Petrol Pinchers

CW COMPARISON

PETROL PINCHERS

Squeezing all you can from dead dinosaurs

ALLAN GIRDLER

FIFTY YEARS AGO, WHEN THE VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE WAS THE FIRST economical car to make a mark on U.S. sales charts, Road & Track's publisher John R. Bond came back from a cross-country trip with the astute observation that the people buying VWs didn't need them, while those who did need to save money on gas wouldn't have a Beetle under threat of death.

In 1973, when the first gas crisis gave us lines for the pump and doubled the price, the median income for the Honda Civic buyer was half again higher than the U.S. average, i.e. once more, people buying economy cars were the very people who didn’t need to save money.

So? So here we are in the era of three-bucka-gallon gasoline and we’re pissing mad about how much we spend on fuel and how oh how can the economy survive.. .but I’m doing 150 miles a day and I see maybe 20 motorcycles in the midst of thousands of cars, literally, including Ferraris and Lambos and Bentleys, and more Land Rovers than I can count. Dam things might as well be SoCal Chevrolets. I saw one-I counted, one-classic econofreak, a guy in the old open helmet on a Honda stepthrough with the requisite milk crate and an auxiliary gas tank mounted on the rack.

Are there commutes on scoots?

Yes. They are grown men for the most part, on bigger bikes, some Harleys, some baggers and some sports. They are really good riders, splitting lanes and even using the double yellow lines between the HOV lane and the fast lane.

Reporting as someone who’s been commuting on a bike for 30 years, I dunno how anyone who can ride a motorcycle cannot ride to work-never mind the typical 12 mpg, the infuriating delays, the lame drivers, etc. I couldn’t stand it.

But I’m one of the few. In ’73 I think it was, Yamaha commissioned a survey that said 85 percent of the public would not ride a motorcycle to work no matter what the price of gas. As Ring Lardner’s character said, you could look it up.

Doesn’t mean we can’t do a little persuading, though. So, gathered in the Cycle World garage we have The Econobikes, eight entrylevel/commuter machines cheap to own and cheap to operate. Everything from scooters to a sporter. We picked $4000 as the cutoff purchase point, though as you’ll see later we fudged a little in a couple of cases.

How to ascertain the all-important mileper-gallon numbers? Back when I was a fulltimer at CWi was the official fuel-mileage man. I came up with The Loop. Starting in Newport Beach, it’s out to 405 South for 25 miles, exit at San Juan Capistrano, then 25 miles across to the Pacific Coast Highway and back to the office. I estimate 40 percent Interstate, 10 percent city stop-and-go and 50 percent two-lane roads, streets and highways. By my count, there are seven stoplights down, 79 lights coming up the coast, through SJC, Dana Point, Laguna, Corona del Mar and Newport Beach. That means getting stopped by half the signals, and running down then up again through the gears 40 or so times each circuit.

I do the loop twice on each bike for a total of almost exactly 100 miles, topping up at the Union 76 station just down the street, then crunching the numbers. Trustworthy numbers I’ll add here-no extended coastdowns for red lights, no engine off at stops, no babying away from the line. This is real-world riding.

Okay, then, the bikes in order of my rides:

HONDA REBEL

$3099

Ups Typical Honda fiVfinish: the Swiss watch of econobikes Second least-expensive mo'sickle here Born-to-be-wild styling (if you like that sort of thing)

Downs Not exactly manly; especially in appliance-white Close quarters Born-to-be-wild styling (if you don't)

Cards on the table, I’m not much of a cruiser guy, so the HONDA R E B E L, as cute a little Láscale chopperette as you’ll find, is not something I’d usually choose to be seen on. The standard-style Nighthawk 250 (same engine) would be more like it, but Honda says it gets outsold 10 to 1 by the Rebel so what do I know? An indictment of our culture, in my opinion.

Here we have Honda’s impeccable engineering, with a quiet inline-Twin and all the modern features (okay, no radiator but that’s not always an advance) mixed/cursed with stepped seat, high and wide bars, forward controls, all the accoutrements of the 20-year-old cruiser fad.

This is a shame. The Rebel will walk away from traffic, will cruise at 70 indicated with plenty of buzz but no apparent damage or risk or loosened parts. It fires right up, runs cool in traffic, has good brakes, should be low-maintenance and the fill-up showed 78.3 mpg. Wow!

But the overdone bars force a posture that hurts my neck, and the seat is too close to the controls for me, an averagesize guy.

