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• Power cruiser in comparison test
• "The Honda boxer comes first!"
• If the Rocket were human, she would be a sumo wrestler
• "The load changes annoy me with the Roadster as well"
• "The Bat-Mobile from the Batman films"
• Harley-Davidson V-Rod Muscle
• Honda Gold Wing F6C
• Suzuki Intruder M 1800 R Black Edition
• Triumph Rocket III Roadster
• MOTORCYCLE measurements
• Conclusion

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25th photos

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Quite untypical for a Harley: In contrast to the somewhat phlegmatic air-cooled 45-degree V2 engines, the water-cooled 60-degree V2 in the V-Rod is almost hungry for revs.

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Power cruisers are completely new territory for editorial trainee Johannes Muller (31) …

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… A trip together with the veteran test editor Rolf Henniges (49) not only reveals surprises for him, his view of things is also very refreshing for the old editor …

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According to all the rules of art: The Harley rider always has a good view, because both the processing quality and design are right. Everything looks valuable and coherent …

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… an exhaust pipe similar to a stove pipe releases the exhaust gases into the open air, …

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… and at the front, radially screwed four-piston fixed calipers slow down – unfortunately without ABS and without right feedback.

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“You can’t get rid of the feeling of being able to break through a thick wall undamaged if necessary”.

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Nowhere is there more displacement as standard: …

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… The roadster enchants with 2.3 liters and is slightly skimpy in terms of attention to detail …

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… These include the shirt-sleeved and attached instruments as well as the chrome-plated plastic indicators …

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… The braking system is adequately dimensioned.

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“If stress rolls off like rain on wax while riding, you have the right bike”.

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… Long risers connect the handlebar to the fork bridge, …

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The Intruder impresses with its very idiosyncratic look: …

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“And be careful: when cruising, wide rain lines are always mandatory”.

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… or the integrated LED turn signals …

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… Be it the curved rear light …

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… Despite all the coolness: Unfortunately, the speedometer is difficult to read.

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“You will always have the feeling that you are the big boss”.

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It could hardly be more masculine: The large six-cylinder boxer requires equally powerful water coolers. And these side-mounted, clad parts fluff up the silhouette of the F6C powerfully …

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… The dainty cockpit of the
Brockens, …

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… which also has effective brakes and a finely regulating ABS. A six-piston caliper is even installed at the rear.

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“Bikes, suitable for the break cigarette – you can get addicted”.

V-Rod Muscle, Gold Wing F6C, Intruder M 1800 R and Rocket III in the test

Power cruiser in comparison test

A young editor and an old hand meet for a cruise. The old man has already driven them all, the power cruisers are completely new territory for the young. A special kind of motorcycle comparison.

F.For editorial trainee Johannes Muller (31), power cruisers are completely new territory. A trip together with the veteran test editor Rolf Henniges (49) not only reveals surprises for him, his view of things is also very refreshing for the old editor …

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V-Rod Muscle, Gold Wing F6C, Intruder M 1800 R and Rocket III in the test
Power cruiser in comparison test

Why do cruisers always have to be so heavy?

Muller: No Only shunted them a couple of times in the underground car park. That was enough for me. The question arises straight away: Why so difficult when it can be easier? Then I weighed the chunks. The Triumph Rocket III Roadster weighs an unbelievable 370 kilograms, that’s 14 kilograms more than the Honda Gold Wing F6C, which at first glance would appear to be the most overweight. The Suzuki Intruder M 1800 R Black Edition weighs similarly and the Harley-Davidson V-Rod Muscle is almost a lightweight in this quartet, despite a fat 307 kilograms. Let’s be honest: Why do cruisers always have to be so heavy?

Henniges: An old hand, so much older than me, once explained to me that the mean big cruiser should be as solid as a rock. He shouldn’t fidget when you drive over a manhole cover or pebble, and you should always have the feeling of being the big boss. If necessary, you have to be able to break through a stone wall with such a chunk undamaged. You will see that they drive more casually than they can be maneuvered. Let’s just drive.

(Helmets on, out of the underground car park, after 50 kilometers of the expressway, the first cigarette break.)

