Test and technology: Ten very cool machines with their owners

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Test and technology: Ten very cool machines with their owners
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Test and technology: Ten very cool machines with their owners

The coolest motorcycles of the 2014 season
Coal, coke and cool boxes

Ten two-wheeled personalities met at the beginning of November on the grounds of the Zeche und Kokerei Zollverein World Heritage Site in Essen: MOTORRAD readers with ten completely different, iconic machines that have only one thing in common: They are simply cooler than others.

Thomas Schmieder

11/20/2014

The venture is daring. Can you define coolness in motorcycles? One can try. According to Wikipedia, the term cool (also coolness; from English: cool = cool, cold) “is used to describe a particularly relaxed or casual, nonchalant, cool, confident, controlled and not nervous attitude or mood”. So stay cool, keep a cool head, stay calm. So balanced, calm, sublime personalities are cool. Applies to people and machines.

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Coal, coke and cool boxes

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In a subjective pre-selection, the editorial team selected ten special types of motorcycles from completely different styles and categories. And then invited their owners and dealers to Essen. To find out what motivated your purchase decision. They should explain from their point of view why their motorcycle is cool. What they have to say is on the next ten pages. Just so much in advance: Despite all the differences – and they are huge – there are also similarities. These are outstanding motorcycle types, machines with flair and charisma. Timeless types and trendsetters, audience favorites and underdogs, PS monsters and decelerators, chrome boxes and plastic bombers.

I drive, therefore I am!

Motorcycles are the ones that offer real, earthy, authentic experiences. Machines that are a little different, sloppy, casual and casual. Above all, inappropriately, against the mainstream. And still trendy, hip. For people who go their own way. I drive, therefore I am! Not inaccessible and hypothermic, but informal, not passionate, but informal. Machines that really move us, not just carry us from A to B, are cool. As a Yamaha press release says: “The future belongs to motorcycles that inspire at first glance and exceed all expectations on the way.” Machines with peculiarities that are able to do their job with ease.

Noticeable: six of the ten selected machines have traditional air cooling. Looking like in the past often gives motorcycles a cool aura – with cooling fins, chrome and, if you like, kick starters. You could now add vertical shaft and appreciate a Kawasaki W 800. Yes, it would have fit in nicely. But the topic of traditionalism is already triumphant Scrambler and Royal Enfield Continental GT. The Indian represents the type of cafe racer, certainly one of the coolest motorcycle segments ever. Real feeling!

Ultimately, the ten machines from different segments are representative here. Because there are many other cool motorcycles in every segment. Another trend is evident: many traditional manufacturers are represented. Indian and Royal Enfield produced their first motorcycles in 1901, Triumph in 1902, and Harley-Davidson in 1903; BMW followed in 1923. Indian and Triumph do not have a continuous history. But their historical core, the essence of their brand, is a trump card for stylish, classic motorcycles. Welcome to be amazed on the grandiose Zollverein site. To brands, myths and engines.

Harley-Davidson Softail Breakout

A story about cool motorcycles has to start with this Harley. Of course, every Milwaukee iron comes across as damn casual – the company lives from this nimbus, this aura. But the fat breakout (in German: outbreak) is super cool, the queen of cool. “Because it is an off-the-shelf custom bike that no longer needs to be changed,” says Barbara Niemann. The 21,000 euros are not even expensive, rather small money: “In the past, a Softail pimped in the custom scene easily cost 35,000 euros upwards.” Barbara has a Dyna Fat Bob herself. “But the way it stands here, the Breakout will clearly be my next motorcycle.”

Barbara thinks: “It just looks good, straight, wide handlebars, no frills. And it’s not too big. ”Keep it simple. “Colorful mopeds are not my thing, a motorcycle has to be black for me. That looks simpler. But the Breakout suits her white. ”After all, the Breakout is the only Softail with evil black silencers, kept short and sweet. “Chrome is only available where it fits, not too much.” Everything looks as if it was built to last. More massive metallic, thicker paint, more shiny chrome than the rest of the motorcycle world. Chic: the short rear fender with side taillights in the indicators. Form follows emotion.

