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Positioning Voxan Roadster
Among friends
So what’s behind this French Voxan Roadster? Serious all-rounder or playful fun bike? BMW R 1100 R and Buell X1 form the two extremes in the grid between common sense and idiosyncrasy.
The time has come. The French are serious. Serious about the attack on the motorcycle market. An attack in which your own country is to be conquered first and, after a year or two, all of Europe. Captured by a motorcycle named Voxan. And since Germany is in second place on the list of conquests after France, it is time to take a closer look at the great unknown. Very friendly, with peaceful intent and a relaxed atmosphere.
Issoire, the birthplace of the Voxan Roadster and located in the heart of France, offers the ideal setting for this little rendezvous. In order to better classify the strengths and weaknesses of the French woman, two machines that are well known in Germany are included. On the one hand the BMW R 1100 R, symbol of German mechanical engineering and seriousness, on the other hand the US twin Buell X1, the outsider who knows how to play the role of the funny, entertaining companion despite a lot of quirks. What role the Voxan could take on in the series of large-volume two-cylinders is to be shown by a joint drive through the winding landscape around Issoire.
After the first driving reports and tests with a wide variety of prototypes, press officer Marc Fontan proudly presents the curious MOTORRAD crew with one of the first series machines: “The development and testing period is over, so our roadster is already being produced and delivered.” The final touches seem to be worth it to have. In direct comparison to the last pre-series model driven by our French colleagues (test issue 12/1999), the V2 turns out to be a real flatterer. After the fierce criticism, the balancing of the crankshaft was again significantly changed for the series. The hard, pithy vibrations are blown away, only a full pulsation suggests the power of the 996 cubic centimeters. The perfect match: the subdued, yet heavily bass-heavy sound from the two aluminum mufflers of the exhaust system.
In France, great value is generally placed on independence. In contrast to BMW and Buell, the Roadster appears quite straightforward, dispensing with any Gymmicks. The tank, seat and rear of the vehicle form a homogeneous unit, the engine looks tidy, and the attachments such as the injection system, radiator and on-board electronics are neatly housed. The delicate five-spoke wheels and the small lamp cover complete the picture of the well thought-out construction.
If you switch from the BMW to the Voxan, at first you think you are on a Honda CB 500 or something similar. It is small, light and handy. And so the French woman turns the corners casually. In doing so, she makes the right compromise between the extremes BMW and Buell. Nothing to feel of the nervousness of the fidgety X1, but still more agile and, above all, tighter and more direct than the R 1100 R. This is not least due to the ingenious weight distribution. The shock absorber and starter are located below the engine, the battery and the oil tank for the dry sump lubrication are just above the pivot point and the tank is mostly under the seat. Everything together ensures a low center of gravity and playfully easy handling.
Nevertheless, the Voxan casts an envious look at the competition. And in the direction of BMW. Their comfort is simply worth its weight in gold, especially on the narrow, bumpy streets. Nevertheless, the chassis tuning of the roadster can be described as quite successful. The Americans could have a lesson on how to do this correctly with a strut under the engine. Incidentally, like the fork, this comes from White Power. Both components are fully adjustable and respond incredibly sensitively. The idiosyncratic frame construction made of a composite of cast aluminum parts and two thick steel tubes, in combination with the solid aluminum swingarm, ensures a sporty, direct driving experience without crushing the kidneys, as the X1 likes to do. Simply perfect for brisk cornering.
What the voluminous two-cylinder is great for. Below 3000 rpm, however, it still reacts quite unwillingly and with wild jerking to commands from the throttle hand. No comparison to the well-educated Bavarian, but after that the roadster pulls in without a performance hole with equal propulsion to show the BMW the mufflers from 7000 rpm. Only at 9200 rpm does the limiter put an end to the all too euphoric driving of the engine, which has been trimmed to 100 hp for the French market. Not quite as easy to turn as in the open 108 hp version, but blessed with a wide range of performance and easy to control at any time, the French twin is a source of joy. The impeccable throttle response of the cylinders, each supplied by an injection nozzle, and the almost backlash-free drive train of the Voxan ensure additional relaxation in the French curve labyrinth.
When looking at the fittings, on the other hand, there is a little sadness. Speedometer and tachometer needles are poorly dampened and jump up and down nervously at higher speeds. Except for a few control lights, there is no luxury whatsoever. Adjustable hand levers of the brake and clutch have probably fallen victim to the red pencil. With a motorcycle that is supposed to cost 25,000 marks, you could have done a little more trouble with the cockpit design.
