230 hp, plus, no traction control, no rider aids – how hard and scary is a British Superbike to ride? We take an exclusive spin on Yamaha’s 2020 R1 Superbike.
By Adam Child ‘Chad’ Photography by Joe Dick
McAMS Yamaha British Superbike
Unlike ASBK, British Superbike machines are fitted with a control ECU and sophisticated traction control systems are not permitted. Yes, that’s right, over 230 hp from the cross-plane inline four-cylinder engine, but with all the sophisticated MotoGP-derived rider aids that come as standard on the 2020 R1 removed for BSB racing.
The standard YZF-R1 has more electronic safety aids than the BSB machine…
In fact, many entry-level road bikes have more electronic assistance than this BSB Yamaha R1.
The lever set-up had Adam a bit nervous
To add to my stress, there are two levers on the left bar: one a clutch lever, facing almost vertically upwards, and a BMX style back brake, where you normally find the clutch. If I grab the back brake by accident, mistaking it as one might for the clutch, a catastrophic crash will follow.
McAMS Yamaha British Superbike
Also, the gearbox is race shift, not road, and the bike is set up for McAMS Yamaha’s ultra-lean racers Englishman Tarran Mackenzie and Australian Jason O’Halloran, not me, a 40-something dad who last went to the gym when lycra was the preserve of heavy-rock bands.
Tarran Mackenzie a bit frightened for his bike…
If I wasn’t worried enough, we were only a few weeks away from the season opener (now cancelled, obviously), and nobody except O’Halloran and Mackenzie have ridden this bike.
To get the R1 this far has taken six-months of development, countless hours of dyno time and man hours plus a huge financial commitment.
Steve Rodgers, the team owner, is a relaxed and friendly man but if I crash this R1 I may as well walk into the parched scrubland that surrounds Almeria with a shovel.
Tarran Mackenzie’s crew chief Chris Anderson talks to Adam
Clearly concerned team personnel want me to get sized up and run through the controls. I barely understand the readout on my watch, so the BSB Yam’s cockpit is a daunting view, with three buttons on the left and three on the right. Rain light is green, ignition white, engine brake map orange/yellow; green is pit lane, yellow pump, and another green is go.
RH control set-up on the McAMS Yamaha British Superbike
Then there are the physical limitations. Tarran uses a bespoke fixed seat, with a backstop that forces him against the tank, which means he can’t move forwards or backward in the seat. He is also the size of a 14-year old boy while I am not. Amusingly, we discover that I can’t fit in his minute seat and I’ll have to use Jason’s, which is a ‘conventional’ flat perch.
Adam not small enough for Tarran Mackenzie’s tiny bespoke perch
We also run through the very alien controls. Once moving you no longer need to use the clutch. The gearbox is clutchless on up and down changes, which explains why the clutch leaver looks so odd. Underneath the clutch is that back-brake lever, which the team call the BMX brake.
LH control set-up on the McAMS Yamaha British Superbike
There is also a conventional back brake under my right foot. The theory is that one is used to control wheelies, the other is used to stop the bike. It sounds confusing and worrying that’s because it is.
I have two thoughts running through my mind. 1) Don’t look like embarrassingly slow and 2) don’t crash. I have rivers of sweat pouring down my back, and my heart rate is racing already, and I’ve only just put my leathers on.
McAMS Yamaha British Superbike
The McAMS Yamaha starts with an angry snarl, the crossplane R1 must be one of the best sounding bikes in the British Superbike paddock. Crew chief Chris Anderson gives me a push, wheels turning, into first gear, feed the ‘vertical’ clutch out and we’re away. I trickle down the pit lane, tap into second on the race shift and enter the track. I’m holding onto the left bar like a koala on a windy tree and have already decided to just leave the BMX back brake alone.
Tarran Mackenzie’s crew chief Chris Anderson talks to Adam
The first few corners are taken lightly, I don’t want to make any stupid mistakes. But, after a few corners, it quickly becomes apparent the R1 doesn’t feel right. Despite the Spanish sun, the heat isn’t being maintained in the Pirelli slicks, the Ohlins suspension isn’t being used, this BSB bike isn’t happy. The fuelling is incredibly smooth at low revs, there’s virtually no snatchiness; engine wise, you could ride this to the shops, but the rest of the bike is complaining about my pedestrian pace.
Had to work some heat into that Pirelli BSB rubber
Halfway into the lap and it’s time to pick up the pace a little. The noise is more apparent, there is a unique and distinctive bark from the full titanium race system. Between clutchless gear changes the engine momentary cuts the ignition, its split-second backfires are additive as McDonald’s to an obese American. The shifts are smooth and effortless, up or down the revs perfectly matching the back changes.
Adam Child on the McAMS Yamaha British Superbike
From lower down in the power, where normal racers would never venture, the throttle response is striking, power is linear, the fuelling is impressive. Towards the end of my first lap, I’m starting to think I might have made a mistake, the angry bull isn’t that scary after all. It’s light, flickable and easy to manage. Then we hit the back straight and everything goes mental. For the first time, it’s full throttle. As fast as I can tap the gears it keeps accelerating and wanting more – second, third, fourth, fifth, and as fast as that and the long 900m Almeria straight is done. It doesn’t feel barking fast, but the café/restaurant at the end of the straight is appearing alarmingly quickly, time to brake.
Adam Child on the McAMS Yamaha British Superbike
Back through the gears as fast as my dancing feet will allow, remembering there’s no need to use the clutch, just jump on the front brake, and leave the back brakes alone, oh yeah and no ABS. My brain can only deal with one thing at a time, and it wants the world to stop moving so fast! The Brembo stoppers are incredible, my eyeballs nearly hit my visor, my arms are hurting already. It feels like I’m about to flop onto the dummy petrol tank. But, there’s no need to brake so hard, I’ve braked way too early, my brain hasn’t recalibrated to BSB performance.
Adam Child on the McAMS Yamaha British Superbike
Into the chicane. Right, then flick left past the pit-wall, second gear, tap into third, try not to look too slow in front of the McAMS Yamaha team. Again, into turn one, the downhill right, and the brakes are stronger than my arms. I knew the engine performance would blow me away, but I wasn’t expecting the same from the front end. Turn four’s long left-hander, with a late apex, is confidence-inspiring, knee down, great feedback and immense grip. But unlike the road-going bikes I’ve ridden previously here my toes aren’t dragging, despite the decent amount of lean. I’m unsure of how far I can actually go? It’s a strange feeling, one I’m not used to. On a road R1, on-road rubber you soon find the limit, but the BSB Yamaha is another level.
Adam Child on the McAMS Yamaha British Superbike
The steering is super-accurate, I’m feeling more confident, getting closer to the apex. The fast approach to the final chicane, and it’s point-point accurate, even with a heavy-breathing club racer at the helm. The R1 rides over the kerbs as if by magic, and after a short handful of gas I’m ready for the straight again.
Adam Child on the McAMS Yamaha British Superbike
Strangely it doesn’t feel mentally quick on the straight as the track is wide and there are no peaks in the power. Yes, it’s fast, with 230bhp plus, but I’m not clambering over the fuel tank to keep the front wheel down. I’ve ridden bikes with less power that feel quicker. The McAMS bike just accelerates effortlessly. Twist the throttle, tuck in behind the new aerodynamic bodywork and tap the gears when you see the gear shift indicator lights illuminate. You don’t really get a sense of speed until you see the end of the straight appearing at a scary rate. Then it’s time for more arm torture.
Adam Child on the McAMS Yamaha British Superbike
As I cross the line once more my lap time appears on the Motec dash, and it’s embarrassing. I’m battered already, like a boxer on the ropes. Sure, my confidence is building but I just don’t have the skill or bravery to throw it on its side to elbow-down levels of lean. I’ve shown off and dragged my elbows for photos many times previously, but this is very different, this is race pace, all be it my race pace. The grip and feedback are there, the bike is capable of more, but it’s like walking on the moon for the first time; I’m in an unknown area, past where normal bikes would start to complain or drag toe sliders.
Adam Child on the McAMS Yamaha British Superbike
My ‘fast’ lap starts to come together. I have a smooth run through the blind right-hander (turn 5 to 6) and the faster sections are clicking together. I get a lovely drive towards the final chicane, grab third gear, and the drive is smooth and stable. Again, I’m not fighting the bars, just accelerating rapidly. Braking and turning, trying to scrub off speed, and there isn’t any sign of understeer. As I come onto the back straight once more, I sacrifice entry speed to get a good exit and only change gear when all the rev light illuminates. For the first time I manage to grab sixth gear on the long straight and despite grabbing top gear the R1’s still accelerating as hard as it was in third.
Adam Child on the McAMS Yamaha British Superbike
Over the line, 1minute 50 seconds, not bad, though I’ve gone quicker on road bikes, so I push for one more quick lap. As I brake into turn one and my arms scream, they simply aren’t willing to go one more round. I’m flapping and holding into the ropes. It’s time to do what I do best, look fast for photographs and stop worrying about lap times.
McAMS Yamaha British Superbike
The R1 is incredible, and I’m only at 50 per cent of what the bike is capable of. I’m a different size and weight to the riders, I’m not using all the suspension to the full effect and in some corners I’m a gear lower than I should be – I can only imagine how good this would be perfectly set up for my weight, speed, and style.
McAMS Yamaha British Superbike
After a few more laps it’s time to come in. I’ve ridden race bikes before – WSBK, GP and TT bikes – and I’ve been professionally testing bikes for 20 years, but I didn’t expect the BSB bike to be so physical, especially on the brakes, and, honestly, I’m only tickling it. How do they do this for than half an hour, twice in one day in a race weekend? It’s beyond belief. On top of that, they are changing mappings, controlling rear tyre life, reading pit boards, working on a race strategy, and bashing fairings with another 30 skilled riders all hungry for the win. I had the greatest respect for BSB riders, from the ones at the front to the guy or girl at the back, but now it’s ten-fold.
McAMS Yamaha British Superbike Source: MCNews.com.au
I’ve been riding and racing electric bikes for a few years and I’m a convert. Yes, I’ll always adore petrol engines, the smell of two-stroke still gets me excited like a toddler after an energy drink, but electric bikes are coming, and Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire is one of the best of the current crop. Let me explain why.
Adam Child on the Harley-Davidson LiveWire
If you’ve never ridden an electric bike before, or even showed an interest, let me put forward some siple facts and benefits. There is no noise, there are no gears and therefore no clutch or gear lever. Electric power is immediate: twist and go with no lag.
Torque is instant, which results in fast acceleration. There’s no heat from the engine or exhaust because there isn’t one, no petrol and therefore no need for a petrol tank, (yes, that’s a dummy fuel tank on the LiveWire). And the bike performs the same no matter what the altitude, weather or conditions.
Charging opportunities will be a big aspect of LiveWire ownership for those pushing the range envelope
Riding an electric bike is very alien at first, especially for experienced riders. But you soon appreciate the technology and advantages, like going from a landline phone to a mobile. After a ride, my kids can’t burn their paws on the exhaust when the bike is in the garage and I don’t melt in traffic from the heat normally generated from an air-cooled V-twin.
So, what is a Harley-Davidson LiveWire?
There are several production electric bikes on the market, but the LiveWire is the first to come from a major motorcycle manufacturer. Remember it’s not just a case of producing the bike, you must have a dealer network that supports the new technology, in Harley’s case this is over 250 dealers worldwide. You can walk into your local Harley showroom tomorrow and order one in most large motorcycle markets around the world, but unfortunately not yet in Australia as LiveWire is not set to debut Down Under until late this year.
Harley-Davidson LiveWire
The LiveWire is Harley’s most powerful bike to date, a quoted 105 bhp with 116 Nm of torque and a 0-60 mph time of three seconds; 60-80 mph in two. This isn’t slow.
To control the power you have four rider modes, Sport, Road, Rain and Range. These modes change the power characteristics, regenerative braking and traction control. The regen’ braking is like engine braking, and like the TC can be changed on the move.
There are an additional three custom modes, which can be specified to your needs and how you ride, for example: full power, no traction control or regenerative braking if you are brave enough. There is a six-axis IMU and therefore the traction control is lean sensitive. There is a noticeable change in the bike’s performance and character between modes, the Sport mode is certainly sporty, you have been warned.
The Harley-Davidson LiveWire features a TFT touch screen
The range is the big question and Harley is quoting 235 kilometres on a full charge in the relative steady Range mode, and around 160 kilometres of slightly more spirited riding. On a household socket, one-hour of charge equals around 20 kilometres of range, but on a fast DC charge, that time comes down to an 80 per cent of full charge in 30 minutes, and 100 per cent in an hour.
It’s worth pointing out that you may never fully drain the battery. In the same way you don’t let your iPhone run out of charge, nor do you let your fuel level in your bike drop to zero. Typically, you re-charge or fuel up once you’re in the red with 20 per cent or so left, which in this case means a quick 30-minute charge. That’s enough time to de-kit, have a coffee, check your phone messages and continue with a full charge.
A full-colour TFT dash with touch-screen controls and connectivity comes as standard, as do high spec Brembo monobloc calipers and fully-adjustable Showa suspension at both ends, this is a quality motorcycle, make no mistake.