Muller: Such a crap! You can’t wiggle your way through the steel columns with those things. Well, maybe with the Harley-Davidson V-Rod Muscle, but that’s borderline too, because you sit so cramped on it. That may be cool for spectators, but it is exhausting for the driver in the long run. In general: sitting! I’m 1.70 meters tall, the footpegs of the Triumph Rocket III Roadster are too far forward for my taste, and the handlebars protrude too far back. Nah, that’s not for me. Just like on the Suzuki Intruder: little comfort, lots of coolness. The only machine on which a “normal” motorcyclist feels comfortable is the Honda Gold Wing F6C. You can handle that even if, like me, you’ve only ridden classic naked bikes all your life. How do you endure such a sitting position in the long run? Maybe cruiser pilots have better, maybe even more joints than normal mortals, or they are just tougher …

Henniges:  You really have to get used to this way of sitting. Some always ride with a luggage roll on the pillion seat and lean against it. That relieves. Come on, let’s fire up the engines and you tell me which drive you like best and why.

(Another stop after 80 kilometers of country roads)

Honda Gold Wing F6C on http://markt.motorradonline.de

technology & future

Endurance test final balance Suzuki M 1800 R

Conclusion after 50,000 kilometers

read more

Tourer

Triumph Rocket III Roadster in the test

Gigantic, powerful, strong as a bear

read more

MOTORCYCLE market: Used Triumph Rocket III Roadster

"The Honda boxer comes first!"

Muller (very enthusiastic): Hossa! Every motorcyclist should have ridden the Honda six-cylinder at least once in their life. Great cinema, I say. Silky smooth engine operation, hardly any vibrations and always thrust – almost like an electric motor. Here is my ranking: The Honda Boxer comes first because it runs so smoothly, but at the same time comes across as immensely powerful. For me, the Suzuki-Vau comes in second. It doesn’t have as much boom down below as the mighty Triumph Triple, but it sounds great, gives away a great pulsation and turns upwards out quite powerfully. And since we’re about to shoot: Third place goes to the Harley. The American V2 also pulsates quite pleasantly, behaves piously and really goes to extremes from 6000 rpm. That turns on and encourages me as a “cruiser driver” to always be a little faster than chilled. I can’t really warm up to the brutal drive of the British. The 2.3 liter three-cylinder has the greatest power when idling, but for me the drive somehow belongs in a ship. I like the sound though. I just wonder what this giant block was developed for …

Henniges: Aha! So it depends on the feeling, how you see. On the one hand you feel drawn to higher speeds (Harley), on the other hand you are in love with the Honda boxer, although it only turns up to just over 6000 rpm. You notice: cruising is sensual. As for the British chunks: they too have their special charm. Which other motorcycle tears in such a way from idle and can serve you such a huge mountain of torque? But I also think the six-cylinder of the Honda Gold Wing F6C is great because it serves its 115 hp in such a relaxed way and thus literally invites me to glide. The Suzuki Intruder M 1800 R Black Edition has the most sensual drive of the quartet, I agree with you. The pulsation is perfect, the sound is right and so is the power. But the transmission doesn’t work at all. The switching shocks are enormous, the distances are long, and the cardan reactions could also be milder. I can’t really get used to the Harley’s water-cooled barrel organ either. The Honda boxer is also the perfect glider for me. This engine, which incidentally comes from the Gold Wing, is a model of smooth running – so gliding is fun.

(Saddle up, the team turns on winding country roads of the first and third order)

If the Rocket were human, she would be a sumo wrestler

Muller (at the next stop rips the helmet briskly from the skull and looks in disbelief): What is that? With the Suzuki you can’t get a smart line. It drives like externally controlled. It also brakes modestly. Almost nothing happens at the back.

Henniges: Glad you mentioned the brakes. The Suzuki Intruder M 1800 R is the only one here without ABS. And so that you don’t overbrake it right away, you have prescribed rather blunt brake pads. Initially cautious, they bite harder when they are warmer. But you’re right: of all things, it hardly brakes at all at the rear, so you have to step on it hard. And the fact that you don’t hit the ideal line is partly due to the cardan reactions, but above all to the fat rear tire in size 240/40 plus the mounted Dunlop D 222. The ensemble takes every joint and groove as an opportunity to line up. And as far as the driving experience is concerned: the handlebars, which are stretched far towards the driver, are far from the front wheel. The feedback is accordingly poor. The Brocken really cannot be steered with such precision. But you rode the Harley too. It has the same rear tire dimension …

Muller: The same? The Harley-Davidson V-Rod Muscle is at least not that bad, and the load change reactions are much lower than with the Suzuki. In direct comparison with both, the Harley is more stable, agile and neutral, although it has similar design features. But I just sit worse because I am more inactive. The brakes are really hard – two fingers are enough to brutally decelerate the cart. I would never have thought that a Harley would perform like this. Come on, let’s move on.

