2004 Superbike Smackdown - MotorcycleUSA.com
2004 Superbike Smackdown 3/27/2004
Street-legal Superbikes Go At It On The Road
By Kevin Duke Photos by Eric Putter
Although 600cc supersport machines continue to be
the sales leader among sporting streetbikes, 2004 is undoubtedly the year of the Literbikes. Three exciting fresh-sheet designs have emerged this year to rival the class overlord Suzuki GSX-R1000. But lest you imagine yourself ready for these Superbikes, we'd like to remind you that the least powerful in this musclebound quartet produces 148 horsepower at the rear wheel. This kind of power undoubtedly makes them fun to ride, but it's serious
fun. As in: "Don't lose focus with me, twerp, or you'll be showing your insurance card to hospital staff before you can even remember what my redline is!" How serious? Consider the new AMA Superstock class for these Literbikes. At Daytona earlier this month, Ben Spies rode his lightly modded GSX- R1000 to a qualifying time quicker than the 2003 Superbike pole, set by Ben Bostrom on a full-works Honda RC51!
So, for those of you who believe this class of bikes is pure overkill for the street, we'd have to agree to a certain extent. But for outer-limits riders – the kind of people who might like to juggle chain saws as a hobby – nothing will get adrenaline coursing through veins like this 600-horsepower group.
Historians will recall that it was Honda that first featured a big motor in a middleweight-size chassis when it unveiled the CBR900RR in 1992. The The Kawasaki ZX-10R and Yamaha R1 make up stumpy little bike was a smash, and it took until two-thirds of the fresh new players in the hotted-up 1998 for a worthy rival to enter the scene when literbike segment ruled mercilessly by Suzuki's Yamaha released its sexy and potent YZF-R1. The stout GSX-R1000. One remained the top dog in the class until 2001 when Suzuki introduced its omnipotent Gixxer Thou. Updated in 2003 with an even burlier motor and radial-mount front brakes, the GSX-R set a new benchmark in power-to-weight ratios.
Target Practice The acknowledged class leader in anything always becomes a target, and one that your rivals know exactly how high to shoot in order to clear the established bar.
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2004 Superbike Smackdown 3/27/2004
A glance through the spec charts of this gang Make: Suzuki reveals many similarities. Rake angles range just Model: GSX-R1000 0.5 degrees; trail numbers just 11mm from most to MSRP: $10,599 least. Each bike has a 43mm inverted fork and radial-mount front brakes. The older GSX-R is the longest and tallest, but only by 0.9 inch and 1.6 inches, respectively, from the smallest of its rivals. The Gixxer's wheelbase, at 55.5 inches, is nearly
identical to the CBR1000RR but a full inch longer Make: Yamaha
than the stubby ZX-10R. Model: YZF-R1 MSRP: $10,599 Even thought a bull's-eye is clearly painted on the Gixxer, Suzuki has proven to be incredibly adept at extracting the maximum out of its GSX-R series. The competition is hard-pressed to achieve similar performance numbers, and we're not just throwing Suzi a juicy bone here. On the dyno, the Gixxer's motor bested all but one of its new rivals when Make: Honda
considering production of both horsepower and Model: CBR1000RR torque. On the scales, the Suzuki proves to be the MSRP: $10,999 second lightest of this steroid-injected group.
But all must bow down to a new king of power-to- weight ratios, Kawasaki's ZX-10R. Having the most horsepower and torque obviously helps the equation, but having the lightest weight of the four Make: Kawasaki contenders absolutely seals the deal. To gain further Model: ZX-10R perspective, consider that the 10R boasts a MSRP: $10,999 whopping 50 additional horsepower over its ZX-6R little brother while weighing in just 14 pounds heavier than the 636cc bike.
Easy Being Green (or black) We knew the ZX was something special after editorial director Ken Hutchison came back from its press introduction at Homestead Speedway in Florida, raving about huge power in a middleweight package. Indeed, 156 rear-wheel horsepower (on the White Brothers Racing Dynojet dynamometer) and a 403-lb tank-empty weight will elicit that kind of response.
