2019 Royal Enfield Himalayan in limited-edition Sleet color (shown with optional accessories). Photo courtesy Royal Enfield.
Royal Enfield has announced that its Himalayan ADV model will come standard with ABS for 2019, and it will also be available in a new, limited-edition color: Sleet. It will continue to be available in the Snow and Granite colors as well.
Pricing for the 2019 Himalayan with ABS is $4,749.
After months of teasing out aspects of its new model, the day has finally arrived. Lightning Motorcycles officially launched the Strike, an electric sportbike with a variety of configurations to match both budget and ride style.
The standard Strike will start at $12,998 and features a 10-kWh battery and AC induction motor which promises 90 hp, 180 pound-feet of torque, and a top speed of 135 mph. This battery will offer a range of 70/100 miles highway/city and come with Level 1 and Level 2 charging options. Level 1 provides a full charge overnight from a standard 110-volt outlet at home, while Level 2 offers a full charge in two to three hours at any J1772 public charging station. Level 3 fast-charging and a more efficient onboard charger (from 3.3 kilowatts to 6.6 kilowatts) are options for the standard strike, but each upgrade will cost $1,500 a piece.
There will also be a midrange Strike that packs a larger, 15-kWh battery. It’s power output and charging inlet configuration are the same as the standard Strike, but its range is increased to 105/150 miles highway/city. Weight goes up slightly as well, with the midrange Strike weighing 465 pounds. The standard Strike tips the scales at 455 pounds. The Level 3 charging upgrade and onboard charger upgrade are options here too. A midrange Strike will start at $16,998.
The Strike Carbon is the best of the best, with a 20-kWh battery capable of 150/200 miles highway/city. It’s got 120 hp and 180 pound-feet of torque, all three charging inlets, and the 6.6-kilowatt onboard charger. Regarding other elements of its build, the Strike Carbon will also come with the Lightning Performance Package. That means Öhlins suspension throughout, Brembo braking kit, and an AIM Strada racing dash. It weighs 485 pounds, will price at $19,998, and be the first version of Strike to be delivered to customers starting July 2019.
The standard Strike can be upgraded with some or all of the performance parts included on the Carbon.
Engineers sought to make the Strike as aerodynamically efficient as possible, so devised its sportbike look through wind tunnel testing to help reduce drag and thereby improve range. The rider triangle was developed more for street riding, with an emphasis on comfort and broader usability. It’s more open and natural than the ergos of Lightning’s LS-218 superbike, which provided inspiration for the Strike.
To help keep people from looping the Strike and its 180 pound-feet of torque when the light turns green, Lightning refined throttle response to provide predictable and manageable power. There’s no specifics as to exactly how power delivery will be managed in today’s news, however.
Will the appeal of this Silicon Valley-engineered sportbike part you with your hard-earned cash? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Talk about polar opposites. Trev last had me put down some thoughts on the KTM Duke 790 (Link to review), which took me a few days and several hundred kays to get my head around. With the new Scrambler Street Twin however, everything clicked straight away with me.
2019 Triumph Street Scrambler
I challenge anyone to ride this bike and not have fun, it’s a laid back little ripper with a philosophy in stark contrast to that of the 790 Duke. This is one of the cruisiest, most chilled bikes I’ve ever ridden.
Throwing the leg over, the bar/tank/seat ergos gave me a sudden flashback to the bike I first learnt to ride on – an early ‘80s MX100 Yamaha dirtbike. Probably not all that surprising in hindsight I guess, because Triumph are really going for that vintage dirtbike thing with this one (and I reckon they’ve got it pretty right).
It did surprise me that everything came rushing back to me that quickly. I’m sure I’m not the only one out there with fond memories of what we’d now consider vintage dirtbikes…
Part of that familiarity comes from the wide flat bars – wider than those on the Street Twin, a low 790 mm seat height and relatively small overall dimensions. On the move the Scrambler feels light and has a low centre of gravity so it hides its 203 kg (dry) weight deceptively well.
2019 Triumph Street Scrambler – Low 790mm seat height and 203kg dry weight
So much so that I kept thinking of it and referring to it as a ‘little’ scrambler, but the reality is it has a 900 cc twin engine. I mean it doesn’t feel like it, because it still feels small.
When did 900cc become little? And even more-so than the Duke 790 – how can there be that much room on what feels like a small bike? You certainly feel the width of the Bonnie engine between your feet, but it somehow doesn’t seem to translate to heaviness or bulk.
Nice comfy seat, but not overly plush. Easy bar reach, really light controls – the lightest clutch I can think of actually, with a great feel. Simple dash and switchgear. This thing is just jump on and ride accessible. I also like the symmetrical design dash set-up too.
2019 Triumph Street Scrambler – Simple analogue dash with digital readout
At first I was a little disappointed that it didn’t have a digital speedo. But it’s the right call for this bike. Design-wise and philosophy-wise. It’s got an easy to read analogue speedo that dominates the dash with a tiny digital readout underneath that can be toggled easily through trip/odo/fuel consumption/revs/clock displays.
I’d guess that it’s by design that when the speedo hand is pointing at 12 o’clock you’re cruising along at a bees dick over 100km/h too, so you don’t even need to read any numbers to know where you’re at. Clever.
There’s some nice design details that run through the bike actually, and the finish throughout is top notch. The satin finished tank on the example I rode was lovely and I don’t think my photos do it justice. And those signature exhausts running the length of the right hand side set the bike apart from most other retros in a way that feels authentic, and not like it’s trying too hard. It does have history behind it after all…
2019 Triumph Street Scrambler –
On the move, first gear seemed a little taller than I first expected, but made sense when I realised it was a five speed box, not six. So the ratios are spread a little wider. And also made sense when after a few minutes I realised what the Bonneville twin engine was all about. What a delight.
Its fueling and power delivery is almost creamy smooth. It’s not really designed to be a revver, but happily pulls off idle with no fuss at all. The steam engine smooth lump is at its best really between 2000 and 4000rpm. Sure it’ll rev higher, but I tended to find myself playing around swapping cogs and relishing the burble when blipping for downshifts. Effortless, cruisey torque.
So effortless, that at first I thought the Scrambler felt slower than the reality. With 80Nm of torque at your right hand’s disposal from almost the get-go, it actually slips along nicely, but doesn’t ever feel frantic.
2019 Triumph Street Scrambler – Peak torque of 80Nm is delivered at just 3200rpm, with peak power at 7500rpm of 48kW
It’s the first bike I’ve ridden in a long time that I felt truly happy just trundling along on – in this case pretending to be Steve McQueen… On the highway you do cop the expected wind blast from a naked bike. More-so when you wear an adventure lid like I do, but certainly that drops away to negligible under about 80km/h.
In and around town it’s a joy. The gearbox itself was fairly tight when I picked it up – not surprising given it only had 400ks on it, but after a thousand kays or more had already started to loosen up nicely. Shift is firm and solid and I don’t think I had a single false shift.
Brakes are more than adequate, with a single disc up the front adorned with a Brembo four-piston caliper pulling the bike up without issue, whether on tarmac or gravel (and yes the ABS works a treat on gravel – as does the traction control).
2019 Triumph Street Scrambler – A light clutch action allows easy use of the five-speed gearbox
Speaking of traction control… One of my few gripes is that it can’t be switched off on the move. Let me explain. The Scrambler has three ride modes controlled by a ‘mode’ button underneath the indicator toggle. At standstill, you can tap it to choose between road mode, rain mode or off-road, which is then only ‘locked in’ as selected by tapping a second (i) button, above the indicator toggle, within a few seconds. No drama, easily done.
Except that on the move, you lose the ability to choose off-road mode… Just road or rain. So each day when I transitioned from tarmac to gravel roads I had to either stop and switch to off road to do some skids, or leave traction control on…
2019 Triumph Street Scrambler – Off-road mode won’t engage unless you come to a stop, in a safety feature probably designed to stop riders being caught out
Given that the selection of off-road mode already requires you to choose two separate buttons in succession which is highly unlikely to be done accidentally, and the fact that the dash lights up with two orange warning lights telling you that ABS and traction control are inactive, I thought it was a bit of a killjoy on an otherwise very laid back bike specifically designed to go off road occasionally…
Suspension wise it’s actually quite firm and in truth there’s not a massive amount of travel. The wide bars and Tourance rubber – which suit it perfectly – make it a slow, stable steering bike. I don’t reckon you’d get a headshake on this thing regardless of how hard you tried.