The Harley-Davidson LiveWire also features fully adjustable Showa forks and Brembo brakes
All the fittings and design touches are high-end, the lines around the dummy tank are perfect, the ‘on show’ electric motor even looks good and is boldly on display, not tucked away. I like the design and feel, but the elephant in the room is the price; with Australian pricing expected to be in the $44K region, but no official figure announced as yet.
Yes expensive, but also comparable to exclusive, ‘high-end’ bikes from Harley. And don’t forget, you’ll never have to pay for fuel.
How does the LiveWire perform?
The norm on most electric bikes is to become immediately aware of the lack of engine noise, which amplifies the road noise, the clatter of bodywork, the noise of the final drive on the swing-arm. It sounds mechanically incorrect. But there are no such disconcerting noises on the LiveWire, this is the Bentley of the electric motorcycle world.
On the LiveWire there’s no intrusive mechanical or drive related noises, just smooth power
It’s super smooth, fuss-free and almost silent. Harley must have spent a colossal amount of effort and money ensuring the quality of fixtures and fittings. Like closing the door on a Rolls Royce, you instantly detect the quality just by the sound. Impressive.
Stopping 250 kg is no easy task, especially when you reduce the regeneration engine braking, but the powerful 300 mm twin discs with Brembo stoppers are more than up for the challenge.
The LiveWire also takes the title as fastest stopping Harley, backed up by ABS
This is one of the fastest stopping Harleys I’ve ever ridden. Even under hard use, the stoppers don’t fade. The ABS is a little intrusive on the rear, as the rear Michelin struggles to find grip under extreme braking, but otherwise faultless.
Like the brakes, the handling is head-and-shoulders above any road-going Harley I’ve ridden previously. Ground clearance is ample, it’s easy to achieve levels of lean other Harley riders can only dream about. Due to the long wheelbase, the initial turn-in is a fraction slow, but after that it just keeps leaning and leaning.
The LiveWire would also be the leader in the Harley line up, as far as possible lean angles, and performance
Fast transitions, asking too much of the chassis, can lead to a little insecurity, but this only occurs when you’re pushing the chassis to perform to track day levels of speed. For 95 per cent of the time for 95 per cent of riders the LiveWire is planted, secure and stable.
Complementing the handling is a huge tidal wave of torque. Full power mode will take even experienced riders by surprise, despite its weight and silence it can certainly drive hard from a standstill, enough to take your breath away at first.
The LiveWire is twist and go, with no clutch and no gears to worry about
From a standstill, it’s so easy to launch, as there isn’t any clutch or gears. Simply lay over the dummy fuel tank, twist and go. Form the lights it will even give a full-blown road-legal superbike a run for its money.
You end up riding the electric Harley harder than you really should as the power is so much fun and the handling there to match.
Belt final drive is also found on the LiveWire, alongside the sporty swingarm
Should you get carried away you also have a raft of helpful rider aids to keep the wheels in line. The traction control and re-intervention are smooth and effortless, and should you be worried about losing your licence you can always opt for a softer power mode. The combination of instant power, fun handling and non-intrusive electronics makes the LiveWire a truly enjoyable package.
Back in the real world, most LiveWires are going to spend some if not the majority of their life around town, which is when most electric vehicles make perfect sense, dare I say more so than their petrol counterparts. The LiveWire is like a twist-and-go scooter but with more than double the power to embarrass unsuspecting road users from the lights.
There’s also no engine heat to worry about for commutes and hot weather
Unlike any other Harley, there’s no heat, so even in the middle of summer you won’t feel like your testicles are being barbecued. Harley has even added a ‘fake’ pulse, which gives the feeling the bike is alive and reminds you not to mistakenly twist the throttle hoping for a blip of engine noise.
The weight is more noticeable at slow speeds, but I’m only 5ft 6in and never had an issue at slow speeds. But just remember, there is no engine noise so everyone can hear you swearing at bad drivers.
Is the LiveWire touring-ready?
A cruise control comes as standard and is simple and easy to use on the Livewire, simply set to 110 km/h, and with few vibrations and negligible noise, it’s a surreal experience cruising. Stability is excellent, which allows you to play with the informative clocks or simply enjoy the view ahead.
In Australia you’ll need to plan your longer trips around charging
The ergonomics are a little aggressive, reminiscent of Ducati’s Monster from a few years ago, with wide bars and a prominent stance. The seat is relatively comfortable, the suspension on the sporty-firm side, but with just a 160 kilometres range, you’re going to be stopping to rest and charge every 1.5 to 2 hours.
On our test ride around Barcelona, I was a little heavy with the throttle and spent too much time enjoying the tyre ripping torque. With heavy use, you need to start thinking about plugging in after around 120 kilometres, depending on the road and the weight of the rider.
A fast DC charge station can get you back on the road in 30 minutes in many cases
But ridden normally I believe a 160 kilometre range is easily achievable, possibly more. Ride for 160 kilometres, stop for a coffee, plug in and repeat. Touring is an option, it just needs planning, 400 kilometres a day with two half hour stops, that’s easily achievable. Plug in overnight at your hotel and repeat the next day.
LiveWire Verdict
The LiveWire is a true game-changer, the first mass-produced electric bike from a global motorcycle manufacturer, and it’s good. Forget the fact it’s electric for the moment; as a bike it’s fun, handles, looks good, is desirable, even has some character, which is incredibly difficult to inject on a silent machine.
The LiveWire offers a glimpse into the future of motorcycling
Yes, it’s expensive, and covering big miles in a day won’t be possible unless you have a support crew. But for everyday riding, it’s an impressive bike. Considering this is Harley’s first road-legal electric bike, they’ve got off to a good start, in many ways one of the best Harley’s to date and already one step ahead of the competition.
Who, ten years back, would have predicted that Harley would lead the way in electric bikes? I didn’t see that one coming.
Interestingly, it’s Harley bringing the first electric bike to the market from a major motorcycle manufacturer, as they expand their offerings to a much wider rider-base
The original Rocket III made quite a splash with its gargantuan 2.3-litre triple back in 2004. Starting out as something of a naked roadster, with a difference, before developing a touring style bent with more comfort, wind protection and other travel related accoutrements in the Rocket III Touring. The model line has been fairly popular in Australia with more than 2200 Rocket III machines hitting Australian roads.
Triumph Rocket III History – Click to enlarge in new window
For 2020 the Rocket III has now changed its moniker to Rocket 3 and has had its biggest ever revamp. It is essentially all-new, and most definitely a major leap forward in every respect while packing a much bigger punch than before. It is now offered in two models, Rocket 3 R and Rocket 3 GT. Their respective catchcrys are ‘ultimate muscle roadster’ for the R, while the GT is given the tag line ‘built to go further, in more comfort’.
2020 Triumph Rocket 3 R and Rocket 3 GT – The GT is seen here with passenger back-rest
Triumph Australia have priced the new arrivals at $27,990 for the R, and $28,990 for the GT. For that you’re getting some pretty epic bang for the buck. I should also highlight just how much cheaper the Rockets are to buy here than in the UK. Brits have to fork out 20,000 pounds for these machines which works out to almost 40k in our money.
Triumph Rocket 3 R is a handsome beast but misses out on the milled face rims that adorn the GT
And bang, jaysus there is some bang. Let’s start with the engine, it is all about the engine. I mean just look at the thing, it is all engine!
What brought home to me just how bloody strong and effortless the low down pull from the Rocket 3 is was jumping back on the long term KTM 1290 Super Adventure S after two days on the Triumph. Less than an hour after getting off the big triple I headed home on the KTM and as I wound the throttle on to pull away it felt like twisting the throttle of a Royal Enfield…
Triumph Rocket 3 GT front of shot with accessory bags, luggage rack and pillion back-rest
Seriously, the KTM LC8 engine is one of the most epic in motorcycling, and truly hedonistic once the revs rise, but I had never before had the feeling that the rush of torque on the KTM had any sort of real delay, but now all of a sudden it really did feel like I was waiting for the grunt to arrive… This is an engine with 108 Nm of torque at 2500 rpm, now all of a sudden it felt pretty lifeless until the tacho swept past 6000 rpm on the way to its peak twist of 140 Nm at 6750 rpm. The last of the big twin Ducati sports-bikes, the 1299 Panigale R Final Edition makes about the same torque as the KTM but at a much higher 9000 rpm, so it would feel even more breathless down low than the Austrian when compared to the Brit.
Rocket 3 does not naturally lift the front on its own due to the rear suspension linkage lay-out and takes some coaxing to lift rather than spin
By 2500 rpm the Rocket 3 is already making 200 Nm on its way to a 221 Nm peak at 4000 rpm. That 2500 rpm figure understates why all of a sudden it felt as though I was waiting for the kick from the KTM. Just off idle the Triumph is already generating way more meaningful thrust than any sporting motorcycle musters anywhere in their RPM range.
I guess a lot of people interested in the Rocket 3 would be instead measuring it against the latest and greatest from Harley-Davidson. Now I don’t think anyone has ever described a Harley as powerful, but they do grunt pretty well off the bottom. The latest Milwaukee-Eight engines make 160Nm of torque at a relatively early 3500 rpm but compared to the prodigious pull of the Triumph the H-D still feels very poorly endowed. Just off idle the Rocket 3 is already making more torque than the Harley makes at its peak, and then rockets through to a power peak that is almost double that of the American bike…
Triumph Rocket 3 R steers quite well considering that fat 240/50-16 rear hoop
Really though, it is not until you jump off the Triumph and on to something else you thought was grunty, before you realise just how much bigger the Brits balls are. The smooth power delivery of the Rocket 3 serves to understate just how strong it actually is. You know it has plenty of stick, but you just don’t realise just how big that stick is until you compare it to something else back to back. Simply put, the fact of the matter is that nothing can hold a candle to the Rocket 3 when it comes to effortless shove.
And you can use all of that grunt, all of it, all of the time.
The front hoop is of a somewhat more regular size than the fat rear and measures 150/80-17
The beauty of all that twist being so low in the rev range means you get to enjoy it from every stop sign or traffic light. Your not sailing past the national speed limit before you get to feel that mighty torque shove. Sure, in top gear the Rocket 3 is only turning 2000 rpm at 100 km/h, but you do get to spin it up to peak torque a few times on the way there without the threat of having your motorcycle confiscated by the fun police for a month in the process.
For such a massive engine the gearbox and clutch is surprisingly slick and really does make a mockery of the archaic shift mechanisms we suffer through on the big twin cruisers. The shaft drive system negates the need for chain or belt maintenance and overall the whole drivetrain feels very polished indeed.
Triumph Rocket 3 GT with accessory bags, pillion back-rest and luggage rack
The shaft-drive is new for 2020 as is the more precisely engineered helical cut gearbox and torque-assist hydraulic clutch. Pretty much everything inside the crank-cases has also changed, as have the crank-cases themselves.
Despite the significant increase in capacity Triumph have shaved 18 kilograms off the engine and a total of 32 kg from the drivetrain as a whole. They are some pretty massive numbers and indicate that Triumph has really put everything they have learned in recent years into the new generation Rocket 3.
Above 4000 rpm, incidentally by which time you are doing over 170 km/h and still 3000 rpm from red-line, a few vibes can be felt, but below that it is a very smooth experience.
Triumph Rocket 3 R handles pretty well
The only other mild criticism I can level against the drivetrain is that the Rocket 3 could bring a little more theatre to the riding experience. This could be easily remedied by a set of aftermarket pipes adding dramaturgy to the histrionics.
On the pipe score however, top marks must go the stylists for getting the look of the headers just right. They are the styling master-stroke of the whole machine and punch your optic nerve right every time. I just wish the auditory nerve was hit as hard. There is a bit of crackle and pop on over-run that adds to the experience but it would be nice to hear it exhale fully under power.
2020 Triumph Rocket 3 R hydroformed headers are beautiful
Surely it can’t be long until someone hangs a turbo off those headers? I mean they are out in the breeze just begging to blow through a snail and at only 10.8:1 compression the stock engine could probably handle a bit of boost.
2020 Triumph Rocket 3 airbox is fed via the front of the frame
Plumbing that compressed air back around the other side to the air-box and triumvirate of throttle bodies might be a little harder though, and your right leg might get a bit warm… Still, I am sure some glorious bastard has a turbo system in development right now, and all power to those up for such a task, may the force be with you…
Trev made a little too much smoke by going up a few gears so had to roll out of this one as nobody could see the bike…
The new chassis seems largely up to the job. The new aluminium frame is stronger but 50 per cent lighter than before. All up the new generation Rocket 3 is 40 kg lighter than its predecessor. It even turns reasonably well considering it wears a fat 240/50-16 Avon Cobra rear hoop. If you get up to the sort of lark pictured here you will be glad to know that rear wheel removal is a simple five nuts and off it comes affair, with nothing else to remove in order to get the rear wheel out.
