Motorcycle Test by Wayne Vickers – Images Rob Mott
I’ve been spending some time on a few of the smaller offerings of late. Having ridden Yamaha’s MT03 (Link) and more recently I was thrown the keys to the tuning fork mob’s latest little jigger, the YZF-R15.
We don’t have the history in Australia with this model, but Yamaha’s third iteration of the ‘R-15’ brings some solid updates over the previous models. It’s clearly intended to give Yamaha dealers something to compete with things like Honda’s CB125. And it’s hard to deny that this has a lot more flair. But can it back it up?
Well, it certainly looks the biz. Clearly some resemblances to its bigger brothers for those more sportily inclined amongst us. Styling wise it cuts a fine figure. Lots of nice touches. A familiar looking Deltabox frame and slightly larger swingarm to house a bigger 140 section rear tyre compared to the old model. Even the tail unit looks like the R1 setup – albeit smaller and with thinner plastics. Probably best to not compare them side by side, but in isolation it’s a pretty bloody good thing. Paint finish is nice too, and I rate the ‘Thunder Grey’ colour scheme – I’ve always had a thing for red, grey, silver or black though. Other than my current Tiger (which is white) and my race bikes – all of my bikes have been either red, grey, silver or black – or a combo of them all. I’ve only just realised that. Maybe I’m too predictable.
The riding position is sporty but not uncomfortable. New riders won’t feel like they’re too far forward on their hands and it will allow them to explore the bike’s potential as they improve their skills. It actually steers surprisingly well for a bike that’s sub 5 grand new! The seat itself isn’t bad either – and the suspension does a decent job of soaking up bumps.
Controls are all quite simple and traditional. Clutch (a slipper!) and brake feel is good, and the box does its job. Single twin caliper disc up front does a reasonable job of pulling things up – and while that might seem light on in terms of power compared to bigger bikes, remember that this thing only weighs a little over 130 kilos.. And isn’t going to be slowing from big speeds. You’ll see the shift light come on in top gear at about 135 km/h if you have a long enough straight. And some assistance from a downhill or tail wind.
The thing that I didn’t really gel with personally is the engine. While it’s new variable valve actuation (VVA – think Honda Vtec, but different) might have seen a 20 per cent increase in power over the previous model with it now churning out 18 horsepower, it comes with a mechanical engine noise that’s not especially pleasant to my ears at least. You could be generous and call it character perhaps? You do sort of get used to it… but it doesn’t feel refined at all. Maybe the exhaust needs to be louder to drown it out 🙂
While the fuelling is also not fabulous – you don’t really notice it all that much at that sort of power level as you generally just smash the throttle open, but it could do with some work – needs saying. Powerwise, well it does ok from a 150 cc single but it’s no race engine. Yamaha have made some updates to improve breathing and output compared to the older model, but it still doesn’t really like going up hills at speed very much – you’ll get used to pedalling the box, which in itself is no bad thing. It is kinda fun keeping the little mill on the boil. Its happy enough to rev.
Handling wise it’s fun enough to punt along. Everything gels together pretty well. You forget how much corner speed you can hold on a bike that weighs around 130 kilos… It certainly teaches you to maintain momentum. It’s actually good fun and a bit of a giggle. Suspension and brakes seem up to it with no obvious weaknesses there.
Nice dash too. Simple. Easy to read. But like a few other bikes I’ve tested lately – no engine temp? Is that a thing now? Apparently you can customise the ‘Hi Buddy’ greeting so it says your name on start up too which is kinda fun. You’d have to mess with your mates bike and change that wouldn’t you..? Surely I’m not the only one that thinks that way 🙂
Apparently this is the number one selling sports bike on the planet. Sure – that’s mostly in markets where they aren’t competing against bigger sportsbikes, but there’ no doubt that Yamaha considered that and the audience that it already has when deciding to bring it in.
It will be interesting to see how the new YZF-R15 sells compared to the YZF-R3, the latter being the slightly bigger brother with a much nicer engine. That price though… less than 5 grand. For a new road bike with a factory warranty? Hard to argue against. Amazing value.
Final word, indulge me for a moment – Once upon a time (30 years ago!) Yamaha built a four cylinder FZR250RR that made 45 hp and revved to 17 thousand rpm or thereabouts. I nearly bought one as my first bike, but ended up with Honda’s gull-arm CBR250RR pocket rocket – and yes it was black and silver with red wheels. What a great little screamer it was too. I put nearly a hundred thousand kays on mine before trading up. Imagine what they could do now if they had a real crack at it… And it’d be a proper YZF-R. I know the market is different now, but still. With an emerging market in places like India for this smaller capacity stuff, is now the time to revisit the past and see just how much performance you can get from a proper 250 or 300 race rep that could sell in numbers? I hope so. Would make a great entry level proddy bike class platform and give KTMs RC390 a rival…
Why I like it:
Pretty amazing value really
Decent controls and handling
Fairly well finished for the money
I’d like it more if:
It had a better engine – that engine noise is not nice
Make it a real YZF-R for our markets, with the focus on performance
Or just bring in the MT15 as your entry level bike
This week we’re looking at the smaller of the two from Yamaha’s retro ‘Sport Heritage’ range. For the unfamiliar, the XSR lineup consists of the bigger brother XRS900 which runs the impressive 847cc triple shared with the MT-09 (which probably gets the most attention) – and the XSR700 as reviewed here which runs the equally impressive 655 cc parallel-twin also shared with the MT-07LA.
And yep, it’s learner legal, but try not to think of it as just a ‘first bike’ to just ride for a bit and then trade in for something bigger and better like some of the other entry level offerings. There’s plenty to like about the smaller XSR and I could not only see it being a long term prospect kept well beyond the learning period for a lot of riders, its a quality bike in its own right. So, we’ll cover the obvious stuff first.
The whole driveline is shared with the MT-07LA which you can read more about here – and it’s terrific. Smooth delivery from idle with a generous helping of character from the 270-degree crank, its essentially vibe free, torquey and incredibly easy to use. As they say – if it ain’t broke – don’t fix it. And this definitely ain’t broke. Throttle feel and fueling are both spot on, the box is great, quick-shift isn’t needed here. Get it past 3 and a half grand and it pulls solidly. Highway cruising sits you at around 4 and a half which is right in the meat and potatoes for plenty of overtaking poke.
It’ll lift the front happily from lower speeds when asked to and keep it up right through to fourth – it’s actually a surprisingly well balanced wheelie bike! And it’s a very proven package with truck loads of them on the roads all over the world. Today’s learners don’t know how good they’ve got it!Switchgear is all excellent Yamaha fare and both the clutch and brake operation is light and easily controlled. The brakes are well specced too for the package. Twin 282 mm wave discs up front and a 245 mm in the rear, both ends get ABS. Plenty of power without being intimidating on initial bite.
On top of that familiar driveline, they’ve added some really nice styling. Starting from the back for a change, the circular LED tail light is uniquely executed and really stands out – a stylish blend of old meets new. I like it. It’s quite different – and that in itself is no bad thing.
Moving forward from there, the seat has a nice old school shape with two different leather finishes and has the XSR700 ‘logo’ (which is featured in a few places) embossed into the back. The seat height is slightly higher than the MT-07LA by the way at 835 mm compared to 805 mm, but doesn’t feel tall at all.
It has a 14-litre aluminium tank – the same capacity as the MT-07LA, which will see you comfortably past the 300 km range, with a red plastic strip bolted on top. I’m torn as to whether I like the exposed bolts if I’m honest. One minute I’m liking the bit of edginess it adds, the next minute I think it’s a bit of an afterthought. It doesn’t seem to look out of place though. This new for 2020 colour scheme is called ‘dynamic white’ by the way. A tasty nod to some of the old schemes from years gone by and to my eyes is a much nicer look than the outgoing scheme. The gold cast alloy wheels complete the vibe.
Up onto the dash and I really, really like what they’ve done here. It’s as simple and nice a dash as I’ve seen for a retro styled bike. A round shape reflecting an old analogue dial, tacho around the outside, gear shift indicator on top, large speedo in the middle and fuel at the bottom. I’d personally like to see the rev numbers a little larger so you can pick them out more easily at speed, and a temp gauge using half of the fuel meter space, but it’s nicely done. I dig it – it completes the picture and helps to give the bike a real identity when riding.
Moving further forward and there’s more nice touches of brushed aluminium around the classic shaped headlight. All in all I think the designers have done a nice job. The more I looked at it, the more there was to like. Same goes for the XSR900 for that matter. It’ll be interesting to see how the sales go this year compared to the MT-09.
On the road it’s always going to be a very similar thing to the MT-07LA which again is no bad thing. Seating position is quite comfortable – reach to the bars is easy and relaxed. The seat is nice and narrow and leg over is easy. Lots of room to move your body around – slipping from urban cruiser mode to a more sporty ride position to carve some corners is a doddle. It feels light (186kg wet) and quite agile with its short wheelbase of 1405 mm. That translates to a nimble, easily maneuverable ride in traffic and perfect for both someone learning their way around riding, and someone more experienced who can take a little more advantage of it.
Suspension-wise I found nothing to complain about with the front, but I did feel the rear pogo-ing probably more on this than the MT-07LA. Could do with some more damping for mine, but unfortunately unlike the MT-07LA it’s not adjustable. It’s most noticeable on repeated bumps – especially mid corner where it upsets things a little if you’re pressing on and the bike will sit up more than I’d like. But I’m probably a fussy bastard who’s been spoilt. A learner will probably not find this a limitation and an experienced rider who wants to push harder will probably be looking at the bigger XSR anyway.
