Living legends (BMW GS)

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Living legends (BMW GS)
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motorcycles

Living legends (BMW GS)

Living legends (BMW GS)
»Universally usable leisure tool for new forms of experience« Heino D. Wurfel, BMW Marketing Director 1979

Stefan Kaschel, Ralf Schneider, Thomas Schmieder, Rolf Henniges, Guido Stusser

07/06/2005

Summer 1980. Somewhere in the Allgau. The first test ride in the saddle of the brand new BMW R 80 G / S ?? before the IFMA world premiere. 800 cubic meters, 50 hp, dry 167 kilograms, ultra-wide Magura handlebars, single-sided swing arm, raised exhaust system, specially newly developed enduro tires that are supposed not to fly to shreds at the mad speed of 170. The world is hungry for facts, tester Peter Maierbacher delivers a hymn: “When you take quick bends, the BMW acts like a 500 … swings as light as a feather
it from left to right … goes exactly where you want it. «One sentence is cemented in the minds of the readers, paving the way for an extraordinary Bavarian success story:» The G / S is the best road BMW, the MOTORCYCLE has ever ridden. “
February 2004. Test colleague Werner “Mini” Koch relentlessly irons the brand new BMW R 1200 GS through the south of France, the cow finally chases through
the top test course. 242 kilos of high-tech. ABS, WAD (travel-dependent damping), immobilizer, cylinder-selective knock control and the automotive CAN bus system that replaces the good old wiring harness. The world is greedy again. First, I want to know whether the new one rolls even sharper than the successful predecessor R 1150 GS. And secondly, whether the reliability suffers from so much technical frippery.
Mini’s words (presumably they move even seasoned BMW enthusiasts to tears): »Accurate to the millimeter, unimpressed by bumps and longitudinal grooves, the GS spins through the curve carousel … whistles around the corners as if nailed … The 41 fork sends steering commands without delay and razor-sharp. ”In view of such qualities, does anyone wonder that over 222,000 GS models have been sold to date?
Yes! The competition. With her models from the stroke of a Tiger, Varadero and Co., she cannot hold a candle to the Bavarian in terms of registration numbers. And that although the building blocks for the
Success besides driving dynamics aspects are no secret: space and comfort for two people, reliability and sufficient accessories ex works.
Like no other company, BMW has managed to save the GS myth into the present through ongoing model updates. As always, the big enduro replaces three motorcycles. It doesn’t matter whether ultra-light sports bikes are on the home track
chasing, relaxed and brisk with or without mom on the freeway through half of the republic or dusting the slopes of South America for six months ?? no problem with any of the GS models.
Probably no one would have been surprised at the beginning of the eighties if a G / S had grown wings. On the other hand, most of them would have been very happy about a waterproof speedometer? the following GS generations could not serve this purpose either. Does not matter. The GS abbreviation without a dash since 1987, still an abbreviation for “Terrain / Road”, could just as well have stood for “Globus Sprinter”: The long-distance travel scene had from
Beginning with your sacred cow.
With 1100 cubic meters, four valves, ABS,
In 1994, the GS ventured towards the modern age with catalytic converters and injection. The outcry from the travelers who were in love with simple technology was huge. The soul of the
old boxers seemed sold. But Telelever, thicker muscles and even more comfort catapulted the 1100 to the top of the registration statistics.
The fact that the GS mutated into a living legend was partly due to the aforementioned three-in-one factor. On the other hand, because with each new infusion, BMW has increased the area of ​​use a little, improved seating comfort and increased driving dynamics ?? a central point that connects most living legends.

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»Universally usable leisure tool for new forms of experience« Heino D. Wurfel, BMW Marketing Director 1979

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Ducati Monster – The attractiveness of the monsters is not only in their appearance

