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Comparison test: large cruisers

Cruisers from Triumph, Yamaha and Suzuki

Fat cruisers with 1700, 1800 and almost 1900 cm³ invite you to conquer space, namely the displacement. Is the driving pleasure on board the two-wheeled space glider as high as the speed level and seat height are low?

A summer day somewhere in Baden, on the Upper Rhine. Plants are in full bloom, the scent of flowers and grilled food hangs in the air. The Black Forest lies behind us, and huge two-cylinder engines chug below us. More is hardly possible, motor-wise as in sheer mass. These mighty cruisers are planets to be discovered.

They come across as damn cool even at 30 or 40 speeds. But have a lot of pressure when it matters. The largest two-cylinder in space, from 1.7 to almost 1.9 liters, and dramatic torques give the enormous trio built-in nonchalance. On board these fat cruise ships in the 15,000 euro class, you tend to drive slower than allowed because you don’t have to prove anything at all.

L.But enjoy the landscape by the great river, inhale impressions. See and be seen. Having time, taking your time, that is real luxury. Every free hour counts. So we slide further west in a good 70 centimeter deep, wide, trough-like saddle: Anton, Gabriel and me. Not as far as Vegas, but at least towards the sun. On damn big things, comfortable and powerful. Experience movement.

Comparison test: large cruisers

Cruisers from Triumph, Yamaha and Suzuki

Thunderbird Storm. It is the martial, puristic, stronger sister of the standard T-Bird. The petrel comes as standard with the big bore kit. It pumps up the dohc in-line engine, what else, from 1597 to 1699 cc and from 85 to a whopping 98 hp. So there is a lot of pressure in the boiler.

The engine fits the brand, twins are traditional Triumph engines. Tea "Storm" in any color as long as it is pitch black. The other hallmarks are the brand-typical double headlights à la Speed ​​Triple and Rocket III as well as the straight drag bar handlebars on high risers. Fits. The 1600 Thunderbird donated all other parts. 500 of the thunderbirds, including Storm, have been nesting in Germany since the end of 2009. "Great motorcycle", driver Gabriel says succinctly at the Plittersdorf Rhine ferry about the lowest of the three large cruisers. The Brit bike looks more delicate than the two Japanese V2 cruisers – despite the 342 kilograms live weight and the largest in-line two-cylinder in the universe with a displacement of 1.7 liters.

Visually, the Suzuki Intruder C 1800 R Touring in particular for even more heavily. The 383 kilogram (!) Heavy battleship is a colossus on wheels. Respect is the order of the day. With every maneuvering. If this impressive iron mountain should tip over, only a crane can help. Everything about the Sumo-Suzi is in XXXL format: the metal mudguards, for example, which, like T-Bird and Yamaha, live up to their name. In addition, the extra-wide tires, the seating furniture and the searchlight from a lamp. In the chrome of the lamp bell the room curves, trees, clouds and street posts take on harmonious, rounded shapes.

Special insignia of the "Touring"-Version are not about panniers or washer; they cost as with the other two surcharges. But two-tone paint, white speedometer and rivets on the driver’s saddle. Only leather fringes are missing on the handlebars. With a total length of 2.65 meters, the Intruder-Trumm towers over the Yamaha by eight, the Triumph by as much as 26 centimeters. Looks like the Suzuki is stretched to 120 percent. Lived gigantomania generates its own feeling. "Young man, can you even drive this motorcycle?", asks the landlord in the rafting village Steinmauern. He looks critically at Anton, the Suzuki driver who only weighs 50 kilograms. "Yeah yeah", he folds dryly, "pushing would be bad."

Bilski

"Honestly, this Harley suddenly appeared next to me. ”“ And? ”“ One gas blow, and the matter was settled".

