10 PRECIOUS SECONDS

Not everyone can afford the insurance to jump to a sportsbike from 125, but good things still come in small packages. Half the costs can mean twice the fun.

Small bikes. Shite, aren't they? Simply a stepping stone to bigger, better things, then why is it that we remember smaller capacity machines with affection? Is it simply nostalgia and rose tinted visors? Or do they really offer more bangs for fewer bucks? It certainly seems that some manufacturers still see the smaller capacity classes are worth of looking at on the new bike front.

New lunches this season from BMW, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha augment the updates to ol' perennials like the CB600F Hornet, FZ6, Fazer family and Kawasaki's fun ER-6 models. With this mind, we put our heads together to come up with the best, used snakk capacity 'second bikes' that will give you values from money smiles all year round.


1. KAWASAKI ER-6F/N

Proof that the parallel twin doesn't have to have 'Triumph' on the tank. One of sweetest bikes out there is the ER-6 family. You can rag these things and enjoy it just stick some money aside for some 'sorted' suspension (Hagon do some great fork internals and springs) and you can really enjoy this bike. After all, a 120mph top end and 70bhp are enough for most people, while being sufficiently user-friendly for newbies. Build quality is better than on most older Kawasaki too..

Other twins worth a look include the CB500, the bike that James Toseland cut his racing teeth on. Alternative sub-700cc Kawasakis include the venerable (and softly sprung) ZZ-R600 and the first couple of generations of pre-636 ZX-6R, which if looked after offer plenty of thrills from decade old technology.

Pros : A lot of bike for the money; good fun; cheap to run.

Cons: Look are a bit different on the 'n' with the 'f' being a lot more attractive. Can run out of puff when you get used to it.


2. HONDA HORNET (1998-2005)

'Cult' is an often-over-used word in biking cirles, but within a year or so its 1998 release, the Hornet became one. Like the 250/350LC before it, the Hornet became the darling of new riders, shorties and ladies alike, spawning a host of specials and aftermarket bits. The motor is a peaky 90bhp or so, compared to the Fazer's torquey 80-85bhp, but unless you go for the half faired 'S' you'll find that anything over 80mph will be a pain anyway. The chassis is capable. if budget, although the brakes could do with a bit more. Later version went to 17-inch front wheel and from 2003, sexy upside-down forks.

Pros: Plenty around; it's a cult bike

Cons: Not as well finished as many Hondas. Not very well equiped compared to the opposition. One trip, that's it....


3. YAMAHA FAZER 600 (1995-2004)

So good to bought one. As did Big Al. We're talking the Thundercat powered Fazer here, not the later buzzy R6 powered affair. You've got a perfectly carburated motor, awesome brakes from the early R1 (clean those calipers with regular winter use, mind) and lots of features you'd find on bigger bikes (two trips, fuel gauge, clock, hazzards, center-stand, underseat storage and decent pillion.) Performance is superb and it's a chassis that handles, albeit with soft, budget suspension. Looks were questionable, even back then, but they grow on you.

Pros.: Cheap and most definitely cheerful. Performance per money.

Cons: Can get tatty quickly; engine paint flakes; exhaust downpipes rot.


4. CAGIVA RAPTOR 650

Even as a second, smaller bike, you can do with a bit of exotica, yeah? Well, how's this then-the first incarnation of the Raptor 650 and V-Raptor for around 1,500 euro? Solid Suzuki motor in styling that's just that bit different. Some tasteful extras (along with industrial-strength WD-40) should see it look nice and stay nice. The motor is solid in this, but buy a good version and you'll have something fresher than a wet cow turd, with just as many flies sticking to it in summer. Lovely. Other machunes in this class to consider include Suzuki's excellent SV650 and Ducati Monster M620

Pros: Look good; just a little bit different

Cons: Finish is shite on some and plastics/metal bits can deteriorate quickly if not looked after.


5. SUZUKI DL650 V-STORM

Yes, it looks just like its dull big brother, but hold those horses. This is BRILLIANT bike. Did I really use caps then? OK sorry. But hear me out. This really does make for an excellent second bike and winter hack. The SV650 motor is well used in this machine and pulls the bulk well only the addition of luggage and a lardy pillion sees this thing wanting. Solo, there's plenty of go, with the motor re-tuned for around 60bhp, not the 70 or so of the original SV. It's the undisputed decathleteof this top 10, albeit a quite ugly one.

