Fast Bikes April 2024 issue **FREE 20 PAGE PREVIEW**

DUCATI 1098/1198

WE CHECK IN WITH HARRIS PERFORMANCE AND GRILL THEM ON ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BIKE FRAMES

AP R ISS IL 20 UE 24 414

USED BUYERS’ GUIDE

FRAME GAME!

SUPERMOTO

DUCATI HYPERMOTARD 698 MONO

FAN TAS TIC 4

ADVENTURE DUCATI DESERTX RALLY

GETTING STUCK IN WITH FOUR OF

2024’S FEISTIEST NEW OFFERINGS FROM VERY DIFFERENT SECTORS SUPERNAKED KTM 1390 SUPER DUKE

SPORTSBIKE SUZUKII GSX-8R

ISSUE 414 APRIL 2024

72

38 TESTS

COLUMNISTS

Suzuki’s back with a sportsbike. Here’s what we make of its middleweight twin.

The season starts soon, and Iddon’s ready to get stuck in.

Suzuki GSX-8R .............................. 116

KTM 1390 Super Duke ....................26 The beast is back, and it’s bigger and better than ever.

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

Ducati DesertX Rally.......................38

FEATURES

Used Bike Guide..............................54

If you know a thing about bike frames, Harris Performance should need no introduction.

We check in with the legends and quiz them on the dark art of frame building.

Switching tarmac for dirt, we head to the desert and put Ducati’s lofty adventure bike through its paces.

Firm favourites with those who like sporty, big twins, here’s what you need to know about Ducati’s 1098/1198.

Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono......60

It’s the last bike we saw coming from Ducati, but we’re proper pleased that this whopper of a single is now in the line-up.

26

The Frame Game ............................ 72

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WELCOME

Launch-tastic!

I

t’s that time of year where we wave goodbye to our families and head off to distant lands for the sake of skids, wheelies, and general evaluations of the new metal. As hard as we make this sound to those at home, the truth is it’s perhaps one of the high points of the job, with the actual hardest part about it being to look sufficiently tired and sombre when we get back from bouncing bikes off their limiters, on road, track, or dirt. January was a pretty busy month and February has followed suit, as you’ll grasp by the number of new bikes we’ve been clocking the miles on. It’s been nothing short of awesome, and there’s still plenty more to come. In fact, I’m writing this on a plane, destined to go and cock a leg over Ducati’s new supermoto, which will star in this very issue. Will it be any good? I hope so, but that’s the fun thing about a launch; it’s full of unknowns, and the pressure’s on you to get your head around a package, both technically and physically, super-quick.

It’s essentially speed dating, but with motorcycles. In the UK’s warmer months, you can take your time to learn what a model’s all about, but time is a luxury on these gigs, especially when it’s your turn to do something ‘impressive’ on a photoshoot.

You can feel the eyes of your mates, the industry, and sometimes even the locals burning as you pop the clutch and hope the front wheel is going to lift in the way you want it to… and when it doesn’t, there’s nowhere to hide – not even in the bar at night. It’s all part of the fun, and it sharpens your mind, that’s for sure. The other thing you do is to accelerate your learning about a product. I find myself making so many

mental notes that I bleat them out in abundance to a voice recorder the minute I stop for two seconds. In all honesty, a launch is only that first taster session, often governed by the destination and the schedule you’re subjected to, but most brands nail the formula. In 20 years of doing this, there are only a few gigs I’ve been on when I’ve asked myself what the hell I’m doing there or what I’m meant to take back from the launch, other than a few blurry photos and a potential hangover.

On a more positive note, a launch is also a great place to get a feel for a manufacturer’s focus and enthusiasm for the year ahead and the new models in its pocket. Every now and again, there are bikes that slip onto the market without so much as a press ride to

Skeggy, and you can’t help but feel that those bikes are a little less loved by their creators. Why didn’t they make the cut and get their own launch? It gets the mind wondering... but then again, sometimes it’s just a matter of poor timing or limited budget. The last few years have been pretty sporadic in terms of who’s got what on the cards, but there appears to be more consistency in the air in 2024, which is exactly what we want. Actually, the main thing we want is just loads more great bikes – and you’ll find four such examples in this issue, so I’ll tap out at this point for you to get stuck in, and reading what we make of them.

