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Concept comparison of super athletes with professionals and hobby racers

Displacement shootout on the racetrack

Content of

Which bike does a hobby rider get along best with on the racetrack? With a lively Triumph Daytona 675, a strong and handy Suzuki GSX-R 750 or with the electronically upgraded BMW S 1000 RR? And which of the three motorcycles does the professional choose? PS does the test.

Hot discussion at the regular biker table. Topic: Which motorcycle is the fastest on the racetrack – what else? The BMW S 1000 RR splits the camps: "Real 200 HP peak performance, plus ABS and traction control – you can sit on trained monkeys and it will drive everything into the ground". The 600 faction defends itself: "Such nonsense, the part overwhelms hobby racers with its extreme performance. In addition, a thousand is far too unwieldy. A Triumph 675 is the perfect race iron: enough power, playful handling." Who is right now? Are a few electronic helpers enough to tame a 200 hp superbike, or are amateur pilots with a small motorcycle better advised? How about the middle? As the only manufacturer, Suzuki leads with the GSX-R 750 still has a three-quarter-liter athlete in the range, which turned out to be a hobby driver’s favorite in a direct comparison with its big and little sister in PS 6/2009.

Let’s drive it out! Armed with the three test bikes Triumph Daytona 675, Suzuki GSX-R 750 and BMW S 1000 R, Metzeler Racetec K2, Datarecording and IDM supersport professional Christian "trowel" Waiter as a reference in terms of lap times, it’s off to Motorland Aragon, a new racetrack in the heart of Spain, which was ennobled as a GP course just a few weeks ago. The beginning is the Triumph. From the first meter, the Englishwoman wins the amateur pilot’s trust. Small, handy, light – the perfect toy to shoot yourself in. From just 7000 rpm, the 675 cm3 three-cylinder pushes forward properly, continuously increases its power and pushes, accompanied by a beguiling sound, towards the first hard braking point. Into the go! With little hand strength, the little English girl can be brutally slowed down, the Nissin monoblocs bite like a piranha into a piece of raw meat. The front of the 675 dips deeply without going on a block, the rear wheel becomes light. Give in! Wonderfully handy and neutral, the Triumph angles under the hands of the amateur, obediently following the targeted line. When accelerating, the impeccable throttle response, but also the somewhat rustic-style gearbox are noticeable.

A few laps later, the track is largely internalized, the pulse has calmed down, the speed is increasing, times are tumbling. Now it shows how good the British woman really is. It changes the lean angle effortlessly, the landing gear responds cleanly, spoils you with great feedback and always gives the pilot the feeling of being in control, even at increased speed. The clock stops at 2: 14.02 min. Racing track racing has seldom been so stress-free.

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Decent performance with little weight. With the Suzuki GSX-R 750 it feels like sitting on an extra strong 600cc.

Back in the box, it’s the turn of the GSX-R. The differences to the Triumph are already apparent when you sit up. While the driver of the 675 sits high on the motorcycle, the 750 puts the rider’s rear three centimeters lower and closer to the motorcycle. Enter the gear, let’s go! Slightly more cumbersome than the Triumph, but still handy, the Suzuki turns into the first corner, hums emphatically up the hill and switches on the afterburner at 9000 rpm. Amazingly, the 750 doesn’t feel much stronger below this mark than the smaller-displacement English model. A look at the torque values ​​confirms this impression: from 50-150 km / h, Triumph and Suzuki are almost on par.

Above 9000 rpm, the 750 then shows its energetic side and sprints forward briskly. In the first winding passages, it is noticeable that the Suzi’s chassis does not make things as easy for her pilot as that of the Englishwoman: the Japanese must be kept on course with a precise hand, does not follow the desired line as intuitively as the Triumph and allows fewer corrections to. In addition, the spring elements of the 750 are quite soft and bring a lot of movement into the motorcycle – just like the somewhat rough throttle response. The brake, on the other hand, is convincing all along the line: very easy to dose, stable and with a constant pressure point. What does the stop watch say? 2: 12.46 min. Obviously, the additional power in the upper speed range has advantages on fast routes like Aragon. What time is possible with the BMW?

