Cycle world february 2015 usa

AMERICA’S LEADING MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE

FEBRUARY 2015

CYCLEWORLD.COM

NEW METAL 2015! FIRST RIDE

2015 TRIUMPH

TIGER 800 XC

PLUS

HONDA

RC213V-S

STREETBIKE

KAWASAKI

H2 & H2R

APRILIA

RSV4 RR

THE YEAR

OF THE

SUPERBIKE!

200 HP +

MOTOGP

ELECTRONICS

RIDE SAFEALPINESTARS

AIR VEST

★

YAMAHA

YZF-R1M

$21,990

YAMAHA

YZF-R1

$16,490

CYW0215_COV_MK1.indd 1 12/1/14 3:15 PM

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CYCLEWORLD.COM 3

SINCE 1962

FEBRUARY 2015 •

VOL. 54 NO. 2

SPECIAL SECTION

NEW METAL 2015

26. YEAR OF THE

SUPERBIKE

Two Hundred Horsepower: The new norm?

34. ADV EVOLUTION

Motorcycling’s most versatile class marches on, up, and over.

38. BEST OF THE REST 2015

A cornucopia of new bikes from every corner of motorcycledom.

FEATURES

42. AFFIRMATIVE TRACTION

Five bikes that don’t discriminate over gender. By Heather McCoy

44. ARIEL ACE

Another British motomarque reborn.By Gary Inman

TEST

48. LONG-TERM WRAP-UP

We say goodbye to our Kawasaki Ninja 1000.By Don Canet

CYW0215_TOC.indd 3 12/1/14 12:55 PM

4 CYCLE WORLD FEBRUARY 2015

56 MR. & MRS. MEES

10. FIRST RIDE:

TRIUMPH TIGER

800 XC

Middleweight ADV gets technical.

By Blake Conner

14. FIRST RIDE:

HUSQVARNA FE 501 S

Dual-sport awesomeness.

By Blake Conner

16. FIRST RIDE:

KTM 690 ENDURO R

Ultimate ADV-lite? By Blake Conner

IGNITION

EVALUATION

DEPARTMENTS

RACE WATCHCOLUMNS

22. VENTURE HEAT

Grand Touring Collection.

By Nick Ienatsch

56. MR. & MRS. MEES

AMA Pro Flat Track's power couple.

By Gary Inman

8. INTAKE

52. SERVICE

61. SHOWCASE

66. SLIPSTREAM

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER J facebook.com/cycleworldLIKE US ON FACEBOOK Jfollow us @CycleWorldMag

7. UP FRONT:

RIDE AND PREJUDICE

By Mark Hoyer

24. TDC:

RIDERS AND TIRES

By Kevin Cameron

In this issue, we’ve shown you the 2015 bikes; now we ride them!cycleworld.com

ON THE COVER

Yamaha’s potent new YZF-R1. Photo by Jeff Allen.

18. ALPINESTARS

TECH-AIR STREET

Airbag protection for your body.

By Matthew Miles

20. GEAR

Cool new jacket, helmet, exhaust, camera/ communicator...heck, even golf clubs for riders!

By Blake Conner

21. RIDE SMART

Living with cantankerous classics. By John L. Stein O N L I N E T H I S M O N T H

CYW0215_TOC.indd 4 12/1/14 12:55 PM

11.10.2014 19:23 AdID: 35108 CYW0215

EDITORIAL

EDITOR–IN–CHIEF MARK HOYER

EXECUTIVE EDITOR, DIGITAL ANDREW BORNHOP

SENIOR MOTORSPORTS EDITOR MATTHEW MILES

TECHNICAL EDITOR KEVIN CAMERON

SENIOR EDITOR BLAKE CONNER

ROAD TEST EDITOR DON CANET

ASSOCIATE EDITOR MARK CERNICKY

EDITOR-AT-LARGE PETER EGAN

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS PAUL DEAN, RYAN DUDEK, JAMIE ELVIDGE, ALLAN GIRDLER,

NICK IENATSCH, GARY INMAN, PETER JONES, JIMMY LEWIS, JOHN L. STEIN, STEVEN L. THOMPSON

EUROPEAN EDITOR BRUNO DEPRATO

WEB PRODUCER ALAN TAKUSHI

MANAGING EDITOR TERRY MASAOKA

COPY EDITOR JESSICA MATTESON

ART

ART DIRECTOR LAURA MILTON

PHOTO AND VIDEO SERVICES

PHOTOGRAPHER JEFF ALLEN

VIDEOGRAPHER SPENSER ROBERT

CONTRIBUTORS

PHOTOGRAPHY BARRY HATHAWAY, FRAN KUHN, DREW RUIZ,

GUY SPANGENBERG, MARK WERNHAM, ANDREW WHEELER

ILLUSTRATION TIM BARKER, MICHAEL BYERS, HECTOR CADEMARTORI, KEVIN HAND, JIM HATCH, RYAN INZANA

ADVERTISING

VICE PRESIDENT, GROUP PUBLISHER ANDREW LEISNER

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GENERAL COUNSEL JEREMY THOMPSON

CYCLEWORLD.COM

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CYW0215_MAST.indd 6 12/1/14 12:14 PM

CYCLEWORLD.COM 7

T H I S

M O N T H ̕ S

STAT S

Almost everybody wants to ride or be associated with motorcycles. After decades, American culture has finally come around

to understanding the wonder and awesomeness of riding. Or so I thought.

When I first started riding a streetbike in 1986, walking into a restaurant holding my Freddie Spencer-replica Arai and clomping in wearing motorcycle boots often resulted in the jukebox stopping with that record-scratch sound and the place going quiet.

Okay, so it wasn’t quite that dramatic, but the number of negative interactions or reactions to a young punk on a motor-cycle was surprisingly high back then. As the Harley-Davidson phenomenon ramped up in the later ’80s, cultural acceptance grew. These days, the vast majority of non-rider people I meet think motorcycles are the coolest things on wheels. Because they are the coolest things on wheels.

And then…I was recently shopping for insurance

for a classic bike and car. Over a lifetime of trading in rolling stock, I’ve managed to hang on to a pair of mid-’60s Jaguars (E-type and Mark 2), plus a 1958 MG Magnette. I’ve written plenty about my ’54 Velocette and ’74 Norton Commando, both of which are, thanks to the gods of Britbikedom and the miracle of positive ground, running and registered. And insured. But a friend recommended getting insurance with a classic specialty company for improved coverage and a better understanding about old stuff, its value, and how it gets used.

I called Hagerty. We went through the usual line of questions, and all was good. Then it asked how many licensed drivers were in the home. I said two.

“What are the regular-use vehicles?” my rep asked.

I explained we had a Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI and that I owned a 2013 Yamaha WR250R dual-sport bike, adding

that I primarily used test motorcycles daily because of my job.

This is where it got weird. “No, you need another regular-use vehicle. A motorcycle isn’t a regular-use vehicle. There has to be a regular-use vehicle for every licensed driver.”

I was caught so off guard that I didn’t even know how to respond and then asked the rep to please send me the quote.

After a few moments, it was plain the company just rejected my favorite segment of transportation as invalid.

So I called back and asked for a “manager” to have him explain this policy. I was that guy… And I was pissed.

His answer was the same: “A motorcycle is not a regular-use vehicle.”

“I live in Southern California,” began my reply. “It never freezes. It’s sunny 340 days of the year.”

“But those other 25 days it could be raining and you can’t ride your bike,” he countered, adding that the company was afraid I’d use one of the classic vehicles to get to work or run errands, prohibited uses on most classic-vehicle policies.

Hagerty is based in Michigan, and my call in November took place right when the first Icy Finger of Arctic Death had whipped down and stopped all outdoor molecular motion there. So I asked one question to be sure we were clear: “I can’t ride my motorcycle in the rain?”

“We wouldn’t want to encourage you to do that, no,” he said.

Hagerty says a car 20 years old or newer is a regular-use vehicle, and since there is only one post-’66 car in the fleet here, that I could not be insured, unless the underwriters could be convinced to accept my ’58 MG, which, like the VW, would have to be insured with a “normal” auto policy.

I hung up the phone, hopped on my regular-use vehicle, and rode to work.

RIDE AND PREJUDICE

E D I T O R ’ S L E T T E R U P F R O N T

MARK HOYEREDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MOTORCYCLE AS REGULAR-USE VEHICLE

NUMBER OF 200-PLUS-HP MOTORCYCLES YOU CAN BUY

FOR LESS THAN $17,000

5

1

CLAIMED 200-PLUS-HP MOTORCYCLES IN

THIS ISSUE

6

POUNDS I’VE LOST SINCE MY “SIT DOWN. SIT UP.”

COLUMN

CYW0215_UPF.indd 7 12/1/14 12:13 PM


INHALING GREEN

The H2 has been described as another high-tech answer (for a question that was not asked) for those with a lot of disposable income. How ’bout an H1, with a direct-injected, water-cooled, two-stroke triple with an off-the-shelf chassis for the masses? Something under $13K. I would happily put down my 10 percent pre-delivery deposit for that.

WILLIAM STUART

ST. AUGUSTINE, FL

Just read “Big Green Finger” (Up Front, December 2014) where Hoyer states Kawasaki’s true premium target: Ducati. I am sure Ferdinand Piëch, VW Group chairman and new owner of Ducati, is chuckling, “Bring it on.”

DEAN KLEIN

ASHEVILLE, NC

Superchargers on bikes? The next technological breakthrough? A sign of things to come? I’m old enough to remember these words uttered for two other motorcycles. Recall the Yamaha GTS1000 with its forkless front end

and the Kawasaki GPz750 turbo. Both of these bikes offered technologies that were believed to be the next step in motorcycle evolution. In the end both suffered the same fate. Both manufacturers decided any performance gains offered by forkless front ends or turbocharged engines were not enough to offset the complexity, weight, or cost of such systems. Today fork tubes are still the norm, and increased displacement of naturally aspirated engines is the method of choice for performance gains. I can’t help but feel the new H2 and H2R are nothing more than a marketing gimmick. It wouldn’t surprise me if they lose money on each one they sell.

JOSEPH VASCONCELOS

ATTLEBORO, MA

NINJA H2…SCRAMBLER?

I thought I knew what defined a street “scrambler.” It was the upswept-crossover exhaust pipes and cross-braced handlebar like on my first one, a 1968 Honda CL350. And it was those same pipes on my last one, a 2007 Triumph 900 Scrambler. True, Triumph didn’t include the cross-braced

handlebar, but it was otherwise faithful to the style. And so, I give Ducati a pass on the bar and applause on the fuel tank…but not for those pipes and that MotoGP muffler! But wait: That Ducati muffler looks identical to the one on the new Kawasaki H2 and H2R. Maybe Kawasaki can just add some handlebars to its new bike and create the H2 Scrambler!

STEVE LIGON

BASTROP, TX

TEAM AMERICA!

Could you please refrain from giving EBR anymore unwarranted press? They build underperforming, underwhelming, and overpriced bikes that just happen to be made in ’Merica and are somehow considered “sport” bikes. Where is the dealer network, the parts, the servicing for these bikes in five years, when another Erik Buell effort sinks into history? Most Harley service departments won’t even work on Buells anymore. There isn’t going to be any world-beating USA-made sportbike, ever. Just let it go already.

HATORI HANZO

CYCLEWORLD.COM

That’s just the never-say-die attitude that’s made this country great.

ROADRACING + GNC

Great piece on the new roadracing series (“MotoAmerica,” Race Watch, December 2014) and particularly the sidebar on dirt track. Is there any way one of those classes in the new series could be integrated with the AMA Grand National series to connect dirt and pavement skills? Maybe the XR1200 class?

KURT SUNDERBRUCH

EL SOBRANTE, CA

GODZILLA � A NINJA SCRAMBLER? � A REAL PATRIOT � SHOULD ROADRACERS GET DIRTY?

KICKSTART THE CONVERSATION

Comments? Suggestions? Criticisms?

Write us at [email protected].

I’ve owned three Kawasakis

over the years, including

the original H2. I wanted

to thank Mr. Yamada and

Kawasaki for the vision to

stomp production power

levels again. Godzilla may

rest for now.

STAN SINEX

EVERETT, WA

CYW0215_INT.indd 8 12/1/14 12:15 PM

Manufacturers subject to change. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 800.331.5706

09.16.2014 15:48 AdID: 33802 CYW1214


IgnitionTHE RIDE STARTS HERE

HUSQVARNA FE 501 S � KTM 690 ENDURO � ALPINESTARS TECH-AIR STREET

�FOUR VERSIONS:

Triumph’s Tiger 800 will come in XCx, XC, XRx, and XR versions. That little “x”

designation means gets you considerably more standard

features. It’s worth every penny.

CYW0215_TRI.indd 10 12/1/14 12:10 PM

CYCLEWORLD.COM 11

36XR

STREET

WARRIOR

If hitting the

highway is more

your style than

venturing onto

the dirt, the XRx

($12,499)/XR

($11,399) is likely

a better choice

than the more

adventurous

and $1,000 more

expensive XCx/

XC models. Key

differences on

the XR include

Showa suspen-

sion (compared

to the XC’s WP)

front and rear,

with just under

1.5 inches less

travel, at 7 inches.

Seat height is

also reduced,

with the adjust-

able unit on

the XR ranging

from 31.9 to 32.7

inches (instead

of the XC’s 33.1

to 33.9 inches).

Cast-aluminum

wheels (19-inch

front, 17-inch

rear) replace the

XC’s more dirt-

oriented spoked

units. Like the

XCx, the new

XRx gets a con-

siderably longer

list of standard

features. —BC

t’s amazing that more companies aren’t building middleweight ADV machines. Currently, only Triumph and BMW (F800GS) have completely modern versions in their lineups. Bigger is not always better, especially off the beaten path.

Triumph’s Tiger 800 XC has impressed us over the years, partic-ularly with its street chops, one of the main things that helped it win a Ten Best award in 2011. Any complaints with the smaller Tiger have focused on the bike’s off-road abilities. But as an adventure-tourer used primarily on the street, the Tiger is awesome.

