Fast Bikes February 2022 Preview

TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE RR

DOWN AND DIRTY WITH YAMAHA’S NEW ENDURO PA TWORT

FE B ISS RUA UE RY 388 20 22

A WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING

YAMAHA WR250F LAUNCH

ON TRACK AND ON SLICKS WITH THE TOP THREE SPORTSBIKES ON THE MARKET…

RED

T E K C RO V4S DUCATI

THINK U O Y N ET HE JUST W IGALE CAN’T G N THE PA CIER, DUCATI U ANY SA ANTE...

E UPS TH

PLUS

IN 2004 HRC CAME TO BSB, ARMED WITH A TRULY TRICK FIREBLADE…

ZX-6R BUYER’S GUIDE: AFFORDABLE, FAST AND FUN 2022’S NEW METAL TRACK SPEC: BMW S1000RR TOP BIKE TRANSPORTATION TIPS

ISSUE 388 FEBRUARY 2022

THE KNOWLEDGE

68

Used Bike Guide .............................62 If you like your bikes fast, fun, and affordably priced, make sure to check out Kawasaki’s ZX-6R B1H.

Track Craft .....................................84

Want to know the best way to transport your bike to the track? Dean’s got some wise words for you.

YOUR LIFE ON BIKES

You and Yours .................................88 All of your adventures

Chatter ...........................................90 A page dedicated to the best readers in the world…

TESTS

Ducati Panigale V4S ........................ 18 We sent Timmy to Jerez to give Jorge Martin a battering on track… and try out Ducati’s new Panigale V4S.

Ultimate Sports Test Part Two ...... 28 We may not have had the weather, but we sure had blast on the top three sportsbikes on the market.

Yamaha WR250F launch .................44 Looking for a new enduro for some winter fun? Check this out…

Triumph Speed Triple RR ................54

It might look a little unassuming, but don’t be fooled by the RR’s skimpy outfit. It’s an animal, and we love it.

BUY

GEAR

FASTBIKESMAG.COM

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COLUMNISTS Christian Iddon ..............................94 Iddon’s on the hunt for a ride.

Dom Herbertson .............................96 Say hello to our new columnist, road racer and all-round good guy.

Tim Neave .......................................97 Tim’s 2022 season is set to kick off.

Steve Parrish...................................98 Steve’s been out and about… and pestering plenty.

FEATURES

The sharpest Blade ever.................68 One bike was more special than most in the 2004 BSB season. We get to grips with Rutters HRC-spec Fireblade.

Track Spec ...................................... 78 We check out a very saucy BMW S 1000 RR.

44 62

WELCOME

Box fresh

T

here’s only one way to start this piece and that’s by wishing you all a Happy New Year. With a bit of luck 2022 will be the year the world finally gets back to normal, meaning we can ride where we like, when we like… as fast as we like. Okay, that last point might be pushing things a bit, but I for one can’t wait to get stuck in and tick off a load of biking ambitions that’ve fallen by the wayside in recent times. It’s hard to believe that only a year or so ago riding a motorcycle without good reason was a culpable offence, or that trackdays were non-existent, or rationed at best. That you couldn’t meet up with mates for a brew or plan a mega trip around Europe in a bid to dodge the in-laws. I’m not trying to be provocative or political, but more to hammer home the simple pleasures and opportunities that motorcycling creates, Join us on Facebook:

and hope that we get to savour them wholesale again this season. What have you got planned? A new bike? A big trip?

We’re always keen to hear of your shenanigans, and also for your suggestions of what we should be doing in the mag, so get in touch.

On the whole 2021 wasn’t all that bad, and I hope you can say the same. The weather wasn’t always kind, as you’ll be reminded if you read our USB: Part2 feature in a few pages’ time, but we still clocked the miles and smiles at every given chance. On that note, Johnny’s not stopped smiling since getting home from the Triumph Speed Triple RR launch, and having read what he’s had to say about it, I can understand why. We were thrown a few curveballs in 21 and the RR was one of them. There’s been a good amount of new metal unveiled, with plenty more to

cast your eyes over in the ‘Upfront’ news section, but I’m still hopeful of another addition or two into the soiree. Covid’s turned everything on its head, including production timelines, which is why the flow of new bikes has been a little more sporadic than usual. I quite like that; it keeps you guessing. There are plenty of new bikes for us to get our teeth into, but I’ve also got a keen eye on the used bargains that are ripe for picking, such as the ZX-6R B1 in our buyer’s guide. It just goes to remind you that you haven’t always got to spend £20,000 to have fun when it comes to bikes. There are some great used bargains out there, and we’ve got three of them headed your way in next month’s issue. So enjoy this mag and make sure to pre-order the next one, too.

