Speed Wagons
SPEED WAGONS
CW COMPARISON
BMW'S fast new K1200S takes on the mighty Hayabusa and ZX-12R...and five other bikes in a GT Shootout
DAVID EDWARDS
WE LOVE OUR READERS. THE VAST majority are intelligent, articulate and supremely motorcycle-savvy, their ranks only sullied by the occasional sourpuss (see Hotshots, this issue). Count Terry Thomas from Truckee, California, among the good guys. Not that he agrees with everything we put in print-our recent write-ups on BMW's all-new four-cylinder K-bikes, for example.
“I think you somewhat missed the audience/market for these bikes,” the 57-year-old wrote. “Us old racer types (never-were has-beens) still think ‘fast,’ but in reality (read: age and honest assessment of our riding skills) no longer are willing to put up with chain drive, carbs, air-cooling, unintended wheelies and tight ergos, especially with no carrying cases for our warm slippers.”
Not surprisingly, Thomas purchased a K1200S, and couldn’t be happier.
“It wins hands-down over sportbikes for ‘us’,” he claims. “It’s faster than any Twin, feels rock-steady at speed and in the twisties, and allows me to dream of high-speed glory without the risk and hassle of a Gixxer. The bike’s real competitors are high-speed tourers, not liter-class sportbikes.”
All due respect, Terry, but it’s tough to find a non-injected bike these days, radiators are the norm (okay, except for Harleys) and O-ring chains have done away with most of the drawbacks of spinning sprockets. But your point is made, and you don’t have to be an oldster to appreciate a sporting high-performance motorcycle with sensible ergonomics and the ability to swallow a weekend’s worth of cargo.
If we were talking classic Italian sports cars, these would be Gran Turismos with a wailing V-12 up front and a set of fitted leather luggage in the back. The Brits, too, appreciated the ability to quickly traverse any kind of asphalt, from winding B-road to triple-digit autoroute, with equal aplomb. Jaguar’s 1950s advertising campaign put it well-“Grace, Pace and Space.”
With that phrase guiding us, CW ordered up the fastest, most comfortable motorcycles from seven manufacturers, equipped with anti-lock brakes, hard saddlebags and other over-the-road niceties if they were available from the factory.
We were going high-speed touring, Terry-style, to see how the big new Beemer stacked up.
Actually, we’d do more than that, spending up to six weeks and 2000 miles with some of the bikes, commuting on them, droning freeways, splitting traffic jams, blasting up Ortega Highway, plus maxxing the saddlebags and riding to the USGP at Laguna Seca, with and without passengers.
Final evaluations, though, came en masse during a threeday riding orgy based out of Solvang, self-proclaimed “Danish capitol of America,” in California’s scenic Santa Ynez Valley, doing repeated laps of a 225-mile loop that included suspension-testing Foxen and Tepusquet Canyon Rds., the deserted, wide-open sweepers of Hwy. 166 (making sure to stop in New Cuyama for $3.37/gallon gasoline and big glasses of lemonade at the Buckhorn café, of course) and tight-n-twisty Hwy. 33 leading into Ojai, before turning north and back to Solvang via Hwy. 154 and the San Marcos Pass. CW Art Director Elaine Anderson, a veteran co-rider with Alps experience and racetrack laps on pillion, was our official back-seat tester (see “Second Seat, First Priority,” pg. 46). Weather ranged from foggy and high 50s in the mornings to humid and 100-plus in the afternoons. In all, a great sport-touring sampler.
Especially so for our alphabetical leadoff bike, the Aprilia RST 1000 Futura. To be honest, we’d forgotten just how good the Futura is. Introduced in 2001, it immediately won us over, notching Best Sport-Tourer honors that year. Looking like something the Boy Wonder might borrow from his boss’s garage, especially with its spacious, wedge-shaped saddlebags in place, the RST remains a lightning rod when it comes to styling. “Still looks cool,” said Managing Editor
APRILIA
RST 1000 FUTURA
$12,999
Matthew Miles. “So yesterday,” countered Feature Editor Mark Hoyer, speaking for the minority.
Powered by the only Twin in this shootout, a 998cc, 60-degree Rotax-built Vee pumping out just over 100 horsepower, the Aprilia was a little down in the Pace department, tied for second-slowest in top speed, and was third-slowest at the dragstrip. Not that it mattered on any road with curves.
