Table of contents
- Alpine Masters 2011: Classic Bikes Harley-Davidson 1200 Custom, Kawasaki W 800, Moto Guzzi Bellagio, Triumph Scrambler
- Classic bikes: conclusion
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14th pictures
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Harley-Davidson 1200 Custom, Kawasaki W 800, Moto Guzzi Bellagio, Triumph Scrambler: With these four classic bikes, hours with that certain something are guaranteed in the Alps.
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Test break: closure due to road works.
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Everyone wants to be on the yoke, including the happy Dutch woman on her Matchless from the 50s. Rainer indulges in admiration.
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Moto Guzzi Bellagio: 2-cylinder, 936 cm³, 75 hp, 78 Nm, 240 kg, load 207 kg, 10,770 euros.
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Moto Guzzi Bellagio – PLUS: stable and neutral handling, brakes with good effect, engine easy to revolve. MINUS: steering angle not very generous, insufficient pillion seat, suspension uncomfortable on poor roads.
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Harley-Davidson 1200 Custom: 2-cylinder, 1202 cm³, 67 hp, 98 Nm, 267 kg, payload 187 kg, 11 295 euros.
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Harley-Davidson 1200 Custom – PLUS: Neutral steering, low fuel consumption, relaxed seating position. MINUS: Downhill braking distance is very long, the gearbox shifts bony, the suspension set-up is soft.
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Kawasaki W 800: 2-cylinder, 773 cm³, 48 hp, 60 Nm, 217 kg, load 183 kg, 8190 euros.
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Kawasaki W 800 – PLUS: neutral steering behavior, low fuel consumption, relaxed seating position. MINUS: Very long braking distance downhill, gears shifting bony, suspension set-up soft.
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Triumph Scrambler. 2-cylinder, 865 cm³, 54 hp, 69 Nm, 232 kg, payload 198 kg, 8990 euros.
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Triumph Scrambler – PLUS: engine with steady thrust, chassis not too soft, handling light-footed.
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Even cooler than the Harley: The ibexes on the side of the road are absolutely dead with point ratings.
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Barwoman Susanna also congratulates fleet manager Rainer on the birthday. Notable: the dispenser.
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Conclusion: They are in a class of their own – the Classic Bikes do not demand anything, they promote well-being. The Moto Guzzi Bellagio does this particularly well, qualifying for the finale with its balanced chassis.
motorcycles
Alpen Masters 2011: Harley-Davidson 1200 Custom, Kawasaki W 800, Moto Guzzi Bellagio, Triumph Scrambler
Alpine Masters 2011: Classic Bikes
Harley-Davidson 1200 Custom, Kawasaki W 800, Moto Guzzi Bellagio, Triumph Scrambler
No stress, no pressure to perform. Instead, a relaxed posture, casual waving of turns and a curvy pleasure. With these four classic bikes, hours with that certain something are guaranteed in the Alps.
Stefan Kaschel, Gert Thole, Eva Breutel
07/08/2011
It’s actually a shame: modern kings of the Alps are not born in the group of classic bikes. In addition, they lack the equipment, because they make their way through life without ABS, traction control and wind protection. However, they are far from being a brake on fun – on the contrary.
The beautiful one Kawasaki W 800, the smart Triumph Scrambler, the noble Moto Guzzi Bellagio and the headstrong Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom may not bring royalty, but a mountain experience of the original kind.
In order to plunge into the tumult of the hairpin bends on the Stilfser Joch with the Harley, you need good nerves and a good portion of self-confidence, because it persistently scratches the asphalt surface even in normal bends. How is that supposed to work in the serpentines? Better than expected. However, only if you fully immerse yourself in the twin from Milwaukee, especially in the seating position, which is not extreme, but takes some getting used to. Control freaks who always want to keep their motorcycle taut on the lead belt plunge into a deep leadership crisis because the footrests are positioned far forward, because the feedback leaves much to be desired. But anyone who overcomes this mental obstacle and builds up a certain basic trust directs the Harley around the hairpin bends in a relaxed manner, because the high-torque engine easily ironed out the weaknesses of the chassis. The clutch may require a lot of manual force, but little is needed. A full 95 Newton meters guarantee the very special, inspiring serpentine kick.
