What’s got 18 wheels and makes grown men cry
AUSTEST 2012 AUSTRALIA'S ULTIMATE SPORTSBIKE E TEST RENNIE SCAYSBROOK What’s got 18 wheels and makes grown men cry with happiness? Why, it’s this year’s AUSTest! very year we say they can’t get any faster. Every year we say they can’t get any better. And every year we are proven wrong. Today’s superbikes are the fastest things on two wheels – a combination of years of racing technology and countless laps around the world’s racetracks. This test is a special one as overall development has been more pronounced for this year, meaning there’s more than a few bikes in with a fighting chance for the title. The first is the Ducati Panigale 1199S, the most hyped-up machine of 2012. The PHOTOGRAPHY KEITH MUIR, JOSH EVANS AND RUSSELL COLVIN first bike on the market with a monocoque chassis, electronic suspension adjustment, and even engine braking control. It’s a technical masterpiece; one that will surely herald a new era in superbike design. BMW has come to the game with a thoughtfully-revised S1000RR for 2012. The 2010 AUSTest winner came in a close second last year and with the magic wand waved over the chassis, engine and electronics package, it’s a threat. Both these bikes face off against the defending AUSTest champion: the Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC. This brilliant machine took the 2011 title thanks to a superb chassis and engine combination and the excellent Aprilia Performance Rider Control (APRC) electronic system. It’s unchanged for 2012 but that doesn’t mean it’s out of the game… the Aprilia is a sensational machine and a proven test winner. On top of this there’s an updated Honda Fireblade, the Yamaha YZF-R1 has an allnew traction control system, a fresh Suzuki GSX-R1000, the Kawasaki ZX-10R, MV Agusta F4 and the base-model Aprilia RSV4 R. Time to take the world’s fastest roadbikes to the newest racing venue in Australia, Sydney Motorsport Park and lap until we get giddy – let’s do this! THE TESTERS • Sam Maclachlan • Mark Willis • Malcolm Campbell • Alex Gobert • Shannon Johnson • Mark McVeigh • Wayne Clark • Ralph Leavsey-Moase • Rennie Scaysbrook RSV4F R1 1199S RSV4R F4 amcn /32 S1000RR GSX-R1000 ZX-10R CBR1000RR 33/ amcn AUSTEST 2012 SPECS AUSTRALIA'S ULTIMATE SPORTSBIKE RSV4 R RSV4 FACTORY S1000RR 1199 S CBR100ORR ZX-10R F4 65° V4 DOHC, four valves per cylinder 999.6cc 78 x 52.3mm 13:1 Liquid EFI,4 x 48mm Weber-Marelli throttle bodies Ride-by-wire management; switchable engine maps; traction, wheelie, launch control; rideby-wire throttle 119.2kW @ 12,400rpm (measured) 102.8Nm @ 10,000rpm (measured) In-line four-cylinder DOHC, four valves per cylinder 999cc 80 x 49.7mm 13:1 Liquid EFI, 4 x 48mm throttle bodies L-twin DOHC, four valves per cylinder 1198cc 112 x 60.8mm 12.5:1 Liquid EFI, 2 x Marelli throttle bodies In-line four-cylinder DOHC, four valves per cylinder 999.8cc 76 x 55.1mm 12.3:1 Liquid EFI, 46mm Keihin throttle body In-line four-cylinder DOHC, four valves per cylinder 998cc 76 x 55mm 13:1 Liquid EFI, 4 x 47mm Keihin throttle bodies Switchable engine maps; Kawasaki Traction Control In-line four-cylinder DOHC, four radial valves per cylinder 998cc 76 x 55mm 13.1:1 Liquid EFI, 4 x 49mm Mikuni throttle bodies Switchable engine maps; MV Agusta Traction Control In-line four-cylinder DOHC, four valves per cylinder 999cc 74.5 x 57.3mm 12.9:1 Liquid EFI, 4 x 40mm Mikuni throttle bodies In-line four-cylinder, crossplane crank DOHC, four valves per cylinder 998cc 78 x 52.2mm 12.3:1 Liquid EFI, 4 x 45mm Mikuni throttle bodies Switchable engine maps; Yamaha Traction Control Power Torque 65˚ V4 DOHC, four valves per cylinder 999.6cc 78 x 52.3mm 13:1 Liquid EFI, 4 x 48mm Magnetti Marelli throttle bodies Ride-by-wire management; switchable engine maps; traction, wheelie, launch control; rideby-wire throttle 115.2kW @ 12,400rpm (measured) 102.8Nm @ 10,000rpm (measured) 129.2kW @ 13,100rpm (measured) 101.3Nm @ 10,900rpm (measured) 124.7kW @ 10,600rpm (measured) 116.5Nm @ 8600rpm (measured) 117.8kW @ 11,700rpm (measured) 102.9Nm @ 8800rpm (measured) 123.8kW @ 13,000rpm (measured) 96.5Nm@11,400rpm (measured) 120.8kW @ 12,400rpm (measured) 101.1Nm @ 9300rpm (measured) 117.1kW @ 11,700rpm (measured) 102.1Nm@10,200rpm (measured) 111.7kW @ 12,500rpm (measured) 101.3Nm @ 9000rpm (measured) TRANSMISSION Type Clutch Final drive Six-speed Wet, slipper Chain Six-speed Wet, slipper Chain Six-speed Wet, slipper Chain Six-speed Wet, slipper Chain Six-speed Wet, slipper Chain Six-speed Wet, slipper Chain Six-speed Wet, slipper Chain Six-speed Wet, slipper Chain Six-speed Wet, slipper Chain CHASSIS Frame material Frame layout Rake Trail Aluminium Twin-spar 24.5˚ 105mm Aluminium Twin-spar, adjustable engine position 24.5˚ (adjustable) 105mm Aluminium Twin-spar 24.01˚ 98.5mm Monocoque aluminium Trellis 24.5˚ 100mm Aluminium Twin-spar 23˚ 96.3mm Cast aluminium Twin-spar 25˚ 107mm Tubular steel Trellis 23.5˚ 100mm Aluminium alloy Twin-spar 23.5˚ 98mm Aluminium alloy Twin-spar 24˚ 102mm Sachs 43mm USD fork, fully adjustable, 120mm travel Monoshock, fully adjustable, 130mm travel Öhlins 43mm USD fork, fully adjustable, 120mm travel Monoshock, fully adjustable, 130mm travel Sachs 46mm USD fork, fully adjustable, 120mm travel Monoshock, fully adjustable, 130mm travel Öhlins 43mm fork, electronic fully adjustable, 120mm travel Monoshock, electronic fully adjustable, 130mm travel Showa 43mm USD fork, fully adjustable, 120mm travel Monoshock, fully adjustable, 62mm travel Showa BPF 43mm USD fork, fully adjustable, 120mm travel Monoshock, fully adjustable, 140mm travel Marzocchi/Sachs 50mm USD fork, fully adjustable, 120mm travel Monoshock, fully adjustable, 120mm travel Showa BPF 43mm USD fork, fully adjustable, 125mm travel Monoshock, fully adjustable, 130mm travel Soqi 43mm USD fork, fully adjustable, 120mm travel Monoshock, fully adjustable, 120mm travel Wheels Front/Rear Five-spoke, forged aluminium alloy Front: 17 x 3.5 Rear: 16 x 6.0 10-spoke, cast aluminium Front: 17 x 3.5 Rear: 17 x 6.0 10-spoke light alloy Front: 17 x 3.5 Rear: 17 x 6.0 12-spoke cast aluminium Front: 17 x 3.5 Rear: 17 x 6.0 Three-spoke, cast aluminium 3.5 x 17 6.0 x 17.0 Five-spoke, cast aluminium 3.5 x 17 6.0 x 17.0 Three-spoke, cast aluminium Front: 17 x 3.5 Rear: 17 x 6.0 Five-spoke, cast aluminium Front: 3.5 x 17 Rear: 6.0 x 17.0 Tyres Front: Rear: Pirelli SC Pro Front: 120/70ZR17 (58W) Rear: 190/55ZR17 (75W) 10-spoke, cast aluminium 3.5 x 17 6.0 x 17.0 Pirelli SC Pro Front: 120/70ZR17 (58W) Rear: 200/55ZR17 (75W) Tyres Metzler Racetec K2 Front: 120/70ZR17 (58W) Rear: 190/55ZR17 (75W) Pirelli SC Pro Front: 120/70ZR17 (58W) Rear: 200/55ZR17 (78W) Metzeler Racetec K2 Front: 120/70ZR17 (58W) Rear: 190/50ZR17 (73E) Dunlop D211 GPA Front: 120/70ZR17 (58W) Rear: 190/55ZR17 (75W) Pirelli Supercorsa SP Front: 120/70ZR17 (58W) Rear: 190/45ZR17 (75W) Dunlop D211 GPA Front: 120/70ZR17 (58W) Rear: 190/50ZR17 (73W) Dunlop D211 GPA Front: 120/70ZR17 (58W) Rear: 190/55ZR17 (75W) Brembo Twin 320mm discs, four-piston radial-mounted Monobloc calipers 220mm disc, two-piston caliper Brembo Twin 320mm discs, four-piston, radial-mounted Monobloc calipers 220mm disc, two-piston caliper Brembo Twin 320mm discs, four-piston calipers Tokico 320mm disc, four-piston calipers Single 220mm disc, single-piston caliper ABS Brembo Twin 330mm discs, four-piston Monobloc calipers Single 245mm disc, two-piston caliper ABS Tokico Twin 310mm discs, four-piston radial-mounted calipers 220mm disc, single-piston caliper ABS Brembo/Nissin Twin 320mm discs, four-piston Monobloc calipers 210mm disc, four-piston caliper Brembo Twin 310mm discs, four-piston radial-mounted calipers 220mm disc, single-piston caliper Nissin Front: Twin 310mm discs, six-piston radial-mounted calipers Rear: 220mm disc, single-piston caliper 208kg (wet, measured) 845mm 735mm 1120mm 1420mm 17L 208kg (wet, measured) 830mm 735mm 1120mm 1420mm 17L 209kg (dry, claimed) 820mm 826mm Not given 1422.7mm 17.5L 192kg (wet, measured) 825mm Not given Not given 1437mm 17L 204kg (wet, measured) 820mm 826mm 1135mm 1407mm 17.7L 203kg (wet, measured) 815mm 715mm 1115mm 1425mm 17L 213kg (wet, measured) 805mm 750mm Not given 1430mm 17L 205kg (wet, measured) 810mm 720mm 1130mm 1405mm 17.5L 218kg (wet, measured) 835mm 715mm 1130mm 1415mm 18L CONTACT & SALE INFO Testbike JSG Australia Contact www.aprilia.com.au (02) 9772 2666 Colour options Glam White, Black Competition or Sunlit Yellow JSG Australia www.aprilia.com.au 02 9772 2666 Red/black NF Importers www.ducati.com.au (02) 9704 2800 Red, Tricolore MV Agusta Imports www.mvagustaimports.com.au Suzuki Australia www.suzuki.com.au 03 9931 0500 Blue/White, Black/Black 24 month, unlimited km $29,990 Honda Australia motorcycles.honda.com.au (03) 9270 1111 Pearl Sunbeam White, Victory Red or Graphite Black 24 months, unlimited km $18,490/$19,490 (ABS) Kawasaki Australia www.kawasaki.com.au 02 9684 2585 Green, Ebony Warranty Price BMW Motorrad www.motorcycles.bmw.com.au 1800 813 299 Racing Red/Alpine White, Bluefire, Sapphire Black Metallic, Motorsport 24 months, unlimited km $22,290 Yamaha Australia www.yamaha-motor.com.au (02) 9757 0011 Matt Grey, 50th Anniversary White, Yamaha Blue, Competition White 24 months, unlimited km $19,999 ENGINE Configuration Cylinder head Capacity Bore/stroke Compression ratio Cooling Fueling Control GSX-R1000 YZF-R1 SUSPENSION Front: Rear: WHEELS/TYRES BRAKES Front: Rear: Control: DIMENSIONS Weight Seat height Max width Max height Wheelbase Fuel capacity amcn /34 24 months, unlimited km $22,990 24 months, unlimted km $33,990 220mm disc, single-piston caliper 24 month, unlimited km $19,999 Red/silver, Black, Silver Titanium, Grey with red frame 24 month, unlimited km $24,990 24 months, unlimited km $18,990 35/ amcn AUSTEST 2012 DYNO REPORT HARLEY BORKOWSKI 140 BMW S1000RR Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC Ducati 1199 Panigale S Honda CBR1000RR Kawasaki ZX-10R MV Agusta F4 Suzuki GSX-R1000 Yamaha YZF-R1 120 100 60 One of Sydney’s foremost engine tuners and dyno operators, he’s the guy AMCN trusts to get the best power figures and give a detailed analysis of each AUSTest bike. 129.2kW@13,100rpm 119.2kW@12,400rpm 124.7kW@10,600rpm 117.8kW@11,700rpm 123.8kW@13,000rpm 120.8kW@12,400rpm 117.1kW@11,700rpm 111.7kW@12,500rpm APRILLIA RSV4 R – RSV4 FACTORY This engine is my favourite of the lot. It has fantastic throttle response from any point and the V4 growl it makes is awesome. The torque curve is as close to perfect as you can get in a superbike and it just seems to have power everywhere. There are a few lean spots that need to be tidied up, mostly on light throttle, but overall the fuelling is very good on both versions. The Factory model makes 4kW more than the standard model, but the power and torque curves are mirror images of each other, so it would be hard to notice unless you put them both on a racetrack. POWER ( kW ) 80 AUSTRALIA'S ULTIMATE SPORTSBIKE 40 BMW S1000RR RB Imports 182 Taren Point Road, Caringbah NSW, 2229 (02) 9524 3177 www.rbimports.com.au 20 ENGINE SPEED (RPM x 1000) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 14 15 140 BMW S1000RR Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC Ducati 1199 Panigale S Honda CBR1000RR Kawasaki ZX-10R MV Agusta F4 Suzuki GSX-R1000 Yamaha YZF-R1 120 80 60 DUCATI 1199 PANIGALE S The engine in the Panigale is amazing. To have a big-bore twin that can rev so freely and sound so angry is a real achievement from Ducati. Unfortunately, the results on the dyno didn’t match the hype. Don’t get me wrong – it makes a massive amount of power, but it makes it so high in the rev-range I don’t know if you would often get to experience it. The gearbox and powershifter are just beautiful, but a Power Commander to sort the fuelling is a must, and if there was some way to take a bit of power from the top-end and shove it in the middle, this bike could be spectacular. HONDA CBR1000RR The Honda is smooth and clean, and has the most torque of all the four-cylinder superbikes on the market. The gearbox is well matched to the engine with solid shifts. The throttle response from all but the lowest of rev-ranges is as close to perfect as you can get, and the addition of a fuelling device and a bit of mapping would make short work of that. It hasn’t got the highest power output of the bunch, but it’s got the most where you want it and will tear your arms from their sockets with no problem. KAWASAKI ZX-10R Even though the ZX-10R has one of the highest peak power outputs of the bunch, the torque this thing generates is a little weak compared to the other bikes tested. That’s not to say it’s bad – the power is laid out very smoothly and the fuelling is typically Kawasaki perfect. The gearbox is good as well, but in a roll-on situation against the Honda or the Suzuki, it makes its power too late in the rev-range and would just get hosed in all but the highest of speeds. MV AGUSTA 1000 F4 The MV is a massive improvement on last year’s effort. For a bike that looks the same to me, I was pleasantly stunned by how much better it is. It has the same peak power as last year’s model, but a big fat lump of torque has been thrown in the middle. It still has an exotic Italian feel to it, but the execution is closer to the Japanese bikes than ever before. Even the rev-limiter, which was almost unnerving, has been changed to a smooth dulling off of the power. It’s not perfect, but with a fuelling device and a remap it could be damn close. SUZUKI GSX-R1000 The GSX-R is super strong everywhere. It’s hard to put into words just how good the response is from this engine. Every tiny movement from your wrist is felt at the back wheel and the factory has got the fuelling as close to perfect as they can. The gearbox is better than the Honda, and it has 3kW more power than the 2011 model – that’s 3kW at every point in the rev-range. It’s hard to imagine how Suzuki keeps improving the GSX-R, but it does. YAMAHA YZF-R1 I’ve always loved the concept of the crossplane crank in the R1. It delivers strong four-cylinder power with the growl and feel of a V engine. The fuelling seems a little erratic, but at no time does it translate to anything bad. The torque curve has a few dips in it, but the feel from the engine is always strong. The transmission is super smooth, and I think this would make a great roadbike. With a set of open pipes and a Power Commander, this thing would be alive. TORQUE (Nm) 100 101.3Nm@10,900rpm 102.8Nm@10,000rpm 116.5Nm@8600rpm 102.9Nm@8800rpm 96.5Nm@11,400rpm 101.1Nm@9300rpm 102.1@10,200rpm 101.3Nm@9000rpm The BMW has super strong power delivery from every part of the rev-range. It’s possibly the most seamless of the group, with the gearbox and powershifter perfectly complimenting the engine. An aftermarket fuelling device will help tidy up a few lean spots on light throttle, but you would really only need it if you were to fit a race exhaust system. This thing has been a race winner and it’s easy to see why. 40 20 0 1 RB Imports 182 Taren Point Road, Caringbah NSW, 2229 (02) 9524 3177 www.rbimports.com.au ENGINE SPEED (RPM x 1000) 2 amcn /36 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 37/ amcn AUSTEST 2012 IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER... AUSTRALIA'S ULTIMATE SPORTSBIKE APRILIA RSV4 R 1 1. The dash is the same as the Factory’s 2. Brembo Monobloc calipers offer all the stopping power you’ll need 3. The exhaust is the same as on the Factory 2 3 We all knew the RSV4 R was going to be good, but we didn’t realise it would be this good. As far as value for money goes, this machine is right up there with the best of