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/127977
it more often. And pity the fool who slams into the fu,ll-shutdown rev limiter at 11,500 rpm. Not a pretty sight on the fast left-hander after the chicane. [f you plan on going road racing with one of these bikes in 1999, available contingency may sway you one way or another. Here are the numbers: Kawasaki steps up with a total of $524,500 for the many series in the State for 1999. Suzuki It is difficult to fault the Suzuki's chassis. Intake changes - longer velocity stacks, for instance - were aimed at increasing top-end power. The GSX-R's now-familiar' cockpit has the tach mounted front and center. It had the biggest feel of all the bikes; with a spacious riding position and widely set bars and a big fairing. Throw your leg over the Ducati and it was clear you were in for something completely different. From the heavy clutch pull to the heavier feel of the chassis to the racer-thin seat and low bars, it is the serious oddball of the group. Out on the track, you first notice the power delivery, then the stability and higher-effort steering (we were at the more kicked-out rake settings for the adjustable steering head). But you also notice how far over you can lean the bike, how easy it is to tighten your line and what child's play railing the infield becomes on such a sweet-handling, feedback-rich machine. The Due never wagged its bars, no matter what we did. It is the only bike in the test with a steeringdamper. But the magic pretty much ended right at the double left-hand turn that led to the banking and front straightaway. Though the higher-revving nature of the in-line-four power delivery made every rider more cautious feeding the power in on corner exits than with the tractorlike power of the 748 (the Ducati would see 40 ft.-lbs. of torque at 6300 rpm while the others would have to wait until 9000 rpm for a similar number), any early-jump advantage was negated as speeds rose and all the fours would just walk away. The 748's unbelievable chassis made it possible to chip back into the defidt in the infield, but it was frustrating to see those gains lost on the straights. "It was immediately on rails because it was set up stiffer," said Haney. And one tester, who chose to remain. nameless in this case, said about the Ducan's brakes: "I thought they were good. When you're going that slow everything feels good." That is a bit harsh, but it illustrates the frustration he felt after being passed and feeling like "the other guy was on a 500 and I was on a 250." The most interesting thing about the Ducati was the fact that although it had the most torque - leading you to expect to have to shift it the least - since it didn't rev nearly as high as the other bikes, you ended up with a narrower range of revs to work with and shifting Ducati 748 Engine Valve geer '. . . .. . Bore" stroke .. Di.plecement Compres.ionratio Carburetion Ignition Horsepower Torq_ Tran.misslon Frame 90·degree V-twin DOHC. 4 desmodromically operated valves per cyl. .88 x 61.Smm . . . .748cc ............ ".5:1 Marelli electronic. . . . . . indirect fuel injection Electronic 85.3 hp @ 11.250 rpm .47.4 ft.-Ibs. @ 8750 rpm 6-speed . , .Steel trellis 55.6 in. Wheelbase Reke/trail Seat height Su.penslon Front .43mm fully adjustable fork: 5 in. travel ....Fully adjustable shock wi single sided swingarm and ride-height adjustment: 5.1 in. travel WHEN THE BOSS MAN CAME BACK FROM THE YZF-R6 LAUNCH IN Au tralia mouthing off about how good the thing turned out to be on the street, how it had decent midrange, compliant suspension and a fairly comfortable riding position, I immediately asked myse[f: ''Just how many drinks did Yamaha buy this guy?" Turns out they bought him a lot of drinks, but it didn't cloud his judgment one bit - he was absolutely right. After we dialed. in the suspension from the fairly loose stock settings, this thing railed Vegas. Drop anchor from the top of fifth gear and it stops - no muss, no fuss. It's compact, light, narrow, fast, stable, looks good, sound.s good. It is good. The F4? Pretty much the same as the R6: excellent on the street, excellent on the track, and it fit me and my 6-foot-2 frame better