The Bavarian waits in the pits – ready to snatch the next test victory? The amateur pilot hesitates for a moment. 200 hp and traction control – there has never been anything like it as standard. How do you drive such a monster? Do you pull the gas right from the first corner or approach slowly? And which mode is best to use? Sport, racing, or the slick mode that can only be activated with an extra plug under the seat? If so, then do it right: slick. Let’s fight!

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Power in abundance, but controllable at all times: the BMW S 1000 RR.

The seating position of the BMW fits. Unspectacular, almost obedient, she circles the route at a moderate pace for the first time. Stress? Nothing. What should also happen? The ABS protects against a blocking front wheel, the traction control against highsiders. As a hobby rider, there is no other sport bike that makes you feel as safe as you do on the S 1000 RR – despite 200 hp. How this relaxed feeling will affect the lap time?

Attack! The amateur accelerates much earlier than with the other two athletes, feeling his way closer to the limit of grip in every curve. That doesn’t exist, why doesn’t the part regulate? It regulates – only it does it so gently that the driver hardly notices it. That’s a good thing, because he has to concentrate on other things. The BMW beats out of the curve with elemental force towards the next braking zone. The pilot steps through the gearbox with the help of an automatic gearshift. But there is no time to rest. The braking point already flies by. Straight into the iron! Such a sports ABS is really a good thing: Simply pull the brake lever without hesitation and slow down to the limit of liability stress-free. How do all the electronics affect the lap time? 2: 09.10 min. Go then.

Concept comparison of super athletes part 2

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Three motorcycles, one mission: which bike can a hobby pilot get along best with on the racetrack – and which one the professional?

Kelle slips into his leather suit. Let’s see which of the three bikes is best for the professional. Brief exchange of views with the amateur. "And how was it ?" "Well, the Triumph is easy to drive. The BMW gives you the feeling of absolute safety and is absolutely unproblematic, it is just extremely exhausting to move a thousand at the limit. The 750 only goes really well at the top and is a bit soft."

Put your helmet on, let’s go! In the second lap, the IDM driver pulverized the amateur’s time with a 2:06 lap, and shortly afterwards even added another second: 2:05:53 min. The great feedback and the racing motorcycle-like basic set-up make it easier for professionals to dance to the limit. Even if the turning point does not fit before a curve, the Triumph will not be deterred. A quick pull on the handlebars, corrected the radius a little, and the line is fine again.

The amateur swallows hard when he sees the time. The professional burned him a full nine seconds on the 675. Will this continue with the Suzuki? Kelle struggles and fights, but fails to top the triumph time with the GSX-R – more than 2: 06.21 min is not possible. The soft chassis requires precise line selection, the smallest mistake brings unrest to the motorcycle. In the hands of a professional racing driver, the 750 is simply too good. The words of praise about the good brakes and the impeccable handling don’t help either. Our amateur pilot laughs up his sleeve: Six seconds difference, that’s okay.

Kelle climbs onto the BMW with mixed feelings. Are there still a few seconds left with the performance miracle? Can he distance himself from the amateur pilot or will the times move closer together thanks to the electronic helpers?

What a bullet. Endless performance. In one word: brutal. The handling of the 1000 also convinces the professional – not quite as light-footed as with the Suzuki or even the Triumph, but still remarkable for a superbike. The chassis, on the other hand, should be a bit tighter at the rear: The Bavarian becomes a bit restless when accelerating hard. The IDM pilot is also bothered by other little things: The pressure point of the brake moves a bit, but then remains constant, but the large idle travel bothers Kellner when applying the brakes in an inclined position. In addition, the throttle is quite difficult, which costs extra strength on the already exhausting 1000. The traction control fulfills its purpose well because it is inconspicuous, but regulates it a little too early for professional demands, even in slick mode. At the end of the fifth lap, the clock stops at 2: 03.22 min. A top time – but only a good five seconds faster than the hobby driver’s BMW time.

