Comparative test of the Supermoto two-cylinder

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Comparative test of the Supermoto two-cylinder

Very close

The perfect bikes for cornering? Two-cylinder supermotos are pretty damn close. KTM presented the 950, BMW followed suit with the HP2 ?? and Ducati tuner Kamna has put a forerunner of the future Hypermotard on wheels.

The boundaries between the categories are fluid, becoming more and more blurred. The sharp parting lines are gradually flushed. What is still a supermoto, what is a naked bike or maybe a fun bike? Do off-road qualities decide? Although hardly anyone turns off the asphalt with the stylish motorcycles anyway. Define the travel, seating position or optics of the tribal affiliation?

Not really matter. It is still this concept, this mixture of street racer and off-roader, which interpreters the omnipresent adjective "cool" in its original sense. Something that turns on, stimulates, seduces. Also because
it signals: you will be the master. The one with the broad one
Handlebars keep the wasp-waist bike under control and won’t be overwhelmed by the 100 hp units.
Like the KTM 950 Supermoto. V-twin cylinder with 942 cc displacement, tubular space frame, packaged in an outrageously aggressive design. The whole thing for a good 11,000 euros. Brand new:
the BMW HP2. The hardcore enduro, Bayern’s bold advance into the off-road sport segment for almost a year, is now also available on 17-inch bikes. The asphalt accessories are available as a bonus to the studded version: two fully tyred spoke wheels including a 320 millimeter brake disc in the front wheel
are now standard equipment. The price increase is moderate at 900 euros, but the entry tariff of 16,900 euros is less moderate. The engine and drive come from the 1200 GS, the tubular space frame with upside-down fork and unusual air suspension strut and the entire periphery of the HP2 are new designs.
And then ?? Curtain up ?? tea D.ucati Hypermotard. Scusi
Signori, happy too soon. The much-admired study is just about to begin
roll off the Bolognese bands as a production bike for the 2007 season. Which is why the Ducati premium forge Kamna (www.ducati-kaemna.de) steps in. Based on the Multistrada, the North Germans put a self-made Hypermotard on the wheels. A slim racing front replaces the round touring fairing. The 1000 two-valve V2 engine, which will also fire the future model, promises more power thanks to the four millimeter larger bore that has increased its displacement to 1079 cm3. There is also a lower handlebar and one
Marving exhaust system. Nevertheless: The Schnupper-Motard is a private initiative? also not a bargain for 14,300 euros? rather as a test vehicle and a furtive glimpse into the future.
The very first contact shows how broadly the topic of supermoto bikes is being addressed. Despite the 17-inch model, it sits enthroned high up on the BMW offroad-like. The raised handlebars literally stretch out towards the driver who has moved back, the cockpit looks extremely archaic, minimized to the bare minimum. The HP2 exudes a touch of the early GS. The KTM looks tidy and well-styled, the riding posture on the flat seat is relaxed but aggressively leaned forward. The Duc denies its origin as pure
Not a road machine, with its comparatively flat handlebars, the slightest thought of off-road trips is forbidden.
Nobody cares anyway. Because curves are what these bikes live for. For nothing else. Winding asphalt, winding streets. Where the vertical is reduced to the transit route when changing lean angles. And it is precisely this attitude that has been internalized in Mattighofen. The KTM slams around corners as if on rails, can be thrown from turn to turn in a playful way, conveying absolute trust every second. It’s hard to believe that the Austrian, weighing 206 kilograms, is in the same weight class as the other two two-cylinder models. The suspension contributes a good part of this. A proud 200 or 210 millimeters of spring travel of the White Power elements smooth out rumble slopes, a successful damping adjustment minimizes the rocking feared on these work routes during hard acceleration or braking maneuvers.
