Annual review test and technology

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Annual review test and technology
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Annual review test and technology

Annual review test and technology
Focal points

What a year: We are celebrating 100 years of MOTORRAD, moving test impressions and a fine hodgepodge of data.

Thomas Schmieder

12/16/2003

It is a wonderfully sunny November day, the deciduous trees shine with rich contrasts in all imaginable red, yellow and brown tones against a bright blue sky. The east wind blows cool in the crystal clear air, up here on the Swabian Alb. But the men on site
is warm around the heart, sparkling chrome reflects seven shining pairs of eyes. On the top test area of ​​MOTORRAD in Neuhausen there is one among many other test motorcycles NSU Supermax, built in 1962. This particular test was supposed to be a gag,
The crowning glory of the test year for the 100th anniversary of MOTORRAD, in which 309 test motorcycles were presented-
Attention, 87 of them were tough
1000 point test. But now the point is: Can the 250 single be classified as the “Queen of Hearts” in the modern evaluation scheme?
So: How many of the 200 achievable points for drive, chassis, safety, economy and the environment can a five-decade-old construction get hold of? And what about the 100 counters for everyday practicality and convenience – see table on page 42? As a true representative of the
The era of the economic boom, when the roads were bad, but the need for mobility was greater so shortly after the end of the war, the former middle-class highlight should still set the tone today. That does
NSU too, viewed with a wink in issue 26/2003. Because dynamics are somehow different. And the brakes first. Brakes? Which brakes? The measuring computer shows it; they almost come from another world.
Logical, after all, the reality of traffic has changed radically in the last 50 years, and the engineers have adapted their motorcycles accordingly. That was what the BMW R 1100 S did, Kawasaki Z 1000 and Suzuki GSX-R 1000 in issue 10/2003 when they met their ancestors R 90 S, Z 1000 A2 and GSX-R 1100 clearly. The youngtimers inspired the editorial staff, offered plenty of “emotion in motion”, but technically they are certainly not at the top in an annual review of the early 21st century. Current winning material has to be able to do a lot, like the Japanese power tourer Yamaha FJR 1300 A in issue 16/2003 – successfully clinched with Honda’s double X and the Speedmasters Kawasaki ZX-12R and Suzuki Hayabusa. This is not least due to the sensible model update in detail and, finally, the anti-lock braking system. However, it lags behind the few competitors in terms of function with rough control intervals and does not rank at the top level in terms of the lag values ​​either. As the large ABS comparison in MOTORRAD 10/2003 revealed, the 1300 Yamaha gives away valuable meters on dry roads.
One Ducati ST 4 S ABS on the other hand
With its snappy brakes it almost provokes a rollover on grippy asphalt before the ABS kicks in. Nevertheless, it remains a positive surprise that the sporty Italians, of all people, block this “fall guard”, and thanks to ABS, the FJR also undeniably offers one
Safety plus in the case of emergency braking. And with 722 out of 1000 possible points in the top test, the second-best result of all motorcycles ever tested. Only the Honda VFR clears even more, 743 in number. Whether the FJR is ahead when one day sixth gear and better ABS are on board?
In such dimensions a Harley-Davidson XL 1200 Custom never rise in view of the leanest points yield of only 427 points in the “flop test”. The material removal in the fast slalom is enormous, which on this motorcycle hardly lives up to its name – “American way of sanding”. With somewhat more stable handling, but even more tired V2, the American entry-level bike, the Sportster 883, could hardly do better. The engine rating was a single fiasco with 73 points, there was a red zero in the pull-through rating. Even if the US bikes go their own way in the 100th year after the company was founded, just as President Bush did on the diplomatic floor – the legend of endless steam relegates the Milwaukee Twins, with the exception of the V-Rod, to the realm of fable.
Not in the points evaluation – she was spared – but on the test bench, a cruiser set real records, the Yamaha Road Star Warrior. Right next to the silencer in the stovepipe format 61 by 16 centimeters, the fat 200 mm tailgate does a grueling job. He struggles to bring the immense torque of measured 144 Newton meters onto the road, only a Gold Wing pushes even more. As untypical as the performance may be for flat iron conditions, if you want to drive with lazy shifting and high torque, you should use the R1 rocket or 1000 GSX-R grenade. The 2003 generation of super athletes, unchanged from Yamaha, heavily modeled on from Suzuki, impress with bearish power development and easily collect 28 out of 30 points in the pull-through discipline.
In other respects too, what comes out counts, BMW said to itself, and put two spark plugs in each of the boxers over 850 cm3
Cylinder head – this should reduce pollutant emissions to a greater or lesser extent depending on the model. The cause is that
more effective combustion in the large combustion chambers, as shown by the lower consumption of up to one liter – or quite simply in MOTORRAD 4/2003. In it the extroverted R 1150 R Rockster was the first Bayern boxer to pass the top test with double ignition.
Lo and behold, the annoying constant jerking of the big boxers in the partial load range is now a thing of the past. The Rockster met the same just 80 years after
Start of motorcycle production at BMW in the form of the great-great-great-grandma R 32 in issue 24/2003. The design of the not very old 500s is simply inspiring, even if it only achieves ten percent of today’s power output. And individual additional equipment, surcharge policy is such an ugly word that BMW already knew back then: light, horn and
Speedometers cost extra, as did the pillion seat – like today on the Rockster.