The objective of the first Ducati 900 monsters were clearly defined. »We want to compete with the Japanese with large numbers in the future. But we have to do this much more than before
from our current market niche, the
Sports motorcycle area, so that we can also reach motorcyclists with more civilian preferences with our range, «announced Ducati engine guru Massimo Bordi on the occasion of the Monster presentation in 1993.
So much for the theory. In practice it quickly turned out that the more civilian preferences could only mean the upright and relaxed sitting position. The two-cylinder, which at that time already mobilized 76 hp and 77 Nm, was not a child of sadness and, in combination with the Ducati-typical tubular space frame, gave the monster very sporting virtues. The technicians had practiced the latter apart from additional struts and a welded-on instead of screwed-on rear frame from the 888 Superbike, as well as the swing arm with strut and rocker arm.
So it was not uncommon for monster drivers to be seen more often on the rear wheel or with their knees on the ground. The very sporty design did not stand in the way of the success of this series. On the contrary.
The relaxed seating position, the puristic design and the powerful Ducati twin with the typical goose bumps hit
right into the heart. The demand was so great that the 900 monster became the parent of an entire family. From the 600 to the 800 to the S4R, the most powerful monster with 113 hp from the water-cooled 996 engine, the model range now offers something for every taste.
The current 1000 S is optically and technically based on the original version. And differs astonishingly with 10595 euros-
I mean, only a little of them
price at the time (17,990 marks). Like the 900 from 1993, the 1000 has extremely sporty attributes. Weasel-nimble sweeps you through curves of all radii.
The chassis is very stable and handy at the same time and, in contrast to earlier models, even offers ?? except for the compression on the shock absorber? fully adjustable spring elements. The nominal 84 hp two-cylinder goes well with this, which usually pushes more on the test bench and powerfully catapults the Italian out of the corners. The Brembo braking system with its 320 millimeter discs is just as powerful. The whole thing is rounded off? as befits a living legend
heard ?? with a timeless styling that corresponds to that of the original model, except for the small cockpit fairing and slightly modified rear silencer.

Honda VFR – fine suit for every occasion

When the VFR 750 F was first tested in early 1986, comparisons with discreet men’s clothing came to mind. Despite the spectacular technology, the 750 came out
Dressed cautiously in mother-of-pearl white, with the aim of not being a racing roll, but a reliable friend.
It still lives up to this claim. You dress unchanged
inconspicuous outfit completely different technology. Single-sided swing arm, injection, G-Kat, CBS-ABS are the keywords. With the last revision in 2002, the engineers even sacrificed the technical one
A delicacy of the spur gear-driven camshafts, which was never really necessary at peak speeds of around 11,000 rpm, but was always fascinating. Profane timing chains have been driving the camshafts ever since. Bore and stroke of 70 x 48.6 millimeters as well as the usual 748 cm3 displacement had already fallen. Since 1998, the V4 has been 72 x 48 millimeters and 782 cubic centimeters.
Most importantly, that gloriously unreasonable movement from an engine is still there. Whether camshafts and their drive, the sealing surfaces to be milled, or the branched cooling circuit ?? In many things, such an engine requires twice the number of parts and operations as an in-line engine or
is simply more complicated. So much effort warms the heart in times when the rationalized CBR in-line four-cylinder units dominate the Honda model range from CBF 600 to CBR 1100 XX.
Especially since the V4 still has VTEC. A mechanism that deactivates one intake and one exhaust valve per cylinder up to 7000 rpm. This is supposed to increase the filling at low speeds and therefore the torque. Above all, however, it gives the driver a real kick when the other valves are switched on, the sound and temperament of the engine suddenly catch fire. Nevertheless: There were no sudden rear wheel slips even on damp roads, 105 measured PS on the clutch are no longer even with VTEC, but the attraction remains.
Slower it comes to the awareness that the VFR is a speedster of high degrees. Handy despite 249 kilograms, perfectly balanced, regardless of whether it is jagged turning in alternating curves or with a lot of pull on the rear wheel in wide radii. After these exercises, the realization is in place: This device can drive extremely stable and fast, offers good wind protection and a decent range. And even the best headlight battery in motorcycle construction. That shines safely home when you suddenly wake up from the frenzy of curves in the dark and want to go home quickly. But the main thing remains to have experienced the curve frenzy.

