Comparison test of the 600 all-rounder

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Comparison test of the 600 all-rounder

Comparison test of the 600 all-rounder, Honda Hornet 600, Triumph Speed ​​Four, Yamaha FZ6 Fazer

We can do it differently

We don’t need power beyond the 100 hp mark? and certainly no torque mountains. We love speeds ?? and the highway. Our hobby: turning hunters into hunted.

It can happen anywhere, anytime. Most of the time, this fate overtakes you if you don’t think about it in the slightest. Because there is no time for that, you have your hands full. Is busy with himself. And with its elemental, ultra-potent super sports car. Brand doesn’t matter. So somewhere, preferably on a winding country road. For example on the Swabian Alb. Hush, casual, almost playful, a trio slows down next to you. From the high-frequency sound you can just guess that it must be a 600cc four-cylinder.
After the next bend, the spook will come to an end. The three ?? on the Honda Hornet 600 S, Triumph Speed ​​Four and Yamaha FZS 600 Fazer – are gone. Just let you stand. Ownership turns into self-doubt. What must not be that cannot be. How do they do that? How could that have happened? Arguments are quickly at hand: you have had a bad day, the suspension setting is not yet quite right, the tires lack grip, and anyway, on the racetrack, you would have these air pumps under control anyway.
But it is far away. And at least one of this trio would cut a damn good figure in race training: the Triumph Speed ​​Four, the youngest offspring from Hinckley. Because, apart from small changes in the set-up, it has the widely acclaimed chassis of the TT 600 super sports car. It is well known that it was not a particularly happy start. Because their ultra-short-stroke engine in the middle speed range simply lacked steam and the responsiveness also left a lot to be desired. Triumph got all that under control at the Speed ​​Four. It is not difficult to do without one or the other horsepower peak performance. Tamer control times, modified interference pipes on the exhaust manifolds, a new map for the ignition box and optimized, now CNC-milled combustion chambers cause a small miracle in the case of the idiosyncratic Triumph.
So the English can do it after all. Lo and behold, the Speed ​​Four with its pulling power even rivals the Yamaha FZS 600 Fazer, which was previously considered a role model in this discipline for the small all-rounders. And it can even outdo the Honda Hornet 600 S, which despite its long-term secondary transmission has good torque values. So much for the bare numbers. But these are actually only of secondary importance with these lively driving machines. Pull-through, that’s what you expect from 1000cc four-cylinders or fat twins. But not from small 600s. Other qualities are required. Sheer revving pleasure, for example, speeds over 10,000 rpm as a source of constant joy or simply as an elixir of life. All three models embody this and make it clear that it doesn’t need a single horse power anymore.
Back to the colleague on the super powerful super sports car, whose brand is nothing … you know. So while he ponders how much of his 150 and more horsepower he can bring to the ground, the driver trio simply uncompromisingly and without hesitation tears open the throttle valves. What fun to pull on the cable without restraint without having to suppress unpleasant thoughts of a rough slide or something worse. Each of the 600s offers easily controllable performance, always great for use.
The rear tire meshes with the asphalt without complaint, and then it just goes forward. Particularly inspiring: the snappy acceleration of the Triumph over 7000 rpm. Your engine just can’t hide the fact that it was designed for a modern athlete. For the Fazer, Yamaha relies on the modified engine of the FZR 600, Honda on that of the CBR 600 F, model PC 31. Both fought many years ago in top sport and are now experiencing their second spring in an all-rounder.
To talk about the Speed ​​Four would not be entirely appropriate, more about a second chance. The boys at Hinckley deserve it ?? and used. At most there is something to complain about when it comes to the cold start behavior, because the computer automatically increases the idle gas to an astronomical 3000 rpm and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. With the Yamaha it takes some time to jack in with the choke, otherwise your engine looks a little unmotivated and dies in the first few meters.