Even so, the ADV class has been maturing at a quick clip lately, as KTM and BMW have pushed the technological boundaries with advanced traction control (enabled by ride-by-wire throttle control) and the latest ABS. These bikes are significantly better than they were just a couple of years ago, and Triumph was beginning to fall behind.

Now, though, for 2015, Triumph’s four Tiger 800 models have made up some serious ground on their Austrian and German competition. The lineup begins with a pair of cast-wheel, road-oriented models dubbed 800 XR and the higher-end 800 XRx. The more off-highway-friendly (wire-spoke wheels) XC will also be available as the feature-packed XCx model. We’ll focus on the XC varieties here.

Both the XC and XCx include switchable ABS and traction control as standard. On the base XC, the rider is able to switch both of these functions off. On the more feature-laden x model, there are multiple options: Traction control can be set to Road, Off-Road, or Off, and the four available throttle maps include Rain, Road, Sport, and Off-Road. Further, three riding modes can be selected: The Road setting automatically sets ABS, TC, and the throttle maps for best street performance; the Off-Road setting switches the same three parameters so they are suited to when you leave the tarmac; the third is customizable. Triumph makes it easy for the rider to switch modes when riding on frequently changing surfaces. All x models also have standard cruise control.

As for features, the XC is fitted with the aforementioned wire-spoke wheels (17-inch rear, 21-inch front), a high-level front fender, fully adjustable WP

LONG TRAVEL:

XCs get more

travel, WP

suspension,

and spoked

wheels.

I

95

2015 TRIUMPH TIGER 800 XCNew electronics make Triumph’s middleweight ADVs much better in the dirt

By Blake Conner

C W F I R ST R I D E

SETTINGS:

Max number of

settings that

can be selected

via the 800 XC’s

customizable

ride mode and

its TC, ABS, and

Throttle maps.

BY

TH

E N

UM

BE

RS

PERCENT: Improvement in claimed

fuel economy, compared to cur-

rent Tiger 800. Range on a full

tank is extended by 50 miles.

PS: Metric horsepower maintained

to keep the Tiger legal in coun-

tries with output limits. That’s

equal to 93.6 US horsepower.

1 7

CYW0215_TRI.indd 11 12/1/14 12:10 PM


suspension front and rear (Showa on the XR), a trip computer, radiator guard, sump guard, hazard lights, adjustable levers, and a 12-volt power socket. The XCx adds engine protection bars, an advanced trip computer, the previously mentioned Road and Off-Road riding modes, auto-cancel turn signals, cruise control, centerstand, hand guards, aluminum sump guard, and a second 12-volt power socket.

At the international press introduction in Marbella, Spain, the first thing I did on the 2015 Tiger 800 XCx was head

for some dirt roads to get a quick taste of the new electronics package and its functionality. I immediately noticed the improved fueling of the ride-by-wire throttle. On our brief dirt-road foray, I toggled the bike between the default Off-Road setting and a Rider mode that I set up with zero TC intervention, Off-Road ABS, and Sport throttle setting.

For pure entertainment, my custom setting was awesome. It allowed me to hang the rear end out aggressively, but the Off-Road setting allowed a decent amount of rear-wheel slip as well. Despite not having lean-angle-sensitive TC/ABS à la KTM, the Tiger does a good job of managing traction, both on the gas and on the brakes. The Off-Road ABS permits the rear wheel to be locked completely for better control in the dirt, while allowing effective braking from the front without locking up or extending stopping distance dramatically. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s on the same level as BMW’s or KTM’s Bosch ABS systems, but it’s a big improvement over the previous Tiger.

On road, fueling was impressive. The throttle never felt overly sensitive, and the on/off throttle transitions were smooth midcorner, helping to keep the Tiger settled. Also, the gearbox shifted more smoothly than on the last Tiger 800 I rode. Power output remains the same as before (95 PS, or 93.6 hp), to maintain compliance in European countries with horsepower limits), but we’ve never complained about the torque-rich delivery or awesome exhaust wail. And Triumph tells us that modifications to the tractable three-cylinder have improved fuel efficiency by 17 percent, which means range has been extended by around 50 miles. It’s further claimed that this is now the lowest-emissions triple the company produces.

The Tiger 800 has always been an excellent middleweight adventure bike—as long as you stuck to the pavement. But the new electronics package has dramatically upped the XC’s dirt game without stealing any of the asphalt sporting chops the bike has always had.

I G N I T I O N F I R S T R I D E

TRIUMPH TIGER 800 XC

ENGINE T YPE

l iquid-cooled DOHC 12-valve t r ip leDISPL ACEMENT

800ccFUEL C APACIT Y

5.0 gal .SE AT HEIGHT

33.1 in ./33.9 in .CL AIMED WET WEIGHT

481 lb . PRICE

$ 12,399

CYW0215_TRI.indd 12 12/1/14 12:10 PM

15 minutes could save you 15% or more on motorcycle insurance.

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W

14 CYCLE WORLD FEBRUARY 2015 PHOTOGRAPHY BY Steve Cox

e are big dual-sport fans and have had an ongoing love affair with KTM’s enduro-ready 500 EXC. But other than a few offerings from tiny Beta, it’s pretty much been a one-bike class for a long time. Which is why we’re stoked to see the new Husqvarna FE 501 S and its 350cc sibling.

Critics might say these two machines are too similar to existing KTMs—even sharing identical engines—but there are

White, blue, and yellow is the new orange By Blake Conner


2015 HUSQVARNA FE 501 S


sophisticated WP 4CS four-chamber closed-cartridge fork (with compression and rebound adjustment via tool-free clickers on the top of the fork caps) is said to offer better performance than the EXC’s open-cartridge design.

The FE 501 S engine, with a 95mm bore and a 72mm stroke, displaces 510cc. A single overhead cam operates titanium intake valves via a DLC-coated rocker arm. This liquid-cooled

enough differences to keep them from being called carbon copies.

Key difference? The chassis. Husky’s double-cradle chrome-moly frame is unique to the FE, with a high-tech composite subframe designed to give the frame a desired level of flex. Even more significant is the suspension. The 501 S comes with WP’s linkage-equipped Dual Compression Control shock in contrast to KTM’s linkless PDS system. And up front, the

CYW0215_HUSKY.indd 14 12/1/14 1:01 PM

CYCLEWORLD.COM 15

engine is perfectly happy being revved out, but once I took advantage of its luggable nature and bottom-end torque, the bike was much more enjoyable to ride. I could stick it in third gear and chug up anything I encountered; silt and sand weren’t a challenge. When I wanted to get my heart racing I’d just keep the throttle pinned a bit longer and let things get hectic. The 501’s engine always has power, and the torque curve is smooth, so there is never a big hit that instantly breaks the rear tire loose. This makes controlling slides with the throttle easy.

Chassis performance was highlighted by the excellent fork and shock. On one very long Jeep road, both ends were put to the test by the rough and rocky square-edged bumps that dotted the trail. The front sucked up the bumps without deflecting, keeping the bike pointed in my desired direction. And the rising-rate linked shock keeps the bike from kicking sideways through fast chop and over unexpected rocks.

If there’s one thing to criticize, it’s the hard and narrow seat; it’s almost some kind of sadistic joke.

Outside of that, new Husky 501, like its orange cousin, represents the pinnacle of dual-sport performance. This marriage between the two companies has given Husky a

F I R S T R I D E I G N I T I O N

fire that the previous Italian and German owners were never able to ignite. If you are looking for a hard-core dual-sport machine, put the Husqvarna FE 501 S on your short list.

2015 HUSQVARNA

FE 501 S

BASE PRICE: $10,249ENGINE: liquid-cooled SOHC singleDISPLACEMENT: 510ccSEAT HEIGHT: 38.2 in.FUEL CAPACITY: 2.4 gal.CLAIMED DRY

WEIGHT: 250 lb.

SPECS

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE ENGINE IS

THAT IT ALWAYS

HAS POWER. THERE IS

NEVER A BIG HIT THAT

INSTANTLY BREAKS THE REAR TIRE

LOOSE.

CYW0215_HUSKY.indd 15 12/1/14 1:02 PM

E

16 CYCLE WORLD FEBRUARY 2015 PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jeff Allen

With bags and windscreen, this KTM would make a great ADV By Blake Conner


KTM 690 ENDURO R


ven if you’ve been hiding in a cave for the past five years, you couldn’t have missed the fact that ADV bikes are grabbing headlines. And as this segment sorts itself out, it seems that most manufacturers are biasing the machines’ capabilities more toward asphalt than dirt.

Of course, KTM’s own line of Adventure motorcycles have set the bar for well-balanced machines with the 950, 990, and 1190 models. But for those who want to explore more demanding terrain without riding a 450–

500cc enduro, the 690 Enduro makes a lot of sense.

Think of the 690 as a fully modern and much better performing (and more expensive) Kawasaki KLR650. As delivered, the 690 Enduro isn’t quite ready for the long-distance ADV prime time thanks to its hard seat and lack of wind protection, but it has the potential to be an ideal lightweight off-highway-capable touring machine with just a few additions, starting with saddlebags and a windscreen.

As is, the 690 makes a good

2014 KTM 690 ENDURO R

PRICE: $10,299ENGINE: SOHC singleDISPLACEMENT: 690ccSEAT HEIGHT: 35.8 in.FUEL CAPACITY: 3.2 gal.DRY WEIGHT: 328 lb.

SPECS

urban commuter that’s easily fast enough to hold pace on the highway—at least for shorter jaunts. Yet, at the same time, it can handle far rougher off-road terrain than any of the big adventurers.

At 328 pounds dry on the CW scale, and with a seat height almost 2.5 inches lower than the KTM 500 EXC’s, the 690 is easy to manage on tight single-track. The WP suspension, with almost 10 inches of travel front and rear, features 48mm fork tubes and a linked shock with high- and low-speed compression adjusters. Tuning blends good everyday comfort with controlled off-road composure.

Ride-by-wire with three power maps allows the rider to tailor output to the conditions. With 52 hp and 39.5 pound-feet on tap, it comes in handy. Switchable ABS (off-road ABS is optional) assists excellent braking performance, on road or off.

The KTM 690 Enduro R might not be ideal for cross-country adventures, but it’s an excellent platform for multiday trips way off the beaten path a bit closer to home.

CYW0215_KTM.indd 16 12/1/14 3:27 PM

PrOtECtioN

In itS pUResT fOrM.

Take away the beautiful paint job and fl ashy graphics, and what you’re left with is the essence of what makes an Arai helmet an Arai: the handmade fi berglass shell.

The rounder, smoother shape of the shell is optimized by “R75,” denoting a continuous curve radius of at least 75mm. It’s a benchmark we’ve set for ourselves to provide our riders with the

strongest, most protective helmet possible.

It’s just one more way that Arai measures itself against a higher standard. And even in its unfi nished state, we think it’s simply gorgeous.

The unvarnished truth about the difference between helmets.

Experience makes the difference.araiamericas.com

CYW_FULL_PG_BLD.indd 1 6/13/14 6:05 PM


I G N I T I O N I G N I T I O N N E W S

Inflatable torso

protection

By Matthew Miles

Meet the Tech-Air Street, a compact,

self-contained airbag intended for use on or

of road with any type of motorcycle. When

infl ated, the lightweight, reusable bag

covers most of the upper body, cushioning it

from impacts. Aside from charging the

battery, no setup or service is required

unless the bag is activated.

When the Tech-Air Street debuts in

Europe this spring, retail price will be

1,200 euros—or about $1,500 at current

exchange rates. The vest zips into the fully

armored Valparaiso Dry Star jacket ($800)

ALPINESTARS TECH-AIR STREET

and the summer Viper ($440). Other gar-

ments are planned.

According to Colin Ballantyne, the engi-

neer responsible for the Tech-Air program,

most race crashes are single vehicle, but

the majority of street crashes involve an

obstacle, and most happen at less than

40 mph. At 30 mph, he said, the average

time between a motorcycle making initial

contact with, say, a car and the rider hitting

that car is just 100 milliseconds.

Ballantyne stressed the importance of

shoulder protection. “In the majority of the

crashes that we conducted,” he said, “the

shoulder was always the fi rst point of con-

tact for the torso. Also, by having shoulder

protection, you have a continuous, infl atable

cushion all around the top of your body.”

Maximum infl ation takes just 25 millisec-

onds, and that pressure is maintained for

fi ve seconds. The “envelope of protection,”

the speeds at which Ballantyne says the

system performs best, ranges from 15 to 56

mph. The system may deploy the airbag at

even lower speeds, but that is dependent

upon the energy involved in the impact and

circumstances related to the accident.

Based on more than 185,000 miles of

data gathering, including his own leg-

breaking crash, Ballantyne is confi dent the

system, with its sophisticated algorithm,

won’t unexpectedly deploy, even if you’re

riding aggressively of road.

The Tech-Air Street is worn like any other

riding jacket. When the zipper is closed, the

system is armed. “We tried to engineer the

system in the most natural way possible,”

Ballantyne said. Fully charged, the battery

provides 25 hours of continuous use, which

is adequate for most weekly commutes.

Asked about the investment made in the

Tech-Air program, Alpinestars President

Gabriele Mazzarolo smiled. “I don’t own a

boat,” he said. “I have an airbag.”

TECH

FOR YOUR

BODY

To demonstrate the effectiveness of the Tech-Air Street, Alpinestars had a BMW R1200GS impact a Mercedes-Benz sedan at 30 mph. Infl ation took place in advance of the dummy hitting the car.

CYW0215_NEWS.indd 18 12/1/14 12:17 PM

CYCLEWORLD.COM 19

N E W S I G N I T I O N

ROSSI PANINI� The day after the 2014

MotoGP fi nale, Alex Marquez—

Marc’s younger brother—was

given 12 laps on his brother’s

Honda as a reward for winning

the Moto3 title. As the Marquez

brothers lapped Valencia,

Valentino Rossi had some fun

by splitting the brothers and

creating this Rossi sandwich.

Said Alex: “The feeling to ride

a MotoGP machine is amazing.

I was more nervous today than

on Sunday, when I had to fi ght

for the title. On a MotoGP bike,

everything happens so fast.”

