Comparison test of 1000 travel enduros

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Comparison test of 1000 travel enduros
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1000cc travel enduro in comparison test

Four times wanderlust on two wheels

In issue 14/2017, MOTORRAD compares the four travel enduros Ducati Multistrada 950, Honda Africa Twin, KTM 1090 Adventure and Suzuki V-Strom 1000 XT. The 1000 class with rated outputs between 95 and 125 hp is considered the golden mean between the 800 and 1300.

E.in a dramatic wild sky spans picture-book mountains. The fir trees are dark, only their fresh shoots grow light green up to the light. The view extends far, the air is fresh and clear. Only in some places it is steaming: The last rain wasn’t long ago. Welcome to the southern Black Forest. Here you flood the brain with impressions. We are grateful to our 1000 travel enduros that they carried us south with their at least 19 inch front wheels. Now, when the asphalt dries up again, we are looking forward to great curves that attract motorcyclists from near and far.

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Comparison test of 1000 travel enduros

1000cc travel enduro in comparison test
Four times wanderlust on two wheels

Ducati Multistrada 950, Honda Africa Twin, KTM 1090 Adventure and Suzuki V-Strom 1000 XT. Honda (95 hp) and Suzuki (101 hp) compete with spoked wheels and slightly less rated power. In contrast, the Europeans have cast wheels and more pepper, power and breath: Ducati promises 113 hp, even 125 hp KTM. 1000 cc travel enduros are now the golden mean between 800 cc and fat 1300 cc with up to 160 hp.

Okay, noble single-sided swing arms and clean cardan drives are reserved for 1200s, our gang of four offers open chains in two-sided swing arms without exception. But when it comes to performance: In 1994 a BMW R 1100 GS, as the trendsetter of the scene, had “only” 80 hp, a Honda Varadero 1000 from 1999 moderate 95 hp, and in 2003 a KTM 950 Adventure had 98 thoroughbred horses galloping. No wonder that we didn’t miss anything on the short stretch of the motorway. The field remained close together up to Tempo 170, 180. When the left lane did open in heavy traffic, Multistrada and above all KTM disappeared, at least for a short time, beyond the reach.

Even with suitcases, the Duc runs straight ahead in a completely stable manner – downhill, according to the speedometer 242, which is far ahead. It is stated with a top speed of 215 km / h, the KTM with 228. Amazing: The KTM runs with new, elastically suspended “Pendolino” suitcases in a more stable straight line than with a bare stern. The Africa Twin speedometer is very optimistic. It turns a real 199 km / h into a better-sounding 220. Honda driver Georg was pleased with the passable wind protection behind the rather small and the only non-adjustable windshield: Clever rear flow on the Africa Twin allows the helmet to lie quietly in a laminar flow.

Five disc levels of the Multistrada and stepless height adjustment of the Adventure 1090 allow everyone to find their own individual tear-off edge. Up to complete calm with an open visor even on the highway. This is where the Suzuki V-Strom 1000 shines: By simply pushing it in the opposite direction, the incline of the screen can be adjusted three times and its height can also be adjusted with a tool. The protective shield grew by almost five centimeters in 2017, protecting driver Peter remarkably well. Great. We are now past Schluchsee and Titisee, come through Todtmoos and look for a place to stay in Todtnau.

Here we find “Andy’s Pfeffermuhle” as a special meeting point for bikers: The Brit Andrew Day (52) has been running his restaurant since 1995 and has completely covered it with photos of machines and motorcyclists. Here people and restaurant-bar (giant schnitzel!) Are a total work of art. We find rooms with another original, Doris Wasmer-Mink, the wonderfully cordial landlady of the hotel “Lawine”. After a good meal, splendid fruity fruit schnapps, wild plums (“Zibartle”) and Williams pears, a fireworks display in the palate. The next morning brings a clear head with a cloudy sky: It’s raining. Doris, our favorite Baden woman, consoles us: “Every day is beautiful, and when it’s only in the evening.”