“Power is linear, predictable, tractable and dead-simple to modulate,” noted Editorial Director Paul Dean, “and on backroads, there’s enough of it to run with any of these machines-except on long straightaways-and away from most of them in difficult corners. On Foxen and Tepusquet, I went faster on this bike than on any of the others and never scared myself in the process.”
Aiding the unflappable Mr. Dean in his charge to the front?
“It had plenty of cornering clearance, excellent (nonlinked) brakes and was perfectly willing to change lines mid-corner if I so desired, despite steering geometry among the slowest here. The Futura’s suspension played its part, as well; it was spot-on for me, able to soak up the cobbiness of some of those canyon roads, whether on the straights or in the corners, without being too stiff or too soft anywhere else.”
That sure-footed competence was enough to land the Aprilia three first-place votes and make it the surprise early leader in this comparo. “The sportiest of the Speed Wagons,” Dean summed up.
(Before moving on, we should note that Ducati was invited to participate in this test. We requested an ST4SABS, which would have fared well here, but Ducati North America declined, suggesting that perhaps there would be changes to its 2006 sport-touring lineup. Our guess is that the ST4S won’t return, replaced by an ST3S upgraded with the 4’s brakes and suspension.)
Going into this Speed Wagon shootout, the BMW K1200S looked to be a clear favorite. Why not? It was freakishly fast, spun the dyno to the tune of 146 rear-wheel hp, had an aggressive yet opened-up riding position and its list of optional features was so complete other bike-makers look like rank slackers by comparison.
Our silver S (base price $15,750) came with clever, expandable sport bags ($700) that hang on secure, unobtrusive mounts. It was equipped with innovative ESA suspension ($750), electronically adjustable on the fly for rearspring preload and front/rear damping via a button on the left handlebar pod. ABS cost $995 and our all-time favorite add-on, heated handgrips, were well worth their $200 sur charge. Finally, we opted for the touring (high-speed or otherwise) pièce de résistance, BMW'S bike-specific GPS navigation system, all-up price $1499, which plugged right into the S's wiring loom (see "Touch-Screen Touring~' pg. 51). No other motorcycle company has such an extensive array of useful options-hell, half the bikes here can't even he ordered with something as simple as e-grips!
"By comparison, some of these sporty tourers feel like toys," read the entry in one tester's notebook. "The BMW feels like a tool."
As it turned out, a road tool in need of some refine ment. The six-speed gearbox is loud and ker-chunky in the time-honored BMW fashion and does not appreciate being speed-shifted.
"This particular bike shifted more smoothly than the other K1200S and R models that I've ridden, but it still demanded concentrated effort to achieve fluid gearchanges," noted Road Test Editor Don Canet. "And the tranny refused to make reliable upshifts while sprinting the quarter-mile% multiple runs had to be aborted because of the shift mechanism's (reluctance to ratchet under full power."
," Then there's the fancy Hossak-style • d~e~er front end, which to be frank, none of us liked much, other than the fact that it seems entirely free of even a minute trace of stiction-if you reach up and put your hand on the suspension's top pivot joint while riding, you can feel the front wheel delivering a precise topographical readout of the road surface, even on what would appear to be a perfect ly smooth, freshly paved road. But quick, sharp-edged road imperfections get transmitted directly to the handlebars with a jolt. The stock, non-adjustable hydraulic steering damper imparts an annoying weave at steady-rate speeds below 30 mph-we took the blasted thing off and noticed an immediate improvement, with no “speed waggin”’ in solo, lightly loaded riding up to 120 mph. Worse, though, at least in this iteration of the design, is Duolever’s lack of feedback.
BMW
K1200S
$19,893
“I applaud BMW for seeking alternative means of skinning a cat, but the end result of that development should always be better than what already exists-that being BMW’s own Telelever or the rest of the industry’s traditional telescopies, upside-down or otherwise,” noted Dean. “The S’s front end delivers practically no feel or input to the rider. You have very little sense of what the front wheel is doing down there, and the heavily valved steering damper adds to the numbness. Front-end feel makes up a large part of a rider’s confidence, and its absence earns the K1200S a big demerit on its report card. Throw in considerable weight and a Greyhound-bus wheelbase (2.2 inches longer than the Yamaha FJR1300’s), and you get a high-performance sport machine that is the opposite of ‘flickable’.”
