Master Bike
MASTER BIKE
international track test of the year's best sportbikes
DON CANET
SPORTBIKE PICKINGS ARE SWEETER THAN ever this year with new models offered in each category. When speaking of track-bred performance bikes, there's always the question of which machine reigns supreme and how the rest rank in comparison. In recent months, Cycle World has tested several of the latest models individually and conducted a middleweight shootout. But without gathering all the key players together for a head-to-head comparison run under the same conditions and on the same stretch of road, the question remains as to which sportbike leads the pack.
Putting the contenders on the roadrace track and eliminating the variables is the goal of Master Bike, Europe’s most prestigious sportbike comparison. Organized by the world’s leading Spanish-language motorcycle magazine, Motociclismo, the annual event takes place each spring in sunny southern Spain. This year’s edition was conducted at the Circuito de Jerez, one of Europe’s premier Grand Prix venues and the site used two years ago when I participated in my first Master Bike. On-track performance is the focus of this test, with little consideration given to a bike’s street attributes. With that in mind, the outcome is best applied to settling bench-racing scores or choosing your next track-day weapon, as your realworld street-riding needs are better addressed elsewhere.
Our Spanish hosts rounded up 14 of this year’s hottest sportbikes, placing them into three categories: “Supersport,” consisting of a 750cc Twin and a quartet of 600cc Fours; “Superbike,” with a 750cc Four and a trio of lOOOcc Twins; and “Superstock,” consisting of four liter-class Fours and one Twin. Additionally, a pair ot high-dollar, limited-edition models made up the “Reference” category, the scores of which did not count toward the overall result. If your favorite bike didn’t make the grid, you might want to voice your complaint in Spanish, as OF was merely along for the ride.
Having witnessed the colossal effort put forth by the organizers, I’m not inclined to gripe about which bikes didn't make it into the test. Master Bike is truly an international affair, as the riders taking part this year represented 15 magazines distributed in 19 countries. The logistics of such an event are formidable, as are the costs, which rang-in at approximately $40,000. Over the course of the five-day flog, the bikes burned through nearly 600 gallons of pump gas and 260 tires. The regiment of riders, manufacturer representatives, support staff, video crew and photographers totaled 100 strong.
Master Bike boils down to the numbers-the most important of which is the almighty lap time. The bikes are equipped with transponders triggering the same timused during the Spanish GP. A speed trap also recorded peak velocity at the end of the circuit’s longest straight.
Before any official times were recorded, however, each bike was run on a dyno set up and manned by Motociclismo's technical staff in one of the pit garages. Power output and sound levels were verified to be within 3 percent of a bike’s homologated standard, eliminating the possibility of a ringer sneaking into the test. In addition, Bridgestone Battlax BT012SS sport radiais were mounted on every bike to ensure equal footing.
Manufacturer tinkering was limited to chassis setup prior to cutting us loose on their machines. The majority of the seven participating brands brought along a factory test rider to dial-in suspension and ride-height settings to suit the tires and the circuit.
Tires were a hot topic of discussion this year, as it was soon apparent that the level of grip provided by the Bridgestones was notably less than what we had experienced at Jerez in 2001 while running on Pirelli Super Corsa radiais. This was my first time sampling the new BT012SSs, and 1 must say that after riding 16 different bikes on these tires, they failed to impress. Rear-end slides, while controllable, were all too frequent, with the back end often breaking loose the moment the throttle was cracked open mid-comer.
Sparks flew off of mufflers and kickstands two years ago at Jerez, but this time out, cornering clearance wasn’t even a factor as little more than footpeg-
scratching lean angles were possible. On a positive note, the Bridgestones displayed very little deterioration in performance as they wore, which meant that being the second or third rider on a set of tires didn’t have a dramatic effect on lap times.
With two days of still photography and video in the can, day three saw the bikes roll out onto pit lane for the first of the timed sessions. The format had each rider logging five timed laps on all 16 bikes. Times were not announced until everyone had finished the full rotation. The bike that set the single quickest lap time in each of the three official categories then advanced to a final round of timed laps. The six fastest riders also advanced to participate in the final, offering incentive to ride hard.
