Few can claim to have built a bike from the ground up. One of the people who can claim to building his own bike is Kiwi madman John Britten.
With a little help from his friends in Christchurch, New Zealand, Britten built a revolutionary bike that went on to beat the factories and set a few land speed records.
The number of parts not bespoke to the Britten V1000 are few. The brakes come from Brembo, the suspension from Ohlins, the clutch from Kawasaki and the transmission from Yamaha. And that's about it. The rest of the bike is completely handmade in Britten's workshop.
What makes the bike extraordinary is not just that it was handmade but the tech it incorporates. Let's start at the front. Where the vast majority of racing motorcycles use a hydraulic fork, the Britten V1000 uses a Hossack-style fork with twin control arms. For reference, the Hossack suspension is marketed by BMW as the Duolever and is found on the K1200/K1300 line of bikes.
The trump cards for this design are the elimination of brake dive and its strength. A hydraulic fork not only dives under braking but the forks tend to wiggle under the strain. This system doesn't.
What's so special about this setup if BMW is using it? Britten was using this suspension in 1991, 14 years before BMW used it. Also, Britten's front suspension is made entirely from carbon fiber, not aluminum like BMW's. The unit can have an amount of brake dive tuned it, to give the rider a sense of familiarity under braking.
Let's move back toward the engine. A v-twin design was chosen because it lessens the frontal area, improving aerodynamics, and a 60° spread was chosen to keep the wheelbase short. The powerplant is fairly straightforward: it's a liquid-cooled DOHC unit with four valves per cylinder. The rods are titanium and it has two injectors per cylinder. This engine churns out 165 hp and redlines at 12,500 rpm.
A stand out part of the engine is the exhaust. The wiggling spaghetti-like exhaust is made by hand and takes 70 hours to make. It's then coated in a nice shade of blue.
As we moved back to the engine, I can hear you asking about the radiator. It's liquid-cooled, where's the rad? I'm glad you asked. The rad is located under the seat, another Britten innovation.
And while we're here, let's talk about the frame. There isn't one. Everything bolts to the engine; the steering head, the swing arm the seat, everything. There is a little bit of "frame" that holds the front suspension together. It's made from carbon fiber, but I guess you've figured that out already.
Finally, the swing arm attaches to the back of the crank case, as does the seat. The arm is made of carbon fiber, too. Another weird thing to notice is the shock unit in front of the engine. No, that's not for the front. That's the rear shock.
The body work is carbon fiber, as are the wheels and the timing covers. I think the tires would have been made from carbon fiber if that was possible.
So this bike was very innovative, but what does all that mean? Well, it means the bike was fast, very fast. The V1000 competed from 1991 until 1994 and won three Battle of the Twins events, it won the NZ Grand Prix title in 1993 and came 1st and 2nd in the New Zealand National Superbike Championship in 1994.
This machine also has a number of speed records to its name, including a top speed record at the Isle of Man TT in 1993. That same year, the V1000 set the speed record for the flying mile, the quarter mile from a standing start, the mile from a standing start and the kilometer from a standing start.
As with anything good, there also comes a side of bad. The V1000 was no different. The small shop run by Britten kept the bike out of major world competition. World Superbike requires 200 examples to be sold to enter the series. Between 1991 and 1994, only 10 Britten V1000s were produced. This limited the types of races in which the bike could be entered.
Perhaps the biggest blow to the V1000 was the death of John Britten in 1995. With him went the company and the dream.
The V1000 isn't noted just for its innovation. It's noted for being the result of a group of people dedicated to creating something truly wonderful. It's also noted for having the ability to go out and beat the factories. I think the V1000 resonates with many motorcyclists because it is the story of a man literally building a bike in his shed that goes out and not only takes on the world, but beats it. The human story outside of the bike, I think, is the most interesting part.
It's wonderful to see Honda, Yamaha, etc. spend millions to push the envelope. It's even better when it happens in someone's backyard through their vision, genius and willpower.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Monday, February 11, 2013
Things I Hate About Motorcycling
I really enjoy riding a motorcycle. I think that's evident by the content of this blog.
With that said, there are a few things that annoy me and a few things I generally hate about riding a motorcycle. Since I'm a generous person and like sharing (stop laughing), I thought I'd share my top five annoying and hate-brewing things about motorcycling with you. You're welcome.
Alright, here goes:
1. Riding in traffic - The cars are lined up for miles and there you are on your bike. It's air-cooled, of course, so heat is wafting up, making things even hotter than it is. The fumes from the cars are making Manfred Mann's lyrics make sense. You look over at the car next to you: the people are lounging in air conditioned comfort and eating ice cream while you sweat in your black jacket, black gloves and black helmet. Oh yeah, your bike is black, too. Finally the traffic clears, you can get some air across the cylinders and you promptly get nabbed by a cop. Damn.
2. Meeting another biker at a stoplight - Do you pull up next to him? Did he move over intentionally? Does he want to talk? I can't hear him with my earplugs in so I'll just make hand gestures. Does he think I'm mentally disturbed? Does he think I'll want to race him? Can I beat him if we do race? All these questions and more flood your mind as you pull up to a light. And when you come up with answers to all the questions, the light turns green, he pulls away oblivious to your existence and you're stuck with a line of angry car drivers behind you.
