| Author | Message | ||
     Sokota |
3 days , 13 bikes , 16 world wide riders , Jerez Spain track........but no Buells. Would have been fun to see the 9R and 12R thrown in the mix and let the chips fall , hear some world wide feedback ......would just like to hear em' talkin' ...good , bad , and anything in between. | ||
| Jaimec |
I won't give the results away, but the winner was a bit of a surprise to me, considering how little you hear about them these days. | ||
| Shakazulu12 |
I saw the results of the test, and I'm a little confused as to why the winner actually won? I won't spoil the results either, but look at the graphs and there was another italian bike that ran way better times than the winner. I haven't been able to get a hold of the article yet though to find out why it happened that way. | ||
| Jaimec |
Overall feel of the bike, not just the cold, hard numbers. How it felt on the track, and how the different evaluators felt when they rode it. | ||
| Sgthigg |
Why didnt they run a buell?? Thats why I hate the zines..then if they do ride one they barely ride it long enough to get used to the rpm range. | ||
| Grimel |
Why no Buell? How many Buells were sold last year? How many Buells are in the motoGP series? Why would they run a 1000/1200cc bike that has a top speed below the 600's even if it would have similar lap times? As for the article, did anyone notice how the Triumph 675 was able to run with the liter bikes? IMO, of the bikes tested the 675 should have taken the overall. I would like to see the laps a Firebolt would run on that track. | ||
| Gibriguy |
I thought that was a little crazy myself. I expected to see a 12R in the mix. I guess we have come a long way...but apparently we still have a ways to go. I do like cycle world though...they do seem to be a little partial to Buell. They did give a good "Long-Term Wrap-Up" to the 12S. It's a start. I thought getting the XBRR out on the track would help too...with visibility and getting people to at least look at Buells. All I keep reading in these magazines is about how Buell is getting an unfair advantage. You can definitely tell the brand bias with some of these people. What's wrong...are they afraid of some home grown competition? | ||
| Jaimec |
I can see their point. Buell really is stretching the rules with the XBRR in Formula Extreme. And how good does it look that it takes a 1350cc Buell engine to run with Japanese fours of less than half that displacement? I love my Buell, but I can't help but wonder what it'd be like with a more modern motor. Even a V-Twin like the one in the KTM Superduke or the Aprilia RSV. I can dream... | ||
| Spatten1 |
Only my opinion: They didn't run a Buell because it is not in the same league performance-wise. The XB is a cool niche bike that handles well, but does not compare well at the race track with repli-racers. They didn't run XV-650s either, and they handle great. Bikes with less than 110HP were not in the comparo. The XB engine is just not a high performance design and would get its ass handed to it on the track. The XBRR is limited production and not street legal, which would preclude it from the test. Griping about magazine bias is BS. They didn't include Moto Guzzis or BMWs either, because they don't make a bike in the high-performance category (for the track). Triumph would have been excluded without the 675, which I promise you will eat an XB and spit it out at the track. There is no world-wide anti-Buell consipiracy. | ||
| Spatten1 |
Another opinion: A comparo of nichey performance biased street bikes, on the street, would be great for Buell. Compare XBs to Moto Guzzis, XVs, BMWs, Speed Triples, etc. The XB is a great and unique package and would stack up well in a different type of comparo. | ||
| Vaxb |
Well said Spatten1, I love my Firebolt But, I realize a few 10ths in the corners don't hardly make up for gap on the straights. 160 Horsepower and 175-180mph is hard to beat! I also would like to see a comparo of like bikes | ||
| Beachbuell |
Spatten1 said...... "Bikes with less than 110HP were not in the comparo." Honda CBR 600RR= 99.03 Gixxer 600= 102.68 Triumph 675= 103.96 Yamaha R6= 105.14 Kawi ZX6R= 107.31 Seems to me almost half of the bikes tested have less than 110 HP. I was somewhat suprised who won also. Especially since all the "bugs" aren't worked out of them yet. I know a couple people who have owned that brand and have had their fair share of problems with it. Mostly electrical it seems. | ||
| Hattori_hanzo |
Those figures are corrected RWHP...not crank HP. | ||
| Spatten1 |
What Hattori said. If they wanted bikes like that for the shootout, I will say again, they would have included an XV650 which is lighter and better handling than most high HP bikes. | ||
| Snowhownd |
Did you see all the reader's comments in the front of the issue ripping the fact that they allowed the XBRR in the series? | ||
| Shakazulu12 |
You guys must understand something about the Masterbike test, it is unlike any other motorcycle test you will see in a magazine. It is entirely based upon lap times, the quickest bike wins (although this year I can't figure out why the F41000R was denied first place, must have crashed or something). Ducati got robbed last year when their bike turned in a time 0.10 seconds faster than the ZX-10, however it was on an extra lap that wasn't supposed to have happened. While the XB is an amazing bike through corners, that track has too many long sections to keep it in contention. They do not alter the results based upon any type of real-world guidelines. So comfort, reliability, steering feel etc dont matter in the overall standings. Though you will see the various testers comments sprinkled throughout the test. The XB is an amazing chassis with perfect handling, but its simply going to get out dragged in the one based upon the engine. That doesn't make it any less of an amazing bike though. | ||
| Jandj_davis |
I think I just heard the first bike title that I have no idea about. What is the XV650? |