“Nevertheless, women still have to be able to drive it.” Harleys are just not that “light-footed”. This also applies to the 324 kilogram breakout. “I’m used to that from my Dyna. The main thing is that I can get them in and out of the garage by myself, still turned inside. ”Okay, there are more active Harleys than the Breakout. Long wheelbase, flat steering head, 21-inch front wheel and 240 mm rear roller that likes to stand up: good geometry for turns, easy handling looks different. Does not matter. Because this motorcycle explains itself. A Harley is a Harley, a statement on wheels, a moving exclamation mark. Stop unnoticed? Forget it. It doesn’t even take two seconds to go from zero to envy. Proud of ownership, see and be seen on the promenade. The buttocks are low, the legs are casually stretched forward in a chopper position, the feet are placed on pegs, the arms stretched out towards the low, straight handlebars. Refined on all Softails: two hidden spring struts on the triangular swingarm give the impression of a rigid frame. The V2 with four bumpers and 103 cubic inches (inches), 1690 cubic inches, stomps and shakes. Good vibrations! Driving performance? Unimportant. Perfomance? Sufficient (75 hp). Torque? Fat 130 Newton meters.

Cruising through the urban canyons with it is the coolest kind of sightseeing. Every meter is an experience, an inimitable feeling of wellbeing. Clutch and single disc need power. Woman soon achieved something. The Breakout is well received: 1003 copies sold to date make it the best-selling US Big Twin in Germany in 2014, plus 262 copies of the CVO Softail Breakout (at 29,000 euros!) Even the best-selling Harley ever. respect!

Yamaha MT-07

In a way, ”says tuning professional Jochen Schmitz-Linkweiler from LSL about the MT-07,“ it is the new contemporary bread-and-butter motorcycle for Europe: light, compact, high-torque and inexpensive. Quasi a bandit for the next few years. ”But the lively machine is not only convincing rationally, it also inspires emotionally. In any case, Barbara, known as Babsi, Konig has “at first sight looked into the little Yamaha Crush. Exactly as it was standing there, bright fire red, at the absolutely recommendable dealer Yamaha Engel in Haltern am See. I was fascinated by lightness and color … ”But also the low price of around 6,000 euros:“ A motorcycle for 10,000 euros wouldn’t have turned me on so much. ”

The lively whirlwind still holds what the first rendezvous promised: “The Yamaha is very agile, I can get around all corners with it. It’s as easy to ride as my women’s bike. ”Easy going doesn’t just mean driving here.“ This motorcycle also makes it easy for me to push and maneuver. Or when I stand at the traffic light and get off balance for a second, I’m not the greatest. ”Cool, because everything is so simple. Real meets felt lightness, 182 kilograms including ABS. The Honda CBF 500, which Babsi had before, was already very sociable. “But it didn’t have enough horsepower for me in the long run, only 57.”

The Yamaha two-cylinder with 690 cc and 75 cheery horses offers a lot more punch. “This engine is lively, pulls well and always has enough power. You can’t get rid of it that fast! ”Every test attests to the economical twin’s wide rev range. Don’t call me cute In addition, according to Babsi, there is the “nice, gentle, not too rough throttle response”. The two-cylinder with 270 degrees crank pin offset of the crankshaft imitates the uneven firing order of a 90-degree V2. Including the resulting sound. On vacation trips in the mountains, Babsi came to appreciate her Yamaha very much: “All in all, she is a balanced, not too wild character.”

Is the MT-07 a typical women’s motorcycle? “No, definitely not. My husband really likes to drive it too. ”For the Essen resident there is another completely different argument:“ I like the way I can snuggle up to the slim upper body of my motorcycle ”(she means the tank),“ that reminds me of that Riding a horse. ”Well, the MT-07 is always sensitive to gentle thigh pressure. “Feeling the motorcycle and directing it without thinking, that’s what it’s all about.” And about its attractive appearance: “I like the design, but it wasn’t the decisive factor.”

MOTORRAD can only confirm all these experiences, with the best price-performance ratio of all current machines! A (re) entry-level motorcycle that also inspires old hands with its great handling and high fun factor. Despite the simple knitted chassis with conventional telescopic fork and steel swing arm, the MT-07 drives very harmoniously and neutrally. 2613 copies in 2014 mark it as the best-selling Yamaha in Germany, it is in third place of all new sales! That’s really tough.

