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2023 Suzuki GSX-8S | First Ride Review

April 14, 2023 mcnews Leave a comment

I’m the kind of shopper who likes to have it all in one package if I can. I love a bike that excels in its category, but for the day-to-day, you can’t beat a motorcycle that ticks all the boxes without feeling like any of those boxes are being compromised. The new Suzuki GSX-8S middleweight streetfighter comes pretty darn close to checking all the right boxes for me. It’s a harmonic blend of power, price, stability, comfort, and fun.

At the Suzuki GSX-8S press launch in Antibes, France, I got to test this new model out on both the city streets and the mountainous, curvy roads through the Maritime Alps. Before getting into my review of the 8S, I’d like to give southern France two enthusiastic thumbs up. It was the perfect location for a first ride of the 8S and provided a full day of exquisite roads and sights. Don’t even get me started on the seafood.

The GSX-8S is a new model for Suzuki, with an all-new 776cc 4-stroke DOHC parallel-Twin engine and a new chassis. The engine can also be found in the V-Strom 800DE, which is also new for 2023.

Suzuki says the new engine performs similarly to the V-Twin in the SV650 models but provides more power for riders looking for a little more excitement. It features Suzuki’s patented Cross Balancer system, which allows the engine to be slimmer and more compact while reducing vibrations. Bore and stroke are 84mm and 70mm. The new engine makes a claimed 82 hp peaking at 8,500 rpm and a claimed 57.5 lb-ft of torque at 6,800 rpm.

Starting out from the hotel in Antibes and navigating the busy city streets on our way toward the mountains, what I noticed almost immediately was how much grunt was available at low revs. Power delivery was immediate and became very smooth once I switched into the gentler “B” ride mode. I could put this bike in 2nd gear and roll through the stop-and-go, then give it a twist when the traffic opened up, all without really needing to change gears. That low-to-mid range torque, coupled with the smooth throttle response, made this bike stress-free to ride through the city streets.

Once we were out of the city and picking up speed, I noticed that the engine didn’t have the same get-up-and-go at higher rpms. However, that initial pull after bumping up a gear was pure pleasure, and it made passing slower-moving traffic a breeze.

The 2023 Suzuki GSX-8S Bits

Along with the new engine, the 8S also features a new chassis with a compact design. It has a steel frame, an aluminum swingarm, a 3.7-gal. fuel tank, and a wide, tapered aluminum handlebar. The KYB inverted fork and monoshock KYB rear suspension both have 5.1 inches of travel, and the shock is preload-adjustable with a tool.

The seat was comfortable and provided plenty of room to move around, and it was slim enough that a light hug with my knees kept me securely in place. The wide handlebar offered plenty of leverage, and the upright seating position kept me comfortable for a whole day of riding without feeling fatigued at the end of the day.

GEAR UP

Helmet: HJC RPHA 91
Jacket: Joe Rocket Turbulent Women’s Jacket
Gloves: Joe Rocket Ballistic Ultra Women’s Gloves
Pants: Alpinestars Daisy V2 Women’s Riding Jeans
Boots: Joe Rocket Trixie Women’s Boots

The 31.9-inch seat height of the 8S was a stretch for my 5-foot-1-inch frame. I could graze the pavement with the tips of my toes when the bike was completely upright, but I needed to lean it over to get enough contact between pavement and boot to support myself when stopped.

This leads me to one of my favorite aspects of the 8S: its balance. Even when rolling through very slow traffic, I rarely needed to put a foot down at all, and when I did, the bike’s weight is carried low enough that it was easy to hold up at a lean. Its curb weight of 445 lb was manageable in both slow riding in the city and out on the twisty mountain roads.

The 8S comes equipped with ABS brakes, and stopping power comes from dual Nissin radial-mounted 4-piston calipers and floating rotors in the front and a 1-piston caliper and a single disc in the rear. I never braked hard enough to engage the ABS during our test ride, but it was nice to know it was there if I needed it.

If I could make one change to the 8S, it would be the tires. The Dunlop RoadSport 2 radial tires on the 8S were alright but not awe-inspiring by any means. I didn’t feel much feedback from the tires, making it unclear to me if I still had enough grip for greater lean angles or not. For everyday commuting, the RoadSports are fine, but if you want to experience all what the 8S has to offer, a grippier set of tires might provide more confidence.

Ready to Roll

“We did not aim for the highest powered or lightest weight motorcycle,” said the 8S’ chief designer during the technical presentation the night before our test ride. “We aimed to satisfy all riders.” The other designers and engineers present also drove home the point that they listened to customers’ needs and requests when building the 8S to create an all-around motorcycle that satisfies a wide range of riders.

They demonstrated that desire to please all riders during our test ride as well. Any time we stopped for a coffee break or lunch, the Suzuki designers and engineers were eager to listen to our feedback and ask questions about our first impressions. Several of them came to me directly, saying they were interested in the perspective of a younger, smaller woman. I appreciated that level of dedication to their product and the desire to continue to improve and meet riders’ needs.

To that end, the GSX-8S includes a full suite of rider aids as standard. Along with ABS, it comes with a 5-inch TFT display with day/night modes, an up/down quickshifter, three ride modes, and four traction-control settings.

I enjoyed the layout of the TFT display. It was easy to see, and it showed all the information I needed without making any of it difficult to find. Another consideration that made the bike user-friendly is how easy it is to switch ride modes and the TC levels and that both modes are always visible on the display. The ride mode switch on the left side of the handlebar has obvious buttons and a simple design.

The three ride modes really did contribute to a different style of riding. The throttle response in Ride Mode A was a bit too aggressive for me, especially in town. Ride Mode B smoothed out that jumpiness without compromising the low-rpm torque that I enjoyed so much. I didn’t spend much time in Ride Mode C because B hit the spot so well for me.

I had the traction control set to level 3 for most of the ride. Perhaps with grippier tires, I would’ve felt more confident with less TC, but since I was in a new environment, on a new bike, and with less experience than the other journalists along for the ride, I appreciated the extra help.

With my preferred settings dialed in, even on a new bike on alpine roads that were much tighter and steeper than what I’m used to back home in Tennessee, I really started to enjoy the 8S and the beautiful scenery and roads. The 8S offered enough to keep things exciting for the more experienced riders, but it was also tamable for someone like me who couldn’t push the bike to its limits in the same way.

One for All

Suzuki wanted the 8S to be a well-rounded bike that pleases both experienced and beginner riders. If I were a couple inches taller, I’d agree completely. Riding taller bikes is something I’m still trying to get comfortable with, and a tall seat height is a factor that can add some intimidation and apprehension for shorter riders.

Suzuki offers a range of useful and stylish accessories for the 8S, such as soft side cases, a flyscreen, cowls for the passenger seat and lower engine, billet brake and clutch levers, lever guards, frame sliders, fuel tank protectors, and a USB socket, but it missed an opportunity to make the 8S more accessible by not offering a lower seat. Aside from having a longer reach to the pavement than I’d like, the 8S’s balance, maneuverability, and fun factor truly do make it an approachable ride.

After a full day of riding the 8S through the city and the mountains of Southern France, I have a couple of pieces of advice to impart: 1) If you’re looking for a bike that is greater than the sum of its parts and performs well for a wide range of situations and riding levels, the new Suzuki GSX-8S should be one of the bikes on your list. 2) If you find yourself in Antibes with an empty belly, you’re doing something wrong.

2023 Suzuki GSX-8S Specs

Base Price: $8,849
Website: SuzukiCycles.com
Warranty: 1 yr., unltd. miles
Engine Type: Liquid-cooled parallel-Twin, DOHC w/ 4 valves per cyl.
Displacement: 776cc
Bore x Stroke: 84.0 x 70.0mm
Horsepower: 82.0 @ 8,500 rpm (factory claim)
Torque: 57.5 lb-ft @ 6,800 rpm (factory claim)
Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated slip/assist wet clutch
Final Drive: Chain
Wheelbase: 57.7 in.
Rake/Trail: 25.0 degrees/4.1 in.
Seat Height: 31.9 in.
Wet Weight: 445 lb (factory claim)
Fuel Capacity: 3.7 gal.

See all of Rider‘s Suzuki coverage here.

The post 2023 Suzuki GSX-8S | First Ride Review first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com

Motorcycle News, News

2023 Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition | First Ride Review

March 23, 2023 mcnews Leave a comment

2023 Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition Ride Review — The 2023 Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition arrives just one year after the introduction of the Norden 901 and is more off-road and touring ready. (Photos by Sebas Romero & Marco Campelli)

Walking up to the Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition for the first time, the bold graphics caught my eye. In a departure from the subdued matte-black paint scheme on the standard Norden 901, the Expedition sports a blue and white colorway with yellow accents, a large white Husqvarna logo, and white handguards and side panels. Like the standard model, the graphics include topographical lines that bring to mind far-flung places where one might venture on the Expedition.

The visual prowess of the new machine got me excited. The inverted WP Xplor fork – an upgrade from the WP Apex unit on the standard Norden – has an eye-catching WP logo and red accents on the silver tubes. The wrap-around skid plate is big and rugged, protecting both the underside of the engine and the lower pods of the horseshoe-shaped fuel tank.

The Expedition looks the business, and all I wanted to do was ride it.

But is it the off-road beast I wanted the first Norden to be? The standard model was released just last year, and it planted a prominent flag for Husqvarna – a legendary off-road brand – onto the ADV landscape. The Expedition ups the platform’s game with higher-spec WP Xplor suspension, a taller windscreen, and side carriers with a pair of 18-liter waterproof saddlebags. Several optional features and accessories for the Norden are standard on the Expedition, including the Explorer ride mode, a beefier skid plate, heated grips and seat, a centerstand, and Bluetooth connectivity for infotainment and navigation. It’s priced at $15,799, a $1,300 premium over the Norden 901.

Enough speculating, let’s ride!

Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition in South Africa

Husqvarna did an amazing job plotting a route up and down epic mountains, over rolling hillsides, and along rugged coastlines near Cape Town, South Africa. Our first day started with a short stint on the freeway to get comfortable on the machine, and then we wicked it up on a hardpacked gravel road through vineyards and recently harvested grain fields. It was super dusty, so we tried leaving enough space between riders to avoid the dust without losing sight of those ahead of us. With a quick glance down, I saw 136 kph (84 mph) on the TFT display, and I wondered, Are we in a hurry?

GEAR UP

Helmet: Arai XD-4
Jacket: Alpinestars Bogota Pro Drystar
Gloves: Alpinestars Bogota Drystar XF
Pants: Alpinestars Bogota Pro Drystar
Boots: Sidi Adventure 2 Gore-Tex

Our route took us along the edge of a lake, and the scenery was breathtaking. Then we returned to the tarmac and blasted down a beautiful canyon road with towering cliffs, majestic mountains, and deep ravines. Back and forth we went, from gravel roads to highways at a brisk pace. The Norden’s 889cc parallel-Twin, which cranks out a claimed 105 hp and 73.8 lb-ft of torque, was pegged at 7,000 rpm in 6th gear without complaint, even though redline is 8,500 rpm.

Day 2 brought more serious off-road terrain, with technical two-track, wet sand, and gnarly, rutted-out hillclimbs. At one point, facing exposed rocks and step-ups as the trail steepened toward a peak, I thought to myself, There’s no way this bike is making it to the top. It looked like something only an enduro bike should tackle but not this bike, not with its road-biased tires with 36 psi in them. But the Norden proved to be quite the mountain goat, and we successfully summitted the hill.

Then it was on to an enduro-type loop section with sand, loose red rock, hardpacked dirt, and a wet, grassy stretch. We did several loops, each slightly faster and messier than the last, pushing the Norden 901 Expedition harder with each pass. Then we charged up a steep and crumbling single-lane paved road. What a climb, and what a view from the top! It was an amazing couple of days to test an adventure bike – the perfect mix of a challenging route and out-there countryside.

Report Card

The Husqvarna Norden 901 is built on the same platform as the KTM 890 Adventure and 890 Adventure R, a bike I’ve previously sampled. They share an engine and much of the same technology, such as ride modes, cornering ABS and traction control, Motor Slip Regulation, and a quickshifter. As on the KTMs, ABS is linked to the ride modes, so selecting the Street or Rain ride mode activates the Road ABS mode, and selecting the Offroad or Explorer ride mode activates the Offroad ABS mode.

