Harry has written for all major publications in South Africa, both print and digital and produced and presented his own TV show called, imaginatively, The Bike Show, for seven years. He held the position of editor of South Africa’s largest circulation motorcycling magazine before devoting his time to freelance writing on motoring and motorcycling. Born and raised in England, he has lived in South Africa with his family since 2002. Harry has owned examples of Triumph, Norton, BSA, MV Agusta, Honda, BMW, Ducati, Harley Davidson, Kawasaki and Moto Morini motorcycles.
Large, panoramic 7.8-inch LCD for all RT models rules the open road. Legible in all conditions, it’s an intuitive display system designed for riders, by riders. While hyper bike the two-wheeled Harley range ends at a not-so-low $44,899, the three-wheeled Harley-Davidson CVO Tri Glide takes things up a notch and not just in terms of money.
Damon takes the Hypersport Pro a step ahead as one of the fastest bikes in the world, top speed in km/h of 321 (200 mph). This daredevil attitude is balanced with innovative safety including predictive artificial intelligence to help anticipate and avoid trouble. The S1000RR’s 205-horsepower inline-4 engine provides exceptional acceleration throughout the entire power curve, allowing it to find a top speed of 188 mph. Fast enough to win multiple Isle of Man TT races and bring bragging rights to any track it graces.
While the Panigale name continues on current Ducati models, the Ducati 1199 Panigale R is a different bike from the past. Its two-cylinder engine has titanium rods, finely-tuned engine mapping, and a super-light flywheel, combining to push out 202 horsepower and a top speed of 202 mph. Honda’s flagship superbike continues essentially unchanged from 2020 (although you can now get it in 30th Anniversary colours) so it continues here. Again, it’s tricky to be sure about this one, as no official dry weight figures have been released so we’ve had to use a guesstimate. Based on a claimed kerb weight of 201.3kg and a 16litre-tank of fuel weighing around 12kg, the dry SP will be at most 180kg. That, coupled with its 215bhp output, puts it in M1000RR territory, which is probably about right seeing as this is the most powerful, extreme and track-orientated Fireblade ever and one that’s been built specifically to win WSB.
The fork’s 43mm inner tubes feature Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating to reduce friction and improve reaction to small road surface irregularities. The fork has spring preload plus rebound and compression damping force adjusters so the rider can tune the suspension response to their preference. The Hayabusa’s six-speed, close-ratio transmission was developed to match the engine’s performance while improving durability and simplifying service. The hyper bike exhaust system is 4.5 pounds (2,054 grams) lighter than the prior system with silencers styled to complement the Hayabusa’s overall look. The silencers also have more capacity for better performance and have been tuned to emit a more exciting sound off idle and at lower speeds. Suzuki Pulsed Secondary Air Injection (PAIR) system introduces fresh air into the exhaust to ignite unburned hydrocarbons (HC) to reduce carbon monoxide (CO) emissions.
Since 2009, the BMW S1000RR has been pushing the boundaries of performance. Everything from the lightweight frame to the low-drag design is purpose-built to create the ultimate riding experience. A special rider’s seat is also available with different foam for comfort while a different texture and colored cover enhances appearance. As compared to the prior generation Hayabusa, the handlebars are mounted 12mm closer to the rider vastly improving comfort and reduce fatigue when touring while enhancing control. These Bridgestone® tires use a compound and construction to help improve grip on dry roads, performance in wet conditions, and help provide greater all-round agility. The S22 tires also provide excellent straight-line stability and braking grip, providing the rider a more exciting and confidence-building experience.