Triumph Rocket 3 R smoking it up at the Rob Roy HillClimb Circuit
The forks cope with big hits fairly well but the same can’t be said of the rear shock. Rear suspension design is always a compromise on machines such as these and while the lay-down shock appears to be a high-specification Showa unit that is fully-adjustable and sports a piggyback reservoir, it only has 107 mm of rear wheel travel to play with and that is always going to be a big ask on our shitty roads. Preload adjustment is by hand-wheel which makes dialling in some more spring support an easy task but still, big hits make their way through to the rider. The hits come harder on the GT due to its more upright riding position.
Triumph Rocket 3 piggyback shock and hydraulic pre-load adjuster
Don’t get me wrong, the Rocket 3 handles like brilliantly compared to anything cruiser based. There is no wallow or twist, just don’t expect the cornering prowess afforded by a sports-touring bike or adventure machine.
Triumph Rocket 3 handles well enough and is well ahead of anything cruiser based. Ground clearance is pretty good
On smoother tarmac the package works well enough but if carrying a pillion you would want to hope they were light. On the passenger score, the way the pillion pegs fold out when needed, yet disappear into the flanks of the machine when not is a particularly brilliant piece of design that I am sure will be copied by manufacturers the world over.
The pillion pegs fold away so neatly that you don’t even know they are there
It isn’t the easiest of bikes to master in regards to tight parking manoeuvres as despite the throttle being wonderfully smooth once opened, the initial pick-up from closed reminds you that a whole lot of engine is spinning underneath you. I am sure a more deft touch could be developed by the rider if on one all the time though.
Triumph Rocket 3 has pretty good ground clearance
Through sweeping bends it holds a line well and is agile enough to inputs despite its long wheelbase and relaxed rake.
On the comfort scale the Rocket 3 fares pretty well also. The seat is well designed and offers great support in all the right places. The GT gets a more comfort oriented seat but both options give little to complain about. The seat on the R is 773 mm from terra firma while the GT rider sits almost a full inch lower at 750 mm.
2020 Triumph Rocket 3 GT gets a nice milled finish on the rims
The GT also gets a slightly larger but still fairly minimalist windscreen while the rims score a milled face that stands out a little more from the all-black finish the R has on its rims.
Triumph Rocket 3 R rims miss out on the milled finish seen on the GT rims
I expected to hate the forward foot controls on the GT but they actually grew on me. The relatively generous ground clearance is not compromised, nor is shift quality or brake operation. That must have took a lot of work to get right and kudos to Triumph for not cutting corners and doing things half-arsed. The pegs can also be moved through three settings that tailor the reach by 25 mm each way.
2020 Triumph Rocket 3 GT
The mid controls of the R are adjustable through 15mm in the vertical axis and while they feel the most natural at first, I am actually a little torn between which lay-out I preferred. Kits are available from Triumph to put the forward controls from the GT on to the R, and vice-versa.
2020 Triumph Rocket 3 R and Rocket 3 GT have different riding positions but both are quite amenable
The reach to the bars also presents a stark difference between the two models with the GT bars more upswept and a much easier reach than the R, which has its grips 125 mm further forward. The stretch to the bars on the R felt a little long at first, but I soon became accustomed to it and didn’t find them uncomfortable at any point during our two days on the bikes. Neither lay-out is particularly extreme and thus both prove quite agreeable. Again, home work has been done well and there are further nice touches like the wiring being ran internally through the bars to clean up the look of the cockpit. Nice.
2020 Triumph Rocket 3 R cockpit is nicely finished
High-end Brembo Stylema radial mount calipers are pukka sports-bike level stoppers and do the business well. The fronts are aided by a generously sized 300 mm rear which is also a radial mount four-piston Brembo thanks to the ingenious way it mounts to the single side swing-arm. Both ends are powerful and progressive.
2020 Triumph Rocket 3 scores top shelf Brembo Stylema stopper rather than the more budget Brembo offerings
The nicely sculpted and finished fuel tank holds 18-litres of go juice which is handy as the big donk doesn’t mind a sip. Our riding was not exactly done with economy in mind, we burned around eight litres per 100 kilometres but if ridden normally I am sure that would drop to under seven or better, making a 250 kilometre touring range feasible.
2020 Triumph Rocket 3 R fuel tank is 18 litres, and it doesn’t mind a sip…
Full-colour TFT instrumentation is comprehensive, works well and is angle adjustable to suit riders of differing heights. Keyless ignition is standard, and the electronically operated steering lock is activated at the touch of a button. The GT also scores heated grips as standard while they are a $329 plus fitting option on the R.
2020 Triumph Rocket 3 R
Triumph’s long awaited bluetooth functionality has finally arrived and delivers turn-by-turn navigation instructions via the display. The system is driven via a paired phone running the ‘My Triumph’ app and is an optional ($295 + fitting) extra via a connectivity module. This also facilitates integrated phone and music controls via the left bar when a bluetooth equipped helmet is paired to the system. Your GoPro camera can also be paired to the system and controlled via the bars.
Switchgear works well enough
Cruise control is standard across both models along with four riding modes and top shelf Continental IMU driven lean-angle sensitive ABS and traction control systems. Hill hold control is also standard as is an under-seat USB power source.
Triumph Rocket 3 R and some slghtly older automotive art
The LED headlights look striking with their eyebrow daytime running lights and the LED theme continues throughout from front to back in all the lighting systems. Tyre-pressure monitoring ($389) and a quick-shifter ($499) are also available on the options list.
2020 Triumph Rocket 3 GT
Strapping luggage to the Rocket looks as though it would be problematic but Triumph have a smart range of integrated options that add useful amenity to the bike for commuting or touring duties.
Both bikes tip the scales just over 290kg dry but you never really feel that heft as the bike hides its mass well.
Triumph Rocket 3 armoury
You really have to give the Triumph guys kudos. The bean counters have allowed the engineers the freedom to deliver all those very smart touches that make the Rocket 3 that little bit special.
Compare the engineering smarts of the big triple to American iron and it really does make the Yanks look more than a bit silly. I sincerely hope Triumph give us a more dressed bagger model formed from the sturdy and well engineered back bone of the Rocket 3.
2020 Triumph Rocket 3 R and GT
Triumph’s new generation Rocket 3 is strikingly handsome and has the balls to back up its machismo looks, all the while displaying a polish and poise that makes the whole package exude a certain level of quality. I think these traits will engender pride of ownership and satisfaction in anyone that hands over their hard earned to take one home for good.
Husqvarna’s entry into the LAMS segment in Australia was heralded by two stylish and unique offerings – the Svartpilen 401 and Vitpilen 401. Original pricing for these exotic machines was over $11k on the road when they were first launched into the Australian market.
Now you can pick up one of these machines for as low as $7,495 Ride-Away thanks to a drastic pricing update from Husqvarna, so let’s take another look at the Svartpilen 401. Moto Hub in Sydney were kind enough to lend me the Svartpilen so I figured I’d see how it stacked up in the LAMS segment.
Of the two 401 options, the Svartpilen boasts dual-sport style tyres alongside the dark colour scheme. The Vitpilen rolls on road tyres and is available in white bodywork with a more aggressive seating and ‘bar position in comparison.
The Svartpilen 401 shares some familiarity with the KTM 390s
Looking over the Svartpilen 401 I couldn’t help but admire the styling. It won’t be for everyone, but it reminds me of the European or more specifically German custom scene, with a certain brutal artistic quality. These machines stand out from the LAMS crowd, and a deeper look reveals a very rare attention to detail.
The Chromium-Molybdenum steel trellis frame
The bike is a bit raw around the engine where the wiring loom and piping has been hidden between that powerplant, trellis frame and exhaust collector, but that’s what you get on a nakedbike. The essentially one-piece tank to tail bodywork is what draws the eye.
Somewhat surprisingly for such an aggressively styled machine the Svartpilen includes pillion pegs and a flat pillion perch. The riders seat is sculpted and situated 835 mm from terra-firma. With an upright seating position and raised handlebars you’re offered a commanding view of the road ahead along with a relaxed seating position and plenty of leverage via wide ‘bars.
An 835mm seat height and minimalist seat height contribute to a compact look
That level of nice detail continues through to the triple-clamps, those stunning wheels and even across a host of details like the radiator shrouds, blacked out levers and fuel cap, along with an aftermarket style exhaust and much more.
You really have to check this bike out in person yourself to fully appreciate what’s on offer as images just don’t do it justice. Have a look at the RC 390 and compare that to the Husqvarna, there’s a big jump in finish, which is why the Svartpilen originally demanded that premium price and the component quality is a step up from similarly priced models.
Compared to the Harley Street 500, which is priced similarly to the 401’s original RRP and which looks clean with blacked out engine and components – from arms reach – the Svartpilen is a major step up. A closer look at the Street 500 reveals a basic build quality, with many components looking quite cheap. The Svartpilen 401 on the other hand backs up its attitude with top notch quality and componentry everywhere you look. It’s a harsh comparison for the Street 500, especially in light of the Husqvarna’s price drop, for those who may consider something a bit more roadster than cruiser.
The level of detail on the Svartpilen 401 is without equal in the LAMS category
Riding the Svartpilen 401
Setting off from Castle Hill a few points immediately strike me, the first being familiarity with the KTM 390s in how the bike feels, and secondly just how good that RbW throttle is, especially cutting through the remnants of early morning peak hour traffic.
I’m heading for Galston Gorge, a tremendous little section of road, especially for a small capacity machine – if you can get a clear run, and manage to avoid the many drivers incapable of sticking to their side of the road.
The ‘bars on the Svartpilen feel super-wide, while vision through the mirrors is exceptional. The dash is a simple and clear digital affair, so there’s everything I need at a glance, while ticking the street fighter theme of the bike.
The Svartpilen 401 offers wide ‘bars and an upright seating position, and feels compact but not small
A light clutch is operated via cable and there’s a slipper function as befits this sporty little offering. Blasting through traffic I’m reminded how good this single-cylinder powerplant is, with a torquey and responsive character – it’s the best fuelled LAMS machine I’ve ridden.
The engine easily matches the performance of Kawasaki’s 400, particularly around town. The twin-cylinder Japanese bike perhaps feeling a little more relaxed at highway speeds while the single-cylinder Austrian donk is always eager.
Being quite enthusiastic on the throttle did mean taking advantage of the brakes coming up to roundabouts and traffic lights, which also quickly showed off just how powerful that four-piston Bybre caliper is. The light Svartpilen has class leading bite and stopping power.
A powerful four-piston Bybre caliper is class leading
Knock open that throttle when the light goes green and you’re off with plentiful acceleration via a grin inducing surge of single-cylinder torque. Only a very keen cage driver in a performance vehicle will keep up. You can short-shift through the gearbox and enjoy that spectacular low to mid-range, or hold those gears and wait for the shift indicator to light up.
You can still lug the engine if you insist on upshifting early high or let the speed drop without really noticing, but keep the powerplant on the boil and you’ll be rewarded with plenty of urge.
For cutting through suburban traffic and hooning around town the Svartpilen is a gem.
The powerplant in the Svartpilen 401 is a gem, and the application of RbW flawless
Galston Gorge gave the Svartpilen 401 a real opportunity to shine. This tight and windy section of road with endless tight hairpin corners is a great hunting ground for small nimble motorcycles. The Svartpilen 401 rails through the bends with razor sharp handling that actually surprised me a little at times.
Even the Ninja 400, which makes my own Daytona 675R feel heavy, isn’t as responsive and fast turning as the Svartpilen 401. The meaty single-cylinder engine and Bybre brake set-up is ideal for blasting between corners before washing off speed in the hurry, only to blast back out towards the next, rinse and repeat. Aggressively knocking down through the gearbox onto the slipper clutch is also an option for washing off speed, but even for my lazy riding style the Svartpilen demands rider engagement and rewards it in spades.
Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres on the spoked wheels are an interesting styling choice
The Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres also look the business, but through the tight low speed corners in the Gorge I could feel the blocks on the tyres start to move around when really pushed. Dedicated road riders might choose some more sporting road rubber after wearing the original tyres out.
The gorge also gave the opportunity to test out the Svartpilen’s strudy looking WP Suspension. 43mm forks and a mono-shock bolted straight to the swing-arm via the brand’s well-known PDS set-up. I’ll admit I was a little surprised that there wasn’t adjustability on the forks considering the initial asking price, but it’s not a normal expectation in this segment.
WP suspension does an exceptional job and is a sporty setup, but does not offer adjustability
The ride itself on the WP springers was sporty, leaning towards the hard-nosed café racer theme that the bike portrays externally. Not having time to play around with the rear preload, at 70 kg the overall setup was still exceptional, with good feel from the front and plentiful support – that’s important with that big stopper up front. The rear could be a little better controlled when it cops the big hits, but still responds better than most of the competition in this segment of the market.
The Svartpilen 401 is really like nothing else out there, apart from the Vitpilen 401…
The Svartpilen is in many ways a no compromise option in a segment that revolves around compromises for everyday life, commuting while still having fun. I could easily commute around Sydney on a Svartpilen on a daily basis.
At the end of the day that amazing powerplant, WP suspension and Bybre braking package are a great match for the out-there styling. Paying over $11k for one of these machines would be a hard sell to me, however at $7,495 out the door for an MY18 Svartpilen 401 or Vitpilen 401 that seems like a steal.