So, sorry, TT, lots of Pace, a useful amount of Space, but somewhat lacking in Grace. No first-place (nor second-place) votes.
“High hopes for this bike might’ve been its undoing,” theorized Online Editor Calvin Kim.
Fast seems to be a bad word at Honda as of late. Two years ago, Big Red gathered up its corporate skirts and opted out of the Speed Wars, declaring the CBR1100XX Blackbird moto non grata and yanking it from the catalog despite its acclaimed status as perhaps the most well-rounded of the hyperbikes. There’s no replacement even hinted at.
That left us with two Speed Wagon options, and gluttons for velocity, we took ’em both! First up, the Honda ST130 , a dedicated sport-touring rig with beautifully integrated styling and a torque-totin’, 1299cc longitudinal V-Four-ironic, isn’t it, that the K1200S is BMW’s most Japanese-like motorcycle and the ST 1300, with a droney 360-degree crank, is Japan’s ■ most BMW-like machine, sounding very much like a Boxer-Twin? No matter, it has a deceptive way of picking up speed.
“This has to be one of the least intimidating BIG bikes on the market,” Canet pointed out. “It’s physically large and certainly packs some weight (80 pounds up on the next lightest, the Yamaha FJR), but its ultra-neutral and surprisingly light steering makes maneuvering the ST in fast or slow situations quite, well...natural. Its engine performance really is a surprise, as it accelerates much quicker than its looks would lead you to believe possible. Great windscreen, roomy riding position and height-adjustable saddle rival those of full-boat touring rigs, yet there’s enough cornering clearance and tire grip for routes of the kinky kind.”
HONDA
ST1300
$15,099
Kim agreed: “I knew this bike was a great touring machine, I just didn’t realize how sporty it could be.”
“Staid and upright, the ST 1300 feels like it will always be there for you,” thought Hoyer. “After sampling all the bag-equipped bikes two-up, if I had to ride from Portland, Oregon, to Portland, Maine, I’d choose the Honda for the simple reason that it accepts the burden most readily and is the least intrusive to ride and operate. I find the Yamaha FJR1300 much more stimulating, but at the end of a really long day on the road, that polished feeling the Honda provides would give me the most comfort.”
As long as that trip wasn’t at the height of summer, that is. To be blunt, the ST 1300 is all but unrideable for any distance in temperatures much above 90 degrees (see “Heat Wagons: The Fricassee Factor,” pg. 54). Taller operators have it especially bad, their knees snuggling against fairing cutouts amply heated by the engine’s cam covers. For them, some kind of insulated riding pants are almost required wear.
“This thing’s a space-age flying heater,” declared Assistant Editor Mark Cernicky, who in no way qualifies as tall. “I could’ve used a pair of oven mitts between my knees and the ST’s bodywork!”
Big on Space, then, less so on Pace and summertime Grace, the ST received no first-place votes and a lone second-place ballot.
Hold the nastygrams! Inclusion of a second Honda here has nothing to do with the almighty ad dollar and everything to do with the fact that, as a staff, we love the company’s sporting V-Fours. Something like 10 Viffers have taken up residence in editors’ garages over the years, and we voted this latest proliferation, the VFR800 Interceptor, top dog in 2002’s World’s Best Streetbike Shootout.
Virtually unchanged, the Interceptor is one of the most cooperative handlers ever. It simply goes where you point it, no muss or fuss, with plenty of cornering clearance, steering as neutral as anything on two wheels and a ride that’s on the smooth side of taut. It deserves to be in this group.
“As always, climbing aboard the Interceptor is like slipping into a well-worn pair of blue jeans,” noted Canet. “It simply fits.”
HONDA
VFR800 ABS
$12,499
CW Marketing Director Corey Eastman took one look at the Interceptor's cavern ous, well-engineered saddlebags ($1000) and scarfed the bike for the USGP run up to Monterey and back.
