In an effort to prove that there’s far more to modern sportsbikes than track days and short blasts around the A roads, Fast Bikes set themselves a challenge to ride from Trowbridge to Portimao on three of the best, namely the BMW S1000RR, Yamaha YZF-R1M and Kawasaki ZX-10R.
The main complaint is often riding position, but in fairness, sit on any seat in any position for long enough and even the fittest of us will start to ache.
After completing the journey down to Poole, the riders headed for Cherbourg on the ferry, preparing for the many miles of French motorway ahead. This was ideal territory for the BMW, which is loaded with tech – much of which is ideal for touring, including cruise control. The ZX-10R’s long gearing and smooth power delivery combined with the more comfortable riding position also made the ride more enjoyable. The Yamaha however may not suit everyone on this kind of ride, with the tighter riding position and more aggressive power delivery. By the end of day one, they had already hit Bordeaux, just 160 miles short of the Pyrenees.
After a few hours of riding the following morning, the group had arrived at the first of the many twisty roads which snake through these fantastic mountains, following the D918 and D126, the sporty machines lapping up every corner as they really came in to their own. After missing a diversion and being held in a mountain top car park for several hours with the roads closed for an event on the Spanish border, they eventually crossed into Spain on some superb riding roads, seeing some 100mph knee down action with bend after bend after bend.
The delays on day two meant that it was decided they would miss a trip to Jerez, and instead head for Madrid, and then down in to Portugal to cover the last 200 or so miles to the Algarve. By day three their bodies were all fully acclimatised to the sporty riding positions, with no aches or pains despite long stints in the saddle. Portugal saw the roads become even quieter, with the team being treated to mile after mile of newly laid tarmac skirting mountains and lakes for much of the final jaunt down to Portimao before a couple of days spent riding on track before catching the ferry home from northern Spain..
In order to get the right mix of performance and mileage, Fast Bikes fitted the following Bridgestone tyres to the bikes:
- Kawasaki ZX-10R – Battlax BT-016 Pro – Hypersport
- BMW S1000RR – Battlax T30 EVO – Sport Touring
- Yamaha YZF-R1M – Battlax S20 EVO – Hypersport
In their March 2016 edition they commented:
“We wanted tyres that would last the distance, not deform and still be brilliant on track. All three performed fantastically, didn’t square off and gripped like buggery at Portimao. Job well and truly done, we say!”
It’s true that some people have no choice but to abandon their sportsbikes, no matter how much they love them – usually due to physical complaints. But the all-out speed and agility of the modern day sportsbike, combined with all that tech, make it more than capable of a long tour, with the bike able to exploit some of those fantastic European roads bike no other ever could.
Which brings us to one final point – surely the ride is what it’s all about?
You can tour in armchair comfort, but if you’re sat there constantly lusting after that thrill of a bike with a sporting pedigree, then you’re not truly enjoying the ride.
You can view the complete Bridgestone motorcycle range here.