With a pretty massive drop in pricing on these machines, it’s definitely time to take a look if you’re looking for a LAMS machine and something special
With that said, you’ve got to know what you’re after in a motorcycle, particularly a first motorcycle. If you’re just after a run-around and something a bit softer, slower and more forgiving, this may not be for you. There’s nothing wrong with that either. Different strokes for different folks and all that….
2020 Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin Adventure Sports Review
When Honda first released the Africa Twin in 2016 it dropped into the market at an absolute bargain price point and, save for the optional DCT system, the CRF1000L was one of the simpler and more low-tech options in what is an increasingly crowded adventure bike market-place.
The relatively basic but very affordable $15,499 package was an instant hit and globally Honda have shifted almost 100,000 Africa Twins since the model was introduced.
Honda staged the launch of the much anticipated new Africa Twin with an adventure through the NT in conjunction with Daryl Beattie Tours.
More recently a higher-spec Adventure Sports model was added, with a bigger tank along with a few more bells and whistles, and now for 2020 we have an all-new second generation Africa Twin range.
Lighter, nimbler, more powerful and with an extensive suite of top shelf electronic smarts to go with its boost from 998cc to 1084cc, the latest Africa Twin certainly pushes Honda’s adventure option to a higher level of sophistication.
The range topping CRF1100L Adventure Sports ES with DCT and electronic suspension retails for $26,499 +ORC
The price has also risen with the entry point now starting at $19,999. The larger Adventure Sports model retails at $23,499 with DCT adding another $1000. The range topping Adventure Sports ES, complete with excellent Showa electronic suspension, wears a $26,499 sticker price.
Honda Australia launched the much anticipated new Africa Twin with a major adventure ride through the Northern Territory staged by Daryl Beattie Adventure Tours.
First night set-up near Uluru – Accommodation was not five star but instead five million stars as we swagged it after Daryl’s truck driver / head chef / Scooter prepped dinner out of the truck which saw us feast on steak along with potato bake and mushroom sauce.
I chose the top of the range machine complete with DCT, just as I did during the New Zealand launch of the first model a few short years ago. On that launch of the original I also chose to ride a bike on the standard tyres complete with luggage, despite the vast majority of the riding being off-road. I wanted the worse case scenario, so to speak.
Trev rode the original Africa Twin around the South Island of New Zealand when the model was first launched in 2016 – Link to original review
My Adventure Sports mount for the vast majority of this 2020 dalliance in the desert rode on the new Showa EERA electronic suspension. With the amount of sand work we were in for, the standard rubber had been replaced by more serious Michelin Anakee Wild. I ended up sticking to this machine for 95 per cent of the trip, only switching to the manual base model machine on the final afternoon. I also repeated the testing approach I used on the original bike, that is, let the bike’s electronics do their magic, while I just ride the thing.
The new 2020 CRF1100L Adventure Sports model alongside the base machine (red)
Through soft sand to mud and rock strewn floodways, I just let the DCT shift when it wanted and the other electronic smarts to do what they were designed to do. You can’t test this stuff by turning it all off once you hit the tough stuff! I put my trust in the bike and was handsomely rewarded.
Trust and confidence is never more needed than when faced with negotiating sand on a large motorcycle. Keeping the throttle on and speeds up, while atop a writhing beast pretty much wandering where it wants, is some real teeth/butt clenching stuff when you are not accustomed to riding sand all that often. Button off and you are in the shit. It really is a case of gripping the bike with your knees, leaning back and trying to sail across the sand, keeping the front light and the rear wheel driving, and the poo inside your bottom.
Sand is always a challenge on a big adventure bike when you don’t ride on it all the time
I am not one to make sort of blanket statements without rigorous back-to-back comparison testing, but in this case I am going to make an exception. The Africa Twin is simply the most confidence inspiring big adventure bike on the market. It’s stability and ability to keep tracking true, even when the rider had started to lose his composure, simply amazed me time and time again.
That big 21-inch front combined with some fairly lazy geometry sees the Africa Twin pull you safely out the other side of some seriously shitty situations. On more than a few occasions I was almost resigned to an inevitable upcoming face-plant, only for the bike to carry me through. I didn’t come out the other side of these scrapes with fist pumping jubilance, just a sigh of relief that I had made it. Time and time again that was thanks to the unflappable stability of the bike.
Some of the easier open dirt roads also kept you on your toes as they constantly changed with softer sections and bull-dust – Click for a short onboard video
I remained steadfastly committed throughout the, at times very challenging, almost 2000 kilometre test route to evaluating the bikes smarts. The DCT was left to make the shifting decisions itself, the traction control and ABS in their most minimal intervention off-road settings, the electronic suspension set to off-road mode with no extra tweaking of the parameters, using all of Honda’s latest systems to their fullest and coming out the other side very bloody impressed.
Honda Africa Twin
For sure, all these challenges could have been overcome on other options in the marketplace, but I feel 100 per cent confident in stating that this latest Africa Twin is the easiest to ride big adventure bike there is on sale today. If your off-road skills and confidence are not up to scratch, but you want the comforts and luggage capacity afforded by a large adventure machine, while still getting out and amongst serious terrain that will challenge your mettle, then you won’t do it easier on anything else.
A bit of a rest and re-group while trying to find some shade in the 40-degree days. Most tourists don’t head up this way until May in cooler temps
It is fair to say that Honda have, in recent times, been more than a little behind the pace of electronic smarts seen on European machinery. No more.
The new Fireblade is now at the absolute extreme upper echelon of current motorcycle electrickery, and the Africa Twin now shares almost all the smarts that are seen on the $49,999 CBR1000RR-R SP. Including the top shelf Bosch six-axis IMU that equips the electronic systems with all the sensory inputs required in order to deliver one of motorcycling’s most sophisticated suite of rider aids.
A horde of Hondas
Even the DCT shift response now takes some of its cues from the angles the bike is transitioning through, which has helped to raise the self-shifter experience further. There are up-down paddles on the left bar, and you can even option up a conventional foot shifter if you must, but I never felt that need and instead let the ECU pick the gears throughout the whole adventure.
If trying a DCT out for yourself be sure to select one of the more sporting shift programs. If left in D for dumb then the machine shifts really early on the up-shifts, and is very slow to down-shift. Tweak the response up to Sport, which has three further sub-levels of aggression, of which I preferred the middle setting, and the down-shifts are much more urgent, the more brake pressure you use the quicker the system will shuffle down the gears. Most riders on the launch were from more of a dirt background, and thus generally use less front brake than I, and it was these guys that preferred to manually down-shift the bike when setting up for some corners as without those front brake inputs the automatic system is not quite as responsive.
Camping at Devils Marbles for the night – Honda CRF1100L Adventure Sports ES / DCT
Once you have tuned your own ECU, read brain, to how the system works, then it never catches you out by doing anything unexpected. It generally knows when you want to be feathering the throttle through a corner, and will then hold that gear until you return to a more upright and less aggressive stance on the bike, where it will then up-shift and resume normal operation.
The DCT pretty much does what it says on the box and does it very well. Around 25 per cent of the previous model in Australia were optioned with DCT and Honda have sold more than 100,000 DCT motorcycles globally. The technology is well proven and in this latest generation is excellent. The G mode for a more direct throttle feel via a quicker lock-up on the clutch packs is retained from the previous model and holds the lower gears much longer again.
The sunsets were pretty epic in the desert
Despite the significant ten-kilogram weight penalty, you can probably tell I am a bit of a fan of the DCT, so is Daryl Beattie. Daryl has used previous generations of the DCT Africa Twin exclusively for many desert crossings in sand that most of us would struggle to ride a proper dirt-bike in, and he and his crew are now converts to the DCT bikes. More than once both himself and his Daryl Beattie Adventure Tours lead rider, Peter ‘Budda’ Luczkowski, have forgot to pull in the clutch when rolling to a stop on a conventional bike and almost gone down at walking pace as they spend so much time on the DCT bikes.
Daryl Beattie
“I’m really happy on both the Manual and DCT. The gearbox on the manual CRF1100 is really nice and a quick-shifter would compliment that even more. But if it’s down to a final decision then I really enjoy the DCT for all round commuting and adventure riding on weekends… make sure you select the correct DCT mode that best compliments the scenario you are in.”
The Africa Twin has now also gained the excellent Apple CarPlay integration first introduced with the latest Gold Wing model (link). I have used this system on the Gold Wing and for general road touring found it absolutely brilliant.
Apple Car Play is standard across all models on the 2020 Honda CRF1100L – Click for Honda video that showcases the screen functionality
Unfortunately though, in order for the CarPlay functionality to be activated, a bluetooth headset must be paired to the system. I had no bluetooth system fitted to my Shoei adventure helmet so never got to use the CarPlay system during my time with the Africa Twin. Even when using a bluetooth equipped helmet, should your batteries in the bluetooth unit go flat, you then lose all the CarPlay functionality, including navigation. This shitted me no end on the Gold Wing, and frustrated me that I was not able to use the CarPlay system on the Africa Twin. Somebody come up with a hack for this stupid nanny state induced stumbling block please. Thanks.
The 6.5-inch touch screen display though is brilliant, and its functionality closely resembles that of the 5-inch screen seen on the latest Fireblade SP, just on a slightly bigger scale.
2020 Honda CRF1100L Dash offers a wide variety of lay-outs – Click for video that walks you through the basics of customisation
There are a myriad of screen lay-outs on offer and engine response (four levels), engine braking (three levels), shift programs, traction control (seven levels plus off), ABS (with on and off-road modes but only the rear can be switched off) and three-level wheelie control are all able to be separately tailored. It is the most comprehensive and customisable system of controls I have sampled and is navigated via a large switch-block on the left bar.
Customisable user modes offer a massive amount of individual tailoring
If anything it is perhaps a little too complex, but you can still just use the variety of pre-set modes if you don’t want to bother with delving too deep into the individual functions. It is simple enough if you want it to be.
There is a narrow greyscale LCD below the main screen that provides the most basic of information. While that quickly dusts up, the main colour screen is seemingly impervious to dust due to some sorcery in its chemical composition that somehow repels airborne particles. While the big screen can take a few seconds to get its shit together on start-up, the small screen is instantaneously awake and ready for action. I guess the small screen might stay functional too in the case of a big off where you smash the big unit.
2020 Honda Africa Twin instrumentation is comprehensive – All models get the trick new dash with Apple CarPlay functionality and the second smaller LCD
A well protected USB port is provided on both models with the Adventure Sports also scoring a merit style cigarette power adaptor on the opposite side.
The electronic suspension system does not automatically sense load and adjust pre-load to suit, but instead gives the rider the freedom to choose how much pre-load they want set on the rear suspension via the touch-screen menu and the bike then takes care of it. The electronic suspension adds two-kilograms to the weight of the bike in comparison to the also quite high-spec’ fully-adjustable conventional Showa kit.
Takes a little while to master the switchgear and unfortunately it is not back-lit
There are four default modes for the suspension damping response, Soft, Mid, Hard and Off-Road. These settings are for both ends of the bike and are further customisable through 24-steps in each mode. As we were predominantly off-road throughout the 1750 kilometre adventure I left the system in the off-road setting at medium, but after eating too many pies I did set the pre-load to rider and luggage to allow for said pie weight.
This graphic shows the additional configurable suspension options on an EERA equipped machine on right
The damping response is controlled on the fly every 15 milliseconds (0.015s) on information derived from suspension stroke sensors along with vehicle speed and a myriad of other information such as throttle position and brake pressure etc. It even detects when a jump is being made and firms up both ends ready for the landing. I didn’t do any jumps as I fear that no system can cope with landings as ungraceful as mine, this white boy can’t jump and all that.
I have a fair bit of experience with most electronic suspension systems on the market and have ridden on pretty much all the progressive generations of Sachs and Marzocchi ESA systems used across BMW models, and also the WP systems used by KTM and Triumph. I reckon that while the Showa set-up on the Africa Twin feels stiffer in response than most, it also perhaps feels the most natural and linear in its damping response.
The Africa Twin boasts a huge 250 mm of ground clearance and the suspension strokes through a generous 204mm at the front and 220 mm at the rear. They’re pukka off-road specs.
A lunch stop served from the support truck and Chef Scooter
A major benefit with all electronic suspenders is the aforementioned ease of tuning that really comes into its own when touring. As you take luggage on and off the bike or leave your pillion at the motel room while you head off for a fang your preferred set-up is only a couple of button presses away. The manually suspended bikes do offer a hand-wheel for rear pre-load though that does add a little user friendliness to the conventional suspension experience.
I must quantify my experience here though by saying that I am yet to ride the Africa Twin in anger on tarmac. I will arrange to remedy this in the near future by getting my hands on an EERA equipped CRF1100L shod with decent road rubber to see how it performs under duress along the rigours of something like the tortuous series of turns that make up the fabled Eildon-Jamieson Road. I will report back after I have, but I think this is where perhaps the electronic suspension will really earn its $2000 price premium and prove worthwhile for those that really like to have a decent crack on the black-top.