"The chassis and linked ABS brakes ($1000) are really what make the bike for me," he said. "Ergonomics are perfect-a sporting, equestrian stance without the pain of being in a real racing posture. With the ABS, I felt extremely confident going deep into corners. For my money, this is mandatory when talking about what a real streetbike needs-life is not a racetrack. The ability to deal with rain, dirty roads and blind corners is part of life on the street and the VFR handles these challenges brilliantly."
Brakes, you'll pardon the pun, are a touchy subject. Only four of the Speed Wagons had anti-lock as an option-the BMW, the two Hondas and the Yamaha-and activation var ies by company. The K 1200S links front and rear calipers through the hand lever, leaving the foot pedal to control just the rear. Honda's LBS system brings all calipers into play at varying levels depending on which control you're squeezing! pressing. The FJR1300 setup is unlinked-basi cally conventional brakes with ABS. (Triumph's ABS, now available, is similarly configured.)
Our more experi enced riders wished the VFR had the latter. "Even though the Interceptor's linked braking arrangement is the best and least intru sive of Honda's series of similar systems, I still don't like it," Paul put forth. "Sometimes, for example, when try ing to trail just a little rear brake into a corner (which I like to do occasionally to set the chassis for the turn), I get too much braking and more front-end compression than I bargained for. I know how to ride a motorcycle; I don't need the bike trying to show me how to do it."
Also receiving flak from 1990 VFR75O owner Dean was the 800's powerband-both in terms of depth and delivery. "Good as the Interceptor is, it's running with some fast company here, which makes a bigger deal of its displace ment disadvantage than might otherwise be apparent," he said. "The VFR does a surprisingly respectable job of keep ing up with the big boys, some of which have engines that are two-thirds bigger, but its VTEC tongue is hanging out a lot of the time when doing so, especially with loaded bags and a passenger on board.
“Plus the VTEC valvetrain that seemed kind of hightech-trick when introduced is starting to wear thin. Dealing with it mid-corner in some turns as it ‘hunts’ back and forth between two valves and four not only gets annoying but can be distracting. And below the 7000-rpm engagement point, the new VFR isn’t any faster than my 15-year-old VFR. So what’s the point?”
All-round versatility, according to Miles: “If I had to come up with a one-word descriptor, it would be ‘seamless.’ What type of riding will you be doing and, keeping that in mind, what are you willing to sacrifice? Comfort? Features? Handling? Passenger accommodations? Power? For me, the Interceptor is the least compromised of the lot, meaning it is the most capable.”
One first-place vote from Matt, then, but no one else was swayed to move the VFR beyond mid-pack. Grace, Pace and Space in one well-balanced package, all right, just a little short on amplitude.
It’s generally acknowledged that Suzuki won the Speed Wars of several years back with its 194-mph Hayabusa, but the Kawasaki ZX-12R exacted some revenge here, blasting to 186 mph (the voluntary 300-kph limit agreed upon when the chase to 200 mph was deemed un-PC), 3 mph better than the ’05 ’Busa. This is a hulking, sinister-looking machine, an Ebony Blade, something the Black Knight would wield if he were reincarnated today.
“More cornering clearance than I needed on our fabulous ride back from Laguna Seca,” noted Hoyer, “and while the bottom-end power doesn’t provide quite the basso-profundo grunt of the ’Busa (it’s down by 9 foot-pounds), there is a certain thrill to this smooth powerplant when the revs spooi up. The difference in power delivery between the 12R and the `Busa is in the subtletieswe're talking about two world-class engines with slightly different character that are both supreme pleasures, though the gearbox and clutch are smoother and more refined on the Kawasaki."
Unfortunately, there’s not much else on the ZX-12R’s highlight reel.
“Personally, I don’t think the 12R belonged in this test,” declared Dean. “It’s not a sport-tourer, it isn’t available with bags, it forces its passenger into a prostate-exam position and it has few of the features that such bikes include. Okay, it’s wicked fast, but then what?”
KAWASAKI ZX-12R
$11,299
Miles had similar thoughts: “Give the big Kawi full-stick accelerating onto the freeway and Whooee! Once through the gears, though, I’d had my fill of the ZX-12. Steering is heavy, a condition not helped by a rapidly wearing rear tire, and high-speed compression damping is off the chart. On bumpy, twisty Foxen Canyon, the ZX was an unwilling partner.” “Kawasaki would have been better off using this bike as the basis for the ZZ-R1200 (due to be replaced in ’06 if CW rumors hold true), because it would have a chance of being a true alternative to the FJR1300 and the Hayabusa,” suggested Hoyer. “It could tread the line between the two, lending a sportier chassis than the FJR, with more touring capability than the ’Busa.”