Test and technology: Ten very cool machines with their owners

Naked bike


Premiere Yamaha MT-09

Three cylinder toy

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Test and technology: Ten very cool machines with their owners

Naked bike


Yamaha MT-09 in the top test

Queuing for the fleet manager

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Test and technology: Ten very cool machines with their owners

Naked bike


Yamaha MT-09 in the top test

Queuing for the fleet manager

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BMW R nineT

Ninety years after the R 32 – R nineT stands for 90, ninety – was a big hit with BMW’s anniversary model. This boxer broke with conventions, sparked a trend and a surge in demand. The roadster is not a real retro bike, but a successful, cool mix of styles of classically inspired design and modern components. Would you like some examples? For example the historicized nameplate on the steering head, the lamp bell made of solid metal and the aluminum tank made in the Berlin plant with brushed, painted over flanks. Furthermore, the combination of chrome wire spokes and black aluminum rims on the wheels as well as round instruments with traditional scaling.

Lots of delicious eye candy details are spread across the machine. In addition, there is the module concept for individual optical adjustment (“customizing”) ex works. BMW would never have been expected to do something so cool before. For the nineT, the Bavarians forego traction control and full equipment, instead of Telelever they use an almost traditional-looking upside-down fork. And of course the already overhauled air-cooled 110 hp boxer with 1170 cubic meters. Water cooling would not have fitted into the concept. In terms of color, the factory is the same with the blessed Ford T-model: black, that’s that! With this reduction to the really essentials, the puristic driving machine hits the heart. Feeling instead of utility!

“BMW finally got this motorcycle out of the dusty corner,” says Veronika Beckmann. “I wouldn’t have bought an R 1200 R.” The driving instructor and her friend Michael also have a BMW S 1000 RR and an S 1000 R. “I don’t want to be squeezed into a typical women’s division.” As a girls’ motorcycle, it is wiry -sensual R nineT hardly through. Veronika saw her for the first time live at BMW in Dusseldorf. “After that, the thought of this machine fermented in my head for four weeks.” There were long delivery times. “Luckily we found an ad on Mobile. Now we are doing hard tours with the R nineT ”, 9,000 kilometers in one season. “It’s not just something for taking a walk from ice cream parlor to ice cream parlor, but really crisp, really active. That turns on. “

The issue of lean angle then becomes the topic: “The footrests grind quite early, then the cylinders are no longer far.” That is probably the knockout criterion for an R nineT Cup. “The boxer has peculiarities, offers a lot of power from below. When you sit on this motorcycle, you talk to it. This is a perfect human / machine interaction, simply pure emotion. The really big hit ”, enthuses Veronika. Fine haptics meet aesthetic design and powerful, sonorous acoustics: “The Akrapovic exhausts sound really robust.” The 29-year-old has slightly refined her crispy BMW. With a finely crafted aluminum hump ex works, LED indicators, carbon rear wheel cover and Wunderlich license plate holder. For the right motorcycle at the right time: In 2014, the R nineT was the best-selling BMW in this country after the 1200 GS (1408 units). So coolness is measurable.

To the Wunderlich product page for the BMW R nineT

Test and technology: Ten very cool machines with their owners

Modern Classic


BMW R nineT in the PS driving report

Not for wheelie artists and rear wheel drivers

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Royal Enfield Continental GT

It’s still old English motorcycle construction, ”says dealer and enthusiast Burkhard Tech, co-owner of Royal Enfield World in Duisburg. “A long stroke of old shot and grain, 84-hole with a 90 millimeter stroke – where else can you get something like that? And that of course shapes the character of the engine! ”As proof, Burkhard throws the single on, clearly by kicking it; Break for the electric starter. The wonderfully shiny stew chugs dully, vibrates heartily. “It’s not just a motorcycle, it’s a feeling.” And a departure: The Continental GT brings the Indian manufacturer out of a decades-long motorcycle stone age.

In 1970 the main factory in England closed. Since then, Royal Enfield has been producing exclusively in the emerging market of India. Black bikes with carburettors and lots of pre-war technology. But this cafe racer here stands for a new era, has more modern technology: engine and transmission in one unit, injection and G-Kat. In addition, there is the refreshed chassis with a double loop frame instead of a single tube frame. The GT quotes hot Brit bikes from the late 50s and early 60s, the street fighters of the rock ‘n’ roll era. Back for the future!