But the Explorer ride mode is fully customizable. Riders can select among four different throttle-response maps (Rally, Offroad, Street, or Rain), select either ABS mode, and toggle between 10 levels of traction control for the rear wheel on the fly, ranging from Level 0 (off) to Level 9 (most intrusive). I found that Level 3 allowed for nice power slides without letting things get too out of hand.

The biggest change on the Expedition relative to the standard Norden 901 is the suspension. Compared to the WP Apex setup on the base model, the Expedition’s WP Xplor fork has larger diameter tubes (48mm vs. 43mm) and more travel (9.4 inches vs. 8.7 inches), and the Xplor PDS (Progressive Damping System) shock also has more travel (9.4 inches vs. 8.5 inches). The KTM 890 Adventure R also has Xplor suspension, but the Expedition has softer damping for a more comfortable ride. After two hard-charging days of riding, I can tell you that the bike’s handling is phenomenal.

On pavement, the added stiffness of the 48mm fork kept the front end firmly planted no matter how hard I pushed into turns, even with the additional travel. The damping allowed the Expedition to float down the road, but it never felt spongy or bouncy. Off-road was a different story. At high speeds on long, fast gravel roads, I felt equally confident until I hit a loose rock or pothole and the handlebar did a quick 1-2-3 twitch – just enough to remind me to tone it down. On gnarly trails, I felt the softness of the stroke and used all the travel, but it never held me back and I experienced less jarring on my body than what I’ve experienced on the 890 Adventure R.

Before the more technical riding on Day 2, I asked the Husqvarna techs to firm up the damping front and rear (there’s a settings chart under the rider seat). Adjusting the fork is simple since there are compression and rebound clickers atop the fork tubes; adjusting the shock requires tools that are found in the toolkit under the side panel. The changes made a big difference. On the road, I could feel small imperfections in the tarmac, and I could dive into corners with even more confidence and speed. Off-road was even better. I felt more in tune with the bike, allowing me to push the limits. There was no more twitch at high speeds, and the bike tracked straighter through sandy sections. On rough, rocky trails, the tires didn’t deflect as much, though it would have been even better if we could have aired them down.

The Pirelli Scorpion Rally STRs on the Expedition, which have roughly a 70/30 on/off-road bias, performed well on pavement and on fast-paced gravel roads. We flogged them hard, and they provided confident, consistent grip. In sand and on some of the more technical off-road sections, however, I would have preferred a more aggressive knobby. Tires are always a compromise, and the Pirellis are versatile tires with big knob blocks that should hold up well during long multiday tours.

Jack of All Trades

Adventure bikes have a tough job. They need to be rugged and capable of tackling a wide variety of off-road terrain, they need to be robust enough to withstand abuse and carry heavy loads, and they need to provide enough power, comfort, and sophistication to satisfy riders who want to carve canyons or cross continents.

The Norden’s tubular chromoly-steel trellis frame is light and strong and uses the engine as a stressed member for added rigidity. The rest of the chassis consists of a steel trellis subframe and a cast-aluminum open-lattice swingarm. The steering stem, triple clamps, handlebar, and footpegs are also made of aluminum, saving weight without sacrificing durability.

The parallel-Twin engine is certainly up to the task. It’s a lively powerplant, yet dual balancer shafts keep vibration to a manageable level. It makes plenty of power and torque, its throttle-by-wire enables the selectable ride modes and other rider aids, and its 6-speed transmission is equipped with a slip/assist clutch and the best quickshifter I’ve had the pleasure of using.

Whether seated or standing, I found the ergonomics to be spot-on for my 5-foot-11 frame. The low-slung fuel tank keeps weight down low for better balance and handling, and it keeps the upper part of the tank narrow between the knees. The tank, bodywork, and windscreen kept the wind and water off me for the most part. The windscreen isn’t adjustable, but it has a cut-out in the center that smooths the airflow. There was no buffeting, and I could look side to side without the peak of my helmet getting ripped by the passing air. When seated, I felt some airflow at neck level, but I didn’t mind, especially in the warm temperatures we were riding in.

With good wind protection, cruise control, and heated grips and seat, the Expedition is a good choice for those who want to burn miles. The luggage that comes standard, however, wasn’t quite up to the task. Halfway through Day One, the crossmember that connects the two side carriers came off and went flying end over end down the road behind me. That got repaired, but after two days of thrashing, the loaded bags hung down because the stitching on the upper backing was stretching and coming undone. The side bags look good and provide useful storage, but they don’t seem robust enough for serious off-road abuse.

For digital addicts, the Expedition has a connectivity unit that allows a smartphone to be paired via Bluetooth using the Ride Husqvarna Motorcycles app, which enables phone and music functions as well as Turn-by-Turn+ navigation and route planning. Pairing a Bluetooth helmet headset with the app allows riders to listen to music and take calls, with functions controlled via the left switch cube and displayed on the TFT dash. Maps can be downloaded for use offline, and up to 128 waypoints can be added to routes. I didn’t test the app, but I found the TFT display easy to read and the menus intuitive.

See all of Rider‘s Husqvarna coverage here.

Bottom Line

Overall, my criticisms of the Norden 901 Expedition are fairly minor. I’d like an adjustable windscreen, more robust luggage, and knobbier tires, but some of that just reflects my personal preferences. If you’re in the market for a middleweight do-it-all adventure bike, especially if you put emphasis on the “touring” part of Adventure Touring, then the Expedition is hard to beat. With its excellent on- and off-road handling, versatile engine, fantastic electronics package, and comfortable ergonomics, you’ll be smiling ear-to-ear on every adventure.

2023 Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition Specs

Base Price: $15,799
Website: Husqvarna-Motorcycles.com
Warranty: 2 yrs., 24,000 miles
Engine Type: Liquid-cooled, transverse parallel-Twin, DOHC w/ 4 valves per cyl.
Displacement: 889cc
Bore x Stroke: 90.7 x 68.8mm
Horsepower: 105 hp @ 8,000 rpm (factory claim)
Torque: 73.8 lb-ft @ 6,500 rpm (factory claim)
Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated slip/assist wet clutch
Final Drive: X-ring chain
Wheelbase: 59.5 in. ± 0.6 in.
Rake/Trail: 25.8 degrees/4.2 in.
Seat Height: 33.6/34.4 in.
Wet Weight: 503 lb (claimed)
Fuel Capacity: 5.0 gal.
Fuel Consumption: 52.3 mpg (claimed)

The post 2023 Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition | First Ride Review first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com

Motorcycle News, News

2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 R/RS | First Ride Review

March 21, 2023 mcnews Leave a comment

2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 RS — Hunting for apexes at Circuito de Jerez in Spain. (Photos by Kingdom Creative)

The updated and upgraded Triumph Street Triple 765 hits a sweet spot in the sporty motorcycle market. It’s comfortable enough for commuting and light-duty touring, cool enough to hold its head high at bike nights, and fast enough for scorching trackdays. With prices starting at $9,995, it offers undeniable value for a sporting naked streetbike.

The Street Triple has been one of our favorite sports roadsters since its 2007 inception as an offshoot of the 675cc Daytona. Surprisingly lively and always playful, it was like a more exotic and more stimulating Suzuki SV650, another longtime fave that punches above its weight.

2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 R RS — The Street Triple R (left) retails for $9,995, while the RS version (right) demands a $2,600 premium.

The Street Triple 765 arrived in 2017 with a power-to-weight ratio that would humble the original 885cc Speed Triple, the Street’s older brother and one of the godfathers of the naked sportbike genre.

The revised Street Triple was a bigger, more capable machine that came in three variants: S, R, and RS, with outputs ranging from 111 hp to 121 hp.

Triumph launched its first Street Triple 765 in southern Spain, so it was fitting that we were invited back to Spain to sample the new version on Andalusian roads and the famous Jerez racetrack.

Triumph Street Triple 765 Revamped

Categorized in the U.S. as a 2024 model, the Street Triple gets an extensive overhaul this year. It enjoys many welcome upgrades and is available in three versions.

Along with the R and RS we tested, Triumph is offering a special Moto2 Edition to celebrate its involvement as the engine supplier in MotoGP’s junior category since 2019. It’s basically an RS but with clip-on handlebars, carbon bodywork, and an Öhlins fork, and it’s limited to 765 units for each of its two colorways. Retailing for $15,395, as of press time it’s sold out in most global markets but is still available in America.

2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 Moto2 in Crystal White with Triumph Racing Yellow rear subframe

Triumph reps boasted about how they took lessons learned in the Moto2 program and applied them to the streetbike. The bore and stroke of the inline-Triple remain unchanged, but most internals have been changed, including pistons, con-rods, camshafts, and valves. The piston crowns and combustion chamber are now fully machined for optimal flow and combustion, combining for a higher 13.25:1 compression ratio. The intake uses trumpets that are 20mm shorter for a stronger pull up top, and the exhaust now has just one catalyzer instead of two.

The result, according to Triumph, is an increase in power from the midrange on up. The R version claims 118 hp that arrives at 11,500 rpm, 500 revs earlier than the previous motor’s 116 ponies. The higher-spec RS variant delivers 128 hp at 12,000 rpm, a jump of 7 hp from the previous model. Torque on all models is bumped by 4% to a creditable 59 lb-ft.

New to the Street Triple is the addition of an IMU that enables precise traction-control modulation and cornering ABS. Also coming standard and cued to the IMU is one of the most seamless up/down quickshifters we’ve sampled, which uses a pressure-sensitive actuator rather than a basic switch.

Styling remains similar but freshened, with a new, sharply creased fuel tank with integrated side panels and a stubby new stainless-steel muffler tucked in next to the gullwing aluminum swingarm. The distinctive dual headlights with LED eyebrows are topped with a mini wind deflector that’s more integrated than on previous models. Scrolling LED turnsignals are a nice upmarket touch.

The chassis remains the same but tweaks to ride heights have modestly sharpened the steering geometry to aid agility. A shuffling of transmission and final-drive ratios has slightly shortened up the overall gearing for snappier engine responses.

Is R Enough?

2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 R — Tall mirrors identify this Street Triple as an R version.

The R version of the Street Triple makes a good case for saving money over its pricier RS brother. It very well could be the most appealing sub-$10,000 sporty bike on the market.

It would be unfair to cast the R as a “budget bike,” as it includes a plethora of desirable features. An aluminum frame helps keep weight to a tidy 417 lb wet, fully adjustable Showa suspension can be dialed in to personal preferences, and a Brembo brake package with radial-mount monoblock calipers provides secure speed bleeding through braided steel lines. Tire valves directed to the sides are another pleasing accoutrement.

Ergonomics are pleasantly familiar, placing a rider in a modestly leaned-over forward cant and now with a half-inch wider handlebar to aid agility. Long-legged riders may feel a bit cramped because of the high footpeg position that supplies a generous amount of lean angle before they begin dragging. The seat is reasonably comfortable and roomy, but short riders will whine about the 32.5-inch seat height. A lower accessory seat reduces height by 1 inch.

GEAR UP

Helmet: Arai Regent-X
Suit: Aerostich Roadcrafter 
Gloves: Shift Torrent SS
Boots: Alpinestars Soho

While the RS gets a vivid 5-inch TFT instrument panel, the R gets a more basic LCD screen augmented by a diminutive TFT panel. It’s perfectly adequate if not visually brilliant. Both can be connected to phones via Bluetooth.

The star of the Street Triple show is its compact three-cylinder engine that emits some of the most pleasing sounds ever trumpeted by a motorcycle – a mix of inline-Four scream tempered by a hint of twin-cylinder thrum. In addition to being delightfully sonorous and pleasingly smooth, it’s blessed with a wide swell of power that can easily carry a higher gear than typically optimum yet lunges for horizons with a howling top-end climax. Torque peaks at 5,500 rpm, which is below the halfway point of its rev range.

New throttle maps for the three ride modes (Rain, Road, and Sport) are finely tuned to deliver precise and user-friendly throttle responses. Traction and wheelie control settings are tied into each ride mode. The “Rider” mode can be tailored to personal preferences. A slip-assist clutch eases lever effort and sloppy downshifts.

Handling is another Street Triple strong point, now with minimally less rake and trail. It quickly bends into corners and provides confidence-inspiring feedback. The suspensions of the bikes on our street ride were set up to be compliant on the damp and occasionally bumpy Spanish backroads, but preload and damping (both compression and rebound) can be dialed up to suit rider weights and inclinations.

