Nine Sportbike Technological Advancements That Are Now Commonplace

"Peter Monshizadeh" (practicalenthusiast) 08/21/2015 at 10:20 • Filed to: Sportbike Tech, Technology, Lanesplitter, Motorcycle, Learning, Sport Bike

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It is easy to take a look at today’s high-performance motorcycles and assume all of the features present have been there since the very beginning. From the sleek suspension systems, beefy brake components, and powerful and reliable drivetrains, it all appears to be perfectly balanced. However, what you are actually seeing is the latest evolution of sport bike technology. Things weren’t always so advanced. If you were to take a look at bike from as little as ten years ago, you would be surprised to see how far today’s standard has come. If you were to go back 25 years, you might not even be able to recognize a bike as having sporting potential at all.

This list is comprised of some of the most defining technologies to ever grace the sportbike arena. Once these items showed up on the racing circuit it was only a matter of time when they would be front and center in the dealer showrooms. This isn’t a ranked list; no liberty was taken in assuming one was more important than the other. This list is simply a representation of features that a consumer should expect to find in a modern sportbike. Once novel and the height of ingenuity, a quick browse through your local dealer will prove that these designs are now commonplace.

1. Fuel Injection

Fuel injection systems are certainly taken for granted in today’s market, but it may come as a surprise to some that this technology isn’t all that ancient for mass-produced motorcycles. It wasn’t until the early 2000s when the ol’ choke lever was thrown out to pasture. Fuel injection has made cold starting a breeze, allowed for dynamic fueling at varying altitudes, and provided a more efficient fuel burn. Tuning can be accomplished with a simple software change instead of guessing and checking with jets and needles. While many will stand by the carburetor’s pure simplicity, it’s hard to argue with the precision and maintenance-free demeanor of a well-designed fuel injection system.

2. Perimeter Frames

Performance motorcycle frames have come a long way in recent years. Some bikes on sale today hardly even have a frame at all, utilizing the engine as the main-stressed member. A design that is a hallmark of the modern sportbike is the perimeter (a.k.a. “dual-spar”) frame. Increasing chassis rigidity while decreasing weight, these sculpted channels of aluminum are a far cry from the crude cradle frames of old. Many perimeter-style frames are easy to spot, as the thick side walls running the length of the gas tank are a dead giveaway.

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If you have ever stared at the brake rotors of a high-performance motorcycle, you may notice that the center part is typically a different color and material than the outer portion. While the design looks slick, there is a practical purpose. The inner “carrier” is a separate piece from the outer “rotor”. The two pieces are joined together with metal rivets. As a result, the brake rotor is not a singular rigid piece. This design allows the rotor to expand and contract separately from the carrier to compensate for heat cycles experienced during heavy braking. It also allows the rotor to move slight off center to track truly in the brake caliper. When it comes to slowing down a fast bike, semi-floating brake rotors are a must-have.

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The brakes on modern sportbikes can pack a serious bite; so much so that under high-load braking the caliper mounting configuration can flex. While this may be something that will only be experienced during extensive professional use on the track, it hasn’t stopped manufacturers from incorporating a more sturdy design into their production bikes. This new setup is known as radial-mounted brake calipers. The defining part on this design is the orientation of the caliper mounting bolts. On a radial setup, the caliper bolts are parallel to the braking surface (the pads & rotors). The old design had the caliper mounting bolts perpendicular to the braking surface, which could lead to a small amount of torsional twist under severe load.

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USD (Upside-Down) forks have adorned the front of true sportbikes for a few years now. Compared to conventional forks, USD forks provide greater rigidity due to the increased diameter of the fork legs. The triple-tree mounting locations (at the top of the forks) also have a larger surface area to clamp on to thus increasing rigidity ever more. Another benefit over conventional forks is the lower unsprung weight as the damping mechanisms are located at the top of the forks, closest to the chassis.