Yes, the Continental GT is a real splash of color and a glimmer of hope in the model range. An Indian S 1000 RR. Only on a different level. “It’s an anachronism that is lived, honest mechanics, manageable technology: You can also wait for them in the courtyard entrance. Every village blacksmith will replicate the rocker arm for you. ”But ultimately, for Burkhard, too, the joy of riding under the open face helmet is what counts. “You can feel the engine live, it tells you what it needs to have.” Well, the two-valve engine comes from below, doesn’t like to rev up. Shift speed 3000, and the world is fine. 29 PS from 535 cubic meters won’t tear you to pieces when pulling on the cable; long lying is at 142 km / h. So what? But there’s a lot of driving fun until then. Stylish: the sporty posture on the traditional humped bench. But not uncomfortable, the stumps are quite high, above the fork bridge. The Pirelli Sport Demon flu well. Paioli struts with yellow springs plus golden anodized reservoirs, which are difficult to use on Ohlins, absorb bumps well. For just under 6500 euros, that’s a hell of a lot of experience. “It is only when you drive the Continental GT for a longer time”, says Burkhard, “that you notice how much sympathy you have with this motorcycle: A woman recently kissed a customer of mine.” Cool, but not overcooled!

For a small mark: “The beautifully bubbling retrofit muffler costs only 160 euros, including the knee and clamps.” Customizing for little money. The best thing for Burkhard about the Continental GT? “It really drives like it did back then, like an old English motorcycle. But unlike the 40 or 50 year old Triumphs or Nortons, the disc brakes are much better, the supply of spare parts is assured and the reliability is better. “

Test and technology: Ten very cool machines with their owners

Modern Classic


Royal Enfield Continental GT in the driving report

British-Indian cafe racer

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Test and technology: Ten very cool machines with their owners

Modern Classic


Royal Enfield Continental GT in the driving report

Progress in chassis and engine technology

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Triumph Scrambler

The Scrambler is not exactly a top seller from Triumph. Nevertheless, she holds the brand’s flag high here. Because it “embodies the coolest model of the air-cooled Triumph two-cylinder”, as conversion professional Uwe Lohmer from Triumph World Cologne in Rosrath says. Ultimately, it’s a Bonneville with a smaller front fender and wider handlebars. But above all with the exhaust pipe up – a metal scarf thrown cheekily over the shoulder of the engine. Enduro profiles on the front 19 inch, rear 17 inch spoke rims give a bold, unspoilt aura.

Scramblers are pretty hip right now. Real men’s motorcycles in the style of the 60s. From a time when enduros were not yet invented. In your mind’s eye, Steve McQueen triumphs at the Six Days with him or wheelts his Husqvarna with a bare chest through the deserts of California. Real Men – Naked Twins! The designer Georg Godde from the motorcycle manufacturer Cafemoto in Gelsenkirchen explains natural motorcycles as follows: “Form and function as a unit are self-explanatory, no frills, pure, reduced and honest design.” Fits the scrambler. Georg’s judgment? “It combines classic motorcycle design with proper proportions and a harmonious overall look, but still leaves enough room for individualization.”

Uwe Lohmer explains: “The standard Scrambler is not that popular, it only hits a nerve when it is rebuilt. Because then it looks and sounds much better. ”As with this copy: Front and rear fenders from LSL (“ scarcer and sexier ”), misplaced ignition lock, smaller headlight with more delicate holder. Because of the overly generous dimensioning of all components, the aim is to make the motorcycle “crisp”. To do this, the series exhaust has to go down: “Nobody wants that.” The replacement here comes from Zard, is lighter and more compact.

Zard sounds full and dull. Subjectively, the sound is quite loud despite the E-mark. And the supposed parallel twin is an acoustic illusion: 270 degree crank pin offset results in the sound of a 90 degree V-twin. It’s nice how the engine runs at what feels like 700 revs without stalling. Big cinema on a small scale: the injection nozzles on all Triumph classics. They are hidden in authentic carburetor housings that even house the real cold start boost. Well done. The Scrambler is not really a real enduro. The suspension travel is no longer than on a standard Bonnie: a modest 120 millimeters at the front and a mere 106 at the rear. But for a leisurely motorcycle hike on dirt roads with gravel deposits, it’s definitely enough, even with an impressive 230 kilograms. You don’t have to be fast to feel fast. Uwe Lohmer already sold ten Scramblers in 2014, all of them rebuilt. At prices beyond 10,000 euros. All dealers together came to only 157 copies nationwide. But in the media city of Cologne, something is cool. Good for Triumph World.

