been sold to anyone else, attack. He’s best remembered for
BMW S1000RR Superstock bike, Tyco BMW still only have one as far as we know... being a championship contender in
125 and 250GP, winning races but
SUZUKI
often being cruelly denied the title

No Hawk Suzuki deal, but
will he return on a BMW? by circumstance. He gave Kenny
Roberts’ Modenas team its first
pole on a vastly underdeveloped

KR3 two-stroke triple, and took a
memorable final win at Donington
in the 250 race – gambling on wets,
coming from 90 seconds down on
a dry track to take the win at the
last corner as Olivier Jacque
nursed his YZR250 home on slicks.
Beggio started Aprilia in 1975,
building a 125 motocrosser that
would take a national
championship just two years later.
The little Italian firm would grow,
rising through the ranks of Grand
Prix racing to become the
dominant force in 125/250, to the
point where Yamaha and Honda all
but left the Italians to the monopoly.
He passed away at home aged 73.
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The folk at Kippax Moto are giving PB
readers 10% off Thermal Technology
tyre warmers – the choice of Rutter.
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December at www.kippax-moto.co.uk

SUBSCRIBE NOW SPECIAL OFFER PAGE 70
TECH3
CONFIRM KTM DEAL ROSSI AND
French satellite MotoGP mob Tech3 will run a pair of
KTM RC16s from 2019. Team boss Herve Poncharal
MARQUEZ SIGN FOR
announced he was splitting with Yamaha last month.
It’s likely the deal brings closer involvement with the factory,
TWO MORE YEARS
The youngest-ever MotoGP champion and
updated parts and freedom of development. The Yamaha deal
‘oldest man at the disco’ Valentino Rossi
has evolved since the days of two-strokes, where they were free
are both staying put for two more years.
to make their own changes, to the point now where leased bikes
Marquez will continue coaxing the Repsol
and parts are delivered to circuits, and Tech3 can only adjust
Honda to defy gravity and friction;
settings or swap between Yamaha-supplied parts, leaving
Valentino Rossi sticks with
them at the mercy of development.
Yamaha to try and claim
A new satellite Yamaha team is yet to be announced
some final glory at the end
– but with Rossi closing in on retirement, it’s
of a distinguished
possible his VR46 youngster squad might
career.
take up the vacant bikes to provide a
complete path to the top.
Zarco, Rossi and Marquez locked

together at last month’s Qatar race
MOVISTAR YAMAHA, HONDA HRC
PETERBOROUGH IN ‘WORTH WE’RE IN A TRUCKIN’ CONVOY...

VISITING’ SHOCK LUCKY SWINE of the month award
goes to YouTube attention-seeker Hammy
THE MCN Festival will briefly make Peterborough, the rusting Moto. The American vlogger lost control
gateway to the Fens, a worthwhile destination by providing a of his Z1000 and managed to slide across
weekend of bike-related entertainment. a freeway and between the axles of a
Most of the major manufacturers will truck... unscathed.
foolishly trust demo bikes to anyone with a He claims that the monumental slap/
licence, so line up to feign interest in a lowside wasn’t a result of speed or a
purchase before caning the shit out of a wheelie (although he has blurred his dash without being turned into a thin spreading
box-fresh 2018 bike. Freddie Spencer is out in the editing stage), claiming instead of knobhead jam, with only ripped chinos
also in attendance, so take the that he was shifting from first to second at and battered Vans to show for his efforts.
opportunity to get some stuff signed 80mph hard on the gas on a bumpy road. Unlucky chain of events, or enthusiastic
and blag an awkward selfie. When it eventually tips him off, the antics gone to shit?
Info/tickets: www.mcnfestival.com momentum carries him between the axles See for yourself: www.youtube.com/
of the truck, emerging from the other side watch?v=ezf5oeP3eRE

BMW S1000RR SuperBike
– Philip Island 2017.
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BIK E
SEND US YOUR BIKE: EDITORIAL@PBMAG.CO.UK
OF THE
MONTH
Engine upgrade has made

Simon’s 748 a real sleeper
‘It has an 853 motor’ BIKE OF THE MONTH WINS
GEAR GREMLIN
SCORPION LOCK
DUCATI 748 BIPOSTO SIMON MURRAY WORTH £44.99
THIS IS my Ducati 748, bought as clip-ons, a Brembo RCS brake winter of 2016. The engine was Send some pics of your
a Biposto in standard trim eight master cylinder, an Oberon clutch built at great expense (to someone modded bike and info on
what you’ve done to it, to
years ago and improved every slave cylinder and Ducati else) by Jeff Green, formerly of editorial@pbmag.co.uk
winter as and when funds allow. Performance replica rearsets. It has G-Tech. As many folk say, it’s the and you could win a prize.
It now has Marchesini wheels a single seat unit with a Raceseat best engine Ducati never built. It
and an STM slipper clutch. I had seat pad, plus a Ducati spins up so easily and has a lovely
the forks rebuilt by Revs Performance front mudguard. amount of power for road use.
Suspension, and an Öhlins shock But the most important change I also have some Cyclecat rearsets
fitted. It has Ducabike adjustable is the 853cc engine I fitted in the to fit when the weather improves.
‘It took a while to track the parts down’

PIEROBON 1098R KEN FORD
I’VE SPENT the last three years and Microtec ECU. Every fastener is
building this in my garage in Manitoba, titanium; it even has a titanium
Canada. It’s a Pierobon-framed swingarm spindle. The exhaust is
1098R. It took a while to track down all Termignoni, naturally.
the 1098 RS items. It started with the It has Brembo GP4-RR calipers on
Pierobon frame, an RS swingarm, Sicom discs, Öhlins TTX shock and
linkage and ride height FGR forks. The engine has
adjuster, and RS triple Carrillo billet rods, a Ben
clamps with magnesium Fox crank, high-comp
eccentric adjusters. It Pistal pistons, ceramic
has the RS fuel tank bearings and an RS
over an EVR carbon gearbox. I’m sure
airbox, CDT carbon I’ve missed other
bodywork, RS details, too. It’s a
rearsets, an H2O blast to ride, I hope Something a little
Performance radiator you like it. special from Canada

‘This cost me a grand’ WICKED
SUZUKI GSX-R1100 MARTIN TAYLOR
RIDE
I'VE ADOPTED the PB ethos of improving, rather than
selling my GSX-R1100. I bought this one for a grand on
eBay, and it just about ran to get me home.
The front suspension has been modified twice by MCT
to get it right. I upgraded the front brakes to later Nissin
calipers and a Beringer master cylinder. Rear suspension
had the same treatment by MCT, with an Öhlins spring.
The motor was bored out to 1107cc with GSX-R1100K
pistons, the compression raised, the head gas-flowed,
plus a K&N filter, RDT programmable ignition, Micron
GUARANTEED
down pipes and an ART race can, all set up by BSD of From eBay nail to torque-
Peterborough. I asked for torque rather than top-end laden classic superbike
power and they certainly delivered.
Tastefully modded, and with a

2013 motor at its heart
‘Transatlantic
track bikes’
2008 HONDA CBR1000RR FIREBLADE,
Utter track weapon, until 2002 TRIUMPH DAYTONA 955i
a conrod got a bit tasty
JOHN FISHMAN
I’M A Britainophile (careful, Trump 132hp at the rear wheel. The adjustable Driven Racing
will lock you up for that - CN) over biggest investment was a fork rearsets. The pièces de résistance
here across the pond, so I rebuild with hybrid Öhlins/Race are the Öhlins R&T forks and fully
naturally gravitated to Hinckley Tech internals and a Wilbers adjustable TTX rear shock.
Triumphs over the years. I had a shock on the rear. I was handy On its fourth trackday, I made a
’98 Tiger 900, then a Sprint ST. on it, until a conrod let go... mistake with the race-pattern
My first track bike was a Daytona Now I have this ex-Superstock gearshift and went into first at
600, but caning a 600 was hard Fireblade. It has a Yoshi can, 80mph. It ended in crank failure...
work for a fat old guy. Bazzaz traction control/fuel/ It’s now fixed with a 2013
So I traded it for an ’02 Daytona mapping module, quickshifter, engine. Now I need to learn how
955i. We gelled immediately and it quick-action throttle, Sharkskinz to really ride a much faster bike,
soon had Sharkskinz race bodywork, braided lines, a so I’m coming over to do the Ron
bodywork and a dyno fettle to Magura master cylinder and Haslam Race School in May.
T 0117 971 9200
F 0117 972 5574
E info@thekeycollection.co.uk
W www.thekeycollection.co.uk
SINGLE-FINGER TYPING editorial@pbmag.co.uk www.facebook.com/PerformanceBikesmag
STA R LET TE R
Making the switch to switchable modes

AWESOME WORK on the JM: Ride modes are generally a bit of
mag, been a fan since the gimmick – one down from ‘full
days when sparky sliders everything’ on the mapping is usually
and roundabout surfing were cool. a decent combination of power and
Also, when there were about 25 nice response. But the rest of the
trackday companies and electronics packages are worth
competition made it a punter’s playing with – you don’t change them
market. I miss those days... every ride, but the more recent
Can I get some advice? I’ve had systems are great for adjusting for
some bikes with decent power – difference conditions. If you can
a 996, Z1000, and GSX-R750 SRAD afford the Tuono, it’s worth it even if
amongst others (including a TZR250 the electronics are an anti-climax.
which I so wish I’d kept!). But for the And Kar? We’re not exactly sure, but
last six years I’ve had a Street Triple his kids do have an awfully long
R (which sees a track about five paper round...
times a year). I love it, it’s by far the
best, most fun bike I’ve had.
UK READERS WIN £50 WORTH
But I’m getting sucked in by the that’s a different story. I love nakeds, Tuono V4 over
OF PUTOLINE PRODUCTS
rider modes/traction control/ABS and fancy some rider modes – is it a Street Triple R...
Is that even a
revolution. I can just about afford a waste of time? Will I miss my Striple? question?
first-generation Tuono V4 APRC. I’m Any thoughts appreciated!
convincing myself I need it because Garry Clapham
I want to experience the whole rider • PS. Where does Kar Lee get all his
modes thing... But, is it worth it? cash and time to afford the amount of
Really, though, do you just end up track time he gets? Unreal envy.
leaving it in one mode? • PPS. PB’s Michael Rutter features...
I know the V4 has crazy power but Total brilliance.
McAbuse Blockbusting read

Why do you always send Johnny Mac I’ve been reading your magazine for a
on the soul-crushing continent-long long time. Keep up the good work! It’s
rides, while Chris gets to go to sunny great to have Jeremy McWilliams
climes and ride brand new doing a regular column (although
superbikes around perfect race I do miss Trev). But can you
tracks? Am I the only one please ask Jezza how he
who’s starting to feel a little ended up in the film “Under
sorry for poor old Johnny? I the Skin” and more
actually felt like I was there importantly if he can shed
with him on the Kawasaki some more light on what the
H2SX, wearily making his hell it was about?! Some of the
way across France last month. images from it have traumatised
Andy Belstaff me for life!
Obligatory baby CN: Yes, you are. We do work the old Pablo Montero
with mag pic boy hard, but he more than makes up JMcW: It was surreal – I got a phonecall
My eight-week-old for his odd miserable winter jaunts with out of the blue from the person doing
daughter Fearne
having a read of her jobs like his Spanish holiday with the the casting. What an experience,
favourite mag. No BMWs in this issue. It’s also prime though – I got my own dressing room,
My Little Pony for Facebook discussion-starting material, and I got to spend some time with
this girl...
@Raymond so he does pretty well out of it, in Scarlett Johansson (above left) – for a
49751780, Twitter fairness... superstar, she’s really down to earth.
SAUSAGE FEST
ADVERTISING MARKETING PRODUCTION THE BOSSES
Phone 01733 468000 Phone 01733 468845 Phone 01733 468341 Managing director motorcycling Rob Aherne
Group commercial director Gareth Ashman Marketing manager Sarah Norman Production controller Carl Lawrence Group managing director Rob Munro-Hall
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Key accounts Shaun Collin Head of newstrade marketing Leon Benoiton Printed by Wyndeham Peterborough Finance director Lisa Hayden
Account Manager Phil Martin Newstrade marketing Joe Deboo Distributed by Frontline Group finance & strategy director Sarah Vickery
Senior Telesales Sarah Frisby CEO Paul Keenan
Telesales Exec Jessie Hutchings

www.twitter.com/pbmagazineuk www.pbmagforum.co.uk BROUGHT TO YOU BY PUTOLINE
Johnny enjoys the Speed

Triple RS on a rare jaunt
to sunny Spain
Speed Triple RS? About time, too LIVING IN THE run with the supersport 600s.
I’ve just read your Speed Triple RS 19TH CENTURY? The main things that help it handle
Write to us at,,,
review and it sounds like a great Performance Bikes, are a pair of sticky trackday tyres –
bike, but a few things are long Media House, Pirelli Diablo Supercorsas, with a
overdue, mainly a rise in the Lynch Wood, 180-section rear. A 190 looks good but
Peterborough
rev limiter. I have a stripped back PE2 6EA the bike won’t turn. I also have an
2006 Daytona 955i that will rev Öhlins rear shock with 5mm extra ride
to 11,500rpm with 135bhp at the height to make it turn (it also helps
wheel and it makes a huge with ground clearance).
difference, especially on the track. Regular fork oil changes are a must
Sorry Roger,
The Daytona gets a regular trackday we think Rutter to keep the feel at the front end. I use
at Cadwell in the fast group and will borrowed JM’s TRX EBC HH sintered pads, an open can,
and a £25 Triumph fuel map produced
a good spread of torque and power. It
doesn’t look much but it is a lot of bike
for a couple of grand.
Dave Hume
Where’s the Yam gone?

John, never mind your Audi A6, what’s
happened to the TRX? I like this era of
bikes; simple, fun and fast enough for
the roads I like riding on. You seemed
to be getting on well with it and then...
nothing. Have I missed something?
Roger Pass
CN: We’ll assume you’re familiar with
Johnny’s RGV ‘project’... We fear his
TRX has gone the same way, being
frozen solid due to progress continuing
at the pace of continental shift. We’ll get
him to pull his finger out...
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JEREMY
McWILLIAMS
‘I was swearing as it gripped
and flipped me over the top’
TESTING ALL MONTH with KTM on new Shark lid, my leathers were very second- start/finish straight and set cones out to make
projects has been as exciting as always – hand, and I was battered and bruised with a it as difficult as possible. I’ve never ridden one
we’ve been working on the next revisions for dead leg. I jumped up and tried to run to the of these courses but it was so much fun that it
the Super Duke 1290R, GT and 790 mostly. bike before anyone noticed what had became addictive, an obsession to be honest,
Then I had a stark reminder of what the happened, but I was hopping more than and the 790 worked so well that all the KTM
reality of being a test rider and a little running; I felt like a right tool! staff (me included) had to keep doing it over
complacency can result in. Luckily the bike slid for about 200 metres and over trying to set a faster lap. There were
I managed to fling myself up the road at without major damage. The team had it back a couple of really fast times set by the
about 120mph after running on to a damp together in 45 minutes – we continued like journalists, but the KTM staff were even
kerb early one morning on the test track. It’s nothing had happened and managed to get quicker; they’re mostly ex-racers from various
actually my first test crash after thousands of the new mapping settings pretty much disciplines – even champions – and still very
kilometres. It wasn’t the perfect start to the fast, so they’re a competitive bunch! I did
day as the test had to be completed by the ‘I held it on the manage to overdo it and fall over backing it
afternoon, and we only had one bike fitted in, supermoto-style, around a cone – but it’s
with the new Bosch test electronics and data lock-stop for what all part of the fun. The team have had so
storage, laptops, etc, all onboard. I was
thinking to myself, ‘I’ve got this, I might just
seemed like an much positive feedback that, if I get my way,
this discipline will be a feature in the future.
get away with it...’ I held it on the lock-stop for eternity. It was one of I wasn’t expecting so much from a
what seemed like an eternity and I was still mid-range motorcycle – how much fun can
yelling and swearing at myself as it gripped those ragdoll, triple a 104bhp bike really give? But it’s got a lot of
on a dry patch and I went over the top into
the gravel. It was one of those ragdoll,
somersault affairs’ torque for such a small bike, and it responds
so effortlessly to your input – it certainly
triple-somersault affairs. I destroyed my doesn’t need a lot of bossing around. The
firing order is the same as the 1290 I spend
perfect by 5pm, thankfully. most of my time working on, so it has the
I got a nice break between R&D tests to same sort of sound. It’s sharp, and although
attend the 790 Duke launch in Gran Canaria. the suspension isn’t adjustable I didn’t have
I like how KTM conduct a launch, and I’ve many complaints. It’s has a lot of features for
been on various bike/tyre launches in my a bike that’s only eight and a half grand in the
time. This time, we came up with a Moto UK – traction control, cornering ABS,
Gymkhana-type course in the shape of the quickshifter/autoblipper, TFT screen with
790 logo, for a bit of fun. We Bluetooth connectivity...
nicknamed the 790 ‘The Scalpel’ It’s a lot of bike, and I reckon it’ll surprise
as it’s so precise, so we wanted people with its ability. Not that you’ll believe
to see how agile the bike was me – after all, my pay cheques do come in an
around obstacles against the orange envelope with an Austrian postmark...
stopwatch. And, to be Go and test ride one at your nearest dealer
honest, we just love to and then let me know what you think – I’ll tell
see the journalists the R&D team if you think I’m bullshitting
competing against each you! Anyway, the holiday is over for me: I’m
other as they are almost back on the test track at 9am tomorrow,
as competitive as grinding out more laps for the data acquisition
racers. We drew the equipment. I’ll be staying away from
logo to scale on the dew-covered kerbs this time, though...
WHO IS JEREMY McWILLIAMS?

PHOTOS KTM
Ex-250 and 500 GP racer Jezza is also a KTM

development rider, road racer and occasional film star...
Jezza is hoping his out-takes
reel lands him another
Hollywood role soon
Skids and low-speed spills The KTM team pose

are all well and good, but for a picture: gormless
when it’s a 120mph smiles and weird attire
highside, McWilliams is come as standard
really earning his money

BMW RUTTER’S MACAU
S1000RR VS S1 RR
Michael Rutter travels to Spain to give three very different BMW S1000RRs the
Words Michael Rutter & John McAvoy | Photography Simon Lee
HE WORLD OF of multi-million pound simpler goal, to build a bike on which I’d bid for glory
T corporate pride and the ingenuity and

obsession of an individual have collided in
the pursuit of the same goal. For the
automotive giants at BMW, and my little Bathams
at the 2017 Macau Grand Prix.
Faced with the dilemma of either building our own
bike or digging deep to come up with £75,000 to buy an
HP4 Race in the right spec, we decided to build our own
Racing team (only myself, Alec and Matt/Tim Batham extreme S1000RR, instead building from a bike we
are permanent fixtures), making the BMW S1000RR as had, with parts we know and trust, and using
light and extreme as possible was the goal in 2017. knowledge gained from racing in British Superstock
For BMW, the HP4 Race is their money-no-object and on the international roads circuits.
litre bike – their chest-beating statement to the world of The bike that Alec produced for Macau performed
their technical excellence, and quite possibly a glimpse superbly in what was ultimately an ill-fated race cut
into their future plans. For Alec, there was a much short. It fulfilled its primary objective of being
BATHAMS MACAU BMW S1000RR BMW S1000RR

189.55bhp • 209.6kg • £14,930
224bhp • 180.44kg • £POA The benchmark. It’s not often a standard
Bathams SMT crew chief Alec Tague created the S1000RR looks relatively pedestrian, but on
team’s take on the HP4 Race (right) for last year’s paper the two bikes flanking it manage that...
Macau TT. How does it compare on track?

IN A S SOC I AT ION W I T H
BMW
VS HP4 RACE
BY
MICHAEL
RUTTER
Winner of four TTs, eight
Macau GPs and 28 BSB races
The UK’s fastest road tester
thrashing of their lives. Strap yourselves down... knows what works on track.
super-fast, and was easy on tyres. However, there was Track Sense
always a lingering thought in my head about the HP4 Thanks to Track Sense for
Race. Would it have been even faster ? the quality circuit time at their
Valencia trackday event.
After months of phone calls, planning and a mercy
www.tracksense.co.uk
dash across Europe by PB reader Matt Marrett, myself, Call: 01580 890346
Johnny Mac, a BMW HP4 Race, my Macau bike, a Email: info@tracksense.co.uk
standard road-going S1000RR and our datalogger have
come together in the pits of Valencia’s MotoGP circuit. Brittany Ferries
This is the most valuable collection of bikes ever We sailed from Portsmouth to
Cherbourg. Book your crossing
assembled for a Rutter Test, all with the purpose of
at www.brittany-ferries.co.uk
answering mine and Alec’s niggling question: to
buy or to build?
BMW HP4 RACE
212bhp • 175kg • £67,785
Carbon-framed S1000RR variant is arguably the
pinnacle of production litre bike technology. But
can it beat Rutter’s homebrewed racer?

