Usually tests of this kind are made between two models from the same class. But this time the car put one next to each other a bike - the Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC SE and a sports car: the Nissan GT-R.
The bike uses the most sophisticated set of performance-enhancing electronics ever fitted to a road legal motorcycle. The Nissan GT-R similarly relies on revolutionary electronic driver aids to set lap records the world over.
Both vehicles in this race are completely stock down to the tires and piloted by professional racers. The question is who do you think will win in the end? Make a guess and then watch the video to see if you were right. We only have to tell you that the lap times in this video are for real. Enjoy!
Honda UK has unveiled today two CBR1000RR Fireblades Special Editions - one ‘Hutchy’ and one ‘McGuinness’ – to commemorate the achievements of these two legendary TT road racers. Both bikes feature awesome special-edition paintwork celebrating Honda’s amazingly successful Isle of Man TT campaigns with two record-breaking riders: Ian Hutchinson and John McGuinness.
Ian Hutchinson tore-up the record books at this year’s TT races with an unprecedented five out of five solo wins in the Superbike, Superstock, Senior and two Supersport races. To mark his success on his Padgetts Honda race bikes, the ‘Hutchy’ CBR1000RR celebrates that amazing feat with a brilliant pearlescent white paint scheme that features a map of the 37.73-mile Isle of Man TT course, outlined around the top of the bike. A red line faithfully follows the twists and turns of the historic mountain course, complete with corner names. Both side fairings of the Fireblade are emblazoned with a commemorative decal illustrating all five of Hutchinson’s victories at this year’s TT races and, his overall TT Championship victory. There is also Ian’s unique ‘Hutchy’ graphic on the tank, along with his signature.
The John McGuinness special-edition makes an ingenious play on the fastest man around the TT course’s name. John has traditionally used a representation of a pint of the black stuff on the back of his leathers, and the ‘McGuinness’ CBR1000RR takes this a stage further by turning the Fireblade into a two-wheeled pint of it! A beautiful and intricate paint-scheme replicates the look of a pint, complete with dew-drops of condensation on the fairings and the creamy white head that only the perfectly poured pint has. John’s bike is also adorned on the fairings with a gold map of the TT course and his lap record of 131.578mph and, each bike is also autographed by John, enhancing its exclusivity even further.
Both riders are made up that their Island exploits are being celebrated in such a way. Hutchy said: “It’s exciting and really nice of Honda to make these Special Edition bikes. Better still, I’ve been given the first one which is such a lovely gesture. It’s an awesome bike to ride the Fireblade – how we did in the Superstock race shows how good it is. I won’t be riding mine though: it will be going straight in the living room! On the paintwork, the skill and attention to detail is just stunning. When you go up close, you can see just how pearlescent the white paint is, it’s an amazing piece of work.”
McGuinness remarked: “I’m so proud to have a Special Edition bike like this. I’m honoured that Honda has recognised my achievements at the TT in this way and it cheers me up after a 2010 Isle of Man campaign that was hit by bad luck. I feel part of the Fireblade programme now with my wins on the current ‘Blade and previous versions, so it’s very special to know people can buy this bike. With the one that Honda has given me, like Hutchy, I’m not going to use it, it will join my collection. I’ve got an older style ‘Blade, a V-twin SP-1 and a number of other Hondas. I’m always going to keep hold of it. The paintwork is amazing and every owner’s bike will be unique, as each of the bubbles on the bodywork is done by hand and different every time. It’s a work of art.”
Both bikes are available now to order, from Honda motorcycle dealerships across the country, in both standard and ABS-equipped versions. The ‘Hutchy’ or ‘McGuinness’ Special Edition ‘Blades are just £1,000 above current Fireblade on-the-road prices, meaning these truly memorable editions are priced at £11,725 OTR, or £12,375 OTR with the added comfort of Honda’s amazing electronically-controlled C-ABS braking system developed specifically for sports bikes. Both machines are also available with Honda’s current great 0% APR and 2/9% APR finance offers which end on 30 September 2010.
Husqvarna finally broke the covers off of the highly-anticipated Nuda 900R streetbike, giving us the first glimpse of the machine that will go toe-to-toe with the likes of the Yamaha FZ8, the Suzuki GSR 750, and the Kawasaki Z750R.
Aesthetically speaking, the 900R has been designed with a red-black-white scheme that also features an angular design that is then complemented by a streamlined tail. Despite the impressive look of the bike, it seems that the product is still far from finished with further improvements set to be done before the final product rolls out of the plant.
As for the powertrain, the Nuda 900R will be powered by a modified version of the BMW 900cc parallel twin-cylinder engine, which is light enough to not compromise the bike’s 175 kg weight. Husqvarna left out the official output figures for the 900R, but word has it that it will be well north of 100 horsepower, giving it enough juice to take on some of the industry’s sportsbike heavyweights.
Pricing for the bike is also still unknown, but expect it to be revealed in the coming months, with the most likely setting being the EICMA Show this November in Milan.
It’s only the middle of February 2011, but Ducati may have already given the motoworld the hottest bike of the year – the Diavel.
Rumors and spy shots of a fat-tired Ducati with strange styling surfaced in mid-2010. Some motorbike pundits dubbed the mystery bike Mega Monster. In the days just before the start of EICMA 2010, Ducati quit playing coy and unveiled the all-new Diavel.
The question then remained: Would this wildly styled, category-defying Ducati possess the supreme handling, potent stopping force and hallmark L-Twin power that for so many years have been the underpinning characteristics of Ducati’s sporting heritage?
