Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Ben Bostrom was the fastest rider during a two-day test at California Speedway involving American Honda and Erion Honda.

With warm temperatures, relatively light winds and little rubber and lots of dirt on the 2.36-mile infield road course, Bostrom turned a 1:26.00 Thursday on his race-tire-equipped Honda CBR1000RR Superbike.

Bostrom’s time from the test was faster than any time he recorded during last year’s race weekend at the Fontana, California track.

After riding the new CBR1000RR at Daytona International Speedway, Willow Springs, Laguna Seca and California Speedway, Bostrom has declared the bike incredible.

“Everywhere we’ve gone this bike has been the most incredible bike I’ve ever been on,” said Bostrom. “It’s really fast, it steers well, it does everything a bike should do. No complaints. Riding a bike is really fun again.

“Over the last couple of years I got kind of down, especially after last year – it really kicked me in the butt. Part of me kind of wishes I’d like to have another year on the RC51 to try and see how fast we could go, because at the end of the year we started getting faster on it, but once I got on this thing (laughs) that thing (RC51) was out! That’s (CBR1000RR) the funnest thing to ride. It makes me feel like a kid again, like I’m just learning to ride all over again. It’s fresh and exciting again. It’s really great.”

As good as the new Honda is Bostrom feels it can get even better, especially the rear end of the bike and the clutch. “I think maybe they need to come out with a new (clutch) design or something. That would set you into the corner a lot better. You kind of have to wait on it a little bit,” said Bostrom, echoing comments he made at the Daytona test in December.

Honda team members are expecting updated clutch parts before the Daytona race in March, which they hope will also help their riders launch the CBR1000RR Superbike off the line – something that has thus far proved difficult.

Asked for his outlook on the upcoming season, Bostrom laughed then said, “As long as we stay healthy, that bike’s so good we’re going to be up front. The bike’s great. I plan on doing some winning.”

Sharing Superbikes with both Bostrom and Erion Honda’s Jake Zemke at California Speedway as he has at other tests this winter, Miguel Duhamel took over the reigns of Bostrom’s CBR1000RR Thursday afternoon and went faster with nearly every lap until he ran out of fuel and daylight. Duhamel ended with a fast time of 1:27.00 on his final lap.

“I was just starting to get comfortable,” said Duhamel, immediately after climbing off his bike. “The promise that it showed the first time we rode it is coming good. The power is amazing, and it steers great, really turns great. Everyday we’re finding new stuff about the bike, but it’s really good.”

Duhamel also tested his CBR600RR Formula Xtreme racer, which was equipped with a full MoTec engine management system for the first time and is on-schedule to meet its horsepower target, according to Crew Chief Al Ludington.

Like Duhamel, Zemke rode both a CBR1000RR Superbike and CBR600RR FX machine during the test. Zemke said he struggled on the Superbike because he couldn’t make improvements to the bike’s set-up that would allow faster lap times. Zemke’s fastest time (1:27.31) was set just before lunchtime Thursday.

As for his few laps on the FX bike, Zemke said he was mainly trying to “work the bugs out of it…getting it to run right with the fuel-injection mapping.”

The Erion Honda CBR600RR Formula Xtreme machines were equipped with new, pressurized Ohlins forks, new Brembo brakes and new rear suspension linkages at Fontana.

Zemke’s teammate Alex Gobert continued development work on his CBR600RR FX bike and got to ride what will become his Superstock CBR1000RR for the first time. The 1000cc machine was essentially a street bike at California Speedway – equipped with a slip-on exhaust canister, rear sets from a CBR600RR, 17-inch Dunlop slicks but still wore the stock suspension and bodywork, including the taillight. Still, Gobert did a 1:32.87 on the machine within six laps.

Sport Tire Services sent a crew to California Speedway to mount and balance Dunlop tires, and the test was attended by Dunlop’s Les Washburn.

American Honda has one Superbike test remaining, January 25-26 at Daytona, before it goes to Japan to build the remainder of its CBR1000RR Superbikes in time for the 2004 season opener.

In the meantime, American Honda and Erion Honda will continue testing their CBR600RR Formula Xtreme bikes.

Unofficial Lap Times:

1. Ben Bostrom, Superbike, 1:26.00
2. Miguel Duhamel, Superbike, 1:27.00
3. Jake Zemke, Superbike, 1:27.31
4. Miguel Duhamel, Formula Xtreme, 1:28.40
5. Jake Zemke, Formula Xtreme, 1:29.10
6. Alex Gobert, Formula Xtreme, 1:30.11
7. Alex Gobert, Superstock, 1:32.87