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After a long hiatus, On Two Wheels is back with some fresh faces. Meet Bradley Adams and Evan Allen, the new hosts of On Two Wheels. In this episode, they tackle the Super Sportbikes category, pitting the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR against the Suzuki GSX-8R. Despite their similar $10,000 price tags, these two motorcycles exhibit unique behaviors as they navigate through tracks, canyons, and urban environments.
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After a long hiatus, On Two Wheels is back with some fresh faces. Meet Bradley Adams and Evan Allen, the new hosts of On Two Wheels. In this episode, they tackle the Super Sportbikes category, pitting the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR against the Suzuki GSX-8R. Despite their similar $10,000 price tags, these two motorcycles exhibit unique behaviors as they navigate through tracks, canyons, and urban environments.
Motorcyclist Shirts: https://teespring.com/stores/motorcyclist
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/motorcyclistonline/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/motorcyclistmag/
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00 (upbeat music)
00:02 - If you had to choose any new sport bike
00:10 for under $10,000, what would it be?
00:13 - For me, it's gotta be more sporty than relaxed.
00:15 It's gotta have a good chassis, some electronics,
00:18 but most importantly, it has to have an exciting engine.
00:21 It has to.
00:22 - Personally, I'm looking for something
00:23 with a little bit more versatility.
00:25 I'm all for a bike that's fun around the track,
00:27 but I don't need razor sharp anything,
00:29 and I don't want a bike that's built more for the track
00:31 than it is the street.
00:33 - Speaking of track focus and thinking about the things
00:35 that are important to me,
00:36 I'm choosing the $10,000 four-cylinder Kawasaki ZX4RR.
00:41 - I'm going with a bike built around
00:43 one of my favorite engines right now,
00:45 the $9,500 parallel twin-powered Suzuki GSX-8R.
00:50 - Who made the best choice,
00:51 and how different is the riding experience
00:53 between two bikes with completely different engines?
00:56 We're about to find out.
00:58 Who thinks it'll be a bike with a blue fairing on it, huh?
01:01 - Dude, team green, this thing races.
01:02 - The thing we didn't really talk about,
01:10 all that intro stuff,
01:12 there's actually a lot of history in this little bike, right?
01:14 - Yeah.
01:15 - It's a cool bike, and it's new, and it's unique,
01:17 but it's not the first time we've seen stuff like that,
01:20 which is cool.
01:21 - Yeah, I mean, first time in a while,
01:22 but yeah, they were Kawasaki,
01:24 I mean, all the Japanese manufacturers back in the '80s
01:27 into the early '90s were making small-bore Fours,
01:31 but they never came to America.
01:33 - All right, all that said about that bike,
01:35 I don't know if you know,
01:36 but I actually raced an SV650 for a couple of years,
01:41 and that's what draws me to this thing so much.
01:44 I feel like it's that SV reincarnated.
01:47 Fun fact, actually, my SV was blue,
01:50 so I'm just like, this is like a trip down memory lane
01:53 in a way, but this is fully fared, it's fully modern,
01:57 it's got the new engine, it's got all the electronics.
01:59 I think that's what draws me to this thing so much.
02:02 I just think that thing's gonna be a lot more work.
02:04 I feel like you're gonna be shifting so much more on that.
02:08 I'm just saying.
02:09 - Yeah, I think so. - Just saying.
02:10 - Like a two-stroke dirt bike,
02:11 you're gonna have to keep the thing on the pipe.
02:13 - You have a dirt bike background.
02:14 We didn't really talk about that much, right?
02:16 You're an excellent rider, I know that,
02:18 but it's more from the dirt side,
02:20 and you've done how many track days out here?
02:23 - Two or three. - Three, yeah, okay.
02:24 And ridden a couple different bikes,
02:26 but your whole thing right now at this point in your life
02:28 is you wanna become a better on-road rider,
02:32 you wanna be able to go and do track days
02:35 and get up into the A group and things like that, right?
02:37 And hone that skill.
02:39 It's just something that you're gonna be able to push
02:41 a little bit more and continue to find those limits
02:43 and ride it a little bit more like a race bike.
02:45 - Yeah, like kinda really work it.
02:46 - Yeah. - Yeah.
02:47 - Not trying to set you up for failure or anything,
02:50 but I think the one thing we gotta do,
02:53 we gotta figure out which bike is faster.
02:55 So you're a little bit limited,
02:57 maybe not have the full edge that I do, but.
02:59 - Yeah, less horsepower for sure,
03:01 but I'm a lighter rider and this bike is lighter too.
03:04 - True, all right, ready?
03:05 - Let's hit it. - Okay.
03:06 Before we get too far,
03:08 let's talk a little more about those engines
03:10 because that's what's gonna make these bikes so different.
03:13 Suzuki is using a parallel twin,
03:15 which has two pistons side by side
03:17 and generally weighs less than an equally sized V-twin
03:20 because there are fewer parts.
03:22 - An inline four has all four cylinders aligned
03:25 in a single straight line
03:26 with the inner pistons moving together
03:28 separate from the outer pistons.