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PLA NE T FAST BIKES – NE W ME TAL

, NE WS & REV IEW S

WORDS: SIR ALAN OF DOWDS

CFMOTO 450 SR S We’re probably showing our age here (as usual), but single-sided swingarms are cool, right? Along with underseat exhausts and six-piston brake calipers? Okay, they’re kinda pointless unless you’re going endurance racing and want those sweet, fast wheel changes. And they’re heavier than a standard arm. But that aside, the slick mono-arm has graced some of the classically awesome sports bikes over the years: Honda’s VFR750R RC30 and VFR400 NC30, and the later RVF versions, not to mention the NSR250 strokers and NR750, Ducati’s 916 and the MV Agusta F4.

And if you want one nowadays on a new bike, you’re stuck with the choice of a Ducati or an Agusta – or a Triumph Speed Triple (we are ignoring the fact that BMW’s shaft-drive Boxers are technically single-siders, of course). Or, at least, you were, because Chinese firm CFMoto has just dropped this, the ‘S’ version of its 450 SR pocket sportsbike, which has a spanky new single-sided arm on show.

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The 450 SR has been around for a few years, covering the A2 licence sector for the firm with a reasonable spec and price, standard 47bhp A2 power output, decent running gear and smooth styling. The whole CFMoto proposition became much more interesting last year, when KTM’s parent firm Pierer took over distribution and back-up in Europe and the UK. Suddenly, any worries about a rather obscure brand were assuaged by the heft of the KTM dealer network.

And now there’s another reason to be excited.

The ‘S’ version not only has the sweet swingarm, but it also comes with other updates, including damping-adjustable front forks, a (perhaps moot) traction control system, more radical aerodynamic winglets on the front fairing, and other detail changes. The swingarm means the exhaust can be more tucked in, and also means a new rear brake set-up. Dry weight is a decent 169kg, there’s a posh colour LCD dash with USB charging, and Bluetooth connection.

The parallel twin DOHC 449.5cc engine is unchanged – there’s no point trying for more power when you’re limited to the A2 rules. Peak power is 47bhp@9250rpm and maximum torque is 39.3Nm@7750, which are decent enough figures. The motor uses a 270-degree crankshaft for the offbeat firing order we all love, and comes with slipper clutch, dual balance shafts, and old-skool non-ride-by-wire fuel injection.

The price for this piece of saucy nonsense? £6499, or £900 more than the base version. More info: https://cfmoto-motorcycle.eu/uk/en

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

HUSQVARNA SHARPENS ITS ARROWS FOR 2024 The Swedish bike brand Husqvarna might have been owned by the Austrian Pierer firm for years now, but it’s still unapologetically weird, especially when it comes to its naked roadster range. The Svartpilen and Vitpilen (black arrow and white arrow in Swedish) bikes have carved out their own quirky niche in 125, 401 and 701 form since 2016, with engines and running gear based on the KTM Duke 125, 390 and 690 respectively. Huskie designers add their own bodywork, tweak running gear and chassis parts, and sell to non-conformists with spare cash (or folk who hate the colour orange…)

So, with a new small Duke range released for 2024, we were due an update on the Husqvarnas.

And here they are: the 2024 Svartpilen and Vitpilen 125 and 401 machines.

The Svart is a bit of a retro-scrambler design, so both capacities get Pirelli Scorpion Rally dirt-style tyres and wire-spoked rims, plus wide bars. The Vitpilen is supposedly a café racer, so there are narrower, flat bars, cast aluminium wheels and

sporty Michelin Power 6 tyres on both of those too.

The chassis updates, taken from the new Duke, are broadly the same across all four bikes: a new cast aluminium swingarm design, with an offset side-mount monoshock, revised steel tube main frame with a bigger airbox, and updated WP Apex suspension, with ByBre brakes. The engine changes also come from the Dukes: the 15bhp A1-compliant SOHC 125 single gets detail tweaks to bore and piston, which reduce emissions and improve economy, but won’t make much difference on the road. For the DOHC 399cc single on the 401s, there are more changes, to bore, piston and cooling system, plus revised ports, camshafts and cylinder head. Again, power is unchanged at 45bhp to meet A2 licence rules, but emissions and economy are better (like you cared).

The 125s are on sale now, priced at £4899, so you better get another paper round. The 401s are also out now, costing £5599. www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com

25 YEARS OF HARLEY’S CVO BIKES Harley-Davidson is marking a quarter-century of its custom vehicle operations (CVO) factory tuning shop with a fancy Pan America 1250 adventure tourer and three new Glide models.

The Pan America is a fairly straightforward flagship upgrade: the CVO version gets tubeless wire-spoked rims, posh alloy hard luggage and an aluminium sump guard, all as stock. The semi-active electronic suspension also gets

some new modes for adaptive ride height settings. It still makes 150bhp from the torquey V-twin motor, and costs £23,495.

