BIKE HACKING SECRETS THE BEST BITS OF 2017 UNLOCK YOUR RIDE’S HIDDEN POTENTIAL
ROADS, TRACKS, KIT AND BIKES RATED
JANUARY 2018 ISSUE 335
TRACK BUY NOW, PL AY LATER PLUS…
CAN SMALL CAPACITY EQUAL BIG FUN? KNOW YOUR BRAKE LINES BMW K1200S BUYER’S GUIDE RACING RULES: MAKE OR BREAK PROJECT TZR GRAND FINALE ROCKET RON INTERVIEW
S E D A G E N E R O RETR
ES IT STILL RULE? OLD SCHOOL’S COOL, BUT DO
ISSUE 335 JANUARY 2018 8
GET IT FIRST!
Subscribe .........................................8 You get the mag first, at a bargain price, straight through your letterbox. You know it makes sense!
GEARED UP!
Products.......................................... 16 All the best gear you could ever want!
IT’S THE NEWS!
Upfront............................................ 10 More of 2018 falls into place!
THE KNOWLEDGE
Used Buyer’s Guide......................... 70 BMW’s K1200S goes under the spotlight.
MASTERCLASS
Riding .............................................. 76 You’ve got to look right to ride right.
Legal ................................................ 79 Our legal lovely talks parking.
Know Your Brake Lines...................90
30 BOOTHY GIVES US THE TRACK HACK LOWDOWN!
Who knew the right hoses could make such a difference?
TESTS
YOUR LIFE ON BIKES
We go all hipster on the best modern retros.
Chatter ............................................80
Retro Renegades ............................20
The best readers in the world get a spread of their own – because you’re worth it!
Track Toys .......................................30
OUR LIFE ON BIKES
FEATURES
Charlie’s grand finale. They think it’s all over...
What we loved during the last 12 months.
Project TZR ......................................82
Need a new trackday bike? Step this way...
Best of 2017!...................................42
Project Moto3 .................................88
How low can you go .......................50
Staff Bikes.......................................92
Ten with...Ron Haslam....................55
Another month, another step onwards
Thrills, no spills and a weepy farewell or two with our trusty half dozen. •
Honda Fireblade SP • Kawasaki ZX-10RR • Aprilia RSV4 RF
•
KTM 390 Duke • KTM 1290 Superduke R • Triumph Street Triple RS
Pit pass............................................98 All the very finest goss from straight outta the paddock!
COLUMNISTS
Taylor Mackenzie...........................111 He’s off to the job centre!
Gary Johnson ................................ 112 Our man talks Macau...
Chaz Davies .................................. 113 Finishes the season on a high!
Steve Parrish................................. 114 And his take on the last rounds! Oh, and anyone for crayfish?
BUY
GEAR
FASTBIKESMAG.COM 4 JANUARY 2018 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM
We catch up with the legend himself!
Mapping ..........................................62 Extracting more greatness from your bike.
50
PRETTY BOY’S FOUND A BIKE THAT FITS HIM AT LAST.
56
PANIGALE FUELLED BY PASSION... AND CASH.
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Small bikes don’t have to be boring, do they?