Aunt Trude looks baroque, but technically she has it all behind the thick cylinder ears. In their short-stroke 54-degree V2 with two overhead camshafts each, the largest series pistons in the motorcycle world dance up and down. One otherwise suspects a diameter of 112 millimeters for ship engines. They are an heirloom: the entire drive, including the cardan shaft, comes from the muscular Suzuki Intruder M 1800 R power bike. For the gigantic one, which is covered with chrome in buckets "VS." the drive was easily tamed, from a nominal 125 to 114 hp. Still more than enough for the smallest and smallest streets today.

In bright sunshine I navigate the Yamaha XVS 1900 A Midnight Star here. A being from another planet. Great details, styled through to the finest detail, cite the aero design of American road cruisers from the 1930s to 1950s. This motorcycle is like the Rhine: Everything flows. And in organic forms.

Artfully curved fenders, fittings, teardrop-shaped lamps, tapered indicators, metal trim strips on the tank – everything looks streamlined, as if shaped by the airstream. Elegant, sublime, independent heavy metal.

The custom look is most consistent on the 1900s, right through to the raised license plate. A total work of art. All that’s missing is whitewall tires and spoked wheels. Style is a question of attitude. The 95 centimeter wide Yamaha handlebar, made of one and a half meters of tubular steel, spreads your arms so wide that you could hug the whole world for joy. The narrowest and smallest tank in the trio (17 liters) ensures a comfortable knee joint. In contrast, the Trude’s 19-liter fuel drum spreads its legs wide apart. This is what a gynecological chair should feel like. Both feet rest casually on rubber-padded running boards. The feeling is right on the XV 1900. Its V-engine spreads its cylinders by 48 degrees to the victory sign, stacks a little high at 1854 cm3. What the hell? Because it proudly wears its cooling fins, is wonderfully traditional, almost archaic.

Long-stroke and air-cooled, with camshafts and bumpers underneath thick ducts. Injection, double ignition and maintenance-free hydraulic valve lifters represent the modern age. With more than 140 Newton meters, the long-stroke hammer already starts at idle.

Its 100 pistons, the smallest here, are 118 millimeters between the dead centers. Is that why the V2 starts badly when it is hot? Once it runs, it creates a special, extremely casual experience. Despite 346 kilograms, the space glider makes a huge leap forward every time it is engaged. Wow. The Wupp factor of the 1900s is correct. Four and a half seconds from zero to 100, if need be.

Much more important are the Yamaha’s best torque values. When accelerating in the final fifth gear, the real 92 hp XV pulls up and away. However, it also takes eleven seconds from 60 to 140 km / h. Since every 600 pulls through faster. Mass and long translations thwart better values. At 100 km / h, i.e. in the middle of the central comfort zone between 80 and 120, the Yamaha only rotates 2700 tours. She hacks in the fifth among 60 things. With a shift speed of 3000 – the XV, like the Triumph, has a tachometer – it gets down to business quickly. Nevertheless (or because of it) the midnight star decelerates.

Bilski

Free space of almost 1.9 liters – Yamaha XV 1900 A Midnight Star.

The opulent Suzuki only needs 2600 rpm for 100 km / h. 80 pounds overweight make the Intruder, which develops different amounts of power and torque in each gear, a little lethargic. At least together with the least voluminous power output up to 4000 / min. Trudi needs more speed. And your driver more coal, despite the 500 euros Cheaper purchase price. Because the Suzuki consumes a little more fuel, has to be serviced every 6,000 instead of 10,000 kilometers, unlike the Yamaha and Triumph, and falls out of the cheap 98 HP insurance class.

In the Triumph Twin, the 17 kilogram crankshaft rotates a mere 3000 times at 100 km / h. In its exclusive sixth gear, this engine can also handle lower speeds than the two V2s; he is more elastic. In addition, the T-Bird responds finely and directly to the opening of the throttle valve. The 270-degree offset of the crankshaft imitates the firing order and sound of a 90-degree V-twin. "Thunderbird" is a little exaggerated, but sonorous and dull prottelts from the two exhausts laid on the left and right.

