Naked bikes in the test: Aprilia, Benelli, Buell, Yamaha

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Test: Aprilia, Benelli, Buell, Yamaha

Comparison test of naked bikes

The spirit of unreason ?? he lives in every powerful naked bike. With four very different approaches, MOTORRAD has explored what lies beyond this spirit in them.

The French writer Honore de Balzac once said: "A man is made to withstand a man’s most reasonable argument but succumb to a woman’s most unreasonable gauze." Since motorcycles are known to be female, the new Buell 1125 CR should sell brilliantly: frame as a tank, moped-like wheelbase, high-performance V2 and chubby cheeks like a hamster – common sense is different. Behind the two generously dimensioned side panels there are water coolers mounted lengthways to the direction of travel, which for technical reasons could not be accommodated differently. But does the gasoline have to slosh in the frame, do a huge brake disc have to hit the rim or the steering head angle be steeper than in the rest of the world? In direct comparison with the Aprilia Tuono 1000 R Factory, Benelli TnT 1130 Sport Evo and the Yamaha FZ1 ABS should be clarified how much coolness is still functional.

Ghosts are generally unpredictable. And so, as mentioned above, after extensive test drives a defect occurred that stopped the Benelli and forced MOTORRAD to order a new machine for photo production. In this respect, it sounds a bit mean when the TnT’s ability to provide an abundance of power anytime and anywhere is part of it "the engine literally explodes" is commented. But that describes the performance development absolutely correctly. The three-cylinder accumulates a massive 90 Newton meters from as little as 2000 turns. No other drive reacts more energetically to a twist of the throttle. However, an old saying applies here: Power comes from fuel – if you move the TnT quickly, you burn up to ten liters of super per 100 kilometers. This is of course not up-to-date, but the experience value is unique: The bizarre combustion woodoo of the triplet paired with the mechanical arias from the water housing gives you goose bumps. This painting, creaking, growling, croaking, groaning – a mixture of domesticated aggression and free-thinking – makes you happy and euphoric.

More dangerous than in any three-cylinder triumph, far more lively, more adrenaline-pumping than anything comparable in this test field. It is the sheer unreasonableness of monster muscles that enriches everyday life, enhances it, and ultimately simply shakes it off. In addition, there is the short, sprint-friendly overall gear ratio of the TnT: the first gear reaches almost 100 km / h, the last up to 250.

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Test: Aprilia, Benelli, Buell, Yamaha

Comparison test of naked bikes

Aprilia Tuono 1000 R Factory

The euphoria vanishes when you stroll through a clogged city center in the pouring rain: You cursed a difficult-to-use clutch, the rough throttle response and the fact that the engine brakes hard or cuts out suddenly when coasting. Easy is different. But that’s rock ‘n’ roll. Aprilia has approached the topic of naked bikes from the super sporty side and constructed the Tuono Factory according to a simple recipe: Take the in-house super sports car RSV 1000 Factory, remove the full fairing, mount a wide superbike handlebar – and the ultra -cool naked bike is ready. Golden frame, extremely light forged wheels, delicious carbon parts, the finest Ohlins chassis. Unfortunately, the translation was also taken over by the super athlete – in purely mathematical terms, the Italian runs almost 300 km / h. It would have made more sense if the two-cylinder had been sworn to everyday use with a shorter gear ratio and had better manners in favor of drivability below 3000 rpm. Because low speeds are suspicious of the V2. He rattles, shakes and hammers with great reluctance: a bike that hates 30 zones and loves wide radii. Only from 4000 rpm does the motor run smoothly, pulsing, punching, rumbling, grooving with full blow. He wants to turn, feels very comfortable in high spheres, and his greed for speed always encourages a faster pace.

Tourist aspects are completely alien to the Vau from the Rotax engine forge. At medium speeds, the front wheel loses traction in first gear. Monster power? No, with 133 measured horsepower, the Aprilia is even the weakest in the test field. It is due to the low overall weight and the fact that the Tuono driver sits far back and thus promotes the wheelie tendency. Even the second bike with a Rotax drive, Erik Buell’s 1125 CR, is not necessarily a reasonable price, she still flirts with the equation "powerful thump with mini optics". Although the new one looks more massive than its extremely compact predecessor, the wheelbase has only grown by 60 millimeters to its 1385. First impression of the newly developed, water-cooled engine: rather sluggish. A delusion caused by the comparatively stiff throttle grip. Because the Austrian drive is agile and with 144 hp at 10200 rpm after all the second most powerful in this comparison.