—Maria Guidotti

COVER TO COVER If you like Cycle World’s

past as much as we do,

now you can get online

access to every single issue

we’ve published. For sub-

scription information, hit

c2c.cycleworld.com. A great

search engine makes it easy to

fi nd any article, test, review,

or feature that we’ve pub-

lished in the last 52 years.

� The VX800 might have been

on our February cover, but the

Suzuki that arguably had a more

lasting impact was the new

DR350. In “The Return of the

Mini Thumper,” we praised Suzuki

for building this new DR, which

proved to be far more agile than a

big-bore four-stroke and a much

better machine than the earlier

Honda XR350 and Yamaha TT350

models. We also showed readers

Suzuki’s new dual-purpose

DR250S/DR350S models.

These street-legal Zooks were

praised by editor David Edwards

for being practically identical to

their dirt bike kin.

� In other parts of the issue, Alan

Cathcart rode a Commonwealth

Honda (a roadracer powered by

a dirt-track Honda V-twin), and

our EICMA coverage featured the

Moto Guzzi Daytona 1000, the

Ducati 851 Sport, and a bunch

of new Husqvarnas, including a

216-pound 250WMX model pow-

ered by a Cagiva engine. And, yes,

there was a Bimota, a Bellaria

that could hit 153 mph.

� Staf ers also traveled. Ron

Lawson competed in the ISDE on

a Suzuki RMX250 but complained

that the German course was

far too easy because environ-

mentalists had made almost

all the countryside of -limits to

dirt bikes. And Jon F. Thompson

tackled Europe for a meager $250

a day, riding a Suzuki Katana

1100. One day he arrived before

the luggage van in Monte Carlo,

so he just had to stroll the topless

beaches…in full riding gear.

� Lastly, in Race Watch, we pro-

fi led Eddie Lawson, the four-time

US national champ and four-time

world champion. “Everything

is great when I’m on the bike,”

Steady Eddie concluded. “I love to

race and I still want to win every

race I enter.” —Andrew Bornhop

FEBRUARY 1990

EVERY

ISSUE: JUST

A CLICK

AWAY!

CYW0215_NEWS.indd 19 12/1/14 12:17 PM


1 2 3 4 5

GIDDYAP

Timeless styling meets

long-lasting durability in

this 100-percent-horse-

hide limited-edition Bell

Helmets jacket ($900)

made by Schott N.Y.C.

(think Brando, James

Dean, etc.). This classic

racer jacket has rally

stripes and Bell logos

on the shoulders. Side

buckles optimize fi t,

while cuf zippers make

getting on/of easy.

Includes a zip-out liner.

(800) 456-2355

bellhelmets.com

EAST MEETS WEST

BMW’s R nineT roadster

has been a smash-

ing success, with

demand outpacing

production. But if you

really want to hear the

boxer twin’s glorious

music, uncork it with

Yoshimura R&D’s RS-3

slip-on exhaust ($379).

The aluminum canister,

with a turn-down tip

made of machined

aluminum, includes a

low-volume insert.

(800) 634-9166

yoshimura-rd.com

READY, SET, ACTION

Recently announced

by Bluetooth special-

ist Sena Technologies,

the 10C ($399) is a new

action camera/commu-

nication system combo

unit allowing real-time

recording of narration

to complement 1080p

video. The four-way

communi cator, which

uses voice prompts,

has a 900-meter range,

music sharing, and an

FM radio.

(866) 887-7362

sena.com

I G N I T I O N G E A R

NO HANDICAP

Don’t miss that tee time

because you don’t have

a car; just throw DV8

Sports’ portable golf

clubs/bag ($499.95

to $899.95) on your

back and ride to the

links. DV8’s patented,

tool-free coupler allows

club heads to be inter-

changed on one or two

custom shafts (stif ,

regular, or ladies/senior).

The entire set weighs

less than 15 pounds.

(678) 831-3526

dv8sports.com

COIF CRUSHER

Italian helmet maker

AGV has just released a

new lid called the K3 SV

(starting at $199.95),

designed utilizing the

company’s Extreme

Standards build-quality

guidelines. Features

include an internal sun

visor, a thermoplastic

shell, and four intake

and two exhaust vents.

The K3 SV is DOT/ECE

certifi ed and available in

sizes XS to XXL.

(888) 234-5450

store.agv.com

NEW FOR 2015By Blake Conner

N E W I D E A S

CW APPROVED

5

1

2

3

4

CYW0215_GEAR.indd 20 12/1/14 11:37 AM

CYCLE WORLD 21ILLUSTRATION BY Morgan Schweitzer

THOSE CLASSY BUT CLUNKY CLASSICSSome limits to ride—and live—by By John L. Stein

K N O W YO U R B I K E

R I D E S M A R T I G N I T I O N

Despite having an almost serial obsession for old motorbikes, I will readily admit: Some of them are death traps ready to

reap. They have lousy suspension and worse tires and brakes. Their lights are dimmer than Scrooge’s candle. They’re often deficient in acceleration and cornering, and the controls work slower than a congressional caucus. Lovely as they are aesthetically, the sad truth is they’re nowhere near as dynamically capable as modern iron. And whenever you ride one, the responsibility for dealing with this rolls straight downhill to you.

You wouldn’t fly a Piper Cub like a HondaJet or ride a Matchless like a CBR1000RR. So the best approach is to understand what these enticing old crocks can and can’t do—and then ride accordingly. In particular,

dialing down the hustle factor and then opening up your following distance to other traffic buys space and time. These become huge assets when you fly into a corner too hot or when a gnarly-ass Aztek swings across your bow.

Bottom line: While that Ace Cafe replica might look amazing, in reality not even the best vintage Triton will outmaneuver an average late-model sportbike. So the next time you’re blazing the boulevard on your Bultaco, cruising for coffee on your Commando, or attacking apexes on your Avenger, here are some tips to keep it K70s down.

1) Pick your shots. If you can’t match or exceed the speed of traffic, you’re at risk because it’s harder to control your relationship to other vehicles. Choose a route, and a ride time, appropriate for your bike’s abilities.

2) Make it reliable. It’s fun telling how that Motobi stranded you in the Eisenhower Tunnel—and your ensuing Hooters limo rescue. But in reality, breaking down alongside fast-moving traffic is dangerous as hell. Make sure your ride will keep on running.

3) Two big mirrors. Old bikes might have one dinky rearview mirror, beautifully placed for a view of your Belstaff jacket logo. Make sure that you get two decent mirrors onboard so you can have a clear view of any Panzers on your tail.

4) Twelve volts after dark. Old six-volt lighting systems may keep you from spotting road hazards—or maybe even the road itself. Likewise, cars won’t see you as well. Consider upgrading to a 12-volt system (with LED bulbs too) for night rides.

CYW0215_SAFE.indd 21 12/1/14 11:38 AM

22 CYCLE WORLD FEBRUARY 2015 PHOTOGRAPHY BY Drew Ruiz

When I left Abilene, Texas, the thermometer hadn’t broken 40 degrees, and the windchill from the 35-mph breeze put temps slightly below freezing. I was headed north from the COTA MotoGP race, directly into the wind, and had a long ride ahead of me. It would

prove to be one of the toughest days I’ve had on a motorcycle, and there’s only one reason I rolled into my Colorado drive-way 12 hours later: Venture Heat’s electric clothing.

The new Grand Touring Collection includes a vest (heated sleeves are an option) and pant liners, to which I added heated insoles and Carbon Street gloves. The gear is all outstandingly comfortable. Bulky coils of yesteryear have been replaced with hair-thin microfibers for instant heat and all-day comfort. Vest and pant liners are extremely soft, flexible, and have the same bulk as a good workout suit. All items interconnect quickly, and a fused power cord attaches to the motorcycle battery. Combined draw for all pieces is about 170 watts.

Vest, pant liners, and gloves have separate, three-level power buttons; insoles are controlled by the pant liner. Heat hits immediately, and I challenge you not to giggle when it comes on. The only downside is that reaching the vent/pant control flaps at your left hip isn’t as easy as accessing a power-cord switch or thermostat.

I’ve never been a big fan of cold-weather gloves due to the added bulk, reduced control feel, and typically lower crash pro-tection, but the leather and nylon Carbon Street gloves go a long way toward alle viating those concerns. Fit and feel (even with 3M Thinsulate and waterproof mem-brane) improved substan-tially during the ride as the gloves broke in. They are the best com promise I’ve found for cold-weather riding.

Bottom line: In dire conditions, this gear was up to the task.

VENTURE HEAT GRAND TOURING COLLECTION ELECTRIC CLOTHING

C W E VA LUAT I O N

I G N I T I O N E V A L U A T I O N

VENTURE HEAT GRAND TOURING COLLECTION

ventureheat.comPRICE:

VEST $219.99

PANT LINERS $209.99

CARBON STREET GLOVES $199.99

BOOT INSOLES (trim to ft) $69.99

UPS

+ All-day comfort

+ Right-now heat

+ Packs small and light

DOWNS

– Insole wire runs up past rider’s

heel (walking may get

uncomfortable)

– Power faps are tough to reach

in a one-piece suit (get the

wireless remote)

Get warmly wired from head to toe By Nick Ienatsch

CYW0215_EVAL.indd 22 12/1/14 11:33 AM

CYCLEWORLD.COM 23

CYW0215_EVAL.indd 23 12/1/14 11:34 AM


I G N I T I O N T D C

TIRES NEED HEAT, WITHOUT WHICH EVERYTHING FAILS BY KEVIN CAMERON

RIDERS AND TIRES

Changes in tires are not only driven by changes in rubber and construction technology but also by what riders need and want from tires.

Back in 2002 at the beginning of MotoGP, Valentino Rossi said this about two-/four-stroke differences relating to tires: “With the four-strokes, there is a close relationship between the throttle and the back tire, so when we accelerate a little we are already giving power to the rear rubber. With the new bike, you can accelerate when you are leaning tightly, which wasn’t the case with the 500, where you had to raise the bike to be able to open the throttle.”

This difference came from the contrasting ways two-strokes and four-strokes came on throttle. With two-strokes, on closed throttle, the cylinders filled with exhaust, and, as the rider moves the throttle, the small amount of fresh charge is so diluted in the cylinder that it cannot fire. As the throttle opens more and more, this becomes less true. The Honda NSR500 used to give two loud pops (from the ignition of mixture accumulated in the pipes) and then kick the rear wheel sideways as the engine reached a state in which it could fire. To have the grip to handle this sudden torque, the rider “had to raise the bike.”

In 1978, this engine characteristic allowed Kenny Roberts to apply his dirt-track experience to 500cc Grand Prix roadracing. He would get the bike turned early on a tight radius then lift it up to plant it on bigger tire footprints and use the rest of the turn as a curved dragstrip of increasing radius. This style confounded riders raised on the classic “big line” of maximum radius. Using all of their tire grip for turning, they could not apply throttle and thus could not accelerate. Roberts, while slower at his apex, was able by raising the bike to begin accelerating earlier so his exit

speed was greater than that of the big liners. This is the style people would soon call “point and shoot.”

Because four-stroke engines have their strokes separated by mechanical valves, they avoid two-stroke exhaust gas dilution. So as soon as the rider moves the throttle, the engine begins to fire, giving a very small amount of power. This is “the close relationship between the throttle and the back tire” of which Rossi spoke. This made the defensive point-and-shoot riding style unnecessary, so GP riders advancing from 125/250cc GP classes no longer had to forget everything they had learned to adapt to big bikes. In 125, there is too little power to make up a large loss of speed in corners, making high corner speed essential to good lap times. This was also true in 250, which is why in the 500 era we saw some 250 riders fail to fully make the transition to 500. Riders cannot just change their styles because it is a good idea; style is the complex set of reflex loops that are the only safety the rider has. Changing them would be like learning to walk all over again.

Tires began to be built not for the spinning and sliding of point and shoot but for an emerging combination of 125/250 corner speed and smooth four-stroke acceleration. Michelins were not noted for edge grip in the last years of the 500s, for it was observed that “the tire with the best edge grip is not the tire that will push the bike ahead.”

When Bridgestone began development of tires for MotoGP, riders likened them to soft qualifiers—“good in the first corner, but by the next corner it’s down to zero.” Rider Makoto Tamada showed their fast-improving qualities in 2004, but in that season, people referred to cool mornings as “Bridgestone weather” because their still-very-soft tires were at their best before the heat of the day.

Michelin, meanwhile, found it had

112

08/20/78DATE KENNY ROBERTS,

A SERIES ROOKIE, CLINCHED HIS FIRST 500cc

WORLD TITLE, AT THE NURBURGRING

WEIGHT, IN POUNDS, OF MOTOGP’S LIGHTEST RIDER:

DANI PEDROSA

BY T H E N U M B E R S

THE YEAR MOTOGP SWITCHES TO MICHELIN TIRES

2016

CYW0115_TDC.indd 24 12/1/14 12:18 PM

T D C I G N I T I O N

THE HONDA MEN ARE TURNING

MOST QUICKLY

NEAR THE APEX (WHERE ELBOWS TOUCH

PAVEMENT)...YET TO KEEP

THE TIRES HOT, THEY

MUST APPLY THROTTLE

AT HIGH LEAN

ANGLE.

to increase carcass stiffness to support the new, heavier four-strokes through long, high-lean cornering. At the same time, to gain traction for acceleration, Michelin reduced inflation pressure from a previous norm of 1.9 bar (27.6 psi) to a low 1.5 bar (21.8 psi).

Illustrating the contrast of styles at the time, Valentino Rossi needed a stiff carcass that could take prolonged high-lean-angle cornering, but then-teammate Colin Edwards wanted a flexier carcass to spread out the footprint he needed for the traction to accelerate. If he tried to use Edwards’ carcass style, Rossi said his bike would jump sideways in turns as the soft carcass buckled as a result of the higher side load.

Bridgestone attacked its warm-weather problem and came up with rubber that somehow combined softness necessary for grip with

tensile strength and abrasion resistance necessary for durability.

New or very adaptable riders were able to make themselves open the throttle at full cornering lean angle. Working the tire in this way, Casey Stoner could get his tires working quickly and keep them hot enough to grip. Others were less fortunate. At Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in 2008, Edwards found himself all the way at the soft end of Michelin’s range with no place to go. He could get the tire to 115 degrees Centigrade but it needed 130 to 135 C to work. He reduced pressure, hoping increased flex would heat it up. Nothing. He tried overinflating. Again, nothing.