The sister brand R 1150 GS shows that history repeats itself
her victory as “Alpenstar” in issue 12 /
2003. As the only one of the five gang tested, she came up with ABS, like more than half a million BMWs before her, and in the “Safety” chapter, as in the chassis evaluation, collects more than three quarters of all possible points. The casual, confident driving experience and its versatility allow the GS to win again – 672 points in this test, later an even better specimen even scored 680. In Germany, the GS leads the sales statistics, with around 6000 platypuses here in the country in 2003 Brought people. A worthy finish before the more radical, lighter and probably stronger 1200 calls for replacement in spring; it will be presented in South Africa in January 2004.
Only two competitors could be dangerous for the GS in 2003: on asphalt the Honda Varadero, which now operates with injection, G-Kat and sixth gear (MOTORRAD 16/2003). And when off-road inserts are added, the newcomer leather KTM 950 Adventure (S) from all travel enduros. The Austrian serpentine weasel is also great
Aardvark, the chassis is unshakable, the fully adjustable spring elements offer an enormous working stroke. The 75-degree V2, which is fiery only after 5000 tours, but then almost explosive, turns the Adventure into a heated enduro.
In contrast, the Ducati Multistrada presented itself unbalanced. The wonderful 1000 cc V2 with double ignition cannot hide the uncomfortable seating position, wobbly driving behavior and overly tightly coordinated spring elements, the concept was more than expected
the attested 608 points. There was also a disappointment with the market leader Suzuki. It brought four models into the top ten, the 1200 and 600 Bandit, the GSX-R 1000 and the SV 650, but not the 1000 SV. As brilliantly as the 120 hp engine with its double throttle valve is, the suspension tuning is poor and the pillion seat is uncomfortable – and with the half-faired “S” with its sporty, deep handlebar stubs, it is also uncomfortable for the driver. Conclusion: great in the approach, but just missed the target group.
A judgment that Yamaha’s 600 Fazer will hopefully be spared. The 2004 vintage, which was completely turned inside out, left the previous bestseller in terms of points behind, mainly because of the significantly tighter, but less manageable chassis. But the shorter-stroke, four-cylinder unit, derived from the R6, with its more powerful performance characteristics is, well, not necessarily an advantage when driving on country roads. The less rev-hungry 2003 model was again at the autumn exit in issue 24/2003 with the top sellers of the five big brands BMW, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha. Editor and ex-superbiker Guido Stusser was astonished to discover “how easy and easy it is to move the 600 Fazer and the R 1150 GS”. Its performance of less than 100 hp is easy to get on the road even under adverse conditions.
The super sporty Fireblade is much more demanding. It just is
something different, whether you’re thundering across race tracks in a one-piece suit or touring Alsace in a Thermoboy. Especially since Honda’s fire blade on the kickback route,
an integral part of the MOTORRAD test track, irritated even tough testers by wild wedging. It is not without reason that the 2004 vintage Fireblade is rolling out with an electronic steering damper as standard. The 2003 model entered the sibling fight with the without tranquilizers CBR 600 RR on – and had to give way to the even more agile little sister on the Nordschleife as well as in the 1000-point rating: The light front of the Fireblade is not only nervous in the »mine«. A real “philosophy lesson” is how it is presented in issue 15 /
2003 spreads before us.
Art education was then the encounter with the MV Agusta Brutale S. It brings the special price for the noblest look in motorcycle construction back to Italy. The extremely stiff chassis turned out to be excellent, with a dream score of 166 on the same level as the Ducati 749 S and only just below the VFR and GSX-R 1000. Not even the major compromises in comfort and fuel consumption were able to curb the admiration. But the cost price of 15,000 euros.
Kawasaki offers much cheaper with the Z 1000 Emotionen, the character actress costs 9990 euros. From a standing start, the Z made it into the top ten in Germany. The independent appearance with a striking four-in-four exhaust system, made entirely of stainless steel, and the rims painted in the vehicle color and polished on the edges gave the green brand its self-confidence. The Z 1000 appeared no less than six times in a MOTORRAD test, and the long-term test specimen even covered 50,000 kilometers. For the time being, the Z 1000 only has to fear two opponents: the even stronger and more everyday suitable Yamaha FZS 1000 Fazer and on the other hand the smaller but more agile sister Z 750. It is 2800 euros cheaper, the 1000er delivers in volume 25/2003 a head-on -Head race and at the same time sends the ZR-7 (S) with its simple and maintenance-friendly eighties technology into retirement.
The dear family also uses Suzuki’s V-Strom 1000. It is just her 18 kilo lighter 650 sister who waves so lightly and easily through the pylons on the said sunny November day. More agile, more stable, more manageable. And that real 69 HP is enough even for forced rides on country roads is impressively proven by the cultivated, easy-revving and economical V2, derived from the SV-650 engine. It is already getting dark when the laptop spits out the balance of several days of driving tests: more points than the 1000 and 2600 euros cheaper! An important signal: save with, not with fun.
Triumph has apparently already recognized this: In the comparison test of the Speed ​​Four against Europe’s bestseller Honda Hornet 600 in issue 10/2003, the question was whether better workmanship and fully adjustable suspension elements justify the price difference of a good 1500 euros. Well, Triumph has since reduced the price of the quirky streetfighter by 1000 euros. Less can be more. Except for MOTORRAD’s testing efforts, where every point of view counts.

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