The Iytwelepenty / Davenport Ranges National Park is a wonderfully remote visitor experience for adventurous four-wheel drivers wanting to see the real Territory. A great place for swimming is Old Police Station Waterhole where we stopped for lunch on the second day of your Daryl Beattie Adventure Tour
It will also be interesting to see how much agility Honda have traded to gain the amazing levels of stability that the bike enjoys off-road. I did play around with some tight low-speed manoeuvres with the steering on full lock, in which the machine did well, but am keen to see how well the machine holds a line on the tarmac. The frame is completely new and the chassis design is much more off-road focussed than before, right down to a swing-arm that is modelled from Honda’s CRF450R motocross machine.
2020 Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin
Likewise, while the braking performance and response was great off-road, I am yet to see how the stoppers cope with a full load of luggage heading into downhill tarmac bends. Its pretty safe to say though that Honda has that base well covered with radial four-piston Nissin calipers clamping 310 mm disc rotors.
Radial mount Nissin four-piston calipers
What some people might see as a distinct disadvantage for long-distance touring is the lack of shaft-drive. It must be said though, that riding the Africa Twin reminded me of how much nicer chain-driven bikes ride corrugations and rough terrain.
Good chains have long service lives these days and after initial break-in are very unlikely to require adjustments between rear tyre replacements. There is also no need to clean and lubricate modern chains all the time with most research suggesting that leaving them be, within reason, returns better results than covering them in lube that just picks up more dirt.
We ran on Michelin Anakee Wild rubber. You can tell this machine is a DCT bike as it has an extra caliper under the swingarm for the parking brake
The Adventure Sports model rides on tubeless tyres while the more minimalist model has tubes. Most adventure bikes tread the middle ground and ride on a 19-inch front to retain their sporting potential on sealed surfaces but with all Africa Twin models riding on a 21-inch front, and similarly off-road specific 18-inch rear, it is clear as to where the design priorities of the engineering teams were focussed, they’ve got dirty minds…
When the going gets really rough that 21″ front is a god-send
This is also no doubt why Honda has not endowed the bike with the massive power numbers boasted by the European opposition. Those figures are definitely up in the new model though, with power increased by seven per cent and torque up six per cent. Combined with a four-kilogram weight saving over the previous model, that adds up to an overall ten per cent better power-to-weight ratio.
CRF1000L versus CRF1100L
The boost from 998 cc to 1084 cc is achieved via a lengthened stroke from 75.1 mm out to 81.5 mm. Claimed power is an even 100 horses in the old scale with 105 Nm of torque peaking at 6250 rpm. The new engine is Euro5 certified and has been comprehensively redesigned while the larger 46 mm throttle bodies are actually much more compact than before and deliver their mix through larger valves that are lifted higher.
2020 Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports with DCT and Showa EERA
The difference is appreciated throughout the rpm range and the response from a closed throttle to pick-up is markedly improved. This is particularly noticeable on a DCT bike where you can’t ride a clutch against the rear brake for feet-up full-lock turns, in these scenarios the new model is far easier to control.
While the bike sounds great as you ride by onlookers, unfortunately that aural pleasure is never really appreciated from the cockpit. That’s a bit of a pity as it would certainly add a little more to the riding enjoyment if you could hear that really nice exhaust note while you ride.
The Africa Twin purrs along at around 3300 rpm when cruising at 100 km/h and the NT speed limit of 130 km/h sees the parallel twin turning over at 4200 rpm. The bike gets to 200 km/h quick enough.
I forgot I had the bike in its lowest power setting when doing this for the camera but it still got it up easily enough for a few gears
Despite being generally somewhat of a horsepower fiend (what me…), I never once wanted for more power during this particular adventure. That’s obviously because it was predominantly off-road and all three days were fairly taxing, thus energy conservation was key. I am generally a poor adherent to the needs for hydration but with temperatures nudging 40-degrees even I was needing to replenish my drained camelbak halfway through the day.
We were out in the desert good and proper with no phone reception, no shops and no real creature comforts. It was a swag come night time which coincided with the shift change as the flys handed over their duties to the mosquitoes who pulled the night-shift.
The fly on my swag certainly lived up to its name on this trip
I lost count of how many flies I either swallowed or inhaled through my nostrils. Along with the whole Coronavirus thing going around I thought for sure we had also walked into some biblical pestilence that signalled pending armageddon.
The most comfortable place to be was actually astride the Africa Twin. I did have some reservations at first as the thinned down seat started to bite a little when halfway into the opening 920 kilometre day.
2020 Honda CRF1100L adventure in the NT
It never got any worse though and in fact I was so busy trying not to die on the following two days that it was not butt comfort that was front of mind, but instead more the integrity of my pooper valve, less I shit myself from yet another challenging rock and gravel strewn floodway interspersed with sandy drops in and out of said floodways. The area had recently recorded record unseasonal rains and some of the tracks were in pretty unusual shapes after big movements of subsoil and detritus.
Was a very early start on day one of the adventure
Getting on and off the bike is also much easier than before, something that is particularly welcome in the Adventure Sports. Honda spent a lot of time trimming where they could to make climbing aboard the bike a less dramatic experience for most folk.
Our lead rider Budda is only 164cm, that’s five-feet four-inches in the old scale, and struggled to get on and off the previous model but can now mount the new model much more comfortably. At 850 mm the seat of the Adventure Sports is a massive 50 mm lower than before, while retaining that huge 250 mm of ground clearance and generous suspension travel. The seat is also 40 mm narrower and that adds to yet more amenity that can be appreciated by all.
Getting on and off the bike is so much easier than before – A great boon for 5’4″ lead rider Budda
The standard seat can also be set in the 870 mm position for those a little more generously endowed of leg, while an optional high seat pushes the perch further up to 895 mm. An optional low-seat pushes the perch down to only 825 mm, without losing any of that ground clearance or suspension travel.
Overall the cockpit is a pleasant place to spend time. That gorgeous colour display is standard across all models and while the Adventure Sports scores a much taller five-stage adjustable windscreen, opinion was split as to whether that was actually an advantage. I spent 95 per cent of my time on the Adventure Sports and only the last 100 km or so on the smaller bike thus don’t feel qualified to make a convincing call either way.
Opinion was divided over whether the larger screen was the go over the smaller item
If in your mind light is always right then the more minimalist base model with its slimmer 18.8-litre fuel cell has a 14-kilogram advantage over the Adventure Sports ES. In Australia the base bike can only be had with conventional suspension.
The base model CRF1100L can’t be had with DCT or electronic suspension in Australia
The Adventure Sports boasts a 24.8-litre fuel cell that promises realistic touring ranges in excess of 400 kilometres, even if up it for the rent. It also has more expansive body-work that provides better protection from the elements along with integrated pannier mounts in the rear sub-frame.
I can’t stress enough how important that last feature is for those that like running hard luggage such as the optional aluminium panniers. The difference that having the luggage mounted in tight towards the centre-line can’t be overstated when it comes to the overall dynamics of a machine when fully loaded.
The Adventure Sports comes with pannier mounts tightly integrated into the sub-frame
If opting for base model I would consider soft luggage rather than having pannier racks moving all that weight so far out from the bike which, in my experience, turns many bikes into turgid turds. You can fit the integrated mount system from the Adventure Sports though, with the optional rear carrier accessory kit (08L88-MKS-E00) to get the same luggage amenity that is standard on the Adventure Sports.
2020 Honda Africa Twin
Cruise control is standard on all models but only the Adventure Sports scores factory heated grips and three-stage cornering lights. Tyre pressure monitoring is not available on either model, even as an option, which is a bit of a drawback compared to what is otherwise an impeccable specification list.
2020 Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports
Both bikes have hand-guards as standard with the Adventure Sports guards much larger and offering more wind protection. Neither though are particularly strong and off-road oriented guys would be better off replacing them with proper alloy-bar backed Barkbusters.
The Africa Twin feels very well built and engineered. The bikes never got hot, nothing flapped about or worked loose and I never heard any rattles or squeaks at any point in time. Thus it does exude a certain sense of quality that can be appreciated, and despite the price rises the Africa Twin still offers great value for money and seems pretty damn bullet-proof.
The Africa Twin still makes a convincing argument on the basis of value despite the price rise
When jumping on the base model manual bike for the last stretch into Alice Springs it definitely felt more lively thanks to its more compact size and reduced weight. That the base bike also has good quality conventional Showa suspension and that brilliant screen, complete with Apple CarPlay as standard, makes its $19,999 price point really look attractive. In Australia this variant of the Africa Twin is not available with the DCT transmission.
The new 2020 CRF1100L Adventure Sports model alongside the base machine (red)
As good as the base bike is, for me I reckon it would be the burger with the lot Adventure Sports that would get my money, if I could stretch the budget that far. The DCT really is a great thing, and is going to make even more sense for open road touring or city commuting. I figure you might as well have the electronic suspenders too while you are at it.
In summary, the 2020 Africa Twin is the most dirt-capable large capacity adventure bike you can buy. Both expert off-road riders or relative novices will really appreciate the off-road chops of the new model, which is now more dirt ready than it ever was, and sets a new standard in regards to off-road performance in this 1000cc+ segment.
2020 Zero SR/S review by Adam Child ‘Chad’ – Images by Milagro
Californian electric motorcycle manufacturer Zero have largely led the way in the electric motorcycle space since they launched their first fully electric production motorcycle back in 2010. Now on the back of the successful SR/F they’ve launched the sporty SR/S.
Zero does not currently have a presence in Australia but our UK based contributor recently sampled the new SR/S and we thought you might be interested in his thoughts.
Zero have just launched the SR/S sportsbike, based on the SR/F
The £19,500 base model features new suspension and sleek bolt-free bodywork, helping improve range by up to 13 per cent compared to its naked counterpart, which the new model is heavily based upon. [Converted into Australian dollars,that translates into around 40k AUD, if you could buy it here…]
Yes, there’s virtually no noise, just the slight wine of the carbon belt drive on rapid acceleration, and the odd scrape from my knee slider as it touches the warm coastal road. I have no gears and no clutch to worry about, instant torque and multiple rider aids backing that up though does add some level of security.
The Zero SR/S retails for £19,500 in the UK, but aren’t available in Australia at this time
Would I swap for a conventional petrol bike? You know, I’m unsure, which might just be a first. There is no hiding the fact the ‘top-spec’ Zero SR/S is expensive at £19,590 for the base model or £21,590 for the premium model, which includes a six-kW rapid charger, heated grips, and aluminium bar ends.
But there are some long term monetary savings on purchasing an electric bike. This is the part where I wish I’d done A-level maths, not A-level drama.
There is virtually no maintenance as there aren’t any liquids aside from the brake fluid, [Zero do list a minor service-style check every six months, or 6500 km for SR models]. Even the carbon belt drive will only need an initial adjustment after the first few hundred kilometres, then it shouldn’t need looking at for another 32,000 kiloemtres. No conventional combustion engine means no filters or spark plugs. A petrol bike service can be between $300 and $800 per year, even more if you are talking exotics.
Minimal moving parts on an electrical bike promise low servicing costs
Obviously, the biggest saving will be fuel. This is where I attempt some very rough, estimated costs. To fully charge the 14.4KW battery at home, will cost approximately $6 AUD depending on state power costs. And for argument’s sake, let’s say a full charge will last 160 kilometres, so that’s around $4 per 100 kilometres.
The SR/S should also offer considerably cheaper running costs than a fuel powered counter-part
If you can charge for free at work it’s virtually free commuting. The only thing you’ll have to pay for is insurance and an occasional small service. The Zero SR/S could save a long range commuter quite a few bucks, but a small-mid capacity scooter would still probably work out just as cheap. But for the price of the Zero you could have that scooter, and perhaps a sportsbike and a dirtbike for the same money!
Range
Range is the big question. Interestingly, Zero are happy with their claimed range and have discovered through market research that the average rider will ride around 100 miles for a recreational ride, while the average commute is considerably less at around 20 miles.
Zero claims the new sculpted bodywork gives a 13 per cent increase in range, but this is only when prone or tucked in. So, yes, on the motorway, stay tucked in and you’ll enjoy 13 per cent more range – but would you?
There’s a lot more variables with the mileage you can expect on a machine like the SR/S
Zero also say that when riding normally the range is the same as the naked SR/F because the S’s bars are higher and the pegs are lower. In other words, the aerodynamic effects of the new fairing are only advantageous when laid on the dummy fuel tank.
At 110 km/h on the highway it is good for just over 130 kilometres, and a combination of city and highway returns a range of around 175 kilometres.
The SR/S should be good for a range of up to 260 km according to Zero
In the real world, range ultimately depends on how you ride, your size, weight, wind, hills… even tyre pressures. Some taller, heavy-handed riders had worse range figures than me, but during the test in the south of France, I calculated the following.
After a steady ride, with a very short blast on the motorway, I travelled 37 kilometres and used 20 per cent of the battery’s charge, and had an indicated range remaining of 138 kilometres. Further along, using eco and street modes, I had 70 kilometres done, 58 per cent battery remaining and an indicated 100km range remaining.
Finally, after a very brisk ride, motorway, plus more town work and 110 kilometres done, I had 26 per cent battery remaining and 46 km remaining. Roughly speaking that’s a 160 kilometre range, with the rider starting to think about re-charging after around 120 kilometres of ‘normal’ riding. However this could be less on faster roads.