When I asked Pirelli engineer Giorgio Barbier why riders like Carlos Checa and Marco Melandri were having to leave MotoGP, he said he believed these men were unable to go against everything

in their experience and use more throttle at full lean. But without working the tire that way, effective temperature could not be reached. Without grip, racing was impossible. Off to World Superbike, where the older style can still work.

Today we see Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa looking as if they are riding a corner-speed style until you compare it with Lorenzo’s big line. Then it’s clear the Honda men are turning most quickly near the apex (where elbows touch pavement), revealing what Cal Crutchlow calls, “the V-shaped Honda line.” After that phase, they lift their machines up and use the remaining part of the corner for acceleration. Yet to keep the tires hot, they must apply throttle at high lean angle. When it all works as it should, they are unbeatable, just as so often was Kenny Roberts.

Still leader of the pack

F u e l I n j e c t I o n M o d u l eSuperior optionS - preciSe controlS

Maximum adjustability and absolute precision

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w w w . p o w e r c o M M a n d e r . c o M

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my dynojet app

pRoDucts - maps -tuning centeRs

CYW0115_TDC.indd 25 12/1/14 12:18 PM

CYW0215_2015a.indd 26 12/1/14 1:21 PM

CYCLEWORLD.COM 27

YAMAHA YZF-R1

Times have been hard for motorcycle manufacturers and, up until recently, new models scarce. Now it’s time to begin again, and Yamaha is doing it in a big way with a revolutionary new YZFR1 and limitedproduction YZFR1M. The frst wave of motorcycle electronics came from Europe, but

the second wave—this Yamaha with its MotoGPinspired suite of leananglesensing Traction Control, Wheelie Control, ABS plus linked braking, and Slide Control—is profoundly greater.

The frst wave brought us BandAids for specifc problems, but Yamaha has centralized all capabilities by placing a “sixaxis” Inertial Measuring Unit (IMU) on both of these models. The IMU, which would ft on your palm, contains gyros to measure rotations around all three axes (roll, pitch, and yaw) and accelerometers to measure rate of speed change along each axis. This is the technology of an ICBM’s inertial guidance, miniaturized and made affordable. In our own inner ears we have similar functions, which is why we can close our eyes in the shower and not lose our balance.

With the IMU’s measurements, the bike’s ECU knows the bike’s angle of lean, knows if it is pitching nose down or nose up and exactly how fast, and knows almost instantly (recalculating 125 times per second) if the back of the bike is swinging out from too joyful a throttle movement. Knowing the lean angle adjusts the multilevel traction control for the reduction in available tire

BY KE VIN C AM E RO N

T H E R E V O L U T I O N

Yamaha breaks out an all-new YZF-R1 and

special-edition R1M. Awesome electronics and

200 hp put European OEs on notice.

NEWMETAL

2015

PHOTOGR APHY BY Jeff Allen

CYW0215_2015a.indd 27 12/1/14 1:21 PM


NEW METAL

2015grip caused by cornering. Noseup pitch signals “wheelie in progress,” and the system smoothly controls it through throttle by wire.

“Yamaha can sell this whole motorcycle, with these systems on it, for less than the AMA’s electronics price cap,” Yamaha Racing Manager Keith McCarty said. The AMA had set an $18,000 cap on roadrace electronics, but the MSRP for this R1 is $16,490. This has been the story of digital systems; expensive to develop initially, they become almost ridiculously cheap once produced in quantity. Think of phones and computers.

Remember this: The closer a manned system approaches its limits, the more human capabilities stand out as the limiting factor. As in combat aircraft, the more details that are handled by electronics, the better the human operator can get on with higher decisionmaking.

I asked Yamaha Product Planning Director Derek Brooks how it feels to ride a machine with such an integrated control system:

“Most surprising to me is that this bike is smaller, lighter, and more powerful (than the previous model), but the systems are almost transparent,” Brooks said. “There’s no feeling of anything strange happening. You’re riding a very controllable motorcycle.”

Engine and chassis are new. The 998cc inlinefour, a fourvalve engine with a 79.0 x 50.9mm bore and stroke, retains the “crossplane” (crankpins at 90 degrees to each other instead of the traditional

180) crankshaft that the R1 inherited from the M1 MotoGP engine. Shortskirted “ashtray” pistons can be this light and thin because they are cooled by oil jets. Compression ratio is a torqueboosting 13.0:1, made possible by the accurate dimensional control of CNCmachined combustion chambers. Valve actuation has been switched from bucket tappets to lighter, F1like fnger followers. Power goes to the sixspeed gearbox via an “assist slipper” clutch, which, in addition to smoothing corner entry, uses engine torque to increase plateclamping

THE NUMBERS

YAMAHA

YZF-R1/R1M

Base price:

$16,490/$21,990

Claimed wet

weight:

439 lb./443 lb.

Wheelbase:

55.3 in.

Claimed

horsepower:

200 hp

Claimed torque:

N/A

Rake/Trail:

24.0°/4.0 in.

CYW0215_2015a.indd 28 12/1/14 1:21 PM

CYCLEWORLD.COM 29

force during acceleration. Claimed output is “approximately 200 hp.”

In a f rst for the industry, Yamaha has developed fracturesplit titanium connecting rods. Titanium can be alloyed to equal the strength of hightensile steels but has only sixtenths of the density of steel. That translates into reduced bearing loads, a bit less friction loss, and faster throttle response. The fact that Yamaha invested the R&D to produce such rods in quantity tells us this bike is not a homologation special. It is the future.

An allnew Deltabox chassis gives a 10mm shorter 55.3inch wheelbase for quicker chassis response. Titanium headers and an underengine titanium muffl er canister save weight, as do magnesium wheels. To make room for the canister, the aluminum swingarm is topbraced.

Fully adjustable KYB suspension—a 43mm fork and bottomlinkpivot shock—give 4.7 inches of wheel travel. The front brake uses twin 320mm discs with Nissin fourpiston radialmount calipers. Quoted wet weight of 439 pounds includes 4.5 gallons of fuel, which is about 27 pounds. The aluminum tank saves 3.5 pounds over previous steel parts.

Yamaha tells us the new R1’s style comes from the M1 MotoGP bike. I like it because it is a welcome change from 10 years of “supersonic” points and edges.

Fourtime AMA Pro SuperBike Champion Josh Hayes played a collaborative role with ninetime world champion Valentino Rossi in the development of Yamaha’s latest Openclass sportbike. Hayes rode it both in Japan and in the US. What did he think of the bike?

“There was no negative to putting grippy tires on the machine,” Hayes said. “On the previous bike, if you just bolted grippy tires on it, without anything to accompany that change, you could create some pretty big headaches for yourself.”

And the R1M?“For a trackday enthusiast who also

commutes on his motorcycle, you couldn’t come up with something better,” Hayes added. “To be able to push a button and instantly stiffen the suspension and give it more of a racetrack feel is pretty awesome. I was impressed.”

Most impressive to us is that this new R1 exists as a regularproduction motorcycle, unlike the prototype Honda RC213VS, and is priced well under the $25,000 Kawasaki H2 and the $20,995 Ducati 1299 Panigale.

The second wave of highperformance motorcycle electronics has begun, and Yamaha is leading the way.

YAMAHA YZF-R1M

Yamaha’s revolution is also avail-

able as the R1M, with a suite of

premium features (and carbon-

fiber bodywork) to interest the

rider who can afford to indulge his

or her taste for something more.

For about a third more, the

buyer finds Öhlins Electronic

Racing Suspension, carbon-fiber

bodywork, and a Communication

Control Unit (CCU) with GPS that

enables the rider to capture ride

data and then download it via

Wi-Fi to the Yamaha Y-TRAC

smartphone and tablet app. Once

the data is downloaded, the rider

can analyze it overlaid with the

track map. Setting changes can

then be made via the Yamaha YRC

app and upload those changes

back to the R1M.

So there you are, diving into

meat and potatoes at someplace

rather good, when glancing at

your tablet you realize how

you can save two-tenths in

turn four. Moments later,

meal still pleasantly warm,

you have made the neces-

sary changes and take up

knife and fork once more.

Life is indeed good.

Seriously, folks, once you put

things like the IMU and GPS on a

bike, any system you can imagine

becomes not only possible but

inevitable at some future time.

Just this process took place in

MotoGP: Code writers saw that

with GPS, the bike knows which

turn is next, so they could preset

the TC, the wheelie control, the

suspension, the engine response—

any of it—for each corner individu-

ally. They could write in suspen-

sion changes as the fuel load

decreased. We could…

The only thing keeping this

MotoGP level of control from

happening on the R1M is more

computer code in the ECU.

We dreamed of this for

decades. It is at hand. —KC

ANALYZE YOUR RIDE ON YOUR SMARTPHONE; MAKE SUSPENSION CHANGES WITH THE APP

CYW0215_2015a.indd 29 12/1/14 1:21 PM


KAWASAKI

H2R VS. H2

CAN WE ALREADY BE A LITTLE UNDERWHELMED BY KAWASAKI’S POTENT H2 STREETBIKE?

NEW METAL

2015

There’s some good news following the full release of specs for the supercharged new Kawasaki

Ninjas: The H2R trackbike remains the frespitting, glowing hot 300horse noholdsbarred monster we showed you in our December issue, even though its

$50,000 price tag means most of us will never throw a leg over one.

But our shoulders slumped a bit when we saw that the H2 streetbike tipped the scales at a claimed 525 pounds wet and that its output had dropped into the “200 hp” range.

Insiders have said the actual output is higher than stated, which is essential for the success of this model. Crushing horsepower and a supercharger really are the H2’s key selling points; other machines have all the electronics (or more), plus you can get a steel trellis frame and a singlesided swingarm elsewhere (cough, Ducati, cough) for less money.

But face it: Building an “extreme” motorcycle for the street forces a manufacturer to make concessions not only to emissions and sound regulations but also potential liability, which doesn’t seem to be the case with cars.

That is, it seems a little discriminatory that in a world where people don’t blink at 250mph production cars with 1,000 hp, a motorcycle manufacturer feels compelled to limit streetbike top speed to 186 mph and get cagey when claiming more than 200 hp. Let’s set ourselves free!

Sermon over: We’re happy to report

BY MARK H OY E R

CYW0215_2015a.indd 30 12/1/14 1:22 PM

CYCLEWORLD.COM 31

MOTOGP REFUGEEHONDA FINALLY DELIVERS A MOTOGP-INSPIRED V-4 STREETBIKE. WELL, NOT QUITE…

If you wondered why Honda raced

inline-fours in World Superbike and

V-4s in MotoGP, wonder no more. A

high-technology V-4 streetbike proto-

type based on the championship-

winning RC213V MotoGP racer was

revealed at the EICMA show in Milan.

This new machine, known as RC213V-S,

might also be the basis of a future

World Superbike entry. No technical

information was provided, but two

examples were shown.

Honda’s work with V-4s dates back

to the daring but unsuccessful NR500

oval-piston GP project of 1977–’81.

Prior to that, all Honda GP engines

had been inline four-strokes, and

championship-winning fours had car-

ried the Honda name to world promi-

nence. Yet engineers were dissatisfied

with the inline-four because it consists

of two 180-degree twins set end to

end. Each such twin wobbles vigorously

about its center, applying a bending

moment that flexes and may in time

crack the crankcase and cause cylinder

base-gasket leakage.

The NR500 was built as a V-4, its

crankcase and two cylinder

blocks forming a compact,

box-like structure

that maximally

centralized engine

mass. If a 90-degree

cylinder angle were

chosen, the right and

left cylinder pairs of

such an engine could be

self-balancing in the same

way as Ducati’s 90-degree

V-twins. NR500 failed to win

a single GP point but did conceptually

father the long line of Interceptor/VFR

V-4s, which culminated in the World

Superbike-winning RC30 and RC45.

Although for some time Honda’s V-5

and later V-4 MotoGP engine architec-

ture was compared unfavorably with

the inherently more mass-forward

inline concept favored by Yamaha,

Honda has made the V-4 dominant

in MotoGP in 2011–’14. Hard to argue

with success!

Just a year ago, Honda revealed

its MotoGP production racer, the

RCV1000R. With its fabulous fit and

finish, that machine was hailed at the

time as a likely basis for a pricey, exclu-

sive “racer replica” to be sold to the

same upmarket buyers who in 2006

inhaled the 1,500 Desmosedicis offered

for public sale at $72,000 a copy. This

is a natural response to the movement

of disposable income up toward the

tip of the economic pyramid. Because

1,500 times $72,000 equals $108 mil-

lion, this is not a market anyone can

ignore. Kawasaki’s supercharged H2R

is another example of “upmarketing.”

It also makes sense for Honda

to use the same basic R&D to

cover MotoGP (with pneu-

matic cylinder heads),

World Superbike (with

metal valve springs), and

a super-exclusive sports/

collector market, rather than

developing and producing sepa-

rate designs for each. Does this

foretell a general Honda abandon-

ment of the inline-four engine?

We wait and see. —KC

that the only changes to the reducedpower H2 engine are camshafts, head gasket, clutch, and a streetlegal exhaust. So a little software hacking and an aftermarket silencer ought to pump things up to more astronomical levels. Anybody out there in ECU land able to hit CTRLC on an H2R box and paste it to the H2’s?

Whether you will or won’t buy an H2 or an H2R is now a moot point because online ordering ended December 19. But we sure enjoyed reading the f ne print on the trackonly H2R’s purchase page, which included a list of guidelines for potential H2R buyers to acknowledge before they could place deposits.

First and foremost was a f rm reminder that the H2R is for closedcourse use only. But what if you own an H2 and simply want to buy the parts necessary to convert it to R spec? Denied! You need proof of H2R ownership (“product registration, VIN conf rmation, etc.”) to buy spares. Further, “In addition to regular periodic maintenance, service inspections are required every 15 hours of engine operation above 8,000 rpm.” And, f nally, there’s no warranty.

Nevertheless, we have seen nearly all the new 2015 models, and the H2/H2R Kawasaki very much remains in a class of one. But we’ve got a free trackday and dragstrip rental for the f rst owner who presents us with a hacked H2.

