The New -For-'92s

THE NEW -FOR-'92S

A GUIDE TO THIS YEAR'S BEST AND BRIGHTEST

IN THESE TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES, IT DOESN'T PAY TO take chances. That explains the relative lack of new motorcycle models for 1992. Indeed, one company, Kawasaki, chose not to introduce a single new model (though the slick 250 Ninja is back after a year's rest, and at a reduced price). Other models, such as Yamaha's FJ 1200 and Honda's ST 1100, return with sig nificant detail changes (the former with anti-lock braking, the latter with ABS and a traction-control system). But 1992 will not be remembered as the year that the manufacturers turned their design teams loose and wowed the market with all manner of motorcycles.

That doesn’t mean, however, that there aren’t some allnew bikes worth salivating over. We’ve rounded up 11 allnew 1992 models, and some are as exciting as any twowheeled device has a right to be. There are bikes for Eurolovers, bikes for dual-purpose devotees, bikes for the budget-minded, bikes for the sport rider and bikes for those who have been asking for more m°dern

HarlevDavidson. Arranged in /did random order,

HONDA

HONDA has what looks to be the most exciting sportbike ever: the

CBR900RR While it contains no groundbreaking technology or components, what sets the new CBR apart from all previous bigbore repli-racers is its lack of what has always been the Open-class Achilles’ heel-weight. Honda claims the bike is as light as the CBR600F2.

Propulsion is provided by an 893cc, 16valve, inline-Four— similar to and only slightly larger than the CBR600 unit—with all components pared to minimum size and weight through extensive computer-aided design. While not intended to be the most powerful Open-class engine, the CBR's 120horsepower motor still should give the bike a highly exhilarating power-to-weight ratio.

Apart from the use of very rigid, 45mm fork tubes and a 16-inch front wheel (mounting a specially produced, semi-radial Bridgestone tire with a tall profile

CBR900RR

that yields a larger contact patch), the rest of the chassis is standard modern sportbike. Sound expensive? Not really. Honda says less than $8500. We’re also told that production will be limited, so if you haven’t ordered yet, be prepared to wait in line.

Dual-purpose types who mourned the 1987 passing of the Honda XL600 can rejoice at its reincarnation as the XR650L, a street-legalized version of the XR600R enduro bike.

The RFVC (Radial Four-Valve Combustion Chamber), counterbalanced Single has gained 53cc through a

XR650L

3mm bore increase and 2mm longer stroke, and now benefits from the miracle of electric starting (it’s essentially identical to the late NX650’s engine).

While the bike retains the XR’s longtravel cartridge fork and Pro-Link rear linkage, it gets a stronger dual-piston disc brake up front. Even with the addition of the electric starter, Honda says the XR is the lightest 650cc D-P bike on the market—a claimed 312 pounds dry. Expect it to be priced around $4000.

MOTO GUZZI

MOTO GUZZI, after stringing us along for the last couple of years, has finally put the Daytona 1000 into production. Based upon Dr. John Wittner’s successful Pro Twins racer (in fact, Dr. John has been living in Italy to oversee the Daytona’s construction), this sportiest Guzzi ever is propelled by a 992cc, eight-valve, WeberMarelli fuel-injected VTwin, mounted in traditional Guzzi acrossthe-frame fashion.

That engine is bolted into a rectangular-section, chrome-moly

steel frame. Longitudinal layout lends itself well to shaft drive, and just like on the racer, a floating ring-and-pinion system has been retained, along with a system of parallel torque arms, claimed to eliminate any up-and-down, shaft-induced suspension movement. A single, adjustable Koni shock controls the motions of the 18-inch rear wheel, and an adjustable Marzocchi fork, with 42mm tubes, carries the 17-inch wheel. Four-piston Brembo calipers squeeze a pair of 1 1.8-inch floating discs, with a single, 10.2-inch disc bringing up the rear. The 1000’s claimed dry weight is 452 pounds.

DAYTONA 1000

The bike is finished in red (what else?), and carries a half-fairing instead of the earlier prototype’s full bodywork. Moto Guzzi tells us that the Daytona entered full production late last year, and that it should be available at U.S. Moto Guzzi dealers by the time you read this. If you’re interested, bring about $ 14,000.

SUZUKI

SUZUKI is finally into the 600cc repli-racer market with its GSX R600. Definitely hatched with race track aspirations, the bike gets an all new, liquid-cooled, 14,000-rpm, inline-Four with 12:1 compression, shim-under-bucket valve actuation, 36mm carburetors and 65 x 45.2mm bore and stroke dimensions (identi cal to the CBR600 Honda) in a very compact, 16.5-inch-wide package. Pentagonal-section aluminum beams in the main frame are said to give extreme torsional rigidity, and the rear subframe is a bolt-on affair for quick maintenance. An asymmet ric aluminum swingarm, hump shaped on the right side, allows the stainless-steel exh~iust system to tuck up close. The inverted Showa fork is fu1ly_adjustable, as is the remote-res

GSX-R600

ervoir Showa shock attached to the rising-rate linkage out back.

Will the new GSX-R be the hottest 600? Very possibly. Will it be the cheapest? Most assuredly not—$6199 is the expected price when the bike debuts in March.

DUCATI

750-SUPER-SPORT

DUCATI offers up one new model for 1992, the 750 Super Sport, priced at $7350. The 750’s triangulated, tube-steel frame is identical to that of the fine-handling 900 Super Sport. Costs have been cut by giving the 750 one front disc brake (a four-piston Brembo clamping a 12.6-inch disc) in place of the 900’s two, and by using old-style Pantah engine cases instead of the 900’s 851 bottom end (basically a beefier Pantah). What that really boils down to, for street riders, is that you get a five-speed transmission instead of six, and a wet clutch instead of the 900’s dry unit. A bit less horsepower, too.