ROAD BIKE
BMW S1000RR
T’S BEEN 15 years since I was last here at
There are few better tools
I Valencia, testing the then new Fireblade

with my then new employers, HRC, in
preparation for the 2004 British Superbike
championship. To re-familiarise myself with the circuit,
for familiarising yourself
with a circuit
we have got hold of a bike that I’m very familiar with.

It’s the very same road-going S1000RR that I used in
the first Rutter Test at Donington Park last year, and
then to lap the TT course at an average speed of
118mph for our special TT test in June. Much like my
appearance would have you believe, RX66 RWK has
actually had a tough life, and it’s about to get a good bit
tougher. After 15 minutes of riding, I’m happy I know
which way the track goes, and pit for a drink. Johnny
gets the gaffer tape out (he’s got a van full of it; long
story...) and attaches the datalogger to the BMW’s
pillion seat so I can push for a benchmark time.
The bike is giving off heat that can be felt from yards
away, and stinks. The brake lever comes back to the
handlebar, there are lumps of chewed up Metzeler slick
tyre stuck to the inside of the rims and undertray, and
the fuel light is on. It’s a bit shagged.
You can’t escape the fact that, for a road bike, the many damp patches. Johnny has ridden one to Spain
S1000RR is hard to beat. I’ve ridden loads of them for and back in three days, and here I am lapping a MotoGP
PB over the years, on track and on the road, and this circuit on one fitted with slicks. It’s the exact same bike
particular one several times. It genuinely never fails to with nothing done to it other than the gearshift pattern
impress. It has no discernible weakness, and is blessed being reversed and the ABS switched off. It took Johnny
with a massive range of ability. I mean, I lapped the TT two minutes to do both.
course at 118mph on this, on ordinary road tyres, and I would say, however, that putting it on slicks and
could have definitely gone faster if there weren’t so thus introducing extra grip and forces that go hand in
1 2
3 1 They’re noisy
despite the size of
that silencer
2 Fully adjustable rear

shock reached the
limit of its damping
ability after six laps
3 Road bike’s dash

is yet to enter the
21st-century world
of the TFT display

RU T T ER ON S 1000R R
‘Compared to any race
bike, it feels low, long and
slow... Not as urgent, nor
as precise, lacking in
urgency. But then it’s
all relative.’
Slick-shod road bike was

good for about 15 minutes
before suspension and
braking performance faded
hand with race rubber (especially on the super smooth,

and grippy surface at Valencia) did mean that I felt like
BEST LAP TIME SECOND OPINION: JOHN McAVOY
I had reached the limits of the bike’s standard
suspension and brakes. Basically, both overheated after
about half a dozen really hard laps and lost most of
their pressure and damping. It’s not a complaint as such
– for a completely standard road bike, given how hard I
1:42.85S I USED the road S1000RR to bag my
first ever laps of Valencia to get an idea
which way it goes before I took to the
HP4 and Rutter’s Superbike. No matter
was pushing it, the brakes and suspension coped pretty
WEIGHT - MEASURED how many times I ride it, the BMW
well. And it’s no coincidence that they are the first two
things to get upgraded on a race bike.
Generally, though, the road bike felt OK, but
compared to any race bike it felt slow, not as urgent nor
as precise. It felt low and long, and the throttle felt
209.6KG S1000RR never fails to impress on every level. Its
levels of performance and sophistication are well
documented, but its real party piece is how accessible
it makes it all. The refinement in the electronics, chassis,
suspension and fuel injection all make the Beemer a
comparitively soft – also, at times it felt like I had to doddle to ride really really fast. So fast that it cooks its
wait for it, which is that urgency thing. But, when all is own brakes after six or seven laps.
said and done, it’s all relative...

Yes, you did read that
correctly – 175kg wet...
CARBON-FRAMED RR
BMW HP4 Race

IKE JUST ABOUT everyone who’s into BEST LAP TIME
L bikes, I’ve been itching for a shot on an HP4
Race. When a company like BMW decide to
make a full-on, balls-out bike (or car), they
don’t get it wrong. The HP4 is much more than an 1:39.63S
S1000RR with a carbon frame, although that alone
would be something quite special. During my career,
I’ve been lucky enough to ride for factory race teams,
WEIGHT - MEASURED
and I’ve always said that the difference is never one big
thing. Hand-built factory race bikes have loads and
loads of small details that all add up to an overall effect
of having just that extra little bit of grip, adjustability,
comfort, power or reliability.
175.0KG
Set aside the carbon frame, carbon wheels, carbon
bodywork and Suter swingam; also set aside the
Brembo GP4-PR calipers, Öhlins FGR300 WSB forks,
Öhlins TTX36GP rear shock, and there is still enough
attention to detail and trick stuff on the bike to keep
you busy for hours. The top fairing and seat unit are
self-supporting; no subframe or mounting bracket for
the bike’s nose. The 2D dash sits in ‘Mechanics’ mode
with every nugget of information a crew chief could Right: Anything that’s not
want to know, then as soon as the bike goes into first displaying a bare carbon-
fibre weave is daubed in
gear, the display changes to ‘Rider’ mode, with BMW Motorsport colours
everything I need to see – namely the rev counter, gear
position and levels of traction control, engine braking Far right: Production of the
and anti-wheelie, all adjustable via the switchgear. HP4 Race is limited to 750
of these handbuilt crotch
Every nut, bolt and screw is titanium, all the various rockets. Each gets a
hangers for brake fluid reservoirs and exhaust are real-fake carbon sticker
carbon-fibre. Then there’s the stuff you can’t see. The on the headstock
built in 2D GPS datalogger is vital for those owners
hell-bent on lap times. In fact, that’s what I’m most
interested in when it pops up on the display
automatically. Then there’s the engine. It is essentially
the same as the 6.2 spec ‘Endurance’ motor in my race
bike, which means it’s hand-built and finished in the
same Berlin workshop as my race engines. It’s
blueprinted, and the lightweight conrods are all

The front-endy HP4 makes

any road bike feel like a
Yamaha Virago
‘As I started to load it up a bit

more, and up the pace, the
bike began to come to life’
matched to within a maximum of 0.5g of each other.

The pistons are also matched, the crankshaft is
lightweight and the cams are different, too. The
gearbox is an EVO close-ratio box, running straight cut
gears with shorter shift distances. It’s a proper bit of kit.
The end result is an extra 1000rpm, and peak power of
215bhp. In keeping with the complete experience of
owning a factory race bike, the engine needs replacing
completely at 5000km. Not a refresh, not a service...
Totally replacing, at significant cost.
I’ll be honest, the first few laps on the HP4 weren’t
enjoyable. It felt rock solid, way too hard, to the point
where I really wasn’t getting much in the way of
feedback from the tyres. It was quite unnerving the way
it didn’t seem to pitch forward or squat under power as
much as I’m used to. Then, as I started to load it up a bit
more, and up the pace, it began to come to life and

send me feedback. The lack of weight is instantly
noticeable, especially under acceleration. On to the
main straight the HP4 makes the road bike feel like a
600. Even though it’s got 22bhp more that the road
bike, it feels more like 60bhp. There is a real tautness to
the whole bike, the carbon frame undoubtedly being a
factor. But it also has that ‘certain something’ that I’ve
only ever noticed on hand-built HRC race bikes that
have been painstakingly measured, and assembled
with precision and the very best kit. They feel ‘just so.’
It feels really agile and on its nose. If I was racing it,
especially on the roads, I’d probably want to calm it
down a bit, but to be fair, BMW have built this as their
ultimate track bike, and not the ultimate road racing
bike. The HP4 turns really quickly, as you would expect.
‘In fourth and fifth gear

especially, the HP4 is in
another postcode’
After all, it has all the ingredients: carbon wheels,

forward weight bias, trick suspension and super-stiff
chassis. It’s all there, and it doesn’t disappoint. It makes
the road bike feel positively ponderous.
The really big difference between the HP4, my race
bike and the road bike is in its electronics, specifically,
the fuel injection, traction control and quickshifter/
blipper. They’re nothing like the ones on my race bike.
The traction control even sounds different; it’s not the
same as mine, which is the same as the road bike’s – it’s
an altogether more refined WSB-derived system. Then
there is the shifter and gearbox. It swaps the cogs up
and down with a real short, sharp punch. Shorter gears
and the lack of a sprung actuator in the HP4 make shifts
a quick-fire affair. It actually feels a bit over the top; I
like it, but I don’t want it, and I think that’s where the

SECOND OPINION: JOHN McAVOY

THE HP4 does everything like it could be ridden to the shops. It even
you would expect of a has a useful steering lock.
super-lightweight BMW The only problem I have with this
RU T T ER ON HP4 R ACE S1000RR with carbon otherwise perfect track bike, is the same
‘It swaps the cogs up and wheels and 20 extra problem that everyone on a ‘normal’
down with a real short, horsepower. It is still trying to power- income will always have with a bike like
wheelie in fifth gear on the start/finish this: its price tag, specifically if things go
sharp punch. It actually straight, it turns and changes direction wrong. The consequences of even the
feels a bit over the top; without a thought, and all the while smallest drop simply don’t bear thinking
I like it, but I don’t remains composed and stable. The most about, never mind having a biggie.
want it...’ lingering memory I have, though, is that, On top of all of that, bear in mind that
unlike Rutter’s race bike, the HP4 Race felt you would need to find something in the
familiar to me – it felt like an S1000RR. It region of £15,000 for a replacement
has the same riding position, and makes engine every 3000 miles or so. I don’t
the same sounds, and has that same know about you, but that’s a frankly salty
feeling of ‘do it all’ ability. It really does feel running cost...
Johnny reckons you could

ride it to the shops. You’d
need a honey badger to
chain to it when you arrive...
Rutter commends the ‘fists of

fury’ approach, but reckons it
could be more useable
HP4 is at. It is BMW’s showcase bike. They are billing it

as the most extreme example of an S1000RR that
money can buy, and it is. However, they haven’t stopped
there – it deploys some sleight of hand for your
subconscious to pick up on, just to ram home the
‘extreme’ experience. The ultra-sharp blipper, the
pointy handling, the close-ratio gearbox for even more
acceleration... It is debatable as to whether they are
actually necessary. Put it this way – my race bike
doesn’t have any of those features or characteristics.
Ultimately, though, the HP4 delivered a lap time just
over three seconds faster than the standard road bike,
3 which in race track terms is a lifetime. If you have the
cash (or need to get shot of some quickly as a tax
1 HP4’s 2D dash shows data
4 dodge), it’s worth every penny of the extra £50,000
for crew chief and rider
consumption, with different an HP4 costs over the road bike.
screen displays for each It has more power than the stocker, and better
acceleration at high speed because of the close-ratio
2 Brembo GP4-PR
monoblock calipers and gearbox. Up to a certain speed, I’d say there wasn’t
Öhlins FGR300 WSB-spec much noticeable difference in the acceleration between
suspension both bikes, but in fourth and fifth gears especially, the
HP4 is in another post code, it just doesn’t let up. Its
3 World Superbike-alike
alloy swingarm features
composure and ability to change direction with
adjustable pivot astonishing speed is another area where it scores over
the road bike, especially through the fast left/right at
4 Self-supporting carbon- Ricardo Tormo’s turn 9/10. The bottom line is that the
fibre top fairing helps keep
HP4 does exactly what it should. It’s much lighter, more
weight to a minimum
powerful, and has better equipment. It delivers on its
brief. But is my Macau special easier to ride...?

PB’s SUPERLIGHT RACER
Bathams SMT
BMW S1000RR superbike
T MACAU, there are no weight limits for race
BEST LAP TIME
A bikes; in fact, there aren’t many rules full stop.
We decided to take the Superbike that I raced
at the North West 200 and TT, and go a bit
mad making it as light as possible to have a good go at
winning the race. Alec went to town on it, and started by
swapping the wheels for carbon ones, then changing the
1:39.16S
rear subframe, seat unit and all the bodywork for
WEIGHT - MEASURED
carbon-fibre. We use stainless steel exhaust headers at
the TT for their durability and strength, but Arrow sent
us some thin titanium exhaust headers that saved 1.5kg
alone. Most of the nuts and bolts were swapped for
titanium. The swingarm was replaced with a Fortis
180.4KG
Engineering unit which, as well as being 1.66kg lighter combined sum of its parts instead of just a collection of
than standard, also carries its weight lower, and allows go-faster stuff. That’s where Alec’s experience and
us to adjust it for flexibility. The K-Tech forks are their ingenuity really pays off. The first time
latest generation KTR4 units that have better internals, I rode Alec’s creation was in free practice at Macau, and
are lighter than the previous generation KTR3s. He also I was fastest, so we got straight into fine-tuning the set-up
fitted a smaller oil cooler, but bigger radiator. Elsewhere, rather than chasing our tails making big changes.
the yokes are custom-built, and cut away more than the I’ve never ridden my bike in its full extreme
ones I use for the TT and NW200. The engine is the same lightweight spec on a short circuit, so I wasn’t sure what
6.2 spec as the HP4’s. It would be easy to describe my to expect. It still had the exact settings we finished with
bike as a catalogue special, and to a point that’s what it is. in Macau, which means really stiff on the front end for
There isn’t anything on it that you can’t buy over the good support during the heavy braking into the Lisboa
counter, apart from maybe the yokes. But that is only hairpin. The settings are over the top for the super-
part of the story. Alec and the boys have to know how to smooth surface at Valencia so I would have loved more
put it all together, and set it up so it works as the time to make changes to the set-up to suit the track, but
Johnny was keeping an eye on the time we had available
and wouldn’t let me get distracted. “It’s hardly going to be
SECOND OPINION: JOHN McAVOY shit, is it ?” was his response. He had a point.
My bike felt very different in some ways to the HP4,
YOU KNOW a bike is an and very similar in others. The main similarities were,
His ring-piece will never
another level when you be the same unsurprisingly, the engine performance and fuel
glance at the rev counter injection. They’re virtually identical. The more subtle
expecting an upshift, and differences between the two bikes are that the HP4 felt a
there’s still 4000rpm until little bit more agile turning than mine with its high, hard
the redline. That should tell you pretty front end. Also, I seemed to not be caught in between
much everything you need to know about gears on the HP4 as much as I was on my bike, meaning a
what it is like to ride a full on Superbike- close-ratio gearbox is now on my shopping list. The HP4
spec BMW S1000RR. It power-wheelies seemed to have just the right gear for more corners than
when you shift into fifth gear, which is also my bike did, which I probably wouldn’t have ever noticed
the same moment I discover that Rutter unless I’d been able to ride the two bikes back to back.
doesn’t have a rear brake pedal, only a The biggest differences between both bikes are the
thumb-operated lever. happens quickly, efficiently, smoothly and electronics. I can’t say one is better than the other, but
Unlike the HP4 Race, Rutter’s race bike with a level of refinement that even the they are very different. The engine braking strategy and
bears virtually no resemblance to the road HP4 Race doesn’t have (probably blipper on my bike are far smoother than the HP4. By
bike. It looks like one, and has the same deliberately). It is without doubt more which I mean more gentle and easier to use – more
dashboard as one, but that’s all. The compliant, and felt longer in the refined, which shouldn’t be a surprise, as Alec has
riding position is nothing like the HP4, the wheelbase, yet really precise and agile. effectively tailor-made the maps for me over the last two
sound it makes is so loud; pops and The brakes are like nothing I’ve ever years. My engine braking feels like it has less fuel cut-off
bangs on downshifts are accompanied by experienced before, and the electronics and therefore less intervention than the HP4, which
shockwaves that travel all the way from are so well dialled in that they are the very means picking the throttle up after braking is smoother
my ring-piece to my neck. Riding it feels definition of subtle. and easier. Speaking of which, my throttle feels heavier,
incredibly far removed from an S1000RR. Then there is the engine. I can’t which is probably just down to different springs. It was
It’s truly built for purpose. describe it without using a ton of clichés, great to get some short circuit laps in on my lightweight
Initial battering of the senses overcome, so I wont. Instead, I shall now spend the Superbike. I would have loved to get more time and play
and the Bathams bike starts to reveal rest of my life with a new level of respect with the set-up, but for now, we need to get it ready for
itself as a bit of a gentle giant. Everything for Rutter. Just don’t tell him. the North West 200, which means setting a lot of the trick
lightweight stuff aside until the next Macau GP.

RU T T ER ON BAT H A MS
‘The main difference
between this and the HP4 is
the electronics. The engine
braking and blipper on
the Macau bike are
smoother.’
1 K-Tech KTR4 forks and

Brembo GP4-RR calipers
2 Yokes were custom-made to

Rutter’s crew chief’s spec
3 Fortis swingarm saves 1.66kg

and carries weight lower
1 2 3

Anything but upright
Valencia is all about second and third gears, lean angle and transitions...
TRACK CONDITIONS at bike you ride here needs to be
Agility is rewarded
Valencia’s Ricardo Tormo circuit manageable; it needs to have at Ricardo Tormo
were about as far removed as you excellent grip and equally decent
can imagine from the shit-ton of ground clearance. Put simply, it’s
snow that coated the UK when a physical track.
we arrived in Spain for this test. Machines that are agile and
Air temperature was just nudging which fill you with stacks of
above double figures, too, so confidence in their chassis and
while the conditions weren’t tyres’ performance will always
optimum, they were pretty do well at Valencia. These
favourable. demands also make it a
A lap of this famous GP circuit particularly good place to
is typified by second and evaluate bikes with low weight
third-gear corners, with big lean and interesting chassis designs.
and multiple left-right-left Looks like we’ve come to the
transitions. Consequently, any right place...
A LAP OF VALENCIA 2.48 MILES OF LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, LEFT, TUCK-IN...

142
TURN 7
Speed (mph)
TURN 3
88
TURN 1
TURN 2
Distance (metres)
0
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
TURN 1 TURN 2 Braking (100mph-50mph) TURN 3 TURN 7

Bathams: 75.55mph Bathams: 90.04m/2.75s Bathams: 87.23mph HP4 Race: 134.17mph
Road S1000RR: 74.08mph HP4 Race: 95.98m/2.97s HP4 Race: 87.14mph Bathams: 134.08mph
HP4 Race: 71.82mph Road S1000RR: 101.6m/2.88s Road S1000RR: 84.74mph Road S1000RR: 129.66mph
The road S1000RR was quicker at It’s almost perfect symmetry, with Turn 3 is the fast, narrow left- The kink at the end of the back
the apex of Turn 1 than the HP4, and the HP4 stopping five metres handed kink that really only has one straight just before braking for
only just behind the Bathams bike. shorter than the road bike, and the line through it to set up for the Turn 8 sees more validation for
However, where the road bike is Bathams bike five metres than the following right-hander. The benefit the benefits of carbon wheels and
coming down from an impressive HP4 to get from 100mph to 50mph. of the carbon wheels in the HP4 and reduced mass in general. The road
peak speed of 166.82mph, the HP4 This is consistent with the Bathams Bathams bike is amplified with bike is 5mph down at the apex,
is coming down from 175.93mph, bike still running its Macau settings, higher speed, and it seems that which is the exact speed deficit it
and the Bathams BMW from basically to enable very heavy above 80mph, the effect is carried all the way down the straight
174.65mph, both braking at the braking into the road circuit’s significant. on the approach to the kink.
same point Rutter brakes on the almost dead-stop hairpin.
road bike.

RICARDO TORMO CIRCUIT, VALENCIA, SPAIN

Book yourself some track time on Valencia’s hot,
smooth hard-top: www.tracksense.co.uk
Turn 7 Turn 2
Turn 6
Turn 10
Turn 11
Turn 8
Turn 9 Turn 3
Turn 13
Lío de sexo
pegajoso Turn 12 Turn 5
Turn 4
Start/finish
Turn 14
Turn 1
PADDOCK
BMW S1000RR BATHAMS SMT BMW S1000RR

BEST LAP 1:42.85s BEST LAP 1:39.16s
TURN 13
TURN
9 & 10
BMW HP4 RACE

BEST LAP 1:39.63s
1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900
TURN 9/10 TURN 13

Bathams: 104.00mph Bathams: 104.94mph
HP4 Race: 102.19mph HP4 Race: 104.81mph
Road S1000RR: 94.51mph Road S1000RR: 102.33mph
The measurement is taken exactly Towards the end of the long
halfway between the high-speed off-camber traction zone
left/right Turn 9/10. The bikes are approaching the final corner, the
actually vertical at this point, but road bike gives a superb account
under massive load as Rutter is of itself in such premium grade
levering them from full left lean to company. The electronics and mass
full right lean at 100mph. It is plain produced suspension in the road
to see that it is easier on the bike all but match the very best
lightweight bikes. that BMW, and people of Alec
Tague and Michael Rutter’s calibre,
can muster.

RUT TER SAYS...