The other CVO bikes are more conventional ‘gin palace’ Harleys: the 2024 Street Glide, Road Glide and Road Glide ST bagger. They get an even huger version of the stock Milwaukee-Eight engine, up to 1977cc or 121 cubic inches (equivalent to 3.489 imperial pints, 0.43 imperial gallons, or 111.658

tablespoons) on the ST bagger. That gigantic powerplant makes an impressive 127bhp and 145lb-ft of torque and is fitted with mad kit like a stiffer composite sump and titanium exhaust. The other two CVO Glides have 1923cc engines with 105bhp.

There’s plenty of uprated chassis kit, too: Showa suspension, Brembo brakes, advanced ABS and traction control riding aids. Sadly, the bikes all weigh about 400kg though, so performance will remain decidedly ‘American cruiser’.

You don’t buy these things for their cornering finesse, of course: you buy them for the glitz, the glamour, and the gadgets, all of which they have in spades.

Massive LCD displays, 500-watt sound systems, glorious shiny paint, chrome, carbon fibre and lush wheels are all present and correct – as they should be for the cash. The CVO Road Glide will set you back nearly £39k, with the others not far behind. More info: www.harley-davidson.com APRIL 2024 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM 11

PLANE T FAST BIKES – NEW METAL

, NEWS & REVIEW S

BMW SALES

BMW marked 100 years in business last year and celebrated by selling a record number of bikes. It schlepped out more than 209,000 bikes, covering S1000RRs, S1000 Rs, M1000RRs, R1300 GSs and all the rest of the range. That was 3.1% up on 2023, and the UK arm did even better, punting 8.7% more bikes.

Sehr guht!

NORTON SIGNS UP MV TECH ACE BRIAN GILLEN Revived British bike brand Norton is tooling up for a load of new bikes, from what we hear – and its Indian owner TVS is headhunting top staff, too. The firm has just signed up Brian Gillen, who was the R&D director at MV Agusta for 15 years and also managed the firm’s race efforts. We’ve met Gillen on a few Agusta launches, and he’s a man

who knows what makes a good motorbike. This should be very good news for the Solihull-based factory.

Norton has also added a new dealer to its network down in Hampshire. South Downs Motorcycles in Petersfield will have the full range of bikes and accessories on sale.

CANNONBALL RUN 20TH ANNIVERSARY RALLY Do your friends accuse you of living in the past? Us too – it’s better there, to be fair. Now, here’s a real blast from the olden times: the Cannonball Run. Started up in the early 2000s, it was a European event for cars and bikes that echoed the famous Trans-American race from the eponymous 1981 film starring Burt Reynolds and Farrah Fawcett. That film, The Cannonball Run, was itself based on a real outlaw race – the 1979 Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash. The European event was, of course, not as

cinematic, but we know people who went on it, and they had fun, of sorts…

Now, you’d not get far doing this sort of thing in the UK or Western Europe today, so the organisers have headed to the wild East for this 20th anniversary eight-day re-run, which will set off from Brno in Czechia, head through Transylvania and Turkey, end up in Istanbul, and then back to Bulgaria for a closing party.

“This is our 20th anniversary event,” said Steve Mason, founder of the Cannonball Bike Run, “and so, like our

12 APRIL 2024 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM

catchphrase, we are pulling out all the stops to ensure that it will indeed ‘Be Legendary’.

There’s a lot of misconceptions about the run. We are not a crazy group of bikers racing each other to the next destination; we’re all about relentlessly searching out the most epic riding roads, savouring the raw thrill of motorcycling far away from tourist traffic, and creating an unrepeatable shared experience with the most legendary group of people.”

Sounds ideal. More info here: https://cannonballism.com

ALL THE LATEST, CO OL ES T & TRICK

ES T PERF ORMA NC E PRODUC TS WORD: SIR ALAN

OF DOWDS

ALPINESTARS SUPERTECH R10 HELMET Alpinestars has finally released the ‘normal’ production version of its super-trick R10 helmet, the first full-face road/race lid from the firm (it released 200 premium-priced ‘launch edition’ lids last summer). The Supertech R10 keeps much of the high-spec construction of the launch edition, with a saucy 3K carbon fibre shell that exceeds the ECE 22.06 safety testing by between 37 and

65% and gives a low 1540g mass. There’s extensive aerodynamic optimisation to the outer wing, loads of vents, and an adjustable liner set-up for the perfect fit. A quick-change visor, with metal closure lock, Pinlock, removable liner, supplied helmet bag and much more rounds off the spec. It’s not cheap, but it is a gorgeous piece of kit, for sure.