As even the dimmest of wits could realize, the ZX-10 is supernaturally quick to accelerate. Before experiencing the full-throttle warp drive that the ZX can deliver, we suggest a few weeks in the gym, as speed piles on in 10-mph gulps that make a rider feel like he's just been thrust into a to-the-death tug-of- war with The Rock. Its get-go from a dead stop is slightly muted by an overly tall first gear, but once it hits 7000 rpm this thing is a missile until it signs off 6000 rpm later. We were never exactly sure what the old Kawi advertising tagline "Kawabunga" meant; we're getting with the program now.
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The ZX was the first of this group to enjoy the splendor of MCUSA's SoCal garage, and we quickly were taken with our metallic-black beauty. Its rawness is immediately apparent, whether speaking of its impressively unglamorous and business-like appearance or its deep-chested baritone exhaust that will never be mistaken for a puny 600. While bikes such as a Ducati 999 or even the R1 entice a
rider to go fast, the ZX demands it – no sissies allowed!
Over the years, much ink has been used to tout that Bike X is an open-class weapon in a middleweight Kawasaki has done a masterful job at making a fire- chassis. In 2004, no one pulls off this dichotomous breathing 1000cc superbike feel like a distinction better than the Kawasaki. The reach to middleweight. It weighs 10 pounds less than a the bars is short, the fairing is the skinniest of this CBR600RR. group, and tossing the ZX back and forth between the legs makes one imagine there might be helium
in the tires. While your knees are rubbing against the purposeful-looking, recessed-top fuel tank, you'll notice a very narrow midsection. Kawasaki's use of an up-and-over twin-spar frame layout has allowed engineers to make the frame only as wide as the engine below, resulting in a diminutive feeling for the rider.
The One The R1 was the next contestant to join our motorized Dating Game. A lot of buzz this year centers around the proliferation of underseat exhausts such as on the R1 and CBR, but the universal new thread in 2004 literbikes is the quest to reduce the width between a rider's knees. Typical. The R1 prefers fast sweeping turns while Yamaha's solution to Kate Moss-ness is to lay its the ZX enjoys the cut and thrust in the tight stuff. cylinders down a further 10 degrees from the 30- degree angle of its predecessor, allowing more room over the engine for the sloping aluminum frame spars to be placed considerably closer together. The R1 measures in about 1.25 inch narrower between the knees than the once skinny Gixxer. Our 2003 supersport shootout saw the same situation with the 2003 GSX-R600: a bike in its last year of its model cycle going up against brand new designs from its three main rivals.
For nearly a decade, Japanese manufacturers have established a four-year development cycle for their sportbike designs: Introduce a new bike, revamp it significantly two years later, then bring out a clean- sheet model in the fifth year. Like dorm-room coeds, Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha have settled in on identical cycles, while Suzuki's 600cc and 1000cc Gixxers are one year off-kilter behind the others. This schedule is advantageous in new-model years, but it also has the effect of looking like Suzuki's playing catch-up when its "old" model is being compared with a trio fresh faces three years later.
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2004 Superbike Smackdown 3/27/2004
That step-behind development cycle plays right into Yamaha's hands, as the design of its new R1 is as cutting-edge as they come. The previous generation R1 was a sales success as much for its looks as it was for its performance and – mamas not raisin' no dummies – Yamaha made a concerted effort this time around to exploit its style as much as possible. A more conservative eye might consider the R1 to
be a little overdone stylistically, but curbside voting always had the R1 on top. If your parents didn't play with you as a child, this is the bike to choose in order to get that attention you've always craved. Check out that yellow Suzuki line. In some ways Undercard this is still the motor to beat. You'd never guess the While waiting for our CBR and GSX-R to arrive, we high-revving R1 was down on power if you rode it. took the ZX and R1 to the backroad playgrounds of Click Here To Enlarge Graph Southern California as a sort of undercard for the main event. As I had attended the R1 press ride and
"Starsky" Hutchison went to the ZX intro, we were anxious to test what the other had raved about and to see who was more correct about riding the bitchinest bike on the road.
