Table of contents for December 2017 in Performance Bikes

TUNING LEGEND TONY SCOTT PASSES AWAY Master of the Honda V4, Tony Scott, has passed away following an illness. The Lancashire engine fettler is best known for his record extracting power from RC30s, building winning TT engines that surpassed even HRC’s efforts at times GSX-R ON TICK Suzuki are offering new GSX-R1000s on a 3% APR finance deal with a mere £1000 deposit. You can opt for a hire purchase deal or PCP deal, with payments as low as £129 a month depending how much you put down up front. Badger a dealer for SV650 IN A HAT This is an SV650X. It’s just like an SV650, but with a little hat on and some other cosmetic dooberries that apparently make it a café racer. Bet it’s not enough to…

‘DALL’IGNA KNOWS THAT MOTOGP’S RESTRICTIVE REGULATIONS MAKE IT MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO FIND NEW WAYS OF CREATING EVEN THE SMALLEST ADVANTAGE’ MOTORCYCLE RACING is a sport of man and machine: riders get faster by honing their skills, pushing their limits and helping their engineers to improve the bike. That process is repeated ad infinitum. Once, factories upped performance with six-cylinder engines, eight valves per cylinder, NASA-spec electronics, trick tyres, the lot... But this freestyle engineering is no longer allowed. Regulations have been regularly rewritten to keep up with technology, initially to prevent the richer factories from zooming ahead, more recently to make the racing closer and therefore more TV-friendly. Years ago, the MotoGP regulations book was little more than a booklet, now it’s more like a fat bible, in…

1 Halfords Professional tools “The Halfords Professional range of tools is great, but the key is to get a trade account. You need to have a registered business that is vaguely engineering-related, but this is quite easy to blag! Fill in a form at a store, apply online and you get a card that gives you 20-25% off all your tools! You don’t get the discount on any deal prices, but it’s more than worth it. The tools have a lifetime guarantee and they never quibble. I used to have branded tools, but I spend so much time in the Far East and I see so many factories where famous brands are made alongside cheaper ones that I no longer pay just for a name.” 2 Clarke impact driver “I…

‘SC59 lump isn’t conducive to piston fitment on a built-up bottom end’ 2008 HONDA FIREBLADE CHRIS NEWBIGGING “GOT ANY OLD Fireblade bits?” I asked Alec Tague when I dropped into SMT’s workshop for a nosey at their similar kilo-shedding Macau GP project (see p80). “Not much. Just a bent subframe and a fairing bracket, but you won’t want those...” was his response. My next response taught him something about journalists and free stuff... His workshop is now a touch tidier, our Fireblade is now a good chunk lighter, but the begged ex-race brackets still come with a cost. Both are a bit tweaked from an excursion into the kitty litter. Quite who twatted these particular CBR1000RR bits at the scenery is unknown. For convenience, we’re blaming Rutter... Both will need…

2005 YAMAHA YZF-R1 CARL NEWBIGGING IF IT AIN’T BROKE, it doesn’t mean it’s not underperforming anyway: my 2005 R1 had no obvious braking ills, they were just a bit shit all round. No binding, it didn’t stop too badly and they weren’t completely wooden, but ride anything with crisp, properly maintained brakes and it was obvious just how much performance the R1 has lost. I kitted myself out for a full overhaul, with new hoses from Venhill (£77 for a front/rear set), a set of SBS RS track compound sintered pads and a tool to remove the gold plug from the caliper to facilitate full piston removal and a complete clean-up job. “You won’t need that,” Yamaha aficionado Whitey commented. “I’ve owned and worked on loads of those, and I…

2017 HONDA FIREBLADE JOHN McAVOY THERE IS NOTHING like an immovable deadline to focus the mind. There is always another ferry if you miss one, there’s always another aeroplane if you’re late. Usually, the worst outcome is inconvenience and cost, but occasionally one comes along that simply can not be missed under any circumstances. My niece’s wedding in Sheffield was on Friday morning, and constituted one such immovable family engagement. On Wednesday evening, all that stood between this joyful occasion, and not being divorced by Mrs Mack, was 700 miles of riding, an eight-hour ferry, an interview with Ronald Ten Kate (page 57), a photoshoot to prove that I did in fact take my Fireblade, and a Eurotunnel ride accompanied by an hour’s wait beforehand. Piece of piss. I kiss…

