It’s basically impossible to spend any time on a bike from 10 years ago or more and not at some point make some sort of comparison to a modern-day equivalent. Such comparison is, of course, completely unfair as the available technology, schools of thought and market demands all change with the passage of time. Nonetheless, there is no denying that in the case of the three used bikes that feature in our Great But Gone celebration, we found ourselves deeply impressed at their ability to rock our worlds and became more than a little bit love-struck by them. We also appreciate how good we’ve got it today.
So, with that in mind, it seemed entirely appropriate to just take a moment and pay tribute to the things we have today that have become our ‘normal’ – and confirm the obvious fact that whether we like it or not, evolution of the species never stops.
Power:
By far the single biggest fundamental difference between a modern bike and a 15-year-old one is how much power it makes. Everything else is really just playing round at the edges or there as a consequence of power outputs growing massively.
The modern superbike has come in for a bit of bad press lately from some for being too powerful and therefore no longer relevant. Of course, there have always been people quick to dismiss anything sporty on the basis of it being impossible to use all available performance on the road. While, strictly speaking, such people do indeed speak the truth, they should really be avoided at all costs for the simple reason that they are void of any kind of imagination… and probably friends.
It’s impossible to use all the power available on a modern motorcycle, but that’s a big part of what I love about them. I can’t use all the power all of the time on an Aprilia RSV4 any more than I could
