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Cat thunder
The
Thundercat appeared in 1995 as the sports car of the brand in tune
to evolve a few years later into a sporty GT. If she
did not have a great career, however she gave
birth to the Fazer! Detailed review of a versatile sports car…
Discovery
The first thing that marks when you discover the Thundercat,
it is his template. She has everything a fat, and thus seems to play in
the higher category. For the rest, his line is traditional
and all in curves … set back from the radical lines of
the R6 and the R1. It is true that apart from the colors, the Thundercat has little
evolved since its release. As we get closer, we discover
a wide saddle. The pilot has traditional analog instrumentation
: tachometer, tachometer, and coolant temperature, as well
a totalizer and a single trip; no fuel gauge but
an automatic switch-over indicator light.
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In the saddle
She was a sportswoman … She is therefore low, at the same time
for the pilot and the passenger. Suddenly, it allows to have the feet
well on the ground and, despite a particularly
large. Suffice to say that it is joy for the passenger, again
more aided by the side grab handles.
The position is not very typical despite the handlebars
bracelets and hardly any resting on the wrists. The body is
slightly leaned forward but never picked up
on himself. The shape of the tank is revealed
ideal and allows to enclose it without offering any suction.
It is really possible to become one with the machine, without having the
back broken so far. In short, the position is natural is ideal.
The starter put on is immediately removed, the Thundercat purrs
calmly. Here is one that is not likely to wake up
neighbors. Adjusting the mirrors, positioned
on the bubble, can be done in a jiffy, easily.
The soft rushes then on a trickle of gas, very gently.
We take our marks immediately and confidence sets in immediately.
On the way
In town, the Thundercat surprises with its ease and torque
at low speed. In fact, it resumes from the 2000s
laps in sixth and allows to stay on a range 4-5000 laps
without problem, freeing from the usual set of speeds on a
600. The slightly resting position on the wrists allows it to be used
comfortable way without ever suffering even after
long games between the lines. The box turns out soft
and precise. Last point, while the majority of sportswomen
offer an almost zero viewing angle in the city during the head shot
lateral, the more upright position of the latter allows
to have practically the same angle of view as with a roadster without
however disarticulate the head.
Get out of town on the highway, and the Thundercat soars
in one go and without complaining to quickly reach a prohibited speed
by code. The semi-upright position is then made on the tank
and the tachometer flies to the red zone. As much the pushed
was linear up to 8000 rpm, passed
this area, the 600 seems to find a new lease of life to express itself fully
and it then pushes very hard behind until
13,000 rpm from the red zone. The protection of the bubble quickly becomes
limited, but you have already lost your license, so…
Back on the national road, then on the departmental road, the 600 is having fun
again, favoring the game in turns and the discreet howling
four-cylinder for a more muscular drive.
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Night road
At night, the lighting plays its role. The counters are
bar with an orange glow and the unique frontal optic illuminates
reasonably for driving on departmental roads. On the highway,
on the other hand, the full headlight option becomes essential in order to see far
and net. And at this level, if we compare to the efficiency
usual for sports in the spotlight in the 600 category,
the Thundercat gets a palm.
Braking
The
Thundercat does not deny its past as a sports car: braking is
there to remind it and what it is about the rear brake
or before. The rear, despite a single disc, is revealed
particularly effective. To such an extent, moreover, that in braking
emergency and duo, with a 50/50 split, it is possible
to block it! One more reason to focus on
the front, formidable with two fingers. So there is never a need to tighten
too strong the front to have a sports braking: reassuring
and to handle gently.
Convenient
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The Thundercat offers all the necessary suspension settings
in all directions both front and back.
Easily accessible, they allow you to refine the settings
depending on the solo or duo, if you don’t want to see the
the motorcycle actually transformed (and by the way illuminate
the stars in duo).
The Thundercat has a large space provided under the saddle for
a U and a housing for the lower part. There is still room
for tool kit and road map set.
If it is possible to add a top-case to it, nothing allows it to embark
side cases … not to mention that it immediately breaks
its sporty line … not quite GT anyway.
Consumption
I thought for a moment that the gauge didn’t work until it
finally comes on … after 320 kilometers of motorway, which
with the 3 liters of reserve allows it to reach 370 km
! Certainly, this is consumption at stabilized speed,
but even on a more winding and playful course, the Thundercat
still breaks records of autonomy. You really have to keep it in
the towers to make him tickle the 7 liters per hundred … and this then
that she does not even benefit from the injection.
Conclusion
The
Thundercat succeeds in the impossible bet of offering the pleasure of a
sporty without the drawbacks. In short, it has become GT Sport
and allows you to do long crossings without forcing your pilot
to stop after a hundred kilometers. She stays
however a sportswoman and would gladly benefit from equipping herself
a higher screen, a central stand and a watch
to be a full-fledged GT. This remains despite
all the details for the pleasure it provides on a daily basis and
its ability to offer the butter and the money of butter: comfort
and performance.
Strong points
- motor character
- braking
- consumption
- comfort
Weak points
- limited protection
- stripped dashboard (no gauge, no
show) - no central stand
Competitors: Honda VFR, Suzuki GSX-F750,
Triumph TT600.
Datasheet
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