Yes, it rips good skids on the gravel but it’s not meant to be a single track monster and doesn’t have huge clearance levels. What surprised me the most was how much fun I was having on it up my local fire trails and some of the 4×4 tracks down in the Otways. It’s no adventure bike like the Tiger, but it’s not meant to be. It’s a giggle. It brought out the eight-year-old kid in me again.
The 2019 Triumph Street Scrambler is great fun down the 4×4 tracks, but obviously no full adventure bike
That lovely exhaust I mentioned earlier does get warm under the right leg on hot days when you’re not moving along. In CBD traffic sitting at lights for a bit on a 35+ degree day I was glad to be wearing some decent pants, but could still feel the heat coming through. I don’t think it’d be too much of an issue as the cat is fairly well shielded and I wouldn’t let it stop me from ever riding it.
The note from the pipes is… I need another word apart from cruisey… and not obnoxious at all. It could do with a few more decibels in my opinion, but I like them that way. I did read that Triumph have over 120 different accessories for the bike already and a quick look shows me that a slip on Vance and Hines is among them. Looks like it might have removable baffles too, giggedy.
2019 Triumph Street Scramblers
It’s a funny thing how perceptions change really, ten years ago a 900cc twin would have been considered full size, but as technology and electrics have progressed, we now see full size twins being around the 1200cc mark, which I guess makes this a mid-size model.
I hope that doesn’t put too many people off riding one – thinking that they need a full size bike. As they’d miss out on riding a properly good bike. I’m going to be a bit sad giving this one back… Try one on for size yourself and if you want to take one home, it will set you back $16,200 +ORC.
Following last year’s release of Yamaha’s awesome Niken leaning multi-wheeler, the Tuning Fork brand unveils a touring-specific GT variation for 2019. The Niken GT ($17,299) builds upon the lofty levels of comfort and performance that’s ingrained into its unique design, allowing riders to travel farther and more comfortably.
The Niken GT shares the same three-wheel-equipped chassis as the standard Niken. The front end makes use of a pair of 15-inch wheels with fully independent suspension and steering components. Yamaha’s fun-loving 847cc CP3 inline-three powers the Niken GT and is good for upwards of 100 hp. The engine has been retuned slightly (heavier crankshaft) for additional engine torque.
Compared to the standard Niken the GT spec machine gets a larger windscreen as well as heated grips and removable (and lockable) soft luggage. Cruise control is also standard, as is an additional DC power port. The rider and passenger saddles are upgraded and have a thicker, yet more plush design that makes it easy to rack up the miles with ease.
In this episode of MC Commute, we share the backstory behind the Niken and talk about how the idea came to fruition. We also discuss some of its best features and what it’s like to operate on the road. Watch the video and sound off in the comment section below.
It’s not quite a power cruiser, nor is it exactly a naked bike, and it certainly isn’t a full-on sport bike. What the 2019 Ducati Diavel 1260 S is, however, is a whole lot of fun. Photos by Milagro.
It’s big, muscular, powerful and aggressive, a styling mish-mash of crouching naked bike, sleek superbike and long, low cruiser, nicknamed–and then officially dubbed–by its creators: Diavel (“devil” in the local Bolognese dialect, where the Ducati factory is located).
Loathe to classify it with the c-word (cruiser), Ducati calls it a “disruptor,” which sounds plausible enough despite a bit of uncertainty as to exactly what market segment the Diavel is disrupting. Based on buyer demographics, that segment could be called “early-middle-aged guys who like to go fast on curvy roads but don’t want to fold themselves onto a superbike anymore.” I’m not a middle-aged man but the rest sounds good to me, and disrupting others’ expectations is kinda my hobby so…hello, dark prince.
For 2019, the Diavel gets the Testastretta 1262 DVT L-twin from the XDiavel and Multistrada 1260/1260 Enduro.
The original Diavel, launched in 2011 and powered by the 1,198cc Testastretta L-twin borrowed from the Multistrada 1200, left us “with more questions than answers” but delivered a “mind-bending,” superbike-inspired riding experience (read the full review here). With chain final drive, mid-mount controls, a 28-degree rake, a 30.3-inch seat, a massive 240mm Pirelli Diablo Rosso II rear tire, headers that swooped and curled from the cylinders and a full suite of electronics, the Diavel was tough to define.
It took a decidedly power cruiser turn when the XDiavel variation was added to the lineup in 2016, raked out to 30 degrees and with a belt final drive, forward controls, a slightly lower seat and relocated front-mount radiator, the better to show off the new 1,262cc DVT L-twin that would make its way into the Multistrada 1260 and 1260 Enduro in 2018.
New parts on the 2019 Diavel include the frame, subframe, swingarm, wheels and exhaust. (New parts shown in red.)
For 2019, Ducati has redressed the original sin(ner), giving the Diavel a complete redesign that includes the larger engine and a more streamlined, yet still muscular look. Nearly everything on the Diavel 1260 is new, including the frame, subframe, swingarm, wheels, fuel tank, silencers, suspension, tail section, engine covers and bodywork. Even that massive rear tire is the new Pirelli Diablo Rosso III, which has a new profile said to aid turn-in. Rake has been tightened to 27 degrees and the wheelbase stretches 63 inches, midway between the previous Diavel and the XDiavel (which returns unchanged for 2019).
I could never quite wrap my heart around the look of the original, but what at first glance appear to be minor styling changes add up to a much more attractive bike, at least in my eyes. New stubby silencers don’t interfere with the rear wheel, whether you’re servicing it or simply admiring it. Front-mounted radiator shrouds and belly pan hug the front wheel like a superbike, and the tail has been streamlined with flush-mounted LED lights and a new, wider rider and passenger seat; the clever retracting grab rail returns, although passenger pegs are now in a more conventional, fixed position.
Flush-mount LED lights under the tail look much better than the original, but we still aren’t a bug fan of all that black plastic. Note the retractable passenger grab handle at the back.
Up front is a headlight with LED daytime running light (S model only) and full-color 3.5-inch TFT display as seen on the XDiavel, plus very cool (and bright!) integrated LED turn indicators with the “light blade” technology used on Audi automobiles (the Volkswagen group, you may recall, owns Ducati).
Suspension on the $19,995 standard model includes a fully adjustable 50mm USD fork and preload/rebound adjustable rear shock, while brakes are radially mounted Brembo monobloc 4-piston M4.32 calipers squeezing two 320mm discs, and a 2-piston Brembo floating caliper with 265mm disc at the rear; Bosch Cornering ABS Evo is standard. On the $22,995 S model we tested, suspension is upgraded to a 48mm Öhlins fork and Öhlins monoshock, both fully adjustable, and the front calipers are top-of-the-line Brembo M50s that stop the bike pronto.
Powerful Brembo M50 monobloc calipers grip twin 320mm front discs. Bosch Cornering ABS Evo is standard on both the regular and S models.
Both models include a full suite of electronics: three rider-customizable riding modes (Sport, Touring and Urban), the Ducati Safety Pack (Bosch Cornering ABS Evo and Ducati Traction Control Evo), Ducati Wheelie Control, Ducati Power Launch Evo, cruise control, backlit switchgear and self-cancelling indicators. The S adds Ducati Quick Shift Up/Down Evo and compatibility with the Ducati Multimedia System and Ducati Link App (all of which is available optionally on the base model).
Let’s face it though, on a bike named “devil,” the engine is king, and you can do a whole lotta sinnin’ with this one. The Testrastretta DVT 1262 L-twin doles out 145 smooth rear-wheel horsepower and 85.3 lb-ft of torque per the Jett Tuning dyno when we tested the XDiavel back in May 2016. Full power is available in both Sport and Touring modes, although I found throttle response to be a bit too abrupt in Sport, and used Touring mode everywhere except on bumpy, tight city streets where Urban worked best. It cuts max power to 98 and torque to 64 per our test, but all three modes can be customized with power, ABS, traction control and wheelie control settings.
