Table of contents for November 2016 in Performance Bikes

IN TEN YEARS of working on PB and seven running it, I’ve not come across an issue with such a variety of drop-dead gorgeous motorcycles. To begin with, Chris and I headed to the Classic TT, saw some amazing classic racers, stripped them down and marvelled at the ingenuity that had gone into them. Then it all got a bit faster when Michael Rutter took us over to Anglesey to thrash the living hell out of the best sportsbikes of the last few years. It was the best test we’ve done in ages – all the bikes properly set up on equal tyres, and ridden by a multiple BSB and TT race winner. We then sent a man to Bonneville to get under the skin of Guy Martin’s 1000bhp Streamliner…

IF YOU TOLD ME 10 years ago that European bikes were going to be the best in the world, I would have laughed in your face. Ducati have always made great racebikes, but they needed backing from the Corse race department. Aprilia didn’t have anything special going on, and BMW were still building bikes for old giffers. The world has changed, though. It’s the Europeans I’ve enjoyed testing most in the three seasons of the ‘me’ test at Mallory, and I’ve chosen to ride for teams that run BMWs in racing. The only other bike I’ve considered in that time is a Ducati. Although the Japanese got close with the R1 and ZX-10R over the last two years, it’s the bikes from this continent that really tick the superbike boxes…

YAMAHA AND KAWASAKI are the current high-tech, high-power flag-bearers for Japan with the YZF-R1 and ZX-10R, yet we have never had them on the same track at the same time. The prospect of riding the two very best bikes currently coming out of Japan means I have had an extra slice of bacon with my breakfast so I’m at my best. With the R1 and ZX-10R parked next to each other in the pitlane at Anglesey, it’s the R1 in its 60th Anniversary yellow paint scheme that eclipses the Kawasaki. The R1 is a masterclass when it comes to graphics and paint, and regardless of whatever happens on track, the Yamaha owns the pitlane. The contrast between the two bikes isn’t just visual. The way they feel on track is…

I CAME AWAY from Anglesey having enjoyed all the bikes – each in different ways. Even the Kawasaki. When I’ve tested it before it’s been so bad on standard tyres I’ve reached a point where I know a crash is about to happen, and I’ve packed up for the day. But the tyres Michelin provided made a world of difference – it showed in the laptimes. With the exception of the Ducati, they’re all so close when you take out tyre and set-up disadvantages, and devote a whole day to getting the best from them. That said, the Ducati’s under-performance highlights a problem with electronics that are practically race-grade. I know from racing that when you’re having grief with traction control preventing forward drive, it’s hard to sort. I can’t…

THE MARSHAL’S FACIAL expression is unmistakable as Matt and I are first to arrive for the fast group’s first session. He thinks we’re bell-ends. He then touches his forehead with his index finger, each shoulder in turn and then his chest in the age-old Christian gesture that says, “You’re fucked, pal.” I have more faith than that: if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have bothered bringing the bikes here at all. After all, retro pastiches aren’t usually our bag. But the two-year-old BMW R NineT that Matt’s blipping the throttle of has found favour with a few PB readers. Maxton even told me recently they’re fettling loads to make them handle better. Clearly, they’re not just being shipped straight to Hoxton for checked shirt-wearing poseurs to impress plain-looking women in polka…

1956 214.4MPH Johnny Allen 649cc Triumph Tiger T110 1962 224.57MPH William A. Johnson 667cc Triumph 1966 245.66MPH Robert Leppan 1298cc Triumph Gyronaut X-1 Streamliner 1970 251.66MPH Don Vesco 700cc Yamaha ‘Big Red’ Streamliner 1970 265.49MPH Cal Rayborn 1480cc Harley-Davidson 1975 302.92MPH Don Vesco 1480cc Yamaha ‘Silver Bird’ Streamliner 1978 318.59MPH Don Vesco 2030cc ‘Lightning Bolt’ Streamliner 1990 322.15MPH Dave Campos 3000cc Easyriders Streamliner 2006 342.79MPH Rocky Robinson 2600cc Top Oil-Ack Attack Streamliner 2006 350.88MPH Chris Carr 2997cc BUB Seven Streamliner 2008 360.91MPH Rocky Robinson 2600cc Top Oil-Ack Attack Streamliner 2009 367.38MPH Chris Carr 2997cc BUB Seven Streamliner 2010 376.363MPH Rocky Robinson 2600cc Top Oil-Ack Attack Streamliner 2016 Guy Martin Triumph Infor Rocket Streamliner Although conditions weren’t perfect for an attempt on the outright record, Guy piloted the Streamliner to a…

