Gt Experience
GT EXPERIENCE
CW COMPARISON
Four Sporting standouts in a duel for Grand Touring supremacy
PAUL SEREDYNSKI
WE HAVE GATHERED HERE A FAST AND FINE QUARTET. Fast as in long-legged, road-eating, state-crossing. Fine as in GT-Grand Touring in the traditional sense, where style counts and the machine can carry you and a friend in all-day comfort at speed. Our four GTs? Ducati's ST4, BMW's R1100S, Honda's VFR800 Interceptor and Triumph's just-released Sprint ST. It's an international and eclectic bunch: an Italian V-Twin, a German opposed-Twin, a Japanese V-Four and a British inline-Triple.
Despite the varying powerplants and origins, all four are exception ally versatile motorcycles, possessing real-world ergonomics, serious sporting abilities and two-up capability. Each is fuel-injected, and i save for the Honda, they all offer optional hard luggage.
We ran this foursome through the usual Cycle World gauntlet of performance testing, generating hard numbers on the dyno and test track. With a few noted exceptions, the numbers are close, but not really what these machines are all about. So we hit the road for a couple of days, with Managing Editor Matthew Miles, Road Test Editor Don Canet, Assistant Art Director Brad Zerbel and Yours Truly pulling piloting shifts. Blurring the winter-dulled Southern California landscape, we strafed the interstates, swept through valleys and charged the canyons, all in search of the King of the GTs.
BMW
R1100S
Our long-term RI 100S got tapped for this comparison, even though it showed nearly 13,000 miles on the clock, a testament to BMW's faith in the bike. After a tune-up and tire change, the 1100S felt as solid as when it first arrived. This bike oozes tech (Telelever front end, Paralever single-sided swingarm, ABS), and the 1085cc air/oil-cooled opposedTwin makes bountiful torque (66.1 ft.-lbs., the highest peak number in the group) for dramaless cut and thrust in the stoplight-to-stoplight dance.
Sitting in traffic as we departed Newport Beach, 1 noted the high footpegs, the top-shelf controls...and how utterly cool the Ducati sounded behind me. The Beemer's sewing-machine drone might make a seamstress weak in the knees, but the rest of uSj hardly noticed. This lack of aural character is one of the 1 lOOS's few downsides. It is the most stylish bike in this bunch by a longshot, and also the most freeway-friendly. A painless tarmac-muncher, the Boxer lost its buzz once up to freeway speeds, and true to its Teutonic heritage, felt more at ease as velocities rose.
Leaving the freeways for the canyons revealed the bike's comer-carving limits, which are higher than you would imagine. Cornering clearance was remarkable, and the Telelever front suspension gave excellent feedback, with very little front-end dive under braking. The bike was deadstable at speed, and even fitted with Dunlop's less-thangummy D205 sport-touring rubber, the chassis allowed remarkable cornering speeds for a bike of this weight.
In slower, really tight corners, the 1 lOOS's mass became more noticeable, and the bike more of a handful. "The ground clearance is spectacular, but the S can be a real workout in the tightest of all twisties," Miles noted. Seek out the faster, more sweeping route, however, and you'll be all smiles. The Beemer is not startlingly quick; it weighs
SPECIFICATIONS
Price $15,600
Dry weight 513 lb.
Wheelbase 58.1 in.
Seat height 32.0 in.
Fuel mileage 43 mpg 0-60 mph 3.3 sec.
1/4-mile 11.70 sec.
@ 114.61 mph Horsepower 88.2 bhp @ 7360 rpm Torque 66.1 ft.-lbs.
@ 5675 rpm Top speed 135 mph
Alps
Looks cool, loaded with tech
A Great front-end feel A Amazing cornering clearance A Continent-crossing comfort
Downs
Mass revealed in super-tight stuff Non-exotic exhaust note A little spendy (though you can save $1700 by opting out of the ABS package)
541 pounds with a full tank, and possesses only 88.2 rearwheel horsepower (the lowest in the group). The engine also revs slowly, heightening the slight impression of lethargy compared to present company. Ridden smoothly, the 1100S can be truly hustled down a backroad-as I found out attempting to catch Canet as he flew the BMW down a winding mountainside stretch-but you are always aware of its mass.
