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Thursday, 18 September 2003 |
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Page 3 of 4
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| One major difference, engine-wise, was the ability for the RR to over-rev. Peak power is a claimed 127 gee gee's at 12,500 RPM, however, peak rpm is a heady 15,000-RPM. It was a beautiful thing to be able to hold that gear, on tight corners and not need to grab a potentially unsettling extra gear, just let it eat for 2500 RPM. Also, if you down-changed an extra gear on a typical race-rep 600, you would have the back dancing around like a drunken fool at a wedding party, with the RR it would grumble under it's breath like a bridegrooms father, but let the party continue. That ability to rev comes from over a third of a pound in weight shaved off of the pistons, piston pins and new nut-less connecting rods. That's reciprocating weight-loss, my two-wheel-fiends; it's the best sort. |
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That party continued in a big way in the afternoon, under the watchful eyes of Dunlop's road race manager, Jim Allen. Sticky 208GP's were spooned on, warmed up and let loose (with us on board) on the nicely warming race track. Now, being used to the Michelins that I've been running all year - it took me a little while to explore the limits of this strange (to me) tire. The RR responded very well to the abuse that I could dish out, no slides or dramas. These new 208's have a rounder profile so the differences to stock OEM's is starting to become negligible; you just get lots more grip - lots lots lots and lots more. The new RR couldn't be tide up in knots even with my ham fisted fumbling's. Someone obviously did their homework here - as promised it gets its power to the ground and is stable whilst doing so. |
| The fuel injection always smoothed out the handfuls that I was trying to squeeze out of the RR's newly designed engine too. The twin injectors per cylinder are positioned ala' 211V with a lower one close to the intake, controlling low to midrange throttle inputs and the upper injector within the airbox that was reserved for when you wanted to get the party really rowdy. The two injectors were seamless in operation, with the lower unit contributing to the impressive and claimed 49.9lbs of torque. If you wanted to be lazy, you could lug this motor in top gear everywhere, almost like an open classer. |
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The motor itself has been shortened with the crankshaft moving upwards and forwards and with a corresponding move of the countershaft running close behind and beneath it. The bike handily employs a deep sump so that crank is never swimming against the tide of oil. This offered a redistribution of engine size and weight that it is responsible for good mass centralization. Everything, including the swingarm, has been moved forward thus helping to gain nearly three inches of extra swingarm length. Consequently, the rider is forward too by nearly 3 inches, your hip bones connected to your back bone, your back bones connected to your shoulder bone… |
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