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Quick downshifting without a delicate feathering of the clutch lever or a perfectly-blipped rev-match can see your rear tire taking a different line than your front. At best you’ll get a nice looking rear slide, at worst you’ll end up with a low-side. This scenario is especially common when you find yourself downshifting from a high RPM while entering a corner. When downshifting, you are forcing the engine speed to catch up to the relative wheel speed for the specified gear. Since there is a sizable rotating mass inside the engine, the engine is unable to immediately catch up to the wheel speed. As a result, the lower engine speed forces the rear wheel to rotate slower than the relative road speed, therefore inducing a skid. A slipper clutch systems works to isolate this lag in engine speed. It has an internal ramp-style mechanism that allows the rear tire to maintain relative road speed while the engine speed gets a brief moment to catch up.

Sorry, no picture for this one. You can’t really see them but you certainly can feel them when downshifting.

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Preload, rebound, and compression are the basic attributes needed for a for a fully-adjustable suspension system. A true sporting motorcycle has this trifecta which allows for the personalization of both the forks and the rear shock. A simple set of tools is all that is required to turn a soft and compliant road bike into a taught and agile track weapon.

8. Steering Dampers

Head shakes and tank slappers are the bane of high-performance motorcycle riding. Nothing can end a fun day faster than a trip on the whipping willy. Modern superbikes produce well in excess of 150 horsepower. Wheelies tend to happen – sometimes unexpectedly – and if the front tire doesn’t return to Earth in correct alignment with the rest of the bike you may find your handlebars violently trying to throw you off. Improper suspension set up while riding on imperfect surfaces can also lead to this scary situation. The best protection against this is a steering damper, which slows the handlebar oscillations to a controlled movement.

9. Braced Swing Arms

Gone are the days of the long “U” shaped piece of extruded boxed metal. In its place are beautifully crafted geometric swing arms that provide extra stiffness. A motorcycle’s suspension can experience loading in a multitude of ways, including while the bike is fully leaned over. A braced swing arm ensures that there is not too much lateral flex at extreme lean angles. Mate that with the extreme power that modern bikes can produce and you’ll find that a braced swing arm will also keep the rear axle in true alignment with the swing arm pivot point.

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There have been a number of technological changes over the years that have moved the high-performance motorcycle benchmark forward. Some of these changes are hardly noticeable to the untrained eye, but all play a very important role in performance. These features encapsulate the evolution of the high performance motorcycle and their commonality further defines what makes a sportbike a modern sportbike.

StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 10:24

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Good article!

Peter Monshizadeh > StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 08/21/2015 at 10:31

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Thank you - I hope it is informative!

nermal > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 10:43

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All of this stuff was pushing the envelope 10 yrs ago, and you are correct is now commonplace.

The next 10 yrs will be defined by electronics. Quickshifters (up AND down), traction control, advanced ABS, different “modes” for race / sport / n00b / rain, etc.

Also, data acquisition is getting cheaper. It’s not to the point where it is as cheap or commonplace as quickshifters, but getting there. A lot of this is driven by modern ECUs, where everything is already measured and you just need to export it.

Peter Monshizadeh > nermal 08/21/2015 at 10:50

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Very true! Although it’s important to note that some manufacturers are still trying to push some new bikes as being “sportbikes” even though they don’t encorporate much of the above tech.

Gonemad > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 10:54

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It may be an technological advancement present in bikes, but it wasn’t invented to put in one. Straight from Wikipedia:

Herbert Akroyd Stuart developed the first device with a design similar to modern fuel injection [ citation needed ] , using a ‘jerk pump’ to meter out fuel oil at high pressure to an injector. This system was used on the hot bulb engine and was adapted and improved by Bosch and Clessie Cummins for use on diesel engines ( Rudolf Diesel ’s original system employed a cumbersome ‘air-blast’ system using highly compressed air [ citation needed ] ). Fuel injection was in widespread commercial use in diesel engines by the mid-1920s.

An early use of indirect gasoline injection dates back to 1902, when French aviation engineer Leon Levavasseur installed it on his pioneering Antoinette 8V aircraft powerplant, the first V8 engine of any type ever produced in any quantity. [1]

so the title should be:

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Kinda misleading, right?

threetwelve > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 10:54

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Pretty good article. I love how with bikes there’s so much out in the open to take in that you can spend a great amount of time analyzing it all.