Lean forward, pin the throttle and feel yourself being pushed into the seat scoop. The Diavel 1260 S is a bike that wants to be ridden hard and fast.
I didn’t mess with the standard Touring mode settings, simply enjoying the sinful rush of acceleration and howling roar as we tore through the rocky, hilly countryside at the press launch in Southern Spain. The 538-pound (claimed) Diavel was relatively easy to handle on the endless curves, although in parking lots the long wheelbase, limited turning radius and wide handlebar necessitated some effort and concentration. The long, bulging 4.5-gallon fuel tank gives the impression of a superhero’s flying reach to the grips, but in reality the ergos put the rider into just a slight forward lean that’s quite comfortable, with feet solidly on the mid-mount pegs and butt planted in the scooped-out, 30.7-inch seat.
LED daytime running light (DRL) is standard on the S model.
On most bikes with a fat rear tire and even a whiff of cruiser-ness, handling is secondary to looks, but this is a Ducati. Flickable it isn’t, but in the hands of an experienced rider the Diavel will give most sportbikes a run for their money, and the upshot of the solid chassis, low center of gravity, long wheelbase and thick rubber is stability that encourages the rider to drink deeply of the Testastretta’s intoxicating power. This is a bike that likes to be ridden hard and fast; let the revs drop below 3,000 rpm and the engine lugs in protest. Keep that throttle open and the revs spinning, and you’ll be rewarded with worldly pleasures. As Ducati says, it’s so good to be bad.
At 8 years old, the Diavel is still genre defying and, honestly, very much a niche motorcycle. But this latest iteration is, in my opinion, the best one yet, so if you’re the type who likes to march to your own beat and forge your own identity, this disruptor might be exactly what you’re looking for.
2019 Ducati Diavel 1260 S in Sandstone Gray.
Keep scrolling for more images…
2019 Ducati Diavel 1260 S
Base Price: $22,995 Website:ducati.com Engine Type: Liquid-cooled, desmodromic DOHC, transverse 90-degree L-twin, 4 valves per cyl. Bore x Stroke: 106.0 x 71.5mm Displacement: 1,262cc Transmission: 6-speed, hydraulically actuated wet slipper clutch Final Drive: O-ring chain Wheelbase: 63.0 in. Rake/Trail: 27.0 degrees/4.7 in. Seat Height: 30.7 in. Claimed Wet Weight: 538 lbs. Fuel Capacity: 4.5 gals. Average mpg: NA
Two-level display has indicator lights across the top, with a 3.5-inch TFT screen below. Controls are are on the left switchgear and are backlit.Fully adjustable Ohlins monoshock has remote reservoir and preload adjustment knob.
Suzuki Chief Engineer Saturo Terada, made it clear to the assembled press contingent at the world launch, staged amongst the bamboo forests that line Arashiyama-Takao Parkway, that the new Katana is not a ‘retro’ bike.
Suzuki Chief Engineer Saturo Terada
It is instead a thoroughly modern interpretation of what Suzuki feels a modern take on Katana should represent. That said, there are certainly plenty of nods to the heralded past of the original Katana machines. Not least of course the name, but also elsewhere throughout the design language employed, which has clearly translated from the script of the original Katana.
2020 Suzuki Katana
When the design proposal was first unveiled two years ago at EICMA it caused much excitement among enthusiasts. Once the necessities for a production machine were added, such as a number plate, along with legal sized indicators and mirrors, the gloss perhaps faded a little. It started to look a little more pedestrian, something I guess that is largely unavoidable when you have to add those mandatory items to achieve road-registration.Upon seeing the machine in the flesh for the first time at the Australian MotoGP event last year I was still not overly enthused by the styling. After spending some extended quality time with the Katana in the place of its birth, it gradually did start to win me over.
Suzuki Katana
I love the head-light. It is a bit retro but at the same time thoroughly modern. I reckon Suzuki could have even made it a bit larger, for an even more nostalgic look, but overall it is beautifully executed. The hue of the LED lighting and the way it is stacked, with a small separator in the middle, flanked by two more small LEDs, I find incredibly appealing.
2020 Suzuki Katana
Two more ‘position’ lights, situated below and to the side of the main headlight, add further distinctive appeal to the face of the Katana. The way the bodywork is layered around the head-light and then extends into the almost flat-front binnacle that hides the instruments is clever.
2020 Suzuki Katana
The frontal silhouette of the Katana is a clever piece of design. I can’t illuminate you as to how well that funky headlight works at night though as we never got the opportunity to put it to the test.
2020 Suzuki Katana
The fuel tank cover, with its prominent Suzuki lettering, is a clear homage to the original Katana.
2020 Suzuki Katana
The stepped black-grey seat also has a hint of yesteryear to its shape, but has a much firmer form and padding than the bike it took those cues from. It is slim between the knees which aids ingress/egress to/from the bike and at 825 mm from terra firma, it makes getting on and off the Katana a thoughtless process.
2020 Suzuki Katana
The rider triangle positions you quite upright, but also gives a sporting rider plenty of room to move around the machine, positioning their weight where they want it for any given corner.It left me with nothing to complain about. Pillion accommodations look not too bad, complete with an old-style seat mounted panic strap to hold on to.
2020 Suzuki Katana
As with any largely naked motorcycle, the engine also forms a highly significant part of the look. For a donk never designed to be seen without a fairing covering it, the well-proven long-stroke version of the highly successful engine from the K5-K8 generation of the GSX-R1000 not only pulls hard, but looks good doing it.
2020 Suzuki Katana
I am a little concerned as to how easy it will be for owners to keep the engine looking good in the long term. But the smooth matt black finish on the engine does look high quality, thus hopefully my consternation will prove misplaced.
2020 Suzuki Katana
The massive swing-arm also comes from the GSX-R1000 parts catalogue, sourced from the 2016 model. The way its sturdy bracing bends its support is almost reminiscent of the banana swing-arms of the RGV 250. Be nice if it was bigger again though, and somehow managed to hide that monstrosity of a pre-muffler and catalytic convertor that hangs in shame beneath the machine.
2020 Suzuki Katana
The short upswept muffler looks okay, and its end cap is actually detailed quite nicely, but if I took a Katana of my own home then that ugly expanse of steel under the bike would have to be destroyed in some sort of ceremonial burning. Perhaps I would even wear a Hakama while doing it.
Katana
A Katana sword could probably do the job too, but it would be sacrilege to touch that gleaming precision perfect slither of steel, one of the most achingly beautiful things ever constructed from metal, against that tasteless travesty that is the modern cat/pre-muffler, one of the ugliest things ever to be created from steel. The standard exhaust does sound okay though, and is stainless steel throughout so should stand the test of time, if you can stand it…
2020 Suzuki Katana
At the tail of the machine Suzuki have gone for a very clean look, an LED tail-light formed into an interesting shape that almost tucks under the seat. I actually quite like it, and the normally bland surfaces of the inner guard actually look to have come in for some serious attention to detail. Suzuki explained that this took some time to get right in regards to the air-flow over the bike, to ensure there were no adverse effects on stability.
2020 Suzuki Katana
A small hugger is mounted to the left side of the swing-arm and carries the number plate and indicators. A lot of owners will be junking that as soon as the first good under-tray kit hits the after-market, but I don’t mind it.
2020 Suzuki Katana
It is the first time Suzuki has fitted such a number plate hanger, and like so many parts of the Katana, there is some clever attention to detail employed to carry it off. The overall silhouette of the Katana is not the most handsome in motorcycling by any stretch, but there are numerous instances where you can see the design work that has gone into making the individual parts of the machine. These touches are quite endearing.
2020 Suzuki Katana
Suzuki’s latest buzzword about their brand, which they are now seeking to underline, is ‘monozukuri’, which loosely translates to craftsmanship. As much as my jaded, 20-years as a motorcycle reviewer bloodshot eyes glazed over when I first heard it mentioned, in the details of this machine that word actually fits just fine. In fact, it was seeing all the work that had obviously gone in to all these little fine details, that really started to charm the Katana in to my consciousness.