Ducati Diavel Carbon

This motorcycle is incomparable, this martial look in combination with a full 162 hp. ”Martina Bauhaus knows what she wants. Namely no more BMW F 800 GS and no Kawasaki Z 1000. She had both before. “But when Ducati 2014 the Diavel Carbon in white, everything was too late – this exclusivity, the unmistakable design and the thump, all of that appealed to me extremely. ”20,000 copies of the previous model in three years are a complete success for Ducati with a maximum of 45,000 motorcycles built annually. Martina by no means likes the unconventional Diavel alone. There were 507 new registrations in 2014 in this country.

The Italian breaks boundaries: martial macho bike or potent power cruiser? Or a damn agile, non-conformist naked bike? A bit of everything. “This is a motorcycle that rolls up its sleeves from a purely visual point of view. For me it is puristic in the literal sense: pure power. ”Wow, that fits. No, Martina won’t go Ducati Niederrhein (“This is the friendliest, most professional Ducati dealer far and wide”) sponsored. It’s just like Borussia Dortmund: real love! Or religion, like at Schalke. She raves, the woman from Moers: “How the lines fit together here – just great. So many coherent details. This motorcycle is made for my heart, my eyes. ”What does Martina mean? “Well, these many fine details, such as the wonderfully elegant milled parts. Or the light forged wheels of my carbon version. ”That’s right, the nine-spoke rims of the Nobel Duc alone should weigh 2.5 kilograms less than the cast wheels of the standard Diavel. However, high-end has its price. The Diavel Carbon costs an impressive 20,990 euros. But there is also a coherent overall impression, a “composition” as Martina calls it. “The exhaust design alone plays a very important role for me.” Fuel molecules can hardly leave a combustion chamber in a more beautiful and exposed way.

With Martina, the martial should like to come into its own. That’s why she moved the license plate upwards: “Then you can see the 240 rear slack better.” She is often asked why she drives such a motorcycle as a woman. “But can you explain love or even define it?” A woman can try it. “The Diavel is a cornering artist, not your usual cruiser. My Duc is really keen on curves, drives so light-footed. It goes around the corner quickly and diagonally and touches down late. “Here is” a lot of power paired with great handling “. Well, three weeks earlier Martina was with her husband Rainer and his KTM 1290 Super Duke R (see next page) on the Stilfser Joch.

At the top, the 90-degree V2 goes off devilishly. Martina jokes: “My husband makes sure that I always have a little less horsepower than him. In turn, I want me to have enough to keep going. ”This is how a lot of experience comes together here. Martina drove 6,500 kilometers from mid-May to the end of October. In 2015, the couple want to get a strong third motorcycle with good passenger comfort. “Let’s see who will prevail from us,” says Martina, “Rainer with one KTM 1290 Super Adventure or me with a new Ducati Multistrada. ”Bets are still being accepted.

Test and technology: Ten very cool machines with their owners

Chopper / cruiser


Ducati Diavel Carbon in the driving report

Macho bike or potent power cruiser?

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KTM 1290 Super Duke R.

Applied Psychology: The color orange stands for happiness and refreshment. A warm color that promises liveliness and exuberance, joy and stimulation. Just like the power donor KTM 1290 Super Duke R. “I would never have taken it in black,” Rainer Bauhaus admits, “a KTM has to be orange for me. I like it. So or not at all! ”At least the front part of the tubular space frame is orange in both paint options. And technology and key data are spectacular – real 172 hp, 142 Newton meters, 272 km / h and 213 kilograms with a full tank are a fourth dimension among naked bikes.

On St. Nicholas Day 2013 this suction drew Rainer to the KTM Team West in Oberhausen “to try it out”; on Valentine’s Day 2014 he got his Super Duke R delivered. One of 1314 copies in 2014 alone! “Of course I am enthusiastic about the great performance, high performance with low weight. I like to have thrust when overtaking. The Super Duke R is just great, an amazing motorcycle. I really enjoy how crazy it pushes it out of the bends with high torque. ”Still, it wasn’t just about the bolt. “We drive life-affirming, have three children at home.” Martina, owner of the Ducati Diavel (Page 45), and Rainer together.

