Author Topic: NSR: Top Cornering Bikes - a surprise #1 from 2005  (Read 1199 times)

Neil955i

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NSR: Top Cornering Bikes - a surprise #1 from 2005
« on: February 23, 2023, 03:19:21 PM »
Stolen from a UK publication, Bike Magazine.  (4.5 Mb File is too big for me to include, but DM me if you'd like me to email it to you?)

#1 Buell Firebolt XB12R
£7745 »1203cc V-Twin »100bhp »135mph
And you thought it would be something from
the mainstream. Erik Buell’s creation may be
oddball, yes, but it’s also supremely satisfying, gifted and
rewarding through corners.
What we have is basically a lumpy, air-cooled, 1203cc
Harley-Davidson engine housed in a tiny chassis with the
geometry of a 250GP racer. It sounds like madness, but the
method uses several innovative techniques to minimise
weight and put what there is exactly where it needs to be for
handling. Fuel is carried in the frame and the exhaust is
under the engine to centralise the mass around the centre of
gravity, oil for the dry sump engine is housed in the swingarm
to dodge the need for an oil tank and allow a short
wheelbase, while the brake disc is mounted to the rim to
allow thinner spokes and lighter wheels. Pegs are high and
narrow and there are no unnecessary features, no clutter,
just the essentials for cornering perfection.
We love the Firebolt on Bike. It looks tall, short and thin,
like a bike built to murder apexes… and it doesn’t disappoint.
Road tester Mike Armitage: ‘It leans, leans and leans before
the pegs eventually skim the surface, going at least as far
over as an Aprilia RS125 or Ducati 999R and covering
ground at an alarming pace. But it does it with much more
stability and poise than the skittish Aprilia and takes far less
effort than the longer, heavier, slower-steering 999R.’
But it isn’t just in the hooligan category that the American
steed shines. Compared with a ZX-6R or the like, the bars
are relatively high and quite close, allowing easy pushing and
pulling for darting past obstructions and counter-steering
your way about the countryside. The thudding, slow-revving
V-twin may not be everyone’s ideal motor – Moto73
magazine’s Koen reckons being ridiculously short with a
weird power sensation of no revs makes it a fun ride, but he
doesn’t rate the big mass of the engine. Or, more precisely,
the heavy rotating internals. But though the vibrating,
shuddering lump lacks a howling top-end rush, it does
supply the expected, easily accessed torque that smears the
rear tyre against the road and kicks the bike out of corners.
It’ll pull strongly from 3000rpm, so it doesn’t matter if you
miss a downshift – get your gear wrong on a 600 or a small
two-stroke and your perfect corner is screwed. Not on this.
That isn’t to say the bike isn’t involving. Yes, it does all the
above, but it needs a rider to tell it what to do – there isn’t the
feeling of being a mere spectator to the cornering process as
there is with, say, a Honda CBR1000RR. The whole machine
feels alive and full of character, the rev range is quite short so
it needs a bit of monitoring and there’s a barrage of feedback
from the front forks. Do what it asks and it’ll change direction
so briskly you feel as if your head is going to spin round.
So it leans for England (well, America) without fear of
anything digging in or running off-line, responds rapidly to
every input and carries huge speed, well within its safe limits
with a predictable, effective yet gentle power delivery. It
remains as stable and composed in fast turns as it is nimble
and accurate in tight switchbacks, keeps you fully engaged
while riding and does it all better than expected. And better
than GSX-R riders expect when you pass them on their
favourite winding road.
That does it for us. ?
« Last Edit: February 23, 2023, 03:44:37 PM by Neil955i »
Regards & ride safe,
Neil

Current garage:  Kymco DTX360 & Triumph Street Triple 675R
Past bikes: BSA C15. Honda S/wing (GL500). Kawasaki GPz750. BMW K100RS. Kawasaki GPZ900R. Yamaha FJ1200 x2. Sprint. Triumph Daytona 900. Kawasaki ZX-7R. T595 Daytona. Kawasaki ZX-9R x2. Triumph Daytona 955i. X-Town

klaviator

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Re: NSR: Top Cornering Bikes - a surprise #1 from 2005
« Reply #1 on: February 23, 2023, 06:38:16 PM »
IMO the best cornering bike out there is whatever bike YOU feel the best on going around curves.  That will be different for everyone and even for the same person different bikes are better for different roads and situations. 
I Ride Therefore I Am

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NorWeWa

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Re: NSR: Top Cornering Bikes - a surprise #1 from 2005
« Reply #2 on: February 23, 2023, 09:29:11 PM »
A few years back I bought a 1985 BMW K100RS.  Had liked the look since it was new in 1985.  Didn't keep it long. Heavy, flexy frame, norrow rims and tires.  Motorcycle design has evolved greatly. Racing design has somewhat trickled down to street machines in the show room.
Eric Buell is a great engineer, designer.

Art 

Neil955i

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Re: NSR: Top Cornering Bikes - a surprise #1 from 2005
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2023, 08:15:14 AM »
A few years back I bought a 1985 BMW K100RS.  Had liked the look since it was new in 1985.  Didn't keep it long. Heavy, flexy frame, norrow rims and tires.  Motorcycle design has evolved greatly. Racing design has somewhat trickled down to street machines in the show room.
Eric Buell is a great engineer, designer.