2020 Suzuki Katana
Just as the original Katana itself was spawned from the GS/GSX models of the early 1980s, this latest iteration is based on Suzuki’s current generation GSX-S1000.That means modern clever engineering with a sturdy, but light, twin-spar alloy frame, suspension that works quite well, radial-mount four-piston calipers and contemporary electronic aids such as ABS and traction control.
2020 Suzuki Katana
Braking power proved strong and progressive, but with ambient temperatures not far above zero throughout the test I did not get to judge their maximum outright stopping power. The Brembo hardware though is lifted from the current GSX-R1000 no less, thus I am sure they are more than up to the task. The ABS system is not quite current top-spec kit, its sample rate is fast enough to be unobtrusive, but it does lack lean angle data in its algorithms. You can even option red calipers if you so choose.
2020 Suzuki Katana
Likewise the traction control system is not of the lean-angle sensitive variety, but in real world use it caused me no bother. Those freezing conditions, I actually saw snowflakes falling outside my hotel room window earlier that morning, and patches of damp asphalt, saw me exercising a little more caution than normal.
2020 Suzuki Katana
With the traction control on level three the TCS light was going ballistic on every corner exit, although I felt no real intervention or significant dulling of the power. I switched to level two which saw the warning lights settle down and just got on with the job. The system retards the ignition to reduce power when it senses tiny amounts of wheel slip, and only becomes more intrusive to the point of clear ignition cut and throttle butterfly modulation when the situation has really become quite dire.
2020 Suzuki Katana
Charging proper hard on a good day would see you run the system at level one, but I fail to see any scenario, apart from extended wheelies, that would require the system to be turned off. The lead Japanese rider from Suzuki controlled the pace of the ride in the conditions, despite me giving him the hurry up.
Suzuki Katana Video
The attractive TPR built six-spoke cast alloy rims were shod with new Roadsport 2 Dunlop rubber. Concerned senior Dunlop techs were on hand to check on their performance in the chilling conditions. They not only constantly checked tyre temperatures, but also the hardness of the rubber with a type of instrument I had not seen before.
2020 Suzuki Katana
Even after our most spirited runs, tyre temperatures never registered more than 26-degrees celsius. They had the pressures set at 36 psi in the 120/70-17 front and 42 psi in the fat 190/50-17 rear, which many people would consider quite high, but the wonders of science that produce modern road rubber mean that these days we don’t have to run lower pressures to get grip. Of course, racing straight off tyre-warmers on super sticky compounds that are only good for a dozen laps are another kettle of fish.
2020 Suzuki Katana
This is a road bike on a public road, and it is a great testament to the tyres, along with the grip levels offered up by the Japanese bitumen throughout Arashiyama-Takao Parkway, that our group all remained upright in conditions sketchy enough to put the fear of god in to many motorcyclists. A rider had gone down in a previous group when experimenting with the traction control off, this was not an opportune moment to be playing silly buggers.
2020 Suzuki Katana
The composure of the fully-adjustable KYB suspension also played its part in keeping us safe. After my first run saw the front deflect a little more than I would have liked, over some changes in surface and bumps, I did firm up the rear a little. So often it is the tail that wags the dog in these cases, and for any front end concerns, at road speeds, the rear shock is always my first port of call, and almost always is what helps to give more precise and settled steering. With a little more pre-load and damping dialled in at the rear my complaint was cured and, at the moderate for us, but probably still quite decent public road pace for most, I was a happy camper.
2020 Suzuki Katana
The long-stroke engine from the K5-K8 has earned a well deserved place in motorcycling folklore, and for good reason. The Katana sees it in the same somewhat moderated, but still pretty bloody impressive, 150 horsepower and 108 Nm level of tune that we first sampled in the GSX-S1000. They have changed the throttle cam for the Katana to help smooth initial application, with the first part of the throttle turning at lower ramp rate, to help reduce any abruptness on pick-up from closed. However, I favour the more linear throttle roll of the GSX-S1000. That might surprise as many testers, and owners, maligned the sharpness of the GSX-S throttle, but I thought it precise and enjoyed feeling that level of accuracy at my fingertips. It proved accurate enough on the GSX-S to do countless five-gear wheel-stands, and that’s without the get-out-of-jail-free card of a rear brake due to my fused ankle, so clearly I had no issue with the GSX-S throttle.
2020 Suzuki Katana
I always find it refreshing when I get on a bike without a ride-by-wire throttle, more care is need to be taken at the right wrist, but I find that fuels a big part of the riding experience for me. I want to feel all of that horsepower when I want, and coming on at the rate I decide, not at a rate the computer dictates after deciding you are too stupid to operate a throttle effectively.
2020 Suzuki Katana
It does have that low-rpm assist mechanism though to help prevent stalling. When you select first gear it raises the idle to help cater for people who really should just instead suffer the embarrassment of stalling and falling over at a stand-still.If they are not competent enough to operate a clutch and a throttle from stand-still, they are certainly not qualified to control a 150 horsepower motorcycle that weighs in at only 215 kg wet.
2020 Suzuki Katana
The 999 cc engine is a gem with tight switchback hair-pins negotiated in as high as third gear, once you have some corner speed confidence happening. It then builds into what really is still quite a storming top end that peaks at 10,000rpm, but with still plenty of useful over-rev in reserve, should you wish to save a gear change between turns.
2020 Suzuki Katana
To be honest the bike doesn’t really need more grunt, but I really wish that Suzuki had made this bike just that little more special by stretching it towards that 1074cc of the original GSX1100SZ. Cost and development time are of course the reasons why, and at least in this well-proven spec’ you can be comfortable that this engine and gearbox will probably out-last some of its owners.
2020 Suzuki Katana
There is no quick-shifter nor any electronic engine braking control. It doesn’t need them, the gearbox is faultless and the slip-assist clutch is light and effective.
The instrumentation is reminiscent of the current generation GSX-R1000, but uses a font that is a little Super-Nintendo style retro.There is a lot going on, but it is all fairly clear and logical. The LCD tacho is naff, as they all are, but the rest of the display works well.
2020 Suzuki Katana
After the speed readout it will be the range to empty display that gains the next most attention as the new Katana only sports a 12-litre fuel-cell, 10-litres less than the original. The difference in range between the two though would not be quite as marked due to the efficiency of the modern oil-water-cooled and fuel-injected power-plant. Unless you are stretching the cable out of high-speed fourth and fifth gear corners all day, your range will still be over 200 kilometres in almost every scenario.
2020 Suzuki Katana
Suzuki Australia have confirmed that the new Katana will start arriving in September this year (2019), and will retail for $18,990 Ride Away. 70 per cent of the first shipment of sixty units are already pre-sold to customers. Suzuki expect to sell 100-120 Katana, of what is expected to be a global production run of around 4000.
2020 Suzuki Katana
As an added bonus, all customers who pre-order their new Katana online from the first shipment will also receive a bonus exclusive Katana themed Arai QV-Pro helmet, valued at $995.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR Review
Testing the ‘M Package’ at Estoril
BMW S 1000 RR Test by Steve Martin
2019 BMW S 1000 RR Review
With a bike in the stable as proficient and fast as the 2018 BMW S 1000 RR is, it’s quite a big ask to make one better. But that was the goal that BMW set themselves when they embarked on building their technologically advanced new litre sports bike.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The 2019 S 1000 RR was not going to be a sticker kit and paint job, but rather the next evolution that would need to go on and take things to the next level, just like the original did back in 2010. A machine that would not only be at home on the racetrack, but a bike that was easier to handle day-to-day, by offering a smattering of sensible road orientated goodies as icing on the very fast cake.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
On top of all of that though, the aim was to grab back the title of king of the litre bikes, in a class that now has a couple of 1100s thrown in for good measure.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Germans like measurements and one-second is the rounded figure that they settled on. That was their measure of how much the new bike should be faster per lap, with the same tyres and same rider, on the same day. Now that would be easy to achieve if the ’18 model was a slug, but it’s not, it’s still a cutting-edge machine. So to produce a successor that took yet another leap forward, some careful thought and new technology was required.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
All aspects were looked at and by paring down the weight, improving the handling, and adding more power and torque, BMW have ticked all the boxes.