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FEATURE F DOWDS WORDS: SIR ALAN O

NE W S & RE VIE W S PL ANET FAST BIKES – NE W ME TA L,

SHOWTIME! Okay, the Milan and NEC bike shows aren’t as vital as they used to be for new bike reveals, and Covid-19 screwed things up even more in 2021. But there was still a fat sack of hot new metal revealed last month from Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, KTM, Ducati, Triumph, and MV Agusta, among others. Here’s our pick of the finest bikes that have landed for 2022…

SHARPENED BLADE Is it really 30 years since the first FireBlade turned the world of fast bikes (and Fast Bikes) upside down?

It sure is; 2022 marks three decades since Tadao Baba’s vision hit the streets, and while the Blade has been up and down a bit over the years, it’s still one of the most revolutionary sportsbikes ever built.

The 30th anniversary sees a special edition machine from Honda, with paintwork inspired by the original tricolour red/white/blue

paint scheme from 1992. It takes the modern styling and re-interprets it with the brush-stroke design of the first-generation bike – and it looks properly sweet.

The current Blade is one of the best-performing litre superbikes just now, so Honda’s not had to do much to the mighty 214bhp motor and top-spec chassis set-up. But there are some updates across the range for 2022.

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There’s a top-end refresh aimed at beefing up the mid-range drive, with revised intake ports, new airbox, airbox funnels and exhaust mid-section, plus a higher compression ratio, up from 13.2:1 to a heady 13.4:1. There’s

three teeth added to the back sprocket for harder acceleration, while the traction set-up has been fettled for even finer control on the edge of grip.

Enough to top the cheat-y 1100cc V-fours from Italy? Maybe, maybe not; but it should remain near the top of the 999cc pile for sure…

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

2022 YAMAHA R6 RAC E AND GYTR EDITION We’re still a bit grumpy that the YZF-R6 is no longer a road-legal machine. But Yamaha cheered us up with these two super-hot versions for 2022. First up is the standard R6 Race, which now comes with black bodywork and gold forks, and all road kit removed ready for trackdays or race use.

The real sauce comes with this GYTR version, though. Yamaha’s having a bit of a push on its in-house factory race kit brand, and while it’s still not quite got the kudos of a brand like HRC, it’s definitely getting there.

Picking a snappier moniker than Genuine Yamaha Technology Racing might have helped, of course…

Crazy name aside, the GYTR version of the R6 is very tasty indeed. It’s fitted with a heap of GYTR track updates, including a factory ABS emulator to dump the ABS pump, race wiring harness, full Akrapovic titanium exhaust, race fairing, keyless fuel cap, and race rearsets, plus safety kit like brake lever and rear sprocket guards already in place. Best of all, it comes with a programmable Supersport-spec ECU wired in already – it really is a ready-to-go turnkey solution for high-end track riding. Buy one, go directly to Brands Indy or Cadwell, and commence the slaying of the litre superbikes is our advice!

APRILIA TUONO 660 FAC TORY & MOTOAMERIC A RS 660

2022 YAMAHA MT-10 SP

Aprilia’s certainly getting its money’s worth out of the new 660 parallel twin engine, with the Tuareg, Tuono and RS all now hitting the streets. And for 2022, there are a couple more variants. First up is the special MotoAmerica edition RS660, which is a gorgeous piece of work, for sure. It’s to celebrate the firm’s success in the MotoAmerica Twins Cup series, where the RS660 pretty much swept the board as soon as it arrived, taking 10 wins out of 13 races.

Kaleb De Keyrel took the 2021 title on a Robem Engineering RS660, and this special edition celebrates victory with a one-off stars and stripes paint job, single seat, unique larger top fairing and race-shift. Just 1500 will be built, and you’d expect it to be in high demand in the US…

We saw the 2022 Yamaha MT-10 last issue, and enjoyed its 6bhp more peak power and torquier delivery, updated electronics, new colour dashboard and standard up/down quickshifter. And Yamaha’s now dropped the SP version, with all the updates of the standard bike, plus a fancy new semi-active Öhlins suspension set-up. This new system uses ‘spool valve’ damping adjusters, which are claimed to give even faster adjustment and control on the fly. The 2022 MT-10 SP also features a new belly pan and braided steel brake hoses.

Next from Noale is a factory version of the Tuono 660 middleweight supernaked.