Peter Monshizadeh > Gonemad 08/21/2015 at 10:58

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I would agree, but I haven’t seen braced swing arms or USD forks applied to many things other than bikes!

move-over-peasant-I-have-an-M5-in-the-shop > nermal 08/21/2015 at 11:06

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electronically adjusted suspension that changes rebound/dampening/compression on the fly based on road conditions, speed, pitch/yaw/roll sensors, and, or course, user preferences. I know they're out there on some bikes, but when this starts pushing down to every bike, it will be a huge leap for rider safety.

AndrewBermuda > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 11:08

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And here I am with my 2008 250R, which sports none of these great technologies. It really is a cheap little shit.

Syscrush > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 11:09

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10. Mass centralization. You can’t see it, but damn if you can’t feel it.

Something else that was an innovation around the same time as USD forks came on the scene would be downdraft induction. 4 valve/cyl DOHC valvetrains don’t look exotic to car people anymore, but the way you can hold a motorcycle throttle open and actually see both intake valves (with the airbox removed) is something where motorcycle tech is way ahead of cars, and ahead of the bikes of the 80’s and earlier.

nermal > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 11:10

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It depends on what class you’re looking at. Generally the 1000 class gets all of the goodies first, and is where you’ll find the newest technologies. After that, it’s trickle down to the 600 I4, then the 650 twin class.

The 250/300 class is the last to get new stuff, although all of the currently available options have fuel injection and ABS available.

A big reason for that is cost and speed / power. You don’t need traction control on a 250, because it’s not powerful enough. Adding the cost of a quickshifter or slipper clutch would cost too much for the benefit. ABS is handy though, especially for the newer riders that are more likely to buy the smaller bikes.

Gonemad > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 11:12

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Perhaps some ATV out there uses it swing arms or USD forks as well. Who knows?

Steering dampers should work for ATVs as well... if nobody thought of it...

Now, fully adjustable suspension I’ve seen before in cars.

“9 technical advancements that took great development in Sportbikes” don’t sound as catchy...

nermal > move-over-peasant-I-have-an-M5-in-the-shop 08/21/2015 at 11:14

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Yep, I know you can get the adjustable suspension on the top line BMW ADV bikes, and I beleive it was KTM that came out with an “un-crashable” ABS system. The cost needs to come down on them to mainstream levels though.

njscorpio > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 11:17

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Sportbikes are something I’m pretty much not at all familiar with...and I found this article to be very interesting.

The-Guy-They-Warned-You-About > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 11:21

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I think you’ll see traction control making this list in the not too distance future. Taking ABS to the extreme in preventing the rear wheel from sliding regardless of what idiocy the rider tries.

I also think there are some general engine designs that are a lot harder to show that have trickled down. Intake flow designs, cooling system design, head design, etc. are all far superior these days. The power that these small engines can produce is amazing considering just how reliable they are. The use of cam driven oil pumps and other reduction of engine parts came from race designs too. Fewer parts mean less things to break.

The whole shift to AGM batteries came from the race scene where they strived to reduce weight by using smaller and smaller batteries. The Lithium cells are now becoming a thing for the same reasons.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 11:25

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Then there is buell. Perimeter brake rotors, fuel tank/chassis, and other quirks.

move-over-peasant-I-have-an-M5-in-the-shop > nermal 08/21/2015 at 11:31

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My new multistrada has it. It’s pretty amazing. I’d say, though, that it wouldn’t be a good bike for a new person, mainly because it’s a 1200cc “adventure” bike, but also because it’s just too easy to ride. You could easily learn a lot of bad habits with all the help the bike gives you, then be totally fucked if you ever turn the aids off. For example, you can grab a ton of front brake mid-lean and not end up ass-over-elbows. At least that’s what Ducati claims. I’m not willing to try it on my own.

