We’re getting a little giddy around here as we begin to gather the gamut of new superbikes for our most intensive shootout of the year! We’ve got a fabulous two-day street ride to begin our testing, stringing together some of our favorite twisty roads on an overnight trip to begin our superbike shootout. And then the hardcore performance testing will take place over two days at Auto Club Speedway with our friends at Fastrack Riders. If you can be near Fontana, California, May 26-27, you should sign yourself up for a fun day at the track with us!

Fastrack Riders

The year 2017 will go down as a banner era in the development of street-legal superbikes, with two totally new literbikes from Japan in the form of Suzuki’s GSX-R1000 and Honda CBR1000RR. They join the formidable ZX-10R that debuted just last year and the sexy R1 that launched in 2015, the last time we put together an all-hands-on-deck superbike shootout.

2015 Six-Pack Superbike Shootout Final Answer!

The GSX-R1000 is new from the wheels up, and it’s a massive step forward from Suzuki, whether talking about the 1000R I rode in Australia or the regular 1000 reviewed by Trizzle a few weeks ago at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas. Troy “Trizzle” Siahaan also was the editor behind the review of Honda’s massively updated CBR1000RR ridden at Portugal’s Portimao racetrack.

Also revving up the category is the recently updated RSV4 from Aprilia, which Tom Roderick reviewed from COTA just a couple of weeks ago. And no literbike comparison in the better part of the last decade could be complete without BMW’s scintillating S10000RR, a bike that has won or nearly won every MO superbike shootout since its debut in 2010.

V-Twin engines have always played a significant part in superbike racing, and that theme will continue in our upcoming shootout. Ducati has, since the beginning of superbike racing, been the V-Twin challenger to its four-cylinder competitors. However, you won’t see one in our shootout, as Ducati didn’t bother stocking its press fleet in 2017 with any of its liter-plus-size Panigales. Maybe it’s because the Italian brand is preparing for a V-4 future in superbikes…

But fear not, booming V-Twin lovers, as EBR has stepped in to uphold the honor of superbikes with less than four cylinders! Yes, the American company is still in business and was willing to supply us with one of its 1190RXs. Although its design is now three years-old, it’s still an appealingly unique cocktail of agility and torque. EBR’s RX also has the lowest price of the group, a wallet-friendly $13,995. Keep in mind, though, this price doesn’t include ABS or an Intertial Measurement Unit (IMU), the only bike in our comparo without both.

2014 EBR 1190RX Review – First Ride

Each of the bikes in our test (except the EBR) are available in versions with higher specifications, but we’re focusing this time on the base models – the 1000R variant of the GSX-R isn’t yet available, so we’re sticking with everyone’s least-expensive versions. Since a couple of the bikes are equipped stock with antilock brakes, we’ve ordered up all the bikes (save the EBR) with ABS.

As such, our $14,999 GSX-R1000 is the least expensive of our four-cylinder superbikes, the ABS adding just $400 to its base MSRP. Kawasaki’s ZX-10R is the next step up in prices, to $16,099 with ABS ($15,099 w/o), followed by Yamaha’s slinky crossplane-crank R1 at $16,699. Honda’s lightweight CBR1000RR retails for just 100 Benjamins more, at $16,799 ($16,499 (w/o /ABS). Sneaking in under the $17k mark is Aprilia’s intoxicating RSV4 RR, and its $16,999 MSRP is a scant $200 more than the Honda!

So that’s four bikes priced within just $900. Or maybe it’s five if we can include BMW’s S1000R. Its retail price for the base version without options starts at just $15,695, and we requested our tester to have as few options as possible. That said, we’ve learned to expect a BMW without options to be as rare as Brough Superiors, and we haven’t yet been able to confirm the state of the S1000 tester we’ll soon pick up.

2017 Superbike Spec Chart Shootout

If you’re a regular MO reader, you’ll recall that Trizzle already primed the superbike pump with a shootout preview you can revisit in the link above. He included more details than we have here, so it’s a good reference for those who are keen to have all the info about what we’re expecting during our week of testing. The specs we put together for Trizzle’s preview can be seen by hovering over the image below.

Meanwhile, we’re licking our chops in anticipation of ripping up the canyons and squeezing out more than 170 mph on the front straight at Fontucky! Keep your browser tuned to MO!