It makes 5bhp more than the stock Tuono, now up to 100bhp, and the kerb weight is down 2kg to 18 1kg. The chassis gets a big suspension upgrade, with new 41mm Kayaba USD forks and a Sachs rear shock, both fully adjustable. And the electronics are now proper top-end kit, with six-axis IMU assistance for traction and wheelie control and engine braking, plus a multi-map cornering ABS set-up. Cruise control, up/down shifter, power maps, riding modes, cornering LED headlights – it has the lot.

FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM 11

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

YAMAHA R1 SPECIALS

Valentino Rossi and Toprak Razgatlıoglu get their own trick machines Yamaha’s had an amazing year in racing – sweeping the board in MotoGP, WSB, BSB, MotoAmerica, Japanese Superbike and WSS. And it’s celebrating with a couple of one-off special machines.

The first and sauciest is also the most unobtainable. Yamaha’s made a special one-off R1 for Valentino Rossi to mark his retirement from MotoGP. It’s basically a full factory superbike, rammed with GYTR parts, but without any homologation restrictions – so even more extreme. There are forged Marchesinis, WSBK factory Brembos and Öhlins, carbonfibre bodywork, factory WSBK engine, carbon rear subframe, factory swingarm, adjustable yokes –

you name it, basically.

And just look at it…

Slightly less exotic is this Toprak Razgatlıoglu replica, limited to just 21 bikes worldwide and built by the Crescent Yamaha team in the UK. It’s a track-only machine, with a full WSBK motor making 205bhp at the rear tyre (20bhp more than stock) and weighs under 175kg wet, thanks to a heap of GYTR and Crescent race parts. There’s a WSBK-spec Akrapovic full titanium exhaust and a factory GYTR race ECU, plus top-end Öhlins suspension, factory-spec upper fork clamp and forged Marchesini wheels.

The bike is signed by the Crescent tech who built it, and along with the bike you get a training trackday with Niall Mackenzie or James Hillier, a VIP weekend at a WSBK round of your choice (including time with Toprak), a certificate of authenticity from team boss Paul Denning, and a signed piece of Toprak’s riding kit from the 2021 campaign.

The price for all this sweet sweet swag? A bargain at just £33,000, plus your vodka and tonic. Form an orderly queue online (except don’t, because it will be well sold out by now…).

2022 KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R EVO AND GT A brace of fresh Super Dukes from KTM for 2022 – the new R EVO version and the updated GT sporty naked-tourer. The EVO features a slick new next-generation semi-active suspension set-up; the WP APEX kit now has a cunning automatic pre-load setting, with motorised pre-load adjusters controlled via the suspension ECU. That can be used in manual mode via the TFT dash to adjust the

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pre-load over 10 positions in 2mm steps, but can also be used in a clever automatic levelling mode.

There are three settings – low, standard and high, with varying levels of aggression. The low setting is a low-slung comfort setting, standard is more neutral and balanced, while high dials in a hard-core track-biased geometry, putting more weight over the front end. There’s also a switchable

anti-dive braking function and the damping program features track and automatic modes. We are very keen to see how this new tech works…

The updates are more modest on the excellent GT sporty tourer, which now gets the Euro5 engine plus 1kg lighter wheels and a new 7-inch colour dash and new ContiSportAttack 4 tyres. Still the nutter’s choice for commuting and light touring, with an ASBO vibe.

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NEW S & REVI EWS PLAN ET FAST BIKES – NEW METAL,

ADVENTURE CORNER As is the way of the world, a heap of new adventure bikes have been released too. Some of them, like the MV Agusta Lucky Explorers, Yamaha Rally Raid T7 prototype and Ducati DesertX have some proper hard-core appeal, while the likes of the KTM 390 Adventure and Kawasaki Versys 650 are a little tamer.

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TRIUMPH TIGER 1200 We’ll start with a hefty upgrade, though – to Triumph’s Tiger 1200. The old one was great on a long trip, with the grunty motor, massive fairing, and touring toys all taking the strain. It was far too heavy for much in the way of high jinks – on or off the road. Now, though, it’s had a proper makeover for 2022, losing 25kg of mass and adding 8bhp from a new T-plane crank motor, and comes in five different variations of road/off road and luxury spec. The base bike is the GT road version, and the Rally Pro has a more off-road bias. Explorer versions of both add a 30-litre fuel tank rather than the stock 20-litre part.

The frame is an all-new steel tube trellis design, and that, plus the new dual-sided shaft drive swingarm, is behind a lot of the weight loss.