‘Nitron unit offers superior control over the MT-09’s rebound, and a wide range to tailor it within’ 2017 YAMAHA MT-09 MARK WHITE SO I’M GOING to do something I don’t normally do. I am not going to try to squeeze as much power out of the MT-09 as possible. Actually, that’s not true. I am definitely going to do that, just not first. Don’t worry, I’ve had a word with myself... I’m going to be mega-sensible for a change and instead of making the bike faster, louder and better looking, I’m just going to make it better first. Having just written that, I realise that arguably I will do all those things to a degree by tackling the most commonsense aspect of improving the bike first – suspension. There’s a…

HOW LONG 9 MONTHS COST £147.99 CONTACT WWW.WWW.HELD.DE BACK, CHEST and rib armour all in one zip-up vest definitely qualifies for the label of ‘one-stop shop.’ I’ve been using this vest whenever I’ve worn jacket and jeans on my bike this year, and love the sense of security and protection it gives. The amount of coverage for my torso from the thick but malleable armour that’s stowed in its pockets, is very nearly total. This huge coverage does mean, however, that I haven’t been able to wear it with my made to measure RST suit. I was measured for the suit with only a back protector in mind, so with many more pieces of armour to its name than my simple back protector, the Keltor and me simply don’t fit…

CHRIS NEWBIGGING EDITOR chris@pbmag.co.uk Barney Gumble AUSTIN SMITH ART EDITOR austin@pbmag.co.uk Jiminy Cricket JOHN McAVOY ROAD TESTER editorial@pbmag.co.uk Desperate Dan MICHAEL RUTTER TRACK TESTER editorial@pbmag.co.uk Squidward MARK WHITE TECHNICIAN editorial@pbmag.co.uk Free Waterfall Jr JEREMY McWILLIAMS COLUMNIST editorial@pbmag.co.uk Dennis the Menace KAR LEE FORUM EDITOR editorial@pbmag.co.uk Sylvester the Cat CAROLINE BARRETT EDITORIAL ASSISTANT caz@pbmag.co.uk Tofu-eating Lion THANKS TO Al and Sarah at Ducati, Ronald Ten Kate, Domino’s Pizza (Corby), Mark at B&C, Dow Corning silicone sealant NO THANKS TO Rampant Christmas consumerism... already…

Lightweight batteries are almost a default modification now: smaller, drastically lighter with reduced discharge rates and strong starting capability, there’s much to recommend them. Speedcell’s offerings (this is the ‘Supersport’, for 600s or 1000 race bikes – there’s a ‘Superbike’ for litre road bikes or bikes with higher demands). They come with natty Anderson connectors as standard, and have a five-year warranty, too. On PB’s scales, this SS battery and connector weighs a mere 548g, and overall measurements are just 8.4 x 3.4cm. Price: £154.80 (SS), £226.80 (SBK) Contact: 07873 912085…

Let’s get naked So, you’ve done the sportsbike project and proved a point, so why not do the same for supernakeds? It’s about time that streetfighters had a revival, and who knows where it would lead if it’s done properly. Anything to replace the current café racer trend... For cost reasons, bike choice would be critical, so the donor could be another Blade, a pre-2011 ZX-10R, a K7-onwards GSX-R1000, or similar. It would all depend on which looks the least cluttered when stripped, and what’s available crashed or cheap. With some styling input from Kar Lee and a few bits blagged, it could be an interesting project. But would it have what it takes to match or beat the current factory supernakeds? Nick Edwards Loving Johnny’s helmet I was looking…

F YOU LEAVE the front door open long enough, a cow will probably come into the showroom,” Ronald Ten Kate comments, referring to the rural location of his Honda dealership in northern Holland. The only clue in the showroom as to the reason I’m here is a pair of World Superbike team trophies, one won by Nicky Hayden in Malaysia in 2016 and another by Jonathan Rea in Assen in 2011, just sitting there on the parts counter, surrounded by unfinished paperwork and everyday admin, for people to see, touch, hold and admire. The dealership is one part of the Ten Kate set-up, and as you progress through the building, it’s in many ways layered like the company is strutured. Through some double doors at the back of the dealer,…

