Street Yamaha :: 85 Pts.
There's no doubt that the Yamaha R1 is the trickest of the Japanese literbikes. With its now-signature exhaust note and superb throttle/rear tire connection, the R1 has changed the original perception of what an inline four-cylinder is capable of (it surely didn't hurt that Ben Spies laid waste to the World Superbike field on one-in his rookie year no less-and that the same type of crankshaft is in the YZR-M1 MotoGP bike that Rossi and Co. ride). Despite being the heaviest of the group at a somewhat portly 477 pounds with a full tank, the R1 carries that weight well, with precise steering from the OEM-spec Dunlop D210 Sportmax rubber. The crossplane-crank engine is crisp and responsive at partial throttle in "standard" mode ("A" mode is too aggressive for street use, requiring extreme care when getting on the throttle), and the suspension damping rates seem a bit relaxed this year, with less of the harsh ride that we experienced with the '09 model.
What hasn't changed, unfortunately, is that the two issues plaguing the R1-excessive weight and lack of top-end power-are glaring disadvantages in this league. "While I can listen to that exhaust note all day, it's time for Yamaha to put the power behind the bark," remarked John Olsen about the R1's lack of outright steam. Complicating matters on the street are an extremely tall first gear that makes the Yamaha a chore to hustle through tight canyons, and when you're navigating switchbacks at speed where you must flick the bike from one side to the other, the R1's excessive weight shows in the high effort required compared to the other bikes. Some testers were still complaining about numb feel with the Yamaha's brake pads, and when the pace was really ramped up, the D210 Sportmax tires' limitations came to the fore. Conversely, when the pace slackened, the heat from the underseat exhaust roasting your thighs did not.
| Yamaha YZF-R1 |
| TEST NOTES |
| + |
Awesome throttle/rear tire connection |
| + |
Excellent brakes, good suspension |
| - |
Heaviest of the group |
| - |
Least powerful of the group |
| x |
The minuses are big minuses, especially in this group |
Suggested Suspension Settings
| FRONT |
Spring preload—2 lines showing on adjuster; rebound damping—10 clicks out from full stiff; compression damping—15 clicks out from full stiff |
| REAR |
Spring preload—5 turns out from full stiff (hydraulic adjuster); rebound damping—20 clicks out from full stiff; high-speed compression damping—3 turns out from full stiff;
low-speed compression damping—
3 turns out from full stiff |
Street Honda :: 88.9 Pts.
The only real mechanical change to the '10 model CBR1000RR is that crankshaft inertia was increased by about seven percent in order to smooth out throttle response, and while that may seem like an inconsequential modification, the results were dramatic on both street and track. In short, the smoothed-out powerband not only retains the Honda's strong midrange punch, but complements it with a stronger top-end charge that the CBR seemed to be missing last year (even though peak horsepower was down from last year). All the rest of the Honda's superlatives return unchanged; lithe, agile handling, superbly damped/sprung suspension, precise steering, crisp and strong brakes-there's a lot to like, and not very much to hate. Ergos were considered one of the top two in the group, and two out of the five testers picked it as their favorite street bike overall of the bunch.
So why did it get upstaged on the street ratings by the Kawasaki (albeit by a hair) and the BMW? One is that the CBR still had some niggling gripes: while the brakes' power and response were excellent, the feel through the lever was still a little soft to some, and a couple of testers were still wishing for a bit more top-end acceleration despite the '10 model's improvement. But it's not so much that the Honda had any negatives; it's more that the ZX-10R and S 1000 RR's positives were just that much greater. For instance, the Kawasaki's Bridgestone BT-016 and the BMW's Metzeler Racetec K3 rubber were superior in grip and overall handling to the Honda's older-generation Bridgestone BT-015 tires. And while the CBR's top-end acceleration is better, 148.7 horsepower just doesn't have the pull of the ZX-10R's 157.9 horsepower or the BMW's incredible 177 horsepower when the throttles get pinned.
| Honda CBR1000RR |
| TEST NOTES |
| + |
Midrange now supplemented by top-end |
| + |
Still the lightest literbike |
| - |
Down a bit on peak power |
| - |
Brakes a bit soft |
| x |
Upholding the Japanese honor well |
Suggested Suspension Settings
| FRONT |
Spring preload—3 turns in from full soft; rebound damping—1.25 turns out from full stiff; compression damping—1.75 turns out from full stiff |
| REAR |
Spring preload—Position 7 of 10 (10 is full stiff); rebound damping—0.75 turns out from full stiff; compression damping—1.0 turn out from full stiff |