Round Three: The Drag Strip

You just might be on the same drugs I was on when my bike got crashed.... Good stuff, eh? The only thing I'll add is sport bikes can be tour bikes as well, you just gotta be in decent shape, physically, and not so decent shape mentally. That's how I do it.

Re: Yamaha R1

Could be gearing, and the Honda has a much wider power band from peak torque to peak hp. Does the Yamaha need an extra shift?

Don Canet

He rode your bikes?

If so, he beat you by .4 s on both the slower bikes and .7 on the GXSR 1000. More confirmation that the GXSR needs a master to do it's best.

In any case he didn't humiliate you.

Re: Why No Kawasaki?

lol. Well, I can't imagine it'd be that hard to find a ZX-12R. Put THAT Kawi up against these boys and let's see who takes last place.

Re: Why No Kawasaki?

The Kawi still would take last place, only by an even larger margin since this is a supersport test.

The 9R is more comfortable and sportier than the 12R anyway, so the only advantage of the 12R would be at the drag strip. It'd get positively waxed on the track or on the street.

Re: To poor to pay attention

Maybe it's a different priority this year. MOre of a Hooligan factor measured in.

Aye, i got a bandit right now, looking at going for a used 929. i just want something really light and flickable, but don't want to go from having 80 Ft-lbs of torque to 38 like a 600 would. I have done an Iron butt on the bandit, and whatever bike i get next will undoubtedly also go on an Iron butt with me. Sitting on all of the tested bikes, i think the 929 is the best bet.....but the kawasaki is also a very attractive option.

Re: Why No Kawasaki?

I truly don't think the ZX would've embarrassed itself at all in any of the performance tests, but I do know it wouldn't have done so great in various subjective areas. Mainly, though, I had in mind to perform some upgrades to it that you really can't do with the other bikes, without a serious amount of work that is. Stay tuned for a Superbike Mike 1150cc upgrade, maybe a little head porting--and I think we'll be looking at a 160-horse (mebbe) ZX-9R that will be quite entertaining.--jb

Re: To poor to pay attention

Well great!

When it comes to 1:1 HP to wight bikes, Hooliganism is the name of the game...

Re: What tires?

When we did the lap times, it was late enough in the day that we had the 180-section on it and, most importantly, we knew the track. Enough, anyway. No sense taking lap times when you don't know where you're going, eh?

At the strip we left the same track tires fitted since they are stickier than what comes stock. Of course, we corrected rear ride height/pre-load as best we could to compensate for any changes in the tire's circumference.

As for the difference in lap times between the 190-section rear and the 180-section, it was infinitesimal, though the 180 let us run for more than 5 laps before getting scary on us.

ZX-9(1150)R

Sounds pretty cool. When you guys gettin' the bike?

Speaking of when... When are you planning to do the Supersport comparo this year?

Something tells me you guys need more bikes to test.

Ummmm.... I think the little blue light you guys were referring to is the bullsh*t meter going off...oh look minime, it's flashing wildly right NOW!

Am in total agreement with you. A Open Class Sport Bike Shootout should not be a sport touring shootout. Rode a GSXR1000 for three hours last week in the flatlands of South Florida. Had a blast. Was amazed at how comfortable it was. Expected it to be the torture rack it is writen up to be, but it was fine.

Now we're talkin a forty three year old 6'3" 220lb person here and if my fat ass is comfortable what's up with you younger guys? Then again this fat ass spends every weekend on a KTM 400EXC training for or racing in hare scrambles, so perhaps a Harley Hardtail might seem comfortable.

The GSXR1000 sure wouldn't be my first choice for an Iron Butt, but neither would the other two. Like choosing a F650GS to race in a S. FL. enduro, not a wise choice.

But, if you are going to choose the top of the line SPORT bike, choose the one that performs the best, not the one you would rather ride to Grandmas house.

Let me guess...

You crashed your bike two weeks ago on the street riding one of these SPORT bikes with PERFORMANCE and no ERGONOMICS at a pace that should be reserved for the track.

Of course I could be wrong.

When I buy a bike for the STREET I want one that does it all: performance, comfort, a FUEL GAUGE!!! If I wanted a bike just to ride as if on a track (NOT on the street) I'd go buy a 600-750, strip it, wire it, and trailer it to the track every weekend. JMO.

Re: Why No Kawasaki?

Thanks Johnny, Mike and MO. Like it or not, you gotta have something for us Kawi guys. We're the Rodney Dangerfields of motorcycling: we get no respect...no respect at all. lol.

"We tried different launch techniques and rpm, different tire preparations, different religious rituals."



Did you try circumcizing the flesh of your foreskin as a token of the covenant twixt you and the Yawhoo, God of Speed? I haven't tried it myself, but the ancient Hebrews thought it helped some, according to the Old Testemant. Perhaps it lowers sprung weight, or perhaps it just makes you more aerodynamic.

oh, my ....

as you lay there in pain you can at least take comfort in the fact that you are riding these bikes as they are meant to be ridden. when your knee mends i think you should hop right back on your gixer (or whatever) and CONTINUE riding them as they were meant to be ridden. until you bust your a$$ again. then heal yourself, hop back on, and repeat the process. eventually you will arrive at the ultimate destination of everyone who rides these bikes as they were meant to be ridden.

RIP, squid.

sorry maliblu, the only thing a Harley will do in 9 seconds is pick up a fat chick.