Hotshots
HOTSHOTS
Ten Best Bitching
After reading this year’s “Ten Best Bikes” article (CW, July), it seems to me that you failed to include some of 2002’s best bikes. Did you know that Kawasaki makes a standard called the ZRX1200R, and that it would give the Suzuki V-Strom sore eyes from looking at its taillight all day? Also, Kawasaki has a sport-touring bike, the ZZ-R1200, which does not come stock with bags, but nonetheless is twice the sport-tourer the Yamaha FJR1300 is. Maybe the air in California is too polluted for your magazine to notice these fine machines. Here in Canada the air is just fine, and riding is a pleasure-especially when you have a ZRX or a ZZ-R beneath you. Roger Goetz Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Don’t happen to own a Kawasaki dealership do ya, Rog? We know about the ZRX; it’s a two-time Ten Best winner, and the Editor-in-Chief owns one and loves it. But the V-Strom is a better all-around bike. And the ZZ-R1200 twice as good as the FJR?! Maybe you need a little more smog in your diet.
The Suzuki GSX-R 1000 as Best Superbike? Please! Maybe “Best Street Superbike,” but definitely not Best Superbike. Question for you: If the World Superbike committee doesn’t recognize the GSX-R as a Superbike, how then can you name it the Best?
Since you are so fond of the Gixxer, put the bike where your mouth is. Your magazine has a habit of running versus articles, so how about this: GSX-R 1000 vs. Ducati 998? I think after that article has run, the title of Best Superbike will go to its rightful owner, Ducati.
Gen. R. Wigent, USMC (Ret.)
San Diego, California
Don’t get your G.I.-issue skivvies in a twist, General. The Best Superbike has nothing to do with racing. When CW’s Ten Best awards began in 1976, the term “superbike” referred to the hottest streetbikes of the day, so yes, it is a street category-headlights, turnsignals and lack of numberplates in the photos are all the hints most people need. Past winners include the
Yamaha V-Max, Suzuki Hayabusa and (yes) Ducati 916. Also, by now you’ve seen August’s 12-bike Supersport Shootout. No, the Ducati didn’t win. Of course, neither did the GSX-R1000...
So, the Best-Sport-Tourer FJR 1300 will “embarrass Gixxers and Whyziflfs on your favorite Sunday morning road,” huh? A 609-pound bagger with only 121 horses?! Guess what? It’s their favorite road, too! The GSXR1000 has 144 horses @437 pounds! The YZF-R1 has 137 horses @ 441 pounds. Have Mr. Cameron explain the physics of thrust-to-weight ratio. I ride an old ’88 Kawasaki Ninja 1000, and the only time a bagger has passed me is when I’m stopped for gas. This is right up there with cutting a deer in half with a V-Max. Yeah, right.
And the Harley V-Rod as Best Cruiser?! Maybe “Best Water-Cooled American Cruiser Designed by a German Company.” Michael J. Wagner
Lakeland, Florida
Hey, that’s “Best Aluminum-Bodied, Water-Cooled American Cruiser Designed by a German Company,” to you, bub. Besides, Porsche just helped tweak the engine; Willie G. and the boys handled the design. As to the Bambi-bifurcation, see page 24...
Hmmm, Cycle World has proven (as if there was any doubt) that your reviews are bought and paid for. How much did Suzuki pay you to pick the VStrom as Best Standard? What a joke!
Carl Williams Posted on www.cycleworld.com
Carl, you don’t know what you ’re talking about (as if there was any doubt). Advertising dollars had nothing to do with it. If they did, Honda (with 8 ad pages in the July issue), BMW (4), Yamaha (4) and Kawasaki (2) really got rooked, seeing as all Suzuki could squeeze out was one measly page.
Ten Rest
I just wanted to say that I did read what you guys said about the “Ten Rest” Kawasaki W650, (Up Front, July). Just picked up a leftover 2000 that was hiding in the comer of my local Kawasaki dealer. You’re right: This is a great bike. I love it! Nick Hunt Boston, Massachusetts
In his personal take on the Ten Best Bikes, Editor Edwards says the ’02 Yamaha YZF-
R1 has the year’s best-looking rear end? The tailsection looks like it was lifted off the F-l 17 Stealth Fighter, for Chrissakes! What about that taillight assembly? Business end of a Black & Decker Dustbuster! The lower fairing looks like a Mattel Shrinky-Dink (remember those?) that was left in the oven too long. Besides the Ducati 996, the ’00 R1 is the sexiest looking motorcycle on
the planet, and I’m not saying that just because I own one! Charles M. Dawson
Bentonville, Arizona
Yes, you are.
