Simon HargreavesAge 34Experience Simon’s ridden almost every new bike in the last 10years. He was at the1992 launch ofHonda’s first naked’retro’, the CB1000.Britain’s mostexperienced tester?

Road

teste

rs

918cc, £6299

FireBlade motor in a 600 Hornet frame –sounds like an explosivecombination of highpower and low weight.On paper, anyway.First ride December 2001.

Honda Hornet 900

Tom BedfordAge 26Experience As an experienced roadtester and formerracer, Tom has beentesting bikes for avariety of magazinesfor the last five yearsYou name it, he’stoured, cruised andraced the lot.

Jim MooreAge 28Experience Road riding for morethan 10 years, roadtesting for six years, freelance tester Jimrecently swapped hisprized R6 for aCRM250 topreserve hisbattered licence.

086_BIKEMAR 18/1/02 2:48 pm Page 86

the testHonda’s Blade-engined 900 Hornet, Triumph’s 955i-powered 2002 Speed Triple and

Ducati’s 916-driven Monster S4 – ultimate hooligans or ideal learner upgrades?

WORDS BY SIMON HARGREAVESPHOTOGRAPHY BY CHIPPY WOOD

955cc, £7999

The latest version ofTriumph’s Daytonaflagship race rep filtersdown to an updatedversion of the familiarSpeed Triple chassis.First ride December 2001.

Triumph Speed Triple 955i

916cc, £7700

The legendary 916motor lives on inDucati’s trellis frameand big-name wheels,suspension and brakes.Latest version of a nowclassic Ducati. Lasttested May 2001.

Ducati Monster S4

HONDA HORNET 900

88 B MARCH 2002

IF HONDA SAID, at the start of Blade-mania in 1992, theywere making a streetfighter CBR900RR you’d have had acoronary. The biggest bike manufacturer just built the mostexciting bike, so a naked version must be fearsome.

Maybe not. Experience says don’t get excited about‘retros’ using up detuned stocks of yesterday’s sports enginesin budget chassis (early Bandit 1200s aside). They’re never asmad as they promise. No, if anyone should get excited bythe Hornet 900, it’s Hornet 600 owners looking to trade up.

There’s much in the 900 they’ll find familiar, althoughparts are different. The 900’s engine is a 1998 918cc in-linefour Blade with a crucial 20bhp lopped off the top (114bhpto 94bhp), and fuel injection instead of carbs. The FireBladealso contributes brakes, wheels and tyre sizes, but everything

else is 600 Hornet-derived – frame is a reinforced version ofthe 600’s steel spine, tank three litres bigger, seat 5mm taller,weight up 15kg, wheelbase up 40mm and steering geometryroughly the same. Insurance is a group higher and the asking£1650 steeper at £6299 (cheaper than the Speed Triple or S4).

The bits are different, the philosophy’s the same: like the600, the 900 is no brain-off shit-kicker but a simple, solid,bike ideal for recent converts. Despite dimensional increasesover the 600 Hornet, the 900 is tiny (ladies and dwarvesform a queue). It looks it from behind, with VFR-ish waistedrear end and twin understeat cans. It’s easily manoeuvrable,with nifty steering and just-so throttle response. Engine pick-up is sharp and efficient (almost too sharp, thanks toenthusiastic fuel injection), the budget suspension is quality,

Price £6299 power 94.6bhp top speed 140mph (est)

COLOUR SCHEMES...Silver, blue, black

IN THE DETAILS...(from left): Hornet clocks areclean and uncluttered and, er,sorry, where were we? The 1998Blade motor makes 94bhp asreliably as only a 120bhp motorcan. As it happens, the 1994Blade Nissin brakes also stopthe 194kg Hornet as effectivelyas they do a 185kg FireBlade

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89MARCH 2002 B

and one-size-fits-all riding position perfectly placed foroptimum nipping in and out round town. Narrow bars arelow on style, high on convenience – they lower the Hornet’sfrontal area and don’t overstretch arms. This is good – widebars look cool but hurt on the road. The Hornet cruises at100mph – Triumph’s Speed Triple is agony over 90mph.

To keep Horneteers from scaring themselves, the docileBlade motor surfs through its neat gearbox with suchruthless inconsequence it’s hard to imagine anything morecivilised and less memorable. There’s enough gearing toovertake without changing down, but not the torque-wrench of big-bore retros like Suzuki’s GSX1400 or the topend zasp of Yamaha’s Fazer 1000. It leaves the Honda flat andcharacterless – it could use the loopy powerband and sonic

booming of the new VFR800. As it is, the only way to makethe Hornet more user-friendly would be to include a freechauffeur with every bike to ride it on your behalf.