than the Yamaha, as well as providing better wind protection. And although it is hard not to be seduced by the sound and the fury from the Kawasaki powerplant, it had my least favorite chassis: too much movement on the track, a little harsh on the street. The Suzuki was the inverse - unappealing engine response coupled with a brilliant chas is. While I was riding a Dueati in Italy this year, a construction worker who was controlling traffic for a section of one-lane road started yakking at me in Italian. I talked in English - a little louder so he'd have a better chance of understanding mesaying that I didn't speak Italian. After that, he just said (kissing his fingers, of course), "Bellissimo! Magica!" with this wistful tone that made me think he might start crying. That's what the 748 does to you. In the garage, you look'at it. Then you move and look at it from somewhere else. And it is equally beautifuL It is beautiful, it is magic. To ride it is magic. To hear it is magic. Forget the screeching clutch, and the racer-thin seat, and the $13,500 asking price, anti ask yourself how you are going to raise the money - because you are going to want to raise the money. I'm not going racing, I'm just going riding, and that's the bike I want to do it on. MARK HOYER Kawasaki ZX-6R .lIquid-cooled in-line four .DOHC. 4 valves per cyI. .. Suzuki6SX-R600 . .Electronic wi 3-D map 90.0 hp @ 12.750 rpm .41.8 ft.-Ibs. @ 10.000 rpm . . .6.speed .. . Twin~spar Twin.spar aluminum _ 24°/96mm .31.9 In. . ..65.5 x 44.5mm 599cc 12.0:1 . ..(4) Mikuni BDSR36 . Electronic TCBI . 93.3 hp @ 12.000 rpm . . . . . .41.7 ft.-Ibs. @ 9750 rpm 6-speed . .54.7 in. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . aluminum. lIquid-cooled in-line four .DOHC. 4 valves per cy!. 65.5 x 44.5mm 599cc 12.4:1 (4) Keihin CVRD37 with TPS Electronic 93.9 hp @ 12.250 rpm .41.5 ft.-Ibs. @ 11.000 rpm 6-speed . Electronic CDI : . .89.5 hp @ 12.250 rpm. . .. ., .42.8 ft.·lbs. @ 10.000 rpm 6-speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Twin-spar aluminum 55.1 in. ..... ..... . 54.5 in. . . .••....... .23.5°/91 mm . . . . .. .. .24°/96mm .. 32.1 in. .. 32.7 in. · . .43mm HMAS fully adjustable fork: 46mm fully adjustable fork: 4.7 in. travel 4.7 in. travel' ....Fully adjustable shock: Fully adjustable shock: - 4.7 in. travel 5.3 in. travel Yamaha YlF-R6 .....lIquid-cooled in-line four ....DOHC. 4 valves per cy!. . . ..67 x 42.Smm . , .66 x 43.8mm . . . . . . . . _.S99cc . . . . . . . .S99cc 12.0:1................. .11.8:1 . .(4) 36.5mm slanted Aat-slide CV ..(4) Mikuni BDSR36 . . , o , " .23.S-24.S /91-97mm 31.1 in. Reer Honda CBRBOOF4 .lIquid-cooled in-line four .. . . . . .DOHC. 4 valves per cy!... has yet to finalize its progJ:am, though a spokesman said there should be close $300,000 up for grab. Honda has ponsored the Pro Honda Oils 600 Supersport series for nine years running, with $41,000 going into the series thi year, and a total of $370,000 over the life of the series. Also, at the end of the season, the top 10 receive money from a $15,000 pool, provided they ran the Pro Honda }. ,Twin·spar aluminum _ _ . .4Smm fully aEljustable fork: 4.7 in. travel Fully adjustable shock: 5.2 in. travel 54.4 in. 24°/81 mm 32.3 in. .43mm fully adjustable fork: 5.1 in. travel .Fully adjustable shock: 4.7 in. travel Tires Front Reer . . . Brake. Front .. . . 120170ZR17 '" 180/SSZR 17 . . . ...... .Dual 320mm discs wi four-piston calipers Reer .. .. ......Single 220mm disc wi two-pistOR caliper Dry weight .432 Ibs. Fuel cepeclty .. . .4.5 gal. ..... Price ...... .$13.495 . 120170ZR17 180/55ZR 17 · . .Dual 296mm discs wi four-piston calipers ..Single 220mm disc wi two-piston caliper · ..372 Ibs. . ., • .4.5 gal. . $7899 .120/60ZR 17 .1 70/60ZR 17 _ ..............120170ZR17 ... .180/55ZR 17 .Dual 300mm discs wi six-piston calipers Single 220mm disc wi single-piston caliper 388 Ibs. .4.8 gal. $7999 120/60ZR17 ........ :Dual 320mm discs wi four-piston calipers .single 220mm disc . . wi two-piston cahper . .383 Ibs.. , . . . . . . . .. . . .. .4.8 gal. ................•.... $7799 .180/SSZR17 .Dual 29Smm discs wi four-piston calipers .single 220mm disc wi two-piston caliper 370 Ibs . .4.5 gal. $7999 15