Master Bike 2001

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Master Bike 2001

Master Bike 2001
Vamos a bailar

“Let’s dare to dance!” Our Spanish colleagues asked us and asked six other nations to come to the racing party in Jerez. For the fourth time it was about choosing the fastest bike in the world.

Norbert Sorg, Gerhard Lindner, Jurgen Fuchs

05/02/2001

Thick air billows through the pit lane of the Jerez Grand Prix circuit. Zoff before the Italo duel Aprilia against Ducati. the 996 The delegation from Noale complains that unauthorized tires have been fitted. Then the return coach of the Bolognese who had become prudish: The Mille made a little more noise than the legislature allowed, which suggests that manipulation of the Aprilia unit would improve performance. Augusto Moreno de Carlos, boss of MOTORRAD’s Spanish sister paper Motociclismo and otherwise the calm and friendliness in person, announced draconian measures: “We’ll cart both motorcycles, Mille and 996, to Madrid and diagnose them through their paces.” The threat works because all 17 machines in the Master Bike competition were already on the test bench that was specially transported to the racetrack for this purpose on Saturday. And on the roll no machine fell out of the same. Just as it should be. But the fuss made by the Italian competitors shows how important the manufacturers are to this event.
It all started very intimately. Four years ago, when MOTORRAD and Motociclismo first wanted to see which athlete burned the fastest lap in the asphalt. Everyday qualities, suitability for country roads – none of that counts. At that time like today. With one big difference. This year motorcycle magazines from eight countries are involved. From Spain and Germany, the founding fathers, from Italy, France and Portugal, from Sweden, Japan and the USA. Around 100 people bustle through the pit lane.
Should be bustling. Because on Mondays at half past seven the world is once again not right at all. “We’re going to the south of Spain especially to have the best weather conditions, and then that,” sniffs photographer Markus Jahn. The man is extremely light-colored because of his job and therefore extremely averse to the dark and wet gray in the sky over Jerez. What connects him with the drivers who are not in the mood for risky and material-killing slides. As soon as the Chose has begun, it has already hit rock bottom. Not just meteorologically. “Where’s the switch for the pit heater?” Jokes ex-Grand Prix star Jurgen Fuchs, who competes for MOTORRAD (and characterizes the athletes in the boxes on the following pages), jokingly jokes. Because nothing is more annoying than freezing, Jurgen checks the chassis set-up for the racetrack together with MOTORRAD test boss Gerhard »Gegesch« Lindner and the Spanish superbiker and motociclismo tester Fernando Cristobal (see box on page 35) . The three of them know the 4.2 kilometer long Jerez circuit with its many fast corners inside out. Jurgen, who has already experienced Grand Prix here for a long time, likes to be as comfortable as possible, Fernando, on the other hand, loves the tighter tour, and consequently Gegesch makes the compromise: “As soft as possible, as hard as necessary.” Ducati With its immense reserves, the clicker degenerates into half a doctoral thesis, while Honda’s CBR comfort athletes are quickly at the end of their attitude latin.
Like the patience of the gentlemen who barricade themselves in their heated car bodies and dull haedbang to the beat of the windshield wipers or wobbly dogs. Until – but by then the lunch package has long been plastered away – the wind finally blows the clouds aside, gives the sun the necessary perspective and both, comfortably united, dry the asphalt.
It starts in four classes – super athletes, superbikes, open class and reference, with the latter – this time in the form of the noble Ducati 996 R and a sinfully expensive Honda CBR 900 variation from the Japanese tuning manufacturer TSR – are intended to demonstrate what can be put on two wheels with imagination and a lot of money.
Fernando, one of those who can never wait, shoots with the Ducati 748 – the super athletes start the round – out of the box, as if it was a case of catching up at a Grand Prix. “Crazy, this is a road-legal racing motorcycle.” Jurgen Fuchs is also flabbergasted. “I still have to practice on the Duc, a super-fast thing.” Admittedly not fast enough for Yamaha YZF-R6. She takes 18 hundredths from the Italian two-cylinder sensation – with Fernando in the saddle, with Jurgen it’s even 71. Five drivers set their super-sporty best time with the uncompromising Japanese, three on the Duc, one on a Triumph TT-600, the rest – Honda CBR 600 F, Kawasaki ZX-6R, Suzuki GSX-R 600 – looks into the tube.