In simpler, more colloquial terms, does the Diavel have what it takes? Can it represent, yo?
The short answer is yes – mostly.
Make up of a devil
While the Diavel is a new model, it nevertheless is comprised of many familiar Ducati components, the most prominent of which is its Testastretta 11° engine. This grunty, high-performance 1198.4cc 90-degree Twin (aka L-Twin) is sourced from the current model Multistrada. And with the exception of a new exhaust, it remains largely unchanged as used in the Diavel.
According to Giulio Malagoli, technical director on the Diavel project, the new Duc’s exhaust system, consisting of equal-length 58mm cross-section exhaust headers and dual stacked shorty megaphone cans, is the primary contributor to a 12 hp and 6.5 ft-lb increase over the Multi’s 150 hp and 87.5 ft-lbs. The Diavel’s airbox is marginally larger than the Mulitstrada’s, but the negligible increase in volume isn’t essential to power gains and is more a matter of technical needs. Additional revisions include different cam timing, as well as reworked intake and exhaust ports.
During the Diavel’s tech briefing Ducati displayed a dyno graph overlay with power and torque results for the 1198 superbike, Multistrada and Diavel
While the Diavel’s version of the Testastretta is in a race with the MTS, it handily out-powers the adventure-tourer after the 6500-rpm mark. The Diavel easily out guns the 1198 until around 7000 rpm where it manages to run almost neck-and-neck with the red racer until approximately 9000 rpm, at which point the 1198 stretches its superbike legs.
The Multistrada’s spread of torque is more evenly matched to the Diavel’s, until 6000 rpm at which point the new devil bike opens a large gap on the MTS and never looks back.
Taking the Ducati-supplied dynos at face value, the Diavel mops up against the 1198 in low-end torque production. Diavel twisting force is notably healthier than what the 1198 produces below approximately 7000 rpm. It’s only then that the race-bike-with-lights finally regains its ground (save for a short 500-rpm dip) and soon out-twists the Diavel by 9000 rpm.
What does all of this translate into?
Simply allowing the Testastretta in the Diavel to exhale more efficiently has created a nearly ideal engine: potent low- to mid-range force (right where most riders need it) with the ability to sprint like a sportbike.
A benefit from the design of the Diavel’s slipper-type oil-bath clutch is reduced effort at the clutch lever, as well as virtual elimination of rear tire hop during downshifts.
Despite my best efforts to upset the chassis with rapid-fire downshifts, the clutch would have none of my tire-hop-inducing antics, and instead allowed the engine to wind down smoothly rather than buck like a bronco.
A new, larger water pump impeller moves coolant through the Diavel’s dual lateral radiators. One radiator per side sits below the fully functional brushed aluminum air intakes and behind the narrow, vertically oriented clear-lens LED front indicators. The air intakes partially make up the shape of the Diavel’s prominent upper front half and blend in tastefully with the 4.5-gallon fuel tank’s covers that are crafted from steel rather than plastic.
New covers for the clutch housing (which includes space for an air gap used to reduce clutch noise), alternator and cam belts round out the changes to the Testastretta in the Diavel.
Risky business, profitable business Bring the Diavel’s big tire into the discussion for a minute and you have to wonder if Ducati is anticipating a shift in the company’s core demographic. Are Duc fans getting older and maybe going the way of the cruiser crowd? Let’s not forget the Diavel’s strong sportbike lines either. Where do we find the most lucrative and substantial cruiser market in the world, along with what was a robust sportbike market until recent economic climates cooled off both segments? Right here at home, the U.S. of A. Ducati North America’s John Canton says that outside of Italy, America is an important, leading market for the company, and that the Diavel will account for roughly three-fourths of projected growth in 2011 for Ducati North America. Yet when I asked if the Diavel is tailored primarily for the States and our cruiser-loving ways, Canton reaffirmed Ducati’s stance that the Diavel is a global bike in terms of its design and intent. Fair enough. But a safe speculation says that the American cruiser scene had a significant influence on the Diavel, from inception to the commitment to go full steam ahead and build it for a mass market. Still, nothing’s a sure bet all the time, right? In light of Ducati’s bike development process that skips focus group studies and market research, Canton admits that the Diavel is a big gamble for Ducati. The company has in effect dispatched with the usually sound marketing philosophy that says fit a product to a market, not a market to a product. Ducati has essentially done the inverse, moving ahead with little reassurance of the Diavel’s success. However, the Diavel isn’t the first bike with which Ducati applies its market-needs-be-damned mentality. Think the Diavel is quirky? Then you’ve too quickly forgotten about the Multistrada, especially the first gen model. Or how about the Hypermotard 1100 and 796? The Hyper and MTS weren’t mold-breaking in the sense that no market for such bikes existed. The MTS clearly falls under the adventure-touring segment, and the Hypers kind of followed in the BMW Megamoto’s footsteps as a big streetbike loosely modeled on the premise of supermotard machines. Whether those two Ducs lack wholesale originality matters not, as Ducati attributes a good portion of significant sales growth in 2010 in the face of another year when the industry as a whole was down considerably – at least in the U.S.
Ducati says the new MTS comprises a 14.3% share of the market in its segment. “It was its first year on the market and the Multistrada became the second world-best-seller,” said Ducati Chief Executive Officer and President Gabriele Del Torchio this January during Ducati’s annual Wroom ski and press event. And according to Canton, Ducati can’t build the Hypermotard 796 fast enough for its domestic market. Response to the Diavel since its unveiling has been somewhat mixed, with internet forums abuzz with opinions running the gamut. However, Ducati has enjoyed success for some time now courtesy of its willingness to roll the dice on how many bold and brash designs riders and buyers will accept. If the past and present successes are an indication of future response to the convention-busting Diavel, this new Ducati is poised create a devil of time for other manufacturers.
