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Sportbike Roadtrip Eric Gulbransen

Every track has one section that scares the crap out of you. At Thunderhill, that's Turn 8. The GSX-R1000 is mega-powerful and surprisingly light on its feet, but I struggled to find traction. The Ninja ZX-6R was well-balanced, but the position was awkward for my size, and the narrow powerband made riding it a chore. The CBR600RR never put a wheel wrong. The R1 had motor and just enough suspension to access the power. But aboard the 1098, I saw 127 mph flash across the speedo in Turn 8-10 mph faster than the best of the others. They must close the factory doors in Bologna every night by waving a checkered flag.Eric Gulbransen<br />Age: 41<br />Height: 6' 2"<br />Weight: 192 lb.<br />Inseam: 34 in.

Class Of '07 - Cover Story

Every track has one section that scares the crap out of you. At Thunderhill, that's Turn 8. The GSX-R1000 is mega-powerful and surprisingly light on its feet, but I struggled to find traction. The Ninja ZX-6R was well-balanced, but the position was awkward for my size, and the narrow powerband made riding it a chore. The CBR600RR never put a wheel wrong. The R1 had motor and just enough suspension to access the power. But aboard the 1098, I saw 127 mph flash across the speedo in Turn 8-10 mph faster than the best of the others. They must close the factory doors in Bologna every night by waving a checkered flag.Eric Gulbransen
Age: 41
Height: 6' 2"
Weight: 192 lb.
Inseam: 34 in. View Related Article