I didn’t find myself pushing it hard that often though to be honest, possibly because I wasn’t 100 per cent happy with the handling. Instead I found more its its sweet spot as somewhat more of a little retro hooligan tool. Maybe that was just the mood I’m in at the moment… It’s perfectly happy to cruise about and would make a fine commuter. It’s an absolutely ripping low speed wheelie bike..
Where does that leave us then? Well, it’s a competitive little segment now I guess, the naked learner approved light-middleweights. I’m not convinced there’s much out there that’ll top this. I’d probably buy the XSR over the MT-07LA just for the styling. And then maybe look to get the shock modified or bung in an aftermarket unit as you started to push the limits a bit harder if you were that way inclined.
Yamaha XSR700 Summary
Why I like it
Lovely silky smooth proven drivetrain
Learner legal! But definitely not just for learners.
Motorcycle Test by Wayne Vickers – Images by Rob Mott
Eh? Why are we looking at these two at the same time? Sure they share a 150cc sized stump puller within, but other than that they couldn’t be much more different. The short answer is that we thought it might be interesting. They are two very different approaches to the entry level market after all. So let’s see what we’ve got.
In the red corner, weighing in at 133 kilograms and setting you back around six-grand, we have the new Honda ADV150 ‘adventure scooter’. No, I didn’t know that was a thing either, but apparently it is. And in the blue corner, weighing in at 138 kilograms dripping wet and full of fuel we have Yamaha’s updated YZF-R15. Team blue’s littlest brother to the R1. From another mother.
Let’s start with the ADV scooter. Honda describes it as being ‘Adventure Ready’ but I think the marketing team might have gotten a little carried away (they also describe it as having tough, muscular styling.. just saying). For a scooter – which I tend to associate with quick, convenient shorter trips, it has a rather complicated and confusing key fob system with three buttons and a start-up process that involves a push-and-turn dial on the bike as well as requiring the side stand be up and the brakes on to start it. A simple key would have probably been more convenient… but once you figure it out and get used to it, it’s quick enough.
Anyway. On the go it’s a nice thing actually. Quite refined, auto clutch take-up is seamless, engine is smooth and quiet, ABS stoppers feel up to the task. It has quite a nice, nimble lightness to it that I think a lot of folks would find appealing. In traffic it’s able to hold its own against most cars from the front of the lights.
Out on the highway? Well after only 40 kilometres of boring highway work I was already feeling it in my lower back and hips. I got used to it with some more time aboard, but its worth noting that the seat is quite firm and there’s not a lot of soaking up of serious bumps going on for longer trips. It was fine on another full day of riding that was more dynamic. Stop starts, corners etc. But boring highway work is not really it’s forte.
So, fine for around town and shorter jaunts, and certainly the slightly bigger than average sized wheels (for a scooter) help navigate rougher urban roads, potholes and tram tracks etc. But I wouldn’t want to spend extended hours touring on one out in the countryside.
An eight-litre fuel tank is going to force you to stop fairly regularly anyway I guess. I was averaging around 3.5L per hundred kays overall, but was seeing 4.5 – 5L/100ks on the dash while holding it pegged at 110 down the freeway (tucked in behind the slightly adjustable screen), so don’t expect to be getting any more than 200ks per tank. I’d suggest it’d get better mileage than that on full time urban work. Especially with the auto start enabled via the simple switch on the RHS.
And speaking of dash.. It has a display that shows you the day and month once you figure it out (and it also shows you ambient temp’).. But doesnt show you engine temp. I can’t explain it either. And where I was expecting a tacho is instead replaced with an ‘Inst. Fuel Cons’ readout.
Styling wise it seems nicely executed if a little busy, with lots of intricate surface details. That said, they’re all quite nicely finished with good quality materials. Plenty to look at while you’re sipping your latte. I did seem to have to keep wiping the bike down in that colour scheme, the footrest areas in particular just kept showing up dirt.
Although there’s plenty of useful storage space, note that the underseat storage didn’t fit either of the two full faced helmets I tried which I thought was weird. It was about an inch short of closing. Probably would have if I forced it, but I’m not going to do that to a helmet with venting on it… I’d expect its made for open faced helmets.
The centre-stand is easy to use on such a light weight bike for even the most physically challenged amongst us. Super easy to put on and off the stand. It also has a great price tag at a bit over 6k ride away with a 24-month warranty. And for that sort of money you can ignore some quirks in the dash etc. I actually think it’s a pretty solid offering. Plenty to like.
Now on to the Yamaha YZF-R15
The ‘R-15’ that Yamaha are dubbing version ‘3.0’ (yes I can’t help but think of the vegemite thing either), is quite a different pot of seafood. It certainly looks the biz. Clearly some resemblances to its bigger brothers for those more sportily inclined amongst us. Controls are all quite simple and traditional. Clutch and brake feel is good, seating position pretty comfortable too (I was more comfortable after the initial 45mins on this than I was on the scooter). It does a decent job of soaking up bumps and it actually steers surprisingly well for a bike that’s sub 5 grand new.
The achilles heel with this one though is the engine. While it’s new variable valve actuation might have seen a 20 per cent increase in power over the previous model with it now churning out 18 horsepower (incidentally that compares to the scooter’s 14 ponies), its character is.. well.. let’s just call it a little agricultural due to mechanical engine noise that’s not especially pleasant in the upper revs.
A vibe sets in as the variable time thing gets all variable to the point that it almost sounds as though it’s pinging and generally not having a good time. Character perhaps? You do sort of get used to it… The younguns might love that little reminder that they have it pegged and are in boy-racer mode. And the bike does look the biz for your social media selfies and the like…
Fuelling is fairly abrupt in the transition from off to on and back again, and it’ll have the occasional hesitation here and there as well. It doesn’t really like going up hills at speed very much though. And you’ll see the shift-light come on in top gear at about 135 km/h if you have a long enough straight. And some assistance from a downhill.
On the road it’s a fun enough little thing to punt along though once you start to ignore the engine noise. Everything else works pretty well. The little R15 teaches you to maintain momentum. You can certainly hold some corner speed on a bike that weighs around 130 kilos… It’s actually good fun and a bit of a giggle. Suspension and brakes seem up to it with no obvious weaknesses there.
Single front disc only, but it does the job. Nice dash too. Simple. Easy to read. But again – no engine temp? Is that a thing now? Apparently you can customise the ‘Hi Buddy’ greeting so it says your name on start up too…
Turns out this is the number one selling sports bike on the planet. Sure – mostly in markets where they aren’t competing against bigger sportsbikes, but it’s worth taking that into context. Should it have a better engine in the Aussie/Euro/US market? Yes it probably should. Especially if it wants to have the YZF-R name on the side, but it’s built to a price point and I dare say it’ll sell here too. It looks as though it is doing 100 mph standing still and that certainly adds a lot to the appeal.
Although if Yamaha wanted to really have something for the lower end entry level market I do wonder why they haven’t brought in the MT15 yet – or even instead of. It’d be cheaper again and probably take the expected drops from beginners a lot more robustly without as many fragile plastics on it. But again, I guess it is all about the look. It’ll be interesting to see how the new R15 sells compared to its slightly bigger R3 brother that sports a much nicer engine. That price though… less than 5 grand. For a new Yamaha road bike with a factory warranty? Albeit only 12 months due to its small capacity compared to the 24 months warranty on a larger Yamaha motorcycle but still, hard to argue against. Amazing value.
Summaries…
Consider the YZF-R15 if..
You see yourself getting out on the open road and finding some corners to explore
You want to learn to ride with a clutch and gearbox
You aren’t going to have anyone on the back
You see yourself maybe getting a bigger sportbike one day
Consider the ADV150 if..
You’re all about buzzing around town
Twist the throttle and go is your thing
You don’t see yourself doing big kilometres on the open road
You fancy something with a bit of in-built storage
Yamaha YZF-R15 and Honda ADV150 spec’ sheets compared
Yamaha YZF-R1 Test by Wayne Vickers – Images by SD Pics
So I’ve put down my thoughts on how the new R1 performs on the road inPart 1 of the R1 review here (link).But I was also lucky enough to get some time on track with it. Trev thought it would give me a more rounded appreciation of the bike. The boss is smarter than he looks sometimes…
Jumping on the R1 at the track after a 10-year hiatus
It only occurred to me after saying. ‘Yeah that’ll be aces,’ that it’d been over 10 years since I stepped away from racing and sports bike ownership and the same amount of time since I’d swung my knees in the breeze at the track. In a lot of ways I figured that would represent a decent chunk of returning riders out there. After all, it actually is just like riding a bike… Right?
Putting aside the inordinate amount of time it took me to load the bike onto the trailer, and the whole getting halfway to the track before realising I’d left the bike keys at home, the rest of the morning went pretty smoothly. Sign in, scrutineering, a quick safety briefing. The Phillip Island Ride day gang lead by Brouggy have their stuff sorted.
The 2020 Yamaha YZF-R1 at Phillip Island
Then the nervous wait for the first session.
First sessions at the Island were always a bit of a mind bender even when I was doing them fairly regularly. A bit of a write-off really as your brain takes a bit of time to come up to speed. The place is so damn fast. There’s no denying that a quick blast on the road just doesn’t compare to sitting up at around 270 clicks for the first time as you approach turn one…
I’d forgotten how much the wind hits you. And The Island being The Island, there was a reasonably gusty wind coming across the track that threw you around quite a bit coming out of 12, and into Turn 1. And pushed you on at Turn 3. So only three of the four quickest corners then – cool.
Heading out on the R1 at Phillip Island for the first session
Back into the pits. I started to collect my thoughts again and it was only during the second session that I was starting to feel comfortable. Lines started to return and I could feel a bit of a rhythm coming back – even if I was well off my previous pace. 10 years worth of rust doesn’t just instantly disappear it would seem.
