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Europe’s superbikes

New products for Aprilia, BMW and Honda

Aprilia and BMW will increase the quota of European manufacturers in the Superbike World Championship in the coming season. For this they need the right production motorcycles. Aprilia has already finished the series RSV4, BMW is showing the racing motorcycle in its final paintwork. The BMW K models have also been revised, while Honda is expanding the 125 series.

One of the boldest new developments in motorcycle construction is nearing completion: the Aprilia RSV4. The attribute bold applies in several ways. On the one hand, because Aprilia is one of the rather small manufacturers even after the takeover by the Piaggio Group and has nevertheless set up a completely new 750 V2 series with currently two and soon three models in addition to the V4 development.

With the option of a 1200 variant. On the other hand, because the developers in Noale dare to put a V4 concept in the field of series superbikes and their racing offshoots, although these have been focused on inline four or V two-cylinder for years. Furthermore, because the said V4 neither has much in common with the mass-produced engine of the Honda VFR nor with the MotoGP offshoot Ducati Desmosedici RR nor with the hand-built individual pieces in the MotoGP World Championship. And last but not least, because the new design has to assert itself in the Superbike World Championship right from the start, although Aprilia has not been particularly successful there, as in four-stroke racing at all. You don’t want to hide behind tried and tested patterns from overpowering role models. This is how motorcycle personalities are created.

Especially since the unusual technology recently presented R.SV4 Factory goes hand in hand with a fascinating exterior shape. Compact, small, almost graceful, it stands above the wheels, and thanks to its tight cladding gives generous views. The short, tapered stern seems to be supported by a cantilevered carbon part; it is in the short press release as "Super light" labeled, but not described in detail. Tea adjustment options of the chassis are appreciated in more detail. In this way, not only the position of the swing arm but also that of the motor can be changed. The steering head angle can be varied with different inserts. With some pride Aprilia refers to the high quality components from Ohlins and Brembo as well as the slipper clutch and the cassette transmission. The standard variant, the RSV4 R, which will be launched on the market at the end of 2009, should at least have the latter two attributes. At a price that may even be below that of the new Yamaha YZF-R1, while the factory will cost around 20,000 euros.

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Without specifying the exact value, the Aprilia engineers emphasize that, contrary to the trend, their engine has a longer stroke than the 52.2 millimeters of the Yamaha YZF-R1 or the around 55 millimeters of the Honda Fireblade and Kawasaki ZX-10R, which is his small overall width and a characteristic suitable for everyday use. Nevertheless, customers can expect a peak performance of around 180 hp. Ace with the SL 750 Shiver, the throttle valves are completely electronically controlled, so the driver only sets the maximum opening on the throttle. The model for the variable-length intake funnels above the throttle bodies was probably the R1, while the Fireblade was the inspiration for the striking muffler. The Aprilia developers didn’t want to reinvent everything on their RSV4.

The second superbike from Europe in the starting blocks, the BMW S 1000 RR, has not yet progressed quite as far. The Bavarians have not yet been able to offer a series-produced motorcycle for Intermot, and will be showing another motorcycle in racing trim in Cologne. However, it does not present itself as a monochrome black carbon case, as before, but in a white, blue and red finish, which visibly better models the shapes of the new 1000 series. These forms do not yet seem to be entirely final; there, where the airbox cover and seat bench connect to the tank, some things still seem very improvised. The different cooling air ducts – gill-like openings on the right and a large, deep hood on the left – still seem undecided.

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S 1000 RR is a neatly drawn, no-frills motorcycle that can come up with well-thought-out detailed solutions. The pump of the rear wheel brake, which has been combined in a cast part together with the reservoir for the brake fluid, may serve as an example. This saves additional holders and hose connections. Sensor rings in both wheels and numerous labeled multiple plug connections to the control unit are external signs of the extensive electronics of the S 1000 RR. A slip control that not only takes into account the increase in the rear wheel speed, but also compares it with the front wheel speed, is safe. In addition, you can look forward to any ABS specialties, be it in the form of a combination brake or with two completely independent brake circuits. After the presentation of the Honda CBR 600 RR and Fireblade with ABS, reservations about super athletes with anti-lock devices are already ripe for storm, and BMW, as one of the pioneers of advanced braking technology, is always good for a surprise in this look.