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The smallest in the field may not impress with excessive power, but with unique ergonomics the Triumph Daytona 675 offers everything you need.

Let’s take a break. The two pilots exchange their experiences and discuss how the different times come about. Obviously, the professional succeeds in going to the limit with the 675, while the amateur falls far behind the possibilities of the motorcycle. Especially when cornering, Kelle often takes a different line and takes so much momentum down the straights – a crucial point for the weakest motorcycle in the test field. The results of the data recording also support this theory. At the end of the long straight, Kelle is significantly faster than the amateur. The 750 is too soft for professional demands – even the professional finds it difficult to constantly move to the limit with the Suzuki. This problem is less noticeable in the amateur. He gets along well with the Suzuki, uses the higher performance compared to the Triumph from 10,000 rpm and can thus make up a few seconds when accelerating.

Most interesting, however, is the time difference of the BMW: The amateur benefits from ABS and traction control proportionally more than the professional: He manages to feel his way closer to the limit with a clear head and a secure feeling when accelerating and especially when braking than the others Bikes. Apart from the brute performance, the absolutely unproblematic driving behavior of the Bavarian makes it easier for the hobby driver to search for the limits of driving physics. On the other hand, the electronics are more in the way of the IDM pilot: The traction control kicks in too early.

Both drivers find the chase for times on the BMW S 1000 RR extremely exhausting. So it is much more relaxed to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of motorcycles at the biker regulars’ table in the evening.

Technical specifications & Performance chart

Drawing: archive

The performance diagram of the three super athletes.

In terms of performance, the BMW plays in a completely different league than the two competitors. At 6000 / min it ignites the first afterburner, at 8500 / min it starts up again. At the summit there are 202 hp – 81 more than the Triumph. Despite the lowest performance, the little Brit does a brave job and thanks to the successful transmission is on par with the 19 hp more powerful Suzuki. The GSX-R 750 is especially fun in the five-digit speed range. It takes off at 9000 rpm and sends 140 hp to the crankshaft at 13,200 rpm.

BMW S 1000 RR

BMW S 1000 RR

drive:
Four-cylinder in-line engine, 4 valves / cylinder, 142 kW (193 PS) at 13,000 / min *, 112 Nm at 9750 / min *, 999 cm³, bore / stroke: 80.0 / 49.7 mm, compression ratio: 13, 0: 1, ignition / injection system, 48 mm throttle valves, mechanically operated multi-disc anti-hopping oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, G-Kat, chain

landing gear:
Light alloy bridge frame, steering head angle: 66.1 degrees, caster: 96 mm, wheelbase: 1432 mm, upside-down fork, Ø fork inner tube: 46 mm, adjustable spring based, rebound and compression level. Central spring strut with deflection, adjustable in spring base, rebound and compression level (high / low), spring travel front / rear: 120/130 mm

Wheels and brakes:
Light alloy cast wheels, 3.50 x 17"/6.00 x 17", Front tires: 120/70 ZR 17, rear: 190/55 ZR 17, initial tires: Metzeler Racetec Interact K3, 320 mm double disc brake with four-piston fixed calipers at the front, 220 mm single disc with single-piston floating caliper at the rear

Measurements and weight:
Length / width / height: 2080/785/1110 mm, seat / handlebar height: 810/865 mm, handlebar width: 660 mm, 208 kg fully fueled, v./h .: 52.0 / 48.0%

Rear wheel power in last gear:
137.5 kW (187 hp) at 282 km / h

Performance:
Acceleration 0-100 / 150/200 km / h: 3.1 / 5.0 / 7.0 s
Draft 50-100 / 100-150 km / h: 4.3 / 4.1 s

Top speed: 299 km / h *

Consumption:
Fuel type: Super unleaded. Average test consumption: k. A., tank capacity / of which reserve: 17.5 / 4 liters, range: ns. AT..