Pros: Lots of bike for the money; comfy; pretty good two-up

Cons: Smashed into and uprooted the gnarly ugly tree


6. HONDA RVF400 NC45

The RVF ages well (the oldest are around 13 years young now) but it needs to be looked after well on the servicing front. Sounds wonderful and has the mid-range of bikes, happy in the knowledge that, unlike most 400cc sports machines, many NC45 owners rarely adorn it with pointless baubles or Maltese Cross rear lights. Honourable mentions must be made of following: Kawasaki's ZXr400 still look fantastic and was around for so many years there's one for every budget. Watch out for ex-rookies 400 race bikes, mind. Honda's inline four CBR Baby-Blades are nice but not as well put together as the RVFs.

Pros: Stunning to look at; goes well; sound better.

Cons: Servicing costs; shagged shocks by now; hard to find a really good one; pricey, still....


7. APRILIA RS250 / SUZUKI RGV250 (1994-2004)

We know they're two different bikes, but they both share that lovely Suzuki 90-degree two stroke motor and are a nice way to own a smaller, second 'classic' stroke.

The 'Priller' was around from 1994 to 2004, so there's still some low-ish mileage ones out there. All models used a breathed on Suzuki RGV250 lump, producing around 52 real-world bhp. On the tacho, like builders, nothing much happens before seven and the real work us done by about eleven.

If you must have a RGV, then it's best to simply find the latest and last of the old 90-degree models you can, like the RGV250S or T and ignore the hideous shell suit graphic. The 1991 SP with black number boards is sought after, while the banana swing arm M and Ns are the "classic" ones to go for.

Pros: Beautiful, even the Suzuki. Persuade the other half that it's a "classic". A real slice of biking history.

Cons: Most are old now and ratty. And have imploded. Impractical as a second bike in many ways.


8. SUZUKI BANDIT 600 (1995-2004)

We had to have the original in here, didn't we? When realised back in 1995, the Bandit was cool and looked mean. Now it's almost the pipe and slippers machine of the naked middle weight pack but this makes it bargain, as you can pick one up for as little as 800 euro. Mechanically realiable, the only thing questionable about the earlier Bandits is the finish: engine paint flakes, frame welds can rot as can exhaust welds, downpipes, fasteners and every nut and bolt attached thereon. If you can find a well looked after one, nab it. Back in the day, the performance of Bandit was more than enough, but now the 600cc machine has been left behind. Still, for bugger-all money ain't to be sniffed at.

Pros: Thousand out there; cheap

Cons: Hard to find a good one; they rot; performance isn't as hot as the rest.


9. 404 ENDURO DS

A few years ago people were claiming that this here 'Dual Sport' was the best CCM ever. And it's still worth a look as a second bike. Why? Well, you'veeffectively got two bikes in one. Thanks to the two sets of wheels. Slot in the knobblies and you too can be as happy as pig in shit on Sundays, while it can commute you to work during the week with the smart looking road wheels. Motive power thankfully road wheels. Motive power thankfully comes from Suzuki's well proven DR-Z400 lump which gives a respectable 39bhp. The only problem was a constantly weak of battery.

Pros: Two bikes in one. Look better than DR-Z...

Cons: You need to look after it, the finish isn't the best (but better than older CCMz) and make sure you keep the battery on trickle charge.


10. HYOSUNG GT650 COMET

The GT650 Comet is essentially an SV650 from somewhere else. Kinda. The motor is built in Japan, sharing a very similar design to that of the SV650, although the two are not identical. The savingsyou're making by buying one of these comes from a lack of fule injection. Finish isn't quite on a par with a Japanese bike and it's just not cool to tell the girl in the nightclub that you own a Hyosung, is it? But look at the prices. Used, you can get a used GT650 Comet with under 10k on the clocks for under two grand. There's also a sportier 'R' version with full-fairing that actually looks quite nice.

Pros: Cheap new, cheap used

Cons: It isn't Japanese, it isn't Italian, it isn't British. It's Korean...

HONDA VTR 1000 SP-2

Wanna big, WSB winning twin-but don't fancy a Ducati? If so, then you're only bet is Honda's SP2, an often overlooked slice of superbike exotica

As a bike manufacturer. Honda has a soild reputation. It supplies the market with good quality, reliable. hard to fault machinery that's very popular but also a bit dull and life-less. Occasionally, though, it makes something more niche that really stands out something more in the Pete Doheny mould. with much more attitude and character (though without the regular breakdowns), Its VTR 1000 SP-2 is one such example

It was Ducati that actually inspired Hamamatsu's men to come up with the SP. Early in the decade to win a WS8 title you had to have a V- twin. Ducati had proved that by completely dominating the class with that engine configuration, so Honda dropped its RC45 V4 750 and had a stab at glory with a new 1000cc V-twin.

