Cheap Seats
CHEAP SEATS
CW COMPARISON
New bikes for the budget-minded
MATTHEW MILES
SAY WHAT YOU WANT ABOUT CLASSIC STYLING the joys of tinkering, but used bikes are nothing but trouble. Why fiddle with sticky carburetor floats when modern fuel-injection systems are fuss-free? Drum brakes and kick starting? Please...
Okay, we jest. Truth is, though, brand-new motorcycles have a lot going for them. Except for cost. After all, the latest Japanese middle-weight repli-racers are well on their way to five figures, and a new big Twin from Bologna, Milwaukee or Munich costs more than a compact car! What’s a budget-conscious rider to do?
DUCATI MONSTER 620 DARK
$6595
Ups
Slipper clutch ASMOOTH, responsive engine AEASILY enhanced with Ducati Performance upgrades
Downs Compromised cornering clearance Non-adjustable fork 6200-mile valve adjustments
Hang on, no need to lose hope. We rounded up seven 2005 models-four standards, two cruisers and a scooter-ranging in price from $5300 to $7100. So hang on to your credit report, it’s still possible to buy a genuine, go-places two-wheeler for less than the cost of landscaping a SoCal tract home.
In alphabetical order, here’s what we discovered:
After an adrenaline-level-upping spin on the Ducati M620 Dark, Contributing Editor Allan Girdler declared the mini-Monster the “most bike for the buck, in terms of first, pure sport and second, admission to an otherwise exclusive club. Ride up to Marcus Dairy or Alice’s or The Lookout on one of these, and you’re in.
Gotta get there first, though, and despite its small stature and somewhat odd seating position-cramped from seat to footpegs, long reach to the handlebar-the 620 fits a reasonably broad range of riders. “I was comfortable at speed and in town on this Due, while a Supersport 1000 would have had me in therapy after an hour,” stated Girdler.
High marks to the traditional V-Twin engine and tube-frame chassis, too. “Superb engine, decent suspension (if too-soft and sacked-out for heavier riders) and brakes,” commented Executive Editor Brian Catterson, “and the slipper clutch is a nice touch because it lets beginners get away with sloppy shifting.” Added Road Test Editor Don Canet, “The engine’s broad powerband fools you into thinking the engine is larger than its displacement, and produces very little vibration.” Canet also praised the 620’s chassis. “Good feedback and steering feel. Too bad the mufflers touch down so easily, leaving so much untapped cornering potential.”
H-D SPORTSTER 883L
$6895
Ups APLEASANT, loping engine feel ALOOKS “right,” even if styling hampers function ALOADS of aftermarket add-ons
Downs Tall, narrow handlebar awkwardly twists wrists Short shocks kill cornering clearance Where’s the Buell Blastbased Sprint?
HONDA BIG RUCKUS
$5299
Ups Off-road-capable funky fun AIDEAL for around-town errand-running APASSENGER seat flips up to become backrest
Downs TLAWN-CHAIR styling TWOODEN brakes Rough ride
Not to be ignored, especially when talking curbed spending, is service. While Ducati valve-adjustment intervals are certainly greater than in years past, wouldn’t hydraulic adjusters or even a spring head with shims be better than the current desmo system, especially on an entry-level model?
If you’re long of leg and like to lean, you’ll want to bypass the Harley-Davidson Sportster 883L, the cut-down version of the rubber-mounted, entry-level Sporty. “A good bike spoiled,” criticized Girdler. “Lowered with no regard for what it does to handling.” Furthered Catterson, “It’s amazing how lowering the suspension can transform a really nice bike into a truly awful one. Really, the ‘Shortster’ touches down its muffler at probably 15 degrees of lean, and its kickstand not much later!”
Shorter, less-aggressive riders will nevertheless feel right at home, as Feature Editor Mark Hoyer pointed out. “For the right buyer, this is a cool cruiser,” he said. “It makes that Harley sound that so many love, has a low seat and now with rubber engine mounting has a relatively vibration-free ride.” Canet praised the Sportster’s engine and gearbox, but found fault with the tight, firmly padded saddle. “Combined with the short-travel suspension, heavier riders may as well be riding a hardtail,” he said. “My butt is still sore almost a week later,” echoed Off-Road Editor Ryan Dudek.
