VOL. 51 ISSUE 36 SEPTEMBER 9, 2014 P29
On the street, it is probably a
brilliant thing. It has won BEARS
races in Australia, in near stock
form. It has already raced in the
U.S., in a different form – as the
earlier-model RS.
Tech people in the paddock all
have an opinion about the EBR,
few thinking any of the unique
points were improvements on
the more conventional tech solu-
tions.
Performance wise, it is reli-
ably among the slowest bikes on
track, and lowest in the results.
Top speeds are not particularly
high.
Peculiarly for such a last-min-
ute arrival, with little pre-season
testing, it does not appear to
have changed in its overall spec
that much for a bike in its first
year of competition.
The engine, for example, could
be much more extensively modi-
fied than it has been, with greater
freedom of full racing compo-
nents allowed inside because
EBR is a new World Superbike
manufacturer. Contrary to what
people may think from the test-
ing ban side, all World Superbike
teams can test as much as they
like - just not with their contracted
riders on upcoming World Super-
bike circuits. New internal parts
for the EBR arrived at Jerez after
the summer break.
The much-criticized and
unique perimeter braking sys-
tem, only on the right hand side
of the front wheel, was originally
thought to be a keeper for EBR
by regulation. Under closer ex-
amination, they are also free to
change that if they want. There
was a move to do this, killed for
a reason that has never been ex-
plained.
Many in the SBK paddock
point to this perimeter/rim brak-
ing system as the main draw-
back; but EBR probably think it is
their biggest asset.
Vive le technical difference,
say I. As a metal talking point, the
EBR tech package is peerless.
Gordon Ritchie
The EBR – new
to World Super-
bike and techni-
cally different.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
GOLD
&
GOOSE
MATCHLESS
FOR MILAN
A
t the 2014 EICMA exhibition
in Milan, Italy, Matchless will
celebrate 100 years of motorcy-
cling with its Model X Reloaded,
a design inspired by the legend-
ary "Model X" Matchless that was
originally produced over 80 years
ago. The bike was designed by
Franco Malenotti along with the
Matchless design team.