The 2019 model comes in two colours with the option to order them with different kits depending on your wicked desires, and budget. There’s a race kit, a dynamic kit and the ‘M Package’ which gives you the attributes of the other two, but adds in some extra special goodies like carbon wheels. On test we only had the chance to try the M kitted bike but, in all honesty, I wasn’t complaining.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR M with carbon rims was the machine ridden by Steve
Where to start…
The Heart
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The idea of creating an in-line four-cylinder sports bike occurred back in 2007, when engineers fitted the original K46 BMW designed engine in to a Yamaha YZF-R1 chassis, kicking off the first phase of testing. As we now know that model changed history, with the strong point being its top-end horsepower, while a lack of torque is and was a known issue. Over the years usability has crept in, but 2019 S 1000 RR promises a whole new ball-game.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The completely new engine is packed with technology aimed at increasing horsepower and torque while reducing weight. A healthy boost of 8hp gives a substantial hit to the top end, but it’s the torque increase that has made the big difference at the seat of the pants.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
There’s now 113 Nm of torque on hand but across a much flatter and higher curve. The biggest improvement comes in the lower-mid rpm range. From 5000 rpm through to 7500 rpm the techs found a massive 20 Nm of torque over the original design.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
New gains have come from a complete redesign of virtually every aspect compared to the K46. The motor is narrower, four-kilograms lighter and yet incorporates the BMW variable intake Shift Cam system. It’s not a first with bikes like Suzuki’s GSX-R1000 and even the Yamaha T-Max sporting similar technology, achieved by a different method, but if there was a bike that could use it then the BMW S 1000 RR was it.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The BMW system works by changing the position of its cam lobes. Having two lobes per inlet valve side-by-side on a splined shaft.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Just like a gearbox, the lobes slide on the shaft left to right, or vice versa, by a sort of shift drum that automatically changes from the torquey lobe to the top end lobe at 9000rpm.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
It’s a pretty simple system when you get a close look at it and much easier to understand when you see it, rather than when you just read the blurb.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The cam moves lighter finger followers which tap the top of the buckets and push a set of new hollow titanium valves down, letting them do their work of sucking the air fuel mix into the combustion chamber four per cent more efficiently.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Paring weight from the valve train has allowed BMW to up the rev limit by 400 rpm, to 14,600 rpm, reliably. And with a substantially lighter crank it now gets there in more of a hurry.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Its not just a top end make over though with improvements in water and oil flow being made via completely new crankcases that utilise a lighter all in one oil/water pump. A new smaller alternator draws less engine power to run, which increases efficiency and temperature regularity throughout the motor.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The extent of forward thinking is amazing, even the Bosch throttle bodies are set up to work in a split function so that at racing level engine cylinder pairs can work separately, allowing less power at major lean angles. Although not in use yet, the hard parts are on the bike ready to go when the software is proven.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Electronics
You could write a large novel on the state of art Bosch system fitted to the new bike. Its functionality is much improved over the ‘18 model, a package that was already at a great level.
The M kit fitted bikes that we rode had three Race Pro maps and four standard maps – Rain, Road, Dynamic and Race.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The functions are all easily adjusted through the various switch block mode buttons and the standard BMW twist toggle on the left side grip. The information is viewed on the new 6.5-inch TFT dash and it’s easy to read which is good, because there’s a lot of scope to change the parameters of your ride.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Traction control
The traction control is adjustable through plus and minus seven settings in every mode, and is changeable on the run. It feels a lot like a quality race item now to the point that the race kit item might not be needed, even for the serious punter.
Wheelie Control
For the first time an independent wheelie control is fitted and is high quality. It can be turned off and is actuated by many parameters but is not affected by traction control settings.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Throttle Response
The rider has the option to sharpen or soften the throttle connection line depending on his or her tastes. Both maps still have full power but it’s mainly the opening feeling that differs.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
ABS
The ABS can be dynamic working in unison with the new tiny six axis IMU or can be manually adjusted with four different settings. It is lean angle dependent which makes it much more sensitive to condition changes.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Engine Brake
Four settings allow the rider to let the bike back into the corner or enter with a freer feeling which is once again a great offering and one of the most important ones when it comes to on the limit lap times.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Shift Pro Assist
Standard on most bikes now allows clutch-less shifts up and down the box with auto rpm speed matching, just like MotoGP.
Hill Start
This year sees the introduction of hill start assist, which I guess could be useful.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Launch Control
I didn’t use it at the launch, but if the old model is any thing to go by it will be fun to play with.
The rest of the package
There’s a lot more depth than the important items above but if you are serious at putting a new RR in your shed, I suggest you go to the dealer and have a play with the system. There’s different dash lay outs, cruise control, heated grips, connectivity, in fact that many goodies you will never be bored again.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The Chassis
A lot of lessons have been learned by BMW Motorrad’s involvement in racing particularly over the last nine years. World Superbike races, Superstock World Championships, national championships and countless club races have been won on the old bike making it one of the most successful motorcycles over the period.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
There was always an underlying issue though, and I know this from my seven years spent working as a development rider for the BMW factory.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The frame was always too stiff, causing chatter and lack of bump absorption when at ten-tenths, literally making the suspension work over-time. The later models were a massive improvement, but the DNA of the old frame remained, until now.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
With the complete redesign came a new chassis and swing-arm built specifically to put right the issues of the past. The engine is now part of the equation being a stressed member, it helps tie the feel of the new RR together. BMW call the new chassis a flex-frame, with absorption being a big part of its job. Not only from road conditions but also different frequencies created from engine rpm and vibration.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The lighter alloy twin-spar frame has an all new one-piece swing arm with an underslung brace, as seen on most MotoGP bikes.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Apart from looking neat it gives a lot more room in and around the shock, making it easier to remove or change a spring when things get serious.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The shock is also moved away from the engine’s heat which helps to keep it cooler.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Change of partner
Sachs fork and shock packages adorned the S 1000 RR right from the start, but this has all changed for 2019 with Marzocchi becoming their new partner. Its not just change for the sake of change though, with BMW using a shim stack front and rear that works alongside an electronic adjuster that is linked into the ECU on its Dynamic Damping Control equipped machines (like the M).
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
It is a complete departure from the old Sachs system which used an electronic valve that opened and closed its size to alter damping. The new system is like riding around with a screwdriver attached to the clickers that can be set, or be continually adjusted in dynamic mode.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Brakes have moved away from Brembo to an American made Hayes caliper. It was chosen blindly by the BMW test team after a rigorous testing program. I still can’t get a believable answer as to why. A Nissin master cylinder is used to apply the pressure to those Hayes calipers. Just to keep everyone happy there’s a Brembo rear caliper.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Ergonomics
You can forget that familiar feeling if you are a current owner of an S 1000 RR as this machine is completely different. The rider gets a feeling of sitting in the machine rather than on top, as I felt was the case with the old bike, and the bars are set a little wider than the previous bike.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The new TFT dash is a master piece to look at and has really updated the cockpit to give it a modern feel. The integration of the available rider aids with the new switch blocks works well and is pretty self-explanatory.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Heated grips are easy to find and activate, as is the cruise control. BMW have spent a lot of time making user friendliness a high priority.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Ok, but what’s it really like?
Estoril in Portugal was the idealic setting to test the bike and a day blasting around the twists and curves of the ex-GP circuit was a great way to get a taste of the bike and the improvements made.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
We got four sessions on track with session one a great introduction run. Jurgen Fuchs (BMW test pilot) lead us for a seven-lap run around the Estoril circuit which was a great way to show us the lines and find our way around.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The comprehensive electronics system was on a pre-set Race Pro 1 map which erred on the safe side with plenty of intervention giving me a safe feeling.
The traction control set on positive three took control of the bikes power and kept things calm and muted. We had to follow Jurgen but the first impressions were good. The engine is ultra-smooth, and the extra torque was apparent, especially at learning track mode speed.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The throttle connection was perfect and there was no discernible feeling or glitch at around that magic 9000 rpm cam changing point. We were on the standard Bridgestone S21 tyres for this part of the day, and they were unfortunately the weak point of the bike.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Being a 10 percent track tyre and more of a sports-touring tyre, I was unable to really get much feedback from the bike. What I could feel though was just how natural and neutral the bike felt, from an initial point of view.