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  Hover for full superbike shootout specifications table

  2017 Literbike shootout spec chart
  	Aprilia RSV4 RR	BMW S1000RR	Ducati 1299 Panigale	EBR 1190RX	Honda CBR1000RR	Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R	MV Agusta F4 RR	Suzuki GSX-R1000	Yamaha YZF-R1
  MSRP	$16,999	$15,695	$19,995	$13,995	$16,499	$15,099 ($16,099 w/ABS)	$19,798	$14,599 ($14,999 ABS)	$16,699.00
  Type	999.6cc Liquid-cooled, DOHC, four-stroke, 65-degree V4, 4 valves per cylinder	999cc Liquid-cooled, DOHC, four-stroke, inline-Four, 4 valves per cylinder	1285cc Liquid-cooled, DOHC, L-Twin, four-stroke, Desmodromic valve actuation	1190cc liquid-cooled, DOHC, 72-degree V-Twin, four-stroke, 4 valves per cylinder	999cc Liquid-cooled, DOHC, four-stroke, inline-Four, 4 valves per cylinder	998cc Liquid-cooled, DOHC, four-stroke, inline-Four, 4 valves per cylinder	998cc, Liquid-cooled, DOHC, four-stroke, inline-Four, 4 valves per cylinder	999.8cc, Liquid-cooled, DOHC, four-stroke, inline-Four, 4 valves per cylinder	998c Liquid-cooled, DOHC, four-stroke, Cross-plane inline-Four, 4 valves per cylinder
  Bore and Stroke	78.0mm x 52.3mm	80.0mm x 49.7mm	116.0mm x 60.8mm	106mm x 67.5mm	76.0mm x 55.0mm	76.0mm x 55.0mm	79.0mm x 50.9mm	76.0mm x 55.1mm	79.0mm x 50.9mm
  Compression Ratio	13.6:1	13.0:1	12.6:1	13.4:1	13.0:1	13.0:1	13.4:1	13.2:1	13.0:1
  Rear Wheel Horsepower	175.8 hp @ 12,400 rpm	182.9 hp @ 13,100 rpm	175.0 hp @ 10,400 rpm	156.0 @ 10,700 rpm (1190SX)	189.1 (crank) hp @ 13,000 rpm (claimed)	160.6 hp @ 11,700 rpm	195 (crank) hp @ 13,400 rpm (claimed)	199 (crank) hp @ 13,200 rpm (claimed)	162.9 hp @ 12,300 rpm
  Torque	76.7 lb.-ft. @ 10,800 rpm	79.9 lb.-ft. @ 9600 rpm	92.5 lb.-ft. @ 8900 rpm	83.0 lb-ft @ 8100 rpm (1190SX)	84.1 (crank) lb-ft @ 11,000 rpm (claimed)	73.6 @ 11,200 rpm	81.7 (crank) lb-ft @ 9600 rpm (claimed)	86.7 (crank) lb-ft @ 10,800 rpm (claimed)	72.5 lb.-ft. @ 8900 rpm
  Transmission	6-speed; multi-plate wet clutch w/slipper function	6-speed; multi-plate wet clutch w/slipper function	6-speed; multi-plate wet clutch w/slipper function	6-speed; multi-plate wet clutch w/vacuum operated slipper function	6-speed; multi-plate wet clutch w/slipper function	6-speed, multi-plate wet clutch w/slipper function, positive neutral finder	6-speed, multi-plate wet clutch w/slipper function	6-speed, multi-plate wet clutch w/slipper function	6-speed; multi-plate wet clutch w/slipper function
  Final Drive	Chain	Chain	Chain	Chain	Chain	Chain	Chain	Chain	Chain
  	Aprilia RSV4 RR	BMW S1000RR	Ducati 1299 Panigale	EBR 1190RX	Honda CBR1000RR	Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R	MV Agusta F4 RR	Suzuki GSX-R1000	Yamaha YZF-R1
  Front Suspension	Sachs 43mm fork, fully adjustable	46mm fork, fully adjustable	Marzocchi 50mm fully adjustable USD fork.	43mm Showa Big Piston Fork, fully adjustable	43mm Showa Big Piston Fork with spring-preload, rebound and compression damping-adjustability	43mm inverted Balance Free Fork, adjustable stepless rebound and compression damping, spring preload adjustability	Marzocchi 50mm fully adjustable USD fork	43mm Showa Big Piston Fork, fully adjustable	43mm KYB inverted fork; fully adjustable
  Rear Suspension	Sachs monoshock with piggyback reservoir, fully adjustable	Fully adjustable monoshock	Fully adjustable Sachs shock. Adjustable linkage: Progressive/flat. Aluminium single-sided swingarm	Showa linkage-less single shock, fully adjustable	Showa Balance Free Rear Cushion shock, with spring-preload, rebound and compression-damping adjustability	Horizontal back-link with Balance Free gas-charged shock, stepless, dual-range (low-/high-speed) compression damping, stepless rebound damping, fully adjustable spring preload	Fully adjustable Sachs shock, w/high- and low-speed compression adjustment	Fully adjustable Showa shock, w/high- and low-speed compression adjustment	KYB Single shock w/piggyback reservoir, hi/low speed compression, rebound and preload adjustibility