The understressed engine will run forever, but finish ispoor – rust showed on the exhaust skins after a couple ofdays. Less serious, but as annoying, is the inaccessible chokemounted behind the cylinder block. It’d take Honda fiveminutes to find elsewhere to put it. But that would be fourminutes longer than they took coming up with the idea ofthe Hornet 900 in the first place. In the same way theoriginal FireBlade was a flash of unalloyed genius, theHornet 900 is a masterstroke of mediocrity, plugging a post-600 Hornet, pre-FireBlade gap. A perfect upgrade for novicebikers, but never did a bike more deserve to be painted grey.

ENGINE & GEARBOX

1998 Blade motor ismissing 20bhp at the topend. It’s nippy andresponsive without beingmemorable. Run forever.Gearbox is good.

CHASSIS

Budget Honda is always a notch above othermanufacturers’ budgetstuff. Brakes andsuspension work well.

Performance criteria forthe test are all markedout of 20, making amaximum possible 100.

VALUE

Compared to the DucatiS4 and Triumph SpeedTriple, the Hornet is abargain.

FINISH

Honda quality inside letdown by suspect outside.Chrome exhaust skins rust,choke invisible, nocentrestand. Rearmudguard rubbish – ridergets sprayed up the backwith road crap. Messy.

WOW FACTOR

The grey bike is uniformlydull, but even the blueones fail to rescue theHornet from car parkobscurity.

TOTAL

It didn’t have to be anutter’s bike, but it couldhave been a bit moreinteresting. But no – thesharp edges have beenfiled, the point blunted.Honda built the gun, thento make it safe left out thefiring pin.

14

14

16

12

70/100

14

the test089_BIKEMAR 18/1/02 2:57 pm Page 89

DUCATI MONSTER S4

90 B MARCH 2002

THE MONSTER concept began in 1993 as an air-cooled,two-valve 900SS with no fairing, flat bars and lots of attitude.For seven years it stayed the same, bar minor styling, engineand chassis mods (and fuel injection in 2000). Then, in2001, came the S4 label and an overhaul. Ducati repeatedthe trick – they de-faired their outdated sports tourer, the916-engined ST4, and styled-up what was left with big-namechassis parts: 43mm adjustable usd Showa forks, adjustableSachs rear shock, Brembo brakes, lightweight five-spokewheels and more carbon than you can shake a hugger at.

If the Hornet is a logical progression from its smaller,600cc bro, the 900 Monster is an illogical progression fromthe 750cc and 620cc Monsters. Where the Hornet is somainstream it’s drowning, the Monster is ankle-deep in a

cultural backwater, the choice of connoisseurs and perverts.Where the Hornet has one annoying flaw, the Monster hasmany. And where the Hornet is reliably dull, the Monster iseither entertaining or irritating, depending on your point ofview (ironically, Bike criticised the S4 in our first test, May2001, for having less character than the original Monster).

This is not a bike for novices. They’d hate the snatchylow down V-twin power that makes dawdling a pain, and theweight of the controls – clutch is too heavy, brakes too sharpfor newbies. And they wouldn’t understand why the mirrorsblur, and even less why the restricted steering lock gives theMonster a planetary orbit-sized turning circle. There’s nosidestand lug either, so you can’t get a foot on it to flick itdown. In fact, you don’t have to be a novice to find this

IN THE DETAILS...(from left): clocks are almost asdull as the Honda’s, but at leastthe flapping flyscreen takes yourmind off them. Meanwhile, theSachs shock is buried behind amaze of carbon fibre, chrome-moly trellis frame and alloyhangers. And the brakes mightbe Brembo, but road salt is stillroad salt

COLOUR SCHEMES...Black or red (that’ll bered, then)

Price £7700 power 100.1bhp top speed 144mph

090_BIKEMAR 18/1/02 3:03 pm Page 90

91MARCH 2002 B

distressing. I’ve been riding for 20 years and it bugs me.But senior ed Hugo, whose long termer this S4 is, has

ridden for centuries and loves the Monster. “It’s a topmotorcycle,” he says. “It’s so much fun, it’s all I want.”

What Hugo likes is involvement with a bike which goesbeyond getting on, pressing the starter, riding it, and gettingoff. And the S4 delivers. From ignition to engine stop, you’reintoxicated by a visceral overload of hot metal and oil,bellowing airbox and exhaust, and rough-hewn V-twinvibes. The S4’s 100bhp comes from a different place to theHornet’s 96bhp. The Honda has a smooth, innocuous rushof power, the Ducati makes you feel every suck squeeze bangblow. The riding position is odd, too – the raised clip-ons tiltthe rider into an aggressive, forward-leaning stance,

shoulders spread and feet tucked neatly below. It’s notuncomfortable but it’s different. With the flyscreen, it makesthe S4 the most comfortable long distance, or at speed.

