Comparative test travel enduro bikes: Aprilia ETV 1000 Caponord, BMW R 1150 GS, Honda Varadero 1000, Suzuki DL 1000 V-Strom, Triumph Tiger 955i

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Comparative test travel enduro bikes: Aprilia ETV 1000 Caponord, BMW R 1150 GS, Honda Varadero 1000, Suzuki DL 1000 V-Strom, Triumph Tiger 955i
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Comparative test travel enduro bikes: Aprilia ETV 1000 Caponord, BMW R 1150 GS, Honda Varadero 1000, Suzuki DL 1000 V-Strom, Triumph Tiger 955i

Welcome to the club

New members are mostly viewed with suspicion. What do you actually want in the club? Change the status quo, threaten intrigue or even tip the chairman’s chair? The Suzuki V-Strom blew an icy wind at the first club meeting.

The circle is small and illustrious. The conditions of admission: at least 80 horses in the stable, adequate ambience for the life partner, travel-friendly and occasionally to be enthusiastic about pleasant off-road hikes. The club members so far: Aprilia Caponord, the prima donna with the most elitist living space and the most daring forms. BMW R 1150 GS, an urban Bavarian aristocrat, tried and tested in all situations and with the title of President since birth. Honda Varadero, raised under the shining star of unconditional reliability, blessed with an image of innate perfection. And finally the Triumph Tiger, a venerable, British-elegant playmate for partners who like triads.
And now it comes from here. Suzuki V-Strom. The new one who claims to have three fathers. An athlete, an enduro rider and a traveler. A child that mother Suzuki is convinced he will condemn everyone else to detention. With excitement is the first exit ?? some kind of entrance exam? feverishly. 1400 kilometers. Stuttgart ?? Northern Spain. Country road, gravel, motorway, pass drive. Here we go.
Aprilia Caponord: The racy Italian has undoubtedly the most striking face in the club. Otherwise, there are only so many rough edges with splintered windows. The southern designers attached great importance to the enjoyment of bridging distances. Like traveling by train, first class. Driving Caponord is similar. Lots of legroom, a clamped leg angle, a bench that looks like a TV armchair, the suitcases are large, and good weather protection. An opulent cockpit provides information about four kinds of temperatures, two kinds of mileage, fuel level, time ?? everything that is useful to the vacationer. The robust, water-cooled V2 with its 98 hp also conveys the character of a railway. Hangs on the smooth throttle grip like the E-Lock on the joystick, eagerly turns clean and gently vibrating in the highest spheres. And pushes the load forward almost as if on rails. It only gets really fun with the Caponord above 60 km / h. Only then does it cover up its slowness with an extremely stable and direct steering behavior. When cornering slowly, the driver, to put it exaggeratedly, always has the feeling that he has to put an imaginary weight around the front axle, similar to a foresail. How come? On the one hand by the weight of the massive front fairing, on the other hand by the unsuccessful coordination of the fork. The non-adjustable fork collapses halfway when you lift the 254 kilos of Italy from the side stand. The cushioning pad on which the Caponord hovers to the south conveys comfort, but is completely overwhelmed by sporty use or sudden braking. The extreme pulling of the handle for this is due to the blunt brake at the front. Weaknesses that unsettle the Tifosian member of the club when the new ones appear.
BMW R 1150 GS: Resting on the laurels of its victories in the third year after the increase in displacement. With 84 HP, the weakest member of the club in terms of motor power, top positions fell in countless comparative tests. No wonder. She makes an all-rounder. Velvety-soft bench for hours through the Rhone Valley, handy and nimble in the pulsating city traffic of Lyon, precise and balanced when it comes to following the country road. Living with her is an almost optimal partnership. Your air / oil-cooled heart is very healthy. Boxes your way through everywhere, hearty, refreshing and gently vibrating. It lifts slightly above the idle speed of 80 Newton meters and ensures a magical start out of the tightest of turns. BMW is emphatically caring. Thanks to brakes with ABS and a terrific effect, even inexperienced users have the privilege of decelerating as quickly as possible. Once on the move, her 263 kilograms mutate into a fun drug par excellence. No other club member is so heavy, but none is so well balanced, precise and handy in any radius. The secret: geometry and weight distribution. Low center of gravity, extremely large steering angle, shortest wheelbase, steepest steering head angle in comparison, wheel load distribution 50 to 50 ?? THE playmate for big children. That hardly anything changes in the pillion ride with luggage is particularly commendable. Overall, she puts her partner in a pillow for safety. No way seems too far to her, none too stony. Even on gravel passages, the Telelever front wheel control impresses with its extreme stability and brake buckling compensation and compensates for almost all ground attacks.
The self-confident BMW has only a few primal fears. The only thing is that it is mocked because of its comparatively weak engine in the upper speed range and because of its cardan reactions, the associated load change behavior and the slightly uncouth working rear wheel. And maybe that the competition is better able to protect passengers from the wind. There are worse things.
Honda Varadero. The only one with a five-speed gearbox. When it debuted in 1998, it was still decried as a sofa floating on the high seas in a force seven wind. In the course of the last year, the technicians gave the Japanese lady who is very thirsty for fast stages a new set-up of the long-criticized shock absorber. It now shines on the 1400-kilometer stage with full damping, sensitive response with almost the same level of comfort and perfectly parries overweight passengers and ground attacks. The same goes for the fork. It can withstand even the toughest braking attacks. Speaking of brakes. The Varadero is adorned with the compound braking system Dual-CBS. Regardless of whether the impulse to stop is given in front or behind? Both brakes are always activated simultaneously via a distributor valve. This is foolproof and works fine until the brakes are applied. Then, however, the CBS obscures the feeling for the locking limit of the front wheel. Where is the ABS?
