TRUTH, KNOWLEDGE, KNACKERED SLIDERSTRUTH, KNOWLEDGE, KNACKERED SLIDERSTRUTH, KNOWLEDGE, KNACKERED SLIDERSTRUTH, KNOWLEDGE, KNACKERED SLIDERSTRUTH, KNOWLEDGE, KNACKERED SLIDERS

USED BUYING GUIDETHENEWBIE-FRIENDLYNINJA250R

PERFECT MISFITSPLUS:KawasakiZZR1400vSuzukiGSX1300RHayabusavBMWK1300S

MISFITS PERFECT MISFITS PERFECTDaytona675Rv848EVOCorseSEvGSX-R750

RACE BOOTSTHEBESTINPROTECTION

fastb

ikesm

ag.com .

USED BUYING GUIDE

TheUK'sbiggestselling

sportsbikemagazine!

FIRST TEST ON THE NEWELECTRIC ZERO S-ZF6

12 WE RIDE THE NEW ZERO SELECTRIC BIKE – AND IT’S OK!

64HELMET GURUS – INSIDETHE SCHUBERTH FACTORY

84PRIVATE FACTORY TOURWITH MV BOSS CASTIGLIONI 136GUINTOLI – A NEW LIGHT

IN THE WSB PADDOCK

4 .

84WITH MV BOSS CASTIGLIONI

4 4 .

38GROUP TEST

GOINGBALLISTIC

24GROUP TEST

THEODDBALLS CLUBSHORTONDIRECT COMPETITORS, BUTNOT SHORTON SKILLS:WHATEVER YOU’RE THINKINGOFBUYING, YOU SHOULD TRYONEOF THESE TOO...

R O A D T E S T SFIRST RIDEZero S-ZF6............................ 12The electric revolution is beginning to revolve withsome sort of purpose, so we got hold of the newZero S-ZF6 for a first UK ride, on road and track.

GROUP TESTThe Oddball Club .............24The 750 class used to be the most hotly contested,but now there’s only one true Seven Fiddy left – sohow does Suzuki’s GSX-R750 stack up again itsclosest rivals? There’s only one way to find out...

GROUP TESTGoing Ballistic....................38If you ever doubt the impact of the US of A inmanufacturer’s ranges, then look no further. Therewould be no Hayabusa without the States, andarguably no competitors either. The new ZZR1400takes on the old establishment.Kawasaki ZZR1400Suzuki GSX1300RHayabusa

BMWK 1300 S

Ducati 848EVO Corse SESuzuki GSX-R750

TriumphDaytona675R

56AT HOME WITH 17 TIMES TTWINNER JOHN MCGUINNESS

ContentsISSUE 263 JULY 2012

IT’S THE NEWSUpfront........................................ 8New metal, news and reviews from planet Fast Bikes.

GEARED UPRace Boots .............................. 18Ankles and feet can take a bashing in a crash, and theydon’t usually heal well (arf!) – make sure you’re wearingthe best protection you can afford – walking is good.

GET IT FIRSTSubscribe.................................82Get your monthly dose of sportsbike hedonism deliveredto your door - with a FREE Beta tool kit!

MASTERCLASSRiding...........................................92Andy Ibbott can improve your riding – if you listen...

Technical ................................. 94Your spannering queries and questions answered.

Legal .............................................97The law is not always your friend – but Andrew Dalton is.

YOUR LIFE ON BIKES

Chatter...................................... 98Plenty more tales of the unexpected from your world.

THE KNOWLEDGEUsed Buyer’s Guide........ 1002008 Kawasaki Ninja 250R – your ideal first bigger bike?

Icon Bike Guide .................. 1061993 Yamaha YZF750R – the original fox-eyed nutter

OUR LIFE ON BIKESStaff Bikes ..............................110The fleet has all arrived – and by golly it’s a talented group

Project Bikes........................123Beej’s Yamaha TZR250 smoking project gets sprung.

RACE SECTIONPit Pass .................................... 134Six different winners in six BSB races? Yes please!

Guintoli Speaks Out......... 136The nicest man in WSB speaks eclusively to FB.

COLUMNISTSAlastair Fagan .................... 143A-Force battles with set-up issues (and his little balls)...

Chaz Davies .......................... 145Our man on the Aprilia splashes around Europe...