‘I can see how an experienced road racer can exploit its positives, as Hizzy did in 1982’ THE WIZ NORTON is my favourite bike on the Classic TT startline. The Wilson family could easily mollycoddle such rare bikes with minimal parts support – if an engine blows in a big way, or the chassis is written off, that’s it. Nobody is making any more engines, and ironically, the modern Norton company’s acquisition of the original frame builder, Spondon, saw the original designs and jigs scrapped when the Notts-based chassis legends were shut down and absorbed into the new firm. They’re also among the most authentic in terms of parts and appearance, yet Richard pushes the Norton as hard as possible. It’s a racebike, being raced properly, regardless of age. Brilliant.…

BE ORGANISED At the start of a BSB weekend I lay all of my tools out in order on top of my toolbox so I know where they are. It makes every job faster and less stressful if you know where your tools are and you don’t have to go searching them out. LOSE THE MOBILE If I am doing a tricky job I turn my mobile off. It is so easy for a call to come in, then you forget where you are and something gets overlooked. If it is important, they will call back, but you don’t get a second shot at putting a brake caliper bolt back in. HAVE A BREAK I always ensure I stop and give myself a break, even if I am flat-out. You…

1989 SUZUKI RGV250K CHRIS NEWBIGGING CHEESY IT MAY BE, but I couldn’t miss a chance to get my baby road-going RGV snapped with Team Classic Suzuki’s new/ old Pepsi 500 hybrid at Suzuki’s own Silverstone trackday. Every time I ride the little ’un, I live a Grand Prix fantasy – but side-by-side, that’s really all it is. Apart from having an aluminium frame and round wheels, they’re not very similar at all. But mine’s better in one way: noise. I was surprised to discover it makes a sharper, louder crack than the 500. Less inertia and smaller silencers are probably the reasons. I’d still trade, but I’m lucky to have what I do. Evidently, others agreed: I spent the day receiving compliments. It wasn’t there to be admired though –…

HOW LONG 3500 MILES COST £499.99/£379.99 CONTACT WOLF-MOTO.CO.UK I’VE NEVER FOUND a balance between two-piece convenience and one-piece comfort. The join always hinders movement to some degree. This Wolf suit isn’t quite perfect either, but it’s close. In fact, it’s plenty good enough for sporty road riding. The lightweight kangaroo hide is backed up with stretch panels giving enough mobility for knee slider abuse on my R1, as well as making them comfy for a 13-hour day on the S1000XR last month. But a trackday is a step too far – our jolly on the Thruxton/R NineT revealed the trousers don’t allow enough movement for fast direction changes. The internal/external pockets are handy, and perforated leather doesn’t get sweaty either. The removable lining makes the jacket good for cooler days.…

2016 BMW S1000XR CHRIS NEWBIGGING THE SOUTH OF France, in the height of summer. It’d be rude not to take a bike. So when a work trip came up in the area, I didn’t even consider flying to my destination west of Marseille. I also didn’t consider taking my R1. I couldn’t afford to split each leg over two days, and the R1’s pitiful luggage-carrying ability would force me to bear the weight of everything I needed on my back. I wanted to ride for the fun of it, not for masochistic reasons. Then I saw Whitey’s S1000XR standing dormant. The waifish one is recovering from an operation (having his mangina tightened, or something), and can’t get riding gear on. I realised the trip and the bike were made for…

2016 KAWASAKI ZX-10R MATT WILDEE DESPERATE TO CATCH the last gasp of summer, I’ve clocked up over 1000 quality miles on the ZX-10R this month, taken it to the Isle of Man and spent a great weekend escaping the presence of the mother-in-law by batting the shit out of it on my favourite local roads. Or at least trying to – the ZX-10R is so devastatingly fast and frenetic it’s sometimes hard for my addled mind to keep up. The trip to Heysham for the ferry was an eye-opener. Since the ZX-10R was remapped, it’s become one of the most fuel-efficient sportsbikes I’ve ever ridden, and on a long journey a £17 tank of unleaded will take you about 160 miles on fast A-roads and motorways. And we weren’t hanging…