Keep calm. Because behind the thunder dome, called a windshield by Honda, apart from various air turbulences, you can slide quite passably towards Spain. The heart of the machine, a silky smooth running V2, hangs cleanly and almost without load changes on the gas and pushes the travel diva stoically and unspectacularly across the latitudes. Not that the good girl is powerless. No, but somehow the 94 horses do their work a little bored. That fits the ambivalent appearance. Your 256 kilograms with a full tank feel like a hundredweight more due to the main focus. The fact that these are still felt to be relatively handy is thanks to the handlebar positioned close to the pilot. With the feeling of being very directly connected to the front wheel, the Varadero instills confidence in its pilot pretty quickly. In addition, there is a feeling that the motorcycle is adapting to the rider in some way and not the other way around. This is rare and unfortunately cannot be proven with measured values. Your handicap? High consumption and poor emissions.
Triumph Tiger. As stubborn as the namesake in the animal kingdom. While MOTORRAD had attested very indifferent steering behavior to a Tiger in issue 5/2002, this specimen gave its pilots unwanted movements due to a poorly fixed, sideways moving seat. A problem that has been recognized and, according to the German importer, will soon be eliminated. But the British woman also likes to bitch around in other ways. Unwilling to start driven hot, shuttles at top speed, bends the partner’s legs even in the top notch of the seat? three there ?? s ?? strongly and demands strong emphasis on the circuit. Visually, it is all about adventure. Narrow rear, raised exhaust, a hint of a windshield, long suspension travel. But Alicante is not Africa. Due to its high center of gravity, the second lightest club member pushes top-heavy through gravel and bends. Both the fork and the shock absorber left mixed impressions on the trip to Spain. The spring of the hindquarters is clearly too soft. In addition, the cushioning is too slack, even with full spring preload the load bobs like an exercise ball in two-person operation. Even the rebound adjustment doesn’t change anything. The fork lacks cushioning. The competition from Honda proves that a healthy dose does not necessarily have to be at the expense of comfort.
The Tiger is the only member of the club who has more than two cylinders. Her water-cooled three-cylinder hangs on the gas, hissing and growling. However, at almost 2500 rpm, British correct bow, takes a breath and only then starts. In terms of torque, however, it is not enough of the competition. But it offers a completely independent driving experience. Much of the road experience is lost due to the long and soft fork and the high-positioned handlebars. The Tiger neither integrates its pilot, nor does it let him participate in what is going on below. The feeling of the road is too indifferent. And the fears? Probably only the one having to carry the red lantern.
Suzuki V-Strom. The new one in the club has a brilliant appearance. Envy is inevitable. 98 horses, powerful torque, stately living space. Braking with bite, easy to dose but requires increasing hand strength. A rear spring strut that casually looks all dangers in the eye, a bench with a pampering aroma and a seating position that fulfills all the driver‘s wishes. Because the V-Strom is emphatically pious. Humming stress-free in the long-translated overdrive towards Spain. But is also hungry for wolves when she goes hunting on French country roads or fights for speed. At 200 km / h, however, it is braked electronically. Its strong heart comes from the TL 1000 S, which was tuned for tours and transplanted into a handy, track-stable chassis with a newly designed aluminum frame. The V-Strom shocks the club members with its unrivaled model weight: 237 kilograms with a full tank. It’s a shame that the whole thing is in size 48. Your weak points? More damping for the fork, more freedom for the lean angle, less effort to couple. Your goal: Admission to the club of large-volume travel enduro bikes and forward with the chairmanship.
It’s not that easy. Location: Vielha, northern Spain, 1200 kilometers south-west of Stuttgart. Which club member has accompanied your partner most caringly up to this point? The highway crown goes to Aprilia’s first-class travel queen. The comfort seats, the best weather protection and the powerful engine are completely convincing. It is followed by Varadero, BMW and V-Strom. The Honda looks somehow compressed, positions the driver and passenger a little more cramped, actually wants a weekend trip instead of a trip around the world. In contrast to the BMW. Here you have space, here you want to be. No matter for how long. However, the driver’s legs are more angled and the weather protection can be expanded. Just like on the V-Strom and the Tiger. But the two have the trump cards for range in hand. The V-Strom can take it on country roads for 431 kilometers without a drink, and the Tiger doesn’t even have to drink until after 470 kilometers. But subconsciously demands a much more active gait than their passive colleagues.
The keyword is active. The break is over, a short summary drawn. Now it’s rock instead of roll, the club storms the pass. The specification: a maximum of 100 km / h. Driving dynamics instead of engine power. Above all, the V-Strom turns into the first bend. Sparks fly up, but Honda and BMW stick to their rear-view mirrors. Tight turns, tricky radii, the ground deceptive ?? GS area. The BMW touches down brutally late, it follows the preselected lines extremely handy and precisely, with the most powerful torque it catapults itself out of the corner exits. The joker of the V-Strom: weight, handiness and a refreshingly lively engine in the upper speed range. The wild card of the Varadero: its almost perfectly tuned chassis. No matter. In terms of cornering stability, the Bavarian does not show anybody. When the asphalt turns into gravel, the showdown is over. The Suzuki has to give way to the BMW and drifts behind with the Honda. Caponord and Tiger struggle with the well-known chassis weaknesses and follow at a distance.
HEven up on the roof of the Pyrenees, after 1,400 kilometers of fun, the V-Strom is accepted into the giant travel club. And from now on she will hold the second chairmanship thanks to her contributions to comfort, weight, driving performance and handiness. It remains to be seen how the travel accessories available from April will perform. She is definitely the sportiest club member by far. However, due to the sum of its properties, the BMW still holds the shots.

