2008 Sport Bikes Motorcycle Guide

Yamaha, Ducati, Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki vie furiously for supremacy in motorcycle sporting events round the world. World Superbike, MotoGP, national championships, The Isle of Man TT, the list goes one. The end result for the consumer means a plethora of well-developed, insanely quick sport bikes from all these manufacturers.

2008 brings a variety of new models and updated existing models. This guide is written with the intention of giving an overview of all the models available, with more detailed analyses of each class, manufacturer and model on another, separate page.

Yamaha’s ongoing love affair with Deltabox frame continues and the YZF-R1 features a beefy frame and swingarm giving spectacular handling with just the right amount of flex for comfort and maneuverability. Just ask Loris Capirossi - Like Honda, Yamaha use MotoGP as a testing bed and this model is packed with features tested on the track: YCC-T fly-by-wire throttle system; the world’s first electronic variable-length intake funnel system; Slipper-type back torque-limiting clutch; and six-piston radial-mount front brake calipers and 310mm discs supplying the sort of stopping power a bike of this speed needs.

I defy anyone to look at a Ducati 1098R and not agree this is the sexiest bike on the planet – ever. Blood red Ducati colors of course. I can’t imagine a Ducati in any other color, although this year’s range does see some interesting color choices further down the model range and the S is available in an almost equally sexy black. Once again, the 1098R is born out of many a battle on the track and last year’s MotoGP World Champion, Aussie Casey Stoner showed just how dominant Ducati can be. Ducati also won the Italian championship with Marco Borciani riding last year’s 999 and the 1098 has already taken several victories, including a win at Daytona’s Races of Champions and FIM Superstock. The bike itself is the lightest, most powerful machine ever to leave the Bologna factory gates with the R version boasting a power output of 180hp and the road legal S version a staggering 160hp.

Kawasaki looked to Akira Yanagawa, their superbike rider for development of the all-new Ninja ZX-10R. Yanagawa said, “yes,” Kawasaki took the part to pre-production testing, tweaked it and gave it back to Yanagawa for more destruction testing in WSB. The result is nothing less than staggering. This year’s ZX-10R boasts a new swingarm that uses pressed instead of cast beams, a fully-adjustable 43mm inverted fork, new gear ratios for 1st, 4th and 5th gears along with an extra tooth on the rear sprocket to take advantage of huge amounts of torque available and a completely new engine tuned for even greater high-rpm performance. Even the wheels are brand new on this year’s model – lighter, stiffer, squeeze cast wheels. I want one already. Shark-like styling complete what promises to be Kawasaki’s best liter bike ever.

A new chassis, new engine, MotoGP style exhaust and stying. Honda claim the CBR100RR handles like a 600 and the 1000 cc version has only 1½ inch longer wheelbase and identical seat height. Lightweight titanium intake valves, thinner high-strength pistons, new super-lightweight aluminum alloy, hollow spoke wheels and a lightweight hollow, die cast twin-spar aluminum frame should keep the weight close, although that information has not been released yet. Combined with a new triangle designed to let the rider sit 10mm further forward and 10mm lower than the 2007 should see the CBR1000RR just as nimble as the 600. New for 2008 colors are: Red/Black, Black/Metallic Silver, Pearl Yellow/Black, Candy Dark Red/Metallic Silver. Also featured is a new limited edition color for 2008 – Black/Grey, but less than 500 will be produced in this color so get ‘em while they’re hot.

Since the introduction of the GSXR 1100 way back when, this has always been the bad boy’s bike. Suzuki have come a long way from the tank-slapping, wheelie-popping early days, but this year’s GSXR promises to be a handful nonetheless. Ben Spies has won the AMA Superbike championship 2 years in a row on his Yoshimura Suzuki GSXR 1000, beating team-mate Mat Mladin by just one point in 2007. Changes for 2008 include a selection of new paint colors and black must be the new ….errrr - black this year because Suzuki are offering a black version of their flagship also.