It also makes the new Tiger seem skinnier and sharper straight off. The new 116 0cc engine shares its bore and stroke with the Speed Triple 1200 but adds the T-plane crank set-up from the Tiger 900, giving an off-beat big-bang firing order rather than the smoother pulses of the old 120° crank design. It makes 14 8bhp and 96 ft lb of torque, which are solid numbers, and easily tops the BMW R1250 GS. The 1250 GS is, of course, the target for Triumph here, and the firm reckons the new Tiger 1200 variants top the GS and GS Adventure in terms of power, weight, and price. It’ll be interesting to see how Hinckley fares against the Bavarian behemoth in the marketplace next year.

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

MV AGUSTA LUCKY EXPLORERS If you can see a bit of a resemblance between the MV Agusta Lucky Explorer adventure bikes and the Ducati DesertX, there’s a reason for that. Back in the 1980s, Cagiva – which made the Elefant big trailie – actually owned Ducati, too. That explains the Ducati 900 SS desmo V-twin engine in the Lucky Strikesponsored Elefant used in Paris-Dakar rallies in the late 1980s and early 1990s – and the (justified) similarities between the new Agustas and the Ducati.

Starting with the MV Lucky Explorer, there are two models: the 5.5 and 9.5.

The smaller bike is based on a 554cc parallel twin engine from Chinese firm Quinjiang, which is

Agusta’s production partner in the Far East.

It’s mounted in a steel tube cradle-type frame with decent KYB suspension, Brembo brakes, wire-spoked wheels and 19-inch/17-inch rims.

It makes 48bhp and weighs 220kg dry, so will be a wee bit on the plodding side.

The Lucky Explorer 9.5 is more serious.

It’s got a ‘proper’ MV Agusta triple engine; a new 931cc version of the 800 motor making 123bhp thanks to a bigger bore and stroke, altered cylinder head and revised inlet and exhaust. There’s a range of transmission options, too: standard manual, the SCS semi-automatic clutch, or a new ‘Cyborg’ electronically

actuated manual gearbox and the usual up/ down quickshifter options. The composite frame chassis has steel tube/forged parts, with fat 50mm front forks and rear monoshock and the Sachs Skyhook semiactive suspension set-up. Brakes are Brembo Stylema, and you get a proper 21-inch front wheel and wire spoked tubeless rims.

The 9.5 Lucky Explorer weighs 220kg dry, too, so a bit hefty still, but it’s also rammed with luxury kit and riding aids – IMU, cornering ABS and traction, launch control, wheelie control, cornering LED lights, 7-inch HD colour dash, fog lights and built-in pannier mounts.

DUCATI DESERTX Another take on the 1980s Dakar bike, with the same styling roots, if a little less obvious, the DesertX fills a ‘hard-core off-roader’ gap in Ducati’s range left by the Multistrada Enduro. It’s based on the 110bhp 937cc Testastretta engine used in the Hypermotard, Multistrada V2 and Supersport, with a few tweaks to the transmission. The first five ratios in the six-speed gearbox are lowered, with first and second even shorter, and the selector drum has a new ball bearing mount for slicker movement. The motor is also 1.7kg lighter than before.

That engine is housed in an all-new chassis set-up, with a tough steel tube trellis frame and slick double-sided aluminium swingarm with braced arm sections. Suspension is by KYB – hefty 46mm USD forks and rear monoshock, all fully adjustable and with 230mm travel front/220mm travel rear. Brakes are Brembo M50 calipers with 320mm discs, and the wheels are proper wire-spoked rims with a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear. Standard fit rubber is Pirelli’s Scorpion Rally STR, but you’ll be able to slip much more hard-core dirt fitments on there should you need to.

A solid base, then – though a little on the chunky side at 202kg dry. But it’s the styling, kit and optional equipment that makes the DesertX stand out. Obviously it’s a real looker, with the white paint scheme and dual LED headlamps, tall ‘Rally Raid’ bodywork and engine sump guard. And it’s got a full suite of high-end electronics, with IMU-assisted cornering ABS, traction, wheelie control, engine brake control, cruise control and quickshifter. The TFT colour LCD dash is mounted in a vertical portrait orientation and has a special rally display mode, too.

Our favourite part is the optional rear saddle fuel tank, though. It mounts on the rear subframe and plumbs into the main fuel system, adding an extra eight litres to the standard

21-litre capacity. Proper trick. The new DesertX is also claimed to be a solid on-road contender by Ducati, so should make a tough competitor for the likes of the BMW F850 GS Adventure and KTM 890 Adventure. It costs about £13,800 and will be on sale in the New Year.