“The R6 only landed on a weak fourth place in your group test,” a Pirelli tire technician smiled at a MOTORCYCLIST. “With the Master Bike, fractions of a second can make the difference,” he gets back, “in the test, a few blink of an eye is more or less good for a few points in the complex overall ranking. If the rankings in Jerez are turned upside down in everyday editorial work, this does not put the test statements into perspective in any way. If Master Bike were a classic test, we could safely do without it. “
This is why the R6 branding iron wins among the super athletes and not the perfect CBR 600 FS (see box on page 20). Because with the Master Bike the sports motorcycles have to be able to do one thing above all else: set the best times. And their full potential can only unfold on the racetrack. Never in public traffic. Anyone who claims otherwise has either no idea what kind of skills lie dormant in his machine or is called Baron von Munchhausen. Dealers laugh at customers who remove the Kat in order to park one or two more horses in their garage. Because the Kat-Killer need that little bit more power just as badly as a fish needs a bike. In addition, the exhaust-gas-cleaned “German” ZX-6R in Jerez produces more horsepower than its less environmentally friendly Spanish counterpart.
Pure power alone doesn’t always bring it about. At least that’s what Alberto Pires, tester at the Portuguese partner magazine Motociclismo, finds out. »The Triumph TT-600 is actually not a real sports bike. Too soft suspension, too weak performance. «What Alberto does not yet know: It is precisely on this» wimp «that he sets his fastest Supersport time by far, four seconds faster than with Yamaha’s R6 – incidentally the only bike that can repeat its victory from last year . Not every driver is built for such a rocket.
Which is why with the Master Bike, where everything revolves around lap times, it is not enough to just slip all the machines under one pilot. And to declare the one on which he shoots everyone else a triumphator. Because unfortunately it doesn’t exist – the universal driver. Cristobal and Jurgen, the two racers and ex-Grand Prix drivers, run in a different league than Alberto and Co., who sometimes lose around seven seconds to the cracks. But who are closer to Otto normal sport drivers. Which shows that Triumph’s TT-600, although good last in its class, can be the first choice for many amateur racers. “There is murder potential in the chassis,” enthuses Jurgen Fuchs, who escapes into the pits with the Englishwoman, who is plagued by an engine failure.
“Tyrants, you probably learned to swing the whip on a galley,” complains Laurent Cochet from the French motorcycle magazine Moto Journal to Pepe and Victor. The two Spaniards – professionally test and technical bosses at Motociclismo – have taken on the thankless task of guaranteeing the smooth running of the master bike procedure. As soon as a driver gets off the motorcycle after his trip – two warm-up laps, four timed laps – they give him an evaluation sheet and do not rest until it has been properly filled out, first in their folders and then on the computer disappears. “Man, did? I have big arms «, moans even Jurgen Fuchs, who is used to the grand prix drudgery and, as always, well trained. Grab the moped and do laps. Always at the limit. And not knowing how fast you were. Every lap is measured, but only Pepe, Victor and the like know what comes out. Stopping in secret is strictly forbidden and is not punished for under five years of age with a master bike ban.
“I have the feeling that we are on the road a lot faster than last year,” said a delighted Claudio Corsetti from the Italian trade journal Moto Sprint. And blames the new Pirelli Supercorsa (box on page 21) for this. After three drivers, i.e. 18 laps, new tires are added. Rubber is burned for tens of thousands of marks. “These things can also be used on the street, but on the slopes there is one single show,” says Claudio, “I got by all the day without a single slide.”
This privilege is not granted to Jurgen Fuchs – wobbly candidate, of all places