Handling is different, too. The Hornet demands no work– every operation is preordained, directed by remote controlfrom Japan. The Italians just get on with it – on stocksettings the S4 doesn’t have the ride quality of the Hornet.Ducati sets up its bikes, from race reps to sports tourers, forbum-smooth racetracks. If you want them to work anywhereelse, tough – that’s what damping screws and ride heightadjusters are for. In the meantime, feel the bumps and hearthe engine bark under pressure – this is real motorcycling,not for beginners. Yes, an imperfect upgrade for novicebikers, but never did a bike more deserve to be painted red.

ENGINE & GEARBOX

100bhp 916-derivedeffort, feels fit anddelivers Ducati-styleprogress. Still a pain atlow rpm – so rev it more.

CHASSIS

Has the names, but justbecause they work on a996 doesn’t mean thesame goes for a roadster.Too harsh for sitting backand plugging around.Brakes feel pants, too.

Performance criteria forthe test are all markedout of 20, making amaximum possible 100.

VALUE

Lots of money – nearly agrand and a half dearerthan the Hornet, which isa lot of money to pay forcharacter.

FINISH

Doesn’t ooze quality –wouldn’t take too manywinters to rot thedownpipes, corrode thebanjo bolts, seize thecalipers, etc. Lots of niggly places for crap to build up, too.

WOW FACTOR

More stand out than theHornet, less than theSpeed Triple. Doesn’t lookas good as the oldMonster, we reckon. The916 engine was never builtto be beautiful to the eye.

TOTAL

Too charismatic to scorehighly – you have to be aDucatiphile to get thepoint, and if you aren’tbesotted with the marqueyou’re unlikely to beconverted by the S4. If, on the other hand, you’re sure you want a naked Ducati, you’ll love it to bits.

15

14

12

13

69/100

15

the test091_BIKEMAR 18/1/02 3:04 pm Page 91

TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE

92 MARCH 2002

OF THE THREE bikes here, the Speed Triple is the cheekiest.If the Hornet is a Blade engine in a 600 Hornet chassis, andthe S4 a restyled ST4 minus the fairing, then the Speed Tripleis built on the Daytona 955i production line right up to thevery end, when Triumph fits a fairing and clip-ons to onebike and bug-eye lights and flat bars to another.

It’s so close I’m surprised Triumph doesn’t just sell theDaytona with a quick-release fairing and a conversion kit.Take around 30 seconds to swap them – bingo! Two bikes forthe price of one. The seat unit, seat, frame, subframe, brakes,engine casings, major engine components, front wheel,forks, shock, mudguard, tank, even the new clocks are a rip-off (the digital speedo looks disembodied, yet strangelypleasing, hovering above the pair of headlights). The factory

can’t even be arsed to remove the 955i logo from the tacho –it’s cheaper to stick the number in the bike’s name instead.

The only substantial differences between the two are theTriple’s single-sided swing-arm (the stock Daytona has aconventional swing-arm) and the Triple’s 112bhp comparedto the Daytona’s 130bhp (achieved mostly by dragging theDaytona’s rev limit forward 1000rpm). And it doesn’t mattera fig, because those changes are enough to make the Triplecompletely different in character to anything else inTriumph’s range. Or in anyone else’s, for that matter.

The Speed Triple’s motor dominates the bike in a wayneither the Hornet’s nor the S4’s do. It’s the most powerful of the group, with gargantuan mid-range and a totallymeaningless top-end rush, but what really sets it apart is its

IN THE DETAILS...(from left): now this is more likeit. Triumph nick the clocksstraight off the 955i Daytonaand, rather than change the logoon the clocks, rename the SpeedTriple instead. The engine is themost visually stimulating of thebunch, even with the Valentine’sDay massacre-style bolts

Price £7999 power 112bhp top speed 125mph 0-60mph 4.2s

COLOUR SCHEMES...Blue, pink

93MARCH 2002 B

sheer effortlessness. It’s so potent and smooth it’s possible tospend many miles in fifth gear, thinking you’re in top. It’snot built to be seen – like the 916-engined S4, the motorlooks best hidden behind a fairing – but the machine-gunned bolts in the casing look funky enough.

As does the other main styling feature of the bike, theheadlights. They’re cool – they work well, but the best thingis you can see, in each chrome casing, a wide-angle reflectionof yourself as you ride. It looks like a mad, split-screen on-board video, and it takes your mind off the pummeling yourupper body and neck is taking from the lack of fairing. A tinyfly-screen is available – spare your osteopath and get it. Theimmense lack of wind protection seriously restricts theTriple’s usefulness.