SteveParrish.....146More madness from Planet Stavros.

Ducati 848 EVO Corse SESuzuki GSX-R1000Honda CBR600RRYamahaYZF-R6

BMW S 1000 RRKawasaki ZX-6RTriumph SpeedTriple R

F E A T U R E SSKILLS ACADEMY

Be an IOMTT racer ..50FB goes to the Isle of Man to learn the circuit

with Johnny Barton – TT Rider Liaison Officer

LIVING LEGENDJohn McGuinness ......56

At home with John McGuinness, 17 times TTwinner, builder, and jolly nice bloke

TEN MINUTES WITH...Ian Lougher ....................62

Proving that age is no boudary to success, 48year-old Lougher is still lapping up the IOM...

HELMET TECHHeadwerks .....................64We go to the Schuberth factory to see the new

S2 in production, and crash testing

ADDICTIONSuzuki GSX-R1000....68Buying yet another blank canvass when you’re a

self-confessed modding addict is never wise...

FACTORY INSIDERMV Agusta, Italy .........84

Givanni Castiglioni himself gives us a privatetour of the fascinating MV Agusta factory

68ADDICTION

52BECOME ATT RACER

.

18 .

GearedUpALL THE LATEST, COOLEST & TRICKEST PERFOR

MANCE PRODUCTSGearedUpALL THE LATEST, COOLEST & TRICKEST PERFOR

MANCE PRODUCTS

ALPINESTARSSUPERTECHR£339.99 ALPINESTARS.COM

Wornbyabarrage ofworld-classracers, theSupertechRisAlpinestars’ top-shelfboot.TheRfeaturesaseparate innerboot,hingedtominimizerotationinanaccident,butstillallowingexcellentmovement.Constructedwithamixofpremiumcowandmicro-fibre,theSupertechisdesignedtomeetthehigheststandards inracing,sowillbenumberonechoiceforyou.We’vetestedthemwithmassivemileageand, inAl’scase,equallymassivecrashes.They’refaultless.TheR alsoboastsacompletelyreplaceablesole,andotherparts.

There’s always a temptation to nip out to theshops in trainers, with a devil whispering in

your ear. Hey, even flip-flops are a commonoccurrence in Bath these days, avec t-shirts andshorts. But your head, hands and feet, being themost sticky out bits, usually touchdown first andtake the brunt of a crash. And, let’s be honest,walking with two feet is quite a luxury these days,as is having all 10 toes, or 12 if you’re from aroundthe Norfolk area...

There’s always a temptation to nip out to the shops in trainers, with a devil whispering in

ops are a common ip-fl your ear. Hey, even fl

Safety, comfort and fashion: thelatest in race-spec boots pack it all...

Safety, comfort and fashion: thelatest in race-spec boots pack it all...

JIVING BOOTS

RACE TO ROADWith years of racing development, you canwear the same boot on Monday as theracers do on Sunday, #justlikeyourhero.

TOP SHELFThese are full-on race boots, so pack plentyof ventilaiton and not much consideraitonfor being waterproof and warm.

IN IT TO WIN ITMost boots now have an inner boot,designed to support the ankle, andstop unwanted rotation in a crash.

RSTTRACTECH£99.95 MOTO-DIRECT.COM

TheTractechismadefromMicro-Tech,which isa2mmmicro-fibrewithPUcoating.Theshin ismoldedTPU,andthere’sextraheelandankle protection.TheTractechalsofeaturesananti-twistmidsolewithasteelshankreinforcement.Youalso getrace-specsliders,ananti-slipsoleandthederiguergearchangepad.Alsoavailableasawaterproofboot.

PUMAV3£199.99 MOTO-DIRECT.CO.UK

AnotherbootdevelopedwiththehelpofGPracersand wornbyourRootsy,theV31000boastssomeseriouslycool-soundingtech–theGhostDoctorprotectiondevicehasbeendesignedspecificallytosave youfromankle injury.ThisPumahasa360-degreecockpitconstructionandincreases lateral impactprotection.Built intothelowersectionisacushioningdevicethathelpsverticalprotectioninahighside.