Artist

The Aprilia Tuono 1000 R Factory shines with clean workmanship and a nice look.

The V2 plows through the rev range with an extreme nonchalance and greed, which the air-cooled 45-degree V2 engines of American origin used by Buell to date stamped on designs from the ancient world of internal combustion engine construction. The power is shoveled evenly and very easily onto the rear wheel. Unless you open the mighty 61 throttle valve abruptly at 3000 rpm, for example to overtake a car in city traffic – then nothing happens. A moment or two pass in which you ask yourself: What did I do wrong? Can an Austrian engine be offended because of the American chassis? Clear no. It is more likely that the two-cylinder suspects a noise measurement in this driving condition. Bad if you are suddenly perceived as an obstacle in the left lane for seconds.

Buell 1125 CR

Buell

The Buell 1125 CR is extravagant: thick air scoops, intricate exhaust and headlights with an angry look.

Apart from this faux pas and the fact that the V2 runs a bit rough in the last third of the speed, there is still something to complain about when it comes to the drive: The clutch requires a lot of effort, and the gearshift is harsh – but this one-of-a-kind simply does not match delicate controls. Despite its enormous power, the engine is somewhat overshadowed by the lively Tuono-Vau and the brutal Benelli triplet. The supercooled high-performance charm of this Rotax-V2 cannot win in this environment. Whereby we would be with the Yamaha FZ1, the emotional counterpart to the Buell. The four-cylinder runs smoothly, weightlessly, with little vibration. The Japanese, who are willing to compromise on all sides, have planted the five-valve engine of the earlier R1 in their power-naked. Yamaha has prepared the high-performance engine for its new working conditions with different camshafts, reduced compression and a modified map. That was partially successful. The power development cannot be called bulky, a TnT acts bulky. Sure, thrust is always there, powerful in fact. With 147 hp, the four-cylinder is the most powerful engine in the quartet. But below 5000 rpm, the engine reacts very cautiously to gas commands. If you want to be on the move quickly, you even have to help out in tight bends with the smooth-running and easy-to-dose clutch. Extremely annoying, especially in two-person operation.

However, you can get used to the peculiarities of the high-performance inline four-cylinder: drive one gear lower. As long as you step on the gas when the crankshaft rotates at least at half the nominal speed, things are always stormy. Does that make sense? Yes, because the speed-hungry foolishness is offset by a high degree of suitability for everyday use. With a gentle throttle response, low vibrations, and inconspicuous operation, the four-cylinder sweetens everyday use. Even more: The drive is suitable for touring, because it masters a leisurely trot as well as a powerful canter and behaves tame – a sheep in wolf’s clothing, so to speak. Because that is a contradiction to the rather aggressive look. Functional purpose.

Artist

After the test day, the quartet became an irrepressible trio.

Spirit of nonchalance – the chassis. Let’s start alphabetically. And right away with the highlight of the comparison: The super-sensitive, appealing spring elements of the Aprilia are not only puncture-proof, but also tell the driver absolutely unadulterated what the bikes are doing. Your feedback is excellent. The Tuono follows the steering commands purposefully and casually, with an almost lively ease. A lot adds up here: the wide handlebars implement impulses well, the light forged wheels ensure low rotating masses, and with a full tank of 206 kilograms, the weight is low. No other model in the comparison is as handy as the super sports car with wide handlebars. The brakes are also convincing with their crystal clear actuation through a full pressure point and excellent effect. The only drawback: the seating position. The footrests are superbike-like far back and high up – also called old-style.

Benelli TnT 1130 Sport Evo and Yamaha FZ1 ABS

Artist

Photo shoot the day after the test drives: The Benelli TnT 1130 Sport Evo quits the service, remains lying on the way to the location with engine failure.