In contrast, the two Japanese are legal entities. Discreet and calming, but a little harmless despite the long resonance chamber, the Yamaha bubbles out of the individual muffler. Often the singing of the drive belt drowns that out "Bott-Bott-Bott" from the exhaust. Incidentally, Triumph also connected on timing belts. Suzuki, on the other hand, relies on Kardan and damn bassy sound. The ship’s short-stroke engine dies out tremendously, thunders comfortably from the two stacked exhaust bags.

The finest surround sound. When idling, it rumbles deep from the engine room like a paddle wheel, "wupp, wupp, wupp". You think you can hear every up and down of the mighty pistons individually, gurgling and growling. This full heartbeat made of steel is guaranteed to get through your heart and soul.

Due gear changes are usually communicated acoustically to the entire trio. Depending on the gear, upshift or downshift from gentle "Kalonk" to a hearty crash. This is all a reminder that only huge cogwheels can withstand the performance of such fat torques. The Suzuki gearbox is stubborn every now and then, especially from idling to the first, emphasis is sometimes required. And the good vibrations? On the Suzuki, a heavy balance shaft is supposed to eliminate disruptive vibrations, on the Triumph and Yamaha two each. Nevertheless, the petrel pulsates noticeably from 3000 to 3500 turns. On the Yamaha, too, vibrations are a bit more intense in the second half of the speed.

Aunt Trude also shares that she has a big heart. It vibrates noticeably, but never annoying. As a Suzuki captain, casual cruising on narrow and especially bad roads comes to an abrupt end. The 1800s is a motorcycle for people who can grab hold of it, it makes every turn a new challenge. Frankenstein’s fat niece wants to be forced on course. Terms like "neutrality" and "Steering precision" has never heard of the indifferent 1800s. The 92 centimeter wide steering antler, which tapers far to the rear, is not very real in very soft rubber elements. Behind the long fork it feels like maneuvering an overcrowded wheelbarrow.

The Suzuki’s wide balloon tires are constantly looking for their own, "alternative" Radii. The front roller 150 and the rear roller 240, both knobby 16-inch models, run after every kind of pitted asphalt such as ruts or potholes. If they are inclined, they want to constantly straighten up. It’s like driving and being driven. Anton sums it up: "My motorcycle was with me in the Black Forest." You sort of come to terms with it. When passing a bridge over the Rhine, the longest of all wheelbases – an enormous 1.75 meters – ensures that the rear wheel is still in Germany, but the front wheel is far in Alsace, on the French side.

Only the caster, which is only 130 millimeters, is rather small for such a ship. Trailing? This is the distance between the point of intersection of the extended steering head axis with the roadway on the one hand and the perpendicular from the wheel axis to the center of the tire contact patch on the other. Sounds abstract, but has a decisive influence on driving stability when driving straight ahead. And the Suzuki got a little bit of that. Visually, the thickly veneered telescopic fork looks like thick pants, in fact it is weakly muffled and responds poorly to Hubbel.

Bilski

Easy going, on the move with mighty space cruisers. It can stay that way.

The brilliant Suzuki V2 deserves a better chassis! After every compression, the hidden, lying central spring strut just pops out again, its rebound stage is underdamped. This makes Suzi a springbok. No, you can never be in a hurry on the 1800s. But there are also positive things: the sitting position is quite comfortable, the running boards are well positioned, the rocker switch is very useful and easy to reach even with the heel. The 1900s Yamaha is a little lacking in that, the foot has to be lifted a little to shift up using a heel trick. But the Yamaha drives around worlds handier and more relaxed than the obese Suzuki.

The XV chassis is well tuned, responds fine and has enough suspension travel including lean angle ready. Yes, the Yamaha with its aluminum frame (!) Is the last to pull sparkling furrows in the asphalt. The still moderate front tire (130) and the narrowest rear tire, a 190, willingly follow the chosen course. The Midnight Star is better equipped for this (immobilizer and ignition / steering lock, see table on page 55). AT passenger sits most comfortably on it, the placement of the rear pegs fits best. On the Suzuki, however, these are too high. There, as a passenger, you park your knees uncool under the captain’s armpits.