SIDIVORTICE AIR£299.95 FERIDAX.COM

TheVorticeAir isSidi’sMotoGP-derivedbootandisproperbling.The

upper isconstructedfromperforatedLorica

andlinedwithairTeflonmeshtostoppuddlesofsweat.Althoughit’sa

pain inthearsetogetinandoutof

theVorticeAir,at least

there’s plentyofTecnoonshow–aTecnocalf

tensioner,TecnoshintensionerandaTecnoinstep

tensionermake 'emoneofthemostcustomfitting

bootsaround.

TCX R-S2£249.99 NEVISM.CO.UK

Abootpackedwithtechandsafetythatoutweighs its punyprice, theR-S2fromTCXfeaturesa lightweight

micro-fibreupper, that’sbreathableandwear

resistant.Apolyurethaneshinplatewith ironmeshair

intakesprovidescrashprotectionandairconditioning.Themainsafetyfeature is

TCX’sMCS(MetatarsalControlSystem)that

allowsfullmovement when

riding, yetcontrolsmetatarsalflexionupwards

anddownwardswithtwostoppingpoints .

XPD XP7-R£269.99 XPDBOOTS.COM

TheXP7-Rhasgained Level2CEcertificationfor its resistanceagainstcuttingandimpact.Hey,they’vegottobesafebecauseBJwearsthem.TheAGS2ankleguardsystemhasabiomechaniccagetothereduceriskofankletwisting.Theouter ismadefromLorica,withashockabsorbingstructureofPolyurethane.Avulcanizedrubberanti-skidsolehelpsgripsthepegs. JurassicPark!Replacementtoesliders areavailable.

DAYTONASECURITY£1,199.99TRANAM.CO.UK

Thisboot istheDaddy.Seenasthesafest intheworld,theDaytonaSecurityEvoIIIhas acompletelyseparate innerbootmadefromKevlarandAramid,withshock-absorbingpaddingandafour-layershinboneprotection.Theouter ismadefromKangarooleather,andthere’saKevlarheel for extraprotection,whileceramictoeslidershelpwithfriction.

20 .

GEARED UP

20 .

DAINESEAXIAL PRO IN

£313.99 DAINESE.COMIn,out, shakeitallabout.Dainesegiveyou

theoptionofaninnyoranouttyboot.As thenamesuggests, theAxialPro Insits insideyourleathersforthatVR46look,andfeaturesD-Tec'sshockabsorbingtechnology inthesole.Steel

insertsontheheel andtoesliderssupplythesparksandprotection,buttherealUSPisDainese’sD-Axialsystemthatsavesyour

ankle inastackattack.

W2 MISANO£199.99 TRANAM.CO.UK

NamedaftertheItalianracecircuit, theMisanofeaturesagenuine leatherupperwithanergonomicallyshapeddesign. Injectionmouldedplasticprotectorsaidacrashandtheheelcapis replaceableshouldyoudoso.Aremovableanatomicalinsolecanbe,er, removedwhensmelly/damp,andtheMisanoisclosedviaazipandVelcro.Plentyofventsforcooling,andyougetmagnesiumtoe,shinandanklesliderswhichareall replacable ifyouloveabitof lean.Agoodlookingandsafety-packedbootforunder£200quidcan'tbeknocked.

SPYKETOTEM 2.0£229.99 THEKEYCOLLECTION.CO.UK

TheTotemfeaturesaperforatedleatherconstructionwitharacingdensityPolyurethanesoleandDeotoxodourabsorptiontechnologyontheinsole.TPUprotectionattheheelandshin,plus innovativearticulatedcompositeprotectionattheankle

allassistwithacrash.

Magnesiumtoeslidersgo

thedistance,whiletherearecarbonand

rubber insertsontheexternalsole.Ventilatedplasticcomponentshelpwithairflow.

ALPINESTARSS-MX£229.99 ALPINESTARS.COM

TheS-MXPlus isanotchdownfromthe SupertechR, butstill

packs loadsofsafetyandis likeaslippertowear.There’sahigh-techmicro-fibreupperconstructionthat’slightweightanddurable.There’snoinner boot,butyoudoget

Alpinestars’uniqueMultiLinkControlSystem,designedtosupporttheanklefromhyper-

torsion,hyper-extensionandhyper-flexion.There’salsobagsofimpactprotectionfromTPUinserts.