‘There are a lot of things on the
HP4 Race that I can imagine will
trickle down to the road S1000RR’
THE BIG difference between the HP4 feels like an S1000RR at its very best, rather than
and my bike is they way they feel to ride. something new and alien.
Although my bike was fractionally faster, What the HP4 Race represents is the future: I can
I’d say they’d be equals with more time imagine the tech will trickle down to the S1000RR. The
– I’m just more familiar with my bike. electronics and fuel maps are on another level to the
The interesting result of the test is that they have road bike’s, and essentially are just software and
near-identical weight, performance and cost, sensors, both of which get cheaper with time
yet only share an engine. One man in a UK until they’re affordable for production.
workshop, and the might of BMW’s R&D Then there’s the frame: the chassis isn’t
team reached the same conclusion. revolutionary in design, performance or
The HP4’s carbon frame definitely weight – it’s more an evolution and
adds a unique feel: a little bit more taut, enhancement of their current design.
direct, but also more demanding – it took And that suggests to me this is a
a few laps and increased confidence to precursor to the material being used on
Huge thanks
make it work. It’s by no means rigid or production bikes – they’re breaking the idea To Phil Read (no, not
vague, but it’s a race frame demanding much to us gently by selling a few to wealthy that one...) for the loan
more commitment than my alloy road frame. trackday lovers. Once we’re reassured they’re not of his HP4 Race.
Is it better? It’s certainly not worse – you’d have to try snapping in half, I bet we’ll see £16k S1000RRs with
both with identical components to really know – it just carbon chassis as standard. I can’t wait.

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BUILDING AN
Photos SIMON LEE
ENGINE WHEELS Reactive Parts. The glassfibre CRC fairings we

We run the Type 6.2 engine. Generally, they make Dymag’s CA5 wheels made a huge difference. normally run are relatively light, but this bodywork
215-217bhp, but this one put down 224bhp The bike steered faster than Michael could use, was over a third lighter again. We raided the
through a slick! It’s a proper Monday morning allowing us to make geometry changes to Pro-Bolt catalogue for titanium fixings everywhere
engine, and we only use it where necessary to maximise rear grip and run lower traction control we could use them.
avoid wearing it out. But it’s only useful on fast settings. That extends tyre life as well as getting it
circuits – we use it for the NW200 and Macau, out of corners faster. Braking, acceleration and FRONT END
then pack it away. The standard engine covers direction changes were improved, but that K-Tech’s latest KTR4 fork is their lightest yet, and
90% of our needs – TT Superbike races included geometry change would have proved the most the legs come in different wall thicknesses to tune
– and even the Type 5.2 Stocker motor can be a crucial over full race distance, retaining grip where the feel and rigidity: important on a BMW
bit sharp and harder to use. It’s enough for a normal bike would have shagged its rear tyre. Superbike because the frame is so stiff (even in
anyone really. Without the cost of a Motorsport aluminium) that a beefy front end will feel numb.
engine (into five figures, depending on spec), CARBON-FIBRE/TITANIUM We also created new yokes with Promach –
you’re well short of the HP4’s cost, if you don’t We ran a full carbon bodykit, including subframe they’re really cut out and minimal. That saved
enjoy sponsorship deals, as we do, on parts. and front fairing bracket, all sourced through more weight, but also improved Michael’s feel for

BMW’s carbon-framed wonder

is special, but not unbeatable:
the same magic can be applied
to any S1000RR. Here’s
R
Rutter’s crew chief on how
PB’s resident race team
did just that...
the bike – something that was an issue early on in EXHAUST we need the extra cooling area (and material, plus
our BMW experience. We’ll be carrying this set-up This race-grade Arrow exhaust is a money-can’t- 1.5 litres of water), so that would give us a clear
forward on to the roads this year. buy part, and the silencer does nothing of the weight advantage.
sort... But it worked for us: their stainless race
SWINGARM pipe is light enough most of the time, and is NOW WHAT?
We fitted the Fortis swingarm partly for weight robust enough for the extreme heat and shocks Obviously this bike was a bit of a Macau special,
(1.66kg of unsprung mass is a huge saving) but associated with race bikes. but we’ll be using it, in part, at other races during
also because Michael loved the feel and grip it the season. The North West 200, for example,
gave, so that will be used for the NW200 and TT, OTHER PARTS isn’t as brutal on a bike as the TT, so we can carry
too, with a small change to the ride height If we refitted the standard alloy tank (as fitted to across some of the weight-saving ideas safely.
adjuster for safety. It’s a short-circuit part and the HP4), we would lose six litres/4.5kg of petrol The chassis will work anywhere, and the
we’ll change the ride height adjuster from alloy to from the fully-fuelled weight. When you factor in experience has taught us something. I’d love to
steel. Just to help me sleep at night as much as the reduction in metal, our bike would be lighter use the wheels: if BMW get dispensation to run
anything – better to err on the side of caution with than the HP4. Then there’s the Macau-spec the HP4 on the roads, our bike be getting the
the hammering a bike for the roads gets. radiator – it’s the only race of the season where Dymags again!

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Photos DOUBLE RED
Six-times BSB champion Shane

Byrne lines up for 2018 with a target
on his back. He spoke to PB about the
riders gunning for him and why he’s
sick of questions about his age

BYRNE ON...
CHRISTIAN IDDON & MICHAEL
LAVERTY – TYCO BMW
“I rate Christian a lot. Watching him on
a supermoto was seriously impressive,
so I’m not surprised he’s been fighting for
podiums in BSB. It took a while to come, but
as a talent, the boy is a genius and I think
he’s got a lot more to offer.
“Michael needs a good year this year. In
some ways last year was not reflective of
him at all, he needs to re-find his form as
he’s a much better rider than he showed in
2017. Maybe getting back on the BMW will
do that for him; he’s won races on it before.”
Iddon is a podium
contender now
DAN LINFOOT & JASON

O’HALLORAN – HONDA RACING
“Dan came on really strong at the end
of last year. He had some really good
finishes and I sent him a message to
congratulate him after his wet win at
Silverstone. When he won his first dry race
I sent him another message saying nobody
could doubt him now. BSB wins don’t come
‘LEO I LI
on the back of Frosties packets; it is difficult to
win at this level and he achieved that. The
Honda has clearly got better, so I think he’ll
threaten race wins a lot more this year.
TERRIER WHO NEVER

“I’ve always liked Jason. I think he deserved
a Superbike ride much sooner than he got
one. He served his apprenticeship with Honda
well and is a talented kid. I remember watching
him ride the Superstock bike for them when it
wasn’t the best bike in stock trim, but his
results were still good, and for that I think he
deserved a BSB ride. He’s a super-consistent
guy and that’s his biggest strength, but he’s
also got a cool style! I don’t like following
STOPS GOING AT YOU’
Leon Haslam JG Speedfit Kawasaki
anyone but it’s fun to be behind him on track.”
Linfoot’s consistency The Kawasaki rider is IGHTY FOUR VICTORIES. 186 podium
could pay dividends
E
one of the only men
who can piss on
finishes. Six British titles. Shane Byrne is
Shakey’s chips undoubtedly the man to beat when it comes
to the British Superbike championship.
But the 41-year-old hasn’t had it easy. Those stats
haven’t come his way through seemingly effortless
domination; in recent years, every crown has been the
result of a gloves-off, tantalising scrap with some of the
world’s best Superbike riders.
The biggest thorn in Byrne’s side in the last two years
has been Leon Haslam, a man who returned to BSB
from World Superbikes in 2016, having beaten the likes

BSB / 2018 CONTENDERS
“Leon’s biggest strength has to be bike fitness from all

that riding, and heading into the year on the same bike
again puts him in a strong position. He’s well in with
Kawasaki, he gets to ride the World Superbike every
now and again, and his package will be good. He
knows the tracks well, and he’s Leon Haslam, isn’t he?
He’s probably got more experience than anybody: he’s
raced 500 GPs, MotoGP, 125cc, 250cc, WSB, BSB...
you name it, he’s done it!
“He has his dad there with him at every round and
Ron is obviously a legend who knows bikes inside out.
That’s got to be a good thing. If Ron Haslam went out
and watched me and came back and told me what I was
doing wrong, I’d certainly listen!”
Despite all that, Haslam has become somewhat of a
perennial bridesmaid during his racing career. He
hasn’t won a championship since his days racing
scooters, and he’s picked up the BSB runner-up trophy
no fewer than three times.
“He is prone to the odd mistake,” Byrne continues.
“You’ll see him on track sometimes and he’ll have a
lunge at someone while he’s one person in front of you,
and you’ll close your eyes and wait for the collision! He
tends to pull it off and you find yourself wondering how
on Earth he managed to brake that late and still make
of Jonathan Rea and Chaz Davies in the final race of Haslam has been the corner. Fair play to him, though; I couldn’t even
getting back on the
the 2015 WSB season. pace at Monteblanco
attempt that on my bike.
Runner-up to Max Biaggi in the fight for the world “But sometimes he’ll do that without even trying to
crown in 2010, Haslam is no slouch, and he’s proven to pass someone and push himself wide, so you can
be a persistent pain for Byrne over the last two seasons. Leon booked himself capitalise on that. I guess he rides a little bit too much
In 2016, he pushed the Ducati man all the way to the some recovery time with his heart on his sleeve; he rides at 11 tenths when
after a 170mph brake
wire, and last year it looked like he’d got the better of failure-induced get-off 10.5 might be enough, and that’s when you start to see
him until a number of issues at the final round saw at Brands last year the mistakes.”
Byrne triumph against adversity to whittle down
Haslam’s 33-point lead.
“Leon is like a little terrier who never stops going at
you,” Byrne explains. “He hurt himself quite badly at
the end of last year and within weeks he was back on a
bike and testing, which I was quite impressed with as
that was no small injury.
“You watch and you see that he spends all winter
riding motorbikes, and I really, really respect him for
that. He just doesn’t stop, he goes and goes and goes
and that makes him a really hard opponent. We have
very different approaches; he’s been riding all winter
and I didn’t ride a bike between the last round at Brands
and my first test of this year at Cartagena! For me, that
means I come back to riding desperate to race my bike
again. I guess it’s hard to say which approach is the
right one, maybe there’s a middle ground... but
ultimately, we won the same number of races last year
and had the same number of DNFs. I only won because
I stayed on when I needed to...

‘YOU’LL NEVER GET A DIRTY
MOVE FROM HIM’ Josh Brookes McAMS Yamaha
AST SEASON SAW 2015 champion Josh “Josh’s biggest strength has to be his ability to ride They might not get
L
on off-track, but
Brookes return to BSB after a tough time of within himself. I have a lot of respect for him as a rider when the visors go
things in World Superbikes. Despite signing and I really enjoy racing him – probably more than down there’s respect
for a small, private family team and riding anyone else on the grid, actually. While on a personal
inferior machinery compared to his factory-backed level things aren’t great, when you’re with him on track
rivals, Brookes put up a strong fight and went on to you’ll never get a dirty move from him. You’ll get hard
finish second in the championship behind Byrne. moves from him and you might give him one of those
Moving to the factory-supported McAMS Yamaha back, but you’ll never get a dirty one. There are other
team, who wheeled out a World Superbike-spec YZF-R1 riders on the grid who will take great satisfaction from
for the Aussie in Spanish testing, Brookes will missing their own apex to push you wide or even off the
undoubtedly be stronger this year. track. I don’t like that shit, this job is dangerous enough
The only man to have beaten Shakey to a title since as it is. Let’s have some fun, and rub fairings, but let’s
Alex Lowes in 2013, Brookes and Byrne do not get on.
The pair almost came to blows in a dramatic war of
words towards the end of 2014, but despite their ‘I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR
personal woes, Byrne has a lot of respect for him.
“I expect Josh to be as strong as ever this year,” says
Byrne. “His work ethic is absolutely second to none.
HIM AS A RIDER AND ENJOY
He’s always the first person out on track and no matter
if there’s someone trying to get a tow from him, he’s just
RACING WITH HIM MORE THAN
gets on with it and does his thing. The Yamaha seems to
really suit his style and the McAMS bike was very fast
with Ellison on it last year.
ANYONE ELSE ON THE GRID’ Ridiculous facial
hair aside, Brookes
is a class act

Brookes tested a near-WSB

spec YZF-R1 at Monteblanco
BYRNE ON...
JAKE DIXON – RAF REGULAR
& RESERVES KAWASAKI
“Jake’s a talented kid. We worked
closely in the past, trained together quite
a bit. He’s gone his own way and it seems to
be working for him. I think to go into a second
year on the same bike should mean he starts
in a stronger position, and if he keeps his
focus and maintains his effort, he’ll be strong.”
JAMES ELLISON –
keep it clean and enjoy our racing.” ANVIL HIRE TAG YAMAHA
Brookes is meticulous. When he started the 2015 “James is super-fast but inconsistent.
season with Milwaukee Yamaha, the new YZF-R1 Hopefully the Anvil team will give him
wasn’t quite there yet, but he chipped away slowly with the kind of ‘small team’ feel that he needs,
the SMR team before finally winning the bike’s first with it built around him. He says this’ll be his
race at Brands Hatch almost halfway through the year. last year in British Superbikes and he’ll want
From that point, he went on to win six consecutive to go out with a bang, that’s for sure.”
races, standing on the top step 13 times in the
remaining 16 races of the year.
“Josh doesn’t show too many weaknesses at all, he’s LUKE MOSSEY –
an all-round class act and that makes him a fearsome JG SPEEDFIT KAWASAKI
competitor,” Byrne continues. “He’ll go out in whatever “Luke is a talented kid, a really talented
weather conditions we have, and just crack on and do kid. He’s got incredible throttle control, he
his job. You don’t very often see him making mistakes; can just whack it to full gas without any
he rarely runs off track and doesn’t crash very often. consequence! He had a big crash at Thruxton
He’s got a lot going for him, but he does seem to last year and that’s knocked his confidence a
over-think some things, and maybe that is what’s held lot; he needs to find that again if he’s to get
him back before.” back to the front this year. He has a healthy
rivalry with his team-mate Haslam and that’s
something that really drives him on.”
Mossey joined Haslam to

test the ZX-10R in Spain
PETER HICKMAN – SMITHS BMW

“I like Hicky. I think he’s the fastest
overall road racer. He’s so fast on short
circuits that perhaps a little more of his focus
should be on that. But I appreciate he has TT
and road racing aspirations and respect him
a lot for going to do that. I wouldn’t be
surprised if we see him do well this year.”

‘ FROM
in shape. I always told myself once that enjoyment
stopped, I’d stop, but it hasn’t.”
A six-times British champion, Byrne says his
motivation still comes from the elation he gets from
each and every race win, and his goals for the future
ES IS have little to do with titles won, but everything to do

with reaching a magic number of wins.
“I’m at a stage now where championships are great,
they are a statistic and will stand for a long time, but to
T DRI ES ME’
me they aren’t the driving factor. Winning races and
getting that buzz is the thing that drives me to keep
going. I now know where I want to go in my career. The
100 win mark has always been a massive thing for me,
something I’ve always wanted to achieve. I’ve won 84
races now and an average year for me is between seven
One more year on T 41 YEARS OLD, Byrne is now the oldest and 12 races so hopefully I can reach that target in a
A
the V-twin Panigale rider on the grid (unless Rutter finally rocks couple of seasons, but that’s not to say I’ll give up there.”
for Byrne. Can he
make it three titles up for those Superbike races he’s been Some say age is but a number, but surely at his age
on the bounce? threatening to do for a while...), and after so Byrne can’t be as fit as some of his younger rivals?
much success, he could easily be forgiven if he hung up “People always say you can’t put an old head on
his leathers and emigrated to his haven in Spain with young shoulders and I think that’s true, but at the same
wife Petra and their two kids. time you can’t get the experience or bodily development
However, heading into his 21st season of professional into a young kid’s body either. I’ve spent 20 years racing
racing, he seems to have more fire in his belly than ever. and every year I’ve honed myself that little bit more,
“Want. Desire. Statistics,” he replies when asked what learned more about what I need in order to feel my best
his motivation is to continue. “I’ve never wanted to do on the bike. My body has gone through that evolution.
anything other than this job. I still get giddy and excited Yes, you can say I’m old – and I am compared to some
before a season starts, I enjoy my training and staying riders on the grid – but age isn’t a barrier for me.

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‘I WON’T LIE – I’M NOT OVER

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“When I was younger I trained hard but I wasn’t as
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Pre-season testing was mixed for the Be Wiser Ducati
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“Sometimes it is important to have these issues in
dangerous pressure points and dramatically
testing; it’ll get the team thinking about how we can
resolve them for round one. And of course, it’s better to reducing numbness and/or the resulting
know about them now rather than when we roll up at
Donington Park.” (and potentially dangerous) fatigue.
Ducati’s Panigale V4 will be raced for the first time in
2019, meaning there’s limited development for Byrne’s Available in different designs to suit your motorcycle or riding needs.
V-twin race bike, but his target remains the same.
“I thought we were going to get a year on the V-twin
and then change to the V4 in 2018 but that obviously
hasn’t happened. I’m not going to lie – I’m not over the
moon that there’s not going to be a load of development
for the bike this year, but I won’t stress myself out.
“I’ll do as best as I can and that’s been enough for the
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D U CAT I PA N I G A LE V4
WORDS PHOTOS
Jon McAvoy Jason Critchell
T O O M U C H ?
Is Ducati’s 200bhp, class-redefining Panigale V4 S bringing
a bazooka to a knife fight when it comes to the road? PB
heads to the South of France to find out...

It's utterly settled into, and

through, the French twists
HEN DUCATI LAUNCHED their new V4

Panigale to the world’s press in January, you
W
could be forgiven for believing the occasion
was right up there with the second coming of
Christ. Not one report coming out of Valencia
had a bad word to say about the V4. Even PB’s
hard-to-impress Chris Newbigging was moved
to say, “It is a class re-defining machine”, which
is a massive statement when you’re referring to a class occupied by the
BMW S1000RR, Yamaha R1, Aprilia RSV4, Kawasaki ZX-10R, Suzuki
GSX-R1000 and even Ducati’s now obsolete V-twin Panigale.
For once, I found myself assuming the role of cynic and inwardly
concluding that the world’s press must surely have been infected with
‘launch fever’ in Spain. After all, a 200bhp superbike with next-
generation rider aids, next-level Öhlins semi-active suspension, and lots
of lessons learned by the Ducati MotoGP team (such as the new longer
alloy frame) on a billiard table smooth GP track is hardly going to be
shit, is it? Plus, the truth is that the vast majority of Panigales never get
past the car park at a race track, so how it behaves at 60 degrees of lean,
or how it pulls at 12,000rpm in fifth gear, is a great way for Ducati to
demonstrate their technical excellence, but in the case of probably 95%
of all Panigales sold, is largely irrelevant in the real world, on the road.
As the first press bikes arrived in the UK, so did sub-zero In detail: New switchgear is easy to see and
use, while analogue-alike rev counter lights up
temperatures, snow, salt and general motoring misery. Unable to wait a the night; Headlights are a masterpiece of
moment longer for the UK climate to play ball, I packed a van with bike motorcycle design; Leave it in second and
and leathers, and drove south until the snow, ice and opportunity for a drive for days – the V4 eats up corners like
Terry Waite in a Beirut Burger King
needless lowside passed, and the opportunity for glorious, full-throttle
and knee-down riding became a reality. I ended up in Montpellier – the
whole area along French Mediterranean coast promising the best
weather in Europe, and also some of the best roads. The nine-hour drive
from Caen to Montpellier gave me plenty of time for the anticipation of
riding the V4 to build, to the point where, upon arrival at my cheap
hotel, in a very uncharacteristic move that my Irish family would not
approve of, I did not head to the bar for a grand biere; I didn’t even check
in. I unloaded the V4 from the van, and got into my leathers in the car
park. The sight of the sun, and knowing I had a fully-fuelled Panigale V4
S at my disposal made the trauma of nine hours of my photographer’s
Death Metal music collection drain away. I couldn’t wait a moment
longer to see if the hype surrounding the V4 was justified.
Just starting the Panigale reveals that it isn’t like any other V4.
Typically, a V4 will purr and hum in perfect, civilised harmony at idle.
Not so the Panigale. It rumbles and grumbles exactly like a V-twin on
tickover, on account of its unique big-bang configuration. The crank
pins are offset at 70 degrees, yielding a firing order of 90-200-90-340

