Fast Bikes Magazine October 2024 issue **FREE 20 PAGE PREVIEW!**

HEAVYWEIGHT HUSTLER

GET ON TRACK TOP TIPS AND ADVICE TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TRACK TIME

PART 3

GOING ALL-OUT TO HUNT DOWN A LAP RECORD AT CADWELL ON SUZUKI’S GSX-8R

OC T ISS OBE UE R 2 420 02 4

EXPLORING THE VIRTUES OF BMW’S DO-IT-ALL R1250GSA

PROJECT 37:

2004 CBR1000RR

2024 CBR1000RR-R SP

BLADE ONBLADE E

JUST HOW FAR HAS HONDA’S FIREBLADE ADVANCED IN 20 YEAR RS? RACING LEGEND MICHAEL RUTTER GIVES HIS VERDICT…

YAMAHA MT-09SP CHECKING OUT YAMAHA’S NAUGHTIEST SUB-LITRE NAKED EVER…

ISSUE 420 OCTOBER 2024

32

70

TESTS

COLUMNISTS

We rope in racing legend Michael Rutter to give us his take on how far the Fireblade’s advanced in 20 years.

There’s a life outside of racing, according to Iddon, and he quite likes it.

Blade on Blade ................................ 16

Heavyweight hustler ......................32 It’s the least sporting-looking bike on the market, but here’s why you shouldn’t ignore BMW’s R1250 GSA.

Next-level naked.............................38 Yamaha keeps upping its game on the naked scene, thanks to models like its newly unleashed MT-09SP.

Used Bike Guide..............................54 Who remembers Ducati’s Streetfighter 848?

We do, and we are raving about it.

Project 37: Part 3 ............................60

It’s the final countdown for Timmy as he tries to take a lap record on Suzuki’s GSX-8R.

BUY

Christian Iddon ...............................96 Steve Parrish...................................98 More madness and wisdom from the man they call Parrish.

FEATURES

Get on track .................................... 70

Want a few pointers to help you get the most from your trackday? Joe’s on hand with his knowledge and skills.

Long-termer Kawasaki ZX-6R.........84 Johnny’s been out and about with his supersport sensation, clocking big miles and pushing it on track.

Alternatively, scan the QR code on this page and order your next copy today. We will send it directly to you!

To pre-order your next issue of Fast Bikes, head to classicmagazines. co.uk/pre-order-fb

GEAR

FASTBIKESMAG.COM

16

OCTOBER 2024 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM 5

WELCOME

Test of time

I

t’s mad to think that by the time you read this, we’ll be into the third quarter of the year… where the hell does the time go? I swear it was only Christmas last week. That said, it’s been an absolute blinder of a season so far, with lots of launches, lots of tests, and lots of two-wheeled adventures punctuating my daily shenanigans. We’ve actually just wrapped up an epic five-bike test on 1990s and 2000s icons only yesterday, which took place in 34-degree heat over a few days at Cadwell Park. We couldn’t have asked for better conditions, a better circuit, or a better line up of bikes, either. Forgive me for teasing you with this, as the big test won’t be in print for another couple of issues,

but getting back onto bikes of that era was really profound and has been consuming my mind these past 48 hours.

If anything, it hammered home how special that era was, with such varied and unique propositions… no two bikes were even slightly similar in style, performance or handling characteristics, whereas in today’s world, it seems like the spec and competence of most machines is that chunk more similar. And don’t even get me started on how much easier it is to throw around a modern, more lithe and technologically friendlier motorcycle. It’s mad to think that a litre bike of today has almost twice the power of a ZX-7R (at the rear wheel) yet can so more slick and effortless to push harder. I’m grateful of that, undoubtedly, having earned the blisters these past few days, battling enough with stopping bikes, let alone

blasting them out of bends. Still, it’s all part of the fun, and a trip down memory lane never does anyone much harm. I think Michael Rutter felt the same while putting together this issue’s cover test, tooled up with the 2004 Honda Fireblade he raced at BSB back in the day, alongside the latest and greatest version of CBR1000RR-R SP. He too had his eyes opened, as you’ll soon grasp, and understandably so… time and tech stand still for no man (or woman). The question is, just how much more advanced will bikes be in the next 20 years? How much more powerful? How much lighter? How much more sophisticated? Who knows, but if the past few decades of innovation are anything to go by, we are in for a treat.