Streetbike supreme
Great job on the “World’s Best Streetbike” article (CW, July). It helped me make the decision to buy a new Honda >
Interceptor. The bike makes everyone who rides it a better pilot. The VTEC crossover is the coolest thing in the world. Kind of reminds me of that blower switch in the Mad Max movie. One fly in the ointment though: Where are the optional saddlebags that have been reported on, and are even listed on the Honda website? No one seems to have any information or pictures. This was a big selling point for the bike, so I’m a little disappointed. Michael Martin Coral Springs, Florida
Regarding the “World’s Best Streetbike,” I’ve got 2800 miles on my Aprilia Futura, bought new this past February, and I love the bike. No complaints about your evaluation-a couple of little nits, though. If you don’t like the “flat-black Stealth Fighter” look, buy one in red. I’ve gotten many comments on the color, all of them positive. The bike positively glows when the sun is out. Have to agree that the on/off mechanism for the bags is a little clunky, but at least they are there, unlike the empty promises everyone has gotten from Honda. Rob Haines
Fairfax, Virginia
Despite our repeated requests for information about the Interceptor’s alledged luggage, as of presstime Honda still had no clue as to availability or price.
Having owned at least one of every iteration of VFR since 1990, and riding them the way they were intended to be ridden, I feel qualified to comment on your choice of World’s Best Streetbike. While I’d like to see Honda incorporate some of the RC51’s serious hardware (brakes, suspension, cam gear drive) into the VFR instead of the GollyGeeWiz technomarketing nonsense it currently uses, I
firmly believe in the VFR concept-that concept to be the world’s best streetbike. Over the last decade and a half, nobody has executed that concept better than Honda. Until now: The best VFR is no longer a Honda, it’s an Aprilia Falco.
Next time you do such a comprehensive test, and can’t manage to get a Falco, let me know. You can borrow mine.
Michael Cook Blooming Grove, New York
I guess I think differently when I hear the word “streetbike.” Technically, I suppose anything with turnsignals and a head-
light is a streetbike, but when I think streetbikes, I think standards. Yamaha’s FZ1 is a perfect example. I own a Kawasaki ZXR1200, and I believe it to be the best streetbike you can buy. I can’t wait to see the Naked Bike Shootout, which must be coming soon: FZ1, Speed Triple and Speed Four, 919, V-Strom and Bandit, Monster, V11 Goose and my beloved Z-Rex. Now that would be a streetbike shootout! James Ward
Grand Rapids, Michigan
About Megan Wenski’s “Vroom for Two” article accompanying the Best Streetbike shootout: Next time do your homework! I own a new Honda Interceptor. When I bought it, it was delivered with the passenger grabrails installed. All the articles I read on the Interceptor show the bike without the rails. It must be a photo thing, or the way Honda delivers its testbikes.
I love the way my Interceptor rides, handles and performs. Glad Cycle World agrees. Craig Butler
St. Charles, Missouri
Not Megan s fault; she was just working on info provided. Our VFR testbike arrived with the rear-seat cowl, but no
grabrails. Both are stock, but Honda neglected to include the passenger holds. Maybe they were with the saddlebags?
Wanted to commend you for including Ms. Wenski’s nicely presented observations from the co-pilot’s perspective. I was glad to see the V-Strom (why not just DL1000?) getting so many kudos from so many different directions. It’s the bike I’ve got my eye on, and may be my next ride. Jay Blackburn
Santa Rosa, California
More Megan! Why not have her do a sidebar for every testbike? I even have a name for her column, Pillion Talk.
Richard Montgomery Fairfield, Connecticut
No wonder the Triumph did so poorly on your handling course. It had 35 pounds of luggage on it! This bike will easily outhandle the others if its luggage is removed-or if you add 35 pounds to the rear seat of any of the other bikes.
John Lorenz Posted on www.cycleworld.com
Not so: All the sport-tourers-Triumph
Sprint, Ducati ST4S, Aprilia Futura, BMW RS-had their luggage removed prior to attacking the handling course.
I enjoyed your coverage of the Buell XB9R in the “World’s Best Streetbike” article. I found the opinions informative and mostly unbiased, except for a few cases.
Firstly, I don’t understand how Mr. Canet was able to find so much fault in the Buell Firebolt XB9R. According to him, reporting the results of his “How’s She Handle?” timed street course, the new Buell “requires constant input,” is “like wrestling a pit bull through the slalom,” and insists on “standing up while braking.”