Despite the devil bike’s departure from traditional Ducati styling, it wouldn’t wear the name Ducati if it didn’t have a steel-tube trellis frame. While the trellis portion is oh-so-familiar looking, it is unique to the Diavel, and is joined to a new cast-aluminum subframe.
A fully adjustable Sachs shock uses a hand-operated dial for remote preload adjustments and connects to a long, cast-aluminum single-sided swingarm via progressive linkage. The horizontally positioned shock resides under the swingarm – a design that allows the Diavel a reasonable seat height of 30.3 inches. Two optional seats, 20mm higher or 20mm lower, are available.
Working to smooth out the ride up front is a fully adjustable inverted 50mm Marzocchi fork. A three-point adjuster knob atop each fork leg for tweaking rebound damping is a thoughtful and useful touch. Holding the fork is a minimalist “slash-cut” triple clamp – the lower clamp is cast aluminum while the upper is made from forged aluminum. A rubber-mounted handlebar clamp grips a tapered aluminum handlebar.
A span of 62.6 inches is measured between the 14-spoke cast-aluminum 17-inch wheels. Steering geometry just on the cusp of cruiser territory is far from supersport-y with a 28.0-degree rake (w/24mm offset) and 5.12 inches of trail. For reference, the Monster 796’s rake is 24.0 degrees and the MTS’s is 25.0 degrees
Pirelli Diablo Rosso II dual-compound tires cover those attractive hoops. A standard sportbike size 120/70-17 tire rolls in front, while the 240/45-17 mega bun on the 8-inch-wide rear wheel will make most contemporary custom choppers jealous. More on that 240 in a bit …
The Diavel’s large visual volume leads you to think the bike might weigh a ton, requiring considerable effort to lift of the sidestand.
It is a Ducati after all, so heavy doesn’t usually figure into an equation, and the Diavel keeps with the lightweight tradition, scaling it at 463 dry pounds for the standard model and 456 pounds for the up-spec Diavel Carbon. Impressive figures – even if only dry weights – when contrasted with the claimed curb weight of 452 pounds for a current sportbike like the 2011 GSX-R1000, or the 2011 ZX-10R/ABS with a curb weight 443 pounds.
Getting a leg over 30-inch saddle is easy work; the sculpted seat snuggly holds a rider in place. You soon learn to view seat’s dished-out shape as an indispensible quality the first time you take a healthy twist of the right grip with the full force of 162 hp at your beck and call.
Flat footing was a cinch for my 30-inch inseam, and although the bar position is slightly forward, the reach didn’t strike me as more aggressive, than, say how a rider is positioned on standard-style bikes like the BMW F800R or Aprilia Shiver 750. Conversely, the Diavel’s footpeg position forward of the seat is less rear set than either of those bikes, and more forward than the pegs on Ducati’s own Monster 696.
Overall, the Diavel’s rider triangle is open and neutral with just a hint of sporting stance, which you’ll appreciate when hustling this wicked-quick cruiser-sportbike-naked-type thing along fast sweepers.
0 – 100 kph in 2.6 seconds!
I hadn’t ridden many powerful motorcycles in a while, prior to saddling up to the devil bike, but there was no mistaking the amount of thrust on tap from the Testastretta as anything other than stemming from superbike heritage.
The long wheelbase, cruiser-ish steering geometry and big rear tire mean instantaneous-feeling hook-up at the rear while the front remains planted when the throttle is slammed open. Ducati says the Diavel is good for 2.6 seconds at 0 to 100 kmh (62 mph), rivaling high-horsepower sportbikes for off-the-line performance.
While the long wheelbase helps reduce unwanted lofting of the front-end, it’s not so long as to prevent a wheelie or 12 if you want ’em. With copious torque on tap the Diavel will, hands down, wheelie with the best of today’s sportbikes.
Get on a Diavel, ride it, and tell me you can resist its effortless wheel-lifting prowess if such antics are your thing. The Diavel’s engine is that potent and that fun.
Low-rpm (below, roughly, 3000 rpm) fueling seemed smoother and more refined than the usually herky-jerky lurch that we’ve noticed on other Ducs, like the Monster 796 for example. The six-speed gearbox also seemed a tad lighter shifting than what we’re used to from some Ducs.
Bigtireitis
Of the mondo 240mm tire, Malagoli says that a large rear wheel/tire combo was a primary design element set forth when the Diavel concept started to take shape. He spoke of the use of a large rear tire as though it were a nonnegotiable item, along with a powerful engine and comfortable ergos, when Ducati designers and engineers began crafting this new motorcycle some three years ago.
The Bologna-based company sampled existing tires in the 200 to 240mm range – why reinvent the wheel if you don’t have to – fitted to 16 and 18-inch wheels. But, says Malagoli, the handling and styling Ducati was looking for came when a 240 was put on the 8-inch-wide, 17-inch diameter wheel the new Duc now uses. Pirelli was tasked with creating a purpose-built tire, and through many months of research arrived at a profile similar to that of MotoGP tires according to Malagoli.
The big rear tire works for me as part of the Diavel’s styling; however, the rear tire’s low-speed handling performance doesn’t work quite so well for my tastes.