When it comes to re-charging you have to think of the SR/S as a smart phone. You’re so dependent on your phone, you’d rarely allow it to run out of charge. I generally use mine throughout the day and, when I get home or when I got to bed, plug it in at about 20 per cent life – and it’s back to 100 per cent in the morning.
Charging time varies between the standard and premium model, which features a fast charger, but should top out at about the 4.5 hour mark
Alternatively, I plug in at my desk in the office and have 100 per cent power for the rest of the day. It’s the same for the SR/S electric bike: get to work, plug in, and have full charge during the working day. A normal 3 kW fast charger will have the SR/S back to full power in 4.5 hours on the standard bike, and just 2.5 hours on the premium model.
However, as you should have 15-25 per cent battery left, you’re looking at considerably less time, say four hours for a 95 per cent charge from flat, two hours on the premium. On a fast charger it will take 1.3 hours for a 95 per cent charge and just an hour on the premium model.
It’s worth noting the last five per cent of charge takes the longest, around 30-minutes as the bike is optimising the battery. Therefore 30-minutes on a fast charge could see a percentage rise from 30 to 90 per cent, barely enough time to order a coffee and drink it.
The availability of charging stations or being able to charge at work will be big factors for some riders
As electric bike and cars develop, charging stations will become more popular and there are numerous apps on the market that highlight where they are. In fact, in some regions of the world you can even pre-book a charging point in advance .
Electric power and torque
If you’ve never ridden an electric bike before, you’re in for an enjoyable surprise. Torque is instant; in fact, on the dyno the SR/S makes peak torque from less than 500 rpm, then it’s a flat curve of 190 Nm until it eventually tails off. No gears and no clutch mean it’s easy to launch from a standstill too. At the traffic lights GP it will give most conventional petrol bikes a run for their money in a race to the national speed limit.
The SR/S offers up to 140 ft-lb from 500 rpm, although ride modes offer some significant variance
There are four main ride modes to choose from: Eco, Rain, Street, and Sport. Each mode changes the power characteristics along with peak torque. They also change the level of traction control intervention and re-gen braking (which is like conventional engine braking but also re-charges the battery).
The modes can be switched on the move, and there are additional custom modes in which you can dictate the bike’s performance – for example full power, no TC and no engine braking for track action. Each mode illuminates the full colour TFT dash to a different colour and it’s simple and straightforward.
If you download the app you can even change the modes remotely from your phone. For example, if you’ve stopped for a coffee and have your bike on charge and it starts to rain you can switch from sports to rain – all from the warmth of the coffee shop.
A phone app also offers remote control of the electronics
Unlike some petrol bikes, the modes do dramatically change the power and feel of the bike. In Eco mode the power is soft, top speed is limited to 120 km/h, and there is plenty of engine braking, or re-gen – so much so you only need the occasional brush of the brakes, even when you’re making steady progress.
Around town or on the slow coastal roads of southern France the Eco mode was more than enough, and I’m guessing in any major city you wouldn’t want any more. If I were comparing its output to a petrol bike, I would think of KTM Duke 390 to 120 km/h.
There is a noticeable step up on power from Eco and Rain to Street. Now the Zero is more comparable to a Suzuki SV650 or Kawasaki Z650. Overtakes don’t have to be as calculated, top speed isn’t restricted and the reduced engine braking is instantly noticeable. Again, on the twisty roads in the south of France, I was more than satisfied with the street mode.
The SR/S comes alive in full sport mode, with top speed restrictions removed, freeing the full performance
Even when we hit the mountain passes, I didn’t want any more power and I was able to have a spirited, enjoyable ride. The Street mode should be fine for 80 per cent of the time away from fast A-roads or the motorway.
However, flick into the full sports mode and the SR/S comes alive; acceleration no matter what the road speed is rapid. There is no lag, no hesitation, you’re instantly propelled towards the horizon. On the motorway I was blown away by the rapid roll-on acceleration from 100 km/h to 130 km/h, which took me by surprise.
Sport mode offers a direct connection between throttle and power
Unlike a petrol bike you don’t have to kick back a few gears for instant power, instead it’s always there, and hugely impressive. In this mode it’s hard to compare to a petrol bike as top speed is claimed as only 200 km/h, but that acceleration – the way it feels when you roll on the throttle – is like a big sports naked, a Z1000 perhaps. The only downside of the sports mode is that it quickly zaps power from the battery, greatly reducing the range.
Electric advantages
No noise means you can leave the house for an early morning ride without waking the neighbours. It also allows you to get more tuned in with your ride. It’s a surreal experience at first, but one I’ve grown to enjoy.
The SR/S also doesn’t have gears or a clutch
The lack of gears and gearbox makes it a doddle to ride, and because there’s no engine or exhaust, there’s no heat either. This has two advantages: one, you don’t get cooked in traffic from the heat generated by a petrol engine on summer days. And two, you can put a ‘hot’ bike straight into the garage without having to worry about the kids being in the garage at the same time.
Handling suspension, chassis, and weight
Weight has always been an issue with electric bikes. I raced in the TT Zero race on the Isle of Man several times and it was always an issue on a 260 kg bike, but although the Zero SR/S is hefty, it’s not too bad, and more comparable to a large sporty, fully-fuelled naked bike.
The Zero SR/S feels like a large nakedbike and weighs in at 229 kg
229 kg isn’t light but is more than manageable, and Zero has made significant changes to aid the handling with this new model. The fully-adjustable Showa suspension looks visually identical to that on the naked F model but is completely new internally, with new springs and a revised shim stack.
The ride is on the sporty side; there isn’t a huge amount of travel on the suspension, which results in a firm ride. This is fine for smooth French roads but I’d prefer it to be plusher, especially on bumpy B-roads. However, the flip side is the way it controls the weight of the bike, particularly in fast corners and when you apply the strong brakes.
Suspension is on the firm side and fully adjustable
However, you do notice the weight during fast direction changes, especially lifting the bike from knee-down left to knee-down right, but it’s not overwhelming. The bars are relatively wide and high and the pegs are low, which allows you to manhandle the bike with relative ease.
Ground clearance is also good for this type of bike while the Pirelli tyres give excellent feedback. So think sports-touring rather than full-on touring – like a Ninja 1000SX or Suzuki GSX-S1000, and the Zero SR/S wouldn’t feel too far out of place in the medium group on a track day.
Comfort over distance and touring
As mentioned, the overall ride is on the firm side, and some of this is down to the seat, which is more sports-bike than touring. The new screen and bodywork do a decent job of keeping you out of the wind blast, while pillions now get good side grab handles and pegs that are not too high.
The seat on the SR/S is more sportsbike than sports-tourer
In the accessories catalogue there are even solid panniers and a top box on offer. Don’t forget, there is also storage in the dummy fuel tank, enough for the charging cable, waterproofs or spare gloves. There is even a handy USB charger.
However, unlike a petrol bike, comfort isn’t an issue as you’re going to have to stop every 100 kilometres or so to re-charge, and that will take time, enough time to relax and chill out. This isn’t a bike you’re going to be able to cover 500 kilometres in a day on, at least not without careful planning.
Storage is found in the ‘tank’ with USB charging port
Rider aids and extra equipment/accessories
All the rider aids are lean-sensitive, which means cornering ABS and traction control comes as standard. These can be changed on the move or deactivated either via custom modes or remotely via your mobile phone.
Electronics play an important part in safety on the SR/S with lean sensitive ABS and traction control
The TC intervention doesn’t cut the ignition as it would on a conventional bike, it simply reduces the power/torque. In Rain and Eco mode you can feel the intervention, but not so much in the street and race mode.
In many ways the TC is more beneficial on an electric bike as there is so much instant torque from less than 500 rpm and a direct connection from throttle to tyre. On a cold day, it would be easy to spin the rear tyre. In the wet, I’d strongly advise keeping the TC active.
2020 Zero SR/S verdict
Yes, it’s expensive, compared to a normal petrol bike, but after the initial outlay, running costs are significantly reduced.. The Zero SR/S is hard to fault. If you can live with a 160 kilometre range, use a bike mainly for commuting and short journeys, then it is a serious contender. Why would you not try electric? Apart from the current price of admission that is, and the fact you can’t buy a Zero in Australia yet!
The Zero SR/S offers a real alternative despite the initial outplay still being prohibitive
It will be interesting to see how the bikes perform in the real world on faster roads away from the glamour of Cannes. A decade ago I would have laughed at the idea of an electric bike, but not now. We quizzed Zero on their Australian plans and received the response below.
Dan Quick, Manager of Marketing communication
“We’re excited to hear there is interest in the Australian market for Zero Motorcycles but don’t currently have plans to return to retail operations there a this time. We’re constantly reviewing inbound requests for expansion into new markets, and when we receive them there are three general criteria we consider. First is the market opportunity and what type of demand we see in the potential territory. Second is the government policy on EV’s and any available incentives. And third is the charging infrastructure; its maturity, technology, and density. Lastly, we need to have the right, long term committed distribution partner to ensure that our consumers there get the level of support and service that we want to see as a leading brand. All of these factors along with the logistical challenges of being able to support future customers at a level befitting our premium standards go into consideration of an expansion.”
2020 Zero SR/S Specifications
Price (UK)
From £19,590 (£21,590 Premium as tested)
Capacity
None
Bore x Stroke
Er?
Engine layout
Rectangle battery cells, inline with air-cooling
Engine details
Interior permanent magnet AC motor
Power
110 hp (82 KW) @ 5000rpm
Torque
140 lb-ft (190 Nm) from less than 500 rpm
Top speed
124 mph (not recorded)
Transmission
Automatic – Belt Drive
Fuel cons. ‘equivalent’
59 mpg claimed
Tank size (Battery)
14.4 kWh
Charging time
4.5 hours (standard), 2.5 hours (Premium with fast charger)
Yamaha YZF-R1 Test by Wayne Vickers – Images by SD Pics
So I’ve put down my thoughts on how the new R1 performs on the road inPart 1 of the R1 review here (link).But I was also lucky enough to get some time on track with it. Trev thought it would give me a more rounded appreciation of the bike. The boss is smarter than he looks sometimes…
Jumping on the R1 at the track after a 10-year hiatus
It only occurred to me after saying. ‘Yeah that’ll be aces,’ that it’d been over 10 years since I stepped away from racing and sports bike ownership and the same amount of time since I’d swung my knees in the breeze at the track. In a lot of ways I figured that would represent a decent chunk of returning riders out there. After all, it actually is just like riding a bike… Right?
Putting aside the inordinate amount of time it took me to load the bike onto the trailer, and the whole getting halfway to the track before realising I’d left the bike keys at home, the rest of the morning went pretty smoothly. Sign in, scrutineering, a quick safety briefing. The Phillip Island Ride day gang lead by Brouggy have their stuff sorted.
The 2020 Yamaha YZF-R1 at Phillip Island
Then the nervous wait for the first session.
First sessions at the Island were always a bit of a mind bender even when I was doing them fairly regularly. A bit of a write-off really as your brain takes a bit of time to come up to speed. The place is so damn fast. There’s no denying that a quick blast on the road just doesn’t compare to sitting up at around 270 clicks for the first time as you approach turn one…
I’d forgotten how much the wind hits you. And The Island being The Island, there was a reasonably gusty wind coming across the track that threw you around quite a bit coming out of 12, and into Turn 1. And pushed you on at Turn 3. So only three of the four quickest corners then – cool.
Heading out on the R1 at Phillip Island for the first session
Back into the pits. I started to collect my thoughts again and it was only during the second session that I was starting to feel comfortable. Lines started to return and I could feel a bit of a rhythm coming back – even if I was well off my previous pace. 10 years worth of rust doesn’t just instantly disappear it would seem.
However, what was noticeable was how well the whole package comes together. Bearing in mind that I still had the suspension on stock settings here and was still running the OEM (and stonkingly good) Bridgestone RS11 Battlaxe hoops, the bike felt so composed on its side at what were still reasonable lap times for a track day punter rider.
As tested the R1 has the OEM Bridgestone RS11 Battlaxe hoops
Great power, stonking mid-range, excellent brakes and immense feel at both ends. I took it as a bit of a task to see just how far I could go on the stock settings without nudging the limits too closely. I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn’t my bike. And I wasn’t practising for a race… I had Trev’s strict instructions not to push too hard sounding loud and clear in my melon.
Turns out – you can push it quite a long way and still have plenty in reserve. By focusing on cornering and input smoothness – and letting the traction control system work its magic on exit – you’re able to get on the gas relatively hard and early. Felt like cheating to be fair compared to my old ’09 blade without traction control… Not having to worry too much about being spat into orbit sure lets you concentrate on other things.
The electronics package on the R1 lets you concentrate on cornering, smoothness and getting on the gas
Speaking of getting on it. While you don’t often need to wring it past 11 thousand on the road due to the great gobs of mid-range grunt, at the track you do – and the sound it makes when you wind it right out is gloriously feral. It moves your soul and the corners of your mouth in equal parts. It’s epic. Out of say… Turn 12, you’re in fourth and as you start to straighten up and tuck in, you’re edging past 11 and steps up a notch and fairly howls. Feed it another gear. More howling.
