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It’s been the most asked question over the past year - which is the best production based sportsbike on the market today? We managed to get all the big players together at the same track, on the same tyres, with the same track conditions to test which one really does take the cake. Words: Rob Portman Pics: Gerrit Erasmus & Zenon

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Sportsbikes are the in thing at the moment because it’s a thrill factor you will find hard to get from anything else. When you go to a theme park would you rather go on the roller-coasters and get the extreme thrill and adrenaline rush or ride the shells and ponies? Not much comes close to the thrill of riding a 200hp sportsbike around a racetrack at pace - except maybe wrestling great white sharks...

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onday 22nd February 2016 - It’s 8am and the sun is starting to pierce through the clouds. We have Redstar Raceway all to ourselves, ready for one of the biggest tests ever - ready for a World War! Italy, Japan and Germany do battle to determine who has the best 1000cc sports bike on the market today. The contenders: BMW’s almighty S1000RR Yamaha’s big bang R1 - Ducati’s torque the talk 1299 S and the latest challenger to the mix - Kawasaki’s all new ZX10R. The Italians, Japanese and Germans have been going at it for a while now

but never has it been this intense, with machines reaching unfathomable levels of high performance at production level. 2015 saw an influx of new models that would rock the sports bike segment. Starting off with a new S1000RR from Zie Germans, which offered more power and updated electronics including their own in-house electronic suspension as a standard feature. The biggest release of 2015 was by far that of a new big bang R1 - slimmer, faster and packed with Rossi and MotoGP DNA.

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The Italians were not to sit back and watch their European counterparts release new models. They hit back in a big way with Aprilia releasing new versions of their already flawless RSV4 - the RSV4RR and RF. Ducati went a step further and boosted their production super bike machine from 1199cc to 1299cc. Over the course of 2015 we tested all these machines on a few occasions, but never all together and never on the same track, with the same tyres. So, when the new 2016 Kawasaki ZX10R was released at the beginning of the year we knew that we had to get them all together and put them to the test - same tyres, same track, same conditions, a level playing field to see which bikes shines brightest. We took the bikes to the very demanding Redstar Raceway and slapped all-new Dunlop D212 cut-slick sports tyres on each bike. On arrival at the track, each bikes tyre pressures were set the same - 2.3 front cold and 1.3 rear cold. Ricky Morais, one of the test riders for the day who also happens to be quite handy when it comes to setting suspension, quickly gave the R1 and ZX10R some clicks of setup. The 1299 Panigale and S1000RR both have electronic suspension standard so we set them in Race and Slick modes, which automatically sets the suspension up. You can still go in and program your own setting if you like. We then set all the bikes riding aids on level 2 traction and wheelie control, although we knew the new Dunlop D212’s offer more than enough traction control… And so we were finally ready to head out on track and put these fine pieces of machinery to the test.

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TRACK TIME

My first outing on track was on a bike that I have raved about since I first swung my leg over it at the World Launch in Portimao last year Ducati’s 1299 Panigale S. An 1199 on Viagra is a good way to describe the 1299. It is by far the comfiest sports bike I have ever ridden both out on the road and on the track. That feeling when you fire it up and hear that unmistakable rumble - nothing but chills. The 1299 Panigale has a clear cc advantage, and that shows in the extra 5hp it has on its competitors. Another big plus is the weight of the bike, close on 10kg’s lighter than the others on test here. Show the 1299 an apex and it will hit it with no hesitation. Braking and turning the bike could not be easier and when you want power, it’s right there waiting for you in abundance. The punch out of the turns is unmatched, but this does take away from the top speed a bit and this is the only down side to the 1299’s V-Twin motor. Just as the bike lights up and gets going it seems to run out of rpm, as it does not rev high like the 4-cylinder Jap bikes. So you really have to ride the bike in the sweet spot, which is between 6 and 11,000rpm. Above that the bike does run out of steam a bit, and this is where it loses out to the 4-cylinder bikes, which are still climbing, and gaining momentum. This was made even more evident when we did a 1st gear roll-on shoot-out down the back straight. The 1299 stamped it’s authority in the torque department and leapt away from the challengers but from 4th gear onwards the screamers, and big bang, came fighting back. The BMW would be the closest challenger just ahead of the R1 with the Kawasaki lagging a bit behind (more on the reasons why later).