Initial turn-in response is neutral; transitioning from upright to three-fourths lean is a fairly smooth, linear-feeling process. But it’s the last little bit of lean you might initiate to complete the turn that results in a “falling in” sensation, as though the tire’s profile is more triangulated than it appears.
As I rolled into the throttle to power out of the apex of a turn, the bike would sometimes exhibit a front-end “push” – like the rear of the bike was chasing the front – depending on the radius of a turn and camber of the road.
A fellow journalist and experienced racer had similar experiences and speculated this back-chasing-the-front feeling was the result of the front end’s lighter weight. In contrast to our light front-end theory, Malagoli assured me the Diavel has what is essentially a 50/50 weight bias.
Once the bike is moving at a brisk pace, handling is much improved and you’d never guess the Diavel has such a long wheelbase.Steering response is accurate, vagueness from the rear tire melts away and the chassis remains planted throughout the turn. The Diavel’s reassuringly stable handling at speed and generous 41.0-degree lean angle gave me every confidence that if I’d worn leathers I could’ve easily dragged a knee.
At the end of the day, it seems that even in the hands of Ducati engineers, a bike with a big tire still suffers some of the ill effects wide rear tires have on a motorcycle’s handling.
It was hard to not draw a few parallels between the Diavel’s low-speed handling quirks with those that many big-tired custom-style cruisers have, specifically, an occasional unwillingness to steer predictably through turns at lower speeds.
Stellar braking performance is the result of dual, four-piston, radial-mount monobloc Brembo calipers putting the squeeze on 320mm rotors. Bosch-Brembo ABS is standard equipment and is managed by a compact new controller that weighs a scant 1.76 lbs.
Heavy braking force applied to the rear resulted in the ABS sending discernable backpressure, or pulsing, through the pedal when ABS activated. Nevertheless, the rear brake stopped the Diavel just fine. The binders up front performed flawlessly, with supreme levels of power and feel. This is some of the best braking performance most average Joes can still afford to buy, and simply what we’ve come to expect of most late-model Ducatis.
Techy as ever
Carried over from the Multistrada is a keyless ignition. A proximity transponder, or “pocket key,” allows the bike to start, with a switchblade-style key to open the fuel tank and saddle. The compact and multi-functional switchgear first seen on the Streetfighter that was then later adapted for use on the Multi is now employed on the Diavel.
Integrated DTC (Ducati Traction Control) and Ride Modes are also part of the Diavel’s technology package. Although there’s no need for the Diavel to have the Multi’s Enduro mode setting, the Diavel, like the MTS, has Sport, Touring and Urban settings.
Sport allows unfettered access to the Diavel’s 162 horsepower, with DTC set to 1. Touring mode retains the same peak power but with a less aggressive, ergo more manageable, power delivery, and a default DTC setting of 3. Urban mode takes a big bite out of the L-Twin’s ferocity, allowing only 100 hp, and DTC set to 5. The TC’s settings range from 1 (least intrusive) to 8 (most intrusive).
Like on the Multistrada each mode is fully adjustable, allowing a rider to customize each mode as he or she sees fit.
For example, you might want access to all 162 horses in Sport mode, but would prefer a DTC setting higher than 1. Furthermore, a rider can disable DTC and ABS altogether. And the system is “smart” enough to remember the status of ABS when the bike is powered off. Upon start up, the system retains the last known setting (On or Off) rather than going back to a default On setting.
This highly adaptable system’s readouts are now displayed on an all-new TFT (Thin Film Transistor) LCD located on the fuel tank just ahead of the filler cap. It works independently of the handlebar-mounted monochrome LCD instrument panel that displays speed, rpm, etc. The new TFT display is nothing short of a brilliant move by Ducati, as navigating the colorful GPS-like display is more intuitive than operating the Multistrada’s all-inclusive, colorless one-piece instrument panel.
Along with managing DTC, ride modes and ABS, the TFT also displays gear position, odometer and tripmeters. It’s also light sensitive, meaning it’ll adapt its background color of either white or black based on ambient light.
This new split-level display is so impressive I’m confident we’ll see it, or a variation, sooner than later on other Ducati models.
Is the Diavel better than the devil(s) you know?
While the Diavel doesn’t fit neatly into existing categories of motorcycles, it hasn’t stopped some folks from slotting the Diavel alongside Yamaha’s VMax.
The Star VMax, as you’re probably aware, received its first ground-up overhaul since its 1985 introduction in late 2008. Every bit of that iconic bike went upscale without losing its core styling, and of course, class-dominating power. Yamaha claims 200 hp at the crank, and when we compared the VMax to Triumph’s Rocket III Roadster, the YamaStar managed 167.5 rwhp.
Though the Diavel’s claimed 162 hp at the crank doesn’t come close to VMax territory, the Ducati weighs, um … Hundreds of pounds less!
Although Ducati only lists dry weights, we can speculate, say, an extra 50 lbs for fluids, battery, fuel, etc. Add this to the non-carbon Diavel’s dry weight and we get a standard Diavel scaling in somewhere around 515 pounds. That’s 170 pounds less than the wet weight figure (685) for the VMax.
Nearly 200 friggin’ pounds!
The VMax’s advantage of nearly 40 hp at the crank is nothing to slough off, and it also spins a narrower, 200mm rear tire. But now having experienced the Diavel, I can’t really see the VMax holding a candle to the Diavel except maybe down the dragstrip. But even then, the chain-driven Duc likely will put power down better than the Max’s shaft.
Furthermore, the special-order only Mad Max retails for $19,890. The Diavel Carbon sells for $19,995.