We’re serious.

THE NUMBERS

KAWASAKI

H2/H2R

Base price:

$25,000/

$50,000

Claimed wet

weight:

525 lb./476 lb.

Wheelbase:

57.3 in.

Claimed

horsepower:

200 hp/300 hp

Claimed torque:

N/A

Rake/Trail:

24.4°/4.0 in.

CYW0215_2015a.indd 31 12/1/14 1:22 PM

NEW METAL

2015

DUCATI 1299 PANIGALEMUCH BIGGER BOOMS FROM DUCATI’S NEW SUPERBIKE FLAGSHIP BY BRUNO DePRATO


Biggest news here is that Ducati offcially cracked the 200hp mark. But before we get to this

most extreme Superquadro engine ever, let’s start from the beginning.

When Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali was asked about the internal geometry of the Panigale 1199 engine—with specifc reference to the rod length

1299 Panigale

1299 Panigale S

with even shorter rods to compensate for the extra stroke.

Ah, dead wrong! Domenicali went for an even bigger bore: 116mm! Together with an unaltered stroke of 60.8mm, that makes for an actual displacement of 1,285cc. That’s the way, Claudio. Well done! A 116mm bore is Chevrolet Big Block territory, reminiscent of those Reynolds Aluminum V8s that powered the legendary McLaren CanAm racers of the 1970s. That memory alone makes my blood churn.

The new Panigale 1299 sets fresh standards in the superbike fraternity, with a claimed 205 hp at 10,500 rpm and a ter

of 110.1mm in relation to its 60.8mm stroke—he affrmed that he wanted the Panigale to be as compact and well balanced as possible. When I heard a largerdisplacement Panigale was in the works, with the extra cubes coming from increased stroke (the bore already was a recordsetting 112mm), I wondered if Domenicali was ready to compromise

CYW0215_2015a.indd 32 12/1/14 1:22 PM

CYCLEWORLD.COM 33

rifi c 106.7 pound-feet of torque at 8,750 rpm. Simply put, there is nothing like that on two wheels, with the possible exception of the new supercharged special from Japan. Valve size is the same as that used in the 1199: 46.8mm titanium intakes, 38.2mm steel exhausts. By keeping the same valve and port size of the 1199, Ducati engineers

have created a more fl exible and torquey power plant. The higher speed of the intake charge helps disprove the old no-tion that extremely oversquare engines must have poor torque curves.

For more agile steering response, Ducati has given the Panigale 1299 24 degrees of steering rake, which is a half-degree less than the 1199. Trail is consequently down from 100 to 96mm. Even more meaningful: The swingarm pivot has been lowered 4mm, for better geometry to the front sprocket and superior traction. Also, as before, there are two versions, standard and an S

model. The former is fi tted with an inverted 50mm Marzocchi fork, a gas-charged unit made of alumi-num. The S bumps up the hardware quotient with full LED headlights and Öhlins elec-tronically man-aged semi-active suspension featur-ing an inverted 43mm fork. Brakes on both bikes are by Brembo, with M50 calipers act-ing upon a pair of 330mm front discs. To tame all that power and torque, the electronics suite of these 1299 Panigales is among the most complete in production today.

APRILIA RSV4 RR

BMW S1000RR

The extensively revised RSV4 RR superbike has received minor chassis changes

and an extensively redone 65-degree V-4 making a claimed 201 hp. APRC rider aids

are among the best on the market. RSV4 RF “Race Pack” special edition (pictured)

gets special paint, an Öhlins fork and shock, plus forged aluminum wheels.

One of our favorite nakeds gets

punched out to 1,070cc for a

claimed 175 hp. RR standard

and upgraded Factory versions

will be available, both with

Aprilia’s APRC rider-aid pack-

age. Will the 405-pound (dry)

Tuono unseat the KTM 1290

Super Duke R as our favorite

Open-Class Streetbike?

The reigning superbike king got

major changes in 2015 that resulted

in lower weight, a more agile chassis,

and a claimed 197 hp. We rode one in

Spain (January issue) and came away

impressed and convinced that it will

take a lot to unseat this bike from

the performance-per-dollar throne.

APRILIA TUONO

V4 1100

THE NUMBERS

DUCATI 1299

PANIGALE/S

Base price:

$19,295/$24,995

Claimed dry

weight:

367 lb.

Wheelbase:

56.6 in.

Claimed

horsepower:

205 hp @

10,500 rpm

Claimed torque:

106.7 lb.-ft. @

8,750 rpm

Rake/Trail:

24.0°/3.8 in.

The Panigale in

its original 1,198cc

displacement

remains only as

a race version—

the Panigale R.

This machine,

with technical

solutions

extracted from

the limited-

edition 1199

Superleggera,

features tita-

nium valves and

connecting rods,

plus an ultra-

compact crank-

shaft is a polished

piece that fea-

tures tungsten

inserts for per-

fect balance.

The claimed dry

weight of this race

Panigale R

is now a svelte

357 pounds.

CYW0215_2015a.indd 33 12/2/14 11:03 AM


NEW METAL

2015

DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1200DVT AND IMPROVED ELECTRONICS UP THE MULTISTRADA’S GAME

The new Multistrada revealed at the EICMA show in Milan might be the most sophisticated and

advanced bike in Ducati’s lineup. Styling has been revised with new graphics, but that pales in comparison to the signif-cant evolutionary changes that have taken place with its Testastretta engine.

That’s right; the new Multistrada is the frst Ducati with latest evolution of the Testastretta 1,198 V-twin, which now features the revolutionary Desmodromic Variable Timing (DVT) in combination with dual-spark ignition and secondary air bleed. This bumps claimed horse-power from 150 hp at 9,250 rpm to 160 at 9,500, and claimed peak torque has increased from 91.8 pound-feet at 7,500 rpm to 100.3 at the same rpm. Simply put, there is no comparison between old and

new engines. The new Testastretta 1,198 DVT powerplant has a much broader power curve starting as low as 2,000 rpm.

The superior performance is also related to upgraded electronics. Ducati’s

new electronics suite includes the Inertia Measurement Unit (IMU), which has all features from before (traction control, ABS, four-mode ride-by-wire) plus wheelie control. It also manages the latest Ducati

CYW0215_2015b.indd 34 12/1/14 1:28 PM

CYCLEWORLD.COM 35

Skyhook suspen-sion, which is standard on the Multistrada S. This electronically managed semi-active suspension, by Sachs, features an inverted 48mm fork and a single shock. The IMU also manages the latest Bosch Cornering ABS, which prevents the Brembo brakes from locking a wheel even when well leaned over.

Ducati’s base Multistrada has

a non-adjustable 48mm inverted fork, plus a pair of 320mm front brake rotors by Brembo. The Multistrada S, with its electronically managed semi-active fork, gets 330mm front brake rotors and the latest Brembo M50 calipers. Of note, the S also has a full-color TFT dash, and the load settings of the Skyhook suspension are adjustable at rest or on the fy, as are the four riding modes: Sport, Touring, Urban, Enduro.

The new Multistrada S ($19,695) also benefts from a new full-LED head-light with corner-lighting technology. Additional peripheral lighting for the Multistrada S is available via a switch near the left grip that actuates two addi-tional lights. All Multistradas roll on 17-inch wheels shod with the latest Pirelli Scorpion Trail II, in 120/70-17 front and 190/55-17 rear sizes. In Europe, Ducati will continue to offer the Multistrada S D/Air model, which features a wire-less connection to the airbag-equipped Ducati D/Air riding apparel by Dainese.

If you’re one of those folks who plans to occasionally venture off road on your Multistrada, the Enduro Pack accessory includes engine crashbars, a radiator guard, an extended skid plate, auxiliary LED lights, and off-road footpegs. —BdP

DVT

101

Ducati’s Testastretta engine has

benefited from twin-spark ignition

and the development of the 11° ver-

sion. That refers to the amount of

valve overlap in crankshaft degrees.

Overlap is that period when the inlet

valves are open and the exhausts

haven’t closed.

This overlap exploits the depres-

sion created in the cylinder by the

scavenging effect of the spent gases

rushing out through the exhaust

port. Via fluid dynamics inertia, the

volumetric efficiency of the engine is

pushed past 1:1. In other words, the

inhaled charge exceeds the swept

volume of the cylinder. Problem is,

at low rpm, the scavenging effect is

marginal, so little or no benefit at all

comes from the overlap phase. Since

the timing remains unchanged, there

is more time for the fresh charge to

be jettisoned through the exhaust,

and the low flow speed does not

create the correct turbulence in the

compressed charge. Consequently,

combustion is far from optimal. To

address this, Ducati has developed a

full variable valve-timing system for

the 11° Testastrettra engine, the first

of its kind applied to a motorcycle

engine or any powerplant with des-

modromically operated valves.

Mechanically, the Desmo Variable

Timing (DVT) system consists of an

external housing rigidly connected to

the cam belt pulley, plus an internal

mechanism connected to the cam-

shaft that rotates independently

inside the housing. This rotation of

the internal mechanism of each cam-

shaft—advance or retard—is precisely

managed by electronically controlled

valves that modulate oil pressure

on either side of a three-vane rotor

sealed inside the chamber of the

mechanism and solid with the inter-

nal mechanism of the camshaft. The

timing of each cam is dynamically

controlled by a sensor located in the

cam covers and continuously modu-

lated based on factors sensed by the

ECU, with engine rpm and throttle

position most important. More

significant is its effect. According

to Ducati, the new 1,198 DVT twin

generates 100 pound-feet of torque

at 7,500 rpm and 160 hp at 9,500. The

torque curve is very broad, with 59

pound-feet on tap at just 3,500 rpm.

Compared to a standard 11° engine,

the DVT version has 15 percent more

torque, with improved combustion

stability and smoothness, increased

fuel efficiency and reduced emis-

sions. Exact timing numbers haven’t

been released, but the variation

is likely in the range of about 30

degrees, starting with “negative”

overlap at lower rpm. By this, I mean

no overlap at all but rather a delay

between the closing of the exhaust

valves and the opening of the inlets.

This means no fresh charge goes out

the exhaust, combustion is improved

at low rpm, and there’s no more

“Ducati shudder” when opening the

throttle below 3,000 rpm.

DVT is revolutionary because

overlap is crucial in achieving higher

performance. It’s no longer the old

“torque versus power” quarrel; now

it’s torque and power, with superior

efficiency. —BdP

THE NUMBERS

DUCATI

MULTISTRADA

1200

Base price:

$17,695

Claimed dry

weight:

511 lb.

Wheelbase:

60.2 in.

Claimed

horsepower:

160 hp @

9500 rpm

Claimed torque:

100.3 lb.-ft. @

7500 rpm

Rake/Trail:

24.0°/4.3 in.

CYW0215_2015b.indd 35 12/1/14 1:29 PM


NEW METAL

2015

From the company that

invented the ADV bike with

its original GS comes BMW’s

new S1000XR, which was

shown back in November at

the EICMA show. Put simply,

the new 2015 BMW S1000XR

is an ADV-look sport-tourer

powered by a detuned ver-

sion of the S1000RR’s potent

inline-four. According to BMW,

the engine in the new S1000XR

puts out 160 hp and 83 pound-

feet of torque, which peaks at

9,250 rpm.

For optimum tractability

and smooth, shudder-free

throttle response from as low

as 2,000 rpm, the BMW engine

has vastly revised valve timing

and reshaped intake ports. It

remains a substantially over-

square engine, with an 80mm

bore and the same 49.7mm

stroke common to all S1000

models. Inlet and exhaust

valves have come down in

size by 2mm, and the engine

breathes through 48mm throt-

tle bodies. A high-compression

ratio of 12:1 means that

European premium gaso-

line, with a Research Octane

Number of 95, is required.

The chassis of the S1000XR

is a completely new design

with peripheral aluminum

spars, and the engine—which

has multiple bolt-on points—

serves as a major stiffening

element for the bike. Thanks

to 25.5 degrees of rake and 4.6

inches of trail, the S1000XR

has agile steering geometry,

slightly “stronger” than the

geometry of the S1000R. The

swingarm, a conventional

two-sided design, is 2.6 inches

longer than the S1000’s, while

the wheelbase of the new

BMW spans a substantial 61

inches. That’s 4.3 inches more

than the S1000R’s, and the

seat height is a very reason-

able 33.1 inches.

Suspension is by Sachs,

front and rear. The inverted

fork has 46mm sliders, and

the single shock is link-

actuated. According to BMW,

there are 5.9 inches of front

travel and 5.5 inches out back.

Street tires, size 120/70-17

inches front and 190/55-17

inches rear, underscore the

S1000XR’s tarmac intentions.

Brakes, by Brembo, feature

a pair of 320mm rotors and

radial-mount calipers in front.

In back, a 265mm rotor teams

with a two-piston caliper.

BMW says the new

S1000XR, in wet, ready-to-

ride form, weighs 503 pounds.

Moreover, its electronics suite,

which is oriented toward

improv ing both safety and

comfort, features ABS, trac-

tion control, and the semi-

active suspension of the

optional ESA system.

Clearly, BMW has decided to

go right after Ducati’s tarmac-

oriented Multistrada, and the

other non-dirty adventure-

touring bikes on the market.

Has the street-oriented ADV

segment spelled the end of

the sport-touring bike as we

know it? —BdP

BMW S1000XRASPHALT ADV PACKING S1000RR HEAT (ALMOST)

CYW0215_2015b.indd 36 12/1/14 1:29 PM

CYCLEWORLD.COM 37

Built for weekday urban adventures and anything you can think

up on the weekends, the big Versys has finally arrived. Power

comes from the excellent 1,043cc inline-four found in the Ninja

1000 and Z1000. ABS, TC, and power modes sweeten the deal.

For those who thought, “Wouldn’t it be bitchin’ to stuff the Super

Duke’s 1290 twin into a roost-chucking ADV machine?” your wish

has been granted. Look for cruise control and more sophisticated

electronic suspension. And, oh, yeah, more wheelies.

It’s about time Honda got back into the ADV game. While

Europe gets a variety of Honda ADV touring bikes, the US has

been forgotten. Will Big Red’s twin-cylinder True Adventure

Concept find its way to America? It better, or we’re going to

invade Europe to get one.