03:30 The added explosions per revolution
03:32 gives smooth power delivery and a high pitch sound,
03:35 which is why these engines are often called screamers.
03:38 - More specifically, Suzuki is using a parallel twin
03:41 with a 270 degree firing order,
03:43 which means that after one piston fires,
03:45 the crankshaft needs to rotate 270 degrees
03:47 before the other does its thing.
03:49 This gives the engine a V-twin like sound
03:51 and helps with mid-range torque.
03:53 - Dividing the engine displacement among more cylinders
03:56 allows for smaller and lighter parts,
03:58 enabling the engine to rev higher.
04:00 The 4RR can rev to an impressive 16,000 RPM.
04:04 - Plus a twin is narrower than an inline four,
04:07 which generally allows for a narrower midsection.
04:10 - Unfortunately, higher RPM brings increased noise
04:13 and that doesn't play nice with EPA sound regulations.
04:16 US bound ZX4RRs are electronically limited
04:19 to only rev to about 15,000 RPM
04:22 with peak power coming at 11,500 RPM.
04:25 They're aftermarket solutions,
04:27 but it might make your bike illegal.
04:29 - Now, 270 degree parallel twins
04:31 have a bit more vibrations,
04:33 but thanks to the magic of balanced shafts,
04:35 they can be made as smooth as we want them.
04:38 - Inline four engines are more expensive to manufacture
04:41 and maintain because they have more moving parts.
04:43 - There's not as much top end performance,
04:45 but they are more cost-effective for manufacturers,
04:48 better for packaging, and easier to design
04:50 around current emissions regulations,
04:52 which is why you'll see them
04:53 in so many new middleweight sport bikes.
04:55 This 8R is just one good example.
04:57 - Now that you know a bit about the engines,
04:59 let's get back to the fun stuff.
05:01 - All right, Evan.
05:02 So I'm thinking you count us down.
05:04 Ready? - Okay.
05:05 - You're gonna go three, two, one,
05:06 and then I'm gonna just gap you from there.
05:08 Does that sound good? - Oh yeah, okay.
05:10 Yeah, we'll see about that.
05:12 - Okay.
05:12 - All right, you ready? - Ready.
05:13 - Let's put my revs up.
05:14 Three, two, one.
05:16 (upbeat music)
05:19 (engine revving)
05:22 - Come on.
05:24 - Oh, baby.
05:26 - Oh, I don't wanna look back.
05:28 I don't wanna look back.
05:29 (Evan laughing)
05:32 - Dang.
05:33 - Oh my God, that's so much.
05:34 I could literally do that all day.
05:36 I could do it all day.
05:37 - Don't underestimate the power of good Bluetooth comms.
05:40 They become a game changer for us,
05:42 making rides easier to plan, safer, and more fun.
05:46 It's become an essential part of our riding experience.
05:49 - I feel safe and all, but this is not what I had in mind
05:52 when we talked about planning a group ride.
05:54 - Hey, at least we're having fun, man.
05:56 - It also allows you to clearly communicate how you feel.
06:01 That looked awesome.
06:01 One more, one more.
06:03 - One more?
06:04 Dude, you keep saying that.
06:06 You said one more like 10 times ago.
06:08 - Even if sometimes you could still rely
06:09 on nonverbal communications.
06:12 One of the newest features we've fallen for
06:14 is the Cardo app's intercom recording capability.
06:17 Imagine getting to voice record your ride
06:20 and then relive all the moments in vivid detail.
06:22 Hey, you said if I beat you up the mountain,
06:26 you'd buy me lunch.
06:27 - No, no, I didn't.
06:28 - If you beat me up the mountain, I'll buy you lunch.
06:32 - Big thanks to Cardo for sponsoring this video
06:35 on so many levels.
06:37 - That was close.
06:39 You feel like you nailed your start?
06:42 - You got a little better start to me.
06:43 - I don't know if I jumped.
06:43 - You jumped a little bit better.
06:44 You jumped a little bit, but I'll give it to you.
06:46 I'll give it to you.
06:47 - Counting and doing it is hard.
06:49 - Yeah, it is.
06:50 - I just get to focus on revving and you're counting.
06:53 - Yeah.
06:54 - I mean, but that thing, this thing gets off so easy.
06:58 Like I don't have to think about
06:59 modulating the clutch much or anything.
07:01 It's just like, it's just go.
07:02 Just roll the throttle.
07:03 - Yeah, exactly.
07:04 - That thing, you gotta like be really careful
07:06 with the revs, right?
07:07 And what you're doing, launching the thing.
07:10 - You're letting the clutch out too slow.
07:12 So you're losing drive.
07:13 Or if the revs aren't high enough
07:15 and you let the clutch out too soon,
07:17 the thing just falls on its face and rogs.
07:19 And then you're screwed either way.
07:20 - It's just more work.
07:21 I think that bike, that's the thing about that bike.
07:23 It's gotta be more work.
07:24 It might be a little bit more rewarding.
07:26 And like, there's some excitement to it.
