Sports tourers through the ages

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Sports tourers through the ages
Blacksmith

Sports tourers through the ages

Sports tourers through the ages

Sports tourers through the ages

Sports tourers through the ages

11 photos

Sports tourers through the ages
Valentina Schmieder

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Sports tourers through the ages
Blacksmith

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Thomas Schmieder (47), test editor: The Triumph Sprint ST 1050 grew very dear to me during the brilliant endurance test.

Sports tourers through the ages
Jahn

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YAMAHA FZS 1000 Fazer: The 600 Fazer was followed in 2001 by the touring 143 HP grenade.

Sports tourers through the ages
duke

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BMW R 1100 RS: BMW’s technology platform in 1993 with the first four-valve boxer and Telelever.

Sports tourers through the ages
Jahn

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Triumph SPRINT RS: Compactly packaged load world champion (266 kilos!) From the year 2000.

Sports tourers through the ages
Ducati

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Ducati ST2: The touring hybrid from 1997 remained unsuccessful like the other ST.

Sports tourers through the ages
Schwab

7/11
Kawasaki GPZ 900 R: Born in 1984 as a super sports car, since 1990 it has matured worthy of a sports tourer.

Sports tourers through the ages
Blacksmith

8/11
With greaves: Honda built the most beautiful sports tourer of the 80s from 1981 in the form of the CB 900 F II. Even if it was still called “touring athlete” back then …

Sports tourers through the ages
Gargolov

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What characterizes a sports tourer?

Sports tourers through the ages

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Sports tourer in 2006: Displacement from 782 to 1170 cm³, two cylinders in line, as a 90-degree V and as a boxer, furthermore in-line three-cylinder and V4!

Sports tourers through the ages
Valentina Schmieder

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The Triumph Sprint ST 1050 fully packed on tour in the Ukraine.

Sports tourers through the ages

Generalists are out?

Sports tourers were very popular in the 1980s and 1990s. But today they are an endangered type of motorcycle: a few years ago there were many more machines for traveling and lawning than there are today. Generalists are out?

A.Turning back a few years: in 2006, five sports tourers took part in the MOTORRAD comparison test. Machines that made for a lot of driving fun plus a comfortable journey to the target area, including pillion passengers and luggage. But they also put you in a good mood at racetrack training. Both-and-motorcycles that weren’t extreme, just extremely versatile: good touring suitability and a high level of everyday competence, paired with brisk driving performance and sporty driving characteristics.

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Sports tourers through the ages

Sports tourers through the ages
Generalists are out?

The seating position must be good for long stages

Where does the versatility come from? Well, a sports tourer mustn’t be too heavy and has to pamper you with brisk driving performance – from 90 hp it should be. No problem, because many engines originally come from athletes and have been tamed in terms of power and maximum speed, which promises a high level of durability. Sensual handlebar stubs and slightly set back footrests ensure a sporty driving experience. Nevertheless, the seating position for driver and pillion must also be suitable for long stages. Ideally with a thickly padded bench, a light pull on the spine that has a relieving effect and yet not too much weight on the wrists. Really casual.

For sport and touring alike, sleek, slim and yet well shielding half or full panels are available. For full touring suitability, there are also reasonably large tanks, a decent load and options to take your seven things with you (suitcase, luggage racks). Top-speed stable and at the same time easy to swallow to comfortable chassis finally complete the balancing act: agile and stable. Only the interaction of many criteria makes a real sports tourer. Therefore, not every “all-rounder” is also one. Those who are too sedate, too fat or too lame are not one of them. Naked bikes fall out, as do machines with major chassis weaknesses.

Sports tourers were top sellers and trendsetters back then

A completely upright driver’s posture is also almost a knockout criterion. A sports tourer shouldn’t be too radical either. Suzuki Hayabusa and Kawasaki ZZR 1400 have the right approaches, but as speed bikes they are already in their own niche. Sports tourers in the narrower understanding outlined here were still top sellers and trendsetters not so long ago. Here is an example: From 1986 the brilliant VFR 750 F established this segment in its purest form. Every four years, Honda pushed a thoroughly revised or even completely new VFR. Even today, RC36s built between 1990 and 1998 are considered to be the best that the used market has to offer in terms of universal youngtimers. In twelve years, the 750 VFRs found over 88,000 buyers in Europe alone, 20,000 of them in Germany. But since 2002 Honda got out of step with model cycles and new sales. The current VFR 800 F has an engine that is basically 14 years old. And the big 1200 sister has an easy-care cardan and goes off really fast. But high consumption, shorter range and small suitcases are weak points. “Neither nor” instead of “Both and?”

