Supersport Days

SUPERSPORT DAYS

FOR NEARLY A DECADE, CYCLE WORLD HAS BEEN A PLAYer in the annual MasterBike mega track test held in Spain each April. But mere weeks prior to this year’s scheduled date, we received an apologetic e-mail from our friends at Motociclismo, the Spanish magazine and organizer of MasterBike, informing us they had arrived at the difficult decision to write off this year’s affair due to the current economic climate.

German moto-magazine PS stepped in with a bailout plan, quickly assembling the ingredients for an Open-class shootout to be staged at Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, a state-of-the-art circuit located in the heart of revitalized northeastern Germany. Invites extended to the lengthy list of publications that have attended MasterBike in recent years attracted a handful of takers on such short notice, but the inclusion of Aprilia’s all-new RSV4 and KTM’s limited-edition RC8R on the test roster was all the enticement we needed.

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DON CANET

"The inclusion of Aprilia's all-new RSV4 and KTM's limited-edition RC8R was all the enticement we needed."

PS coined the name “Oschersleben Supersport Days” for the festivities, and while it lacks a certain sizzle, I suppose calling it “MasterRace” just wouldn’t fly. But that’s an accurate description of what the Spanish shootout had evolved into over the years, with several magazines hiring race ringers to do the riding. Of the six books represented at Oschersleben, each had bonafide editors at the controls. Joining us was guest-tester Pascal Eckhardt, a professional racer and frontrunner in the German Supersport championship.

I landed in Berlin on a warm and cloudless Tuesday afternoon, a man on a mission to arrive at the track in time for the final few riding sessions of the setup day. Covering the 190-click transit on the A2 Autobahn in near-record time was the plan. Pedal to the carpet, however, I soon realized that the 115-mph terminal velocity of my mid-sized rental, a twitchy Mercedes with a wheelbase not much greater than a Honda Fury’s, made it a ’bahn backmarker!

As the cost of an exclusive track rental would bust the bank, PS had arranged shared time with a trackday event organized by Bike Promotion. Over the course of the threeday test, we rode with Group A, composed of club racers/ experts, and also got plenty of overtaking practice amidst the Group B congestion. Our bikes were each equipped with transponders that recorded lap times throughout the test, but getting a clean go-round was rare. Thankfully, the plan also called for several exclusive sessions on the final day for us to gather comparative lap times on a clear track. Testers also completed a subjective survey form for each bike, the results of which can be viewed in an accompanying chart.

A pretty straightforward procedure with far less of the fanfare and complexity that tends to surround MasterBikefewer riders, no DVD video production eating into track time and, this year, no tire troubles. Eve attended a few MasterBikes where tire grip, or lack thereof, was a huge factor in determining the winner. Not the case at Oschersleben, as Metzeier was on hand fitting fresh Racetec K3 radiais (see sidebar) on all bikes each day.

My first laps of the circuit came aboard the R-model KTM following PS Test Editor Rob Glück as he showed me the line around the technical 2.3-mile, 9-turn course. I generally adapt to bikes quite readily, but the KTM isn’t an easy motorcycle to throw a leg over and feel right at home on around an unfamiliar circuit. Its responsive chassis combined with the immediacy of the engine’s strong torque delivery (second only to the Ducati 1198S in this test) reward a rider who knows where he’s going and what he wants of the machine. That didn’t describe me during this Group A Oschersleben indoctrination.

By the time I rotated back into the RC8R’s tall saddle the following afternoon, my impression of the featherweight 1195cc V-Twin was much different, in a very good way. A feature unique to the KTM is its adjustable rider ergonomics, with two height positions for the handlebars, seat/subframe and footrests. For this test, seat and pegs were raised, while the bars remained in their standard lower position. The bike felt tall and a bit awkward until I got down to the business of putting its firm chassis setup to work. Unanimous rider consensus placed the KTM as feeling closest to a true racebike, albeit the most nervous handler. “For me, the best suspension in the test,” noted Eckhardt, who was headed straight to a Supersport round following this comparison. The KTM’s monobloc Brembo brakes were on par with the other standout binders on the Ducati and Aprilia.

While the KTM proved to be the lightest-handling of the lot, I found it the most physically demanding when ridden hard for a full 20-minute session. It offers very little physical support under hard braking, its slippery saddle and tank leaving your arms to bear the brunt of the g-load.

It also transmits much more engine vibration than any of the other bikes here. That said, it’s a gas to flog as the R’s 2mm-larger bore, revised combustion chamber and porting, and longer-duration cams add up to a notable performance gain over a standard RC8.

The R also comes with lighter forged Marchesini wheels and an upgraded WP fork held in a triple-clamp with less offset for increased trail. It’s an exciting bike we hope KTM North America will consider bringing stateside in 2010.

Moving through the bikes in alphabetical order, the rotation put me onto the Suzuki GSX-R1000 next. Compared to the lithe KTM, this bike presented a stark contrast with its increased size and weight. Highlights for the new-for-2009 Gixxer include a shorterstroke engine, giving it a more top-weighted power delivery, and it also utilizes Showa’s new Big Piston Fork. Everyone complimented the Suzuki’s addition of high-rpm power while maintaining a robust, yet manageable, midrange output. Strangely, the Suzuki’s vague gearbox action drew attention due to the occasional missed shift, very uncharacteristic of a GSX-R.