07:27 Like it sounds like it was just screaming.
07:30 - Absolutely.
07:31 Like if I would have won that one,
07:33 I'd be doing the Rossi.
07:34 (laughing)
07:36 You know?
07:37 - I'm gonna start blaming this
07:38 on all the like Mexican food I eat
07:40 because it might be my disadvantage here.
07:43 - Yeah, well you did go hard
07:44 on the rice and beans last night.
07:46 - Unfortunately, it was gonna take a little more
07:50 than rice and beans for me and the Cowie to keep up.
07:52 I was closer than expected, thanks to a weight advantage,
07:55 but don't think the 4RR will out-drag a bike like the 8R.
07:59 And yes, it is a little more work to launch.
08:01 With straight line testing completed,
08:08 we headed back to the pits, polished our lids,
08:11 so at least we looked fast.
08:12 Precision tuned our motorcycles
08:14 with the most advanced equipment
08:16 and got ready to see how different these bikes felt on track.
08:19 Let's get into that corner a little bit tighter there, bud.
08:24 - Okay.
08:25 - Swing it so wide, get down to that apex.
08:27 Yeah, there we go.
08:29 - All right, I gotta seek the apex.
08:31 - There we go, seek the apex.
08:33 Nice, nice job getting through there.
08:36 How is it right there on the acceleration?
08:37 How's it feel like?
08:39 - This engine, you know,
08:40 you have to keep it pretty spun up.
08:42 I mean, I'll be honest,
08:43 I thought it would be more work than it is.
08:45 It's got a little bit more flexibility.
08:48 Third gear's working pretty good for me.
08:50 - Oh, so you don't feel like you're shifting too much?
08:52 - No, at my pace,
08:54 I can hold third gear through most of these sections.
08:57 Like, let's see, hold off.
08:58 Yeah, you got close to the rev limiter there.
09:01 - Yeah.
09:01 - So at my pace, third gear's working pretty good,
09:04 pretty flexible.
09:05 But if you do roll off the throttle mid-corner
09:09 and you're not, you know,
09:10 screwing it on as you're kind of rounding that apex,
09:14 I feel like you get punished.
09:16 - Yeah, you got to hit your marks on that bike, right?
09:18 Because if you miss your marks
09:20 and you don't get on the throttle
09:21 and you don't carry that corner speed,
09:23 it's not going anywhere at the corner exit.
09:26 Meanwhile, on this bad boy over here,
09:28 this torque curve that I've got,
09:30 I don't even know if it's a curve, it's super flat.
09:32 I don't have to be so cognizant
09:34 of what I'm doing mid-corner.
09:36 I mean, I'm still making sure I pick up the throttle
09:39 where I want and, you know, get that chassis settled
09:42 and stuff, but I don't have to be looking so closely
09:46 at the tack and making sure I'm right in that window
09:50 and just making sure that I'm keeping up that momentum.
09:52 It's just so much more relaxing of a ride,
09:56 kind of mentally and physically.
09:58 What I've been impressed by just following you
10:00 is how quick you're getting into the corners,
10:03 which I imagine is just a pretty good amount
10:06 of confidence in the chassis, right?
10:08 - Yeah, it feels good.
10:09 Like, yeah, like coming in on the brakes a little bit,
10:12 like this corner, like I feel good, like on the brakes,
10:15 typing it in, kind of leaning over.
10:18 - It's absolutely where you look the most comfortable
10:21 is getting into a corner.
10:22 - Yeah.
10:23 - I will say, I'll be honest, this chassis is good,
10:26 but I definitely noticed that the steering
10:28 is a little bit heavier,
10:29 but I don't have a ton of feel
10:32 at the contact patch on this thing.
10:33 I kind of got to be a little bit easy with it,
10:36 like mid corner before I picked the throttle up,
10:39 it's not meant to be,
10:41 compete with like a GSXR 600 chassis or something like that.
10:44 So you do notice a little bit here and I,
10:47 I'll be honest, man, like your pick there, Kawasaki,
10:51 I think chassis wise,
10:53 it might have a little bit of an edge out here.
10:55 I think it's got a little bit more of a,
10:57 a racy kind of on edge design to it.
11:00 - Yeah, where this Kawi, I mean,
11:02 I definitely have a lot of weight on my wrist,
11:05 which getting into this corner, it feels nice,
11:08 but when I try to move around on the bike,
11:11 I feel a bit locked in.
11:13 - You got traditional sport bike ergos,
11:15 like, yeah, it's a little bit relaxed compared to,
11:18 you know, a ZX6.
11:20 - And for a beginner with little, you know,
11:22 sport bike and track experience,
11:24 there's definitely a learning curve to that.
11:28 I got to be honest, it is more challenging than I thought,
11:31 between the ergonomics, as well as just the engine,
11:35 the whole rider package is,
11:37 it is not exactly beginner friendly.
11:41 (laughing)
11:43 - Meanwhile, this old Suzuki here gives me almost all the
11:46 room my six foot three frame needs.
11:49 I don't have to be like super tucked in,
11:51 aggressive riding position.