them. There are big chassis differences between the R and the Factory, but these are only magnified when pushing really hard on the track. Truth is, you’d be hard pressed to want more if you were an everyday rider who likes to hit the track from time to time. The R differs from the Factory with the obvious Öhlins forks and shock, and different wheels, plus you don’t get the adjustable headstock or swingarm pivot on the chassis. The engine also lacks the velocity stacks of the Factory, and this shows with the engine feeling slightly flatter than the Factory when hitting the upper ends of the midrange. The top-end of the R’s V4 also isn’t as pronounced as the Factory. Regardless of these characteristics the Aprilia V4 engine is still an absolute weapon. It lacks the overall power of its big Factory brother, not to mention the Ducati or BMW, but it’s just as usable with impeccable fuelling and a beautiful gearbox. The quickshifter on the R and Factory is the same, and it’s not as fast as the Ducati in changing ratios. It’s about equal with the BMW, but doesn’t sound half as good as the gunshot sound you get from the Beemer when changing cogs. The feel and overall quality of the Sachs suspension begins to show under braking with the Factory’s Öhlins offering more feel from the forks, and the shock remaining more composed through the corner and under acceleration. Turn speed is also slightly faster on the Factory, but you won’t find this unless you’re really pushing – the R is still a very high-quality piece of kit in the corners. Direction changes on the R are typically smooth and swift (the standard “It feels like a 250GP bike” comment came up more than once from some testers). The R is agile but at the same time planted – it just lacks the edge the Factory has, but that’s what you’re paying the extra bucks for. Aprilia chose to fit thinner brake and clutch levers to the R for testing and neither myself nor Gobert cared for them, but Shannon loved them. Brakes are the same as the Factory and thus almost impossible to criticise. What makes this bike such astounding value is you get that brilliant APRC system thrown in. It’s the easiest electronic system to use out of everything here, however a few testers (including myself) found the traction control switchblock was easy to touch accidentally and thus change maps without the rider realising. Stick the traction control system in two (or one if you’re really fast) and off you go. Willis hated the Aprilia Launch Control during his drag starts, but he was the only one to try it. Overall, the system is an invaluable addition to an extremely impressive bike. “Apart from the bragging rights, I liked this as much as the RSV4 Factory” – Alex Gobert OD THE GO r money GO TO WHOA This Aprilla was extremely easy to get off the line. The feel and connection between throttle and clutch made it an easy bike to control. Being able to slip or feather the clutch to maintain maximum drive is important. The added benefit of a powershifter makes quick gear changes a breeze and the Monobloc Brembos have no problem in bringing the pocket rocket to a quick stand still. MW PEG-GROUND: 395mm amcn /38 • Value fo as Factory e electronics m Sa • a monster • Engine still GOODory NOT SmO ble as the Fact • Not as ni of top-end • Lacks a bit anges a bit ch n io ct • Dire ctory an slower th Fa BAR-GROUND: 820mm BAR-SEAT: 695mm BACK-END: 101.5KG SEAT-PEG: 430mm TOTAL WEIGHT: 208KG 2 1 PEG-BAR: 770mm FRONT-END: 106.5KG BAR WIDTH: 740mm 3 1. A new dash sits inside the fairing for 2012 – it’s not a bad one, either 2. No ABS system here, but forks have been changed to Showa BPFs 3. This end hasn’t changed for five years THE GO OD • Still a good bike after so long • Heaps of m idrang • New BPFs su e grunt it chassis HONDA CBR1000RR “Just like visiting an old girlfriend, without the awkwardness,” was how Shannon Johnson described the Honda. It summed the machine up perfectly – like an old pair of shoes, the Honda is dependable and easy to get the most out of. The engine is one of the most userfriendly here and the fact it has such a wad of midrange torque is a bonus in trying to set smooth, fast laptimes. Fuelling and throttle connection is beautiful; there’s a direct link between opening the gas and the go at the rear tyre, but the punch begins to run out a little early once in the top-end. It’s an excellent roadbike engine and great for tight circuits like Winton and Wakefield Park, but take it to Phillip Island and a BMW will likely drag off into the distance (unless you’re Wayne Maxwell). The engine’s a gem, but the gearbox is not. A few of the testers marked the Honda as having the worst gearbox on test with stiff, notchy shifts. No one noted any false neutrals, but the overall action of changing cogs was horrible – a powershifter is a must for the Honda when put against the BMW or Ducati. The gearing was nicely suited to SMP, making it easy to keep the Honda in the chunky part of the rev-range through the back of the circuit but also reaching sixth gear down the straight and using the maximum power of the engine. The major changes to the Honda over the 2011 machine centre around the chassis, with the addition of 43mm Showa BPFs, a revised Pro-Link rear suspension linkage and revised 12-spoke wheels. This hasn’t altered the Honda a great deal from before; Shannon Johnson noted the front was a bit soft and would be difficult to turn into the corner under brakes, but with the anchors off and suspension off the bottom of the stroke the Honda would turn in nicely. Gobert also noted the chassis changes didn’t really have a great effect on the Honda’s character, which is probably a good thing as the 2011 model was still good three years after its release. One thing nearly everyone agreed on was the Honda had the least ground clearance of all the test bikes – the mark at turn two from the hero knob looked like someone had crashed, until the line just kept going and disappeared towards turn three. The Honda’s front brakes copped a PEG-GROUND: 355mm BAR-GROUND: 820mm NOT SO GO OD • Stiff gearbo x • Lacks grou nd clearance • A bit bland hammering from the testers. Not enough power or feel at the lever were some of the comments, although the chassis balance was never in question. The Honda feels beautifully composed from front to back, braking or acceleration; it’s incredibly easy to ride, however it is quite tight between the ’pegs and the tank, and the ergos have you quite stretched out when under the bubble. But the Honda is bland. I hate to say it, but the Blade just isn’t as sharp as it once was. It’s still an excellent bike, and would be a great basis for a special HRC version, but the excitement around the Honda just isn’t there anymore. GO TO WHOA After riding the Euros, the biggest thing you notice is the lack of a powershifter. That means I had to factor an extra thing into my thought process, which is no mean feat! The Honda has a good feeling off the line and is an easy bike to keep control of. Having to think about changing gears with the clutch again was a definite disadvantage over the Euros and the brakes and suspension didn’t feel quite as confidence-inspiring on braking. Front suspension dives a little more on initial heavy braking and this dictates how much force you can use to brake. MW “HRC need to earn their keep and give the bike some good electronics” – Shannon Johnson BAR-SEAT: 670mm BACK-END: 96.5KG SEAT-PEG: 450mm TOTAL WEIGHT: 204KG PEG-BAR: 740mm FRONT-END: 107.5KG BAR WIDTH: 710mm 39/ amcn AUSTEST 2012 IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER... AUSTRALIA'S ULTIMATE SPORTSBIKE MV AGUSTA F4 KAWASAKI ZX-10R The ZX-10R received more favourable reviews this year, mainly due to a better track set-up than in 2011. The tyres were changed to Dunlop D211GPAs and this helped