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Next up was the Yamaha R1, another machine I have spent some time on and loved every second. This is by far the easiest bike to get to grips with right from the word go. As soon as you exit the pit you feel comfortable and ready to attach the track. The R1 encourages you to ride it hard and fast, it’s racy, aggressive riding position lets you know that you are in for one hell of a ride. After only a few corners that “I must take it easy for the first couple of corners” feeling is out and balls to the wall “I’m going to break lap records” feeling comes coursing through your veins. Just like the 1299’s V-Twin motor, the R1 Big Bang’s roar is unmistakable and leaves you weak in the knees every time. The new generation R1 offers more rev range than the previous model so hearing that big bang in full flight at 13,000 plus rpm is erotic. The MotoGP, or should I say Valentino Rossi, inspired electronics on the R1 have you thinking you are Rossi himself. You always feel in complete control even with the traction control only set on level 2. I love what Ricky Morais had to say about the R1 later on in his final verdict - Enough said!

The Hooligans - Father Ricky Morais showing son Shez where he gets all his talent from...

Shaun couldn’t stop scrapping his elbow putting a hole in his nice new RST leathers

The 2016 Kawasaki ZX10R is the latest player in the sports bike game and although to the naked eye it does not look like much has changed, trust me when I say that plenty has changed. I was lucky enough to have tested the first 2016 ZX10R sold in SA in last months issue. The bike blew me away with its new lease of life. More mid-range acceleration and a much better handling package make it a big challenger for this years Sportsbike of the year crown.

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Ricky loved the power of the S1000RR and knew exactly how to use it

A little earlier in the article I touched on how the ZX10R was left wanting in the roll-on shoot-out. I was a little bit disappointed with the ZX10R’s low down power. The bike I had tested in last months issue had a Racetec slip-on pipe and one tooth shorter on the front and 3 teeth on the back so it really did have power through-out the rev range and felt like a completely different bike to the one on test here. This stock bikes gearing felt way too long and seemed to really hold the bike back, hence why it was a no show in the 1st gear roll on test. Once the

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ZX10R hits mid to high rpm in 3rd gear it really shows its true potential. The new ZX10R definately has the most to gain by adding some go-fast bits like a slip-on, but even just a simple mod like shortening the gearing will completely transform this bike - something I can atest to. The handling package on the new ZX10R is right on par with that of the R1 and 1299. The new fancy, shiny, Showa front forks not only look really cool but also more importantly, they work. From the second you hit the brakes (powered by the best in the business Brembo) and head for the apex you feel at one with the bike. It lets you take charge assisting where needed but never

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interfering. This is also a testament to how good the new electronics are on the new bike. The lighter World SBK inspired crank makes the big 1000cc bike feel like a timid 600cc supersport through the tight-andtwisty turns. You would never think that the new ZX10R is 5kg’s heavier than its predecessor, but Kawasaki engineers have got the balance of the bike perfect so all the weight is in the right places. Another key factor is the addition of the new 5-axis Inertial Measuring Unit (IMU). Kawasaki took a page out of Yamaha’s book by adding this high end MotoGP technology to their production machine, although Yamaha still have the edge as they have a 6-axis unit on their R1. Now I know

what you are thinking “Why only “5-axis” when other such systems have six?” Going to get a bit technical now. Kawasaki’s WSBderived software calculates the sixth “axis”— yaw—from pitch and roll data. Kawasaki say that with IMU data plus sensors for wheel speed, brake line pressure, throttle angle, and engine rpm, it can derive “a high level of chassis orientation awareness”, allowing the ECU to account for track gradient and camber, tyre wear, tyre profile, and tyre compound. A mouthfull I know, but what I can tell you

is that it works, 5, 6, whatever, it works and that’s all I need to know. A big negative for me, no auto-blip standard, just like the R1. Put’s both bikes one step behind the Ducati and BMW who both feature it standard. Last, but not least, the bike that really did kick into motion the start of the 200hp production sports bike era, the BMW S1000RR. I have not made it a secret that I am not the biggest fan of the S1000RR.

MotoGP and World SBK technology ooze out and today’s production bikes are closer to the real deal than ever before. RIDEFAST MAGAZINE MARCH 2016

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The famous “Shez Shuffle” in full flight

The MotoGP, or should I say Valentino Rossi, inspired electronics on the R1 have you thinking you are Rossi himself.