Benellis TnT looks tough compared to Aprilia. It is 15 kilograms heavier than the Aprilia, handling a bit more sluggish and the suspension is stiffer. The TnT does not move so easily in an inclined position, requires more effort, but then lies as if dowelled. A perfectly level course is required. The Tuono have the benchmark, the Sport Evo lacks sensitivity, especially the shock absorber reacts more trampling. The steering precision suffers on bumpy surfaces. Despite its powerful engine, there is hardly any wheelie or kickback tendency, Benelli even dispenses with a steering damper. Even with strong acceleration, the TnT is stable, the handlebars only start to twitch. Overall, it feels uncouth, a rough, puristic driving machine dominated by the sheer power of the engine. The first test machine also struggled with the first tires, Dunlop D 208. Michelin Pilot Power was mounted on the copy for the photo production, with which the TnT not only steered not only noticeably easier, but also more precisely.

Yet despite the criticism of the TnT, that is nothing against the individual will of the Buell. The machine, which weighs 212 kilograms, almost has to be forced into an incline. You push with your thighs, lever your handlebars – and still miss the ideal line a little. And the American is not good at driving straight ahead either, because she commutes at top speed. While the fork is working satisfactorily, the poorly responding shock absorber reaches its limits, especially on poor stretching. In addition, the machine’s tendency to stoppage is very pronounced due to the short wheelbase. This better braking values ​​in the system prevents that actually works well. One gets the impression that the creator Erik Buell wanted to create unique selling points by deliberately doing something different, but these often odd the function. In other words: why should you make wheels angular when they work perfectly around??

Artist

The Yamaha FZ1 ABS scores in terms of everyday life, safety and value for money and comes in second.

With the FZ1, Yamaha proves that a cool look, a super sporty heart and a high level of everyday practicality are not mutually exclusive. The only points of criticism: the mounted Dunlop D 220 turns in quickly and slowly in corners. In addition, the FZ1 keys down comparatively early in two-person operation. In addition, the tank and frame spread the legs a little wide. Otherwise the Yamaha works very well. Your ABS works perfectly, the braking system is effective and easy to adjust. And the chassis remains sufficiently stable, offers good feedback and is the only one in this comparison with something like comfort. Another plus point: The FZ1 is delicate, looks compact and clearly arranged. This especially pleases smaller people. Back to Honore de Balzac’s quote. In contrast to the example with women, the seduction of unreasonable motorcycles is in most cases suppressed by a simple formula: the price-performance ratio. And that speaks for the Yamaha without a doubt. Quite apart from the fact that the Aprilia is the best motorcycle of the comparison under test criteria and the Buell has to line up behind because of its peculiarities.

Test result

Artist

The test winner: Aprilia Tuono 1000 R Factory.

1. Aprilia Tuono 1000 R Factory
Her first-class chassis in connection with good workmanship and the four-year guarantee guarantee the Italian victory.

2. Yamaha FZ1 ABS
Great, how the four-cylinder scores. Hardly any real weaknesses and even ABS on board. With other tires and a better gear ratio, the FZ1 would be the test winner.

3. Benelli TnT 1130 Sport Evo
High consumption, modest suitability for everyday use? Despite the robust engine, it is only enough for the TnT for third place. That’s the way it is with unreason.

4. Buell 1125 CR
Compared to its predecessor with the air-cooled Harley drive, the new one has won. Nevertheless, it cannot hold its own against the competition from Japan and Italy.

MOTORCYCLE how to scoring

engine
No hammers, but wrecking balls: all four bikes are more than sufficiently motorized. Above all, the Benelli impresses with its superb acceleration, the spontaneous conversion of turning the handle to wheel speed. The three-cylinder is not only extremely powerful, but also optimally geared. The Aprilia suffers from the latter, whose sixth gear theoretically reaches 296 km / h. Also bypassing the subject of country road bikes: the Yamaha. She presses a fat 147 hp, but her four-cylinder requires high speeds for it. And struggles with a performance gap that is particularly noticeable in two-person operation. Tea Buell is the acceleration time when spontaneously accelerating to 3000 / min to doom? time stands still while the competition rushes off in the same situation.