With the Diavel Carbon comes forged Marchesini wheels that Ducati says are 5.5 pounds lighter than the standard model’s wheels – and that’s a crucial savings in unsprung weight. Naturally, the Carbon also wears carbon fiber, with fuel tank panels, front fender and passenger seat cover made from the pricey material. Additionally, fork legs get a diamond-like hardening treatment to reduce stiction.
If you can live without the light stuff, the standard Diavel, with the same horsepower, Brembo brakes, excellent suspension, and comparatively light weight, is a bargain at $16,995. Of course there are heaps of accessories, including lots of carbon, to help personalize the Diavel.
While the new Diavel isn’t a perfect beast in light of its slow-speed handling peccadilloes, the totality of the bike’s performance and collection of high-quality components help to compensate for the handling issue.
It’s four in the morning; an alarm sounds and with only three hours of sleep I spring from my bed, perform my morning ritual, load the scooter and race to the airport. What would make this morning’s mattress dismount different from my usual 6 a.m. uneager, shut-eyed slither? New scooters! This morning I’m making a redeye departure for Charleston, S.C. to attend the Kymco USA 2012 product line press event.
Two-Wheeled Tourists in the Holy City Welcomed by Charleston’s subtropical sun and a cool, quenching breeze the weather seemed willing to cooperate with this motley band of moto-journalists for the weekend, despite the weatherman’s foreboding forecast. The fresh morning air was colored with the fragrance of jasmine and magnolia. Summer-dressed southern Belles from the College of Charleston traipse along the well-manicured floriculture, providing distraction until the Kymco truck arrives with our test fleet. What can we expect from Kymco in the coming year? Expectations were high as we waited for the trailer to be unpacked.
Hardest Working Brand in Scoot Business
Even after receiving Consumer Report’s highest rating for its 2009 People 150 scooter, Kymco hasn’t rested on its laurels. Monitoring its aggressive R&D, vigilant market research, and increasingly enlightened industrial design work over the last decade has both my expectations and my adrenalin levels set to ‘High’.
I approach the line-up and something instantly catches my eye. No, not my 2010 pick for scooter of the year, the Downtown 300i. I was already familiar with that beauty in its striking, metallic orange accouterment. What I saw was an alluring update to Kymco’s most successful model, the People. Pushing beyond the angular revision of 2007’s People S, what we have here is a substantially more seductive design.
Introducing the People GTi 200 & GTi 300
Without looking back on KYMCO’s classic (dare I say “nearly vintage”?) People design and refining the linear look of KYMCO’s daring People S update, the People GTi looks considerably more modern, sporty and elegant.
The changes to the People are more than skin deep. You can say “adieu” to Kymco’s decade-old, carbureted, 250cc, two-valve engine and the scooters that use it (Grandvista 250, People S 250, Xciting 250). The People GTi 200 and People GTi 300 are powered by Kymco’s latest, liquid cooled, SOHC 4-stroke, 4-valve, electronically fuel injected powerplants.
Kymco’s advanced engines produce more horsepower than the last generation – significantly more. The current People GTi 200 produces 21 HP; that’s 10 more horses than the People S 200 and just as much power as the People S 250. The People GTi 300 pumps out 28.7 HP… enough to smoke the rear tire. Believe me, I saw it in person and for a larger displacement, automatic scooter, that’s pretty impressive.
In fact, the engine on the GTi may even have a bit too much get up and go. There were no subtleties in the acceleration from a standstill. On my maiden voyage with the GTi 300, a quick twist on the throttle extended my front suspension and caused wide-eyed surprise. Even the GTi 200 seemed a bit overenthusiastic in the 0-10 mph range. Right, and you’re probably saying, “and that’s a PROBLEM?” Well, it might be if you’re used to a bike that doesn’t sprint off of the starting line. New riders should be especially cautious. This isn’t a Metropolitan.
Even with it’s relatively large displacement I would classify the GTi as more of a sport commuter than a cruiser. The 16” alloy wheels combined with the bike’s twin bone chassis and upright seating position make for an impressively stable ride. The floorboard is flat, allowing for more varied foot positioning (and beverage toting) than scooters with a hump between your feet, although it may seem cramped if you’re exceptionally endowed in the foot department.
One common issue with the bigger wheeled scooters is that the space normally reserved for under-seat storage is taken up by the clearance for the 16” wheels. Kymco solves the issue of meager under-seat storage by including a sizable, color-matched, identically keyed top case to protect your full-face helmet and maybe something like a tablet computer. The seat, when locked down, protects two helmet hooks (near the front of the seat), the smallish under-seat storage compartment (with 12v outlet) and keeps the gas cap safe from tampering. There’s one more locked compartment in the leg shield that could hold your cellphone or maybe a pair of sunglasses.
It’s a bit early to judge for certain right now, especially on scooters that have yet to be broken in, but in my short breakaway ride the GTi 300 (MSRP $5399) appears to top out at around 85 mph. I didn’t get the same opportunity to test the GTi 200 (MSRP $4899), but it should take you to a comfortable 75 mph on a flat straightaway. Look for the People GTi to arrive in Stormtrooper White, Murdered-out Black and possibly a metal flake gold color to complement the exotic paint seen in the Downtown range.
