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Street-legal Superbikes Go At It On The Road (Motorcycle-usa.com)
Model(s) covered: 2004 Honda CBR 1000RR Fireblade, 2004 Suzuki GSX-R 1000, 2004 Yamaha YZF-R1, 2004 Kawasaki ZX-10R
Although 600cc supersport machines continue to be the sales leader among sporting streetbikes, 2004 is undoubtedly the year of the Literbikes. Three exciting fresh-sheet designs have emerged this year to rival the class overlord Suzuki GSX-R1000.
But lest you imagine yourself ready for these Superbikes, we'd like to remind you that the least powerful in this musclebound quartet produces 148 horsepower at the rear wheel.
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Model(s) covered: 2004 Honda CBR 1000RR Fireblade, 2004 Suzuki GSX-R 1000, 2004 Yamaha YZF-R1, 2004 Kawasaki ZX-10R
We're surprised at the small percentage of sportbike riders who have never set tire on a racetrack. Not only is it the only place the limits of a contemporary sportbike can be approached, but it's also the most fun a rider can have with his or her leathers on. (Click here to see what you're missing.)
With this in mind, we reconvened with the truly awesome quartet of new 1000cc sportbikes at Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca for some full-throttle action unimpeded by Buicks or Johnny Law.
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Model(s) covered: 2004 Yamaha YZF-R1
My journalism instructor isn't gonna like this article. He used to chastise his students against using exclamation points, but I'm finding it impossible to describe Yamaha's new R1 without using them. Sorry, Donald.
I've never been on such an exciting ride in my seven years in motojournalism! The 850cc Muzzy Raptor was kinda fun, and the 2-stroke Bimota Vdue provided oil-burning excitement. I was nearly overwhelmed by the brute force of the GSX-R1000, and I was enthralled by the new CBR1000RR I rode last month.
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Model(s) covered: 2004 Yamaha YZF-R1
If you were blindfolded and the new Yamaha R1 engine fired up next to you, I doubt it would be possible to guess what sort of bike it was. Assuming that is that you hadn't heard one already. It is obviously a big four cylinder, but my feeling is your first guess would be a heavily breathed on race bike, with a very quiet pipe.
The way the new R1 snarls and growls as you blip the throttle off idle is darn right evil. Reminding me immediately of an old GS1150 drag bike that lived at the shop I used to work at, I have never heard a stock Japanese bike that sounds so feral.
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Model(s) covered: 2004 Ducati 999, 2004 Honda CBR 1000RR Fireblade, 2004 Triumph Daytona 955i, 2004 Suzuki GSX-R 1000, 2004 Aprilia RSV Mille, 2004 Honda VTR 1000 SP2, 2004 Yamaha YZF-R1, 2004 Kawasaki ZX-10R
It was a dream date really, an invite to participate in a shootout with Motorcycle.com. The use of eight open class motorcycles representing the finest that motorcycling has to offer, in terms of power to weight, ridden on some of the most spectacularly twisty roads in the universe and topped off at a technical track that demanded respect. Looking back, I don't think I've ever spent two days so worried for my life and some of the lives of the riders around me. The problem was, not only do you have to bring your best game (and riders) to an event like this, you also have to bring 100% concentration too or things can turn ugly in a second.
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