Winner engine: Benelli

landing gear
From the cradle of super sports: Aprilias Tuono is a racer with wide handlebars. The finest Ohlins components ensure the best responsiveness and rich feedback. In addition, it is the lightest and easiest machine in the quartet. A stark contrast: the Buell. Her shock absorber responds stubbornly, the American shows strong self-steering behavior and only runs straight ahead to a limited extent at top speed. In pillion mode, the Yamaha quickly reaches its limits and hits the ground. It’s a shame, as it is the only one in the comparison to offer a human-worthy passenger seat. In addition, their chassis is tuned to be the most comfortable. The Benelli hardly shows any nakedness. Whereby the photo TnT with Michelin Pilot Power seemed much more agile than the test copy equipped with Dunlop D 208.

Winner chassis: Aprilia

everyday life
A thousand volts and no light? The saying should only be considered a stupid joke, especially with the Tuono: The light output of your headlight is at the top level. But that’s almost it in terms of suitability for everyday use. Apart from the 194 kilogram payload of the Aprilia. None of these bikes are sensitive. No wind protection worth mentioning, hardly any options for luggage storage, poor living conditions for passengers and little visibility in the rear-view mirrors. Only the Yamaha can stand out from the competition in this chapter: good light, relatively good ergonomics for both passengers. When it comes to range, the Benelli almost misses the mark: if you have a full bottle, you have to go to the petrol pump after 140 kilometers.

Winner everyday: Yamaha

security
Safe braking doesn’t make a cool bike less cool? see ABS on the Yamaha. Especially not if the stoppers are easy to dose. Not so intoxicating: Both the FZ1 and the Buell tend to kickback. With the Tuono, a steering damper ensures calm, the Benelli is very stable. Tackled: the Buell with its extreme chassis geometry. The American leans strongly when braking in an inclined position and is extremely prone to stoppies when driving with a passenger.

Safety winner: Yamaha

costs
If it weren’t for the Aprilia’s four-year warranty, the Yamaha would win this chapter too. Because of its high consumption and immense inspection costs, the Benelli does not win a flower pot.

Winner Cost: Aprilia

Price-performance winner
Unreasonable at a reasonable price ?? the FZ1 is a cool, powerful, everyday street sweeper. And also much cheaper than the competition? touch!

Price-performance winner: Yamaha

Data Aprilia Tuono 1000 R Factory

engine
Water-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke 60-degree V-engine, two balance shafts, two overhead, gear / chain-driven camshafts each, four valves per cylinder, bucket tappets, dry sump lubrication, injection, Ø 57 mm, regulated catalytic converter, 500 W alternator, battery 12 V / 10 Ah, hydraulically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox,
O-ring chain, secondary ratio 40:16.

Bore x stroke 97.0 x 67.5 mm
Displacement 998 cm3
Compression ratio 11.8: 1
Rated output 102.0 kW (139 hp) at 9500 rpm
Max. Torque 107 Nm at 8500 rpm

landing gear
Bridge frame made of aluminum, upside-down fork, Ø 43 mm, steering damper, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum, central spring strut with lever system, adjustable spring base and rebound damping, double disc brake at the front, Ø 320 mm, four-piston fixed calipers, disc brake at the rear, Ø 220 mm, two-piston fixed caliper.

Forged aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 6.00 x 17

tires
120/70 ZR 17; 180/55 ZR 17
Pirelli Super Corsa Pro tires tested

mass and weight
Wheelbase 1410 mm, steering head angle 65.0 degrees, caster 104 mm, spring travel f / r 120/133 mm, seat height * 840 mm, weight with a full tank * 206 kg, payload * 194 kg, tank capacity / reserve 18.0 / 4.0 liters.

Guarantee four years
Service intervals 10,000 km
Price 13,599 euros
Additional costs around 270 euros

Data Benelli TnT 1130 Sport Evo

engine
Water-cooled three-cylinder four-stroke in-line engine, two overhead, chain-driven camshafts, four valves per cylinder, bucket tappets, wet sump lubrication, injection, Ø 53 mm, regulated catalytic converter, 550 W alternator, 12 V / 12 Ah battery, hydraulically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, O-ring chain, secondary ratio 36:16.

Bore x stroke 88.0 x 62.0 mm
Cubic capacity 1131 cm3
Compression ratio 11.5: 1
Rated output 95.0 kW (129 hp) at 8500 rpm
Max. Torque 110 Nm at 5250 rpm

landing gear
Bridge frame made of steel and aluminum, upside-down fork, Ø 50 mm, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, tubular steel rocker arm, central spring strut with lever system, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, double disc brake at the front, Ø 320 mm, four-piston fixed calipers, Rear disc brake, Ø 240 mm, two-piston fixed caliper.