The riding position doesn’t help. The high, wide bars area long way from the seat, stretching arms so it gets harder touse the clutch and throttle as you go faster. Once you get upto around 100mph, it actually becomes difficult to roll offthe throttle.

Given how close the Speed Triple’s chassis is to theDaytona 955i, it’s no surprise to find it handles. Brakes areclass, steering neutral (but remote – the wide bars take awaythe immediacy), suspension controlled and supple. It worksas well as the bike needs, without intruding.

All these things make the Triple a suitable bike for newriders, a bit of a tool for serious riders and a good-looker fordriveway queens. Never did a bike more deserve to bepainted any colour you like. As long as it’s not pink.

ENGINE & GEARBOX

The best here. Pulls fromlow down, stacks of mid-range, good top end. Allthis and character too.

CHASSIS

Not as nimble as eitherthe Honda or the Ducati,but not exactly a bus.Suspension gives a betterride than the Ducati, andthe brakes are stronger.

Performance criteria forthe test are all markedout of 20, making amaximum possible 100.

VALUE

The dearest here, by afew hundred quid –worth being easier to usethan the Ducati and moreinteresting than theHonda? You could do a lotof modifying to theHonda for £1400.

FINISH

Triumph paint scoreshighly, while nothing rot-worthy of note.

WOW FACTOR

The best here again. Bug-eye lights are a turn on, theimposing motor gives thebike a retro-industrial look.Whatever that is.

TOTAL

Good engine, goodchassis, good looks, nobad habits. Only the highspeed wind protectionlimits its usefulness, butit’s a naked bikeferchrissakes.

16

15

13

14

74/100

16

the test093_BIKEMAR 18/1/02 3:15 pm Page 93

(above): in a rarely-seen, superstitiousbiking ritual, Tom, Jim and Simon swapleather jackets(below): the quantity of filth gathered bya five-minute, cross-fen, mid-winter joghas to be seen to be believed. Half of itends up sprayed across the rider’s back –the Honda needs a longer rear mudguardor a wider numberplate(bottom): unlike Honda’s previous big-bore naked effort, the CB1100X, theHornet has unlinked brakes. Whichmeans you can misbehave

All prices are on-the-road, including the pre-delivery inspection (PDI), number plates and a year’s tax

PriceTop speedFuel consumption BestWorstAverageEngine

Bore/strokeCompressionFuel systemTransmissionFrameFront suspensionAdjustmentRear suspensionAdjustmentBrakes front; rear

Tyres front; rear

WheelbaseRake/trailDry weight (claimed)Seat heightFuel capacityWarranty/mileageNU insurance groupService intervals

PRACTICALITIESSpares pricesIndicatorMirrorTank

Living with it...

And your pillion...

Dyno graphs explainedThe Hornet’s 94bhp – a mere shadow of the125-odd bhp the engine is capable of – isroughly the same shape and size as a CBR600,only 3000rpm down the rev range. TheMonster is a bit more frisky, with a steepbulge at 6500rpm and a good peak. But theSpeed Triple aces the lot, with 112bhp.Thankfully it’s not all top end – if it was, theTriple would be fairly useless because it hasthe worst high speed riding position (excellentfor cruising, though). But the Triple is big inthe mid-range too – not fat, you understand,but cuddly.

£6299140mph (est, weather prevented testing)45mpg31mpg37mpg918cc, four-stroke, 16v, dohc, in-line 471 x 58mm10.8:1fuel injection 6-speed, chainsteel box-section spine43mm telescopic forknonerising-rate monoshockpreload2 x 296mm discs/4-piston calipers; 240mm disc/1-piston caliper

Michelin Hi-Sport120/70-ZR17; 180/55-ZR171460mm25°/98.7mm194kg795mm19 litres24 months/unlimited154000 miles

£50.30£33.87£414.21

No centrestand, good mirrors, poor finishon chrome exhaust skins prone to rust.Relatively easy to clean engine. Will runforever on minimal maintenance.

Big, wide grab rail, comfy seat and lowpegs make the Hornet a sensible two-upchoice. Will give the bike a tendency towheelie, though.

