The original Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa is still one seriously quick motorcycle, possessed of enormous acceleration and breathtaking top speed. True, the GSX1300R Hayabusa doesn’t quite handle all that power (and weight) too brilliantly sometimes, but it remains a supremely comfortably long range missile, that always delivers a shot of raw adrenaline. Latest version is better yet.

Engine: The original Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa is very simple, yet brutally effective four cylinder monster, the 1299cc engine is bulletproof, doesn’t chin fuel too badly at semi-sane speeds and the fuel injection works very efficiently too. The amount of midrange torque that the GSX1300R Hayabusa produces is especially impressive and makes fast road riding ridiculously easy. New version is better though.

Ride And Handling: Here the GSX1300R Hayabusa has issues. First off, it has a semi-touring kind of ride, with soft-ish suspension that allows the front end to squirm and move around under hard braking. And talking of brakes, Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa’s tend to fade a bit under repeated hard use from 150mph plus speeds - which are achieved in about 12 seconds on this bike. As a sports-tourer, the GSX1300R Hayabusa is definitely more touring than sporty in its overall handling.

Equiment: That ugly fairing on the Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa works very well, not only at punching holes in the atmosphere at 180mph, but at keeping some bad weather off the rider too, but the new version is better still. Good headlight, comfy rider and pillion accommodation, four bungee hooks and some underseat storage - plus throwover panniers can be made to fit all total up to make the Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa a capable tourer. Excellent grabrail too.

Quality And Reliability: Reliability is generally excellent with the Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa, although rear wheel bearings have been known to collapse occasionally at relatively low miles. The real problem with long term GSX1300R Hayabusa ownership is the quality of the finish on many components, which is poor. It rusts, it pits, it discolours its alloy, unless you really keep on top of it and clean every nook and cranny. Exhausts rot too.

Value: As the Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa reaches the end of its current lifespan there should be some excellent deals to be had on the existing model, which is essentially unchanged from 1999. It’s a tried and trusted rocketship, and a genuinely capable touring bike, although it does eat rear tyres every 1500-2000 miles, so book a couple of tyre stops on your European tour if you’re taking a GSX1300R Hayabusa. Find Suzuki GSXR1300 Hayabusa motorcycles for sale.

New price £6,649
Parker’s used price range £2,095-4,795
Engine size 1299cc
Power 175bhp
Top speed 190mph
Insurance group 15

This article was taken from: Motorcycle News

The new 696 Monster is Ducati’s most important bike, this is the bike that brings in the money and the sales, and thankfully it seems Ducati have got it spot on with the all new Monster. Thankfully they’ve not played around with the styling too much, and just improved the old bike as a package, in terms of engine performance and handling.

Engine: The cylinder head of the new Ducati 696 Monster is now very similar to the two valve 1100 Multistrada’s. Bore and stroke remain the same but Ducati have managed to squeeze out and extra 9% of power. Thankfully it’s not lost any of its character, and still sounds and feels like a Monster

Ride And Handling: The Ducati 696 Monster is still distinctively a Monster, and feels like the old bike on board, but it’s not an uncomfortable over stretch like the old bike. It still feels light and is easy to throw around. The understeer feeling of the old bike has been rectified and so has the poor ground clearance thanks to the new re-routed exhausts.

Equipment: The Ducati 696 Monster’s clutch is feather light and comes as a slipper clutch as standard. The Brembo radial brakes up front are powerful but still progressive and ideal for novice riders. However, only the shock is adjustable and for the price we’d expect fully adjustable suspension.

Quality And Reliability: As you’d expect from Ducati recently the level of finish on the Ducati 696 Monster is very high even on for a budget model. The engine has not changed too much and the old motor took a thrashing in its stride, as many engine actually ended up on race tracks. Keep the bike regularly serviced by a Ducati dealer and you shouldn’t have any problems.

Value: This is the new Ducati 696 Monster’s only downfall really. Yes, it’s cheap for a Ducati, you’re buying into a quality brand and fashionable brand, but the competition is considerably cheaper, bikes like the ER6 and SV650. If you are buying with your heart then you’ll go for the Italian but if money is tight you may as well go for one of the cheaper Japanese bikes.