Yamaha R1 – Beauty was a beast

It was famous even before it appeared. When it became clear how beautiful and noble she was going to be, her hearts flew to her. A racing angel, wonderful. But the beauty was a beast, which many of her admirers only grasped when she drove in person. Some felt it painfully.
The reason for this was between 3500
and 4500 rpm. In the course of these 1000 tours
the torque of the first increased Yamaha YZF-R1 from 1998 by over 20 to around 95 Newton meters. 95 Newton meters at a speed that sounds like touring? that was the highsider trap par excellence. And many padded into it. Since then, Yamaha has gradually shifted the torque to higher and even higher speed regions. According to the motto: If you let your engine cheer, you will unleash the violence on purpose and will not be attacked by it unexpectedly.
According to the MOTORRAD test bench, the current R1 almost pushes at 4800 rpm
15 Newton meters less than the ’98, its maximum of 106 Newton meters is five lower, and it only reaches it at 10,000 instead of 9200 rpm. Nevertheless, the new one is not lacking in vehemence, especially since the smoothing of the performance development has not quite succeeded, and so between 7000 and 8000 she gives almost the same raging animal as the old one on the floor below.
In the top engine speed level, the driver is left breathless anyway, while the 1000cc four-cylinder sucks it through its combustion chambers, cubic meters at a crazy breathing rate. With a stroke of 4.4 millimeters, it rotates less than the original R1 until just before the real 14,000 rpm. With 12700 tours it is at the zenith of its performance with no less than 169 hp. Skinny words, bare numbers, the creative surrender to the indescribable.
Fortunately, the chassis drives the
Pilots do not enter psychological limits. The spring elements are perfectly matched for everyday use, prefer to sacrifice one
little of the suspension and damping reserve that would be necessary for the racetrack, in favor of decent comfort. This is also due to the sitting position, which is comfortable with the comparatively high handlebar stubs. The 2005 R1 is clearly refined compared to the ancestor. It had turned its handlebars far outwards and was pulling its driver energetically over the tank and down forwards. Perhaps the developers wanted to use this seating position to reduce their tendency to hit the handlebars. Because of more front wheel load. But the steering damper today can handle this much better.
The R1 is still noble. What Yamaha offers in terms of materials and care in order to show the value of the motorcycle on the outside and not to neglect it on the inside is unrivaled by Japanese high-volume athletes. Even compared to Honda. The largest manufacturer in the world also processes finely and finer, but the pragmatism with the Fireblade is more common than the R1 allows itself. It’s just a shame that the new gear lever with the
only on the underside vulcanized rubber coating no longer has. That
Today’s thing with the all-round rubber is probably the only step backwards. Otherwise, the attention to detail is already within sight of various Tamburini creations for Ducati and MV.
And the enthusiasm for beauty. Because the current R1 is just as beautiful as all of its predecessors. This is probably why they have become Germany’s most sought-after used motorcycles. Over time, the lines and edges of the super sports car have become sharper, and the designers have made some things much sharper. However, not sensational and certainly not inelegant.
Rumor has it that Yamaha wants to break the two-year development cycle. There shouldn’t be a completely new and new-looking R1 in the coming year, but a subtly neat version of today’s model. In this case, good news.

Triumph Speed ​​Triple – The Secret of My Success? omitting!

Allow me, Speed ​​Triple. Yeah what should i say now? I’m a little embarrassed about this. On the other hand: It is what it is. And it is like this: I am one
living legend. Why? Because I do
still in top shape founder of one
Movement that is now in top form. Or would any of us have thought that of all things
the heated grip fetishists and touring junkers from Bavaria would one day introduce something that is even remotely in my direction? But they do. With ?? well, let’s say dubious result. They haven’t fully understood my recipe for success yet.
The most important thing: you need a really sporty sister. Something like the one I had with the Daytona in 1994. One that is only committed to driving dynamics. Then away with all the plastic scraps, the modern naked bike is ready. Or stop, not quite yet.
I was only really streetfighting when
T 509. The idiosyncratic and unique aluminum bridge from 1997 forms my backbone to this day, the fascinating three-cylinder my British heart. Okay, okay, as the T 509 it was still the 885 cubic centimeter-
Triple instead of the big Daytona pump. But 98 HP were easily enough to fully enjoy the music.
Even more: with this combination I was Kapellmeister. Especially from 1999, when I finally got my sister’s big heart implanted. Three cylinder, 955
Cubic centimeters, 108 hp, suspension and brakes on a supersport level, plus the upright gear and an extroverted one
Exterior with the typical bulging eyes? that was unique.
The bulging eyes are still today. And not everyone goes for a walk with such a chic single-sided swing arm. In addition, I have consistently developed myself further. My threesome with 130 hp now not only offers a full punch in the middle, but also a direct throttle response and a smooth running that such a small place in Italy can only dream of. In addition, the strikingly handy chassis, the great steering precision and a really fine workmanship: I think I can look to the future with no worries.
There is really only one thing I have to worry about. If the Japanese really dare to do it, things could get tight. When, instead of their classic-style naked bikes, they strip one of their amazing athletes, with an ultra-chassis and engine from another planet, and put them in an ultra-tight thong
pack. But even then, the sound of my triple will beguile everyone. I’ll keep the bet.