The first version, the SP- 1, caused a bit stir in when it came out in 2000 because it was so different to how Hondas normally left the factor V. Built in more limited numbers it wasn't the bike for the masses with a more uncompromising design and relatively high price tag. But it actually had some real personality and appeal as well as snatchy fueIling. HRC made a better one for WSB racing and it won the championship in its very first season.

Two years on and the S P- 2 was introduced, and that's the bike we're testing here. There's no doubt the SP-2 is a looker. Sturdy, functional and compact. it's every inch an excIusive race inspired sportsbike. With its pair of world titles (Mr. Edwards won another on the SP-2 in 2002) the SP has a classy, desirable reputation. And because it didn't actual sell that well at all, it has the kind of rarity value so untypical of a Honda.

Get on it and you're reminded of its sporty intent. Seat pegs and bar positions, though not set to give an extreme riding position, are much more focused than they are on something like a Fireblade.

It"s not bad enough to rule out a long run, but its no tourer in the way a lot of current sports bikes can still be. The unhindered gas flow they allow gives a fair impression of an old WWII bomber, nicely offset by the more up to date whining from the gear driven cams, within the engine cases, And the way the volurne of that ear-bashing booming can be raised and lowered so quickly indicates the lightness of the Honda's engine internals and precision of its fuelling.

Head off to your favourite backroad and that special feeling increases. Both fork and shock are there to deal with the business of going fast and supporting each end of the bike under the strains of speed, power and braking though their duties don't really include making the ride plush. Quality damping means they're not harsh as such, but you shouldn't really expect to stay in the seat too often if you're giving it some over less than millpond-smooth routes.

The Honda's not a light bike and the chassis and steering geometry aren't exactly GSX-R-like sharp. Even so. the SP-2 can still carve an accurate and unmovable line through the countryside and has a reassuringly positive and planted feel. Steering it to do the same thing in another direction takes a bit more of a heave that it does on the latest tackle, but he turning process is hardly chopper like in us weight and speed Braking though. Is bloody brilliant. Suppressing the pace the V-twin generates is an easy job, done with plenty of power, progression and poise, no doubt aided by those stiff forks,

Of course, the engine is the main attraction to this Ducati-rival, and that's worth speaking highly of too. Being what it is. there's instant drive that only V-twins can deliver. But the tune of this one means revs are needed for its full potential to be released. It's hardly a problem given how freely the motor spins up just don't think you can get away with being as lazy as you can on some engines of this sort. And though the fuelling at small throttle openings is far better than it is on the SP-1 don't expect perfection in town.

There's no doubt that the SP-2 is more of a trackday tool or Sunday afternoon bike than an everyday one. It s not hell-bent on gang fast at the cost of anything else. but its focus is still clear. And with an appallingly poor tank range and a criminally insecure pillion perch that point is not open to debate. But as a Honda with style and purpose. that's inspiring and thrilling to both ride and own, it's a hell of a bike. Think of it as more of a Ducati without any of the Latin aggro that always comes with it and you're there, Well almost anyway.


VTR1000 SP-2 HISTORY

Honda decided to take the Italians on at their own game in 2000. The SP-2 was their second effort

Bidding in 2000 to lift a WSB title. Honda review it's engine design, habits and built a hard-core big capacity sporting V-twin the VTR1000 SP-1. It had produced one three years earlier in the shape of the Firestorm, but that was never designed for racing. The SP-1 served its
purpose well and in the hands of Colin Edwards, duly won the superbike championship. Never a brilliant seller, the SP was more of a homologation special. Two years later Edwards won again on the new version of the bike the SP-2.

The road bike it was based on, featured many subtle improvements. Chassis and suspension mods gave better handling and helped to reduce weight by four kilos. Improvements to fuelling cleaned up throttle response, and allied to minor engine changes increased power very slightly to give a claimed 135bhp.


WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR (sidebar)
Big dollops of torque comes as standard With the SP-2, as do big dollops of class

A fine choice, sir. But once you've made the decision to not follow the heard there are a few things that you must first consider. Follow these rules, however and you'll be a very happy chappy indeed

Your average SP-2 owner is far from common. He's generally an older, discerning fan, has a few quid in his pocket and buys the Honda more for its history and racing reputation than its actual performance. He rides it for pleasure only. It's a purist's bike

Few of the niche bikes were solid, you may need to scour the land for one. The vast rnajority have been owned by enthusiasts who cherish their bikes. Do not buy anything in less than mint condition unless asking price reflects this. They're no longer made but a very small number are still available in dealers for euro 9,449

Honda produced a limited run of Colin Edwards' stars and stripes replica bikes to celebrate his 2002 world championship win. Other UK dealers sold unofficial versions with race replica paint jobs. Many of these are considered tasteless, reduce the value of the bike, and hamper its chances of being so on

A softer set of fork and shock springs give a more comfortable and controlled ride

A set of good aftermarket pipes will improve power and delivery, Slimmer versions also improve the foot space for the pillion

A Power Commander smooths out the abrupt fuelling and makes the bike more rideable in town

Looked after, the Honda will return very reliable service and remain in good condition as the finish is strong and robust. Even with as many as 30,000 miles on the clock the bike can still look and run really well. Problems are-virtually non-existent and there were no recalls

Few owners service their bikes at horne. The job can be done but a access to some areas is tight and the work fiddly

A rear hugger protects the rear shock from dirt and stone chipping

Depreciation is significantly slower than the majority of modern Japanese bikes.

Official Honda accessories include a tank pad, battery charger, paintwork protectors, cargo net and heated grips!

HONDA CBR1000RR FIREBLADE

It's an all new bike, so you've guessed there are some things that need explaining

ENGINE
Heavily revised motor returns to a separate cylinder block with new linerless bores and a clever electro-deposited coating inside the cylinders Inlet valves are titanium an the bore is up 1mm (stroke is down 1.5mm) while the new pistons are lighter than before yet stronger too. Total engine mass is down by 2.5kg.

FRAME
Cast frame is 30mm narrower and 2.5kg lighter while being much more rigid. Swingarm is also longer length and higher pivot point.

EXHAUST
All-new underslung system reeplaces the underseat pipe and resonance chambers together with no loss than two ECU controlled flapper valves optimise the performance all the way through the rev range.

WHEELS
Lighter and stiffer than before - 240g lighter at the front 310g less at the rear. Tyres are Bridgestone BT-015s Dunlop Qualifiers.

CLUTCH
Honda's new Assisted Slipper Clutch uses a system of ramps and undercut dogs to both release the clutch pack together under acceleration. This allows lighter clutch springs and a lighter lever feel. It also means a cable can replace the old hydraulic setup saving weight

BRAKES
New Tokico calipers are 430g lighter in total than before and are now proper monoblock, one piece castings. Pistons are aluminium with chrome plating and there are four pistons using two pads. Discs use six point mounts instead of ten-point and have variable-sized drillings further saving weight and boosting feel.

Honda launched its 2008 Fireblade in the middle of the Arabian desert.

Before the oil boom, them wasn't much to see in Qatar. Diving for pearls and fishing for, er, fishwas about it, and the population was mostly nomadic tribal folks, who didn't stay in one place for too long. Indeed, with summer temperatures hitting fifty degrees celsius and no fresh water, you can see why no one bothered to live there in the days before air conditioning, desalination plants and Haagen Dazs shops.

It's all different now, There's plenty going on here. And there's plenty going on here Honda's Fireblade too. We're here in Doha to ride the new 2008 version of the firm's litre sportsbike, and from initial glimpses at the NEC, Milan and Paris shows, it looks to be a pretty special machine An all new engine in a revised chassis, with more power. less weight. and a dash of novel[ technology including some sort of traction control system

Like Qatar, though, the new Fireblade is not uncontrovesial. In the case of the Honda, that's down to a, frankly ugly new top fairing which combines a low-browed Neanderthal forehead with a stumpy, snub-nosed side profile

In the case of Qatar it's down to some frankly ugly labour laws four-fifths of the population are immigrants, who do all the dirty work, and if they don't toe the line pretty damned carefully, they're kicked out of the country toot bloody sweet It's getting better and in terms of broader human rights, Qatar is much better than some of its neighbours, but we 'd like more progress please

Featureless
Back at the track though. we've had line obligatory technical presentation, and I'm heading out for my first session at this track.