Opinions of the Gixxer’s suspension and handling varied greatly. High praise came from Francesco Gulinelli, an Italian engineer freelancing for In Moto magazine. “The fork works fantastic when entering bends, and the bike follows the desired line,” he said. This was countered by less glowing comments from the much quicker-lapping Eckhardt. “The Suzuki’s chassis is in last place in this track test; the suspension is too soft, especially the fork,” he stated. Perhaps due to my own pace being closer to Eckhardt’s, I also experienced a bouncy, unsettled feeling through the front when peeling into corners with the fork loaded under braking.

Even so, the Suzuki quickly regained its composure as the throttle was cracked open mid-corner, providing a good measure of stability driving out. While full side-to-side transitions through the chicane and other higher-speed sections require muscle on the Gixxer, it gets the job done with competitive poise. And as I would find out, the difference in agility between all of the Japanese Fours is not that great.

Speaking of differences, even a blind man can tell there’s a unique quality that distinguishes the all-new Yamaha YZF-R1 from its lOOOcc contemporaries. The uneven firing intervals of the Rl’s crossplane crank deliver a sound and vibrant feel that’s more akin to a V-Four than a conventional inline-Four. Rider opinion of the Rl’s engine was consistent from the very fastest to the slowest of testers, all heaping praise on the high degree of rider confidence instilled by a linear and tactile feeling while driving out of corners. Surprisingly, the dyno graph doesn’t appear as linear as the seat of the pants suggests.

“Easy to push and perfect to accelerate early, even with big lean angles,” remarked Bader Benlekehal of France’s Moto Journal. Others were also impressed. “The best engine in the test with very smooth throttle response at all rpm,” said Eckhardt, who, like me, recorded a quicker lap aboard the R1 than on the other lighter, more powerful Japanese inlineFours. This was peculiar since, to a man, we all felt the R1 suspension was on the soft side for hardcore track use. Being my second-quickest bike, the R1 obviously gets the job done on the track when ridden smoothly, and its suspension compliance will no doubt pay dividends on the street.

CIRCUIT DISSECTION

A lap of the Oschersleben circuit presents a wide variety of corner types, which makes the 2.3-mile track a very good test venue. The bikes in this test got into fifth gear on the front straight before braking hard, passing under the bridge and downhill through a left kink into the first corner. Requiring alate apex, the long right-hand bend rewards a bike that can easily tighten its line mid-corner. Turn 3, named The Triple, is the track’s fastest corner. This series of three apexes is taken as one long, sweeping curve and is a thrill when nailed. The follow

ing right is another late-apex curve that reveals a bike’s tendency to run wide. Cutting across the apex curbs of the chicane leading into Turn 6 makes this right-left-right, flip-flop affair a very good test of a bike’s flickability and chassis composure. The Turn 7 combo requires good trail-braking on entry, then a full-tilt right-to-left transition between the pair of 90degree bends. Rounding the final corner, there is a modest rise in the road that makes it nearly impossible to keep the front tire planted while driving out of the second-gear right. One lap of the O’sleben, what a blast!

PERFORMANCE TESTS RESULTS

Aprilia RSV4 Factory

$22,245

Ducati 1198S

$21,795

Honda CBR1000RR

$13,999

Kwasaki ZX-10R

$11,799

KTM

RC8R

$22,560

Suzuki

GSX_R1000

$12,899

Yamaha YZF-R1

$12,390

European price excluding Value Added Tax

Another point of interest here that not only pertains to the R1 but also the RSV4 and GSX-R is their rider-selectable power-mode features. Yamaha labels these as A mode, Standard and B mode, with A offering maximum performance. But throttle response proved too abrupt in A, upsetting the chassis and resulting in slower lap times than those achieved with the fluid response offered by the Standard setting. The same scenario held true for the RSV4, which also produced quicker lap times for every tester when toggled out of its Track mode into the toned-down Sport map. With this revelation,

I decided to have another go aboard the GSX-R while running in its B mode, even though I experienced no issue with A’s on-throttle response. While the Gixxer’s B mode is more forgiving of a hammed fist, it introduced an odd step in the middle of its upper rev range, making it less effective overall.

Ducati’s 1198S brings a different flavor of electronic rider assist to the table with its DTC traction-control system. Even dialed to the lower of eight levels, DTC is very effective at reining in the 1198cc Testastretta Evoluzione's monster torque when the throttle is opened aggressively. “The maximum expression of the sporting V-Twin, with a flat torque curve that makes the engine’s strong high-rpm output feel less aggressive,” commented La Moto Editor Pepe Burgaleta.

Rear grip was the least of my concerns during my first two sessions aboard the Italian thoroughbred. Steering seemed unusually heavy and not at all neutral. The bike tended to right itself at shallow bank angles, followed by a tipsy feel and front-end tuck at deep lean. Er, who pays for this thing when I drop it? Next bike, please!