However, what was noticeable was how well the whole package comes together. Bearing in mind that I still had the suspension on stock settings here and was still running the OEM (and stonkingly good) Bridgestone RS11 Battlaxe hoops, the bike felt so composed on its side at what were still reasonable lap times for a track day punter rider.
As tested the R1 has the OEM Bridgestone RS11 Battlaxe hoops
Great power, stonking mid-range, excellent brakes and immense feel at both ends. I took it as a bit of a task to see just how far I could go on the stock settings without nudging the limits too closely. I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn’t my bike. And I wasn’t practising for a race… I had Trev’s strict instructions not to push too hard sounding loud and clear in my melon.
Turns out – you can push it quite a long way and still have plenty in reserve. By focusing on cornering and input smoothness – and letting the traction control system work its magic on exit – you’re able to get on the gas relatively hard and early. Felt like cheating to be fair compared to my old ’09 blade without traction control… Not having to worry too much about being spat into orbit sure lets you concentrate on other things.
The electronics package on the R1 lets you concentrate on cornering, smoothness and getting on the gas
Speaking of getting on it. While you don’t often need to wring it past 11 thousand on the road due to the great gobs of mid-range grunt, at the track you do – and the sound it makes when you wind it right out is gloriously feral. It moves your soul and the corners of your mouth in equal parts. It’s epic. Out of say… Turn 12, you’re in fourth and as you start to straighten up and tuck in, you’re edging past 11 and steps up a notch and fairly howls. Feed it another gear. More howling.
Into sixth before the finish line and you’re proper shifting as you crest the hill. I was rolling off waaay early (almost at the 200m mark, a full 100+m earlier than I used to) to get the bike settled in the crosswind, but even then you’re fairly hauling. Out of Turn 2 in third and the traction control keeps it tidy as the front goes a bit light.
You feed it another couple of gears as you drop into the fast left hand Turn 3, before banging down three gears via the quick-shifter into the hairpin. That quick-shifter, which to me feels a little doughy on downshifts on the road, doesn’t seem to be an issue on the track. Maybe it’s just wearing itself in. The bike did have only 12 kms on it when I picked it up…
Had I been chasing lap times, I’d have worked on suspension settings
The stock suspension settings were only really holding things back under the hardest braking and on the fastest corners. If it had been my bike and I’d been seriously chasing lap times I’d have thrown some slicks on and firmed things up a little both front and rear. The front to help stop it diving quite so much under braking into the Turn 4 hairpin and the rear to give it a little more weight over the front through the fastest corners.
Having said that, my times were still steadily dropping as the day went on. They plateaued at about my fifth session for the day, but realistically it was me that was the limiting factor – not the bike. That was also the session that I was looking for the chequered flag a couple of laps before it came out, so I decided to call it a day at that. Don’t do ‘just one more’ Wayno… You know how that ends from recent experience.
When I started to feel it towards the end of the day I came in with a greater appreciation of the new R1
Yes the traction control system is insanely good and instils so much confidence to explore the limits. As does the LIF system that limits the front from coming up. And the lean sensitive ABS, even though I never reeeaaally let myself fully test that out if I’m honest…
All up the day was awesome. The bike was awesome. The track was awesome. The new gear I was testing was awesome (more on that in a bit). And as track days tend to do – it gave me a much greater understanding of the bike’s immense capabilities and changed my perception of it a little.
Yamaha’s 2020 YZF-R1 offers a significant upgrade over the outgoing model
Back on the road afterwards I felt even more comfortable on it. Truth be told I could be tempted back to sports bike ownership with one of these jiggers if I could include some track time in my schedule. A 15 year younger me that was still very much into track days would most likely buy one of these from the current crop of sports bikes. I reckon they’ve got this one right.
This year’s R1 really does seem to be an easier thing to ride on the road AND have even more overall performance. With Honda moving in the other direction in terms of only bringing the highest spec CBR-RR-SP in, I reckon Yamaha could pick up a handy little sales boost this year… It’ll be interesting to see how it fares against the new S 1000 RR. But the R1 has a crossplane ace up its sleeve that adds another level of fun in my book.
Phillip Island and riding on the track gives a whole extra scope of insight into the R1
Now – I mentioned some new gear I’m testing for road and track focussed riding. Here’s the low down on some of what I used on the day.
This is one of a pair of Airoh lids I’m trying at the moment, alongside the matching colour schemed Commander DUO (also from Moto National link).I’m loving both of these helmets, but let’s talk about the GP500 as its the one I wore on the R1.
Airoh GP500
It’s nice and light at 1200g, is super comfortable and dripping with quality. The GP500 comes with a lightly tinted visor (50% tint which has excellent optics and no visual ripples) and has a PinLock anti-fog strip in the box. Ventilation is really good and I reckon the colour scheme looks mint. The matt paintwork seems to clean easily too.
Airoh GP500
On the head it feels physically small no doubt due to its weight – and when on the bike the wind noise is really very good for something so well vented. The overall shape reduces buffeting in a straight line and has very little wind grab when you turn side on. It also has Airoh’s ‘Emergency Fast Remove’ cheek pad removal system that means the cheek pads can be removed with the helmet still on – to enable easier helmet removal post crash.
Spidi ‘SuperSport Touring’ two-piece leathers
The other bit of kit I was testing was a tidy new Spidi ‘SuperSport Touring’ two-piece leather suit thanks to Moto National (Spidi Australia website link). The leathers offered typical great Spidi quality with a terrific fit (I’m just on 6 ft, 85 kegs and take a size 54 for what it’s worth). Being a two-piece suit its a bit more usable than a one-piece jobby in that you can obviously take the jacket off and cool down at rest stops.
Spidi ‘SuperSport Touring’ two-piece leathers
It comes with flex panels for a great fit and has CE protectors on shoulders, elbows, knees and hips – and is ready for insertion of Spidis ‘Warrior’ back and chest protector units. I wore my existing back protector vest underneath and it was nicely snug. The flex panels provide some ventilation with higher flow panels on the shoulders and back and the inner mesh lining helps wick sweat away nicely.
It also has some neoprene panels on the wrist and neck for optimum fit. It comes with a speed hump on the back for added cools (and better aero) and an internal zipper pocket for stowing the bike keys, while having fairly funky ‘bi-phase’ styled sliders too.
Testing out the Spidi ‘SuperSport Touring’ two-piece leathers on the 2020 YZF-R1 at Phillip Island
The real test was moving about on the bike on track. And to be honest – I never really had to think about the suit while riding – so that’s a massive win. No rubbing or seams grabbing anywhere, no impaired movement on the bike. The fit was perfect, no doubt helped by the stretch panels.Makes my old Spidi race suit look a bit old school to be honest! That old one-piece is still in great condition mind you – these guys make stuff to last.
Yamaha YZF-R1 Test by Wayne Vickers – Images by TBG
Having ridden the outgoing R1 last year I had a good idea of what I was in for, but was still shaking my head a few days after riding the new 2020 Yamaha YZF-R1. It’s a far more well rounded rocket than last year’s number.
The Yamaha YZF-R1 boasts a host of changes for 2020
The words “Spinal Tap’ come to mind. Not because you’ll end up in back pain (though it’s a seriously focused riding position), but because it goes all the way to 11, in almost every aspect. It really is ‘even more’ than last year – everywhere. Engine, suspension, brakes, the lot.
I’ve mentioned how focused modern sports bikes are these days before, but if you want a hint of just what I’m talking about? The dash doesn’t include a fuel gauge. Or a distance to empty meter. 20 km’s after picking it up I was looking to check if it was full of fuel.. And there was no way to tell without stopping and popping the lid. Yep. It makes some concessions to everyday usability. And gives very few shits about trivial mortal things like how much fuel you have left. Sort that stuff out before you ride, human.
The 2020 R1 makes few compromises, there’s not even a fuel gauge
But back to the all the way to 11 thing. I’d very much underestimated just how much more punch the full tune on the new R1 has on the MT-10 SP I’d just stepped off. Yamaha have done quite a bit under the fairings on this update, even if – from the 10 metre check – it looks pretty similar to the outgoing model. Those updates include new cylinder heads, injectors, cam profile and fly by wire throttle.
Just as importantly they’ve made some important changes to the oil lubrication around the crankshaft and improved cooling on exhaust ports to beef up longevity under hard-core racing conditions. Interestingly the improved oil distribution alone frees up five hp at high revs apparently. The net result is dribblingly good – it spins up SO damn fast and pulls SO hard that I found myself over blipping downshifts and just generally muttering expletives multiple times each ride for several days after picking it up.
Refinements to the engine have made an enormous difference
It sounds like a proper high-comp race engine too, especially on start-up where for the first few seconds it has an even more lumpy idle than usual before settling into a ‘normal’ idle. It’s not grumpy like a race engine though. Far from it, its fuelling is spot on to cruise around at low revs. But give the bike it’s head… sweet mother of god… Feeding it gears under full throttle is downright eargasmic. Even if the new muffler is supposed to be a little quieter (for shame Yamaha, for shame – we want more noise – more, more, more!). But have it pinned past 11 grand and it goes to another level of banshee. The reality is that I rarely found myself needing to get to 11 on the road with such a prodigious mid-range. On the track was another story however…
And there is some updated tech to play with too – and thankfully they’re able to be tweaked on the go with relative ease. Four preset ‘modes’ that are all adjustable, allowing you to play with Power (PWR), Traction Control (TCS), Slide Control (SCS) and Engine Braking (EBM) on the go. Initially I admit that I felt like a bit of a blouse dropping back to PWR mode 2, but it’s just too aggressive for everyday road riding.