Originality is key Ignore mileage, especially on a Honda, and instead look for originality. The big cost when it comes to restoring a bike is replacing crap aftermarket kit for quality original equipment. Generally, motors are solid; it’s the bolt-ons that cost. Look beyond the paint If a bike has a hideous paint scheme on an original fairing it can always be repainted, so is worth buying. Original panels cost a fortune, so look for OE bodywork with a nasty paint scheme and you can bag a bargain. Go European Gumtree is a great place to buy bikes, but I use eBay Europe, not just UK. There are lots of great bikes in Belgium, Denmark and Germany and posting parts from Europe is fine as long as you pay a…

‘The MV’s inherent intake honk is now audible to me without irritating the rest of the world too much. That’s a win’ 2003 MV AGUSTA BRUTALE 750 CHRIS NEWBIGGING IT’S SO EASY to cock up a motorcycle. Even manufacturers do it – mid-life, minor refreshes can easily be a backwards step. A K7 GSX-R1000 is fundamentally the same bike as a K5, for example, but not to ride... And that’s a manufacturer with clever engineers and an R&D budget. I’m no engineer, and only have budget for Kit-Kats. One wrong mod or adjustment and I’ve made a bike worse. Thankfully, my MV has gone the right way, undoing the poor choices of previous owners. I recently ditched a too-short, too-loud ‘stubby’ exhaust which needed a horribly restrictive baffle fitting to…

‘I wish I’d done it sooner, when there was a chance of a warm trackday’ 2017 KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE GT AUSTIN SMITH FOR A SUPPOSED SPORTS tourer, the big KTM is a feisty machine that’s taken a while for me to gel with – big torque and a bolt-upright riding position is a new combination for me, and to begin with the KTM felt a bit woo, a bit wahey... But, from relative indifference early on, my opinion now comes backed with enthusiasm and I’m really enjoying the ease with which it can do anything – 8am commutes on wet roads, or go a bit nuts on a 22°C ride home the very same day. A big part of this month’s Cheshire cat grin is down to a simple…

‘The Showa Balance Free shock doesn’t fade with heat, but prolonged use is having a noticeable effect’ 2017 SUZUKI GSX-R1000R CHRIS NEWBIGGING FIRST MODEL YEAR bikes are always closely scrutinised – not only for performance, but for reliability. The former is well proven: as a road bike, it’s as good as it needed to be. It’s the fastest litre bike for the money, only bested by the £20k-plus band of trick superbikes. It’s a winner in Superstock, and it’s now performing well in BSB despite Suzuki dishing out bikes late with almost zero kit parts back-up. The BMW and Kawasaki have seven/six years of work behind them, so for an all-new bike to be amongst it is good. Reliability is harder to quantify. I’ve heard secondhand mutterings of issues: catalysers…

HOW LONG THREE MONTHS COST £220 CONTACT WWW.CONTI-BIKE.CO.UK CONTINENTAL’S MOST robust-compound track tyre has been ideal on the GSX-R over a summer of track and naughty road use. Inflated to 36psi at both ends they’re well mannered at slow speed and from cold on the road, with loads of feel, grip and stability. On track, the GSX-R and its short-geared attitude really work them – you can hear the wheelspin out of first and second-gear corners with traction control set low. That’s the nature of these bikes, though: they ask huge amounts of road tyres. But they’re consistent – I found the slip point early in the tyres’ life, and they’re still performing much the same now they’re more or less toasted. Without trying to be big headed, on a…

WELL CHAPS, the new mag has just landed. Thanks for the feature on the R1, reminding me that its almost 20 years since a younger, sharper, more carefree version of me picked up my R1. I remember it clearly. What the fuck do you call that? I thought as I accelerated away from the shop. The stomp seemed more akin to the TZR250 I had just traded in than to the GSX-R7/11M I had sold earlier that week. A few days later and I returned to the shop just after picking it up from its first service, to order a steering damper. Above 6000rpm it turned out to be substantially wilder than the GSX-R. Over the next four years I added a can and jet kit, mag wheels, a shock…

KTM BOARD member Gerald Kiska talks PB through the reasoning behind the Austrian firm launching an 800... “We have a good offering in the entry-level and lower capacity road sectors with our smaller singles made in India by Bajaj,” says Kiska. “And we have a super-competitive product at the top end with the different Adventure models and the 1290 Super Duke, including the GT. We get our customers started on riding bikes with the 125 and 200 Dukes, then we take them to the next stage with the 390 or 690 singles – but after that we lose them to another manufacturer, because we don’t have a middleweight model. OK, maybe we get them back again later on – but not necessarily, so that’s about to change with this bike,…