"No matter how hard I tried, I could not get the bike to unsettle in the curvy stuff," said Hutchison of the R1 after his ride. "Side-to-side transitions, rough pavement, dirty roads – none of it mattered to this race-bred piece of rolling art."
While Starsky was busy writing Yamaha ad copy, I was reveling in the greatness of the ZX. With the shortest reach to the bars, the tightest wheelbase and the least weight, the ripped Kawasaki has the physique of a black-belted martial artist. If the other The ZX looks bad in black while the slab-sided bikes feel like a 600, then the ZX must be like a 400. CBR just looks big. It isn't big, it just weighs in that In the corners, the closer-coupled riding position way. made it easy to crawl forward over the tank to get more weight over the front end, either for greater stick at the apex or for helping keep down the wheelies that inevitably accompany a charge on the way out. While the R1 is slim down the middle, it's actually a bit wider overall than the ZX and a bit more rangy.
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With the least mass and the most horsepower and torque, a ZX rider is sitting astride a rocket ready for its fuse to be lit. Each of its 156 ponies carries less than 2.6 pounds! Its excellent cable clutch makes modulating that power a cinch, which is a real blessing on a bike with a 100-mph first gear. Whether dissecting Latigo Canyon in Malibu or climbing Palomar Mountain in northern San Diego
county, the ZX can do it all in a single gear. And pull mondo wheelies on the way out of each corner. Quicker steering than the R1, the ZX even shows good stability with a rock-solid feeling despite being the only one in the group without a steering damper. Torque plays a huge role in how fast a bike feels We heard coffee-house bike experts tell us they've on the street. The yellow line shows you why we
heard the Kaw tankslaps like the Tazmanian Devil, love riding the GSX-R. And check out those flat but any headshake we ever encountered was short spots in the R1's blue trace. Click Here to enlarge and not distressing. We might feel different on a graph. racetrack. What the ZX lacks in a steering stabilizer it makes up for with an even better and more unique feature. Its slipper clutch makes backshifting no more complicated than on a 2-stroker, letting the rear wheel continue to keep spinning even when banging downshifts from hairball rpm.
Unlike the exhibitionist R1, the 10R in its black guise proved to be the stealth bike. It hardly stands out in a crowded parking lot, and the fact that it's difficult to appreciate the value of a slipper clutch when parked takes nothing away from its pilot. So, while the R1 rider is being swarmed by moto geeks asking about how fast it goes and if that cool underseat exhaust makes the seat hot (it stops just shy of "hot"), the Kawi rider has a clear path back out to the twisties. We don't care what the dyno measured, the R1 Results with the green or orange ZXs may vary. has serious steam. It makes its rider look good.
The R1 makes its case with Ducati-like stability and hellacious powerband that is accompanied by a soundtrack so sweet you'd think you were in George Lucas' living room with THX surround sound. At 7000 rpm, it's surging like a pit bull straining against its leash, with a loud intake resonance growling perhaps a bit too ferociously, and it becomes an otherworldly wail as the tach races toward 14K. And the more miles we put on, the more its exhaust baffling was blowing out, making it sound even nastier, especially as it burbled on the overrun.
The Yamaha comes a close second to the ZX in 2004's Tallest Low Gear award, but the extra muscle in the Kawi helps overcome the slight difference. Our R1 was also saddled with inconsistent response from its engine, having holes in its powerband at both 3000 and 7000 rpm. From the saddle you can feel the bog below 4000 rpm, and holding steady throttle around 6500 rpm is difficult because of a slight surging condition.
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On the dyno, the R1 was a slight disappointment when it was unable to bust the 150-hp mark as other R1s have. Gary Jones, bike tuner extraordinaire and White Brothers R&D ace, said he'd never felt such high a level of shaking on a dyno, so we suspect excessive vibration may have caused inconsistent traction with the dyno roller, masking a bit of the big power the R1 displays on the road. We plan to get
another example from Yamaha for follow-up dyno test.