The BMW is the farthest in this group from a pure sportbike, but it is a fantastic all-around sporting machine. The dividend is exceptional long-haul comfort, with options that include fine hard luggage ($754), heated handgrips and the aforementioned ABS. It is expensive, and a little appliancelike in the character column, but if you lean toward the longer road or two-up rides, it's a top choice.
Ducati
ST4
A little farther up the character scale is the Ducati ST4, the "916" sport-tourer. The ST4 uses the familiar 916cc, liquidcooled, eight-valve, desmodromic 90-degree V-Twin and a modified chromoly trellis frame from the now legendary, World Championship-winning Ducati Superbike (presently available in extra-strength as the 996).
The ST4 was a little cantankerous around town, stumbling over its tall gearing, and anxious to stretch its limbs. But everything that annoys you about the Ducati while sitting in traffic-stiff, rattly dry clutch, heavy steering, overdrive gearing-fades once the road opens up.
On the freeway, wind management was excellent, and the seating position was upright enough for extended freeway slogs. At lower speeds, though, the Ducati seemed to put more weight on your wrists than the others. This condition is alleviable by twisting your right one, something you'll want to do often.
This long-legged Italian is thin almost to the point of being bony, with a narrow-yet-comfortable seat, stiff chassis, rock-hard grips and a super-thin waist. There is no fat on the ST4, and when you want to dance, this is a good thing.
Thanks to a torquey, tractable V-Twin that loves to pull, the Ducati will certainly rail, but it required effort, with steering that needed constant attention mid-corner. The payoff for the heavy steering was unflappable stability-the ST4 refused to shake its head. We were also bothered by a very sensitive throttle at higher rpm, though the fuel injection was transparent otherwise.
The Brembo brakes offered plenty of stopping power once engaged, but typical of Ducatis, the lever had a lot of travel in it, and engagement could be abrupt. The Due felt longest and tallest in the bunch, and also the oldest. Thankfully, the sound of the desmo V-Twin running to redline never gets old-spine-tingling is the word. Add extra points for true GT character.
Options, including matching hard luggage ($800), are plentiful. And for the power-mad, the '99 factory catalog of performance parts is thicker than ever. The Ducati is a styling understatement-disappointing to some, appreciated by others-one of the few mainstream features on an otherwise character-laden and very capable sportbike. The ST4's biggest detriment is its high cost. "Barring its price," Zerbel declared, "I'd own this bike."
SPECIFICATIONS
Price..........$14,495
Dry weight....... 487 lb.
Wheelbase......56.4 in.
Seat height 31.5 in.
Fuel mileage 39 mpg
0-60 mph 3.0 sec.
1/4-mile 11.13 sec.
@ 123.16 mph
Horsepower .. 99.9 bhp
@ 9170 rpm
Torque . 61.2 ft.-Ibs.
@ 7240 rpm
Top speed 149 mph
Arps
▲ Engine to write home about
A Ultra-stable chassis
A That exhaust note
A Only bike with a rideheight adjuster
Downs
▼ Heavy steering
▼ Mushy brake lever feel
▼ Not happy in the bumperto-bumper slog
▼ Expensive (budgetminders should look at the two-valve ST2)
Honda
Interceptor
Refined. The word kept coming up in everyone's reference to the Honda. You can't help it-this is a frighteningly competent motorcycle. Few machines are so polished, and fewer offer this kind of all-around performance.
If you're a sportbike type, this is the GT for you. The VFR combines impressive agility with stability. "The Interceptor is so light on its feet, yet stable. It feels rock-solid," Canet said after a stint. "One of the most forgiving motorcycles."
All our riders found the VFR easiest to go quickly on, its small size, light weight, neutral steering and eagerness to fly into comers making it the canyon champ. The VFR is also so unintimidating-with a perfectly linear powerband-that most riders could go faster on this machine than they would on dedicated sportbikes. "It feels like a bike that would be hard to screw up on," Zerbel added.