MATT WILDEE EDITOR matt.wildee@pbmag.co.uk SZR660. I once enjoyed a 35bhp single at Cadwell more than I care to admit SIMON RUSSELL ART EDITOR simon.russell@bauermedia.co.uk A Harley XR1200 at Cadwell in 2010. It was such a laugh, I still fancy one now CHRIS NEWBIGGING FEATURES EDITOR chris@pbmag.co.uk PB’s Bandit. Rode around the outside of a bloke on a Moto2 bike. He got arsey... JOHN McAVOY ROAD TESTER editorial@pbmag.co.uk A disgusting 600SS Matt talked me into racing in the ‘No Budget Cup’ with him MICHAEL RUTTER TRACK TESTER editorial@pbmag.co.uk I’ve done a few inappropriate things on track, but with brolly dollies, not bikes... MARK WHITE TECHNICIAN editorial@pbmag.co.uk My GPz305. First ever trackday, and it was great until it stripped the drive belt KAR LEE FORUM EDITOR editorial@pbmag.co.uk My ZZ-R1100 wasn’t inappropriate, but…

PROTECTIVE CUSHIONED | FUCKING SALTY DAINESE MUGELLO R D-AIR RACE SUIT This evolution of the Italian firm’s D-Air technology features an airbag that extends from the shoulders and neck to the lower ribcage. It also has an emergency LED system that knows when you’ve crashed, as well as all the other features you’d expect of a leather suit that costs as much as a sorted 2005 R1. Available from April 2017. Price: £3399.95 Contact: www.dainese.com CARBON-FIBRE | HIGH-SPEC | AERODYNAMIC HJC RPHA11 LOWIN CARBON This new RPHA11 helmet has a lightweight carbon-fibre shell, new visor with wider field of vision, Pinlock insert and ‘Rapidfire’ quick-release system. There’s also a new EPS lining and ventilation system, which features an aerodynamic top vent, ‘precision top vent control’ and redesigned side intake vents.…

I DIDN’T TRADE, I UPGRADED! Last month I wrote to you about the plans for my 2011 Fireblade, and now I’m pleased to say that stage one of my upgrade went as planned – achieving 180.2bhp @ 12,600rpm, an increase of around 20bhp. I’ve also now got 82.73lb.ft of torque, up 4lb.ft. It was all down to the great work carried out by Sam at Motorcycle Junction, Ten Kate’s advice and the final dyno set-up completed by T3 Racing in Wrotham, Kent. I reckon my Honda is now better than a 2010 BMW S1000RR, equal to the 2015 model and it goes like hell! Hopefully Honda have pushed their new 2017 model’s limits – it can be done and it will still be as sweet to ride. The total engine…

TWO-STROKES ARE DEAR to me, and they were really important in my career. I started motocross on an air-cooled KX80 in 1982 – I was 10 and it was my first taste of a powerband. The bikes I had before were more trail-oriented and kid-friendly. We went to Ripley pits and a few other places, just riding round. I went out every weekend on the KX, and I loved it. My first bike was an Italjet 50 when I was three, in 1975 (yeah, right – MW). From then up to 1995 all I ever rode – on dirt, tarmac or racing – was a two-stroke. Nobody got better at nicking two-stroke oil than me! I could fully rebuild a two-stroke engine at the age of 13, doing everything including…

WHILE THE ZX-10R does occasionally show its WSB-winning potential, for me it’s not easy enough to get the best from. The BMW and R1 I could ride all day at the same speed. Although the Ducati wasn’t cooperating fully, it was still a great ride. And the RSV4... well. What a bike. It feels limitless. But knowing what they’re like on the road, I’d save a few quid, get an R1 and fettle it like my long-termer. It would be as engaging, just as fast and a little bit easier to use. Of all the bikes, the Daytona is the one that’ll make you a better rider – it’s the last sportsbike where you can’t just lean on the electronics. The MT-10 is my standout bike of the last two…

“OUR TWIN MOTEC ECUs have more than 1000 programmable parameters. When you lose connection to a cam position sensor, or a crank sensor, the ECU tells the motor to soldier on. When the front engine’s camchain broke in our 2013 test at Bonneville, the ECU continued supplying it with fuel, and the rear engine motored it along, so we in effect had a jet engine with an afterburner in the exhaust after the turbo, and it blew through the pipe! But the important thing is that we kept on running for another three minutes with that blow torch in the engine compartment, and it didn’t burn down. This was thanks to the carbon-fibre structure and some good ceramic coatings in the exhaust. But now we have a cut-out to shut…

