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Comparison test Cagiva Raptor against Ducati Monster M 900 against Triumph Speed ​​Triple

The speedsters

Flitzer: You are naked, run around nimble, reveal what you have? and everyone looks. The three naked Cagiva Raptor, Ducati Monster M 900 and Triumph Speed ​​Triple attract a similar amount of attention?

That’s what they’re made for: for freedom and adventure, for riding upright on wide handlebars, enjoying the forces of driving dynamics. For the ride through nature, unfiltered through cladding or high windows. Naked motorcycles or, in anglicist, more melodious way: naked bikes. Motorcycles that show everything, for drivers who want to see as much as possible. Motorcycles for the long trip on the paths of Europe or the little one to work. Motorcycles that look good so that their rider looks good. Motorcycles in the old fashioned way: pure, reduced to the essentials, almost postmodern.
The Naked – a heavily cast scene, full of Japanese protagonists and dazzling stars from European two-wheeler manufacturers, such as the Ducati Monster M 900 and Triumph Speed ​​Triple. Goal watch out! A new one has arrived to heat up the previous audience favorites: the Cagiva Raptor, derivative of a Japanese heart and Italian chassis chic. In terms of price, at 18,297 marks, it can undercut the Monster by a hundred, and the Speed ​​Triple even more than 2000 marks. The Cagiva is anything but a bad figure.
In terms of design, it clearly embodies postmodernism, floating right at the top of the zeitgeist wave. Interesting, interesting, how the eye looks at the many corners and edges, like the look at the funny details ?? the claw symbolism? Keeps hanging. Ultimately, the somewhat rugged Cagiva with its distinctive, angular plastic tank presents itself as an elegant, dynamic appearance. A successful optical trick, similar to a sketch that conjures up a sophisticated, three-dimensional whole from a few lines.
The Monster, drawn years earlier by the Argentinian Miguel Galluzzi, looks a bit more frumpy, but still pleases with its shapes. In view of the apparently more muscular Raptor, it stands out as an extremely petite motorcycle, especially next to the Speed ​​Triple. It looks like a scaled-up motorcycle, exuding a little bit of the conqueror nimbus of British imperialism. The Triumph has lost none of its somewhat brutal charm over the years, especially not in this shiny green metallic that really sets off the extravagant curves of the Triple. So three naked people who offer something for every taste.
Personal preferences are, of course, almost as important as function in motorcycles with such strong emotions. Fortunately, our candidates function largely as they should. Motor, for example. A naked bike lives from the character of its engine. And this is shaped by the sound, the running smoothness and above all the performance development. We note high marks for the new addition, who celebrates power and glory with his well-known L-Twin from the Suzuki TL 1000 S. Seductive, how snappy the Raptor hangs on the gas, greedily clicks forward even from low speeds, always provides plenty of horsepower on the rear wheel, supported by a great six-speed gearbox and the short overall ratio. Ace crisp as a briefly translated TL1000.
The Speed ​​Triple, on the other hand, looks astonishingly restrained, especially from low revs. Amazing because the almost one liter Triumph Drilling rightly enjoys cult status among the testers and once again puts an impressive 117 hp on the test bench. Especially in the middle speed range it inspires with a huge thump, always accompanied by the wonderful singing of the regular ?? every 240 degrees within two crankshaft revolutions ?? igniting in-line three-cylinder.
The bottom line is that the Speed ​​Triple achieves better performance than the Raptor. The fact that it still seems cautious is due to the fact that all of the measured values ​​determined at full load naturally conceal the way in which the performance develops. And that‘s exactly where the very good Triumph of the even better Cagiva has to bow. The Briton received top marks for her exemplary load exchange behavior.
The Ducati bakes smaller rolls, has to set revs to stay tuned. The short overall gear ratio and the almost racing gradation of the slightly bony six-speed transmission, also known from the 748, help her. The veteran Desmo-Twin, which is significantly stronger thanks to the engine management, pushes a lot, his hot-blooded horses gallop off spontaneously. Thus, the Duc, which is clearly inferior in terms of performance, follows the other two bravely, admittedly with ever higher engine speed and a larger proportion of full throttle. That stresses monsters like riders a bit, while the others save their nerves. On the other hand, their two-cylinder turns out to be comparatively economical, which is a pleasure for every pilot, given the over two marks for the liter super. And when the Ducati rider is on tour alone, he quickly notices that the almost legendary Desmo two-valve engine has not lost any of its high entertainment value.
In return, the little monster from Bologna has increased the chassis in the 2000 year. A little quicker? thanks to lighter rims ?? chases them through bends, has a clearly improved, much more sensitive fork, now also brakes ?? modified with steel flex lines and cheaper hydraulic transmission ?? appropriately crisp. The ergonomic fine tuning ?? higher handlebars, better knee grip, narrower seat ?? shows a positive effect, the Monster M 900 is comfortable, offers scope for driving activism, but prefers smaller drivers.
Since MOTORRAD has struggled a bit with the series tires so far, this test machine rolls on Pirelli Dragon GTS. Rubbers that harmonize perfectly with the Monster. And with which they the qualities of their chassis ?? after all, the frame concept comes from the venerable 851/888 model series ?? light-footed, precise and playful rushing through tight combinations of curves.
However, inclined drivers have to calculate the rather moderate lean angle with the current model, the exhaust pipe goes hard to the right and the side stand to the left. After all, the unfolded stand now locks, fumbling with the left toe of the boot is over. Are the curves faster or are you going straight ahead very quickly, are the monsters getting more and more nervous? what can happen with a naked bike.
And so the opponents also show small straight-ahead swings. It’s always amazing how helpful even small, frame-mounted claddings are. One of these adorned the last test Speed ​​Triple, and it thundered straight ahead at Topspeeed, while the completely undisguised Triple receives impulses via the wide handlebars for a slight stir around the steering axis. Not bad, but noticeable.
Another difference to the last speed triple test: This time the English rider has Pirelli Dragon Evo tires. On the one hand, they offer advantages over the Bridgestone BT 56, with which the Triumph is also delivered. They calm the steering, improve the driving stability in an inclined position, especially on bumpy roads, where the Speed ​​Triple with the rear BT 56 wobbles a little. On the other hand, the Bridgestone ensure better feedback and steer more precisely and agile. However, neither of the two tires can spoil the driving pleasure with the Triple.
It is always wonderful to let the island horse gallop across the ground, to sail through fast curves in a typical upright position on the broad handlebars. Stable down to the deepest inclines, the Triumph pulls its course, demonstrating its close relationship to the sporty Daytona with its impeccable cornering. In handling she is more sluggish than her adversary, but still bends willingly through tight alternating curves, preferably kept happy with a steady pull on the gas. The spring elements also play well, although the spring of the strut requires significantly more preload and the hindquarters sometimes respond a little unwillingly on waves that follow each other. This should be a tribute to the chic single-sided swing arm, because such wings weigh heavily, which is why the hindquarters fights with high unsprung masses. Still, the Triumph allows for one of the most casual types of curve surfing ever.
And is still trumped in this comparison: The Cagiva Raptor just drives a little more casual. The Monster is handy, the Cagiva is even more handy, downright incredibly playful. The Triple nails through the curves like on rails, the Raptor a bit more stable. It seems as if the Cagiva engineers have dealt intensively with their potential competition, because even the front brake, actually identical to that of the Monster except for the pads, works more effectively than on the Ducati counterpart, even if it does not brake as powerfully as the Triumph facility.
Straight ahead? Not perfect, but better than the other two. Steering precision? Exemplary, it could hardly be better. Really great driving behavior with almost no disruptive behavior. The Raptor, a successful mix of non-adjustable, but well-coordinated, sensitively appealing suspension elements, a successful chassis geometry and the appropriately selected tires, here Bridgestone BT 56, wisely in the rear in fully adequate 180/55 dimensions on what is now a "narrow" 5, 50 inch rim. It is an endless joy to take asphalt strips of every character under the wheels, to drive the Cagiva through long, smooth arcs, over the worst side roads, winding mountain roads. Well, the handlebars twitch, which is actually no wonder when the Cagiva takes off. In any case, driving fun was at the top of the raptor developers’ specifications.
S.It’s just a shame that the Cagiva engineers forgot the really big ones. Because this almost unprecedented fun bike with this fantastic engine actually only fits people up to a maximum of 1.80 meters in height. The raptor driver has to fold even more extreme than on the Monster if he measures more than the said limit. Others, on the other hand, will perceive the low sitting position as real happiness. Regrettable for the Tall One. But thank goodness there isn’t something for every taste in this test, but also for every size. The Triumph even fits 1.90-meter people and also offers the best possible ride-sharing. And the Ducati choose the purists for whom one has become too bombastic and the other too Japanese.

