Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1224843
ROBERT S FAMILY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BIKES R I D E R E V I E W P76 The Motor Game It was the engine that was the greatest improvement between the Roberts runner-up bike I rode in 1999 and his title-winning mo- torcycle. This was because the bottom-end power, which Warren Willing confirmed back then was one of the bike's weak areas, had been greatly improved—plus the transition into the stronger midrange zone around 10,500 rpm was smoother. Compared to the meatier, more abrupt power delivery of the Honda at the same revs, the twin-crank Suzuki engine was now more user friendly, only just not as powerful as the more brutal, brusquer single- crank NSR500 motor. Arguably, though, it was now better low down than the Honda, so that exiting MG I could short-shift from first to second around 10,000 rpm while briefly upright, before flicking it into the long, long left-hander that followed, playing the responsive throttle to drive cleanly around and pick up speed as the track opened out. This let me reap the benefit of the 2000 Suzuki's revised port- ing and electronically controlled variable-dimension exhausts (same effect as a power valve) to save performing the rather notchy bottom shift leaned over when it'd get the rear wheel slightly unhooked. The quickshift gear change on the race-pattern gearbox was nicely set up, though I'll admit to not paying too much attention to the row of five red shift lights which illuminated in succession across the top of the analog tacho because I was too busy holding on tight as the Suzuki's front wheel pawed the air on such a daunting track. Remembering what Warren Willing had told me the previous year as I struggled to keep the front wheel on the ground exit- ing the final turn at Jerez before the pits, I coped with the similar power wheelies out of Siberia by revving the Suzuki hard so that the engine fell off the end of the torque curve, which paradoxical- ly provided a better drive than us- ing the fat part of the power band around 11,500 revs. That was better for my heart rate, too—at least I could now see where I was pointing it for the next turn, without landing the front wheel with the bars all crossed up. King Kenny II may have had his work cut out to defend his 500 GP world crown in 2001 after Suzuki suspended two-stroke R&D in favor of its new four-stroke MotoGP project. But he won it fair and square in 2000 on a Suzuki which proved to be the best all- around package on the grid—just as his dad did 20 years earlier on a similarly underpowered Yama- ha. Like father, like son. CN Two kings: Roberts Jr. (left) and Roberts Sr. The only father and son 500cc World Champions.