In sum, excellent mechanicals and astonishing economy that for me don’t quite overcome the goofy styling, but if you’re under 5-foot-7 and like the mini-Low Rider looks, God bless and have at it.

There ’s no neighbor who won’t like the S U Z U KI D R 2 0 0. It’s a classic trailbike, a playbike or dual-sport; what the non-rider always calls an enduro bike and says sure looks like fun. Light, simple but with electric start and all the street gear plus semi-knobby tires and plenty of suspension.

Brand-new, the Suzy was fine at 60 mph and as miles piled up, the speedo crept higher, but 65 seemed to me as fast as it should go. That’s dodgy for the HOV lane (average speed about 80, cell phone glued to ear, Egg McMuffin in lap), and if you’re not there, you’re in the slow lane racing 18-wheelers downhill. Gives one pause.

Riding posture is fine, and while the saddle is hard, the relatively low cruising speed means windblast isn’t a problem despite the straight-up seating position.

SUZUKI DR200

$3949

Ups Much cooler than Suzuki's GZ250 junior cruiser Fit full knobbies, hit the goat paths Aluminum swingarm

DOWnS California evaporative emis sions canister almost as big as cylinder No kickstarter (just in case) Where's the supermotard version?

There’s been some cost consciousness, as in the

choke is tucked away under the gas tank and behind the evap canister while most of the other bikes have a lever on the bars. The controls seemed a little notchy, too, rowing up and down through all those lights, and downshifts were tight when the drivetrain was hot. Both afflictions were getting better the more miles we put on.

The Suzuki will win acceptance, perhaps even respect, plus it’s got the extra of offering some off-road use on trails and unpaved roads if not actual motocross.

This one could be bought by someone who really wanted a playbike and justified the buy as economical transportation, which at 68.4 mpg it truly is.

Here’s the thing about the KAWASAKI NINJA 250. A Harley guy walked into the garage, saw the Kawi and said, “Ninja, huh? What is it, 750, 500?” “Nope, 250,” I said and he nodded, not bad.

Kawasaki must have had just that in mind. The company name is prominent, likewise the Ninja label, but the displacement doesn’t appear on the bike. Which is fair.

This is a true sportbike, quicker than any car that contests the launch, happy in the HOV lane at an indicated 80, and firmly in the thrift sweepstakes with 74.2 mpg.

It has all the extras, full bodywork, radiator, electric start, helmet lock and places to strap on luggage.

If the neighbors will like the Suzuki, the crowd at the hangout will respect the Kawasaki. Better still, because there’s not much torque below 6000, ya gotta spin it to start off, and the engine note is really fun-a toddler waiting to cross the street welded herself to Mommy’s legs.

This one will hop off the porch and run with the big boys-okay, up to a point, that point being 100 mph, the only ton-upper in this Gang of Eight.

More praise for planning here, in that the clip-ons aren’t that narrow or low, ditto the rearsets, so the stance is fine at speed and in town. There’s weather protection and the fairing allows a fast cruise for long periods.

KAWASAKI NINJA 250

$2999

"PS Wind it up, watch it go! Usefully wide mirrors Sideand centerstand Costs less than the yearly depreciation on your SUV

Downs Other 250s don't want to play Not as cool as the Japan-oni Ninja 250

And, as a clincher, this is the least-expensive (nonChinese scooter) in the group! You really can explain the choice as saving money

when deep down it’s ’cause this is a real motorcycle (sorry, scooterista). As the T-shirt says, “OK, I’m a bitch, but I’m the pick of the litter.”

Changing pace, the VESPA LX150 isn’t a motorcycle and it feels odd at first, what with two hand brakes and no gearshift, and this is the first time in memory I’ve seen a lowbeam warning light, no kidding.

But you get used to it quick. Anyone who switches from stick-shift truck to automatic car knows without thinking that you don’t stomp on the clutch pedal that isn’t there and, even so, stopping a conventional motorcycle requires squeezing both levers anyway, so this time it’s all brakes and no clutch.

Just as easy not to shift; simply twist and go and put your feet on the floor instead of hunting for the pegs. It’s nice to have underseat storage enough for a bag of groceries and there’s even a retractable hook under the nose of the comfy saddle to hang your man-purse.

In town, then, no sniggles. On the highway, it’s not quite as good. Top speed and cruising speed are an indicated 70, period. I used two techniques. First, I kept to the lanes moving at Vespa-speed, the slow lanes, playing dodgeball with trucks and vans. Then, because I could run 70, or close to it—I didn’t have a correction factor for the speedo-I ran in the HOV lane, WFO and moving over for the faster traffic, i.e. everyone out there. The HOV lane felt safer and, yeah, I ticked people off. TS, I say. Steering geometry is steep and the little wheels don’t provide a lot of gyro stability, so I didn’t want to make any sudden or emergency moves.