Suzuki Bandit – Just stand there and exude enormous power even when not standing

Water-cooled, 400 cubic meters, 59 hp, uncovered ?? this is how the first bandit presented itself in distant Japan in 1989. The German importer refrained from importing the goods due to »insufficient sales opportunities«. This was taken over by the gray importers in 1990. So successfully that the Bandit 400 was officially throttled to 50 hp through the Suzuki dealers in the following year. Excerpt from MOTORRAD 26/1990: “The decision to officially import the 400 series to Germany set a ball rolling, maybe even triggered an avalanche.” The soothsayer is called Michael Schafer and was the test editor at the time.
Around 15 years after these lines, this huge avalanche can be broken down into numbers
seize: Around 80,000 bandits are robbing Germany’s streets. From the 400 to the 600, the newer 650 to the 1200. In the last ten years, Suzuki sold around 34,000 copies of the flagship alone. Sales manager Bert Poensgen once put the success of his bandits in short words: “The first impression is the most important.”
The first impression. Aha! For fans
unclad motorcycles were and are all bandits a feast for the eyes. Classically and simply designed. No frills. No bezels. No decorative seams. Especially the 1200 series, which has been available for ten years now, with its powerful engine as
Eyecatcher suggests like only a few
other bikes have incredible power even when standing still. During the first test of the 1200 bandit in issue 10/1995, editor Jurgen Schmitz described it as follows: “The broad chest of the cylinder bank grows from the narrow-hipped crankcase, crowned by a head full of character with a classic double camshaft profile. From the base of the cylinder up, the whole thing is overgrown by one
close-meshed thicket of ribs ?? not just for decoration, but as an indispensable component, the air / oil cooling typical of a generation of Suzuki engines. “
So that was and is it: simple cooling fins. No annoying fan concert. No mans-gray prefabricated building. A thoroughly honest and charming looking, strong as a bear
Motor that bridges the gap between nostalgia and modernity like no other. The 1200 bandit has not lost any of its charm to this day and has been in the top ten for ages
Admission statistics.
How will it go on? Bert Poensgen is confident: The success story of the Bandit is not over yet despite stricter pollution and noise limits. You could interpret that like that-
animals: The legend is said to be water-cooled
and continue to live fed by injection. With cooling fins, of course. thanks for that.

Harley-Davidson Wide Glide – Riding a Harley is coolest when nobody is watching…

Rolling icons: the choppers
from the movie »Easy Rider ??