Therefore, a safety feature actually brought him to look at KTM: cornering ABS. So far, however, this is only available for the 1190 Adventure. “It then just became the Super Duke R without this feature.” In the five years since his re-entry, Rainer drove Bavarian motorcycles, BMW R 1200 GS, K 1600 GTL and K 1300 S. Now he is “totally happy” with the Austrian: “Even with 1.96 meters, I fit in well.” Including made-to-measure combination in the factory colors of orange, white and black. “They were available at a low price when you bought them.” Everything about Rainer’s motorcycle is coordinated. “The Remus exhaust goes well with the angular Kiska design and takes up the edges of the radiator trim and lamp mask.” Rainer had various plastic parts coated in a carbon look using water transfer printing. “Real carbon to save weight doesn’t make sense with my 103 kilograms.” Every year Rainer and Martina go to the Alps for one or two weeks. “In 2013 we drove 36 passes with 65,000 meters of altitude over 1,500 kilometers in four days and were named ‘Pass Kings of the Dolomites’.” In 2014, 12,000 kilometers had come together since February. The Super Duke R is well equipped for this: The 75-degree V2 with 1301 cubic meters and huge 108 pistons cracks violently, double throttle valves and four spark plugs with separate mappings cultivate it.

Traction control, adjustable riding modes and great brakes (Brembo monoblocks, two-stage ABS) tame the KTM. Even after hours in the saddle, the Super Duke R remains comfortable, the seating position fits: “Less extreme than many think, the 1290 doesn’t demand too much, but it gives immensely.” The Kati swings effortlessly from curve to curve, holding even on bumpy terrain Terrain clean track. The stable chassis with KTM’s first single-sided swing arm can do almost anything on the country road. A well-drivable top motorcycle for experienced riders, not a bad beast.

Test and technology: Ten very cool machines with their owners

Naked bike


BMW S 1000 R and KTM 1290 Super Duke R in comparison

Who pulls the fur over whose ears??

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Honda Gold Wing F6B

Excavators – read: “Baggar”, from English “bag” – are all the rage in the USA. Like the best-selling Harley in the world, the Street Glide. “Shortened at the front as if with a scythe, at the back as if compressed with a hammer: excavators look strangely showy.” This is how colleague Rolf Henniges described this niche. Honda has the F6B in it as a partially amputated one Gold wing placed. Technically identical to the luxury tourer, it dispenses with parts of the fairing, backrests for driver and pillion, passenger running boards and reverse gear, airbag and topcase. Their seats are less plush and the window is cut off. Plan B: evil instead of baroque!

Don’t worry, there is still enough motorcycle left. 1832 cubic, six cylinders, 391 kilograms. Just how do you come up with this heavy hum? From a completely different corner. At least it was like that with Karim Klausmann. “I got my driver’s license when I was 18, but didn’t find the money for a motorcycle until 2012.” It was a Honda Crossrunner with an 800 V4. “I did six to seven safety and cornering training courses with it, as well as two driving dynamics training from the MOTORRAD action team,” says Karim, “that really brings a lot.” But there was a downside. “I got too quick, I wanted something that slows me down again.” Calm through strength!

The new machine should be suitable for touring on long trips, “combine comfort and coolness because my wife often rides too”. The elongated, imposing F6B (original price: 24,590 euros) fit perfectly into the picture. “I didn’t test drive it at all, I only heard from a colleague how great and silky smooth the six-cylinder boxer runs.” Was that buddy right? “Oh yes, the engine is awesome, simply incomparable. It starts with a hoarse, throaty bark, but then immediately becomes quiet and reserved. Acoustically, the boxer does not push itself into the foreground – that corresponds to my nature. ”Confident: Over 130 Newton meters from 2000 to 6000 tours make you completely relaxed. Only Honda, Subaru and Porsche celebrate the magnificence and magnificence of this drive concept. At the Gold Wing blessed with eternal life, in tens of thousands of copies. Honda has been building four-cylinder boxers since 1974, six-cylinder since 1988.

