Exotic Zoo, Exotic View
Exotic Zoo, Exotic View
CW COMPARISON
NAKED & naughty
MARK HOYER
Rare beasts for the asphalt jungle: MV Agusta Brutale, Buell Lightning XB12S, Ducati Monster S4R
HOW CAN NAKED GET ANY BETTER THAN IT already is? Nude is nude, not crude, Just as bare as you can bear, which is totally naked and ready to party.
Say what? think what w're saying here under the influence of all this undressed style is that life just gets better when bodywork falls away to reveal niecharneal beauties such as these, with major metallic heartbeats omrng iii three flavors American aircooled, pushrod mega-nwtor, mildly modded Italian desmo; or classic muscled-up and stripped-down four-cylinder Superbike.
We made symphonic sonic booms across Southei n ralifornia on this too of exotic art bikes taking in some fine scenery on even finer ioads endurmg the menacing monotony of a lane-sphttmg rush-hour run noithbound through the termi of Los Angeles, all the way to the winding deserted wilds of Lake Isabella ind surrounding areas
But one of th~ greatest pleasures of the ride was getting ready for it, sitting quietly in the CW garage in the afternoon light, bikes lined up for one last oil and tire check, chain adjustment and the odd bit of paint polishing. These are dynamic machines made to travel the road, but they are also aesthetic exercises, expressions of industrial art that epitomize what the naked-bike class has come to represent, which is sort of a Harley-like status symbol and emblem of a certain lifestyle-just for people who like a more sporting pace to their 100-mile weekend search for freedom.
Which, we suppose, is really the case for the Buell. Its Harley heart means it is truly a different experience in the world of sporty bikes. Is it really possible to fit that great loping lump of air-cooled iron (okay, it’s aluminum) into a 52-inch wheelbase? Yes, it is, and when you sit upon the firm seat and grasp the tubular handlebar, you can’t help but notice how little motorcycle there is in front of and behind you.
The Buell is a fascinating combination of sensations. Its riding position, compact nature and stiff overall feel are not unlike that of the MV. Said Mark Cemicky, “You could blindfold me and the bikes are so physically similar when you’re in the saddle that it would be hard to tell them apart.”
Until you start them, of course. For where you rev the MV to make it sing, the low-note baritone of the XB’s pushrod 1203cc Twin gets busy just off idle and is into its 6800-rpm rev-limiter before the MV’s 13,100-rpm 749cc Four is even open for business. It’s a question of flavor, though, because the MV wails a meaty 105-bhp at its stratospheric peak and will power-wheelie its short, 54.9-inch wheelbase as the engine swings into its powerband. It’s definitely a thrill, and ultimately more stimulating-also more challenging-than the fat torque surge of the 92-bhp Buell, particularly because you always seem to be running out of revs on the big Twin. Flywheel inertia is quite minimal on the MV, so revs rise quickly, while the big steel saucers in the Buell slow engine response. Pick your powerband.
BUELL
LIGHTNING XB12S
$10,995
The best of both worlds, though, is the Ducati. This mill is from the former 996 Desmoquattro Superbike, transplanted with little change into Monster duty. Ducati has done an admirable job of cleaning up the coolant plumbing and wiring, but the S4R still is the messiest below the beltline. You tend not to care about this from the saddle, however, as you experience the satisfying pull of ample low-end torque (67 foot-pounds at peak) that smoothly transforms into a free-breathing 107-bhp top-end rush.
This broadness of power is emblematic of the way the Ducati performs. From the widely adjustable suspension (super-wallow cushy to racebike-like firm, plus rear ride height), the mega Monster could be tuned to suit a long freeway road trip or tearing up a local track day, all with a few screwdriver pokes and a coupla big wrenches.
Although the reach to the handlebars is long, this is still a fairly comfortable riding position, with the softest, best seat and a reasonable amount of room to the footpegs, even for tall people. (About the forged pegs, Ducati’s English-challenged website had this interesting tidbit: “Allow' to get off the posterior for racing use.” Huh?) Anyway, particularly for the big guys on the road, this was the luxo-boat they hoped to end the ride on.
l&eryone wanted to start the ride on the MV. At least the ' part of the tour that met the first two-lane roads into the ' hills. Just being in the same room as the MV feels like a privilege. The Brutale moves through the world in a pecujg|^i|ÿrly satisfying way, is a pleasure to look at and, in the right ^Ëy^etting, to ride. It is the kind of testbike one wishes to keep vëléan, well-adjusted and properly lubricated. It does have its inks, but the payoff is greater th
The biggest plus is the way this is someto be said for front-end rigidity. Take a look at the size of fhè lower triple-clamp, the diameter of its inverted Marzocchi fork tubes, and the immensity of its front axle. There is just no torsional flex to this front end, the result being one of the most accurate-steering motorcycles we’ve tested. You just feel so close to the axle, to the road. The Brutale is neutral and easy to steer, and you always seem to be able to carve a tighter line if you need to. Flicking through transitions is very low effort and very quick, yet the bike felt most stable during top-speed testing. Matthew Miles got off the bike aftei a stint down a particularly smooth and flowing piece of road called Bouquet Canyon in the mountains north of Los Angeles, and was just effusive: “The MV was in its element. I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun on that stretch of pavement. I could place the MV wherever I wanted, change lines at will, trail-brake deep into the comer, whatever. Absolutely magnificent.”
DUCATI
MONSTER S4R
$13,495
Not long afterward, though he was singing a different tune as we got to a tighter, much bumpier section of road. Said the Managing Ed.: “The bumps upset the Brutale terribly.”