Enjoy the mag,

View Fast Bikes video content:

Join us on Facebook:

Join us on Twitter:

@FastBikesMag

Facebook.com/ FastBikesMagazine

Download Fast Bikes:

Mortons.co.uk/FB

youtube.com/ fastbikesmag

nd epic wheelie puller BOSSY MAN

OLD MAN

SEASONED SCRIBE

bwilson@mortons.co.uk

gramps@fastbikes.co.uk

...and epic wheelie puller

FA ST MAN

BSB SU PER S TA R

RACING PUNDIT

tneave@mortons.co.uk

...and Britain’s best builder

...and pro at pranks

LEGAL LORE

RACER TRAINER

SUPERSTOCK CHAMP

‘Dangerous’ Bruce Wilson

Christian Iddon

Tim Neave

Gavin Grewal

Brad Howell

...and hardcore off-roader

SUBSCRIBE! 6 OCTOBER 2024 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM

John McAvoy

… and proper food and fitness guru

See page 8 for the best deals, or visit classicmagazines.co.uk/ subscription/FB/fast-bikes

Alan Dowds

Steve Parrish

Tom Neave

...and combine king

OCTOBER 2024 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM 7

JOIN OUR MOTORCYCLING COMMUNITY

Some things are better left behind, but Fast Bikes isn’t one of them... trust us. For a start, we’d miss you, but it’d also mean you’d miss out on a whole

load of news, reviews, tech, talks and insight into pioneering protagonists. Just think about the road trips, the project bike builds – and all the excuses we throw in with them. We want you on this ride, and we want your stories, your input and guidance, so don’t be a stranger! Check

out the cracking deals we’ve got here and let’s get you settled into another season of the good stuff from the UK’s leading sportsbike magazine.

BRUCE WILSON, EDITOR

Call 01507 529529 and quote FBDPS

Online: www.classicmagazines.co.uk/FBDPS

or scan the QR code to go straight to our secure online store

E B I R C S B U S Y A TOD CHOOSE WHICH FAST BIKES SUBSCRIPTION SUITS YOU BEST 1:

12 print issues for £48 Direct Debit 12 print issues for £52 credit/debit card 2:

BEST VALUE

12-MONTH SUBSCRIPTION

SAVE £15

SIX-MONTH SUBSCRIPTION

6 print issues for £25 Direct Debit 6 print issues for £27 credit/debit card

SAVE £6.50

WHAT OUR READERS SAY ABOUT FAST BIKES

Great mag for anyone interested in sporty road bikes, racing and trackdays!

A great magazine with a good mix of related topics.

A fab magazine with great articles and humour!

GRAHAM SALEM

BRUCE BENEDICKTER

CHRIS ROLLINGS

WHY YOU SHOULD READ FAST BIKES EVERY MONTH

>> Fast Bikes delivered straight to your door. >> Saves £££s from buying them in the shops. >> Subscriber exclusive offers and competitions. >> Delivered before it arrives in the shops. >> Be part of the classic motorcycle community.

TERMS & CONDITIONS: Rates are based on UK orders only – for overseas please visit www.classicmagazines.co.uk/fb-overseas. Subscriptions will start with the next available issue.

Offer closes 01/10/24. Direct Debit payments will continue at the price you paid, on this offer, at these intervals thereafter unless you tell us otherwise. Full terms and conditions can be found at www.classicmagazines.co.uk/terms. Quoted savings are based on a direct debit subscription when compared to the same number of issues at full printed price.

WORDS< SIR ALAN OF DO

PLA NET FAST BIKES – NEW ME TAL

WDS

, NEW S & REV IEW S

EVOLUTION OF THE SPECIES

2025 DUCATI PANIGALE V4

‘Convergent evolution’ is a very well-established part of biology. It basically says that totally different species can end up with similar body structures simply because they work best that way. As an example, a dolphin has a similar shape to a fish – long and smooth to let the water flow past as they swim, and big flat fins to control movement. But the cetacean started out 50 million years ago as a land mammal with legs; evolution for a life in water meant that those legs gradually changed into flippers and the body got more streamlined.

There are parallels with product design, too. Almost every smartphone on sale now is a large, flat, black rectangle, whether it’s made by Apple, Samsung, Sony or Google. That design lets you have a big touchscreen in a pocketable package with a decent battery life.