A certain ability to suffer is still necessary, for example on the fast bumpy piece at the Umbrail Pass. The suspension, which is far too slack, extends practically every bump directly to the spine. For a possible passenger, the fun ends much earlier, because on the narrow bench seat he slides backwards even with minimal acceleration. In terms of points, the Sportster Custom only landed in last place in their group with this performance. But she gets a lot of sympathy for the casual cruiser feeling and the rich V2.
The Kawasaki is a wave of sympathy W 800 even while standing, because vertical shaft, cooling fins and lovingly made spoked wheels are not only a magical attraction for nostalgics. With her harmonious, perfect line she looks like a total work of art from the Swinging Sixties and wins the beauty award in her group with the left hand – only there are no points for it. The two-cylinder can easily get that in other areas. Thanks to the straight handlebars and a weight of only 217 kilograms, it is feather-light to maneuver the 800 with a swing through the tightest of turns. And the comfortable seating position for driver and front passenger makes you want more. In other areas, however, the retro queen has to give up, especially the blunt brakes gnaw at her points account. When measuring downhill from 75 to 25 km / h, it needs 39.2 meters. Clear record in the Alpine Masters – but unfortunately a negative one. The chassis works better than the Harley, but is also very soft. This sets certain limits to a committed curve chasing, but only spoils the fun of Freud if you aim for too ambitious goals. With a measured 49 hp, the W 800 is the weakest in the field, and you can clearly feel that on the steep inclines of the Stilfser Joch.
The Triumph Scrambler shows how this can be done better. Although it only has six more horsepower, it is more lively on the passes. Your engine pulls up evenly and develops its maximum torque at 3400 tours; Given such a characteristic, even a modest 65 Newton meters is enough for high-alpine curve pleasure. Sit down and feel at home, is the motto of the little Englishwoman who, with two eye-catching, gleaming chrome exhaust bags on the right side, knows how to sit well in the retro scene, albeit not as elegantly as the W 800.
The wide and flat, enduro-style handlebars seem to have been made for casual serpentines. It’s just a shame that Triumph puts it so far away from the driver that he has to stretch for it. This makes the sitting position a bit strange, which costs valuable points. It is true Scrambler when handling on mountain passes at the front, but with a happier position of the handlebars things could have gone even better for them. It rushes up the yoke with a lively swing, takes on the most bumps on the Umbrail thanks to its comparatively stiff chassis and accommodates the pillion passenger in a neat spot. A real mood cannon that ensures a sunny mood even in wet and cold weather.
Such a relaxed and yet brisk forward drive could have been enough for the group victory, if it weren’t for that Moto Guzzi Bellagio. The Italian benefits from the fact that she mixes a classic design with modern technology. This applies in particular to the stiff chassis and the well-balanced, firm suspension, as well as the double disc brakes with a good bite. Left, right, up, down: The Guzzi never seems overwhelmed, so you can turn the gas a little more briskly. The steering angle is not really generous, but the Bellagio easily makes up for that with a lot of feedback. It follows the specified course precisely and its stability is not shaken by strong bumps or deep cracks in the asphalt; She simply irons away such small annoyances and glides purposefully towards the summit. At the top of the wish list is an ABS, not just because of the difficult weather conditions.
The engine wants to be kept in good spirits when it comes to the summit because it suffers two small slacks at low revs. From 4500 tours, the short-stroke V2 bravely pushes ahead – the competition cannot keep up. In addition, it beguiles with a thump and rumble, as only a Guzzi-V2 succeeds: robust, primeval, simply wonderful. The Bellagio is aiming for one pass after the other, while the pursuers falter. The entry into the final is made.
Classic bikes: conclusion
Gargolov
In the end, the Moto Guzzi Bellagion has the edge. And the others? Not bad either, but retro bikes aren’t point collectors.
In a real class of its own: the Classic Bikes do not demand anything, they promote well-being. The Moto Guzzi Bellagio does this particularly well, qualifying for the final with its balanced chassis. The Triumph Scrambler gets hardly less applause, a kind of jack of all trades. The beautiful Kawasaki W 800 there is no whirlwind, but maintains composure in every bend and curve. The Harley is a case for connoisseurs: only those who are fully involved will be happy with it in the mountains.
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