11:53 I can if I want, but I don't really need to.
11:56 I can sit a little bit more upright.
11:58 I can move my weight around still.
11:59 I can move around really easy.
12:01 There's a lot of room in this seat.
12:02 So if you're doing track days and riding around with your
12:05 buddies and stuff, you don't need it to be so aggressive.
12:09 And I think this is a nice middle ground.
12:11 I think the best thing I could say about the Suzuki,
12:14 outside of the engine,
12:16 which I think the engine is just so flexible,
12:18 you know, coming up corners, and like I said,
12:20 not having to be so focused on, you know,
12:22 the revs and where you're at and the power band.
12:24 It's just so easy to ride overall that I could just do
12:28 an hour long session and I don't feel like I would get
12:31 tired. I think that's important.
12:33 I really, I do think that's important for like a track day
12:35 rider or something like that.
12:37 They're maybe not working toward, you know,
12:40 going, going racing and being a championship level rider.
12:43 They just want to go out and have fun with their buddies.
12:45 And I think that's absolutely what you get with this bike.
12:49 Absolutely.
12:50 You ready to, ready to pull in?
12:53 I got, I got an idea here.
12:54 - Uh oh, I'm always worried when you have ideas.
12:57 (laughing)
12:58 I'll try anything once.
13:00 - Oh, this might be the one and only time you try this.
13:03 We're feeling good.
13:06 - Feeling better. - We're having fun.
13:08 - Yep.
13:08 - So we've decided we're going to do a little two up ride.
13:11 Get an idea of what the other person's bike is like
13:13 and what the passenger seats are like.
13:15 They're passenger accommodations.
13:17 You get, I don't know how to,
13:18 I don't know how this is going to go.
13:19 Just hold onto me and.
13:20 - Am I holding on your waist?
13:23 - Hold on tight. Hold on tight.
13:26 - All right.
13:27 - I'm going to be holding on like this.
13:29 - Okay. You ready?
13:30 - I think so.
13:32 As ready as I'll ever be.
13:33 - One lap, right?
13:35 We'll do like an out lap.
13:36 We'll do an out lap and we'll do one lap.
13:38 How does that sound?
13:39 - Okay. That's fair.
13:40 - I love how we picked to go do this when,
13:44 right as all the fast guys go out.
13:45 - Yeah.
13:46 I'm sure they're happy about that.
13:48 - You are a brave man.
13:49 Here we go. Here's our lap.
13:52 Here's our lap.
13:53 Tug in!
13:55 (laughing)
13:57 - I don't know though, that, that quick shifter doesn't,
14:01 is the downshift a little notchy for you?
14:03 - They are a little bit notchy.
14:04 You're right. Good point.
14:05 - Yeah.
14:06 - I did feel that a little bit.
14:07 - Yeah. You're right.
14:09 I mean, it's a thing, like it still pulls off the corners.
14:13 I love this engine, man.
14:15 - Luckily I don't weigh too much.
14:16 Does it feel like my additional weight
14:18 is overloading the shock or is it still pretty good?
14:20 - No, a little bit.
14:20 Like I get a little bit of movement at the back,
14:23 but you're right.
14:24 You're right.
14:24 - I see. So,
14:25 just a little bit more careful getting into the corner.
14:30 - For what it's worth,
14:31 I do feel pretty comfortable back here.
14:33 As far as this.
14:34 - I'm shocked I have not heard any screaming, anything.
14:37 - Oh, that thing wallow a little?
14:39 - Oh, she's wallowing a little bit.
14:40 - Yep.
14:41 (laughing)
14:42 - Yeah, she's wallowing.
14:44 Oh, we got someone else to pass us.
14:45 How dare you pass us riding two up on our little Jigsaw.
14:50 All right. We're doing it, man.
14:52 - Oh yeah.
14:53 - Two up, up.
14:55 - We're putting down heaters.
14:56 - We not doing it?
14:59 - I think you gotta do it.
15:01 I think you gotta try everything at least once.
15:04 (laughing)
15:05 - Boy, that always ends well.
15:08 I'll try it once.
15:09 - What's the worst that could happen?
15:10 - I barely got him to scream at all.
15:13 I took it too easy on him, I guess.
15:14 - Well, I trust him a lot.
15:18 Now, do you trust me?
15:20 Is an experienced rider gonna trust a beginner rider?
15:23 - Oh God.
15:25 Okay.
15:27 - Holy (beep)
15:28 (laughing)
15:29 - Please for the love.
15:30 - I don't know who's more scared, me or you.
15:32 - Oh God.
15:33 Please. I don't care if it's the slowest lap we ever do.
15:36 - It's definitely gonna be the slowest lap
15:40 this track has ever seen.
15:41 (laughing)
15:43 Holy (beep)
15:44 I think I'm more nervous than you.
15:46 - Okay.
15:47 - Are we ready?
15:48 - We can do this, bud.
15:49 - Here we go.
15:50 - We can do this.
15:50 Okay.
15:54 It's already too fast.