Nipponese hammer from TSR, the only one-of-a-kind in Jerez that he almost sunk in the gravel. “The automatic gearshift is not working properly and the side stand hits the ground, and there are still some damp spots on the track.” Although the sun is now warming the heart. In addition, the Japanese – they insisted on doing it personally – have adjusted their CBR Sporting part way too soft, probably thought the Europeans were going on a coffee trip with it. Not a serious opponent in this form for Ducati 996 R. »Basically a fast machine«, politely assesses Kei Nashimoto, the Japanese journalist colleague.
Other incidents? Yes. Major engine failure on Kawasaki ZX-6R, rear wheel blocked, but nothing serious happens because a French interceptor is on the handlebars. However, the replacement machine – every participant has such a shadow – refuses to get going. Electrical defect. And – exactly at 7:07 p.m. – after work. The Kawa is allowed to run again on Tuesday.
At eight in the morning, the ZX-6R first has to wait. Italians and Spaniards shoot their master bike videos. Statements from the drivers, fast laps with onboard cameras, headlights, microphones everywhere. Where is Mister Spielberg actually? The effort seems to be worth it. The Spaniards alone brought 25,000 copies of their previous year’s Master Bike scenarios to women and men.
Then back to the serious side of life: the superbikes, the Open Class candidates – and the martyrdom of Jurgen Fuchs. »The seat on the 996 R is way too high, when you brake you always hit the tank with the most sensitive parts. I had actually promised my wife a second child. «Trouble also happens to the battered Jurgen on the MV. “You artificialize yourself on the hump when hanging off. Much too wide to slip over easily. Do they actually drive their machines before they build them in series? ”He no longer has any eye for the aesthetic charms of the prima donna. But his fellow American combatant, Don Canet, did. “Wonderful, the frame is a poem, just a little more power would do the engine good, not aggressive enough for a sporty four-cylinder.” Don gets such power and magnificence on Suzukis GSX-R 1000 more than enough. And a hospital stay on top of that – after the bizarre accident of the entire event. In the warm-up lap, the gear lever breaks off, and Don rolls towards the pit lane at around five km / h. When he wanted to switch for whatever reason, he worriedly looked down at the stump, overlooking the iron staircase to the marshals’ hideout, banged against it – broken foot three times and an early flight to Madrid to the operating room.
As expected, the 1000 series – gearshift levers can be found on the spare parts shelf – won the class in the Open (box on page 34). Suzi goes to work so brutally that Jurgen Fuchs almost ends up in the green after pushing through the light barrier on the back straight. “Man, was that close to the braking department.”
And what about the superbikes? The winner is – Aprilias mille R, wafer-thin in front of the GSX-R 750, but with a clear distance to the archenemy 996 S (box on page 31). Exuberant joy, phones glow. Press officer Francesco Rapisarda immediately has Boss Ivano Beggio on the ear. Another triumph in Spain. First the two sensational rides by Troy Corser at the Superbike World Championship in Valencia in first place – and now this! Engineer Mariano Fioravanzo is filled with tears of joy. The older, distinguished gentleman is considered the father of Mille.
Off to the finale. The four motorcycles: R6, Mille R, GSX-R 1000 and 996 R, Ducati’s last stroke of genius. The four drivers: Fernando, Jurgen, of course, and – Jerker Axelsson, the stocky, tall Swede, more of a lumberjack than a racing driver, and Kei Nashimoto, the picture-perfect Japanese. Petite, polite, always a smile on your face.
Suddenly the atmosphere in the pit lane is like at a Grand Prix. Now the stopwatches can be unpacked, company representatives and service people step on the wall, cheer on the drivers. And lie at their feet. When Jurgen wants to move the gear lever of the Mille down, a specialist rushes up with a key for the eccentric screw. Not only the mechanics, but also the drivers give their all, rushing – to the delight of the Pirelli men – on the Supercorsa on average four seconds faster than last year, is only five seconds above the racing times of the 500cc Grand Prix. The Aprilians don’t mind that their mille is around eight hundredths behind the champion of all classes, Suzuki GSX-R 1000 (box on page xx).
And the moral of the story??? There is no such thing.