Once things got rolling, it was a flurry of activity with barely enough time between sessions to clean the bugs off your faceshield and catch a swig of water before saddling up on the next bike in the rotation. Tires were changed after every third rider rotation, giving us a chance to complete survey sheets for the bikes we’d just ridden. Factors such as engine acceleration from medium revs, acceleration from high revs, throttle response, gearbox operation, handling stability, suspension and brake-system performance were each rated on a scale from 1 to 10.
First in the mix were the Supersports, the outcome of which wasn’t too different from the results of Cycle World’s own middleweight sportbike comparison (“Splitting Hairs,” May). As was the case at California Speedway, Yamaha’s YZF-R6 set quick time at Jerez, while the Ducati 749S once again trailed the pack by a measurable margin. The nimblehandling R6 also earned the top score in the rider survey, with two riders choosing it as their overall favorite of the entire test!
A blink of an eye separated the fight for the runner-up spot, with the Suzuki GSX-R600 edging out the Kawasaki ZX-6R and Honda CBR600RR. The Kawasaki held particular interest for me, as I didn’t much care for its nervous handling at Fontana. But with its rear ride-height raised 9mm and its fork legs dropped 3mm, the Kawasaki I rode at Jerez displayed solid stability, steering precision and suspension compliance that had me re-thinking my earlier assessment.
Judging from the tire-sliding antics displayed by the Supersports, putting the power down on the larger bikes was certain to present a challenge. The thought of putting in hard laps aboard the fearsome Suzuki GSX-R1000, for example, wasn’t pleasant. There was even speculation that the easier-on-rubber R6 held a realistic shot at taking the 2003 Master Bike crown.
A superb balance of V-Twin tractability, sure handling and strong brakes let Aprilia’s RSV Mille put that speculation quickly to rest, as it topped the Superbike roster by nearly a full second and carded the highest rider-survey score in its class.
But in fact, the Mille was the only Superbike to better the lap time set by the R6.
Having won last year’s Master Bike at the technically challenging Almería circuit, the Suzuki GSX-R750 could only muster second in class this time around. Feeling like a distant relative of its sharp-handling 600cc sibling, this particular Gixxer 750 delivered a loose, seesaw ride through comers that felt as though we were riding on a damp surface. Suzuki personnel tending to the bike offered no answer for the handling woes beyond shrugs and gestures toward the tires. At this point, I was really beginning to dread my date to tango with the GSXR1000 the following day!
A similar unsettled cornering feel plagued the Honda VTR1000 SP-2, a.k.a. RC51. The Honda also exhibited fairly abrupt throttle response that only amplified mid-comer fore/aft chassis motion. Another point that stood out was its tendency to weave under hard braking. No other bike in this group felt unstable when braking in a straight line.
The Ducati 999, on the other hand, was unflappable. It was virtually on rails right up to the point where you opened the throttle and skated the rear Bridgestone loose. The latest generation of the 916 lineage delivers rider feedback and confidence in spades. As was the case with the other Ducatis in this test, the thing that baffled me most about the 999 was its extremely harsh rev-limiter. I spent far too much attention making sure I
shifted before the rev-limiter abruptly cut in, particularly when leaned over exiting a turn. The Ducati’s instrumentation offered little help as the tach face has no redline, and the shift light illuminates too late to be much use. Why isn’t the shift-light rpm adjustable, as it is on the Aprilia?
Speaking of adjustment, the following day’s rides on the Superstock and Reference bikes required a change in lines and technique. Sacrificing a bit of mid-comer speed, I focused on getting the bikes turned and up off the edge of the tires sooner to minimize the risk of a high-side crash. Patience was key to making the rear tire squirm but not spin.
Achieving this edge-of-traction state doesn’t come easier than when aboard the Aprilia RSV Mille R Colin Edwards Replica. Like its standard Mille sister, the R feels tall and a bit awkward when you first throw' a leg over the saddle, but those sensations fade w'ithin your first lap. Smooth power delivery combined with unsurpassed feedback, though its race-spec Ohlins suspension gave this model an unfair advantage over the core group of contenders. In the end, the limited grip of the Bridgestone radials kept the bike's full potential from being exploited.