"The load changes annoy me with the Roadster as well"

Henniges (after another 80 kilometers): And what do you say now? Did you make friends with the Triumph Rocket III Roadster??

Muller: Hmm, even with the Roadster, the load changes annoy me, although they are not as strong as with the Suzuki Intruder M 1800 R. No, we didn’t become friends. If the Rocket were human, she would be a powerful sumo wrestler who is sure to have problems in real life too. I’m just sitting too high on the machine and everything looks huge – even the steering behavior. Somehow I make bigger turns than planned, although the machine is quite good-natured. I’ll stick with my opinion: if someone put a pistol on my chest and forced me to buy one of these four machines, I’d choose the Honda Gold Wing F6C. She drives just super easy.

Henniges: This “super casual” is due to many things. First of all, there is the relaxed sitting position: You sit completely relaxed, nothing seems strained, everything is easily accessible. In addition, there is the casual power development: silky smooth, always present, always powerful and available regardless of the speed, turbine-like. Casual but also in terms of steering behavior: the fat Honda goes exactly where you want to go. Your comparatively narrow 180 mm rear tire is not annoying with self-steering behavior, and the chassis easily meets all the demands of the road surface. Neither one offers as much convenience as the F6C, does it? What do you think?

Muller: Exactly! If you want to cruise comfortably, at least in this constellation, you cannot ignore the Honda. The spring elements cushion everything and the seat is cozy. Still, the thing is not washed soft. My second favorite, right behind: the Triumph Rocket III Roadster. It is also comfortable, although a lot of comfort comes from the thick seat, because the spring elements are not as responsive as those of the Honda. The Triumph passes a few bumps to the driver. Behind them, in terms of comfort, is the Harley-Davidson V-Rod Muscle on par with the Suzuki Intruder M 1800 R..

"The Bat-Mobile from the Batman films"

Henniges: Well, that’s something to start with. And what about suitability for everyday use? Who could be your best buddy there??

Muller: The Honda Gold Wing F6C. You can take a pillion with you on it, and with a consumption of 5.5 liters per 100 kilometers it is also the most economical. Take a look: the Triumph Rocket III Roadster sucks 6.8 liters through the snorkel under identical circumstances. In addition, the Honda really looks good. However, I’d put up the license plate and unscrew the silly pockets. Then you have something like the Bat-Mobile from the Batman movies. And you?

Henniges: Also the Honda. But not because it is economical, but technically works great, looks cool and drives most neutrally. On it you have to withdraw the least, it can be moved the most dynamically despite its massive weight, and it is comfortable. That makes my everyday life stress-free, which is extremely important to me.

Harley-Davidson V-Rod Muscle

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Harley-Davidson V-Rod Muscle.

Engine: Two-cylinder, four-stroke, 60-degree V engine, two overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder,
Injection, Ø 53 mm, five-speed gearbox, toothed belt, bore x stroke 105.0 x 72.0 mm, displacement 1247 cm³, power 89 kW (121 PS) at 8250 / min, torque 115 Nm at 6500 / min.

Landing gear: Double loop frame made of steel, upside-down fork, Ø 43 mm, two-arm swing arm, two spring struts, double disc brake at the front, Ø 300 mm, disc brake at the rear, Ø 300 mm, ABS, tires front 120/70 ZR 19, rear 240/40 VR 18, Wheelbase 1702 mm, spring travel f / h 102/74 mm, seat height 700 mm, weight with a full tank of 307 kg, load 181 kg, tank capacity 18.9 liters, colors: black metallic, black, beige, red.

Price: Test motorcycle including ancillary costs 18,595 euros.

Honda Gold Wing F6C

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Honda Gold Wing F6C.