Also high on the praise list are the bike's brakes. Honda's Linked Braking System, which applies the rear brake through a delay valve when the front lever is used-and vice-versa for the rear pedal-worked exceptionally well on the street.
Mid-corner bumps were felt more sharply on the VFR than on the other bikes, but they never unsettled the chassis. The Honda plain works, and watching Canet wheelie the bike between corners on a tight canyon road showed how plain fun it is to ride. The bike's chuckability, combined with way-long footpeg-feelers, meant it was quickest to throw sparks, but fireworks aside, it provides impressive cornering clearance.
Several riders complained about excessive gear whine from the engine bay. Others found the mechanical medley from the V-Four's gear-driven cams helped make up for a slightly timid exhaust note, and for styling that won't inspire sonnets.
Besides a little visual pizzazz, the only thing the VFR lacks is grunt. With only 782cc displacement, its V-Four wasn't lacking power compared to the other bikes (94.3 bhp), but it was down on torque (53.7 ft.-lbs.). "It's the only bike in the group that you want to kick down a gear or two to pass," Zerbel commented.
This torque deficit was very noticeable when jumping off the other bikes, especially the Triumph. Loaded with gear and a passenger, the VFR would need to be wrung out a bit to maintain pace.
Sadly, Honda does not offer matching hard luggage for the VFR, but there are excellent aftermarket options. If you plan to spend most of your riding time in the twisties, or solo "speed-touring," the VFR should be your ride. Canet, our resident sportbike maven, said, "Even if money was no object, I'd still pick the VFR."
SPECIFICATIONS
Price............$9499
Dry weight....... 484 lb.
Wheelbase......56.9 in.
Seat height 31.5 in.
Fuel mileage 38 mpg 0-60 mph 3.4 sec.
1/4-mile 11.25 sec.
@ 120.70 mph Horsepower 94.3 bhp @ 10,340 rpm
Torque......53.7 ft.-lbs.
@ 8630 rpm Top speed 144 mph
Afps
Amazing refinement Linked brakes that really work Unflappable chassis Gear whine just like an RC45's
^Kowns
Lacks big-bike torque Inexplicably, no hard-luggage option Out of luck if you hate red
Triumph
Sprint ST
A combination of a new aluminum twin-spar frame and pieces from Triumph's improving parts bin, the new Sprint ST appears, on paper at least, to be a clearcut GT champ.
The new frame does an excellent job of cradling a slightly detuned version of Triumph's updated, 12-valve 955cc Triple from the 955i (formerly the T595 Daytona). Changes include different camshafts, redrawn fuel-injection mapping and an exhaust system that provides a broader torque curve. The Sprint also gets by with cast pistons and steel cylinder liners compared to the 955i's forged slugs and coated liners.
All the tuning for torque was successful. "This thing's got motor T was the comment from Zerbel. Strapped to the CW dyno, the Sprint produced 100.4 horsepower, and 63.6 footpounds of torque, nearly identical to the Ducati (99.9 bhp,
61.2 ft.-lbs.), but with a flatter torque curve. Thanks to that fat curve, which arrives just off idle and stays in town until the engine signs off at 9600 rpm, the Triumph ruled in throttle response. In 60-80-mph roll-ons the Triumph eclipsed the second-fastest Ducati by .6 of a second (3.2 vs. 3.8 seconds).
The Sagem fuel-injection system, which benefits from the same updates made to the 955i, was seamless save for a slight, low-speed hesitation most noticeable while trolling parking lots. Though it sounds like a Kenworth at idle, this engine is potent and very smooth, with the only gripes being that 1) the fun signed off too soon and 2) the Triple's snarl has been too heavily muzzled.
The new frame, while not as sexy as the Daytona's trademark oval-tube aluminum job, makes for a stable and lightsteering package. The Sprint does share the 955i's single-sided aluminum swingarm, damped by a Showa shock adjustable for spring preload and rebound damping. The 43mm Showa fork provides only spring-preload adjustment. Nothing here steers as light as the Honda, but the Sprint came close, and was completely stable.