Not only does it lack a vibe or exciting looks, but when I have tested it in the past it has not excited me, leaving me impressed, but not over-joyed, like the other machines. There is no doubt, and all us test riders on this test agreed, that the S1000RR is the fastest, most powerful 1000cc normally aspirated bike around today (had to throw that in because the H2 is a super-charged 1000cc so could see the emails from readers saying the H2 is the most powerful surely…?). The surge of acceleration and power is mind numbing and we all pretty much shared that view point. But the power has never been a problem for me, it’s been the chassis and the handling, more so than ever on the 50

2015 bike which features the electronic suspension. For an experienced rider like me I find the bike a bit too controlling and the chassis doesn’t seem in tune with the suspension. This time I was slightly more impressed with the bike and I can only put it down to one thing - the Dunlop D212’s. The combination felt like a match made in heaven and for the first time I actually enjoyed riding the S1000RR. The handling felt ten times better and myself and the other riders touched on 60degrees leanangle (sure you can tell by some of the pics). Before we started the test I voiced my dissatisfaction of the S1000RR to Ricky Morais who had not yet ridden the RR so

when he came into the pits after his first session out on the bike I was expecting a couple of curse words followed by an unimpressed sigh. Instead, Ricky had a big smile plastered on his face and throwing curse words out of pure happiness. And let me just say seeing Ricky in action on the S1000RR was quite a sight. Stand up wheelies, rear tyre smoking and elbow scrapping was the order of the day. Not bad for a 55 year old man. Like I said, even I was enjoying the S1000RR so that threw a complete spanner in the works as I had a pretty good idea of which bike was going to finish where going into this test but now had to consider the S1000RR as a serious contender.

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Shaun elbow down...

Rob no elbow down... but he still looks the best!

Ok so the initial track testing was done. We had all put each machine through its paces and scored them accordingly. Each bike would be scored on the following: Braking Handling - Styling - Comfort. We then took all the scores into consideration and averaged them out. Results out of 10 at the end of the test. What we also did was a lap time challenge, to see which bike would come out as the winner on our newly formed “RideFast Magazine Sportsbike League Table”. Pretty similar to that of Top Gear but ours would only be for sports bikes and not just any machine. Each rider went out and had 3 laps to set a best time on each bike. We would then average out the fastest time on each and put it on our table.

Shez elbow down...

Ricky elbow down...

GRIPPING STUFF! For the Ultimate Sportsbike test we needed tyres that could handle the heat. Dunlop’s new D212’s cut slicks were a good choice as they offer great amounts of grip so elbow scrapping was the order of the day. Shez, Ricky and Shaun all managed to scuff leather off their elbows while Rob, the responsible one who pays the insurance premium, did not, but was really, really close. The D212’s complimented all four bikes superb handling capabilities. A 55-year-old man scrapping his elbow - now that’s a good advert for the tyres...

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R349,950 Test Ride! All prices mentioned include VAT @ 14%

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AND THE WINNER IS?

The R1 came out on tops, with each rider setting their fastest time on the big bang machine. It’s effortless chassis combined with top of the range electronics and a big bang motor that deliverers’ big torque and power that is easily manageable make it, not a clear winner, but a winner nonetheless. Having said that, although I set my fastest time on the R1, the bike that comes out on top for me is the Ducati 1299 S. I just gel so well with this bike and it suites my riding style down to a tee. While I enjoy the 4-cylinder screamers I do tend to favour the punchier, torque the talk (if you get the pun) V-Twin powered Ducati. The riding position and comfort of the bike really sells me and if I had the money to go out and purchase any one of these bikes it would be the big red machine. For me, it’s the Swiss Army Knife of sport bikes, it does and has everything, and it’s even red, just like the Swiss Army Knife. All it needs now is the big Red Cross, but I’m sure the Italian’s won’t appreciate that… It’s really hard to pin point any real faults with any of these bikes and it really is so close but in the end there always has to be a winner. You really cannot go wrong by purchasing anyone of these machines - they all have a certain she ne se que to

them and it really is all down to personal preference. I highly recommend that you test ride a bike before going out and buying one, because even though we say this one does this and that one does that and this one is the best and this one suffers there, you might have a completely different feeling with each bike and when spending the kind of money these bikes cost you need to make sure you are getting the bike that you feel most comfortable on and that suites your riding style the most. We can only give our personal and professional opinion and hope that you share a similar view. With that said we know that not all have the same riding experience and track skill that we do, so while we rave or slate certain aspects of each bike this might not necessarily relate to you, the average road or track day rider. To help get a better understanding of what that average rider feels on each bike tested here we invited a guest tester along to give a different and more everyday rider point of view, a rider that makes up 90% of the potential buyer here in SA. In fact, the guest rider, a avid reader of ours who we have called “The Singh”, will be coming on loads more test with us giving an everyday riders point of view on future bikes tested. Read what “The Singh” has to say about the 4 bikes tested and how he rates them in the next two pages...