Quick Picks
Riders rate the Master Blasters
The YZF-R1 is the bike that makes me happiest. The GSX-R1000 is faster, for sure, but it’s too much.
-Claudio Corsetti, MotoSprint. Italy Never raced, but has logged a million track miles: age 38
The Aprilia RSV Mille R is my choice, as I like a bike that I can ride like a 250 GP-high corner speeds rather than being aggressive on the throttle.
-Jurgen Fuchs,
Motorrad. Germany Won German 250cc GP championship in 1994; fourth in 1996 World 250cc GP Championship aboard HB Honda NSR250; raced 500cc GP for Swissauto in 1997; age 37
The Mille R has a good frame, good brakes, nice engine, good power characteristics and good wind protection.
-Set Enault, Moto Journal. France Finished 31st in Le Mans 24-Hour: placed ninth in the French Honda CB500 Cup; age 29
Suzuki GSX-R1000 has the engine! The handling is quick, too.
-Oriol Fernandez.
Motociclismo. Spain Spanish Supersport Champion in 1998,
2000 and 2001; placed third in 2002; currently riding a GSX-R1000 in the Spanish Xtreme Series; age 29
Yamaha’s YZF-R1 is very easy to ride and gives plenty of feel.
It may not be as fast as some of the others, but it’s easy to enjoy.
-Arpad Harmati, Moto Beyu. Hungary Raced World Superbike 1990-95; age 40
Yamaha’s YZF-R6 has a good balance between stability and handling, and good power for the Jerez circuit.
-Markus Lehner, Toff. Switzerland Raced 125 and 250cc GP in the Swiss Championship from 1985-90; age 43
The Aprilia RSV Mille R is my choice because you can push it to the limit and have fun doing so. It’s so easy to ride you could put my grandma on the bike and she would be quick.
-Christer Lindholm, RM Sweden Three-time German Superbike Champion; competed in the World Supersport Championship 2000-01; reigning Swedish Supersport Champion riding a Kawasaki ZX6RR; age 32
The Kawasaki ZX 6R is so easyto nde on these street tires, and `s faster and more powerful than the YZF-R6.
-Kel Nashimoto, Motorcyclist. Japan
Top-i 0 finisher in Suzuka 8-Hours 19992000; competitor in the All-Japan Superbike Series; a~e 32
My pick just has to be the Suzuki GSX-R1000 because of the power. It’s got so much power, but it’s still easy to use for average people.
-Michael Neeves, MCN. England Raced in Supersport club events 1989-94; age 33
Forthe pnce and what you get, the Yamaha YZF R6 is my choice-power, handling, brakes and engine are all excellent.
-Rafael Paschoalin, Molocidismo, Brazil Started racing five months aqo; contesting Brazilian
Honda Twister Championship (250cc four strokes); age 19
For sheer sensation, it has to be the GSXR1000. There’s no way I can use all of the GSXR’s performance. That powerplant is not an engine, it’s a rocket!
-Alberto Pires, Motociclismo. Portugal Guest-rider appearances in 2001 in Aprilia Cup and BMW BoxerCup races; age 39
It’s the RSV Mille R for me. It has the most beautiful chassis, and the riding position suits my 6’ 2” frame. That must be why I bought a RSV-R! And on the Edwards Replica, the engine is even better than before.
-Jorg Schuller, PEL Germany Has German 24-hour endurance race experience; age 36
Move the GSX-R1000 because it’s so much fun. It’s not necessarily the best bike, but for me it offers the most fun, due mainly to the power. -Barry Veneman, Kicxstart. Holland Raced 500cc GP in 2001 on a Honda NSR500V; 2002 Dutch Supersport Champion and current series points leader; age 26
Can you have too much of a good thing? Never!
Suzuki’s GSX-R1000 is an iron fist in a velvet glove.
-Ken Wootton, Australian Motorcycle News. Australia Amateur racing career that stretches back to 1975; more road miles than the rest combined; age 49
Suzuki's GSX-R1 000 proved very manageable despite its ability to grossly overpower the rear tire. It delivers the performance and sensa tion of a true racebike, but at a reasonable price.
