Gentlemen's Express
Gentlemen's Express
Apples and oranges make a great fruit salad
REMEMBER THE ISLAND OF MISFIT TOYS IN Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer? Well, any one of the four motorcycles in this motley collection would feel right at home there. Because while each certainly is worthy of inclusion in an Open-class streetbike comparison, none fits neatly into any of the other sub-categories. What this quartet has in common is a quality that speaks to one’s appreciation of finery. Their engines may be incongruous, their styling diverse, but each is well-appointed with upright seating positions and a plethora of creature comforts such as passenger grabrails and centerstands. Some even have such niceties as clocks, fuel gauges, emergency flashers and anti-lock brakes. If God is in the details, surely He rides one of these.
Collectively, we could call these four motorcycles anything: sporting standards, rational sportbikes, etc. But we prefer a term coined by the editors of Cycle magazine a couple of decades ago: “Gentleman’s Express.” The title just fits.
No doubt, BMW’s R1100RS is the most gentlemanly. From its stately silver silhouette to its raft of high-tech components, the German machine exudes quality. Introduced in 1993, the air/oil-cooled, eight-valve, fuel-injected Wunder Boxer quickly found a place in the hearts of Beemerphiles. Equipped with adjustable bars, seat and windscreen, plus standard luggage mounts, the RS toes the sport-touring line. Guess you could interpret that to mean it’s the sportiest of the sport-tourers.
Suzuki Bandit 1200 ABS
$8599
Alps
A So comfy, the only thing missing is the remotecontrol clicker A Wheelies with a capital Whoa! A ABS is optional, not standard A Cheaper than most 600s
Downs
▼ ABS makes brake pedal pulsate, like your father’s Oldsmobile ▼ Looks kinda dated ▼ Where’s the clock?
Ridden at a brisk, if not rapid, pace on winding country roads, the R1100 works wonderfully, its “chassisless” construction, innovative Telelever front (now with adjustable rebound damping) and Paralever rear suspensions serving up a solid yet compliant ride. The 1085cc opposed-Twin’s loping cadence is relaxing, instilling in the rider an unhurried calm, and its thrumming soothes weary buttocks better than a coin-operated bed in a cheap motel room. Unfortunately, that lazy character works against the R11 in serious sporting environments, where its comparatively paltry 79 rear-wheel horsepower and heavy flywheels make it feel, well, kinda slow. Pin the throttle exiting a second-gear uphill comer and nothing happens; you just sit there watching your buddy on his ZX-9R disappear into the distance.
BMW R1100RS
$14,750
Arps
A Adjustable ergos A Alternative front suspension that actually works A 36-month/unlimitedmileage warranty and roadside-assistance program A Looks great parked next to your Porsche
Downs
▼ Thrummy engine spoils long-range highway comfort ▼ Sloppy shifting, clunky clutch Wiggly rubber-mounted handlebars Twice as expensive as a non-ABS Bandit 1200
Downs ▼ Styling getting a smidge stale ▼ Mirror stalk condom thingies don’t stay put ▼ Wives who nag, “Honey, I think you love that bike more than you love me.”
Trying to close the gap in the comers doesn’t pay dividends, either, because the Rl 1 is a very difficult bike to ride smoothly. Driveshaft-induced chassis jacking is a thing of the past thanks to Paralever, but as long as Boxers have longitudinal crankshafts, changes in throttle setting will have a profound effect on chassis composure. Gas it, and the bike rocks to the right; back off, and it rocks to the left.
The single largest demerit on the BMW’s scorecard, however, concerns vibration-and lots of it-right where this bike will likely spend a significant portion of its operating life, at just over the legal speed limit on U.S. highways. It’s far more relaxed at triple-digit autobahn speeds-or so we’ve been told. Far be it from us to exceed posted recommendations, heh, heh....
Triumph’s Sprint 900 has the same sophisticated European appeal as the BMW, but a very different character. Introduced to the U.S. in 1995, the 885cc Triple combines a howling, hooligan motor with a conservative riding position. Long, heavy, reasonably fast and stable, the overall feel is much like Kawasaki’s ZX11 —albeit with one less lung and a corresponding reduction in performance.
