Author Archives: Jan F

Travel test: Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro

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The Triumph Tiger has always held a special place in my motorcycling heart. When I tested the Tiger 800 XCA in 2015, I immediately ordered one. And even though I traded in that Tiger five years later for a big twin, my love for the three-cylinders from Hinckley is still strong. My Street Triple RS doesn’t rack up nearly as many miles as it deserves, yet it never fails to put a broad smile on my face every time I ride it. I’m curious to see if the same holds true for the new Tigers. That’s why I was eagerly anticipating taking the Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro on a week-long trip to the Picos de Europa.


New generation

In 2020, Jean tested the Tiger 900 Rally Pro in the Moselle region. For the 2024 model year, Triumph has refreshed its 900 lineup. The changes compared to the previous model may seem subtle, but they are far from it.

To start with, the number of Tigers (and specifically the 900 series) has been reduced from an overwhelming seven models to just three. Because it turned out that the vast majority of buyers opted for the lavishly equipped top versions. From this year on, there are Continue reading →

Travel test: KTM 890 Adventure

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Despite a preference for adventure bikes here at the editorial office, we hadn’t yet tested the KTM 890 Adventure. A change was in order, especially now that KTM has given this adventure bike an update for 2023. I took the 890 for a week-long journey to Trentino, specifically to the Dolomites and the region around Lake Garda.


The updates for 2023 may appear subtle at first glance, but they do make the 890 a better motorcycle. The most noticeable change is the new front end: it has been redesigned, including a peculiar hole in the middle of the screen, aimed at reducing turbulence. Thanks to the new side panels, the 890 looks sleeker than its predecessor and also directs the wind away from the rider more effectively. Additionally, the 5″ TFT dashboard stands out: modern graphics replace the previously modest design. Suspension has also been revamped for easier adjustment, and the redesigned seat offers improved comfort.

For this journey, KTM had equipped the 890 with panniers and the tank bag from the Powerparts catalog. The KTM branded Touratech panniers are incredibly spacious (45 + 31 L), and the top lid opens both forward and backward with the ignition key. The locking mechanism requires some force and practice, but once they are in place, the panniers are securely attached. Despite its 16-liter capacity and tall design, the tank bag never gets in the way, and attaching it with the Quick Lock ring takes just seconds.


My trip began with two days on the highway. With the cruise control on, eating up the miles is a breeze. From southern Germany to northern Italy, I was treated to hours of constant rain and heavy downpours. It wasn’t the most enjoyable experience, but it was perfect for testing the wind protection and comfort.

Highest position

With the seat in the lowest position, I quickly found Continue reading →

Review: Zero SR

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Just to be complete: I tested the Zero SR 14.4+ ZF75-10 MY 2022.

You can’t get past the electrification of cars nowadays. This year for example, I traded in my diesel-guzzling company car for a PHEV model. Electric motorcycles, on the other hand, are pretty much a rare sight. But the past EICMA made it clear that they are on their way. A few major manufacturers presented their vision of the future, which is often electric. With the Zero SR I was able to test such a combustion-free bike.


Founded in 2006 in California, Zero has been the reference within the electric segment for years. The SR I tested is a model year 2022, equipped with the well known 14.4+ ZF75-10 power source. Important detail: the 2023 model has some important upgrades. More on that later.

The lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 14.4 kWh powers a patented Z-Force motor that produces 166 Nm of torque and 75 hp. The plus sign in the name indicates that the battery pack can optionally be expanded to 17.3 kWh.


The battery is ultimately what this motorcycle is all about. The key question everyone asked me: how far can you ride it? According to Zero between 124 km on the highway (at 113 km/h) and 251 km in the city. I never made it that far. With an easygoing riding style, never exceeding 100 km/h, 160 km was possible.

Second most asked question: how long does it take to charge? From a normal socket about 4.5 hours for a full charge. Fast charging is not an option with the base model.

And question three: what does charging actually cost? I don’t normally care about fuel consumption on a motorcycle, but it’s not an irrelevant factor when considering an electric motorcycle.

Follow along: Continue reading →

Review: Suzuki V-Strom 1050XT World Adventure

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This year Suzuki is offering the V-Strom 1050XT in a World Adventure edition on the Belgian market. Due to Corona perils, we weren’t able to wander off with the V-Strom to the other side of the globe, so we picked out a worldly adventure close to home: the two of us went for a ride from the Belgian coast to the Pajottenland.

Suzuki pimps the World Adventure with a decal set with reflective details, aluminum cases, adjustable footpegs that they got from Gilles Tooling, a GPS mount, a Hepco&Becker aluminum bashplate with World Adventure label, heated grips and LED high beams.