And the latter can be severe. With a radial hand pump and radially attached brake calipers with individual blanks, the 950er decelerates technically highly topical and brutal. The transition to the gas in the middle of the curve is virtually jolt-free. Minimal load change reactions, the extremely direct steering behavior and the sporty seating position add up to a full Supermoto feeling. That the engine still increases. Although the 950 carburetor unit lacks the forced start of the injecting 990 relative, the 75-degree V2 starts still vigorously and pushes forward vehemently from mid-rev. I really want to be kept in good spirits with the precisely and smoothly shifting gear.
Like the BMW, by the way, the ?? who would
thought that ?? at least in
the acceleration phase mutated into a full-fledged supermoto racer. With a lot of bang from the lower speed range, the HP2 ?? HP stands for high performance ?? It lives up to its name and easily keeps up with the KTM. Your offroad-
However, the HP2 cannot hide genesis. Not only does the boxer, which has been freed from its balancer shaft, vibrate noticeably at higher engine speeds, but also the 270 and 250 millimeter long spring travel, including damping adjustment, have been adopted unchanged from the studded version. In other words: The spring elements filter every small distortion without leaving any residue, but they require a moderate throttle and brake hand. As if in a dive, the Marzocchi fork dips when braking, and when accelerating in an inclined position, bumpy asphalt quickly punches the narrow 150 mm rear tire. Tea monoshock from Continental, which springs and dampens with air, does not make tuning easy. Only two levels of damping are available. If you try to adjust the suspension more tightly and increase the standard air pressure of five bar, this reduces the negative spring travel and brings the basic set-up completely out of balance.
On top of that, noticeable load change reactions interferes. Tight turns are still best done with the corrective foot on the rear brake and your finger on the clutch lever. Those with are not very helpful in the twisted terrain
60.5 degrees strikingly flat steering head and the extremely long wheelbase of 1610 millimeters.
Which in turn gives the BMW advantages on more open terrain. Then the pilot enjoys the stoic calm in the landing gear, the rich pulling power of the boxer engine and the lively change of bank angle favored by the low center of gravity. Even the front brake is nice. Because the simple solution of screwing a simple 320 mm washer into the front wheel with the same brake caliper and armature works with the HP2. Moderate hand strength, acceptable dosing and stability are astonishing even with forced corner grinding.
The Kamna-Ducati follows the wild duo almost surreptitiously.
The Duc has nothing to do with the casual appearance. Of course, the extremely direct response to the souped-up 90 degrees-
V-twin turns on. A pick on the gas and the front-
wheel shoots up effortlessly. This pressure from below,
he conveys sovereignty and aggressiveness in equal measure. A character to which the ex-Multistrada does not remain true to. Tea
The fork and the shock absorber, both in terms of spring rate and damping, are marginally tight, spoil the desire for a brisk ride on low-traffic, but mostly somewhat bumpy provincial roads as well as the high righting moment when braking in an inclined position. Ultimately, the comparatively low handlebars and the less active seating position contribute to making the quick dash on the Duc a strenuous exercise.
Don’t get me wrong. Tea faster the route, the smoother the surface, the more the genetically modified Italian gets on the fur of her colleagues. They understand the advantages of their superb brakes, their stable undercarriage and the full pressure of the air-cooled engine in every speed range. But she knows herself that she is a naked bike. Perhaps not a bad one, but she likes to leave the Hypermotard topic to her unborn sister.

Comparative test of the Supermoto two-cylinder

Very close

Conclusion

Studded wheels out, 17-inch wheels in, with a large front brake disc on top, the Drifter is ready. This principle for Supermoto conversions has long outlived itself. KTM knows that and has
With the 950 twin-cylinder, a machine is put on its wheels that inspires in every respect. BMW has to read a few more pages in the history book of the Supermoto. The basis of the HP2 is good, the boxer concept certainly has its charm, but it still takes a lot of fine-tuning before the Stollenross becomes a wishbone. And the Ducati? The Kamna-Duc remains her destiny, that of an uncompromising one
Naked bikes, loyal ?? The company-internal Supermoto premiere is better left to the Hypermotard.

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