Congratulations to Honda CBR1000 winning the 2008 Master Bike shootout
 

Yep. Honda CBR1000RR was the fastest in the 2008 Master Bike shootout.

Interestingly this year they also included rider's preference points or something like that. Before that, it was pretty much the fastest bike won.

Don't get me wrong the CBR1000 was the fastest bike tested, but the categories were broken down in three:

Supersport (the usual Jap Big 4 plus Triumph 675), inline 4 superbike (Jap Big 4 plus MV Agusta) and V-twins (BMW, KTM, Aprilia - Ducati bowed out because they couldn't get the 1098R to work well with this year's selected control tire). The bikes from these respective categories are pitted against each other to get selected to go to the final round. The Aprilia Mille was chosen over the KTM RC8 because of riders' preferences even though the RC8 was about .4 of a second faster.

Interesting.

I'd love to ride the new 1000RR, but I think it's just too damn small for me to own. Who knows, if they make a Repsol version next year it may fit me just fine. :) I just love the bike with the Taylormade pipe installed!!!!

Now that IS bad ass!!! :drool:

they look like 250's

that talormade pipe is awesome...

wonder why they didn't have a 1125R in the mix though. :idk:

I was thinking the same thing too. Supposedly Ducati pussed out because they couldn't get the chassis setup right with the test tire (Bridgestone, I think) and that under heavy braking, the tire kept rubbing against the forward cylinder head. So the 1098R didn't run.

That's fuck'n retarded! so under hard braking there's that little space between the tire and the front cylinder head?! damn...

Now that Buell has addressed the fuel mapping issues I'd love to see a comparison done... that was the big gripe in all the comapro's done last year. :tt:

Indeed, congrats to Honda. There's value in considering "preferences" as a part of the evaluation. What matters to many isn't just how fast one can get from A to B on a sporting ride, but the experience in doing so.

Control tires were Dunlop D209- euro spec. Pirelli couldn't get their shit together in time.

They did have the BMW HP2 in the mix, but I don't recall it doing all that well. The Triumph did well, but the MV disappointed.