Test: Yamaha SZR 660

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Test: Yamaha SZR 660

Yamaha SZR 660

No nonsense: single-cylinder 660 cubic meters, poured out in a sporty way, don’t worry?

What Heinz Schenk, Reno Nonsens and Lia Wohr as protagonists of Äppelwoi sociability with the Yamaha SDR have to do? Actually nothing. Or is it? Whether Blauer Bock or Blauer Bock, good entertainment is promised here and there, which relies on the stimulating effect of a stimulant presented in a single-cylinder form. The pick-me-up variant, accompanied by music and humor, has been popular with television audiences for decades, while the two-wheeled version on the motorcycle scene has yet to show what their "audience" will be like. If you count the voices that have been preaching the sporty single-cylinder as an alternative to the four-cylinder standard pulp for years, the Yamaha importer shouldn’t be worried about it Commercial success of the 660s. The fact that SZR stands out among sporty competitors not only because of its motorization speaks for itself. It is exceptionally compact and low, and above all it presents itself in a design that polarizes: its provocative curves, with which it deliberately avoids the beaten track of racing replica styling, please or meet with rejection, in any case do not leave you indifferent The shape and dimensions have a direct impact on the ergonomic conditions, the Yamaha is not a motorcycle for Otto, for very obvious reasons, but rather for Ottilie the average consumer. Who – like the author – measures 1.80 meters and has relatively long arms and legs, lives in conflict on the SDR. Above the waistline, despite the low handlebar halves, it is reasonably relaxed, there is even enough space to fully immerse yourself behind the windshield if necessary. From the bottom of the trousers down, there is more of a cramp and a lack of space: Sharply angled limbs and knees that protrude beyond the bulges in the tank are the price for the low seat height and the high-positioned footrests – in the interests of freedom from leaning. More compact pilots can be found splendidly integrated into the SZR, but they too have their parcel to carry: With their upper bodysuits bent far forward, they feel like they are on a racing machine that the SZR does not want to be – and cannot be, because with its 48 PS (on the test bench there were even 51 PS on the spot) it moves in terms of performance – who would have thought it – at the usual 50 PS level: zero to 100 km / h in around five seconds, top good 180 things – good performances, but no indications of exuberant dynamism. Nonetheless, the SZR engine manages to set sporty accents. Notwithstanding the fact that his output depends on a single, weighty piston, he is an ardent advocate of the principle of rotation. Without being exerted or exerting force, he drives the needle of his control device into the red area in the corridors until the limiter of the ignition control puts an end to the hustle and bustle. Continuous shooting at the electronic tolerance limit leaves the engine – more precisely: its heat balance – cold. The driver too, because the vibrations that can be felt are not worth mentioning. It tingles more uncomfortably at around 3500 rpm, but it doesn’t matter because the engine doesn’t do anything but jerkily tug at the chain. The single cylinder, which pulls with a round barrel from the bottom and cheers uninhibitedly from above, is still waiting to be invented at Yamaha. The sportiness of the SZR is also expressed in the fact that it wants to be kept on its toes when the country road is uneven by busy switching between gears two, three and four – number five only comes to life in speed ranges reserved for expressways. The SZR-Single gets in shape with a chassis that does justice to the often strained comparison with a bicycle. To speak of exerting force on the handlebars already means doing the SZR an injustice: Apparently without physical intervention, the 660 finds the prescribed path and falls like lightning into adventurous inclines, the right the exhaust and the left the screw connection of the oil line on the engine block over the floor scratch it. And with the precision of a surgical instrument, every cut sits in the asphalt strip, nothing trembles there, no unnecessary centimeter is wasted. Braking maneuvers deep into the curve or corrective grip on the brake lever even in an inclined position – no problem, because there are no erecting reactions master. The SDR takes quick bends with a slightly undulating surface without batting an eyelid. Deceleration tactics at the grip limit of the front tire – no affair thanks to the easy-to-dose 320 mm disc with four-piston pliers. Contrary to expectations, the commendable driving behavior is not bought at the price of undue hardship. The suspension elements respond well and dutifully swallow whatever comes under the wheels of the machine. The play instinct awakened by the adjustment options on the fork (rebound and compression damping) and central spring strut (rebound damping) subsides after it has been found that the SDR masters all tasks splendidly at a medium setting. So no fly in the ointment? But: The SZR with its inhuman pillion seat is completely unsuitable for intimate togetherness – which makes the blue goat seem even more worthwhile to selfish soloists.

Test: Yamaha SZR 660

Yamaha SZR 660

Yamaha SZR 660 (T) (archive version) – The engine – one pot for many cases

The engine of the SZR was originally developed as the driving force for Paris-Dakar desert foxes, then – quite logically – it embarked on a globetrotting career under the registration number XTZ 660. So now he’s trying to get a street athlete going, and the prerequisites are favorable. In contrast to thoroughbred (off-road) sports engines, the crankshaft drive of the 660 Yamaha single is fitted with a spur gear-driven balancer shaft, which counteracts the development of vibrations that damage the material and condition. The water cooling guarantees healthy thermal conditions and dampens mechanical noises. Thanks to the 100 millimeter cylinder bore, the piston only has to travel 84 millimeters between the dead centers. At 7000 rpm – this is where the red area on the rev counter begins – the mean piston speed reaches a moderate 19.6 m / s. Three inlet and two outlet valves cavort over the large bore. Actuation via a camshaft and rocker arm allows the valve clearance to be adjusted in no time using adjusting screws. A register carburetor takes care of the mixture preparation and ensures good throttle response over the entire speed range.

Yamaha SZR 660 (T) (archive version)

I confess: I was full of prejudices, accusing the advocates of single-cylinder athletes with a lack of sanity and single-cylinder athletes with a lack of driving pleasure due to poor performance. I was wrong. A few hundred kilometers on the autobahn and winding Black Forest roads were enough to make me think seriously about buying an SZR 660. Well, the performance is not exactly breathtaking, but maybe this is what makes it so attractive. Unlike superbikes that are bursting with horsepower, you can squeeze out the SZR without having more than one foot in jail – and because of the successful suspension, you have a lot of fun.

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