Electronics are extensive with modes, traction control, lift control and more…
Yamaha’s own R1 owners manual describes mode 1 as ‘suitable for track riding’ mode 2 as ‘soft track riding setting’, mode 3 as ‘suitable for road use’ and yes mode 4 is ‘street or rain’… And on the road the difference between mode 1 and 2 is fairly linear across the whole range and just takes the abrupt edge off throttle openings, whereas mode 3 is more noticeably softer again in the mid range. If I was stepping up to a big bike for the first time – or a returning rider – I’d probably start with mode 3 and work my way back up to 2. I’d have to wait to get onto the track to play with the traction control and slide control settings properly… more on that later.
Suspension wise there’s new KYB forks and shock, that at first sample on factory settings seemed overly firm coming off the MT-10, but they actually soak up reasonably large road hits very well, so I left them alone while my head still got used to everything else. It was the right call. As come the twisties, they were sublime. A notable step up from last year according to my buttometer.
KYB provide updated suspension on the 2020 R1
Excellent feel, especially on the front end, which now feels impossibly planted to the road. No doubt helped by the amazing anti-wheelie system – LIF, which can be dialled back from 3 (you won’t get the front more than an inch off the deck) back through 2 and 1, then OFF. And no, you don’t feel it doing its thing. It just produces maximum forward progress. Makes my head hurt just thinking about how quickly these systems have to respond to inputs to work this well.
Braking is the other major improvement. Gone are the previous model’s linked system – which I didn’t mind actually – replaced with a new Brake Control System with two settings – 1 for track work and 2 for everything else. It also has new pads that feel stronger both in initial bite and power while still having excellent feel.
Yamaha did away with the previous linked brake system, with a new brake control system in its place
So what’s it all add up to on the road by comparison to last year? A noticeably better bike in the real world. The new suspenders make the biggest difference on the road, soaking up general road ripples, bumps and potholes much better than last year’s YZF-R1. And to my mind they gave even better feel in the twisties too. Somehow it’s all added up to a bike that is an even better real world proposition – and its quicker as well. Bravo Yamaha.
But this isn’t where the story ends on this one. Trev organised for me to spend a day at Phillip Island to get even more intimate with it. Read about that in Part 2…
Yamaha’s 2020 YZF-R1
Why I like it
– Feels like a better road proposition than the last model.
– That R1 crossplane engine at full tune. Other-wordly.
– New KYBs noticeably better on the road.
– Electronics even more refined.
– If I still did track days this would be at the top of the list.
I’d like it more if
– Not a fan of the scroll wheel controller and screen interface
I get the feeling that the KTM 1290 Super Duke R launch was kind of a big deal to team orange. They’d spent a week in prep’ at Portimao making sure the track bikes were run in and set-up nicely – and that the road loop had a solid mix of conditions.
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R
Jeremy McWilliams was on hand, as was Chris Fillmore, helping us get the most from our track time. Alex Hofmann turned up later too. KTM head of Product Adriaan Sinke and the bike’s Project Leader Hermann Sporn were on the ground – and on the bikes as well. Our time in Portugal would be a slick, seamless event – with the emphasis on fun.
The KTM fellas know how to have a good time….
Speaking of Portugal, I can see why it was chosen as the destination. Their roads and drivers are pretty ace, courteous to a fault almost, and speed limits are widely regarded as a guide. The weather is absurdly mild – I mean it’s 20 degrees in winter for god’s sake – the Portimao track is just brilliant and Portuguese tarts are divine. ‘Pastel De Nata’s’ you heathens. Little custardy bundles of joy that the Aussie contingent on the launch took what can only be described as an unhealthy obsession towards.
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R at Portimao
Given that this is one of their 1290 flagship road bikes, it’s clear that KTM have put some serious effort into what they’re dubbing BEAST 3.0.
15 years after the first 990 Superduke (and a full 26 years after the first Duke 620 was introduced – can you believe it?), KTM themselves describe the third major iteration of the 1290 as a purpose designed sports-bike that’s great on the track, but not a naked race-bike. It’s an interesting distinction that points to the effort that’s gone into ensuring it maintains focus on real world performance, but not at the expense of ridability.
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R
I raved long and hard hard about the last model in mylong term review here. Stupidly fun, comfortable and effortless performance. It didn’t mind a wheelie either. So I was having trouble imagining how much could they actually improve it in one model. Turns out… quite a lot.
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R
It’s basically all new. Hermann tells me that the rear axle assembly is carried over, but pretty much everything else is changed. As in.. everything. With an aim to push the performance bar even higher – and yet retain the accessibility and comfort. ‘Purity’ and ‘Simplicity’ were recurring themes. They’ve spent plenty of time working on reducing weight, and doing some serious tweaks to geometry.
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R
It runs a lighter frame that’s actually three-times stiffer than the previous one. And no, it isn’t an RC8 frame – it’s new. It holds the engine 36 mm higher to improve corner exit and front end feel. The rear sub-frame has ditched the old trellis design in favour of a new extruded aluminium unit that also uses a trick bit of carbon-composite as a stressed member. The sub-frame alone has shed a kilo-and-a-half and it can support 1000 kg of load, apparently. Could come in handy if your pillion has been throwing down those tarts I mentioned earlier..
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R
It has a brand new swingarm with the bracing moved from above to below, and it now runs a shock linkage instead of the direct mount set-up from last year. This enables them to run a shock that has significantly more travel, contains more fluid and offers more feel. Which is why everyone else also runs shock linkages…
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R
Combined with the revised swingarm pivot point, it reduces rear squat under hard acceleration which was one of the major goals. It’s now 15 per cent stiffer and it’s lighter (picking up a theme here?). Foot-peg positions are adjustable. As are the brake and gear levers. You can even adjust the pressure and throw length of the gear lever – and switch to race pattern shift by moving one bolt. And it’s designed in a way that the lever position stays exactly as it was. Clever design work focussed around the rider.
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R in the hills of the Algarve
Despite the geometry tweaks, the seat and riding position is surprisingly even more comfortable than I remember the old one being, and the tank has a new shape. Giving up two-litres of fuel capacity (down to 16 L) in order to house a 2.6-litre larger air-box that now incorporates a genuine ram air system entering between the split headlights for improved performance at high speeds. That ties in with an additional set of top feeder injectors ahead of the intake for better fuel atomisation at higher velocities.
Air-box has grown much larger at the expense of fuel tank capacity
New 48 mm WP forks up front complete the suspension components and are now fully adjustable. Bar position is slightly lower and further forward than previously and can be adjusted through a range of 22 mm. Their focus on the rider seems to be evident by the fact that they’ve included recommended suspension setup details under the seat. Nice touch. We were running those settings for both the track and road sessions. They work. They work just fine…
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R
Five spoke alloy wheels are new at each end. Designed with some input from AI they’re.. you guessed it, lighter and stiffer, and hold the new top spec’ Brembo Stylema stoppers at both ends. 320 mm up front and 240 out back. These are pretty much the top spec’ that mortals can get their hands on and are radial mounted monoblock numbers. They’re teamed up with an updated 6D lean angle sensor cornering ABS system that includes a ‘supermoto’ setting which ignores all other inputs other than the front rotational sensor. The 6D part refers to the sensors detecting drift now, in addition to fore-aft and left-right movement. Those same sensors are used for TC as well. When used in combination with a deactivated Wheelie control, it means backing it in under brakes, stoppies and wheelies are go. I’ll just leave it in that setting thanks very much.
Wayne doesn’t mind a wheelie…
More work has gone into the engine in terms of shaving weight from almost everything, including a new one-kilogram lighter exhaust that is Euro 4 compliant, and even Euro 5 ready for when that kicks in. The crank-cases have had 800 grams taken off them and overall the bike has dropped six-kilograms.
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R
Remember that this thing now makes 180 odd horsepower (an increase of 3 over the previous model) and 140Nm of torque. It’s a monster. 100 Nm from 3,000rpm.. 120 from 4,500… Shove feels almost limitless. And effortless at the same time. Worth pointing out that all of that comes with 15,000k service intervals – so it’s not a highly stressed bit of race kit.
The Pankl gearbox too has received serious tweaks, resulting in a smoother, shorter throw. The optional quick-shifter proved a must have in my book. Fast, direct and light, it worked just as well on the track under full load in both directions as it did on the road when cruising around. And the slipper clutch has also had some tweaks that have resulted in improved feel. New clutch plates and rotated plates specifically aimed at improving low speed engagement. I like.
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R
The final piece of the puzzle is in the electronics and interface. The new TFT dash and switchgear, with dedicated TC adjustment buttons (yay!) that are also used for cruise control and an array of new switchgear. I’m happy to say that the operation of traction control and modes is a big step forward on what was a tedious process previously. That being said, I’d probably leave it in the one setting most of the time and just adjust the TC up and down through the 9 stages. Easy peasy.
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R
The other thing I really liked is two new dedicated ‘preset’ buttons located to be used with your thumb that allow you to access your own custom presets and quickly toggle between them without diving into the main controls. So you’d probably end up running one with a wet set-up (higher TC setting, full ABS, lower engine braking, wheelie control on?), and a standard dry set-up. I felt that the track settings worked just fine on the road personally. And the rain, street and sport modes all appeared to have some level of anti-wheelie control by default that I’d prefer wasn’t there. Because, wheelies.
Starting to get the idea that it’s essentially a new bike? It is! Over 90 per cent new!
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R
Our morning ride session started with a foggy but basically dry Portimao circuit. Not the best way to learn a new track that has a seemingly endless succession of blind corners, crests and serious elevation changes. But Chris Fillmore obliged by towing us around for the session showing us the lines. He’d earlier recommended some settings for us: Track mode, SuperMoto braking, Wheelie control off, TC around 6 and throttle set to street. He knows what he’s doing as they were pretty much bang on. I preferred the throttle in street mode as well and would leave it there all day. Turns out it’s preferred by Pikes Peak winners and mortals alike.
