Shaun P
23rd August 2012, 16:36
"MY2012 iR1"
The evolution of sportsbikes these days are happening at a slower pace these days more so from the Japanese big 4. The most publicised change to this model year is traction control which in my opinion has more 'save your ass' benefit than abs.
Why? because when you are pushing on through a series of corners and you lose rear wheel traction it is often harder to catch on a road setup due to the softer suspension and seat than your typical race bike. When this happens it is very fast and can result in a nasty highside when the rear tyre regrips but even then its not foolproof..
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Cb615tzxJ3s" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Cont..
The TC is adjustable through levels 1-6 with wheelie control on 5 and 6 are also the 3 power modes A B and C the default is B mode which is fine for the street.
There are plenty of reviews out there so I will focus more on the shortcomings and how to fix them.
As with most sportbikes they are quite highly geared in standard form also the springs are normally progressive, so changing out these parts from the onset is an excellent bang for buck performance mod.
Stock vs change specs for this
Fork springs .920 kg/mm to 1.050 kg/mm with ohlins oil
Shock spring 9.5 kg/mm to 11.0 kg/mm with rebound seperator valve and ohlins oil
Gearing 530 17/47 to 520 15/46 (yes this does affect speedo and there are ways to correct it such as speedo healer but as to not knowing the affect on TC..)
Also,
Soft Grips
GP shift.
Post set up and riding the machine it now feels much more balanced and purposeful. Also recently fitted were the gytr slip on mufflers which are so - so in quality and fit but do unleash a less restrictive deep sound which allow you to get involved with the musical tones of the engine.
The latest evolution R1 (09-12) has a secure feeling when cranked over mid corner with seemingly good chassis balance and the oem dunlop sportmax tyres 190/55 R 120/70 F offer all the performance you would need for the road and prob be adequate for the track although there are more suitable options for this purpose.
During initial running in I noticed the running temps getting quite hot more so in traffic situations with the fan cycling on a fair bit so the next in line was in the cooling department changing out the coolant for distilled water and water wetter which resulted in much lower running temps and fan did not come on at all. There is still quite a bit of heat radiated up from the exhausts but this is only really an issue in traffic and can be overcome by fitting a midpipe or full exhaust system
Next up for stage 2 will be installing the Hel braided brake lines(great to deal with just ring em up and tell em what you want plenty of info on their web site also) and the techtronics autoblipper (I like gadgets..) with some pirelli hoops for some track riding @ Broadford and Phillip Island in the coming weeks.
There are also some performance and power delivery gains to be had with ecu and exhaust tuning particularly in the engine braking department but these are relatively high cost items that will have to happen at a later stage.
If you have had 4 cylinder 1000cc bike in the past and are looking for something different but cant afford European exotica then this could be a good compromise as the engine character and power delivery are all involving with solid chassis balance brings back riding to grass roots and a smile to the dial :woohoo:
Plus the TC gives that extra feeling of security to the weekend road warrior..
The evolution of sportsbikes these days are happening at a slower pace these days more so from the Japanese big 4. The most publicised change to this model year is traction control which in my opinion has more 'save your ass' benefit than abs.
Why? because when you are pushing on through a series of corners and you lose rear wheel traction it is often harder to catch on a road setup due to the softer suspension and seat than your typical race bike. When this happens it is very fast and can result in a nasty highside when the rear tyre regrips but even then its not foolproof..
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Cb615tzxJ3s" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Cont..
The TC is adjustable through levels 1-6 with wheelie control on 5 and 6 are also the 3 power modes A B and C the default is B mode which is fine for the street.
There are plenty of reviews out there so I will focus more on the shortcomings and how to fix them.
As with most sportbikes they are quite highly geared in standard form also the springs are normally progressive, so changing out these parts from the onset is an excellent bang for buck performance mod.
Stock vs change specs for this
Fork springs .920 kg/mm to 1.050 kg/mm with ohlins oil
Shock spring 9.5 kg/mm to 11.0 kg/mm with rebound seperator valve and ohlins oil
Gearing 530 17/47 to 520 15/46 (yes this does affect speedo and there are ways to correct it such as speedo healer but as to not knowing the affect on TC..)
Also,
Soft Grips
GP shift.
Post set up and riding the machine it now feels much more balanced and purposeful. Also recently fitted were the gytr slip on mufflers which are so - so in quality and fit but do unleash a less restrictive deep sound which allow you to get involved with the musical tones of the engine.
The latest evolution R1 (09-12) has a secure feeling when cranked over mid corner with seemingly good chassis balance and the oem dunlop sportmax tyres 190/55 R 120/70 F offer all the performance you would need for the road and prob be adequate for the track although there are more suitable options for this purpose.
During initial running in I noticed the running temps getting quite hot more so in traffic situations with the fan cycling on a fair bit so the next in line was in the cooling department changing out the coolant for distilled water and water wetter which resulted in much lower running temps and fan did not come on at all. There is still quite a bit of heat radiated up from the exhausts but this is only really an issue in traffic and can be overcome by fitting a midpipe or full exhaust system
Next up for stage 2 will be installing the Hel braided brake lines(great to deal with just ring em up and tell em what you want plenty of info on their web site also) and the techtronics autoblipper (I like gadgets..) with some pirelli hoops for some track riding @ Broadford and Phillip Island in the coming weeks.
There are also some performance and power delivery gains to be had with ecu and exhaust tuning particularly in the engine braking department but these are relatively high cost items that will have to happen at a later stage.
If you have had 4 cylinder 1000cc bike in the past and are looking for something different but cant afford European exotica then this could be a good compromise as the engine character and power delivery are all involving with solid chassis balance brings back riding to grass roots and a smile to the dial :woohoo:
Plus the TC gives that extra feeling of security to the weekend road warrior..