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/1542354
The gas-charged fork kept the bike much higher in the stroke and had much less dive under braking compared to the Showa units that were on the prevaous bike I rode. This was nice feature in some ofthe harder-braking areas, allowing me to be that much deeper on the brakes and not have to worry aboLir the rear end Sening light as a result of excess weEht transfer. Zemke and Duhamel's bikes are set up quite different in the front-end depart- ment, with Zemke opting to run more off- set, thus more trail, making the bike more stable once on its side, but also harder to steer. By no means wils the number-98 bike a sloLrch. ln fact, after ridjn8 just Zemke's machine, I though it steered quite easily. That was until I hopped on "Miggy s bike. The number-one CBR is the quickest-steering bike this side of a rlvo-stroke GP bike lhave ever had the pleasure of throwang around a racetrack. Duhamel also runs higher 'bars that rise above the triple trees: further upping its fl ickability through added leverage. Duhamel's bike steered incredibly well, and even though it was ver/ quick side-to- side, it was still stable when leaned over at high speeds. Let's put it this way, to me heaven will be a place where I ride only bikes that handle as well as l4iguel's CBR600RR FX machane. After riding both bikes, it was easy to see that lake definitely had to do a few more curlt to be in shape to throw his CBR around for 200 miles- Also, the clutch lever on Duhamel's had a slightly more curyed shape and fit my size-small hands much better than the straight lever Jake runs. Honda runs l6-5-inch forged-magne- sium wheels shod with the previous-gener- ation Dunlop Superbike slicks. On that sliShtly chilly morninS. they opted for medi- um-compound rubber front and rear - with the hope that us "mortal ' moto-journalists wouldn't be damaging them too badly. Be.ause of the size of the rear slick and its intended design as a Superbike tire, they almost have too much grip for the eager lit- tle 600 - according to Zemke. How can you have too much grip, you might be thinkinS? I'll let Zemke explain this one: "Because of how big thar rear tire is, and how sticky the thing is on its side, it doesn't allow me (o steer the bike with the rear tire like lcan on the Superbike," Zemke said. "Coming from dirt track, that's how I ride, but that 500 just doesn't have the power to keep [he rear tire sprn- ning once it breaks loose. lt's kind of a highside warting to happen, which is why l've kind of had to adapt my style and ride it more like a 250 GP bike.'' Anyone who was watching the Daytona 200 saw Duhamel demonstrate exacdy whar Zemke was talking abour on lap 44 in turn one, Ouch. By no means was I up to Zemke s speed after half a day on the mini monster, but by the last session, I was able to 8et the rear tire lit up and get a feel for what he was ralking about. He was right (guess Honda's paying the riEht guy...). lt almost Sives you too much confidence. lSot to the point that I was screwing on the throttle when I was practielly still on my knee. lt iust kept Sripping and gripping and grip. ping until... bam! Next thing I know the rear end is trying to pass the front, and I have visions of American Honda road-race team coordinator Ray Plumb chasing me around rhe pits with a giant monkey wrench, because I iust crashed his prize possession. I wat able to keep the CBR under control... YGll, okay, I got luclg and happened to land back in the seat. Let's irm say it was a Sood thing Plumb wasn't standing in the last corner watching, or he might have an ulcer after that one. I know I abor.rt soiled my leathers. As for the front, the Dunlop l6-5-inch, medium-compound slick was a perfect choice for the fast, abrasive track, and held up to a fullday of punrshment without a hinr of weai Vvhen I rode Zemke s Ohlins equipped Erion Honda FX bike in 2004, I said the same thing, and l'll say it a8ain: That Dunlop/Ohlins front-end combo is one ol if not the best, front ends I have ever used. The feel and feedback out of that fork is iust plajn awesome. At first it wa5 almost star- rling just how much feedback it gave, with every little bump translated straight rhrouSh the fork, into the bars, and right to the rider's hands. Havint spent so much time recently on streetbikes, with their rel- atively mushy. soft. street-bred suspension, it was an eye-opening experience to 8et back on a real race bike. Once lgot ured to how rigid it actually war. the harder I pushed. And the happier the CBR was. The front end of Duhamels bike felt a tad bit stiffer than Zemke's and would stay higher in the stroke when brakinS. This was one area where I liked Zemke's setup better. Because Miguel's was so stjff, it would lift the rear wheel it my initial stab at the brake lever was even the slightest bit too abrupt. I had suspected a lot ofthis was due to the bike being setup for Daytona, which Plumb confirmed: ''That's how l'liguel runs it at Daytona," said Plumb. "l guess because there really is no extreme-braking points at Daftona, especially with the new track getting rid of the really long run to the chicane - he could get away with ir. Plus, he's tamed down how aggressive he is on the brakes in recent years." Okay, so we've established that the chas- sis of the factory Honda CBR600RR is next to amazing. but whar about the motor that propelled Zemke around Daytona's 3l- degree banking 68 times to stand atop the podium? Well, if the chassis is next to amaz- ing, then the engine is flat-out amazin8. While Zemke's engine was noticeably down on power compared to Duhamel's bike (no wonder, considerinS that we rode it srraight off the track after 200 miles), it still pulled hard from 11,000 rpm to just past 15,000 rpm where it began to die off before hitting the 16,500 rpm rev-limiter. ! rr I L s-\ - |.| \ I d ,:i?ryEi --ae*--.. rat ( ar \ li Whot a I I \ ke on ol nf.: () a I t '{ t a 200 wrnner E cYcLE NEWS APRtr 26, 2006 17