‘IT RUMBLES AND GRUMBLES EXACTLY LIKE A
V-TWIN ON TICKOVER, ON ACCOUNT OF ITS
UNIQUE BIG-BANG ENGINE CONFIGURATION’
degrees, compared to the Ducati’s natural rival, the Aprilia RSV4, curious habit of sending my legs to sleep – new motor or not, it still has
which is much more traditional, and fires every other spark at 180 the same effect on me.
degrees. The end result is a sound that isn’t just a bit like a V-twin, but Sweet Mary, mother of God. The transition from being docile and
exactly like a V-twin, so it’s no surprise that pulling out of the hotel car user-friendly to dishing out a full-on assault on body, mind and soul is
park and into the Montpellier rush hour, for all the world I might as well borderline traumatic in its sheer unexpectedness. I didn’t see that
be riding the outgoing V-twin Panigale, if it weren’t for the handlebar coming, mostly because I’ve never before experienced such a contrast in
position. They're narrower on the V4, which for me is a little bit of a the characteristics of a motorcycle. Above 8000rpm, the V4 doesn’t so
shame, as the V-twin’s wide-handed stance gave great control and much clear its throat and turn into a rabid weapons-grade superbike, it
relative comfort. I suppose the V4’s clever chassis doesn’t need the switches from pulling really hard as a free revving, 1100cc V-twin to a
steering input the recalcitrant twins did to turn at speed. But at least the full on droning 200bhp V4 that rears up violently in second gear with
switchgear has been replaced at the same time; it’s finally easy to 4000rpm still to come. It is only a short ride to say hello to the bike and
understand and use without a manual and the patience of a saint. to shake off a day spent in a van – a prelude to tomorrow’s route that
In and out of the traffic, it becomes obvious that there is something I have in mind – but the initial impact the V4 Panigale has on me is up
else missing, something I won’t miss about the V-twin: its low-rpm there with the first time I rode a Kawasaki H2R, or BMW S1000RR. It’s
mechanical clunkiness, and super-sharp throttle response – a side-effect the sort of speechless response you only get with a bike that skips
of having just a pair of massive pistons and eight correspondingly gradual developmental evolution, and shows you how things must be
massive valves, operating well below their range of volumetric from now on: it’s a step ahead of anything else currently available.
efficiency. The Panigale V4 has all the best bits of the V-twin’s Frankly, it has left me a bit confused and unsure how to summarise it,
performance very low down in the rev range, but none of its irritants, until I get a text from a mate who knows what I’m riding and where. He
thanks to having twice as many, smaller pistons and valves, all wants to know what it’s like, and I simply reply, “It’s genius”.
operating efficiently. Eventually, I arrive at Clermont l’Hérault, and take The next day, I head east to the hills north of Marseille, specifically
the road to Bédarieux and beyond, into the hills. It’s a road I’ve been on the D908 to Peypin. Add this road to the list of roads you must ride
several times, and it is smooth, wide and really fast. before you die, ideally on a Panigale V4. This length of the D908 is made
Up to now the Panigale has been the epitome of good behaviour, with up of a couple of 500-metre straights, a handful of fast, open hairpins
its V-twin-but-not-V-twin engine, perfect fuel injection and throttle and many many corners, varying from rapid kinks to a sequence of eight
response, and easy to read pretend analogue tacho needle sweeping 90-degree corners, each one feeding into the next. This complex of
round on the TFT dash panel. I have no complaints at all, apart from the corners is despatched with just second gear, using the full rev range and
riding position... The 10mm higher pegs haven’t banished the 1299’s skill-set of the incredible Panigale V4 motor. The D908 also confirms

In detail: “Guten morgen... Que tal?” Johnny does his bit for Anglo-French
relations; We don’t think we’ve seen a hotter rear end on a motorcycle since the
MV F4 (ride it in the wet, however, and your arse will soon be soaked)
‘ABOVE 5000RPM, IT SWITCHES TO

A FULL ON DRONING 200BHP V4 THAT
REARS UP VIOLENTLY’

Johnny heads back for another

blast on the sublime D908
‘IT HAS A SPLIT the V4 as much more than a one-trick pony. Its chassis and latest
PERSONALITY WHICH generation semi-active Öhlins suspension are also a revelation. The
Panigale V4 has a deftness of touch, but with reassuringly rock-solid
MAKES IT FLEXIBLE AND composure at the apex. The initial movement of the forks on the brakes
feels a little soft, but curiously doesn’t actually result in any symptoms
EASY TO ENJOY WELL of vagueness. Likewise, the rear feels a little bit low, like it could do with
a couple of turns of preload, yet there is no sign of understeer on corner
exit. The Panigale continues to be a revelation as the kilometres peel off,
WITHIN ITS LIMITS’ and corners keep coming. As a road bike, it is fantastically
uncomplicated in how it interacts and lets you just get on with the ride
without any interference; in fact the opposite is the case. The Panigale
V4 enhances the ride like no other bike I’ve ridden before, thanks to its
‘two-in-one’ engine, super-fast yet ultra-stable handling, ultra-high-tech
electronics that you simply do not notice, and supple suspension that
also provides a direct line to the tarmac, as though you are brushing
your fingertips across the road surface. It is astonishing; one of a kind.
By nightfall, I’ve burnt three tanks of fuel, been to the top of some
huge mountains, and ridden the D908 half a dozen times. In doing so,
I reach the conclusion the Pani V4’s outright performance is totally over
the top, entirely unnecessary for the road. The vast majority of its
functions are little more than pub ammo. For example, I switched the
anti-wheelie off, and left it in ‘Sport’ mode, making a mental note to try
the other modes. I didn’t touch the switch again for the rest of the day.
But the paradox of the Panigale is that despite that utterly excessive
In detail: Both the S and Speciale variants over the top for the road speed, the genuine innovation and different
get three-spoke forged alloys; V4 rears its
far from ugly head at every chance; Öhlins
thinking involved means it has a split personality which makes it
TTX36 rear shock contributes to ride quality flexible and easy to enjoy well within its limits, too. It adds a new
by adjusting its damping automatically; dimension to the ride by truly offering the best of both worlds.
Sport mode could be all you ever need
I end the day with a coffee and crepe on Montpellier’s beachfront.
I have to force myself to think of things that I don’t like about the
Panigale V4, and the best I can come up with is that I don’t like the
sidestand; I can’t operate it with my riding boots on. And I miss the
V-twin’s handlebar position; they were a simple yet memorable part of
the Panigale experience because they made life nicer. And I wish it
looked more different to the V-twin. Of course, Ducati will argue that it
doesn’t share a single panel or line with the outgoing Pani, but despite
its trick headlight and stunning rear light arrangement, I’d like to have
seen more of a departure in the looks department to better reflect the
total and utter revolution that has taken place beneath the bodywork.
Just as I start to build myself up to having to take the V4 back to the
hotel and load it into the van after a day of riding that I’ll never forget,
two likely looking lads come over and ask to have their picture taken
with the Ducati, and offer me a ziplock bag of weed for my trouble.
I point at the Pani and say, “No thanks, I have this” (square – CN) They
nod in agreement. I tell them to make better life choices, and they melt
away into the night, as I fire up the V4 and do the exact opposite.

T O P O F
The Desmosedici Stradale’s full performance tested and analysed
T H E C L A S S
CLEVER THINKING and MotoGP-derived technology put to one side
225
for a moment, the Ducati has a 10% capacity advantage over anything
else you might consider to be a rival, and a 20% price premium, too. It 200
bloody well should mop up at this stage.
Thankfully, it does, in unprecedented fashion... 175
Power/torque (bhp/lb.ft)
On the scales 150
Ducati claimed a 3kg weight penalty compared to the 1299 V-twin
– impressive if true, given the switch to Euro 4-spec exhausts and 125
other sound-deadening, as well as doubling the cylinder count. But it’s

100
not quite: the 1299 S weighed 196.6kg on PB’s calibrated scales. That’s
with a full-to-the-brim tank – absolutely wet. 75
On the same scales, tank also as full as it’ll ever get, the V4 S is
201kg, with the same 53% forward weight distribution. It’s no porker 50
(7kg less than an RSV4 and S1000RR, but 5kg more than a Fireblade);
it’s evident that even MotoGP technology can’t sidestep the legislative 25
obligations of a Euro 4 bike: there are several unavoidable kilos of Engine speed (rpm)
environmentally-friendly paraphernalia to lug around. 0
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Speed testing POWER TORQUE

Outright figures were hampered by uncharacteristically unfavourable Ducati Panigale V4 S 202.57bhp @ 12,800rpm 88.22lb.ft @ 11,250rpm
conditions at Bruntingthorpe – a head/crosswind affected the bike Ducati 1299 Panigale R FE 194.37bhp @ 10,750rpm 99.43lb.ft @ 9250rpm
above 100mph. Initial acceleration still demonstrates the V4’s superior Aprilia RSV4 RF 192.64bhp @ 13,200rpm 84.12lb.ft @ 11,000rpm
power and ability to use it: initial launch is faster and easier (with the
WORDS CHRIS NEWBIGGING • PHOTO CHIPPY WOOD
launch control – the clutch is grabby in unassisted launches), making ON THE DYNO
the leap to 60mph in 3.14s – over two tenths faster than our previous The genius/cheating (delete according to personal belief) use of extra
best, the R1, and slightly more on the 1299. capacity for the non-homologation models of their new superbike
It’s still two tenths ahead of the Yamaha at the ton, and the 1299’s (there’ll be a shorter-stroke 999cc R-version for racers/even richer
tendency to wheelie sees it lose another tenth. The quarter-mile time is Ducatisti) has the obvious effect of making it more powerful than a
also best by a tenth over the Yamaha, despite giving away 3mph in smaller capacity bike.
terminal speed as the unfavourable conditions (for the V4) see it start 202bhp and 88lb.ft of torque top typically smooth (for a V4) curves.
to struggle to push through the air, whereas the Yamaha was tested in It’s like the RSV4 (the joint most powerful EU4 bike we’ve tested), but
normal conditions. Top speed was a disappointing 180.36mph – still more everywhere, although the urgency of delivery isn’t necessarily
almost identical to the 1299 despite the wind ruining the new bike’s communicated by the simple power run trace. At peak, the relatively
day. We’d expect to hit 190mph in normal conditions, with the other consistent advantage opens out, suggesting the Ducati’s decade-
newer design is a touch more efficient (or highly tuned) at peak, as well
figures creeping down, too.
as having 100cc extra capacity to suck-squeeze-bang-blow.
Overlaid with the last evolution of the 1299 (the fettled Final Edition),
0-60MPH the V-twin has an apparent benefit of 11lb.ft extra torque and making
power much earlier, though peak power is lower.
WEIGHT
3.14S But the realities of power delivery, chassis design, factors like
the crank rotation and electronic intervention mean the advantage is
nullified in real life: the V4’s lower but more manageable curve, plus a
comprehensive overhaul of the rest of the bike, means you’ll put more
to the floor in practice.
2 0 1 KG TORQUE
8 8 . 2 2 LB.FT
POWER
202 B H P
STANDING QUARTER-MILE

10.42 S / 143.56 M P H
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&
Ashland
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PICTURES FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTIFICATION. SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY; WHILE STOCKS LAST; ERRORS AND OMISSIONS EXCEPTED.
August 4, 1996: The late, great Ralf Waldmann in action during the 250cc Austrian GP at the
Österreichring (now the Red Bull Ring) in Spielberg. PB stands by the belief that, despite
being the eternal GP title race bridesmaid, Waldmann’s talents were world champion-level.
Mark Thompson/Allsport/Getty Images
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Custom-built alloy frame
saved a whopping 11kg
from the bike’s weight
WORDS
JON URRY
PHOTOS
Jason Critchell
YOU’VE
BEEN
FRAMED
Colin Stannard’s lightweight chassis
turbo Bandit 1200 special has taken
16 years to perfect, and has been
through more than its fair
share of hedges...

SPECIAL / TURBO BANDIT 1200
Pressures
This is the hard part. The
turbo shoves a lot of
pressurised air through the
carbs, which is why Colin
had to replace the plastic
carb tops for metal items.
However, this air would
simply suck all the fuel out
of the carb, so in turn he
had to use a fuel regulator
and fuel pump to increase
the fuel’s pressure to feed
the motor. However, this
pressure could flood the
carb, so it is balanced by
another feed from the
charged air feed, which
balances out all the
pressures and allows the
carb to deliver the required
air/fuel into the motor.
Effectively, you are fooling
the carbs into thinking they
are running at atmospheric
pressure.
Turbo Wastegate
The TD04 turbo is found on The external wastegate caps boost
various dull to mildly pressure at 1bar. Changing the
interesting cars. Comically, wastegate spring adjusts the
the unit on Colin is from a pressure level, but this is a
Volvo T5, the kind that traffic relatively safe amount of boost. It
cops used to use. It’s good makes the fluttering sound you
for power figures close to often hear on turbo engines. The
300bhp, but Colin has its dump valve (located in the charged
waste gate set at 1bar so his air feed) releases the pressure
Bandit is making just over when the throttle is shut and a
200bhp on full boost. sudden pressure spike is created.

OOKING AT IT, I reckon the only parts that are
the same as when I bought the bike are the carb
bodies and the starter motor...” Colin Stannard’s
assessment of his Suzuki Bandit 1200 turbo
special is a reflection of the countless hours that
have gone into creating the machine you now
see before you. And yes, while it does have the
obligatory (and not to everyone’s tastes, it has to
be said) bit of airbrushing on its tank, this is far
from some cobbled-together streetfighter. Over
the 16 years it has taken Colin to create this bike, he has
learned the hard way, through a lot of trial and error in
his garage, how to fit and properly make a turbo work on
a motorcycle. Not to mention the limitations of Suzuki’s
Bandit 1200 chassis... “Bandit 1200 were the thing to have in the early 2000s
“I bought the bike back in 2002. It was a stock 1996 – loads of power, and mean looks, but they don’t handle
Mk1 Bandit 1200 and even had the original exhaust can, that well,” Colin says. “I have a lovely run into work
which weighed a ton,” Colin remembers. “As soon as I got through some ace bends and it was decking everything
it home, I took a hacksaw to the rear out. I ended up removing the centrestand, swapping the
‘IT WAS DESTINED mudguard, so I guess it was always
destined to be modified. I’m not a fan
standard silencer, shortening the sidestand lug with an
angle grinder, and fitting rearsets. To be honest, the
TO BE MODIFIED. of standard bikes.”
While there is a world of difference
signs were all there, and sure enough, a few months
later, I put it through a hedge...”
AS SOON AS I GOT between hacking a bit of plastic off and
creating a turbo system, the seed of an
Once retrieved from a field, and now missing a few
components, the Bandit became more of a streetfighter,
IT HOME, I TOOK A idea for a special was certainly starting with a set of spotlights and new clocks. A few more
HACKSAW TO THE to grow in Colin’s head. Something that

grew in size when he started to
commuting runs later and the bike suddenly decided not
to start, a problem which Colin diagnosed as one of the
REAR MUDGUARD’ discover the limitations of a Bandit’s
frame when you ride it with
ignition plate bolts having worked loose and jammed
between the crank and camchain – snapping the chain.
enthusiasm. Motor out and rebuilt by Colin in his shed, the Bandit
WHY A
BANDIT?
Colin says they are so
easy to work on. A lot of parts,
such as forks and swingarms,
are interchangeable between
Suzuki models, and used parts are
cheap. They are great for specials
and perfect for turboing as they
are so exposed and have
loads of space around
the motor.

SPECIAL / TURBO BANDIT 1200
1 Plenum chamber was back on the road and now featured a 1216cc big-bore “Getting a turbo set up properly involves a lot of trial
Colin has designed the with a TTS ported head containing Yoshi cams. and error,” Colin explains. “I bought an air/fuel ratio
plenum chamber and Determined to improve its handling, an Öhlins shock and meter, velcroed it to the bike and took it for runs on the
carbs to come off in a set of GSX-R750 Slingshot forks gave the Bandit an road. You start off stupidly rich for safety and work
single bank, allowing upside-down front end and some six-piston calipers, backwards. Surprisingly it’s not that far off a stock bike’s
easier access when it while the bracing section from a 2002 R1’s swingarm jetting, but you need to sort the pressures out. There is a
comes to setting up beefed up the original Suzuki item and improved its tube in the charged air feed which pressurises the top of
the jetting.
aesthetics. And that’s how it stayed for the next few years. the float bowls within the carbs. Counteracting this is a
“It was lovely to ride and I just thrashed it around,” said fuel pump and regulator, which increases the fuel
2 Tank paint
The grim reaper and
Colin. “It made about 150bhp at the rear wheel, so had pressure as without this the fuel would be blown back up
phoenix are a nod some poke, but in 2008 I got itchy fingers and decided to into the tank! You learn these things through trial and
towards the number of pull the motor apart again. I lowered the compression error and asking people on the internet who have done it
times the bike has been with a set of secondhand Hayabusa pistons from eBay, before – but it took me months and months to perfect and
crashed and reborn. sold the Akrapovic exhaust and began to design a turbo get the bike fuelling properly.”
Each to their own... system because I fancied owning a blown bike.” Having spent so long building and fine-tuning his turbo
Starting at the obvious point – the turbo – Colin did a Bandit, you would have thought that Colin would be
bit of research and discovered that a TD04 turbo is a good happy with his creation. However, this wasn’t the case as
option for a motorcycle in terms of size and performance. a recent purchase had given him a new path to take.
Fabricating his own headers out of “The problem was that I had bought a Moto Martin.
‘PERFECTING THE stainless steel, Colin then used the two
inner cylinders’ exhausts to hang the
After I stripped it down, I lifted up the frame and thought,
‘Bloody hell, that’s light,’ so I initially decided to swap the
TURBO SET-UP turbo roughly in place at the front of
the engine so he could ensure the front
turbo Bandit’s running gear on to that frame. Then a
mate suggested I give GIA Engineering a call... I ended up
TO GET THE wheel wouldn’t hit it when the forks
compressed. Once this was established
commissioning them to make me a lightweight Bandit
frame. Spondon actually made five Bandit frames,
BIKE FUELLING he fabricated the final two headers and
PROPERLY TOOK then added the rest of the system,

including the charged air feed and
MANY MONTHS’ plenum chamber – a job that took well
over 100 hours of work as he did it all
himself. Then came setting it up...
1 2
3 Brakes
An AP master cylinder 3 4
meets ISR calipers at the
front, while the rear has a
thumb brake system.
4 Exhaust
Colin built the 68mm
exhaust himself after
buying pre-bent sections.
He found the can on eBay.
Thanks to the turbo it’s not
horrifically loud under
load, but does have a very
deep exhaust note.
60
CHASSIS
A bespoke GIA
Engineering frame and
swingarm have the same geometry
and engine mounting points as the
standard Bandit 1200 but as they are made
from aluminium they weight around 11kg
less than Suzuki’s tubular steel frame. The
forks are Öhlins R&T units while the shock is
also an Öhlins unit, as is the steering
damper. The top yoke is a custom-made
stepped item and the lower yoke a
Harris triple clamp. Wheels are
Galespeed forged
aluminium.
ENGINE
GSX-R1100 cases with
a stock gearbox and APE
block. The cast block is thicker and
allows it to expand its bore to 85mm from
79mm, creating a 1340cc capacity with a
59mm stroke. Crank is standard and matched
to Carrillo rods with MTC pistons. The head has
Yoshi Bandit 1200 Stage 1 cams with heavier
valve springs and OE steel valves. Compression
ratio is lowered, thanks to dished pistons, to
9:1 from 11.2:1. It runs happily on super
unleaded with a touch of octane booster.
Clutch has been changed from a
hydraulic to cable-operated unit
using Bandit 600 parts.
Oil feeds
Colin had to fit an
electric oil scavenge pump
as the turbo sits below the level
of the motor, meaning it fills up
with oil and can starve the motor as
well as burn the oil through the
turbo. A trial run, accompanied by
a lot of smoke and a burning
exhaust, taught him of the
necessity for this
pump...
Carbon hangers
They may look like
anodised metal, but the
footrest hangers are
actually cut from a thick
sheet of carbon-fibre
that used to be part of a
Boeing aeroplane. The
numberplate hanger is
also carbon and was
part of an F1 car wing in
a previous life. Colin
bought it on eBay and which look similar, but this Bandit chassis is the only one wheeling through a field (anyone else starting to feel
cut it into strips. GIA have ever built.” sorry for this bike? – CN) and once again in need of a
Saving a staggering 11kg, the GIA frame has the same compete rebuild.
geometry and mounting points as the Bandit’s original Luckily the GIA Engineering frame was recoverable,
frame, ensuring a smooth transition when it came to but while the bike was in pieces again Colin updated the
swapping the parts over. Back up and running, and now engine. Having collected a selection of used parts on
featuring a set of Galespeed lightweight wheels from eBay, he built a spare motor featuring APE 1340cc
Japan, the bike took to the road again. barrels, Carrillo rods and various other trick bits. While
“After a few years, I sold the Moto Martin and bought a the frame was at GIA, Colin got them to build a matching
GSX-R1000 K4 with the proceeds, which was a nice bike, swingarm. The result is a Bandit which, as well as being
but didn’t excite me in the same way as the Bandit,” said turboed, is roughly 20kg lighter than a stock bike. And
Colin. “While I owned the K4, a set of makes over 200bhp when it comes on boost. But is
‘ YES, IT’S Öhlins R&T forks and Harris yokes popped

up on eBay, which I bought with the
turboing a bike really the best way to get power?
Unsurprisingly, Colin is a fan of blowers, despite his
CHALLENGING intention of fitting to the K4, but in the end
I sold it and put them on the Bandit
bike returning around 15mpg...
“If you buy a Bandit motor and do everything to it you
TO RIDE; A BIT instead. I needed to get a stepped top yoke
custom-made as the K4 forks are about an
may get 160bhp, but the turbo brings 200bhp instantly
with a 1216cc motor,” he reasons. “Yes it’s challenging to
LIKE A BIG-ARSE inch shorter than the Slingshot items, but ride, a lot like a big-arse two-stroke, and when the tacho
TWO-STROKE the Harris bottom yoke fitted OK once I

had inserted a new steering stem.”
hits that green line at 6000rpm you had better be ready,
but that’s the fun. Turbos get a lot of bad press, but as long
WITH 200BHP’ Having drag-raced the Bandit a few

times at the Brighton Speed Trials, another
as you get the pressures balanced they work well – that’s
the dark art to making a turbo bike rideable, and it has
hedge incident saw the Bandit cart- taken me more than 10 years to get my Bandit spot-on.”

