RIDING WITH THE KING

Aprilia Tuono 1100 RR

vs.

BMW S1000R

vs.

KTM 1290 Super Duke R

vs.

Yamaha FZ-10

Back in 2012 the final stretch of a once all-dirt road to the 14,115-foot summit of Pikes Peak was paved, and with this change of surface came a new chapter in the historic Race to the Clouds. As speeds increased and elapsed time up the 12.42-mile course plummeted, safety concerns arose. Following a pair of tragic competitor fatalities, the event organizers introduced an equipment standard requiring eligible motorcycles to have been manufactured with a one-piece handlebar.

With this “safety” initiative the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb has become a premier showcase for the thriving sport naked segment.

At this year’s 96th running of America’s second oldest motorsport race, a 2017 KTM 1290 Super Duke R ridden by former KTM factory superbike pilot Chris Fillmore shattered the all-time motorcycle record to become King of the Mountain.

In attendance serving as a Squadra Alpina rookie rider coach (another recent PPIHC safety initiative) I witnessed Fillmore’s historic feat and was equally impressed by the Super Duke R. As chance had it, I traveled directly from Pikes to Thunderhill Raceway located in Willows, California, for the GEICO Cycle World Track Day Shootout, a two-day event offering a rare opportunity to ride with readers while conducting the track portion of this super naked test.

Sharing the 3-mile, 15-turn road course with roughly 80 riders each day meant logging Associate Editor Sean MacDonald, Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer, guest tester/Red Bull Street Freestyle rider Aaron Colton, and I gathered on-track impressions of each bike’s performance at speeds much greater than what is sanely possible on public roads. The event was a great success as readers got to ride for free, meet new friends, and interact/ride not only with magazine staff but also talented MotoAmerica racers and to speak with representatives and/or demo gear from Bell Helmets, 6D Helmets, Alpinestars, and Pirelli.