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bmadson
MCUSA Scribbler

Date Joined Jul 2005
Total Posts : 1038

Posted 5/19/2008 2:17 PM (GMT -8)

The long wait is over... The high-revving supersport screamers take center stage as we gather six middle-weight track weapons for our sixth annual Supersport Shootout. Enjoy the full throttle fun!

MotorcycleUSA.com 2008 Supersport Shootout VI

luckyguy19
Registered Member

Date Joined Dec 2007
Total Posts : 12

Posted 5/19/2008 2:32 PM (GMT -8)

Great article, worth the wait. Its amazing how much more info you guys give than the magazines. Keep it up!!!

Ducati 1098

Yamaha YZ250f

Ducati 695 (wifes)

Yamaha TT-R 50 (Daughters)

flickmeister
Registered Member

Date Joined May 2004
Total Posts : 1021

Posted 5/19/2008 4:06 PM (GMT -8)

Did I miss something? Where are the first through last ratings?

Ace!
Registered Member

Date Joined Feb 2004
Total Posts : 159

Posted 5/19/2008 4:13 PM (GMT -8)

I guess you have to read it

Desmolicious
Registered Member

Date Joined Aug 2004
Total Posts : 4618

Posted 5/19/2008 4:21 PM (GMT -8)

To me this says it all:
"makes fantastic mid-range power from as low as 9000 rpm".
That was for the Honda, which was the strongest down low...

I dunno, but for a street bike these things seem kinda lame. Ya really want to rev it above 9k all the time to access the 'mid range'? Gonna be like riding a dentist's drill down the road...
For the track, groovy. On the street there seem to be many better options.

Børk! Børk! Børk!

jon
Registered Member

Date Joined Aug 2004
Total Posts : 4569

Posted 5/19/2008 4:35 PM (GMT -8)

nice write up!

free: i'll take the duc in a heartbeat...just like the 1098 if it was compared to the liter bikes.

w/price: i concur, the cbr is the best out of the bunch when the whole package is considered i.e., price, performance, looks, etc.

Blender
Registered Member

Date Joined May 2005
Total Posts : 76

Posted 5/19/2008 6:07 PM (GMT -8)

Wow, what a thorough review!

I'm telling you, MCUSA has their sh!t together. You guys really rival all of the monthly rags I pay for.

fly2low
Registered Member

Date Joined Jan 2007
Total Posts : 56

Posted 5/19/2008 7:16 PM (GMT -8)

It seems that the 848 should be pitted against gsxr-750.

BTW, where is the link to the score card?

Dr. Bombay
Registered Member

Date Joined Oct 2004
Total Posts : 1328

Posted 5/19/2008 7:46 PM (GMT -8)

Agreed that the 848 is really a tweener. Have we forgotten that the original modern Ducati superbike was the 851? But that thing is really beautiful. And it might be one of the best compromises where power is concerned--just right for most experienced riders. There's a pearl white one sitting right next to the door at my dealer. Kinda gives me a chubby when I look at it too long. I second the 848 vs. GSX-R 750 showdown.

And I got to get me a ride on the CBR. It sounds fantastic, although I'm not in love with the looks. Come to think of it, the Suzuki, too. You can keep the R6, as far as I'm concerned. I can't very well go screaming around the neighborhood on that thing (although a track ride sounds nice).

Nice job, kids.

Chaos
Registered Member

Date Joined Aug 2007
Total Posts : 989

Posted 5/20/2008 1:51 AM (GMT -8)

Dr. Bombay said...
Agreed that the 848 is really a tweener. Have we forgotten that the original modern Ducati superbike was the 851? But that thing is really beautiful. And it might be one of the best compromises where power is concerned--just right for most experienced riders. There's a pearl white one sitting right next to the door at my dealer. Kinda gives me a chubby when I look at it too long. I second the 848 vs. GSX-R 750 showdown.

And I got to get me a ride on the CBR. It sounds fantastic, although I'm not in love with the looks. Come to think of it, the Suzuki, too. You can keep the R6, as far as I'm concerned. I can't very well go screaming around the neighborhood on that thing (although a track ride sounds nice).

Nice job, kids.

They had a shootout between the gsxr750, 848, cbr600 and 675 in the SuperBike mag. Gixxer won, and 848 got it's ass handed to it.

Post Edited (Chaos) : 5/20/2008 10:31:44 AM GMT

paulmoran
Registered Member

Date Joined May 2007
Total Posts : 6

Posted 5/20/2008 2:48 AM (GMT -8)

Yup - great review guys!!! Top shelf and well worth the wait ..I was waiting for this review to make a final decision on what to buy as I am oh so close ....and now I am torn even more ...the new gixx or the 'safe' cbr ........

Guess ill have to go for more test rides

Cheers!!