Harley-Davidson. The name itself is a myth and probably only Coca-Cola is better known worldwide. The American dream is stylized and celebrated patriotically by the manufacturer from Milwaukee like no other. With all the charms
and contradictions. Men, myths and
Engines. And so this Dyna Wide Glide is a motorcycle like a monument. Massive and enormous. Every detail looks like it was built to last. All has
XXL format. Towering cylinders, felt
Length: 2.80 meters, felt weight: twelve hundredweight. Well, it’s only six.
Harleys still live on the nimbus that was born in the 1969 cult film »Easy Rider« ?? against the will of
Company. Life as a road movie, experiencing freedom instead of honesty and philistinism. The recipe: Away with all useless junk, reduction to the essentials. With the attitude to life and with the machines: Chopper, from English to chop for “to chop off”. Wheels, engine, handlebars, that’s it.
What individualists, underdogs and outlaws had to laboriously fine-tune themselves came from the factory in 1971: factory customizing. Willie G. Davidson created the FX Super Glide. In their tradition
30 years later there is the Dyna Wide Glide, a 2002 special model. Your tongue twister type code FXDWG3 is legally protected. Stuffy, isn’t it?
Kawumm! The thick bumper V2 wakes up with a full long-stroke beat, fully present from the start. Even if the choke on the (Japanese!) Carburetor is still pulled. The Twin Cam 88 engine doesn’t just run, it pounds and shakes. Swings wildly around that when idling
Epicenter crankshaft. Lively mechanics, motorcycle and driver tremble at
45 degrees. Cylinder angle, not Celsius.
Kalonk. The first course is sitting. The transmission engages exactly despite the lengthy shift linkage. The clutch challenges the whole forearm in a murderous way. Give everything. The sidepipes trumpet their “potato-potato”, taking it with them
Legality not exactly. The low-maintenance toothed belt drive changes little load. The huge primary drive box could belong to a ship’s diesel engine.
The chrome jewelry measures itself in square meters. Without sunglasses, there is a risk of acute retinal detachment. See and be seen, at every stop, before every traffic light. High potential for self-presentation. For this you have to pay 20,000 euros even when used. You treat yourself to everything else. Embarrassing: the flame design on the tank and rear apron. But the motorcycle can’t do anything for that. as well
little for accessories and clothing offered penetratingly with the »bars&shields «logo or for exaggerated advertising texts. From myth to mere fetish.
Out of the city, into another world. Riding a Harley is not coolest when strolling from the ice cream parlor to the street cafe. But when nobody is watching. The
lonesome rider on the endless highway. Finding yourself when gliding with 70, at most 90 things. That’s the myth! Move an original, arms drawn out, legs stretched out wide. The boss is coming!
Endless draft? Just legend.
Too difficult, too long translated. Every 600 can do better. After all, once in motion, the 1449 cm3 unit only pulsates gently. The magic word is elastic suspension. Be stubborn
on the other hand the struts. The 300-kilogram iron falls surprisingly easily in an inclined position. Despite being ludicrously flat and too
soft fork. Thanks to the giant cutting disc on the front wheel. A full 80 millimeters wide, it measures 21 inches in diameter.
The Metzeler Marathon do a good job. The brakes are different. A lot of hand strength merges the front single pane with a lousy effect.
The lean angle is higher than expected, but in corners that are too fast
the entire chassis twists. But the feeling is right. As if by itself, after a long day’s work, detours follow the lap of honor. Coming back at night is always best. The (neon) lights of the big city bathe the Dyna Wide
Glide into a shimmering bath. Your chrome shines in all colors. Ride free!

Technical data R 80 G / S

2-cylinder boxer engine, bore x stroke 84.8 x 70.6 mm, 798 cm3, 50 hp
at 6500 rpm, 57 Nm at 5000 rpm, single-piston floating caliper, 264-
Disc brakes, full weight
196 kg, payload 202 kg, acceleration 0-100 km / h 6.1 seconds, top speed
161 km / h, price 8920 marks (1980)

Technical data R 1200 GS

2-cylinder boxer engine, bore x stroke 101.0 x 73.0 mm, 1170 cm3, 98 hp
at 7000 rpm, 115 Nm at 5500 rpm, four-piston fixed callipers, 305 disc brakes, weight with a full tank of 254 kg, load 171 kg, acceleration
0 100 km / h 3.9 seconds, top speed
208 km / h, price 11,700 euros

Technical data Ducati 900 Monster (1993)

V2 engine, bore x stroke 92.0 x 68.0 mm, 904 cm3, 76 hp at 7000 / min, 77 Nm at 6500 / min, four-piston floating calipers, 320 disc brakes, weight with a full tank 199 kg, load 171 kg, Acceleration 0-100 km / h 4.0 seconds, top speed
201 km / h, price 17990 marks (1993)

Technical data Ducati Monster 1000 S

V2 engine, bore x stroke 94.0 x 71.5 mm, 992 cm3, 84 HP at 8000 / min, 84 Nm at 6000 / min, four-piston floating calipers, 320 mm discs-
brake, weight with a full tank of 200 kg, load 170 kg, acceleration 0-100 km / h 3.4 seconds, top speed
210 km / h, price 10,595 euros