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NEW S & REVI EWS PLAN ET FAST BIKES – NEW METAL,

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

GYTR RALLY RAID T7 Yet another run-out for Yamaha’s factory GYTR race parts programme, this time in the form of a prototype Rally Raid version of the Ténéré 700. Like the GYTR R6 and Rossi R1, it’s packed with factory kit, including a full titanium Akrapovic pipe, GYTR race ECU, 48mm KYB forks with 270mm travel and a 260mm long-travel rear shock. There’s a

single front brake disc for less mass and a larger rear disc for hard-core desert antics, plus extra auxiliary rear tanks, dual cooling fans, rally dashboard, and much more.

Yamaha generally follows up these prototypes with a production take a year later, so watch out for a 2023 T7 Rally Raid…

KTM 390 ADV KTM’s littlest Adventure gets a new Euro5 engine tune, putting out 43bhp, and a new IMU-assisted electronics package, now with an off-road traction control setting. The updated cast wheels are stronger for tougher dirt riding performance, and it’s had a styling makeover, too. In the shops for the New Year.

KAWASAKI VERSYS 650 Kawasaki’s middleweight Versys is one of those bikes that works far better than you’d think from the spec sheet – or even seeing it parked up. Sure, it’s a rather soft take on the adventure tourer theme, but as an everyday ride, it’s got a lot going for it – and it is decent fun too. For 2022 it’s had an equipment upgrade in the form of a new four-way adjustable windscreen and 4.3-inch TFT full colour dashboard, as well as all-new Versys 1000-style bodywork. Priced from £7799 for the standard model, and up to £10,049 for the fully-kitted Grand Touring edition with luggage and all the accessories.

2022 KAWASAKI H2 SX SE Kawasaki’s supercharged sporty tourer is one of the finest ways to eat up hundreds of miles in comfort, and that H2-derived engine is a proper monster in terms of mid-range grunt. For 2022 it’s had a tech uplift, with a new optional radarassisted cruise control and blind spot detection system. A front radar transmitter senses any traffic up ahead, and lets you keep a safe distance while maintaining a set speed, automatically slowing down and braking when needed.

Meanwhile, a rear-facing radar set watches for vehicles in your blind spot and lights up a warning in your rear-view mirrors. Of course, if you’re riding the H2 SX as God intended, the only things in your blind spot should be police helicopters…

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MOTO GUZZI V100 MANDELLO It’s not often that we see a Moto Guzzi in these pages – but this new V100 Mandello is pretty interesting in a number of ways. Firstly, it’s got a brand new transverse V-twin engine featuring water-cooling and DOHC four-valve heads with vertical inlet and exhaust ports. It only makes 115bhp from 1042cc but is a grunty old beast, and sticks with shaft drive as Guzzi tradition demands.

There’s also ride-by-wire fuel injection and a full IMU-assisted electronics package, Öhlins semi-active suspension is an option, and the new V100 also has a neat active aerodynamics system, where moving flaps guide the windblast over the rider and pillion, depending on speed and riding mode. That gives the protection of a bigger fairing, from much smaller bodywork panels. Clever stuff.

FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM 17

LAUNCH

RED ROCKET WORDS> T IM NE AV E PICS> DUCATI

Ducati blew our minds when it launched the Panigale V4, and it’s happened again with the third generation...

DUCATI PANIGALE V4S 2022

FEBRUARY 2022 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM 19

LAUNCH

Even on wets, the V4 S was epic.

L

ike it or not, Ducati is probably the biggest pioneer and innovator in the motorcycle world – and has been for the last five years or so. It was the first manufacturer to shake up the aero package, the first to stick wings to the side of a motorcycle, and the first to invent a launch control device for the front and rear of a MotoGP bike… in a nutshell, it has reshaped the racing world in recent times and, lucky for you and I, this world-class tech and engineering is now starting to filter its way down to the production line. When Ducati set out to develop the new Panigale V4 S, its target

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was (as it always has been) to make the bike even easier to ride for the everyday road and trackday riders – albeit while making the model even more competent on the circuit.

That said, just like all the V4 Panigales that have hit the market since 2017, the 2022 model was intended to be an absolute weapon on track, with a greater performance focus than ever, and enhancements to the aero, ergo, motor and chassis, as I learned first-hand on the bike’s launch at Jerez. If you were thinking this was little more than a marketing exercise to tart up an existing bike for a

few more sales, think again. There’s so much to talk about... and I guess the electronics are no bad place to start.

The new ECU and dash just got a whole lot better. It might look just the same as its predecessor, but there has been a big step in its evolution. We’ve now got a full power mode to add to the already existing low, medium, and high modes that coincide with the four rider modes – street, sport, race B, and race A – and will change the torque delivery strategy as you move through the modes. The torque level is now gear by gear, rather than gear groups (e.g. first-second, third-fourth), so