New price £5,500
Engine size 696cc
Power 67.5bhp
Top speed 128mph
Insurance group 11

This article was taken from: Motorcycle News

New price £2,999
Engine size 124cc
Power 14.6bhp
Top speed 75mph
Insurance group 6

Since 2004, Honda has had the learner sports bike market sewn up - the CBR125R flew out of showrooms faster than its larger capacity counterparts. Yamaha’s range had a gap for a 125 sport motorcycle, and the YZF-R125 fills that gap by combining the Honda’s easy-going ride with a little bit more poke and grown up looks - it’s actually slightly bigger than the YZF-R6 that inspired its styling!

Engine: The Yamaha YZF-R125’s all-new engine has a longer stroke than other 125 motorcycles to give more torque, but it’s still no arm-ripper. Instead, the YZF-R125 gives flexibility two-stroke rivals like the Aprilia RS125 can only dream of. The Yamaha will crawl along at walking pace with the clutch fully engaged, and opening the throttle will give smooth drive right to the redline. It’s good for an indicated 80mph, which will satisfy most riders stepping up from a moped.

Ride And Handling: For a motorcycle that costs a shade less than £3000, has a steel frame and unadjustable basic suspension, the Yamaha YZF-R125’s bloody good. The forks and shock have controlled damping which allows you to chuck the bike around back roads, but they’re not jarring on rough city streets.

Equipment: The Yamaha YZF-R125’s digital dash, Brembo brakes, under-slung GP-style exhaust and a proper sized R6-inspired body is the stuff of wet dreams when you’re 17. The full-size body makes it reasonably comfortable too - the footpegs aren’t too high, the handlebars are mounted on the fork tops so your wrists don’t take a pounding and the seat isn’t massively hard either. The seat is reasonably high though - shorties may be more comfortable on the Honda.

Quality And Reliability: The Yamaha YZF-R125 is built in Europe, and although it doesn’t have a top-level finish, it looks sturdy enough. Previous Yamaha/Minarelli engines have been strong, and there’s nothing to suggest this new water-cooled lump will be anything different.

Value: The Yamaha YZF-R125’s is a great introduction to sports bikes without the drawbacks of two-stroke rivals - but so is the Honda CBR125R for £300 less - if you pay RRP, which many don’t. The Yamaha is better suited to larger riders, is more composed when you thrash it and looks better, but otherwise they offer the same thing. It’s your decision whether it’s worth.

Model History: 2008: Yamaha YZF-R125 launched.

This article was taken from: Motorcycle News

After the massive success of the 2007 Yamaha Race Academy, Yamaha decided to do it all again in 2008 to mark the 10th anniversary of the launch of Yamaha’s iconic YZF-R1. Yamaha dealers in countries all around Europe celebrated the occasion with a special day dedicated to the R-Series rangeof motorcycles and the release of the new YZF-R6.

In addition to being able to see and test ride the latest incarnations of the legendary R1 and R6 motorcycles at their local dealer, customers were also given the opportunity to enter a special competition to win a place on an ultra exclusive riding experience at the Ascari Race Resort with the Yamaha Race Academy along with a VIP trip to the MotoGP at Catalunya as guests of Team Fiat Yamaha. A prize that money simply can’t buy!

In Barcelona, the 25 competition winners (including three from the UK) who had entered via their local Yamaha Dealer, got to see inside the garage of Jorge Lorenzo (even if Jorge himself had to miss the Catalunya race through injury) before moving to their grandstand seats above the start-finish line to witness Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi battle through from 9th on the grid to 2nd in an epic race.

The only thing that could improve on the package of being a MotoGP insider and guest of probably the world’s best appointed circuit for a day, would be unbroken sunshine, expert race tuition from California Superbike School instructors and an endless choice of YZF-R1 and YZFR6 machines to ride all day.

So on Monday 9th June, after seeing their MotoGP heroes in action theday before at Catalunya, that is exactly what the competition winners found themselves enjoying to the full.