RRP: £999.99

alpinestars.com

SW MOTECH R1300 GS CRASH BARS HIPLOK D1000 D-LOCK

Think your job is high-pressure? Imagine being the geezer at SW Motech having to come up with bolt-on bits for new bikes within a few weeks. Anyway, the legendary Cherman accessory-mongers have been flat-out producing goodies for GS fans, and here’s one of the first fruits of their labour: some posh crash bars.

Made from tough, powder-coated steel tube, there are upper and lower bars that fit to the standard chassis mount points, so no drilling or faffing. They give essential protection to the cylinder heads and the fairing, without adding too much extra width.

RRP: £221.76 (upper) £249.48 (lower) sw-motech.co.uk

Designed and produced by British security start-up Hiplok, this chunky D-lock is designed to defeat the current angle grinder-led attacks often used by bike thieves. A cunning design mixes hardened steel, graphene, ceramics and other materials to make a lock which needs loads of cutting discs, batteries, and time to defeat. The firm claims it lasts at least 20 times longer than standard locks, and the square-shaped shackle means it needs two cuts to open. Sold Secure Diamond-approved and ART four-star rated, it’s pricey but does offer extra peace of mind.

Weighs 1.9kg, comes with three coded replaceable keys, and fits most bikes – there’s a downloadable size guide checker on the website.

Things were simpler in the old days. You died aged 50 after a life down pit and had to have 12 kids to ensure a couple would survive infancy.

And bike battery chargers only had to whack six volts (or 12 if you were posh) into a plastic tub of acid and lead till it started to fizz. Easy.

Now though, with about 74 different battery techs and modern bikes too clever to let you charge them up, things are harder. Ease the strain with this: the Optimate 4 Quad Program charger, which can put juice into anything short of dilithium crystals. Rated for wet lead-acid, AGM, Gel, LiFePO4 or LFP lithium units, and for bikes with Canbus electronics (BMWs currently), it’s packed with cleverness for all scenarios.

Giving you more time to get down pit and start making more babies…

RRP: £249.99

RRP: £95.90

AKRAPOVIC R1300 GS SLIP-ON Just shelled out £16k for your new BMW R1300 GS? Well, obviously you’ll be looking for a new exhaust for the thing. Akrapovic has dropped this titanium and carbon fibre slip-on silencer for the relentlessly capable

Bavarian adventure-tractor, which saves a couple of hundred grammes, adds a couple of bhp, and provides a ‘deep, full sound’. It’s also compatible with stock BMW panniers and needs no fuel remapping.

RRP: £999 plain; £1074 in black finish

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OPTIMATE 4 QUAD CHARGER

performanceparts-ltd.com

hiplok.com

optimate.co.uk

PRODUCTS

SHOEI NEOTEC 3 This is Shoei’s top-spec touring flip-front lid, packed with the best

the Japanese firm can provide. It’s got all the usual features: internal sun visor, one-hand flip-up, locking button and quick-change mechanism on the main visor, removable liner and micro-ratchet chin strap fastener. It’s fully ECE22.06 approved, loaded with vents and prepared for a Sena SRL 3 intercom system.

Shoei is also launching a new PFS fitting service, which takes measurements of your head and tailors the helmet lining to fit perfectly, and that will be available

for the Neotec 3 and other lids this spring.

RRP: £589.99 (black or white); £619.99 (plain); £679.99 (graphics)

shoeiassured.co.uk

R&G LEVER GUARDS

OXFORD ATLAS LUGGAGE STRAPS Solid, no-nonsense, useful new kit here from Oxford, these smart Atlas stretch straps replace those shonky old 1970s bungee hooks you’re been using to hold kit on the back of the bike. Flat webbing straps have an elasticated section and come in plastic buckle or stainless steel G-hook fastening for easy fitting and removal. They come in two widths, two lengths, and three colours, and can hold up to 80kg tensile strength on the 26mm buckle straps.

RRP: £14.99-24.99 oxfordproducts.com

They might not be the sauciest of bolt-on goodies, but a front brake lever guard is essential kit for track action. Most circuits require them nowadays to prevent a minor tangling of bikes turning into a serious spill – and they also offer protection on the road when filtering in tight traffic. It’s super simple: bolt one on the bar end and it prevents anything from hitting your brake lever and locking the front wheel.

Light, tough, and available in a range of colours... you know it makes sense.

