Jeremy McWilliams, easily the most experienced test rider in the industry, rode the MotoCzysz 07 C1-990 for the first time in a private test at the Miller Motorsports Park in Tooelle, UT June 20, 2007. McWilliams test and development experience includes the Aprilia cube MotoGP bike, both KR 3 cylinder 2-stroke and 5 cylinder 4-stroke machines, BMW’s 990 and 800 MotoGP prototypes and the Buell XB9RR. Currently McWilliams is under contracted by Ilmor to develop and race their 800cc MotoGP machine; Jeremy’s experience is very relevant. So when Jeremy says a bike does this or that he is comparing it to the best motorcycles in the world. Even more importantly, Jeremy can gage progress and potential better than all, most, or any other as he has first hand experience with world class bikes in different stages of development. In fact it was the time-frame and money spent to date on the C1 that actually impressed McWilliams nearly as much – or more – than the handling of the motorcycle itself.
Though the MotoCzysz first broke cover January 05, that was with a proof of concept machine utilizing many “borrowed” parts, the clean sheet design for the 07 C1- 990 prototype that Jeremy rode at Miller started December 05. That is nearly 2,000 parts designed, engineered and specified or manufactured in 20 months and MotoCzysz owns these parts, we have “borrowed” nothing from an existing motorcycle manufacturer.
Jeremy told a journalist after his ride that the C1 was “the best turning bike ever”.
MotoCzysz has become increasingly confident that Czysz’s theories were actually resulting in a better handling motorcycle. “We can now consider the design frozen for the first model and focus entirely on the final stage of engine development and prepare for production. Listening to Jeremy talk about how easy it was to turn and transition our bike in comparison with everything he has ridden was simply one of the best things I have ever heard” said Michael Czysz.
There is still wild speculation and a fair amount of misunderstanding about these theories posted on internet chat rooms. We will get MC to write about this in detail in a future blog post, but until then here are some of the key points most often misunderstood;
1- It is about the centralization of mass orientated along a desired axis, not simply mass centralization
2- It is about crank orientation not counter rotating crank
3- Counter rotating cranks allow the crank orientation
4- There have been/are counter rotating square 4 layouts the reason and layout are quite different from the MotoCzysz Z-line 4 engine
5- The compromises of the Z-line 4 engine seem to easily be offset by the benefits, better aerodynamics and handling
McWilliams and Czysz spent the first day riding together on a pair of 600’s while the team prepared for the following days private test on the C1. “It was amazing to get off the 600’s that we were pushing at a very good pace and get on the C1 and find the C1 easier and lighter to steer, Jeremy told me it felt like half the weight of a 600″ said Czysz. McWilliams said “I thoroughly enjoyed my outing on MC’s prototype, firstly I was surprised at how nimble the bike turned, steered and changed direction. My feeling was that this motorcycle easily took the least amount of effort for a bike of this capacity to fire it into a turn. To steer into the apex of that turn needed little effort. It really came into its own when I was pushing through the Chicane at Miller, in this type of turn the MotoCzysz changes direction with minimal input and I always found that I had room to push harder.
And push harder he did-
It was refreshing to work with such enthusiastic designers and the future has to be good for one of the best looking sport bikes I’ve had the pleasure to test upon (and tumble off)!
Yes – McWilliams late for an international flight and quite excited about the bike and it’s capabilities -pushed hard enough to have low side, neither rider or bike sustained any damage (only bent handle bar and scratched fairing and some dirty leathers). The cause of the companies first crash had to do with both tires sliding and losing grip simultaneously due to a very dirty track.
MC was honored to have McWilliams at the controls for the inevitable first crash “I have been riding with a large safety margin and McWilliams rode it right to the limit, that was extremely exciting and satisfying to see regardless of the outcome, he did a great job.”
Read the official news article on the MotoCzysz website.