Suzuki call their GSX-R 750 “The original race replica, reborn,” and that’s just about right. The 750cc race rep class seems to have been disregarded these days since the increasing popularity of the 600 cc class, but Suzuki started it with the introduction of the GSX-R 750 back in 1985 and are determined to continue the tradition. Once again improving, refining and adding to the original design this year’s model is faster, lighter and handles a damn sight better than the originals. A new cast-aluminum-alloy frame; new bodywork with increased aerodynamics; an advanced engine management and fuel injection system with adjustable on-the-fly mapping. Fully adjustable high-performance suspension, and radial-mount brakes. But still keeping the classic blue/white paint job we have all come to know and love. Hard to resist.

The 848 is truly in a class of it’s own. The highly advanced 848 engine claims a power to weight ratio that outperforms the 999. 134 hp from a 848cc twin must have Harley Davidson wondering what they’ve been doing wrong all these years. Horses for courses, but this is one beautiful looking motorcycle. The press have universally given this one the thumbs up since it’s release and it’s a realistic alternative to a Japanese 600, which is the next class covered. If you can’t quite afford a 1098, this is a sensible alternative. Short wheelbase, impeccable history and the ability to turn on a dime. On top of that, it says Ducati on the side. The same booming sound from the high-revving V twin engine and race-breeding make it an (almost) budget superbike. Not sure I like it in white though.

The 2008 Honda CBR600 is basically unchanged from 2007, following Honda’s decision to update their models every other year. And let’s face it the CBR600 is arguably top of the class anyway. There is a new paint job available – Black of course, and the limited edition Graffiti paint job looks pretty spectacular. Light fast and nimble with Honda’s legendary build quality. The Supersport racing class is always the most hotly contested class in racing because of the ready availability of competitive, affordable, reliable machinery and tends to be the class where most would-be professional riders begin their careers. That also makes it one of the most exiting classes to watch. Here’s a short video that demonstrates the sort of thing that happens when you combine young, inexperienced riders with very, very fast bikes. No one gets hurt.

This is the bike you just watched Geoff May destroy launching off of Jamie Hacking’s Kawasaki. Much like it’s bigger brother, the GSX-R 750, the 600 is a straight out race replica. Fast, fast, fast and with Suzuki determined to get the GSXR to the front of the Supersport pack, the 2008 model is as close as you can get to a race bike without breaking the bank. This is really not much different to the superstock racers – slightly heavier, slightly slower, but more than enough power combined with impeccable road manners to convince you to tape up the lights, remove the mirrors and go play bike racer at your local racetrack. This is where the real action is in sports bikes.Completely redesigned this year, sharing almost no parts with the 2007 model.

Aggressive aerodynamics, lightweight design and an extremely high-revving four cylinder 600cc engine say just one thing – Kawasaki are just as keen as the other manufacturer’s to have their “Green Meanies,” at the front of the pack. The Ninja ZX-6R took the first two places in the 2007 AMA supersport championship and the first two places at the Daytona 200. Kawasaki’s have a reputation for being bullet-proof and this one is no exception – thrash it to within an inch of it’s life and it will just keep coming back for more. The engine has been specifically designed to be over revved, so no more need to back of as the redline approaches, wind ‘er up and listen to the roar. Kawasaki also have a stunning game/demo race track here that allows you to build your own race track and have Roger Hayden hammer a ZX-6R round.

Perhaps the most impressive 2008 middleweight is this year’s Yamaha YZF-6R. Completely redesigned from the ground up, once again with the intention of winning on the race track. Technology from last year’s R1 now moves over to the R6. YCC-I, Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake, slipper clutch and a fly-by-wire throttle system, Titanium valves, a magnesium sub-frame, all new frame, more aerodynamic bodywork - Yamaha have gone the whole hog this year. The specs are too numerous to go into full details, but there is a link to Yamaha’s website here.

MotoGP is where all these bikes start out. Every single part on this year’s Sports bike range has been tested to destruction, rebuilt and tested again. Here’s a short tribute video to the guys that test them on your behalf. It's a tough job, but some one has to do it. Wish it was you? And no write up would be complete without at least one MotoGP paddock girl.