She is right. We’ll have another coffee, wait for the shower. The Ducati Multistrada 950 looks elegant, as if made from one piece. And yet it is a modular baby: the fairing and tank were donated by the 1200 Multi, the swing arm donated by the 1200 Enduro, and the 937 cubic V2 comes from the Hypermotard. The displacement Benjamin, the Italian Desmo twin, wakes up with a bark. Oops, here I come! But the on-board computer soon slows down the idle speed. The gear changes are harsh and uneven: you often get stuck between two gears. Well, so many idles? The gearbox on our fire-red long-term test specimen has become a bit smoother after a good 6000 kilometers so far.

Since the beginning of 2016, the Honda CRF 1000 L Africa Twin has become the queen of hearts, a real bestseller. So sensually beautiful, especially in the popular tricolor lacquer variant, so good. It came, saw and won: Honda’s completely new design won comparative tests on and off-road with flying colors, and was MOTORRAD Alpen-Master 2016. Congratulations. Honor where honor is due, because the Africa Twin emphasizes travel enduro in the second part of the word – with large and narrow 21-inch wheels at the front and 18-inch rear wheels. This motorcycle not only benefits from the nimbus of the legendary 650 and 750 ancestors. It revives him. The 998 cubic in-line twin is lighter, more compact and cheaper to produce than a real V-engine.

Editorial all-rounder Stefan now rides orange: the 1090 Adventure is unmistakably angular, in the typical KTM design. It replaces the previous 95 hp 1050. For this purpose, it was electronically uncorked. In the future, the 75-degree V2 will only be available with a real 1050 or 1301 cubic of the Super Adventure – the 1190 fell out of the range. So the 1090 marks the entry into KTM’s adventurous travel enduro world. For long-distance travelers there is also the 125 hp 1090 Adventure R. It has 21/18 inch spoked wheels with tubeless studded tires, 220 millimeters of spring travel at the front and rear (base: 185 and 190 millimeters) and more ground clearance. The R is the frontal attack on the Africa Twin.

The renovated Suzuki V-Strom 1000 appears visually more striking in 2017. A half-hearted hooked nose became a strongly shaped beak in the style of the blissful XXL stew DR Big. Cast wheels rotate in the basic version of the V-Strom. But Peter has saddled the robust-looking spoked wheel sister XT. It costs 400 euros more with the same wheel dimensions. Chic golden (as with the Honda), the cleverly designed spoke rims for tubeless tires only shine on the bright yellow painted XT. Tiger duck look or Borussia Dortmund dress? These are simply the factory colors of Suzuki’s RM-Z-Crossers. Instead, white and black Stromers have black rims.

Hand protectors and a cosmetic front spoiler are standard on the V-Strom 1000 XT in 2017. It also has an exclusive, butted handlebar that looks more valuable instead of the thin steel handlebar of all other V-Strom models. The V2 wakes up via the “Easy Start System”: a tap of the button is enough. This is followed by an automatic speed increase at low speeds. No stalling. Or not? Because the clutch, which is hydraulically actuated on the KTM, can only be controlled digitally despite the servo and anti-hopping function: in or out. Oops, the Suzuki serves the strongest starting torque, see the performance curve on page 25. Like KTM, Suzuki also offers a generous liter of displacement: 1037 cubic centimeters.

The Adventure 1090 likes to go out again after the first attempt to start. But then the V2 trumpets pure joie de vivre. Not too loud, but unmistakable. The seating furniture of Adventure and Africa Twin are the highest of the quartet (880 millimeters). Not that easy to board. But to change: the Honda seat can be lowered by 1.5 centimeters. The 270 degree ignition offset of the twin acoustically imitates a well-damped 90 degree V2. Fine. Everything here is so easy, so user-friendly, so Honda: Pull the clutch and adjust the dosage, change the gears that click gently and safely, turn around on the palm of your hand: only around 4.80 meters of turning circle is a good meter less than on the Suzuki! Welcome home, the AT exudes this inimitable feeling the first time you sit down. It’s that special enduro emotion: you could, if you wanted, get through anywhere. The Honda waist is narrow, the handlebars are high. The bench, which is no longer quite comfortable after several hours, is shaped so that you have perfect control even when standing. Just enduro. You would feel all of this blindfolded, this feeling of absolute sovereignty and inviolability. Trial-like passages, even if they are just making circles in the hotel car park, are easiest on the Honda. Her 238 kilograms (without case, with optional main stand) are perfectly balanced.