Conclusion: Cagiva Raptor 1000 – 1st place

Raptors are vicious creatures, so it’s hardly surprising that the brand new Cagiva doze off their seasoned opponents. The Italian two-wheeler manufacturer, which is on the rise, manages to give the Suzuki TL 1000 engine an appropriate chassis. A two-wheeler is created promptly, as it could hardly be more moody: strong, agile, track-stable, well made and a cult design. It’s just a shame that the Raptor fits smaller people. Still: Congratulations, Cagiva.

Conclusion: Ducati Monster – 3rd place

Even the most beautiful things get old. This applies to Cologne Cathedral as well as to Ducati’s cult monster. The Bolognese have successfully given their naked bike a facelift. The motor more powerful, the brakes more snappy, the fork more sensitive, the seating position more relaxed ?? Bad luck, actually, that everything is a little better with the opponents than the monsters. But dark sources already rumor one on a 996 basis…

Conclusion: Triumph Speed ​​Triple – 2nd place

The Triumph Speed ​​Triple embodies the British personality with a proudly swollen chest. The Hinckley sound machine "only" achieved second place on points, but it is the first choice, especially for tall drivers. Sporty, crisp, direct and strong, it was not for nothing that MOTORRAD readers voted it “Motorcycle of the Year” among the all-rounders. On top of that, the Speed ​​Triple also looks good, so little to be desired.

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