SPADANINETY3£104.95 SPADACLOTHING.CO.UK

Abang-tidybootataridiculousprice,theNinety3 isconstructedfromlightweightPUmicro-fibreandthere’sabreathablemeshinterior lining.MouldedTPUventsattheshinandanklegettheairflowing,andananatomicallyshapedfootbedmakestheNinety3comfy.Shockabsorbing latexpanel insertsbouncenicely,andthetoeslidersarereplaceable.Thesolesareoilandpetrol resistant.

insole can be, er, removed when smelly/damp, and the Misano is closed via a zip and Velcro. Plenty of vents for cooling, and you get magnesium toe, shin and

ankle sliders which are all replacable if you love a bit of lean. A good looking and safety-packed boot for under £200 quid can't be knocked.

ARLENNESS 1281£229.99 MOTO-DIRECT.CO.UKThe1281 isn’taBeverlyHillspostcode.It’sArlenNess’ racebootwithafullleatherconstruction.There’sacalfratchetsystemthatallowstheperfectfitandsnugnesstotheshin,andalsoaventilatedleatherzipwithadoubleVelcroclosure.Protection-wise,there’s a titaniumankleandTPUmidsolewithasteel shank.Thetoe

slidersaretrackdayfriendlyno-sparkmagnesiumandare

replaceable.RubenXaususedtowearthese,sothe1281

mustbesafe.

Price on acquisition: £Free

ProjectBikes

. 123

PROJECT BIKES

1 3 8 4 0 ODOMETERMILES

TIME ON TEST:22 MONTHS (ISSUE 241)

NEXT PAINTAIM: FRAME

BHP: NAGAIN: NA

… "Trying to coordinate the rebuild!"

BEEJ YAMAHATZR250

A nother month scorches by, yetthe TZR’s progressioncontinues. It’s still a bare

frame at the moment, with its majorparts scattered across the UK atvarious different places. Last monthshowcased the engine and its route torefreshed happiness in the rathercapable hands of Mr RichardSheppard. As I write, I’ve had tosource gaskets for Richard from

another outlet as the ones I previouslyarranged had fallen through. When itcomes to these kids of things, Wemotoreally is the place to go. They have alot of stock for bikes as ancient as the

TZR, so a full gasket kit is heading myway, as are some small-ends, aclutch-plate kit, as well as a few otherbearings, and so forth.

One thing I haven’t even thoughtabout yet is the carburation. It’s beenat least 20 years since I last opened upa carb’ and had a fiddle, and mymemory doesn’t stretch far backenough to remember what I’m doing.So, a quick rehash of the basics I’ll

endure no doubt, though I’m morethan happy to allow Shep to makesuggestions, especially as he’ll knowwhat should be needed to match histune. But it’s not something I’ll worry

about too much until theengine is back here.

Suspension isforemost on my mindnow, and recently Ipacked up the forks andshock and sent them offto Maxton Engineering.Maxton do what’sessentially a refresh onkit as old as this. Itinvolves changing theoil, seals and generallymaking sure everythingis tickety-boo. They’lleven change the springsif necessary, dependingon condition and yourriding weight. Thebonus of this is it costs

Maxtonsays theforksneedre-chroming,butcan Iafford it?”

around £200, and allows you to get thebest of what you already have, ratherthan aiming for expensivereplacements or internals kits.

There can be some pitfalls,however. Magic Richard Adams rangme to say that the fork stanchionsaren’t in the best nick. There’s quite abit of stone-chip damage and in anideal world, they need re-chroming.My issue is that’s £150 at the veryleast. He reckons I’ll be able to getaway with re-polishing them, maybe,so I’m currently mulling my optionsand working out how much more Ineed to spend, before I can decide onwhether or not to go the whole hog. Ithink I’m leaning towards a re-polishto keep costs down, and if it does gowrong then at least it was my decisionin the first place and I’ll just have toswallow another bill. I shall have morenews from the Maxton refresh nextmonth, so stay tuned.

Lastly, I’m still undecided onexactly how to paint the frame andswingarm black. I reckon I can use theswingarm as a test-bed to see ifwhichever method I follow holdswater. If it works well, then I’ll do thesame to the frame. The forks arealready black, but in need of a freshcoat. Next month I should hopefullyhave the engine back, but first it’s timeto paint everything black!