Base price: 15,500 euros (plus Nk, shift assistant 360 euros, Race ABS + DTC 1220 euros)

Suzuki GSX-R 750

Suzuki GSX-R 750

drive:
Four-cylinder in-line engine, 4 valves / cylinder, 110.3 kW (150 PS) at 13,200 / min *, 86 Nm at 11,200 / min *, 750 cm3, bore / stroke: 70.0 / 48.7 mm, compression ratio: 12.5: 1, ignition / injection system, 42 mm throttle valves, mechanically operated multi-disc anti-hopping oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, G-Kat

landing gear:
Light alloy bridge frame, steering head angle: 66.3 degrees, caster: 97 mm, wheelbase: 1400 mm. Upside-down fork, Ø inner fork tube: 41 mm, adjustable in spring base, rebound and compression damping, central spring strut with deflection, adjustable in spring base, rebound and compression damping, spring travel v./h .: 120/130 mm

Wheels and brakes:
Light alloy cast wheels, 3.50 x 17"/5.50 x 17", Front tires: 120/70 ZR 17, rear: 180/55 ZR 17. First tires: Bridgestone BT 016 "E.", 310 mm double disc brake with four-piston fixed calipers at the front, 220 mm single disc with single-piston floating caliper at the rear

Measurements and weight:
Length / width / height: 2060/800/1120 mm, seat / handlebar height: 810/845 mm, handlebar width: 660 mm, 202 kg fully fueled, v./h .: 51.5 / 48.5%

Rear wheel power in last gear:
95 kW (129 PS) at 262 km / h

Performance:
Acceleration 0-100 / 150/200 km / h: 3.2 / 5.3 / 8.7 s
Pulling speed 50-100 / 100-150 km / h: 5.2 / 4.9 s

Top speed: 280 km / h *

consumption:
Fuel type: Super. Average test consumption: k. A., tank capacity / of which reserve: 17 / k. A. liters, range: n / a A..

Base price: 12,390 euros (plus ancillary costs)

Triumph Daytona 675

Triumph Daytona 675

drive:
Three-cylinder in-line engine, four valves / cylinder, 92 kW (125 PS) at 12,600 / min *, 72 Nm at 11,750 / min *, 675 cm³, bore / stroke: 74.0 / 52.3 mm, compression ratio: 12, 65: 1, ignition / injection system, 44 mm throttle valves, mechanically operated multi-plate oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, G-Kat

landing gear:
Light alloy bridge frame, steering head angle: 66.1 degrees, caster: 89 mm, wheelbase: 1395 mm, upside-down fork, Ø fork inner tube: 41 mm, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression level (high- & Low-speed). Central spring strut with deflection adjustable in spring base, rebound and compression level (high- & Low-speed), spring travel front / rear: 120/130 mm

Wheels and brakes:
Light alloy cast wheels, 3.50 x 17"/5.50 x 17", Front tires: 120/70 ZR 17, rear: 180/55 ZR 17, first tires: Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa "SP", 308 mm double disc brake with radially screwed four-piston fixed calipers at the front, 220 mm single disc with single-piston floating caliper at the rear

Measurements and weight:
Length / width / height: 2047/790/1101 mm, seat / handlebar height: 840/845 mm, handlebar width: 660 mm, 190 kg fully fueled, front / rear: 51.7 / 48.3%

Rear wheel power in last gear:
82 kW (111 PS) at 230 km / h

Performance:
Acceleration 0-100 / 150/200 km / h: 3.4 / 5.9 / 10.1 s
Pulling 50-100 / 100-150 km / h: 4.7 / 5.5 s

Top speed: 263 km / h *

consumption:
Fuel type: Super unleaded. Average test consumption: k. A., tank capacity / of which reserve: 17.4 / k. A. liters, range: n / a A..

Basic price: from May 1, 2010 11,240 euros (plus ancillary costs)

PS rating & CONCLUSION

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At high speed in the curves of Aragon. On the Spain Round, the three athletes can show what they’re made of.