RRP: £45.99

rg-racing.com

HEX INNOVATE HEX GS-911 CANBUS DIAGNOSTIC TOOL The days of setting your points with a fag paper and adjusting the tappets by the side of the road are long gone, and part of this bright new future is onboard diagnostics, Canbus electronics and all that jazz, especially on the latest kit from BMW. Now, you could just take your steed back to the dealer whenever a light comes on, but committed DIY fans will want to do what they can themselves. Enter this

beastie: the Hex Innovate GS-911.

It’s a smart unit that plugs into the OBD socket on BMW bikes and connects your bike’s brains to your laptop or smartphone through wi-fi or a USB connection. It lets you read and clear fault codes, reset service reminders, view live data, activate outputs to bleed brakes and much more. An essential piece of kit for fettling bikes like the S1000 RR, S1000 R, R1300 GS and loads more.

RRP: £366 (wi-fi); £276 (USB)

hexinnovate.com

OXFORD SPARTAN WOMEN’S TEXTILE SUIT Need a cheap, female-friendly commuting outfit? Or a suit for occasional lady pillions? This entry-level Oxford Spartan suit could be just the job. For £180, you get trousers and

jacket with waterproof membrane, taped seams, tough polyester outer shell, and CE level 1 armour at elbows shoulders and knees. Available in black or high-viz yellow in sizes 8-20.

RRP: £99.99 (jacket); £79.99 (trousers)

oxfordproducts.com APRIL 2024 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM 15

FEATURE

WORDS: DANGEROUS PICS: JAMIE MORRIS/JASON CRITCHELL

SUZUKI GSX-8R

BEST OF BOTH

WORLDS Rising from the ashes of the discontinued GSX-R family, Suzuki is back with a sporty middleweight number.

1

APRIL 2024 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM

SUZUKI GSX-8R

FEATURE

THIS THING WOULD PUNCH IMPRESSIVELY OUT OF THE TRACK’S SUCCESSION OF SECOND TO THIRD GEAR CORNERS.

A

s the saying goes, you should never judge a book by its cover… or a sportsbike by its top yoke mounted bars, questionably long wheelbase, or significantly chunky 205 kilos. I say this having fallen foul of assuming Suzuki’s new GSX-8R would be a bit of a flop, compromised by features like the above, plus

a few other bits, such as the low footpeg position it inherited from the GSX-8S that forms much of the foundation of this protagonist. While the ‘S’ makes as much sense as a pint down the pub, the idea of somehow magicking its naked platform into a pukka sportsbike seemed a stretch beyond my imagination – or, at least, without making

more nips and tucks than you’d find on an ageing movie star. Surely, slotting a fairing in place, an ‘R’ symbol on the side of it and some firmed up suspension wasn’t going to transform the street hustler into a trackfuelled fiend? But Suzuki seemed to think it would... so much so that it decided to launch the bike in Spain, at one of my favourite race

Float your boat?

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APRIL 2024 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM 19

FEATURE

tracks – Monteblanco. And to make the trip that bit more enticing, while showing off the versatility of the package, the brand decided to throw in a 200km road ride around some of the finest squiggles of tarmac you’ll find in the southern region.

Sitting through the presentation, 34 floors above the city of Seville, I got my first proper look at the 8R in the flesh. It seemed decent enough, full of tech and shiny bits, while undeniably showing off the same donor frame and engine you’ll find on the S. In fact, even the rear subframe and seat unit was a crossover part, alongside the 14-litre fuel tank and 5in colour TFT dash that was to play host to a raft of rider modes and functions.

That’s not a criticism, but the cynic in me couldn’t see past the novelty of an S with some fancy new clothes. And so my thoughts continued, right up until the point we arrived

Above: Despite the temptation, no one would pull his finger.

Below: Ticking the burnout box...

20 APRIL 2024 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM

at the track the following morning, geared up and gagging to see what the 8R had to offer.

Slowly building in the pace behind SERT’s world endurance champion, Gregg Black, who was there to help us stay between the white lines, I was quickly reminded of the torque of the twin, which pumps out 78Nm through its long-stroke powerhouse. Get the gear right and this thing would punch impressively out of the track’s succession of second to third gear corners, delivering a credible amount of pace as the throttle got pinned and the stock fitment shifter got a workout. I immediately felt pretty comfy with the motor, the behaviour of the bike, and the potency of the most aggressive of the changeable drive modes. What I wasn’t so keen on was the notable engagement of the traction control, which I’d set to level one, the least intrusive of the options. It had to go,