If you think you need to trade in your 2003 GSX- It may seem like the R1 is a real dog when looking at the dyno chart, but you'd never say that after a R1000 to keep up with the sexy new freshmen, ride on it. There's more than enough thrust to make think again. The Gixxer can dice it up with anything your internal organs want to leap out of your mouth. on the road. Trust us on this one.
Use the stellar radial-mount front brakes to stop the scenery from blurring and you'll notice deep wells of power that can be used without intimidating its rider. In a straight line while enjoying the view of the best looking instrument panel in the bizz, you might also notice there's not a lot of padding on the thin seat.
Our forays into the canyons put us in contact with
some first-gen R1 owners who were worried that
Yamaha had neutered the impressive midrange that
was part of the old bike's charm. An important thing to note here is the definition of midrange.
Mid is the root of middle, so let's agree that a point halfway between redline and an approximate 1000- rpm idle speed is pretty close to the center of a The R1 loves railing around corners, offering powerband. For the old "pile" and its 11,750 redline, superb stability and good feedback. Looks pretty that point comes at 5375 rpm. Factor in the 2000- good from up top, too. rpm longer rev range of the new model and you'll see that the new R1's midrange arrives at 6400 rpm. The difference between old and new would be even less noticeable on the street if the new model had the same overall gear ratio (4.5% shorter) as previous. We suspect the sprocket companies had a hand in this new movement toward 100-mph low gears.
All that said, the Yamaha does have a relative deficiency in midrange power and some of that is due to the most oversquare (bore being larger than stroke) bore/stroke ratio in the class. Its 77mm piston only has to travel 53.6mm before reversing its direction, enabling a higher redline without exceeding accepted piston-speed limits and the failures that follow.
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Still Kickin' The GSX-R motor's architecture looks like a tractor in comparison. Its 73mm slug has to travel 59mm before finishing its stroke, resulting in the need for a redline 1500 rpm lower than the R1 to keep pistons speeds down. However, the extra leverage from the longer connecting rods pays dividends in torque production (as Harley riders have always known
about their undersquare engines), and the Gixxer's mill comes off looking pretty good against the others.
After being astounded by the outrageous While generally regarded as the homeliest in this performance abilities of the ZX and R1, we felt sorry pert group, the GSX-R still cuts some dashing for the aged GSX-R. That changed within the first lines. Radial-mount brakes were first seen on a dozen miles. The Gixxer earned its reputation as the mass production bike on the 2003 GSX-R. Now class of the class, and it turns out the others may everyone's got 'em. have even fallen a bit short.
For the most part, the bodacious motor in the Suzuki is making more or equal power than the others all the way to 10,000 rpm, (after which the ZX takes over with a horsepower and torque advantage to rule the roost). Its horsepower and torque peaks arrive earlier than the rest, aided partially by the higher intake velocities offered by its smallish 42mm throttle bodies that are the narrowest in this group, with the ZX, CBR and R1 each going up 1mm over the previous bike, respectively. Suzuki's AMA Superbike star Mat Mladin might not like the fact that his throttle bodies are 3mm smaller than the R1's, but street riders love 'em.
Unlike the R1 and ZX, the Suzuki is not saddled with an autobahn-ready first gear, and this pays off The GSX-R feels especially nimble at lower handsomely during the 95% of riding 95% of us do: speeds and gives its rider the confidence to run it street riding, a world that exists somewhere near through the turns. Sloppy welds on the titanium reality in which vehicles must occasionally stop pipe and swingarm look a bit crude. before accelerating again to continue on their way. The more streetable first gear in the Gixxer can make its positive presence known hundreds of times a day. The Gixxer is the machine of choice when strafing urban areas.
The GSX-R's cable clutch (with a handy thumbwheel adjuster, as on the R1 and its narrow engagement clutch) is amazingly controllable. With its strong and consistent feedback, a skilled pilot can loft the front tire mere inches off the ground immediately upon leaving a stop light, then can carry it all the way across the intersection and beyond.