corner feel, although the green meanie was let down in many testers’ eyes by a rear shock that wasn’t up to the task of setting fast laptimes. A few testers noted the Kawasaki felt mismatched, with good front-end feel but meagre feedback coming from the rear. The Kawasaki’s brakes also didn’t receive much praise, with some testers noting the ABS braking shudder under full load present in 2011 was still not eliminated. Regardless of actual brake power the Kawasaki could be run very deep into the corner, but there wasn’t much weight transferred to the front-end, making tyre feedback vague. Mark Willis noted the Kawasaki was difficult to change direction on and Gobert said the rear shock didn’t allow the rider to hold a line under acceleration as easy as the Honda or Suzuki, something Ralph and I both agreed with. Johnson was harsher, saying the bike relied too much on the spring without having the damping control of the other bikes. I also felt it was rather difficult to change lines mid-corner, particularly in the hairpins, requiring a solid heave to pull the bike back on line if I went off-course. On the engine side of things, the Kawasaki was still a traditional green hulk, with a mellow bottom-end that built through a midrange similar to the Honda and Yamaha before it burst into a top-end that pure horsepower junkies will love. It was a hard engine to get the most out of but great fun when you got it right – it’s not as user-friendly as the BMW – and required the rider to be in the right part of the rev-range to get good drive, particularly out of hairpin corners where something like the BMW would get away easier. The Kawasaki’s gearbox felt a bit better than last year, and a few testers noted it seemed equal to the Suzuki, which is no easy task. The lack of a quickshifter hurt the Kawasaki (but then it also hurt the Yamaha, MV Agusta, Suzuki and Honda) however the gearbox action somewhat made up for this. The Kawasaki’s slipper clutch was one of the better Japanese versions on the test and it never sent the back end sideways on entry. amcn /40 The Kawasaki’s electronics again seemed to be a bit of a sore spot. The ABS system still lacks the precision of the equipment found on the BMW and Ducati, but then again the machine does cost a fair bit less. The Kawasaki’s traction control system was likewise a little vague and had a fair degree of slide difference between the first and second settings – Gobert said he didn’t believe the systems made the Kawasaki any better than the electronic-less Honda or Suzuki. The Kawasaki was an improvement thanks to a better track set-up than in 2011 but it still felt of lesser quality overall to the Euro contingent. The fact it has ABS and traction control is an ace up its sleeve against its Japanese rivals although it didn’t apply the features as well as some testers felt it could. Still, a better showing than last year, but not yet a challenger for the AUSTest title. BAR-GROUND: 800mm NOT SO GOOD • Braking stability • Mid-corner line cha nging • Rear shock strugg les GO TO WHOA The ZX-10R felt good on acceleration with my only qualm being it was a little difficult to keep the front wheel planted. It has a serious amount of midrange power and this translated to a fantastic wheelie bike! I was a bit disappointed with the braking, as there was a shuddering from the discs that was a little off-putting under braking. MW “Solid bike mid-corner, but becomes hard to steer onto the straight” – Malcolm Campbell 2 1 PEG-GROUND: 360mm THE GOOD • Real racer’s engine • Only Japanese bik e with traction control and ABS • Good value for mo ney 1. Forget trying to read any of the small numbers on the dash and just watch the tacho lights when riding 2. Only Japanese bike to come with ABS 3. Massive ram-air scoop BAR-SEAT: 690mm BACK-END: 98.5KG SEAT-PEG: 430mm TOTAL WEIGHT: 203KG 3 PEG-BAR: 750mm FRONT-END: 104.5KG BAR WIDTH: 740mm 1 The MV Agusta F4 was one of the marked improvers in the 2012 test. The revamp initiated during 2010 (remember, this bike didn’t come out in Australia in its current guise until 2011) was a massive improvement but the current machine still comes up short in a few areas. The biggest issue discussed during last year’s AUSTest was the erratic fuelling that had almost become an unwanted MV trademark. The 2012 edition was infinitely better in this regard, mainly thanks to Justin Chisholm from Trooper Lu’s Garage making a visit to the MV factory in Italy to help sort the problem. Every MV that now comes into Australia has revised mapping to help that sudden jolt of acceleration from a closed throttle. As a result, throttle action from fully closed was much more controlled – pretty much equal to the Yamaha – but the cableactuated throttle was quite heavy, nothing at all like the light action of the ride-by-wire Aprilia. Some of the testers felt the MV was lacking in the midrange torque department, but nearly all agreed that the red and silver stallion wasn’t lacking in top-end mumbo, only it wouldn’t reach it as fast as something like the ZX-10R. Another issue the testers agreed on was the front-heavy feel of the chassis, particularly when diving into the hardbraking turn two hairpin. Both Ralph and Mark McVeigh noted the rear was too high with too much weight on the front, which in turn made it slower to ultimately steer to the apex. This also made direction changes through the new esses section at Sydney Motorsport Park harder work than something like the Ducati or Aprilia. On the plus side, the heavy front-end bias of the chassis meant the MV was beautifully planted – Clark and Campbell loved this fact – particularly during long sweeping turns like three and four and onto the straight. In that regard it was a bit of a catch 22. The front brakes received mixed reviews. This was the only machine out of everything on test that didn’t come with a radial master cylinder, and that slight lack in feel when pounding the anchors hurt the MV. Overall power was not an issue, the MV scoring higher than the Yamaha. The rear brake scored highly, too – above the BMW in power and feel. The traction control on the MV was still a mystery. It must be the most non-invasive system on the market or you need to ride the thing to the point of highside before it will work. It lost points for not having the ability to be adjusted on the fly, as well. Willis and McVeigh both noted the ergos must have been designed around a tiny Italian test rider, as neither could properly fit on the MV. There are still some inherent traits with this MV which have let it down in years gone by. But it was a genuine improvement over the 2011 edition (which was even better than the 2010) but it still has a way to go before it will challenge the top three. 