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ROSSI
FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE
Calculating Valentino Rossi’s
average points score, year
by year, tells us more than
we’ve ever known about Words MAT OXLEY
Photos GOLD AND GOOSE,
his best and his worst MOVISTAR YAMAHA & AGV
seasons. For starters,

2017 was his worst ever
as a title challenger...
VE
CT
EE
ZY
.CO
ALENTINO ROSSI has decided to continue
M
racing into 2020, when he will be 41 years old.
Much of how that two-year extension to his
Yamaha contract pans out will depend on the
results he achieves at the first few races, when
he will be trying to erase the memories of his
worst ever MotoGP season, apart from his two
years in the Ducati doldrums.
Analysis of Rossi’s points-scoring performance during
his 18 seasons on 500s and MotoGP bikes provides a
fascinating insight into the ups and downs of his career.
Calculating his average points haul for each race shows
exactly how strong or how weak he was during each
championship.
His best year was 2003, when he scored an average
22.31 points at each race, an amazing performance
considering a victory nets 25 points. His worst year was
2011, when he could only manage an average 8.17 points.
Introducing Rossi’s crash statistics adds another
fascinating angle, highlighting when he felt at one with
his motorcycle and when he felt nothing from his
machinery. In 2003, Rossi crashed just once during the
entire championship. In 2011 he suffered 12 crashes, two
or three times more accidents that he suffered in most
seasons. Together, these two statistics underline how
strong he was on Honda’s RC211V and how weak he was
on Ducati’s Desmosedici.
65
2003 1 ST
2002 2
Average points score
ND
22.18
World championship position 1st
Average points score 22.31 Victories 11
World championship position 1st Other podiums 4
Victories 9 DNFs 1
Other podiums 7 Crash total 4
DNFs 0 Machine Repsol Honda RC211V
Crash total 1
Machine Repsol Honda RC211V > It’s amazing that Rossi’s second-best
season was his first on a four-stroke. But
> It is 15 years since Rossi’s greatest GP perhaps not that surprising. Honda’s RC211V
season. Honda’s RC211V had traction control was by far the best bike in 2002, winning 14
for the first time, helping Rossi to finish every of the 16 races. Rossi won 11 races, his
race on the podium, the only time he’s equal-best victory score, along with 2001
managed that. This was also the first time he and 2005. In 2002 he faced less opposition
had completed a season with no DNFs. Of than in any other year, with only team-mate
course, the competition wasn’t so tough. Tohru Ukawa armed with an RCV all year.
Honda rivals Sete Gibernau and Max Biaggi His average score would have eclipsed 2003
ended the year 80 and 129 points down. if his rear tyre hadn’t delaminated when he
was leading at Brno. As it was, he was first or
second in every race he finished.
2005 3
Average points score 21.58
RD
in a class of his own, scoring 367 points, to and chassis performance and designed
World championship position 1st runner-up Melandri’s 220. all-new electronics software that adapted
Victories 11 torque delivery as the race went on,
Other podiums 5 according to the grip available. But this was
Rossi’s first year with Bridgestone tyres, so it
2008 4
DNFs 1
Crash total 5 took him a while to get up to full speed. He
Machine Gauloises Yamaha YZR-M1 TH dominated the second half of the season,
after defeating Casey Stoner at Laguna Seca.
> Rossi’s second year with Yamaha. During Average points score 20.72 He finished off the podium only once, at the
2004, his M1 had been bodged up to do World championship position 1st season-opening Qatar GP.
what he needed it to. By 2005, Yamaha had Victories 9
finished what they started, so for the first Other podiums 7
time they had a better MotoGP bike than
2001 5
DNFs 0
Honda. Rossi responded by utterly Crash total 4
dominating, winning 11 races, standing on Machine Fiat Yamaha YZR-M1 TH
the podium in five and DNFing only once,
when he went flying up the road with Marco > Yamaha were in a spin in 2007, but they Average points score 20.31
Melandri at Motegi. Once again, he stood on bounced back in 2008, with their biggest World championship position 1st
the podium at every race he finished. He was MotoGP redesign. They improved engine Victories 11
25
24 AVERAGE AVERAGE
POINTS POINTS
23
22
21
AVERAGE
POINTS 22.18 22.31
20.31
AV E R AG E P O I N T S I N A S E A S O N - C R A S H E S
20
19
18
17
16
15
14 AVERAGE
POINTS
13
12
11
13.06
10
9 ROSSI
8 STARTS
7
6 MOTOGP SEASON
CRASHES SEASON SEASON
5
5 CRASHES CRASHES
4
3
2 4 4 SEASON
CRASHES
1
1
0
2000 2001 2002
YEAR
ROSSI | UPS AND DOWNS
Indy, where the champ fell while chasing his
2015 7
Other podiums 2
DNFs 1 team-mate. But the Spaniard crashed out of
Crash total 4 TH four races, ruining his title tilt. Stoner was laid
Machine Nastro Azzurro Honda NSR500 low by lactose intolerance and missed three
Average points score 18.05 races in MotoGP’s first year with control tyres.
> This was the year Rossi conquered bike World championship position 2nd
racing’s highest heights and became a global Victories 4
superstar. But 2001 wasn’t an easy season by
2014 9
Other podiums 11
any stretch of the imagination. He disputed DNFs 0
the historic final 500cc championship with Crash total 2 TH
arch-enemy Max Biaggi, who rode a Yamaha Machine Movistar Yamaha YZR-M1
YZR500. Rossi was contesting his second Average points score 16.38
season of 500s, Biaggi his fourth, but the > You could argue that 2015 was Rossi’s best World championship position 2nd
youngster rode better, adjusting his technique year, even though he didn’t win the Victories 2
from 250s to 500s; something Biaggi never championship and even though his average Other podiums 11
managed to do. His only DNF was at Mugello, points haul wasn’t so great. The competition DNFs 1
where he crashed his Hawaiian-themed NSR had been building ever since Stoner and Crash total 5
out of the rain-lashed race, disappointing the Jorge Lorenzo arrived, but in 2015 the Machine Movistar Yamaha YZR-M1
Rossi fans who packed the hillsides. competition was probably the toughest ever,
and yet he was fully competitive. He didn’t > Rossi was back to his best in his second year
have one DNF and finished on the podium at back with Yamaha. But a youngster by the
15 races, starting from the back of the grid at name of Marc Marquez won 13 of the 18
2004 6
TH
19.00
Misano, Phillip Island and Valencia,
following the infamous Sepang incident.
races. But Rossi bettered team-mate Lorenzo
in more than half them. Rossi was probably
the only man who wasn’t surprised by his
comeback following a lacklustre 2013 season.
Once again, this was Rossi out to prove a
2009 8
World championship position 1st
Victories 9 point: that he wasn’t washed up. It was his
Other podiums 2 TH first year with crew chief Silvano Galbusera.
DNFs 2
Crash total 4 Average points score 18.00
2006 10
Machine Gauloises Yamaha YZR-M1 World championship position 1st
Victories 6
> Few people thought it was possible that Other podiums 7 TH
Rossi could win the 2004 MotoGP title. Even DNFs 1
the man himself said, “Maybe I’m a little bit Crash total 4 Average points score 14.20
crazy,” when he quit Honda to ride Yamaha’s Machine Fiat Yamaha YZR-M1 World championship position 2nd
M1, which had scored just one podium the Victories 5
previous season. But those people hadn’t > The competition stepped up a gear in Other podiums 5
accounted for Yamaha’s new big-bang engine 2 d DNFs 3
and a chassis quick-fix of raising the bike to M 4
make it steer better. Also, Rossi was in no H mel Yamaha YZR-M1
mood to be beaten. This was the year he had a L
point to prove, to show Honda that the man tive premier-class
matters more than the machine. He crashed 2005, so 2006 was
out of two races, at Rio and Qatar. ly struck: the man
AVERAGE
POINTS AVERAGE
AVERAGE
POINTS
21.58 POINTS
20.72
19.00
AVERAGE
2008
Once he’d got to grips (yep, we
POINTS AVERAGE
just said that – CN) with the new
2002
Honda’s RC211V proved
14.20 POINTS
13.38 Bridgestones, he dominated the

second half of the season.
four-strokes were
the future, winning 14
of the 16 races.
SEASON
SEASON CRASHES
SEASON
CRASHES
CRASHES
5
SEASON
CRASHES
6 SEASON
CRASHES
4 4 4
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
YEAR
MAY 2018 | PERFO

ROSSI | UPS AND DOWNS
isn’t invincible. Bankrolled by Camel in the
2013 13
Yamaha’s 800 was
MotoGP’s final year of tobacco sponsorship, too slow and on the
‘wrong’ tyres TH
Yamaha’s M1 suffered engine blow-ups,
chassis woes and problems with tyres. During
practice at Assen, Rossi sustained his worst Average points score 1
injuries yet; a broken wrist and ankle – but World championship position 4th
these breaks didn’t stop him from racing. He Victories 1
did regain the title lead at the penultimate Other podiums 5
race, but lost the final showdown at Valencia DNFs 1
to Nicky Hayden. As Rossi said after the last Crash total 4
race of the championship: “This isn’t the Machine Yamaha YZR-M1
movies.”
> Rossi returned to Yamaha, licking his
wounds after two painful seasons with
2016 11
Average points score 13.83
TH
Ducati, during which time he had learned
not to trust the front end. It took him a while
to learn how to trust it again, before getting
back to full speed. This was a mostly steady
season, with one victory, at Assen. At the end
2007 12
World championship position 2nd
Victories 2 of 2013 he sacked crew chief Jerry Burgess,
Other podiums 8 TH with whom he’d worked for 14 seasons.
DNFs 4
Crash total 4 Average points score 13.38
2000 14
Machine Movistar Yamaha YZR-M1 World championship position 3rd
Victories 4
> Rossi should have been challenging for Other podiums 4 TH
the world title once again in 2016. He had DNFs 3
come so close the previous year, plus he had Crash total 6 Average points score 13.06
a point to prove – and we’ve all come to learn Machine Fiat Yamaha YZR-M1 World championship position 2nd
that The Doctor is truly a force to contend Victories 2
with when he’s in that frame of mind. > This was the first year of the 800cc Other podiums 8
Through no fault of his own, however, it engines, when Yamaha got it very wrong, or DNFs 3
wasn’t to be. In 2016, MotoGP underwent its perhaps it was Ducati who got it very right. Crash total 5
biggest technical shake-up since the switch The truth of the matter was that it was a bit Machine Nastro Azzurro Honda NSR500
from 500cc two-strokes to 990cc four- of both. The upshot was a mostly grim year.
strokes in 2002. The introduction of control Rossi slipped to third in the championship > Rossi didn’t have the easiest start to his
software and Michelin tyres changed – amazingly, the first time he had finished a premier-class career. He crashed out of his
everything. Rossi endured his premier-class premier-class season outside the top two. His first two races, but he had made similarly
record number of DNFs, caused by three problems were threefold: 1. His engine was torrid entries into the 125 and 250cc classes.
crashes and an engine blow-up, which too slow, 2. He was using Michelin tyres, Also, the 500 two-strokes were brutal, with
caused his points average to take a while Casey Stoner’s Ducati was running tricky power delivery and no traction
hammering. Despite all of these barriers to Bridgestones, and 3. Yamaha tried to fix the control. However, Rossi soon got the hang of
another world championship title, he still horsepower problem by introducing a things, scoring his first podium at the fourth
accumulated enough points to secure second pneumatic-valve-spring engine, which race and his first win at the ninth round. He
place in the championship – as only the broke in two of the final six races of the even challenged for the title, until he crashed
GOAT can. 2007 season. at Valencia.
25
24
23
22
21
AV E R AG E P O I N T S I N A S E A S O N - C R A S H E S
20
19 AVERAGE
18 POINTS
17
16
15
18.00 2012 was Rossi’s second-
SEASON AVERAGE
most crashy year
14
2009 AVERAGE CRASHES POINTS
13
12
11
Team-mate Jorge Lorenzo
pushed Rossi all the way,
POINTS
12.94 12 AVERAGE
13.16
10 forcing him into his only POINTS
9
8
DNF of the season AVERAGE
POINTS 9.05
7
6 SEASON SEASON
8.17 SEASON
CRASHES SEASON
5
4
3
2
CRASHES
4
CRASHES
5 6 CRASHES
4
1
0
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
YEAR
> Ducati overhauled its Desmosedici for
2010 15
T
12.94
2012 17 TH
2012, finally consigning its carbon-fibre
chassis to its museum and replacing it with an
aluminium chassis, as favoured by rival
manufacturers. The GP12 was better, but
World championship position 3rd Average points score 9.05 there was still plenty wrong with it. Rossi was
Victories 2 World championship position 6th happier in his second year with Ducati,
Other podiums 8 Victories 0 scoring two podiums, including an excellent
DNFs 0 Other podiums 2 second place at Misano, just four seconds
Crash total 5 DNFs 1 behind the winner. He also halved his
Machine Fiat Yamaha YZR-M1 Crash total 6 accident rate, partly because he had decided
Machine Ducati Desmosedici GP12 to take fewer risks after so many falls in 2011.
> Rossi should’ve been gunning for another
title in 2010, but this was his most injury- Rossi played it steady
blighted year. He hurt a shoulder in a on the Ducati in 2012
motocross accident, then broke a leg during
practice at Mugello. That forced him to miss
four races – his longest absence from racing
– which severely damaged his championship
points haul. He was quickly back up to speed
after his comeback, scoring a podium second
time out (using crutches on the podium), and
he also beat newly-crowned champ Lorenzo
to the win at Sepang.
2017
16 TH
11.
World championship position 5th
Victories 1 races and missed another due to a dirt-bike Crash total 12
Other podiums 5 injury. His only win came at a treacherously Machine Ducati Desmosedici GP11
DNFs 2 damp Assen, proving he is as brave as ever.
Crash total 4 > Rossi has never suffered like he did in
Machine Movistar Yamaha YZR-M1 2011. He immediately knew he had made a
big mistake quitting Yamaha for Ducati. The
> Last season was Rossi’s worst, apart from
his Ducati years. Honda and a revitalised
Ducati dominated, while Yamaha battled
chassis and electronics problems. Recent
2011 18
TH
8.17
Desmosedici offered little feel from the front,
so he could never find the limit, which is why
he fell 12 times, more than doubling his 2010
accident rate. He crashed mostly in practice,
statistics highlight their struggles with World championship position 7th only failing to finish three races (the same
control software and new tyres: Yamaha Victories 0 DNF rate as 2000, 2006 and 2007). His
won more races in 2015 than in 2016 and Other podiums 1 single podium (his worst ever podium count,
2017 combined. Rossi crashed out of two DNFs 3 including 125s and 250s) was at Le Mans.
2015 2017
Rossi’s best ever performance without
winning the title: not one DNF all year,
His worst year since he
rode the Ducati. Rossi had two AND SO,
and 18 podium finishes
AVERAGE
POINTS
crash-related DNFs and missed
one race with a dirt-bike injury
TO 2018
Will life begin
at 40?
AVERAGE
POINTS 18.05
16.38 AVERAGE
POINTS
13.83 AVERAGE
POINTS
11.55
SEASON
CRASHES SEASON SEASON
CRASHES CRASHES
5 SEASON
CRASHES
4 4
2014
2 2016 2017
YEAR
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THE GARAGE / CONTENTS
30
PAGECSKY
OF MGUERS
FIN
M O D I F Y I N G | M A I N TA I N I N G | B U I L D I N G | B U Y I N G
78
How to make
an R1 5PW
even better
94
2014 Super Duke
gets its springs
looked at
102
GSX-R sploffs
its load
84
PB gets geeky at shock
damping school
88
Whitey takes
Contents
a break from DIY 72 360° GARAGE
tattooing to sort
Project Blade PLUS Inside PB editor Chris Newbigging’s sex den.
78 THE MOD SQUAD

How to improve the Yamaha YZF-R1 5PW.
84 SHOCK VALUE
Get a deeper understanding of damping.
86 OUR BIKES
2008 Honda Fireblade, 2014 KTM Super
Duke R, 1989 Suzuki RGV250K.
94 RACE BIKES
BMW S1000RR, Yamaha YZF-R3.
98 USED STUFF
PB’s kit and garage gadgets rated.
100 LONG-TERM TEST BIKES

2018 KTM Super Duke R, Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
106 CHEAP THRILLS

Why you need a BMW F800S.

LAMINATE FLOOR? WE’RE PAYING HIM TOO MUCH...
OR THIS month’s 360-degree garage we
have stayed close to home. Very close. In
fact, this single garage is the haunt of PB’s
‘It w o head-honcho, editor Chris Newbigging. Yep,

the man who is responsible for ensuring the work-shy
layabouts that contribute to this magazine actually put
a gr ny (single) finger to keyboard has opened up his small slice

of peace and tranquility to the world. Well, after he
kicked a granny out of it...
annex b t I’ “I honestly bought the house because of the garage,”

Chris explains. “The house was a house – it had all the
necessary parts, such as a roof and walls – but outside
there was a self-contained granny flat with insulation,
transfor d it heating, and even a toilet and shower. I reckoned

I could fit the bikes through the folding French doors,
so I was sold. I needed my own space for bikes because
int ga e’ at that time I was writing lots of technical features
2 Trackday poster
PB editor Chris hides the jazz mags, ‘That’s me behind Foggy in my MCN days. It was one of the
first times he had ridden after his accident and he was on a
then shows us round his sex prison road 996, but he was still fucking fast. I followed him around
Words Jon Urry / Photography Paul Bryant with a camera on my bike. I followed Spencer the next year;
he was riding an RS500 so bloody hard both wheels were
drifting into corners. It was amazing to watch and shows
how committed they are when they are riding – their minds
work so much faster than normal riders’ minds.’
1 1 Licence plate
7 ‘My grandfather brought this home from
work when I was a kid and I attached it to
my go-kart. It has always travelled around
with me. I have no idea where he got it
10 from – he’s never been to Canada, nor has
he owned a Canadian car. Tea-leaf...’
Having served time on

Practical Sportsbikes, he
saved this banner from a
bin at the London show
10
8
9
8 Hoover 9 2003 MV Brutale 750 10 White board 11 Giant blue bog roll
‘Every garage needs a ‘This is an original first year Brutale and I really ‘I bought this ‘This was a gift from PB reader
hand-me-down hoover. like it. I only bought it because it was cheap at thinking I’d use it a Nathan, so thank you Nathan. We
I think I do more in the £3200 and nearly immaculate. I’ve always lot as loads of borrowed his 888 and he gave us
garage than in the liked Italian bikes, but a 916 was too expensive 360° garages we this bog roll as well as the bike.
house. This one’s full and my other option, a Super Duke 990, was have featured have He also gave us some thick
of filings and gunk.’ too pricey. The MV was perfect and it is far them – but I never rubber gloves, which are ace for
more reliable than people say. Its engine’s use it. Maybe it’s me, lubing chains or removing wheels
architecture is inspired by a pre-SRAD my brain isn’t good as they are thicker than latex and
GSX-R750 – it even rattles like one.’ with lists.’ won’t split.’

THE GARAGE / 360º GARAGE
olving stripping bikes down, so I needed a

mfortable garage for work.”
‘I bought the house
E Like so many of us, Chris’s formative years revolved because of the garage.
B
T TO 0º round bikes. But rather than a childhood fiddling
A N 3 6 with engines, Chris has learnt his mechanical skills
I needed my own space’
W NEXT E? through moped racing and working on various
THEGARAa G shop
work should
,
magazines such as Practical Sportsbikes before he
ha v e ha t ended up on PB. It was always on the cards. editor Matt Wildee, who was last seen searching for
ou d t ,
If y r she ages
a ra ge o these p orial@ “Growing up, my interest was always sportsbikes, food in a bin around the back of Lidl and swearing at
g n it
be o us at ed uk ids and wheelies, so ending up on PB was kind of passers by, Chris hasn’t looked back.
il o.
ema bmag.c vitable. Especially after I twatted a Ducati Desmo “I’ve just celebrated my one-year anniversary of
p
ile working for MCN and landed them with a £36k being PB’s editor,” Chris said. “So it seemed a fitting
urance bill... Looking back, I was probably destined time to show readers that I’m not just some keyboard
to join PB – I’ve read it for years, did work experience warrior, and that, in fine PB tradition, I do actually have
on the magazine back in 2004, and Gus Scott used to be a collection of motorcycles in my garage that mainly
my neighbour.” run, and a few unfinished projects that will probably
Since taking over the reins from disgraced former- remain that way...”
3 Ducati towel 4 Kneeslider 5 Honda RC161 7 Honda NSR500

‘This was a gift from World ‘This is a Weeble Racing engine poster name sheet
Ducati Week in 2007, I didn’t kneeslider that we had ‘This was a gift from the ‘I rode a Honda NSR500 at
steal it. Although I did have specially commissioned. It’s curator of the Barber the Festival of 1000 Bikes in
a larger Ducati towel and a moped racing thing, but Museum in Alabama. They 2012. It was Garry McCoy’s
that was stolen from me at a having a designer stripped the engine and Shell Advance NSR500
race meet. But the joke’s on kneeslider is pretty cool took pictures. The Barber V-twin. It was a lovely bike,
them, I had been flossing – the colours are hideous, Museum is ace and has 6 Flat track like a 250GP bike but with
my arse crack with it...’ I guess Stevie Wonder some fantastic events more power. It only made
metal shoe
picked them.’ including the amazing 130bhp but it matched a
‘The idea is that you use it
Vintage Festival, which is Superstock ZX-10R as it
like a third wheel, to catch
one of the best things I’ve was so light. I got about 25
slides. I’ve only done one bit
ever been to. And the track minutes on it in the end, it
of flat track, but it was great
is awesome.’ was beautiful.’
fun. Maybe in the future
when my son is older...’
4
3
5
6
13
15
12 14 NWS stand
13 Mountain bikes ‘This stand was built by
‘Downhill bikes are great fun NWS and I found it at 15 1989 Suzuki RGV250K
14 the back of PB’s
and basically motocross bikes ‘This started out as a box of bits. In fact, it didn’t even
minus the engine. I’ve never lock-up. It’s just like an have a box, it was just bits. I got it from a sweary
12 Safe solvents got into motocross because ABBA stand but you Australian who got it from a shouty Irishman and it
parts washer it’s such a commitment, but don’t need different consisted of basically a frame and motor. I got it for free
‘This is really good stuff and this is as much fun, a lot easier adaptors as the bits and after I did a bit of research I discovered the frame and
was sent into PB for evaluation. to transport and it’s a cheaper that stick in the bike engine numbers were the original pairing, so I restored it
I don’t like having a vat of hobby, too. I reckon it helps my are pointy. A great and got its original logbook. It’s standard-ish
petrol or paraffin in my road riding and it’s a great stand but sadly no but better with improvements where appropriate. It’s
workshop, especially as I love stress release.’ longer made.’ a 124mph two-stroke, so is a lot of fun to ride.’
to break out the blowtorch...’

