Comparison test Cagiva Navigator against Kawasaki ZRX 1100

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Comparison test Cagiva Navigator against Kawasaki ZRX 1100

The express practitioners

You want a comfortable street motorcycle with a good 100 hp, an upright seating position and wide handlebars. Naked bike, fun bike or something. How about a navigator? Or maybe a ZRX 1100?

Hm, not so easy to squeeze the Navigator into a scheme. It is actually in the »travel enduro« drawer. The powerful, speed-hungry V2 is still okay, but with thoroughbred street skins, low ground clearance, “engine protection” made of hard plastic including oil filter and cooler near the ground, the off-road fun really ends. That is why the Navigator only came second in the comparison test with its peers (MOTORRAD 11/2000).
The ancestor of the Navigator, the 1984 Elefant 650 with a Ducati Pantah engine, was still a real off-road motorcycle. 54 PS accelerated the 208 kilogram large enduro to 170 km / h. Studded tires with 21-inch front wheels created the best conditions for romping off the beaten track.
The roots of Kawasaki’s naked ZRX 1100 big bike lie on paved racetracks. In 1983, the Z 1000 R came to Germany as a replica of the superbike with which Eddie Lawson won the US Superbike Championship in 1981 and 1982. The green cracker was basically a Z 1000 J with a sporty make-up and was therefore more of a comfortable all-rounder than a real heater. It doesn’t matter, the main thing is a stylish look with a small handlebar cover, step bench and two struts.
The current ZRX 1100 can also serve this purpose. In addition, she drives a four-in-one system with aluminum damper and a posh swing arm made of aluminum round tube with beams and eccentrics for tensioning the chains and lifting the rear. Yeah, the same thing that Eddie and Wayne used to ride around in circles with.
With so much history steeped in racing oil, who asks for stupid horsepower figures? You? Well, the water-cooled four-cylinder comes from the GPZ 1100 touring athlete and releases a maximum of 111 hp on the 170 rear tire. A little horse more than the Navigator, but that is not noticeable in real life, so vehemently the Ex-TL 1000-V2 puts in its pseudo-travel-endural exile. Even power delivery with incredibly spontaneous acceleration in the lower half of the engine speed range is a must for the Navigator. The freestyle begins as soon as the pilot diligently begins to switch through the six-speed box and covers his surroundings with ravishing trumpet sounds including the occasional misfire thunderclap.
Against such thunder and Doria, Kawa uses softer whizzing and roaring. Subdued vibrations, which give way to creamy concentricity from 4000 onwards, provide entertainment, the unspectacular, confident power development for relaxation. On top of that there is a pithy, slurping suction noise. Is ?? hold a real kawa.
But as different as the muscle play turns out, the measured acceleration and pulling power values ​​are just as similar.
From a speed of 140 at the latest, the engine acoustics in the driver’s ear only play second fiddle, roaring wind noises dominate the ear canals. The rushing elements on the kawa cheerfully attack the driver, the small paneling only keeps the worst off. Now at the latest, even the tough 80s fan is happy not to have tinkered with a wide superbike handlebar on the ZRX, because even with the original part it shakes him back and forth? at the expense of the otherwise good straight-line stability.
The Cagiva relieves the upper body with its rear-facing pane, but there is full droning on the helmet, at least for pilots over 1.70 meters tall. Beyond the 160 mark, it gets extremely loud – and exhausting for the neck muscles. So if you intend to take advantage of the maximum speed of 213 km / h specified by the rev limiter, you should have a good chiropractor among friends.
Fortunately, therapeutic needs are limited to the neck area, because Kawa and Cagiva otherwise pay homage to ergonomic correctness. People between size S and XL are welcomed with open arms and pleasant details such as adjustable hand levers. The Cagiva workstation with its comfortable bench and relatively narrow tank can be considered exemplary all round. Only the cranked handlebars are criticized by tall drivers. From the seat in the second row there is no whining, even on longer trips: upholstery, leg angles, everything is good.
Kawasaki backbenchers quarrel with the extremely high footpegs. It’s a shame, because the soft seat cushion and the solid handles are also okay. Just like the suspension comfort in two-man operation. The fully adjustable, stiff chassis offers sufficient reserves even when fully loaded. Solo the fork could use a little more sensitivity in terms of responsiveness and lead the front wheel even more fully. A shortcoming that is less apparent on well-developed expressways than on naked bike terrain, such as bumpy, carelessly patched country lanes. A slight restlessness in the front section forces attention and occasional corrections. That is not bad, but it stands in the way of completely relaxed driving pleasure. It’s a shame, because its pronounced handiness, the upright seating position and the excellent six-piston brake at the front encourage extensive corner excursions.
After that, the Cagiva also thirsts with her poem about a chassis: The fork and damper offer fewer adjustment options than the Kawa, but the Cagiva people had a good knack for tuning. Lush spring travel, fine response with a pleasantly firm design show even roads in need of repair the cold shoulder. Late braking is no problem, the part only stands up noticeably in an inclined position.
Speaking of which we are in the grumbling corner: The control lights of the Cagiva can hardly be read in the sunshine, the inconveniently cranked side stand can be unfolded awkwardly, and the laying of some cables does not inspire confidence. In terms of workmanship, the Kawasaki makes no mistakes, even with nice details such as a rain suit-compatible storage compartment under the bench. In the end, each of the two emergency practitioners shows an independent character. They just can’t be squeezed into drawers.

Conclusion Cagiva – 1st place

So now we know: The Cagiva Navigator is simply a motorcycle. Basta. And what a thing: a tremendous performance that pulls your arms out and your front wheel skyward. Super comfortable and easy to ride even on long journeys. Just do not plan any great terrain games, it is definitely not made for that. Now a little fine-tuning in the details and a cat for your environmental conscience, and the Varese have a real fun machine with a good portion of utility in their range.

Conclusion Kawasaki – 2nd place

One thing is beyond question: it has character. The muscular ZRX 1100 stands there as if carved from solid. But despite the martial appearance, she is a reliable, albeit catless, everyday partner. The easy handling and the smooth power development skilfully override the full weight of five hundred pounds – driving fun is here ex works. And if you have to, the Brummer is also available for fast tours. When traveling, however, the pillion seat could cause a serious relationship crisis.

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