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Its cushiest-in-class seat and the most encompassing protection from the elements vault the GSX-R near the head of the group during freeway drones, helped by a smooth engine at most rpm thanks to a counterbalancer and the best view from the mirrors (you'll want to pay attention to those when aboard these bikes). It's merely the Suzuki's longest stretch to the bars, rivaled only by the R1,
that hold it back from being crowned king of the open road.
Fat is Sexy? When we first tested Honda's CBR1000RR, it The front end of the Honda inspired confidence in impressed with its large and linear powerband and me, probably due to the steering damper. The
unflappable stability. Those things still hold true, but ergos felt a little aggressive - pegs were slightly the new CBR is so well polished that it was difficult higher, a little more pressure on the wrists, and to get a good feel for how it should slot it into the seat was a little firmer. –Brian Chamberlain, class pecking order. MCUSA VP of creative design The only obvious pimple concerning the RR is the pull of gravity on its considerable mass. With its fuel tank empty, the CBR scales in at 433 pounds, a full 30 pounds more than the anorexic Kawasaki and 15 pounds heavier than the R1, the second pudgiest of the group.
I think we're seeing a pattern here. First, routing an exhaust system up and under the seat, with its attendant shielding and bracketry, is the inverse equivalent of the Wonder Bra: It makes the bike look trim but makes it heavier in actuality. Compared to the ZX-10, the CBR carries an extra 15 pounds on its rear wheel alone. The similarly piped R1 weighs in just three pounds more than the old GSX-R, and you just know that Suzuki is going to lop off about 10 pounds for its all-new 2005 model. Heated seats on both the Honda and the Yamaha are courtesy of underseat mufflers, as is a lack of Secondly, even the engineering might of Honda has storage space. The things we do for fashion… trouble keeping the weight down on its newer RR models. First the 600RR was heavier than the F4i, and now the 1000RR is porkier than the 954RR. While the underseat exhaust plays a role in the added heft, some blame must also go to Honda's innovative Unit Pro-Link rear suspension. Honda says incorporating both ends of the rear shock inside the MotoGP-inspired swingarm isolates the main frame/chassis from forces acting on the rear suspension, and we think they may be on to something there. But until they develop the technology further, we can expect the Honda RR series to be at a slight weight disadvantage.
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If you were to ride only the Honda, you'd swear it is the best sportbike ever made, such is the way it has been polished to Honda's typical high standards. The CBR, with so many of the rough edges shaved off, would get our vote as the Least Exciting Superbike of 2004. We're not sure how Honda can build a 150-hp race-bred machine and make it feel as if a dozen ponies slept in on the day of the
stampede. The RR will challenge wheelie hounds more than the three other excellent unicyclers, and it felt almost anemic at 7000 feet of elevation.
Which isn't to say the Honda is slow. You'd have to Don't get us wrong: The CBR1000RR can certainly be Miguel Duhamel to feel that 148 hp and 76 lb-ft raise your pulse. It's just that its lack of personality of torque isn't enough. But it's the stepless way the is its personality. CBR produces its power that had us waiting for the "hit" that never came. Of course, if the sole goal from your rides is to get through a canyon road as
quickly as possible without breaking a sweat, the RR is perhaps the perfect ally, even if it is a little less willing to change directions. It's stable as a train, even leaned over in the bumps, and its grunty motor mostly out-torques even the muscular ZX up to about 9000 rpm.
The CBR performs less well on the open road. Although its Showa fork is plush and responsive, discomfort sets in on longer rides because of a thinly padded seat and a persistent vibration at certain cruising speeds that buzzes pegs and bars to the extent that a few of our testers' hands went numb. The CBR's not exactly up to De Sade levels of torture, but it and the R1 would be the last picks There's no way a sane person can explore the when going out for a 500-mile day. limits of these radical machines on the street. I guess we'll have to take them to the track. Lap Times By now you might've noticed a distinct lack of racetrack photography and were wondering how long you'd have to read before you got to the lap times and quarter-mile results. Well, your read won't be much longer but your wait is.