Conclusion: The powerful engine helps the BMW to win the test. Thanks to ABS and traction control, the hobby driver comes closest to the professional on it. The Triumph, on the other hand, requires an experienced pilot. The fact that it only lands one star behind the BMW shows its potential. The Suzuki suffers from its somewhat too soft chassis. Your motor and the brake are still convincing.

1st place: BMW S 1000 RR

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Volkmar "Jacko" Jacob, test pilot and hobby driver: "You wimps! You’re fast on the small bikes, but I’ll flatten you on a men’s motorcycle with 200 hp – at least if it has traction control."

Category engine:
Over 200 hp, good throttle response, plus a great functioning traction control: the engine of the S 1000 RR is currently the measure of all things.
5 out of 5 stars

Category chassis:
The chassis of the BMW responds cleanly, the handling is good. However, the Bavarian is a bit too soft at the back, and the pressure point of the brake shifts.
4 out of 5 stars

Category ergonomics:
The sitting position fits. The knee angle is relaxed, but sporty, and the same applies to the handlebar position. The windbreak could be a little better.
4 out of 5 stars

Category driving fun:
Burning down the slopes with a 200 hp superbike without having to worry about being sneakily thrown – what more could you want?
5 out of 5 stars

PS judgment:
And another test victory. With its electronic aids, BMW makes it easy, especially for semi-professional drivers, to push their way to the limit.
18 out of 20 stars

2nd place: Triumph Daytona 675

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Christian "trowel" Waiter, IDM Supersport pilot: "In the right hands, the 675 is the ideal sports bike. The turning point does not fit? Simply bend, correct the line, and continue burning. That’s the way it has to be."

Category engine:
Great sound, great throttle response – the 675 engine is great. However, all of its 80 hp are missing on the BMW, and the bony gearbox is annoying.
3 out of 5 stars

Category chassis:
Braking, handling, responsiveness, reserves – the chassis of the Daytona leaves nothing to be desired apart from the lack of ABS.
4 out of 5 stars

Category ergonomics:
The pilot sits high and oriented towards the front wheel, giving the pilot a very good feeling for the front wheel. The footrest position also fits.
5 out of 5 stars

Category driving fun:
Performance that is not overwhelmed, combined with a top chassis and great sound: the little Triumph is still a lot of fun.
5 out of 5 stars

PS judgment:

Thanks to the successful seating position and great suspension elements, the Triumph only lands one star behind the BMW, despite 80 hp less peak output.
17 out of 20 stars


Super athlete

Driving report: Triumph Daytona 675 R (with video)

Three-cylinder super sports car: Daytona now also in R version

read more

3rd place: Suzuki GSX-R 750

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Sebastian "Baschdl" Lang, editor: "The GSX-R feels like a 600 with more power. That puts you in a good mood without stress. The others are supposed to struggle with the over-strong thousands."

Category engine:
In the five-digit speed range relevant to the race track, the Suzuki really gets going and triumphs away. The throttle response is quite hard.
4 out of 5 stars

Category chassis:
The spring elements of the 750 series are designed too soft for fast laps on the racetrack. The handling is okay, the brakes work perfectly.
3 out of 5 stars

Category ergonomics:
Not uncomfortable, but it takes some getting used to: the Japanese woman puts her pilot in a deep bed, the knee angle is narrow, the rests are placed far forward.
4 out of 5 stars

Category driving fun:
The 750 GSX-R still conveys the feeling of sitting on an extra powerful 600. The soft chassis is a nuisance on the racetrack.
4 out of 5 stars

PS judgment:
The somewhat outdated GSX-R 750 is a good motorcycle, but does not have the sporty qualities of the two competitors.
15 out of 20 stars

Lap times and data recording

Drawing: archive

The Motorland Aragon: A high-tech roller coaster course including mini corkscrew in the heart of Spain.

In order to be able to objectively assess which rider is the fastest on which motorcycle and how much time the hobby rider loses on the professional, PS equipped the three test motorcycles with a 2D data recording system.