The most remarkable thing about the Sprint is that there’s nothing remarkable about it; aside from the brand name stenciled on its tank and its oddball three-cylinder engine configuration, it could very well have come from Japan, Inc. Like the R1100RS, the Sprint is best at racking up miles, something it does very well thanks to its remarkably smooth engine, surprisingly effective half-fairing and giant, 6.6-gallon fuel tank. Why buy gas today when you can put it off ’til tomorrow?
Our main gripe concerns the overly long reach to the handlebars, which leaves the rider almost literally steering with his fingertips. As a result, front-end feedback is vague; the front tire’s out there doing its job, certainly, but there’s little evidence to support that notion.
Pulling on the Sprint’s front brake lever reveals two additional flaws-mushy lever feel, and soft fork springs that compress too much under braking. Its footpegs also touch down in comers considerably earlier than any of the other bikes’ in this test. Again like the R1100RS, the Sprint performs best at a sport-touring pace. Trying to hang with the repli-racers is fruitless; all you’ll do is elevate your heart rate to an unhealthy level. And perhaps soil your shorts.
Honda VFR750F
$9299
Arps Fine gear whine Clever shock-preload adjustment Adjustable clutch lever Sexier than Jennifer Aniston in a mini-dress
The same can’t be said of the next bike in this group, Honda’s VFR750F, which traces its roots back to one of the most revolutionary repli-racers of all time, the 1983 V45 Interceptor. The VFR has come a long way since then, undergoing a couple of redesigns and a slight softening of focus. With the advent of the RC-30 (and in tum the RC-45), the VFR was reassigned from the starting grid to the street beat, where it’s been fine-tuned to the point that it’s one of the best all-around motorcycles on the market.
Triumph Sprint 900
$9395
Jklp s
A Spacious seating A Raspy exhaust note A Excellent high-speed stability A Adjustable clutch lever
Downs
▼ Marshmallow brakes ▼ Steering by Roto-Tiller ▼ All right, who left out the fork springs? ▼ Kickstand too short ▼ Where’s the fuel gauge?
Its strength is that it doesn’t have any one strength. The VFR is as equally at home commuting as it is sport-touring or chasing GSX-Rs up winding mountain roads. Its tractable 748cc V-Four engine feels like an Open-classer, and its stout twin-spar aluminum chassis and comfy, upright seating position work together to impart a great deal of rider confidence. Combine the sensuous lines of the NR750-derived, red-painted bodywork with the soulful exhaust growl and the high-pitched whine of the gear cam drive, and you’ve got a motorcycle that’s high on visceral appeal. If you’re a fan of sportbikes, it’s impossible not to like the VFR.
If you’re not a fan of sportbikes, though, perhaps you’ll appreciate the last bike in this group. Available overseas for a couple of years now, Suzuki’s Bandit 1200 super-standard has finally arrived in the U.S. It comes in two flavors: with or without ABS brakes.
We got one with ABS this time around, and found it to be every bit as much fun as the Canadian model we raved about previously (CIV, August, 1996). Its air/oil-cooled 1156cc inline-Four still produces monstrous midrange torque, which in conjunction with low overall gearing makes the 1200 one of the most wheelie-happy motorcycles ever.
Although the Bandit’s steel-cradle chassis is far from state-of-the-art, it handles quite well. Steering is neutral and light, suspension is compliant; indeed, the Bandit’s feathers only get ruffled when you push it into the domain of repliracers. Nearing its limits, the Bandit begins to feel a little floaty. But that’s not all bad: Visions of Wes Cooley aboard the old Yoshimura GS1000 Superbike danced through a couple of our testers’ heads.
The addition of ABS-and its attendant weight and complexity-have in no way impacted the Bandit’s fun factor. Like the system fitted on BMW’s R1100RS, the Bandit’s ABS computer monitors wheel speeds, and instructs a solenoid to reduce hydraulic fluid pressure to the appropriate caliper(s) should either wheel suddenly stop rotating.
Should you pay a $1500 premium for the extra margin of safety an ABS-equipped Bandit affords? We refuse to make that decision for you. But if it were our money, we’d choose one without. At $7099-fully $2200 cheaper than the next most-expensive bike here-the base-model Bandit 1200 is a steal. That should ensure its success on the sales floor, and it plays a large part in its victory here, too. -Brian Catterson