For the first time, we decided to split a sportbike comparison test in two. We hear you guys out there who say they don't care if one bike is 0.3-second quicker around Willow Springs – that has little relevance to those who never even see a racetrack.
This is the reason we haven't spoken about ultimate handling limits and which bike has the best brakes. Know what? They'll go around corners faster than most of us would dare, and with 4-piston radial-mount brakes on each bike, there is little distinction between them in street use.
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With this raging quartet, the performance differences on the road are nearly insignificant. A street rider would have to be both brave and foolish to find them. And that's why we are taking this band on tour – Laguna Seca, in particular – to delve a little deeper into the ultimate performance limits of this incredibly talented group. But fear not, those who want a winner to be declared. And the award goes to… Kawasaki ZX-10R is MCUSA's pick for the best open-class sportbike (street category). And we MCUSA's award for the best literbike for the street weren't just blinded by its big power and tiny size. sits menacingly in gravel, waiting for its next victim. Just as in our Supersport Shootout last year, we gave each bike marks in 10 different categories, with the most important aspects given double the weight.
When the marks had been tallied, the ZX-10R had gathered the highest point total and garnered a 93% rating. It's superbike-fast, very sure-footed, looks bad-ass and makes its rider feel as if he rules the roads. What more can you want from a literbike?
Coming in second with an 85% rating is Yamaha's stunning R1. Part of the streetbike game is about looking good – c'mon, admit it – and the R1 is one sharp machine. Whether it's the angular bodywork, the sweetly-sick controlled-fill cast swingarm, or the Jimmy Durante nose that looks like a cross between an eagle and T2, the R1 proudly says that it is Each of these bikes have adequate passing power. something special. The fact that you can pull up the front end at 120 mph and rail through the sweepers like a racebike are just really big bonuses to the R1's appeal.
One of the stand-out pieces on the CBR1000RR is its techno-tricky electronically controlled steering damper, and that's why Honda's new marvel fell to third in the rankings with an 81% score. If the neatest thing about a brand-new 1000cc sportbike is a steering damper (that works marvelously, btw), then somehow it's failed. The CBR gets strong scores in every category except for its "grin factor." It just doesn't excite and enthrall like its podium-mates. But that's not because of a lack of capability, and we wouldn't be surprised to see the CBR be right up there with the fastest times at Laguna Seca. Keep in mind, though, that the ZX-10 has a 12% better power-to-weight ratio than the hefty Honda.
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With a 77% score, the GSX-R1000 slots into last place. If we were scoring this test on just empirical data, the venerable Gixxer Thou would score highly. Its combination of gearing, torque and an excellent clutch might give it top marks in acceleration contests, and its sure-footed handling will keep things close on the racetrack. But this is a streetbike test, and the old guard looks like it is a step behind –
until next year, at least. Its swingarm looks like it was cobbled in the Daytona pits compared to the artfully crafted Unit Pro-Link gleaming unpainted on the Honda, and its cockpit looks like a Kia next to the Audi-like R1. And it feels fat.
Boasting power-to-weight ratios that would make a million-dollar Ferrari Enzo envious, we would never consider labeling any of these bikes as a loser. The fact of the matter is they're all extraordinary vehicles
with performance levels that are stratospheric. They're actually more machine than most riders can handle, but we think that's part of their appeal. "I want one," said one of our loyal message board posters, SV650TN, about the R1. "I don't care if I do highside into Arizona. I still want one."
"Even if you're doing a 3-minute lap on a 2-minute
track, the ZX-10 makes you feel cool," Hutchison said upon returning from Homestead. We now can understand: it makes you feel cool on the street, too.
Makes ya wonder what's going to happen at the track, donnit?
View head to head specs. Click Here.
Share your thoughts on the '04 Superbike Shootout in the MCUSA Forum. Click Here
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