I’ve felt wheelie control kick in to control front wheel lift on hard acceleration, feels kind of like the back end of the bike firming up to keep the front from jumping. I’ve felt an R1’s front tire pop off the ground with a bit too much throttle, it scared the crap out of me the first time it happened, even more so when I immediately let off the gas and it came back down hard. With the MTS, though, it’s a perfectly smooth, natural feeling, “oh, I did a wheelie. that was pretty nice”.

YoeMeyeR > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 11:43

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Awesome article.

Peter Monshizadeh > YoeMeyeR 08/21/2015 at 11:49

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Thank you!

Iamopenlyjudgingyou > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 11:53

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Fuel injection is mah favorite thing.

Everytime I see my 08’ I know I can hop on a ride. Even if its been sitting for a month. When I see my 93, all I can think about is “Probably need to tear down the carbs to clean them up and the I got balance them and gotta make sure it doesn’t sit for more than a couple of months because ethanol is the suck....

Peter Monshizadeh > Iamopenlyjudgingyou 08/21/2015 at 11:55

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So true. Now that damn battery...

luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln! > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 11:57

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Hey, nice job on the technical explanations. Especially in the clutch section.

Hooneriphic > Gonemad 08/21/2015 at 11:58

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Been running dampers on ATV’s for years, 2004 was when I first started using one. With such a long steering stem, mounting options are limitless! Plus they’re really helpful in motocross. I’d assume they’d be equally helpful for the 4x4 off-road community.

As for USD forks? I don’t think I’ve ever seen an ATV with forks. The weirdest setup I’ve personally ever seen was the strut setup that Polaris used (may still use). Performance quads pretty well stick to the upper and lower A-arms setup. Back when I raced, we copied the late 80’s Honda geometry, but I’ve been told most guys use the newer Suzuki geometry for racing.

As for other bike tech trickling down to quads, cannondale had a pretty revolutionary chassis/engine when they released the Cannibal. Yamaha stepped up the tech game when they went with an all aluminum single piece sub frame on the 2004 YFZ-450. It wasn’t were strong, but they tried...

MadisonSuicide > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 11:58

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Forgive me.... “It is easy to take a look at today’s high-performance motorcycles and assume all of the features present have been there since the very beginning.” Um What? Maybe if someone could only remember back as far as yesterday.

AssFault > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 12:05

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FYI: upside down forks actually have greater unsprung mass than conventional forks. That’s why you only see them in applications where stiffness is valued over ride quality. The majority of the mass is in the hardcoated sliders.

QADude > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 12:12

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I haven’t ridden bikes in years, but that was a damn good article. Nice to see how things have progressed.

BobintheMtns > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 12:15

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Very cool write-up. Very cool. But one teeny-tiny quibble... While using the engine as a stressed member might be new(ish) to most bikes, some realized the benefits of ditching the cradle quite a while ago.... Here’s a ducati racer from 1972:

Peter Monshizadeh > BobintheMtns 08/21/2015 at 12:27

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Dang it, you got me!

BobintheMtns > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 12:32

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Not even, like I said, it’s pretty new for the majority of bikes... and even if, still one of the more enjoyable writeups I’ve seen here in a while. Seriously!

Peter Monshizadeh > BobintheMtns 08/21/2015 at 12:34

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Thank you sir!

endosymbiont > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 12:34

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Would “full fairing” count as something that could be on this list?

nermal > move-over-peasant-I-have-an-M5-in-the-shop 08/21/2015 at 12:35

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I foolishly test rode a new Monster 1200 a few months ago, and compared to my 10 yr old ZX10 there was no comparison. The feel of the new Ducatis is just smooooooth everywhere.

LoganExplosion > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 12:43

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I thought this was going to go WAY deeper. These advancements are at least 12 years old. Good read still though!

Hubbard > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 12:52

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Very entertaining read. Bikes have done a lot of progression in just the last few years too. Traction control and ABS are only a few years old on most bikes. It still amazes me how far behind bikes are compared to cars (on some things). I would like to offer a more representative picture of modern swingarms though. You showed a braced one, but I think the fabricated aluminum ones really show the progress. I chose the R1 swingarm because I’m biased and think it’s the best looking swingarm out there.

