Lobbying – Crit’Air sticker for motorcycles: Mr. Hulot’s silences … –

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Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom, Indian Scout Sixty, Yamaha XVS 1300 A Midnight Star

Exciting experiences

MOTORRAD cruiser tests. Then they will scold us again, the friends of the long forks. Because we would bring their darlings to shame. We’re just saying how it is. And sometimes it’s very different.

Every type of motorcycle follows an ideal, which is often staged in large format to create an image: super athletes, for example, turn around the corner in a crazy sloping position, travel enduros cross fountains spraying streams, and cruisers roll on endless straights into the sunset. In reality it usually looks a little different. The super sports car trundles through rush hour traffic, the travel enduro is used to get bread rolls, and the easy rider rolls through the Teutoburg Forest instead of Texas. Or the Allgau instead of Arizona. Welcome to normal life. That we focus on the first Yamaha XVS 1300 A Midnight Star has several reasons. In all likelihood it will have its last big appearance this year, because without ABS and Euro 4 it will be over next year.

Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom, Indian Scout Sixty, Yamaha XVS 1300 A Midnight Star

Exciting experiences

Yamaha XVS 1300 the cheapest in comparison

The very cleanly drawn 1.3 liter V2 of the Yamaha XVS 1300 A Midnight Star supports this project with its marine diesel character. On the one hand. On the other hand, it is not that good at all at this pace of driving at the lowest possible speed, which is often used by cruiser pilots. If you want to accelerate in fifth gear without chipping and jerking and without bad knocks from the drive train, you should have at least 80 km / h, corresponding to 2500 rpm, on the clock. The water-cooled twin feels most comfortable between the aforementioned 2500 rpm and 4500 rpm and also draws beautiful curves on paper in this area. Unfortunately, the sound that escapes the exhaust is just as thin as the stovepipe is fat. In addition, pronounced load changes and a rather hooked gearbox spoil the good impression a little. With a consumption of six liters, it is also not a food lover.

It is well known that cruisers should not have high expectations of the chassis and this is confirmed by the Yamaha XVS 1300 A Midnight Star. Apart from the hard rear spring, the chassis is buttery soft. Anyway, brisk pace is prevented by the running boards that quickly rasp across the asphalt. Shortly afterwards, massive mounted points on the frame report that fun is really over now. This is how you conform and enjoy, as it will turn out later, the best handling in the test field. As already mentioned, there is no ABS. This is particularly regrettable, as the XVS has the only double disc system and, like the other two, its tires don’t have the best grip. Caution and a proactive driving style are therefore indicated. In return, the Yamaha is the only one to accept a pillion passenger for more than a few meters to the ice cream parlor, and the price of 9,495 euros is by far the cheapest in the field.

Harley with underarm handlebars

Let’s switch to the Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom. The difference when sitting on could hardly be greater. While the very narrow seat is only 25 mm higher, the handlebar ends are 155 mm closer together and 90 mm higher. In direct comparison, it feels like an aperitif. You know, those armpit ventilation handlebars. But you get used to it. What you have to get used to is the fact that the Harley is a real American. That means the show and shine have to be right, the big appearance counts, the function is more of a by-catch. It starts with the start. The starter engages with such a blow that one is always afraid of the mechanics, the same applies to engaging first gear. That may be intentional, as well as the fidgeting of the V2 at idle speed. Every time you ask yourself whether this time he’ll be out of the ordinary. Literally. But he doesn’t make it. Never! And as soon as the clutch, which is quite tight, like the other two, is engaged, it has worked itself out. Completion is reported acoustically with every gear change. Only not when idling. Too bad, maybe it would be easier to find then.

Unfortunately, the Twin follows the commands of the right hand very slowly, but it offers the slightest load changes and the best sound of the trio. And he’s the winner of the “Low Rev” rating. If it is absolutely necessary, the fifth gear can go in at 40 km / h, 60 km / h are better. However, as with the colleagues, there is only serious acceleration from around 80 km / h. The consumption of 5.6 liters is at least cheaper than that of the Yamaha XVS 1300 A Midnight Star. But the Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom is also 35 kilograms lighter.

Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 the most unwieldy

Unfortunately, you don’t notice that while driving. Despite comparable tire sizes, chassis data, etc., the Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom is by far the most unwieldy motorcycle in this trio. The vulture knows how to do it, it can’t be the handlebars alone. At this point, the right time has come to comment on the above-mentioned accusation of breaking down. With cruisers in general and with Harley in particular, the footrests, also provided with long nipples, are so deep that you cannot even exit the editorial garage without touching the ground. Once the notches are “cut to length”, you can definitely live with the freedom of inclination that is achieved. At least until bumps appear.