The T-Bird offers a small pillion bun. The largest payload, a fabulous 228 kilograms, can only be carried out with the larger "Longhaul"-Make the most of the passenger seat. Triumph can be paid for a lot extra, such as a lockable fuel cap or running boards. The 1700 comes with the first footpegs attached. And Gabriel often treacherously pulling his feet down because the heels first make contact with the ground. The best handiness of this stable and light-footed flat iron compensates for this. The T-Bird has four inches less wheelbase than the Intruder and ten less than the XV. The 1700 drives precisely and loosely like a normal motorcycle, not like a seven-hundred-weight ship. She gratefully implements one-to-one fixed course. And remains neutral even at low angles. Fine.

120 mm front tires and 200 mm rear tires are well chosen. The mounted Metzeler Marathon 880 shine with good grip and high mileage. The name is program. The fork works great.

The suspension struts pass unevenness to the bottom of the bike more dry with only 95 millimeters of travel. From the MOTORRAD endurance test of the 1600 standard version, we know that Wilbers shock absorbers bring relief. The seating position and range – a good 430 kilometers on a slow, typical cruise – are absolutely suitable for long distances. The only remaining range indicator in this test field readjusts sensitively, if you close the throttle grip or open it wide, the row twin really spurs on time and space.

The Triumph plays its greatest trump card at the very end: crisp, powerful brakes. They can be dosed passably despite the high hand strength. On top of that, ennobled with an invaluable ABS for a moderate surcharge of 600 euros. No motorcycle class needs ABS as badly as Cruiser: Far from the front wheel, you have little feeling for it. So the Japanese are on the wrong track to want to cover up missing anti-lock devices with their combi braking systems. Both of them brake when you step on the front pedal. On the XV, the huge rear disc and the front right brake caliper bite together.

On the Suzuki, the two dough-dosed three-piston calipers at the front brake together with the rear stopper. Nevertheless, the Triumph system with separate brakes and ABS is clearly superior. Not only because of that, the Thunderbird Storm has what it takes to be a title "best cruiser in the world".

At the end we anchored again and enjoy the sunset over an arm of the Old Rhine. The Yamaha engine crackles even nicer than the other two Big Twins when it is switched off. Like a scout campfire. "There are more important things in life than constantly increasing its pace", said Mahatma Gandhi. He is right. In any case, more torque for less torque is not the worst.

Whether one prefers huge dimensions (Suzuki), the finest retro styling (Yamaha) or suitability for everyday use and ABS (Triumph), everyone can decide for themselves.

MOTORCYCLE conclusion / features

Bilski

Triumph Thunderbird Storm: Black is beautiful. Googly eyes, drag bar handlebars and stereo struts.

Suzuki Intruder C 1800 RT
Just the thing for people who want fat sound and lots of pounds for their money. You will forgive blunt brakes, slack chassis and the less cool appearance.

Triumph Thunderbird Storm
She goes her own way. The thunderbird is carved from test winner wood: with stable, handy chassis, strong twin and powerful brakes, even with ABS.

Yamaha XV 1900 A
Wonderful: The air-cooled bumper V2 pushes nice and powerful, the driving feeling is right. The chassis and the aero design are good-natured, only the sound is a bit thin.

Furnishing

 Suzuki  triumph  Yamaha Metal fenders front / rear  s / s  s / s  s / s
Rocker switch  s  219 euros  s
Running boards  s  241 euros  s
Gimbal  s  –  –
Timing belt  –  s  s
Combination brake  s  –  s
SECTION  –  s  –
Tachometer  –   s  s
Fuel gauge  s  s  s
Display for remaining range  –  s  –
Second trip odometer  s  s  s
Time clock  s  s  s
Immobilizer  –  381 euros  s
Hazard warning lights  s  –  s
Lockable fuel cap  s  62 euros   s
Combined ignition / steering lock  –  –  s
Adjustable clutch / brake lever  – / s  – / –   – / – 

S = standard equipment / – not available

MOTORCYCLE measurements

archive

The performance diagram of the three cruisers.