Cast aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 6.00 x 17

tires
120/65 ZR 17; 190/55 TR 17
Dunlop 208 RR tires tested

mass and weight
Wheelbase 1419 mm, steering head angle 65.5 degrees, caster 99 mm, spring travel f / r 120/115 mm, seat height * 810 mm, weight with a full tank * 221 kg, payload * 179 kg, tank capacity / reserve 16.0 / 5.0 liters.

Two year guarantee
Service intervals 10,000 km
Colors white, silver, black
Price 13,990 euros
Additional costs around 250 euros

Data Buell 1125 CR

Buell

engine
Water-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke 72-degree V-engine, three balance shafts, four overhead, gear / chain-driven camshafts, four valves per cylinder, rocker arm, dry sump lubrication, injection, Ø 61 mm, regulated catalytic converter with secondary air system, 500 W alternator, Battery 12 V / 12 Ah, hydraulically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, toothed belt, secondary ratio 76:27.

Bore x stroke 103.0 x 67.5 mm
Cubic capacity 1125 cm3
Compression ratio 12.3: 1
Rated output 109.0 kW (148 hp) at 10,000 rpm
Max. Torque 111 Nm at 8000 rpm

landing gear
Bridge frame made of aluminum, upside-down fork, Ø 47 mm, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum, central spring strut, directly hinged, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, internal disc brake at the front, Ø 375 mm, eight-piston fixed caliper, Rear disc brake, Ø 240 mm, double-piston floating caliper.

Cast aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 5.50 x 17

Tires 120/70 ZR 17; 180/55 ZR 17
Tires in the test Pirelli Diablo Corsa III

mass and weight
Wheelbase 1385 mm, steering head angle 69.0 degrees, caster 84 mm, spring travel f / r 120/127 mm, seat height * 820 mm, weight with a full tank * 212 kg, payload * 174 kg, tank capacity / reserve 20.1 / 3.0 liters.

Two year guarantee
One year mobility guarantee
Service intervals 10,000 km
Colors red, black
Price 11,599 euros
Additional costs around 310 euros

Data Yamaha FZ1 ABS

Artist

engine
Water-cooled four-cylinder four-stroke in-line engine, two overhead, chain-driven camshafts, five valves per cylinder, bucket tappets, wet sump lubrication, injection, Ø 42 mm, regulated catalytic converter, 560 W alternator, 12 V / 11 Ah battery, mechanically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, Six-speed gearbox, O-ring chain, secondary ratio 45:17.

Bore x stroke 77.0 x 53.6 mm
Displacement 998 cm3
Compression ratio 11.5: 1
Rated output 110.3 kW (150 PS) at 11,000 rpm
Max. Torque 106 Nm at 8000 rpm

landing gear
Bridge frame made of aluminum, upside-down fork, Ø 43 mm, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum, central spring strut with lever system, adjustable spring base and rebound damping, double disc brake at the front, Ø 320 mm, four-piston fixed calipers, disc brake at the rear, Ø 245 mm, single-piston floating caliper, ABS.

Cast aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 6.00 x 17
Tires 120/70 ZR 17; 190/50 ZR 17
Dunlop D 220 tires tested

Dimensions + weights
Wheelbase 1460 mm, steering head angle 65.0 degrees, caster 109 mm, spring travel f / h 130/130 mm, seat height * 800 mm, weight with a full tank * 230 kg, load * 180 kg, tank capacity / reserve 18.0 / 3.4 liters.

Two year guarantee
Service intervals 10,000 km
Colors silver, black, white
Price 10 195 euros
Additional costs around 170 euros

MOTORCYCLE measurements

Madness: The Benelli pushes nine hp more than its nominal power and shovels immense torque to the rear wheel just above idle? A naked bike motor cannot develop its power more robustly. Particularly praiseworthy: the linear performance of the opponents. However, all of them show a slight drop of 3000 rpm. This moment of breathing is particularly noticeable with the Yamaha while driving.

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