I also look at the bikes from the 80s and early 90s and I can’t even imagine ripping one of those around the race track. My experience is limited to really only riding my R1 and I know that has a relatively full suite of modern features, even for being a 2007. Slipper clutch, drive by wire, variable velocity stacks are just a few.

bobdmac > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 13:18

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What was the first production bike with fuel injection? My 1990 k75s has it, but the k100, which came out in 1983, predating it by seven years.

move-over-peasant-I-have-an-M5-in-the-shop > nermal 08/21/2015 at 13:20

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I rode one a couple weeks ago as well. I absolutely loved it, but I think I'd just end up killing myself on it. I'll stick with my Monster 796 for a while longer.

Peter Monshizadeh > bobdmac 08/21/2015 at 13:24

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I wasn’t sure myself, but it looks like as far back as 1970. Pretty awesome!

https://rideapart.com/articles/motor…

You had fordboy357 at "meat tornado" > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 13:29

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25 years old and still absolutely gorgeous. Feature everything you listed apart from the braced swingarm. This one is single sided which is even better.

Fucking love this bike. 32 valve V-4. Early 90’s Honda FTW

Peter Monshizadeh > endosymbiont 08/21/2015 at 13:30

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It very well could! I figured that full fairings pre-dated everything else in the list by so much that it might not have made sense to include it. I think when most people think “sportbike”, they already think of a fully faired bike.

Singletrack > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 13:30

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One other thing I would add is broad use of exotic materials and manufacturing techniques. Thin wall die-cast aluminum frame members, CNC machined aluminum parts, forged steel con rods, chromoly steel frames, magnesium, carbon fibre, titanium exhaust pipes and more... all available on a common production motorcycle for less than $20K. The artfully sculpted hard parts on a motorcycle shame virtually any part on a mass produced car.

AyeAyeCapn > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 13:32

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I started riding in October 2014 at the age of 36. My first bike was a 2008 Ninja 250. It had a carburated engine and a choke. No slipper clutch, no steering damper... actually very few of the items you list.

Arguably calling it a sport bike is a stretch, but I’m glad I didn’t have all that stuff when I was learning. I appreciate them so much more now.

Even then, comparing that bike to a 90’s model is probably night and day, so there is always something better on the horizon to be appreciated.

Singletrack > endosymbiont 08/21/2015 at 13:33

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Nope. Look at the ‘Naked’ bike trend.

Peter Monshizadeh > You had fordboy357 at "meat tornado" 08/21/2015 at 13:40

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Yep, Honda unobtanium FTW. Check out one of my other posts where you can find one without even having to go to a museum!

Peter Monshizadeh > Singletrack 08/21/2015 at 13:42

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The level of engineering prowess that can be had on the used market for under $5k is absolutely mind boggling. It can just stay our little secret...

redmouseball > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 13:55

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A next advancement may be dual clutch transmission. Optional on new Honda Africa Twin

You had fordboy357 at "meat tornado" > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 14:18

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You saw one in the wild?!

Peter Monshizadeh > You had fordboy357 at "meat tornado" 08/21/2015 at 14:25

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Well, not really. But I know where one is!

Voodoo-u > AyeAyeCapn 08/21/2015 at 14:42

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To your point, I bought my 2013 Ninja 650 and had been riding on my learner’s permit for about a month before taking an instruction class (at the end of which I did my road test and got my endorsement). The bikes we were using were old Honda and Suzukis, probably 200s or 250s, and I absolutely hated them. Just awful annoying bikes to ride and uncomfortable to boot. But by the time the weekend class was done, it made me appreciate my 650 a hell of a lot more!

AyeAyeCapn > Voodoo-u 08/21/2015 at 14:48

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Word. I upgraded this spring to a VFR800 and know for a fact that if it had been my first bike I would have killed myself almost instantly. How people start on a 650 or litre bike amazes me.

You had fordboy357 at "meat tornado" > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 14:57

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bobdmac > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 14:59

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Thanks for the link, but a small correction—that Kawasaki was introduced in 1980, according to the article.

dogisbadob > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 15:10

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Nice writeup

JEM > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 15:12

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Nice article!