Just to add even more R-series and track-oriented credibility to the whole Spanish extravaganza of speed, Yamaha World Supersport Team rider Broc Parkes turned up to lend his experience and star quality to the proceedings.

Yamaha Motor UK’s Motorcycle Marketing Co-Ordinator Karl Radley, who accompanied the UK winners, summed it all up with his comments after the last wheel had been turned. In the eyes of the competition winners this was a unique and spectacular experience that I don’t think could have been bettered, Said Karl. The UK winners had grins from ear to ear all weekend

The very happy UK winners were:

Gerard Hopwood (Keith Dixon Motorcycles) - This has been beyond belief. I have been on a track four times before, including at Laguna Seca in California, but Ascari has been much more challenging.

Tobias Wilson (Three Cross Motorcycles) - It’s been a great couple of days and I didn’t even mind that I almost got knocked down by Rossi on his scooter at Catalunya as well!

Shaun Wentworth (Tinklers Motorcycles) - Going to the Catalunya GP was an incredible experience. We went into Jorge Lorenzo’s pit-box and all day you were seeing riders you idolize on TV just walking past. My mates are going to kill me when I get home!

This article was taken from: Easier Motoring

On paper, the 649 cc V Star appears to be the runt of the litter. But the Star was the leader in several important criteria for first-time or budget-conscious riders. The Star stickers at barely over $6000. So for the price of another bike in the test, you could get a new V Star and, say, a Shoei helmet and Dainese leather jacket and still have a few hundred left over for gas money. Smaller or less experienced riders will welcome the Star’s low weight, too. At 474 pounds, it was the most svelte in the test. That lack of heft and an amazingly light clutch effort combine to make the V Star easy to ride and maneuver in heavy traffic. But as small as the V Star is, it had, as they say, a big personality. Yep, the V Star has attitude. The bike rumbles and shakes at idle. And it has that classic cruiser profile reminiscent of a seven-eighths-scale Harley-Davidson Softail. Like the Harleys of the past, the V Star’s 649 cc V-twin is air-cooled, is fed by a pair of carburetors and has a manual choke. Remember those? At highway speeds, the handlebars fed through a bit more vibration than the other bikes. It wouldn’t be our first choice for a trip cross-country. And for larger riders, the close-coupled position was cramped. The Star was no star at the dragstrip, yet it was able to outgun the larger displacement Honda to 60 mph. More important, the Star had the second-best brakes of the bunch. Better still, our test rider proclaimed that the brake feel on the Star was the best in the test. On the open road, the Star returned nearly 52 mpg. And our test passenger found the rear pillion the most comfortable. In all, the V Star is a great deal for a new rider looking to save some ­petrol and get a head-turning bike for weekend rides.

This article was taken from: Popular Mechanics

Honda has announced its development of a revolutionary electronically-controlled combined ABS system developed specifically for sports bikes.

At a European Technical Workshop focusing on motorcycle safety at the LUK Driving Centre near Baden-Baden in Germany this week, Honda hosted over 150 motorcycle experts from across Europe to discuss varied safety issues concerning motorcycling, as well as demonstrate current and future initiatives which highlight Honda’s continued commitment to progressing motorcycle safety. These included the new electronically-controlled combined ABS system for sports bikes.

Traditionally, the design of sports bikes has meant that the application of ‘combined’ or ABS braking systems has not been practical. The short wheelbase of a sports machine causing it to ‘pitch’ under heavy braking, coupled with concerns over the weight of such a system has seen Combined Brake Systems and ABS traditionally placed on touring, adventure and sports touring machines.

This new and advanced ‘brake-by-wire-control’ system, with an innovative stroke simulator, employs the advantages of both ‘Combined’ and ‘ABS’ systems in one package to specifically address the requirements of a sports bike, provide superb stability, controllability and deceleration, whilst enabling the rider to maintain full control.

Direct motor control ensures precise operation of the ABS and the components are divided into several smaller units - smaller than in previous systems - meaning the system doesn’t add too much weight as light weight and optimum ‘mass centralisation’ is a key factor in the design of a modern sports bike.