15:56 Okay. I'm like, oh my God.
15:59 - This is gonna be a slow lap.
16:05 - Oh my, I'm already terrified.
16:06 Like I'm already terrified going out of pit lane.
16:09 How were you not screaming?
16:12 How were you not screaming the entire time?
16:14 - Well, 'cause I trust you.
16:14 I know, I trust you.
16:16 (laughing)
16:17 - I don't trust myself waiting to go with you on the back.
16:20 (laughing)
16:21 Holy (beep)
16:23 - Okay.
16:24 Please dear God.
16:25 I just want to close my,
16:26 I think I might just close my eyes.
16:28 Oh my God.
16:29 - Oh (beep)
16:31 Oh (beep)
16:34 - No, what?
16:34 - It's hard to steer with you.
16:35 - Don't say that. Don't say that.
16:37 Okay, then go slower.
16:38 - You on the back makes the bike feel so much different.
16:42 - Yeah, I bet.
16:43 Oh God, there's fast bikes coming.
16:45 - Should I stay on the inside or the outside?
16:47 - Just ride normal.
16:48 Just ride normal.
16:49 Okay.
16:50 - Okay.
16:50 - Okay.
16:51 (engine revving)
16:52 Oh God.
16:53 - Oh!
16:54 - Oh God.
16:55 - Holy (beep)
16:57 - Start the brake!
16:57 - All right.
16:58 We're on the brakes.
16:59 We're on the brakes.
17:00 (screaming)
17:02 Your weight, I can't keep your weight.
17:04 Holy (beep)
17:05 That was like the hardest push up of my life.
17:07 (laughing)
17:08 Holy (beep)
17:09 - Oh, I just want to get through this corner.
17:11 We can be done, right?
17:12 We can be done?
17:13 - Yeah, we can be done.
17:13 I'm just as scared as you are.
17:15 - Oh my God.
17:17 - Anything I've ever felt on a motorcycle.
17:17 - I thought you were going to crush me
17:18 in that braking zone.
17:20 I thought my arms were about to collapse.
17:21 (laughing)
17:22 I was like, okay, I can't let this happen to Bradley,
17:26 but that was not easy.
17:28 - I'm going to kiss this ground.
17:31 - At least we know it is possible.
17:33 - Okay.
17:35 Can I get off now?
17:36 I'm so happy to come to a stop.
17:37 No, no.
17:41 I don't want to do that again.
17:43 I'm probably going to lose my voice
17:45 from screaming the entire time.
17:48 The motorcycle, I just felt,
17:49 like what you feel at the contact patch
17:51 when you're like that high up
17:52 and like there's that much weight
17:54 being thrown on the bike.
17:55 It's just like a totally different sensation.
17:57 And I mean, he did it.
17:59 He's getting good on the four.
18:01 He's comfortable with that bike now.
18:03 I'm not comfortable being on the back of it.
18:05 So I'm glad that's done.
18:07 - I think I was just as nervous as you were.
18:09 That wasn't fun for either one of us.
18:10 - I'm just going to go ride now.
18:11 Can I just, let's just go ride.
18:12 - All right, I'll follow you.
18:15 With the sketchy two up stuff behind us,
18:17 we headed back out on track for a few more sessions.
18:20 Then we went back to the pits,
18:22 geared down and reflected on the day.
18:24 So learned a lot today.
18:26 Biggest being, I do not fit on the back of his X4RR.
18:30 Probably knew that going into this,
18:31 but it was fun, mildly terrifying.
18:33 I know you learned a lot about that bike too.
18:35 - Yeah, I did.
18:36 That bike's pretty hardcore.
18:37 And honestly, I struggled at the beginning of the day
18:39 to get everything out of it.
18:41 But I do feel like it's a bike I could grow into.
18:43 I could come out here four or five, six times,
18:45 develop my skills and not get bored with it.
18:48 And I could see why an experienced track rider
18:50 would really enjoy that bike.
18:52 And to be honest, I'm not ready for a 600.
18:54 - Yeah, and I think on the flip side, the 8R,
18:57 what I really loved about that bike
18:58 is how relaxed I could be.
19:00 I think, you know, I had so much fun
19:01 just riding around with you.
19:02 I'm not having to hyper fixate on gear position, RPM.
19:05 I can just enjoy the ride and have fun.
19:08 And for me, I really value that.
19:10 I think it's super important.
19:12 However, I'll also say the other thing about the RR
19:14 is those ergonomics, everything else
19:16 is gonna make that an interesting bike on the street.
19:18 - Yeah, definitely.
19:19 If that bike was gonna shine anywhere,
19:21 it was gonna be today here at Chuckwalla.
19:23 - Yeah.
19:23 (upbeat music)
19:26 Oh, look, you got your coffee.
19:34 Are you ready to go yet?
19:35 - Dude, you know it.
19:36 I'm high octane, baby, just like my bike.
19:38 That's how I always start my day.
19:39 - Yeah, no kidding about that.
19:40 All right, well, track days only tell you so much.
19:43 So we gotta get street ride planned today.