Though my 2001 Suzuki doesn’t have a single one of these things lol.

Spaze > Hubbard 08/21/2015 at 15:18

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Got a lot of miles on that R1 ;)

endosymbiont > You had fordboy357 at "meat tornado" 08/21/2015 at 15:38

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What about single-sided swingarms as a feature that started on sportbikes but are now (nearly) commonplace?

Roman Savchuk > AyeAyeCapn 08/21/2015 at 15:51

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Umm.. That depends which model . Modern 250/300 Ninjas stand no chance against 1990 ZXR 250 Ninja

Gonemad > Hooneriphic 08/21/2015 at 15:53

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I’d be more interested in simultaneous braking of both wheels in bikes, regardless of what pedal or handle you use, trickling down into cheaper models. I don’t know how to ride a motorcycle, but I had myself hitting the ground face-first more than once in my bicycle when I needed emergency braking, and only the front brake “responded”. I think the correct term is “face-planting”?

I’ve heard that BMW bikes just merged the controls for both brakes, and mixed them into the ABS, so you don’t really choose if you are braking with the frontal or rear brakes, you just brake. I’d love to be sure that this feature would be available in any cheap-ass bike I ever decide to buy in order to learn how motorcycles handle, and not face-planting with a 120kg vehicle falling on top of me...

AdverseMartyr > AyeAyeCapn 08/21/2015 at 16:09

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I think you would be surprised at just how much that 2008 ninja 250 had in common with a bike from 1988. If you look up the ninja 250 wiki you will see that a lot of the changes are simply cosmetic with other changes being minor upgrades and those changes just happened in 2008. It was the same bike from 1988-2007.

AyeAyeCapn > Roman Savchuk 08/21/2015 at 16:23

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It’s so pretty!

AyeAyeCapn > AdverseMartyr 08/21/2015 at 16:24

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huh... I would not have thunk. Looks like the school of “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”

AdverseMartyr > AyeAyeCapn 08/21/2015 at 16:37

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Yep, it also makes it pretty crazy to spend 2k+ on a 06-07 if you see a good running one from the 90s for $1000. Especially since some of the 90s color schemes are...interesting.

Hooneriphic > Gonemad 08/21/2015 at 16:52

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Don’t take offense to my comment, I assure none is intended. If you’re having issues on a bicycle, I’d suggest more seat time on the bicycle before stepping up to a motorcycle. I’ve only ever seen the braking system you speak of on utility ATV’s. And if BMW has a version, you can rest assured it’s a really well thought out and safe design. But riding a motorcycle is inherently dangerous compared to driving a car. Not so much solely due to the rider’s actions, but because the 2 ton armored vehicles around you on the road can inflict a lot of bodily damage, quickly. If you’re really interested in riding and are worried about how you’ll do in emergency situations, I recommend a riding course. You get to ride (and drop) someone else’s motorcycle, and the courses really do teach the fundamentals quite well. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve locked up the rear tire on a motorcycle. But if it makes you feel better, unlike a bicycle, the rear brake is a foot control and the front brake is a hand control. You just need to learn to panic with you foot and not panic squeeze the front brake.

AyeAyeCapn > AdverseMartyr 08/21/2015 at 17:31

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my God... looks like the pre-08 ones had a centre stand?! Whaaaat?

Fox > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 17:56

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How a Slipper Clutch works:

Freude am Fahren > Hubbard 08/21/2015 at 18:49

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I’ve got a ‘14 R6, and it’s got the same. It’s one of the least “advanced” new bikes on the road. No TC, ABS, Power Modes, Steering Damper, etc. The R1 has gone through two major revisions in the same time, and the R6 is basically where it was in ‘06 (minor revision in 08, and nothing since). Though not surprising, the 600 class has been really neglected by the manufacturers, but even Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki have put in Dampers, ABS and power modes in their Supersports. There are lots of articles on why (the money right now seems to be in the liter bikes and entry level), but when you condsider the huge changes the R1 got this year, with all the goodies, I wonder if some will finally make their way to the R6.