The fog lifted for our second session and by the third I was starting to feel comfortable and could really start to appreciate the new found stability and control. You can use the torque to pull higher gears than you might think.
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R
Let me walk you through a lap.
Across the start-finish line you’re nudging towards 270 km/h, which feels about as fast as you’d want to go on a naked bike to be honest – you really are hanging on pretty hard.
The track then drops away and then you put those new Brembos to work and bang it down two as you tip into the fast right hander. The brakes were faultless all day by the way. Zero fade – great lever feel and super strong. Clip the almost blind apex while back on the gas and let it run out wide so you then sweep back into turn two as one corner.
Wayne feels his way around Portimao on the 2020 KTM 1290 SDR
Down another one for the tight right hander – yes I was taking it in third – in fact I wasn’t dropping below third for the whole track. No need – the torque just pulls you effortlessly out and fires you at the next corner. Tip it onto the right knee and feed the power on, making sure to stay right to get a better entry for the next left – a blind uphill corner that both tightens a little and flattens at apex. The bike felt great on the change of direction here. A little like coming into turn 11 at Phillip Island (but steeper), which is one of my favourite corners. Loads of feedback from both ends and barely a wriggle from the bars during weight transfer. The side to side flick done with minimal effort. Considering there’s a dirty big 1301 cc engine underneath you – that’s an impressive feat.
Wayne feels his way around Portimao on the 2020 KTM 1290 SDR
That’s followed by a short straight, long enough to wind it right out to the redline in fourth before dropping it back to third as the track drops down into the left-hander. A little off-camber on entry, but flattening out on exit as you let it run right out to the kerb before tipping back into the blind left hander at full noise in fourth.
Between turns 3 and 4 is good for wheelies!
This next four or five corners of the track was probably my favourite section. Only as you crest the hill do you get to see the upcoming double right hander. Down to third, peel it in and give it another burst of throttle before getting hard on the picks and running it right out to the left kerb before tipping it into the tight right hander. Keep it no more than mid-track on exit, the track now rises again and crests before you. Front comes up in third, and again in fourth and your wheelying over a blind crest that drops away massively into the first of two bowls. If you were parked trackside at that spot you would have possibly heard me squealing and hollering inside my helmet as I went by each lap – even over the roar of the big twin. Mad. Brilliant. The next left is almost flat-out and then the track rises up into a blind double right hander that you enter in third at mid-track, and stay wide to take the two as one corner.
Did I say wheelies!
Back down into the second bowl with a little wheelie and if you get the line right you’ll hit the bottom in fourth, peeling into a full throttle left-hand sweeper that climbs its way back up to the top of the hill. So many times I’d run in there and realise I had more grip available as I could turn the bike in sharper than first thought. Step up Wayno. Out wide for the entry into the third gear left-hander and then get set-up for the first of two right-handers that build speed onto the front straight.
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R
The first is a blind double apex, a little like a mirror image of turn-two at Phillip Island. Out to mid-track, mid corner before spotting the exit and winding on the throttle. Up to fourth and you’re barreling into the last blind right-hander at decent speed as you crest the hill mid-corner and the track drops away quite substantially. A little heart in mouth stuff here as you plunge down the hill, cranked over while piling on more throttle as you drift it out to the exit. Griiiiiiiiiip. Up into fifth as you crest the rise at the start of the straight and the front comes up again under full noise at well over 200 km/h and you fire down the main straight.
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R
Any vision you have seen from Portimao, onboard or not, doesn’t do the elevation changes any justice. It’s a blast. And the blind corners only add to the challenge. Dare I say more fun than any other track I’ve ridden. And I don’t for a second think that the bike didn’t have a fair bit to do with that. The beauty of the Portimao track was that it showed just how easily the bike can be ridden hard. It’s flattering and confidence inspiring at the same time.
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R
While I’m certainly no McWilliams, I wasn’t exactly hanging around, yet not once did I feel like I was either wanting more – or getting untidy as my lap times progressed throughout the day. And my concerns about the bikes all new geometry spoiling the fun when it comes to wheelies were unfounded as you can see by the pics… It’s still a doddle.
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R with the trick bits..
In the fourth session I got to sample one of the ‘track bikes’ with a bunch of power parts thrown at it. Oh my. The full Akrapovic Evo system had me at hello and bellowed a much nicer bark that didn’t prove obnoxious on the go. It’s lighter again over the standard set-up (of course!), and with the mandatory re-tune, it liberates even more power and torque.
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R with the trick optional exhaust
The track bikes also came with the new triple clamp, adjustable rearsets and Apex Pro adjustable steering damper. And it was fitted with slicks as opposed to the already excellent Bridgestone S22 Battlax tyres on the other bikes. The fact that the track bike didn’t feel radically different to the standard bike shows just how good the standard bikes are. That said, the track bike set-up was obviously better again. Just… more. More grip. More feel. Slightly pointier geometry for even better agility, but still super comfortable. Sometimes more, really is more.
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R with optional exhaust
After lunch, where our brains had taken some time to process the preceding few hours of awesomeness, we toddled off with Hermann for a road loop. I love the fact that the guy who is responsible for the direction of the bike rides like he does on the road. Trev tells me that all the KTM crew go like cut cats and he’s no exception. He likes to loft the front too. Good man.
KTM crew know how to have fun
The road loop was a nice mix of fast flowing bends and tighter blind corners as we wound our way out to a little seaside cafe for a coffee break and a chat. It’s obvious that the 1290 SDR is an everyday proposition.It would rip as a commuter too in my opinion.
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R
After an hour-and-a-half of hard track riding (not including breaks), and I’m guessing another two-hours of road riding I certainly wasn’t ready to call it a day. You could load it up with luggage and set off into the sunset on it without an issue.
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R
On the road it proved just as good a thing as I expected based on the track time. Super comfortable, stable, yet nimble – and that engine. Oh so torquey. I found myself sitting back a little further on the road with my butt touching the rear seat pad occasionally.
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R
I wonder what the track bike geometry with the power parts head stem would be like on the road. I also wonder if you’d get away with running the Evo exhaust on the road. I reckon you nearly would… Oof. I need a moment.
Wayne one wants one just like this…
While I didn’t really get the time I’d usually get on my long term review to go through all of the settings (ok fine – I was too busy enjoying myself riding), I’m very much looking forward to doing that in a few months when they land in Oz ,which should be April apparently.
So where does that leave us?
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R with optional exhaust
Well the new Super Duke R has moved the game on again. Its lighter, stiffer, gives more feedback, is more refined, has higher levels of performance and is even easier to ride than ever.
I reckon it’s slightly less prone to wave the front in the air due to the improved squat control, but don’t panic – it’s still happy to cut loose and point to the sky when you want it to. Despite being undoubtedly more refined, it hasn’t lost its soul.
It is still a KTM in every way and Ready To Race
Hopefully KTM Australia price it competitively, and realistically I think the quick-shifter and track modes should come as standard kit as opposed to being options. If they get the pricing right – they’ll have a line of potential buyers longer than the queue out the front of Pastels de Belem.
And I’ll probably be amongst them… Yep. I reckon it’s that good.
Obrigado Portugal.
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R with optional exhaust
Why I like it
Even better than the old model in almost every way (and that was a ripper)
So, so easy to ride. Bulk fun. This is what a sports-bike should be
A seemingly endless supply of torque from the epic 1301 cc engine
Ultra stable yet nimble, plenty of feedback from both ends with grip for days
Still happy to be a bit of a loon
Much improved switchgear including direct controls for tc and presets (yay!)
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R
I’d like it even more if….
It should really have the quick shifter as standard
Pity about the fuel range being slightly reduced. Hard to quantify what the range will equate to in real world conditions. KTM say 300 ish?
@Hermann – you need to develop that clip-on fairing kit we talked about please for those of us who’d like to take it onto faster tracks like Phillip Island. I don’t need payment for the idea – just send me one, stickered up like the motogp bike. Ta 😉
2020 KTM 1290 SuperDuke R
KTM 1290 Super Duke R Specifications (2020)
Engine
Engine Type
2-cylinder, 4-stroke, V 75°
Displacement
1,301 cc
Bore / Stroke
108/71 mm
Power
132 kW (180 hp) @ 9,500 rpm
Torque
140 Nm @ 8,000 rpm
Compression Ratio
13.5:1
Starter / Battery
Electric starter / 12V 12Ah
Transmission
6 gears
Fuel System
Keihin EFI (Throttle body 56 mm)
Control
8 V / DOHC
Lubrication
Pressure lubrication with 3 Eaton pumps
Engine Oil
Motorex, SAE 10W-50
Primary Drive
40:76
Final Drive
17:38
Cooling
Liquid cooling
Clutch
PASC™ slipper clutch, hydraulically operated
Ignition / Engine Management
Keihin EMS with RBW and cruise control, double ignition
It was always going to be a big ask when I exchanged the keys from the formidable R1 for those of the MT-07. It took the best part of a week for me to reset and start to enjoy the 689cc triple, but from there it continued to grow on me to the point where now I rate it pretty highly.
It’s a fun little jigger – one that lets you take more than a few liberties too… and at $12,449 ride away, no more to pay, it’s all the way to eleven in the value for money rating. They well well but it’s surprising why these things are not practically walking themselves out dealer’s doors.
The 655 cc LAMS learner-legal version of the MT-07 is even more affordable at $11,699 ride away, and despite giving away almost 30 horsepower to the full-power version tested here, still boasts great bottom end torque. Thus the LAMS version still lives up to the MT, ‘Monster Torque’ maxim.
The first impression of the MT-07 riding position is that it is almost scooter-like upright, its dead simple to get on and go; and secondly, you discover the steering angle is surprisingly steep and super responsive. It’s an urban warrior in that regard.