The RS version has higher-end brake components, but there’s nothing wrong with the R’s for street usage. Brembo M4.32 calipers bite on 310mm rotors up front and provide strong power and the security of cornering ABS. The brake lever next to the Nissin axial master cylinder has a wide adjustment range to suit hands of all sizes. Application of the front brake subtly engages the rear brake to help settle the chassis during corner entries, but it’s entirely seamless and can be disabled in Rider mode settings.

Story continues below 2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 R photo gallery

2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 RS On the Track

The RS version of the Street Triple includes everything good about the R and dials it up to a more premium and slightly faster experience. Stylewise, you’ll notice the addition of a chin fairing, a cowl on the passenger seat, and a stitched seat. The RS also includes a deflector in front of the rear sprocket to prevent errant items or digits from entering, an item unappreciated until it’s needed. Ask me how I know.

The RS’s cockpit is graced by TFT instrumentation that includes a lap-timer function, along with more comprehensive switch cubes. Unlike the R, the RS can be fitted with cruise control as an option. Heated grips are another option, which were gratefully fitted to the bikes on our chilly street ride. Bar-end mirrors replace the ones mounted atop the handlebar on the R.

While engine internals are unchanged from the R, different ECU settings endow it with 10 extra ponies at its top end, to 128 hp at 12,000 rpm. A higher-end Showa fork damps bumps up front, while an Öhlins shock does duty out back. Sticky Pirelli SuperCorsas replace the R’s ContiRoad rubber.

Riding a naked sportbike on a MotoGP racetrack seemed incongruous before I arrived at Circuito de Jerez, but that proved not to be the case. The Street Triple RS was fully capable of cutting quick laps, suffering only a lack of wind protection while traveling at speeds reaching 140 mph at the end of the back straightaway.

The RS adds a Track setting to the R’s ride modes, which disables the linked brakes and cornering ABS for a purer riding experience. Track mode also ups the limits of traction control, wheelie control, and ABS interventions. Kudos to Triumph for enabling high limits for the electronic nannies on track. Unlike some systems that intervene too early when riding aggressively, I wasn’t tempted to disable any of the RS’s safety nets. The TC indicator lamp frequently flashed on the TFT, but intervention was so smooth that I mostly wouldn’t have otherwise noticed it.

The bike’s handling prowess is enhanced by sharper steering geometry due to a slightly taller rear ride height, tightening the rake angle to 23.2 degrees from the R’s 23.7 with a marginal decrease in trail. The bike proves to be agile but without any hint of instability, even when the front tire is dancing just above the tarmac during acceleration events out of lower-speed corners. It’s notable that no steering damper is fitted and isn’t needed.

GEAR UP

Helmet: Arai Regent-X
Suit: Spidi Track Wind Pro 
Gloves: Spidi CarboTrack
Boots: Sidi Mag-1

Although I have no complaints about the R’s brakes for street use, I was happy to have the RS’s higher-spec units at the racetrack. The front brakes begin with a radial-style Brembo master cylinder that includes an adjustable lever ratio as well as an adjustable span feeding Brembo’s class-leading Stylema monoblock calipers. They are nothing short of stellar. Oddly, the lovely black Brembo MCS lever’s adjustment range doesn’t bring it as close to the grip as the plain-looking silver lever on the R.

The RS proved to be far more worthy of racetrack exploration than I had imagined. Its versatile and punchy motor allowed a choice of gears in corners, so it could be tractored out smartly or revved out until it screamed. Throttle modulation is excellent, and its quickshifter is a wonderful aid on track. Cornering clearance is bountiful, so you’ll need to be a bit of a track hero to drag its pegs.

Story continues below 2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 R photo gallery

What’s Not to Like About the Triumph Street Triple 765?

A sign of motorcycle excellence is when a reviewer must search for things to complain about, and that’s the case here. Really tall or really short riders might complain about the rider triangle layout, but it fit me well – I’d be comfortable enough to use it for light-duty touring and tolerate the wind blast or find a fashionable windscreen.

We know it’s a superb bike when my biggest complaint is that I couldn’t clearly see the shift lights while revving the bike out at the track. Unless you’re cutting hot laps at a racetrack, this is a complete non-issue. A larger fuel tank would be nice, but a 150-mile range isn’t a deal-breaker.

See all of Rider‘s Triumph Motorcycle coverage here.

The combination of a sonorous and thrilling motor, low weight, admirable electronics, and a playful character places the Street Triple near the top of my most desirable streetbikes. It’s more debonair than the 3-cylinder Yamahas (MT-09, XSR900) and will blow away a KTM 790 Duke. Just as thrilling and likely a bit more agile is the 890 Duke R, but the KTM retails up at $12,949 and lacks the Triumph’s soul-stirring soundtrack.

Which brings me back to the Street Triple R. It’s astonishing that a semi-exotic and highly refined motorcycle with such outsized performance capabilities can be had for less than $10K. At a $2,600 saving over the admittedly cooler RS, I’d say it’s one of the best values in motorcycling.

2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 R / RS Specs

Base Price: $9,995 / $12,595
Website: TriumphMotorcycles.com
Warranty: 2 yrs., unltd. miles
Engine Type: Liquid-cooled inline-Triple, DOHC w/ 4 valves per cyl.
Displacement: 765cc
Bore x Stroke:  78.0 x 53.4mm
Horsepower: 118 hp @ 11,500 rpm / 128 hp @ 12,000 rpm (factory claim)
Torque: 59 lb-ft @ 5,500 rpm (factory claim)
Transmission: 6-speed,
Final Drive: Chain
Wheelbase: 55.1 in.
Rake/Trail: 23.7 degrees/3.9 in. / 23.2 degrees/3.8 in.
Seat Height: 32.5 in. / 32.9 in.
Wet Weight: 417 lb / 414 lb
Fuel Capacity: 4.0 gal.
Fuel Consumption: 38.8 mpg (EPA)

The post 2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 R/RS | First Ride Review first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com

Motorcycle News, News

Best Motorcycles for Smaller Riders: Seat Heights 30-30.9 Inches

March 13, 2023 mcnews Leave a comment

2022 Motorcycle of the Year Honda Navi — 2022 Honda Navi. Photo by Drew Ruiz.

Walking into a dealership as a shorter rider, or as someone who just wants a smaller ride, can feel a little limiting. You stroll by impressive and imposing machines that you might admire but don’t want to fight with as your main bike. You might find one or two models off in the back that are a comfortable fit, but you’re disappointed that there aren’t any more options to choose from. Luckily, options for smaller motorcycles are growing, and we’ve compiled those options into two Best Motorcycles for Smaller Riders list.

In our first Best Motorcycles for Smaller Riders post, we focused on bikes with seat heights under 30 inches. That seat height limit meant almost all the models on that list were cruisers, and while we certainly enjoy cruisin’, we like a little variety too. With this second Best Motorcycles for Smaller Riders post, we’re excited to include some sportbikes, minimotos, and an ADV. And while the seat heights may be taller than on the first list, many of the models on this list weigh and cost less than the shorter-seated cruisers.

This list consists of motorcycles with a seat height between 30.0 and 30.9 inches. When possible, we’ve included a link to our test ride review, so you can get a sense of how each bike performs in action. We’ve also included the 2022/23 model year’s U.S. base MSRP (as of publication), claimed wet weight, and seat height. On models with options to lower the seat height or suspension, we’ve listed the standard and lowered seat heights. You can also click on a model’s name to go to the manufacturer’s webpage for a full list of specifications and details.

The models in this list are arranged by seat height, with the first model having the shortest seat height and the last model having the tallest seat height in the list.

Honda Grom

$3,499

30.0-inch seat

223 lb

Read our 2022 Honda Grom First Ride Review

Honda Navi

$1,807

30.0-inch seat

234 lb

Read our 2022 Honda Navi First Ride Review

Royal Enfield Meteor 350

$4,899

30.1-inch seat

421 lb

Read our 2021 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Road Test Review

Triumph Speed Twin 900

$9,895

30.1-inch seat

476 lb

Read our 2019 Triumph Street Twin (former name) First Ride Review

BMW G 310 R

$4,995

30.9-inch seat (optional lower seat to 30.3 inches)

362 lb

Read our 2018 BMW G 310 R First Ride Review

BMW F 900 R

$8,995

32-inch seat (optional lower seat to 31.1 inches and lower suspension to 30.3 inches)

465 lb

Read our 2020 BMW F 900 R and F 900 XR Road Test Review

BMW F 750 GS

$9,995

32.1-inch seat (optional lower seat to 31.1 inches and lower suspension to 30.3 inches)

493 lb

Read our 2019 BMW F 850 GS and F 750 GS Road Test Review

Ducati Monster Plus

$12,995

32.3-inch seat (optional lower seat to 31.5 inches and lower suspension to 30.5 inches)

366 lb dry

Read our 2021 Ducati Monster First Ride Review

Honda Monkey

$4,249

30.5-inch seat

231 lb

Read our 2019 Honda Monkey First Ride Review

Ducati Scrambler Icon

$10,995

31.3-inch seat (optional lower seat to 30.7 inches)

408 lb

Read our 2023 Ducati Scrambler Range First Look Review

Ducati Scrambler Full Throttle

$12,195

31.3-inch seat (optional lower seat to 30.7 inches)

408 lb

Read our 2023 Ducati Scrambler Range First Look Review

Ducati Scrambler Nightshift

$12,195

31.3-inch seat (optional lower seat to 30.7 inches)

421 lb

Read our 2023 Ducati Scrambler Range First Look Review

Honda CBR300R

$4,899

30.7-inch seat

354 lb

Read our 2023 Honda Returning Models First Look Review

Honda Super Cub C125

Honda Super Cub C125

$3,849

30.7-inch seat

238 lb

Read our 2019 Honda Super Cub 125 ABS First Ride Review

Indian FTR

$13,499

30.7-inch seat

514 lb

Read our 2022 Indian FTR S First Ride Review

Indian FTR Sport

$15,749

30.7-inch seat

522 lb

Read our 2023 FTR Sport First Look Review

Moto Guzzi V7 Stone

$9,190

30.7-inch seat

492 lb

Read our 2021 Moto Guzzi V7 Stone First Ride Review

Moto Guzzi V7 Special

$9,590

30.7-inch seat

492 lb

Read our 2021 Moto Guzzi V7 Special First look Review

Moto Guzzi V7 Special Edition

$9,990

30.7-inch seat

480 lb

Read our New and Updated 2023 Moto Guzzi First Look Review

Yamaha YZF-R3

$5,499

30.7-inch seat

375 lb

Read our 2019 Yamaha YZF-R3 First Ride Review

Yamaha MT-03

$4,999

30.7-inch seat

373 lb

Read our 2020 Yamaha MT-03 First Ride Review

Kawasaki Ninja 400

$5,299

30.9-inch seat

362 lb

Read our 2018 Kawasaki Ninja 400 ABS First Ride Review

Kawasaki Ninja 400 KRT Edition

$5,499

30.9-inch seat

362 lb

Read our 2023 Kawasaki Returning Models First Look Review

Kawasaki Z400 ABS

$5,399

30.9-inch seat

364 lb

Read our 2019 Kawasaki Z400 ABS First Ride Review

Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber

$10,490

30.9-inch seat

463 lb

Read our 2017 Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber First Ride Review

Suzuki SV650

$7,399

30.9-inch seat

432 lb

Watch our 2017 Suzuki SV50 Video Review

The post Best Motorcycles for Smaller Riders: Seat Heights 30-30.9 Inches first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com

Motorcycle News, News

2023 Indian Sport Chief | First Ride Review

March 1, 2023 mcnews Leave a comment

Racing up to the blind rise on the 2023 Indian Sport Chief, I roll off the throttle slightly, and the pleasing roar of the engine lowers to more of a threatening growl. As I crest the hill, there’s a moment of weightlessness, and I see a line of about a dozen other riders, all on the same performance cruisers, gliding down the roller coaster-like drop and blasting back up the sweeping left on the other side. It looks almost as if they are defying gravity – or getting ready to launch into the air. It’s a quick flash of a scene, a rush of exhilaration that makes me feel younger than my years, and I roll on the throttle again. The big Thunderstroke 116 responds without hesitation, pulling me forward as if it can read my mind and knows that, in that moment, all I want to do is catch up and take off into the sky with them.