Technical data Honda VFR 750 F (1986) – Honda VFR 750 F

V4 engine, bore x stroke 70.0 x 48.6 mm, 748 cm3, 100 hp at 10500 rpm, 70.5 Nm at 8500 rpm, double-piston floating calipers, 276 discs-
brakes, weight with a full tank of 222 kg,
Payload 214 kg, acceleration 0-100 km / h 3.6 seconds, top speed
235 km / h, price 12,243 marks (1986)

Technical data Honda VFR-ABS – Honda VFR-ABS

V4 engine, bore x stroke 72.0 x 48.0 mm, 782 cm3, 109 hp at 10500 / min, 80 Nm at 8800 / min, three-piston floating calipers, 296 disc brakes, weight with a full tank 249 kg, payload 195 kg, acceleration
0 100 km / h 3.3 seconds, top speed
244 km / h, price 12,640 euros

Technical specifications Yamaha YZF-R1 (1998)

4-cylinder engine, bore x stroke
74.0 x 58.0 mm, 998 cm3, 150 PS
at 10,000 rpm, 108 Nm at 8500 rpm, four-piston fixed callipers, 298 disc brakes, weight with a full tank of 202 kg, payload 193 kg, acceleration 0-100 km / h 3.2 seconds, top speed
270 km / h, price 21,160 marks (1998)

Technical data Yamaha YZF-R1

4-cylinder engine, bore x stroke
77.0 x 53.6 mm, 998 cm3, 172 hp at 12500 rpm, 107 Nm at 10500 rpm, four-piston fixed calipers, 320 disc brakes, weight with a full tank of 203 kg, payload 192 kg, acceleration 0-100 km / h 3.2 sec, top speed
285 km / h, price 13,100 euros

Technical data Triumph Speed ​​Triple 900 (1993)

3-cylinder engine, bore x stroke
76.0 x 65.0 mm, 885 cm3, 98 PS
at 9000 rpm, 83 Nm at 6500 rpm, four-piston fixed callipers, 310 disc brakes, weight with a full tank of 228 kg, payload 208 kg, acceleration
0 100 km / h 4.0 sec, top speed
214 km / h, price 18965 marks (1993)

Technical data Triumph Speed ​​Triple

3-cylinder engine, bore x stroke
79.0 x 71.4 mm, 1050 cm3, 130 hp at 9100 rpm, 105 Nm at 5100 rpm, four-piston fixed calipers, 320 disc brakes, weight 221 kg with a full tank, load 181 kg, acceleration
0 100 km / h 3.4 seconds, top speed
240 km / h, price 10,750 euros

Technical data Suzuki GSF 400 M Bandit

Suzuki
GSF 400 M Bandit

4-cylinder engine, bore x stroke
56.0 x 40.4 mm, 398 cm3, 50 hp
at 10600 rpm, 38 Nm at 9600 rpm, four-piston fixed callipers, 290 mm disc brakes, weight with a full tank of 190 kg, load 200 kg, acceleration 0-100 km / h 5.9 seconds, top speed
171 km / h, price 8,290 marks (1990)

Technical data Suzuki GSF 400 M Bandit

Suzuki
Bandit 1200 S

4-cylinder engine, bore x stroke
79.0 x 59.0 mm, 1157 cm3, 98 PS
at 8500 rpm, 92 Nm at 6500 rpm, six-piston fixed callipers, 310 disc brakes, weight with a full tank of 247 kg, payload 208 kg, acceleration
0 100 km / h 3.3 seconds, top speed 230 km / h, price 8130 euros

Technical data Harley-Davidson Super Glide – Harley-Davidson Super Glide

V2 engine, bore x stroke 87.3 x
100.8 mm, 1207 cc, 65 hp
at 5600 rpm, max.torque k. A., drum brake, weight fully fueled 310 kg, payload 190 kg, wheelbase 1575 mm, top speed around 180 km / h, price 14,198 marks (1972)

Technical data Harley-Davidson Dyna Wide Glide – Harley-Davidson Dyna Wide Glide

V2 engine, bore x stroke
95.3 x 101.6 mm, 1449 cm3,
68 hp at 5500 rpm, 106 Nm
at 2900 rpm, four-piston fixed calipers, 292 disc brakes, weight
fully fueled 300 kg, payload 192 kg, wheelbase 1678 mm, top speed
180 km / h, price 31,450 euros

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