Cool! Maxton’s new springmatches the colour of the bike!

Oh look, a man whoknows what he’s doing!Beej certainly doesn’t...

:MAXTON 01928740531 MAXTONSUSPENSION.CO.UK

1990sBikeGuideW O R D S B Y : J O N U R R Y / R I C H A R D N E W L A N D P I C S B Y : F A S T B I K E S A R C H I V E / Y A M A H A

eIN ASSOCIATION WITH

. 107

With the YZF750R, Yamahadecided to take adifferent approach to

building a bike for world superbikeracing. The OW-01 was a racer withlights, designed in the great traditionof Japanese limited editionhomologation specials, and a bikethat few could ever own. The YZFwas different, it looked like the WSBracer and you could actually go andbuy one from your local dealer. Andmany did, despite the paint schemes.

But this is doing the YZF quite adisservice. It wasn’t just some replica,Yamaha took all it learnt racing theOW-01 and put it right into the YZF.This is a bike with not only WSBDNA but also GP technology flowingthrough its veins.

The engine on the YZF is virtuallyidentical to the OW-01’s unit, yet hasbeen optimised for even greaterperformance. Yamaha retained thefive-valve head design that itconsidered essential in all itssuperbikes and gave the YZF a highcompression head, straight and

narrow inlet tracks to optimise fuelflow into the motor and 38mm carbsfed through a gigantic airbox to suckair into the motor. The net result wasa 750 that made a claimed 125bhp,the same as Honda quoted for its1992 FireBlade. And it handled.

The Deltabox chassis on the YZF

1993 YAMAHA YZF750R / SP

The OW-01 inspired superbikeFive-valve heads – and 125bhpPlush handling to match, too

: , - ,Cheapest private: £1,2901993model, 40,000miles, 6months tax, newMOT,titanium race can, hugger –nice example

Cheapest dealer: £1,5951994 model,22,255miles, ‘timewarpcondition’ lowmileageexamplewithhuggerandMotadexhaust.

Wild card: £8,4951995model,M-reg,withjustonemileontheclocks. It’sabrandnewbike,completelystandard,immaculatecondition.They’vegotanunregisteredonetoo!

It inspired thousands oftrouser-tents on its release,

and took the ZXR750’smantra to another level

‘I reckon I could attractme some mugget on

one of those’

It was capable of doing this allday long when it was new – with

modern rubber it’ll be even better

1993 YAMAHA YZF750R / SP

1990s BIKE GUIDE 1993 YAMAHA YZF750R / SP IN ASSOCIATION WITH

108 .

was identical to the OW-01’s frameand used the sloping forward engineas a stressed member for greaterrigidity while the braced swingarmwas designed using GP technology.

Unlike the OW-01, the YZF got aninverted fork with aluminium tripleclamps as standard as well assix-piston brake calipers, the firsttime on a Yamaha production bike.

Then came the styling. As well asclaiming the YZF’s fairing was adirect descendent of the fairing fittedto its WSB racers, Yamaha announcedthat the YZF had the lowest dragcoefficient of any 750 on the market.

Most riders were more impressedby the use of fox-eye headlights,brash ‘oh so 1990s’ paint schemesand a pillion seat cover coming asstandard equipment. The fact thetank was sculpted with a tall andnarrow rear section for improvedknee grip probably escaped mostowners completely.

The YZF750R was launchedalongside the exotic SP version thatcame with fully adjustablesuspension, 39mm Keihin flat-slidecarbs, tweaked cams, a close ratiogearbox, Öhlins shock and no pillionseat. Although it was a homologationspecial, and therefore commanded ahigher price, it looked almostidentical to the stock bike and onlythe SP sticker really gave it away. Wellthat and the huge hole in the powerdelivery caused by the flat-slides…

The YZF remained in productionuntil 1998 and even gained an Öhlinsshock as standard in 1995, but forsuch a great superbike, the YZF is notoverly sought after, and cleanexamples will cost you half that of a1992 Honda FireBlade.

Verdict 8/10Feels big, long and low now – but still a great road bike,and huge fun on if you shed the weight for trackdays.