The 2023 Indian Sport Chief: A New Take on a Familiar Favorite

The first Indian Chief, offering 61 inches of displacement, was released a little over 100 years ago. At the February launch for the Sport Chief, Brandon Kraemer, Indian’s VP of product and motorcycle electrification, said that Charles Franklin, who also designed the Scout, had a goal in mind when he developed the Chief.

“His goal was to take what was great about the Scout and basically make it a little bigger and a little more capable, a little more powerful,” he said, “and ultimately they did that.”

Kraemer continued to say that 100 years later, Indian “rebirthed that, with what you see here as the basis of the new Chief platform.”

He said that the Chief bridges the gap between the Scout and the heavier, more expensive Chieftain or Challenger ranges. Kraemer called it “a great canvas.”

In 2021, we tested the new 2022 Indian Super Chief Limited, an up-spec, touring-ready version of the new Chief platform that included the standard Chief, the Chief Bobber, and the Super Chief, all of which feature the air-cooled Thunderstroke 111 49-degree V-Twin. The Dark Horse versions of the Chief and Chief Bobber and the Limited version of the Super Chief boast the Thunderstroke 116, which makes a claimed 120 lb-ft of torque at the crank compared to the 108 lb-ft of the 111 engine.

The Dark Horse/Limited models also have a 4-inch round touchscreen TFT instrument panel as an upgrade from the traditional analog gauge on the regular models, as well as standard ABS, an $800 option on the base models.

“We wanted to focus on a really flexible design that we could take to many different places,” Kraemer said of the Chief base, adding that the Sport Chief was the “first derivative coming out of the all-new platform.”

Taking It Up a Notch

Kraemer said that while the 2022 Chiefs were largely targeted after the bobber segment, “we always knew we were going to go after the performance segment second.” Enter the 2023 Indian Sport Chief.

“Going back to what we originally set the Chief architecture up for, we definitely have it in our wheelhouse,” Kraemer said and mentioned the obvious rival in this category, the Harley-Davidson Low Rider S. “That’s what we’re going after.”

In our review of the 2022 Indian Super Chief Limited, we said that the new “Chief lineup is more stripped-down and elemental, reflecting contemporary tastes. Like their ancestor, the new Chiefs draw inspiration from the modern-day Scout, with a shortened wheelbase and exposed twin laydown rear shocks rather than a single shock hidden behind bodywork. They’re also much lighter.”

We appreciated that the new rear dual shocks reduced the wheelbase and added agility but felt the 3 inches of resulting rear travel (down from 4.5) was a design compromise – “overall the ride is much firmer and less forgiving.”

Like the Dark Horses and Super Chief Limited, the 2023 Sport Chief is an up-spec model with the Thunderstroke 116 engine, the 4-inch touchscreen TFT display, and standard ABS. Its suspension and brakes get a major upgrade over previous Chief iterations, including the same front end as used on the Challenger bagger, with a 43mm KYB inverted fork offering 5.1 inches of travel and a pair of Brembo 4-piston calipers biting 320mm rotors.

When it comes to rear suspension, Kraemer said when they created the new Chief models, one thing they focused heavily on is what Indian calls the “Signature Line,” which runs from the steering stem all the way down through the axle.

“The rear shocks are a big part of that, having that continuation of that consistent line.” Much like the cross-pollination evident in the front end, Kraemer cited the Scout as inspiration for the rear suspension, but he also said the company recognized that on a heavyweight cruiser, customers are going to want to customize.

“And we are too,” he said. “Having outboard rear shocks makes it really easy to jack the bike up and change the suspension, or you can lower it as well if you want to go that route. Obviously we’re going higher with the Sport Chief.”

Along these lines, the Sport Chief has new piggyback Fox shocks with adjustable preload that bump travel up by an inch (to 4 inches) and lean angle up by 1 degree (to 29.5 degrees).

From a visual standpoint, a new quarter-fairing also sets the Sport Chief apart from the other models, combined with a new moto-style bar with a machined triple clamp and 6-inch machined riser. A solo gunfighter seat with 2 more inches of bolster than the standard Chief is complemented by mid-mount foot controls.

GEAR UP

Helmet: Arai Contour-X
Jacket: Highway 21 Motordrome
Gloves: Highway 21 Hook Glove
Pants: Highway 21 Blockhouse Jeans
Boots: Highway 21 Low Primary Engineer

The bike features cast wheels (19 inches in the front, 16 in the rear) wrapped in Pirelli Night Dragon tires, a 4-gallon fuel tank, a bobbed rear fender, dual exhausts, LED lighting, keyless ignition, cruise control, and three selectable ride modes: Sport, Standard, and Tour.

Where the Rubber Meets the Texas Roads

We tested the 2023 Indian Sport Chief on a 120-mile mix of Austin city streets, interstate, and winding Texas Hill Country roads. The pace was brisk where traffic would allow, and except for some patchy spots of construction around town, the conditions were perfect for trying out this new performance cruiser, especially rolling through Hill Country and the short side jaunt we took on a narrow road with some nice twisties.

The first thing I noticed when firing up the Sport Chief was the pleasing rumbling of that blacked-out Thunderstroke 116. We started our ride with some laps around the city, but it wasn’t until we hit the interstate that I really got a taste of what this bike wanted to do. Not to anthropomorphize too much, but I daresay the Sport Chief was just as eager as I was to open it up a little more than permitted by the stop-and-go of city driving.

The second thing I noticed was that round touchscreen TFT. Although it’s not new – at least to the lower-spec versions of the Chief – it’s still pretty to look at, much cooler than a rectangular display. Kraemer said it is important at Indian to keep adding tech without taking away from style, which he called “critical” to the company’s customers. “And it’s not easy, by the way, to find a round touchscreen.”

Riders can use the display to cycle through multiple interfaces, including two different gauge configurations, bike and ride information, and turn-by-turn navigation with connected features like weather and traffic overlays. Riders can also pair their smartphones to the panel via Bluetooth or USB and access music and phone information through the Ride Command system.

Once we got rolling, some of the unavoidable potholes and bumps of city riding were a little more jarring than I would’ve expected given the new suspension, and even with rear-cylinder deactivation, there was still some serious heat coming off the exhaust. But once we got outside of town and off the interstate into Hill Country, the Sport Chief really shone. And in this case, some of the positive response I experienced from the bike was directly related to that new rear suspension.

Changes to suspension subsequently alter the bike’s geometry. The new taller shocks not only give more lean angle but also pivot the front end and result in a slightly tighter rake of 28 degrees (from 29) and shorter 4.4 inches of trail (from 5.2). Kyle Goede, product manager for the Super Chief, said the reason they did this was for “flickability.”

“[It’s] a little bit easier to maneuver,” he said, adding that it was important when developing the bike to think about its performance aspect.

And Indian nailed it with that one. For a bike with a wet weight of 685 lb, it handled in the corners like a much lighter motorcycle. It was almost effortless. I can admit that I’m probably in the category of “most riders” and didn’t take advantage of the full increased lean angle, but it didn’t take much more than a bit of countersteering or shifting of my upper body to carve out a nice apex.

Speaking of those apexes, although I might’ve been more conservative in my cornering, when I came out of them and wanted to catch up, a twist of the throttle brought an immediate but steady and strong response. And as the speedometer climbed, the engine purred with a surprising smoothness, likely the result of the V-Twin’s counterbalancers.

One area where the ride felt a little rougher was at the top end of some of these speeds, but that had more to do with the accessories on the bike I was riding than the engine. There are several accessories for the Sport Chief that are also compatible with other bikes in the Chief lineup, including the Fox piggyback rear shocks (and an up-spec 24-click adjustable version), 10-inch risers, the quarter-fairing with a low (4 inch) or tall (9 inch) forward windscreen, an extended reach or reduced reach seat, the Chief Syndicate Seat and Syndicate Low Profile Passenger Backrest for two-up riding, and the Chief Pathfinder 5 3/4-inch adaptive LED headlight.

The bike I was riding had the 10-inch riser and the matching taller windscreen. While this riser indeed contributes to a look that Dan Peterson, PGA lead, called “meaner and badder,” it also led to a little less control than the 6-inch riser offers and less wind protection at higher speeds, even with the taller windscreen. However, even Peterson said the windscreens are “as much about style as they are protection,” so this was to be expected.

And from a comfort standpoint, I was happier to have the 10-inch riser. With my 32-inch inseam and the mid-mount foot controls, I felt a little cramped at times along the ride, even with the more open ergonomics.

When it came time to slow it down, the dual Brembo components up front put the “sport” into the Sport Chief with very little convincing required. And the standard ABS was definitely appreciated, especially when I came around a corner on that narrow, twisty side road and encountered a short stretch where the road surface went from asphalt to a patch of concrete that had been smoothed over by obvious years of seasonal high water. Fortunately, there was a sign warning of the upcoming slick crossing and I had already applied some braking, but I have a feeling if it weren’t for the ABS, I might’ve locked it up and dumped the bike off the short drop-off into the rocky riverbed … and felt like an idiot.

But once again, the Sport Chief did what a performance cruiser is meant to do: It performed. And as we wound our way back to the hotel at the end of the day, even after we had to plunge back into the stop-and-go for the last stretch, it was a performance that I didn’t want to end. I may not be the 25-40 age bracket West Coast customizer this bike is primarily geared toward, but that day, I sure felt like it.

The 2023 Indian Sport Chief comes in Black Smoke, Ruby Smoke, Spirit Blue Smoke, and Stealth Gray starting at $18,999.

2023 Indian Sport Chief Specs

Base Price: $18,999
Price as Tested: $19,929
Website: IndianMotorcycle.com
Warranty: 2 yrs, unltd. miles 
Engine Type: Air-cooled, transverse 49-degree V-twin, OHV w/ 2 valves per cyl.  
Displacement: 116 ci (1,890 cc)
Bore x Stroke: 103.2 x 113.0mm  
Horsepower: 76 hp @ 4,200 rpm (rear-wheel dyno, 2021 Thunder Stroke 116)
Torque: 106 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm (rear-wheel dyno, 2021 Thunder Stroke 116)
Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated wet assist clutch 
Final Drive: Belt  
Wheelbase: 64.6 in.
Rake/Trail: 28 degrees/4.4 in. 
Seat Height: 27 in. 
Wet Weight: 685 lb
Fuel Capacity: 4.0 gal.

The post 2023 Indian Sport Chief | First Ride Review first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com

Motorcycle News, News

2023 Suzuki V-Strom 800DE | First Ride Review

February 28, 2023 mcnews Leave a comment

The new Suzuki V-Strom 800DE casts aside the model’s V-twin engine heritage, replacing it with an all-new 776cc parallel-Twin. The new bike’s styling, however, emphasizes Suzuki’s adventure bike lineage by drawing from its late ’80s Paris-Dakar-inspired DR 750S Big. Hats off to Suzuki for nailing the aesthetics, but does the bike’s performance match its adventurous good looks?

Having spent two days riding the new V-Strom in both on- and off-road environments, it’s easy to shrug off the fact that the engine architecture strays from the model’s namesake because the new parallel-Twin is the business. It has a 270-degree crank, which gives it power characteristics similar to the 90-degree V-Twins in the V-Strom 650 and V-Strom 1050. Claimed output is 83 hp at 8,500 rpm and 57.5 lb-ft of torque at 6,800 rpm.

When a twist of the throttle requests more power, the engine responds with a torquey forward rush, and the Suzuki Cross Balancer system does a great job of quelling any excessive engine vibration. Also helping keep engine vibes to a minimum is the fact that revving the engine to redline is unnecessary due to all the fun available in the midrange.

Engine snappiness is selected via the left handlebar-mounted switchgear with a choice of three throttle-response modes: “A” is most aggressive, “B” is less so, and “C” is the mildest (best for rainy conditions). In almost all on-road circumstances, I preferred the middle-ground B mode with its slightly smoother throttle application. In the dirt, it was a 50/50 toss-up between A and B modes. And this is where Suzuki’s traction control offerings get interesting.