Technical data: APRILIA ETV 1000 Capo Nord

Water-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke 60-degree V-engine, transverse crankshaft, two balance shafts, two overhead, chain-driven camshafts each, four valves per cylinder, bucket tappets, dry sump lubrication, electronic intake manifold injection, Ø 47 mm, engine management, double ignition, uncontrolled catalytic converter, E. -Starter.Bore x stroke 97 x 67.5 mm, displacement 998 cm³, rated power 72 kW (98 PS) at 8300 rpm, max. Torque 97 Nm (9.9 kpm) at 6300 rpm Pollutant values ​​(homologation) CO 8.96 g / km, HC 1.10 g / km, NOx 0.23 g / km Power transmission Hydraulically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, O-ring Chassis bridge frame made of aluminum profiles, bolted rear frame, telescopic fork, stanchion diameter 50 mm, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum profiles, central spring strut with lever system, adjustable spring base, and compression damping, double disc brake at the front, Ø 300 mm, double piston calipers, disc brake at the rear, Ø 270 mm, double-piston caliper. 80 VR 19; 150/70 VR 17 tires tested Chassis data Steering head angle 62 degrees, caster 129 mm, wheelbase 1560 mm, spring travel f / h 175/185 mm. Dimensions and weights Seat height * 840 mm, weight with a full tank * 254 kg, payload * 174 kg, tank capacity / reserve 25 / 5 liters. Two-year warranty with unlimited kilometers. Colors blue, red, silver. Price includes VAT and ancillary costs 10 299 euros * MOTORCYCLE measurements

Technical data: BMW R 1150 GS

Engine Air / oil-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke boxer engine, crankshaft lengthways, one overhead camshaft each driven by gears and chain, four valves per cylinder, bucket tappets, bumpers, rocker arms, wet sump lubrication, electronic intake manifold injection, Ø 45 mm, engine management, regulated catalytic converter, E. -Starter.Bore x stroke 101 x 70.5 mm Displacement 1130 cm³ Nominal power 62 kW (84 HP) at 6800 rpm Max. Torque 98 Nm (10 kpm) at 5300 rpm Pollutant values ​​(homologation) CO 3.73 g / km, HC 0.12 g / km, NOx 0.03 g / km Power transmission Hydraulically operated single-disc dry clutch, six-speed gearbox, cardan shaft – / gear unit with screwed subframe, longitudinal control arm telescopic fork, stanchion diameter 35 mm, adjustable spring base, two-joint single-sided swing arm made of cast aluminum, central spring strut directly hinged, adjustable spring base and rebound damping, double disc brake at the front, four-piston caliper, Ø 305 mm, disc brake at the rear, Ø 276 mm, two-piston caliper .Tire 110/80 R 19; 150/70 R 17 tires tested Metzeler Tourance Chassis data Steering head angle 64 degrees, caster 115 mm, wheelbase 1509 mm, spring travel f / r 190/200 mm. Dimensions and weights Seat height * 850 mm, weight with a full tank * 263 kg, payload * 197 kg, tank capacity / reserve 22 liters. Two-year guarantee with unlimited mileageColors Mandarin, Night Black, Pacific Blue Metallic, Graphite MerallicPrice including VAT 10,700 eurosPrice of test motorcycle 13,728.38 eurosAdditional costs 244.76 euros * MOTORCYCLE measurements