Kawasaki ZX-6R

The wide tank takes a bit of getting used to, but the seating position is still quite comfortable even with a sporty posture. The brakes are easy to adjust and brutally snappy, the gears run super smoothly and precisely, for which the yellow Kawasaki gets top marks from me. First cream also the throttle acceptance of the carburettor engine and its even and easily controllable power development. Although the pegs also hit the Kawa, it is easy to keep it on course while accelerating. Together with good handling, it was really fun to increase the cornering speed lap by lap. It’s a shame that the engine collapsed two turns later.

Honda CBR 600 FS

On the introductory lap, I take the first corners almost too tight, because the Honda turns much easier than the Ducati before. Braking, shifting gears, turning in, everything suddenly happens so easily. Weaknesses only show up in the hunt for times. When braking late and downshifting, the engine decelerates so much that you cannot maintain the desired cornering speed without accelerating again before the apex of the corner? however, the load change brings great unrest to the softly tuned chassis. In the next higher gear, the CBR unfortunately lacks the pressure to accelerate out. In general, the all-rounder still proves to be super handy with a humane gait. Under tension, however, it is the most difficult to keep on a tight track due to the vague suspension setup. Critical: Footrests and exhaust hit hard.

Ducati 748 R.

Simply a feast for the eyes, this beautiful, petite Italian. But already in the warm-up lap there is trouble after Turn 2, a tight right-left combination in which you have to turn the bike over with lightning speed while pulling. After the Duc has shaken me brutally, it is clear that such maneuvers must be initiated early on and carried out with full physical effort. On the other hand, the following fast corners with constant curve radii are a real pleasure. This is where the qualities of the extremely stable and tightly tuned chassis come into their own. Once the right course has been set, no other bike in its class can drive higher cornering speeds. Unlimited lean angles with unbelievable cornering stability, an engine with enormous thrust and optimally controllable power input characterize the 748 Out. However, it takes a lot more getting used to than with the four-cylinder before the Duc can be moved to the limit.

Honda CBR 900 RR

The CBR 900 RR is just as good-natured as on the country road. But only as long as I am on my two very cautious introductory laps. When it comes to the sausage, i.e. chasing after tenths of a second, the soft, very comfortable basic setup of the chassis has an unstable effect, especially in braking and acceleration zones. Despite the extensive setting options for the damper elements, the end of the options has unfortunately been reached. The directional stability of the Honda is also somewhat impaired by putting the footrests on early. The often criticized load change behavior does not bother the racing speed any more than the constantly present vibrations, and once you have the engine up to speed, it pushes quite neatly and, above all, easily controllable despite the lower power output compared to the top athletes.

Triumph TT 600

Ironically, the Triumph is between the GSX-R-R6 power duo TT 600 your turn. Given the environment, the British woman’s lack of performance is of course particularly painful. In spite of this, or perhaps because of that, I really enjoyed grabbing my Japanese colleague, who just braked on the GSX-R (probably shifted the rear wheel). It practically does not matter which sitting posture you adopt, whether a lot or little hanging off, changing an incline requires almost no effort, the direction of view is sufficient to specify the direction. Plus there’s plenty of ground clearance and cornering stability. You have the feeling that you can still correct your line choice even after the curve. Unfortunately, you have to be on the accelerator again before the curve or, even better, not take your foot off the accelerator at all when braking. Because without speed, not much happens in the TT.

Yamaha YZF-R6

The space is almost a little too tight, as the footrests are high up in the front. However, this allows a good weight transfer, as you stand almost like a jockey in the pegs. The engine burns off a veritable fireworks display in the upper speed range, but there are some performance dips in the partial load range and the lower speeds. The transmission acknowledges fast upshifts, especially in the lower gears, with an unpleasant background noise. The chassis has some special features that require a very precise driving style. Still very stable when braking, the R6 becomes a little wobbly when turning. During the acceleration phase, the rear sags quite a bit, but offers enormous grip on the rear wheel. The R6 always pushes a little over the front wheel. Therefore, caution is advised, especially in the extremely fast right bends shortly before the start and finish.

