Tag Archives: test

Review: Harley-Davidson Street Rod

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Choppers and bulky bikes with a chrome overdose. If those are the first associations people make when they hear your brand name, it might be time to take action. Especially if you want to target a larger, younger audience.

That’s why Harley-Davidson introduced the Street 750 in 2015. Less heavy, less expensive and less of a Harley cliché. This new approach apparently gained traction, because in 2017 Harley presented the Street Rod. Based on the Street 750, but with a more lively, sportier attitude. I rode the Street Rod for a week.

Baby Harley?

The Harley-Davidson Street Rod has the smallest lung capacity of the entire Harley stable. After the Street 750, it’s also the cheapest Harley out there (starting at $8,699 in the US and € 8.225 in Germany).

Nevertheless, you can’t say the Street Rod is a Baby Harley. Absolutely not. This is a genuine Harley which can pull up next to its bigger brothers without a blush. The built quality leaves little to be desired (the tie-wraps look a bit cheap, and the cabling could be done a bit more decent here and there), there are plenty of Harley logos (up to the Michelin Scorcher tires), and I can’t imagine non-Harley fans loathing things like the beautiful, wide tank and red rear shock absorbers.

So it’s an all-classic Harley? Well no, not entirely. The Street Rod wants to be sportier than the average Milwaukee creation. So the Street 750 got some seriously slogging. Starting with the V-Twin. The 749 cc engine got pumped up considerably, making it climb from 59 Nm and 57 hp to 65 Nm and 68 hp. Harley even dares to put a High Output label on it.

Compared to the 750, the Rod also gets more ground clearance (from 145 mm / 5.7 in. to 205 mm / 8.1 in.), a higher saddle (from 720 mm / 28.3 in. to 765 mm / 30.1 in.), a bigger lean angle (from 28.5 to 37.3 degrees before the left footpeg touches the asphalt) and a sharper rake (from 32 to 27 degrees). Sounds promising? Start your engines!

And then you find yourself not being thrown back to your childhood, when you loudly raced your bike through the streets, a bunch of playing cards in the spokes. Nope, in contrast to earlier Harleys that I tested, the Street Rod sounds rather tame. So be it. Open the throttle and … try to find a good spot to put your feet.

Ergonomics

As Harley tradition dictates, it’s almost impossible to Continue reading →

Review: Ducati Multistrada 1260 S Touring

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The first thing I notice when standing next to the Ducati Multistrada 1260 S Touring is what an impressive bike this is, with its tall shoulders, slim waist and broad hips. It’s almost intimidating. Some say it’s the prettiest Ducati ever built. I wanted to know if it’s also the best Ducati ever built. So I took it on a 3 day blast to the Eifel region in Germany.

Getting a taste of it

A first walkaround shows plenty of typical Multistrada elements: the pointy lights, the air inlets that look like nostrils in a beak, the beautiful LED rear light, the sophisticated single sided swing arm.

The grey color of my test bike almost looks, well, boring. I like the red version much more and the Pikes Peak version really makes me drool.

On top of the standard 1260, the S version comes with Skyhook Evo suspension, a quickshifter, a TFT display, LED lights and cornering lights. Albeit for an extra, obviously. US price: $ 20.995, Italian price: € 20.390. And if you want the Touring suffix (consisting of the Touring and Urban pack), you’re looking at an even larger extra.

That Dash

When I switch on the Multi a deep red Ducati logo appears on the 5” TFT screen. The crystal clear dash shows a lot of information. Current speed and chosen gear are indicated in big numbers while the rpm’s are shown on top of the dash. All clear so far. The rest of the information is shown only in the bottom third and it takes some getting used to to find what you are looking for immediately. You can find trip data, temperature, mileage, the menu entry, fuel level and all suspension settings. And more.

When hitting the start button, the first split second nothing seems to happen. Then the fat Testastretta DVT twin shakes itself awake. This shaking will always be present, be it more or less depending on the situation.