Seriously impressive Pace, but devoid of Grace and Space, the 12R is outclassed here.
Do yourself a big favor. Rent, beg, borrow or steal a ride on a Suzuki Hayabusa before the eco/safety brownshirts sweep down and have us all in hydrogen-fueled romper rooms on wheels. There is nothing else street-legal powered by an internal-combustion engine that compares.
Our own Mark Hoyer has been a fan of the beak-nosed brute since its introduction in 1999.
“The Hayabusa is one of the finest motorcycles ever
made," he stated after reacquainting himself with our `05 version. "The power is so sweet, its well of torque so deep, that the mind-bending accel eration always at hand-regardless of rpm-seems completely effortless. Twisting the throttle is one of the most satisfying experiences in motorcycling.
SUZUKI
GSX1300R HAYABUSA
$10,999
"The great thing about the Hayabusa, though, is that as over-the-top as the engine is, the rest of the bike is truly excellent, too. The neutral-steering chassis is a joy to use on a backroad, even in tight stuff. The `Busa always feels big and long, but it never makes you wrestle it to do anything." "That responsive 1299cc inline-Four is `The Great Equalizer'," agreed Matthew. "No matter how much time you lose in the corners, you can always catch up on the straights. Note to potential buyers, though, a tire sponsor is a prerequisite to ownership." Pace and Grace more than covered, but what about Space? Sadly, the only concession to any kind of Haya-touring in Suzuki's accessory catalog is a taller windscreen. "It could be a kick-ass sport-tourer," Dean specu lated. "If Suzuki would raise the bars a couple of inches, drop the pegs a bit, install a seat more like those on the FJR or Futura and come up with some detachable bags, the Hayabusa would flat leave the other Speed Wagons in its dust. If. . ." -
Saddlebags, schmaddlebags,re plied new-guy Off-Road Editor Ryan Dudek, clearly caught in the afterglow of his first-ever `Busa experience.
"What a smooth, sweet ride! I couldn't get enough of this bike," the Dude-K enthused. "Yes, it lacks bags, but that's all it lacks. Hey, that's what FedEx is for-ship your stuff to the next destination. Or fit soft saddlebags."
C' the big bike's spell. "Comfortable enough to solo-tour on, sporty enough for canyon runs and cheap enough so that a regular schmoe could actually afford one," he reckoned. Vote total? Pretty strong: Two first places and two second-places for the Hayabusa.
What is it about Olde Blighty that allows `` the English to produce such fine-handling motorcycles? It's been so since the days of the Norton A11~
and the BSA Rocket Gold Star, and it continues current time with the Triumph Sprint ST, all-new for 2005. "I was pleasantly surprised by the Sprint ST," said Paul. "I expected it to be very good but not quite up to snuff when running with this crowd. I was wrong. It took me about three minutes and a half-dozen corners to figure out that the ST is a very competent backroad bullet; shortly thereafter, I also found that it's impressive on the open road. The 1050cc Triple is sneaky-fast, with a ton of low-end and midrange torque, but it goes quite well on the top end, too, falling off only a few hundred revs before its 9000-rpm redline. It even sounds great, giving off lots of that distinctive three-cylinder howl when on the boil. The suspension provides a terrific balance between a plush ride and stable cornering. The `new' Triumph has developed a reputation for producing some very crisp-handling machines, and the Sprint ST will carry
on that legacy in fine style." Hoyer, too, sung the motor's praises: "While it doesn't quite have the edgy sizzle of its streetpunk Speed Triple brother, this is a great-sound ing and powerful engine that can thrum along all day in top gear or flirt with the rev-limiter from corner to corner. It is efficient, too, pull ing 45 mpg on the freeway grind home, giving an honest 200 miles between fill-ups." We liked the low windscreen, which isn't as protective as the taller/adjustable rigs, but at least leaves the rider in clean, unbuffeted air. Also appreciated, the bike’s weight-or lack thereof. At 511 pounds dry, the Sprint was the lightest Speed Wagon, scaling some 160 pounds less than the ST 1300 Honda.