And many modern family cars share a similar look nowadays, crafted by the strict demands for maximum internal space, aerodynamics, fuel economy and crash protection.

Bikes aren’t quite as homogenous as water creatures,

10 OCTOBER 2024

cars or smartphones – yet. There are still bumps, wrinkles and oddities, which might not add to performance but are valuable for the manufacturer in other ways, like styling, heritage or marketing.

Ducati’s single-sided swingarm is one of those oddities. On the face of it, it’s a disadvantage for a performance machine. All other things being equal, a mono-arm has to be heavier, more complex, or made of more exotic materials to match the basic stiffness and strength of a dual-sided arm. Put simply, holding your fast-spinning rear wheel securely and transmitting road forces to the main frame via the suspension is easier with a strong support on both sides.

The performance advantages are – maybe – slightly faster wheel changes in endurance racing or at the TT. But truth is, the single-sider is mainly there for looks, exposing your gigantic forged rear wheel with a phat 200-section Pirelli Super Corsa for all to gaze upon.

And on Ducati’s Panigales, Multistradas, Diavels and Streetfighters, that’s been more

than good enough, especially with the heritage dating back to the legendary 916 superbike.

Until now. Because for 2025, the Bologna firm has decided to dump the one-armed back end for its flagship Panigale V4 superbike in favour of a still-trick, but decidedly dual-sided, swingarm. Dubbed the Ducati Hollow Symmetrical Swingarm, it’s got a super-deep structure with massive cut-outs in each arm, with the aim of reducing mass while giving an optimal mix of lateral and torsional stiffness. It’s a handsome enough piece of kit – though less fancy than a mono-arm – and has been designed to keep the underslung exhaust system of the V4. Ducati also reckons it gives better-handling performance than before, working better at high lean angles (up to 60°), and is of course lighter, at 2.7kg less than the old arm.

The swingarm is the most obvious change for 2025, but it’s not the only one on the V4, which was unveiled at World Ducati Week last month. The theme seems to be evolution not revolution, with incremental improvements across

Keep an eye on our online channels – Facebook, Twitter, and the Fast Bikes website (www.fastbikesmag.com) – for news as it happens.

2025 DUCATI PANIGALE V4 TECH HIGHLIGHTS

the bike, rather than wholesale redesign. The frame has been tweaked, with less mass, and the bodywork and aerodynamics are also updated with a new Biplane wing design for more stability and handling improvements at speed, while reducing drag. There’s been a levelling-up of chassis componentry, as well; Öhlins has broken out the third generation of its semi-active electronic suspension, now dubbed Smart EC3.0, controlling the NPX-30 front fork and TTX36 rear shock. The electronic steering damper is also from the Swedish brand. Brembo debuts its latest flagship roadbike calipers, the asymmetricallydesigned Hypure monoblocs, which replace the Stylema R units, and Ducati’s also given the V4S some new lightweight forged aluminium rims, which weigh in at just 2.95kg front and 4.15kg rear.

All these weight-savers – the swingarm, frame and wheels – adds up to a kerb weight without fuel of 187kg, which is impressive considering the Euro5+ compliance.

Anyone who’s sampled the frankly nuts performance of the 1103cc Desmosedici Stradale motor will probably agree that there’s not too much lacking there.

And the updates to the engine are modest for 202. There’s detail changes to stuff like the oil pump and alternator, both now from the V4R, revised cams and a wider range of movement for the variable intake trumpets. There’s a teeny bit more power – 0.5bhp, which is less than a rounding error in the claimed 216bhp peak output. The big win for Ducati though is that Euro5+ emissions compliance, which is now essential for road bikes and tightens up on emissions as the bike gets older.

There are other mods, including a larger 6.9in TFT LCD dash, a lithium battery on the V4S, updated rider aids, and a new Bosch eCBS braking system with even more track focus.

It’s a beguiling offering, and one that Ducati says is easier than ever to ride fast – very, very fast indeed, we imagine.

The downside is as ever the price: a fiver off £30k.

A bit of a sad day then, as the Ducati Panigale morphs a little closer to the rest of the superbike pack in looks. But with the BMW M1000 RR killing the V4 R in WSBK, and Honda’s Fireblade looking more serious each year, Ducati probably had to converge its evolution a bit more to get back ahead of the pack.

