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2004 V-Twin Shootout Photo Gallery

Photos of the 2004 V-Twin Shootout. 2004 V-Twin Shootout.

2004 V-Twin Shootout

Forged aluminum OZ wheels, Ohlins suspension, those stellar Brembos and a sinister flat-black cloak - the Aprilia Mille Factory can bring traffic to a standstill.

BC runs away from photographer Tom Lavine.

BC tries to match Korf's lean angle without touching down.

Few sportbikes look as good as the Mille Factory.

The Mille Factory is the most responsive of the Superbike Twins to mid-corner rider input.

15 mph, yeah right!

Front brakes don't get any better than the radial-mount Brembos on the Mille R Factory.

The Mille's suspension was excellent on the street.

A pair of high-mount mufflers ensures a deep and mellow Mille tune.

The Mille R was the overall aesthetic winner.

Honda is known for its attention to detail, a tradition that continues on the RC.

Korf shows his best side.

Smooth power delivery is the forte of the RC51

Chamberlain pushes the RC51 on the street.

The RC51 sounded like pure magic in the canyons.

The RC51 brakes were good, but tended to fade a bit when pushed over long stretches.

Korf found the RC51 to be the most comfortable on long rides.

The RC51 isn't as exotic as the high-priced Italian Twins, but it holds its own in terms of performance.

The RC51 emerged from the dyno wars as the victor, pumping out 120 horsepower.

Hoping to make it to school in time, Don grabs his backpack and hops on the Duc.

The Duc looks out over Northern California.

Donny B and Korf cross the Klamath River en route to Yreka.

Nothing stirs the loins like Italian red.

The Duc's Ohlins fork with titanium-nitride coating and non-radial-mount Brembos performed admirably throughout the test.

The underseat exhaust looks trick but turned Korf's ass into a pork rind at the end of long rides.

Mt. Shasta is transformed into an afterthought when framed with the Duc.

Photographer Tom Lavine catches Don leaving a blackie on the road.

Sorry, no inline fours allowed.

Tired of getting stuffed, Don sets up on the inside of Korf.

Sorry, no Inline-Fours allowed.

Donny B. struggles to keep up with the speed of Korf and BC.

Our three Twins line up with Mt. Shasta as a backdrop

Korf fights the urge to put his down on the road.

Once the revs climb beyond 5000 rpm, Honda enjoys a significant torque advantage. Click the image to enlarge graph.

The RC51 enjoys a horsepower advantage over its two competitors, but loses out on the street because of tall gearing. Click the image to enlarge graph.