PardonMyFlemish16 > nermal 08/21/2015 at 19:06

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I don’t know about TC for 650s. Definitely slipper clutches, ABS and maybe a quickshifter. I have had light powerslides on my 650.... it’s not too bad.

sdwarf36 > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 21:43

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I remember a hi dollar road race item years back(like a couple grand) was curved radiators. Teams freaked that they were paying that much-when $5k street bikes started coming with them.

dumpsterfire! > Peter Monshizadeh 08/21/2015 at 22:22

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while your point is valid, i hate that my daily rider is on the old side of the column. rats.

Peter Monshizadeh > dumpsterfire! 08/21/2015 at 22:28

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I quite prefer “retro”.

Peter Monshizadeh > bobdmac 08/21/2015 at 22:30

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Oops, yeah you’re right. My critical reading skillz are lacking!

Peter Monshizadeh > JEM 08/21/2015 at 22:38

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Haha - it’s all good!

AdverseMartyr > AyeAyeCapn 08/21/2015 at 23:50

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If it bothers you it comes right off.

AyeAyeCapn > AdverseMartyr 08/22/2015 at 00:31

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You misunderstand! I bought my VFR800 in large part because it DOES have a center stand.

DoglegFirst > BobintheMtns 08/22/2015 at 00:41

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More importantly, it has bevel driven cams, which is one of the coolest Ducati features ever.

AdverseMartyr > AyeAyeCapn 08/22/2015 at 01:30

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Oohhh, you’re a one percenter. I won’t tell anyone. Though I admit I find them useful, and cheaper than getting stands. I also haven’t noticed myself going, “if I only had like five pounds less on the bike this 90hp would really move this bike better.” or, “geez, if I only had another half a degree of lean, I could have killed that corner.”

Gonemad > Hooneriphic 08/22/2015 at 08:15

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No offense taken. Face-planting took place as a kid, eons ago. But just as we are prone on doing stupid things again when learning new ones, I reasoned that I’d probably do that in panic, and muscle memory - cruel mistress - would throw me in a clutch-in frontal brake lockup. Yep, training new muscle memory would be essential.

JeffOwl > Hooneriphic 08/22/2015 at 10:10

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I think there are two options for combined brakes in street motorcycles... Integrated and Linked. BMW and Harley Davidson touring bikes have Linked brakes which, along with the ABS, apply the “appropriate” amount of braking force to both wheels with a pull on the right lever, while the right pedal only hits the rear brake. I believe Honda has a linked brake system where either control operates both brakes.

JeffOwl > Gonemad 08/22/2015 at 10:11

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You are correct, BMW, Harley Davidson, and Honda all have a combined brake system offered on some models. There are probably others.

JeffOwl > Iamopenlyjudgingyou 08/22/2015 at 10:18

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Yeah, I would go out of my way to get non-oxy fuel for my carburated 2006, especially nearing the start of winter.

JeffOwl > redmouseball 08/22/2015 at 10:24

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Honda has several bikes with DCT options already... NC700, CTX700, NM4 (I think they all share the same engine/transmission combo). I think most of the Can-Am trikes have it as well, but that really doesn’t count. I thought that Aprilia had offered one but they don’t anymore, Manta maybe?

AyeAyeCapn > AdverseMartyr 08/22/2015 at 12:12

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Yep. Part of the fun of riding only a year has been learning what kind of rider I am. I knew almost immediately I wanted to be a sport-touring rider. The lil Ninja was great, but wasn’t going to do at all for a 2500km road trip.

I instead found myself going “If only I had a bike I could work on without having to haul a stand around” or “If only I could go faster than 120km/h in 6th gear @ 11,00rpm.”

That all being said... I miss the Ninja for bombing around town. I wish I’d kept it :(

My eldest daughter is 12, so when I want to get her learning, we’ll go find one and give it a good home.

MTY19855 > Peter Monshizadeh 08/22/2015 at 15:44

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The Suzuki Katana went all the way to 2006 with a carbureted motor.