And it 's me that's heeding to make a bit more progress here I'm afraid. The fast time I was on Track was the Suzuki Hayabusa launch nearly three months ago, and white I've been riding constantly since, tiptoeing my Speed Triple through a freezing South London commute every day, this hasn't been much preparation for what's going on now and what's going on now is that I 'm piloting a 175bhp superbike around a new track, and it's one of the fastest, least forgiving, most featureless circuits I've been to

Losail is, obviously, built in the desert. and so there's little in the way of Landmarks around the track It's pretty flat too, and there are one or two sections which took very similar on the way in, but which differ vastly in the speed you can carry through them. Consequently, the new Blade is taking up a little less of my attention than managing to work my way around the track without ending up in the sand But after the first couple of laps following Hannspree Honda world supersport racer Johnny Rea around at a steady pace, l'm starting to get an early picture of the bike.

HRC KIT BIKE
Honda was showing off a race bike fitted with HRC's own race kit, which will apparently be available from Honda dealers. It looked utterly mean in black and was dripping in top kit: Brembo calipers, Showa race suspension, quickshifter and race rubber.

Honda has sent us out for the first session on bog-stock road suspension settings and standard ST-015 tyres, so things are a little bit squidgy and vague, with a fair bit of pitching fore and aft when getting on and off the gas. But for an initial session at a new circuit. the Blade is actually pretty friendly and easy to get on with. There's a good spread of power from 6,000rpm up towards 12,000rpm, with a linear, progressive delivery and smooth fuel injection, The brakes are incredibly strong too, and they dig me out of one or two little holes with ease.

For our second session on track, we're treated to some preselected suspension tweakages. Ex-BSB race winner Rea has been here all week, and he's prescribed a general firming up front and rear (see box) that has really transformed the bike There's an instant improvement in the composure of the bike on the brakes, and there's also a lot more feedback through the now-taut suspension. I've also had the angle of the brake lever on the bars adjusted downwards to better suit my spacked right wrist These changes, together with the basic map of the track I've started to build in my head, is letting me push on a bit quicker now, and the Blade is inducing a bit of a grin inside my lid.

Chastened
But halfway through the 20 minute session, I drift off line a little bit just after turn two, and as I hammer the gas on, the bike passes over the top off a small rise, and the back wheel steps out. In an instant. I'm out of the seat as the Honda snaps away, then back into line under me. A couple off big wobbles pass in a terrifying instant, and I'm breathing huge sighs off relief as the bike calms down and I back off, suitably chastened for the rest of the session.

We're stopping for an early lunch now, so I get a chance to sit down with a cup of tea to settle my jangling nerves before my next ride The excellent Honda techs have replaced the stock BT-015 road tyres with full-on BT-002 track rubber for the rest of the day now, and so I'm feeling a little more confident as I ride down the pit lane and out onto the now-hot track. I get a couple of decent laps in before Grand Prix legend Mr Ron Haslam pulls in front of me. When he still in sight after fifty yards or so I work out that he 's telling me stick on his tail so I can pick up the way around a bit quicker. It's a massive help both (a my confidence and the accuracy of my lines round here. I soon pick up loads of hints about where to position The bike for some of the more tricky corners and start to exploit the grippier tyres and track suspension settings a bit more

The brakes are impressing me more and more each lap, with seemingly limitless power and even more feel now the tyres and suspension are sorted. It's easy to hold a tight line through the longer hairpin bends essential on this flowing circuit if you're to keep in position for the next corner - while the bike feels composed and nimble through fast direction changes. The slipper is great too, giving seamless control over hard downshifts with no juddering. grabbing or anything disconcerting at all. And that new engine is still just fine on track, putting in a strong yet friendly manner through the midrange and top end. There's not much call to dip below about 5k here. but when I do manage it once with a dense outbraking manoeuvre, the bike pulls cleanly enough from 3,000 revs. Back in the pits, and I'm pondering on how the new Blade will cope on the road. It's notoriously difficult to draw road performance from a track launch-especially a track as serious and fast as this one. And we'll really have to wait for a proper road ride back here in Europe to see how Honda's done with that. Having said all that, there are some encouraging signs the riding position was comfortable and relaxed for my 5' 8" 13 stone frame the dash looks good (but only has basic info, no gear indicator or fuel gauge), the mirrors work well. The fuel consumption meter on my bike seggested it was getting around 20mpg - not so bad for the riding conditions on this super-fast track.

And finally
For the job Honda act it in Qatar, the Fireblade excelled. Getting round a serious WSB-class race track in quick older, while making it seem very easy is no easy task and the new bike managed it a treat. And the positive smiles of Honda guests Leon Haslam and Cal Crutchlow (who'll all be racing this bike in BSB next year underlined that success.