BMW’s first four-valve series boxer celebrated its premiere in 1993 in a sports tourer, the R 1100 RS: Telelever, G-Kat, injection – the Bayern bomber was a real technology carrier. But from 2001 the facelifted 1150 could no longer build on the first sales successes. Since 2006, the R 1200 ST was more consistent, a really good motorcycle. But their ugly design, the front is reminiscent of Moulinex kitchen machines, consistently killed the entire BMW boxer segment. Others could not be beautiful or overly futuristic either. Aprilia, for example, first with the SL 1000 Falco, then later in the form of the RST 1000 Futura.

Triumph Sprint RS and Sprint ST flopped

Ducati’s ST2 and ST4 models didn’t exactly win design awards either. Especially since the Ducatista did not accept its touristic attempt in the literal sense of the word. It’s a shame, because with adjustable handlebar stubs such as silencers and cases ex works, they were Ducati-atypically versatile from 1997 onwards. Today they are available cheaply used, much cheaper than the Ducati athletes with the same V2. With the discontinuation of the ST3 Ducati even buried one of its best and most supple engines ever, without a sound, and never saved the three-valve engine over to another model. A pity.

From the year 2000, Triumph even afforded the luxury of offering a sportier and a more touristy sports tourer. But both the half-faired Sprint RS and the fully clad Sprint ST ultimately flopped. Economic failures like this reduced the range of sports tourers. Sporty all-rounders get under the wheels. There are many reasons for this. On the one hand, the most important age group among motorcyclists is between their mid-40s and mid-50s. They like to be more comfortable.

GS, adventure & Co. blossomed into true all-rounders

The latest generation of large travel enduros in particular are considered to be the real killer of sports tourers: often with more than 100, even up to 150 hp, they are good for dynamic, brisk rides even on very furrowed roads. They can do “trans-sport” even better than the sports tourers, and offer better seating and suspension comfort. GS, adventure & Co. blossomed into true all-rounders, are hard to beat on the home route and a stunner on vacation. Supreme driving feeling behind wide handlebars with an upright sitting position. It is not for nothing that the travel enduro is the technology pioneer among boxers at BMW today. At Ducati, it was the Multistrada 1200 that became a real success among generalists.

There is also another trend: the second and third motorcycle. Many motorcyclists now own two or more different machines. These can then be highly specialized. An athlete for the racetrack plus a second machine just as you like it.

So many no longer have the need for one motorcycle for everything. In addition, the annual mileage fell sharply. With often only 2,000 or 3,000 kilometers a year, seating comfort doesn’t really matter. Only a minority still drives thousands of kilometers on vacation with passengers, sacks and bags. When it comes to long-haul journeys, motorbikes park much more often than they used to be in the van or on the car trailer. This keeps the tires round and the mood high on monotonous motorway journeys. A whole service industry lives from the bike shuttle. Then you can go on a relaxed alpine tour or plow through the Pyrenees with (power) naked bikes or super athletes. Perhaps word of the advantages of sports touring will get around again: being sensual and yet sensible! On the highways, they are better at arcing than touring enduros, on country roads they are more sporty than top tourers. Driving pleasure with comfort and dynamism is – well done – not a lazy compromise, but almost squaring the circle.

What characterizes a sports tourer?


Gargolov

This characterizes a sports tourer.

Luggage storage: Tailoring of the tail and exhaust must allow panniers or sturdy suitcases (often ex works), luggage hooks / bridges are often available; Payload suitable for touring.

Bench: Nicely padded and comfortably tailored – also for the pillion passenger.

tank: Big enough for medium to long ranges.

Handlebar: Mostly stub (partially adjustable) for a moderately sporty, slightly bent posture.

Cladding: Half or full cladding with good wind protection, cut rather slim from the front, good consideration in the mirrors.

Footrests: For the driver moderately high and set back for good freedom of inclination with an even more comfortable arrangement; for the pillion passenger with sufficient distance to the seat.

Engine: At least two cylinders, smooth and easy to turn, strong enough for fast driving performance.

Landing gear: Track stable on the autobahn with easy-to-swallow, not too tightly coordinated spring elements.

Brakes: Strong, but not too toxic, with sufficient reserves for a full load.

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Sports tourers through the ages

Sports tourers through the ages

Sports tourers through the ages

Sports tourers through the ages
11 photos

Images: Sports tourers through the ages

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Sports tourers through the ages

Valentina Schmieder

Sports tourers through the ages

Blacksmith

Sports tourers through the ages

Jahn

Sports tourers through the ages

duke

Sports tourers through the ages

Jahn

Sports tourers through the ages

Ducati

Sports tourers through the ages

Schwab

Sports tourers through the ages

Blacksmith

Sports tourers through the ages

Gargolov

Sports tourers through the ages

Sports tourers through the ages

Valentina Schmieder

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