2010 Modified Supersport Shootout [motorcycleusa.com]

[UFO]

2010 models:  CBR600RR vs. ZX-6R vs. GSXR600 vs. YZF-R6.  This is stage 1 of the shootout.  Stage 2 will follow later.



Our annual Supersport Shootout is one of the most fiercely contested of the year, manufacturers jockeying for top honors in the cut throat middleweight market. The 2009 version was one of the best in MotoUSA history, so when we realized that none of the bikes would be receiving any significant updates for 2010, giving us no real reason to compare them again in stock trim, well, we were pretty bummed! But only for a minute, as we came up with the idea for a totally new concept: the 2010 Modified Supersport Shootout.

You can read the entire shootout here:  http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/9/7452/Motorcycle-Article/2010-Modified-Supersport-Shootout.aspx

[atadaskew]

With a pipe and ECU the Kawi grenaded its motor.
Awesome.
But it made the most powah until that moment!

[HipGnosis]

I thought 'supersports' were 1,000 cc's...  

[atadaskew]

I thought 'supersports' were 1,000 cc's...  

superbikes = 1000 cc's

[DogBoy]

Sportbikes are supersports; 600cc, 750cc, 1000cc, 1200cc etc.

[atadaskew]

Huh, I bet more people here would have got their knickers in a twist if a Harley blew up its motor in a magazine test..

 

[peacemaker24]

How the heck can it chuck a rod and still win the test?  Shouldn't that send it to the back of the line?  Cripes.

~~~Jesse

[atadaskew]

It makes me think that these bikes are not built to last like the older models were.  When you are getting 110hp out of 600cc's, where 10 years ago it was 90, something has got to give..
Nice how Kaw claims it was over-revved and so stressed.  Maybe but imagine if that happened to a customer.  Their warranty claim could be denied by them saying you abused the bike even though they really can't prove whether that happened or not...

Some Euro mag tested the liter bikes on an oval  course so they could run them at max speed.  In that one the Aprilia, Suzuki, Yamaha, MV Agusta, KTM all had failures.  Only the Honda, Kaw, Duc and BMW survived.
Seeing that over there on the autobahn you actually can run at top speed, I think it is something to note if that's your bag.

Heck, even the VFR12 didn't blow up when it was taken to the track by hellforleather.com!
 

[DogBoy]

It makes me think that these bikes are not built to last like the older models were.  When you are getting 110hp out of 600cc's, where 10 years ago it was 90, something has got to give..
Nice how Kaw claims it was over-revved and so stressed.  Maybe but imagine if that happened to a customer.  Their warranty claim could be denied by them saying you abused the bike even though they really can't prove whether that happened or not...

Some Euro mag tested the liter bikes on an oval  course so they could run them at max speed.  In that one the Aprilia, Suzuki, Yamaha, MV Agusta, KTM all had failures.  Only the Honda, Kaw, Duc and BMW survived.
Seeing that over there on the autobahn you actually can run at top speed, I think it is something to note if that's your bag.

Heck, even the VFR12 didn't blow up when it was taken to the track by hellforleather.com!
 

There is a guy on a local sportbike board who had a 2009 ZX6R blow up at 3,000 miles. He's a bit of a nutcase and his posts read like a pysch 101 text book so I'm not sure how much I believe. He claims Kawasaki is making good on the warranty.

Maybe these bikes won't last 100,000 street miles like the supersports of six or eight years ago. Then again, it depends on the level of abuse. I doubt any AMA supersport or fast club racer is putting three thousand miles on these engines with no service. I've read that pro 600 supersport race engines (not factory teams) schedule rebuilds at 1500 km, IIRC.

I know some racers who blew up FZR400 and FZR600 engines in much less than 3000 miles and that was years ago.

[motoguy128]

Huh, I bet more people here would have got their knickers in a twist if a Harley blew up its motor in a magazine test..

 

Ya... but if you blow a motor trying to get "squeeze" out 110HP out of a 1600+cc mill, it's pretty lame.  Blowing a motor trying to extract nearly 120HP out of a 600cc mill is pretty impressive.

[atadaskew]

  Blowing a motor trying to extract nearly 120HP out of a 600cc mill is pretty impressive.

More like the ultimate fail to me.

[Mookie]

More like the ultimate fail to me.

Until you realize it's absolutely crushing boosted supercars in HP per liter figures.   McLaren F1, Ferrari Enzo and Koenigsegg's all make much less power per liter.

[atadaskew]

Until you realize it's absolutely crushing boosted supercars in HP per liter figures.   McLaren F1, Ferrari Enzo and Koenigsegg's all make much less power per liter.

When you have a hole the size of your fist in your engine block, you're crushing no-one with hp/liter figures.  Actually it would be 0hp/liter.

[Mookie]

Granted, it's not a great thing to have happen but it's kind of surprising to me that this doesn't happen way more often, given what they are squeezing out of tiny, mostly stock engines these days.  

[atadaskew]

No kidding.

[falconati]

Well, maybe a little bit of kidding.