The entry-level Panigale V4 also gets most of the 2025 updates, including the dual-sided swingarm and main frame, engine and electronics mods, new bodywork and Brembo Hypure brake calipers. It has cheaper standard suspension, though – Sachs rear shock and Showa Big Piston forks with a Sachs steering damper. The wheels are also heavier cast five-spokers, and you get a dull old lead/acid battery rather than the flashy lithium unit on the S. The result of all this is a 4kg weight increase, to 191kg kerb mass without fuel, and a cheaper price tag of £24,395.

Panigale V4 S Desmosedici Stradale engine, 1103 cc.

Maximum power of 216bhp@13,500 rpm (209bhp@12,750 rpm for the US market).

Maximum torque of 12.3kgm@11,250 rpm (121.3Nm@11,250rpm for the US market).

Kerb weight without fuel 187kg.

Front-frame chassis.

17-litre aluminium tank.

Ducati Electronic Suspension (DES) 3.0. Öhlins NPX-30 fork with Öhlins Smart EC 3.0 control system. Öhlins TTX 36 shock absorber with Öhlins Smart EC 3.0 control system. Öhlins steering damper with Öhlins Smart EC 3.0 control system.

Forged aluminium wheels.

Lithium-ion battery.

Braking system with Brembo Hypure monobloc callipers.

Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa V4 tyres with 200/60 rear.

Wings with biplane configuration and integrated design.

Latest-generation electronic package with six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (6D IMU): Race eCBS with cornering functionality; Ducati Traction Control (DTC) DVO; Ducati Slide Control (DSC); Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) DVO; Ducati Power Launch (DPL) DVO; Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) 2.0; Engine Brake Control (EBC), Ducati Vehicle Observer (DVO).

Buttons for quickly changing levels.

Massive new 6.9in full-TFT dashboard with 8:3 aspect ratio.

Riding modes (race A, race B, sport, road, wet).

Full-LED headlights with DRL and turn signals integrated into the headlight.

Single-seat configuration (passenger kit accessory).

Ready for Ducati Data Logger (DDL) and Ducati Multimedia System (DMS).

Ducati Red with Urban Grey frame, black rims and matt black front mudguard.

Panigale V4 Same as the Panigale V4 S, except: Kerb weight without fuel 191kg.

43mm Showa Big Piston Fork (BPF), fully adjustable.

Sachs rear monoshock, fully adjustable.

Sachs steering damper.

Five-spoke light alloy wheels.

Lead-acid battery.

Ducati Red with Urban Grey frame and black rims.

OCTOBER 2024 11

PLANE T FAST BIKES – NEW METAL

, NEWS & REVIEW S

LAST ORDERS FOR THE ITALIAN STALLION IN SUPERSPORT

DUCATI FINAL EDITION PANIGALE V2 SUPERQUADRO The supersport sector used to be so simple. Four Japanese 599cc inline-four sportsbikes duking it out, plus the Ducati 748 throwing out the occasional conrod at the back while looking utterly gorgeous. Then we got Triumph 675 triples and MV Agusta F3s, and everyone stopped buying CBR600RRs and R6s. The race class is now a wild-eyed smorgasbord of 15-year-old GSX-R750s, 636 Ninjas, new CBRs, Moto2-lite Triumphs and anything else you can squeeze past the tech regs rulebook.

Ducati’s kept a ‘middleweight’ sportsbike in its range, of course: the 748 became the 749, which was then boosted to an 848, 899, 959, and finally the current V2

12 AUGUST 2024 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM

Panigale, a 955cc beastie with 155bhp, about 60bhp more than the old 748 ever managed. The Bologna firm benefited from having a slightly less insane, cheaper sportsbike offering, between the softer road-sport Supersport models and the full-fat 1099-1299 Panigale V-twins and later V4. For many discerning sports riders, the smaller models were perfect: similar premium looks, design and handling, with less of a mental hammerblow performance and lower costs.

But that’s all come to an end with this, the Final Edition of the Panigale V2. Ducati has released a limited-edition variant of the bike, with just 555 being made, dripping in

trick kit and with a classy paint job. It seems that the Superquadro engine powering the V2 is at the end of its development – a common story these days with the tightening of Euro emissions regs.

