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Middleweight Standards Comparo

223403 Views 227 Replies 86 Participants Last post by fazerdude, Jun 1, 2007

designeraccd

Discussion Starter · Mar 31, 2004

Nice article. As the owner of my fourth Sportster-a 1200R, I must agree that overall it is a radical improvement from its '03 and earlier versions. It can still be easily smoked by most of the other "small" bikes in the test, but the grin factor when riding this bike thru curves is astounding.

The saddle continues to be an ergonomic pain-in-the-arse, the headlight equals a weak batteried flashlight and the stock Showa suspension combines nicely with the dummlopp "rim protecturrzz" to compromise handling. That said vast improvements are only(!!) hundreds of dollars away: Race Tech up front, good shocks in rear, Bridgestone BT45Vs, an aftermarket saddle...watch out curves! IMO, of the 65 or so bikes I've had the 1200R ranks up there with the best for being lotsa fun to ride. My BMW R1150GS will easily show her saddlebags to the 1200R, but the 1200R is the usual choice for riding. DFO

41 - 60 of 228 Posts

SeanAlexander

· #41 · Mar 31, 2004

Re: Holy gas mileage Batman!

70 - 85mph on the freeway and a quick enough average pace to stretch the abilities of the riders near the tail end of our pack. Of course they could have just been holding-back in an attempt to stroke my ego. Perhaps next-time, we'll bring you along so you can show me what an acceptable pace is?

PS. My 01 SV-650S averaged 42-47Mpg, depending on the conditions. I think it is fairly normal for jet-kitted SVs to be in the 46Mpg range.

3833

· #42 · Mar 31, 2004

THe standard of the competition...

Eg, THIRD went to the best-handling 600 supersport with the fairing ripped off: a tarmac eating monster...

Second went to the most competent all-rounder I have ever witnessed: Smooth, comfortable, weather protected, suprisingly agile. No matter the road, it will gobble it up, one up or two, in comfort. It's very amazing, I like my Girlfriends Vstrom 650 more than my VFR!

And first place is the famous honda hornet, sell-by-the-boatload in europe...

3171

· #43 · Mar 31, 2004

now that my ZX-12 has been written off (wrecked during attempted theft), I have swung the other way. as much fun as the 12 was, it was far too much. For one thing, I realize that having absolute speed but not being able to use it (law and/or road conditions) is much less fun than having no speed, but the potential to beat the living hell out of the engine and chassis every yard of tarmac you travel. Additionally, powerful bikes made me lazy as a rider. It came to where I was letting my cautiousness slow me down in the turns because I could always make it up on the straights.

This was reaffirmed when I rode a hawk GT. what a weedy little bike and yet so much fun! so now, I want a bike that I can ride hard every second I am on it. and I want it to make me work for my speed. and I don't want it to make up for my sloppiness.

sounds to me like that 500 Ninja is just what the doctor ordered. or maybe a KTM Duke II, used if they don't sell it here anymore.

I like the idea of the V Strom too. often wanted a small, light do it all bike. the existing do-it-alls always seemed to me too large and too ponderous.

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37035

· #44 · Mar 31, 2004

Yeah, I liked the CB-1 when it came out in 1989 (it was also sold in the US in 1990). Since then, I have graduated from high school, gone to college, gone to graduate school, gotten engaged, had 5 different jobs and moved from the midwest to the east coast. I am shocked that in those short 15 years, motorcycle prices have gone up. If you want a CB-1 for $3500, buy one. Clean ones are going for close to $3k these days.

15052

· #45 · Mar 31, 2004

Now I get it. Every time someone disagrees or voices a "non-approved" opinion, which of course is their right since they paid their money, it's Shut the ***** Up, blah, blah, blah.

Anyone associated in a professional, or semi-professional way with this publication, that harbors this attitude, should be dismissed. Or at least they should Shut the ***** Up.

Vlad

· #46 · Mar 31, 2004

Great job on this test, guys. I haven't ridden every bike that you rode, but I have to say that for the ones I've been on, I can endorse your impressions. Too bad the Honda is so expensive. Well, you can deal with that issue when you run it up against the SV and the Duck. My prediction, is that the SV will win on price/performance ratio and the Duck will win in terms of handling and pure fun-to-ride factor.

E-Bass is becoming a better writer and reviewer, too. I loved his analogy to the girl with glasses who turns out to be a tiger in the sack. He sounded like the voice of experience. ;-)

Vlad

P.S. Who's Tammy?