You can get this adventurer in a yellow-blue, gray-blue or black livery. The black sparkles in the sun, which you can expect from “Glass Sparkle Black”. The many stickers are a bit over the top, but all in all it looks quite right.

When revamping the V-Strom in 2020, Suzuki returned to the legendary Dr. Big from yesteryear – just like they did before with their Katana. The new lines and the square headlight look nice and are reminiscent of the oldschool adventure bike.

However, the looks were not the most important innovation. Suzuki finally put its biggest adventure bike on the same level as the competition by adding a full electronics suite thanks to ride-by-wire. For example, Continue reading →

Review: KTM 390 Adventure

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For years, KTM has been building the most offroad-worthy bikes. They make use of the knowledge they’ve gained in the rally world to build a production bike with – just like any brand nowadays – the pieces they have in stock.

This way they’ve constructed a full 1290 line-up: from The Beast all the way up to the Super Adventure. The engine of the 790 Duke was the base for one of the most praised adventure bikes of recent years, the KTM 790 Adventure. Recently they repeated the trick with the 890 Duke.

Downsizing is a popular trend in the motorcycling world as well, because not everyone can afford an expensive motorcycle. Especially European constructors want to get a piece of the cake that we know as ‘growth markets’. When you’re present in one of those BRIC-countries, you’ll want to have the bike built over there to reduce costs. So KTM took the engine and the frame of the Duke 390 platform to India where the Bajaj factories gave birth to the KTM 390 Adventure.

For the last test ride of this year, I went out for a ride on this smallest adventurer from Mattighofen. During a staycation I travelled from the Ardennes to the coast, wondering how much of an adventure one could experience on this Indian Austrian. After all it’s “but a four hundred”.

I’m pretty confused when I stand next to it for the first time: is this the 390 or the 790? The 390 isn’t at all as small as I expected. The standard seat height measures 855 mm, half a centimeter higher than the 790 Adventure. The bodywork looks just as Continue reading →

Review: BMW S 1000 XR

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With the arrival of the 2020 BMW S 1000 XR, we say goodbye to the first generation XR. That bike received very nice reviews and Jean even named it his favorite test bike in 2015. But when I got to ride it last year, I wasn’t really convinced. OK, the engine was awesome and the suspension very good, but the bike felt aged due to its outdated dash, it vibrated a lot and a stubborn quickshifter spoiled all the fun. Curious to see if they fixed this for the 2020-version. I was very eagerly looking forward to this test.

BMW puts the S 1000 XR in their Adventure family. Strange, because the ’S’ in its name clearly points out the sporty DNA. The extensive standard equipment shows that touring is definitely within the possibilities. So in which category does this powerhouse really belong? Adventure, Sport or Touring?

Equipment

First let’s start with the dull part of this review: all the bells and whistles you can find on this top of the line machine. Dynamic ESA, lightweight cast wheels, adjustable windscreen, small storage compartment, LED-lighting, TFT-display, Connectivity, integrated pannier attachment points, Pro riding modes, ABS Pro, hill start control, traction control, engine brake settings: it all comes as standard.

Our test bike was further equipped with some of the well-known – and actually indispensable – BMW option packages that make that this S 1000 XR basically has anything you could want on a motorcycle. Quickshifter, automatic height setting, cruise-control, keyless ride, heated grips, center stand, GPS-holder, USB-port … The list continues for a while and – another BMW habit – adds up to the price until you’re well over budget.

Sport?

The solid pricetag luckily offers a lot of motorcycle in return. The XR is rightfully Continue reading →

Review: KTM 1290 Super Duke GT

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KTM has been producing one of the most radical supernakeds on the market for a couple of years now. The 1290 Super Duke R, nicknamed The Beast, received a complete make-over for 2020. A few years earlier though, someone at KTM must have seen some touring potential in the Super Duke: mount a windscreen, add a larger fuel tank, stick on some panniers and there you have it: the KTM 1290 Super Duke GT was born. At any other manufacturer you would be fired on the spot, but not at KTM. Over there even the touring machines are Ready to Race.

The GT’s 2020 model is still based on the previous generation Super Duke. The engineers merely pinched off some top-end power of the original beastly engine: it still delivers 175 bhp and 141 Newton meters of torque. More than enough to turn the GT into a proper rocket. One that is fit to travel in style. Even though the Kiska design is not everybody’s cup of tea, the GT stands out with its aggressive headlights that are flanked by LED cornering lights and blinkers that are integrated into the fuel tank. The wide shoulders and narrow hips are Continue reading →