But of course. 90percent of the riding time spent on 2008 CBRI000RRs will be on the road, And from what a day on a desert race track can tell you the new bike will be pretty good at that job too - scant dashboard aside.

But then the old one did both of these things very well too, and there are three competing Japanese machines from Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki which are far from poor performance in any sphere. The new Blade is sharper than before, but it's also uglier. And whether it has sufficient ability elswhere to take on the cosmetic handicap remain to be seen.

"There's nothing really standing out about the CBR's performance though - just lots of good stuff going on."

STYLING
The main concern about the new Fireblade from visitors to the www.superbike.co.uk web forum was styling. And while it's true to say that the bike looks abit better once you get used to it, the stumpy front nose cone gives the bike a face only a mother could love. The parent involved design chief Toshiaki Kishi apparently developed the new look after a visit to the Japanese temples of Kyoto, taking further inspiration from the design of samurai sword. The stubby nose was also designed to underline the centralised mass of the new bike, and the reduction in side area also aimed to improve the way the bike moves sideways through the air.

HESD
New generation Honda Electronic Steering Damper is much smaller and lighter than before. It's now located under the fuel tank cover, out of sight. An ECU-controlled solenoid alters the damping level according to road speed and throttle opening, giving light steering at slow speeds with heavier, stability-boosting damping when required.

BATTERY
A frankly tiny 7AH battery replaces the previous 10AH part. Honda claims a revised starter setup allows the change, which saves 3kg. But if you fit an alarm or heated grips or leave your headlights on without the engine running, you now have even loss margin for error before needing a bump start.

SUSPENSION
Largely unchanged from before but the forks have a wider span and more offset. Rear shock is essentially identical

SUSPENSION SETTINGS
Recommended base settings from BSB Supremo Mr Jhonny Rea If they're good enough for that ten stone star

STD TRACK
Front
Rebound Max minus 2.25 turns Max minus 0.75 turns
Compression Max minus 2 turns Max minus 1.75 turns
Preload Min plus 6 turns Min plus 3 turns

Rear
Rebound Max minus 2 turns Max minus 1 turns
Compression Max minus 2 turns Max minus 2 turns
Preload 4 ring 8th ring



SPECIFICATION

Engine
Type I.C 16v DOHC inline four
Displacement : 999.8cc
Bore & Stroke : 76x55.1mm
Compression: 12.3:1
Carburation: PGM-DSFI fuel injection 46mm
Throttle bodies dual injectors
Gearbox: 6 Speed chain
Power: 175.3bhp@12,000rpm
Torque: 84lb ft@8,500rpm

Cycle Parts
Chassis: Gravity cast aluminium twin spar

Suspension:
(Front) 43mm fully adjustable USD forks
(Rear) Monoshock fully adjustable

Brakes:
(Front) Dual 320mm discs four piston one piece calipers
(Rear) 220mm disc single piston caliper

Wheels:

Cast aluminium

Tyres:

Bridgestone BT015
(Front) 120/70 17
(Rear) 190/50 17
Seat Height: 820mm
Wheelbase: 1,405mm
Capacity: 17.7 liters (3.9gal)
Wet Weight : 199kg (438lb)

TORQUE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Honda's take on the 'traction control' system actually came from a typically Honda concern with civilised road manners, rather than a desire to keep wheelspinning track jockeys happy

According to Dave Hancock, Honda's development rider the system was originally aimed at reducing slow-speed jerkiness from transmission lag. The ECU analyses the throttle position and its speed of opening as well as engine speed and retards the ignition for a tiny spell to give a softer ramping up of power rather than a straight hit. This original plan worked well but Honda realised that this could also provide a anti-wheelspin function.

So the ECU analyses the rate of acceleration of the crankshaft as well as the throttle opening and if it sees a set of conditions which are outside its pre-mapped figures, it will retard the ignition slighty, softening the power and-hopefully-preventing a less of control. But if you're wanting to spin the back end up, it won't stop you the proper racers on the launch were having no trouble smoking the back tyres on opposite lock all the way out of Losail's long exotic corners.

Having said all that, Honda isn't too keen on publicising the feature (which may be down to fears of litigation from crashed owners more than anything else). It's not mentioned in the extensive press kit and doesn't even seem to have one of those acronyms so beloved of the Japanese (Recommended HAT-JOK Honda Anti Throttle Jockey OverKill)