Art

K100RS. Had one too Art and got rid after a year for the self same reasons.
Regards & ride safe,
Neil

Current garage:  Kymco DTX360 & Triumph Street Triple 675R
Past bikes: BSA C15. Honda S/wing (GL500). Kawasaki GPz750. BMW K100RS. Kawasaki GPZ900R. Yamaha FJ1200 x2. Sprint. Triumph Daytona 900. Kawasaki ZX-7R. T595 Daytona. Kawasaki ZX-9R x2. Triumph Daytona 955i. X-Town

CROSSBOLT

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Re: NSR: Top Cornering Bikes - a surprise #1 from 2005
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2023, 01:18:16 PM »
Stunning revelation! Too bad the marque is gone....
Karl

Three motorcycles 1960-1977 (restored a 1955 BSA)
Agility 50
Yager 200i
Downtown 300i
Navy tech, Ships Engineer, pilot and aircraft mechanic

NorWeWa

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Re: NSR: Top Cornering Bikes - a surprise #1 from 2005
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2023, 03:53:53 PM »
Lots of Buells around for sale here. Harley riders don't buy them. Sport bike riders buy the new machines from the big 4.

Art 

Stig / Major Tom

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Re: NSR: Top Cornering Bikes - a surprise #1 from 2005
« Reply #6 on: February 25, 2023, 12:08:34 AM »
I'm proud of my chicken 🐔 strips. Shows I'm acting my age🙃

No, actually I've always preferred slow to fast.
Heck, I practically walked from Tallahassee Florida to Ensenada Mexico when I was 18. And enjoyed every mile of it.

Cornering?
qu'est-ce que c'est??

Stig
Boston Strong
Rural Ohio

And, I'm feeling a little peculiar.

klaviator

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Re: NSR: Top Cornering Bikes - a surprise #1 from 2005
« Reply #7 on: February 25, 2023, 03:06:16 AM »
I'm a curvoholic.  I'll ride out of my way to Walmart just to add a few curves to my ride.  For me it's about fun.  I don't care if I own the best cornering bike.  I have as much fun out in the mountains on my scooters as I did back in the day when I rode sportbikes.  The big difference between me today and back then is now I ride much curvier roads.  Many sportbike riders wouldn't like some of my favorite roads because they are "too curvy". 



.



I Ride Therefore I Am

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klaviator

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Re: NSR: Top Cornering Bikes - a surprise #1 from 2005
« Reply #8 on: February 25, 2023, 03:09:38 AM »
One of the best cornering bikes I have owned was one you wouldn't expect.  My old 2000 Yamaha XT350.

I Ride Therefore I Am

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randyo

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Re: NSR: Top Cornering Bikes - a surprise #1 from 2005
« Reply #9 on: February 25, 2023, 04:27:06 AM »
my nekid red 99SV650 was at home in the twisties, but so is my K-Pipe
RandyO
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Neil955i

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Re: NSR: Top Cornering Bikes - a surprise #1 from 2005
« Reply #10 on: February 25, 2023, 09:39:49 AM »
I’m with you Klav. A ride without a curve is like a day without sunshine, dull as heck!
Regards & ride safe,
Neil

Current garage:  Kymco DTX360 & Triumph Street Triple 675R
Past bikes: BSA C15. Honda S/wing (GL500). Kawasaki GPz750. BMW K100RS. Kawasaki GPZ900R. Yamaha FJ1200 x2. Sprint. Triumph Daytona 900. Kawasaki ZX-7R. T595 Daytona. Kawasaki ZX-9R x2. Triumph Daytona 955i. X-Town

klaviator

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Re: NSR: Top Cornering Bikes - a surprise #1 from 2005
« Reply #11 on: February 25, 2023, 12:14:28 PM »
my nekid red 99SV650 was at home in the twisties, but so is my K-Pipe

I had a nekid red 99 SV650.  That was a fun bike.

I Ride Therefore I Am

Rocket City, Al

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Re: NSR: Top Cornering Bikes - a surprise #1 from 2005
« Reply #12 on: February 25, 2023, 02:14:33 PM »
best cornering bike I ever had was a BMWF800r, rode like a rock though, had it for about a year and decided it's not worth the rest of the ride, more fun to just get better on what you're riding. friend of mine had a royal enfield 500 with a few small mods cornered like it was a race bike. was so surprised when he kicked my you know what on a winding back road.

klaviator

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Re: NSR: Top Cornering Bikes - a surprise #1 from 2005
« Reply #13 on: February 26, 2023, 02:37:10 AM »
best cornering bike I ever had was a BMWF800r, rode like a rock though, had it for about a year and decided it's not worth the rest of the ride, more fun to just get better on what you're riding. friend of mine had a royal enfield 500 with a few small mods cornered like it was a race bike. was so surprised when he kicked my you know what on a winding back road.

In most cases cornering speed is more dependent on the rider than the bike.
I Ride Therefore I Am

Rocket City, Al

randyo

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Re: NSR: Top Cornering Bikes - a surprise #1 from 2005
« Reply #14 on: February 26, 2023, 07:16:12 PM »
my experience, any bike can take one curve, the real test is flicking from one corner to the next in the opposite direction
RandyO
IBA#9560

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