The upper-middleweight Duke is going out in style, though. The Final Edition features a full set of Öhlins track-ready suspension: 48mm NIX USD front forks, steering damper and TTX monoshock, as well as Brembo M4.32 brake calipers up front, billet aluminium numbered yokes, 17-litre aluminium fuel tank, carbon fibre front and rear mudguards, swingarm protector, chain guard and clutch covers.

You also get a special rider’s seat, adjustable machined billet rearsets and a custom key, plus a one-off animation on the dash at start-up, race grips and GPS module as standard. There’s a box of track-ready add-ons as well: numberplate bracket

Keep an eye on our online channels – Facebook, Twitter, and the Fast Bikes website (www.fastbikesmag.com) – for news as it happens.

2025 YAMAHA MT-09 Y-AMT Last month we saw Yamaha’s new Y-AMT Automated Manual Transmission technology, and now the tuning fork firm has released details on the first bike to feature the set-up.

There’s little surprise in the choice – the firm’s MT-09 naked roadster will have the automatic gearbox as an option for 2025, alongside a conventional transmission variant. The Y-AMT drops both the gear and clutch levers, replacing them with computerised actuators which operate in either fully-automatic ‘D’ or manual override modes. A paddle switch set-up on the bars lets the rider change up and down in

removal kit, mirror blank-off covers, machined billet fuel cap and a custom bike cover for the garage.

Lots of good stuff, then – but the firm’s tight-lipped on the exact reasons for the end of the motor, as well as what will fill this gap in the line-up. The 955cc motor is also found in the Streetfighter V2... will that model be discontinued too? And is Ducati even planning a new powerplant in this corner of the market? A whole new 150bhp-class V-twin would be a big investment. A small-capacity V4 would be even bigger…

The less powerful Testastretta 11° 950 motor used in the DesertX, Multistrada V2, Supersport 950 and Hypermotard doesn’t really have another 40bhp hidden inside its cases. Perhaps this really is the end of the road for the class, pioneered by Ducati with the gorgeous 748, but now a slightly confused sector with declining sales figures and an unclear future.

manual mode, and there’s a sporty ‘D+’ auto mode as well, which holds the revs a bit higher before shifts for stronger performance.

We’ll be riding the new 2025 MT-09 next month in both standard and Y-AMT format... check back then for more on how the new system rides.

WORLD DUCATI WEEK BREAKS RECORDS Ducati’s biannual World Ducati Week (WDW) gig went off without a hitch again last month, albeit in absolutely baking temperatures at the Misano circuit in Rimini. A record 94,000 visitors turned up from 86 countries to see a slew of Ducati-themed events, including the new 2025 Panigale V4 unveiling and a tense Race of Champions, which saw Pecco Bagnaia set a fastest lap of 1m35.431s on

that new Panigale (and Marc Marquez skittle 2023 WSS champ Nicolo Bulega into the gravel on the final turn of the last lap). The next WDW is in two years’ time – get the Chunnel booked now…

OCTOBER 2024 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM 1

PLANE T FAST BIKES – NEW METAL

, NEWS & REVIEW S

ROYAL ENFIELD GUERRILLA It was only a matter of time before Royal Enfield put the new Sherpa engine from its latest Himalayan 450 mini-adventure machine into another bike. And here it is: the new Royal Enfield Guerrilla. The Indian firm has slipped the water-cooled DOHC 40bhp four-valve single – its most modern engine ever – into a simple, hipster-friendly naked roadster, with a chassis based on Himalayan foundations. There’s a tough steel tube frame, shorter-travel suspension from Showa, ByBre disc brakes and 17in cast wheels in place of the off-road wire-spoked parts on the

Himalayan. All-up weight is 184kg (3kg less than a 216bhp Ducati Panigale V4S…) and it looks like just the job for entry-level urban work, cruising, and even the odd run down a twisty back road.

Enfield has a UK-based development team packed with Harris Performance chassis engineers and ex-BSB racers, so its latest bikes always handle much better than you might expect from the spec. As you’d expect, the Guerrilla is well-priced, starting at £4850 for the basic Analogue model, which comes without the colour TFT LCD dash on the rest of the range.