‘I’d like to say testing bikes for PB has helped me, but I’m not sure it has!’ 2016 BMW S1000RR MICHAEL RUTTER I SKIPPED THE Cadwell round to ride at the Classic TT (see page 72), but was back for Oulton Park. I had a bad start and the leaders pulled a gap on me, then I pulled it back to about four tenths off them – but then I started to suffer from arm pump. My arm was dead and I just couldn’t hold on to the brakes. I don’t normally have a problem with it, and especially on the Superstock bikes because you’ve not got the braking like you do on a Superbike. I was cleaning out the drains the week before, shifting tree roots, so maybe I…

HOW LONG SEVEN MONTHS/7500 MILES COST £699 CONTACT WHYARAI.CO.UK I’VE WORN THIS helmet every riding day since March and have grown to admire and enjoy it. It’s been used for everything from my lairy 20-mile commute, to trackdays, to long days in the saddle in Europe, and despite what I thought were gimmicky features, plus concerns about its weight, it’s one of the nicest helmets I’ve used. For a start it’s comfortable, from the lining and how good it is at wicking away sweat on a hot day, to the way it fits around my head. The chin vent works very well and it is only noisy because of the amount of air that passes through it. The upper vents all do a good job, too. Despite being heavier than…

HOW LONG 2 ½ YEARS COST £89 CONTACT MAGEUROPE.EU PB’S TL1000R LOST 2.07kg with the fitment of this Shorai battery over the meaty, regular lead-acid type fitted originally. Any sportbikes more than a couple of years old will have a huge battery to turn the high-compression motor over (especially twins) so it’s an easy way to shed weight. It also has the benefit of spinning the motor over harder, so bikes prone to killing sprag clutches (Triumphs/Ducatis/Kawasakis) could gain from the faster, more positive initial cranking that prevents a damaging half-arsed engagement. It has also proved hardy – long periods of inactivity while the bike was worked on, cold days outside Whitey’s workshop and an electrical gremlin that completely flattened this battery haven’t killed it. A good charging system has…

2016 YAMAHA YZF-R1 CHRIS NEWBIGGING THE R1 IS pretty good in most respects, but the bling-looking KYB forks and shock underperform as standard. Last month, the shock faded so badly at Silverstone I could turn every adjuster up to maximum and still not get any damping. The forks are better, but it’s a harsh ride and needs a lot of load to generate feel. It needs help from a suspension expert, so I took it to PB’s old mate, Darren Wnukoski at Stowmarket’s MCT. His own bike is a 2CR R1, which he’s fettled for the last two years. I doubt anyone has as much experience of the R1’s suspension, in the workshop and on track. What’s wrong with my shock, Darren? “Poor quality oil cavitating under hard use is…

2015 SUZUKI GSX-S1000F MATT WILDEE SNARLING, SLIPPING AND wavering on the edge of traction, the Suzuki drives forward. Ahead is a MotoGP-liveried GSX-R. It’s pretty clear the guy is riding well, but my GSX-S is right in his slipstream and down the Hangar straight doesn’t lose an inch. GP man brakes earlier and the naked Suzy slingshots past and makes the apex, pegs grinding, before laying a fat, Pirellibranded smear on the exit. Perfect. It’s stuff like this that makes a 6am start to ride to a Silverstone trackday bearable, but also something that I never thought would be possible when we took delivery of the GSX-S last winter. An OK roadbike, as stock it’s held back by a couple of simple problems which blight it dynamically but can easily…

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FOR MY MONEY, the MT-10 is the best new bike of 2016. That’s not in cold performance terms – the raw figures are nothing exceptional, and the standard MT-10’s Mallory time is good, if not spectacular. But when you look at what performance, and more importantly, enjoyment you get for the £9999 list price, it’s a stunner. It has already drubbed the similarly-appointed BMW S1000R on track and road, but our fastest-ever naked, the V4 Tuono, is still ahead on laptimes. As it should be for £4700 more than the Yamaha: the top-spec Aprilia rocks up to the battle with Öhlins suspension, Brembo brakes and 164bhp. The chassis is barely removed from the RSV4 RF (see page 26) either. The Yamaha has good (but less sophisticated) KYB suspension, Yamaha’s own…