+ GOODMOTOR,CAPABLEHANDLING,FOXYSTYLING- AWFULPAINTSCHEMES,TIREDSUSPENSION,HEAVY

Private Simply one of the mosticonic bikes ever made, the916 stole the limelight ofeverything before it - andit’s still a beautiful bike toride, and look at, today.

£3,000

Dealer£4,000

Engine 916cc, liquid-cooled, 8v L-twinPower 114bhp@9,000rpmTorque 90Nm@6,900rpm

:Type 749cc, liquid-cooled, 20v, inline-fourBore x Stroke 72 x 46mmCompression 11.5:1Fuelling 4 x BDST38 carbsClaimed Power 125bhp@ 12,000rpmClaimed Torque 79Nm@9,500rpm

Frame AluminiumbeamF Suspension 43mm inverted fork, fully adjustableR Suspension Monoshock, fully adjustableFront Brakes Six-piston calipers, 320mmdiscsRear Brakes Two-piston, single 245mmdisc

frame OW-01’s the to identical was and used the sloping forward engine

greater for member stressed a as rigidity while the braced swingarm

None of us can rememberhow it lost the mirror

The single seater SP isthe one to have, if you

can find a clean one

Wheelbase 1,420mmSeat Height 795mmDry Weight 195kgFuel Capacity 19 litres

None of us can rememberhow it lost the mirror

frame OW-01’s the to identical was and used the sloping forward engine

greater for member stressed a as rigidity while the braced swingarm

technology. GP using designed was Unlike the OW-01, the YZF got an

triple aluminium with fork invertedas well as standard as clamps

rst fi the calipers, brake six-pistontime on a Yamaha production bike.

as well As styling. the came Thena was fairing YZF’s the claiming

tted direct descendent of the fairing fiannounced Yamaha racers, WSB its todrag lowest the had YZF the that

cient of any 750 on the market. coeffiimpressed more were riders Most

headlights, fox-eye of use the byschemes paint 1990s’ so ‘oh brash

as coming cover seat pillion a and

is SP seater single Theyou if have, to one the

nd a clean one can fi

Price from new: £10,999Insurance group: 17Modifications PriceSkidmarx screen £54.95R&G exhaust hanger £45.99R&G stand bobbins £25.49Nemesis TCS £1,788.00

£1,914.43

Mick Boasman - he well andtruly knows his onions

. 113

LONGTERMERSLONGTERMERSLONGTERMERSLONGTERMERS

This month has been all aboutelectronics. While having a pissat the NEC show, I spotted a flyer

on the wall advertising Nemesis TCS – aBritish-made traction control systemwith all the bells and whistles. I loveelectronics and all the subsequenttechnology. It fascinates me. And I’msure the GSX-R1000 will like it too, as I’vebeen up to Daventry to have a systemfitted. It’s amazing what a quick visit tothe urinals can bring...

Bike Sport Developments is run byMick Boasman – a self-made legend inthe world of racing and electronics. Mickwas a big part of various BSB squads

before the Motec bollocks came into BSB,while today, he’s building looms andelectronic strategies for WSB teams. Hedesigned the Nemesis system along witha host of other gizmos and buttons, whilethe systems are built near Silverstone.

The Nemesis system is completelyplug and play, so no rewiring or fiddly shit.If you can read a manual, and know your8mm from your crosshead, you’ll also beable to fit the system at home, as

Nemesis uses all the OE connectors andmounts. There’s also no complicatedsoftware, so you don’t need to pay atechnician to attend trackdays for set-up.But if you go directly to Bike SportDevelopments, Mick will come along to atrackday of your choice to assist with theset-up of the system.

You get nine levels of TC, withfactory-look bar buttons to togglethrough the settings. The intelligentsystem determines whether the bike is atmid corner or at any point during cornerexit, hard on acceleration. This allows thecorrect amount of slip to be applied.

As well as race-spec TC, you get aquickshifter and, the clincher for me, a pit

… “Givingmybike to someone else... .”

ALASTAIR0 1 2 2 4 ODOMETER

MILESTIME ON TEST:3 MONTHS (FBK 261)

SUZUKIGSX-R1000L2

lane limiter – the only catch being I needto ditch the cat converter, as the ignitioncut damages it with petrol pissing on it.