19:44 One of our favorite roads around here.
19:46 Then we're gonna get up into the mountains.
19:47 If all goes well, we are hopefully gonna get down
19:51 to the beach this afternoon for a little sunset together,
19:54 which should be good, you know, before we go separate ways.
19:56 - Let's be honest, these things spend a majority
19:58 of their time on the streets.
19:59 So we gotta ride them on the streets
20:00 and show the viewer which one's better.
20:02 I wanna know.
20:03 I think you're gonna be surprised about this.
20:05 - Ha, am I?
20:06 Well, I will say I got another little surprise for you
20:09 because we're gonna do a little something
20:10 before we get out of town here.
20:12 Should be good. - Of course.
20:12 - We'll show you some sights around here, as I sound.
20:14 - A little sightseeing?
20:15 - A little sightseeing.
20:16 - All right, let me pound this coffee, we'll hit the road.
20:18 - Please do, man, I'm ready to ride.
20:20 With our bikes fueled up and one of us high on caffeine,
20:23 we hit the road.
20:24 The destination was just a few miles away
20:26 and would definitely be an interesting way
20:28 to kick off the day for us and the motorcycles.
20:31 So pretty sure this is our turn right here.
20:39 So basically out here in the Brego Springs area,
20:42 there's a bunch of these metal art sculptures.
20:45 - Yeah, I've been to one.
20:46 There's a big dragon on the other side of town I've been to.
20:49 It's pretty sick.
20:50 - I found one.
20:50 It's buried a little bit further up
20:52 and it's gonna give us a chance
20:55 to do a little off-road riding on these things.
20:58 I know you're an off-road guy.
20:59 - Okay, I mean, I'm all for dirt.
21:02 I don't know, never ran a sport bike on the dirt, but.
21:05 (laughing)
21:06 At least I know what the traction's gonna be like.
21:08 (upbeat music)
21:11 I mean, you're definitely faster than me on the track,
21:16 but I think I got you out here on the dirt, baby.
21:20 - Thanks, bud.
21:22 - Dude, honestly, if this thing had a knobby tire
21:24 on the front, we'd get pretty down.
21:25 (laughing)
21:26 - Stupid.
21:27 All right, it's a race to there, it's a race to there.
21:36 - It's like rally racing.
21:38 You gotta get your navigation correct.
21:40 (laughing)
21:41 Oh, geez, maybe you're the dirt guy, geez.
21:43 - Oh, wait, wait, wait, we got a car, we got a car.
21:46 Hello, folks.
21:47 Don't have nothing to see here,
21:48 just a couple guys on sport bikes.
21:50 - Oh, you got the whole standing up style.
21:52 Oh, I just got roosted.
21:54 - Yeah.
21:54 All right.
21:57 - These are dinosaurs.
21:59 - That's some dinosaurs, man.
22:00 - They got everything out here, horses, dinosaurs, dragons.
22:03 - Yeah, what'd you say, you seen a dragon before?
22:05 - I've seen a dragon.
22:06 - We got dinosaurs now, man.
22:08 I love coming out here and checking this stuff out.
22:12 - I think it was one guy that built all of these
22:14 and just came and started placing them out in the desert.
22:17 - Yeah, obviously it's cool now
22:18 because it's like this attraction
22:19 and you get a bunch of tourists that come out here
22:21 and there's not a whole heck of a lot to do
22:22 out in this area if you're not at a spa
22:26 or going motorcycle riding, so.
22:28 - Get your Instagram pictures.
22:30 - Yeah, IG pictures.
22:31 Speaking of, we should probably do that, right?
22:33 You know, a couple years ago,
22:34 I could have made a joke about prehistoric Suzuki's.
22:37 - That would have worked.
22:39 - Can't do that anymore.
22:41 - Arguably that has brought them out of that
22:43 prehistoric era.
22:44 - Oh, I like it, you're right.
22:46 So you ready to jump on and get the heck out of here?
22:51 - Yeah, let's do it, as long as there's no more surprises.
22:53 (laughing)
22:54 - It'll just be a little roost
22:56 all the way back to the road.
22:57 - Oh yeah.
22:58 - It'll be your last surprise.
23:00 - Just remember, dude, these KRT graphics cost me extra, so.
23:03 (laughing)
23:04 - Sorry, bud, I don't want to scratch 'em for you,
23:06 I promise.
23:06 Ah, thought it was gonna hit me.
23:09 After spending a little quality time
23:15 with our prehistoric art pal,
23:17 we jumped on our motorcycles and rallied back toward pavement
23:20 and some tight, twisty roads that would lead us
23:22 out of the desert and up into the mountains.
23:24 Here, every curve would give us new insight
23:29 into how these bikes work in real world environments.
23:32 (upbeat music)
23:34 - How about this asphalt, man?
23:37 - Yeah, this is nice and smooth,
23:39 and it seems like it's got grip.