A modest deep sound rolls out of the double exhaust pipes when I start riding. Already after the few first meters Continue reading →

Review: Triumph Street Cup

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Triumph’s Modern Classics series grew to such proportions lately, that you’d almost stress out by the choice you have. Most definitely when you see the wide range of styling accessoiries. Broadly speaking, you can divide the classics into two groups: the 900 cc and the 1200 cc models. Triumph’s original classic, the Bonneville, can be found in both groups, while the Thruxton got a 1200 cc engine during its most recent update. You’re not particularly looking out for a more performance oriented bike (with a higher price tag) but you still prefer a sporty and at the same time classic looking Triumph? How about the Street Cup?

The Triumph Street Cup is the caféracer version of the Street Twin, which in turn is a Bonneville T100 in a more modern look. The Street Cup scores at the first glance, thanks to its beautiful finishing. Neat looking engine, well concealed cables, classy details such as logos, pinstriping and metal footpegs. Available from $10,500 in the US and the same amount in Euros in France, in two color combinations: adorable yellow-gray and somewhat dull gray-black. Although the dullness wasn’t that bad when I saw my test bike in the flesh. Especially the metallic gray sparkles beautifully.

The 900 cc parallel twin delivers 55 hp and 80 Nm. Numbers that won’t lead to astonished reactions when you pull up at your favorite pub. The torque, however, already peaks at 3,230 rpm, so the engine is spicier than you’d expect. With a good twist of the ride-by-wire throttle, you haste away. Experienced riders shouldn’t fear any lack of enthusiasm. At the same time, the power delivery is very smooth and friendly, easing newbies’ minds.

The display is classic: two analog meters for speed and revs. Each has a small digital display for, among other things, range, trip counter, selected gear and consumption.

With its dynamic appearance, the sloping handlebar and the forward bent sitting position you’d fancy to ride the Street Cup lively. To which it lends itself Continue reading →

Review: KTM 1290 Super Adventure S

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“Ready to race” the digital display of the KTM 1290 Super Adventure S announces when you press the start button. Not a lie, as the bike will soon prove. Did you expect something else, with 160 hp and 140 Nm? But before we talk about power, let’s first take a closer look at this bombshell.

The 1301 cc LC8 engine that created quite some excitement for the KTM 1290 Super Duke, was also used by the Mattighofen team for a sports-touring motorbike and an adventure bike. I tested the 1290 Super Duke GT, the sports-tourer, before. Time to get to know that adventure bike.

The KTM 1290 Super Adventure comes in an S and an R version. The R focuses more on offroad, with its spoked wheels, 21″ front wheel, higher seat and standard crash bars. The S aims at the asphalt, with cast wheels, 19″ front wheel and a lower, two-part, height-adjustable seat. I got to test the S for a week.

Brutal or subtle?

I remember from the 1290 Super Duke GT that it simply was a brute bike. In so many ways. Brute power, rough sounding exhaust, not always refined in handling. So I expected the same character from the 1290 Super Adventure S. And it immediately surprised me: Mr. Adventurer is more subtle than his sports-touring brother.

However, with its looks you’d assume the opposite. Especially the not particularly modest design of the headlight. Not everyone’s a fan of it. Me neither at first, but after a while, its distinctive and even photogenic nose grew on me. Finally a KTM adventure bike that comes close to that still good-looking 990 in terms of design.

A push on the start button generates quite some fuss. Caused by the optional Akrapovic exhaust. Its shortfall of subtlety has a Moses and the Red Sea effect in dense traffic. Or in this case: Orange Moses and the Car Sea.

And then it’s time to clamp the handlebars firmly – because maybe the bike throws you out of the saddle like a wild stallion – you open the throttle and … notice that this Super Adventure is extremely easy-going. There’s no sign of any brutality at all. Not yet.

The Super Adventure has four riding modes (Sport, Street, Rain and Offroad). Even in Sport, the Brussels city center at peak hour wasn’t a problem. Yes, the Sport mode has the harshest gas reaction, but you don’t necessarily need kid gloves to keep the KTM under control. Still, I found the Street mode more comfortable. I didn’t even try Rain (with 100 hp instead of 160) and Offroad.