1. Only bike to have Marzocchi forks 2. Similar brakes to the Aprilia and Suzuki 3. The new pipe design is nowhere near as beautiful as the classic older style 2 3 “Out of the box the MV is brilliant” – Wayne Clark OD THE GroO ttle response • Improved th bo • Top-end mum ability • Front-end st O GOeOD NOTHeSav y throttl • ion changes • Heavy direct winner ta ye t no ill • St GO TO WHOA Unfortunately, I was unable to do a race start on the MV. The clutch had a minor technical glitch that prevented us from doing a race start. I did however do a roll-on start and a braking test, and it passed the braking test with flying colours. I felt like, if I wanted to, I could have done a few front flips down the front straight as the initial bite of the brakes was awesome. MW PEG-GROUND: 410mm BAR-GROUND: 815mm BAR-SEAT: 735mm BACK-END: 102KG SEAT-PEG: 440mm TOTAL WEIGHT: 213KG PEG-BAR: 780mm FRONT-END: 111KG BAR WIDTH: 760mm 41/ amcn AUSTEST 2012 AUSTRALIA'S ULTIMATE SPORTSBIKE SUZUKI GSX-R1000 A victim of a lack of engineering, or a triumph of back-to-basics sportsbiking? The GSX-R polarised opinions at AUSTest this year with some testers noting the blue-and-white beast simply didn’t excite like the Euros and others declaring that, for the price, it’s a very impressive machine. There wasn’t a single tester that had any major complaints about the engine. Every one of the eight riders noted how smooth the fuelling was from closed right through to redline. However at the same time, every tester complained the gearing was not suited for SMP, with only a few ever reaching sixth gear down the straight. The gearing issue meant the Suzuki was rarely in the right revs for any given point around the circuit and taking advantage of the always awesome Suzuki midrange power wasn’t as straight-forward as you’d expect. Despite this the Suzuki had an excellent spread of power, equal to the CBR through the midrange although it lost out up top to the Kawasaki and BMW. The power curve of the Suzuki was impeccably smooth and gave precise grunt all the way through the rev-range. It wasn’t the most powerful, nor the most ferocious engine; there was just strong and dependable torque that fattened right up in the midrange, giving this engine excellent road credentials. It’s just a pity about the gearing for SMP. The Suzuki no longer holds the crown as far as the smoothest ’box goes; the lack of a quickshifter was to the Suzuki’s detriment, with a few testers claiming the gearbox was too notchy compared to even the non-quickshifter-equipped Kawasaki or MV Agusta. Corner entry was aided by an almost perfectly matched slipper clutch giving just the right engine braking and helping the GSX-R hunt for the apex. Compared to the Aprilia the Suzuki’s lost out on corner entry speed – it’s just lacking that little bit of stability that is probably more due to the quality of the Aprilia’s Öhlins suspension package versus the Showa BPF on the Suzuki. Mid-corner agility is miles ahead of the Yamaha and not far off the Honda, however mid-corner and exit stability is not up to the level of the Euro contingent with the shock’s overall quality letting the package 1 down. The lack of traction control came to the fore under really hard acceleration like out of the old turn nine hairpin, giving the rear shock a harder time than the BMW or Ducati. Compared to the 2011 version the Suzuki (now Brembo-equipped) was an improvement with extra brake power and feel at the lever and a rear brake that wasn’t overly spectacular in power or feel but just did the job. The overally conclusion with the Suzuki was just that; it did the job well without doing anything spectacular. As far as the Japanese mob goes it’s tied for equal first but needs to first come to the party with a decent electronics package to challenge for overall honours. However, doing this ruins one of the GSX-R’s trump cards – it is barebones sportsbiking in a package that anyone can ride fast and be comfortable on. But that won’t keep the Suzuki in the hunt now the goalposts have been moved by the Euros. THE GOOD • Chunky midran ge • New Brembo br akes • Super smooth fuelling NOT SO GOO D • Rear shock fe els of less quality to the Eu ros • No electronic s package • Gearing was wa y off for SMP GO TO WHOA The GSX-R was a dream to get off the line. It offered great feeling from throttle to clutch without any jerkiness, thus allowing a smooth take-off under hard acceleration. It pulled smooth and strong all the way through the rev-range up until redline. Unfortunately, I was not quite as impressed with the braking. I got a similar feel to that on the Kawasaki with a slight shuddering under heavy braking. This had no impact on how quickly the bike came to a stop but it was a little disconcerting on a cold track at the start of the day! MW “Feels strong in the engine room but needs a quickshifter” – Mark Willis 3 2 1. New Brembo brakes are an improvement over the Tokicos 2. Looks exactly the same here as last year 3. No ABS but the rear brake still works well PEG-GROUND: 360mm BAR-GROUND: 830mm BAR-SEAT: 700mm BACK-END: 99KG SEAT-PEG: 450mm TOTAL WEIGHT: 205KG PEG-BAR: 795mm BAR WIDTH: 680mm FRONT-END: 106KG 43/ amcn AUSTEST 2012 AUSTRALIA'S ULTIMATE SPORTSBIKE YAMAHA YZF-R1 1 The addition of traction control to the Yamaha YZF-R1 gave it a boost in the ratings this year. The simplistic system gained praise from a few of the testers as being pretty unobtrusive and a definite bonus to setting fast laptimes, although the common complaint of the Yamaha’s not insignificant girth held it back in the overall ratings. The Yamaha’s strong point is its rock-solid mid-corner stability. Stick it on the right line and the Yamaha will stay there all day, but this advantage is turned into an agility disadvantage when the big black beast was asked to change direction through the new section of Sydney Motorsport Park. Ground clearance on the R1 was never an issue, unlike the CBR which ground its ’pegs at the first whiff of decent lean, but getting the Yam to switch direction under power required a good heave from side to side; however, once in the corner everything was rosy. Under acceleration the R1 is nice and stable, and it’s a bit of a point-and-squirt machine – it will drive hard but doesn’t like to change line. Thanks to the composed chassis set-up provided by Yamaha’s Darren Thomson, the overall balance was quite good, allowing good feel from the tyres to come through the chassis, especially under braking. The front-end didn’t dive excessively, however the chassis did feel quite low overall, particularly compared to the tail-high MV Agusta. The Yamaha’s weight was a disadvantage entering the corner and the six-piston Sumitomo front brake calipers didn’t have the overall power or feel of the Bremboequipped machines. Alternatively the rear brake was one of the more powerful on test and gave good feel in the middle of the corner to help it hold a tight line. The engine was unchanged from last year and the common thought of the bottom-end being a bit too full-on remained, with the throttle coming under criticism for being too abrupt on opening from closed. The bigbang’s low and midrange grunt was never in question. The Yamaha pulled out of corners with the best of them, but lost out when into the higher rev-ranges where the BMW and Honda began to stretch the gap. Despite there being no powershifter the Yamaha’s gearbox didn’t come under too much fire from the testers. The shift is solid, if a little heavy, and the clutch offered plenty of feel as well as giving pretty much the ideal amount of slip under really hard braking into the hairpins. The engine braking was thus not as vicious as you’d expect, but it’s more pronounced than something like the Kawasaki or the Suzuki. The Yamaha needs to lose some of the girth to challenge for the AUSTest title. The problem is the majority of the weight comes from the engine; the weight is in the right place but there’s just too much of it. Should the R1 lose a few kegs from its guts, it could be a real weapon. TECH BIT 2 3 “Cool engine – good power and it sounds great” - Sam Maclachlan Unfortunately, I1.was unable control Traction to do a race start on the by the is changed MV. The clutch little had a grey switch on minor technicalthe glitch leftthat prevented us from doing a front 2. Sumitomo race start. I didbrakes howeveragain do a roll-on start and a it from copped braking test and it passed the testers the braking test3.with flying donk, Cracking colours. I felt like I wanted butifit’s heavy to I could have done a few front flips down the front straight as the initial bight of the brakes was awesome on the MV. – MW GO TO WHOA The R1 felt similar to both the GSX-R and the Honda as far as the connection between clutch and throttle. The clutch didn’t grip under acceleration and this engine’s sound made it hard not to think the Yamaha