Yamaha’s FJ-09 is a new sport-tourer

built around the hot-selling FZ-09’s

frame and 847cc triple.

The seating position is more upright

than the FZ-09’s, and the seat itself,

with 0.6 inch of height adjustability,

has more cushioning as well. Making

the new FJ-09 even more comfortable

and accommodating is a windscreen

that can be raised or lowered 1.2

inches without tools, plus a handlebar

that can be adjusted fore/aft 0.4 inch.

Other standard hardware includes

ABS and switchable traction control,

a centerstand, and LED lighting. A

large 4.8-gallon fuel tank should

appeal to travelers.

Two colors are offered: Matte Gray

or Candy Red. Price: $10,490.

KAWASAKI VERSYS 1000

YAMAHA FJ-09

KTM 1290 SUPER

ADVENTURE

HONDA TRUE

ADVENTURE CONCEPT

CYW0215_2015b.indd 37 12/1/14 1:29 PM


NEW METAL

2015

BMW

R1200RS

BMW traditionalists, rejoice: The RS powered by the boxer twin is back! By today’s standards, it is

not as breathtaking as the R100RS from the mid-1970s, but this new R1200RS still represents the rational rebirth of that bike, a fantastic sport-tourer that was replaced by the heavier and bulkier R1200RT.

The new BMW R1200RS is powered by the air- and liquid-cooled DOHC boxer in 125-hp form, further enhanced in this application by a slight increase in peak torque to 92.2 pound-feet (as compared to the R1200GS). The R1200RS looks svelte and compact yet protective and ready for a nice, fast, and comfortable ride on any road. The chassis is new, featuring an integrated engine-frame structure and, most important, the return to a telescopic fork in place of BMW’s Telelever arrangement.

This new fork has rider-controlled ESA electronic damping, and the R1200RS

also has a complete electronics suite that features ABS, Automatic Stability Control, and Dynamic Traction Control, which now has fve selectable modes thanks to the Pro riding mode, which is available as an option on the bike.

The chassis of the new R1200RS has a generous 60.2-inch wheelbase, and the seat is set at a reasonable 32.2 inches above the ground. Steering geometry is

stability oriented, with 27.7 degrees of rake and 4.5 inches of trail. Claimed wet weight is 520 pounds, and the handlebar is touring style, fairly high and wide but within the front profle of the fairing. Moreover, the windscreen is adjust-able. On the road, the new 2015 BMW R1200RS looks like it will offer plenty of comfort for two, plus luggage. Pricing is expected to be around $15,000.

As much as people

loved the R nineT for

its emotional play to

simpler times, some

riders just couldn’t

connect with the

retro theme and lack

of BMW’s typical

über-tech execution.

For those who want

their naked more of the times in styling and technical features, the R1200R joins

the line. It’s essentially a stripped RS model, using the same 125-hp engine and

electronics suite all the way down to optional Dynamic ESA and Gear Shift Assist

Pro for clutchless up- and downshifting. Again, no word on pricing at press time.

BMW

R1200R

BY BRUNO DePRATO

CYW0215_2015c.indd 38 12/1/14 1:35 PM

CYCLEWORLD.COM 39

One of our favorite GSX-R1000 engines of all time? The longer-stroke 73.4 x 59.0mm, 999cc K5 version first used in 2005. So it is

good news that this torque monster has been revived and retuned for even more torque to power the GSX-S1000 and GSX-S1000

ABS naked bikes and their fully faired GSX-S1000F ABS stablemate. The most significant change from the old days? A radically

revised electronics suite, which now features ABS and three-mode (plus off) traction control. Chassis share the same geometry,

with 25 degrees of rake and 3.9 inches of trail, and are fitted with a fully adjustable KYB fork and shock that allow for rebound

damping and spring preload adjustment. Prices for these early-release 2016 models have not been announced.

SUZUKI GSX-S1000/ABS

& GSX-S1000F ABS

SUZUKI GSX-S1000

SUZUKI GSX-S750

There are great things happening in motorcycling

for less than $8,000, and the choices just got better

with the $7,999 GSX-S750 naked bike based on the

GSX-R750. Tuning naturally emphasizes street use,

meaning a broader torque curve, achieved with revised

cam profiles and redone ports. Rear spring preload is

the sole suspension adjustment. The GSX-S750Z with

blue-and-white paint is $8,149. Unfortunately, neither

of these 2015 models will be sold in California.

CYW0215_2015c.indd 39 12/1/14 1:36 PM


NEW METAL

2015

The all-new Vulcan S is Kawasaki’s new entry-level cruiser. But

because it’s powered by a 649cc parallel twin (like that of the Versys

and Ninja 650), the bike should offer performance that belies its

displacement. Best feature? The Vulcan S ($6,999 or $7,399 with

ABS) is adjustable for rider size, thanks to the Ergo-Fit program’s

optional handlebar, three seat heights and three peg loca tions.

Here is a motorcycle that can do well: It is genuinely an entry-level bike, at 320cc and $4,990. It has confdently presented sportbike style, not “scooter cuteness.” It makes me think of a long-ago Yamaha model that was all things to all riders. The two-stroke RD350 twin, which was a sporting motorcycle, could be ridden two-up and also served club racers well for a decade.

The R3’s engine is a parallel twin of 68.0 x 44.1mm bore and stroke, the bore exceeding the stroke by the same high 1.55 oversquare ratio as in the 2015 R1. Yamaha learned the value of having a signature sound from the crossplane-crank R1’s “V-8 voice,” and in giving R3 a 180-degree crank will achieve a syncopated, interesting sound. This is a liquid-cooled sport engine, with DOHC, four valves per cylinder, fuel injection, and forged pistons.

Peak power comes at 10,750 rpm and will likely be in the vicinity of 45 hp. Its “offset cylinders” lessen friction by reduc ing the angularity of the connecting rods on the power stroke, thereby pressing the pistons less hard against their cylinder walls. The liner-less bore is not hard-plated as in the Nikasil process but instead relies on the hardness of myriad silicon particles already present throughout the part, honed smooth and then treated. This saves 3 to 4 pounds in liner weight and adapts well to production.

A steel frame and swingarm are right for this YZF-R3, just as they were for the frst 600 supersport bikes. While we love radical technologies, economical mass production delivers the goods that millions can afford. Weight with the 3.5-gallon fuel tank full is a substantial 368 pounds, but that’s only 16 pounds more than its great uncle, the RD350.

Yamaha’s light sporting twin returns. —Kevin Cameron

YAMAHA YZF-R3

STAR BOLT C-SPEC

KAWASAKI VULCAN S

KTM RC390

KTM RC390

Japanese cruisers struggle to achieve the cool factor, but the Star

Bolt isn’t one of them. The $8,690 C-Spec version joins the line in

2015 and takes cool in a new direction. Clip-on handlebars, higher,

more rearset footpegs, fork gaiters, and a removable seat cowl

give it the café transformation. At its core, the C-Spec remains the

likable air-cooled, 942cc, V-twin cruiser we’ve always enjoyed.

After overseas street and track time aboard the 375cc RC390

entry-level sportbike (December 2014), we’re anxious to test one

Stateside. The claimed 44-hp single offers a lot of performance

for its $5,499 price, with a trellis frame, ABS, LED lighting, and an

inverted 43mm WP fork adding to the appeal. Further, KTM and

MotoAmerica announced the RC Cup, a national-championship

spec series using race-prepped RC390s. A naked 390 Duke, also

built in India, is priced at a reasonable $4,999.

CYW0215_2015c.indd 40 12/1/14 1:36 PM

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BC_028033_CYW0614P.indd 1 3/20/14 3:56 PM


F I V E N E W 2 0 1 5 B I K E S T H A T W I L L I N S P I R E Y O U . A N D H E R .

B y H e a t h e r M c C o y

AFFIRMATIVETRACTION

Gender neutrality has not been a familiar concept in the motorcycle industry. Until maybe now.

As the demographic of motorcyclists becomes more and more diverse and the gender gap narrows, manufacturers seem to be

steering clear of a his-and-hers mentality and focusing instead on, um, affirmative traction. Here are five all-new, crowd-pleasing

models that show you what we mean.

2015 Ducati Scrambler •

Ducati heads back to the future with the all-new Scrambler, a bike that seems to scratch a universal itch for any rider looking for pure, unadulterated fun. Like the beach cruiser of motorcycles, it’s pared-down simplicity, and the retro-but-not-really styling just screams, “Ride me!” Available in four slightly different fun-loving versions (the Icon, the Classic, the Urban Enduro, and the Full Throttle), the Scrambler features a distinctively Ducati 803cc 75-hp air-cooled L-twin engine, ABS, and approachable ergonomics that welcome seasoned riders and timid newbies alike. Retro elements like spoked wheels and a teardrop tank combine with modernities like an under-seat USB port and LED ring around the headlamp in true old-meets-new form. With 31.1-inch-high seat or low seat option of 30.3 inches and wet weight in the 400-pound range, the Scrambler exudes rideability, and with an MSRP starting at $8,595, it promises to draw a whole new rider out of his or her shell.

• Yamaha YZF-R3

For sportbike lovers, the all-new Yamaha YZF-R3 has a little something for everyone. Little might be the operative word here; at just 368 pounds claimed soaking wet, the R3, with its 30.7-inch seat height, is certain to appeal to diminutive riders seeking a confidence-inspiring stance. But the R3 is also big on style. The obvious influence of its stablemates (the YZF-R1 and R6) help make the R3 a stylistic winner. Although Yamaha is marketing the R3 as an “entry-level sportbike,” that might be selling it short. Experienced riders will appreciate its practicality as a commuter and approachable trackday toy, while novices will dig the confidence-inspiring maneuverability. Both will dig the traction control. The YZF-R3 has an MSRP of just $4,990, which is something everyone will love.

CYW0215_GNDR.indd 42 12/1/14 11:55 AM

CYCLEWORLD.COM 43

Indian Scout •

For riders who gravitate to the Americana of a vintage cruiser but might have balked at the sheer size of these stylish, chrome behemoths, Indian Motorcycles introduces the all-new 2015 Scout. While bigness has almost always been part of recent Indians’ American-made exclusiveness, the Scout’s lower, lighter chassis is sure to draw a more inclusive crowd. The 86-hp V-twin engine is powerful enough for heavyweights to enjoy, while its low center of gravity and comparatively light dry weight of 550 pounds (compared to the 780-pound Chief Classic) will appeal to lighter-framed riders. Offering reduced-reach and extended-reach packages, Indian extends its own reach to reflect the growing diversity of riders in general. The $10,999 Scout retains plenty of the romance with its authentic solo saddle in distinctive desert sand leather and shows off its mechanical beauty in four elegant, gender-neutral colors (including that authentic, dusty Indian Red).

Triumph Bonneville Newchurch •

Okay, so it’s not an all-new model per se. Instead, Triumph put a fresh face on a timeless beauty with a special edition dedicated to the town of Neukirchen, Austria, host to the annual Tridays festival, the world’s largest gathering of Triumph fans. The passion invoked by the iconic Bonneville is reflected in what just might be the perfect shade of red: a gorgeous crimson Cranberry, offset by Pure White and perfectly paired with matte-black bars, mirrors, headlamp socket, and shocks, all accented by just the right amount of chrome. The result is one siren of a motorcycle, beckoning anyone with a thing for the classics. The Newchurch’s custom low-profile saddle delivers a 29.1-inch seat height and universally comfortable riding position, something the Bonneville has always been able to brag about, and its no-nonsense 865cc, 64-hp, air-cooled, parallel twin and five-speed transmission offer equal-opportunity allure with a sensible $8,699 MSRP.

• Ural cT

The all-new 2015 Ural cT offers a lower, lighter version of its iconic sidecar motorcycle and market-ing aimed squarely at the fiercely independent type, whoever he or she might be. With phrases like “designed to take you effortlessly from a weekend getaway to school drop-offs” and “space for your everyday needs, whether it’s camping gear or that last-minute grocery run,” and color options like Teracotta and Gloss Gray, the Russian manufacturer clearly has its sights set on an adventure-thirsty, gender-diverse audience (showing up in a fashion spread for Vogue magazine last year may have been the first clue). Besides the sidecar kitsch, the Ural cT boasts other independent-minded features, like an electric and kick start, four speeds plus reverse, and a two-year parts/unlimited-miles warranty. A $12,999, 41-hp, 750cc, air-cooled flat-twin machine that can handle a 1,325-pound load suddenly seems sensible. And rideable.

CYW0215_GNDR.indd 43 12/1/14 11:55 AM


O N E O F T H E F A B L E D N A M E S I N

B R I T I S H M O T O R C Y C L I N G I S B A C K

I N T H E B I K E B U S I N E S S A F T E R

M O R E T H A N 4 0 Y E A R S

B y G a r y I n m a n

P h o t o g r a p h y b y Pa u l B r y a n t

ARIEL ACE

CYW0215_ACE.indd 44 12/1/14 11:29 AM

CYCLEWORLD.COM 45

The roller doors are up and through the openings, in adjacent, purpose-built industrial units sit a dozen Ariel Atoms, the Honda-powered,

British-built pocket rocket that rewrote the rule book on a street-legal car’s power-to-weight ratio. The Atom accelerates quicker than a Bugatti Veyron and changes direction like a hummingbird. Despite being in production 14 years, the Atom still commands a nine-month waiting list and causes slack-jawed gawking from people on the street. From this fiercely independent, self-owned, self-financed success story comes a motorcycle: the Ariel Ace.

But the Atom and Ace have very different characters. The car is twitchy, insanely quick, and yes, road legal, but it’s extreme by just about every measure. It doesn’t really even have any bodywork. The Ace isn’t trying to emulate the Atom. A mile riding the prototype confirms all that, but both are the result of original thought.

If you didn’t get the message by looking at the Ace, I’ll spell it out: The bike was not conceived to compete with the new breed of super-nakeds. It’s much closer to the spirit of a Ducati Diavel than a KTM 1290 Super Duke R.