Technical data: HONDA Varadero 1000

Water-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke 90-degree V-engine, transverse crankshaft, two overhead, chain-driven camshafts, four valves per cylinder, bucket tappets, wet sump lubrication, Keihin constant pressure carburetor, Ø 42 mm, digital transistor double ignition, secondary air system, electric starter .Bore x stroke 98 x 66 mm, displacement 996 cm³, rated output 69 kW (94 PS) at 8000 rpm, max. Torque 99 Nm (10.1 kpm) at 6000 rpm Pollutant values ​​(homologation) CO 9.92 g / km, HC 1.18 g / km, NOx 0.18 g / km Power transmission Mechanically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, five-speed gearbox, O-ring Chassis bridge frame made of steel profiles, load-bearing motor, telescopic fork, standpipe diameter 43 mm, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum profiles, central spring strut with lever system, adjustable spring base, double disc brake at the front, three-piston calipers, floating brake discs, Ø 296 mm, rear disc brake, Ø 256 mm, three-piston brake system. 110/80 R 19 tires; 150/70 R 17 tires tested Michelin T 66 X Chassis data Steering head angle 62.5 degrees, caster 110 mm, wheelbase 1560 mm, spring travel f / r 175/155 mm. Dimensions and weights Seat height * 840 mm, weight with a full tank * 256 kg, payload * 198 kg , Tank capacity / reserve * 25/4 liters. Two-year guarantee with unlimited mileageColors red, blue, blackPrice including VAT 9,990 euros Additional costs approx. 179 euros * MOTORCYCLE measurements

Technical data: SUZUKI DL 1000 V-Strom

EngineWater-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke 90-degree V-engine, transverse crankshaft, two overhead, gear and chain-driven camshafts, four valves per cylinder, bucket tappets, wet sump lubrication, electronic intake manifold injection, Ø 45 mm, engine management, controlled catalytic converter with secondary air system, E. -Starter.Bore x stroke 98 x 66 mm, displacement 996 cm³, rated power 72 kW (98 PS) at 7600 rpm, max. Torque 101 Nm (10.3 kpm) at 6400 rpm Pollutant values ​​(homologation) CO 2.37 g / km, HC 0.49 g / km, NOx 0.12 g / km Power transmission Hydraulically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, O-ring Chassis bridge frame made of aluminum profiles, screwed rear frame, telescopic fork, stanchion diameter 43 mm, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum profiles, central spring strut with lever system, adjustable spring base and rebound damping, double disc brake at the front, double-piston calipers, floating brake discs, Ø 310 mm, disc brake at the rear, single-piston brake. 110/80 R 19 tires; 150/70 R 17 tires tested Bridgestone TW 101 F / 152 F chassis data Steering head angle 63.5 degrees, caster 110 mm, wheelbase 1535 mm, spring travel f / r 160/159 mm. Dimensions and weights Seat height * 855 mm, weight with a full tank * 237 kg, payload 203 kg, tank capacity / reserve 22 liters. Two-year guarantee with unlimited kilometers