THE RIDEFAST MAGAZINE SPORTSBIKE LEAGUE TABLE TOP SPEED

BRAKING

HANDLING

POWER

STYLING

COMFORT

PRICE

1. 2015 Yamaha R1

1,56.9

270kph

8/10

9/10

8/10

8/10

7/10

R254,950

2. 2016 Kawasaki ZX10R

1,57.5

270kph

8/10

9/10

7/10

9/10

7/10

R290,000

3. 2015 BMW S1000RR

1,57.8

274kph

7/10

7/10

9/10

6/10

7/10

R234,500

4. 2015 Ducati 1299 Panigale S

1,58.0

268kph

9/10

8/10

7/10

9/10

10/10

R274,000

*Prices at time of print

TIME

Times done around Redstar Raceway 1pm afternoon. All bikes fitted with Dunlop D212 tyres. Same tyres pressures on all bikes. Basic suspension setup done on each bike by Ricky Morais

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Verdict: Ricky Morais

DUCATI 1299 The bike feels really small and tight. Brakes and suspension are really good and cannot be faulted. Engine makes excellent low-down power as can be expected from a twin of 1300cc. Top end power is not bad but did run out of steam and rpm a bit for me. After a life time of riding 4 cylinder bikes I found the twin a little difficult to get used to. FOR: Brakes, suspension and styling AGAINST: Power delivering and lack of high RPM. BMW S1000RR I was really surprised at the overall performance of the BMW, everyone in the

Verdict: Shez Morais

I had been waiting in anticipation to ride the all-new Kawasaki ZX10R, after having spent 2 years racing the older model, which was dam good at the time. For this reason I chose to ride the Kawasaki first and went out of pit lane with a “race stint” in mind...hahaha, the racing bug never leaves me. I did 8 pace laps around Redstar Raceway on my first outing and thanks to the circuits level of professionalism and passion it was immaculately clean and ready for us to go full gas from our out laps. All of the bikes were fitted with Dunlop’s latest weapon of mass destruction - the D212’s so this was vital in giving every bike the best grip out there for us to evaluate them on a fair bases. The Kawasaki was so much fun that I completed 10 laps, including the out and in laps, after we had all agreed on only doing 4 laps each. The Kawasaki just handled like a dream and the most noticeable difference to the old bike for me was that there was no chatter and the bike turned really well in the long double apex corners. This is a massive step forward in my opinion from the older model but let’s not forget that there are also good improvements to the electronics and engine but you already knew that after watching or reading about it after the launch of the ZX10R. The downer for me was that the bike felt like it had the Kawasaki H2-R’s gearing on it. The gearing was so tall that it was literally impossible to compare it towards the other bikes when doing a 1st or second gear roll on, however, when “racing” each other on track I was able to hang in with the other bikes. My next wish would be to ride a geared bike with a slip-on exhaust as the bike was real quiet too.

whole world rates this bike as arguably the best around and I have always been sceptical, but as I found at Redstar this is really an impressive track weapon. From the moment I got on the saddle, I was really comfortable and could push it from the start. The engine is really smooth and super fast and the chassis is perfectly matched. The down side is the bike is a little heavy compared to the R1 and it can be felt around the tight and nimble RedStar. The standard electronics are surely the best I have used on a Superbike. FOR: Motor / Power, Brakes and Electronics AGAINST: Heavy weight, auto downshift to 1st gear dodgy. KAWASAKI ZX10R Always been one of my favourites and I was keen to try the latest one out. As a track day bike the gearing is way too tall and somewhat dampened a test I was really looking forward to. The overall tall gearing is for great top-end speed but the lack of bottom end grunt allied to the tall gearing really hurt this bike at this test. The motor is a real screamer in the true sense and it really comes alive at the end Next I hopped onto the BMW and after idling through the first 3 turns I nailed it onto the back straight and she, or should I say HE, nearly through me off! The bike was so fast that it nearly pulled my gloves off of my hands, so unsurprisingly, the BMW was also the fastest bike in a straight line. I liked it a lot because of this mainly but the electronics were also a big step above all of the other bikes. The traction control worked like a well tuned superbike spec’d bike allowing me to spin slightly and the wheelie control allowed me to carry good, fast power wheelie’s, which is essential for that all important drive. The BMW also had the fun factor because without having to try and flick a million buttons I could wheelie, back it in and play nicely, which is what was a major plus for me. The bummer for the Beemer was the suspension. It struggled to finish off the corner and it was a pogo stick on the bumps but nothing that some aftermarket suspension couldn’t sort out.

