All Comparisons – The Honda NC700S challenges the Kawasaki ER-6n and Suzuki Gladius – Maximum performance: the ER-6n and the Gladius fight back!

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Honda NC700S challenges Kawasaki ER-6n and Suzuki Gladius

All Comparisons - The Honda NC700S challenges the Kawasaki ER-6n and Suzuki Gladius - Maximum performance: the ER-6n and the Gladius fight back!

In 2012, Honda intends to shake up the basic motorcycle segment with its economical roadster, the NC700S. Site opposed the novelty of the winged crest to its twin-cylinder compatriots: the acclaimed Kawasaki ER-6n and the Suzuki Gladius. Comparative test.

Maximum performance: the ER-6n and the Gladius fight back !

With its NC700S, Honda has decided to save gasoline, even if it means relegating the question of the senses to the background … However, basic motorcycle buyers do not limit all their selection criteria to the minimum consumption of their future machine, not more than its comfort or practicality !

For newbies in particular, this first big cube is just one step in their biker journey that will lead them to more powerful, heavier, sharper, more demanding motorcycles, etc. In order to verify their "educational" potential, Site therefore attacked a little more on the handlebars of these three motorcycles….

On small roads

Well suspended, the NC700S cuts curves with serenity and allows you to gradually increase the pace. Stability under braking and acceleration is imperative, but we must admit that the constraints are not enormous either. !

Quite quickly, moreover, the limits of the Honda were identified. When overtaking for example, the left foot must not leave the selector because the breaker intervenes very early (at 6500 rpm) and suddenly: for a little, it feels like a big CBF125…

Pulsive under 4000 rpm, the twin cylinder ultimately has a too short range of use which forces the driver to constantly play with the gearbox so as not to lose too much ground in front of his two friends, especially when exiting curves.

On the ER-6n, the apprentice pilot gets more enjoyment thanks to a much more expressive engine! Not much more flexible than that of the Honda, the engine of the Kawa does not however balk at taking turns and propels the whole very efficiently..

Unfortunately, the crackling that appears around 3500 rpm in the footrests quickly climbed up to the crotch … The new thick saddle mounted on silent-blocks does not sufficiently filter the vibrations which end up annoying the rider as a passenger, especially on the expressway.

On expressways

In these conditions, the Kawa hangs 130 km / h at a little over 6000 rpm in sixth and still distils too much vibration to be comfortable. The Gladius, on the other hand, stuck on the same stride, is totally free, just like the Honda whose engine runs 2000 rpm less quickly. !

Back on the small road, the third thief at the controls of the Gladius has a smile: a little less sensational than the Kawasaki inline-twin, Suzuki’s 90 ° V-twin is no less effective. It is even much more round and elastic than its friends: a good point during the first arsouilles.

In addition, a few repeat tests allow us to discover that from 5500 rpm, the Suzuki easily gets rid of the Kawasaki (despite the announced powers being identical) and definitely drops the Honda! We therefore bitterly regret that the injection of the Gladius – that of this test, in any case – is not better calibrated…

When the engine is cut and overshooted, the engine hiccoughs disturb the transmission and disrupt steering. At the entry of a curve and even inside the bend, the Suz ‘front axle – more incisive than the other two, as we have seen – looses a bit and blurs the trajectory, even on perfectly smooth surfaces..

Under these conditions, the ER-6n takes the lead thanks to its more relaxed front end and its superior rigor. Behind, the NC700S can not keep pace and even winding to the maximum, the Honda is stalled due to limited ground clearance: the footrests scrape much faster than on the two rivals !

But when the state of the asphalt deteriorates and as long as its païlote spits in the gloves, the Honda is able to join the leading duo whose suspensions less well tuned – the fork of the Suz ‘is adjustable in preload but that does not change much – encourage handing in more quickly.

Motorcycle school

These three motorcycles share the same courtyard, but not the same courtyard … To continue the school metaphor, we could compare the NC700S to this wise and disciplined student, the one who never forgets her math book since she has it. neatly housed the night before in his large satchel.

With it, erasures, fotes of agreement or inattention are banished. She also takes great care not to waste her ink. In short, she does everything possible not to be noticed … And she succeeds, which is not to everyone’s taste !

Conversely, the ER-6n is similar to the darling of the school, the charming neighbor of class that we are sure to meet at the next boom! She also knows how to do it with boys and makes them all "vibrate" … But beware, because her posturing and her omnipresence can irritate or tire…

Finally, the Gladius is the sportswoman of the gang, the most turbulent student. Hard to follow during sports and tough during recess, she is less comfortable in other subjects! Teachers, even substitutes for a day, will long remember her for her qualities as well as for her faults..

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