07-01-2016, 06:43 AM
No reason to requote everyone, essentially this is a response to Papa Weeley's sense of the state of electronic rider aids, as well as Lunatic Fringe's suggestion I don't know how to ride particularly well.
To Papa, I say, I felt exactly the same way you did until I actually purchased a state-of-the-art superbike and put 7,000 miles on it. During that same period I put in a lot of track days on my 2012 GSX-R 750 (that's the latest generation), which is a track-only bike.
The traction control Kawasaki has developed is excellent, and it allows a bike with 205 crankshaft HP (in the EU) to be ridden quite aggressively with a great deal of confidence. Ironically, modern superbikes actually are more fun to ride on the street than on the track; the smaller bikes, like the 600 class supersports, handle better. But the literbikes are big, big fun on the road.
I am not talking top speed, anyone can hold a throttle open. I'm talking that nice drive out of slow or medium-speed turn, combined with good handling and excellent brakes.
I rode for many years in the dirt, with many thumpers and also a CR250R motocross bike with no engine braking to speak of and 50 HP at the crankshaft, in a 205-lb motorcycle. I know what you mean when you talk about having the rear get a bit loose. Tires today don't allow that. The grip is superb. They don't get "greasy" like they did 20 years ago. They just grip and grip until they let go quite suddenly.
This works hand-in-hand with the big HP and traction control of modern literbikes. Some, like the R1/S1000RR/ZX-10R/Panigale/RSV1000, have slide control, allowing some degree of slip angle. With these interventions these bikes would be all but unrideable, most are putting out about 190 HP to the rear wheel in stock form. Who can control that consistently and reliably in a slide? No one, that's why we have the computers.
As far as the other query, I do hold a racing license, and I know how fast I wanna go. As fast as I can: but only on the racetrack.
[attachment=4879]
Interesting article about this.
http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/bikes/ho...continued/
To Papa, I say, I felt exactly the same way you did until I actually purchased a state-of-the-art superbike and put 7,000 miles on it. During that same period I put in a lot of track days on my 2012 GSX-R 750 (that's the latest generation), which is a track-only bike.
The traction control Kawasaki has developed is excellent, and it allows a bike with 205 crankshaft HP (in the EU) to be ridden quite aggressively with a great deal of confidence. Ironically, modern superbikes actually are more fun to ride on the street than on the track; the smaller bikes, like the 600 class supersports, handle better. But the literbikes are big, big fun on the road.
I am not talking top speed, anyone can hold a throttle open. I'm talking that nice drive out of slow or medium-speed turn, combined with good handling and excellent brakes.
I rode for many years in the dirt, with many thumpers and also a CR250R motocross bike with no engine braking to speak of and 50 HP at the crankshaft, in a 205-lb motorcycle. I know what you mean when you talk about having the rear get a bit loose. Tires today don't allow that. The grip is superb. They don't get "greasy" like they did 20 years ago. They just grip and grip until they let go quite suddenly.
This works hand-in-hand with the big HP and traction control of modern literbikes. Some, like the R1/S1000RR/ZX-10R/Panigale/RSV1000, have slide control, allowing some degree of slip angle. With these interventions these bikes would be all but unrideable, most are putting out about 190 HP to the rear wheel in stock form. Who can control that consistently and reliably in a slide? No one, that's why we have the computers.
As far as the other query, I do hold a racing license, and I know how fast I wanna go. As fast as I can: but only on the racetrack.
[attachment=4879]
Interesting article about this.
http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/bikes/ho...continued/