3. Wearing the gear - It's 90° F with 85% humidity outside and you want to go for a ride. Okay, helmet, gloves, jacket, pants and boots on. Sweating begins before you make it to the end of the driveway. I'll make a quick run to the store, you think; it'll only take a few minutes. Okay, helmet, gloves, jacket, pants and boots on. Twenty minutes later, you leave for the store, which is just around the block. It took you 20 minutes to gear up to take a 10 minute round trip. Tired of the putting on all the gear, you decide to ride in a t-shirt and shorts like the Gixxer guys, which means you'll promptly hit a patch of oil and slide across all four lanes of the road.
4. The weather - Al Gore says the weather is changing but it's really staying the same: it rains while you're on your bike and is beautiful when you're not. When's that big rain storm going to get here? Just as you're about to leave. Packing rain gear, though, is a guaranteed way of preventing rain from happening. Washing your bike guarantees a monsoon will happen as soon as you peek out the garage.
5. Getting stuck behind slow drivers - You're flying down your favorite back road and all is going well. You're in the zone, concentrating as hard as you can and clipping every apex. Valentino Rossi is behind you taking notes, you're so good of a rider. You come around the bend, perfectly clip the apex, get ready to nail the throttle as you straighten up...and find yourself stuck behind grandma Ethel on her way to bingo.
Her 1995 Buick Skylark hasn't been above 25 mph since the lot attendant first filled it with gas 17 years ago. And there you are, Aprilia RSV4, full Dainese race suit and aching arms, on the slow boat to China. You may as well enjoy the scenery because you know the bingo hall is right by your house, this is the only road to get there and cops magically appear if you cross the double yellow.
With that said, there are a few things that annoy me and a few things I generally hate about riding a motorcycle. Since I'm a generous person and like sharing (stop laughing), I thought I'd share my top five annoying and hate-brewing things about motorcycling with you. You're welcome.
Alright, here goes:
1. Riding in traffic - The cars are lined up for miles and there you are on your bike. It's air-cooled, of course, so heat is wafting up, making things even hotter than it is. The fumes from the cars are making Manfred Mann's lyrics make sense. You look over at the car next to you: the people are lounging in air conditioned comfort and eating ice cream while you sweat in your black jacket, black gloves and black helmet. Oh yeah, your bike is black, too. Finally the traffic clears, you can get some air across the cylinders and you promptly get nabbed by a cop. Damn.
2. Meeting another biker at a stoplight - Do you pull up next to him? Did he move over intentionally? Does he want to talk? I can't hear him with my earplugs in so I'll just make hand gestures. Does he think I'm mentally disturbed? Does he think I'll want to race him? Can I beat him if we do race? All these questions and more flood your mind as you pull up to a light. And when you come up with answers to all the questions, the light turns green, he pulls away oblivious to your existence and you're stuck with a line of angry car drivers behind you.
3. Wearing the gear - It's 90° F with 85% humidity outside and you want to go for a ride. Okay, helmet, gloves, jacket, pants and boots on. Sweating begins before you make it to the end of the driveway. I'll make a quick run to the store, you think; it'll only take a few minutes. Okay, helmet, gloves, jacket, pants and boots on. Twenty minutes later, you leave for the store, which is just around the block. It took you 20 minutes to gear up to take a 10 minute round trip. Tired of the putting on all the gear, you decide to ride in a t-shirt and shorts like the Gixxer guys, which means you'll promptly hit a patch of oil and slide across all four lanes of the road.
4. The weather - Al Gore says the weather is changing but it's really staying the same: it rains while you're on your bike and is beautiful when you're not. When's that big rain storm going to get here? Just as you're about to leave. Packing rain gear, though, is a guaranteed way of preventing rain from happening. Washing your bike guarantees a monsoon will happen as soon as you peek out the garage.
5. Getting stuck behind slow drivers - You're flying down your favorite back road and all is going well. You're in the zone, concentrating as hard as you can and clipping every apex. Valentino Rossi is behind you taking notes, you're so good of a rider. You come around the bend, perfectly clip the apex, get ready to nail the throttle as you straighten up...and find yourself stuck behind grandma Ethel on her way to bingo.
Her 1995 Buick Skylark hasn't been above 25 mph since the lot attendant first filled it with gas 17 years ago. And there you are, Aprilia RSV4, full Dainese race suit and aching arms, on the slow boat to China. You may as well enjoy the scenery because you know the bingo hall is right by your house, this is the only road to get there and cops magically appear if you cross the double yellow.
Expensive Taste
Let's say you're the owner of a Superbike team. And let's also say that you have all the trappings of a professional racing team: engineers, crew members and masseuses. You have a load of spare parts, high-tech equipment and a big truck to haul it all around in. Finally completing the package is a chiseled jawed rider with the body of David and the steely-eyed glare of a comic book superhero.
It looks like everything is order for racetrack success. One thing is missing, however: a motorcycle.