There are three levels of on-road traction control intervention plus an off-road G (gravel) mode, or TC can be turned off. For an intermediate dirt rider such as myself, G mode made me feel more skilled than I am because it did the work of metering rear-wheel spin before things got out of control, providing a nice balance between hero-like drifting and forward thrust. With the most aggressive throttle setting (A) and TC in G mode, I could ride to my limit without fear of over-spinning the rear wheel. Or, to work on throttle control, I turned TC off, selected the milder B mode throttle setting, and practiced spinning the rear wheel without intervention.

Another rider aid outfitted to the V-Strom 800DE is a bi-directional quickshifter – always a welcome feature in my book. I tested the system on two different test bikes to make sure what I was experiencing wasn’t an adjustment issue, and both bikes responded similarly. In essence, upshifting was akin to some sportbikes I’ve tested, wherein the faster you are accelerating and the higher the engine speed, the smoother the quickshifter functions. Not to say it was bad at lesser speeds, just not quite as smooth.

Downshifts, no matter what the situation, were a bit clunky. When standing up during off-road riding, the weight of my body hovering over the shift lever made the operation a bit easier. The quickshifter can also be turned off.

The V-Strom’s claimed curb weight of 507 lb didn’t seem to correspond with how light the bike felt while riding it. The bike’s handling manners both on- and off-road were very nimble. Being the professional that I am, I threw myself into this test by falling over in a marbly, rutted downhill hairpin directly in front of the camera crew. Embarrassing, yes, but I learned that riding an adventure bike like the V-Strom 800DE in the outback is a little less scary knowing you can pick it up by yourself after a tip-over – something that can’t be said about many of the heavier open-class ADVs.

Helping the V-Strom navigate off-road obstacles is its 21-inch front wheel, an impressive 8.7 inches of front and rear suspension travel, and 8.75 inches of ground clearance. Spoked wheels are of the tubed variety, while the Dunlop Trailmax Mixtour 90/10 tires favor on-road handling over aggressive off-road riding. The Showa inverted fork and link-type shock are fully adjustable, allowing riders to fine tune the suspension to personal preference, and there’s a remote preload adjuster for the rear.

The seating position has a natural feel with plenty of legroom and a short reach to the bars. Seat foam density is spot-on with absolutely no complaints after two days of riding. At 33.7 inches, the seat height isn’t as daunting as some other adventure bikes, especially considering the V-Strom’s suspension travel and ground clearance. While seated, the height of the wide, tapered handlebar was just right, but since I’m taller than average (5-foot-11), I was a little hunched over when standing up on the pegs. I’d prefer the handlebar to be a bit more elevated, but I suspect it would be a good fit for riders of average height.

GEAR UP:

Helmet: Arai XD-4
Jacket: Alpinestars Monteira Drystar XF
Gloves: Alpinestars Halo Leather
Pants: Alpinestars Monteira Drystar XF
Boots: Alpinestars Corozal Adventure Drystar

Braking performance of the dual 2-piston Nissin front calipers pinching 310mm discs was more than adequate in the dirt, though the street-biased Mixtour tires offered limited off-road grip. On the pavement, especially at higher speeds, there were times when more stopping power was needed but not available. At the lever, I could almost feel the rubber brake lines expanding when maximum pressure was applied. Steel braided brake lines and more aggressive pads would probably help, but 4-piston front calipers be even better. ABS is standard and offers two levels of intervention, and it can be turned off at the rear wheel.

The 5-inch color TFT instrument panel delivers information to the rider in an uncluttered, easy-to-read layout. From ABS, TC, and ride mode settings to speed, gear position, and fuel level, the information is intuitive and well-organized. The brightness of the display is adjustable, and the day/night mode background can be set to switch automatically or manually. On the left side of the display is a handy USB port for charging a phone or other electronic device.

Above the instrument panel resides an adjustable windscreen. There are three heights to choose from in 0.6-inch increments, for a total of 1.8 inches of adjustment. However, a hex key is required to remove four bolts to reposition the windscreen – a cost-saving design that cuts a little too deep for my taste. Other attempts to control costs include flimsy plastic handguards and a minimalist plastic bash plate under the engine.

The pace set by our lead rider on the morning of the first day was posted-speed-limit slow. Great for taking in the scenery of Sardinia, Italy, but as limiting as a conga-line demo ride when it comes to assessing the V-Strom 800DE’s capabilities. It was surprising that, when set free to ride at a spirited pace, I quickly found the limit of the bike’s cornering clearance when the footpeg feeler gouged its way through the pavement in the first corner of a photo pass. Rather than a criticism, however, this was a virtue. Right out of the gate, I felt comfortable pushing an unfamiliar motorcycle to its street-riding limits. And this was before making any adjustments to suspension settings. From there, I grew even more fond of the V-Strom 800DE during the next day and a half of testing.

Considering the V-Strom’s $11,349 MSRP, the technologies with which it is outfitted, and its performance in the dirt and on the pavement, Suzuki clearly did its homework and developed a great overall package for a reasonable price. The middleweight adventure segment is highly competitive, with a range of offerings from Aprilia, BMW, Husqvarna, KTM, Triumph, and Yamaha.

See all of Rider‘s Suzuki coverage here.

For those looking for a more well-endowed traveling companion, Suzuki also offers an Adventure version of the V-Strom 800DE for a $1,650 premium. The extra money gets you a pair of quick-release black-anodized 37-liter aluminum panniers, an accessory bar for mounting other accessories and protecting the side of the motorcycle (something I could have used), and an aluminum skid pan. Fuel capacity for either model remains the same 5.3 gallons.

The 2023 Suzuki V-Strom 800DE strikes a happy medium between the more diminutive V-Strom 650XT ($9,599) and the V-Strom 1050DE ($15,999). You get more of what you want – engine and chassis performance – compared to the 650 and less of what you don’t want – weight and cost – compared to the 1050. That’s a win/win.

2023 Suzuki V-Strom 800DE Specs

Base Price: $11,349
Website: SuzukiCycles.com
Warranty: 1 yr., unltd. miles
Engine Type: Liquid-cooled, transverse parallel-Twin, DOHC w/ 4 valves per cyl.
Displacement: 776cc
Bore x Stroke: 84.0 x 70mm
Horsepower: 83 hp @ 8,500 rpm (factory claim)
Torque: 57.5 lb-ft @ 6,800 rpm (factory claim)
Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated slip/assist wet clutch
Final Drive: Chain
Wheelbase: 61.8 in.
Rake/Trail: 28.0 degrees/4.5 in.
Seat Height: 33.7 in.
Wet Weight: 507 lb
Fuel Capacity: 5.3 gal.
Fuel Consumption: 53.4 mpg (factory claim)

The post 2023 Suzuki V-Strom 800DE | First Ride Review first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com

Motorcycle News, News

2023 Triumph Rocket 3 R | Road Test Review

January 27, 2023 mcnews Leave a comment

The first thing you need to know about the Triumph Rocket 3 R is that its inline-Triple displaces 2,458cc (150ci), making it the largest motorcycle production engine by far. Nothing else even comes close.

The Rocket 3 R’s cylinders are like a hippopotamus’ teeth: It doesn’t have many, but the ones it does have are impressive. They have a bore of 4.33 inches – wider than the cylinders in a 707-hp Dodge Hellcat – and a stroke of 3.4 inches. Each one displaces 819.3cc, exceeding the engine capacity of Triumph’s Street Triple 765 sportbike.

Claimed output at the crank is 165 hp and 163 lb-ft of torque. You can buy a sportbike tuned to make more horsepower, but no production motorcycle churns out as much grunt. Again, nothing else comes close.

The second thing you need to know is that, despite having such an enormous engine, the Rocket 3 R is not an overweight, bloated machine. With a claimed dry weight of 641 lb and an estimated curb weight approaching 700 lb, it’s as light or lighter than many cruisers and open-class sport-tourers.

Even taking its engine size and output into account, the Rocket 3 R remains a rare breed: a muscle cruiser that handles well and has sportbike-caliber components and electronics. And its design, from its mix of brushed, matte, and gloss finishes to its single-sided swingarm, exhibits incredible attention to detail and top-notch fit and finish.

My, How You’ve Grown

In the late ’90s and early 2000s, there was a displacement war going on among cruisers, with engine sizes growing from 1,449cc on the Harley-Davidson Twin Cam 88 to 1,510cc on the Victory 92C. Then the Japanese OEMs joined the fray, starting with 1,670cc on the Yamaha Road Star, then 1,795cc on the Honda VTX1800, and finally, breaking the two-liter barrier, 2,053cc on the Kawasaki Vulcan 2000, which debuted for 2004.

The following year, Triumph came along and topped them all with the Rocket III, which got its thrust from a massive 2,294cc inline-Triple, albeit with an extra cylinder compared to the V-Twins listed above. The Rocket III was under development in the early 2000s, and with each new displacement benchmark, Triumph’s engineers ratcheted up the engine’s capacity because the company’s primary goal was to be the biggest.

The three-cylinder configuration made sense because the modern incarnation of Triumph, under the direction of John Bloor, had built its reputation and brand image around Triples in bikes like the Trophy, Sprint, and Speed Triple. But the origins of the Triple and the model name came from even further back in Triumph’s history: The 1968 Triumph Trident / BSA Rocket III (the same bike with different badging during a time when both brands were under the same umbrella) was the first three-cylinder motorcycle produced by the British manufacturer. Since the modern Rocket III’s engine would be so large, Triumph arranged its cylinders longitudinally rather than transverse to the direction of travel, as on its other Triples.

It’s been nearly a decade since we tested the Rocket III Touring, which was a conventionally styled cruiser with a single round headlight, driving lights, a buckhorn handlebar, top-loading saddlebags, a passenger backrest, and lots of chrome. At 105 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque, it also had a milder state of tune than the Rocket III Roadster, which made 146 hp and 163 lb-ft of torque at the crank. Both bikes were enormous, scaling in at 906 lb for the Touring and 806 lb for the Roadster.

For the 2020 model year, Triumph hit the reset button. It changed the platform’s name to Rocket 3, favoring the more common and contemporary Arabic numeral to its antiquated Roman counterpart. While that may seem like a quibbling distinction, it represented Triumph’s commitment to building a more modern machine. The engine not only grew from 2,294cc to 2,458cc, it was updated with a new crankcase assembly, balancer shafts, and lubrication system. The Rocket 3 was also equipped with throttle-by-wire, an IMU, ride modes, cornering-optimized ABS and traction control, cruise control, hill-hold control, and keyless ignition.

Compared to the previous platform, the Rocket 3 had gone on a crash diet, shaving off roughly 90 lb. Even though the new engine has more displacement, it is 40 lb lighter than its predecessor. More weight was saved by replacing the steel frame and swingarm with cast-aluminum units, lightening the exhaust system and wheels, and reducing fuel capacity from 6.3 gallons on the RIII Roadster and 5.9 gallons on the RIII Touring to 5 gallons on the Rocket 3.

There are two versions of the Rocket 3: the R roadster tested here, which starts at $23,895, and the GT tourer with a small windscreen, more handlebar pullback, forward foot controls, and a passenger backrest, which starts at $24,595. Triumph also produces some limited-edition versions with special paint, finishes, and details, including the Rocket 3 R 221 Special Edition (which celebrates its 221 Newton-meters of torque), the Rocket 3 R Chrome Edition, and the Rocket 3 GT Chrome Edition.

See all of Rider‘s Triumph coverage here.

Triumph Rocket 3 R: A Beauty and A Beast

Even though the old Rocket III made boatloads of torque, its styling was bland. Its mondo engine, enormous radiator, and 240mm rear tire gave it big-boy presence, but little about the Rocket III said, “Hey, look at me!” A cruiser should not only make generous low-end torque, it should also make a statement, and the Rocket 3 R certainly does that.

It’s a muscle bike with a muscular stance, sitting on fat tires – 150/80-17 up front, 240/50-16 out back – and covered in a wide array of metallic surfaces, as if the entire bike were carved from one big block of metal. The effect is even more pronounced with the Matte Silver Ice paint on our test bike (other color options are Sapphire Black, Phantom Black, Korosi Red, or Silver Ice/Cranberry Red). On the right side is a stunning hydroformed triple-exhaust header that ends in short, matte-black silencers with slash-cut chrome end caps – two on the right side and one on the left.