Experience punch. The mighty, air-cooled Yamaha lifts a fat 140 Newton meters as soon as the clutch is engaged. From then on up to 4600 rpm, the buffalo-back torque curve of the 1900s surpassed the two minimally smaller engines. Up to that speed, the Triumph Twin also has more pressure than the short-stroke Suzuki. The Intruder does the most in fourth gear, but with 107 hp at 6000 tours it only really comes out full at the top. A point of honor for the XV is the best pulling speed from 60 to 140.

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

Technical specifications

Bilski

Suzuki: The short-stroke, chrome-plated dohc-V2 has the largest of all motorcycle pistons.

 Suzuki engine  
type design  Two-cylinder four-stroke 54 degree V engine
injection  Ø 52 mm
coupling  Multi-disc oil bath clutch 
Boron x stroke  112.0 x 90.5 mm
Displacement  1783 cm3
compression  10.5: 1
power  84.0 kW (114 hp) at 6000 rpm
Torque  155 Nm at 3500 rpm
landing gear  
frame  Double loop frame made of steel
fork  Telescopic fork, Ø 49 mm
Brakes v / h  Ø 290 mm / Ø 275 mm
bikes  3.50 x 16; 8.00 x 16
tires  150/80 R 16; 240/40 R 16
Tires  Bridgestone Exedra G853 "E", 852 "G"
mass and weight  
wheelbase  1755 mm 
Steering head angle  58.0 degrees
trailing  130 mm
Suspension travel v / h  130/118 mm
Seat height *  740 mm
Weight with full tank *  383 kg
Payload *  217 kg
Tank capacity / reserve  19.0 / – liters
Service intervals   6000 km
price  14,990 euros
Additional costs  210 euros

 triumph engine  
type design  Two-cylinder four-stroke in-line engine
injection  Ø 42 mm
coupling  Multi-disc oil bath clutch
Boron x stroke  107.1 x 94.3 mm
Displacement  1699 cm3
compression  9.7: 1
power  72.0 kW (98 hp) at 5200 rpm
Torque  156 Nm at 2950 rpm
landing gear  
frame  Double loop frame made of steel
fork  Telescopic fork, Ø 47 mm
Brakes v / h  Ø 310 mm / Ø 310 mm
bikes  3.50 x 19; 6.00 x 17
tires  120/70 R 19; 200/50 R 17
Tires  Metzeler ME 880 marathon
mass and weight  
wheelbase  1615 mm 
Steering head angle  58.0 degrees
trailing  151 mm
Suspension travel v / h  120/95 mm
Seat height *  700 mm
Weight with full tank *  342 kg
Payload *  228 kg
Tank capacity / reserve  22.0 / – liters
Service intervals   10,000 km
price  15,990 euros **
Additional costs  350 Euro

 Yamaha engine  
type design  Two-cylinder, four-stroke, 48-degree V engine
injection  Ø 43 mm
coupling  Multi-disc oil bath clutch 
Boron x stroke  100.0 x 118.0 mm
Displacement  1854 cm3
compression  9.5: 1
power  66.4 kW (90 PS) at 4750 rpm
Torque  155 Nm at 2500 rpm
landing gear  
frame  Double loop frame made of aluminum
fork  Telescopic fork, Ø 46 mm
Brakes v / h  Ø 298 mm / Ø 320 mm
bikes  4.00 x 18; 5.50 x 17
tires  130/70 R 18; 190/60 R 17
Tires  Dunlop D251, front "L"
mass and weight  
wheelbase  1715 mm 
Steering head angle  58.8 degrees
trailing  152 mm
Suspension travel v / h  130/110 mm
Seat height *  725 mm
Weight with full tank *  346 kg
Payload *  204 kg
Tank capacity / reserve  17.0 / 3.0 liters
Service intervals   10,000 km
price  15,495 euros
Additional costs  215 euros

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