-Don Canet, Cycle World, USA Won the 2001 Spanish GP. .on Sony Play Station 2; age 41
Supersport
Was the other Reference machine, the hand-built Mondial Piega 1000, included just to show how good mass-produced bikes are these days? While certainly artful with its host of machined bits and carbon-fiber body panels, the Honda RC5 I-powered special lacked refinement in function. As with the products of many small factories, the Piega is a work in
progress, with updates applied on the fly. The Mondial had the most cumbersome riding position of anything we rode at Jerez, largely due to a wide fuel tank that necessitated equal ly wide clip-ons to allow the rider's arms to wrap around the sides. The extra width between your hands makes for an odd steering feel that overshadowed the bike's otherwise race worthy chassis performance. While fairly smooth in response
and robust in sound, the early-genera tion Honda V-Twin powering the Piega has nothing on the current RC5 1. With virtually every tester commenting on the ergos, it was good to learn that a slimmer tank is already in the works.
I began the Superstock rotation aboard a Yamaha YZF-Rl and appre ciated its exceptional throttle control. Bringing the power on smoothly is the R 1 `s forte, and of particular impor tance when rear grip is in short supply. Its handling was amazingly agile for a liter-class Four, with the chassis feel ing well-mannered on the brakes and through the corners. While I was
putting in that extra effort for a quick lap, however, the bike's composure began to unravel at the exit of a few fast, bumpy corners. The front end became light, which was fun right up to the point that the hint of headshake suddenly broke into a pretty severe tankslapper. The next time around, I moved up over the dash in an effort to weight the front wheel, but when that proved not to be enough, 1 adjusted my line to allow a straighter, more upright blast out of that particular corner.
By contrast, the front end of the Kawasaki ZX-9R felt glued to the road. While the big ZX seemed rather rangy in this group, it also surpassed my expecta tions in its cornering capability. Several testers shared the view that the tires' limita tions helped the ZX keep the class leaders in sight and, if nothing else, its relaxed and ultra-stable-feeling chassis made great fun c the slip-n-grip antics.
There's nothing soft, mushy or diluted where the hi-po Ducati 999S is concerned. Much like the reference bikes, the Due feels factory-fit for FIM competition. Taking advantage of its strong Brembo binders and Superbike-spec fork made charging corners a 999S specialty. In reality, its ability to duck deep into corners was partially due to the lower speeds it achieved on the straights. As with its Supersport and Superbike sisters, the 999S's bedrock stabil ity had me asking for more speed.
That ideal balance of speed and handling can be found in the Honda CBR954RR. The Fireblade, as it's called in Europe, is just lively enough to let you know you're at the limit, yet composed enough not to feel as though there's a knife at your throat. Everything about the bike oozes the refined feel that we've come to expect from a Honda. I can't say enough about being able to focus wholly on hitting my marks on the racetrack and not wasting thought-processing cycles on the basics of operation.
I'm not certain if our hosts were looking after the bike or me when they scheduled my stint aboard the Suzuki GSX R1000 for the very end of the day. If you recall, my last visit to Jerez ended in a bone-snapping encounter aboard a Gixxer 1000, without the bike or I even hitting the
ground! So you can understand the caution I exercised during my familiarization laps aboard the beast.
I need not have worried, however, because the set-up gremlins haunting the GSX-R750
were not evident in the i000. Steering was P precise and stability sure. As you might imagine, dialing a rear slide was always a slight twist of the grip away, but a direct line of communication existed between the rider's right hand and the rear skin. The square-up-and-squirt cornering lines that I had been employing throughout the day paid dividends with this powerhouse machine.
And thanks to its standard-fitment steering damper, the rough road that had given the R1 fits was of little concern on the GSX-R.
A nice feeling of retribution came when the lap times were Finally released and I learned that not only had I made the cut for the final round, but my personal best had come aboard the GSX-R 1000. What’s more, the big Gixxer displaced its class peers in every sector: lap time, top speed, rider survey and power output.
Perhaps the most telling tribute to the big Suzuki’s performance came when inclement weather moved in and dashed the planned finale. Yamaha and Aprilia graciously conceded the inevitable. There really was no need to wait out the rain. The GSX-R 1000 had already taken all by storm. U