of the straights when you have to brake for the turns. But on the infield it felt flat and the RPM was too low even in 1st gear. A sprocket change alone will make the world of difference and will surely wake this puppy up. FOR: Top end power, electronics, brakes and styling AGAINST: Poor low RPM performance. YAMAHA R1 Well what can I say, this bike will be king in my books for a long time as the opposition is going to have to pull off a miracle to build something better. As a track day bike this thing is awesome and standard has the same feel as a race tuned bike, the only real difference being the exhaust note. That cross plane engine pulls like a train from ZERO to when you run out of balls with no let-up. The chassis is simply supreme, it feels like a nuclear powered 600. It has all the best traits of all the opposition with none of the drawbacks. FOR: Motor, chassis, electronics and brakes AGAINST: I don’t own 10 of them.

The last bike to bless me with it’s grace was the Yamaha R1 and this bike needs no introduction as it has destroyed its rivals in its market. From the out lap this bike had it all. It handled like the Kawasaki, had the punch at low rpm close to the Ducati and the top end was near to that of the BMW. A big downer on this bike is that it has no auto blipper standard (same as the new ZX10R), kind of makes it a dinosaur in that department but there is a fix for that as the guys at Emtek Racing fit a Flash tune system to do that job better than it’s rivals come standard with. I know that I race for Yamaha internationally but with me what you see is what you get and although all of the bikes are great the R1 stands out as the winner.

Next was the Ducati 1299 S and it took a lap or 2 to get comfortable to the very different seating position, but once I was comfy I could definitely notice its really good chassis and demon like brakes, but the bike felt like it had a lot of weight on the front end and this was causing the bike to run wide on the entry into the corners. The engine was just as fast as the BMW at low rpm but it would lose it’s steam at the higher rpm. For me personally, it was not a comfortable bike and it never suited my riding style, which is to hang off in the turns whereas Rob, who has the opposite riding style to me, was rapid on this beauty. Oh yes, the auto blipper on this bike was spot on and it felt like a race bike.

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Some say his mentor is a 65 year old man that rides with the Force and lives in the misty mountains of Eastern Transvaal, others say that he can wheelie a unicycle, all we know is that sometimes he leaves his cave to come ride with us. We only know him as “The Singh” 4th: BMW S1000RR The BMW S1000RR, so fast, so precise, so planted and yet sooooo boring. It seems to do everything perfectly right except inspire me to want to ride it more. 190 odd ponies all reigned in and well trained with DDC and auto-blipping, the autobahn rocket is a force to be reckoned with. Combine that with heated grips and speedocruise (“No officer, my speedo cruise got stuck at 200, honestly!”) and there is not a better suited package in the market. Unless you count the other 4 bikes that finished ahead of it. The 2015 changes included better midrange torque, a smoother shifter, sharper brakes; lighter forged wheels, updated electronics and even a pit limiter. (Which is odd considering it barely wins any races apart from those on our national roads) Unfortunately in black it has as much personality as a McDonald’s delivery bike, which sadly gives it a rather depressed and dismal appearance. With its standard outlet, the bike is deceptively quiet, only louder in a bland way after 10000rpm. The brakes are progressively strong showing no signs of fading even after laps from our highly capable fast riders, include a never ending power plant that seems able to catapult it to mind numbing speeds and the BMW will not run out of speed. Instead most riders will run out of talent way before that.

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The S1000RR is a brutal if tepidly clichéd relic of a new cold war that has erupted in our biking world. 3rd: KAWASAKI ZX10R The marketing campaign for the ZX10R had the caption get closer, it implied a synergy between a mass produced bike and the world leading superbikes of Johnny Rea and Tom Sykes. In South Africa the campaign should have said “get closer to unaffordability”. With our current exchange rate the green machine is close to the 300k mark, add a pipe, filter and a few trick bits and R340 000,00 is not off the table. (Almost double what the older model costs) There is also an aftermarket ECU available that adds a few extra ponies and an auto-blip feature with datalogging capabilities. (Another 35K) The ZX10R is beautifully mesmerising in the flesh with slicker lines and a richer paint scheme, the bike looks expensive. Of all the bikes in the Test this was the bike I was looking forward to ride the most. An old wise man once said to me “Expectations reduce joy” After climbing on the Kawasaki, I realized I should have not expected anything. The H2 was a

