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A Guide to this Year's Hottest Superbikes
| We're told to be certain of two things in life: death and taxes. Well let's add another to the list - every year Superbikes will get faster, lighter and more powerful. The latest crop of Superbikes for 2009 doesn't disappoint. In fact, you could even call it a vintage year. Competition has been spiced up with a new V4 engine configuration, gate-crashing the once-exclusive party of the twins and inline fours. Meanwhile, electronic gadgetry like ABS, has been fitted to a Superbike for the first time, setting new technological benchmarks in the pursuit for ultimate speed. But take note, these bikes aren't cheap and their performance is blistering, so make sure you have adequate bike insurance if you're thinking of buying one. An overview of the hottest Superbikes of the year… 1. Aprilia RSV4 Aprilia came, saw and conquered on board its new RSV4 Superbike. Lighter than a Honda Fireblade and already racking up podiums in its maiden World Superbike Championship; the state-of-the-art RSV4 is truly a force to be reckoned with. A real rider's machine, the chassis can be fine-tuned to suit styles, from steering head angle to swing-arm pivot location. Engine: liquid-cooled, 65-degree, 1000cc V4 Power: 177bhp Weight: 179kg 2. Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade More than any other machine, the Fireblade defines the term Superbike and since 1992, it has set the benchmark. 17 years on and the Fireblade still dares to be different. This year it became the first Superbike ever to be fitted with ABS. Critics argue it takes the skill and finesse out of riding, Honda says it's safer and will make you quicker on the racetrack. Engine: liquid-cooled, in-line four of 999cc Power: 175bhp Weight: 199kg 3. Ducati 1198S No other manufacturer has been so consistently successful on the racetrack than Ducati, with World Superbike Championship trophies literally clogging the cabinets of its Bolognese headquarters. In its iconic red-racing colours, nothing says Superbike passion quite like an 1198S. Updated for 2009, making it more powerful than ever before, it's already the red-hot favourite to win another world championship trophy. Engine: liquid-cooled, 1198cc, V-twin Power: 168bhp Weight: 173kg 4. Suzuki GSX-R1000 If you see a Superbike on the road, chances are it's a GSX-R1000. A consistent best-seller and beloved by the British public, the Gixxer, as it's affectionately dubbed, has always been one of the cheapest and most powerful two-wheeled rockets in the showrooms. Engine: in-line four-cylinder, liquid-cooled unit of 999cc Power: 183bhp Weight: 172kg 5. Yamaha R1 Eleven-years-ago, Yamaha rewrote the Superbike rulebook when it introduced the first R1 to an unsuspecting public. Its latest incarnation is showing no signs of growing old gracefully with a new MotoGP-inspired ‘Big Bang' engine that uses sophisticated electronics to alter the engine's firing order for better drive and tractability. Style-wise, we're not sold on the drooping ‘eye-lid' headlights though. Engine: 998cc, liquid cooled, in-line four cylinder. Power: 177bhp Weight: 177kg 6. BMW S1000RR BMWs were always reliable, practical and eccentric - now we can add mind-numbingly fast to the list. The German's first Superbike is a 175bhp in-line four with some of the most sophisticated electronics in motorcycling, including four-stage ABS and a quickshifter. The S1000RR's impressive rookie-season performances in the hands of double World Superbike champion Troy Corser have already raised eyebrows around the paddock. Engine: liquid-cooled, in-line four-cylinder engine, 998cc Power: 175bhp Weight: 183kg 7. MV AGUSTA F4 1000R A Superbike as only the Italians know how. Beautiful, stylish and sleek, coupled with blistering performance and precision handling, oh…and reassuringly expensive to boot. The F4 1000R might cost nearly twice as much as some of the other bikes on our list, but it comes with a spec-list most professional race teams would envy. Engine: liquid-cooled in-line four-cylinder engine, 998cc Power: 174bhp Weight: 192kg 8. KAWASAKI ZX-10R NINJA If MV Agusta is Beauty then the Ninja is the Beast. Next to such finesse and automotive art comes Kawasaki's savage power and explosive delivery. This offers a no-prisoners performance and the rider can just hang on if he - or she - dares. With 175bhp on tap and the trademark Ram-air howl, this not-so-little package is the hooligan's dream. Though check that you have adequate motorbike insurance before releasing the hooligan within! Engine: 998cc, four-stroke, liquid-cooled, in-line four Power: 175bhp (184bhp with ram-air effect) Weight: 175kg 9. KTM RC8 KTM, famous for its off-road bikes, is getting out of the mud and on to the tarmac with the RC8 - the Austrian firm's first Superbike. Packing a meaty 1148cc, V-twin lump that delivers 152bhp to the crank, the RC8 will be proving its worth on track as it lines up for its rookie year in the competitive World Superstock 1000 champion. Engine: liquid-cooled, V-twin, 1148cc Power: 152bhp Weight: 188kg 10. Buell 1125R Americans don't do sports bikes; they do shiny, chrome-covered custom-cruisers. But try telling that to Pittsburgh's Erik Buell who's been packing Harley-Davidson engines into sports bike chassis for more than 20 years. Only the 1125R relies on a 146bhp Austrian-built Rotax engine - not as powerful or slick as some of its rivals but it more than makes up the deficit in quirkiness and handling. Engine: liquid-cooled, 72-degree V-twin, 1125cc Power: 146bhp Weight: 170kg |
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