‘Le Mans was one of my favourite races this year – it’s where I got my first podium’ AT THIS YEAR’S British Grand Prix Maverick Viñales became the seventh different rider to win a MotoGP in as many races. But it wasn’t a complete surprise – over the last two seasons, the 21-year-old has impressed with his consistency, technical feedback and speed. In doing so, he’s not only made his team-mate Aleix Espargaro look second-rate, he’s also scored Suzuki’s first win in MotoGP since 2001. Born in Catalunya, Spain, in 1995, Maverick (named after his dad’s obsession with Top Gun) followed the well-trodden path of minimotos on to national 125s and then 125GPs. Once on the world scene, his progression slowed a little, but he made up for staying in…

1 BRAKE BLEED BOTTLE ‘I’m old-school so I use a bottle and bit of pipe. I have added a wire hanger to the bottle so I can hang it off the fork foot to keep both hands free for bleeding. It’s simple and bloody brilliant.’ 2 EXHAUST SPRING PULLER ‘Arrow sponsor us, and each exhaust system comes with a spring puller in the box, but I always revert to this one. It was quite expensive but it is a mega tool. Taking an exhaust spring off is a pain in the arse. This puller means I can remove springs in seconds – click, click, click – and a minute later the system is off.’ 3 TORQUE WRENCHES ‘I have three pre-set torque wrenches – one for the front spindle nut,…

2000 YAMAHA YZF-R1 MATT WILDEE THE R1 ISN’T 100% at the moment, and it’s worrying me a little, even though I suppose I’ve only got myself to blame. I really look after my R1 – more than any bike that’s ever been in my care. The oil gets changed every 2000 miles, it gets fastidiously warmed-up and it never sees rain. It spends its life in my climate-controlled, never-damp garage. As far as I’m concerned it’s a big responsibility owning a tidy older bike – if you’re the one who lets it go to seed you’re insulting the work of the previous owners. But there’s no getting away from the fact that this bike gets used hard – this is a machine that I appreciate for what it is, but…

HOW LONG TWO DEAD LIPO BATTERIES COST £119.99 CONTACT OPTIMATE.CO.UK LITHIUM BATTERIES HOLD a charge well, so don’t really need Optimatestyle maintenance unless a security device drains them, or there’s a problem – like leaving the ignition turned on, for weeks, as I did with my RGV’s Super B battery. Or if your loom has a power drain issue like Project TL’s did. The Optimate Lithium revived both. It took two hours to sort the Shorai battery (below), going through recovery, charge and conditioning phases before pronouncing it fit. It’s an expensive fix, but for racebikes running total loss, or roadbikes with devices leeching power, it’s as useful to lightweight batteries as the original Optimate is to regular types.…

HOW LONG ONE TRACKDAY/SIX SESSIONS COST RRP £260 CONTACT MICHELIN.COM I WAS TURNED on to slicks for trackdays last year after living with a tyre-eating 1299 Panigale S – it highlighted the fact that, when today’s modern litre bikes are ridden near their potential, road-going rubber just doesn’t seem to last. So I gave Michelin’s Power Evo Slicks a go and I was very impressed, not only with the grip and feel that they supplied, but also the longevity. And these revised versions do the same. With a new casing and just one compound thanks to its claimed flexibility in different conditions, they give the kind of mid-corner front-end security that only slicks seem to be able to deliver, with uncanny direction changes, a huge amount of trail-braking capability and…

CARBON-FIBRE HEEL GUARDS Bling. Nothing more. Cost: £108.72 RIDER COMFORT SEAT Thicker, softer, grippier and insulates against heat from the exhaust. Definitely hits the brief. Cost: £162.61 LOWER FAIRINGS Necessary fitment in order to add the Racing Silencer kit. Cost: £425.98 DUCATI CORSE SCREEN Would definitely have made the bike faster on straights during trackdays... if I could do any trackdays on it now. Cost: £125.23 BRAKE LEVER PROTECTION Like the racing levers, beautifully crafted, and in myopinion should be mandatory on all motorcycles. Cost: £122.77 RACING ARTICULATED LEVERS A little bit shorter than the OE levers and they fold up in the event of a crash. A beautifully made luxury. Cost: £269.46 AKRAPOVIC SILENCER KIT AND MAP Saves 6kg of weight,looks and sounds amazing, small power and torque gains…