The Honda, on the other hand, has flawless starting behavior. On the other hand, its economical four-cylinder shows itself on the rough side when it comes to running smoothness, especially in higher engine speed regions, annoying intrusive vibrations. On the Yamaha, the rider is largely spared of this thanks to the engine’s rubber mounts. In addition, it accelerates much more gently than the Honda, whose load change shock is quite hard due to the large play in the drive train. Significantly more refined, if not exactly gentlemanly, the Triumph with its intake manifold injection takes the gas. Compared to the first TT models, the Speed ​​Four is also clearly improved here. The yamaha drive is even softer, which goes perfectly with its balancing character.
At the Fazer, which was presented at the beginning of 1998, one or the other model maintenance measure was on the program over the years and also with the 2003 model, which was already available for this test. Which by no means made it the perfect motorcycle, but has matured over the years. Like a good red wine. Examples? The tank volume grew to 22 liters, which gives the 600 a good range despite the not exactly super economical engine. The much-criticized kink in the tank, which everyone mocked on the first model because it pinched the thigh, has disappeared. Knee closure and sitting position are still not optimal. The last facelift gave the little Fazer a new cladding with the characteristic headlights. Fine, because the wind protection has improved and her face now appears clearly more adult.
With the chassis of the FZS 600 everything stayed the same over the years except for the adjustable spring base of the fork. And that’s good. Thank goodness no fashion-conscious product manager came up with the insanely great idea of ​​missing the 600 mm thick tire. That means: 110 front, 160 rear. In combination with the Dunlop D 207 a great thing. Because the narrow tires are the key to this fabulous driveability of the Fazer. Like hardly any other motorcycle, it makes life easy for its driver. Which sometimes leads to misjudgments. Because the fact that everything goes so well on the Yamaha is less due to your own talents than to the ability of the machine.
Neutral, precise and very tight, it can be circled around every imaginable radius. Direction of view is the same as the direction of travel, it rarely works so easily. The Fazer presents itself almost perfectly, as if from a single source. Everything flows, everything works by itself. See the bend, brake, activate the finely adjustable four-piston brake system on the front wheel, turn in with almost no annoying set-up moment, get annoyed about the lack of lean angle, apply the gas at the apex and then off you go. A wonderfully fluid process. Even on lousy asphalt. Or in the rain, which was annoying every now and then during the test drive. Especially on wet surfaces, the balanced character of the Yamaha gives you a lot of self-confidence.
The Honda, more delicate and significantly lighter than the Fazer, would actually have every chance of competing with it, not just because of its high level of everyday usability. But in the end she lacks the finishing touches. To highlight: their great stability at top speed. It’s amazing what the central tubular frame, welded from U-profiles, which Honda calls the neudeusch mono-backbone, can achieve. It should go on like this.
But it doesn’t really do it. In any case, nobody should claim that Honda builds motorcycles without rough edges. The Hornet 600 S has some. It could be more manageable, it would be even more fun to drive if it weren’t for its extra-wide 180 mm rear tire. You like to crumple the line in tight corners because the Hornet tilts itself when braking? oh yes, the venerable double piston calipers on the front wheel work great ?? too strong. And because the fork doesn’t have as much reserves as the Yamaha one. Not to mention the shock absorber. Occupied with a pillion passenger, it quickly reaches its limits when driving quickly and bounces happily from end stop to end stop.
Sure, the Fazer doesn’t use first-class racing suspension elements either. If you feel like it, please take the much more expensive Triumph. But in normal day-to-day use, the Yamaha just has a little more air. Your fork only locks up during extreme braking maneuvers, and a slight sway in the longitudinal direction announces the limit.
The faster, the better, is the motto of the Triumph Speed ​​Four. Does it signal to you through its forward-looking, but by no means uncomfortable sitting position that it is a different caliber. While the English consciously concentrated on the art of omission in their outfit, they were not stingy when it came to equipping the chassis. The real athlete mercilessly exploits the advantages of his fully adjustable chassis, which also offers a wide adjustment range between comfortable and firm. Especially in fast, undulating corner passages, nothing moves with her, the Speed ​​Four shines with exemplary stability and drives very precisely. This full feeling gives you a lot of confidence.
