Triple X Maximum Blackbire
TRIPLE X MAXIMUM BLACKBIRE
NICK IENATSCH
MARK MOISAN CAME TO NATIONAL ATTENTION THREE years ago when his turbocharged Suzuki GSXR1100 streetbike blew through an FIM-certified speed trap at 229 mph. At that time, Moisan had nothing to sell and represented no shop, manufacturer or enterprise, other than himself and his ability to build and tune a turbobike.
His GSX-R used a variety of different manufacturers’ pieces, integrated to produce an amazingly civilized beast in
an arena of brutes not noted for driveability. But for Moisan, that quality was paramount because, as the Floridian said,
“Hey, this is my streetbike.” We slapped him on the back and told him he oughta be in business.
Well, the doors are now open.
Moisan’s American Turbo Systems was launched in early 1997, and Cycle World waited impatiently for the company’s first product. As dirtbike fans filed into Daytona Speedway for Bike Week’s annual Saturday Supercross, we met Moisan about eight miles west of the speedway for the first ride on a machine any nitro-blooded American hot-rodder would love to own: a turbocharged version of Honda’s speedy CBRl 100XX.
At first glance, ATS’s boosted Blackbird appears no different from the production version. Aside from the aftermarket exhaust (Moisan’s collector with a D&D muffler), no telltale signs hint at what lurks within, until you notice the additional “X” on the fairing and get close enough to spot some extra hardware through the fairing vent. You get an idea of Moisan’s intent when you eye the aluminum air-toair intercooler in front of the stock radiator, but those visual thrills don’t compare to the first twist of the throttle.
“Do whatever you want with it,” Moisan said. We pulled out our radar gun.
Florida’s flatness offered two miles of WFO acceleration, but the ATS Honda only needed half of that to run slightly
over 187 mph. Yeah, we hear your wheels turning: A production XX runs 174, so you’re buying 13 mph for the kit’s $4500? Or $346 per mph? Applying this thinking to the ATS Honda completely misses the beauty of the machine, however, and ignores the exact target Moisan aimed for and hit: massive midrange horsepower combined with production-bike driveability and minimal turbo lag.
This boy can build big horsepower and proved it with his 366-bhp GSX-R, as measured by the AMI dyno during Moisan’s victorious run at Speed Week 1997’s Brute
Horsepower Shootout. When building ATS’s first production kit, though, Moisan knew that while huge horsepower figures sound nice, street riders want no-hassle powerbands and
hair-straightening torque. “I want to build the best-carbureted turbo bikes in the world,” Moisan admitted. Our past experi-
ence with turbos has proven that goal is far tougher to reach than big dyno numbers.
A future version of the XXX might focus on pure ponies, but ATS’s first effort delivered a refined, midrange-heavy Honda that retained the inherent goodness of the production bike. Acceleration-the kind that shot the front tire off the ground in third gear despite the loss of five teeth from the stock gearing-is simply startling. Moisan has engineered a system that starts, idles and rides like a stocker, utilizing an adjustable-vane AeroCharger turbocharger, his own aluminum plenum box feeding reworked stock carburetors and a boost-sensitive fuel system. It’s all hidden under the stock bodywork and pulls together to produce more than 100 footpounds of torque at 5100 rpm, with a maximum of 140 footpounds at 7200, measured at the rear wheel. About 2000 rpm later, the 225-horsepower peak is reached, giving maximum output at a low 9500 rpm. Just for comparison, the stocker makes a grand total of 79 foot-pounds of torque at 7500 rpm and 135 bhp at 9500 rpm. If you’re having trouble fathoming these ink-on-paper numbers, believe me, they become significantly clearer from behind the XXX’s suddenly light handlebars.
The choice of the variable-vane AeroCharger compressor means almost instant boost, and while Moisan feels a change of cam timing would pull the horsepower peak farther up the rev band, he’s intent on selling a bolt-on kit that doesn’t need internal engine modifications. The relatively small compressor makes boost as low as 3400 rpm, and we found the combination delightful for anywhere this side of the Bonneville Salt Flats. Moisan left the engine completely stock, with the exception of heftier clutch springs, and limited turbo boost to a manageable maximum of 10 pounds, another indication of his street intentions. The tidy intercooler helps fight heat by cooling the intake charge-during our street testing, the temp gauge hardly budged.
Moisan proved long ago that he could make head-spinning horsepower, and now he joins the ever-growing list of turbocharging experts intent on putting a boosted bike in every garage. His ATS system delivers everyday driveability, mondo torque and the ability to top 185 mph in under a mile, all wrapped into a package that resembles a stocker in looks and manners.
As a private citizen, Moisan exceeded his goal of building a 200-mph turbobike. As a business owner intent on delivering real-world turbo systems, he’s continuing that success.□