Proof of the competence of the world’s largest engine manufacturer. Karim is enthusiastic about the handling: “The big bumbler is perfectly balanced. My colleagues with the KTM 990 Adventure or Honda Crosstourer are always amazed at how fast and dynamic you are on the road. ”And all this over a distance of 18,000 kilometers in just six months. Hence the higher disc. “With the F6B, no distance is too far! I even drove gravel passes with her, such as the Sveti Rok in Croatia. ”There is even a YouTube video of that tour. “As proof that you don’t need enduro for this: After a bit of getting used to it, it can be completely relaxed with a normal street machine.” The physiotherapist in Karim comes through.

Honda CB 1100 EX

When Honda launched the CB 1100 finally brought to Europe, it was a step in the right direction for Thorsten Blecker. “But only the much cooler EX version convinced me: with spoked instead of cast wheels and a four-in-two exhaust system, if not four in four.” “I’m connected to machines from the 70s, 80s and 90s. Because I’m a purist, I want honest metal, an air-cooled motor and two wheels, that’s it – no computer and no plastic duck on wheels. ”The heavily classic 1100 series is a great legacy. As a tribute to the CB 750 Four motorcycle of the century, the most important and epoch-making motorcycle of modern times. Only today without metal flake paint. Thorsten ordered his Honda “blindly” without a test drive: “It was a love marriage! Motorcycles are like women – it just has to fit. ”Apparently, familiar shapes from 40 years ago fell on fertile ground: tubular steel frames, chrome mudguards that really deserve their name, taillights in the style of the 70s (unfortunately in a plastic housing), a slightly stepped, Nicely coordinated and lavishly padded bench, the long, flat 17.5 liter tank. The eye goes with you. The ear too. “I’m old school, I just like it when the engine crackles wonderfully when it cools down on a lonely pass, no fan is running.” 16 rows of two millimeter thin cooling fins take care of the heat balance.

This is the four cylinder among the four cylinders. Honda squared. “The 90 hp engine hangs on the gas so gently, so silky. Simply wonderful. ”The ease with which the 262 kilogram motorcycle sets itself in motion on the narrow tires is incomparable. Everything is so easy: clutch, shift, brake. “The four-cylinder runs so wonderfully smoothly. You can ride it with great pleasure from the very bottom, elastic from 1000 tours in each gear. That’s cruising. ”To which the long-translated sixth gear contributes. At 100 km / h, the crankshaft only rotates a gentle 2900 times. For Thorsten, there is usually no need to look at the classically designed round instruments with a gear indicator in between, which were once green-highlighted. “I drive very casually, by hearing and feeling.” A lot. Since April 16, 2014, the man from Hamburg has already ridden 25,000 kilometers without problems on the economical CB. “I’m not a brand fetishist. But Honda has two core competencies: great engine building and good quality assurance. They always bring you home safely. “
What Thorsten enjoys the most: “The built-in relaxation program, even if it really stresses me out at work.” The CB 1100 EX is a whirlpool on wheels. In that, pardon, you switch off completely. An oasis of well-being that does not spoil the somewhat rear-heavy driving behavior. Have any wishes left? “Maybe a little more sound, the CB is already whispering quite quietly. And another approval for the Metzeler Z8. “

Indian Chief Classic

The name alone. Indian. Longing goes with you, Winnetou and Old Shatterhand, Wilder West. In addition, these stylish, sweeping, huge mudguards, real fenders. And in the center of the action sits a mighty V2 that couldn’t be more beautiful. A completely new development, but one that quotes historical shapes from the 1930s to 1950s. When Indian was bigger and more important than arch-rival Harley-Davidson. And the cylinders were still side-controlled, with vertical valves. Technically and optically, the new Indian is an ode to joy. Compliments to the team!

Shiny spoked wheels with whitewall tires, leather saddles and harmonious shapes beguile here. Chrome, sweet Chrome! All of that fueled by a full 111 cubic inches, 1811 cc. Cylinders like beer mugs. Stephan Niemann fell for this charm of the new redskins: “When I saw the Indian, I was completely moved. It’s an emotional motorcycle from a special brand. ”The first contact was made at Indian Dusseldorf:“ Susanne Korffmacher, the boss, gives perfect advice, knows what suits you. ”It sparked right away on the test drive. Between Stephan and the US bike. “I just wanted to go around the corner for a moment, but it took an hour. The Indian was just horny as a monkey. I wanted to swap immediately. “

Well, and so Stephan parted ways with his recently bought Harley Road King (“Everyone in my clique drives Harley”). And switched to an Indian Chieftain, with hard cases and huge disguises. But the Chief Classic shown here is simpler. It also comes from Indian Dusseldorf and is in itself the basic model. If you can say that for a motorcycle weighing 370 kilograms. There are even more accessories: leather panniers, sweeping protection bars, different handlebars and a sonorous exhaust from Jekill & Hyde for the hot stool.