The evaluation was based on the following two criteria:

  1. How do the three motorcycles fare in direct comparison when a professional or hobby rider moves them??
  2. How close does the amateur get to the professional on the individual bikes?

The table below shows the cornering and maximum speeds of IDM driver Christian Kellner at six key points on the 5077 meter long course (see route sketch).

Speeds section    triumph  Suzuki  Bmw
Waypoint      
Vmax 1  218 km / h  230 km / h  248 km / h
Curve 1  80 km / h  76 km / h  69 km / h
Curve 2  132 km / h  130 km / h  125 km / h
Vmax 2  211 km / h  219 km / h  238 km / h
Curve 3  124 km / h  124 km / h  126 km / h
Vmax 3  250 km / h  261 km / h  285 km / h
        LAP TIME  2: 05.53 min  2: 06.21 min  2: 03.22 min

Recording professional

Drawing: archive

Professional recording.

As expected, the professional gets his time on the BMW mainly on the straights. At braking point V3, there are a whopping 285 km / h. Nevertheless, he is only 2.3 seconds faster on the BMW than on the Triumph. It is astonishing that the cornering speed in the section between V2 and V3 is the slowest on the 675 – here Kelle drives a different line to get more momentum for the straights.

Amateur recording

Drawing: archive

Recording of the amateur.

The curves of the amateur spread more clearly, especially in the V3 area, than the professional: Here he makes optimal use of the excess power of the BMW and reaches 283 km / h – 20 km / h more than on the Suzuki. The ABS helps the hobby driver to brake harder on some sections of the route on the BMW (according to K1 and V3), the traction control, however, hardly helps him when accelerating.

Triumph Daytona 675

Drawing: archive

Recording of the Triumph Daytona 675.

The professional takes almost nine seconds off the hobby driver on the 675. The IDM Supersport driver is faster on the road in almost all route regions. He gains time, especially at the end of the long straight (V3): He lets the accelerator stand longer and is 12 km / h faster at the braking point. In the meandering between K1 and K2 it is also noticeable that the professional brakes much harder than the amateur pilot.

Suzuki GSX-R 750

Drawing: archive

Recording of the Suzuki GSX-R 750.

Compared to the Daytona 675, the curves of amateur and professional are a little closer to each other at the fastest point of track V3. But even on the Suzuki, the professional brakes later and further into the curve and gains time. He gets more seconds between K2 and V2, a demanding, long left curve. The hobby pilot lacks a little courage here.

BMW S 1000 RR

Drawing: archive

Recording of the BMW S 1000 RR.

Compared to the other two motorcycles, the amateur on the BMW can best keep up with the IDM professional. Speed ​​and braking point are almost identical with V3. The hobby driver relies on ABS here. Even in the slight left turn in front of K2, he does well and accelerates almost as hard as the professional. The amateur also loses time on the BMW in the meandering curve between V1 and K2.

Tires: Metzeler Racetec

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Metzeler Racetec tires.

Anyone who haggles for tenths on the racetrack needs decent rubbers. For the comparison test, we therefore soled all three motorcycles with the test winner of the 2009 tire test, the Metzeler Racetec Interact in the mixtures K3 and K2.
Contrary to previous experience on the BMW, the K3 rear tire torus
up relatively early, probably due to the somewhat too soft rebound stage of the shock absorber. The K2 mixture gives you a good grip and is noticeably softer than the K3 variant. A special feature of Racetec: The tires only work with high air pressure. HP drove at 2.4 bar at the front and 2.2 bar at the rear.

Set up

   triumph  Suzuki  Bmw fork preload  3 rings visible  default  default
Rebound  10 clicks open  1.5 turns open  Position 5
Pressure level low  5 clicks open  1.5 turns open  Position 7
High pressure level  4 turns open  2 turns open
Strut
preload  default  default  default
Rebound  3 clicks open  1 turn opened  Position 9
Pressure level low  1 click opened  0.5 turns open  Position 8
High pressure level  1 turn opened  2 turns open  Position 3

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