Face to face Kawasaki VN 1700 Voyager / Triumph Rocket III Touring: 4,000 cc for the holidays !
Do you like to go far, long and on the couple? But you don’t know (or don’t want to) travel light ? No problem: Site has tested two ships on the road for you: Kawasaki VN 1700 Voyager and Triumph Rocket III Touring … Duel XXL !
Just cruising in the Morvan…
Fortunately, the A77 is only a stopover before crossing the Sancerre mountains and strolling through the Yonne and the Nièvre to finish in the Morvan. Juliette, our passenger for the day, will show no signs of fatigue or weariness. It will readily switch from one motorcycle to another even if logically, the Kawasaki still attracts its favors with its senatorial comfort, its armrests and its perfectly audible stereo whatever the speed. !
Overall, the Triumph is also very comfortable, but in the absence of a standard sissy-bar, the passenger must hold on to the pilot: the chrome passenger backrest is indeed one of the many accessories available in the manufacturer’s catalog (434 €)…
When the roads turn, our two GTs quickly show their limits and remind you that they are designed above all for the long and straight American highways….
The Voyager, in particular, abdicates very quickly and suffers from a really low ground clearance. The slightest roundabout or a little tight turn obliges the pilot to place the large footrests heavily on the road! But that’s good, because everything, on the Kawasaki, encourages relaxed driving.
The motor inertia of the big square twin – not "long" but almost! – for example, do not forgive approximations and improvisation. This is also the case with the fairly slow gearbox. The handling, meanwhile, is up to the performance: the bike waddles a little when you force it on bad surfaces, but nothing serious..
The very elaborate braking of the VN 1700, called K-ACT, does not offer an extraordinary feeling but shows great efficiency given the weight of the machine: Kawasaki has put the package on its braking system, which combines assistance, a distributor and, of course, ABS . As often on this type of machine, the rear brake is particularly effective.
The Voyager is also the first Kawasaki – before the sports cars! – equipped with electronic control AND V, which optimizes the arrival of air and gasoline according to the opening of the gas. The result is quite convincing: the huge twin cylinder shows remarkable flexibility by agreeing to restart without knocking under 1,500 rpm.
For the rest, the 73 hp do what they can to propel the heavy VN 1700, in a rather nice sound … when the music is cut, of course! The nearly 14 mkg of torque, available from 2,750 rpm, offers great pleasure for both solo and duo. Without being explosive, the acceleration is still effective and the excellent protection helps reduce the feeling of speed. You will even have to keep an eye on the speedometer so as not to be surprised. !
As for the Triumph, its fabulous 2,300 cc block is best enjoyed on small roads. Considerably deflated compared to the Rocket III roadster, the 3-legged still offers incredible driving pleasure. It is even in perfect harmony with the GT vocation of the Touring: torque, power, flexibility, sound, the British moulbif combines all the advantages. !
The lack of a tachometer is not so disturbing as the engine is full like an egg at all speeds. However, it would have been wise to provide a gear indicator engaged. Unlike the Kawasaki, the gearbox and the cardan shaft of the English are forgotten and participate in the pleasure of driving.
It is therefore a real pleasure to cruise on the handlebars of this Rocket while taking advantage of the omnipresent torque. The engine combines strength and smoothness and is perfectly usable. The performances are quite muscular, even if we are far from the acceleration of the roadster. The cycle part allows to adopt a rhythm a little more sustained than on the Voyager.
The ground clearance is in fact greater and allows more daring angles … although the footrest plates inevitably scrape the asphalt! Improvisation is not the strong point of the Touring either, but its braking allows you to catch up well in the event of a hard blow! Even if it is not equipped with all the refinements of the Kawasaki, the English braking offers a good feeling to the lever as to the pedal, as well as an appreciable power..
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