With this configuration, the KTM weighs two pounds less, the Duc is the quartet at 241 kilos. And the Suzuki cheats with its 236 kilos – completely without the main stand that is missing from the chain. On the still wet roads of the picturesque Munster Valley, Honda’s production tires Dunlop Trailmax D 610 offer noticeably less grip and feel for the interlocking of asphalt and rubber. At least the traction control, which can be switched off here, as with the three other machines, regulates reliably. In the most defensive third stage, she straddles very early and feels quite long in between.

The Multistrada provides a feeling of security under adverse conditions: Your Pirelli Trail Scorpion II “D” are great, they stick superbly when cold and warm, dry and wet. You sit very well in the multi, integrated in the middle of the action. For the tall Stefan, this arrangement is almost too compact, the wide handlebars close to his chest. Wonderfully round and handy, the Duc scurries and rolls through the tightest, narrow and wide curves. Despite the longest wheelbase and the widest tires: a 120 at the front, a 170 at the rear. Well, the caster is the shortest, the steering head is the steepest. The 937 implements the targeted line with high precision.

Four driving modes (Sport and Touring with a full 113 HP, Urban and Enduro with 75 HP each) combine three-stage ABS, eight-stage traction control and three engine mappings with preset combinations. But everything can also be freely combined. Touring is a perfect fit with a gentler throttle response and earlier intervention thresholds from ABS and traction control. And when it gets dry again, “sport” turns you on even more. The KTM also has four riding modes. But with it, ABS and traction control only have one level each: on or off. Even when driving straight ahead, the yellow TK indicator light lights up again and again when you accelerate violently. Well, something really happens here: From 5500 tours, there is no stopping it.

At the top, the fiery Austria twin clearly outstrips the rest of the trio. What a liberation, turning becomes joy of life! You shout with happiness. Phew, how Stefan clicks forward with it unleashed. In the KTM, the fattest, highest compression 103 pistons beat the shortest-stroke beat. Before you know it, the cockpit lights up red: the rev limiter! The Adventure can be forgiven for the fact that sixth gear only runs smoothly from a speed of 80. It must be at least 3000 tours in the fifth or sixth. Better downshift and keep the 75-degree V happy so that it keeps you happy.

The front wheels pull through the long straights in the Rhine plain beneath them. Why on earth is the Multistrada stronger than V-Strom and especially Adventure, even though it has at least 100 cm³ more? The explanation is simple: The sixth gear of the Ducati has the same translation as the fifth gear of the KTM. This is how the Duc hides its lack of displacement. At 100 km / h in the sixth, the crankshaft of the small multi rotates over 4500 times; KTM and V-Strom suffice for just under 4000 revs, the Africa Twin only 3600 tours. That’s why the extremely relaxing Honda voluntarily queues behind. Its strength lies in rest. Pah, let the rest of the trio heat it up. In a direct comparison, the series twin offers noticeably less steam.

Georg Hondas calls the tractor engine “cold blood character”. On its own, the AT always has enough power for winding country roads. Between 4800 and 6500 tours it even comes down to the point. That she gets tired earlier than the others when she seldom turns off – so what? Why turn over 6000 rpm? Due to the play during load changes, the test specimen accelerates a little harder from overrun, especially in the lower gears, especially noticeable in turns. For those who like it more relaxed and stress-free: Honda is exclusively offering a dual clutch transmission that brings ten kilos extra and is 1100 euros more expensive. A colleague computer then takes over the coupling and, if required, switching. DCT is not automatic – you can switch yourself.