Reading his description, one would think the bike virtually unrideable through the twisties in any aggressive manner. Funny how such a supposedly difficult bike was able to match (within .07-second) the time of the handling course’s first-place bike, CWs pick for Best Middleweight Streetbike of 2002, the Honda CBR600F4i-a bike with 10 more horsepower, and according to Canet possessing “light, neutral handling” and “perfectly balanced suspension and brakes.” >
I also question the contrived list of “Downs” for the XB9R:
“The front brake needs better feel.” For a racebike, maybe; but for a streetbike that can match the world’s best middleweight on a handling course, why?
“Not for the one-bike owner.” Why not? Does OF have any clue how many American motorcyclists put less than 3000 miles on their bikes every year? Not every biker wants to ride two-up and/or for miles on end.
“Drop swingarm, replace drivebelt at 15,000 miles.” Does the swingarm really need to be “dropped” to replace the belt? I think not. It has a removable joint to facilitate belt changes.
“Useless mirrors.” That statement is outright exaggeration! When the bike is parked, you can use them to check for helmet hair...
CW is an American publication, right? Buell is the only American sportbike manufacturer. I agree that the Firebolt is not the best all-around streetbike, but how about showing Buell some respect?
Blake Rudy
Kilgore, Texas
How about a more balanced perspective, Blake? Try a few more Buell quotes from the same article: “What a delightful surprise!” or “Wow! It’s like the whole machine is carved from billet! Solid, compact, no lag, no hesitation, motor pulls from all over... ” or “It’s the best Buell by far and probably the most advanced chassis in sport motorcycling.” As to Canet’s comments from the handling course, the Buell is simply more high-effort than bikes such as the CBR600. Quick and accurate, though, and as Don said, “The XB9R proves that it can run with the best-handling sportbikes in the world, just like Erik Buell claimed.”
Hats off to Erik Buell for meeting his goal of building a literbike that will run with 600cc supersports like the F4i, at least on the “under-100-mph” handling course Cycle World laid out. That 12.21second quarter-mile time would probably beat my 55-year-old wife on her 600 Bandit, too. Nice going, Erik.
Ron Haugen Mobile, Alabama
Deer, oh, deer
Just finished reading your July, 2002, issue and was surprised by all the letters in the Hotshots column calling Mad Max owner Leonard Ochs a storyteller for saying it’s possible to split a deer in
half with a motorcycle. Well, quite frankly, it is possible. I know, because I’ve done it!
Back when I was 17, riding my ’82 Yamaha Virago 920, I crested a hill at about 65 mph and started down. With dusk’s low light it was nearly impossible to see the deer that had jumped out from the side of the road. Once I stopped sliding and realized I was mostly okay (thank God for leather), I got up and looked around. At my feet were the head and front torso of a four-point deer. A good way down the road were the rear legs and hindquarters of the animal along with my motorcycle. I was covered in blood and guts, but just happy to be alive, and thankful that no cars were coming the other way. Jeff Gatcha Bel Air, Maryland.
Three years ago, 75 miles per hour, sixpoint buck crosses my path. Hit it where the rear legs attach to back. I learned to fly. The bike kept going and was found 600 feet down the road. Deer was in two pieces at the point of contact. All of this done with an ’83 Honda GL650 Silver Wing. What can I say? It can be done. Although I don’t recommend it.
Tim Cunnien Lancaster, New Hampshire
To your doubting readers, I offer this: I cannot corroborate Ochs’ other claims, but I can attest to the fact that a fullgrown deer can be split into halves by a motorcycle.
On a hot July morning about 1:30 a.m., I was aboard my 1978 Kawasaki Zl-R, glanced down to check my gauges and suddenly became airborne. I soon made ground contact and slid to a stop. Wandering around in the dark, I found the Z. It wouldn’t roll because the front tire was wedged between exhaust pipes 2 and 3.1 was pissed and confused as to why I had crashed.
Then an oncoming car stopped to help. I told the driver of my confusion. His response, “You didn’t see the deer? Or what’s left of it! The head and shoulders are in the middle of the road and the hindquarters are off to the side.”
It’s basic physics. A sharp-pointed object (relatively speaking), weighing at least 650 pounds (rider inclusive), traveling at a velocity of 178 feet per second, impacts a static malleable surface.
Hell, if the fork tubes hadn’t bent, I’d have bloody ridden the Z1 home.
Mitchell Rhine
Long Beach, New York □