Yes they did, and all you could think of was that this was somebody else’s $14,000 motorcycle-too, too beautiful to crash and too rare to abuse with risky behavior. We worked on the adjusters, but there just seemed to be too much racetrack heritage in the 50mm Marzocchi fork and Sachs shock (ride-height adjustable, of course).
Despite this, the riding experience was coveted by all. Cemicky, who said the bike fit his 5foot-8(ish) frame just fine, found the sound particularly to his liking: “I liked to shift the MV even when I didn’t need to, just to hear the engine pitch change. Ifs an expensive noisemaker, sure, but it’s the best one of the bunch. I even took out my earplugs.”
The intake honk is actually a little too loud for long rides, and you’ll find yourself putting earplugs in if you plan to go anywhere far away. Plus, there’s a strange quirk to the bike’s intake system (also noted on the F4 Superbike we tested in September, 2000), where vacuum at closed throttle seems to hold the butterflies closed. Try to roll into the gas and there is resistance, but when you break the “seal,” snap, more throttle than you wanted. If s just a little herky-jerky and strange.
Visually, however, there was nothing strange about the MV, and it was by far the favorite.
“The MV is just so classy and clean, all the slight variations in metallic tones, the silver, gunmetal, charcoal, it really is industrial art,” said the recently concussed Cemicky in an odd moment of clarity. “There are subtle, interesting changes in tone between all the elements of the bike, from the frame to the engine to the exhaust to the wheels. Each individual part can stand alone on its own visual merit, but also contributes to the package as whole.”
Wow! Whatever medication he’s on, pass some of it over here...
It was all back to normal when Mark spoke of the Ducati, however. “I like the wide, flat bars, but for sub-6-footers it feels really stretched out compared to the compact MV and Buell,” he said. “Once you’ve been on the bike for a while, that stretched-out feeling goes away. What was cool about that riding position was that it made the Ducati exceptional for riding stand-up wheelies, because I could pull the bars up close to my chest. And during stoppies, you’ve got the bull by the horns.”
MV AGUSTA
BRUTALE S
$13,995
Finally, some rational input upon which you may base your purchasing decision.
Speaking of which, a few clicks of rationality were exchanged for the pair of Italobikes’ admittedly very sexy exhaust systems: Both have very sexy systems: under-frame boom-boxes and high-mount dual outlets, which look great. Downside is the plumbing that takes the gasses up, which runs widely behind their right footpegs, splaying your heel outward if you rest on the ball of your foot. The Buell’s exhaust, by contrast, ain’t very pretty, but the muffler’s under-frame location keeps the bike narrow at the footpegs, and the tail of the bike clean and airy.
All three bikes are graced with gorgeous, distinctive swingarms, the angular cast-aluminum single-sided piece on the MV contrasting interestingly against the tubular singleforked swingarm “conventional,” except that it doubles as the oil tank for the drysump motor-and watch out, that sucker hot to the touch!
Erik Buell has always sought the different path, and oil in the swingarm, that’s just a step you take when you’ve got this giant air-cooled 45degree V-Twin and a pretty big gearbox to go with it. And when you want to put this engine, with enough intake and exhaust system volume to make good power and get through EPA noise testing, all in a stubby little wheelbase, well, that’s why you put the fuel in the frame and stuff the muffler under the engine, too! It makes the XB 12S a very tight package, both visually and in terms of feel. Matt said the Buell felt as if it had been chipped out of billet, and he’s right-this thing is tight. The suspension is very taut, which coupled with the short wheelbase, makes freeway expansion joints less than entertaining. It is also surprising how much effort it takes to make this bike steer, considering its aggressive chassis specs (21-degree rake, 3.3-inch trail). You expect righteous headshakes and flighty front-end feel, but what you have is a stable, yet tight-turning package. Just put a little muscle in to make things happen, and mind your line when you are trailbraking-the Buell likes to stand up a bit. The big XB is at its best when you shift early and ride the 70 foot-pounds of torque available from 4500 rpm on up. In fact, even if you get really lazy about shifting (and you will because the clutch is heavy) there’s 40 ft.-lbs. of twist at just 1500 rpm. The MV, in ridiculous contrast, only ever makes 50 ft.-lbs., and that’s up at 10,200 revs!
All three machines are tightly packaged, and there’s hardly even room for a slice of cheese under any of the seats. Forget decent toolkits, forget passengers because the second seats are small perches, with footpegs too high for anybody but double amputees. And are you really going to throw soft luggage over the back of any of these three? At least the Ducati’s steel tank (the others have plastic covers) allows the easy application of a magnetic tankbag.
No, practical these exotic naked bikes are not. Even the Buell with its lowest price is still $11,000. You really don’t
want to travel long distances on any of them, and commuting seems a little like using a Stradivarius to play Charlie Daniels.
We’d tell you which one you should buy, but if you’re actually in this rarifled naked-bike market, you already know which one you want. Guidelines? Okay, it is odd to say this, but if you are thinking in practical terms, the Ducati is actually the utility bike of the three. But it also is the most aesthetically familiar and least finished-looking. Passion drove everyone to love the Brutale, from looking at it to riding it, even with its quirks. Pride drew people to the Buell with its distinctly American style, innovative design and prodigious, big-block torque.
Basically, each asks of you certain things you must tolerate, counted as character, but each also pays you back with its own distinct and wonderful riding experience. Our best advice in this case? Simple: Vote with your heart. Ö