We are now across the Rhine, in France. The asphalt in the Vosges, which is a mirror image of the Black Forest, looks even more handy if there are not cobblestones lurking in some bends. Uphill, the KTM screws itself forward again. This Rase-Enduro drives even more nimbly, more manageable than the Ducati. Despite the narrow handlebars typical of KTM, the Adventure hits the jagged hooks and holds the tightest radii. Mind you: Including the expansive, 13 kilo suitcase, the KTM weighs exactly five hundred pounds! Just as much as the 950 multistrudel with suitcases. Like the V-Strom, which is five kilograms lighter, the Adventure uses narrow tire formats: 110/80 R 19 and 150/70 R 17.

The feedback from the KTM front is even better than on the Ducati, and the Metzeler Tourance Next’s liability seems limitless. All of this creates a lot of trust. With the slight tendency for the handlebars to flap when accelerating out of undulating bends uphill, it can quickly be over. And the Suzuki? Drives unobtrusively fast, really good, very well mannered and agile. The V-Strom makes it playfully easy, always stay tuned to the European early stage duo – perhaps the big surprise of this test. We drive dizzy: Col du Stallon at the Ballon d’Alsace, Col de Herrenfluh to the Grand Ballon. Sparks are sprayed: early in the morning, the long fearful nipples rasp off under the only non-serrated footrests, i.e. without a removable rubber pad.

So Suzuki doesn’t take off-road insoles that seriously. Where also, legally in Europe? The restriction to the shortest spring travel of 160 millimeters each is then only logical. V-Strom driver Peter has a Honda Transalp at home and feels very much at home on the Suzuki. It picks up drivers of all stripes wherever they are, without any getting used to. The revised 1000 series is also a motorcycle without great ups and downs, it just works, has been proven (long-term test at MOTORRAD) to be durable and robust. If you will, a gray mouse with a light yellow bench cover that is sensitive to dirt. Bridgestone‘s BattleWing BW 501 and 502 in special specification J harmonize well with the V-Strom 1000.

Everything almost goes by itself, the Suzuki is a real head-free motorcycle. Despite the flap in front of the black XXL muffler, it sounds subtle, unobtrusive and dull. That’s a good thing, because it is worthwhile to take a look to the left and right of the wonderful Vosges landscape. We have a spectacular mountain panorama. The peaks of the Swiss and French Alps, which were still snow-capped on this early summer’s day, are felt to be within reach. In fact, they are hundreds of kilometers away. Nice: Although the Suzuki V2 in the Euro 4 configuration has lost minimal performance, it looks livelier than ever. It hangs directly on the gas, the usable center has become wider. Only beyond the 8000 tours does the former sports unit stop, the organ donor was once the TL 1000 S, the sails.

The two stages of Suzuki’s traction control intervene very differently. The new Bosch ABS controls unobtrusively with a five-axis sensor, which is the only one here with tilt detection. But be careful, when you put it on for the first time, the rather snappy coverings of the radially screwed four-piston stoppers bite pretty hard. The V-Strom transfers brake pressure from the front to the rear with a new combination brake function. With the result that it is the strongest when braking in an inclined position. The Nissin stoppers of the Africa Twin bite in a wonderfully transparent way and are easy to dose. And strong too, although Honda obviously limits the maximum deceleration. A tribute to the long 230 millimeters of front suspension travel?

Well, even so, the softly damped front fork dips violently. Even turn on that brake nod. And then this smooth suspension comfort. The Honda irons everything smoothly. More is not possible. The worse the road, the better the Africa Twin stands out. It is an inimitable enduro ride! Small downer: The long-legged Honda needs a very energetic steering impulse. And the narrow 21-inch front tire irritates in deep lean angles when it suddenly folds down even further. An Africa Twin with Conti Trail Attack 2 drives more neutral, more trustworthy and cheeky, as we know from our long-term test copy that was painted at the same time.