The Nemesis TCS is designed primarilyas a track tool, making you faster andsafer, but it’s going to be an excellentroad ally, too. I’ve already been yankingon the throttle trying to get the rearmoving. It’s absolutely highside-proof. Ifonly there was Honda’s C-ABS on sale tothe masses as well, then we’d be halfwayto creating the uncrashable bike. Or have Iwritten too soon? Let’s hope not...

NEXT EXHAUSTAIM: ANDWHEELS

We’renowhalfwaytocreatingtheworld’sfirstuncrashablebike”

:BIKE SPORT DEVELOPMENTSBIKESPORTDEVELOPMENTS.CO.UK

BHP: 157GAIN: 0

Check the buttons – justlike a WSB weapon

Price from new: £9,400Insurance group 16

LONGTERMERSLONGTERMERSLONGTERMERSLONGTERMERS

Last month I set out a bit of a planfor the CB’Arggh, and the last fourweeks have seen various bits and

bobs dribble in on a regularly basis. NowI’m struggling for room, though the firstround of performance mods is not faraway. I must be patient.

To combat the power issue, I’ve turnedto Akrapovic on the exhaust front fromPerformance Parts Ltd. Yes, it’s about themost expensive you can buy, but I’m on amission here and I decided I need thebest. After several fruitless attempts toremove the baffle from the Honda-fittedAkra’ can, without removing the

number-plate hanger, Igave up. I’m not sure theyactually want to you toremove it anyway, so I’mbypassing it entirely,though not before doingan initial dyno run, whichI’ll get to later.

Another reason to useAkrapovic is they’re thebest systems to actuallyfit. The instructions aloneare second to none, andthey won’t miss out a

single detail. Even tiny things likeunplugging indicator leads (to fullyremove a fairing), is detailed with wordsand photos. You can bet your arse it’ll allfit without any aggro, too. Akrapovic isone of the few companies that pour a lotof resources into testing. That’s why itscans (even with baffles in) usually makemore power than stock. They’re thatgood that most exhausts on the MotoGPgrid (despite what brand is stamped on acan) is usually an Akrapovic anyway.They’re the best for many more reasonsthan I have room to mention, but will tellyou more when I fit it next month.

A Bazzaz fuelling unit has alsoappeared, replete with traction-controland also a quickshifter. That’s essentialto map the bike to the exhaust. It won’tneed TC really, but it’s already there, sowhy not? To compliment the otherperformance kit, Speedycom hassupplied an MWR air-filter that is sosmart, it’s a bloody shame that nobodywill ever see it! But easier breathing forthe CBR will help find those missinghorses, and every hoof counts!

On the handling front, I’ve not thoughtabout suspension yet, except for fiddling

… “Running out of space undermydesk…”

BENJAMIN0 0 6 9 3 ODOMETER

MILESTIME ON TEST:3 MONTHS (ISSUE 261)

BHP: 102GAIN: NA

HONDACBR600RRC-ABS

with the stock kit – though I have to raisethe rear. I’m not sure quite how just yet,but I’ll get there! To give it an easier timethough, Sigma has sent a slipper-clutchover. This is one of the most heinousomissions by Honda on the CBR, and Ithink this alone will make a hugedifference in its track prowess.

So that’s what will be going on over thenext few months. First, however, someessentials will be fitted. The stock tyresare going, end of. In their place will beBridgestone’s excellent new S20 hoops,and is the first thing that will happen inthe next issue. I also have some crashprotection from GB Racing and R&Gwhich I will fit imminently. The only other‘must’ is to change the screen, so I don’tlook so daft on it! I have three to try, onefrom Skidmarx and two Zero Gravityitems from P-Parts. I’ll be swappingbetween all three over the next couple ofmonths to see which I prefer, but they alllook ace! Finally, the dyno run. It wasn’tunexpected, but 102bhp is still rubbish.However, it gives me a good yardstick tostart with. Till next time!

You’d think fitting a simplescreen is, er, simple. It’s notalways the case...

NEXT FIT TYRESAIM: ETC

Itwasn’tunexpected,but102bhp ispretty rubbish...”

:PERFORMANCE PARTS PERFORMANCEPARTS-LTD.COMSPEEDYCOM SPEEDYCOM.CO.UKHPS BIKEHPS.COM

The smile would soondisappear. BJ nearlyhad a screen break...