| Author | Message | ||
     Kcfirebolt |
http://www.motorcycledaily.com/03june09_das_mdstyl e.htm | ||
| Kcfirebolt |
AMA Daytona Sportbike: MD Style By Gabe Ets-Hokin Photos by Evan Edge It seems like a lot of folks are unhappy with the new Daytona Sportbike class. Designed to provide close racing action on minimally modified middleweight sportbikes, it was the class for 2009's Daytona 200, replacing last year's Formula Xtreme. Instead of setting up a complex formula, AMA officials made a list of 10 different models deemed competitive based on "weight and performance characteristics that allow for balanced competition," according to AMA Pro Racing's Ollie Dean. "Dynamometer, top speed radar and weight testing has been conducted…and our experience over the first three races in 2009 has confirmed to us that we have been able to provide exciting competition among a diverse assembly of machines on a level playing field." Well, that sounds reasonable, but jeez: Buell's 1125R, with a four-valve, liquid-cooled, Rotax-built V-Twin is out on the track with 600cc bikes like the Yamaha YZF-R6 and Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R. How in the world can that possibly be fair? A two-year-old can tell you that an 1125 is going to make way more power than a 600, so the 1125 will always have the advantage. Right? We wanted to know, so we got on the phone. Buell loaned us a 2009 1125R, Kawasaki coughed up a 2009 ZX-6R, and Yamaha made with a 2009 YZF-R6. MD's Jeff Whitmer pulled some strings to get us out to the California Autoclub Speedway in Fontana courtesy of Fasttrack Riders. Jeff, MD contributor Babbit Thrustface and I made a team of three riders of different abilities (and by different, I mean they're fast and I'm slow), stock tires, and a sunny day at an honest-to-gosh AMA Superbike racetrack to help us understand what inherent and not-so-herent advantages a relatively large displacement Twin has over a middleweight Four. We would have liked to have all the Daytona American Sportbike models represented, including the Ducati 848, Aprilia RSV 1000, Honda CBR600RR and Suzuki GSX-R600, along with a truck full of Dunlop's finest unobtainium DOT race tires . . . and maybe some umbrella girls while you're at it. But what are you going to do? We're in a recession. Still, we were able to glean some insight your average race fan can't get watching the racing on the boob tube, and, after all, it is the Buell that is running at the front and making the Japanese 600s stretch their throttle cables. 2009 Buell 1125R $12,499 We introduced you to the 1125R a couple of years ago, with a detailed description of the technical innovations packed into this bike. We were impressed by the torquey motor and solid chassis, but we noted quirks in the fuel injection, especially below 4000 rpm. Other, lesser publications also noted problems with both pre-production (like the bikes at the 2007 press launch) and production versions, so last year the Helicon motor received significant revamping. New injectors, relocated O2 sensors, and updated electronics are claimed to improve drivability below 6000 rpm, as well as helping the bike run cooler. Out on track, all three of us were enamored by the smoothly fueled and hard-charging motor. "It will grunt out of a corner as low as 5500 rpm, and rev out to its 10500 rpm redline with equal enthusiasm," said Babbit, and Jeff noted it pulls very well down low and revs out nicely with no "hits" anywhere," plus he thought the revamped FI felt "almost perfect," giving the rider confidence to get on the throttle earlier coming out of tight corners. And that whoosh of thrust didn't let off, all the way to the 10,500 rpm redline. The transmission, we all agreed, was serviceable, never missing a shift, but had an old-fashioned feel, with a longer throw and more clunking than the Japanese Fours. Babbit noted the slipper clutch didn't do much for him, not slipping much at all and causing chatter that made him occasionally run wide entering corners. At least we all liked the chassis. The bike looks and feels big, but it's surprisingly nimble, yet stable at the same time. Jeff said it "was a breeze to ride" once you adjusted to its vagaries, and Babbit noted in his oddly Melville-esque way how in high-speed sweepers the "Buell remained steadfast, yet would happily alter course at my whim with little effort." Just call him Ishmael. We also liked the suspension; Babbit said it worked as well as Kawasaki's very impressive Big Piston fork found on the ZX-6R, and I could find no fault with it after I added more rebound damping. Babbit and Jeff liked the ZTL rim-mounted front brake. Jeff expected it would "be a shortfall on the track, but it was exactly the opposite." Babbit liked the control it offered: "I could bring the OE front tire right up to where it would cry uncle, but not go beyond." Me, I can't fault its level of power and control, but I did note its tendency to stand the front wheel up, and by the end of the day the brake lever was coming in closer to the bar than the other two bikes. Another niggle we noted was vibration. The bike buzzes at high rpm, which is where the motor works the best. "It's always there," said Babbit, "and it's strong enough to make the tach needle appear 'wider', making a shift at redline more of an approximate guess." At lower speeds and on the street it's not an issue, but jeez…the inline Fours vibrate less than a triple-counterbalanced V-Twin? Hell of a world we live in, no? Overall, the Buell was really easy to ride. It was a great learning tool for me to get acquainted with Fontana, and our vets appreciated its comfort, character and flexibility. But was it clearly faster than the other bikes? Not if you go by our laptimes: only Babbit was consistently faster on it, even though we all thought we could get on the gas slightly quicker exiting corners on the V-Twin. |