PS: Im assuming the order of the story/bikes indicates the ratings ??

Chaos
Registered Member

Date Joined Aug 2007
Total Posts : 989

Posted 5/20/2008 4:20 AM (GMT -8)

This is the way I read it, but I could be wrong:

1 GSXR
2 CBR
3 R6
4 675
5 ZX6R

YellowDuck
Registered Member

Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 4130

Posted 5/20/2008 7:08 AM (GMT -8)

Yeah, you're wrong...

"In the end the Honda does lose ground by finishing behind the Suzuki and Yamaha on the track, but simply overpowers the Suzuki on the street-side of the scoresheet. By virtue of its continued domination on real roads and its narrow defeat on the track, the CBR successfully defends its Supersport Shootout title.

If you are searching for the ultimate supersport motorcycle, then look no further than the 2008 Honda CBR600RR."

But I agree that based on the objective data alone, the Gixxer is the winner. MCUSA includes alot of subjective stuff in their rankings, and that is what turns the tide for the Honda. Appropriate though, considering that most of these bikes are not going to see a track.

Two things I got out of this...

1) I am still glad I ride a twin. These motors are all super peaky, needing huge revs to get anything exciting out of them at all. Not useful for the type of riding I do. For that matter, my DS1000 looks beter than the 848 for anything below 7000 or so - what a wonky torque curve. At 75 mph and up the 848 would rock, but that is a small fraction of my riding, sadly.

2) Once again, the Suzuki gets knocked for having an "unexciting" power delivery. What that means in translation is the the Gixxer makes very linear power, walking all over the other Japanese bikes in the midrange. The R6 by comparison has an awful concave torque curve, but "feels" exciting because at high revs it darts up to reasonable trorque levels, to find the Gixxer there patiently waiting for it - except it never actually gets there - the Gixxer is always looking down on it, until at 14,500 the R6 makes an itty bitty little bump of extra oomph that is about 300 rpm wide. By virtue of that anomoly it garners "highest hp" honours? What a crock. The Gixxer engine is the best of these four by any objective measure. Not even close, really.

Cynicism is what passes for insight among the mediocre - Joe Klein

Chaos
Registered Member

Date Joined Aug 2007
Total Posts : 989

Posted 5/20/2008 7:24 AM (GMT -8)

Hmm... I was convinced the gixxer won by placing second in both categories. I see the error of my ways. Thanks YellowDuck.

Desmolicious
Registered Member

Date Joined Aug 2004
Total Posts : 4618

Posted 5/20/2008 5:31 PM (GMT 0)

Last year the CBR was offered in a pearl white/silver paint job. I thought it was stunning and it sold out quickly at all the shops I visited. The other colours were much slower to move. But for some reason Honda discontinued that colour this year!
Does not make much business sense to me.

Børk! Børk! Børk!

GAJ
Registered Member

Date Joined Jul 2007
Total Posts : 4763

Posted 5/20/2008 10:07 AM (GMT -8)

Truly an outstanding job, though I'm miffed that your test was "open to the public" but I had no idea; I live 30 minutes from the track...post something next time here, puleeeeezzzzzeee.

As to the winner? It's obvious, the one that elicited the BEST quote of the whole writeup:

"Oh, and you don't have to be built like a 12-year-old boy

to fit comfortably on it either."

Great quote, great job; very entertaining and thorough.

Also convinces me that none of these are really my cupa tea as a street rider.

flickmeister
Registered Member

Date Joined May 2004
Total Posts : 1021

Posted 5/20/2008 11:45 AM (GMT -8)

Excellent write up. You guys covered it all and did a great job of telling us about it. As far as I'm concerned, your Literbike comparo was far better than your competition over at Motorcycle.com. Kevin, view that as a challenge for your Supersport shootout. The ante has been upped by your ex, time to step up, kick some ass, and get even. Nice job MCUSA. Cheers, Jack

ccrider
Registered Member

Date Joined May 2006
Total Posts : 18

Posted 5/20/2008 4:27 PM (GMT -8)

I would also be interested in hearing from some of the testers where they think the GSXR 750 would place in the shoot out. Seems strange to let an 848cc bike in & leave out the gixxer. nono

Dr. Bombay
Registered Member

Date Joined Oct 2004
Total Posts : 1328

Posted 5/20/2008 6:39 PM (GMT -8)

Well, the 848 and the GSX-R aren't really middleweights. Methinks Ducati is playing a little fast and loose here. Nevermind, though. I'm glad they make the 848 and, of course, the Gixxer. We could use more bikes that aren't restricted by arbitrary racing limits.

fly2low
Registered Member

Date Joined Jan 2007
Total Posts : 56

Posted 5/20/2008 10:19 PM (GMT -8)

The ranking is purposely made ambiguous. Otherwise, they won't get a hand on any of these bikes again. I could imagine that the writer types this article with 6 guns pulled on his head.