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K 1300 GT gets by with 160 hp. The maximum torque is 135 Nm, which, however, is already reached at 8000 rpm. The torque curve in the lower speed range is also much more voluminous than in the other engine specifications.

Changes and technical developments

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Compared to the stovepipe-like silencer of the K 1200 S, the new part of the 1300 series is pretty.

The engineers worked their way through the entire drive train with the same meticulousness as they did with the engine, choosing new clutch linings and a different disc spring, and using a larger slave cylinder to reduce the manual forces somewhat. In the transmission, the undercut of the gears has been changed, the shift forks are mounted differently, and the axis of the shift lever now rotates in roller bearings. These changes may have something to do with an unusual special equipment in which until now probably only drivers of super sports cars have been interested: the shift assistant, which was introduced with the HP2 Sport. During the upshift, it interrupts the ignition and fuel supply for a brief moment and thus the flow of power, which engages the next gear pair. The revision of the drive comes to an end with a new cardan shaft and a modified toothing and bearing of the rear axle drive.

Less has changed on the chassis. The lower longitudinal member of the Duolever front suspension is now made of aluminum instead of steel and the functions of the ESA, which is available as an option, have been expanded, which is why it is now called ESA II. By coupling a plastic elastomer with the steel spring or by separating the two components, the spring rate of the rear suspension can be changed; in addition, spring preload, compression and rebound damping are variable. In total, there are nine different tuning options, which are displayed at any time by means of corresponding symbols.

The switch units of the K-1300 models have a completely different arrangement and are miniaturized, as it were, thanks to printed conductors instead of thick cabling. The ESA, the optional ASC slip control or the optional handle heating made it necessary to combine various functions in a meaningful way in one switch. With the same number of switches, the BMW driver can now activate twice as many functions. The most striking innovation: the turn signal circuit, which is split into left and right, is a thing of the past; as it corresponds to Japanese standards, the indicators are now operated on the left end of the handlebar, which – as the press release notes – "No mix-up of indicators and horns." This old arrangement problem sounds kind of familiar.

Insight at Honda

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K 1300 R the entire front section has been revised. The fenders, radiator and intake panels and the lamp body are new. There are new colors for all three models. As is a tradition at BMW, there is an extensive list of special equipment and accessories for every K model. The former is assembled in the factory, the special accessories can be retrofitted at the dealer. Praying down the lists does not make sense here, but in addition to the ESA II, ASC and shift assistant options already mentioned, the 2D display instrument, available for the S and R, deserves a special mention. Installed as standard in the high-end sports car HP2 Sport, it offers flawless MotoGP technology and even a number of data recording functions. Practical help in life, on the other hand, means a particularly comfortable pillion bench for the R model.

Honda

The CBF 125 offers simple technology that has been tried and tested a million times over at an affordable price.

After the presentation of the two Supersport models, the CBR 600 RR and Fireblade with ABS-CBS, Honda is slowing down a bit and introducing the CBF 125. A small all-round machine with half-shell fairing, which closes the gap between the athlete CBR 125 R and the Enduro XR 125. The air-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke engine comes from the small off-roader. It has only two valves and, thanks to injection and catalytic converter, now meets the Euro 3 standard and develops 11.2 hp. That is hardly enough for the top of its class, but with a price that is well below the 3130 euros for the CBR 125, the small CBF is not aimed at sporty, demanding customers anyway. It wants to score as a problem-free, pretty and inexpensive everyday vehicle. Which cannot be said of the Fireblade Hannspree Edition. It attracts Superbike fans with the original paintwork of the factory-supported Fireblade used by the Dutch Ten-Kate team and is offered in a limited number of 250 copies exclusively in Germany. You will look in vain for any further racing subtleties in the Hannspree Edition, but it costs only 350 euros more than the standard blade, namely 14,110 euros plus additional costs.

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