Here are some of the details
that make Chris’s manscape
differently special...
Honda C90 engine

‘This is our moped race engine, which has been ruined by
a useless mechanical Neanderthal called Weeble. When
I stripped it down it had no oil in it – literally no oil – and had
ingested a load of dirt, knackering the piston. Amazingly, the
crank and gearbox are fine and it only needs a new piston,
cylinder re-bore and clutch plates. C90s are as hard as fuck.’
Toolbox
‘I don’t have room for a
roll cab, so I tend to have
a small toolbox with only
the tools I use regularly
in it; the rest I store away.
Why keep imperial
sockets out when all my
bikes are metric? They
will only get in the way.’
Filing cabinet
‘I found this at the back of
Practical Sportsbikes’ lock-up
and bodged it together with
bolts to make it stand up
again. It does the job and
holds heavier items as well as
my Hi-Fi and trophies. The
first place trophy is from PB’s
Bandit 600 race bike, which
had a 100% winning record.
I’ve also raced a GPz550
Uni-Trak and a TZR250. The
GPz was brilliant; you could
ride it right to its limits, which
Shelving was great fun. The Hi-Fi was
‘A leftover from my wife’s old flat but it fits perfectly in the £15 on eBay: a 20-year-old
corner and holds loads of stuff. I have even drilled its sides Hitachi that works great, apart
so I can fit T-bars through it for storage.’ from a sticky tape deck.’

Toilet
‘This is a place of great comfort and relaxation. The MCN
front cover is my first front cover story – the BMW MotoGP
prototype bike – while the GSX-R1000 was my first PB
cover as editor. I don’t have anything bike-related in the
house, only in my garage’s toilet! The only problem with
having a toilet in your garage is when you forget to shut
the door and your garage smells of shit afterwards...’
Rubber gloves
‘The good thing about these is,
if you don’t need the fine feel
you get with latex gloves, these
are more robust for serious
cleaning jobs. Plus, because
they’ve a stretch panel on the
back, my hands don’t get too
sweaty. I still use latex gloves
for more fiddly jobs that require
a little extra finesse.’
Project VF400R
‘This has an NC30 motor in a
1984 VF400F’s chassis as an
homage to the Japanese race
series Days of Bikes and Roses.
It was a nightmare and involved
far more work than I anticipated,
but I’m pleased with the result.
I learnt a lot during this project,
which was completed thanks to
some very clever engineers who
helped out. It rides OK; not shit
but not brilliant. For a such a
bitsa, I was happy with that,
especially as it looks so good.’
Dirt Quake jersey

‘Riding in Dirt Quake
seemed a good idea and it
mostly panned out – I even
rear-ended some posh
Wire holder bloke in the race, which was
‘People get scared of re-wiring, but it isn’t that a highlight. Former PBer
hard. I re-wired the VF400R and that taught me Trev Franklin is now Harley’s
loads. I keep wires on this tube hung up with a PR man and he lied to me
bungee. I only bought 3m lengths in the colours – he said the bikes would be
I needed – plenty for one loom with loads left prepped for the dirt. They
over. Electrics aren’t hard to grasp once you see weren’t. The fact the posh
how all the components connect to each other.’ chap had to ride his broken
Sportster back to Chelsea
made my day, though.’
New Big Ends…
‘When I was racing the GPz550 I was leading a race when the motor
made a funny noise and stopped. It had starved a big end shell and
that’s the burnt-out rod, given to me by the bike’s owner. It says ‘numb
nuts’ and ‘Chris New Big End’ on it. The other pistons are from a
GPZ750R when I went the wrong way through the gearbox, and my
RGV when it spat a powervalve into the exhaust!’
Rizla wellies Toothbrushes

‘When Kagayama left Rizla ‘I never throw away
Suzuki’s BSB team he was toothbrushes. I’m a bit
replaced by another Japanese of a pervert for a clean
rider who so was shit I can’t chain and toothbrushes
remember his name. Being a bit are perfect for this.
kooky, he used to ride around When they’re no good
the paddock in Rizla wellies for teeth any more,
on a Raleigh Chopper. My I chuck them out of the
pal (well, I like him) Rob Hull, bathroom window and
was a BSB reporter, and pick them off the grass
blagged me a set. Sadly, they’re on my way to the
a bit too perished to use now.’ garage...’

1
2
Chris’s
5 favourite
tools...
Yes, that’s a slipper, and yes, he
was a very troubled child
1 Ring LED torch

“Torches come and go, especially the cheap ones you
buy from a petrol station, but this one has been bloody
brilliant. I’ve no idea how much it cost me, probably less
than £5, but it is still on its original batteries, despite
being five years old. The rubber coat protects it when it
gets bounced all over the garage floor and means you
can jam it into crevices. I’d be lost without it, and if
I ever see another in the local petrol station
I’ll snap it up. Alongside a copy of Readers’ 3
Wives, naturally.” 4
2 Vice 4 Wire strippers and ratchet pliers

“I bought this on eBay for £11. Old vices are “I can’t stress highly enough how good proper
so much better than the cheap cast ones you ‘Japanese connectors’ are when you are doing
get from discount machine shops. The trick is electrical jobs, rather than those horrible
to set your eBay search criteria for the local pre-insulated ones you get from Halfords. Go
area and then sellers who want ‘buyer online and they cost next to nothing. These
collects’ as they can’t be arsed to post it. ratchet pliers are perfect for securing them
Which is fair enough considering how much a and the wire stripper is a wonderful bit of kit
vice weighs! I did have a set of soft jaws, but they were that strips a wire perfectly every time.”
crap, so I just use bits of wood instead.”
5 Hotel slipper
3 Socket set “I stole this from a Marriot Hotel about 10 years ago,
“This is one of those Lidl ‘shite aisle’ purchases 5 I reckon, maybe even longer. I know a hotel slipper may
that worked out really well. This set was only seem an odd choice of tool, but it is brilliant when it
£12 and has loads of Torx and hex ends that are comes to replacing top yokes. Often you get to the point
perfect for getting into tighter corners. The best when a top yoke needs a little tap with a hammer to
parts are the bits, which fit in a 10mm socket so I get it settled, which is what happened on a TZR
can use them with my Halfords socket set or torque I was rebuilding. By placing the slipper on the top
wrench when I need to get some proper force behind yoke you can give it a tap and not damage the
them. Annoyingly, one bit is missing; I lost it in my finish. I use this single, disgusting slipper all the
wife’s old Corsa while changing the EGR valve. It time to protect areas from damage that require
dropped into the engine bay and never returned. I’ve a bit of a tap with a hammer. And it was free.
sold the car now, so it’s gone forever.” Well, stolen...”
‘Bodges will always return to bite you on the arse’

THE EDITOR’S TOP TIPS
Don’t cut corners It’s only money… Buy quality parts Break it into chunks Know your limits
There are so many jobs Bikes are money pits. If you I’ve been stung before by When I’m restoring bikes, I’ll happily pay for a
when you think, ‘Can I can’t accept this, perhaps cheap, crap, pattern parts. I concentrate on one area specialist to do a job for
get away with that by you shouldn’t have a I once skrimped on my at a time – that way, you me. That said, unless it
bodging it instead of doing high-powered motorcycle! RGV’s fork seals, saving a have lots of small requires a qualification and
it properly?’ Don’t bodge; I’ve seen some amazing few quid. The result was oil successes to keep your industrial machinery, do a
in the long run it always restos and specials all over the fork legs and a motivation up. It definitely bit of research and have a
returns to bite you on the destroyed by scrimping on missed Cadwell trackday, helps keep you going when go. Ducati cambelts are
arse. Don’t be a twat – tyres after spending which cost me far more a project is in danger of within reach of anyone with
do it right the first time. £1000s on shiny stuff. than the OE seals would. going to shit... a toolkit and a few hours...

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PB’S EXPERT GUIDE TO GETTING THE MOST OUT OF IT
Yamaha
YZF-R1 2002
20-03
How to further improve the connoisseur’s
incarnation of Yamaha’s mighty litre bike...
Words Jon Urry | Photography Yamaha & Bauer Archive
HE YAMAHA YZF-R1 5PW is often a little wild, foundations of the

one of those bikes that, once previous generations, the 5PW added
sampled, is very hard to give up. fuel injection for the first time. A clever
There is just something special hybrid of carb and FI technology,
about this model of R1 that captures the alongside other engine upgrades, gave
imagination more than any other the 5PW not only more midrange, but
generation, and it is often referred to also a beautiful throttle connection.
with the same reverence as the Suzuki Further enhanced by an all-new chassis,
GSX-R1000 K5. But what exactly makes this connection allowed riders to finally
it so appealing? exploit all the power and handling the
Building on the already solid, but R1 had to offer. The result was a true
‘rider’s bike’, an R1 which has more than
stood the test of time thanks to its
user-friendly nature, and which still
contains enough raw spirit to thrill. And
that’s the root of its lasting appeal.
If you are one of those riders
hopelessly addicted to 5PW ownership,
our panel of experts is on hand to point
you in the right direction when it comes
to spending that money you were going
to invest in a new bike on improving
your 5PW instead...
MEET YOUR EXPERTS
THE THE THE

CHASSIS ENGINE BOLT-ONS
RICHARD ADAMS DAVE WOOD MARK WHITE
Maxton Suspension Dave Wood Racing Former 5PW owner
Richard is a familiar face in Dave runs Dave Wood Despite being PB’s resident
the BSB and TT paddock Racing and is mainly known vegan, Mark covered his
and is the go-to man when for his KTM tuning work. modded 5PW in genuine
it comes to suspension. However, his reputation as a tiger skin (hyper-endangered
What he can’t tell you about dyno and ECU re-flash Siberian tiger at that – CN). It
damping and springs isn’t expert is growing rapidly and was quite an eye-catcher... This R1 got the balance
worth knowing, and he is he knows a huge amount A true 5PW geek, what Mark between rawness and
very well acquainted with about discovering a bike’s lacks in vitamin B12 he user-friendliness bang-on
the 5PW’s workings. hidden power. makes up for in R1
maxtonsuspension.co.uk davewoodracing.com knowledge.

THE GARAGE / EXPERT GUIDE
‘Clever hybrid of carbs and

fuel injection tech gave the
5PW more midrange and a
beautiful throttle connection’

1 SUSPENSION LINKAGES
Yamaha put the faintest dab of grease on
the R1’s suspension linkages in the factory
and if they aren’t stripped and re-greased
regularly they will seize up. It’s a
fairly easy job to do at home and is
well worth the time and effort.
You could fit a new

spring for sensible money
CHASSIS Richard Adams

“ALTHOUGH THE 5PW wasn’t a very popular race
bike, due to the arrival of the GSX-R1000, we have done
the suspension on loads of them for road riders. This
model was the first 43mm fork R1, up from 41mm, but
while you can fit new cartridges, these are a bit overkill
for road use, so a piston kit and new springs is the most
popular modification.
“The 5PW’s forks are quite soft under braking but the
damping is too hard when you are riding on bumpy
roads. The harshness issue is down to the damping, not
the springs as many expect. The springs are actually a
touch soft; the problem is that the valving doesn’t have
enough high speed support and there is too much
low-speed damping. As the oil doesn’t flow freely
enough around the forks, it causes a hydraulic lock and
the forks kick back as a result. You can cure the
harshness with thinner oil, but that doesn’t sort the
kicking back once you release the brakes; it makes it
worse. A re-valve sorts damping and while we are in
there we remove the hydraulic bump stops, increasing
the fork travel from 110mm to closer to 120mm. Also,
once the forks are apart, we regrind the compression
adjusters as they aren’t very good and lack the taper
required to actually create adjustment. For £456 we
strip, polish the tubes, re-valve, add new springs and
rebuild the forks. On high-mileage bikes the forks may
also need re-chroming due to stone chips.
“The shock isn’t rebuildable as you can’t get quality ENGINE Dave Wood
replacement seals, but we put it on our shock dyno and “THE 5PW’s fuel injection system is a really clever bit
re-spring it to make it as good as possible. of engineering. The sliders act like a modern bike’s dual
To be honest, the set-up is pretty throttle valves in the way that when you open the
good as standard and the throttle, the sliders only lift at a speed determined by
adjusters work well, but if it’s the motor’s vacuum, whereas on a modern bike a
feeling tired, a new spring for computer controls the second valve. It’s a lovely simple
£114 is a decent mod, and if you wanted to upgrade to a Stock springs are a
and effective system, which is typical Yamaha.
new Maxton shock in a few years time, we’d re-use the little soft; nothing a fork “Despite the 5PW running fuel injection, you can’t
spring and take it off the price of a new shock.” rebuild won’t rectify re-flash the ECU so you need a Power Commander or
refuelling module. It’s simple economics – you probably
could break into the ECU, but the R1
‘As the oil doesn’t flow freely is an old bike now so its numbers
don’t justify the development costs
enough, it causes a hydraulic lock by re-flash firms. A PCV is £370, so
and the forks kick back as a result’ that’s an extra cost to factor in.
“The 5PW is fairly typical of an
injected bike – lean at low rpm and

2 BLOCKED FILTER THE GARAGE / EXPERT GUIDE
If your R1 feels a bit lethargic or is jerky
on the throttle, check that its fuel filter
isn’t blocked with rust. There is a strainer
in the fuel pump that, with age, often gets 3 FAULT CODES
clogged. It’s fiddly to clean, but there are If the rev counter sits at a number, goes to
loads of online guides to help. zero, and then returns to the true revs, there
is an issue – this is how it displays a fault
code. It’s generally either a sticking EXUP
valve or broken Throttle Position Sensor, but
be wary if it displays any fault code and look
2 it up online to ensure it’s not a major worry.
4 ELECTRICAL UPGRADE
All early R1s have a large connector located on
the left-hand side below the air scoop – it’s the
main electrical feed. It’s not really up to the job,
and as soon as it gets corroded it starts to short,
causing the lights to flicker. It’s more robust in
4 the 5PW, but swap it for a higher quality
connector to be on the safe side.
6
1
5 QUICKSHIFTER 6 GEARBOX
Quickshifters can make the R1’s The 5PW suffers the same issue as all
fragile gearbox even more prone early R1s – second and third gears like
to failure. If you want one, fit a to call in sick. There are a few upgrade
‘smart’ unit that can alter its shift options and Nova sell a complete new
time according to the revs, and gearbox for £1020. But if you want a
not a cheap unit that just briefly stock Yamaha cog, expect to pay
cuts the ignition. around £120 (plus fitting) per gear.
rich at the top end – so it does benefit from fuel

correction. A new map will make the bike feel much
Want full power? Ditch the
better, and if you have a can fitted I’d remap it to gain the EXUP valve, or fit a full system
maximum benefits. And always keep an eye on its filters.
“OE air filters tend to clog up quite quickly, but they
are more protective than aftermarket units which can let
SPECS some road crap through and into the motor. I’d stay with
OE and change it regularly for road use. The filter in the
131.90bhp fuel pump also blocks and this makes the bike run even
leaner at low revs as it slows the pump down, potentially
71.70lb.ft damaging the motor. Check and clean this regularly.
“When it comes to the EXUP valve you can just wire
Measured
it open and remove the servo, but that will bring up a
WEIGHT fault light. You can buy EXUP eliminators to get rid of
the light if it bothers you. Some owners wire the EXUP
199kg open, others cut it out, but Yamaha have put it there for
a reason and it helps the power delivery in the lower
Wet, measured
rpm for minimal top end loses, so I’d leave it operating.”

No need to bother with pricy
Öhlins upgrades here; focus on
sorting the stock suspension
BOLT-ONS Mark White EXUP is located in the collector area you

“THE 5PW is a really great bike that just can’t easily remove it, and while you can
needs careful sorting to help wind back the wire it open, the unit itself is big and bulky
years – not radical alteration because that and just opening it doesn’t actually make
will ruin its natural balance. that much difference to the flow of gases –
“The first thing I would do is fit a full exhaust it just stops it sticking shut.
system because that seriously improves the bike. A full “Realistically, you are talking about a 15-year-
system will boost the midrange and that really shows old bike here, so a new shock should be the next
up on the road through extra drivability, especially item on your shopping list. Again, this will make a
when combined with a Power Commander. Just fitting Whitey’s performance
really noticeable difference to how the bike handles.
a can isn’t that effective, you really need a full system as upgrades included a full Personally, I’d get the OE forks refreshed rather than fit
that also gets rid of the EXUP valve. Annoyingly, as the system and new wheels Öhlins units. Yes, the Öhlins units look considerably
better, but refreshed OE forks are cheaper and work just
as well. And while I’m on the subject of forks, a lot of
STOCK VS MODIFIED people put the 5PW forks on older generation models.
If you are planning on doing this, be aware that you
160
will also need the spindle.
Standard Yamaha R1
“Don’t worry too much about upgrading the R1’s
140
■ 128.04bhp @ 10,800rpm brakes, the standard calipers are excellent and a
■ 68.49lb.ft @ 8400rpm rebuild with fresh pads is all they need. You can go
120 down the braided lines route, but pads and a rebuild
Modiﬁed Yamaha R1
■ 140.90bhp @ 10,800rpm should see them back to their former glory.
Power/torque (bhp/lb.ft)
100 ■ 74.64lb.ft @ 8300rpm “If I bought another 5PW, the first thing I’d do is treat
it to a damn good service. Get the suspension linkages
stripped and regreased, the bearings checked and
80
changed if necessary, the
valve clearances checked,
60 the filters swapped...
the usual stuff. Once
40 you have a good base,
add a full system,
shock, rework the
20
forks and brakes and
Engine speed (rpm x 1000) you will have a
0 wonderful bike. If you
2000 4000 6000 8000 10,000 12,000 14,000
have any spare cash left, and
FULL SYSTEM GAINS this is pushing the boat out, fit lightweight wheels. This
Fitting a full Akrapovic system improves the weakest standard R1 motor across the board,
era of superbike has really hefty wheels, so lightweight
to the point where it is making enough shove to keep it in contention on the road. Ditching
the EXUP valve does nothing to dent the 20v motor’s low and midrange grunt – in fact, the replacements make a huge difference. But they do cost
6lb.ft peak torque gain is mostly maintained from 4000rpm to the redline. The only issue is in the region of £3000 so it’s a big investment...”
that the fitment is discontinued: keep an eye out for NOS or clean secondhand systems. Next month The GSX-R1000 K7/8: how to turn
Suzuki’s ginger stepchild into the golden boy.