The electronic control of the CBS allows for more advanced control of the braking forces and a more sensitive distribution of these forces over both wheels under heavy braking situations. The system measures the rider input on each lever and the ideal braking force is generated accordingly, providing optimum distribution and minimizing any disturbance to the handling of the machine. An ‘ABS modulator’ then ensures late but smooth triggering of the ABS system.

On the road all the basic functions of ABS and CBS are provided, including the prevention of wheel lock, improved balance, stability and ease of operation. The handling characteristics of a sports bike are unaffected by the electronically controlled Combined ABS system, avoiding the ‘pitching’ effect of earlier systems, so that cornering and sports performance is uninterrupted.

Honda has been at the forefront of advanced braking systems for many decades. In 1969 Honda launched the CB750, a machine hailed as the first ever ’superbike’ equipped with many innovative features, including disc brakes which performed markedly better than the drum brakes prevalent on machines of the time.

Since then Honda has been constantly developing new technology in braking systems. In 1992 Honda launched its ABS system on the ST1100 Pan European. This was followed in 1993 with the first Dual CBS system on a CBR1000F. CBS - or Combined Brake System - works by front and rear brakes being applied when only the front lever is used and vice-versa with the rear brake pedal. This system ensures maximum braking while keeping the machine stable when the brakes are applied. Integrating the benefits of both systems, Combined ABS was introduced on the ST1100 Pan-European in 1996. Since then, the application of advanced brake systems has been extended over a number of the Honda motorcycle models and in 2003, Honda President, Takeo Fukui, confirmed Honda’s commitment to motorcycle safety by offering these state-of-the-art braking systems on almost every bike model of 250cc and over, by 2010. The announcement of Honda’s development of a new braking system for sports bikes brings this closer to reality.

But advanced braking systems are just one area in which Honda is addressing motorcycle safety. In 2006, after 15 years of development, Honda launched the world’s first air-bag system on its GL1800 Gold Wing, marking a significant breakthrough in motorcycle safety which has been recognised across the globe with Honda receiving major awards for innovative safety technology.

Honda has been at the forefront of powered two-wheeler safety, employing ‘Preventive’, ‘Active’ and ‘Passive’ safety measures. The resulting technologies include the Motorcycle Riding Simulator and the Riding Trainer, both of which are used for hazard prevention training. Research is also being done to improve motorcycle recognition through enhanced visibility, and also to develop vehicle communication technologies.

Honda fully supports the EU targets for traffic fatality reduction and is well on its way to fulfilling its safety commitments under the European Road Safety Charter. While expanding its own safety activities and technologies, Honda also encourages a common approach to safety by the entire motorcycle and wider automotive community, believing that general market acceptance of all safety technologies is essential to exploit their full potential.

Further details of Honda’s new electronically-controlled combined ABS system developed specifically for sports bikes will be released later in the year, but details of the full Honda motorcycle range can be found at honda.co.uk/motorcycles.

This article was taken from: Easier Motoring

By Matthew Birt

This is the first world exclusive look at Ducati’s new 2009 prototype MotoGP motorcycle, which has just broken cover in Catalunya.

Tested behind closed doors in Mugello and Estoril since the beginning of March, the first version of what will form Ducati’s Desmosedici GP9 contender is using a carbon fibre frame.

This is a radical departure for Ducati who have always used a steel tube chassis, and test rider Vittoriano Guareschi has so far ridden the bike in early testing.

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner has been out on the bike this afternoonand given expectant engineers his first impressions of the bike.

The bike got its public debut in front of senior designer Filippo Preziosi.

Although it looks similar to the current GP8 machine being campaigned in MotoGP, a closer look shows the bike has no steel chassis attached to the rear cylinder head and there is no steel tube partially blocking the radiator exhaust scoop.

Although the bike has only been seen fully faired, it is clear that Bologna engineers have radically revamped the Desmosedici for 2009.

This article was taken from MCN magazine)