Hmm, how do you solve that problem? Well, you could develop, at a great expense of time and money, your own bike. That could take years and there's no guarantee of competitiveness when you're done. You could also ink a deal with a major manufacturer and use one of their bikes. If desperation sets in, you might be able to buy last year's bike, which isn't competitive anymore, and hope for the best.
There is one other way, too. You could walk to Ducati's factory in Bologna, knock on the door and tell them you want to buy a motorcycle built solely for racing; one that isn't available to the general public. What Ducati will sell you, then, is a Panigale RS13.
As the name implies, the RS13 is the 2013 race-only version of the Panigale. No, it's not an uprated version of the 1199 R, which is a street bike adorned with super high-performance bits. When Ducati says the RS13 is track only, they mean track only. These bikes will only be sold to owners of race teams.
And how much is this dedicated race bike? It's $180,318.60.
For that large amount of money, our fictional race team owner gets a bike with carbon fiber bodywork, aluminum fuel tank and a special wiring harness. Adorning each end of the bike is uber-trick Ohlins suspension (natch), Brembo brakes (natch) and light-as-possible wheels (natch). Taunting passed riders is a full race spec Termignoni exhaust.
Alright, our race team has its high-tech crew, god-like rider and truck full of spare parts, let's go win some races!
Well, not so fast. This nearly $200,000 bike is sold as a blank canvas. Once you buy it, you still have to tune it, which means the spending has only just begin. Since motorcycle racing is like any other form of racing, it's a fast way to go broke.
So, thoughts about the RS13: I like it.
And I don't just like it because it's a Ducati and I like Ducatis. I like it because it can attract more competitors to motorcycle racing. Racing's expensive, that's no revelation. The RS13, though, can help cut costs some because Ducati has done a lot of the development work for you. Yes, you'll still have to do some work on your own, but you don't have to build the bike from the ground up. That leaves you with more money to hire better engineers, crew members, masseuses, and riders. It also leaves you more time to tune the bike for the upcoming season.
Motorcycle racing history is littered with anecdotes like John Britten, MotoCzysz and others; teams that have built up their own bikes from scratch from their own ideas. That's very commendable but most race teams don't have the time, money or genius to do such a thing. They want something that's cheap, reliable and proven so they can maximize the probability of a successful outcome.
I think the RS13 fills that void. I hope to see the RS13 do well and bring more bikes to the starting lines of tracks everywhere. More bikes and competitors is never a bad thing for a racing series.
It looks like everything is order for racetrack success. One thing is missing, however: a motorcycle.
Hmm, how do you solve that problem? Well, you could develop, at a great expense of time and money, your own bike. That could take years and there's no guarantee of competitiveness when you're done. You could also ink a deal with a major manufacturer and use one of their bikes. If desperation sets in, you might be able to buy last year's bike, which isn't competitive anymore, and hope for the best.
There is one other way, too. You could walk to Ducati's factory in Bologna, knock on the door and tell them you want to buy a motorcycle built solely for racing; one that isn't available to the general public. What Ducati will sell you, then, is a Panigale RS13.
As the name implies, the RS13 is the 2013 race-only version of the Panigale. No, it's not an uprated version of the 1199 R, which is a street bike adorned with super high-performance bits. When Ducati says the RS13 is track only, they mean track only. These bikes will only be sold to owners of race teams.
And how much is this dedicated race bike? It's $180,318.60.
For that large amount of money, our fictional race team owner gets a bike with carbon fiber bodywork, aluminum fuel tank and a special wiring harness. Adorning each end of the bike is uber-trick Ohlins suspension (natch), Brembo brakes (natch) and light-as-possible wheels (natch). Taunting passed riders is a full race spec Termignoni exhaust.
Alright, our race team has its high-tech crew, god-like rider and truck full of spare parts, let's go win some races!
Well, not so fast. This nearly $200,000 bike is sold as a blank canvas. Once you buy it, you still have to tune it, which means the spending has only just begin. Since motorcycle racing is like any other form of racing, it's a fast way to go broke.
So, thoughts about the RS13: I like it.
And I don't just like it because it's a Ducati and I like Ducatis. I like it because it can attract more competitors to motorcycle racing. Racing's expensive, that's no revelation. The RS13, though, can help cut costs some because Ducati has done a lot of the development work for you. Yes, you'll still have to do some work on your own, but you don't have to build the bike from the ground up. That leaves you with more money to hire better engineers, crew members, masseuses, and riders. It also leaves you more time to tune the bike for the upcoming season.
Motorcycle racing history is littered with anecdotes like John Britten, MotoCzysz and others; teams that have built up their own bikes from scratch from their own ideas. That's very commendable but most race teams don't have the time, money or genius to do such a thing. They want something that's cheap, reliable and proven so they can maximize the probability of a successful outcome.
I think the RS13 fills that void. I hope to see the RS13 do well and bring more bikes to the starting lines of tracks everywhere. More bikes and competitors is never a bad thing for a racing series.
Take a good, long look at this machine. This is as close as most of you will get without pit passes or a lottery ticket.
Standing with the RS is Ducati Corse Director Count Orlok, I mean, Claudio Domenicali.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