The other positive was with the level of wheel-spin we were getting, I was able to give the traction system a good work out. As expected it worked extremely well and caught every near high-side moment I had, and I had a few…
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Even with the OEM tyres the RR turned on a dime and made the apex every time. There was no excuse for not liking the set up or the way it felt because if you didn’t like the way it went into a corner, you could just change it with a few tweaks on the dash.
After another session some Bridgestone soft production slicks were fitted and my face of desperation turned to one of joy. Oh my, how a little bit of grip can change things. Literally the bike was on rails with the change of tyres, and pushing closer to the limits became enjoyable.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
I was hitting close to an indicated 299 km/h down the main straight in Estoril and loving it. The standard front brakes were certainly getting a work out and there was some fade, I guess not many people will be decelerating the stock bike again and again from 300 without race pads all that often…
The feel from the brakes was quite good though, with progression and lever feel letting me brake right to the mid-point of the turn, like I would on a superbike.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
There’s a tight chicane about half way round the circuit, with a quick change of direction at slow speed that would have a lot of bikes feeling a little uncomfortable, but once again the Beemer was a cinch to ride and made it easy to take the line I wanted. It went through the change of direction with complete stability. This was the M package bike with those sexy carbon rims though, and they no doubt played their part with the agility of the package.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR M with carbon rims was the machine ridden by Steve
The new rear end has a different layout to the old bike and a different link ratio that lets a relatively soft 6.5 kg spring be used. With the Bridgestone rear slick, I didn’t have any problem at all, no slides, no spinning and it was very stable. I would have liked to try it with a Pirelli slick, one I know well, to see what happened when it did let go, but that will have to wait until next time.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
It was a little soft in the front for very hard brakers, but a switch to the Pro 3 map, and some stiffer compression settings helped a bit. There was scope to put pre-load on the front, and I would have done that next, but time didn’t really allow for it. The chassis was very good, and an improvement in turning over the old bike was obvious.
I found that I didn’t have to worry about what the bike was doing when I was riding, just enjoy my riding and focus on my lines, and that is the sign of a good bike. Its stability is excellent, and the suspensions more conventional shim stack system was a definite improvement, especially if you plan on hitting the track.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The engine feels fast, and with the extra torque I found I could use a higher gear than normally one would think. I didn’t get the chance to ride it on the road at all, but if you like riding through the hills and on the track, this new RR will no doubt be a great choice.
At the end of the day the new RR is good, we all knew it was going to be from the start. It’s got all the right DNA to be a great road bike, through to a WSBK winner once sorted in race trim. It is also comfortable and user friendly with all the gizmos ever invented, and then some.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The S 1000 RR is a bike made to dominate the road going superbike scene for the next ten years, sort of like they did with the K46. Can it win a world championship in the future? Well that’s just a matter of money, but the answer is probably yes.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
2019 BMW S 1000 RR Specifications
Engine
Capacity
999
Bore/stroke
80/49.7
Output
152/207
at engine speed
13,500
Torque
113
at engine speed
10,500
Type
Water-cooled in-line 4-cylinder engine
Compression/fuel
13.3:1 / RON 95+ (knock control; rated output with 98 RON)
Valvetrain
16-valve, DOHC, ShiftCam Variable, 33.5mm in, 27.2mm ex
Throttle Bodies
48
Engine control
BMS-O
Alternator
450
Headlamp
LED low beam twin headlamp in free-form technology
The all-new for 2019 KTM 690 Enduro R is a study of how far a manufacturer can progress a model, via smart implementation of technology and high-end components, to successfully redefine the single-cylinder platform.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
I wasn’t much of a fan of the KTM 690 Enduro I rode almost a decade ago. In standard trim it was pretty breathless and felt, well, a little old hat. A lot of modifications were needed in order to get the old bike to perform, but even then I never found it really inspiring. In fact, I have found all the large capacity modern big-bore singles to be fairly insipid, leaving me distinctly unimpressed and thinking, ‘what if a manufacturer actually had a proper bloody go at applying some of the latest technology to build a big single lunger with smarts’. I have been somewhat frustrated by the lack of progress in this space.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
After sampling the all-new for 2019 KTM 690 Enduro R in Portugal this week I feel I really must congratulate KTM for pushing the boundaries. The Austrian manufacturer have thrown absolutely everything at this bike, leaving no stone unturned in the quest to build the ultimate big-bore single.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
This, as you would expect, comes at a price.Even if it redefines the genre, are people really going to pay $17,595 (Ride Away), for a big chook chaser? KTM certainly have their fingers crossed, but it is only a question that the fickle motorcycle buying public can answer.
That sort of money puts you in Africa Twin and F 750 GS BMW territory. Those machines have a lot more overall touring amenity and creature comforts for the long haul, including plenty of luggage options, but neither bring the level of outright off-road performance to the ride that the KTM boasts as standard. Not that you would really expect them to either, of course.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
The KTM 690 Enduro R is a very well mannered motorcycle and, thanks to some brilliant ergonomics, it actually might be a real world touring option for many.
Despite the 910 mm tall seat resembling a plank, it did not eat into my somewhat generously sized thighs at any point during my 100km initiation, which suggests that it might prove comfortable enough to equip the machine with some semblance of real touring credentials.
It’s not all about the size of the tool, or is it…?
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R with accessory muffler
Due to the very slim dimensions of the machine throwing a leg over that tall seat is still an easier process than mounting some large adventure bikes, even those that have perches a couple of inches shorter than the 690 Enduro R. It is light and slim so getting on and off it is a breeze in comparison to many adventure bikes.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
The 690 Enduro R is distinctly minimalist, but I would still say that for the long haul, it would likely prove a more comfortable option than the biggest selling big single in Australia, the venerated DR650. As for performance, well, the current DR650 model was fairly basic when it debuted over 20 years ago, compared to the new KTM today it feels downright archaic. But, the Suzuki is built down to a price, and that price is half that of the KTM….And before I get the hate mail from the DR650 devotees, I might remind you that I have ridden my own DR650 across Australia and have had my arse punished over more than 100,000 km astride a DR650, and was even silly enough to race one in Natural Terrain Motocross! I have also enjoyed the ownership of a KTM 990 Adventure R, that I still miss…
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R with someone a bit more spectacular than me in the saddle
Anyway, back to the new KTM.
This new generation of the LC4 engine is un-fussed while cruising, even well above the 110 km/h highway speed limit. In fact, you can drop it back a couple of cogs and stand it on the rear wheel to amuse yourself from those speeds if you like, yes it really is that powerful. And thanks to an innovative dual counter-balancer system there is no big slug chug.
In fact, the engine is a masterpiece
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
74 horsepower and 74 Nm of torque from a 693cc single has always been possible. But to make those sort of numbers via a carbureted bike you would have a hand grenade that chain snatched like all buggery, only worked above 6000rpm, and would have been such a ferocious beast that it left you in a manic state sucking your thumb in the corner of the garage at the end of every ride. This latest generation 690 makes those big power numbers in an unstressed fashion, and requires no air-box cutting or modifications to unleash serious pull. It bangs hard right out of the box.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R Dyno
This is not some incremental gain on what we have seen before. No matter what the dyno charts show, the 690 Enduro R heralds a new realm of performance for big singles when it comes to the overall riding experience. The numbers and the power are impressive, but thanks to those twin balancers, a cutting edge engine management system and a ride-by-wire throttle, it is also buttery smooth and unthreatening. It packs some serious grunt while remaining fuel-efficient, easy to ride and clearly sets a new benchmark for big singles.Arnie level muscle dressed in a fine Armani suit.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
Grip is easy to find. Even on TKC80 rubber the flawless pick-up from a closed throttle sees the engine management system smooth those big pulses of power out well enough to find traction. They are still Clydesdale sized horses hitting that 18-inch rear tyre, but these brumbies are wearing ballet shoes on their hoofs and somehow manage to tread lightly, while still slingshotting you towards the next corner at a prodigious rate of knots.