  Front Brake	Dual 330mm rotors. Twin Brembo M50 monoblock radial 4-piston calipers. ABS with switchable Rear Lift-up Mitigation	Dual 320mm rotors. Twin radial-mount 4-piston calipers. Switchable ABS	Dual 330mm rotors. Twin Brembo M50 monoblock, radial-mount calipers. Cornering ABS standard	386mm single perimeter rotor, 8-piston caliper. No ABS.	Dual 320mm rotors. Dual radial-mount 4-piston Tokico calipers	Dual 330mm petal rotors, Brembo M50 4-piston radial-mount calipers w/ABS	Dual 320mm rotors, Brembo 4-piston radial-mount calipers w/ABS	Dual 320mm rotors, Brembo 4-piston radial-mount calipers w/ABS	Dual 320mm rotors, 4-piston calipers, UBS, ABS
  Rear Brake	220mm rotor. Brembo twin-piston caliper	220mm rotor. Single-piston caliper	245mm rotor. Twin-piston caliper w/Cornering ABS standard	220mm rotor. 2-piston caliper	220mm rotor, single-piston caliper w/ABS	220mm petal rotor, single-piston caliper w/ABS	210mm rotor, Nissin 4-piston caliper w/ABS	220mm rotor, Nissin single-piston caliper w/ABS	220mm rotor, UBS, ABS
  	Aprilia RSV4 RR	BMW S1000RR	Ducati 1299 Panigale	EBR 1190RX	Honda CBR1000RR	Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R	MV Agusta F4 RR	Suzuki GSX-R1000	Yamaha YZF-R1
  Front Tire	120/70-17	120/70-17	120/70-17	120/70-17	120/70-17	120/70-17	120/70-17	120/70-17	120/70 ZR-17
  Rear Tire	200/55-17	190/55-17	200/55-17	190/55-17	190/50-17	190/55-17	200/55-17	190/55-17	190/55 ZR-17
  Rake/Trail	26.5 deg/4.1 in	23.5 deg / 3.9 in.	24.0 deg / 3.8 in.	22.4 deg / 3.8 in.	23.3 deg / 3.8 in.	25 deg / 4.2 in.	TK / 3.9 in.	23.2 deg. / 3.7 in.	24 deg / 4.0 in.
  Wheelbase	56.5 in.	56.6 in.	56.6 in.	55.5 in.	55.3 in.	56.7 in.	56.3 in.	55.5 in.	55.3 in.
  Seat Height	33.0 in.	32.7 in.	32.7 in.	32.5 in.	32.8 in.	32.9 in.	32.7 in.	32.5 in.	33.7 in.
  Curb Weight	450 lbs. (claimed)	420 lbs. (claimed)	427 lbs.	450.5 lbs. (calculated)	425 lbs. (Euro-spec)	454.2 lbs.	421.1 lbs (claimed dry weight)	443.0 lbs, 445.0 lbs(CA, both claimed weights)	438 lbs.
  Fuel Capacity	4.9 gal.	4.5 gal.	4.5 gal.	4.5 gal.	4.2 gal.	4.5 gal.	4.5 gal.	4.2 gal.	4.5 gal.
  	Aprilia RSV4 RR	BMW S1000RR	Ducati 1299 Panigale	EBR 1190RX	Honda CBR1000RR	Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R	MV Agusta F4 RR	Suzuki GSX-R1000	Yamaha YZF-R1
  ABS	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X
  Cornering ABS	X		X		Available on SP model	X		Available on GSX-R1000R
  Magnesium wheels									X
  Forged aluminum wheels		Optional	Available on S model
  Titanium connecting rods							X		X
  Titanium valves	X	X				X		X	X (intake only)
  Aluminum fuel tank					Titanium tank available on SP model				X
  Smartphone app	X								Optional
  Electronic suspension		Optional (included as tested)	Available on S model		Available on SP model
  Quickshifter	X	Optional (included as tested)	X	Optional	Optional (standard on SP model)	X	Optional	Optional	X
  Clutchless downshift ability	X	Optional (included as tested)	X		Optional (standard on SP model)
  	Aprilia RSV4 RR	BMW S1000RR	Ducati 1299 Panigale	EBR 1190RX	Honda CBR1000RR	Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R	MV Agusta F4 RR	Suzuki GSX-R1000	Yamaha YZF-R1
  Power modes	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X
  Traction control	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
  Slide control									X
  Launch control	X	Optional (included as tested)				X		X	X
  Wheelie control	X	X	X		X	X			X
  Engine brake control			X		X	X
  Inertial Measurement Unit	X	X	X		X	X		X	X
  GPS telemetry	Via smartphone app	Optional	Optional						Optional
  	Aprilia RSV4 RR	BMW S1000RR	Ducati 1299 Panigale	EBR 1190RX	Honda CBR1000RR	Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R	MV Agusta F4 RR	Suzuki GSX-R1000	Yamaha YZF-R1