isn’t red in colour. Gear changing was smooth and although it lacked the acceleration of the Euros and the ZX-10R, it was an easy bike to get off the mark. Brakes felt good without being great. MW THE GOOD • Big-bang engin e • Mid-corner sta bility • New traction co ntrol system NOT SO GOO D • Overall weigh t • Front brakes lack power • Lacks top-end power PEG-GROUND: 370mm BAR-GROUND: 820mm BAR-SEAT: 730mm BACK-END: 104KG amcn /44 SEAT-PEG: 440mm TOTAL WEIGHT: 218KG PEG-BAR: 805mm FRONT-END: 114KG BAR WIDTH: 680mm AUSTEST 2012 TOP 3 AUSTRALIA'S ULTIMATE SPORTSBIKE DUCATI PANIGALE 1199 S This is the most hyped-up machine anyone can remember as Ducati has put more PR bucks into this than any bike before it. It’s a product directly out of MotoGP, partly developed by Mr Bayliss, with the absolute cutting edge of electronics and rider aids and, in theory, should have blitzed this test. The 1199 is a step forward in every aspect over the old 1198SP – the engine is better everywhere, the chassis demolishes corners in a way the 1198SP could only dream of, and rider comfort is streets ahead. This is still a true Ducati – it is feisty and snappy, but much more composed than before. The new monocoque chassis is smaller in dimensions but the layout means it isn’t as cramped, and with the ultra-wide bars you can muscle the Ducati from side to side with excellent leverage. Willis said the Ducati held and changed line better than he could ever expect, with brakes that were simply astounding (the Ducati comes with Brembo’s latest Monoblocs exclusive to the Panigale and are just phenomenal). Campbell didn’t care much for the Ducati, but he was alone there. The Ducati is a motorcycle where you must look past the hype to find its true character, but luckily for Ducati the gamble to build a groundbreaking superbike looks like paying dividends (over 300 have been sold already). The monocoque chassis gives a different feel to the conventional items on the competition – it’s the only bike here where you can really alter your lines lap to lap (save for maybe the Aprilia Factory), exploring the different avenues to make a fast laptime. The reason for this is you could change lines mid-corner or enter the corner at different 1 parts of the track and still make sure you’re on line for the exit better than any other machine there. That flightiness did come back to haunt us under power as the Ducati was likely to throw the front-end in the air under hard acceleration more than the BMW or Aprilia. This coupled with the fact the Ducati suffered a bit of a speed wobble down the straight in more than half the testers’ hands meant overall chassis stability wasn’t quite on-par with the Aprilia or BMW, but the Ducati made up for it with devastating turn and mid-corner speed. The combination of near-perfect engine braking and brakes that could stop Craig Thompson making another (allegedly) stupid mistake makes the Ducati untouchable in the braking department. The engine is far removed from the Ducatis of old. It’s incredibly loud, the only one on test that you’d need earplugs for on the road, but also much more docile and easy to manage in low-to mid rev ranges. The new engine comes alive once above the midrange, however, building to a top-end that would positively smash an 1198SP into last week. The Ducati was more than a match for the four-cylinder contingent in application and overall power – it’s a monster engine matched to a quickshifter that’s so smooth you barely notice the gearshift. The main game with the Ducati was the electronics. Electronic suspension on a superbike was unheard of before the Panigale, and that’s only part of the equation. On top of that there’s ABS and EBC (Engine Braking Control) as well as the ubiquitous Ducati Traction Control. The TC was brilliant, almost impossible to fault, and better in application than the 1198SP’s again. The fact that you can adjust the suspension on the fly is seriously cool and could be done in a flash thanks to the switch on the left bar, and there was a noticeable change in the machine’s character when you started flicking through the modes. It’s a lot to take in; maybe too much for the racetrack where 10ths of seconds are lost going through settings. At the end of the test only one person picked the Ducati as their favourite, which was a bit of a surprise. And check out how light it is, by far the lightest on this test at 192.5kg wet! Regardless, history will remember this as the first of the new generation of superbikes. “Absolutely better than I ever expected – it’s got a real Bayliss feel to it” 2 3 – Alex Gobert 1. The best brakes in the business matched to some brilliant forks 2. Electronically-controlled, horizontal rear shock provides excellent feel, but it’ll require a bit of set-up time to get the most out of 3. The new dash is way better than the 1198SP’s and will give you either race or road settings to play with “If this thing turns up to an AFX-SBK or ASBK event soon, be afraid – it will arrive on the podium!” – Shannon Johnson GO TO WHOA THE GOO D • Ground-break ing design • Nimble chassis • Excellent engin e With the amount of electronic aids this bike possessed, we could have spent two hours doing just the performance runs, so we turned it all off and left it up to the pilot. This bike felt much like the Aprilia – it gave me a great feel between clutch and throttle and I was able to do a really good start first time out. I gave it a second go, varied it a little and tried slightly more revs but this was not as well accepted by the Ducati, as it tried to grab and wheelie a bit too much for a smooth take-off. The brakes where exceptional with the added advantage of that V-twin deceleration on both braking runs. MW PEG-GROUND: 390mm BAR-GROUND: 840mm • Flighty under powe • Straight-line sta r bility • Lots of informa tion to take in BAR-SEAT: 740mm BACK-END: 91KG amcn /46 NOT SO GOO D SEAT-PEG: 430mm TOTAL WEIGHT: 192.5KG PEG-BAR: 820mm BAR WIDTH: 755mm FRONT-END: 101.5KG 47/ amcn AUSTEST 2012 TOP TOP 3 3 AUSTRALIA'S ULTIMATE SPORTSBIKE 2 1 3 “It’s a big-dollars machine – but it’s worthy of the price” – Ralph Leavsey-Moase APRILIA RSV4 FACTORY Damn, this bike’s good! The reigning AUSTest champion may not have come in for any changes over the past 12 months, but it didn’t need to. This machine was a quintessential racebike with lights and everything was top-notch – from the gold 10-spoke wheels to the Öhlins fork, shock and steering damper, the Brembo Monobloc calipers and adjustable everything on the chassis. And then there’s the marvellous Aprilia APRC electronic system – if you wanted a bike that can do it all, this is it. It’s not a bike for everyone – the chassis is incredibly compact, and I struggle to fit my 183cm behind the bubble. Racers like Campbell and Johnson love it for this, and Willis said the harder you push it, the better it gets – just like a good racebike. There are good levels of ground clearance, with Mark McVeigh saying he could get the Aprilia leaned over further than any other bike. The Öhlins forks are some of the most composed on test and allow you to brake super late, right up to the apex where the chassis remains rock-solid and you can feed the power in straight away thanks to the ultra-smooth throttle and docile nature of the V4 at low throttle openings. The same-brand shock is just as nice and takes copious amounts of punishment under acceleration without pushing you wide – it just keeps the chassis tracking straight and true. Unlike some of the Japanese contingent the Aprilia’s solid mid-corner stability didn’t come at the expense of its ability to change direction on a whim – look where you wanted to go and the Aprilia would just do as it was told. There was such a tangible feel coming from the front Pirelli, although Gobert felt the front