WELCOME
Looks aren’t everything
I
’m told I’ll hit puberty one day, but in the meantime thank God for fake moustaches. Without one I would never have made the cut for this month’s ‘enlightening’ retro test, where Boothy, Fagan and myself got dressed up in some purportedly fashionable garments and did our best to ride like respectable gentlemen for at least 32 minutes. The retro scene is a massive one, which appears to be getting bigger with the arrival of every new day. So fearing that we were missing some enormous trick, we got stuck in, Fast Bikes-stylee, and put BMW’s classy-looking R nineT Racer and Yamaha’s ‘wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing’ XSR900 to the test. As highlights go, that experience will take some beating, and not just because Fagan got chatted up by a bloke wearing severed (as in, he’d chopped the wires off) earphones. As funny as that scene was, it was a mere blip of hilarity, when paired up against the joys of blitzing around with open face lids, casually catching flies in our teeth and being choked by our ever tightening helmet straps. I tell you, those hipster folks certainly don’t have it easy, and that’s without factoring in the hard decisions they have to make on a daily basis regarding beard oil and flat cap options. Naturally, I felt much more comfortable on Boothy’s track toys test, where we rinsed a load of really cool sportsbikes around Cadwell Park circuit. It made for an interesting test on four very different machines, with the end goal being to sample the sheer variety of track weapons out there on the market. Whatever your age, riding competence or wallet size, there’s a bike out there for you, and hopefully this test will help you make the right call on what to buy, and what you need to know before parting with your dollar. The main thing to remember is that you do need a track bike in your garage… even if the better half claims otherwise. Did you make it to the NEC? It was great to see 2018’s new bikes in the flesh, and check out all the new riding kit that’s set to stock shelves. But more importantly, it was great to meet some of you guys who took the time to swing by our stand and give us your take on the mag. Lastly, I just wanted to thank you all for your continued support. I’ve been in this job a year now and it’s been even more awesome than I’d hoped. Of course, the real challenge is to make sure next year’s even more awesome, so get sending your ideas in. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
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BOSS MAN
‘Dangerous’ Bruce Wilson dangerous@fastbikes.co.uk
WEB MAN
Benjamin ‘BJ’ Kubas Cronin beej@fastbikes.co.uk
FAST MAN
Alastair ‘A-Force’ Fagan fit@fastbikes.co.uk
AD MAN
Charlie ‘The Sheriff’ Oakman coakman@fastbikes.co.uk
NEW MAN
Carl ‘Pretty Boy’ Stevens teaboy@fastbikes.co.uk
RACE MAN
Mike ‘Boothy’ Booth
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, NEW S & REV IEW S PLA NET FAST BIKES – NEW ME TAL
WELSH ROAD RACE SET FOR 2018 RETURN! T
he Welsh Road Race will return to the historic Eppynt circuit in 2018 and is intended to be the biggest road race on mainland UK tarmac in the last 50 years. The race will be held on a ballsy 5.25 mile circuit in remote rolling countryside, complemented by designated viewing areas, purpose built grandstands, plus catering and retail facilities over a two-day racing period. It is hoped that the race can eventually be expanded into a five-day festival, supported by the establishment of a road race academy for young and old racers alike. The first event will take place on the 4th and 5th of August 2018 featuring the following classes: Ultra Lightweight – 125cc to 250cc, Lightweight Supertwin – 650cc, Welsh RR Zero – Electric, Supersport – 600cc and Superstock – 1000cc. Each class will have a cap of 40 entrants, with two riders setting off at ten second intervals – the finishing time will then produce the eventual winners for each class with the Superstock winning rider receiving the original and historic trophy. With around 150 marshals, a mobile doctor, ambulance crew, trained first aid
personnel and rapid response teams the Road Race of the Mainland really means business, alongside being in talks with North One Television for a live showing. Health and safety and rider liaison director Steve Plater said: “When I was asked if I wanted to be involved the first thing I did was jump on the bike and rode all the way down from the North West 200 to check it out! The track is in really good order with incredibly good tarmac and barely any furniture whatsoever (like houses, lampposts, cat’s eyes or drains). Because the track isn't the widest, we straight away opted for a time trial format as we felt it would permit the safest and closest racing. “Although it’s only 5.25 miles long, the layout is incredibly technical and has a load of crests, jumps and blind corners, which means learning it won’t be easy, but the viewing areas will be absolutely mega. This has all come from the passion side of the sport and I can’t wait to get stuck in and do my bit to help make this dream a reality!” ■ For more information on tickets, entries and everything else, visit www.welshroadrace.com
10 JANUARY 2018 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM
UPFRONT
ELECTRONIC SUSPENSION FOR KAWASAKI ZX-10R In addition to Kawasaki’s ZX-10R and the more track focused ZX-10RR, the company is now offering the ZX-10R SE, which is its first supersport motorcycle equipped with Kawasaki Electronic Control Suspension units front and rear. Having won a third consecutive World Superbike title in the hands
of Jonathan Rea, it’s fair to say that the ZX-10R range is already a very capable family of motorcycles, but the introduction of electronically adjusted units is likely to move the goalposts even further. The SE has been equipped with Showa Balance Free Front Forks and a Showa BFRC Lite Shock, which are actually of the same
construction as the Kawasaki WSBK spec machines so come laden with the very latest technology. This includes stroke sensors and adjustment solenoids which are built into the suspension units, making the system both discreet and incredibly efficient. By drawing information from these sensors and from the ECU, there is a fast response time with the information
update speed being measured in milliseconds and the suspension adjustment coming along almost instantaneously, whether you’re in road or track mode. It’s not just the suspension that sets the SE apart though, as it also comes with specially cast Marchesini sevenspoke forged alloy wheels, a snazzy matt black colour scheme plus a blipper and shifter package. All of this could be yours for the sizeable sum of £18,949, with the model expected to reach your local dealership by March 2018.
