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• The diary of the mega test

Jahn

42 photos

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Top handling and transparent feedback are what make the BMW S 1000 RR. It also owes a lot to the electronic tools.

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Bike number three: the Ducati 1198 S. It offers racing spirit and the finest equipment, but at a steep price.

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The Honda Fireblade can’t quite keep up in terms of performance, but the stability on the track and its torque can compensate for this shortcoming.

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In Nardo, the BMW S 1000 RR was able to beat everyone. On the circuit she showed that her performance advantage pays off.

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And because of the bad weather, the view remains rather modest.

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The KTM RC8 R comes in sixth. It impresses with its V2, which can easily take on any four-cylinder.

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Another highlight of the Kawasaki ZX-10R is its brake. With excellent deceleration values, it can even slow down the BMW S 1000 RR, and that without control electronics.

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But now it’s smoking. The Yamaha YZF-R1 failed the head gasket. Since the Yamaha has often had problems with overheating, the enormous burden is probably to blame.

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The Suzuki GSX-R 1000: A reputation like Donnerhall, but a little old. Japanese superbike made from old shot and grain.

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That knocks you out. The brute sound from the pipes of the MV Agusta F4 is unique.

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The most noticeable feature of the 2010 generation Fireblade is their new drawing. The rest remained largely unchanged.

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One of the noble components of the Ducati 1198 S is the Ohlins shock absorber that gives the Duacti great road holding, but only at high speeds.

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In addition to Nardo, the test on the racetrack in Aragon, Spain, offered the best opportunity to determine the handling and driving characteristics of the bikes.

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All nine show that they are super athletes. The BMW, however, has the edge.

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The Aprilia RSV4 R can definitely score with its design. From behind it is reminiscent of the stern of a fighter jet.

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All nine super sports cars: Aprilia RSV4 R, BMW S 1000 RR, Ducati 1198 S, Honda Fireblade, Kawasaki ZX-10R, KTM 1190 RC8 R, MV Agusta F4, Suzuki GSX-R 1000, Yamaha YZF-R1 on the journey through Italy.

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To ensure full functionality, thorough cleaning is always worthwhile.

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So that the bike looks really good afterwards, a little polishing is carried out.

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A rolling experiment: the KTM RC8 R with its unique design language. Either you love it – or you don’t like it.

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The Suzuki GSX-R 1000 has no real weaknesses. Since, unfortunately, she can just as little trumps with outstanding strengths, she remains in the midfield.

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Although the weather in Gargano is actually good all year round, MOTORRAD catches the days when it rains. Since the tires of most super athletes are more suitable for the race track than for rain, the journey through the mountains is a real test for the driver and the machine.

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A little Japan, a little asymmetry, lots of plastic and a lot of functionality: the BMW S 1000 RR looks neither new nor original. But very well thought out.

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On the high-speed circuit, the super athletes can show what kind of iron they are.

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According to Suzuki, the generally poorer gasoline in Italy would also be to blame for the burst engine of the GSX-R 1000. Since the connecting rod that hit the engine housing could no longer be found, however, an exact analysis is not possible.

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The MV Agusta F4 also had problems. The gearbox was exchanged, the multiple stalling of the engine was due to a loose battery cable, according to MV. The loss of performance is due to an improperly welded catalytic converter that wandered around in the exhaust and blocked it at times.

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But now to the bikes: The Aprilia RSV4 R was the first in the field.

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Everyone has to refuel. But you should be careful in Italy, as Super Plus is rarely available at petrol stations. From our own experience, this warning is mainly addressed to all RC8 R owners.

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But finally arrived in Nardo, the sun is smiling again and the preparations for the high-speed test can begin.

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But the way to Nardo was all the more beautiful.

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The brakes of the Yamaha YZF-R1 are unfortunately not quite as convincing. An ABS wouldn’t look bad at her.

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An engine burst generously distributed oil on the rear wheel of the Suzuki GSX-R 1000. At second glance, the exhaust of the test GSX-R 1000 is noticeable: The Yoshimura mufflers help the Suzuki to a significantly better appearance.

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However, the engine of the Yamaha YZF-R1 is impressive. He dresses properly.

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After the old KTM RC8 had already failed twice due to engine damage, the RC8 R had to give up this time due to incorrect fueling. Instead of Super Plus, it only got Super, which the exhaust valves and cylinder heads didn’t like at all.

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The motor of the Aprilia RSV4 R fits perfectly into the aluminum bridge and enables a tight knee joint and a balanced weight distribution. But after the presentation, Aprilia had problems with the connecting rods and started a recall. Despite the revision, the RSV 4 R still did not make it to the high-speed test because a connecting rod bearing ran in on the way there.

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One disadvantage of the Honda Fireblade is the footpegs that are far forward and a little too high. This is a problem for taller drivers in particular.

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No question about it: Beauty Queens come across as different. But they usually don’t tear like the Yamaha YZF-R1.

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Red frame, white plastic? Wasn’t it the other way around earlier? Regardless, the 1198 is, like so much from Italy, a design classic. Rightly.

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It can look like this: without gimmicks, without experiments. Simply made good even better and remained true to yourself. The MV Agusta F4, born in 2010. Of course in red / silver.