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36287

· #47 · Mar 31, 2004

Re: mmm... Jeanine Garafalo... ggaaagaggaa

You might be interested to know that with some very minor tuning, the EX 500 can be made to run 140 MPH with a broader spread of power. All it takes is a Kerker can, a Dial-a-Jet kit and removing the right side cover of the airbox (which has a nice guiottine, sorry about the spelling, style air filter). You have to tune the Dial-a-Jet, but it's very easy to tune. I know about this as I used to race one and that is the speed it was clocked at down the straight at BIR. It's a little noisier but has a great attitude and runs much better than a stock bike.

36287

· #48 · Mar 31, 2004

Re: mmm... Jeanine Garafalo... ggaaagaggaa

You might be interested to know that with some very minor tuning, the EX 500 can be made to run 140 MPH with a broader spread of power. All it takes is a Kerker can, a Dial-a-Jet kit and removing the right side cover of the airbox (which has a nice guiottine, sorry about the spelling, style air filter). You have to tune the Dial-a-Jet, but it's very easy to tune. I know about this as I used to race one and that is the speed it was clocked at down the straight at BIR. It's a little noisier but has a great attitude and runs much better than a stock bike.

15052

· #49 · Mar 31, 2004

F&CK...I HATE CENSORS

seruzawa

· #50 · Mar 31, 2004

Re: THe standard of the competition...

Having come up through the 60's I fully realize that any of these bikes are paragons of performance and reliability.

We truly live in the golden age of motorcycling.

It was just a bit jarring to read the critical comments that seemed much worse than the comments about the lower rated bikes. From the tone of the article I would have given it 7th place. If not for Fonzie's first place vote it would have placed 6th or 7th.

3833

· #51 · Mar 31, 2004

You won't go wrong with the Vstrom

I have a VFR, I had a 500 ninja, and my GF just got a Vstrom 650

The Vstrom is an amazing bike, if something happened to my VFR, I'd replace it with one of these.

It's amazingly agile (somwhat more so than my old 500 Ninja: the difference between modern cheap suspension and 15 year old cheap suspension), it sops up teh road crap, has a stronger motor, much more comfort, and the huge tank.

Not to mention, the EX500 is a buzzy-little-beast, the Vstrom is amazingly smooth.

36287

· #52 · Mar 31, 2004

Re: mmm... Jeanine Garafalo... ggaaagaggaa

You might be interested to know that with some very minor tuning, the EX 500 can be made to run 140 MPH with a broader spread of power. All it takes is a Kerker can, a Dial-a-Jet kit and removing the right side cover of the airbox (which has a nice guiottine, sorry about the spelling, style air filter). You have to tune the Dial-a-Jet, but it's very easy to tune. I know about this as I used to race one and that is the speed it was clocked at down the straight at BIR. It's a little noisier but has a great attitude and runs much better than a stock bike.

36287

· #53 · Mar 31, 2004

Re: mmm... Jeanine Garafalo... ggaaagaggaa

Oooops. Sorry about that. Damn nervous condition caused by going 140 on an EX500.

33129

· #54 · Mar 31, 2004

I read EBass' description of the Honda 599 and had just the sick, twisted imagination needed to take over. What a nice afternoon. Anybody got a cigarette?

Buzglyd

· #55 · Mar 31, 2004

Karate?

The only thing I know about karate is that I write checks to the place where my son takes lessons. He passed his first belt test so now my little ninja is ready to bust out a can of whoopass!

36287

· #56 · Mar 31, 2004

eBass's girlfriend. One thing that struck me from the test was the comparatively low mileage achieved by the Sportster. I think every other test I've seen on Sportsters, they returned at least 50 MPG. Did 'ol Sean spend an inordinate amount of time throttling it up to redline?

Jexter

· #57 · Mar 31, 2004

^

|

Wow you really p!ssed off the peanut gallery, eh?

"Singing hail, hail, the gang's all here, leave yo-"

eh? Where's KPaul?

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Buzglyd

· #58 · Mar 31, 2004

He's probably still in the ICU being revived after he clicked on the story and realized that I was a guest tester!

37035

· #59 · Mar 31, 2004

Re: No doubt the Speed Four is a darned good bike.

In addition to moving the Honda on against the Duc(s) and SV, why not bring along a modded Triumph?

sarnali

· #60 · Mar 31, 2004

I'd say it did pretty well here, you wouldn't have to make excuses for owning one.

Just goes to show why the 599 Hornet is a top seller in the UK and Europe, Honda really did a good job on it, That and the 919 are really neat bikes.

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