Downtown is Back - Now in 200cc and 300cc
Kymco’s sporty cruiser, the Downtown 300i, was a welcome addition when it was introduced during the Scoot2TX ride from Spartanburg, S.C. to San Antonio, Tex, for the 2010 AmeriVespa Scooter Rally. Well, she’s back again for 2012 in the original 300cc version and now in a new, possibly more fuel efficient, 200cc version. The Downtown 200i is essentially the same scooter as the Downtown 300i; same telescopic front fork, front and rear discs, 14 and 13-inch wheels and 367 pound dry weight, just with a smaller displacement engine (93.1 cubes smaller to be exact) and a $500 savings on the price tag.
The Downtown caught our attention last year, not just for its majestic good looks, but also as a welcome addition to the 300cc class of scooters. In my opinion, a 300cc scooter fits that sweet spot for commuting bikes… fast enough for the highway, small and light enough to maneuver through tight spots. Scooters have the added benefit of increased protection from road debris and built-in storage space. The Downtown’s under-seat storage is spacious and well lit. There’s room to stow two helmets or a helmet and a jacket, but the irregular layout of the storage compartment makes it impossible to store something like a full-sized laptop under there. Fortunately, Kymco is developing a top-case mounting bracket that should show up in time to be included in the 2012 catalog.
One thing I noticed during this year’s test ride is exactly how nimble the Downtown is for a cruising scooter. With its 60” wheelbase and smaller wheels, it’s capable of pulling some pretty tight maneuvers. Both the Downtown series scoots share the same engines as the previously mentioned People GTi series. The Downtown is just four pounds heavier, so you can expect the same spirited performance out of the Downtown as you do the People GTi. A more considerable difference in the Downtown is its 37.5% larger fuel capacity, to remind you that this baby is built for the long haul.
Look for the Downtown to be available this year in Silver, Pearl White and Burnt Orange for both the Downtown 200i (MSRP $5199) and the Downtown 300i (MSRP $5599).
Delight in the Details
When you see the new models in person, the quality is unquestionable, but the real icing on the cake is in the small details. The custom exhausts don’t look like an afterthought, but an integral part of the design. The high intensity, quartz halogen headlights in stacked and projected arrays perfectly uphold form and function. The LED brake lights, accent running lights and smart paint selection tell the beholder that this manufacturer is serious about style. The included 12v outlet, watertight storage compartment, five position adjustable dual shocks, wide placement of the rearview mirrors allowing for easy viewing (even around broad shoulders) are all reminders that Kymco has been doing its homework.
Special Edition LIKE
Rounding out our “What’s new for 2012” roundup is Kymco’s LIKE 200i LX and LIKE 50 LX. These are Kymco’s first special edition scooters and the retro nostalgia has been turned up a notch. Classic blue and white paint with chrome accents, rounded mirrors and a color-matched top-case earn this tiny two-wheeler a lot of second glances.
The LIKE first appeared on the scene as a 2010 set on grabbing the attention of the retro-scooter loving American audience and with an MSRP of $2699 for the LIKE 200i LX and $2199 for the LIKE 50 LX, it’s a pretty enticing package. KYMCO’s two-year factory warranty and rock solid support are the wildcards that should secure them a place on your short-list.
A new-bike press introduction is kind of like a honeymoon. A nice hotel and an exotic location can’t help but make your partner seem as sexy as possible. Such as it was at the world press launch for Kawasaki’s thoroughly updated ZX-6R. Riding the new Ninja around Japan’s Autopolis circuit was like sex on wheels. It was difficult to find any fault with the ZX as we consummated the relationship at the fabulous race circuit. But how would the ZX-6R perform during the bumps and grind of street riding? And would major engine mods pay off once we strapped the Ninja to the dyno? Would the bloom fall off the rose? The answers, in order, are: surprisingly well; yes; and no!
Our last few weeks with Kawi’s newest Ninja have proven it has the goods to go toe to toe with the best in the ultra-competitive middleweight sportbike class. During our time on the ZX at Autopolis, we already learned that the new bike steers sharper than the previous generation, aided by sportier steering geometry and the loss of some 20 lbs. Our biggest question mark revolved around the output of the newly enhanced motor. The 3000-ft elevation of Autopolis muddied the waters somewhat.
But now we’re back near sea level and we have the Area P dyno to tell us things our butt dyno can’t. The ZX spat out an impressive 107.7 horsepower on the ol’ Dynojet, which is very competitive with its rivals in terms of peak ponies and a massive 10 hp jump over the previous model. But that number only tells part of the equation. The Ninja now has some real midrange cojones, something it’s been missing since its 636cc days. Most illuminating is how the ZX’s entire powerband mostly keeps up or exceeds that of Honda’s CBR600RR, easily the punchiest 600 over the previous two years.
On the street, this broad power curve and short gearing provide for strong launches away from traffic lights. Good, usable power arrives as low as 7,000 rpm, which makes for impressive acceleration at street-appropriate revs. And its roll-on grunt is amazing for a 600. Its immediate responsiveness in top gear at 80 mph makes a rider check the handy gear indicator to see if it’s in fifth or even fourth gear.
