Test Voxan V 1000 Roadster

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Test Voxan V 1000 Roadster

Test Voxan V 1000 Roadster
The fresh French

Voxan, that sounds a bit like toothpaste. Or for an aggressive abrasive. In fact, there is a very young French motorcycle brand behind it. Her first series project: a two-cylinder with a depth effect.

Monika Schulz, Laurent Cochet

06/07/1999

After various presentations, technical reports and driving reports, the most important step towards Voxan follows: the first test. Without any pardon. Because with the start of series production, the grace period for the French motorcycle brand has expired.
A brief review for those who have been thinking up to now, Voxan be a murderous teeth whitening or something: In December 1995 the motorcycle-obsessed industrialist Jacques Gardette threw the last doubts about his plan overboard and founded a brand new two-wheeler factory in Issoire. Your name: Voxan. Gardette’s dream: a thoroughly French bike. Extravagant, strong, two-cylinder. The first prototype is ready 18 months later. However, there are problems with the durability of the engine. In autumn 1998 the V2 finally ran symptom-free. You are invited to the maiden voyage with the V 1000 Roadster. Tenor of the driving report in MOTORRAD 22/1998: »très bien ?? for a start. ”The only question was: Can the French maintain the high pre-series standard?
You could. Largely at least. The roadster has lost none of its expressiveness. As with the first rendezvous, it impresses with its unusual design language. However, a few good manners fell by the wayside. In contrast to the pre-production engines, the 72-degree V-Twin comes out as a rather gruff fellow after its reproduction. It rumbles loudly through the lower speed range, and the chain lashes wildly against the slide rail of the swing arm. Once the situation in the basement has calmed down, you will notice the vibrations on a higher level, which makes it unnecessary to look in the rearview mirror.
The injection engine delivers 103 hp on the dynamometer. For the German version, which should go into series production at the end of next year, even 120 hp are planned. Of course you don’t say no, although it isn’t really necessary. Because even in the tested French version, the briefly translated roadster shows no lack of temperament. As soon as concentricity begins at 2500 revolutions, the signs point to a storm. Up to 7500 tours there is great progress, then the throttling becomes noticeable and the power curve remains at 103 hp.
The acceleration from 0 to 200 km / h is at a very high level of 11.4 seconds, and the top speed of 230 km / h is beyond the pain threshold. Because the mini windshield is completely overwhelmed from Tacho 180. The chassis, on the other hand, is ideally suited to high speeds: stable and precise, the V 1000 cuts through the landscape as sharp as a scalpel. She is in her element on well-developed roads. The higher the speed, the better it feels. This is not least due to the aggressive sitting position: legs strongly bent, upper body rather bent forward. There is no cosiness.
In general, the Voxan looks like a stripped super sports car: compact, taut, handy, light. 205 kilograms with a full 18.5 liter tank are okay. The low center of gravity as well. Quickly changing lean angles are one of the easiest roadster exercises. It gets more complicated in the jumble of curves on bumpy country roads. While the horizontally mounted shock absorber can cope with small and large bumps in the ground without complaint, the overdamped front wheel suspension induces unrest in the chassis, which spoils the confident feeling on the handlebars. Here Voxan reacted a little too violently to the criticism of the slightly too soft tuning of the pre-series fork.
There are no good feelings at all in the rear seat of the roadster: the footrests too high, the upholstery too narrow, the handles too deep. And the biggest breakdown? the heels of the backbenchers actually park on the silencers. Gone stupid. Like many other things. For example the thing with the instruments, which are partially covered by the handlebars. Or the gag with the gas cap: a flap with a screw cap underneath? you don’t wear something like that anymore. The paintwork, handlebar grips, levers and the finish of the upper triple clamp are unusually cheap for a motorcycle that costs the equivalent of 25,000 marks.
On the other hand, the front brake system delivers almost too much of a good thing. For normal everyday use, the Brembo four-piston calipers bite extremely poisonously into the mighty 320 discs. The nature of the speedometer, which easily goes 20 km / h, is also fiery.
No question about it: there is still a lot to do for Voxan. And the people of Issoire know that. The first changes are already in progress. We stay tuned.

backgrounds

Background Voxan has built 80 roadsters so far, which were sold to the French dealer network exclusively as demonstration machines. Our sister magazine Moto Journal, respectively Laurent Cochet, was able to test one of these models. We have taken over the test to keep it up-to-date. And with a clear conscience, because our colleagues in France work according to the same methods as MOTORRAD: with Tellert measuring equipment, roller test bench, net and false floor.

Conclusion

“The roadster is too bad for a motorcycle that costs 25,000 marks,” writes Laurent Cochet in his test. Still, he likes the V 1000. Because it’s different. Not a decal, but an original. The engine makes a lot of steam, but in the lower speed range there is also a problem. In addition, the four-valve engine vibrates horribly. The clutch and transmission are okay. The chassis too, apart from the overdamped fork. What Voxan urgently needs to work on are questionable detailed solutions.

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