Honda CB900 Hornet

£7700144.0 (figures from May 2001 test)47mpg35mpg42mpg916cc, dohc, 8v,90° V-twin94 x 66mm11:1fuel injection6-speed, chainchrome moly steel tube trellis43mm usd telescopic forkpreload, compression, reboundrising-rate monoshockpreload, rebound, compression2 x 320mm discs/4-piston calipers;245mm disc/2-piston caliperPirelli Dragon Evo120/70-ZR17; 180/55-ZR171440mm24°/n/a192kg802mm16 litres24 months/unlimited136000 miles

£13.71£81.07£833.07

No centrestand, mirrors vibrate, steeringlock limited, sidestand hard to use, comeswith immobilising ignition. Needs regularservicing by a sympathetic dealer (tea andbiscuits).

Pillion seat narrow, grab rails under theseat on the subframe at each side. Shorttrips only.

Ducati Monster S4

£7999125.2mph42mpg32mpg39mpg955cc, dohc, 12v, in-line triple79 x 65mm 12:1 fuel injection6-speed, chaintubular aluminium perimeter45mm telescopic forkpreload, compression, reboundrising-rate monoshockpreload, compression, rebound2 x 320mm discs/4-piston calipers;220mm disc/2-piston caliperBridgestone BT-010 120/70-ZR17; 190/50-ZR171429mm23.5°/84mm189kg815mm21 litres24 months/unlimited144000 miles

£19.73£51.82£735.30

Vibey mirrors are a pain above certainrevs. Nuts and bolts have to be watched orLoctited. Takes a lot of looking after butthe rewards are worth it.

Is positioned nicely. The pegs are okay, butthere’s no grab rail and the extra weight ofan average weight pillion messes up thehandling too much.

Triumph Speed Triple 955i

Honda Hornet 90094.6bhp @ 8840rpm60.9lb-ft @ 7620rpm Ducati Monster S4100.1bhp @ 8440rpm64.9lb-ft @ 6870rpm Triumph Speed Triple112.6bhp @ 9450rpm66.9lb-ft @ 7840rpm

* Bikes are measured on BSD’sfantastic Dynojet dyno using theEEC power standard

74/10070/100 69/100

Freezing weather conditions prevented top speed testing and optimum acceleration figures. Data is only comparative to this test.

the testRoad testers say...

* Refer to our insurance ready reckoner on p157 for a rough guide to the cost of insuring these bikes withNorwich Union.

On all our road tests and European adventures,we’re covered by RAC breakdown and Europeanassistance. Phone 0990 722722. Motohaus Marketing for Nady MRC-11 RadioCommunicators (01256 704909). BSD Motorcycle Developments (01733 223377).

AS USUAL THESE DAYS you can’t buy a bad bike, you can only buy the wrong one. The Hornet, Speed Triple andMonster S4 are the right bikes for the right people – and the Hornet will be the right bike for more of the people,more of the time. It’s easy to use, easy to run and the least intimidating. Perfect for novices or casual bikers, it also

costs a packet less than the other two. The Ducati Monster S4 is the hardest to use, the most time-consuming to run and hasenough quirky bits to fill a big box marked ‘Quirks Only’. People with patience call this character. People who just want to rideand not worry about it will find the S4 irritating.

The Triumph is between the extremes – more funky than the Honda, less annoying than the Ducati. The engine is beefy,the handling reassuring and the riding position purpose-made for preserving your licence (fine up to 90mph, intolerable overit). Only the price is a downer – it’s way too rich, and instantly excludes it for most people. And once you‘ve added the list of extras (most of which other manufacturers fit as standard) you‘re looking at the best part of £8000, almost two thousand pounds more than a Hornet.

The Hornet is a good bike, which is fine except we’ve come to expectgreat bikes from Honda – VFR800, Blade, CBR600, etc. It actually hasless attitude than a 600 Hornet and is more like an overgrown CB500.The Ducati is too specific to have mass appeal, but if you like naked V-twins, this is the one. The Speed Triple, though, combines the bestof both character and usability. At a price.

The S4 is my least favourite because I think Ducati V-twins don’t workin anything other than sportsbikes. They’re too lumpy at anything lessthan full bore. Riding position feels odd too. I can’t split the Hornetand Speed Triple. I like the Hornet for ease of use – perfect for anovice – but a bit bland. But the Speed Triple is more exciting and hasquirky styling. It’s a tough choice.

Simon Hargeaves

The Honda’s the most useful of the three, but also the most bland. It’llsell well, though. My heart sides with the Triumph, which is the mostrewarding to ride. A great road bike which would be even better witha screen. Then there’s the S4. I make no secret of my liking for Ducatis– to me they’re more than bikes, they’re an experience. And the S4 isthe best experience offered by a Monster yet.

Jim Moore

Tom Bedford

“”

y

back –d

verdict

Honda CB900 Hornet

Ducati Monster S4

Triumph Speed Triple 955i

B

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