frightening spectacle of supercharged mayhem. The new ZX felt like the old one. It was slightly faster, slightly lighter and very much more nimble then the 2011 reincarnation, but it still felt like the old bike. And that’s where it became complicated. Red Star is a tight track, no space to even get the bike moving unless you stay in 2nd gear all the time and snick 3rd on the straights. The bike should have been prepared for this space, unfortunately as this was a standard bike test, we were not allowed any changes. It was not built to ride a tight track, I found the lack of torque annoying and when you finally got going it was time to grab the anchors quiet aggressively. I am sure on a fast track like the new Kyalami or Phakisa this bike would be in its element but on this patch of tar it seemed sluggish and as frustrated as I was. The new bike has a very different feeling ABS

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and seems to lag and suddenly slams you forward pretty hard. It’s brilliance lies in its ability to do everything well, the ZX10R is planted, stable and with a rich smooth throttle it makes you feel in control without actually ever giving you the opportunity to learn your limits. The ZX10R is an intelligent and perfect update to the old model, but at most average levels of street riding, this 300k machine will not make me any faster than on the 2011 ZX10R. 2nd: YAMAHA R1 The Yamaha YZF R1, designed with input from the maestro himself and resplendent in appearance is a very intricate and serious motorbike. The R1 has come to represent precision, perfection and a mantis like styling that makes it instantly recognizable from all the other competitors in this extremely fierce competition. Like all good things this bike was worth the wait, from the first moment you hear the sound of that cross plane engine firing up to the gleaming anticipation of the immense acceleration this bike subjects you too. You cannot help but fall in love with its character.

Every time you crack open the throttle the R1 feels like its being unleashed and you as the rider feel emancipated in the freedom it offers you. The Yamaha handles like a light saber, precise, surgical and incredibly hot. The electronics with its 6-axis sensors keep you true to your lines and confident in your ability to be faster, smoother and more controlled than any other bike here. The surge of power as the bike hits its power band physically pushes you back into your seat as you look for space on this tight circuit to try that breathless acceleration again. I am sure these results might be different on the road but at Red Star the R1 dominated the other bikes with sheer meticulous genius. 1st: DUCATI 1299 S When Rob said to me, “You must ride the Ducati” I cringed at the thought of climbing onto this sexy red monster. My previous experience with the 1199, had left me rather hollow, disappointed and feeling desperately claustrophobic as I tried to weasel my way out of riding the previous generation bike any longer then was absolutely necessary. So I hesitantly swung my leg over the 1299S and pressed the starter button, The V twin engine surged into life and it sounded like only a Ducati can. You either love the sound or hate it, like two dark panthers fighting to the death in a cage; the bike adds a menacing rumble to a quiet summer’s morning. As I exited the pits and twisted the throttle, a strange thing happened, unlike the BMW or ZX, the 1299S seemed to sense my concern and slammed me back into the seat as the front wheel

sneaked an inch off the ground before settling down. I breathed a sigh of relief as my wheelie was done for day and I could concentrate on slowing down for the first corner. Provocative, sensual and revolutionary is how I would describe my experience on the Duke, from the spine jarring torque to the seductively hypnotic growl, the bike could do nothing wrong. Yes it would not win a flat out sprint against the 190hp RR or the equally fast ZX 10. Yes it would also not give good gas mileage on a trip to Nelspruit, but this bike did something none of the bikes could do. It inspired passion; it made me want to ride all day, just to hear the roar of the throbbing engine and the noise of the screeching induction. This bike had soul where all the others were perfect. This bike was a rider’s bike where all the others were race bikes. I was so caught in my own disbelief I had to ride it three times, just to make sure that the heat on the track had not marred my senses. The Ducati 1299S was a bike that inspired me to stay on it longer, being primarily a road rider, I had to make my choice from an emotional viewpoint and not a logical one. Because let’s face it, as bikers we are all about the passion. In conclusion I would like to add that there is not a bike in this test that is not highly capable of making any average Joe feel like a Moto GP or WSBK wannabe. With more electronics then the space shuttle of the 80’s and more acceleration on offer then a standard Skyline, none of these bikes would be the wrong choice for any rider looking for a superbike. Unfortunately though, bikes are bought from the heart, or more so nowadays the ever shrinking budget. However come what may my overall winner just for the experience it offers is the Ducati 1299S.

RIDEFAST MAGAZINE MARCH 2016

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2016/02/29 10:51 AM