The standard gearing is very l-o-n-g, but the bike has no trouble pulling it. Negotiating city 50km/h zones will require a shift down to fourth in order to keep the bike happy, but above that it is simply pick a gear, any gear will do.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
The bike is fitted with a high-end quick-shifter that works on both up and downshifts, and is programmed to also operate well at part throttle openings. Unlike the old tech systems that only really worked with the throttle tapped, it can be used even when dawdling about. I was busy running on auto-pilot most of the time and thus often forgot the bike had it, which probably was part of the reason that I missed a few shifts. More time on the bike would see me adapt further and most likely render the shifting a non-issue, like most KTM machines though, the shift action is never quite as rifle-bolt positive as I would like.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
The clutch is beautiful. How can a clutch be beautiful you say? Those of you that have spent time negotiating tight terrain in the bush on a powerful Japanese dirt-squirter that has no hydraulic clutch will know exactly what I mean. The pleasure on your fingertips is palpable when working a nice clutch in the dirt. The 690 Enduro R not only has a slip-assist style clutch mechanism, but also a Magura hydraulic lever set-up. It’s clutch porn, my eyes glaze over a little Homer Simpson thinking about doughnuts style as I write about it… Yeah I’m a bit different, but I am okay with that…
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
The map change and traction control switchgear on the left bar was a little problematic during my time on the bike and only worked if pressed in a very specific part of the button. Annoying.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
Unsurprisingly, KTM subsidiary WP provide the suspension. The WP XPLOR 48 kit is at the upper end of the WP range with 48mm inverted open cartridge forks and a beefy looking shock working through a Pro-Lever linkage. Both ends offer a generous 250mm of well damped travel and endow the bike with 270mm of ground clearance.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
Riders in our bunch varied in size massively, I was at the upper end of the scale, while an impossibly slim older Italian tester would have struggled to see the suspension register any sag under what must have been a size zero KTM adventure suit. Yet, none of us were eager to start twiddling clickers, we were too busy riding as hard as we dared on the varied trails that dot the ranges behind the Algarve coast of southern Portugal to worry about that stuff.I was amongst a handy group of riders and we were all having a ball with little to complain about. No squeaks or bangs were to be heard and the whole show just felt, well, competent, and very much fit for purpose.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
Clearly the smooth electronically controlled power delivery plays a big part in this equation, with no sudden hits of power to upset the springs.Suspension fettlers still have no end of options to tune themselves to a standstill with pre-load, along with both high/low speed compression and rebound damping all ready to be fettled.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
Braking is another area where KTM have not skimped. Brembo hardware front and rear is backed up by an almost superbike spec’ lean angle sensitive ABS system that sports a very well tuned off-road mode. Decent feel is evident from both ends and the ABS system is unobtrusive enough to leave on at all times, with the rear deactivated for the dirt. At 300 mm the front disc and twin-piston caliper is also up to being pressed on the street. The 240 mm rear disc seems perhaps a little small, but worked flawlessly with great bite and control.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
The only time I felt the brakes go away from me as the electronics intervened was when I had basically cocked it up and got in way too hot. You could feel the front run on ever so briefly before the electronics allowed the hydraulic pressure to again be applied smoothly and modulate the caliper pistons to slow the machine. No old school pulsing through the lever that made you shit your pants and feel as though you have no control. The intervention is applied and cycled so quickly that sometimes you can fail to register that any intervention has actually happened.The system releases the braking pressure instantly, and then reapplies it so smoothly that there might be one scenario in a hundred that you might be able to better it, if on your A game, but in a surprise emergency stop scenario you are not going to better it.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
The KTM 690 Enduro R is a case study in just how good electronic systems now are, and the fact that they are now found on a single-cylinder dirtbike is simply astounding. Not only do we have a best of the best lean-angle sensitive ABS, but also a highly sophisticated traction control system.This is not some basic set-up that simply retards the ignition, as seen on the latest EXC range of KTM enduro bikes, but is instead a true sportsbike level of smarts.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
In the off-road modes the traction control system is extremely liberal and its intervention almost imperceptible as you slide from corner to corner, it is only when things get a bit too crazy that it reigns things in a little. And the way it then does intervene is sublime, it just pulls enough power, almost imperceptibly, that it never really interrupts drive, instead it just reduces power via the throttle butterflies in order to drive forward momentum, instead of sideways motion. Don’t for one minute think that means that in order to be drifting in and then sliding out with the front wheel pawing for the sky you need the traction control system turned off, you don’t. You are getting pretty loose before it starts to intervene. The lean angle component of the traction control system is not used in off-road mode, so you have full power to blast out of a berm when needed.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
Of course, if you are fresh in the morning and want to go all out and attack your favourite trail, by all means turn the electronic smarts off and fly by the seat of your pants. But even then, when you are spent later in the day and just want to get to your digs for the night, there is some comfort in being able to reactivate the smarts and just cruise to your destination while conserving energy, and brain power.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
The 13.5-litre fuel cell effectively does three jobs in one as it also forms a structural part of the sub-frame, and also serves as the inner rear mudguard. KTM engineers claim a potential range of 300 km, and while that figure will no doubt make many scoff, I actually believe that might be possible. It is a very modern engine with the latest electronic smarts and 4.5 litres per 100 km should be feasible when off-road touring. Certainly, I would expect to be able to bank on a safe range of over 250 km in most riding scenarios. Even the most manic of tyre frying runs would surely still see a range of well over 200 kilometres. Seriously, it is incredible just how economical the latest generation of EFI bikes are.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
The fuel filler is accessed behind the seat at the rear of the bike, on top of the rear fender. This means that the optional 18-litre front bag accessory that fixes between the front of the seat and the headstock doesn’t need to be disturbed when refuelling. However, there are limited options for securing any luggage to the rear of the bike, with no handy tie-down points or structural members to fix any sort of luggage too.
I did see some of the KTM staff with a small, perhaps five, or ten-litre when expanded, soft luggage bag strapped on top of the rear fender. These had a strap wrapped around the seat, but the dearth of sturdy tie-down points for luggage is perhaps the most significant drawback of the motorcycle.KTM would say, well just buy the new 790 Adventure if you want luggage grids and the like for long-distance touring. In response I would say, the engine in this bike is so good why in the hell did you bother making a parallel twin adventure bike at all! Or at least make us a Rally/Adventure version of this 690 Enduro R for those that want the ultimate big single adventure bike!
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R accessory tank bag
The boundaries of our adventures at home here in Australia are limited in scope only by our imagination. Perhaps this is not impressed enough on the designers at Kiska back in Austria. If the 690 Enduro R was developed with the Australian market front of mind, with Aussie input, no doubt we would have got some viable tie-down points at the rear of the machine for luggage. Tie-down points might not look all that great when working on the crayons, but they do sure come in handy…
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
KTM has instead left it to the aftermarket to devise a quality set of soft throw-overs to satisfy the demands of those that want to go on longer and more epic hard-core adventures, but don’t want to do it on a 200 kilogram+ multi-cylinder behemoth that, if crashed, will likely cost thousands to fix. There would be no better serious hard-core adventure bike in the market today than the 690 Enduro R, if only you could simply strap a bit more luggage to it, so that camping out and true multi-day epics would be viable options. I am sure owners out there will improvise though and come up with some sturdy luggage solutions.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
Curiously, KTM have provided some handy amenities though, a convenient USB port up near the bars, and a brilliant standard toolkit hidden behind its smooth flanks.
The bodywork to reach said toolkit is removable without the need for tools. The air-box is also easily accessed and the air intake situated right up beneath the front part of the seat.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R – USB port can be seen just forward of the fork lef in this shot
My luggage complaints aside, as a big single day long-distance off-road blaster there is probably no better machine than the 690 Enduro R. Of course, it is not a 500 EXC-F in the tight stuff, but the 690 requires only 10,000km basic service intervals, rather than an oil and filter change every 15 hours, and full engine rebuild every 135 hours that the more enduro competition focussed 250/350/450/500 EXC-F singles advise under their recommended maintenance schedule.
