12/10/23
In the neon heyday of sportbikes, the inline-four engine was ubiquitous. Nearly every supersport and superbike from Japan was powered by a DOHC 16-valve screamer. Sure Ducati and a few others bucked the trend with V-twins, but even my grandmother knew the shrill scream of an uncorked inline-four “crotch rocket” from a mile away. The engine nearly defined the segment.
Then the market changed, not only did sales demand crater for sportbikes in general, but the alternatives like the V-twin, V-4, and triple have a little more character and usability in certain situations. Now, the parallel twin is surging in popularity, not only for its friendly character but for being less expensive to manufacture. Is the sun setting on the inline-four? Not if the machines highlighted in this newsletter have anything to say about it.
BMW’s M 1000 RR is leading the charge for the I-4; the 2023 model made an insane 189 rear-wheel horsepower on the Cycle World dyno. But big power is nothing without the ability to use it, and BMW has added a slew of aerodynamic radness to the M 1000 RR to make it slipperier at the top-end, but also have more grip in the corners. But at the heart it is a screaming 999cc four-cylinder beast that will go toe-to-toe with any V-4. Check out UK contributor Adam Child’s first ride here.
The superbike segment still has a fair number of inlines: the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10, Suzuki’s legendary GSX-R1000, and Honda’s CBR1000s. But the supersport segment doesn’t have much and it seems like manufacturers, engineers, and the public have all but forgotten about them. But Kawasaki hasn't thrown in the towel yet. It updated its 2024 Ninja ZX-6R with new looks, ride modes, and some changes to maintain the same power level with tightening emissions. CW In-Market Editor Bradley Adams got the nod for a first ride earlier this year.
Let’s not forget Suzuki is still stoking the fire with its supersport: the 2023 GSX-R600. Associate Editor Evan Allen just put it through its paces and despite its being long in the tooth, he was impressed with its performance.
As always, there’s more than we can fit into this email. Check out cycleworld.com for additional tests, reviews, and news.
Ride on,
Justin Dawes
Executive Editor