VMOTO CPX PRO Vmoto might not be a big name in the Fast Bikes world, but it’s been the top-selling electric bike brand in the UK for years thanks to its range of well-priced urban mobility machinery. You’re most likely to have seen its product delivering food or parcels in a city, but many commuters use its bikes to get to work with low running costs. And it’s also got a strong presence in the race paddocks of the world, with sponsorship deals for Ducati in BSB and WSBK. Many of the world’s

14 OCTOBER 2024 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM

best racers spend plenty of time on a Vmoto scooter…

We went to Italy last month for the firm’s annual Pro Day event at Misano and tried out the new CPx Pro scooter. The firm had lined up some 125cc petrol bikes as a comparison, and the batterypowered machinery was actually much nicer to ride than the restricted petrol bikes. The instant torquey grunt and automatic transmission on the CPx was much nicer than the wheezy, asthmatic four-stroke 125s with clunky manual boxes. It makes 11bhp peak power, weighs 143kg, and will hit 65mph, with a 65-mile range. Vmoto is also offering a new battery design for 2025, which charges from empty to 80% in half an hour and uses the faster car-type charger plugs which are becoming universally available.

The CPx Pro costs £4699 with dual battery pack; more info at www.vmoto.com

Keep an eye on our online channels – Facebook, Twitter, and the Fast Bikes website (www.fastbikesmag.com) – for news as it happens.

NORTON UPDATES FOR 2025 – NEW MODELS, NEW GLOBAL NETWORKS It’s been four years since the massive Indian automotive firm TVS took over the Norton brand from its disgraced previous owner. And it’s clear that the job to turn the marque around was a bit bigger than it expected.

Covid-19 and the Ukraine war, with the attendant woes from both of those worldchanging events, obviously had

a massive impact. But cleaning up the mess left for the new owner has also been tough.

Not only did TVS have to build a new factory in Solihull, but it also then had to re-engineer the existing Commando and V4 models to improve the reliability, performance and emissions.

Finally, it spent hundreds of thousands of pounds addressing the problems of legacy owners – Norton buyers who technically were the responsibility of the previous regime, but who TVS wanted to sort out as an act of goodwill.

Things finally seem to be back on track though, and the firm has announced that it will be launching six new bikes over the

KAWASAKI’S H2 H2?

A quick look at electric bike sales in the UK will show you that battery-powered machinery is currently about as popular as a prostate exam from Freddy Krueger. But science says we need to stop putting CO2 in the air – so we need alternative power sources. Kawasaki has been looking at hydrogen combustion engines for a while: it already has experience in actual rocket science, which often uses the lightest element as a fuel, and works in other areas like shipping and heavy industry where it could be useful. In theory, hydrogen looks like a great alternative – it’s simple to adapt a petrol engine to use the flammable gas and it burns without producing carbon dioxide.

And the firm showed its hydrogen-powered development bike at the Suzuka 8-Hour endurance race last month, the first public rolling demo of such a machine in the world. The bike is based on an H2SX, with enormous panniers filled with the high-pressure gas cylinders needed to hold the hydrogen. This is one of the biggest problems with the fuel – you need a lot of voluminous tanks that can stand very high pressure, while resisting the cracking effect that hydrogen has on many metals. You also need to get hydrogen in the first place... you can’t just dig

it out of the ground easily, so it’s either made from fossil fuels (pointless if you’re trying to avoid carbon emissions) or by using solar, wind or nuclear energy to electrolyse water. Problem there is the losses: up to 80% of the energy is wasted making the hydrogen, compressing it, piping it out to a distribution network, then burning it in a combustion engine. Sending the green power out through existing electric wires and charging a battery in a car or bike only wastes about 20% of the energy.

Hydrogen looks like a bit of a dead-end, then (despite the Kawasaki looking pretty sharp around the Suzuki circuit). Mainstream cars won’t be using it, and if they’re not paying for a distribution network, we won’t have one to use for our bikes. Even a visit from Freddy Krueger can’t change the facts here…

next three years, starting from 2025. It’s also setting up a wider sales network in international markets: the USA, Germany, France, Italy and India. There’s no official word on what the new bikes will be, though you’d expect some volume sellers in there – adventure and naked machinery, as well as a new engine platform or two. The existing powerplants have limited future development, especially the air-cooled Commando lumps, and Norton needs to get ahead of current and planned emissions regs, while hitting the performance targets needed for the market.