for 2 0 18
Tackle the elements with
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TECH focus
Shocking truth
Preloaded with expectations, PB bounces off to school for the low-down
on shock dynos. We’ve compressed all the findings on to two pages...
What is a shock dyno?
REACTIVE SUSPENSION COURSE RUPERT PAUL It’s a sort of midget
guillotine without the blood
THE UK IS particularly rich in bike
and crowds. Instead, it
technology expertise but there’s only
holds a springless shock
one place where you can learn formally
or fork, and cycles it up
about suspension, and that’s Yorkshire,
and down at various
at Reactive Suspension’s one-day course speeds. A load cell records
for suspension nerds. For anyone looking for a far force generated, and
deeper understanding of the mechanics of damping software does the graphs.
adjustment, it’s a day well spent. Like an engine dyno, its
Course tutor Gareth Evans trained as a marine usefulness depends on the
engineer and has been a race technician for years (he skill of the person
did suspension for Yukio Kagayama and John Reynolds operating it.
in British Superbikes). Most of his courses show you Gareth Evans spent years
how to strip and modify forks and shocks, or set bikes designing and building his
up. But he also runs one on how to use a shock dyno to own, but for this course he
understand damping. uses a UK-made SPA dyno
Once you’ve got your head around what a shock dyno which costs about
is, and what it costs, you might well ask who would £13,000. SPA’s design
want to learn to use the thing. The answer, obviously, is uses a peg-in-a-slot
suspension nerds. I became one by riding GSX-Rs in the mechanism called a
1990s and wondering why they felt better than all the Scotch yoke to turn an
electric motor’s rotation
other bikes. But you can just as easily do it by going on
into up-and-down. It gives
all of Reactive’s other suspension courses first (I’ve
excellent comparisons and
done those, too). Obviously, this course is aimed at
analytics, but the simple
people with their own suspension businesses, but even
sine wave movement
for dabblers like me it is fascinating. I mean, Gareth has
even run tests on the best grease to use when
doesn’t replicate, say, the
Isle of Man TT course. If
‘We examine shock pistons
assembling a fork seal! (Answer: runny stuff. Red
rubber grease came out worst.)
you want to do that you to understand what sorts
need a dyno with a several
But the main use of a shock dyno is similar to an hundred thousand quid of damping they achieve’
engine dyno: to benchmark, and investigate problems. ironless core linear motor...
“I use it mostly to check everything works, or to look for
something specific,” says Gareth. “For example, a race badly when it got hot.” To discover that in the middle of
team I know were offered a deal to use a YSS shock. winter without a dyno would have involved hiring a
I could tell it had a good range of damping adjustment, race track in Spain.
and it was in the right ballpark for a road bike, although Listen up, nerds, here’s The day covers how a dyno works, and what to do
for racing it would need stiffening up. However, it faded the proper science bit... with it. For example, Gareth has four identical shocks
with different designs of piston inside. After dynoing
them, and discovering wildly different performance,
we examined the pistons to get an idea of what sorts
COST of damping each design could achieve (told you it
was nerdy). You can bring your own forks or shocks
£150 along, and compare them with existing data. 1990s
Ducati forks, for example, which were designed to
save cost, work quite well for 20 seconds – then lose
most of their damping as the oil turns to froth. We
learned a lot about fork seals, too. I’ll never buy
cheap seals again.
The school accommodates up to six people next door
to Gareth’s workshop. Besides work stations on the
practical courses, there’s a coffee area, sofas to lounge
around on, an agreeable lunch, excellent visuals, a full
colour manual, and comfy chairs. More importantly, it
also provides ample food for thought...
Contact: www.reactivesuspension.com
info@reactivesuspension.com
Fork and Shock Dyno Testing Course costs: £150

THE GARAGE / OUR BIKES
PHOTOS RUPERT PAUL
WHAT A SHOCK DYNO CAN REVEAL

LOW-SPEED ADJUSTER RANGE
This is part of a test following a shock build to check
everything is working as it should. It shows a multi-
Fast Parts!
adjustable shock damper being run with
eight different settings for low-speed
K
compression. The rebound settings SOLE U
2 have been left alone, and high speed T R IBUTOR
D IS
compression is left on maximum. The Grand Prix Pe
x axis is damper piston speed, in m/s.
The y axis is force in Newtons
Street Bike Pri
1
measured at the load cell on the top
damper mounting point.
1200
Force (Nm)
1000
800
600
400
200 Velocity (m/s)
0
0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35
Low-speed comp settings: 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 clicks out.
High-speed position 10.
HIGH-SPEED ADJUSTER RANGE

Here is the same shock tested for high-speed
compression. Low-speed damping (in the first graph) is
controlled by oil getting past a tapered needle which pokes
into a hole. Screw it in and the hole gets smaller, so the
damping increases, and vice versa. High-speed damping
is controlled by oil getting past a stack of deflecting shims.
To increase high-speed damping you use a hex adjuster to
add more preload to the shim stack. It would be a bit daft + Highest quality available, widest range of
to close the low-speed setting down completely, so for this chain & sprockets anywhere, from mopeds
to superbikes...
test it was left on position 6, which gives the initial slope. We stock the lot!
1200
Force (Nm)
1000
800 T
INTERES
600 Road, Track
400
& Race Wheels FRENE
CE
200 FINA
Velocity (m/s)
0
0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35
+ Forged Aluminium – up to
High-speed comp settings: 0 (ie minimum), 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. 33% lighter than stock
Low-speed position 6
+ Forged Magnesium
ADJUSTER RANGE – up to 45% lighter
If you put both tests together to get a picture of the shock’s than stock
full range of adjustment, it does get a little bit confusing.
K
And that’s before you do the same tests for rebound. SOLE U
A temperature probe lets you keep an eye on how hot the TRIBUTOR
DIS
shock is getting, so you can check your results are still
consistent. Alternatively you can let it get hotter and hotter
as it pumps up and down, to see how it fades.
SEALS Europe’s No1 for

You can use a shock dyno to test fork seal friction. Here control products
are three seals on an empty fork. One is the original
+ Throttle controls, grips,
fitment, one (pink) is a cheap aftermarket and one is an switch gear & handlebars
experimental seal made by Freudenberg, an automotive
seal company. Compression is top, rebound bottom. The
+ Used by most of the GP
paddock
snagging at top left is the extra force needed to overcome
static friction as the travel direction changes from ‘with
the seal lip’ to ‘against it.’
60
50
K
40
Cheap aftermarket seal
SOLE U
30 T R IBUTOR
DIS
Force (Nm)
10
10
0
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-40 8F BSF 6, JNQPSUFST BOE EJTUSJCVUPST GPS BMM UIF QSPEVDUT TIPXO
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'SPNF 4PNFSTFU 6, #" 38
WHAT’S IN OUR GARAGES
All-in-one
solution
Whitey tears the last of his hair out making
the Fireblade’s rear end road legal
2008 HONDA FIREBLADE CHRIS NEWBIGGING

THERE HAS BEEN a lot of arsing
around this month, resulting in
progress on our Fireblade project being
slow. Not ‘Johnny’s RGV’ slow, or slow
enough that it’ll stall, like PB project
bikes in the days of yore, but it doesn’t look hugely
different. Sorry. But what we have done is important – it
means the extra performance capability we’re building
in can be combined with a full MoT.
Refitting the original tail light and indicators at the
back wasn’t going to happen, and neither was
reinstating standard mirrors at the front, which also
house side lights and the front winkers. A raid on my
memory bank recalled a Harley with tail-lights
integrated into the indicators, and a quick Google led
me to Rizoma’s website. A phone call had a set of
Superleggera S indicators in Whitey’s hands – stop/tail, Numberplate light has
indicators and sidelights all handled by four tiny, been borrowed from R&G kit
CE-approved LED units.
The question then was fitting them. The front pair
are straightforward – just a moment to select a spot in
the front fairing where the wiring and connectors can Amazing what you can find
easily be accessed, then drilling a hole. The curvature in the PB spares box if you
of the fairing means they hang down a little, but look properly
Undressed Blade looks on as

Whitey gets to work on its arse
unfortunately it can’t be avoided.

The rear was more of a headache: some initial
attempts to make an aluminium sheet dummy for an
all-in-one quick-release tail tidy we’d have made from
carbon revealed it just wasn’t happening. Securely
fitting the thin sheet would have been difficult – the
odds are it would crack, split and fall into the back
wheel with bumps and vibration. It’s a nice idea but
it’s just not practical here.
Plan B: a raid on a box of miscellaneous useful stuff/
random parts/unwanted tat in our lock-up turned up
two R&G tail tidies – one from a GSX-R, and one from
an R6. Many minutes of contemplation and several
glasses of gross-looking vegetable smoothie later,

THE GARAGE
Dzus fasteners attach

the quick-release unit
Front indicator (left)

incorporates clear sidelight
Whitey had worked out a way The remaining task requires

to use the R6 part with just a a bit more dragging of
few mods. fingernails across scalp – as it
A ferret through his nut and is, it only takes eight seconds
bolt draw turned up four Dzus and zero tools to remove the
fasteners to attach it, and more assembly, but the one-piece tail
attention with a drill and Dremel saw means the electrical block connector
the female parts mounted nice and flush in has to be mounted externally to be easily
the carbon-Kevlar tail. accessible. Whitey reckons a Deutsch connector
STORY SO FAR It’ll take a full size plate for the MoT, but we’ll push can be fixed into the body and the tail tidy, so it’ll plug
Can a 2008 litre our luck with a slightly smaller two-deck plate for in/unplug when it’s removed or fitted – no need to
sportsbike beat a
general use. That will be made from carbon, so it unplug it manually. We haven’t found the right
Ducati Superleggera?
That’s the plan... doesn’t feel like we’ve completely given up on our combination of fixing type/terminal count yet. Whitey
original idea... was last seen barking questions at his Google phone

searching for one. We think the phone was just relieved
not to be posting yet another angry anti-dairy post on
Instagram...
The Rizoma winkers deserve a special mention: at
£76 a pair they really aren’t cheap, like most
aftermarket indicators. But, unlike most aftermarket Whitey’s at his happiest
indicators, they’re properly bright – a quick test with a with a two-hour loop of
children crying in his ears
12v battery on the terminals revealed them to be
exceedingly bright, despite being damned near invisible
in profile. Going for fully-certified lighting parts should
make an MoT easier, and life on the road as safe as it
can be. Other solutions, involving LEDs mounted in the
bodywork, would be close to useless – this solution
works nearly as well as the originals.
The only drawback is that simultaneous use of
brakes/indicators will mean both functions lose some
distinction at the rear: the bike will probably be quick
enough that following traffic will be a rare and
avoidable issue anyway... The included resistors to
slow the flash rate won’t be used, though: fitting an
LED-suitable indicator relay will negate the need
for extra components.
Now all the components are finalised, it’s now in a
position where we can finally take it to Track
Electronics for the loom to be modified and trimmed. design that most aftermarket systems retain limits
Owner John Ewles is well versed in building and silencing volume, so they’re generally right on the
tweaking wiring looms for race bikes, so modifying tolerance of narky noise testers. Fingers crossed, I’ll
ours for weight and simplicity should be a finally be able to pull the trigger and have a box full of
straightforward task that will see it running soon. lovely titanium arrive to funnel gases out discretely
Although that will also require an exhaust: that CONTACTS enough for our needs. And while we’re at it, I’m on the
should be straightforward, but of the available fitments, Rizoma look-out for a titanium tank from the latest-gen Blade,
I’m yet to be convinced any will reliably pass noise tests www.performance which I think is compatible. Fingers pulled out of
(as well as not fail an MoT) – the low-slung OE-style parts-ltd.com bottoms next month, I promise.
Titanium tank from

the newest model
Fireblade is a
potential future
weight-saver.
‘Fingers crossed, next month I’ll

finally be able to pull the trigger’

Curved fairing shape

means droopy winkers It’s a masterpiece of
engineering. Says Whitey...
Overdue
attention
What’s that in the corner? It’s the RGV
Chris hasn’t touched in a year...
1989 SUZUKI RGV250K CHRIS NEWBIGGING
TWO SEPARATE EVENTS guilt-
tripped me into uncovering the RGV250
this month. The first was Johnny
making a bit of progress with his own
VJ22 – or Project Glacier, as it might
better be called... There’s a vague threat it may run
before fossil fuels are depleted.
The second was opening my workshop up for this
month’s 360° Garage feature (p72). PB contributor Jon
was talking to me about the bike, and I started to feel
bad about its inactivity.
I have good excuses: my Brutale needed attention
after its purchase last spring, and so did my little boy
Freddie in his first year of life. I wilfully SORNed the
Suzuki to focus my attention. But now the MV is more
or less sorted, and Freddie is a 16-month-old becoming
more independent all the time. High time I picked up
where I left off with the RGV...
It doesn’t need much, to be fair: the motor was rebuilt
when I restored it, and hasn’t covered a vast number of
miles since. I fitted RF900 calipers to make it stop, a
Shock Factory shock and Maxton fork internals to make
it handle. Plus, Two Stroke Addicts spannies and a
Zeeltronic ignition mean it makes a crisp 57bhp from
standard internals.
But it’s nearly 30 years old, buzzes like an Ann
Summers ‘private enjoyment’ electronic device and
wasn’t that well made in the first place. There’s always
Exhaust springs seem to

have a life of their own ‘It’s nearly 30 years old, buzzes like
an Ann Summers device and wasn’t
that well made in the first place’
something... At the moment, it’s broken exhaust

springs: periodically, it’ll break a hook off and leave the
header partly supported. I’ve tried all sorts of springs,
and they all do it. I think I’m going to have to switch to
something like Akrapovic springs – on my old TZR250
racer, I used a set I found knocking around from a test
exhaust and they are still on that bike now. Time to
check some measurements against the Akra spares
listings, I think.
STORY SO FAR
The other is more difficult: the top cylinder has a
Restored in 2011, persistent dribble of black gunk from the powervalve
Chris’s RGV has been
tweaked to go better chamber. It’s had new seals and even powervalve shafts
since. Until last year... to rule out barely-discernible wear on the sealing faces,
and a couple of sticky oil check valves to rule out excess

Chris double-checks
there’s actually still an
engine under the fairing
oil delivery flooding the bike and settling in the top

end. But it still dribbles the filthy muck, and it flecks the
engine and inside of the fairings on the go. I’ll admit it’s
not catastrophic, but it is irritating, and unless I find a
set of brand new barrels (not easy, or cheap, for the
unique 1989-only porting), there aren’t any more parts
that I can swap to sort it.
So I’m thinking laterally: if I can reduce the pressure
that’s forcing it out, I can hopefully curb the spreading
mess. Kit-type powervalve covers are a common mod –
they’re a simple vented cover for the powervalves,
commonly assumed to allow fluid drainage, though
they are really to vent pressure from the chambers. So
that’s what I’m going to do.
There are two options – buy a set (£50 a pair) or mod
an original set from a spare engine by drilling and
tapping some vents in. I favour the cheaper option, but
only if I can find a breather that can be securely fitted
without fouling the valves inside.
That aside, it’s just an MoT away from the road. Like Dribble...
Johnny’s RGV. Or not...

PHOTOS JOHN BENNETT
BENNETT’S
BOINGY BITS
REVEALED
control:
See a man take om/
tube.c
www.you
u
watch?v=ZF1t
X89t68
Taking back
control
After stuffing his KTM project with even
more power, John thought it best to make
sure it’ll get around the next bend...
K-Tech’s Michael Hancock
2014 KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R JOHN BENNETT dismantles, cleans and
measures the internals
I’D ARGUE THAT handling is even
more important than power. I’d rather
ride a bike with perfect poise and
100bhp than a 200bhp missile that
handles like a turd.
The Super Duke is not shit in the handling
department, but it isn’t as sharp as a Tuono Factory:
even allowing for the (now fixed) knackered tyres/
loose head bearings on my bike, I wasn’t 100% sold on
the handling: I was sure it could be better still.
So, with high hopes, I headed up north to K-Tech
Suspension near Derby with the Duke in tow. I had
heard very good things about them, so was sure they
could dial the Duke in exactly where I wanted it. They
get the highest accolade editor Chris has to offer – they nuisance (I may not have succeeded...) Michael set
‘know their shit’, apparently... about stripping the shock once it was prised out; I
James and Michael set about the bike. Removing the hadn’t seen shock internals before and was surprised by
shock and forks proved rather more tricky than the complex array of shims and washers used to restrict
expected as the rear shock decided it was happy where oil flow through the piston. It soon became apparent
it was (where’s the mallet?). this suspension malarkey was actually rather complex
I’ll hold my hands up – I’m no suspension expert. and the chances of me learning anything useful for
OK, I understand the absolute basics: preload, rebound, STORY SO FAR home fettling were more or less zero.
compression... it can’t be much harder than that, right? John – who only exists Michael carefully cleaned each shim and recorded
As it turns out, there’s a lot more to it than that. in the digital realm – the sizing and order. He reckons most OE suspension
finally sorts his
I’m a keen tinkerer, so I was determined to use the ‘practical’ Super
set-ups often have too much rebound, and the KTM was
opportunity to ask as many questions as possible and Duke’s suspension no exception, so a re-valve was recommended. The
pick the brains of the experts without becoming a shimming was changed to adjust how the oil flows

Stubborn shock got a

much needed re-valve
was completed and the suspension is very much

improved. It wasn’t a thorough test as I was bedding in
the Pirelli Rosso IIIs I’ve also fitted over winter on
slippery roads, but first impressions are promising. I’m
looking forward to evaluating it properly on dry roads.
At £170 for the fork work and £150 for the shock it’s
not a huge amount of money considering the specialist
tools, not to mention the experience, that goes into such
James and Michael a meaningful improvement. At that price, it’s well
consider taking a lump worth leaving to the experts, and based on my first
hammer to the rear shock experience, it’s something I’ll invest in on all my
machines in the future.
through the piston. I thought perhaps there was some

special formula or computer program where you input One day with the experts
and the Duke’s sorted
your specifications and it outputs the correct valving
requirements (that’s a bloody good idea, where’s those
Dragon Den contact details?) But it’s all based on
experience, so there’s no hope of me becoming a
suspension expert just from watching over their
shoulders for an afternoon.
Attention was then turned to the forks. James had
bounce-tested them (old fashioned feel and experience
again) and declared them wooden, with monstrous
levels of rebound as standard. The Duke is no budget
motorcycle; I just cannot fathom why the forks come
with no preload adjustment. This means that without
changing the springs (which nobody makes for the
unusual fitment) or using internal spacers, there is no
way the forks can be dialled in for heavier or lighter
riders. This was a disappointment, but Michael’s magic
revalving skills have at least got the damping working
as it should be.
I’ve had a single, brief ride on the bike since the work
‘I went to pick their brains

without being a nuisance.
I may not have succeeded’

BATHAMS RACING’S S1000RR AND YZF-R3
Looking for
an edge (and
pushed to it)
Bathams Racing have been testing – and
having their nerves tested by the challenges
of setting up a new team...
Photography Andy Saunders
It was a solid day of tyre

ALEC TAGUE BATHAMS RACING BRITISH toil for Rutter, and of 20
SUPERSTOCK/ROAD RACING wheel changes for Alec...
IT’S BEEN a bloody hard month –

ultimately successful, but at the end of
March I’d only seen the wife for three
days in the last couple of months.
Hopefully she’ll still be there when
I eventually get home...
We had a really successful test at Castle Combe with
Metzeler in preparation for the road race season –
testing both treaded and slick tyres, and two new rears
in particular. Until the HP4 test (p18), Rutter hadn’t
ridden a bike since Macau, so we sent him out on the WHO ARE
K2 front/K1 rear combination he’s used before to get BATHAMS RACING?
him settled. Then the hard work began...
Alec runs Rutter’s bikes
During a single day, I changed wheels 20 times – out from the Bathams
of the bike, to the tyre fitter, then another thrown in at brewery. This year,
each end. Bear in mind it was just me and Michael – he Bathams Racing is set
was removing and fitting calipers in his riding gear to up as a standalone
team, with plenty of
help me turn the bike around quicker. We didn’t even
blood and sweat. And
have an awning – it was just us, running out of the back a charity kebab...
of a borrowed Transit. Meanwhile, Tyco and Silicone
Engineering were there with an artic truck and pop-out
awnings. God knows what they thought of us scraping and puts up with standing outside at tests...
around on the concrete. We could spend that sort of No special awnings or We tried every combination of compound and
cosy artic for Alec and
money, but we’d have to choose between top level bikes Michael; they were keeping construction we could – even treaded/slicks together,
or top level hospitality. So Michael gets the good bikes it real for the tyre test just to see the effect it would have.
The two new rear slicks were interesting – the first
one Michael tried was good, but he really liked the
second one. “That’s the best rear I’ve ever used,” he
reckoned when he came in after a five-lap run. Metzeler
sent him back out to test longevity, so he was out for a
while. It gave more edge grip, decking everything out
everywhere, but it was also more stable, and the new
carcass worked the shock less. It gave grip right up until
it was knackered and falling apart – during the realistic
life of the tyre it didn’t fade. There is a question mark
over whether it will do two laps of the Senior, but we’ll
have the option of running it at the North West 200,
with a slight change to keep the centre from
overheating at speed, so we’ll know then. If we can run
it on the Island, it will allow us to run a better shock
setting – as it is K-Tech are changing the shock piston
for us, so we could make a significant gain there.
We’ve also been testing a mechanical change for the

‘If we can run this tyre
at the Isle of Man, it will allow
us to run a better shock setting’
Inset, top: New tyre warmers Superstock bike with a new technical partner: it’s early
that also warm the alloy rims
were a breakthrough
days but it could really help. More on that soon, don’t
want to give the game away before it’s tested fully...
One gain I will tell you about now is tyre warmers.
I’ve used loads down the years – most are good, some
will only get a tyre to 70°C when you set them to
110°C... We were contacted by Kippax Moto about their
Thermal Technology Evo Tri Zone warmers. They are
the best I’ve ever used – hand on heart, and I promise
they aren’t paying us – we’ve actually bought them with
the usual racer discount.
They have a lip that folds over the wheel rim to heat
that, too – the extra heat and insulation makes all the
difference, and they get right up to track temperature.
Most warmers are close, but on track they’ll gain a few
psi more. These raised the front (from cold) by 4psi,
and the rear 6psi – exactly as I’d expect on circuit.
So what’s the benefit from that? Tyre life: if you can
set them precisely, treaded tyres especially, you can get
the maximum from them. The all-enclosing design will
“Don’t worry, Michael, you
struggle along with those be great for Superstock – we can’t power warmers on
coffees – I’ve got the tyres” the grid, we can only refit them as insulation, but

‘Michael reckoned
one of the new slicks
was the best rear tyre
he’d ever used’
Yep, fair to say the new

Metzelers are grippy
wrapping hot warmers around them fully will make a OK, Rutter did muck in a
little. And provided plenty of
big difference in keeping the heat in. Michael should feedback to Metzeler
start the race on hotter, correctly set tyres.
Sounds good doesn’t it? If you fancy a set, PB readers
get a 10% discount. They’re serious kit so not cheap, but
using the code below will give you a handy saving if
you’re serious about racing, or trackdays.
Anyway, I’m no salesman. I’m also not much of a
truck fitter, but I had to have a go at that, too. Our new
trailer had some issues that saw me spending hours
lying in the snow and ice sorting it. I finished at 9pm,
and went for a dirty kebab to reward myself. As my while I nipped back for the wallet I’d left in the unit.
donner meat and chips slid over the counter, I realised “Now then love, we get plenty of folks who don’t have
I’d forgotten my wallet: I told the girl to keep it warm much round here. You’ve tried it on, and I’ll let you have
it for free this time, but I’ll remember you!” I couldn’t
believe it – I must have looked a right state, in filthy
overalls, covered in grease and hanging out of my arse
at 9pm on a Sunday. I went back later with the £3.90!
The best of this was we had to have a CCTV security
system installed: Michael was watching me and
TYRE WARMER mechanic Fred toiling away on the floor... from the pub,
DISCOUNT with a pint on the go, with his missus. Bastard.
Enter the code
By the time you read this, we’ll have had a few more
MRPB2018 before
December 2018 at weeks of frantic team and bike preparation, and round
www.kippax-moto.co. one at Donington will have passed: when it does, I’m
uk for 10% off Thermal taking some time off for my wedding anniversary, if the
Technology warmers wife hasn’t run off when I get back. If she has, then
and Windstoppers. Michael best find some money in the budget to
You’re welcome...
compensate me for the house I’ll lose in the divorce!