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However, the Kawasaki ZX-10R is a real weapon on the racetrack. Thanks to the new Ohlins steering damper, any approach of handlebar twitching is nipped in the bud.

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The toughest test for the bikes was clearly the high-speed test in Nardo.

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The MV Agusta F4 primarily impresses with its excellent behavior at full load.

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The new exhaust cover helps, the front indicators in the mirror arms certainly do not. In addition, the Kawasaki ZX-10R is one thing above all: inconspicuous.

Comparison test: Germany is looking for the Superbike, Aprilia RSV4 R, BMW S 1000 RR, Ducati 1198 S, Honda Fireblade, Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R, KTM 1190 RC8 R, Suzuki GSX-R 1000, Yamaha YZF-R1 / R1M

The diary of the mega test

No more gray theory. 180 hp and more – what’s really going on? After the everyday test, we went to Nardò in southern Italy. The job: testing to the limit. Who accelerates the fastest to 250 km / h? Who is most effective in delaying? What is the top speed? Who is using the most? And, very important: How do the engines withstand this stress??

When MOTORRAD is looking for Germany’s best superbike and pulls out with nine super athletes, there is a lot of logistics, a lot of commitment and then the realization that not everything can be planned.

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Comparison test: Germany is looking for the superbike
High-speed test in Nardo

Only provide 1198 S anyway because Pirelli test boss Salvo Pennisi had made sure that Pirelli people brought the test machine into southern Italy. At that time, there was snow chaos in northern Italy. But it couldn’t be later because the high-speed course in Nardò was only available on this one Sunday. For the test squad this meant:

Day 1: Six motorcycles, carted in from half of Germany the day before, are loaded in Stuttgart. A Sprinter with three motorcycles drives over Varese, the MV pick up. A second (also loaded with three motorcycles) via Noale, invite an Aprilia. Meeting point with Salvo in Bologna, where he had already picked up the 1198 S at Ducati. Distance to be driven in each case: around 1000 kilometers.

Day 2: From Bologna by axis to the second stop on the Gargano Peninsula (564 kilometers). Driver swaps every 80 kilometers, and refueling stops every 150 kilometers at the latest. It is meticulously kept – and it lasts. As always, longer than expected. Until late in the evening.

Day 3: Photo trips on southern Italian country roads. It starts to rain just in time for breakfast. The unknown roads are not only wet, but also dirty and slippery. We torture ourselves with the nine 180-hp rockets over 130 kilometers through the narrowest of terrain, take some rain photos, always looking for the sun. Frustration spreads.

Day 4: Departure to Nardò. Rain again. Again no photos. Shortly before Taranto, the end of the motorway, then unexpected sunshine. The photographer has reacted and is already waiting in the accompanying Sprinter at a gas station. Move quickly, put on your leather, fly in formation. The photographer snaps and steers at the same time, while nine drivers have to get into formation and position on a three-lane motorway. Who knows how long the sun will shine. From the end of the motorway, around 100 kilometers of coastal road to Nardò. Nine completely dirty motorcycles are cleaned. Sunshine, but no curve far and wide. Therefor a knoll. A GSX-R driver randomly passing by stops oncoming traffic for the photo. 6 p.m. Meeting point at the Nardò gate (see page 24). Done!

Day 5: Get up six o’clock, eight o’clock start of the test drives, 9.10 a.m. Aprilia broken, a few hours later the other four too. What now? Plenty of phone calls, a few individual photos, pack up, that’s it.

Day 6: Morning crisis meeting, countless phone calls. Italy correspondent Eva Breutel speaks with MV and Aprilia, test boss Gert Thole from Stuttgart with Suzuki, KTM and Yamaha. KTM complains about the wrong fuel (see box on page 28). The racetrack test has to be canceled first. Not bad, it’s raining anyway. We drive back to Rodi di Gargano. On the way back, a stone smashes the Fireblade cooler, Wilk squeezes the ribs together with pliers. It holds.

Day 7: Slowly, after more phone calls, a plan. Rainer and Sven take the Sprinter to Bologna, where they meet MV and KTM people. The F4 is repaired, the RC8 R replaced. At three in the night they are back at the hotel, at four Karsten and Stefan leave for Nardò, following the program with both of them. Salvo arranged that. Grace mille!

Day 8: At nine o’clock in the morning, the two of them are at the gate again in Nardò, following KTM, BMW (with Super Plus) and MV. Return to Rodi in the afternoon.

Day 9: Test drive on finally dry country roads. And finally photos!

Day 10: Back to Bologna, deliver Ducati. Then go home. A total of 1500 kilometers. The head of testing has already organized replacement machines in Stuttgart, and the weather is finally getting better.

Day 11: We start again with nine motorcycles. Test drive on the known route, verify everything again. Unfortunately, the racetrack test has to follow later.

The balance: Time required (ten people): eleven days Total kilometers driven (two sprinters, one car, nine motorcycles): 28,740 Consumption: 2565 liters Total kilometers of motorcycles: 18940 Total consumption of motorcycles: 1315 liters Sleep hours per team member: far too few. The next morning at the editorial conference, the boss is in a good mood. Everything worked out fine!

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