Expect to see more at the big bike shows this autumn.

FEATURE

16 OCTOBER 2024 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM

BLADE ON BLADE

BLADE ON WORDS: BIG MAC / MICHAEL RUTTER

PICS: CHAPPO

BLADE 2004 VS 2024 HONDA FIREBLADE Just how far has Honda’s Fireblade come in the past 20 years?

We rope in Michael ‘Blade’ Rutter to put us straight.

FEATURE

H

ow can it already be 20 years since Honda shifted the fundamental philosophy of its ground-breaking Fireblade away from a ‘less is more’ road bike to a full-blooded superbike designed to win races first with little or no concessions for road use? Twenty years!

Fireblades between 1992 and 2003 were all sub-litre-sized engines with emphasis on weight and usability on the road rather than being designed with the superbike regulations in mind. Honda had its RC45 to do all its superbike racing for the bulk of that period, but when superbikes were allowed to be up to 1000cc and four cylinders in 2003,

the twin-cylinder SP1’s days were numbered – and the obvious starting point for a new superbike was the Fireblade.

By this stage, purists will say that there had been six generations of Fireblades, but there were really four significant changes to the model before its philosophy and design team changed. Under the leadership of the legend Tadao Baba, the Fireblade grew from 893cc to 919cc to 929cc and finally 954cc, picking up fuel injection along the way and bold chassis evolutions, with the final 954cc version being the lightest of them all, weighing in at 168kg, unimaginable today, for Baba-San to sign off with, his legacy and

BY THIS STAGE, PURISTS WILL SAY THAT THERE HAD BEEN SIX GENERATIONS OF FIREBLADE.

18 OCTOBER 2024 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM

legendary status intact forever.

The new era of rules meant Honda left the past in the past and started with a clean sheet of paper to design a superbike Fireblade, carrying over only the name, and even that got changed. As a mark of respect for Baba and his team, the capital B was dropped from the name – Baba Fireblades are actually FireBlades, where post-Baba Fireblades are Fireblades. A whole new design team was put on the project, and unsurprisingly many of them were from the gang behind the RCV211 V5 MotoGP bike which Valentino Rossi was doing a fair bit of winning on at the time. Soon after, the first 1000cc Fireblade was produced.

I remember vividly when the first pictures came through having a similar moment as when I saw the first pictures of Ducati’s 916.

The Honda was so radical, and not just

BLADE ON BLADE

Right: Friends reunited…

Rutter back on the 2004 Blade.

OCTOBER 2024 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM 19

FEATURE

similar to the MotoGP bike – it was identical.

For me, it was a genuine ‘where were you when…’ moment. In my case, I was actually working at Motorcycle News, so I had a preview of the images before they were published. The atmosphere in the office among all the hard-to-impress hacks was genuinely electric.

By all accounts, it was Rossi’s MotoGP bike, minus the V5 engine and with an inlinefour instead. That was the only way I could describe it to my mates when I got home from work that day. “What? You mean it’s exactly like Rossi’s bike? It can’t be.” My description was met with disbelief “Yes, it’s exactly like it. Just wait until you see the pictures – it is stunning.” And it was.

The resemblance, however, wasn’t just skin deep. Honda released pictures of the

20 OCTOBER 2024

2004 Fireblade without its bodywork, lined up next to the RC211V also without bodywork, and the similarity was striking. If Honda wanted to draw a line between the original Baba Fireblades and the new generation, it did so with the 2004 Fireblade – and then some.

Obviously, it was a brand-new bike without a single component carried over, but more than that, it was a different way of thinking, in terms of not just the engineering, but also – and crucially – the packaging.

Things such as the 34mm longer swingarm was radical thinking at the time as a way to produce more rear grip, yet it is a common approach now. It got an ECU-controlled ram-air box, a cassette gearbox, twin injectors, radial brakes and a fuel tank that sat further back underneath a fake tank cover. And, for a first on any road bike, it received an electronically-controlled steering damper. This sort of stuff had never been seen on road bikes before, and much like how the original Fireblade broke new ground, so did the original 1000cc Fireblade.

A big thing was made of mass-centralising too, whereby as much of the mass was packaged as close to the point of the bike’s centre of gravity, so the layout of the engine was

Above: The 2004 Fireblade was a revolution back in its day.