When looking for a fantastically located hotel at an altitude of 1100 meters (www.rouge-gazon.fr), Stefan’s GPS sends us along the narrowest, steepest donkey paths. After a few 100 meters (distance, not height) we break off. Okay, stones the size of a child’s head easily put away 210 millimeters of ground clearance on Honda and KTM. But now you would need a Conti TKC 80, after all, we don’t want to break anything. On the Ducati, the brake pedal, which is important in the terrain, is too far inside and is difficult to reach. Back on the road, Ducati’s Brembo stoppers bite hard. In sport mode, heavy stoppies are possible, even uphill with a pillion passenger. In contrast, touring mode uses lift detection (ABS on level two) to keep the rear wheel securely on the ground, even downhill.

The KTM brake, on the other hand, is really muddy. That doesn’t feel good. Has the cheap brake cylinder of a 125cc been installed? Brembo brakes are expected to be better controllable. At least the bite is okay. The KTM chassis also applies a bit of the economy-and-drive dictate: There is no practical handwheel on the shock absorber, the fork is not adjustable at all, while all three of the other three are fully adjustable. And the directly hinged strut of the 1090, as with the Multistrada, does not respond extremely fine. Semi-active, i.e. electronically controlled, is nothing in the chassis of the four anyway. After the Honda, Ducati offers the highest level of suspension comfort, filters and fishes a lot out. Really suitable for touring!

Tip for easy curve swing with the Suzuki: Preload the shock absorber far. This improves the handling, especially since the butt feels a bit low for a travel enduro. With a well-accommodated passenger, raising the rear is a must: Otherwise, the side stand will hit hard too early to the left. Hard? When the Multistrada pounds out of the airbox, it almost roars. Even the exhaust sound of the polyvalent multitool from Bologna sounds more like pit lane and paddock when turned out.

The Honda shines with the lowest consumption, tame, it swallows four and a half liters per 100 kilometers. The KTM takes a good half a liter more – the old story of power and fuel. All four cover over 400 kilometers, the KTM even over 450. The low number of petrol stations in the Vosges does not matter to us. During the entire tour, including the motorway journey, consumption was between five and a half (Honda) and six liters (KTM). The Ducati hammers out of your soul; the Honda caresses your heart; the cornering artist KTM with the great engine is a fascinating driver. The refreshed Suzuki comes across as less emotional and very relaxed. Like the proverbial Golf with two wheels. Those who just stay on the road are in principle better off with the V-Strom than with the Honda!

There are ultimately four winners in this quartet. All of them are real feel-good motorcycles with great qualities; you don’t go wrong with any machine. All four 1000s cost around 13,000 euros. Although Suzuki’s strategy of scoring with the lowest price is a thing of the past. The bottom line is that the best universal tool in this class has the smallest motor: a big compliment to the inspiring Ducati Multistrada 950! We would leave with all four of us at any time. To be very close to heaven again.

MOTORCYCLE test result

1. Ducati Multistrada 950

The small, homogeneous Multi is a rolling declaration of love for motorcycling! Seldom have head and stomach, brain and heart been so united: a Ducati wins! Great V2 meets strong chassis, everything is powerful for everyday use, practical and even affordable. Wow!

2. KTM 1090 Adventure

Mild and wild. Once again, the Austrians are giving one of their travel bikes inspiring broadband capabilities. The 1090 can also be gentle, active and curvy. Unlike the 1050, the pull on the cable is followed by a real storm.

3. Honda Africa Twin

Name, nimbus, utility, everything fits here. The very balanced Honda offers the largest suspension reserves of the quartet. A living legend with an extremely wide range of uses, especially valuable and nobly built. Only the series tires fail.

4. Suzuki V-Strom 1000 XT

A real step forward: the newly renovated V-Strom, basically the oldest machine in the field, drives convincingly and very predictably, is inconspicuously fast. Almost better than the Honda for pure road use! Only the accessories are far too expensive.

Price comparison of the 1000 travel enduros

Used 1000 travel enduro bikes in Germany

The Ducati Multistrada 950, the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin, the KTM 1090 Adventure and the Suzuki V-Strom 1000 XT all offer numerous qualities. As a result, they quickly became popular and often bought. Now there are large numbers of them on the used motorcycle market. There you can find cheap 1000 travel enduros in good condition: Used 1000 travel enduros in Germany

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