KAWASAKI Z750S
$7099
Ups Big-bike power and speed All bikes should have Kawasaki's Positive Neutral Finder Fit and finish without peer
Downs Engine v-i-b-r-a-t-i-o-n Tipped-forward seat jewel-crusher Suzuki SV65OS costs $7C less, a Bandit 1200 only $300 more
Marketing Events Coordinator Brienne Thomson, a club roadracer, summed up the Sporty well. “If I were in the market for an affordable, American-made Twin, I would go for the standard 883,” she said. “It adds more than an inch of suspension travel and costs $400 less.”
Next up in the rotation, the Honda Big Ruckus. “Wacky utilitarianism at its finest,” grinned Hoyer. Girdler wasn’t so kind, likening the single-cylinder Reflex-engined runabout to a farm implement. “When the scooter was first a fad, after WWII, you could tell a scooter because of three things: 1) It was easy to operate; 2) it offered weather protection; and 3) it was disarmingly cute. Non-threatening, not like those butch motorcycles. On the basis of the above, the Big Ruckus is not a scooter. Okay, it’s easy to operate. But it offers no protection from the elements. And a professional design studio delivered a package that looks as if it came from the Red Star Tractor Works, pride of the USSR, circa 1950.”
Hoyer again, “The small wheels and low c-of-g make steering almost too easy, and it’s quick enough to beat traffic off the line and to cruise on the freeway. Some people don’t like the styling, but I’d argue that it doesn’t have any...”
Although the Ruckus will indeed cruise at relatively high speeds, acceleration is in short supply on steep grades. At one point, Catterson resorted to paddling. “The Ruckus is obviously not in the same category as the other motorcycles. It’s not even a motorcycle!” he snorted. “Even if the Ruckus were a motorcycle, would we have put a 250cc Single up against 650cc-plus Twins and Fours?”
Thomson and Dudek were quick to defend the Honda. “What the Ruckus lacks in torque, it makes up in fun,” said Brienne. Added Ryan, “The seat is all-day-comfy, and the flip-up backrest is awesome.”
Look beyond the racy half-fairing and top-notch detailing of the Kawasaki Z750S and you’ll discover a solid all-rounder. “Great for commuting during the week and sport riding on the weekends,” enthused Thomson.
Far and away the most powerful bike in this group, the Z750S nevertheless has a serious flaw: Above 7000 rpm, the liquid-cooled, 16-valve, fuel-injected inline-Four buzzes terribly. “My hands were asleep by the time we got to The Lookout,” exclaimed Catterson. Hoyer agreed, “It’s a shame about the tingles, because the midrange power is satisfying and the ZlOOO-based engine pulls all the way to its 11,500-rpm redline.” Our advice? Have your dealer install a vibe-quelling Bar Snake in the tubular handlebar at the time of purchase.
SUZUKI BOULEVARD M50
$6749
* Ups ▲ Muscled-up Marauder make-over works A Full-size folks fit A Cool blacked-out paint
foowns T Squishy suspension ▼ Anyone got a spare set of footpeg feelers? Y What’s a “Boulevard?”
Another criticism: The seat is sloped forward, which tips riders into the gas tank and, in Hoyer’s case, led to “uncomfortable, wedgie-like consequences.” The bike is, however, sized well. “Short and tall riders should both fit fine, and the reachadjustable lever is a nice touch on the cable-actuated clutch; normally you’d have to vary the free play,” said Catterson.
Suspension damping is a good compromise between handling and comfort, despite a dearth of adjustments. “This is the most sporting bike of the lot,” confirmed Canet. “Better cornering clearance than the Ducati, and equally good handling characteristics.”
“One of the few bikes in this group that I think a buyer won’t soon outgrow,” concluded Catterson.
In a world of 2000cc-plus mega-cruisers, the Suzuki Boulevard M50 is a small fry. But in this bunch, the liquidcooled, fuel-injected 805cc V-Twin packs a knockout punch, which is accompanied by a deep, throaty exhaust note. “As confusing as Suzuki’s new Boulevard name scheme is to me,” noted Hoyer, “the more muscular-looking, shaft-drive M50 is a big improvement over its former nom de cruise, ‘Marauder.’ Nice power, handles well and fairly comfortable, if a bit wide through the gas tank.”
TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE
$6999
Ups CHARACTER by the pallet-full A Lovable, broad-band engine A Classic good looks
Downs T Dead-feeling brakes T Seat, suspension best suited to lighter riders ▼ Fragile taillight pod salvaged from B science-fiction movie
YAMAHA V-STAR SILVERADO
$6899
^Ips ▲ Pinstriping on a bargain bike? Excellent! A Windshield and bags standard A Comfortable, supportive seat
' Downs T Clutch engages in last fraction of lever travel ▼ Rocker shifter waste of time, money and space ▼ Windshield buffets something fierce, should be at least 4 inches lower
Canet also praised the engine, lauding its good torque and smooth shifting action. High marks to the chassis, too. “Handling is sure, which allows the fun to continue when the road takes a turn for the better,” he remarked.
As with the Kawasaki, bigger riders are welcome. “I fit!” rejoiced the 6-foot-1 Catterson. “Great looking, too, with its black paint, Harley V-Rod-style sweptback instruments and Batmobile tail.”
Admittedly among the minority, Girdler was largely unimpressed. “Nicely balanced, with light controls, but at the same time, it did nothing for me,” he said. “Kissing your sister is the phrase we’d use in Texas.”
Dudek disagreed with CWs ex-Editor. “Of the bikes we’ve gathered together here, this is one of my favorites,” he said.
“Very clean styling, and it fit me perfectly. One of only two machines-the Due is the other-that didn’t feel cheap to me.” Classic-bike aficionados Catterson, Girdler and Hoyer were all aflutter over the Triumph Bonneville. “This is an honest motorcycle,” related Hoyer. “The smooth-running, air-cooled parallel-Twin evokes the Triumphs of yesteryear, but without any of the drawbacks.”
Girdler wholeheartedly agreed. “A real motorcycle made for engineering reasons, not marketing strategy,” he said. Catterson went so far as to call the Bonnie his favorite, lauding the engine’s flexibility and good midrange power. “It’s the quintessential motorbike,” he said.
Lightweights Canet and Girdler found the wide, flat saddle worthy of all-day rides, while 200-pounders Catterson and Hoyer complained the seat padding was too thin. Before he would park the Triumph in his garage, Brian would also exchange the stock handlebar for something wider.
“Truly a modern classic,” chimed in Brienne. “I could cruise on the Bonneville all day-as long as I didn’t feel like hitting it up on a curvy canyon road,” she said. “The suspension is super-soft and pretty much non-adjustable. After pogoing through a couple of corners, I decided slow equals stable, and that I’d try to catch Don on the next rotation.” Twenty-something Dudek was genuinely disappointed. “The Bonneville looks neat, but after riding it, it just felt old,” he said. “This bike is good for one thing: picking up artsy chicks. And that’s not why I ride.”
Most bulk for the buck? That would be the Yamaha V-Star Silverado. Girdler cut right to the chase. “A cheap copy of an H-D Road King or Softail for guys whose neighbors can’t tell the difference,” he chided. Hoyer was a bit more tolerant. “This bike cuts the right profile for the person who wants a cruiser, and the fact that you can get a windscreen and bags for less than $7K is pretty cool. It’s too bad the riding experience left me wanting, though.” Following his stint on the carbureted, shaft-drive V-Star, Catterson pulled out the heavy artillery. “This is a really terrible motorcycle,” he said. “It might be okay in standard trim, but with the windshield and bags, it’s too heavy and pushing ' too much wind for its air-cooled 649cc V-Twin. Acceleration is almost imperceptible, and the singledisc front and drum rear brakes feel taxed by the tonnage. Chrome is heavy.”
Canet sided with Girdler and Catterson. “It’s underpowered, undersprung and overdone. Maybe if I were a travelin’ man and took advantage of the bags, I could cut the Silverado some slack.”
On a positive note, the V-Star has a nicely shaped seat-the lip at the rear offers good lower-back support-though bigger riders hit their knees on the handlebar when making tight, low-speed turns.
Girdler grabbed the last word. “You could ride this bike every day, but you wouldn’t.”
Upon reflection, the point of all this may be the immense variety of motorcycles you get at this price-or even for a few hundred dollars more. Some are consumer durables, designed and sold to fill a perceived niche in the market and then forgotten. Others could be upgraded and kept for years, providing many miles of riding pleasure. What’s not to like about that?