Engine vibration is readily apparent at idle, but it turns smooth at cruising speeds. The ZX exhibits immaculate throttle response, always delivering a nuanced transition from closed throttle, something all fuel-injected bikes can’t claim. And despite the EPA’s best efforts to make every motorcycle sound like a turbocharged sewing machine, the ZX delivers a deliciously howling soundtrack to its rider. Gearshifts are done with little effort and smoothly for the most part, but re-engaging gears from neutral can be notchy at times. In commuter use, the Ninja’s riding position is reasonably hospitable for a supersport. Its bars are fairly close to the rider but a bit low for good street comfort. A narrow windscreen allows wrist-relieving air pressure to hit a rider’s shoulders at highway speeds, and the flow around a helmet is smooth. The mirrors provide a decent view and are even halfway attractive. And speaking of appearances, we think this new, sharp-edged design is one of the best looking 600cc Ninjas ever. But cruising around city streets is just a preamble to the ZX’s main attraction of tearing up serpentine canyon roads. The many changes to the new frame and chassis geometry give the Kawi a newfound agility plus robust feedback from the front end. The stock dual-compound Bridgestone BT-016 tires are impressive - proving to be splendidly neutral while providing excellent grip. The Kawi’s brakes are faultless, being as powerful as you dare yet amazingly subtle when you want to bleed just a hair of speed during corner entrances. The middleweight Ninja is blessed with a thoroughly modern suspension. Up front is Showa’s Big Piston Fork, a fresh new design that saves weight and potentially offers improved performance (see our First Ride report for further details). At the rear, the shock includes the usual adjustments for preload and two-way low-speed damping, plus the addition of high-speed compression damping. Beefy Americans will appreciate the bike’s stiff springs, although they proved to be a bit too firm for my 145 lb frame. Some spring preload alterations might find a sweet spot for lightweights. We’ll have time for optimizing the suspension in time for our upcoming Supersport Shootout. So, after a few hundred miles on the street, our favorable impression from the ZX-6R’s racetrack press launch hasn’t dimmed. As we predicted then, this stellar new sportbike has the goods to run with the best in the 600cc class. Exactly how it stacks up against its worthy competition will have to wait until we ride them all back to back, but one thing is certain: The Ninja will not again be finishing at the back of the pack.
The Monster 1100 is the latest bike in Ducati's lineup to receive the EVO (Evoluzione Desmodue) up-spec treatment. With 246,483 Monsters sold since the model line’s 1993 debut, creating a model like the 1100 EVO seems a good way to kick off the 18th year of Monster production. The big-bore naked Italian roadster has been a favorite of the staff here since it first appeared in 2009 as a replacement for the Monster S2R. The strong pulling power of the comparatively simple air-cooled two-valve engine and the overall excellent handling performance from the chassis are key qualities we’re particularly fond of in the biggest of the Monsters. Now with a revised engine, new exhaust, tweaks to ergos, reduced weight and the addition DTC (Ducati Traction Control) and ABS as standard, there's even more to like about the biggest of the Monsters.
Monster EVOlution Where do you start to improve a motorcycle without re-engineering it to the point of losing the original bike in the process? In Ducati's estimation, a useful enhancement to the engine is step one. Changes to the air-cooled L-Twin include revised cylinder heads with reworked intake ports, inlet valves gaining 5% more lift, and exhaust valve lift increased by 4%. Top-end oiling is improved for better cylinder head cooling, and revised piston shape bumps compression to 11.3:1 from 10.7:1 on the previous Monster. Keeping the pistons spinning is a new, lighter-weight flywheel designed similarly to the flywheel in Ducati’s supersport 848. An all-new 2-1-2 exhaust migrated from under the Monster’s saddle to the right side of the bike. Although the new exhaust bears more than a passing resemblance to the Diavel’s exhaust, according to Monster 1100 EVO Project Engineer Giuseppe Caprara, the systems are not the same. What the Monster EVO does share with the Diavel is its “race-like” slipper clutch, which incidentally is not the same as the APTC slipper clutch in the Monster 696, 796 and Hypermotard 796. Caprara also confirmed to me that it’s chiefly the reworked cylinder head that gives the Monster 1100 EVO a 5-hp gain over the previous model’s 95 hp at 7500 rpm (76 ft-lbs at 6000 rpm remains unchanged from the 2010 Monster 1100). Considering we live in a world where literbikes make 200 hp at the crank, speed junkies may not get excited by a modest gain of 5 ponies. But what is noteworthy is that this new 100-hp figure allows the Monster 1100 EVO to lay claim to possessing the strongest Desmodue engine Ducati has ever created. Not bad for applying a few strokes of the computer mouse to an oldie-but-a-goodie air-cooled Twin. An inverted, fully adjustable 43mm Marzocchi fork replaces the Showa sticks on the ’10 Monster 1100, and a Sachs shock with spring preload and rebound damping adjustments keeps the back-end in check. New, lighter-weight 10-spoke wheels wear updated Diablo Rosso II tires. Pirelli Testing Manager Salvo Pennisi explained the Rosso front tire has improved grip for wet weather riding, while the redesigned dual-compound rear tire has improved braking performance, better grip at maximum lean and is longer wearing. Without the previous model’s undertail exhaust system to contend with, Ducati gave the new 1100’s tailsection a cleaner appearance, and also gave passenger and rider footpegs separate mounts where the previous 1100 employed a single, large cast piece to which both peg sets were connected. And in the interest of improved rider comfort the 2011 model’s handlebar risers are 20mm higher than last year. A 31.9-inch seat height is the same as last year.
