STREET IMPRESSIONS
All but the new GSX-R are basically unchanged from last year, so their overall street characteristics are the same (see "Breakin' Out the Big Guns", June '04). For those who missed that issue, here's a quick overview of the three.
For taller riders, the Yamaha probably works the best ergo-wise. It has the most legroom by far in this quartet, and the seat is roomy enough for those long of inseam to stretch out a bit. The suspension spring rates are on the soft side compared to the others, which makes for the smoothest ride overall if you don't like changing suspension settings from canyon to street all the time. The mirrors are OK, and the engine is fairly smooth, but the downside is that first gear is tall, requiring clutch work to get off the line aggressively. The R1 also runs pretty hot, and will cook your legs medium rare on warm days.
| Test Notes Honda CBR1000RR |
 | Well-sorted suspension
Stable chassis with good feel
Smooth, broad power |
 | Well-sorted suspension
Stable chassis with good feel
Smooth, broad power |
 | If you could term a "starter" literbike, this is it |
Other than a somewhat hard seat, many of our testers liked the Honda. Its ergos are the best compromise overall, with a fairly short reach to the nicely angled bars and decent legroom to the rearset pegs. The engine is easily the smoothest (it and the GSX-R run counterbalancers), and its low-end fueling is the best-sorted of the four bikes. On the other hand, the CBR also consistently returned the worst fuel mileage, which we originally thought was due to the dual-injector throttle bodies; however, the new GSX-R is equipped with dual injectors, and its fuel consumption wasn't out of the ordinary.
The Kawasaki turned out to be a favorite of many, with a well-balanced seat/peg/bar placement. The reach to the bars in particular is short, and the seat is probably the most comfortable of the four. Control feel is nice and crisp like the Honda, though some felt the bar angle was still a tad too wide. The spring rates on the Kawasaki are by far the stiffest of the bunch, which makes for a harsher ride than the others, even if you soften things up after a canyon jaunt. Although all but the Honda vibrate noticeably to some extent, the ZX-10R is the worst of the group. And we can't wait until Kawasaki ditches the circular LCD tachometer.
| Suggested Suspension Settings |
| Honda CBR1000RR |
| FRONT: Preload: 9 turns out from full stiff. Rebound damping: 2 turns out from full stiff. Compression damping: 2 turns out from full stiff. Ride height: Set fork tubes flush with triple clamp. |
| REAR: Preload: Position 4 from full soft. Rebound damping: 2.5 turns out from full stiff. Compression damping: 8 clicks out from full stiff. |
The GSX-R has obviously undergone some major changes, and those modifications to shrink the overall package have altered the ergos significantly from last year. The seating position is more compact, with less legroom than before (which will spell cramping for taller riders), despite the reach to the bars being much shorter. Still, the basic ergos are nicely laid out (some felt the pegs were a bit too far forward), with most of our testers stating that the Suzuki simply "felt the most comfortable" to ride. Mirrors, however, are a step backward; due to the integration of the turn signals into the mirrors, the stalks are not adjustable, only the mirror itself within the housing. This restricts adjustment, meaning your elbows fill more of the view than before no matter what you do.
It should also be noted that the low-end fueling characteristics of the new GSX-R are definitely fluffy; off-idle response is murky, with a distinct burble right when you crack open the throttle that quickly gains rpm once the quick-revving engine clears its throat. This can make maneuvering in tight spaces an exercise in contortion skills and clutch/throttle control, as the bars come very close to the tank at full lock, and the poor off-idle response means deft manipulation of the clutch and throttle are a must for any smooth movements. Interestingly, this fluffy low-end throttle response didn't seem to hurt the Suzuki's top-gear roll-ons (it basically stomped on the others, even the Kawasaki), despite sounding a bit off-song at low rpm.