wasn’t as nice as the Sachs of the RSV4 R, but he was alone in this regard. The stability of the chassis is coupled with superb edge grip and lets you get on the power earlier in the corner. Crank the power on out of a third gear corner like turn three and the Aprilia’s APRC system soaks up any wheelspining shenanigans without compromising drive too much, allowing you to maximise the Aprilia’s excellent midrange grunt. Onto the straight the Aprilia Wheelie Control allows you to carry the smallest of monos to keep drive at the maximum, but into sixth gear the Aprilia doesn’t feel like it has the legs of the Ducati or the BMW, although it was a more fun engine to get the most out of. The sound this engine makes is addictive. The Factory came with the variable velocity stacks which helped give it a top-end advantage over the RSV4 R, and Shannon and Sam both said the Factory was a bit nicer on initial throttle opening to the lower-spec R model. Apart from that, there wasn’t a whole lot to separate the two Aprilias in the engine department, which may be to the R’s advantage and the Factory’s disadvantage as far as prices go. The Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC is an extremely hard motorcycle to fault when pointed at a racetrack. The engine’s minor lack of top-end will see the Ducati and BMW gain some ground (this isn’t Max Biaggi’s hot-up donk by any means) but fire the Aprilia at the apex and the tiny race-derived chassis hauls you back up to the other two, enabling you to carry more turn and corner speed than the BMW. Whereas the Beemer is a point-and-squirt weapon and the Ducati agile yet quite feisty in corners with a monster V-twin engine, the Aprilia is possibly the best of both worlds. 1. Same Monobloc’s as the RSV4 R, but you won’t be needing any more power 2. It looks tight, and it is – the Factory is designed for short racers like Max Biaggi 3. Those gold wheels just look so bloody sexy GO TO WHOA This Aprilla was extremely easy to get off the line. The feel and connection between throttle and clutch made it an easy bike to control. Being able to slip or feather the clutch to maintain maximum drive is important. The added benefit of a powershifter made quick gear changes a breeze and the Monobloc Brembos have no problem bringing the pocket rocket to a quick stand-still. MW THE GOOD • V4 engine • Mid-corner ag ility • Electronics pa ckage NOT SO GOO D • Very small • Traction switc h easy to hit • Launch contro l not really effective “The electronics package is not overly complicated. It’s such a great machine” – Mark McVeigh PEG-GROUND: 395mm BAR-GROUND: 820mm BAR-SEAT: 695mm BACK-END: 101.5KG amcn /48 SEAT-PEG: 430mm TOTAL WEIGHT: 208KG PEG-BAR: 770mm BAR WIDTH: 740mm FRONT-END: 106.5KG 49/ amcn AUSTEST 2012 TOP TOP 3 3 AUSTRALIA'S ULTIMATE SPORTSBIKE BMW S1000RR Little changes to chassis and electronics, as well as careful engine tuning to maximise the ox-like power of the Bavarian blaster have turned this into even more of a weapon than it was last year. It’s still a brute of an engine that sits between the frame rails and everything seemed to happen faster – particularly the straight – on an S1000RR. The engine came under some criticism for being a bit abrupt on light throttle but once into the midrange and that ridiculous top-end, the BMW is a speed-induced dream. The gearing was pretty much spot on for SMP and the Beemer would still be pulling hard past the 100m braking marker into turn one. It hadn’t lost any of its top-end mumbo but there was a decent chunk of torque in the midrange that wasn’t there before making it even easier to ride. The quickshifter was lighter and smoother than the last model, and you got a glorious bang when you cracked up through the gears under power. The old bike had this but it was way more spectacular this year. With so much power it’s important to have a decent electronics package to bring it under control; thankfully the revised traction control system is less intrusive but just as effective. Getting the rear spinning and activating the system won’t see you lurching forward into the screen as the ignition gets shut off like before – it was a much smoother action and better for making fast laptimes. There’s not as much scope for tractioncontrol change as there is on the eightstage Aprilia and Ducati systems, but the BMW just worked so beautifully in Track or Slick mode that no one seemed to care. That electronics system allowed us to fully disconnect the ABS if we wanted and trust ourselves with the whopping power of the Brembo Monoblocs (which, by the way, aren’t even the highest-spec Brembos on the market). The pad and disc materials were ideally matched, and hauled the Beemer up from silly speeds so easily. The rear brake, however, was pretty much useless – a trait carried over from the 2010-11 machine. The minor cuts and shuts on the chassis have given the S1000RR a much faster turn speed than before. It wasn’t as agile as the Aprilia or as easy to change lines on as the Ducati, but it’s neither tiring nor difficult to ride an S1000RR lap after lap as fast as you can, whereas the others took a bit more out of the rider. The S1000RR was a big bike, not like the Aprilia or Kawasaki, and much more comfortable for the majority of the testers. The forks came under a bit of fire for being a tad soft but this is something that could be dialled out given more set-up time. They sit at a slightly steeper angle than before, aiding that improved turn-in speed, but the Beemer’s mid-corner stability hasn’t been sacrificed. Once it’s time to pull the trigger out of the corner, watch out – this thing hooked up and fired out so fast it was hard for anything else to keep up. Anyone who has seen Scotty Charlton on last year’s S1000RR in FX will attest to that. Another notch in the Bavarian’s belt is it’s such a user-friendly machine. Forget the fact that it doesn’t have electronic suspension, it’s got numbered suspension that can be changed by the key – simple and totally practical. The electronics might not be as adjustable as either the Aprilia’s or Ducati’s, but the ABS, fuel maps and traction control are so good it doesn’t matter. Also, in this age of penny pinching, the Beemer represents stonking value for money. At $22,990 it’s over $10,000 cheaper than the Ducati and $7000 less than the Aprilia – which amounts to a fair few sets of tyres and trackday tickets if that’s your game. The BMW was still a ferocious superbike, but it’s an easy bike to ride when all’s said and done. The combination of price, track application, as well as tying for the most number of votes as the best bike here, made the 2012 BMW S1000RR very hard to beat in the overall ratings. GO TO WHOA I really struggled to gel with the clutch set-up on the BMW. The first attempt was a complete failure as I had too many revs for the clutch to handle and it was biting hard, trying to wheelie and then bog down. The second time was better but I thought I better pull over and ask Glenn Allerton for help. The tip from the current ASBK champ was to keep very low revs on the initial jump and then feed more in after you get off the line. The third attempt was better and, although I felt that it lacked the clutch feel and initial jump of the Aprilia, once you hit second gear this bike was an angry animal. The brakes were superb and I felt the ABS working on my 200km/h-0 stop, and also again on my 100km/h-0. This is a nice feature that could save many a road rider on a slippery cold morning. MW THE GOOD • Great engine • Excellent elect ronics • Improved chas sis package NOT SO G • A bit snatchy of OOD f the throttle • Clutch a bit gr abby on take off • Nothing else! 1 2 1. There’s an awful lot of power lurking in that engine 2. Looks the same as last year from this angle; even the switches are the