But Ducatis have always been more about handling, and there’s no reason why the 750 shouldn’t be every bit as good as the 900. If Ducati’s 388-pound claimed dry weight is in the ballpark, the 750 should be even better than the 900 when the going gets really twisty.

Moving the 750SS down the road is a 748cc, 90-degree, air-cooled V-Twin with two desmodromically actuated valves per cylinder, fed by a pair of 38mm flat-slide Mikuni carburetors (same as on the 900 SS, and light years ahead of the Weber carb on the old 750 Sport). The bike is swathed in a revealing red half-fairing, rolls on Showa suspension and three-spoke aluminum wheels, and, of course, makes all the proper noises, for about $1000 less than the 900 Super Sport.

YAMAHA

YAMAHA goes with the economic flow by introducing the budget conscious Seca H. White the Seca's a!! new, 599cc, air-cooled, eight-valve, inline-Four draws upon retro-think ing that stresses low and midrange power (and low manufacturing and maintenance costs), the rest of the bike shies away from the retro styling lately in vogue, evidenced by a half fairing and a singleshock rear suspension. Fork tubes are a robust 38mm, with a single 12.6-inch disc brake up front and a 8.3-inch rear disc.

TDM 850

Overall, the Seca aims at the all-around! sportbike/runabout/ two-up category va cated a couple of years ago by Yamaha's spunky Radian. In fact, although the Seca cants its cylinders 25 degrees forward and there is much talk of Genesisinspired design. the new engine shares bore and stroke dimensions with the old Radian (58.5 x 55.7mm). Fine by us, if that helped keep the bike's price down-$3799 buys the Seca II. -

well, now, now about a 22 3cc dual-pur pose Thumper for $2899? Yamaha trots out the "user-friendly" word to describe the XT225 Serow (it means long-haired Tibetan goat), a bike that com bines a 31.9-inch seat height with 11.2 inches of ground clearance. Front suspension travel is 8.9 inches; rear travel 7.5 inches via a single shock. TI

Horsepower is pro-

XT225 SEROW

vided by a two-valve, air-cooled, wet-sump Single, and transmitted through six gears. No kick-starting is neces sary; the Serow starts electrically. -

Somewhat farther upmarket is the very interesting Euro-style TDM85O. What you get here is an 849cc, liquidcooled, 10-valve paral lel-Twin motor, with two downdraft 38mm Mikunis, in a dual-pur pose-looking package that only the truly manly should ride off road. The TDM is in tended for street use, and could be thought of as the ultimate pothole slayer.

s such, it's a hoot,

with 6.3 inches of sus pension travel up front via an adjustable 41 mm fork, and a single rear shock that features eas ily adjustable. two stage springing. There's a steel Deltabox frame, dual floating front discs and a sit-up riding posi tion with room for two-all pulled along by 65 torquey horse power at the TDM's rear wheel. Also, the 360-degree Twin is equipped with dual gear-driven counterbal ancers for a smooth cruise. Think of the TDM as the ultimate all-around streetbike, and expect to pay $6599 for its good-na tured versatility.

BMW

BMW’s only new-for-’92 model uses a 980cc version of the famous Boxer Twin, first produced in 1923. The R100R is a street version of BMW’s popular GS dualpurpose bike, designed to blend classic Boxer attributes with modern technology.

While it uses the same tubular-steel frame as the GS, the new R employs an 18-inch, spoke front wheel in place of the GS’ 21-incher, has a low-mounted exhaust, and uses shorter-travel, stiffer suspension with anti-chassis-jacking Paralever at the rear. The fork comes from Showa—a first for BMW—and holds a single floating disc brake. The lone rear shock is adjustable for spring preload and rebound damping.

Seat height is 2 inches lower than on the GS, at 31.5. Other detail changes from the GS involved repositioning the oil cooler from atop the right cylinder guard to between the frame tubes, where it should be less prone to damage, and the use of BMW’s rounded, classic-style valve covers. Price is $7990.

R100R

HARLEY-DAVIDSON

FXDB DAYTONA

HARLEY-DAVIDSON

continues its successful slow-growth policy for 1992. The two new models in the lineup are really refinements of last year’s all-new (but low-production) Sturgis Dyna Glide, henceforth referred to as the FXDC Dyna Glide Custom, and the almostidentical, limited-edi-

tion FXDB Daytona

(commemorating last year’s 50th Daytona Bike Week), of which Harley says it will build 1700.

Both the new Dyna Glides receive the welcome addition of dualdisc front brakes (the Sturgis had only one), along with new pad and disc material intended

to reduce lever effort. The 40mm Keihin carburetor has been recalibrated for easier cold starts, and the gas tanks are now continuously vented to combat occasional fuel-delivery problems. Elsewhere, the ignition lock has been revised to keep the key from falling out in the “Off” position, and a new retainer has been added to further secure the bike’s countershaft sprocket nut. Otherwise, the Dyna Glides are mechanically un-

changed from last year; not a bad thing since the computer-designed Sturgis was proclaimed the smoothest, coolest Harley ever.

Both new bikes get eyeball-arresting paint. The Daytona’s finish is two-tone Indigo Blue Metallic and Gold Pearlglo (H-D says it is the first Harley ever to have true pearl paint) with special Daytona festoonery. The Custom gets two-tone metallic silver and black paint. Both are finished off with a new, bakedon, clear powdercoat. And naturally, both are motivated by 1340cc, five-speed, belt-drive powertrains. Suggested price for each model is $12,120. ga

fxdc dyna glide custom