TRIUMPH
SPRINT ST
$11,499
But all is not perfection in Triumph Town; heat (mis)management being the most serious offense. The rider’s right shin gets roasted in hot slogging, and the poor passenger has to sit high atop a muffler pack that heats the grabrail to the point of uselessness. Er, R&D blokes, testing in the damp depths of an
English winter is not cutting it.
Save most of your wrath for the incredibly cheesy saddlebags ($1050), though. Looking like rejects from a bowling alley pro shop, they mount on brackets that owe more to afterthought than engineering, including a curious, ballended stabilizing bar (we guess) that runs across the frame from one bag inner to the other. On this, do not get Paul Dean started...oops, too late!
“The saddlebags are a tragic joke. They’re poorly made, cheap-looking and don’t work worth a damn. They’re so flimsy that they won’t seal properly even when empty, and their attach/detach/latching systems are simply dreadful. If I were John Bloor, I would track down the person responsible for these bags, throttle him, throw the bags in a fire and return that goofy, ball-ended sliding bar to its rightful place on the Foosball table down at the Hinckley pub.”
Commendably entertaining» but in need of some Grace/ Pace/Space tweaking, the Sprint garnered just one secondplace nod.
Wrapping up our A-to-Y Speed Wagon rundown, the Yamaha FJR1300 is another former Ten Best Bikes winner (seven of these bikes, or their familial predecessors, have been so honored; only the clean-sheet K1200S Beemer is lacking a CW medallion). As we have publicly acknowledged several times before, a great motorcycle.
“This bike has the magic combination of power, comfort, fuel range, carrying capacity and handling that a Speed Wagon should have,” asserted Hoyer.
“While the big Yam doesn’t have Hayabusa-class power (what does?!), this is a refined, powerful engine with immense reserves of torque. Fully loaded with passenger and bags, the rear-spring-preload ‘switch’ set to Hard, Elaine was comfortable as a passenger and I truly had fun as the rider. It was easy to steer, offered great chassis feedback and fired out of corners like the secret superbike that it is.”
Speedboy Cernicky concurred: “Ample steering lock and leverage from the r nicely positioned handlebar gets you out of the parking lot; ample wer from the 1299cc inline-Four Yamaha through time and space." ly for the poor designer, saddlebag fetishist Dean found lots to like about the 1300's tailored luggage.
YAMAHA
FJR1300
$13,199
“I continue to believe that the FJR’s saddlebag mounting and closure system is the best ever,” he said. “The multiple, roller-assisted latches strategically spaced around the openings are fail-safe and ensure that the bags get fully cinched closed with a push of the lever atop each bag. Turning the key on that same lever permits the handle to be raised, releasing the attachment latch and allowing each bag to be lifted off its mount, simply and easily. When the bags are off, the FJR looks like a sportbike, with clean sides and no apparent bracketry. Color-matched plugs for the little openings finish the look.”
See, the man gets into his luggage. Rider accommodations, too, where the Yamaha continues to shine.
“The ergonomics of the FJR are, for me, perfect,” effused Dean. “Someone must have drugged me, dragged my comatose ass over to Yamaha’s design department and propped me up on a mockup of an FJR to determine the location of every part of the bike my 6-foot-2 body touches, because everything is exactly where Fd like it to be. That probably explains why I can ride it all day with little or no complaint.”
If all this is starting to sound like a near-perfect blend of Grace, Pace and Space, you’d be correct. With two firstplace votes, Miss Anderson’s top ranking and a plethora of second-place votes, the Yamaha is the cumulative winner of our Speed Wagon shootout.
Hoyer capped things off nicely, saying, “The huge appeal of motorcycles such as the ones we gathered here is that they promise so much. That is to say, there is untold adventure at the end of a long road, and they don’t ask much of you to get there. There is a certain feeling of self-sufficiency to loading your bags, carrying so much fuel and being capable of a swift, comfortable pace for so long. I think that is why we like the FJR so much-a feeling of certitude and readiness. Its ample engine power underlines this feeling, and even though the reality is that you might only take one long, fast trip per year, you would always be reminded of the depth of such pleasures, even while commuting.”
Keep on speedin’. Œ