The British company, with just 18 employees, knows its limits and can’t compete with Japanese or European makers when it comes to pure

performance. Instead, its unique selling proposition is creating a

production machine that will be individually tailored

to a customer’s desires without being a pure

custom. Ariel has built a long relationship

with Honda using its car engines in the Atom, so the company built the bike around the heart of another Honda—the 1,237cc V-4 used in the VFR1200F.

The prototype Ace I’m riding

is in “cruiser” configuration. That

means a 29.3-inch seat height, low pegs,

streetbike bars, and a girder fork. There are options for a

CYW0215_ACE.indd 45 12/1/14 11:29 AM


suspension as fitted to the Caponord, for example. But I do get in the Ace’s groove and it’s engaging. Handling isn’t wayward, but all 507 pounds of the Ace need to be ridden—none of this superbike “think about the apex and you’ve hit it” stuff. And while it is labeled a cruiser, it’s no Harley. The feeling is closer to well-sorted big, four-cylinder retro than anything from Milwaukee.

The strength of the Ace lies in its design and ownership experience. This is a bike that will be tailor-made for buyers. “We like people coming up with strange requests,” says Ariel’s founder, Simon Saunders. An analogy Ariel uses is that of a Savile Row suit. “Anyone with enough money can buy an Armani suit and walk out with it the same day, but if you want tailor-made, you have to go and talk about it, get measured, go back for a fitting, and wait for it,” he says. Each bike will be built by one employee, from start to finish. Owners are even invited to visit and witness part of the weeklong build.

Base price is 20,000 pounds, or about $31,300 as of this writing, and Ariel offers the bike in the US after production begins in January. For that kind of money, there are a lot of components from the $15,999 VFR1200F—engine, ECU, braking system, wheels, fork, shock—all well proven but not stuff that makes a heart beat faster. The rest is special though. The frame is incredible—seven pieces of aluminum, all machined from billet. The trellised piece is stylistically reminiscent of the Atom, and it requires 4.5 million lines of CNC programming to produce. The girder fork is made the same way. The several offered fuel tanks are carbon fiber; headlight brackets and heel plates are titanium; and the digital dash is from the Atom, connected via pleasingly chunky military-spec connectors.

With its Honda mechanicals, groundbreakingly beautiful chassis, eye-catching styling, decent quirk-free ride, and English craftsmanship, the Ace has a lot going for it. While we’d like a bit more of the Atom’s bonkers performance, if you think the Diavel is too common, too boring, Ariel has your bike.

conventional fork (VFR-spec Showa or Öhlins Road & Track); clip-on bars; mid-mount or high footpegs; various tailpipes; and a sport seat. The two ends of the Ace spectrum—Cruiser and Sport—are very different, but buyers can mix and match components and set up as they wish.

Leaving the factory, it takes me a while to warm to the Ariel in this configuration. At low speeds, the steering is heavier than I expected. The bars are slightly too far from the low seat, and it doesn’t take too much effort to get the pegs down in corners. But it is billed as a performance cruiser, after all.

Looking at the girder fork—machined from billet with a multi-adjustable, MotoGP-derived Öhlins TTX shock front and center—I was expecting a magic carpet ride, but it was harsh on back roads. I reduced spring preload but didn’t experiment enough to find a sweet spot. Since my ride, the company has worked on shock settings prior to the start of production.

The gearbox, all Honda, is ponderous. Gearshifts had to be deliberate, especially at lower revs (Honda’s DCT transmission is an option). The V-4 growl is a treat, and thrust is what you’d expect from a claimed 173-hp V-4. The Ace retains the VFR’s shaft final drive.

Dynamically, the Ace is saying nothing new. Not bad, just not noteworthy in 2015. It’s a 160-plus-mph engine, with traction control, and the chassis has strong, combined ABS brakes. It is accomplished, without quirks. On this ride, the suspension felt nowhere near as good as Aprilia’s semi-active

ATOM-IZATION:

With trellis frame and exposed mechanicals, the

Ace has the look of the Atom, if not its light

weight.

CYW0215_ACE.indd 46 12/1/14 11:30 AM

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BC_033721_CYW1214P.indd 1 9/23/14 12:52 PM

48 CYCLE WORLD FEBRUARY 2015 PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jeff Allen

The Kawasaki Concours 14 is a world-class sport-tourer, while the track-focused ZX-10R wears the world superbike crown. Filling a middle ground between these mission-specific models, the Ninja 1000 offers real-world sporting prowess and excellent light sport-touring capability. After 10 months piling miles on our green machine, we have a saddle-savvy appreciation for its superb reliability and versatility.

We determined early on

that the fuel-injected inline-four possesses superb fueling and robust torque, so we focused on other areas to make improvements. First, we fitted Kawasaki Genuine Accessory Color-matched Quick-Release 28-liter Saddlebags ($1,269.75) and a gel seat/passenger pillion ($324.95). The helmet/jacket/backpack-swallowing convenience of these ignition-key-matched lockable hard bags proved invaluable for

daily commuting and weekend adventures.

No surprises were encountered during the scheduled 3,800-mile maintenance intervals, though a solitary repair during the Ninja’s tenure involved the replacement of an AWOL hinge pin for one of its bag lids. Considering the pin is not an available Kawasaki part number, we found that a 16d eight-gage nail worked just fine. Cost? Two cents.

Looking to enhance the

2014 KAWASAKI NINJA 1000

B y D o n C a n e tS P O RT Y S P O RT-TO U R E R

L O N G -T E R M W R A P - U P

CYW0215_LONG.indd 48 12/1/14 12:28 PM

W R A P - U P L O N G -T E R M

Ninja’s touring utility, we fitted a California Scientific clear Touring Windshield ($125; calsci.com). This simple-to-install 23.5-inch laser-cut acrylic screen provides excellent protection without any head buffeting. The screen, along with a set of Murph’s Handlebar Risers ($154; murphskits.com) that offer a 1.5-inch rise and 0.5-inch pullback, makes the Ninja an even better travel companion.

The bar riser installation was easy and allowed use of the stock cables and brake line. However, interference between the clutch perch/brake master cylinder and the risers restricts the ability to position the levers below horizontal. One fix is to remove the locator pin and rotate the riser forward. Another remedy I used involved shimming the bar outward about 3/16 inch via a pair of stacked washers between the inner bar tips and mating

surfaces inside the riser.“The higher bars mean zero weight

on my wrists, which gave me that extra edge of comfort I’d want on a long journey,” said Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer in the logbook. “The rest of the rider triangle was pretty comfortable too. The pegs are tucked up, but even as a 6-foot-2 human, I didn’t feel cramped.”

A pair of Spider Peak Grips ($17.95; spidergrips.com) was a nice aesthetic

Total miles: • 10,420

Next service: • 11,400

Maintenance costs: • $912.74

Repair costs: • $.02

Average fuel mileage: • 37 mpg

Price as tested (2014): • $11,999

Average fuel mileage: • 37 mpg

Current Blue Book value: • $9,585

2014 KAWASAKI NINJA 1000

RISING TO THE OCCASION: Murph’s anodized aluminum bar risers look like a factory item and include a pair of OEM Allen-head bolts. Spider grips helped decrease the Ninja 1000’s bar buzz.

CYW0215_LONG.indd 49 12/1/14 12:28 PM


F RO M T H E

LOGBOOK

DON CANET

• The Ninja and I

have shared many

good times riding

solo and two-up.

The remote shock

preload adjuster

and suspension

damping clickers

have been dialed

from one extreme

to the other to

suit a gamut of

rides ranging

from commuting

to a pillion-filled

trackday at

Chuckwalla.

RYAN DUDEK

• Long-distance

luxury isn’t on

this bike’s menu.

It’s missing some

of the finer things

found on sport-

touring bikes like

cruise control,

heated grips,

power outlets,

and an outside

air temperature

gauge. That said, I

logged more than

700 miles in one

day and never felt

cramped. Not bad

for a bike that is

lacking of some

luxuries.

MARK HOYER

• The Ninja

1000 delivers

classic Japanese

four-cylinder

power: linear with

an ever-building

surge that results

in, no surprise,

more serious

speed the longer

you hold it on.

Engine vibration

was pretty notice-

able at higher revs,

mostly through

the acces sory gel

seat.

REPORT CARD

Kawasaki Ninja 1000 feedback

from Cycle World readers.

“My brother and I both bought

2014 Ninja 1000s. This is a thin

category for guys who are a bit

mature for supersports but still

are not ready for a Gold Wing.

You can have a blast in the

twisties all day, no roadside yoga

required. Kawasaki did make one

mistake though. The gears are

too close-ratio, and final drive is

too short. So this makes for some

busy shifting! But the value and

function of this bike are hard to

argue with.”

Gary Kelly

cycleworld.com

“I purchased mine as a

replacement for a Honda CBF1000.

I rode it from Victoria, British

Columbia, to Minneapolis. I’m

most impressed with the engine.

Traction control has only intruded

a couple of times on paint lines in

the rain. Fit and finish are great.

Three-position windscreen is

fabulous. On the downside, the

front end seems a little heavy

steering at low speeds. The

Kawasaki gel seat was not good for

repeated 400-mile days. I needed

an inflatable Air Hawk seat pad

to solve that problem. I see more

of me than traffic behind in the

mirrors. At the end of a 400-mile

day, there are no regrets (after

stretching out my knees).”

John Snider

Victoria, British Columbia,

Canada

“Bought my blue 2014 Ninja 1K

in April and put 8,000 miles on it

this year. Love this bike: power,

handling…and power. It has the

looks and also the options, though

it could use a gear indicator.

Can’t wait for next year’s riding

season.”

Richard Pittman

cycleworld.com

upgrade, while its acoustical rebound core design and grippy rubber compound allowed a lighter yet more secure hold on the bars for some welcome but minor relief from the effects of vibration.

The original Bridgestone tires were replaced with plenty of tread left at 3,000 miles by Michelin Pilot Road 4 sport-touring radials ($547.90). Handling, grip, and longevity have been excellent, and the tires have managed to go 7,000 miles. Only recently have we begun to notice a wear-induced increase in steering effort and diminished neutrality.

The Ninja 1000 has been exciting to ride and trouble-free for 10,000 miles. It has proven to be a great all-day sportbike that also serves well in the daily commute. Its combination of power, reasonably light weight, and excellent performance make it feel like it’s in a class of one.

L O N G -T E R M W R A P - U P

CYW0215_LONG.indd 50 12/1/14 12:29 PM

AS BARE AS YOU DARE

PREMIERES JAN 28 | WEDNESDAYS 10|9c

Bikes stripped naked and ridden like there’s no tomorrow.

For those willing to take it all of , there’s no better feeling.

©2014 Discovery Communications

BC_035040_CYW0215P.indd 1 11/10/14 2:59 PM


ANNOYING STUTTER J RADIANT HEAT J BEST USED BIKE J ETHANOL BLUES

N

The Concours 14 was Cycle World’s Best

Sport-Touring Bike from 2008 to 2010, but

that doesn’t mean it’s immune to potential EFI or ECU problems.

B Y R A Y N I E R L I C H

CYW0215_SERV.indd 52 12/1/14 12:38 PM

CYCLEWORLD.COM 53PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jeff Allen

S E R V I C E

STUTTERING KAW

Q: I own a 2011 Kawasaki Concours 14 ABS with about 5K miles on it. Great bike. I am having a strange

problem within a specific rpm range. When in top gear on the highway and between 3,800 and 4,200 rpm, at about 80 to 85 mph, the bike stutters when steady throttle is being applied. Doesn’t do it in lower gears at same rpm range. Techs replaced the fuel pump once under warranty. I get random FI error codes, but they say it all checks out and to try different gas. I run Mobil or Shell high test. The bike screams with no hesitation, but it still has this annoying stutter. Thoughts?

HOWARD A. DICKSTEIN

SPRINGFIELD, MA

A:Sounds as though your bike is probably going lean, or less likely rich, at the speeds you mention.

To not overlook anything simple, first inspect the airbox for the presence of oil, which can be deposited onto the filter through the breather system and cause the bike to run rich. The most likely cause of a lean condition is an EFI sensor or the ECU itself. That the condition is gear-specific points to the ECU itself. A fuel pump issue would either cause the bike to stop running or show itself in high-demand conditions such as when it “screams,” not at part throttle when demand is low. It sounds as though you’ve changed fuel, so rule that out.

Since your bike has a three-year warranty and you are close to the end, or just out of warranty, be sure to have a complaint forwarded to the factory representative. If the factory rep decides the dealer will be reimbursed for its time to swap parts in an effort to locate the problem, then the dealer will go the extra mile. Failing that, find a dyno shop with an exhaust gas analyzer and see exactly what the mixture is doing when the bike stutters. Maybe a Power Commander is in your future?

FEEL THE H-D HEAT

Q: I ride a 2005 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic with Twin Cam 88 engine. My personal challenge

is to ride it as smoothly and quickly as

I can my BMW R1150R. It takes a lot of concentration to succeed to that level on such a heavy (antiquated?) bike. My problem is the heat generated by that engine. I have an oil cooler, and I use synthetic. I have “true duals,” but I’ve put back on the original mufflers. Sound, yes; noise, no thanks. Many others have commented on the heat issue. Is there a solution, or is this part of the H-D mystique?

MARC HOROWITZ

NORTH BABYLON, NY

A:Radiant heat is a common complaint on Harley-Davidson Big Twins, especially with older

models. When Harley changed the frame for 2009, it also improved the heat shielding. Better yet, with the 2014 Twin Cam 103 liquid-cooled engine, the heat is directed away from the rider. So, short of trading up or moving farther north, what can be done? Adding an oil cooler is the first thing to do, which you already have done. Fitting less restrictive mufflers would be next. All Screamin’ Eagle mufflers are under 80 decibels, making them a good choice to keep the neighbors happy while increasing flow. After that, you may get a tiny improvement by richening the mixture to match your now-less-restrictive exhaust. A parade-duty fan for low-speed conditions can be fitted. This was a police-edition accessory and goes where the horn sits.