In contrast, it demands more attention than the Yamaha in tight turns. First of all when braking, because even with moderate pull on the lever, their stoppers go to work so brutally that the poor front tire whimpers for mercy. After that, because it looks a bit wobbly. So a sensitive hand is required: Apply gas early, then it works with the much-cited clean line from start to finish.
Typical sports motorcycle. Likes to be tackled hard and tolerates a pilot with an active upper body, then implements steering commands precisely and at lightning speed without rocking. Nevertheless, a 160 mm rear tire would certainly be better suited to it, because it would significantly improve handling and minimize the slight tilting when turning into slow corners. The strong and finely selected Bridgestone BT 010 initial tires would be available in a narrower dimension. Seriously nobody needs that little bit more grip that the wider contact surface of the 180 offers when accelerating out of the country.
A smoother gearbox, however, does. The Triumph works pretty gnarled and is also not finely adjustable because the lever sits directly on the gearshift shaft. When downshifting in particular, it takes effort to find the right gear. Switch ?? a real joy with the Honda. You step through the speed steps almost perfectly. How beneficial, because because of the long gear ratio chosen, the Honda driver has to use his shift foot more often to keep up with the other two. At the Yamaha it is especially loud between first and second gear, not for the discerning contemporaries. But don’t worry, this has unfortunately been standard at Fazer for years.
Fortunately, however, the modest light output of the small headlights are a thing of the past. At least with the Fazer. The Hornet S has always shone with an above-average luminosity. An exit after midnight is only a rather murky affair on the Speed ​​Four. At the Yamaha, the rest of the equipment is almost exemplary in its price range. It has never been a special offer. But the Honda has always cost a bit more, and the Triumph is priced in a completely different sphere. Nevertheless, their equipment is a bit spartan, reduced to the essentials, if you will.
B.Fuel display, clock, two trip counters, only the Fazer offers this in this field. And next to their spacious storage compartment, the other two cargo spaces look tiny. Another practical detail: The main stand is part of the standard equipment of the Yamaha, in terms of costs it is not out of place because of its inspection intervals only every 10,000 kilometers. Little things that give the Fazer a clear lead in this group test. She deserves to win. Perfectly happy? Not at all. For 2004, Yamaha should finally start thinking about a modern emission control system. The Triumph has the edge there. ((Although the English do not fully utilize the potential either. A regulated instead of an unregulated catalytic converter is practically essential for manifold injection.))

3rd place

The Hornet 600 is by no means perfect, it reveals small imperfections, it doesn’t drive as dreamily as the Yamaha. Your shock absorber urgently needs more damping reserves, with a narrower rear tire your handling would probably be unbeatable in this class. But maybe that’s exactly what makes them so adorable. Anyone who has focused on it will also have a lot of fun on the country road.

2nd place – Triumph Speed ​​Four

In the second attempt, it grabs Triumph with the small four-cylinder. Finally pressure in all situations and good responsiveness. Congratulations. The Speed ​​Four is unique in its combination. No other manufacturer currently offers a 600cc naked bike with such a good chassis that the Englishwoman doesn’t have to hide with on the racetrack. On the contrary. That is why people like to see that she does not have outstanding all-round talent.

1st place – Yamaha FZS 600 Fazer

A tough nut to crack. At the Fazer, the competition has been biting its teeth for years. Truly one of the best road sweeps ever. Why can’t everything in life be so simple? Sit on it, drive, feel good. See the curve, brake and hit the line exactly. No problem with her. Its powerful, smooth-running engine is just as impressive as its great braking system. As the icing on the cake, there is a wide range of equipment and the best all-rounders.

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