AdverseMartyr > AyeAyeCapn 08/22/2015 at 16:27

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I would say that it’s not the mechanical limit of the bike that would be the biggest problem on a long trip. The wind-shear with such a tiny bike would be the worst as it still has a decent amount of height to it. A semi going past would be really exciting on a 2 lane highway.

That VFR800 is a good choice for a sport tourer.

It’s awesome that you are already planning on your daughter learning to ride. I take it she is interested? Don’t forget to teach her that the guys who don’t ATGATT are just a waste of her time as they won’t survive and so are clearly not worthy of her.

Adamsm293 > The-Guy-They-Warned-You-About 08/22/2015 at 22:25

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The big concern is not the rear wheel sliding....ABS is the biggest help for not loosing the front end.

Rockburner > BobintheMtns 08/24/2015 at 06:57

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Also see Vincent Rapide/Comet etc from the 1950s. Designed (IIRC) by Phil Irvin (an Australian), the bike was an engine with small sub-frames hanging off it (much like an 1150 BMW too).

Rockburner > Peter Monshizadeh 08/24/2015 at 07:03

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Funny how a lot of the tech is based on even older ideas.

USD forks were around ages ago - take a look at the 1953 BSA Bantam. (itself derived from a German DKW design from the ‘30s).

Stressed engine - see Vincents from 1950’s (in development even earlier)

Braced Swingarm - see Vincent from the 1930’s

Image above is my father’s 1930 HRD-Vincent 500cc race bike.

Fuel injection has been around a long time too, although more usually in other areas. the Messerchmitt 109s of WW2 were fuel injected - a lot of the development was from pre-war Grand Prix cars - eg the Mercedes and Auto-Unions that dominated.

The-Guy-They-Warned-You-About > Adamsm293 08/24/2015 at 08:11

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Traction control is mostly about the rear wheel sliding. It also helps the front end, but mostly it is trying to prevent rear wheel slides in corners and spins on less than great surfaces. Basically trying to keep wheel traction. The problem with the rear wheel sliding is that if it does regain traction, it snaps back in line very quickly and throws the rider. This is the typical High Side crash. It will also help prevent low sides too.

bob and john > Peter Monshizadeh 08/24/2015 at 11:12

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hehe. this is the EXACT set i have on my SV....

strich > Peter Monshizadeh 08/24/2015 at 16:58

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Thanks for this. Lots of info here I didn’t know.

Voodoo-u > AyeAyeCapn 08/24/2015 at 18:46

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Technically I did start with the 650, but I had only been riding backroads to and from work for a month and then took the class with the old Hondas.

The main reason people get hurt or killed riding big bikes is because they’re stupid and don’t respect the machine. Doesn’t matter if it has two wheels or four, if you don’t respect the machine, it will bite you or maybe even kill you.

Peter Monshizadeh > bob and john 08/24/2015 at 19:13

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Dude, that is one mean looking SV. Good forks too!

LostPuppySyndrome > nermal 08/28/2015 at 11:20

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It’s bikes with 1000+ cc that need that stuff the most though. Between cost and lack of power, you’ll likely never see any TC, wheelie control, slipper clutches, or quickshifters on many bikes below 800cc. ABS, for sure, and you can find that across the board, at least as an option, on nearly every bike today. Even slipper clutches aren’t found on anything but sportbikes. Flywheels and rotating mass are much lighter in a sport/race bike, so pulling the clutch in drops revs quicker than your typical non-race-derived streetbike. By the time you shift and drop the clutch, your engine speed has dropped to the point that clutch engagement would slow down your drivetrain to the point of skipping your rear tire until the engine speed catches up. With your typical streetbike, engine and drivetrain components are built heavier so when you pull in the clutch, engine speed doesn’t drop nearly as fast and you can make slower, lazier shifts without upsetting the chassis. Thus, it’s an expensive technology that doesn’t have much use on the street and adding it would only make the price of a bike go up, which does nothing to draw in new and/or cost-conscious riders. That goes for wheelie control too.