23:41 - It's funny because I kind of gave you crap
23:43 thinking that that Kawasaki
23:45 was gonna be a bunch of work out here,
23:47 but in some ways, the Suzuki is a little bit more work
23:50 in this tight canyon stuff
23:52 because of that little bit heavier steering,
23:55 but the engine is far and above the thing
23:58 that I like the most.
23:59 I mean, it's responsive, it runs really smooth,
24:04 but that torque, like always got grunt out of the corner.
24:07 - Yeah, it's funny 'cause what makes the Kawasaki
24:10 easier to ride out here is the chassis,
24:12 but then, yeah, the engine is a little bit more work
24:14 where it seems vice versa on the Suzuki.
24:17 The chassis makes you work a little bit harder,
24:20 but you have that torque to really connect the corners,
24:22 especially this tighter section.
24:24 - Yeah, and it's the thing,
24:25 they're just two completely different motorcycles.
24:28 So do you feel like even with the chassis
24:30 being good on that thing,
24:31 you're having to work harder on the Kawasaki?
24:34 - Yeah, yeah, I am.
24:37 'Cause I'm shifting a lot,
24:38 I'm trying to roll on the throttle early.
24:41 - Yeah, that's a win for me.
24:44 That's a win.
24:45 So who's having more fun?
24:46 Who's having more fun up here?
24:48 That's the important part.
24:49 - I think I'm having more fun.
24:51 I don't know how much fun you're having,
24:51 but I'm having a lot of fun.
24:53 Especially with this smooth pavement.
24:56 - Oh man, this stuff is beautiful.
24:58 I pray that it does not rain at all,
25:00 'cause I want these roads to stay dry.
25:02 - This is when riding sport bikes goes wrong.
25:06 - The locals are wearing beanies,
25:07 so that tells me it's cold, cold enough.
25:09 - Oh, they're looking at us like idiots.
25:12 That should tell us something too.
25:14 What happened to the nice weather?
25:17 - I know, warm and hot.
25:20 I was sweating down there.
25:21 - It's gonna get better.
25:22 It's gonna get better.
25:24 Yeah, right, we were sweating
25:25 like an hour and a half ago.
25:27 - Yeah. - If that.
25:28 - Yeah, I can't really see.
25:29 I can see your tail light, that's about it.
25:31 (laughing)
25:32 - I might run with my visor up so I can actually see.
25:36 But then I open my visor,
25:37 and then my face is freezing cold.
25:39 - You get like your wind burn on your eyes.
25:42 - Can you like sing to me or something
25:44 to put my mind at ease?
25:46 - Rain, rain, go away.
25:48 (laughing)
25:49 Come again another day.
25:51 - I'm gonna like close my visor halfway.
25:54 - Yeah, I was doing both.
25:55 Visor up, my eyes start to dry out in water.
25:59 Visor down, I can't see anything.
26:02 - Oh, can you feel your fingertips?
26:04 - No. - Okay.
26:05 - I just went to grab the front brake,
26:07 and I like grabbed it super aggressively
26:09 'cause my hands aren't working that well.
26:10 - I so badly just wanna like put my hands
26:13 on an engine case down here.
26:14 - Yeah, and unfortunately I can't reach any
26:17 'cause of these fairies.
26:18 - I'm thinking about Mexican food again.
26:20 - Yeah.
26:21 - So it's like a warm carne asada.
26:23 - Warm, yeah, like especially when the tortilla chips
26:26 come out, they're still warm.
26:28 Ooh, or the hot tortillas.
26:31 That's what I would like to do.
26:32 I would like to just open those little tortilla cases
26:36 and jump inside with them.
26:37 (laughing)
26:38 Like a little steam shower.
26:40 - I like felt that, I could feel that.
26:42 (laughing)
26:44 Fortune favored us as we descended the mountain
26:48 and the grip of cold weather began to relent.
26:50 The occasional wheelie added some excitement,
26:53 but also warmed us up,
26:54 making the journey even more exhilarating
26:56 as we headed back to civilization.
26:58 What's the lesser of the two evils?
27:02 Cold, rainy in the mountains, or traffic on the freeway?
27:07 - I would rather have traffic on the freeway.
27:11 - Really?
27:11 - On a bike like this.
27:12 - Ooh, that cold, rainy nonsense was pretty miserable.
27:17 - I hate being cold.
27:21 After picking our way through the lesser
27:23 of those two evils, Southern California traffic
27:25 at rush hour, we had the opportunity
27:27 to run through another test.
27:28 - That's how you let people know you're coming through
27:32 when you're splitting lanes.
27:33 They hear 15,000 RPM rev limiter out of the inline four.
27:38 Small bore four.
27:39 That'll get them to move.
27:41 - Let's see, I'm gonna be in sixth gear,
27:42 we'll do a little roll on.
27:43 - Okay, yeah, let's do a sixth gear roll on.
27:45 - On one, we'll count down from three to one,
27:48 and then we'll go, all right, you ready?
27:49 Three, two, one.
27:52 Look at that!
27:55 - Yeah, see, I'm still, I'm about to hit 10,000 RPM,
27:59 now it's coming away, Kev.
28:01 - Now, oh, happy to have you back here with me, man.