2023 Triumph Rocket 3 R in Sapphire Black

2023 Triumph Rocket 3 R in Silver Ice/Cranberry Red

There is nothing clunky or out of place – no unsightly hoses or wires, no half-baked compromises. The “Rocket 3 R” and “2500 cc” badges are engraved; the matching fuel, radiator, and oil filler caps are brushed aluminum; and even the bar-ends have custom detailing. The coolest styling element, and the one I bragged about to everyone that asked about the bike (it’s a lookie-loo magnet), are the double-hinged, fold-away passenger pegs.

If there’s one thing that looks a little off to me, it’s the dual round headlights. They’ve been a signature Triumph styling element since the ’90s, most notably on the Speed Triple, and they were on the Rocket III Roadster. But with the more modern look of the Rocket 3 R, just as Triumph did with the Speed Triple about a decade ago, evolving the headlights into a more aggressive shape would make the bike’s overall appearance more cohesive.

Hitting the starter button on the Rocket 3 R elicits an authoritative growl, and blipping the throttle at idle causes the entire bike to twist to the right due to its big, longitudinal crankshaft. Perhaps to make the bike more livable, throttle response is a tad dull below 2,000 rpm, but once the big pistons spin up more, the well of grunt feels bottomless. On Jett Tuning’s dyno, the 2.5-liter beast spun the drum to a peak of 148 lb-ft of rear-wheel torque at 3,900 rpm, with more than 140 lb-ft on tap between 2,500 rpm and 5,300 rpm (redline is 6,500). There’s hardly a ripple in either the torque or horsepower curves, with the latter climbing steadily from 47 hp at 2,000 rpm to a peak of 145 at 6,100 rpm. Power is sent to the rear wheel through an enormous driveshaft.

While the 6-speed transmission with torque-assist clutch shifts cleanly without any big cruiser clunkiness, this is not a bike that requires much rowing through the gearbox. Short shift your way up to top gear, and the big mill spins only about 3,200 rpm at 75 mph. On a twisty backroad, just put it in 3rd and forget about it – there’s always enough grunt to pull you out of corner and catapult you toward the next one. And when a long straight stretch opens up, grab a handful and hang on – it’s an experience you won’t soon forget and will be eager to repeat.

The Rocket 3 R is the physical embodiment of badassery. Until you beep the horn. Then it sounds like a Vespa. Even by motorcycle standards, the horn is wimpy.

The Triumph Rocket 3 Can Bend It Like Beckham

Motorcycles with ultra-wide 240mm rear tires aren’t typically known for their cornering prowess because it takes effort to get the bike over onto the side of the tire. But Triumph worked with Avon to develop the profile of the Rocket 3 R’s Cobra Chrome tires to ensure their profiles resulted in fairly neutral handling. For a big, long bike, the R3R goes around corners remarkably well, requiring less steering effort than one might expect.

Helpful in this respect is adjustable Showa suspension with damping that’s more sporting firm than touring soft. There’s enough suspension travel to absorb the worst of big hits, but ride quality generally favors smooth roads over bumpy ones. Slowing things down is a trio of top-shelf Brembo Stylema 4-piston radial monoblock calipers – two in front pinching 320mm discs and one out back pinching a 300mm disc – with hydraulic fluid pumped through steel-braided lines. They’re serious anchors that offer outstanding stopping power with precise feel at the lever.

Gear Up:

Deux Ex Machina

When the Rocket 3 R is keyed on, its color TFT display shows the Triumph logo and a message that says, “Welcome Rider.” Always puts a smile on my face.

I parked the Triumph in the garage at LAX airport during a short trip, and when I returned, I pulled the keyless fob out of my backpack and pressed the bike’s power button. A small red light came on, which means the fob isn’t within range or isn’t working. It was 11 p.m. and raining, and I still had an hour’s ride ahead of me. I held the fob close to the bike and pressed the power button again and again, but no luck.

As panic started to set in, I imagined the Rocket 3 R as HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey: “I’m sorry, Greg, but I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

Turns out I’m a moron. What I didn’t know is that, to save its battery, the fob goes to sleep. And to wake it up, you must press a button on the fob. But there’s not an obvious button, just an embossed Triumph logo.

During my Uber ride home, I sent a grumpy email to Adam VanderVeen, Triumph America’s marketing director, asking for help. I’m sure he laughed to himself as he composed a diplomatic reply informing me that, in fact, the logo is the button, and when you press it, a green light comes on to let you know the fob is sending signals to the bike.

After bumming a ride back to LAX the next day, I pressed the logo-button-thingy, and the Rocket 3 R powered right up. I was relieved that the start-up message did not say, “Welcome Dum Dum.”

Like other Triumphs we’ve tested in recent years, the Rocket 3 R’s electronics package is comprehensive and easy to use, aided by a TFT display with intuitive graphics. Select from one of the three standard ride modes (Sport, Road, Rain) or customize your own (Rider – there it is again, if only they used the Rider logo!), and rest assured that the ABS and TC are lean-angle sensitive, just in case.

Rocket Man

As the saying goes, we buy on emotion and justify with logic. The Triumph Rocket 3 R is all about heart-pumping stimulation. It’s the sort of bike you lie awake at night and think about, triangulating a plan to get one into your garage. Just as Sméagol was corrupted by the Ring, the Rocket 3 will take over your thoughts and make you do naughty things. If you want to be King of the Road, there’s nothing else like it.

2023 Triumph Rocket 3 R Specs

Base Price: $23,895
Price as Tested: $24,425 (Matte Silver Ice)
Warranty: 3 yrs., unltd. miles
Website: TriumphMotorcycles.com

Engine

Type: Liquid-cooled, transverse inline-Triple, DOHC w/ 4 valves per cyl.
Displacement: 2,458cc
Bore x Stroke: 110.2 x 85.9mm
Compression Ratio: 10.9:1
Valve Insp. Interval: 20,000 miles
Fuel Delivery: EFI w/ throttle-by-wire
Lubrication System: Dry sump, 5.5 qt. cap.
Transmission: 6-speed, hydraulically actuated slip/assist wet clutch
Final Drive: Shaft

Chassis

Frame: Cast aluminum main frame w/ cast aluminum single-sided swingarm
Wheelbase: 66 in.
Rake/Trail: 28 degrees/5.3 in.
Seat Height: 30.4 in.
Suspension, Front: 47mm inverted fork, adj. compression & rebound, 4.7 in. travel
Rear: Single shock, fully adj. w/ remote preload adjuster, 4.2 in. travel
Brakes, Front: Dual 320mm discs w/ 4-piston radial monoblock calipers, ABS
Rear: Single 300mm disc w/ 4-piston radial monoblock caliper, ABS
Wheels, Front: Cast aluminum, 3.50 x 17
Rear: Cast aluminum, 7.50 x 16
Tires, Front: 150/80-R17
Rear: 240/50-R16
Dry Weight: 642 lb
Load Capacity: 458 lb
GVWR: 1,100 lb

Performance

Horsepower: 145 @ 6,100 rpm (rear-wheel dyno)
Torque: 148 lb-ft @ 3,900 rpm (rear-wheel dyno)
Fuel Capacity: 5.0 gal
Fuel Consumption: 30 mpg
Estimated Range: 150 miles

The post 2023 Triumph Rocket 3 R | Road Test Review first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com

Motorcycle News, News

2023 KTM 890 Adventure | First Ride Review

January 24, 2023 mcnews Leave a comment

To stay current with the latest technology and ahead of the competition, KTM has been on a two-year development cycle with its middleweight Adventure platform. The KTM 790 Adventure and 790 Adventure R were launched for 2019, then they evolved into the KTM 890 Adventure and 890 Adventure R for 2021, and now we have updated versions for 2023.

KTM unveiled the 2023 version of the more off-road oriented 890 Adventure R at its Adventure Rider Rally in Idaho last September, and the 2023 KTM 890 Adventure was announced two months later. The standard model and the R are mostly the same, differing only in terms of suspension, tires, seats, windscreens, and color/graphics.

When the platform debuted for 2019, KTM said the 790 Adventure was designed to be the most off-road capable touring bike and the 790 Adventure R was designed to be the most touring-capable off-road bike. They were head and shoulders above anything else in the category, and they shared Rider Magazine’s 2019 Motorcycle of Year award.

KTM has continued its two-pronged approach. To handle its more rugged mission, the 890 Adventure R is equipped with higher-spec WP XLPOR suspension, which mostly accounts for its higher price ($15,199 versus $13,949 for the standard model tested here). It also has Mitas Enduro Trail+ tires, a single-piece seat perched 34.6 inches off the ground, a short windscreen, and rally-inspired graphics.

At the press launch for the 890 Adventure in Obidos, Portugal, KTM representatives said that many customers end up buying the R over the standard model because they perceive the higher-priced one as being the better of the two. But it really comes down to where and how someone rides. If they spend most of their time on the road with occasional forays in the dirt, if their off-road riding style is more exploratory than aggressive, and if they tour with a passenger, the standard model is a better overall fit.

In that vein, KTM made the 890 Adventure more off-road capable without sacrificing its street manners or road-going comfort. New damping settings for its WP APEX suspension are less sporty, geared more toward touring comfort with or without a passenger and compliance on rough off-road terrain. The fully adjustable 43mm inverted fork has an open-cartridge design with compression in the left leg, rebound in the right leg, and new finger-turn adjusters on the fork caps. The Progressive Damping System rear shock is adjustable for rebound and preload, with an adjuster knob for the latter under the left side of the seat. And like the R, the 890 Adventure has 7.9 inches of suspension travel front and rear, 9.2 inches of ground clearance, and 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels.

On the technology front, there’s a new ABS unit that works in conjunction with the 6-axis IMU, and as before, there are two ABS modes: Road (full intervention front and rear, lean-angle sensitive) and Offroad (less intervention at the front, no intervention at the rear, and no compensation for lean angle). Also unchanged are the three standard ride modes (Street, Rain, and Offroad) and an optional Rally mode, all of which adjust throttle response, power, and MTC (Motorcycle Traction Control).

In the past, a rider had to select ABS mode and ride mode separately. On multiple occasions on previous models, I’ve switched over to an off-road mode, headed down a trail, and only then realized I was still in Road ABS mode. Now, when either Offroad or Rally mode are selected, Offroad ABS is automatically selected, while Road ABS is the default for Street and Rain modes.

Gear Up:

Helmet: Arai XD-4
Jacket: Fly Racing Off Grid
Gloves: Fly Racing Surveyor
Pants: Fly Racing Terra Trek
Boots: Fly Racing Milepost

A new feature on several 2023 KTM models is Demo mode, which allows a new owner to use and evaluate optional electronic upgrades for 1,500 km (932 miles) before paying for them. After the distance limit has been reached and the bike is keyed off, the options are deactivated. The owner then has the option to return to the dealer to pay for them to be reactivated. On the 890 Adventure, those options include Rally mode, Motor Slip Regulation (MSR), Quickshifter+, and cruise control, which can be purchased individually or all together as part of the Tech Pack ($549.99).

There’s also an upgraded 5-inch TFT display with new graphics, a more intuitive menu system, and color-coded pictograms of the bike – when ABS is turned off at the rear wheel, for example, it changes from green to red. With the optional Rally mode, there’s a high-contrast, minimalist Rally display that shows the slip-adjust setting, which can be changed on the fly via the up/down arrows on the switchgear. An optional connectivity unit allows the bike to be paired to the KTMconnect app via Bluetooth, which enables Turn-by-Turn+ navigation as well as music and calling functions when connected to a helmet communicator. A new call-out function lets riders create a favorites list of 10 phone numbers for quick access.

See all of Rider‘s KTM coverage here.

To underscore the 890 Adventure’s newfound off-road worthiness, at the press launch, KTM organized a challenging route near the coast of Portugal. It was a winter day that started off cold, foggy, and damp. Our ride leader was Giacomo Zappoli, KTM’s Product Marketing Manager Offroad & Travel, a young, energetic Italian who has competed in hard enduros and rally raids. After just a few miles of wet pavement, we turned onto a rough gravel road riddled with roots, ruts, and puddles, and before I had even gotten my “dirt legs,” we were throttling our way through deep sand. Alrighty then, game on.

Throughout the day, we switched frequently between paved and unpaved surfaces. The asphalt ranged from wet to dry, flat to curved, and rural to urban, along with some sketchy roundabouts. The off-road terrain included loamy single-track winding through trees, dodgy farm roads lined with ancient stone walls, packed-down gravel on a 6th-gear ridgeline dotted with wind turbines, and even a shortcut between paved sections that had us roosting our way through a small garbage dump. The variety provided the perfect opportunity to test every ride mode repeatedly in its intended environment, and the automatic selection of the appropriate ABS mode meant there was one less thing to worry about.