same 3. Brembo brakes matched to one of the best ABS systems you’ll ever find 3 “This is why there are recreational drugs – for people who won’t get to experience an S1000RR in full flight” – Ralph Leavsey-Moase PEG-GROUND: 395mm BAR-GROUND: 820mm BAR-SEAT: 695mm BACK WHEEL: 102KG amcn /50 SEAT-PEG: 430mm TOTAL WEIGHT: 209KG PEG-BAR: 770mm FRONT WHEEL: 107KG BAR WIDTH: 40mm “I can see why this thing wins Superstock races everywhere – the small changes BMW have made to the S1000RR have made it a winner” – Shannon Johnson 51/ amcn AUSTEST 2012 AUSTRALIA'S ULTIMATE SPORTSBIKE SECOND OPS It was a close one, but here’s each tester’s AUSTest winner SAM MACLACHLAN RALPH LEAVSEY-MOASE ALEX GOBERT SHANNON JOHNSON MARK MCVEIGH WAYNE CLARK MARK WILLIS MALCOLM CAMPBELL AGE 39 WEIGHT 84kg HEIGHT 178cm EXPERIENCE The current Ed of AMCN is an ex-proddie racer gun, as well as having ridden almost every new bike in the country since forever. AGE 54 WEIGHT 85kg HEIGHT 176cm EXPERIENCE Road and track tested every superbike since the first Blade under three AMCN editors. Still a regular trackday junkie. AGE 28 WEIGHT 72kg HEIGHT 176cm EXPERIENCE Part of the famous Gobert trio, Alex is an ex-ASBK and AMA pro and has been testing for AMCN since 2005. AGE 32 WEIGHT 70kg HEIGHT 175cm EXPERIENCE Former Aussie Supersort champion and factory Superbike racer. Now prefers pedal power for his race fix. Still stupidly fast. AGE 75 WEIGHT 78kg HEIGHT 170cm EXPERIENCE Ex-Irish 250GP racer. AMCN’s tech guru, he’s worked in everything from Formula 1 to MotoGP and V8 Supercars. AGE 50 WEIGHT 80kg HEIGHT 183cm EXPERIENCE Former Aussie Superbike gun and one of the leading riding instructors in the country. First time at AUSTest. AGE 36 WEIGHT 72kg HEIGHT 179cm EXPERIENCE Mark’s raced everything from 500GP to WSBK and ASBK. One of the fastest, safest riders around. That’s why we keep asking him back! AGE 58 WEIGHT 73kg HEIGHT 180cm EXPERIENCE A living legend of Aussie motorcycle racing. Two-time ASBK champion, he’s still damn fast – he does 38s on a Period 5 racer at SMP! BMW S1000RR – It’s brutal around the track, so fast and relatively easy to use. The Beemer is a very complete bike, and the added midrange grunt just makes it better. I couldn’t stop laughing when I got off it. BMW S1000RR – The improvements BMW has made to the S1000RR have moved it a step ahead and just above the Aprilia in my view. The electronics, power and value give it a slight edge. It’s stupidly fast, refined and, judging by S1000RRs gone by, reliable. Ducati 1199 Panigale S – The Panigale is so confidenceinspiring. It’s comfy with those wide bars and has a real lightweight feel to it. There are just so many options with the bike – it does take time to get your head around them. This bike just suits me so well. BMW S1000RR – It’s so tough but one thing for certain is the Germans and Italians have moved the goalposts a long way. The S1000RR is the winner but it’s so close between it, the RSV4 Factory and the Panigale. The Beemer offers great electronics and throws confidence at the rider, which equals fast laptimes around a track. Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC – This bike has a pure racing chassis – like a 90s 250GP bike. The suspension was of extremely high quality, the engine linear and torquey, plus the electronics package was not overwhelming when trying to use it. The chassis offered plenty of feedback, but the engine did feel a little underpowered compared to the BMW and Ducati. Still, it was my favourite of the test. Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC – The Aprilia is a great handling bike, very balanced under brakes and holds a line well. I felt very confident straight away. The suspension felt stable throughout the turns and on the bumps, and allowed me to push harder. The engine power felt smooth and strong all the way through the rev range, with great throttle control. I would love to ride this bike more. Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC – For me, there’s no better sounding superbike than a V4 at 12,000rpm. It has the best of both worlds – good low-down grunt that keeps going through to the redline. It changes direction really well, gives the rider excellent feedback, the gearbox is precise and the slipper clutch is perfect. Plus it looks sensational! Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC – The Aprilia ticked all the boxes for me when it comes to racetrack riding. It feels like a racer straight out of the box. The MV was a bit of a nice surprise for me but I loved that Aprilia. RENNIE SCAYSBROOK nce these bikes – our insura “Right, don‘t bin any of !” now ht rig ens kitt ing hav guy is If this bloke couldn’t pul l a decent one-wheel sal ute before, he can now! AGE 29 WEIGHT 85kg HEIGHT 183cm EXPERIENCE Raced for the past 22 years, now AMCN’s Sport Editor. It’s days like these that makes those AMCN deadlines worth it! need to abide by Dave McKenna doesn’t sics any stinkin’ laws of phy You could be forgiv en for thinking thi s was an ASBK meeti ng rather than jus t a magazine test amcn /52 ly shouldn’t have given In hindsight, we probab e for the day... hon rop Borrie a mic BMW S1000RR – For me the Beemer was the best of the best at AUSTest. It’s relatively easy to ride for a 180hp roadbike, it’s nice and stable in and out of corners, and it’s got more grunt than a British piggery. The electronics package tops it off for me – a truly great motorcycle. 53/ amcn AUSTEST 2012 AUSTRALIA'S ULTIMATE SPORTSBIKE AND THE WINNER IS... BMW S1000RR Far out it was close this year. We ended up with an equal number of votes for the Aprilia and BMW, and after going through the testing criteria we apply in all our tests (especially our comparison tests), we gave the nod to the BMW S1000RR. The Aprilia does have more features in terms of chassis adjustability and higher-end suspension, but the extra $7000 on the price tag was the crucial blow in the title fight. The Ducati 1199 Panigale S must also rate a mention as a landmark motorcycle, but it’s not the bike for everyone. Past Ducati riders will love it, and MEET DESIGN BRIEF RELEVANCE OF FEATURES VALUE FOR MONEY Yes, absolutely. The BMW does exactly what it’s supposed to do. It’s got serious horsepower, but has all the features in place that you can not only contain it, but maximise it. The changes to the chassis have also benefited the overall design – any flaws the machine had before are now almost entirely eradicated. Huge power with switchable maps, traction control, powershifter and ABS – what you get with the S1000RR is a proven package that’s effective and easy to use. The improvements for 2012 have only emphasised this. Can’t argue here. The suspension might not be at the very high end, but what you get for your $22,990 can’t be ignored. The Aprilia also represents excellent value for money, but at $7K more, that’s a big wallop. amcn /54 no doubt there will be a generation of new riders who will be devoted to the brand from here on. The high-end price tag is matched nearly pound-for-pound by an extremely capable and illustrious motorcycle, but it wasn’t enough to knock the BMW off the top spot in 2012. BUILD QUALITY There’s no doubt this machine will last for years. Not too sure about the little winglets on either side of the fairing, but overall the BMW build quality is everywhere with the S1000RR. From the excellent paint finish, to the neat routing of the many wires that make up an S1000RR electronic system, this is a class machine. INNOVATIVE DESIGN APPROACH Not really. It lost points here, the Ducati Panigale stealing the show in a flash. The BMW hasn’t come out with anything it didn’t already have, but what it did have was an improvement in every area that already made the bike great.
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