Richard Adams Maxton Suspension Richard is a familiar face in the BSB and TT paddock. What he doesn’t know about springs isn’t worth knowing. www.maxton suspension.co.uk Dave Harris T3 Racing T3 set up the Triumph Triple Challenge, and built motors that have won Manx Senior GPs as well as three British Supersport Cup/EVO titles. www.t3-racing.co.uk Dean Catton Triumph Daytona 675RS owner Dean’s beautiful Daytona 675RS special featured in PB in 2015. The bike took him over five years to finally get the mix of accessories correct, but when he did it blew us away. Experience has told him what to spend your money on, and what not to... Parts swap You can fit the underseat pipe 675R’s Öhlins shock straight in a stock Daytona, but the Öhlins forks are a…

‘The front Dunlop GP Pro digs in so hard I can feel the tyre squirm, but we manage to stay in a straight line’ 2015 APRILIA TUONO V4 FACTORY KAR LEE IRONICALLY, ONE of the things that helps you go faster actually slows you down. I’m talking about brakes of course, and since I took ownership of my Tuono in 2015 I’ve been moaning about the brakes to anyone who’ll listen. In a nutshell, they’re a pair of ten quid shoes on a £500 suit: they do the job without drama but they’re seemingly under-specced when compared with the rest of the bike. The master cylinder is the standout, being a plain axial, non-radial type which looks so out of place that even Aprilia agree and have upgraded it along…

‘The Racetech emulator features adjustable compression valves which allow oil to pass through a set of shims’ 1997 YAMAHA TRX850 JOHN McAVOY WITH THE rear of my TRX now behaving as it should thanks to its new Nitron shock, predictably the already weedy front end felt even more so. Time for a trip to PDQ Motorcycle Developments in Berkshire, who amongst other things supply and fit a variety of suspension upgrades. In particular, I was interested in the Racetech valve emulators for my TRX’s forks. I had heard of other more drastic ways to upgrade the front end on a TRX, such as swapping it for Thundercat, or even R6 forks. If I’m honest, I struggled to get excited about all the hassle of fitting the associated triple clamps, messing…

THE SUPER DUKE R ticks a lot of my boxes as I was brought up racing dirt bikes, and KTM played a part in that story. The power delivery and pure rawness of the chassis suits my riding style. With the GT essentially being a Super Duke R with panniers I was keen to swing a leg over it to accompany Johnny Mac to Holland. But the GT feels different from the off due to the extra bodywork – I felt more in the bike rather than on it. Luggage space is a big deal for me. Being a photographer, I carry a lot of stuff I don’t need (deodorant, toothpaste? – JM) ‘just in case’, and fitting all this accumulated shite into every crevice the KTM had to offer…

HOW LONG FIVE MONTHS/TWO TRACKDAYS COST £599.99 CONTACT WWW.TRANAM.CO.UK FIRST NOTE on this helmet: I had to go a size up on my normal fitment (it’s a common finding among SR2 users). It’s a helmet for sporty road and occasional track riders. It’s well vented and cool when you’re working up a sweat on track. It’s not the quietest lid: earplugs are mandatory... It comes with a chin curtain and a rubber anti-fog nose guard in the box, but not a Pinlock. The cut-away rear section is a neat touch – it allows you to get flat on the tank without the base of the shell interfering with leather humps. The only issue with that is the top of the visor aperture is then a bit low, and it cuts…

HOW LONG ONE YEAR COST £50 CONTACT CHECK THE LIDL SHITE AISLE I DON’T HAVE much call for the bulk of a compressor with a tank, so this simple portable pump from Lidl does the job for general garage tasks without having to store a full-size effort. It has done everything I’ve asked of it – pumps up tyres quickly, pops brake pistons out and the pressure from the nozzle is great for blowing muck out of crevices. So to speak... You’re never going to run heavy-duty air tools on it, but then I don’t need any, so it’s no grief, and the briefcase size is small enough to tuck away yet still offer more puff than the usual smaller tyre inflators.…