Perusing Guy Martin’s facebook page this morning for info on his crash, I came across this video of him from last year’s race. Not so much a how to as it is a meditation on what happens when Guy avoids running into things, it’s a compelling reminder that the TT is just five days away. Still, we can devise our own guide based on the video. :continue:
Believe it or not, but crash-prone road racer Guy Martin escaped this crash at the NW200 Saturday without major injury. The same can’t be said for his GSX-R600. “It was unfortunate that Guy had to sit out the meeting after a very nasty crash in the opening race on Saturday,” stated team manager Phillip Neill. “He took a fairly hefty bang on the head and was just not fit enough to race on, so it was best option.”
“I’m disappointed to miss out on the meeting and pretty frustrated as I didn’t feel I was doing anything wrong when I tucked the front, even though the bike does get a bit unsettled through that bumpy section,” understates Guy. “I had a really stiff neck after the crash and I had taken a bit of a battering so it was best to sit it out. I’ll be grand for the TT.”
What’s former SBK and GP racer Simon Crafar have to say about performance-enhancing electronics like launch control and traction control? Well, so long as Suzuki’s paying him, they’re the antithesis of the two-wheeled experience. Agree? I know I can’t slide a 2012 Suzuki GSX-R1000 like that. :continue:
Four wheels like a car, but handlebars and a saddle like a motorcycle. With quad bikes, it’s almost like someone took the most awesome part of driving — drifting — and combined it with the most exciting thing about riding dirt bikes — jumping — to create a vehicle with a single purpose: hooning. We take off into the Hungry Valley OHV park of the Los Padres National Forest onboard Suzuki Z400s and a King Quad to try and get as dirty as possible.
If the zombie apocalypse were upon us, the Suzuki DR650 is the kind of thing I’d steal to ride off into the hills. Its old-school steel frame construction and air-cooled single mean it’ll run forever, even if you beat it into the ground. And, at $6,000 for a brand-new one, the DR650 is pretty attractive even if you’re not fleeing a blood-thirsty hoard.
Photos: Grant Ray :continue:
Ethan Barkley’s Suzuki GSX-R1000 isn’t necessarily notable for what it does have — 500bhp — but rather what it doesn’t. Running in the Pro Street class, it doesn’t use slicks, wheelie bars or traction control, just an extended swingarm, lowered front and a whole host of Brock’s Performance parts. An 8.58-second 1/4-mile is pretty damn impressive, ollies when he closes the throttle more so. :continue:
Concept renders are a dime-a-dozen, but this Crossbow is weird enough that we thought it merited coverage. Based on one of the most famous motorcycle concepts of all time, designer Phil Pauley imagines a hinged canopy, shielding the rider from the elements and enhancing aerodynamics. Weird, wonderful or just plain silly? :continue:
What makes a motorcycle good? Is it big horsepower numbers and a long list of novel technology? Its ability to triple the highway speed limit? Is it presence in a TV show or its ability to impress your buddies on a motorcycle forum? This new 2012 Suzuki V-Strom 650 has none of that. When it leaked last year, we even called it boring. But, after spending over a month on it, that opinion has changed totally. The V-Strom might not be the sexiest motorcycle out there, but it is the most broadly capable we’ve ridden.
Photos: Sean Smith :continue:
Last week, we reviewed the 2012 Suzuki GSX-R1000 down at Homestead Speedway in Florida. Out on track that same day was AMA Pro Superbike rider Blake Young. In this video, he throws down a solid hot lap. :continue:
No traction control. No ABS. Down on power and heavier than most rivals. It’s easy to write off the 2012 Suzuki GSX-R1000 before even riding it. But should you? We flew down to scenic Homestead, Florida, home of a NASCAR track, to find out. :continue:
