Comparison test funbikes

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Comparison test funbikes
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Comparison test funbikes, BMW F 650 CS, Ducati Monster 750, KTM 640 Duke II, MZ Mastiff, Suzuki SV 650 / X

stars and starlets

The new BMW F 650 CS wants to show the middle class motorcycle new ways. Away from the gray honesty image, straight into the heart of the colorful fun society. The birds of paradise of the scene accompany their first appearance.

“Just as carving (…) has revolutionized alpine skiing, (…) the new BMW Scarver will revolutionize motorcycling.” Quote from the BMW F 650 CS brochure. And further: »Light, relaxed, casual, agile« ?? the joy of driving has earned a new name: Scarving. Associations: surfing, downhill, boarding. All in one.
So a star is born, BMW has reinvented the motorcycle. Very different, very original. MOTORRAD is skeptical, for comparison takes four proven forces on the trip to Provence, who are not inferior to the CS in terms of originality and are also suitable for turning the heads of the fun generation. For example, Ducati’s Monster had an innovative, independent design years ago. And as the last of its series, the 750 series is even equipped with contemporary fuel injection. Or city runabouts. There’s nothing like the Duke II from KTM. Stand out at any cost? The Saxons from MZ have long shown the Bavarians with the Mastiff. And in terms of all-round ability, there is hardly any herb against the independent Suzuki SV 650 anyway.
So, CS, now what? Arguments, please, if possible, apart from the mere externals. What is it about the brand new biking? The self-proclaimed fun cannon does not hesitate long. Real fireworks burn off on the engine side. No wonder, the Single is fully up to date both mechanically and in terms of mixture formation. A brisk start from the low rev range is paired with a modern gasoline injection, lively revving power on top with a regulated catalytic converter and a consumption that can spoil the day even for the good-humored French tank attendant. It is consistently significantly lower than that of the competition (see measured values). Even more gratifying: thanks to the revised ignition map, the CS is satisfied with regular gasoline and releases a remarkable 54 hp at 7100 rpm on the test bench.
A value that can make even the famous, lively monolith of the Duke think. Because although the BMW single produced at Rotax is a head-to-head race on the test bench and the Duke weighs 32 kilograms less with a full tank, the KTM driver has to give everything in terms of acceleration and torque to stick with it. And yet always lags slightly. For example, top speed: 180 km / h (BMW) to 179 km / h (KTM) is the narrow finish, while the Mastiff always has to line up at the very back and at 167 km / h loses a lot of ground even at top speed. Instead of the promised 50 hp, your old Yamaha single-cylinder only delivers 48 hp to the clutch and is nowhere near as lively as the KTM engine kicking off the engine speed range with full punch or the cheerfully jubilant BMW single-cylinder.
But when three argue, the fourth is happy. Or something like that. And in this, as in other comparisons, there is a common suspect. Suzuki SV 650. Because it always works. Or better that. This V2. You know him ?? and still wonders again and again. Starts crisply, continues turning pithily and doesn’t want to stop again. In figures: 72 HP on the test bench, from zero to 100 in 3.5 seconds and in nine seconds to 160 km / h. During this time, the stews BMW and KTM only manage 140 km / h, while the MZ is still struggling in nirvana between 120 and 140 km / h. At the end of the sprint classification, the SV clocked an impressive 206 km / h. Only the fifth in the group, the Ducati Monster, can keep up with that.
But only halfway, because the still air-cooled V2 is now supplied with combustibles by an intake manifold injection with a powerful 45 mm throttle valve cross-section, but the power of 63 PS is a whopping nine PS below that of the Suzuki V2. 200 km / h is the end of the flagpole, the acceleration values ​​are between the SV and the single-cylinder, and in the passage the long-geared Ducati clearly has to admit defeat to the SV, the CS and the Duke.
On the engine side, the new Fun BMW is therefore ideally equipped to keep its promise of a special kind of driving pleasure. Strong performance, low consumption, clean exhaust fumes: if this is what the new Scarver world looks like, we are happy to step in. Or, better said, sit on or inside. Namely in the seat of the CS, which flatters the very best at a ridiculous 77 centimeters high, so that even the short stature stand firmly with both feet on the ground, while the engine mocks exemplary without manual jump start. Next door, Mastiff drivers and especially the Duke drivers are struggling with the pitfalls of their objects. A seat height of 86 or 91 centimeters is initially not very trustworthy, especially if, as with the Duke, they are accompanied by an extremely difficult take-off behavior. Too much choke, too little choke: the result is actually always the same. Slap the engine, and suddenly. If you don’t have confidence in your own stability, you can quickly fall very deep.
Monster and SV 650 show how it can be done better. The seat height of the Suzuki is 80 centimeters? this is also proven by the high proportion of women among SV buyers? no problem, the 78 centimeters of the monsters are on a par with BMW. And with the unapologetic starting behavior of the two? although the choke has to jump in to help? even beginners should do very well.
So, Scarving, Citylife, very easy and carefree. Even lighter and easier on the BMW? In fact, the Munich marketing team has not promised too much in this regard, because inner-city surfing on the CS turns out to be a real pleasure from the first meter. Okay, the low seat height forces long-legged people to have a tight knee angle, but this doesn’t bother them with the constant stop and go. Apart from that, the ergonomics with the handlebars, which are not too wide and not too high, are perfectly fine. In addition, there is the combination of a handy chassis, low center of gravity (tank under the seat) and the exemplary manners of the single cylinder, which, together with the patented toothed belt, smoothly transport the torque to the one-armed rear wheel even at low speeds. So equipped, do the usual maneuvers mutate? Changing lanes, turning, balancing between tram tracks, starting traffic lights ?? from frustration to pleasure experience, which can only be understood to this extent on the SV 650. It is not quite as handy, but just as uncomplicated as the BMW, while the other candidates struggle with individual weaknesses. The KTM engine, for example, is reluctant to whip the chain below 3000 rpm, on the Mastiff you struggle with the stiff clutch and a gearbox that only reluctantly reproduces the change from gear one to two. On the other hand, both offer an excellent overview, a quality that should not be underestimated in everyday urban madness.
This, in turn, is sometimes lost on the Monster with its wide and flat handlebars. In general, the monsters: Despite their cafe racer outfit, the city is not their world. The turning circle of heavy truck format, a very long first gear and spring elements that consider the inner-city speed limit below their dignity, do not give rise to any real joy. That is why the Ducati driver is also the first to turn off at the first sign in the direction of the town exit.
The Scarver ?? as is usual with trend sports, does the pilot take the name of his pedestal ?? follows confidently, always with the promise from the BMW brochure in mind. »Pure fun (…) on all roads between the metropolises.« In this case between Marseille and Toulon, and they actually offer everything a motorcyclist’s heart desires, from winding country lanes to fast motorway curves. But they also have a completely different requirement profile than the restrained hustle and bustle in the big city. Nobody in the world can buy an ice cream here for “Form follows emotion” (BMW), for the free choice of colors for the seat and side panels (again BMW), for smart helmet or luggage storage or even the audio system (everything to be paid for separately ) in the hole in the dummy fuel tank. Here the engine and chassis have to work? and harmonize. Unless you want to roll through the area in a touristy way. But that can’t be seriously meant by Scarven, can it?
The attentive reader will see what this is all about. The BMW has problems. Problems that increase with the speed of the wild pack in front of her. And because your engine (see above) cannot be responsible for this, the culprits are quickly identified. The shock absorber and fork do not play along. Too soft springs, too little damping. The worse the surface, the greater the mishap. In addition, the fat 160 Michelin Pilot Sport on the rear wheel, which on the one hand offers endless grip, on the other hand introduces pad throwing into the chassis more energetically than the 150s of the single cylinder competition ?? together this results in a mixture that is neither conducive to target accuracy nor to well-being. Where the exemplary Duke is looking for her razor-sharp line, the monsters are hardly inferior to her and the SV 650 and Mastiff scurry precisely through the labyrinth of curves, the Scarver tries a roughly defined target corridor. Not only because the hindquarters pumping excitedly on wavy surfaces, but because the BMW tends to tip over into the curve on its own from a certain incline. This may be due to the extreme triple clamp offset and the resulting combination of flat steering head (62 degrees) and short caster (86 millimeters). The uncomfortable fork is to blame for the discomfort in the braking zone. The BMW front dips deeply and when the brake is released it rebounds too quickly due to the lack of rebound damping. And between the two processes, the front wheel winds under the load of the single-disc system between the 41 fork tubes like an eel in jelly, because the Munich-based company did without a stabilizing bridge between the sliding tubes. In this context it is difficult to appreciate the quite satisfactory delay of the combination of 300 millimeter disc and double piston caliper and to praise the optionally available ABS (998 marks).
Especially because everyone else can do better. No, do not antiblock, this is reserved exclusively for BMW. But brakes. Right at the front the monsters, closely followed by Suzuki, KTM and Mastiff. The latter two also only slow down with one washer, but do not show any tendency to twist due to their massive upside-down fork with 43-millimeter sliding tubes (Duke) or the mighty 45-millimeter standpipes plus additional bridge (MZ). And on top of that, they are finely tuned and fully damped and thus provide reliable feedback in addition to reliable road contact, which of course the fully adjustable spring struts from White Power also play their part.
Not quite as classy, ​​but functional with the SV 650 and Monster 750, although the coordination turned out to be very different. Tight and very direct with the Ducati, which is sometimes called comfort deprivation on bad terrain and sometimes makes the handlebar twitch, significantly more comfortable, but with sufficient reserves in the Suzuki, especially since the spring base of the fork can be adapted to the load conditions in the latest vintage. Equipped in this way, it is always a pleasure for the SV to playfully push the combination of a brilliant engine and lively chassis through the bends, especially since neither footrests nor attachments disturb the enjoyment of the sloping drift.
The Ducati demands a more committed and forward-looking driving style because it elevates the line once it has taken to a doctrine from which it will no longer give up. It’s not that easy, but it is highly entertaining because accuracy and stability can always inspire. Guided by a firm hand on the wide handlebars, well-being only sets in after a few kilometers, but then sustained until the footrests rub against the asphalt. Here the low seat height takes revenge, the ?? like with the BMW? Very low rest periods and in long-legged people the blood circulation becomes more difficult.
A problem that naturally neither KTM, Duke II nor MZ Mastiff have to contend with. The ground clearance is easily enough for both, and when it comes to handling they also put the monsters in their pockets. The Duke turns out to be a dynamic Ducati contrast. Almost hyperactive, she converts every steering command, no matter how small, into a change of direction and needs ?? different causes, same effect ?? some getting used to. But if the knot has burst, you don’t want to descend at all. Enthroned above the others, enjoying the powerful engine, the great chassis ?? and sticks closer than anyone else in the worst hairpin bends, stirs in the crisp, precise gear, just has fun.
Even as a couple? as long as the pillion participates. The chassis can easily handle the additional load. That’s what the Duke is for? like the mastiff and the monster ?? When it comes to space and comfort, the fun orientation is over. Longer distances are unreasonable on the short, hard bench seats. The hour could now strike again for BMW, which has a cozy place in the second row and whose railing on the dummy fuel tank is wonderfully suitable for holding and supporting. Could because of the strut ??? adjustable neither in the base nor anywhere else ?? again pulls a thick line through the bill and in connection with the not exactly lush ground clearance in undulating curves lets the side stand vehemently put on. This fact disturbs the intimate togetherness lastingly, while Suzuki’s jack-of-all-trades SV 650 donates the appropriate chassis to the cozy place.
In view of these weaknesses of the BMW, it is hardly consoling that it is the only one to offer a touch of wind protection and the greatest range in the field. Especially the Suzuki shows her that there is more to being a star than a flashy outfit, good entertainment in the urban jungle and a hefty entrance fee. Not least the hefty price of 8434.63 euros for the test motorcycle degrades the F. 650 CS finally to the star, which can safely leave the revolution in motorcycling (BMW brochure) to others.

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Comparison test funbikes

Comparison test funbikes
stars and starlets

1st place – Suzuki SV 650

If Suzuki had promised as much as BMW did now when the SV 650 was released, it would have been justified. Because the SV with its lively V2, its chic frame and its high functionality still shows where it is going even years after its appearance. The youngest generation, which now also invalidates an often made accusation with the adjustable spring base of the fork, is also completely right in this comparison? and with a clear margin ?? right at the top of the podium.

2nd place – KTM 640 Duke II

With a clear gap to the Suzuki, the Duke II lands in second place. And that is worth all honors given their extreme orientation. Of course, the KTM is not suitable for a big tour with a lot of luggage, and even on a Sunday excursion you have to compromise on comfort. But when it comes to the sheer fun of motorcycling, the Duke, with its low weight, powerful engine and high-quality chassis components, will never be enough.

3rd place – Ducati M 750 i.e

The monster is missing a lot for the two-cylinder competition from Suzuki. Because your engine is nowhere near the SV-Quirl, even with injection, because it is significantly more expensive? and because it is more uncompromising. But the monsters are in a good mood? precisely because it is so uncompromising. Nothing works by itself with her, she wants to be conquered. If that succeeds, it convinces with a directness that becomes an experience. But beginners should look for another motorcycle.

4th place – BMW F 650 CS

“But if you’ve never ridden a motorcycle, then you have to experience this feeling.” BMW is right in this regard. The new Scarver is simple, uncomplicated, beginner-friendly. However, when things are going to be more ambitious, fun is over, because the Munich-based company overlooked the primary virtues for all their design and accessories. A great engine, but the chassis doesn’t deliver what the Scarver promises. And that is steep in view of the high price.

5th place – MZ Mastiff

Actually ungrateful, this fifth place, because the Mastiff is really fun with its good chassis and decent brakes in the thicket of corners. But the aging engine simply can no longer keep up with the modern engines, and it leaves further points in the field of suitability for everyday use, comfort and economy. If that doesn’t bother you, the inexpensive MZ is sure to be well advised and you don’t have to worry about the originality of your base.

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