Sportbike Evolution - Styling, Cockpit and Controls

So with the near-completion of the almost-decade-long (!) GSX-R1100 restoration project, I now have an opportunity to do some direct comparisons of the bikes in the stable, and look at the evolution of the sportbike (selected examples) over three decades - the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s.

The machines in the picture - '08 Ducati 848, '98 Yamaha YZF-R1, and '86 Suzuki GSX-R1100 - each represent the hardest-core of sportbike development for their respective decades. While the wild Ducati 1098 was the ultimate open-classer from the Italian manufacturer, the 848 Superbike shared much of its design and chassis development so we'll consider it to be an adequate stand-in :-)

In this post I'll try to delve a little into the differences and similarities of these three machines, made by three different manufacturers, over a 20-year span. Today I'm going to focus on the cockpits, controls and styling.

First off, check out the difference in windscreen height on these three bikes...

The GSX-R definitely looks like it has the most protective windscreen, and it's true. It dwarfs the R1 screen by a good half-a-foot and it keeps that much more wind off on the highway.

Check this out - the top of the R1 screen barely comes up to the bottom of the GSX-R's, and the 848 screen is even lower than the Yamaha's. Reduction in overall frontal area has obviously become a bigger deal over the years and the Yamaha and Ducati are noticeably lower and pointier than the square-jawed Suzuki. For all the press talk of the GSX-R being the hardest of the hard core back in the '80s, it's clear that there was some way to go before we got to the R1 and 848. The Yamaha and Ducati also share 17" rolling stock in common as opposed to the Suzuki's 18" hoops, and this will be the subject of a future post...

Here's the cockpit of the '86 GSX-R1100. Everything's in the same place as universal Japanese standard - turnsignals, high-low beam, horn and clutch on the left bar, starter button, killswitch, throttle and front brake on the right. Clip-ons are set low relative to the seat and as you can see, steeply angled.

Speedo and tach are white-faced analog gauges. Remarkably the speedometer is calibrated to 280kph (that's 174mph in old money) and the tachometer doesn't register until the engine's turning over 3,000rpm. Makes it a smidge difficult to set the engine idle speed!

Warning lights for turnsignals, high beam, sidestand, neutral, and oil pressure complete the Spartan dashboard. Trip odometer is reset by turning the wheel on the left hand side of the speedo.

Fast forward ten years and things are a bit different. Clip-ons on the R1 are somewhat less angled and the bars house the same controls as the Suzuki's in the same places, with the exception of the choke control which has moved from the carbs to the left bar. Brake master cylinder now has a remote reservoir and the clutch is activated by cable. Real carbon triple cover is from SKUR and covers some scuffs put there by the PO.

Analog tach and digital speedo dominate the display. Warning lights only for neutral, turnsignal, high beam and low fuel, but digital coolant temp gauge nestles into the tach. The LCD dash also displays the time as well as two trip odometers. Big Ohlins damper reminds you you're astride some quality kit.

By 2008 the world of superbikes had turned digital. Bar angle is similar to the R1 and same controls appear, with the addition of a multifunction button on the left bar and the deletion of the choke, as the 848 has electronic fuel injection. The key is cleverly placed out of the way on the headstock, there's no way an errant fob will scratch that lovely top triple clamp. Remote reservoirs for both brake and clutch complete the cockpit.

Lots of information on the LCD display. Time, ambient temp, coolant temp, odometer and speed readout (where it says "848" in the pic) plus bar-style tach across the top.

Styling has also evolved over 20 years and that's a matter of personal taste as well. Me, I find aesthetic appeal in all three of these machines - which is why I own them :-)

The seating positions have evolved as well. You sit "in" the GSX-R, not on it, and the seat is low to the ground - I can flat-foot it at only 5'7". The reach over the humped tank to the low-set clipons is a long-ish one. Then you have the joy of folding your knees back almost double to reach the very high footrests. At least the huge bubble keeps the wind off - with footrests a shade lower this would be a great tourer.

As for styling, the ur-GSX-R1100 is just brutish, but the endurance-racer twin-headlight look combined with traditional Suzuki colours really make it a sportbike icon. It is really the prototype for all repli-racers that came after, with its full fairing, exposed frame, and even solo seat cowl. Its twin headlights have even won out with the industry, even if today's GSX-Rs have to make do with a single unit. The one thing that made it so unique also never caught on - the full-coverage plastic side-panels that gave it the nickname "slabbie".

The R1's styling has some '90s in it with the splashy "YZF" graphic but keeps it subtle, unlike competitors like the '90s GSX-Rs and their "shell-suit" styling. The shape of the bike is timeless. Unlike the GSX-R that looks very "vintage", I think the R1 could reasonably be mistaken for a much newer bike with its tautly drawn lines and restrained graphics.

The R1's seating position is paradoxical. The bike itself is lower than the Suzuki, but the seat is higher - I'm on my tiptoes. Footrests are somewhat lower relative to the seat than on Suzuki, but the very low windscreen doesn't block the wind as well as the older bike's. The foot controls are all knurled metal, without even the rubber inserts of the GSX-R's as a concession to comfort. Clearly this is a bike designed for pure speed, but it's civilized enough to use every day or even tour on! The one thing you can't do is carry a pillion in comfort - although the press complained about this in '86, the Suzuki's passenger accommodations are much better than the R1's. The footrests are way too high.

The 848 for me combines the best elements of the 916 series while updating them for a modern eye. The bike looks contemporary but still retains an Italian flair, and looks great in traditional red or pearl white as my example. Twin projector-beam headlights look menacing as well. The under-seat exhaust system carries on a familiar Ducati theme that dated back to the early '90s 916, and was later aped by the Japanese, including on the R1. A great look but a terrible idea - on a warm day your nethers get a good roasting and that's not fun at all. Leathers are certainly recommended for this reason.

And while the 848 got a reputation as being a torture rack to ride, I personally find it OK - but coming from a person that tours on an R1, I may be in the minority. However, being a person of smaller stature (5'7") helps - shorter legs have to bend less to reach the high footrests. I didn't find the clip-ons objectionably low either. I haven't toured on the bike (see: under-seat exhaust) but I find it comparable to the R1 in general ergonomics. Pillion seat, as on the R1, is just for show. 

Being that we're in the dead of winter here now with all of the machines asleep under their covers, it's nice to reminisce about riding...