Suzuki GSX-R 600

Due to the sitting position leaning forward, there is significantly more pressure on the arms. This sporty posture allows the footrests to be attached higher and further back without having to bend the legs more extreme. This in turn saves the life of my sanded boots considerably. The first hard braking maneuver came with a little surprise! The rear wheel stamped wildly and I missed the right turn-in point. The undulating braking zones in Jerez do not make things easier for the GSX-R. So that the rear wheel has better contact with the ground on the bumps, the Suzuki could use a somewhat softer suspension strut set-up for my body weight, because the chassis is well balanced and stable enough even in the fast cornering passages. When you apply the gas at the apex of the curve, the engine responds cleanly and roars with enormous thrust into the rev limiter without power holes. A real pleasure.

Kawasaki ZX-9R

This is my third test with a ZX-9R. But it is the first time that the Kawasaki fork has reached its limits. Strong bumps in the braking zones and in the fast cornering passages cause the entire stem to vibrate strongly. The fork is not badly tuned, but the steering head area seems to be too unstable. It is a shame, because the motorcycle, which at first appears brawny and clumsy, is surprisingly manageable and on the right track. The strong, lively engine hangs neatly on the gas and shows no performance gaps over the incredibly wide speed range. The ground clearance is once again restricted by the footrests that sit on the floor. Which is no wonder considering the grip these Pirellis offer and applies to almost half of the starting field.

Suzuki GSX-R 1000

Up to the apex of the curves, the 1000 is very similar to the 750 or 600. Handling, turning and cornering stability are excellent, the big one is just a little harder to keep on course, but this has to do with the wider rear wheel. The difference when accelerating, however, is awesome. The thing already pushes in the lower speed range like the 996 R, in order to then trump the R1 with a steady increase in power in the end. The GSX-R can be controlled precisely with the throttle grip and also chase around the course lazily. The only weak point of the Suzuki: When braking hard, the rear wheel stamps and occasionally messes up the precise turning point. With the 1000, however, I would advise against tuning the rear softer because it can handle the stability when accelerating out.

Yamaha YZF-R1

Like the members of the Suzuki family, the R1 and R6 drive very similarly. Both are extremely curvaceous, almost wobbly, build up a lot of grip on the rear wheel with the super sticky Pirelli rubber, want to be circled through the long arches of Jerez with extreme inclination – and slide a little over the front wheel. With the R1, this problem is even more pronounced, as the 190 rear tire also has more grip in relation to the front wheel due to its larger contact area. The performance development, which is more difficult to control in comparison to the GSX-R 1000, should therefore be treated with a little caution. In addition, the R1 could use a steering damper if it was turned down hard under pull after turn two. That would not only calm the R1, but also me.

Aprilia RSV mille R

The seating position fits like a tailor-made one. The narrow tank is modeled in such a way that it enables good knee grip and still offers sufficient support when braking. The chassis is an absolute highlight. A real all-rounder. It offers enormous stability when braking, sufficient feel for the front wheel to turn in at lightning speed, good balance for high cornering speeds and a rear section with a lot of grip on the rear wheel. The full draft of the powerful two-cylinder makes the acceleration phase quite unspectacular, but extremely effective. The biting Brembo stoppers are equally confident and easy to control. Unfortunately, the gearbox set-up is not suitable for the route. The second one is too short, the third one translates too long, but this can be easily changed with a different overall translation. And then with this cream cake there would be a few hundredths of a second.

Ducati 996 S.

The 996 S is very similar to the Aprilia. Definitely in terms of cornering stability. In terms of handling, however, it not only loses a lot to the Aprillia, but also to its own sister, the 996 R. You have to throw them in an inclined position early on and with a little more effort. The brake is also a little weaker in the bite and not quite as clear in the feedback, but here too the force in the arms is the limit when braking late. I slide on the seat cushion, which is inclined forward, without finding a grip on the narrow tank. always forward. It’s a shame, because this Ducati is also extremely stable when braking and could use a later braking point. The fact that it is inferior to the Mille even when accelerating, despite its similar top performance, is evident from the significantly lower top speed on the back straight.