THE GARAGE / RACE BIKES
Getting a taste for it

Rutter’s young gun gets his first test on the Supersport 300 bike
Harris says the brakes will
2017 YAMAHA YZF-R3 HARRIS BEECH take some getting used to
BRITISH SUPERSPORT 300
I GOT MY first taste of the Bathams
Racing Yamaha on the practical part of
my ACU licence test. It was a very cold
day at Donington so I only did as much
riding as I needed to – as it was, we
found I’d grown out of my leathers over winter so I had
to borrow a pair of my dad’s!
I’ve ridden a friend’s KTM RC390 Cup bike, so had an
He’s saddled with the
idea what to expect, but the biggest bike I’ve spent time novice bib for 10 separate
on before that is a MiniGP bike, with 12in wheels and a race days. But hopefully
maximum speed of 70mph. The Yamaha on 17s and not his dad’s leathers...
making more than 100mph was a big adjustment.
I got comfortable on it pretty quickly, although I think it
will take me a while to use the best of the brakes – the
minibikes don’t need good brakes, so they’re not that
sharp. The Yamaha might look basic next to Michael’s means the difference between racing or not – we just
BMWs in the workshop but they felt sensitive to me. didn’t have the money for a bike and all the entry costs,
It also took me a while to get used to the size of the so I wouldn’t be racing if it wasn’t for them.
track, too – it’s twice as wide (or more) than the tracks I’m They’ve been great to be involved with – there’s no
used to racing on, so I’ll have to make sure that I use it all STORY SO FAR pressure on me so far; this year is about learning the
and carry the speed. I did start adjusting pretty quickly, Bathams Racing tracks and what Michael can teach me (the section on
though – I was supposed to be taking it easy but I was provide the funds, grid girls might be best left until you’re 18 – CN), then if
soon going faster and taking a stab back at people who’d Rutter provides the they still want me for 2019 that will be the year for getting
wisdom and the team,
overtaken me earlier... results. Although I’m moving into the class alongside
and backs a local
It’s mad to be out there, racing in Michael Rutter’s team hotshot kid in Brit Lewis Jones, who won the MiniGP championship the year
with the support of Bathams. It means so much and it’s Supersport 300. before I did, so my first target will be to beat him. And
not the sort of thing I thought would happen to me. It then as many people as possible...

USED, ABUSED, RATED
10 10 Whitey is ‘The Germinator’:

sent back in time to prevent
the birth of Bernard Matthews
Eye Loupe set

HOW LONG FOREVER COST IF YOU PAY MORE THAN A FIVER, THEY SAW YOU COMING CONTACT TAX-DODGING GLOBAL SALES WEBSITES
I BET YOU didn’t know these especially if you’ve ever had to cut fibreglass
things were called eye loupes, bodywork, but they also come in handy for
eh? They’re usually the reading shims, removing pins from electrical
preserve of those telling you connectors, examining bulb filaments,
the jewellery that granny left checking carb jets are clear, and any other
you in her will is worthless crap from Argos. excuse you need to look at what’s under your
But every good mechanic knows the value a fingernails in 10x magnification (useful at
set of these brings to your arsenal of tools you toilet time, then... – CN). Make sure you get a
won’t need every day, but will prove useful, set with 5x magnification included because
even if it’s just for getting splinters out. that’s the most useful.
That is what you’ll use them for the most, Mark White

THE GARAGE / KIT REVIEWS
POR 15 tank sealer kit

HOW LONG EIGHT YEARS COST £50 FOR A KIT CONTACT WWW.FROST.CO.UK
THE USED tank I found for following the instructions to the letter –
my RGV was straight but with maybe it wasn’t fully dried between stages.
a coat of surface rust Whatever, it’s now flaking in places
threatening to block carbs (although not all over – it seems ethanol isn’t
forever. I’d used this kit from Frost necessarily the issue), exposing steel which
Restorations before to good effect, so I went is suffering light corrosion again. It’s
through the process of using the three notoriously difficult to remove: I’m now
bottles (rust remover, cleaner and sealant) to faced with a dilemma with what to do about
make my tank good for years to come. a tank with great paintwork but in need of
And it worked... sort of. Largely, it has
survived: but this application didn’t spread
help inside. I’d be cautious about using it
again – be bloody diligent with the 9 10
and adhere as effectively as before. I suspect instructions if you do.
Plasti-Kote
it’s probably my own fault for not quite Chris Newbigging
5 10 enamel paints
HOW LONG EIGHT YEARS COST £6-8 PER CAN
CONTACT DIY STORES
I WOULDN’T be without a stash of these
aerosol paints at my disposal for smaller
tidying/restorations: I first used them on my
RGV project for the subframes, top yoke and
side covers, amongst many other things. And
the applications have largely survived to this day: the clutch
needed a second coat when I spilt a lot of fuel on it. It didn’t
wash off, but it did streak a bit.
The other areas have proved a resilient finish, with no wear
or rusting through, and they don’t require priming or a clear
coat, which appeals to my lazier side... This particular tin is a
specific metal treatment, but the regular stuff is just as good,
and the fast-dry silver is a nice finish, too – if you want a
not-too-shiny OE style finish, these are a great budget
Flakiness is evident
option. And, as long as you don’t paint in cold conditions, it
in many areas goes on evenly, too.
Chris Newbigging
Sidi Vortice sole

replacements 8 10
HOW LONG THREE MONTHS COST £22.99
CONTACT WWW.SIDISELECT.CO.UK
OVER A period of two years, footpegs had
routed a hole in the sole of my boots, until I
was left slipping all over the bike during last
year’s PB tyre test.
Scrap the boots then? Not quite: genuine replacement
soles are an unusual but effective spare part that will see
them going for a while longer, rather than see me drop
another £300 on a fresh pair.
It’s arguable whether the short life of the
BEFORE
originals is good enough in the first
place: but like tyres, I’ll take grip over
wear rate every time, and they’re sold
as a track boot so it’s a neat solution
to a common wear spot. The only
issue is the rest of the sole and heel
aren’t replaceable and noticeably
worn down, too, so the prolonged Almost like new, for £23
life is definitely finite. per boot. Not too shabby
John McAvoy

LONG-TERMERS THE LATEST ON PB’S TEST BIKES
Delivered
on a promise
Chris reckons the 1290 Super Duke
might be the first KTM he’d be happy to
live with. Only one way to find out... MONTH
ONE
Photography Chippy Wood
018 KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R CHRIS NEWBIGGING

KTMS SHOULD BE everything I want
in a bike. Big, torquey V-twin? Check.
Proper chassis? Check. Looks that make
you turn around for a final gaze?
Check. But there’s always been
something that stopped me really wanting one, or
TFT screen is almost
being able to recommend them in the course of testing too bright at night
and reviewing bikes.
They were 90-percenters: when the last 10% of
development was done, they’d be great bikes... They
were bikes perfect for the laziest of journalists: great for
a thrash and worthy of a five-star rating, performance-
wise, but they’d come undone the more you picked.
Something I’ve often pointed out, to the point where
I was asked why I hate KTMs so much. I don’t: they’re
just so close to being bikes that I love that the irritating
faults they had were even more frustrating.
However, I believe they now have their finger out of
their arse, and have sorted the finicky details that can
easily ruin ownership. I said just that on the launch of
the second-generation 1290 Super Duke. Now I’m
putting it to the test: this big black throbber is between
my thighs for the year...
Heated grips aside, it’s in base spec and not loaded to
the gunnels with accessories and options. Exactly as Mr
Paying Customer might have it: the perfect start point
to see if it bridges the gap between journalist thrash toy,
and a wise buy for the man with £14,000 to spend. Even during the running-in
period, the 1290 is showing
signs of its potential
‘It’s still good for 120mph
within KTM’s own Fuelling – one of the major gripes with just about
running-in instructions’ every previous LC8 twin – is good. No snatchy
response, no annoying surging at cruising revs.
Seems they’ve finally taught it some manners.
The spacious riding position suits me – it’s a bit blowy
I’ve quickly racked up 300 miles in the single week above 90mph, but it’ll do my core strength wonders.
I’ve had it, and I’m getting to know it already. And so Cruise control is fab, easing that strain by allowing you
far, I like it plenty, despite the running-in instructions to relax your right hand. The heated grips are great,
(which I’ve adhered to in the name of giving it every too; hot enough to keep my fingers working on a
chance to prove itself robust – spinning a shell before miserable, near-freezing late night ride. I like the clarity
the first service would be a bit twattish). of the TFT dash, though it can be a bit bright at night,
The 1301cc lump makes 100lb.ft of torque at the and I’ve yet to find a brightness control.
6500rpm limit, so for the purposes of just getting The pillion seat has fabric loops to pull out and use as
somewhere (mostly office/home and a work a luggage anchor, and a rubber-lined compartment to
appointment 60 miles away so far), it has plenty to offer store your phone. Handy for pocketless leathers this
– it’s still good for 120mph within KTM’s instructions. summer. It smacks of a bike thought out to the finest
That’s already excessive on late winter roads... detail, a new compliment for me assessing a KTM.

THE GARAGE / TEST BIKES
Handy pocket for your

mobile under pillion seat
TC and wheelie control

are either ‘on’ or ‘off’
It isn’t quite perfect, mind. The pegs are wheelie control and traction control are
too low – more knee bend would take rigidly linked: both on or off. The
some weight off your backside and opportunity for a wheelie or 63, without
naturally brace them against the wind. As disengaging the safety net for the torquiest
it is, your rump gets sore bearing all your motor seen in anything this side of a
weight, and your legs spread in the breeze. heavyweight tourer or cruiser, isn’t much to
They’re a proven limitation on track, too. ask. There are a few areas on the motor that
Without the Performance Pack, there’s no look unfinished, too.
quickshifter. Paying £388.57 to your dealer But broadly speaking it finally delivers all
enables it (plus the Bluetooth connectivity and Quickshifter will be that KTM promise. I’m planning to brighten up
engine braking control) with simple electronic enabled at first service the appearance of mine (I’d have opted for the
code. I’ve been promised it at the first service once the white/orange as a paying customer; all black is a bit too
gearbox is bedded in. I can sort of understand that, but sombre), and in contrast to John B’s drastic course of
as the bike has those functions and components winter mods to make his 2014 model work properly, I’ll
integrated anyway, it still seems a bit tight to charge to be looking for more cost-effective performance mods to
simply unlock them. Likewise, the £291.37 Track Pack’s enhance a bike that already feels like it was worth
finer electronic adjustment options – as standard, £14,000 of someone’s cash in the first place.

THE GARAGE / TEST BIKES
Fuel pump was pissing

unleaded all over the cases,
like a tiny plastic racehorse. MONTH
TEN
Plastic securing clips

were undamaged
Middle-aged man in flap

causes disc lock ding
You ungrateful little…

Editor hands his sorted GSX-R to art editor, who
immediately breaks it. That’s gratitude for you
2017 SUZUKI GSX-R1000R AUSTIN SMITH both sides of the bike, down the cases and over my feet.
I turned it back off, and took a look for anything
THE FIRST TWO days on Chris’s obvious, but it was coming from within the bowels of
hand-me-down GSX-R were great: since the bike. Pushed for time, I had to put it away, discard
my 2017 Super Duke GT was returned, my unleaded-soaked gear and take the car.
I’ve been riding my 1997 VFR750 hack. I didn’t feel confident poking around under the tank
I’ll never knock it, but it always feels so on someone else’s bike in my unlit shed, so Whitey
flat and uninspiring after just about every test bike I’ve (who’ll do anything for a fiver – anything...) fetched
ridden. Remember that picture of Trev Franklin riding and ran his experienced, bony fingers over it.
one in a flat cap with a pipe on the go? The old Honda As it happens, I could have done it – lifting the tank
does that to you – I end up plodding along, the only requires two trim panels and the seat off to allow
enjoyment of being on a bike ebbing away. the tank to pivot up on its rear mount. Speculation was
His Suzuki snapped me out of it just as I was rife: a forgotten clip on a fuel hose, or a pressurised line
contemplating IAM courses and lobbying my councillor split, or the short, hard to fit top injector feed not quite
for lower speed limits... The buzzing, snarling Suzuki is fitted properly, were all suggested as the cause.
firm, sharp and exciting, even on wet roads. Everything As it turned out, it was simple human error at the last
is so direct, I was much more confident in the crap service. The main feed from the fuel pump has a
conditions. My squidgy old Honda leaves the exact grip dry-break type fitting, and the plastic clips hadn’t been
available in some doubt, but the GSX-R, on Bridgestone engaged properly – it can only have been held in place
S21s, is sticking to the road and letting you know it’s by the interference between the two parts. The
OK. It’s nice to have the comfort of the electronics, but it pressure from the pump had taken a while to eventually
hasn’t intervened with traction control or ABS yet. push the tube off, allowing the pump to spray freely
It was all going great, until I wheeled it out and under the tank. Whitey refitted it, and triple checked
turned it on to ride to work a few mornings later. The the clips have retained their integrity (they have), and
dash lit up, the fuel pump whirred... fuel jetted out that there’s no way another component could press on
them and allow them to slip off (there isn’t).
‘I’ve carefully superglued Simple human error: a fate that befell the GSX-R a
second time, when I went to move the bike and forgot
the broken chips of front the disc lock I’d fitted. So I’ve carefully superglued the
mudguard back on’ broken chips of mudguard back on. Sorry Chris, I
promise to look after it better now (know what a P45 is?
You soon will – CN).

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T IME T O
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Press pause once in a while
and curl up with your favourite magazine.
To find out more about Press Pause, visit;
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ROADN RACE SUPPLIES
MODIFYING GUIDE
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We are able to repair a full range of Race Exhausts and/or
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Motorcycle Dyno
Testing
Power Runs
Carb Setups
Alloy and stainless
Power Commanders steel welding and
fabrication service
Suzuki ECU Setup on site
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Tel: 07810 428344 www.mkdyno.com
CHE A P It’s more than a
THRILLS
match for most
middlweight twins
of the era
or
Celebrating mot rg
best used ba
Motor thrives on
Less than £3000
revs, and loves a
gets you one in
flick of the clutch
decent nick
2006-2010 | 84.5bhp | 139mph
BMW F800S
Budget-friendly leftfield European sports twin with a drive belt, not cambelts...
RELIABLE, WELL-MADE minded 2018 motorcyclist population.
sportsbike from the quality-
obsessed perverts at BMW
The parallel twin likes revs,
thrashing along with a raspy, metallic STUFF TO KNOW
usually means a weirdo exhaust note not unlike a Boxer’s (in a Recalls Rear wheel bearings on early bikes had overly-
R1100/1200S Boxer, or a face-eating good way). It has reasonable torque at tight tolerances leading to binding. A tank breather pipe
S1000RR inline four. There’s nothing the bottom, in a Direct Access-friendly is prone to kinking, causing the underseat tank to swell
between the deliberately weird and kind of way, but you’re best off and touch the tyre. Check they’ve been done.
intentionally ordinary... apart from revving the knackers off it. Engine paint Finish isn’t great: the cases corrode and
the oft-forgotten F800S. When you do, you’ll be pleased to paint falls off. Worth protecting and maintaining to
Think of it as a more upmarket find it doesn’t have crummy two- prevent it getting very scabby. A fender extender helps
alternative to an SV650 or ER-6, with piston brakes or pogo-stick suspension cut flying debris and filth attacking it in the first place.
more power and higher spec, but still – four-pot Brembos stop it well, and Drive belt Needs a tension check every 6000 miles,
user-friendly, versatile and thrashable. the suspension isn’t bad (conventional and supposedly requires replacement at 25,000. Belts
BMW built them with born-agains in forks – no dive-dodging systems here), can be had for £160, but a complete kit with pulleys is
mind: people who wanted something though there’s plenty of room for £850... We’d be checking condition/wear in the parts
quick and fun without the fear of a improvement if you’re really on it. and replacing only when it needs it for that money.
ham-fisted highside. Their relative obscurity means WHAT TO PAY
It failed on that front: born-agains they’re now under £3000, which puts
still bought whatever the hell they
wanted, and either got on with it or
them directly in competition with a
650 twin in any sort of decent nick,
MINT: £4500 ROUGH: £1800
BEST MODIFICATION
stuffed it in a hedge. That shouldn’t but with better components and a
Owners like Remus cans, which smooth the power a
detract from the F800S, though: it’s a sportier overall demeanour. You may little as well as adding peak power. A PCIII helps sort
fun and useful bike that was probably well be looking at bikes with snatchy fuelling, but the standard lean fuelling means
a bit expensive and soft for its time, 30-40,000 miles on, but they’ll stand high mpg figures, and a Power Commander cuts range.
but more suited to the broader- it shown proper maintenance.

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PANIGALE V4 ON THE ROAD

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78 THE MOD SQUAD

14 MAILBOX 32 BMW TECH 106 CHEAP THRILLS

35 Shane Byrne on the men who are out to

43 86 2008 HONDA FIREBLADE

MAY 2018 | PERFORMANCEBIKES.CO.UK 5

KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R

Chris Phone from the UK on 01858 438 884

Newbigging NEXT ISSUE ON SALE

MAY 2018 | PERFORMANCEBIKES.CO.UK 7

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8 PERFORMANCEBIKES.CO.UK | MAY 2018

DUNLOP TO SUZUKI: “NO, THANKS” FAREWELL,

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10 PERFORMANCEBIKES.CO.UK | MAY 2018

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12 PERFORMANCEBIKES.CO.UK | MAY 2018

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14 PERFORMANCEBIKES.CO.UK | MAY 2018

Johnny enjoys the Speed

Where’s the Yam gone?

MAY 2018 | PERFORMANCEBIKES.CO.UK 15

WHO IS JEREMY McWILLIAMS?

Ex-250 and 500 GP racer Jezza is also a KTM

Skids and low-speed spills The KTM team pose

MAY 2018 | PERFORMANCEBIKES.CO.UK 17

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BATHAMS MACAU BMW S1000RR BMW S1000RR

18 PERFORMANCEBIKES.CO.UK | MAY 2018

MAY 2018 | PERFORMANCEBIKES.CO.UK 19

I Valencia, testing the then new Fireblade

we have got hold of a bike that I’m very familiar with.

2 Fully adjustable rear

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20 PERFORMANCEBIKES.CO.UK | MAY 2018

Slick-shod road bike was

hand with race rubber (especially on the super smooth,

MAY 2018 | PERFORMANCEBIKES.CO.UK 21

BMW HP4 Race

22 PERFORMANCEBIKES.CO.UK | MAY 2018

The front-endy HP4 makes

‘As I started to load it up a bit