It is up to the new spring elements to process them. But to be honest: maybe improvements can be seen in direct comparison to the previous model; Without a mention in the press kit, it would never have occurred to you that something has changed here. The target group probably doesn’t care either. And as long as Harley-Davidson is on the tank, it obviously doesn’t have to be lockable. Would be too much to ask for 12,165 euros.

Best motorcycle among cruisers

Last but not least, let’s come to Indian Scout Sixty. And, to get right to the point, the author has seldom been so positively surprised by a motorcycle as by this Scout. Contrary to custom, the editorial team did not receive a vehicle registration document for this bike. And after the first trip together, the question arose whether it really was the Scout Sixty that had been ordered or not the stronger sister with 69 cubic inches of displacement. Only on the domestic test bench did it become clear: It is the right one, the little Scout. All the more astonishing the enormous superiority in the admittedly very curvy test area.

Okay, the combination of the most powerful engine, the lowest weight and the greatest freedom from lean angles helps immensely. Even if the footpegs had to suffer in the beginning. The ergonomics are chopper-like with notches placed far to the front, but not as passive as usual in this genre. In combination with a drive that perceives speeds not as a load but as a pleasure, and the best gearbox in the test field as well as a powerful brake, you automatically arrive first at the pass. And not because you absolutely wanted to drive faster, but because you simply had to brake less before every corner. A delicacy on the side: The Indian Scout Sixty was by far the most economical with 4.6 liters on the joint consumption trip. And from 50 km / h it accepts fifth gear without grumbling or jerking. The small displacement has advantages here.

Indian Scout Sixty acoustically no revelation

Still, the Indian Scout Sixty is not perfect either. The ABS quickly reaches its limits on uneven surfaces and surprises with irregular and sometimes very long control intervals. The clutch hand strength is greatest, and the clunky handles are also not adjustable. Like the others, the chassis lacks damping, which quickly earned it the nickname seesaw swing. Acoustically, it is not a revelation either. The exhaust sound is thin, and from the engine itself you can only hear the hum of various ancillaries. In addition, you inevitably remain alone on the Scout due to the lack of pillion space. Tea factory accessories catalog can help on both points. In general, the processing is at a high level, only the cable routing in the steering head area looks a bit tinkered with. A small aperture could have a big impact.

The author is happy about the fact that the Indian Scout Sixty, although also of American origin, is not committed to the great bling-bling, but to functionality. It remains to be seen, however, whether the presumably predominantly US bourgeois customers will appreciate this accordingly. Generally speaking, the Scout may not be the best cruiser of all time, but it is the best motorcycle among cruisers. And priced in fairly fairly at 11,990 euros.

Performance measurement

Power on the crankshaft. Measurements on the Dynojet roller test stand 250, corrected according to 95/1 / EG, maximum possible deviation ± 5%

This diagram confirms the old engineering adage that nothing can replace displacement except more displacement. Because modern engine layout or not, with only 1000 cm³ the V2 of the Indian Scout Sixty, although also a throttle engine, has the disadvantage of power and torque at the same speed. In addition, it only reaches its full power in third gear, as it locks in the upper gear at around 190 km / h.

The Yamaha XVS 1300 A Midnight Star pleases with its marine diesel character and the Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom with its orderly disobedience. The undoubtedly existing power of the two remains to a large extent in the long translation. However, this diagram also confirms the old adage that (performance) curves are one thing and practice is another. Because on the street the Indian is by far the strongest.

MOTORCYCLE conclusion

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Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom, Indian Scout Sixty and Yamaha XVS 1300 A Midnight Star in comparison.

Even without scoring, the Indian Scout Sixty clearly wins this competition. At heart, it’s a cruiser-style naked bike. The drive is spontaneous, easy to turn and economical at the same time. The chassis offers halfway clearance and something like reserves when it goes beyond cruising speed. Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom and Yamaha XVS 1300 A Midnight Star share second place, primarily thanks to the Japanese woman’s absence of ABS. The Trumm is surprisingly easy to drive, and there is even room for the queen of hearts. The Harley, on the other hand, is primarily a Harley and doesn’t care about conventions. It lives from and with its archaic engine. The rest is, model upgrade or not, more so-so.

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