D.he Brembo brand brake system is also not exactly a high-tech icing on the cake, but its qualities are absolutely convincing. There is nothing wrong with its effect, because thanks to the brake pads used by the French company Carbon Lorraine, the roadster decelerates precisely and in the best possible way. Here, too, Buell could cut a disk off – and mount it on the X1. Due to the single disc on the front wheel, the fork can twist quite adventurously when braking. Also takes a bit of getting used to – but in a positive sense the braking behavior with the telelever system of the BMW. Even with brutal braking, the vehicle nose does not simply sag like a telescopic fork. This means that there is always enough suspension travel to smooth out even larger bumps in the floor even under such difficult conditions.
“And? How was it? ”Marc Fontain wants to know that evening. “Can our Voxan keep up with your BMW?” Yes and no, is the hesitant answer. Because even though both bear the name Roadster, they are too different to be measured with the same measure. The same applies to the Buell. It’s just too crazy to be seriously compared with a Voxan or even a BMW.
Series production is running
After numerous technical problems, the first series machines are now rolling off the assembly line in Issoire. However, the capacity of the small factory is still low. A total of five machines are currently being manufactured per day. If everything continues to run smoothly, up to ten roadsters are to be assembled daily with the 70-strong workforce. Assembled from around 1800 parts supplied by 150 different suppliers. Because no screw is manufactured in the factory itself. In order to meet our own high quality standards, every delivery is subjected to a meticulous incoming inspection. By the time the machine is assembled and a ten-minute test bench run is complete, a set of 60 individual control sheets is created, which can then be used to analyze any defect that may occur later. After a demonstration machine was delivered to all 65 French Voxan dealers around two months ago , the first customer machines are currently being delivered. According to Marc Fontan, the demand exceeds the already ambitious goals. In addition to the lack of a dealer network, this is one reason why the Roadster is not sold across Europe right away. And what if someone is already interested in the Voxan? No problem, according to EC directives, every German can buy his motorcycle in France and register it here. “In theory,” says Fontane, “however, it will be difficult to find a dealer who has to put off a French customer in order to give preference to a German one.” In such cases the European idea is over.
CONCLUSION
You can already look forward to the day when Voxan crosses its own national borders and comes to Germany. The French have what it takes to set a new trend in terms of two-cylinder engines. Not as serious as the Bavarian Twins. The roadster is less perfect, but it is a lot of driving pleasure. And not as casual as the American V2. Technically, the Voxan is far better equipped thanks to sophisticated, functional technology. A great engine, a great chassis, very easy handling and an independent character should guarantee success. A Suzuki SV 650 S for advanced users, so to speak. The only stumbling block could be the high price of around 25,000 marks. In just over a year it will then be seen whether the French bill will work.
Technical specifications
DATA: Engine: water-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke 72-degree V-engine, two overhead, chain-driven camshafts, four valves per cylinder, bucket tappets, wet sump lubrication, electronic intake manifold injection, engine management, no exhaust gas cleaning, electric starter, three-phase alternator 317 W, battery 12 V / 18 Ah. Bore x stroke 98 x 66 mm, displacement 996 cm³, compression ratio 10.5: 1, rated output 74 kW (100 PS) at 9000 rpm, max. Torque 94 Nm (9.6 kpm) at 6500 rpm Power transmission: primary drive via gear wheels, hydraulically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, O-ring chain, secondary ratio 40:18. Chassis: bridge frame made of tubular steel, with screwed control head and swing arm bearings made of aluminum – Cast iron, load-bearing engine, upside-down fork, guide tube diameter 40 mm, adjustable spring base and rebound damping, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum profiles, a spring strut, lying, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, double disc brake at the front, four-piston calipers, floating brake discs, Ø 320 mm, rear disc brake, two-piston caliper, Ø 245 mm, cast aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 5.50 x 17 tires 120/70 ZR 17; 180/55 ZR 17 Chassis data: wheelbase 1444 mm, steering head angle 64.5 °, caster 95 mm, suspension travel f / h 120/120 mm.Price including VAT approx. 25,000 MarkMESSUNGENDelivery performance1Maximum speedSolo 230 km / hAcceleration Solo0 100 km / h 3 , 5 sec 0 ?? 140 km / h 5.5 sec 0 ?? 180 km / h 8.7 sec Pull-through Solo60 ?? 100 km / h 4.4 sec 100 ?? 140 km / h 5.4 sec Fuel type super consumption in the test Minimum 5.9 l / 100 Maximum 7.6 l / 100 Theor. Range 272 kmDimensions and weightsL / W 2110/740 mmSeat height 800 mmWeight fully fueled 205 kgWheel load distribution f / h 47/53% tank capacity / reserve * 18.5 / 3 liters
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