The 690 Enduro R is 35kg heavier than those more race-bred options, but on open trails it still proves light enough, and the suspension responsive enough, to very rarely ever feel as though you are being held back by the weight of the machine. The slim flanks and excellent ergonomics of the 690 Enduro R also help hide that weight, it feels a like a proper dirtbike, ready to take on anything you point it at. The lump of human on top of it, as always, is the final deciding factor in the outright performance limitations.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
When the pricing of the 690 Enduro R is compared to that of the 500 EXC-F, I would suggest that the 690 Enduro R seems like better bang for the buck than its smaller and more hard-core siblings. A 500 EXC-F is $14,695, or $16,195 for the Six Days model, but by the time you register it and pay stamp duty etc. you are getting up towards the $17,595 Ride Away price of the 690 Enduro R.
When the comprehensive two-year unlimited kilometre warranty of the 690 Enduro R is factored into the equation, then you can really start to see the relative value of the 690. The more competition focussed EXC-F machines only come with a six-month parts and labour warranty.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
The fact that you also need a key to start the 690, the fuel cap can be locked, and that the steering can also be locked easily from the ignition, helps add a little peace of mind should you need to park the machine anywhere public. These are very welcome features out in the real world.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
For those that like spending lots of time on the trail, and often, the long service intervals and much longer fuel range of the 690 Enduro R, along with a relatively comfortable seat, and niceties such as the standard cooling fan (an optional extra on EXC-F), sees the 690 Enduro R certainly start to make a lot of sense. Especially if your adventures entail any lengthy tarmac sections, as the 690 Enduro R will eat up the kilometres much more easily, and comfortably, than the more enduro competition focused machines. Not quite as Ready To Race, but certainly more than Ready To Rumble.
It is a high-performance trail bike, a capable street bike for commuting, and a viable adventure motorcycle all rolled into one. Can less sometimes be more…?
Footnote:The current Husqvarna 701 model already has the twin counter-balanced engine, but we believe the 2019 KTM has an updated engine management system and more sophisticated electronic smarts (lean angle traction control and ABS), in comparison to the Husky. When questioned as to the actual specific differences, KTM personnel at the launch claimed to have little knowledge of the Husqvarna specifications, or the actual differences between the two. Thus it is hard for us to 100 per cent quantify what exactly the differences are, as we have not sampled the current 701.
1958 Norton Dominator 99. Owner: Cliff Schoening. Photos by Ralph Noble.
This was the bike that got a lot of Americans excited about the Norton marque. Brit bikes were relatively rare in the U.S. in the early 1950s, with mainly Triumph and BSA battling it out. Yanks had long read about Norton’s racing successes, like when a 500 Manx came in second at Daytona in 1949, but were not much interested in the single-cylinder Internationals, civilianized versions of the racing Manx. What they wanted was an easy to start twin, with enough zip to run up to the semi-magical 100 mph mark. The 500cc Dominator 88 did not quite have the punch needed, but when it was bored and stroked to 600cc (actually 597cc), that stoked some serious interest.
Some people, both industry and consumers, were a little surprised that Norton had not gone to the popular 650 size, which Triumph had done in 1950 with the Thunderbird, and BSA a year later with the Golden Flash. Nortons began to be imported in 1949, and had six U.S. distributors. After the arrival of the 99 the distributors apparently got together and jointly bought the first full-page ad seen in the bike magazines–in the November ’66 “Cycle.” After a very complimentary road test in the September issue.
Norton was an old company, with James Lansdowne Norton founding the Norton Manufacturing Company at the age of 29, back in 1898, when it started manufacturing chains for the burgeoning bicycle market. But motorized bicycles were the coming thing, and JLN got right on it. His 690cc Peugeot-powered V-twin, a touring model, won the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy in 1907; success was clearly in the stars. Norton began building its own engines and prospered.
Late in 1945, after WWII, Norton went back to building civilian motorcycles, both a side valve and an OHV 500 single, along with a very few OHC 350 and 500 Internationals. Triumph was hitting the advertising pages big time, promoting its sleek T100 Tiger 500cc twin, and that was getting a lot of attention. So Norton did the logical thing and hired a designer named Bert Hopwood, who had worked at Triumph before the war when the T100 first came to light. He joined Norton in 1947, improved the singles, and then worked on developing a parallel twin. In November of 1948 the Dominator Model 7 showed up at the annual Earl’s Court motorcycle show, with a vertical twin engine mounted in a Norton frame with a telescopic fork and a plunger rear suspension. Unfortunately, at 440 pounds it was 75 pounds heavier than the Triumph. In 1949 Hopwood moved on to the BSA company, assigned to the task of making BSA’s 500 twin into a 650.
Norton went to work bringing the Dominator 7’s weight down, and the big innovation was the advent of the Featherbed frame, originally intended for the racing Manxes. Previous frames had been complicated and heavy, whereas the Featherbed was essentially two one-piece loops that was both lighter and stronger, using expensive Reynolds 531 manganese-molybdenum, mild-carbon steel tubing. Since everything passes through the steering head, the backbone tubes were welded to the bottom of the head, while the downtubes actually ran between the backbone tubes and then welded to the top of the head. All suitably braced.
Norton then went about making a roadster edition of the frame, using less expensive steel. Initially the saddle-supporting rear section was bolted on, but soon was welded, as that was a lighter approach. Norton also saw fit to give the frame its own name, plus a secondary description, which began with Wideline, and then Slimline (1960), referring to the width of the frame beneath the forward part of the saddle. The 99 used an oil-damped Roadholder fork and a swingarm rear end with a pair of Girling shock absorbers. When the 500 Domi 7 twin got the Featherbed, the bike received new numeration: Domi 88.
Move forward to 1955, and we find Mr. Hopwood being invited to rejoin the Norton Company. And soon the 497cc 88 had a larger sibling, the 597cc 99, the 100cc gained by using an even longer stroke…the 88 having a 66 x 72.6mm bore and stroke, the 99, 66 x 82mm.
Nothing exceptional about the dry-sump engine. The crankcase was split vertically, the cylinders were iron, the head aluminum alloy. The camshaft was up at the front of the engine with four light-alloy pushrods operating the four valves. A single Amal Monobloc fed the fuel to the combustion chamber, having a modest compression ratio of 7.6:1.
A single-row primary chain ran in an oil bath from the crank to clutch, which had little rubber shock absorbers. This was all done inside a sheet-metal primary case. And if the cork gasket was in good shape, the oil stayed inside. The four-speed transmission was made by Norton, and in best British tradition, the shift was on the right side, up for first.
The bike weighed some 410 pounds wet, and put out 31 horsepower. It had a comfortable seat, slightly Americanized handlebars and a 4.4-gallon tank–test write-ups said the 99 got more than 50 mpg. The headlight shell held a speedometer, ammeter and light switch. Initially a Lucas magneto sparked the plugs and a dynamo lit the seven-inch headlight, but in 1958 a crankshaft-driven alternator and distributor did both tasks. Petcock on, choke if cold, tickle the carb, fold out the starter and a healthy kick or two would get the engine going.
That “Cycle” road test reported a top speed of 114 mph–impressive. And a quarter-mile time of 14.61 seconds. Equally impressive.
The years went on. In 1961 the 99SS version appeared, with twin carbs. Last official year for the 99 and 99SS was 1962, replaced by the 650SS, now stroked to 89mm to get the additional 50cc.
Harley-Davidson has announced a stripped-down, fundamental version of its Electra Glide touring bagger dubbed the Electra Glide Standard. Powered by the Milwaukee-Eight 107, the new Electra Glide Standard is aimed at the rider looking for a simpler experience: no screens, no infotainment, just a motorcycle.
The Electra Glide Standard features chrome trim pieces and polished rocker, cam and derby covers, along with selected blacked-out components for a blend of timeless and traditional. It’s also equipped with many of the ride and handling technology of the rest of Harley’s Touring line, such as electronic cruise control, hand-adjustable emulsion-technology rear shock absorbers, a 49mm front fork with Showa dual bending valve suspension, and Brembo brakes with optional Reflex Linked and ABS features.
Behind the classic batwing fairing, a glovebox takes the place of an audio system, and a single scooped touring seat is standard (a pillion seat is available as an accessory).
The Electra Glide Standard is available in dealerships now, in Vivid Black, starting at $18,999.
For more information, visit harley-davidson.com. Scroll down for more photos.
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