Turns out an underinflated front tire was the culprit, traced to a slowly leaking Schrader valve. Unfortunately, the cause for the lame Due wasn’t diagnosed until the final afternoon of testing. I did put in one last brief blast aboard the Ducati and was glad I did. The 1198S is a hardcore performance machine that, like the KTM, requires a bit of saddle time for the rider to become one with the bike. But rain delays on the third day cut our time short and the Ducati didn’t have a chance to show its full potential.

While Honda’s ignition-interrupt system makes no claim to be a form of traction control and offers no response-smoothing benefit above 6000 rpm, the CBR1000RR provides an exceptional sense of connection between the twistgrip and what’s going on at the rear contact patch. Even with an additional 25 pounds of ABS plumbing and associated electronics onboard, the C-ABS version of the RR tested here maintains a competitive power-to-weight ratio. Perhaps it was that extra ballast, but this Fireblade felt noticeably tamer than last year’s model. Friendly as a CBR600RR on steroids, no other bike in the test was as easy to jump on and find your pavement-scratchin’ groove. “The Mister Nice Guy of the 1000s,” was Gliick’s report, to which he added, “As is typical for Honda, the bike doesn’t stir emotions but is still great fun when you ride it.”

RIDER'S SURVEY RESULTS

How well does the combined brake system translate to track use, you ask? For me, it was transparent, as the ABS never tripped, even during my quickest laps. I also found the linked rear brake helped the bike maintain a very stable feel in both hard straight-line braking and during turn-in. My riding style is smooth, never stabbing the brakes; I ease off the front lever in proportion to lean angle and never touch the rear pedal. But even the hard-charging Eckhardt was complimentary of the system. “Good brakes; I don’t feel the ABS working,” he said. Curiously, the slowest riders in the test were the ones who activated the ABS the most. They also held a perception that the linked rear causes the chassis to squat, thus reducing fork dive and making the bike less willing to turn in. Even if that were the case, I didn’t find it readily apparent.

Opinions of the Kawasaki ZX10R, the sole Big Four carryover model, were consistent in regard to its engine characteristic. “Very powerful, but a bit lazy in the

midrange,” was the Frenchman’s assessment. My own survey notes suggested the Ninja’s top-end thrust makes its midrange softness seem more pronounced than it truly is. And I did get a charge out of the ease with which the Ninja wheelied out of the second-gear right leading onto the main straight.

With the firmest chassis of the Japanese bikes, the Kawi felt more track-suited than the other inline-Fours. “Good feedback, but like the Honda it feels a little bit too heavy,” remarked De Wever Villard of Belgium’s Motor Wereld. While I found its steering medium in effort, striking a good balance between chicanery and stability, a couple of riders listed it as the heaviest-handling bike in the test. I suppose a late night in the hotel bar can do that to you...

I hadn’t yet arrived at my multi-mode throttle-map conclusions when I put in my first stint aboard the new Aprilia. Having recently ridden the RSV4 Factory in the wet at Misano, I was eager to try it in ideal conditions. While there is much to like about the bike-its compact 600-size stature, superb brakes, easy turn-in and the wonderful sound emitted under hard acceleration-I initially found it ill-mannered mid-corner. Ultra-sensitive on-throttle response and pronounced surging at neutral throttle openings spoiled the ride and made it extremely difficult for me to maintain constant speed through the track’s pair of long, late-apex corners. After discussing my initial impressions of the Aprilia with Glück, he informed me that Sport mode had proven to be the quicker setting for even the speedy Eckhardt.

Wow! What a difference a throttle map can make. The RSV4 was a reformed machine my next time out, allowing me a far more refined sense of throttle control. I was now able to exploit the engine’s tractability and begin exit drives earlier than with any of the other bikes. My advice to Aprilia is to update the RSV’s throttle-by-wire software by giving the Track setting the same opening response as Sport. As is, Sport mode also brings with it reduced peak power output in the bottom three gears.

Credit the RSV’s finely balanced chassis for delivering an excellent feel for grip at both ends. I particularly liked the ease with which it allowed me to tighten my line through the latter half of a late-apex bend. The Aprilia combines the KTM’s agility with a level of stability approaching that of the Ducati. “Excellent rideability!” enthused Benlekehal. “It feels very light, very easy to corner and impressively stable at the same time.”

This near-perfect harmonization of engine and chassis allowed me to produce my personal best lap time. Several others, including pace-setter Eckhardt, also put in their quickest laps on the RSV4. “Handling is like a 600 supersport-very balanced, with smooth, sensible suspension response,” remarked the German after laying down a blistering 1:32.419 lap that was more than a full second quicker than the time he’d turned on the runner-up KTM-and almost 2 seconds quicker than the best inline-Four. The RSV4’s margin of victory in the rider survey was just as decisive.

An astounding achievement for a company that has only recently begun to design, develop and manufacture its own four-stroke streetbike engines. The RSV4 has established Aprilia-not so long ago best known for its scooters-as an innovator and performance leader in the top echelon of sport motorcycling. American riders can look forward to experiencing the RSV4’s magic when the bike arrives here this fall.