Lastly, the Monster 1100 EVO gets what Ducati calls the Safety Pack. Standard issue for this Monster is ABS and Ducati Traction Control (DTC). This is the first Monster model to receive DTC. The DTC is somewhat tailored for this bike since there are four rider-selectable traction control levels rather than eight levels on other Ducati models equipped with TC. The fewer levels were simply a matter of tuning the TC to suit the Monster’s 100 hp engine, whereas the extra TC levels make more sense on the 150-ish horsepower 1198. The Ducati Data Analyzer (DDA) – you might utilize this feature to analyze lap times at the racetrack – is also available. The Monster 1100 EVO has a claimed weight of 373 pounds, compared to the 377 pounds on the ABS-equipped 2010 Monster 1100 and 374 pounds on the Monster 1100S. Monster impressions Surface streets in the municipality of San Giovanni la Punta, Sicily (an enclave of sorts of the larger city of Catania of the province of the same name on Sicily’s eastern coast) are in about as good a shape as you should expect of such an ancient part of the world. Pavement on the narrow, winding streets is in decent condition, but there are nevertheless lots of chunked, cracked and patched sections of the streets. It was while darting through these tiny corridors, like a rat avoiding the local Don, that I first started to appreciate how well the Monster’s stout new Marzocchi fork and Sachs shock gobbled up the broken and battered concrete. Both front and rear suspension were suitably damped for this type of urban assault, keeping the bike tracking true and me in comfort. Our ultimate route was to climb a curvaceous road snaking its way out of the area of Zafferana Etnea and up the south side of the ever-smoldering Mt. Etna. At approximately 10,900 feet Etna is the largest active volcano in Europe and dominates the skyline over Catania. Ascending the serpentine, contorted ribbon of concrete presented a good opportunity to reacquaint myself with the Monster’s grunty engine. Powerful torque, particularly noticeable starting around 4000 rpm and building all the way to the 8500-ish rev limit, develops in a deliberate but linear manner. This steady delivery of power proved useful for digging out of the numerous hairpin switchbacks that at times made the road seem as though it was layering over itself. It was also during the climb that I found myself cursing ever-stricter emissions regulations that have caused Ducati to burden the 1100 with gearing taller than I would like in cogs 2 and 3. While torque is plentiful, run a gear too high while attempting to exit a slow speed corner and you’ll likely find the engine lugging and chugging. These less-than-ideal gear ratios aren’t limited to the 1100, as we’ve bemoaned tall gearing on the Monster 796 and Hypermotard 796, too. After reaching the road’s highpoint we stopped for a cappuccino, café Americano, espresso or whatever injection of Italian water you like, at a café located in the alpine-like village of Rifugio Sapienza. Here, small roadside stands and average-looking shops sell the usual array of tourist-y trinkets, most of which are made from or have something to do with lava rock. The stuff’s plentiful, after all, since it covers much of the mountainside, creating a lunar landscape for mile after mile up and down the mountain. If you’re really feelin’ your alpine oats, there’s downhill skiing action in Rifugio. Just don’t get disappointed by the single chairlift if you’re used to Summit County, Colorado. After inhaling a couple of the best cannolis I’ve ever had, it was time to go down the mountain toward Nicolosi where the road straightens and re-enters city life. This portion of the ride, like the climb up, gave me new opportunities to assess different aspects of the new Monster’s performance. Steering ease, mid-corner stability, front-end feedback and overall chassis performance is excellent. The unflappable chassis inspires a rider’s confidence in the front-end, with the whole bike tracing an effortless arc ‘round each bend. The Monster 1100 EVO’s nimble but planted chassis (as well as the 696 and 796’s for that matter) is a genuine and defining strength of this Duc. Since there’s so much loose, sand-like lava rock dust in certain spots, both going up and down the mountain, there were lots of chances for DTC to put itself in action. Level 2 seemed ideal for my riding, as it prevented spin up in low traction sitches (gravel, sand) but never struck me as overly intrusive. However, at low speeds, like when getting on the gas while pulling away from a stop in low traction conditions like gravel patches, even DTC Level 1 can intervene rather abruptly, to the point that the bike feels as though it's going to stall. DTC access via a single Mode switch on the left-side switch pod – the same switch that also accesses all other settings in the LCD instrument panel – isn't intuitive enough. It took several attempts to discern that holding the switch one way accesses a DTC submenu, and that changing DTC levels requires the switch move in the opposite direction. It takes some time to get the routine down, but once figured out the process is less complex. You can disable DTC altogether, and the system will retain its setting when the bike is switched off. The ABS system is also defeat-able but defaults to ON each time the ignition is turned on. ABS, like DTC, is a good and practical feature, but the anti-lock system struck me as “first generation,” and not as refined as ABS on some current model sportbikes.
At times the system produces some serious backpressure or “pump-up” when ABS activates. The sensation is that the Brembo radial master cylinder’s lever has stopped moving. This intermittent but funky feel is more profound at the rear brake pedal; it’s as if the pedal or lever has reached the end of its travel despite not actually doing so. Hard to say exactly what the ABS is or isn’t doing, but its as though the system isn’t opening and closing the control valve quickly enough to allow the brakes to apply and release as often they should. To clarify, it took routinely aggressive application of the radial-mount Brembo calipers to get the ABS to act up; under normal use the system was trouble-free. And, in fairness, this delayed pulsing at the lever isn’t exclusive to the Monster 1100. I’ve had similar experiences on other ABS sets from different manufacturers. The new back-torque-limiting clutch works well. Despite my best efforts to induce rear-wheel hop after rapid-fire, high-rpm downshifts, the clutch kept the gearbox from binding under engine braking. The slipper-style clutch and smooth-shifting 6-speed transmission performed on par with some of the best clutch/transmissions around – Japanese-bike-like, if you will. Summary The Monster 1100 EVO replaces the standard, as well as the Ohlins-equipped S model 1100, in the 2011 Monster lineup. While it usually isn’t good to eliminate choices for the consumer, all the updates on the EVO only serve to make a bike we liked before even better. Sweetening the deal is an MSRP of $11,995, the same price as last year’s base model.