DUNLOP GETS SMART WITH NEW TT TYRES Dunlop will launch the fourth instalment in their hypersport range with the brand new SportSmart TT, and by the sounds of it you guys are going to love it… Developed to meet the needs of “riders with the very latest sports bikes and performance roadsters”, you’ll be able to ride them to a trackday, spank ‘em beyond belief and ride home – or that’s the idea as Dunlop are looking to make a comeback in the extreme track/road combination segment of the market which they last competed in with the Qualifier RR over a decade ago. There’s not a massive amount of info as far as tech goes just yet, although Dunlop have said that they’ve updated their NTEC construction to NTEC RT for a better footprint and thus better grip, which will go hand in hand with a new race compound. They’ve also told us that the SportSmart TT uses FIM Endurance World Championship technology, so it’s fair to say the brand really mean business as this will be the fourth hypersport release in the last ten months. Prices are yet to be confirmed but you can expect them on a tyre rack near you in March 2018. JANUARY 2018 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM 11
, NEW S & REV IEW S PLA NET FAST BIKES – NEW ME TAL
PRICES REVEALED FOR KAWASAKI H2 TOURERS Whether you love them or hate them, Kawasaki have finally announced the pricing for their Supercharged H2 SX/SE touring machines, which will both be in dealerships from February 2018. The standard 200hp Supercharged Ninja H2 SX will be available for £15,099, while the Ninja H2 SX SE which comes with colour TFT instruments, LED cornering lights, quick-shifter and launch control will set you back £18,099.
SUZUKI GSX-R DUO BA ACK IN...
WHITE?
...AND THERE’S A FRESH LOOK FOR THE GSX-S FAMILY TOO
12 JANUARY 2018 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM
Ha aving hit the ground running at the be eginning of 2017, Suzuki have given their GSX-R1000 range a brand new brright white paint scheme option, alo ongside a stealthy black take on their MotoGP GSX-RR livery. The GSX-R has had a successful year taking both the MotoAmerica and Au ustralian Superbike titles, alongside the Senior TT win and a heap of other Na ational race wins all over the world. It w will cost you £13,599 for the GS SX-R1000 and £16,099 for the GS SX-R1000R that comes equipped wiith an inertial measurement un nit-controlled traction control system wiith 10 settings, cornering ABS, launch co ontrol, a quickshifter and auto-blipper alo ongside Showa’s race-proven ba alance free suspension.
It’s not just GSX-R1000s that are getting a snazzy colour update for 2018 from Suzuki, as the GSX-S1000FZ and GSX-S1000 get some new clothes for next year too, including the Phantom treatment with its stealthy black livery and red detailing. Using the much loved GSX-R1000 K5 engine, the GSX-S1000FZ Phantom will come with a three-stage traction control system,
Suzuki’s low rpm assist and the easy-start system – not forgetting the power increase which gives you 147hp, made more manageable by a new slipper clutch system. The GSX-S1000 super-naked is also available in a white paint scheme, and both available in dealerships early next year.