A tremendous little commuter in and around town. All the controls are nice and light and there is plenty of low down torque to give you the jump away from the front row at the lights before the cars wake up.
Got plenty of positive comments about the looks too. Most non-riders figured it was a bigger capacity bike than it is, and those red wheels seem to be a bit of a winner. As someone who has owned a bike with red wheels before, just be aware that they show up brake pad dust and chain lube. That racy look needs to be kept clean to present at best…
The engine itself is a deceptive lump. There’s a solid 75 ponies and 68 Nm of torque waiting to be unleashed from the 689 cc parallel twin. Torque peaks around 6500 revs, so it’s all usable. It will happily run to redline, but realistically you end up rarely using much past 8000 rpm, unless really having a red-hot go.
Sips only lightly on the juice too, I was getting around 270ks to a tank from its relatively small 14-litre tank before reserve (pretty much bang on 4L/100ks). The throttle is a little soft, but again, you get used to after a bit and then end up smashing it open everywhere anyway. No faults with the driveline, clutch is super light and take-up is intuitive.
The six-speed box snicks through the gears just fine with the clutch. It was a little tight on clutchless shifts but was already starting to loosen up in the higher cogs after the couple of thousand kays I put on it, so I’m quite sure with some more use it would be an even nicer thing.
Brakes at both ends work nicely – good feel, with enough power for the task at hand. The twin, four-pot fronts wash off plenty of speed and and the rear ABS giving you a nudge in the sole of your foot when you’re taking the mickey.
The relatively light weight helps make things a bit easier for the brakes no doubt, with the Yam tipping the scales at just over 180 kilos wet. Light is certainly right in that it puts less demand on both brakes and suspension, all while essentially giving you free power.
Speaking of suspension. It’s fit for task without being amazing. I mean you can’t expect amazing at this price – remember we’re talking around 12k ride away, and in reality if you’re pushing hard enough to notice it and want more – you probably should be looking at the MT-09 anyway… Or even better, the MT-09SP. So I don’t see that as too much of a detractor here.
It’s more than good enough for commuting and mucking about on, while being fine for weekend roll up the hills or to your favourite coffee shop on the coast. Aggressive riding at speeds above the national limit is not really what this bike is about, however you can push things past where you think the 07 will perform, and it will surprise you.
Styling-wise I think it cuts a pretty fine pose too. Three-quarter angles from either end look pretty tight. And I like the dash design. It might be ‘old school’ LCD, but it’s simple and easily readable. Nice shape too. The dash control buttons are a little small to use when you’re wearing thick winter gloves, but you manage.
So after a week and a bit of commuting, 1500 kilometres or so, I managed to wave goodbye to the family for ‘an hour or so’ to go and try and get some shots. Turns out the sun came out and things were a bit bright for shooting (Can you believe it? Rain, rain, rain, bright sunshine! Bloody hell) and so I just kept riding. Refuelled. Kept riding..
Mucked about pulling wheelies for a bit – it’s actually really well balanced for lofting the front if that’s your thing, I was having a proper giggle. Stopped for a drink. Kept riding.
Dropped in at a rifle range for a peek and watched some fellas practising out past 600m. Suddenly it was nearly five hours later. I didn’t even realise as I was just cruising about enjoying a bit of sunshine. And I could have kept riding for another three or four without a problem. That’s got to say something.
The seat is fairly thin, but as long as you’re moving about a bit you don’t notice it. Not sure I’d want to be lugging a pillion around though unless it was an emergency. But I hate pillions anyway!
I’d say that as an entry-ish level bike they don’t come much better – especially for the price. I mean, have a proper look at its design elements and finish in the pics, or better still go check one out at your local Yamaha dealer.
Lots of nice details, it by no means looks this cheap. Doesn’t ride like it either. The only niggle I had from a fit and finish point of view was that the front plastics underneath the front side of the seat creaked every time I got on and off the bike. Not exactly a major issue, but one worth pointing out. Newer riders don’t realise how lucky they are these days…
I give it four and a half rubber chickens!
Why I like the Yamaha MT-07 HO
Value for money is off the charts
Jump on and go, super accessible
Surprisingly nimble and well balanced –
Doesn’t mind a bit of hooliganism..
I’d like it more if…
More noise please, exhaust note is a little sedate.
Not a lot else I’d change at this price point actually. No doubt the suspension at both ends could be better, but then you’d throw another $500 or more onto the price. And I think it’s more than good enough for the type of riders that will be in the market for one. I think the triple tuning fork mob made the right call.
I realise that looks are subjective, but I dig it. Pics don’t do the Honda CB1000R justice as in the metal it looks so much better. The engine dominates, but the stylists have given this latest edition more of a tougher edge than previous models. Is there such a thing as stylishly butch? There is now.
Anyone who’s looking for a base for something a bit more special has a pretty great place to start. Single sided swinger, short rear overhang, the guts of a tough custom is already done if that’s your thing. There’s lots of new metal – with lashings of aluminium and, apparently, the CB1000R only has five bits of plastic bodywork. Front and rear mudguards, little rear hugger and two other bits… somewhere else I guess.
The engine electrics and pipework has been nicely hidden and it looks almost as though this engine was designed to be shown and not hidden behind fairings. All up, a neat job of packaging from the boys of the red wing.
Back to that engine. This time it’s a hefty step up from previous models. Main difference between this and the previous gen ‘Blade is a bump in compression, some nice forged pistons and a retune for more mid-range at the expense of outright power. A new exhaust that’s both lighter, louder and helps liberate more grunt doesn’t hurt either. And it’s a pearler. 143 horsepower of silky smooth grunt. It has shorter gearing compared to the Blade so makes the most of it too. Make no mistake, anything over five-grand and this little puppy hauls arse.
It’s also quicker to 130 than the Fireblade, apparently, and I don’t doubt that at all. First and second gears are dispatched in a heartbeat and third gear is nirvana on the right, smooth road. Warp speed Scotty. Bring me that horizon and whatever other cliches you want to throw about. The CB1000R lifts the front at a whim too. Ridiculous. Awesome.
The whole driveline is bloody brilliant. From the throttle feel and fuelling, to the clutch and box which seems to shift smoother than any of my old Blades did. It’s as good a thing – as a whole driveline package – as I’ve ridden in a long time. The Tokico stoppers do a fine job of pulling it up too. Plenty of power and feel without showing any signs of fading during my riding.
Like the Africa Twin I sampled recently, it comes with three pre-set ride modes – Rain, Normal and Sport, that adjust power, traction and engine braking settings. Plus a fourth ‘User’ mode allowing you to fine tune things to your liking. In the main I actually found the normal setting nearly perfect for everyday road use and commuting duties. Smooth, precise, easy.
The CB1000R is a proper weapon in traffic too. Not sure why they wouldn’t have given it a bit more steering lock though. Swapping lanes in stationary traffic becomes a three-point turn. The hot knife through butter came grinding to a halt where other bikes could get through. Bugger. I also found myself needing to fill up at 250-kilometes which was a bit too often for my liking, considering my daily return commute is almost that distance.
So… not a lot of range from that 16 litre tank then. It’s also worth noting that the rear mud guard… kinda… doesn’t. Plenty of muck turned up on my back and the whole rear end of the bike from my gravel road… Sure. It’s winter and in reality most people won’t take these off sealed roads often, but be aware. Trev took one up the snow a while ago, but then he is a bit different…
The LCD dash is nicely designed and mostly easy to read but can be tough to pick out the smaller numbers of the trip meter and fuel in the rain, as water droplets will sit on the screen.
For the first week I stuck with around town duties and the CB1000R is a fun thing, even if the suspension felt harsher than I’d have liked, particularly when I hit the odd bump and it sent it straight through to me with very little damping between me and the smack in the arse. I figured there’d be a trade-off come weekend hijinx time, so just went with it, because that engine is awesome.
I got frozen and wet to the arse a couple of times too. Who’s idea was it to test naked bikes in Melbourne during winter again Trev? Nothing a change of work clothes couldn’t sort out though. And that engine makes up for it.
Then the sun finally peeked through the clouds for a day. Birds and angels sang in harmony. I washed the bike and then rode up my gravel road at 24 km/h to try and keep it clean and finally got onto tarmac and headed straight for the coast to give it a proper workout. Right. Sport mode selected, throttle response sharpened, traction control backed off, full whack in all gears. Let’s boogie. I’d been looking forward to this for a week.
Warming up on smooth roads it was as nice as I’d hoped. Cruising down through Anglesea and Aireys the CB1000R tipped in more than willingly and felt light and nimble. Overall dimensions aren’t huge, though there’s ample room to move about on the bike, even if my right heel did snag the hefty twin outlet muffler a few times when positioning for right handers.
Speaking of the exhaust, Honda have done a nice job of liberating a decent exhaust note. That said, after hearing one with a pipe fitted, I’d at least throw a slip on if I was buying one. It sounded mad. I couldn’t NOT put one on it.
Back to the ride. Smooth roads were nice, but that suspension that felt unnecessarily harsh around town, didn’t get any better as the speeds rose on regular roads. It tied itself in knots over bumps and surface changes when really getting up it for the rent, the rear shock just wasn’t up to it. It would light up the rear without much warning or change lines when hitting small bumps or surface changes. Bigger hits weren’t very nice at all really.
Just to be clear these were ‘normal’ Victorian roads like the Great Ocean road and the Skenes creek to Forrest road. Roads I know well, but couldn’t really get comfortable on this ride. It’s such a shame as the rest of the bike deserves better. It would be amazing with a well-sorted aftermarket rear shock.
Yet there’s still one final twist in the tale. And that’s the price. At 17 grand the CB1000R bonkers cheap for what you get in terms of that sublime driveline. I mean Honda reckon we’re talking 25 per cent more torque than an MT10, apparently. I wonder if it’s the best driveline you can buy for the price? Probably.