Honda VTR 1000 SP-1

The wide seat upholstery and the high handlebar position offer plenty of comfort and space when driving slowly. If the pace then becomes brisk, you can no longer find a proper hold and hang cramped on the handlebars. This does not exactly have a positive effect on the driving behavior of the lead-heavy VTR, because the chassis becomes very unstable and sways, especially in the acceleration phase. A more favorable seating position would make it possible to brace yourself into the pegs in order to have a stabilizing effect as a driver. A trick that I successfully used in the 500s back then. On the other hand, I can’t think of a recipe to compensate for the wobbly driving characteristics at the entrance to the bend and in slow passages. Even the tired-looking lack of power of the two-cylinder leaves little joy. This VTR has little to do with a superbike.

MV Augusta F4 1 + 1

The designer of this beautiful motorcycle was probably a little worried that many great details of the work of art could be hidden by the driver while driving. Because of the very wide seat, he succeeded in preventing me from practicing my extreme, racing-like hanging-off style. In my opinion, it’s a shame, because the cleanly coordinated and super stable chassis makes you want more action. The four-cylinder, on the other hand, turns out to be a power band genius: The MV is the only motorcycle with which I can pull through turns 2, 3, 4 and 5 without shifting gears, apart from the GSX-R 1000, which also does that due to its brute power. Unfortunately, the brake on the test copy is a bit dull and doughy, the lever goes through almost to the rubber grip when braking hard, despite the maximum setting.

Suzuki GSX-R 750

If the Aprilia mille R weren’t at the start, I think the fight in the superbikes would end as clearly as last year, when they did GSX-R 750 was the measure of all things. Handier than the big 1000 and with more power than the small 600, it is not only a successful compromise, but also on this year’s Master Bike ?? except for its big sister – superior to the larger capacity bolide. However, the weakness with the stamping rear wheel when braking also plagues the 750s. Otherwise, you immediately develop a very good feeling for the limit with the GSX-R 750, which ensures a very safe driving experience when braking, in maximum inclined travel as well as when accelerating.

TSR AC 91 M.

After two warm-up laps with jerking and choking, I expected the worst. When the pace is brisk, the throttle response is almost perfect. From 9000 rpm it really goes off, already at 12000 rpm the rev limiter then locks about as sensitively as a kill switch. When changing gears, I get stuck between gears because the ignition interruption time for the automatic gearshift is set too short. The narrow speed range in connection with the softly tuned WP shock absorber causes enormous unrest in the acceleration phase. Braking and turning in with the finest Nissin system and top WP fork with high and low-speed damping can only be done a tad better with the 996 R. Still, I would say that disarming this exclusive Japanese race bike for the road was too much improvised.

Ducati 996 R.

The sound and the brute acceleration of this two-cylinder is simply indescribable. And despite this elemental force, the noble Ducati can be taken on the gas as smoothly as silk and without any load change jerks. The expensive, sensitively appealing spring elements also do an excellent job. The perfectly balanced chassis allows enormous cornering speeds, and the stable rear makes it possible to take the whole momentum with you on the straights. The only thing that could at some point be a limit in this lean angle experience seems to be the rear-view mirrors. However, it is not any faster than the competition, which is only half as expensive.

Conclusion Supersport

It’s almost a copy from last year. Yamaha’s R6 beats the noble Ducati 748 R once again by a hair’s breadth. In Bologna they worked hard to further improve the single-seater super sports car for the 2001 vintage. Engine, chassis, brakes, everything works better, unfortunately in vain. It takes too long for even the most experienced testers to get used to the idiosyncrasies of this diva. Kawasaki and Honda go to work with the usual naturalness and a good portion of sportsmanship. There is a strong upward trend in the Suzuki GSX-R 600, which finally shows its racetrack potential with the attached rubber bands. As the weakest and slowest in the field, the Triumph TT 600 is only the consolation that it has received a lot of praise, at least from the fastest drivers, for its super-handy and stable chassis.