Nobody wants to be a loser .... if any.

All of these bikes are great. I'd say, unless you are a competitive race, pick a bike that makes you happy ridden at 3/10-7/10 of its capacity.

For me, it is the Triumph and I voted using my checkbook :).

Post Edited (fly2low) : 5/21/2008 6:29:02 AM GMT

NinjaForLife
Registered Member

Date Joined Dec 2006
Total Posts : 31

Posted 5/20/2008 11:19 PM (GMT -8)

Damn, this model ZX-6R does not seem up to par in stock trim. I'm sure with the right mods it would open up (as it did when it won the 2007 AMA Supersport Championship).

Still, I wouldn't take ANY of these bikes over my tasetfully modded 636 ;)

Btw, great article, but at times it seemed you were talking a circles. It was a bit long and stretched out, but very informative, nonetheless. Thanks.

Jay Mack
Registered Member

Date Joined Sep 2003
Total Posts : 491

Posted 5/21/2008 6:00 PM (GMT -8)

I had a 600 Ninja many years ago, it was kind of fun to ride, though it was small. But I don't think a 600 would have enough oomph for me anymore.

636ADAM
Registered Member

Date Joined Mar 2005
Total Posts : 1946

Posted 5/21/2008 7:32 PM (GMT -8)

Good Job MCUSA. I sure do want to ride a 848 and a 675. What a awsome thing to see Suzuki kicking it up to almost 110 hp in stock trim, Yamaha also. I do have to agree about the looks of the ZX6R, almost Anime'ish. Very cool. I lust after those wheels and I dont even have a green bike. But I would use them in a second.
How much faster is the New GSXR 750 Compared to the 848?
Jay Mack, I think my ''600'' would suprise you. And make you devil

smile. The new 600s are all about oomph in comparision to the older ones also. But I agree with you. I would like to feel the power of the liter bike class. I just see no reason to not see the forest because of the trees.

I think it should be noted if it wasnt already. IDK.

On the superpole test there was less than was only about 1 sesond of devation in the riders times. This says two things to me. That all of these bikes are so good at what they do it comes down to the rider. Thats it lol

Seriously why didn't the shocked

848

Kick booty on that test if its soo uncomparable? smilewinkgrin

Don't look at me!

Adam

Post Edited (636ADAM) : 5/22/2008 3:45:37 AM GMT

Nodian
Registered Member

Date Joined May 2008
Total Posts : 18

Posted 5/21/2008 8:54 PM (GMT -8)

I always get a kick out of reading these 600 supersport reviews. As if 2 or 3 HP make a whole lotta difference or 10 lbs of weight. It really doesn’t make a difference on the street of even a track day. If you race the bike it still won't make a difference either because you would give it the mods it needs to make the same power as everyone else and do what it takes so it weighs the same. I guess that means if your bike is just a fraction slower and heavier you will have to spend a little more in that department. But again it may have a better clutch so you can save $$$ there.

Either way we as consumers of these machines should be concerned about benefits and features that really matter, for example why don’t these bikes have a warranty that lasts longer than 12 months? Why don’t they have a tire pressure monitoring gage/indicator? Why not have bikes with easy access to all of its common maintenance chores?

These would be some of the features on a new 600 that would motivate me to part with nearly $10K for a new 600. Otherwise, I’ll keep doing what I did the last time I wanted a sport bike, buy a 2yr. old “out dated” bike and save thousands of $$$ but still have 99.8% of the performance of a new one.

HP is a marketing tool, sure it is important but when the competition is this close I need more than 0.8 more HP to differentiate one bike from the next. I understand HP wasn’t the only thing compared here. Chassis, brakes, suspension etc were also covered. But the same goes for those areas. The competition is too close; they all handle great and stop well.

Give us something really new and meaningful for motivation to buy a new sport bike!

fly2low
Registered Member

Date Joined Jan 2007
Total Posts : 56

Posted 5/22/2008 12:00 AM (GMT -8)

Nodian:

I agree that we should just pay money to Jenny Craig if we want to shed an extra 10lbs. However, it is also a matter of philosophy of less is more like what Collin Chapman said.

As a note Triumph has 2 years/unlimited mileage warranty.

Not as an attack nor a flame, but you actually negate your own logic:

On one hand, you said there is a reason why these bikes only have 1 year of warranty. That implies that they are not durable.

On the other hand, you said that you'd rather get a 2 year old out-of-warranty bike that still has "99.8%" of the performance. This implies that these bikes are then durable and thence a good buy.

636Adam and Ninjaforlife:

They stopped making the real Ninja since they stopped making the 636 :) jk. It is a great bike.

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