28:05 - But what happens if I double downshift to fourth,
28:08 and you stay in sixth?
28:10 - Okay, we'll try that, we'll try that.
28:11 And let's be honest, okay, we're still dealing 400,
28:14 first, you know, mid 700 CCs here.
28:17 - Yeah.
28:17 - Okay, it's no expectation for it to keep up,
28:20 but it's just showing that that thing,
28:23 it just doesn't have that roll on,
28:25 unless you've got the thing singing, so all right.
28:27 Well, you're gonna drop down to fourth,
28:29 I'm gonna stay in sixth, same thing.
28:32 We'll count down from three, and we'll see how this goes.
28:35 You wanna count down with me this time, or am I doing it?
28:37 - Yeah, I'll count down with you.
28:39 - Okay, so what, three.
28:40 - What are we aiming for, 60 miles per hour?
28:42 - Oh yeah, I can't, all right, I'm at 60 right now.
28:46 All right, three, two, one.
28:48 - All right, all right.
28:50 - Oh, it's a little closer, oh, there you go,
28:53 look at that thing start screaming.
28:55 (laughing)
28:56 Oh, are you grabbing gears even?
28:58 That's good, yeah, you gotta click down a couple gears
29:03 just to get anywhere.
29:04 - I mean, have you never heard drop a gear, disappear?
29:07 Come on, baby.
29:08 - Yeah, it weren't exactly disappearing.
29:09 - That's race car style.
29:11 - Not exactly disappearing, but.
29:12 - Okay, yeah, maybe not, maybe not disappearing on a,
29:15 yeah, but it'll get, maybe just enough to get you around
29:20 a big semi or a SUV or something, but.
29:22 - Yeah, yeah, yep, yep, I feel ya.
29:25 With the highway in our mirrors and the sun on the horizon,
29:28 we rolled into a nearby beach town to cap off our trip.
29:32 Well, Evan, it's been a fun trip.
29:35 We made it to the beach.
29:37 - We did a lot, track day, canyons.
29:40 - Getting rained on in the mountains.
29:42 Now we're just in time for a nice little SoCal sunset.
29:46 - Now, you got any surf?
29:50 Would you go surf any of this stuff?
29:52 - I would definitely go out and get in the water.
29:55 - You'll surf anything, huh?
29:56 - I'll surf anything, I just wanna get wet, you know?
29:59 - All right, well, not gonna make a joke about that.
30:03 All right, man, just about the end of the road here.
30:11 This is it.
30:12 - We made it, man.
30:14 It's a beautiful sunset.
30:16 - I think this is about as good as it's gonna get.
30:18 I hope you like the view, I hope you like the spot
30:19 I picked to end this little trip for us.
30:21 - You did good, it's a nice view.
30:23 Almost as nice as this view, but it's good.
30:25 - It is a good-looking motorcycle.
30:26 I'm happy with my choice, though.
30:28 I'm happy with the bike that I picked.
30:29 I was going for something versatile,
30:31 and that's exactly what this Suzuki is.
30:32 I love this engine and this machine, all that torque.
30:35 It makes this a bike that you can easily ride,
30:37 whether it's at the track, canyons, on the street.
30:40 Is this a perfect motorcycle?
30:41 - No, I think, for me, the thing I noticed
30:43 is the chassis side.
30:44 I think I'd wanna upgrade the suspension long-term,
30:47 but I like the ergonomics,
30:48 I like the fit and finish on this thing.
30:50 I think it's the modern Suzuki that we really wanted,
30:53 and I can't complain, man.
30:54 I'm really happy with the bike that I chose here.
30:57 And let's hear about all your concerns and your regrets,
31:01 right, 'cause there's gotta be something.
31:02 Are you happy with it?
31:03 - No regrets, no regrets.
31:05 I'm still picking this as my sport bike for $10,000.
31:08 What I like is really good front-end feel,
31:11 super capable chassis, ergonomics, not super comfortable,
31:15 engine requires riding it really hard
31:17 to get the most out of it, but I knew that coming into it.
31:20 I mean, this is a hyper-focused bike.
31:21 It's all about performance.
31:23 For me, it just fits the bill.
31:24 It's not a 600, which I don't think I'm ready for,
31:27 but it's not a Ninja 400.
31:28 It's something I can grow into
31:30 and become a better track day rider.
31:32 I think at the end of the day,
31:34 we both picked the perfect bikes for us,
31:36 who we are at this point in our riding career.
31:39 - Yep, good choices, man.
31:41 When it comes down to it,
31:42 motorcycles are a journey of the soul,
31:44 and purchases don't have to be based
31:46 on figures or evaluations.
31:48 Follow your heart and choose the bike
31:50 that resonates with you,
31:51 knowing that the joy of riding on two wheels
31:54 with your friends knows no bounds
31:56 in terms of size, expense, or engine configuration.
31:59 (upbeat music)
32:02 (upbeat music)
32:05 (upbeat music)
32:07 (upbeat music)
32:10 (upbeat music)
32:13 (bells chiming)