Conclusion open class

Nowhere is the matter as clear as in the open class this year. And if we’re honest, none of the professionals present were in the least surprised by the presentation of the Suzuki GSX-R 1000. When it comes to lap times, speed and chassis quality, this 1000 series drives up and away from its direct competition. Too good the character of the Honda CBR 900 RR, too shaky the fork of the Kawasaki ZX-9R (both the German and the Spanish test motorcycle suffered from this irregular but annoying symptom again) and the power output of the Yamaha R1 too sensitive that they could endanger the GSX-R. But despite their superiority in the open class, which is definitely occupied by prominent figures, one question remains that needs to be answered: Is the Suzuki enough for overall victory?

Conclusion superbikes

In no other class is the engine power density as tight as in the superbikes. With the exception of the noble runner MV Agusta there are just four ridiculous little horses between the VTR, 996 S, Mille R and last year’s winner Suzuki GSX-R 750. All the more exciting is the conflict between two- and four-cylinder. The fact that the head-to-head race between Aprilia, Ducati and Suzuki finally took place is due to the significant chassis weaknesses of the Honda VTR and the comparatively underpowered MV. Ultimately, the brilliant Mille R prevailed, benefiting on the one hand from the numerous improvements to details and on the other hand from tires that were tailor-made for it. As painful as last year’s defeat was for Mille, it’s so sweet to make it into the final. The GSX-R 750 at least keeps the super powerful Ducati 996 S in check.

Conclusion reference class

This is where the machines start, which are developed and sold as a pure racing base. For example the Ducati 996 R, which cost more than 50,000 marks, with the extremely powerful Testastretta engine and the exclusive Ohlins chassis. And because the comparison with a Japanese woman that is not even half as expensive as the GSX-R 750 is interesting but a little unfair, the Ducati is in a sense out of competition. So it’s a matter of honor. And she bravely saves it, burns a respectable amount of time in the asphalt and receives top marks in rows in the assessment of all testers. What the approximately 62,000 Mark expensive TSR can not say about itself. This super-exclusive Japanese noble bike was able to take home championship points several times in a row in the eight-hour race of Suzuka, but in the defused, licensable version, the conversion to a CBR 900 basis was left behind.

Pirelli Supercorsa

Pirelli Supercorsa: the tire for the festival. In time for the Master Bike event, Pirelli is transporting around 100 sets of the brand new, super sticky sports tires with road approval to Jerez. And take the opportunity to present this rubber to the world for the first time in size 190/50 ZR-17. A wise step, because no one could understand why Pirelli had only recommended 180 size tires for super sports use on the racetrack for years. So now it’s here: a top tire in sizes 180 and 190, street legal, best driving characteristics, a wide, easily controllable limit area and an incredible amount of grip. If you look at the sensational lap times and believe the test drivers from eight nations, the Supercorsa ?? a successful litter from Pirelli.

Conclusion final

So far the ambition of the pilots has not been stimulated beyond measure by the secrecy of the times, may? or better? they are now getting the most out of themselves. Aprilia mille R and Suzuki GSX-R 1000 are serious contenders for the title, the Yamaha R6 only plays an extra role in the battle of the giants with a best time of 1.53.88 minutes. The switch from the high-performance cars to the R6 makes it impossible for the drivers, despite the greatest willingness to take risks, to top the great time from the run-up. The 996 R can be found in another extra role. Although it can equalize the best lap of the Aprilia mille R with 1:51:30, it can only be used as a reference bike out of competition and is only suitable for a moral victory. Fernando Cristobal or MOTORRAD man Jurgen Fuchs, it’s as exciting as a 500 Grand Prix. After every six laps with constantly better times, the result is finally certain. Jurgen and Fernando tie, and the winner of the 2001 Master Bike is Suzuki GSX-R 1000. With a sensational 1.50.10 minutes and only eight hundredths of a lead.

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