Hard, harder, hardest

Fortunately, the 1290 Super Adventure doesn’t throw all the brutality overboard. Sporty driving is so easy and so tempting that a sixth sense for speed cameras would be a blessing. You go so fast so quickly, that it’s almost impossible to open the throttle completely. The (optional, perfectly working) quickshifter makes the explosive accelerations even more insane. And although the traction control was on, short wheelies couldn’t be avoided. The traction control, like the ABS, has cornering technology. A good thing.

Curves? Our Austrian friend Continue reading →

Review: Yamaha Tracer 900

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In 2013 Yamaha released the MT-09 (then called FZ-09 in North America). A brutal naked with a widely praised three-cylinder engine, although comfort and versatility aren’t its strenghts. Which sparked an idea: in 2015 the Japanese manufacturer revealed the MT-09 Tracer (then called FJ-09 in North America): a sporty motorcycle with clear touring features and the same MT-09 engine. Since this year it’s called Tracer 900 but otherwise the bike remains unchanged.

So how do you transform a naked into a sports tourer? Yamaha did the trick with a few additions and changes. A more upright sitting position, some fairing, a bigger tank, an adjustable windscreen, wider handlebars, a higher, adjustable seat, a centerstand, a 12V socket and handguards. Only cruise control and heated grips are missing, even though the latter’s on the option list.

But before we go into detail, first let’s have an overall look. The Tracer 900 appears a lot less aggressive than the MT-09 but it does have personality. Okay, maybe a bit of a “Transformers” personality but other than that there’s hardly anything to complain about. The finishing is good, with a nice looking, powerful LED headlight.

Touring additions

Let’s go a little deeper into the touring additions. The seat is quite spacious and offers two heights (check the video to learn how to change the seat height). It’s pretty firm so your butt might start complaining after an hour’s ride. The optional comfort seat could counter those complaints.

In contrast to your butt, your legs can easily cope with longer rides: they’re not forced into a too sharp angle. The seating position is straight and relaxed, with the windshield leading most of the wind away from your torso. You can adjust that windshield in height but not while riding. Continue reading →

Review: BMW R 1200 RT

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Of all current BMW motorcycles, the R 1200 RT probably has the most “midlife crisis” reputation. When I see it in the showroom, I soon imagine a settled fifty-year-old in the saddle, ready for a tour with the missus on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

But despite that reputation, the 1200 RT does extremely well in sales charts, and if you’re looking for a touring bike, this boxer so often seems the logical go-to answer. Is its stuffy image only a first impression? Could it change my mind in a week?

A trip to Austria, together with colleague Luc on his Triumph Tiger Sport, would be the ideal opportunity for an extensive RT test. 2200 km should be enough to form an opinion.

Personally I find the BMW R 1200 RT’s look quite a turn off. With its gigantic front you’d almost offer it a gym membership. The 17” front wheel even seems disproportionate. Fortunately the two round LED daytime running lights are pretty. A nice (but optional) wink to its four-wheeled family.

The finishing is also excellent. Meticulously and with an eye for detail. The dashboard is clear and informative. Two round analog meters (speed and rpm) with in between a beautiful TFT color display that informs you about autonomy, mileage, temperature and so on. Above the display there’s a bar with warning lights, and above that a mount for an (optional) GPS. Which is not very readable in direct sunlight. Some additional shielding from the sun wouldn’t be a bad idea for the next RT. Also: too bad the GPS can’t be locked so you have to take it with you every time you have to make a sanitary stop or enter a gas station shop.

You can easily control many settings from the handlebar. Most of them with your left thumb: scrolling through the extensive menu is peanuts with the multi-controller ring. Also handy: you can assign menu items as favorites. After selecting these you can go directly to, for example, the settings of heated grips or the GPS, instead of having to dive into the menu.

Broad beaked Beemer

I’ll admit it: I didn’t want to return the BMW R 1200 RT after my week’s test. What a splendid bike for endless days in the saddle. The windshield is Continue reading →