THIRSTY BEEMER

Q: I have a 2004 BMW R1150RS with 118,000 miles on it. Within the last six to eight months, my

average gas mileage has gone down 10 to 15 mpg. The bike idles at the correct rpm, but I still see some vibration at idle and sometimes it dips and “pops” when I’m sitting still. I’ve done a throttle-body sync and valve adjustment a few times now, even though I’m short of the 6,000-mile service needed. I’m curious if a fuel filter may be the cause of my crappy gas mileage or whether I need to keep doing what I’m doing until I get my tune absolutely correct. I’ve been working on this for a while, but I’m saving getting the fuel filter

GOT A MECHANICAL OR TECHNICAL PROBLEM with your beloved ride? Perhaps we can help. Contact us at [email protected] with your questions. We cannot guarantee a reply to every inquiry.

YEARS SOLD: 1973–1983

MSRP NEW: $2,895 to $3,995

CURRENT MARKET VALUE:

$3,000 to $7,500

BASIC SPECS: Some 60,000 twin-carbure-

tor Bonnevilles and single-carb Tiger 750s

(and other variants) were produced. The

classic air-cooled, parallel-twin displaced

724cc on early bikes but after mid-’73 was

bumped to 744cc. Early five-speed gear-

boxes shifted on the right; 1975 and later

were left-hand shift. Front disc/rear drum

brakes (’73–’75) became disc front and rear

(’76–’83). Twin front discs were used on

some ’82–’83 models. Dry weight ranged

from 412 to 440 pounds.

WHY IT’S DESIRABLE: These so-called

oil-in-frame Triumphs were the ultimate

evolution of Edward Turner’s 1938 Speed

Twin but are less valued by collectors than

pre-’71 models and therefore more afford-

able. A mid-14-second quarter-mile time

and 110-mph top speed remain adequate

for use in modern traffic. Brakes are decent

even by today’s standards, and handling is

quite good. A well-set-up bike’s clutch pull

and throttle effort will be on the light side.

Reliability when new was spotty due to

poor assembly, but a well-sorted machine

can be very reliable—and oil tight. Parts

and service support are exceptional. These

bikes were essentially vintage when new

but are fast, fun, and practical to this day.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: The closer to stock

the better. Inspect frame for damage at

center- and sidestand brackets, commonly

caused by starting the bike on either.

Fuel tanks may crack at the front if the

reinforcing strap is missing. Electric start on

1982–’83 models often failed and damaged

the timing gears. —Bill Getty

TRIUMPH T140V/

TR7RV

B E ST U S E D B I K E S

CYW0215_SERV.indd 53 12/1/14 12:38 PM


S E R V I C E

When I put the bike in gear, it does not stall and I am able to ride, though it was a bit rough and choppy and there is some hesitation in acceleration. Please help.

DAN YOON

EVANSTON, IL

A:I hate ethanol too. Your carbs have tiny jets and passages. The tiniest buildup of green

gunk in the pilot circuit will cause incredibly poor, lean running. With the engine running, check the intake for any vacuum leaks using WD-40 sprayed around the carb boots. If rpm goes up, you have a leak. If it doesn’t, pull the carbs again. Take them apart and boil them in water with a bit of vinegar or lemon juice in it. Do not boil any diaphragms! Rinse and repeat as necessary. (Do this when your significant other is out for the day.) I’ve used a small ultrasonic cleaner from Harbor Freight, using a warm acidic solution, with great results.

until winter since I have to remove all the Tupperware and tank to get to it. Please tell me: Am I looking in the right direction, or is there something else I should look at?

GARRICK SLACK

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO

A:Change direction. I doubt that any throttle-body sync could be off enough to drop your fuel mileage

that much. To sync throttles on your bike, use a Twin Max electronic sync tool or better. A vacuum gauge won’t do. A new fuel filter won’t help this problem since it would decrease fuel flow. Be very careful not to adjust your valves too tight. A smidge loose is far better than a smidge tight. Change your O2 sensor. If it has run more than 100K miles, I guarantee it is lazy or dead. You can hook up a digital multimeter to the O2 lead after warming up the bike. Watch the sensor voltage cycling up and down. Check your old one and then the new one for fun.

ETHANOL BLUES

Q: I bought a 2006 Kawasaki Ninja 250R with about 5,400 miles. It had sat in a garage for almost two

years without running. I emptied the fuel tank completely, emptied the float bowls, and then took apart the carbs and needles, which were covered in green gunk. Next I cleaned the carbs with carb cleaner and cleared the needle openings with a fine copper wire, taking care not to scratch them. A new battery was installed. After putting in fresh fuel, I turned the engine over and it eventually started after a few cranks. It idled normally with the choke open but would stall with it closed. After starting and stalling a few times, I went to a Ninja 250 forum site and someone recommended making adjustments to the idle mixture screw. I made an adjustment, either a quarter or half open. The bike would idle fine with the choke closed, but as soon as I opened up the throttle it would stall. When I rev the bike (in neutral), the rpm drops and stalls.

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YVE ASSAD

JARED MEES NICHOLE MEES AMA PRO FLAT TRACK FINALS

THE VIEW FROM INSIDE THE PADDOCK

WEDDING MILE: Jared and Nichole

Mees take a victory lap after saying “I do” at

Springfield in 2013.

THE VIEW FROM INSIDE THE PADDOCK

CYW0215_RACE.indd 56 12/1/14 12:45 PM

CYCLEWORLD.COM 57

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MR. AND MRS. MEESAMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship power couple By Gary Inman

hen it comes to race paddocks, amateur or professional, the scene playing out today is not

unusual. It’s a couple of weeks since the pre-

vious race, so wives and girlfriends are standing in

groups of three and four mak-ing small talk before the action starts. What is different today, under another perfect blue sky in Pomona, California, is the fact that one of the wives, Nichole Mees, is waiting to race herself. Her husband, Jared Mees, goes into this last day of a 16-round AMA Pro Flat Track season lead-ing the championship. It’ll be his second if he’s successful.

Let’s put this into a globally mainstream context. It’s the eve of the Valencia MotoGP race and Jorge Lorenzo is looking to tie up the title after moving into the lead at the previous round. Meanwhile, Mrs. Lorenzo—go

with me on this—is racing for a top satellite squad on another f re-breathing Yamaha YZR-M1. She’s expected to beat a couple of other satellite riders and even give Nicky Hayden, on the customer Honda, a run for his money. That is the level at which Nichole and Jared are operating.

“I f rst met Nichole at the amateur nationals in Springf eld,” Jared says. “I was probably 12 or 13.” At that time, Nichole had her family name, Cheza, stitched to the back of her leathers. “I was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and she is from Michigan, so we’d only see each other at the amateur races. She was fast, ran up front, and was more like a tomboy when I f rst noticed her.”

The pair grew closer, and when it became clear Jared was going to become a professional racer, he’d stay with Nichole and her family in Clio, Michigan. “Right away, there was a connection,” Nichole remembers. “I had a feeling like,

‘He’s the one.’ We had so many things in common. We like going for nice meals and to comedy shows too. It’s not all racing.”

Jared looks like a Marine—short hair, muscular physique, no nonsense. Today, race day, he is a different beast than yesterday when we spoke at his nearby hotel. He’s monosyllabic, pacing like a lion in a circus cage. He’s clearly pondering the three-way battle for the title. Bryan Smith and Jake Johnson can both win the number-one plate, depending how the day pans out. Consis-tent all season, Jared retook the point lead when Smith was black-f agged two weeks prior in Calistoga; his bike was blowing oil, the result of a cracked sight glass on one of the best-prepped bikes in the sport.

Nichole is farther down the standings, 20th out of 49 points-scorers. She crashed heavily in June, injuring her left leg. Her overall standings are always dealt a blow because she is so much better on the miles and half miles racing her Black Hills Harley-Davidson XR750 than short tracking or TT racing on an MX-based 450 single.

“I lost touch with the 450,” she admits. “You have to ride them differently. The Harley weighs between 300 and 350 pounds, but when you’re going at those speeds, it doesn’t feel like you’re holding up that weight. I train very hard to stay in good shape.”

“Those speeds” are about 115 mph at the end of the straight of this half-mile oval that is rougher than a bear turd rolled in f shhooks.

When I met up with Jared yesterday, Nichole was still in Michigan at her day job, teach-ing special-education classes.

W

ALL IN THE FAMILY: Rogers Racing’s Kenny Tolbert builds Jared’s XR750s, while Nichole’s father and uncle prepare Nichole’s bikes.

CYW0215_RACE.indd 57 12/1/14 12:45 PM


R A C E W A T C H F L A T T R A C K

Oh, yeah, I forget to say during all that Mr. and Mrs. Lorenzo stuff that Mrs. Lorenzo is also a school-teacher, having swapped careers from being a pediatric nurse.

“On Friday, I get done with school at 2:30, and I’m normally driving to the airport straight after,” Nichole says. “Fly home Sunday night and make it to work on Monday. It’s a busy lifestyle, but I love every minute of it.”

Four almost identical XR750s are parked under E-Z Ups as close as possible to the track entrance. All are privately owned, sup-ported by two Harley dealers and other sponsors. Two heavy leather jackets, “MEES” stitched on their backs, are hanging up. One of them looks like it would ft an 11-year-old boy. Nichole is petite, with shiny chestnut hair pulled back and held with a sim-ple elastic band. She is clearly ft but not exceptionally muscular.

There isn’t a paddock in the world that has the variety of characters of the Grand National Championship. Virtually every

hairstyle, from Venice Beach bum semi-dreadlock to Cauca-sian ’fro, is represented. There are riders as PR polished as anyone in MotoGP and others who could start a fght in an empty room. There are buzz cuts, baldies, and Coke-bottle glasses. There is also an open hostility between many of the riders, and while there is grudging respect, few spout the tedious diplomacy or low-level whining found in roadracing.

This is a hard world where no one has a free ride. If you’re not excelling, your parents had

better still be willing to feed you or you need a day job. Pas-sions run high, riders get their clocks cleaned, and, going into the Pomona race, I heard seven riders tipped as winners by dif-ferent paddock insiders. Another fve probably thought they had a chance if the stars aligned.

Racers progress to the point-paying main event—frst via timed practice then heat races. Those who don’t place in the top four in their 12-man heats are sent to one of the semis, from which only the top two will

“SPRINGFIELD

WAS THE

PLACE WE

MET,” JARED

EXPLAINS. “IT

WAS WHERE I

PROPOSED, SO

WE THOUGHT

WE’D FINISH

THE JOB

THERE.” PH

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F L A T T R A C K R A C E W A T C H

progress to the 18-rider main.Riders take to the Pomona half-

mile track in waves for the prac-tice, delineated by their stand-ings. Championship-leader Jared is out in the f rst group. Coming off turn four, the 100-hp Harleys, Kawasakis, and Triumphs spit big, old-fashioned rooster tails of heavy soil. The impact of these dirty little dum-dums on trailing riders leaves huge red welts on their biceps, even through the thick leather.

Now it’s Nichole’s session. She’s lining up with former champion Smokin’ Joe Kopp, Jeffrey Carver Jr., Shawn Baer, and a rider she must have inf uenced, Shayna Texter.

“When I started racing, it was weird to see females at the races,” Nichole says, “but I didn’t know anything different. Now when I go to amateur races I see 10, 15, 20 girls in different classes. I think it’s awesome.”

Before the end of the four-lap session, Nichole slows and rolls into the pits. She caught her left foot in a hole on the track and aggra vated that old injury. With no garages in which to hide, and all trucks moved out of the inf eld to allow a better view for specta-tors in the stands, onlookers gawk as the team pulls off Nichole’s leathers and her eyes f ll with tears. Medics arrive and cut off

her socks as the other racers line up for their next timed sessions.

Jared shows concern then returns, like a boxer, to his corner, f ddling with his phone. Johnson’s wife is comforting Nichole. Jared occasionally looks over but not very often. His wife is tougher than leather, and he is here to work. Still, it’s interesting how little obvious concern he’s showing. He becomes even more monosyllabic when I try to talk to him.

I bet he wanted a distraction on this high-pressure day but not one involving his wife in a crumpled, perspiring mess a few feet away while his own lifetime of racing and commitment is coming to a head.

A splint is put on Nichole’s leg, and she is taken away in an ambu lance. As the doors slam, Jared prepares for qualifying.

It was all so different on the morning of race day at the Springf eld Mile in September of

POWER DOWN:

Jared has 15 nation-al victories to his credit, all earned on private Harleys.

SCHOOLMARM:

Nichole, in Expert Twins, has a best finish of seventh at the Knoxville Half-Mile.

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CYW0215_RACE.indd 59 12/1/14 12:46 PM

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2013 when the pair was getting married. “Springfeld was the place we met,” Jared explains. “It was where I proposed, so we thought we’d fnish the job there.” After the ceremony, Jared came in sixth. Nichole was 13th.

There are no updates from the hospital as qualifying, heats, and then the Dash for Cash—the

four-lap precursor to the main for the top six quali-fers—progress. Jared is doing what he’s done all year, just what is required without making too many headlines. He is second in his heat, transferring to the main, while his closest rival, Smith, wins his own heat and the Dash from Jared, taking the

bonus points that go with it. Smith appears visibly quicker, but the title is still Jared’s to lose.

Under the foodlights, the main gets under way. The view of the 18 best dirt-track racers howling through turn one, spit-ting a desert storm of damp dirt, is awe-inspiring. Jared and Smith are side by side for the frst lap

until Smith begins to pull away. Smith broke Harley’s strangle-hold on GNC half miles, and, with four laps down, he’s looking unbeatable. But Jared doesn’t have to win. As the 25-lap race counts down, outgoing number one, Brad Baker, then Johnson, pass Jared.

Smith powers his way to his ffth win of the season, more than any other rider, but Jared’s fourth is enough to take the title by three points. Jared “only” won two races, but he scored points at every round, while Smith had two no scores.

As Jared celebrates with his team, Nichole stands apart on crutches. She got back to the track in time to watch the main. She’s invited onto the podium. The day didn’t work out exactly the way they hoped, but it could’ve been a whole lot worse for the most remarkable husband and wife in motorsport.

TEAM MEES:

Nichole holds the number-one plate signed over to Jared by 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Champion Brad Baker.

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11.05.2014 14:37 AdID: 34963 CYW0215

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BC_035406_CYW0215P.indd 1 11/20/14 2:29 PM

Cycle world february 2015 usa

Automotive

Transcript of Cycle world february 2015 usa