Engine: Six-cylinder four-stroke boxer engine, one overhead camshaft, two valves per cylinder, injection, Ø 40 mm, five-speed gearbox, cardan shaft, bore x stroke 74.0 x 71.0 mm, displacement 1832 cm³, power 86 kW (117 PS) 5500 rpm, torque 167 Nm at 4000 rpm.

Landing gear: Bridge frame made of aluminum, telescopic fork, Ø 45 mm, single-joint single-sided swing arm, central spring strut with lever system, double disc brake at the front, Ø 310 mm, disc brake at the rear, Ø 316 mm, ABS, tires 130/60 R 19; 180/55 R 17, wheelbase 1707 mm, spring travel f / r 140/105 mm, seat height 734 mm, weight with a full tank 356 kg, load 168 kg, tank capacity 22.9 liters, color: black.

Price: Test motorcycle including ancillary costs 22,854 euros *.

* Price including chrome side cover (239 euros), leather saddlebags (815 euros), saddlebag carrier and assembly kit (455 euros).

Suzuki Intruder M 1800 R Black Edition

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Suzuki Intruder M 1800 R Black Edition.

Engine: Two-cylinder four-stroke 54-degree V-engine, two overhead camshafts each, four valves per cylinder, injection,
Ø 56 mm, regulated catalytic converter, five-speed gearbox, cardan shaft, bore x stroke 112.0 x 95.0 mm, displacement 1783 cm³, power 92 kW (125 PS) at 6200 / min, torque 160 Nm at 3200 / min.

Landing gear: Double loop frame made of steel, upside-down fork, Ø 46 mm, two-arm swing arm, central spring strut with lever system, double disc brake at the front, Ø 310 mm, disc brake at the rear, Ø 275 mm, tires 130/70 ZR 18;
240/40 VR 18, wheelbase 1710 mm, spring travel f / h 130/118 mm, seat height 700 mm, weight with a full tank of 350 kg, load 215 kg, tank capacity 19.5 liters, colors: yellow / black.

Price (special edition): Test motorcycle including ancillary costs 15,670 euros.

Triumph Rocket III Roadster

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Triumph Rocket III Roadster.

Engine: Three-cylinder four-stroke in-line engine, two overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, injection, Ø 52 mm, regulated catalytic converter, five-speed gearbox, cardan shaft, bore x stroke 101.6 x 94.3 mm, displacement 2294 cm³, output 108.8 kW (148 HP) at 5750 / min, torque 221 Nm at 3250 / min.

Landing gear: Backbone frame made of steel, upside-down fork, Ø 43 mm, two-arm swing arm, two spring struts, double disc brake at the front, Ø 320 mm, disc brake at the rear, Ø 316 mm, tires 150/80 ZR 17; 240/50 VR 16, wheelbase 1695 mm, spring travel v / h 120/105 mm, seat height 770 mm, weight with a full tank 370 kg, payload 219 kg, tank capacity 24.0 liters; Colors: black, matt black.

Price: Test motorcycle including ancillary costs 18,490 euros.

MOTORCYCLE measurements

25th photos

Pictures: V-Rod Muscle, Gold Wing F6C, Intruder M 1800 R and Rocket III in the test

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engine.

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Quite untypical for a Harley: In contrast to the somewhat phlegmatic air-cooled 45-degree V2 engines, the water-cooled 60-degree V2 in the V-Rod is almost hungry for revs. And with this quality, he is alone in this quartet. Because the Rocket, for example, would like to move between 1800 and 3500 tours – this is where the gigantic 2.3-liter drive feels most comfortable. No wonder, as it also provides its strongest torque in this area: 203 Nm is a word and cannot be topped that quickly. The Honda six-cylinder doesn’t like high engine speeds either: it feels most comfortable between 2500 rpm and 4000 rpm and runs overall the smoothest of all drives. The strongest pulse of the quartet is provided by the Suzuki, whose V2 not only sounds the best, but also vibrates the most passionately. Your V2 manages the best balancing act between power at low and high speeds.

* Manufacturer information; ¹Power on the crankshaft. Measurements on the Dynojet roller test stand 250, corrected according to 95/1 / EG, maximum possible deviation ± 5%

Conclusion

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Pictures: V-Rod Muscle, Gold Wing F6C, Intruder M 1800 R and Rocket III in the test

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