What makes the Indians so special for Stephan? “They just drive well, really great, more modern and more manageable than Harleys. The chassis works well. It’s a lot of fun when you see how the BMW driver in front of you looks in the rearview mirror in shock because he can’t believe it. ”Stephan used to drive a BMW himself. Motion makes emotion. The most important thing is the “heartbeat” of the V-Twin. 113 millimeter stroke, any questions? Two mighty 101 pistons beat the tone and hammer the crankshaft with a powerful punch. “Real steam, that grooves.”

And the image of Indian? “Comes really well! A Harley is exclusive when you convert it. An Indian is exclusively ex works. ”The design looks damn valuable, the styling is unmistakable. “That appeals to an incredible number of people who pull out their camera phones and want to know: What is that?” He already enjoys such attention. “But in the end I drive for myself, prefer understatement.” How cool is the machine now? Stephan thinks about it, remains modest. “I feel good about it. That’s what matters. ”“ Yes, it looks really good, real garage luck. ”Welcome back, Indian! Back for the future. The shortest legend of a cool motorcycle? “Hello”, breathed the street, “nice that you are here.”

Information and tips: Zollverein & Ruhrpott

Good luck for! “The most beautiful colliery in the world”: the coking plant and the Zollverein colliery are landmarks of the Ruhr area, a kind of cathedral of industrial culture. But also a symbol for the transformation of what was once the largest coal mine in Europe into a center for art, culture and design. The “Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex” has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. Spectacular, monumental, gigantic. Info: www.zollverein.de. The area includes Shaft XII with a 58-meter-high winding tower, Shaft 1/2/8 and the coking plant. The mine was in operation from 1932 to 1986, the coking plant from 1961 to 1993. It was considered the most modern in Europe.

The monument protection saved a “unique ensemble of mining architecture” from demolition. Straight, red brick buildings of the colliery embody the style of the new objectivity at the time of construction. 23,000 tons of coal were mined here every day – many times that of a normal mine in the Ruhr area. The completely preserved facilities show the social, aesthetic and industrial history of the coal and steel age. These include the Zollverein mine above and below ground, the coking plant, but also railway systems, heaps and housing estates for miners. There are 65 buildings, over 200 technical systems and machines on the 100 hectare site.

The Zollverein monument trail makes the history of the colliery and coking plant as well as the production process understandable and lively through multimedia use and trained tour guides. It’s worth a visit. The Ruhr Museum is located in the former coal washing plant. It shows the natural and cultural history of the Ruhr area as a “memory and showcase of the Ruhr Metropolis”. Around 1.5 million visitors a year come to Zollverein; only the Cologne Cathedral attracts even more tourists in North Rhine-Westphalia. Information: www.ruhrmuseum.de, www.ruhr-tourismus.de.

Nearby motorcycle meeting places are “Haus Scheppen” directly on the Baldeneysee in Essen, “Kaiserberg” at the Duisburg Zoo and at the Hohensyburg south of Dortmund. Furthermore, the “Bikertreff Vogel” in Marl and the “Drugen Putt” in Haltern am See. Info: www.biker-treff.de. There are many good hotels in the region. The “Art Hotel Korschen” in Essen (www.artho telessen.de) is run by Stephan Niemann, the Indian driver for this article. He has inexpensive, finely designed themed rooms (Harley!). In addition, special motorcycle arrangements: Harley and Indian rental with and without overnight stay (pure rental fee: 199 euros / day). The historic half-timbered hotel “Loemuhle” in Marl is very romantic, while the “Schlosshotel” in Herten-Westerholt is dignified. The “Villa Viktoria” in Dusseldorf, a 100-year-old children’s clinic, is classicist, charming and very lovingly managed.

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