It’s cheap enough that you could get both ends dialled in properly and a slip on added to the mix for under 20K on the road. And it would then be mint. Arguably you shouldn’t have to do that on a new bike. Not in 2019. Not with a Honda. But there you have it.
I’d love to ride one that had a sorted rear end. I’d love it if Honda brought out an SP version with top shelf bits on it. That would have to give the MT-10 SP a run for the money. It arguably looks better too… In my eyes anyway.
ENGINE
TYPE
998cc liquid-cooled inline four-cylinder, DOHC; four valves per cylinder
BORE & STROKE
75 x 56.5mm
COMPRESSION RATIO
11.6:1
STARTER
Electric
CARBURETION
PGM-FI electronic fuel injection
IGNITION
Computer-controlled digital transistorised with electronic advance
TRANSMISSION
6-speed manual
DRIVE
Chain
FRAME
DIMENSIONS (LXWXH)
2,121 x 790 x 1,095mm
WHEEL BASE
1,455mm
SEAT HEIGHT
830mm
GROUND CLEARANCE
135mm
FUEL CAPACITY
16.3 litres
KERB WEIGHT
211kg
RAKE (CASTER ANGLE)
24.7°
TRAIL
96.1mm
TYRES
FRONT
120/70 – 17
REAR
190/55 – 17
SUSPENSION
FRONT
Showa Separate Function Fr Fork Big Piston (SFF-BP)
REAR
Showa Balance Free Rear Cushion (BRFC)
BRAKES
FRONT
Two hydraulic calipers w/ 310mm floating discs; 2-channel ABS
REAR
Single hydraulic caliper w/ 256mm disc; 2-channel ABS
‘No clutch for you!’ Trev said, laughing a little… We’re both easily amused. He’d ridden the Africa Twin DCT over three days a while back and was interested to hear what I’d make of it in the real world, with the mix of riding I do every week.
I hadn’t ridden one before, but I’ve recently spent some quality time with the terrific new BMW F 850 GS and I’ve clocked up over 250,000ks on my own Triumph Tiger 800XC. So I have some pretty reasonable benchmarks for comparisons.
First impressions? It’s big. Certainly not a bike for those with ducks’ disease. It’s a decent leg throw to get over the 920 mm seat height, which is a fair step up from the 870 mm height of the standard Africa Twin. I’m close enough to call it six-foot and when on board I have to shift my weight ever so slightly to the side and stretch down to reach the ground.
You get used to it pretty quickly and after a few days I wasn’t even thinking about it any more, but it is worth noting that short stacks need not apply. And that whole front section is a big Juan, which offers great wind protection with plenty of open slots to allow a nice amount of airflow through without getting any buffeting.
The big 25-litre tank of the Adventure Sports, six-litres more than the standard Africa Twin model, see the Adventure Sports variant boast an impressive range of 450-500kms, which as someone that covers 1200-kilometres a week I did enjoy. All of that adds up to just on 240 kg in DCT trim (10kg less with the regular manual gearbox), yet along with most modern bikes it seems that all that weight and bulk seems to disappear once you’re on the move. There’s an impressive amount of steering lock too, which I’ll come back to.
The other major changes over the original standard Africa Twin are
A fly by wire throttle (which works just fine – excellent feel and fuelling)
Fully-adjustable, longer travel suspension front and rear (which is also without fault – terrific control and feedback)
Modified airbox and exhaust, lighter balancer shaft and better mid-range
I was given a quick rundown from the Honda boys on how the switchgear works and a reminder to just roll the throttle on gently from standstill – not to grab the left lever which is actually a park brake. If you’re wondering – it’s quite a significant reach forward to the lever and I wasn’t able to reach it absentmindedly. It’s funny how the mind works though. After literally just hearing all that – I instinctively went to grab a handful of clutch to start the bike up… Idiot.
So I set off from the workshop and a couple of things struck me immediately. On the move the bike’s a doddle, with a really solid combination of chassis, suspension and that steering lock, combining for very nice low speed manners and maneuverability – and the DCT shifts super sweetly.
I pulled out into peak hour traffic and was straight into filter mode. What struck me is that when you don’t have to spend any concentration on gears, you only need to focus on line and throttle, meaning that filtering becomes even easier – you can basically ride this thing feet up to a standstill – then put your foot down. For a big bike, it’s also surprisingly easy to filter on.
The only thing I miss is ironically the ability to grab a handful of clutch and give the throttle a blip to get the attention of the driver in front who’s head down on his phone and crowding the line. If Honda can make that happen somehow that’d be ace because even with stock pipes the 1000cc parallel twin has too good an exhaust note to not be able to liberate occasionally. For a stock pipe it’s loud, meaty and all things good.
There’s a bunch of riding modes for both the engine management and DCT box. So let’s talk engine first. The ride-by-wire throttle brings with it three preset modes, Urban, Gravel and Tour – each adjusting power level, engine braking and traction control with a fourth mode ‘User’ letting riders set your own which is conveniently remembered even after you turn it off and back on. Nice.
Bloody handy to be able to flick through them on the move – I ended up using that most of the time to be honest, with the TC backed down to allow for a bit of shenanigans. The dash also has options for disabling the rear ABS and has an extra ‘G’ button for more serious gravel duties. Unfortunately I didn’t really get to put through its full off-road paces as the bike I had wasn’t running chunky knobbies.
So, the engine. I’m a big fan. Really nice fuelling and throttle feel and gruntier than the numbers suggest. The big girl pulls hard and shows no signs of running out of puff at any speeds you’re likely to throw at it on the road. It’s deceptive too – that short-shifting, no fuss DCT translates into rapid progress even if it doesn’t always feel it.
There’s a marker I use for reference where I know that my Tiger 800 hits 100 km/h under normal everyday acceleration and the Africa Twin smashes it in the same scenario. With the traction control settings right it’ll loft the front wheel up easily enough for me too. Whack the DCT into manual mode and just roll off the gas, let the front dip and then get back on gas. Done.
That DCT comes with three modes. When you start the bike it defaults to neutral every time and the Honda boys advised to push the bike around in neutral to avoid any unwanted throttle inputs that might end in tears while I was still getting used to it. A quick tap of the multi-function button on the right drops the box into drive mode. I found the standard ‘D’ mode very eager to shift up and use the copious amounts of torque available to lope effortlessly along.
Too eager for me personally, and while filtering I wanted a few more revs for more immediate response which was found by tapping the button again, changing to ‘S’ mode. That one holds revs a bit higher and will change down earlier on deceleration. The third option if for full manual, even if it’s actually not. Confused?
Well it will let you take over all the shifts via the paddles on the left bar (thumb push for downshift, finger pull for upshift), but still helps you out by dropping down a cog or two if you mess things up and forget to downshift to lower gears. Works surprisingly well and allows you to have full manual control on upshifts, and if you want you can let the DCT take over coming up to intersections.
I actually found it really easy to get used to the DCT and liked it more than I thought I might. Filtering through traffic was a lot more nimble than I’d expected a bike of this size to be – low speed control by just dragging a bit of rear brake was supreme. I reckon it’d be handy in tight stuff in the dirt too.
It really is much the same as a Rekluse clutch in the whole twist and go thing, but this has the added value of acting just like a full auto box and shifting up and down for you as well if you want. Or leave it in manual mode and it’ll only shift down if you royally cock things up by letting the revs drop too low for the gear you’re in. It’s not bad! And that’s probably the answer to the ‘but why?’ question.
For much the same reason riders go for a Rekluse only more-so…. You can’t stall, ever. You won’t get arm pump from clutching like a maniac in the tight stuff when you aren’t used to it. And not having to worry about the clutch gives you more brain cells to focus on line and speed.
Would I have one one over a standard box? Maybe. Before riding it I’d have said no, but now I certainly wouldn’t rule it out. I’d prefer the system if it held a shorter gear than it does in even the S setting at most speeds though.
For example at 100km/h, the DCT sits just under 4000rpm. Right in the meaty zone of the power curve. Nice. But at 60km/h (in S mode) it’s sitting around 2500rpm in fifth… In D mode it’s still in sixth at just above 2000rpm!
Even my ute sits in fourth at 60km/h and it’s a 3.2L turbo diesel so it’s not short on torque! It felt to me like it shouldn’t be dipping too much below 3000rpm to still have solid response. Whenever I put it into manual mode – I ended up downshifting to bring it back up to around 3000 all the time as it seemed like the engine’s sweet spot.
So maybe the big H should keep the D mode but rename that to E for Eco (as I’m sure that’s what its tuned for), rename the S mode to D and add a new S mode that holds higher revs. You might need to read that bit twice for it to make sense…
Revs and modes aside, I liked my couple of thousand kays on the Adventure Sports a lot. There’s no denying that the Africa Twin range represents pretty awesome value. 17-and-a-half big ones for the standard model with ABS and manual box. 19.5k for the Adventure sports with ABS and manual box – add another 500 bucks for the DCT. Rides well, sounds great, looks pretty good too I reckon. I couldn’t resist the family shot sitting up next to my CRF250R either… They looked pretty sweet side by side in the shed.
Anything else? Oh – the high beams are quite centrally focussed – I’d recommend some wider focussed spot-lights for picking up wildlife further back than just the roadside, for those doing any decent night-time riding.
Why I like it:
Terrific value.
Great exhaust note for a stocker.
Big range.
DCT shifts nicely, offers more relaxed riding options.
Cheaper ‘normal’ box option if you aren’t DCT inclined – try it first though!
I’d like it more if:
The DCT held gears longer, modes up-shift gears a bit early for my liking.
Ummm, not a lot else really!
Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin Adventure Sports Specifications
Specficifactions
Engine Type
Liquid-cooled 4-stroke 8-valve 22.5º parallel-twin with 270° crank and uni-cam
Engine Displacement
998cm3
Max. Power Output
70kW/7500rpm (95/1/EC)
Max. Torque
98Nm/6000rpm (95/1/EC)
Bore & Stroke
92.0 & 75.1mm
Clutch
Wet, multiplate with coil springs, Aluminium Cam Assist and Slipper clutch
Final Drive
O-ring sealed chain
Gearbox / Transmission Type
6-speed DCT with on and off-road riding modes Honda Selectable Torque Control System (HSTC) – HSTC 3-levels + Switch Off
Frame Type
Steel semi-double cradle type with high-tensile strength steel rear subframe
Swingarm
Monoblock cast aluminium swing arm
Turning Radius
2.5m
Kerb Weight
253kg
Fuel Capacity
24.2 litres
Length x Width x Height
2340 x 930 x 1570mm
Wheelbase
580mm
Seat Height
900/920mm
Ground Clearance
270mm
ABS system type
2-Channel with rear ABS off switch
Brakes Front
310mm dual wave floating hydraulic disc with aluminium hub and radial fit 4-piston calipers and sintered metal pads
Brakes Rear
256mm wave hydraulic disc with 2-piston caliper and sintered metal pads. Lever-Lock Type Parking Brake System
Some bikes take a while to grow on you, to properly understand how to get the best out of them. Where the sweet spot of the engine lies, the better shift points, body positions, those sort of things. With others you just jump on and they feel familiar to what you’ve ridden before so you can benchmark them easily.
The KTM 790 Duke fell into a third category for me. It wasn’t familiar at all. But within minutes I had fallen for the drivetrain, and within an hour my opinions on electronics were forever changed. This thing is a cracker of a bike. But it’s also a bit of a contradiction.
While the 790 Duke is a doddle to jump on and ride – it’s not an easy thing to master punting it hard, simply because its capabilities are so high. Even now after spending the best part of a week and a half on it, my head is still trying to trying to come up to speed.
I deliberately didn’t do any fresh research before picking up the bike. Besides, Trev has covered the 790 Duke specs in great detail after attending the world launch in Gran Canaria (Link).
I just wanted to ride the bike and share how it felt to ride. So throwing the leg over didn’t immediately feel natural for me compared to what I’m used to day to day (a Tiger 800xc I’ve done close to a bazillion kays on).
The ergos felt OK, being really low, almost scooter low, really narrow, with the feeling of being almost perched over the front wheel. And the seat felt like it was made of several different individual sections and angles. Am I supposed to sit forward or back? One of those, ‘That’s weird but I’m sure it’ll make more sense on the go’ moments.
Pulling away from standstill, the clutch take-up was nice and smooth and the engine happily crawled along the sidewalk in Elizabeth street Melbourne among foot traffic, while dragging a bit of clutch meant no sign of chugging, as some twins will. The low speed stability from the overall geometry is really, really impressive. It feels even lighter than it is – and slow walking pace among pedestrians was done with the feet on the pegs and absolute confidence straight away.
So then I pulled out onto the road and opened it up… only to be left thinking, ‘Are you sure this is a 790cc? There’s way more shove than any 800cc twin has right to have off the bottom’. The bike feels plenty stronger than the quoted 105hp and is punchy but smooth right through the rev range. That engine is a gem. The fueling is mint. Amazing actually. Especially in Street mode which is almost impossibly smooth for a twin.
The last mid-size twin I rode was an 848 Duc and while I did like that engine quite a lot, it fades into obsolescence compared with the 790. This one feels closer to the older 990cc KTM V-Twins in terms of output which is no bad thing. The big difference however is the fuelling in the 790 which is just so spot on – helped no doubt by some fairly masterful electrowizardry.
Historically I’ve not been a fan of electronic intrusion, but this bike has utterly changed my mind on that front. In no way does it intrude, on the contrary, that smoothness from this new Austrian lump is quite likely only possible because of the digital smarts built into the fuelling, engine management, quick shifter and traction control systems.
It actually wasn’t until the first stop for fuel that I played around with the superb TFT dash to see what modes were available (Street, Sport, Rain and Track), what was turned on and what wasn’t. And it was then that I realised that it hadn’t been me alone perfectly matching revs on downshifts, but that I was getting some assistance, and surprisingly to me at least – it’s all the better for it. Far better.
It makes you want to explore the bike even more. Speaking of the dash… What a thing of beauty it is. The ex-designer in me loves the clarity and simplicity of the layout as well as the function of the controls. The redline is orange, of course – another nice bit of branding. And it has a day-time (white background) and night-time (black background) display that switches over automagically based on ambient light I’m guessing. Nifty.
While its a bit of a gripe that the ride mode reverts to Street every time you turn it off, at least the riding modes can be changed on the go. Just be aware of what’s behind you, as you have to close the throttle for five-seconds to do it.
Other little niggles? I’m not quite sure why the indicator light on the dash can’t show you which indicator is on, and the indicator switch itself feels slightly fragile. While I’m on switch gear – the toggle switch for high beam requires a left hand grip adjustment for me to use it each time. Not sure that’s a good thing. But they’re minor niggles really, when taking the brilliance of the rest of the bike into account.
On the road the gearbox shift is light and at first, felt almost overly sensitive in its eagerness to shift gears at the slightest touch. Occasionally, even a few days after picking up the bike, I’d shift up a little earlier than anticipated. After the first stop I was playing around with clutchless shifts in both directions, which it soaks up effortlessly.
Auto rev matching brings revs up to match the new ratio while the slipper clutch further calms things down if the revs are wildly out in either direction. Have I mentioned this thing is smooth? Remarkable. First gear isn’t overly tall and the engine pulls really strongly even at highway speeds in top gear. I’m not talking big bore strong, and it does taper off above standard highway speeds, but it’s far stronger than I had expected. Stronger than anyone would need 99 per cent of the time.
Brakes are nice and strong with plenty of initial bite, without being so strong that they’d be intimidating for less experienced riders. There’s plenty of stop and confidence to trail brake deep into turns without any issues. They just work.
The exhaust note was another nice surprise for a stock pipe too. Its rorty and bubbly on over-run, and loud enough under power without being obnoxious. I’m not sure you’d need a slip on to be honest. But it couldn’t hurt, could it…?
Styling-wise it’s typical of the current crop of KTMs and has some neat touches, as well as some things that will no doubt polarise punters. Personally I like it, but I reckon the 1290 Super Duke is a better looker, but that’s subjective. The extreme looking headlight makes more sense when you’re on the bike than off it, as its tucked away so low that basically you don’t see anything other than the dash beyond the bars.
The only other gripe from me was the thin plastic strip wrapping around the rear of the fuel tank that can be flexed with a gentle wobble. Just seems a bit cheap for what is otherwise an obviously really, really well put together bike.
Suspension is quite firm without being overly harsh. Trev called it a Tardis and I agree, in that it’s a bit of a mystery how something so small can have as much room. I got off after some decent stints in the saddle and didn’t feel the slightest bit stiff. Its epic in traffic too, filtering through like a hot knife through butter and yet is happy to cruise along on the highway.
That odd feeling seat makes more sense as soon as you point it at a corner, because as great as the driveline is, it’s the handling of the 790 that stands out for me. The little Duke tips in faster than thought speed, feels natural on its side and will change lines as soon as you can look at a new line. Any wonder they’re calling it a scalpel.
That work they’ve obviously done to keep the physical dimensions of the engine so small combined with the overall low weight makes this a nimble bike to tip in, but it never feels overly flighty or unstable, just super agile.
Just how fast does it steer? After over a thousand kilometres, I was still finding myself having to sit the bike up occasionally mid corner to ease the line out a little. The thing just wants to turn. I actually started to ask myself if it’s possible to make a bike steer too fast.. And I haven’t decided yet. It really is a bit of an engineering marvel on the road – how they’ve managed to design a bike to steer so well, and yet not want to shake its head at all, is amazing.
Riding my Tiger 800xc back to back only highlighted the diminutive physical dimensions of the bike. The Tiger isn’t a massive bike, but by comparison, the 790 Duke engine feels about half of the width of the 800cc triple. And the wheelbase ‘feels’ about 2/3rds of the Tiger. Obviously it’s not THAT short, but it really does feel short. Not having a visible headlight cluster swinging in the breeze in front of the bars only accentuates the impression.
The little Duke just urges you to have some fun and ride it hard. And you’re probably going to be punting it along at a quicker pace than you think, as the grunty twin doesn’t need to have its neck wrung to get the best out of it. Several times I looked down at the speedo and was a little surprised at the number staring back at me..
Make no mistake, the 790 Duke is so light and agile that it demands full focus to punt along anywhere near its limits, which I genuinely don’t think I approached all that often on the roads between Melbourne and Apollo Bay over a couple of weeks. Not that it shakes its head or does anything untoward, it’s just steers so bloody well it takes proper commitment to do the bike justice. A half decent rider with a few weeks on this little weapon would no doubt be difficult for anyone to shake on a twisty bit of tarmac…
For me and I’m guessing a lot of other riders, a naked bike is now a very real contender for our next machine. My years of sports bikes and road racing are behind me, and uber-high speed hijinx on the road is becoming less and less of an option as speed limits on good sections of road are continually reduced, and consequences raised. So full faired sports bikes don’t make as much sense as they once used to. Not when there’s so much performance available in bikes like this. If you haven’t ridden one of these jiggers, it’s time you did. It opened my eyes more than a bit.
That said.. I personally can’t stop thinking about what that superb engine would be like in the upcoming rally package. The idea excites me a lot and I probably should really ride the 1290 SuperDuke to compare it eh Trev… Trev..?