The Bridgestone BT57 radiais offered tons of grip, and their rounded profile helped the Sprint roll easily into comers-so easily as to reveal limited cornering clearance and a slightly soft suspension.
Like the Ducati, the Sprint features a two-position exhaust canister that can be rotated up to help increase cornering clearance when the optional hard luggage ($693) is removed. The system works, as the canister stayed off the pavement, but the right side of the fairing touched down early and often.
Otherwise, the Sprint was a treat in the twisties. Besides being completely neutral, the light steering allowed painless line adjustments mid-comer, and the engine felt so torquey that gear selection was more of a preference than a necessity. Brakes come straight
off the 955 i and work great, hauling the ST down from dumb speeds without drama.
Okay, so the Sprint ST is comfy, it's got a stonkin' engine, great brakes, is put together well and is functional. What's the rub? The gearbox. Most testers had a tough time with it, finding it notchy and prone to false neutrals.
That is the only real flaw with this bike. It could use a little more cornering clearance, but if that means giving up that super-plush ride, it wouldn't be worth it. Minor nitpicks included mirrors that tended to flutter over 100 mph (the BMW's are dead-nuts solid at that speed), angled-in gauges that tended to pick up reflections, and an impressively sized gas tank (5.6 gallons) that's plastic, nixxing a magnetic tankbag (ditto the BMW).
In addition to the optional matching hard bags, a 45-liter tail case, heated grips, solo seat cowl and a tankbag, you can also opt for a factory performance silencer and reprogrammed injection mapping. The upgrade not only adds power, but brings the snarl of the Triple out of retirement.
The ST's subdued-if-classy styling will be called bland by many ("It looks like a Suzuki Katana," Canet offered), but there is no doubting Triumph has created a very impressive all-around performer, and at a tempting price. "World-class," is what Miles called the Sprint, "Triumph's best motorcycle yet."
SPECIFICATIONS
Price..........$10,499
Dry weight 497 lb.
Wheelbase 58.0 in.
Seat height 31.5 in.
Fuel mileage 40 mpg 0-60 mph 3.2 sec.
1/4-mile 11.49 sec.
@ 119.13 mph Horsepower 100.4 bhp @ 9550 rpm Torque 63.6 ft.-lbs.
@ 5150 rpm Top speed 142 mph
Alps
A Right-now throttle response A Mondo-comfy A Great steering and brakes A Huge gas tank
Downs
▼ Notchy gearbox
▼ Get used to scrape marks on fairing lowers
▼ Motor's been muffled
▼ Copy-Kat styling
Conclusion
So who's the GT King? For those most interested in sportbike performance, get the Honda. It's damn-near faultless, even if it lacks the torque and spaciousness of larger machines, and provides no option for integrated luggage. The Honda is also the least expensive bike in this comparison by $1000.
The Ducati is impressive, with bucketloads of engine character, and is amazingly entertaining as a sportbike or sporttourer. But it's not the friendliest, nor the easiest to ride quickly, and it's expensive to purchase and maintain.
The BMW is the long-haul king; those with a serious sporttouring bent will be thrilled. And when it comes time to head out solo on Sunday morning, there are plenty of grins to be had. It also looks the coolest, but ain't cheap.
Then you've got the Triumph, which may have been initially aimed at the VFR, but reminds more of the ST4. It is an incredibly comfortable motorcycle with serious grunt, a vicefree chassis and European flair at a decent price. The Sprint is equally happy in the twisties or on the interstate, even if the gearbox needs some work. It is not as polished or refined as the VFR, but nothing is.
We'd slap our money down on the Sprint ST with the optional canister and hard luggage. The Ducati and BMW are covetable pieces, but expensive. The Honda is an exceptional machine, but its comparative lack of torque and no hard luggage are disadvantages in this shootout. By a narrow poll,according to the GT formula we've laid out, the Triumph delivers the goods at a resonable price. It's been a while, but we could get used to a British King. □