Into sixth before the finish line and you’re proper shifting as you crest the hill. I was rolling off waaay early (almost at the 200m mark, a full 100+m earlier than I used to) to get the bike settled in the crosswind, but even then you’re fairly hauling. Out of Turn 2 in third and the traction control keeps it tidy as the front goes a bit light.
You feed it another couple of gears as you drop into the fast left hand Turn 3, before banging down three gears via the quick-shifter into the hairpin. That quick-shifter, which to me feels a little doughy on downshifts on the road, doesn’t seem to be an issue on the track. Maybe it’s just wearing itself in. The bike did have only 12 kms on it when I picked it up…
Had I been chasing lap times, I’d have worked on suspension settings
The stock suspension settings were only really holding things back under the hardest braking and on the fastest corners. If it had been my bike and I’d been seriously chasing lap times I’d have thrown some slicks on and firmed things up a little both front and rear. The front to help stop it diving quite so much under braking into the Turn 4 hairpin and the rear to give it a little more weight over the front through the fastest corners.
Having said that, my times were still steadily dropping as the day went on. They plateaued at about my fifth session for the day, but realistically it was me that was the limiting factor – not the bike. That was also the session that I was looking for the chequered flag a couple of laps before it came out, so I decided to call it a day at that. Don’t do ‘just one more’ Wayno… You know how that ends from recent experience.
When I started to feel it towards the end of the day I came in with a greater appreciation of the new R1
Yes the traction control system is insanely good and instils so much confidence to explore the limits. As does the LIF system that limits the front from coming up. And the lean sensitive ABS, even though I never reeeaaally let myself fully test that out if I’m honest…
All up the day was awesome. The bike was awesome. The track was awesome. The new gear I was testing was awesome (more on that in a bit). And as track days tend to do – it gave me a much greater understanding of the bike’s immense capabilities and changed my perception of it a little.
Yamaha’s 2020 YZF-R1 offers a significant upgrade over the outgoing model
Back on the road afterwards I felt even more comfortable on it. Truth be told I could be tempted back to sports bike ownership with one of these jiggers if I could include some track time in my schedule. A 15 year younger me that was still very much into track days would most likely buy one of these from the current crop of sports bikes. I reckon they’ve got this one right.
This year’s R1 really does seem to be an easier thing to ride on the road AND have even more overall performance. With Honda moving in the other direction in terms of only bringing the highest spec CBR-RR-SP in, I reckon Yamaha could pick up a handy little sales boost this year… It’ll be interesting to see how it fares against the new S 1000 RR. But the R1 has a crossplane ace up its sleeve that adds another level of fun in my book.
Phillip Island and riding on the track gives a whole extra scope of insight into the R1
Now – I mentioned some new gear I’m testing for road and track focussed riding. Here’s the low down on some of what I used on the day.
This is one of a pair of Airoh lids I’m trying at the moment, alongside the matching colour schemed Commander DUO (also from Moto National link).I’m loving both of these helmets, but let’s talk about the GP500 as its the one I wore on the R1.
Airoh GP500
It’s nice and light at 1200g, is super comfortable and dripping with quality. The GP500 comes with a lightly tinted visor (50% tint which has excellent optics and no visual ripples) and has a PinLock anti-fog strip in the box. Ventilation is really good and I reckon the colour scheme looks mint. The matt paintwork seems to clean easily too.
Airoh GP500
On the head it feels physically small no doubt due to its weight – and when on the bike the wind noise is really very good for something so well vented. The overall shape reduces buffeting in a straight line and has very little wind grab when you turn side on. It also has Airoh’s ‘Emergency Fast Remove’ cheek pad removal system that means the cheek pads can be removed with the helmet still on – to enable easier helmet removal post crash.
Spidi ‘SuperSport Touring’ two-piece leathers
The other bit of kit I was testing was a tidy new Spidi ‘SuperSport Touring’ two-piece leather suit thanks to Moto National (Spidi Australia website link). The leathers offered typical great Spidi quality with a terrific fit (I’m just on 6 ft, 85 kegs and take a size 54 for what it’s worth). Being a two-piece suit its a bit more usable than a one-piece jobby in that you can obviously take the jacket off and cool down at rest stops.
Spidi ‘SuperSport Touring’ two-piece leathers
It comes with flex panels for a great fit and has CE protectors on shoulders, elbows, knees and hips – and is ready for insertion of Spidis ‘Warrior’ back and chest protector units. I wore my existing back protector vest underneath and it was nicely snug. The flex panels provide some ventilation with higher flow panels on the shoulders and back and the inner mesh lining helps wick sweat away nicely.
It also has some neoprene panels on the wrist and neck for optimum fit. It comes with a speed hump on the back for added cools (and better aero) and an internal zipper pocket for stowing the bike keys, while having fairly funky ‘bi-phase’ styled sliders too.
Testing out the Spidi ‘SuperSport Touring’ two-piece leathers on the 2020 YZF-R1 at Phillip Island
The real test was moving about on the bike on track. And to be honest – I never really had to think about the suit while riding – so that’s a massive win. No rubbing or seams grabbing anywhere, no impaired movement on the bike. The fit was perfect, no doubt helped by the stretch panels.Makes my old Spidi race suit look a bit old school to be honest! That old one-piece is still in great condition mind you – these guys make stuff to last.
Yamaha YZF-R1 Test by Wayne Vickers – Images by TBG
Having ridden the outgoing R1 last year I had a good idea of what I was in for, but was still shaking my head a few days after riding the new 2020 Yamaha YZF-R1. It’s a far more well rounded rocket than last year’s number.
The Yamaha YZF-R1 boasts a host of changes for 2020
The words “Spinal Tap’ come to mind. Not because you’ll end up in back pain (though it’s a seriously focused riding position), but because it goes all the way to 11, in almost every aspect. It really is ‘even more’ than last year – everywhere. Engine, suspension, brakes, the lot.
I’ve mentioned how focused modern sports bikes are these days before, but if you want a hint of just what I’m talking about? The dash doesn’t include a fuel gauge. Or a distance to empty meter. 20 km’s after picking it up I was looking to check if it was full of fuel.. And there was no way to tell without stopping and popping the lid. Yep. It makes some concessions to everyday usability. And gives very few shits about trivial mortal things like how much fuel you have left. Sort that stuff out before you ride, human.
The 2020 R1 makes few compromises, there’s not even a fuel gauge
But back to the all the way to 11 thing. I’d very much underestimated just how much more punch the full tune on the new R1 has on the MT-10 SP I’d just stepped off. Yamaha have done quite a bit under the fairings on this update, even if – from the 10 metre check – it looks pretty similar to the outgoing model. Those updates include new cylinder heads, injectors, cam profile and fly by wire throttle.
Just as importantly they’ve made some important changes to the oil lubrication around the crankshaft and improved cooling on exhaust ports to beef up longevity under hard-core racing conditions. Interestingly the improved oil distribution alone frees up five hp at high revs apparently. The net result is dribblingly good – it spins up SO damn fast and pulls SO hard that I found myself over blipping downshifts and just generally muttering expletives multiple times each ride for several days after picking it up.
Refinements to the engine have made an enormous difference
It sounds like a proper high-comp race engine too, especially on start-up where for the first few seconds it has an even more lumpy idle than usual before settling into a ‘normal’ idle. It’s not grumpy like a race engine though. Far from it, its fuelling is spot on to cruise around at low revs. But give the bike it’s head… sweet mother of god… Feeding it gears under full throttle is downright eargasmic. Even if the new muffler is supposed to be a little quieter (for shame Yamaha, for shame – we want more noise – more, more, more!). But have it pinned past 11 grand and it goes to another level of banshee. The reality is that I rarely found myself needing to get to 11 on the road with such a prodigious mid-range. On the track was another story however…
And there is some updated tech to play with too – and thankfully they’re able to be tweaked on the go with relative ease. Four preset ‘modes’ that are all adjustable, allowing you to play with Power (PWR), Traction Control (TCS), Slide Control (SCS) and Engine Braking (EBM) on the go. Initially I admit that I felt like a bit of a blouse dropping back to PWR mode 2, but it’s just too aggressive for everyday road riding.
Electronics are extensive with modes, traction control, lift control and more…
Yamaha’s own R1 owners manual describes mode 1 as ‘suitable for track riding’ mode 2 as ‘soft track riding setting’, mode 3 as ‘suitable for road use’ and yes mode 4 is ‘street or rain’… And on the road the difference between mode 1 and 2 is fairly linear across the whole range and just takes the abrupt edge off throttle openings, whereas mode 3 is more noticeably softer again in the mid range. If I was stepping up to a big bike for the first time – or a returning rider – I’d probably start with mode 3 and work my way back up to 2. I’d have to wait to get onto the track to play with the traction control and slide control settings properly… more on that later.
Suspension wise there’s new KYB forks and shock, that at first sample on factory settings seemed overly firm coming off the MT-10, but they actually soak up reasonably large road hits very well, so I left them alone while my head still got used to everything else. It was the right call. As come the twisties, they were sublime. A notable step up from last year according to my buttometer.
KYB provide updated suspension on the 2020 R1
Excellent feel, especially on the front end, which now feels impossibly planted to the road. No doubt helped by the amazing anti-wheelie system – LIF, which can be dialled back from 3 (you won’t get the front more than an inch off the deck) back through 2 and 1, then OFF. And no, you don’t feel it doing its thing. It just produces maximum forward progress. Makes my head hurt just thinking about how quickly these systems have to respond to inputs to work this well.
Braking is the other major improvement. Gone are the previous model’s linked system – which I didn’t mind actually – replaced with a new Brake Control System with two settings – 1 for track work and 2 for everything else. It also has new pads that feel stronger both in initial bite and power while still having excellent feel.
Yamaha did away with the previous linked brake system, with a new brake control system in its place
So what’s it all add up to on the road by comparison to last year? A noticeably better bike in the real world. The new suspenders make the biggest difference on the road, soaking up general road ripples, bumps and potholes much better than last year’s YZF-R1. And to my mind they gave even better feel in the twisties too. Somehow it’s all added up to a bike that is an even better real world proposition – and its quicker as well. Bravo Yamaha.
But this isn’t where the story ends on this one. Trev organised for me to spend a day at Phillip Island to get even more intimate with it. Read about that in Part 2…
Yamaha’s 2020 YZF-R1
Why I like it
– Feels like a better road proposition than the last model.
– That R1 crossplane engine at full tune. Other-wordly.
– New KYBs noticeably better on the road.
– Electronics even more refined.
– If I still did track days this would be at the top of the list.
I’d like it more if
– Not a fan of the scroll wheel controller and screen interface
How good’s this? KTM’s outstanding 1290 Super Duke R one week, Yamaha’s top spec’ MT-10 SP the next. Arguably two of the best naked sports bikes of the current crop. I’d go a step further and say two of the best current sports bikes period. After spending time on these, I’ll be honest and say that I’m not sure why anyone would pony up for a full faired thoroughbred for road use instead of one of these puppies, unless they were doing regular track days. Anyway, let’s get to it.
Yamaha MT-10 SP
The MT-10 SP. What are we looking at here then? It’s essentially the cooking model MT-10 with extra special sauce Ohlins ERS front and rear as well as the flash TFT screen from the R1. The Ohlins ERS (Electric Racing Suspension) bit means that they not only do some techno wizardy that constantly monitors and tweaks the compression and rebound settings for the optimal ride, but it also lets you adjust the overall settings on the fly yourself. It’s a serious bit of tech. And they’re seriously good. I reckon they work best when you’re hard at it – and on rough back roads you’ll want to nip through the first few settings from A, to somewhere in the M range. I found the A settings just fine on smoother roads though. Bloody good in fact.
Ohlins provide the electronic suspenders on the Yamaha MT-10 SP
And the TFT dash has some very trick additions. It has a road mode and a track mode track mode enabling lap timing and displaying best lap or previous and a host of other options. The mode selector (on the left hand side switchgear) allows you to adjust ride modes, power maps, traction control and suspension presets all quite quickly and easily. I’m still not a fan of the multi-function scroll wheel on the right hand side or its interface on the TFT, with more options and screens than ever, but that’s a minor bug bear really. The overall screen layout is pretty solid.
The MT-10 offers the full electronics package
So how’s it ride? Well, compared to the R1 which of course shares its epic cross-plane engine, the SP is a far more accessible option. With a far more comfortable upright riding position and seat, it’s a legitimate commuter and tourer as well as a weekend scratcher. And it positively LOVES pointing the front wheel towards outer space. I reckon if Yamaha put a fairing on this, it would be the modern equivalent of older generation Honda VFRs. Which sold by the boatload. Just sayin.