The 890’s softer suspension settings felt spot-on for the variable terrain, and the new Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires, which have a roughly 70/30 on/off-road ratio compared to the 90/10 ADV tires on the previous model, were appreciated. Countless rocks pinged off the beefier aluminum engine protector, which also covers the front and sides of the lower fuel pods on the horseshoe-shaped fuel tank. The tank’s design, introduced on the 790, carries most of the fuel down near the rider’s feet, reducing the bike’s center of gravity for better handling.

Though unchanged for 2023, KTM’s 889cc LC8c parallel-Twin remains a compact, well-balanced, lively engine. When we put a 2021 890 Adventure R on Jett Tuning’s dyno, it made 90 hp at 8,200 rpm and 62 lb-ft of torque at 6,200 rpm at the rear wheel. The ride modes allow the engine’s character to be tailored to conditions, and the Twin’s flexibility, responsiveness, and auditory rumble are well-suited to an adventure bike that will be pressed into different roles and provide enough excitement to keep things interesting.

Inspired by the KTM 450 Rally – which clinched the top two positions in the 2023 Dakar in the hands of Kevin Benavides and Toby Price – the new bodywork on the 890 Adventure has a more integrated front fairing that includes larger tank and side panels. The connection between the fairing and the frame now uses two forged aluminum components, providing additional strength as well as more load-bearing capacity for large GPS devices (there are USB and 12V outlets on the dash). The new windscreen is taller, has a steeper pitch, and includes a vertical lip at the top, as well as an opening in the center that reduces buffeting at high speed. Wind protection and airflow were noticeably improved, and the taller screen didn’t interfere with terrain reading during tricky off-road sections.

Comfort was further enhanced with an extra 0.4 inch of foam in the seat, which increases the height of the dual position seat by the same amount to 33.1/33.9 inches. To compensate for the added height, the seat has been made narrower in the front to make the effective stand-over height roughly the same. Since I have a 34-inch inseam and ample curb weight of my own, I appreciated the seat’s additional support but did not mind the extra height, even in the higher setting with rear preload cranked up a bit. Lower seats and a lowering kit are available as accessories.

Our test ride on the 890 Adventure certainly lived up to the bike’s name. I made heavy use of the brakes as I adapted to the rapidly changing conditions – both the front lever and rear pedal were easy to modulate – and the ABS intervention did its job without fail. Late in the day, as the hide-and-seek sun had dried out the pavement and we did our best to keep up with Zappoli on a particularly serpentine stretch of road, I gassed it exiting a corner and felt the rear step out. Before I could even think “Oh, sh…!” the TC light flashed and the moment passed.

Back at the hotel, my fellow North Americans and I went directly to the bar; we did not pass Go and we did not collect $200. We ordered tall glasses of beer, toasted each other, and recounted highlights of the day. We had been out in the elements, challenging ourselves, exploring a new area, and having fun. That’s what adventure is all about.

2023 KTM 890 Adventure Specs

Base Price: $13,949

Price as Tested: $14,499 (Tech Pack)

Website: KTM.com

Warranty: 2 yrs., 24,000 miles

Engine Type: Liquid-cooled, transverse parallel-Twin, DOHC w/ 4 valves per cyl.

Displacement: 889cc

Bore x Stroke: 90.7 x 68.8mm

Horsepower: 105 @ 8,000 rpm (factory claim)

Torque: 74 lb-ft @ 6,500 rpm (factory claim)

Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated slip/assist wet clutch

Final Drive: X-ring chain

Wheelbase: 59.4 in.

Rake/Trail: 25.9 degrees/4.2 in.

Seat Height: 33.1/33.9 in.

Wet Weight: 474 lb (claimed)

Fuel Capacity: 5.3 gal

Fuel Consumption: 52.3 mpg (claimed)

The post 2023 KTM 890 Adventure | First Ride Review first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com

Motorcycle News, News

2023 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 | First Ride Review

January 18, 2023 mcnews Leave a comment

There are many definitions for the word “cruise,” but one of them is to travel “without a precise destination, especially for pleasure.” Another is to “travel smoothly at a moderate or economical speed.” Those definitions apply well to riding a cruiser like the 2023 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650.

In America, “cruiser” brings to mind motorcycles that are long, low, and heavy, typically with a big air-cooled V-Twin and a logo from a heritage brand like Harley-Davidson or Indian on the tank. Royal Enfields have been in continuous production since 1901 – beating Harley-Davidson by two years and matching Indian’s year of birth – so it’s got the heritage part covered. But Royal Enfield takes a different approach to building a cruiser.

Inspired by the 1956-62 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 700 – U.K.’s largest-displacement Twin at the time and available with factory-fitted touring panniers – the new Super Meteor 650 is powered by an air/oil-cooled 648cc parallel-Twin and has styling that leans more British classic than American traditional. Chrome is found only on the dual exhausts and mirrors, while most other finishes are black or satin silver. It’s available in standard trim as well as with Solo Tourer and Grand Tourer accessory packages.

The Super Meteor’s wheels are cast aluminum, with a 19-incher up front carried by an inverted fork and a 16-incher out back flanked by exposed dual shocks. With reasonably generous rear suspension travel, a 29.1-inch seat height, and a 59.1-inch wheelbase, it is both taller and shorter than most cruisers. (The Indian Scout Sixty, for example, has a 25.6-inch seat height and a 62-inch wheelbase.)

Riding Through Rajasthan

Based in Chennai, India, Royal Enfield invited motojournalists from around the world to its home country for a first ride on the Super Meteor 650. Over the course of two days, we logged nearly 300 miles on rough-and-tumble roads in the western state of Rajasthan, a mostly desert region that borders Pakistan. Curves were few, but road hazards were many, including crumbling (or missing) pavement, teeth-rattling cobblestones, unexpected dips and drops, ubiquitous speed bumps of all shapes and sizes, and even a long, deep patch of sand.

The real-world handling course was made spicier by chaotic swarms of pint-sized motorcycles, smoke-belching tuk-tuks, trailer-towing farm tractors, clapped-out busses, and overloaded trucks. Since India is a former British colony, everyone drove on the left side of the road, but otherwise traffic laws were all but ignored. Oh, and let’s not forget the wandering (and sacred) cows, herds of goats and sheep, unpredictable dogs, even more unpredictable pedestrians, and a few camels.

“In India, horns are wear items,” said Mark Hoyer, Cycle World’s editor-in-chief, and using them is its own artful language. Trucks in India are often colorfully painted, and many have “BLOW HORN” written in large letters on the back.

So we didn’t exactly ride the Super Meteor 650 for pleasure, nor did we ride it smoothly or at a moderate speed. But the ride certainly was memorable.

Soul of a Royal Enfield Super Meteor

The Super Meteor 650 is the third model built on Royal Enfield’s 650 Twin platform. The first two were the Continental GT and INT650, both of which debuted for 2019. All three share an air/oil-cooled 648cc parallel-Twin with large cooling fins, SOHC with four valves per cylinder, and a single-piece forged, counterbalanced crankshaft with a 270-degree firing interval. The engine has a 9.5:1 compression ratio and runs on regular fuel, with injection and engine management supplied by Bosch. For the Super Meteor, the Twin gets new engine covers and darker finishes.

All modern Royal Enfields are jointly designed by teams at the company’s design centers in the U.K. and India. The Super Meteor 650 was extensively tested and validated with state-of-the-art rigs and lab equipment as well as a purported 1 million kilometers on a variety of roads. The engine endured 1,500 hours on the dyno under various duty cycles, and bikes were subjected to rain, deep water, mud, altitude, and harsh environmental conditions.

Although a 650 is considered a big bike in India – most motorcycles are 100-125cc – it’s considered a middleweight by American standards. The 650 Twins are global models designed to be accessible for as many riders as possible. The engine fires up eagerly, idles quietly, and chugs along at a relaxed cadence with smooth throttle response, minimal vibration (just a touch of that Twin tingle), and easy-to-manage power. Like the Continental GT and INT650, claimed output is 46.4 hp at 7,250 rpm and 38.6 lb-ft of torque at 5,250 rpm. Modest figures, yes, but the Super Meteor 650 felt peppy pulling away from a stop and ran at 80 mph without complaint for long stretches of our test ride.

Gear Up

Helmet: Arai
Jacket: Scorpion Stealthpack
Gloves: Scorpion SGS MK II
Pants: Scorpion Covert Ultra Jeans
Boots: Sidi Gavia Gore-Tex

Royal Enfield endeavored to create what it considers a “proper” cruiser – one with a relaxed riding position where the rider’s body line is slightly reclined. Unlike the stretched-out, arched-back rider triangle of long and low cruisers, riders sit more upright on the Super Meteor, and the ergonomics are compatible with spending long hours in the saddle. I’m 6 feet tall with long arms and a 34-inch inseam, and I found the seat to be supportive (it’s wide at the back for comfort and narrow in front for easy stand-over), the angle and position of the pullback handlebar to bet natural, and the forward foot controls to be sensibly placed.

Royal Road Warrior

Like the other 650 Twins, the Super Meteor 650 is solidly built. Its tubular-steel spine frame was jointly designed with Harris Performance (now owned by parent company Eicher Motors Ltd.), and it’s made from a combination of investment casting, pressing, extrusion, and forging. Below the seat is a V-shaped rear frame loop that mimics those found on other Royal Enfields like the Bullet and the Meteor 350.

Up front, a nonadjustable 43mm Showa Separate Function Big Piston fork – the first inverted fork offered on a Royal Enfield – has 4.7 inches of travel. Out back, dual shocks have five-position preload adjustment and 4 inches of travel. Damping was compliant with minimal harshness even under the adverse road conditions we encountered – especially those infernal speed bumps – and the rear springs were robust enough to support my husky bodyweight. Single discs – 320mm in front, 300mm at rear – are pinched by 2-piston floating calipers that provide decent stopping power, with standard anti-skid insurance (ABS).

With a wide handlebar, a tidy wheelbase, and narrow tires (100/90-19 and 150/80-16), the 531-lb Super Meteor wound around curves and dodged obstacles with ease. The agility test we perform repeatedly at press launches and photoshoots is U-turns, and during those tight maneuvers the bike’s steering felt neutral and its weight balanced.

Ensconced within a satin-finished bezel, the Super Meteor 650’s LED headlight is another first for Royal Enfield. The bright-white light is eye-catching during the day, and as we found out while riding back to our hotel after late-light photography, it projects a wide, distant beam at night. Mounted on the rear fender is an LED tail/brake light. The Super Meteor comes standard with a centerstand, which simplifies chain maintenance.

Fit and Finish

Building on the impressive foundation of the Continental GT and INT650, the Super Meteor 650 is Royal Enfield’s most premium motorcycle to date. There are thoughtful, attractive details from stem to stern, such as a crossbar bearing an embossed Royal Enfield logo inside the headlight. The headlight holder, upper and lower yoke, and handlebar risers and clamps are all made of forged aluminum with an anodized finish. Both hand levers are adjustable for reach, and the switch cubes are made of aluminum with a satin finish. The dual round gauges include a large meter with analog speedometer and an inset multifunction digital display. A smaller meter houses the Tripper navigation system, which provides turn-by-turn routing.

On the 4.1-gal teardrop tank is a beautiful meteor-shaped Royal Enfield badge that follows the shape of the tank and echoes winged Royal Enfield logos of the past. The brushed aluminum fuel filler cap is lovely to behold. Several colorways include gold pinstriping on the tank that’s done by hand – by the same two brothers who have worked at the Chennai factory for years.

The Celestial Red Tourer version I rode at the launch had a two-tone tank as well as several accessories – a windshield, a deluxe two-up seat, and a passenger backrest. The windshield provided good protection from oncoming airflow, and its center vent equalizes pressure to reduce buffeting. Others rode a solo version of the standard model with the small pillion pad replaced by a fender-hugging rear rack. Grouped under Grand Tourer and Solo Tourer themes, there are 50 Genuine Motorcycle Accessories for the Super Meteor 650, including hard-shell saddlebags, a top box, machined alloy wheels, and a long list of bolt-on bits for both style and function.

