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/128611
Cyele News 1DDDee V-twin Super bike Shoot out ''Y o u know, Paul, if y ou tried harder, I'll bet you could smok e Haney." ' T hree-time World Ch am pion Fredd ie Spencer (r ig ht) confers with CN Editor Paul Carruthers. " Fa st Freddie" was Instrumental in securing a la st-minut e date at La s Vegas Motor Spe edway f or us. TAKIN' ITTOTH E S TREETS Engine - Twin-cylinder eight-valve Desmodromic engine Chassis/Suspension/Wheels - Chrome-molybdenum tubular steel frame - New Marchesini five-spoke wheels in lighter alloy for less unsprung weight - New43mm Showa inverted fork with goldcolored anlifriction-nitrad e-coated legs - Showarearshock Controls - Brembo hydraulic clutch with higher ratio for easier pull - Brembo brakes with semi-fioating discs, and carri ers construct ed of av iation alumin um alloy - Newsidestand sensor prevents start-up with stand down Bottom Line: The model that symbolizes Ducati's supremacy in Superbike racing, and set the standards for its class. Thetarget. Specifications DISPLACEMENT ENGINE TYPE BORE x STROKE TIO COMPRESSION RA CARBURETION 996cc Uquid-cooled V-twin four-stroke 98 x 66mm 11.5:I Marellielectronic indirect injecti on IGNmON Electronic TRANSMISSION 6-speed STARTING SYSTEM Electric .4.4 gal. FUELCAPACITY 56.4 in. WHEELBASE RAKE/TRAIL 23.5 . 30' /91-97mm 31.1 in. SEAT HEIGHT FRONT TIRE 120nO·17 REARTIRE 190/50·17 FRONT SUSPENSION .43mm Showa inverted fork wi gold-colored antifrictionnitrade-coated legs and 5.1 in. travel 5.2 in. travel REARSUSPENSION FRONT BRAKE Brembo hydraulic wi dual 320mm discs and 4 pistons REAR BRAKE Bremb hydrauylic o wi single 220mm disc and 2 pistons Chain FINAL DRIVE CLAIMED DRY WEIGHT .436 Ibs. liST PRiCE $16,495 18 MA Y 3 . 2000 ' cue I e .. 1 30 r::---:=--:-===-=:::-::--:,...--:-:---:=====----,------.,-~ 13 0 110 r- -- --"1----------T----_.---::::: -- -_ " " ',"" ''''''' ,''' '''' ,.,T" " -"", ,""'"'''' .," T"" ..-'" 10 0 ~_ ~c. ti ~ M a x P;O WER -j 108.es ----.-----1-----------~ ----------~ --------- 12 0 ..__.---1----- ------!----- ---r.-.- . M a x ~OR Q UE !" 68 .5 i ' ''' ' ' ' '' ' ~ ······i···· . . ~::::::: ~ ~""'-v-.-i-v-~ · 10 0 90 · l s :.· · · · · · · · ·1 · ·· · · · · · · · · ~ · · · ·· · ·· ··+·· ·· · ·· · · · ,;· ·· · · · · ·· . _ ·· ··· · · ·- ·:-····· ·· · · · 1· · - - ·· · · ··- ~···· · · · · BO ' ~--- 70 :" ·"'-"'1 - --; '· :I: . ---- -- ~ - - ------- --;--------- -+--- -- .---- ~-- .. - .--- -;'-" -..-.. -r-- -- ------ ~-- ---- -- -- -:.-.-..-: - 50 · 50 ;._. L ... 1 L i. _ l, . , , , . . ._. __ .J. .._ _ . __ . . . . .--- -- -- ----- -- -- -+-_. --_ .... ....._. _ :.. __ ._. -_ .-- .._ ._ ..._ -_. ... ... _ .... ... . , . , , -··--·-·f·- ·· ····- ·· !· · · · · · ·· ···~ · · · ···.. ··i··········+·- ._.. -._~--.-. --·-- i-···· -· ~ 30 · 20 ~ -~_ . • , i • • 10 3 2 4 5 , i. 6 7 8 vv s ~_ ~ . i . RPM ( x 1 0 0 0) e . BO · 60 40 · n · 90 · 70 60 ~ . . - 120 . 1 10 9 10 · 40 · 30 W ith our Las Veg as Motor Speed wa y p la yda y b eh ind us , w e returned to our plush Cycle New s offices in the sa cred promi sed l and of S outhern Ca lifornia to re la x. catch ou r collec t ive breath , c ontempl ate li fe .. . then w e headed out onto th e st re ets for a qui ck IOO -m i le spin. It probabl y wasn 't n ec ess ar y , b e c au se du r ing some of our w arm -ups, tire sc ru b -in s and general g o ofing o ff at LVM S, w e ha d easily been ab le to di scern which bik e was th e b e st st ree t e r of th e bunch . Our li ttle ro ad tr ip only gave t h at parti cula r ma ch in e more o f a c hance to shine. W i t ho ut a doubt , the Suzuk i TL I OOORY is th e be st st reet bike of the fo u r , and for all o f th e same reasons that it f inished ju st a tick off the pa ce at t he tra c k. Th e TLR is ext re mely comfo rt abl e thanks to a cush y seat, slightl y so ft su spension and mello w m id -range motor. It i s simply less fren etic than th e RC51 or 996 , and a t ad m ore r efined in its o v er a ll pre s en ce than the Aprilia when characterist ics such as shifting and clutch p erformance are taken into considerat i on . Th e big feel imparts a s ense of s t ab il ity and . except for a rather sign ific ant amount o f vibration th at c am e through t he b a rs , t h e TLR is probably the b ike tha t we wo uld enjoy r i di n g for the longest distance. Best stree t It a l i a n i s clearly t h e RSV Mille. O n c e aga in , some o f our midget-legged t esters gru mb led about the tall t a il o n the M i lle, but beyond that t he g run ty low -end moto r made b eing n a u gh t y a com mon occu rr ence on DOT righ t -of-wa ys . It f ea t ures s o m e w ha t c o m f o r t a b l e ergonom ics and so mew ha t civil man ne rs b etween t he stoplight s , though it te n ds to lea n a b it m ore toward th e