Junkyard Dog

Junkyard Dog

Running of the Bull in Spain

STYLIZED STANDARDS AND TECHNOflaunting naked sportbikes seem to have captured the imagination of designers these days. But pry your gaze away from Honda's NAS futurethink exercise, glance beyond the soonto-be-available Buell Firebolt and take a look at the Bulldog-brainchild of Yamaha’s Italian importer Belgarda.

Designed and produced for the European market, the BT1100 is not expected stateside anytime soon, so we don’t foresee collaring a Bulldog, but our friends at Spain’s Motociclismo have ridden the Yamaha and clued us in on what may be the ultimate partsbin special, a true junkyard ’Dog.

Engine is Drag Star (nee Virago) 1100, ditto the shaft final drive; fuel tank is FZ1; stainless-steel mufflers are TRX850; front brakes are Rl-type; fork is XJR1300 super-standard. Five-spoke alloy wheels carry supersport-spec tire sizes. The remaining parts are spec’ed and sourced by Belgarda in Italy.

Aimed at the entry-level buyer or the experienced rider tired of the horsepower/handling wars, it’s no surprise that the Bulldog blends comfort and ease of use. While it’s very good handling for a bike, the Spaniards also note it a particularly fast, mustering a top speed of about 112 mph.

Its 1063cc, air-cooled, sohc V-Twin gained praise for having loads of low end grunt, pu11in~ .authoñty from 1000 rpm in top gear. Optimum power is found between 2500 and 5000 rpm, with a peak output reported in the neighborhood of 65 horsepower.

While the fork and front brakes work very well, rear suspension is rather short-travel (keeping seat height low?), but manages to do a decent job of bump absorption. A smooth riding style allows a pretty brisk pace on tight and curvy backroads, says Motociclismo. Cut-and-thrusters may want to look elsewhere, but cornering clearance is better than any cruiser platform that has typically been the home for this engine.

Not a great choice for extended hauls on the highway (minimal wind protection) or blitzing fast roads, but as urban mounts go, the Bulldog hits the mark. Even the rear of the seat is said to be an inviting perch for passengers, comfortable and flanked with grab handles.

In the same vein as Moto Guzzi’s V11 Sport (the naked version of the Le Mans tested in this issue) or BMW’s RI 150R Roadster, the Bulldog is all about relaxed riding. A bike for the rider in no great hurry, a machine that’s inviting to newcomers while proving functionally sound for the old hand.

Could Yamaha’s bullish decision to not bring the ’Dog here be an indication that something else is already in the works to fill such a slot in the company’s U.S. product line? One can only hope. Maybe an updated V-Max roadster for American asphalt?

Don Canet