At the global launch in January, Royal Enfield announced pricing and availability for Europe and India, but that information has not yet been released for the U.S. By way of comparison, the U.K. price for the Super Meteor 650 is £6,799, and the Continental GT with a chrome tank is priced at £6,899. In the U.S., the same Continental GT model starts at $7,149, so if pricing is roughly equivalent, then expect to pay about $7,269 for the Super Meteor 650 here.

Its nearest competitor in the U.S. is the Kawasaki Vulcan S, which also has a 650cc parallel-Twin and is priced at $7,899. But it lacks passenger accommodations and isn’t nearly as attractive as the Royal Enfield.

Keep On Cruisin’

On several occasions during my first year as a Rider staffer, my enthusiasm exceeded my skills, resulting in me dumping a few bikes. While crying the blues to my friend Maeve about putting my dream job at risk, she reassured me and said, “You’ve got to find your inner cruiser.”

As much as I like to live the old CityBike motto – ride fast and take chances – I’ve also learned to slow down and enjoy a more relaxed riding style. Cruisers are meant to cruise and to look good doing it. The Super Meteor 650 does both – impressively so for such a reasonable price.

2023 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 Specs

Base Price: $7,269 (estimated)
Website: RoyalEnfield.com
Warranty: 3 yrs., unltd. miles w/ roadside assistance
Engine Type: Air/oil-cooled, transverse parallel-Twin, SOHC w/ 4 valves per cyl.
Displacement: 648cc
Bore x Stroke: 78.0 x 67.8mm
Horsepower: 46.4 @ 7,250 rpm (factory claim)
Torque: 38.6 lb-ft @ 5,650 rpm (factory claim)
Transmission: 6-speed, cable actuated slip/assist wet clutch
Final Drive: Chain
Wheelbase: 59.1 in.
Rake/Trail: 27.6 degrees/4.7 in.
Seat Height: 29.1 in.
Wet Weight: 531.3 lb (90% fuel, factory claim)
Fuel Capacity: 4.1 gal.

The post 2023 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 | First Ride Review first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com

Motorcycle News, News

2023 BMW S 1000 RR and M 1000 R | First Ride Review

January 11, 2023 mcnews Leave a comment

A quick glance at the speedometer revealed it was displaying 175 mph before I hit the brakes hard for the upcoming right-hand turn – and that was in just the 5th of six gears. No, this was not – nor should it ever be – on a public road. It was at the end of the long back straight at Spain’s 2.6-mile Almeria Circuit during the press intro of the 2023 BMW S 1000 RR and M 1000 RR. Following a complete redesign in 2019, BMW made some revisions to its flagship S 1000 RR sportbike for 2023, and the changes have made what was already a potent supersport machine even better.

See all of Rider‘s BMW coverage here

2023 BMW S 1000 RR

When BMW launched the S 1000 RR in 2009, the German manufacturer set a new benchmark in supersport performance. Until then, open-class supersport machines produced power in the mid-170s to 180-hp range, and very few had traction control or any other form of advanced electronic rider aids.

Then the S 1000 RR came along claiming 193 hp, and it was available with adjustable traction control, selectable ride modes, and track-ready ABS – all at a reasonable price. Electronics have evolved since then, and those on the S 1000 RR are among the most advanced available.

The new S 1000 RR borrows some tech from the higher-spec M 1000 RR, BMW’s high-priced World Superbike homologation special ($32,495 for the M vs. $17,895 for the S). The S 1000 RR’s 999cc inline Four has been updated with a new cylinder head, which now has the same intake port shape as on the M 1000 RR, though the ports are cast into the head, unlike on the M, on which the ports are milled – a much costlier process.

Like before, the S 1000 RR engine uses BMW’s ShiftCam technology, which varies valve timing and valve lift to boost low to midrange torque without sacrificing power at high revs. A new airbox, also borrowed from the M, now uses computer-controlled, variable-length intake snorkels. The engine produces a claimed 205 hp at 13,000 rpm and 83 lb-ft of torque at 11,000 rpm, with the rev limiter kicking in at 14,600 rpm. The final drive ratio has been lowered by adding a tooth to the rear sprocket, to 46 teeth from 45.

Cradling the engine is a new frame that has more flex – which improves handling when applied properly – engineered into its beams. The steering geometry has been altered for more stability: The steering head angle has been pushed out by half a degree (now 23.6 degrees), triple clamp offset has been reduced by 0.1 inch, trail has been stretched by 0.2 inch to 3.9 inches, and wheelbase is 0.7 inch longer at 57.4 inches. The rear wheel is also easier to remove thanks to wheel spacers that won’t fall out and chamfered brake pads and caliper anchor.

The standard suspension is manually adjustable for compression and rebound damping and preload at both ends, while the optional Dynamic Damping Control (DDC) semi-adaptive suspension is electronically adjustable, either through the different ride modes or independently through the instrument panel. DDC is part of the Premium Package ($2,340).

Wet weight is a svelte 434 lb, which is only 8.5 lb more than the M 1000 RR; if you add the optional M package ($4,495), weight drops to within a pound of the M. The M package not only drops weight by replacing the stock wheels with carbon-fiber wheels and adding a lighter battery, it also includes machined foot controls, a sport seat, an adjustable swingarm pivot and adjustable rear ride height, and Ride Pro ride modes, which adds three track-ready Race Pro modes to the standard ride modes. Our test bikes were equipped with DDC and with the M package.

Visually, the biggest change to the S 1000 RR is the addition of MotoGP-inspired fairing winglets. These winglets generate up to nearly 38 pounds of downforce at speed, adding front-end grip and reducing the risk of wheelies. The tailpiece has also been redesigned to incorporate a more compact license-plate/turn-signal bracket that is easily removable for racetrack outings.

Even without any of the options packages, the S 1000 RR showcases the latest in electronic rider aids. It comes with four standard ride modes (Rain, Road, Dynamic, and Race), lean-sensitive ABS and traction control, a quickshifter, and hill-start assist as standard. Aside from the aforementioned DDC suspension and Race Pro modes, our bikes were equipped with adjustable wheelie control, launch control, a pit-lane speed limiter, and new this year, slide control and brake-slide control (the former controls rear-wheelspin to allow the bike to slide out of corners on the gas, while the latter controls the rear brake and engine braking to allow the bike to slide into corners). The ABS also has a “slick” setting when fitting race tires to the bike.

Some open-class supersport machines are incredibly fast on a racetrack but are mentally and physically demanding to ride hard, mostly because of their brutish power delivery. Five track sessions on the S 1000 RR revealed that while it is as fast as they come, it has neutral handling and its advanced electronics make it forgiving and easy to ride – “easy” being a relative term. Make no mistake, this is a bike for experts; riders with less experience should look elsewhere before stepping up to a 205-hp open-class supersport machine, even on the racetrack.

There are so many possible settings you can chose within the ride mode menus for traction- and wheelie-control intervention, throttle response, and slide- and brake-slide control that you’ll have to take your time during a track day or two to settle on a formula that work best for you – and it’ll be in there somewhere. I started the day in the Race Pro modes since our bikes were equipped with Bridgestone racing slicks. While each Pro mode has preset parameters for each of the bike’s control systems, you can also alter each individually within the TFT screen menus. I backed down traction control and ABS intervention as the sessions progressed, eventually settling on the lower settings. You can also turn off TC and ABS, but I can’t see any reason to do so if you have any sense of self-preservation. And you’d be missing out on the bike’s true potential, anyway.

The new slide control was really noticeable in the later sessions, after the race slicks began giving up some of their grip. With this feature set to minimum, which provides the least amount of slip angle, I’d open the throttle to the stop at just past the apex of the fast right-hand turn before the long back straight, and the rear would kick out just a bit and stay there until the bike straightened out. A higher setting would have allowed the rear to swing out more but at the cost of some speed and more tire wear. Ideally, no slip is ideal for quickest lap times; the slide control is really designed more to make you look fast.

The 2023 BMW S 1000 RR is at the pinnacle of supersport performance; trust the electronics, add some skill, and on a racetrack, you’ll look and feel like you’re a MotoGP star.

But maybe you don’t have MotoGP aspirations. Maybe you want something that boasts the performance of the S 1000 RR but comes in a more comfortable, street-oriented package. Well, BMW has you covered with the M 1000 R.

2023 BMW M 1000 R

Usually, manufacturers detune naked bikes that are based on their own sportbikes, like BMW did it when it stripped the S 1000 RR of its fairing to produce the S 1000 R, the latter producing 40 fewer horsepower than its double-R stablemate. But for 2023, BMW launched the M 1000 R, an all-new, higher-spec variation of the S 1000 R.

BMW has not, however, toned down the M 1000 R, offering this naked bike with the same 999cc engine in the same 205-hp state of tune as the S 1000 RR supersport machine. There are a few differences, though, which make it a tad fiercer than even the RR: 4th through 6th gears are shorter, and overall gearing is shorter too, with another tooth added to the rear sprocket compared to the RR, at 47 teeth.

This added performance comes at a price, however, as the M 1000 R starts at $21,345, compared to $13,945 for the S 1000 R. But for that extra cash, the M comes with almost every available option you can get for the S 1000 R, as well as the S 1000 RR’s advanced racetrack electronics. Standard items include lightweight forged wheels (cast on the S), DDC semi-active suspension, Ride Pro ride modes, cruise control, track-ready traction control and Race ABS, wheelie control, dynamic brake control, a quickshifter, machined billet levers and foot controls, and many more standard items. Adding all of these to the S 1000 R would raise its price to a few hundred dollars more than the M’s starting price, and you’d still be down 40 hp.

The M 1000 R is a better option than the S 1000 RR supersport if you prioritize street riding over track lapping, as it has a more upright (read: more comfortable) riding position. While the seating position is more upright than on the S 1000 RR, the handlebar is still relatively low, placing you in a mild forward tuck.

The shorter gearing makes the M 1000 R pull even harder than the RR, a feeling further emphasized by the M’s more upright riding position. The shorter gearing does allow the engine to spin higher, which makes the bike buzzier at highway speeds, though the added vibes are not intrusive.

Our ride wasn’t long enough to access the M’s long-distance comfort, but I can say that pitching it about on a smooth, twisty road is more fun than a barrel of bonobos. Steering is neutral, if a tad twitchy, but that twitchiness disappears as soon as you take a deep breath and relax your grip on the wide handlebar. The chassis feels taut, and the suspension is firm even in the softest settings. The suspension is nonetheless compliant despite its firmness, and it’s not harsh, though you will find yourself zigzagging on broken pavement – an ADV bike this is not.

A quick stint on the racetrack revealed that the M’s wider, taller handlebar makes it more fun to ride than the S 1000 RR because the added leverage makes it easier to throw into turns. Of course, since it lacks the streamlining of the RR’s fairing, you do have to fight the wind at speed – and it will go fast. A quick glance at the M’s speedometer at the end of Alemria’s long straight showed 160 mph and climbing, though this time the bike was in top gear.

BMW Motorrad hasn’t been resting on its laurels since the introduction of the S 1000 RR, and the changes introduced for 2023 will assure it remains near the top of the performance ladder. That statement extends to the M 1000 R, which is as capable as the S 1000 RR since it is now essentially the same machine without the bodywork. Just a bit rowdier, which we don’t mind one bit.

2023 BMW S 1000 RR / M 1000 R Specs

Base Price: $17,895 / $21,345

Price as Tested: $25,425 / $22,040

Website: BMWMotorcycles.com

Warranty: 36 mos., unltd. miles

Engine Type: Liquid-cooled, transverse inline-Four, DOHC w/ 4 valves per cyl. & ShiftCam variable valve timing

Displacement: 999cc

Bore x Stroke: 80.0 x 49.7mm

Horsepower: 205 hp @ 13,000 rpm (claimed, at the crank)

Torque: 83 lb-ft @ 11,000 rpm (claimed, at the crank)

Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated slip/assist wet clutch

Final Drive: O-ring chain

Wheelbase: 57.4 in. / 57.1 in.

Rake/Trail: 23.6 degrees/3.9 in. / 24 degrees/3.8 in.

Seat Height: 32.8 in. / 33.1 in.

Wet Weight: 434 lb / 439 lb

Fuel Capacity: 4.3 gals.

The post 2023 BMW S 1000 RR and M 1000 R | First Ride Review first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com

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