Technical data: Triumph Tiger 955i

Water-cooled three-cylinder four-stroke in-line engine, a balance shaft, two overhead, chain-driven camshafts, four valves per cylinder, bucket tappets, wet sump lubrication, electronic intake manifold injection, Ø 41 mm, digital engine management, regulated catalytic converter, electric starter. Bore x stroke 79 x 65 mm, displacement 956 cm³ Nominal output 72 kW (98 PS) at 8200 rpm Max. Torque 95 Nm (9.7 kpm) at 6200 rpm Pollutant values ​​(homologation) CO 5.68 g / km, HC 1.10 g / km, NOx 0.17 g / km Power transmission Mechanically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, X-ring Chassis bridge frame made of steel profiles, load-bearing motor, telescopic fork, standpipe diameter 43 mm, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum profiles, central spring strut directly hinged, adjustable spring base and rebound damping, double disc brake at the front, Ø 310 mm; Double piston calipers, rear disc brake, Ø 285 mm, double piston caliper. Tires 110/80 V 19; 150/70 V 17 tires tested, Metzeler Tourance chassis data, steering head angle 62 degrees, caster 92 mm, wheelbase 1550 mm, spring travel f / r 230/200 mm. Dimensions and weights Seat height * 840-860 mm, weight with a full tank * 245 kg, payload * 240 kg, tank capacity / Reserve 24/3 liters. Two-year guarantee with unlimited mileageColors black, greenPrice including VAT 10,221 euros Additional costs 240 euros * MOTORCYCLE measurements

5th place – Aprilia ETV 1000 Caponord

Of course she remains a member of the club. The Caponord is an ideal travel machine for people who permanently cover distances. Unfortunately, with their interpretations of large travel enduro bikes, the competition offers the buyer a wider range of uses. In addition, both the chassis set-up and the brakes have turned out to be too soft and reduce the fun on bends. You can get used to driving yourself at low speeds, which takes getting used to.

1st place – BMW R 1150 GS

It loves the stars on the horizon as well as the hotel entrance and is one of the best country road bikes out there. No way is too far for her, none too bad. The multitude of possible uses, the extremely stable chassis, the ease of maintenance and the wide range of accessories make the GS the first choice for large endurists, travel freaks and all-day drivers. The fact that she also wins comparison tests non-stop is a bonus on top of that.

3rd place – Honda Varadero 1000

Only three points separate her from second place. Marginalia? No, because the Honda drives a bit woody and less active compared to the V-Strom due to the main focus. Although it collects plus points thanks to the CBS composite braking system, which is ideal for inexperienced drivers, it loses it again due to its high consumption and poor exhaust emissions. On the chassis side it is at its zenith and superior to the competition except for the BMW.

2nd place – Suzuki DL 1000 V-Strom

She came, saw and got. Only the role of adjutant, but still: hats off. The V-Strom is an incredibly active driving machine with all the attributes for a long and excessive friendship. It is the sportiest and lightest of the travel enduros. Almost predestined to continuously collect records on the home route. Nevertheless, a good-natured heart beats in her, which is also well disposed towards peaceful hikes.

4th place – Triumph Tiger 955i

The British woman transfers her torque to the rear wheel beautifully evenly. She was forgiven for the small drop just above idle speed. Unfortunately, it leaves the impression of being incomplete. It starts with a wandering bench and ends with poor coordination of the spring elements. The Tiger is the first choice for everyone for whom the Japanese standard food is too bland, the Italian too shrill and the Bavarian tastes too German.

This is how MOTORRAD tests

In the points evaluation of the MOTORRAD Top-Test (issue 7/2002), the Suzuki V-Strom only got nine points for pulling through, as it only had very mediocre readings due to the extremely long final gear (red area at 292 km / h) came. Since this measurement is hardly practical, the V-Strom was determined in this comparison test in fifth gear. The Suzuki has improved to 23 points. In the future, MOTORRAD will always perform pull-through measurements in the penultimate gear if the last gear is clearly designed as overdrive. This can be recognized, for example, by the fact that the top speed is reached in the penultimate gear. With the V-Strom, the use of the speed-saving overdrive is also indicated by a control lamp in the cockpit (O / D).

The luggage storage

In principle, care should be taken to ensure that both the permissible total weight of the motorcycle and the maximum payload of suitcases and top cases are not exceeded. The driver is always responsible for the transport of the luggage, the fastening with belts should be carried out conscientiously. The tire pressure must be adapted to the additional weight. Rule of thumb: Front plus 0.2 bar, rear plus 0.3 bar. If the chassis is adjustable, both compression damping and spring preload should be increased. When driving, make sure that the increased weight of the motorcycle means that it may have less lean angle and that it tends to relieve the front wheel when accelerating. Heavy luggage should be positioned as low as possible and as close as possible to the vehicle’s center of gravity. Practical in the lower and front area of ​​the suitcase as well as in the tank bag. Oversized tank bags should be avoided as they make it difficult to see the instruments and can also cause disruptive air turbulence. The manufacturers of the case and carrier systems are generally subject to product liability. However, they are free from restrictions. If the loading capacity is exceeded and the maximum speed of 130 km / h recommended when traveling with suitcases, liability is in any case transferred to the driver. In the worst case, in the event of an accident or loss of the suitcase and the resulting disruption to traffic, the customer must prove that he has not violated the manufacturer’s specifications.

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