The MT-10 SP shares the R1 powerplant but is more accessible
Styling wise the front end treatment is certainly distinctive. I reckon it’s trying to be as funky as the old K1300R, but it looks a little transformerish to me. Like a blue bumblebee. I personally think it would be better off with a more standard looking headlight set-up. Yamaha have had some nice ones over the years like the older FZ1-N for instance. Either way… looks are subjective and when you’re riding it you are not going to be looking at it unless you are in the process of crashing…
A distinct Transformer style headlight design is featured
But you do notice the engine. I’ve written about the cross-plane donk before and hopefully will again soon, but my god it’s good. And combined with the R1 quick shifter it’s just ridiculous. The MT-10 is tuned more for torque than the R1, with peak torque of 110 odd Nm coming in at 9000 rpm. There’s about 160 ponies on tap too. On the road there’s serious surge from 5,000 rpm which you’re sitting just below at highway speeds in top gear. Big hump. Right off idle. It’s addictive. And the soundtrack is sublime. I personally preferred the B mode map 2 which I found an ideal blend for performance and shenanigans. It wasn’t quite as aggressively tuned as A mode and the map 2 just softened the throttle ever so slightly, allowing for more controlled lofting of the front 🙂 Speaking of, it’ll happily hold up the front in fifth… ahem.. so I’m told… Bonkers.
The MT-10 SP provides 160 hp with ride modes
Steering wise, the front end is probably the only part that I reckon could do with a tweak. It felt to me like it was a touch over done on the steering damper side of things. Made it feel a little heavier than I’d prefer. You really notice it when pushing it around on foot and at low road speeds. That said, it diminishes somewhat as the speed rises and the result is a front end that feels dyna-bolted to the road, it’d just about take a hit with a bus to put it off line. I reckon it’d be pretty ace on a tight track… Combine it with the very effective traction control system borrowed from the R1 (I was happy with setting 2), and you can really take liberties when getting up it. On the right bit of road I regularly found myself exiting corners with the back squirreling ever so slightly for grip before catapulting me towards the next bend. Not once did the front protest or even wriggle.
The front end was on the heavy side, with a tweak to the steering damper maybe in order
It’s no lightweight either. With a wet weight of 210 kilograms it has a certain solidity to it, which no doubt helps the planted feeling of the front end. You do feel the heft when tipping into corners. Not a lot. And it’s not heavy per se, but it does tip in slower than you might think. However, it’s uncannily stable for a sports bike.
Anything else? The fuel gauge has the same quirk as the R1 in that it only shows full, then half full, then finer increments below half. Weird. Makes planning longer trips with bigger gaps between fill-ups a little more taxing if you don’t remember to re-set the trip meter. Oh and speaking of fuel – it doesn’t mind a sip of the good stuff. You’ll be filling up before you get to 250 kilometres. The fuel light was coming on for me just after 200 km – and I was putting in about 14-litres worth at 220 km. Its an 18-litre tank so you’d get another 50 km or so more than that depending on how full to the brim it was when filled. So it’s acceptable, but not great. That means a daily top-up for me. Not that it matters much when you have that engine at your fingertips. Oh – I do think something with an SP badge should come with a nice muffler too. But maybe that’s just me.
An 18 L fuel capacity should be good for 250km
There’s very little to fault with the MT-10 SP. I reckon it could quite possible be the best bike in the Yamaha fleet in fact. I’d have one as a sporting road bike option before the R1 nine times out of ten. And I’d be able to comfortably use it every day. Commute on it. Load it up and do weekend tours on it. And still take it to most tracks in the country and have a blast. It would only be left wanting on the fastest flowing circuits like Phillip Island where fairings come in a bit handy…
A special SP exhaust wouldn’t go astray on the MT-10
It’s a ripper. Going back to the intro and the comparison to the new (not quite here yet) KTM 1290 Super Duke R. Is the MT-10 SP better? They were line-ball last year with a split vote from MCNews, but I think team orange have moved the game on a bit since then… That said the cross-plane engine has a distinctly additive character that will win plenty over. In truth they’re both great rides. And both have slightly different personalities. I think it’d come down to your own riding style, aesthetic preference and any brand allegiance you had.
Is the Yamaha MT-10 SP the pick of the Yamaha line-up… seems that way…
Ride both. Pick a colour. Toss a coin. Pick an engine you like the best. Consult the 8 ball. Either way you can’t go wrong. Have I mentioned we’re spoilt for choice as bike riders before?
Yamaha MT-10 SP
Why I like it
Way more comfortable than the R1. Its an everyday option.
That R1 crossplane engine. Its drool inducing. Holds the front up in 5th…
Easy ride mode switching on the move
Flash Ohlins completes the package
I’d like it more if
Dial the steering dampener back a smidge
Not convinced on the bumblebee face
The scroll wheel controller and screen interface needs a rethink
The fuel tank gauge was more incremental and a little bit more range would be nice
An ‘SP’ should have a ‘better than stock’ muffler shouldn’t it?
Kawasaki’s popular Ninja 1000SX receives a multitude of upgrades for 2020. We sent international journalist Adam ‘Chad’ Child to Spain to wheelie, I mean test, the latest version of this popular sports-tourer.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX Review
Kawasaki’s first Z1000SX was introduced in 2010 and I was lucky enough to attend the world launch in Spain. I was immediately impressed with their new sports-tourer. Kawasaki had cleverly listened to the, let’s face it, aging bike market and gave it precisely what was required: a comfortable tourer that was also capable of being sporty and fun. It was loosely based on Kawasaki’s Z1000, and customers loved it, as did Kawasaki dealers.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
In 2014, I was back in Spain to test the updated 1000SX, with improved braking, revised suspension, cosmetic tweaks, and a livelier engine. I owned a 2014 model, and covered nearly 30,000 miles in all conditions and loved it, a brilliant all-round bike. 2017 saw another upgrade, with the introduction of a six-axis IMU offering greater riders aids. Other changes aside from the obvious cosmetic differences was a lowered rear, by changing the shock linkage and new clocks. The engine was also cleaned up to meet Euro-4 but didn’t lose any power or torque.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
For 2020, Kawasaki have significantly improved the SX and rebranded it the ‘Ninja’ 1000SX, which puts it in the same family as their corporate flagship, the supercharged Ninja H2 SX.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
The improvements include a new TFT 4.3inch full-colour dash with Bluetooth connectivity. New styling, which includes a new single-exiting exhaust that saves on weight and a manually four-way adjustable screen.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
Other significant changes include revised suspension, the addition of an up-and-down quick-shifter, cruise control, four electronic rider modes, and a larger and comfier seat for both rider and pillion, increased by 20 mm which raises the seat hight from to 835 mm, from 815 mm. On spec alone this is a significant upgrade for the now Euro5-compliant SX.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX Quick-Shifter
The new clocks add a spoonful of superiority to a bike that has already surpassed the Japanese competition in kerb appeal. Yes, $17,199 plus on roads for the base model (without panniers), is a reasonable chunk of money, but for a high-quality and powerful sports-tourer it’s also competitively priced and considerably cheaper than BMW’s R 1250 RS, arguably the Kawasaki’s closest competition. Suzuki have the cheaper, GSX-S1000F, but there isn’t the option of hard panniers, and despite being similar in power, the Suzuki is a little more basic in specification and rider aids.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
The new clocks, which have two displays (sports and touring) are strong and offer four riding modes: Sport, Road, Rain plus a personalised Rider mode that allows you to change the engine’s power characteristics and reduce or remove the traction control — and do so on the move. There’s also an easy-to-use cruise control, which, like all the controls, became second nature after 160miles in the SX’s (super-comfy) saddle. Everything is operated by the new array of buttons on the left, bar and although are not immediately intuitive, are simple and easy to operate even in thick gloves.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
With 260 kilometres on day one followed by a full-on second day of riding, Kawasaki wanted the press to feel the full benefit of their modernised version of best-selling SX. A new, 835 mm thick, seat is far comfier than before – after two days of riding there were no aches or gripes. On the old model, after two hours in the saddle you started to move around to prevent numb-bum syndrome, the 2020 is superior.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX cockpit is a more comfortable place to spend time
The new four-way, manually adjustable screen is a little on the small side, even when fully erect, but there is a larger screen available in Kawasaki’s accessories catalogue. You’re not meant to manually adjust the screen on the move, but the addition of cruise control does make this easier.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
On the motorway, with the cruise-control set to 135 km/h, revs hovering at 6000 rpm and a noticeable but never overwhelming buffeting on my upper body, I couldn’t have been more content. The helpful clocks were feeding me economy data as well as an estimated tank range: two fast hours in the saddle, no problem. On test we averaged around 5.5 litres per 100 kilometres, which with a 19-litre fuel tank gives a theoretical tank range of well in excess of 300 kilometres. With improved comfort, 250 kilometres plus in one stint wouldn’t be an issue.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
The SX is desirable, attractive, comfortable, and dripping with rider aids like cornering ABS and lean-sensitive traction control. The rider aids are first rate, comparable to leading road-going superbikes from a few years ago. They are not intrusive, and allow you to ride with a guardian angel on your shoulder. But for me it’s the SX’s sporting edge that elevates it above the competition.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
The SX has always been on the sporty side of sports-touring, and I believe that balance has for 2020 swung even more towards sports. Despite its size and weight, the SX handles well enough for knee-down levels of lean — in safety.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
The new Bridgestone S22 tyres give exceptional feedback and grip in all conditions. In fact, that new dash has a lean angle indicator that I managed to push to 52-degrees, and even at those extreme peg-scraping levels of lean the SX felt secure and planted. When you add full loaded luggage and a pillion, ground clearance is further reduced, but the remote pre-load on the side is easy-to-use and will reduce the rear sag when you’ve added weight.
The Kawasaki’s turn-in and front-end feel are excellent. Kawasaki have only tweaked the fork internals slightly, increasing the oil flow, which softens the compression, but it’s a notable improvement over the old bike.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
The drive from the torquey and smooth in-line four-cylinder is effortless. Give her a big handful, though, and she’ll quickly remind you that there are 140 horses waiting to be unleashed. Make no mistake this isn’t a slow bike. Despite complying with Euro-5, the engine hasn’t lost any peak power or torque.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
The SX has the handling and power of a pure sportsbike from just 10 or so years ago, yet is supremely comfortable – with panniers plus a plethora of safety aids to keep everything in-line.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
At times I was conflicted. How do you ride a sports-tourer as sporty as this? Should I take it easy and enjoy the views around Corndora or go for knee-down, peg scraping glory? Truth is, the new SX is genuinely ecstatic in both scenarios and, while the old bike needed a tweak on the suspension to make it steer like a ZX, that isn’t the case anymore. The new SX handles from the crate.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
But it’s never all good news. The additional quick-shifter is relatively slick on up changes, especially at high rpm, but the same can’t be said on clutchless down changes, particularly below 5000 rpm. It’s not as slick as I was expecting and a little disappointing as the similar system on Kawasaki’s ZX-10RR is effortless and smooth.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
Also, with the integrated panniers fitted, the distance between the rider’s and pillion’s feet is restricted, especially if you ride on your toes, in race boots. I’ve ridden the old model extensively in the past with my wife as a pillion, and never had a problem, but it’s worth mentioning. If you ride extensively two-up, try before you buy.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
Verdict
I’ve without a doubt the new Kawasaki Ninja Z1000SX will carry on the sales success of its predecessor. After all, the new model is even sportier yet even easier to ride over a huge distances and has an even higher level of spec’ and appeal. Imagine, if you will, a truly practical and comfortable sportsbike, and, hey-presto, you have the SX, a bike so good you feel compelled to ask why you would you want anything else.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX Specifications
Kawasaki Ninja 1000 SX Specifications and Review
Specifications
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000 SX
Engine Type
Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, In-line 4-cylinder
Displacement
1,043 cm³
Bore x Stroke
77.0 x 56.0 mm
Compression Ratio
11.8:1
Valve System
Electronic Valve
Fuel System
Fuel Injection
Ignition
Digital
Starting
Electric
Transmission
6-speed, Return
Suspension – front
Telescopic Fork
Suspension – rear
Horizontal Back-link
Wheel travel – f/r
120 mm / 144 mm
Ground Clearance
135 mm
Brakes – front
Dual Discs 267 mm (effective diameter)
Brakes – rear
Single Disc 214 mm (effective diameter)
Wheel Size Front/Rear
17M/C x MT3.50 / 17M/C x MT6.00
Tyre Size Front/Rear
120/70ZR17M/C (58W) / 190/50ZR17M/C (73W)
L x W x H
2,100 x 825 x 1,190 mm
Wheelbase
1,440 mm
Seat height
835 mm
Fuel capacity
19 litres
Curb Mass
235 kg
Max Power
104.5 kW (142PS) @ 10,000 min
Max Torque
111.0 N.m (11.3 kgfm) / 8,000 min
Colours
Metallic Graphite Gray with Metallic Diablo Black Emerald Blazed Green with Metallic Carbon Gray and Metallic Graphite Gray
Warranty
24 Months Unlimited Kilometres
Photography by Tim Keeton and Graeme Brown
Kawasaki Ninja SX Screen
Kawasaki Ninja SX Panniers
Kawasaki Ninja SX Panniers
Kawasaki Ninja SX Muffler
Kawasaki Ninja SX Lights
Kawasaki Ninja SX Lights
Kawasaki Ninja SX LightRear
Kawasaki Ninja SX Dash App
Kawasaki Ninja SX Dash
Kawasaki Ninja SX Controls
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX cockpit is a more comfortable place to spend time
Kawasaki Ninja 1000 SX Specifications and Review