VESPA LX150

$4199

ps Storage bin big enough for helmet, lifts out for engine access Steel body, not plastic Accessories aplenty Proof that good design never goes out of style

Downs Costs four times more than the Tank No sidestand; high-effort (oft) centerstand

Economy? 71.9 mpg, so that’s no problem. Sticker shock might be. We originally asked for parent company Piaggio’s Fly 150, same engine, lower

scale, priced at $3399. No testbikes available we were told, how ’bout a spanking-new Vespa LX150? Yes, it’s $200 above CWs self-imposed Cheap Bike limit, but invoking our little-used fleet-averaging rule, the LX is in.

That said, I see the scooter as a city kid only, fun for in-town and practical and accepted many places where a motorcycle won’t be.. .but no substitute for the real thing.

What we have in the YAMAHA TW2 00 is a two-wheeled quad if ever there was one, and at first glance the specs would seem to take it out of the econobike class.

This is a utility motorcycle, geared and tired for hauling stuff over trails and around the campground. It fills a niche.. .well, it may have created its niche and been there by itself since the demise of the Rokon Trail Breaker and the Tote-Goat (ask your dad).

The big fat knobbies don’t like rain grooves, while the off-road gearing means a speedo redline (from the factory) of 55 mph. I ran at an indicated 60, which doesn’t seem to actually hurt the bike, and the riding position and feel of stability at that speed are fine, but cruising there feels slow, boring and dicey at the same time.

At the finish of the highway runs, shifting was notchy and neutral elusive, so the factory may have picked 55 mph tops for sound reasons. Again, we were in the early stages of break-in, less than 500 miles, but more than any bike here, the TW would benefit from re-gearing.

Fair play requires me to say here that my youngest son, Joe, has owned one of these things for 10 years or so, and he’s used it at Maely's TT course and explored every mile of Cleveland National Forest and he brings it to my place and rides the aqueduct roads and he's never had any trouble and it goes wherever my XR250 goes.

YAMAHA TW200

$3749

`PS Something undeniably cool about those fat tires Strong following; almost a cult bike Induces involuntary smiles

Downs Ridiculously short off-road gearing limits highway usability $500 more buys an XT225, a real bumper bike A 350 version would be perfect

iVENTO VTHUNDER 1400

$3499

Ilps Looks, feels like a bigger bike Bargain bagger Semi-enclosed drive chain Iridium paint changes color in different light

)owns Not quite ready for prime time Lower muffler drags easily (new design in the works) Some bolts already rusting “Mao-torcycle” jokes...

The horse fits the course for which it was intended, and while I don't see it as the perfect vehicle for the econo-com mute, the TW200 nonetheless returned an incredible 79.2 mpg, low gearing be damned. Fit a smaller rear sprocket, go faster, see 80 mpg! No roundup of current econobikes would be complete without something from China, which explains the VENTO VTH UNDER 1400. Except that it doesn't. Vento officials are quick to point out they are not a Chinese company, nor are they an importer. Yes, the 1400 was designed over there by the Qianjiang Group, which also supplies most of the parts, but final assembly takes place in Laredo, Texas. And just to mix the pot a little more, Vento is headquartered out of San Diego, run by a Mexican national and recently acquired the rights to Italian brand Benelli! And, yes, there is some loss in translation. The "1400" designation, for instance, refers not to displacement, but to the engine's oil capacity in milliliters-really, I'm not making that up. Silly. And confusing to entry-level buyers. But, skip that part. As a motorcycle, the Vento falls way short. The knock-off engine (Yamaha Virago 250) is an industrial powerplant, adequate but no more. Noise not sound. I tried the fast lane and got an indicated 70, with some surge; I couldn't tell if it was running out of gas or not tuned right or bucking the wind or threatening to seize.

Seating position isn’t bad and the windshield helps, but the bars are bent wrong, the clutch lever is shaped funny, the floorboards slant down and the seat is too hard, so it didn’t take long before I was literally squirming in the saddle. Except that the ride is so firm that on a couple of bumps I was pitched out of the saddle, no kidding.

The worst part of the actual ride, though, was shifting. The clutch is dead, no feel, and gearchanges got crunchier as the bike warmed up. Neutral plays coy, and by the second loop I was double-clutching and counting 5-4-3-2-tap, so I could snag neutral at lights. Can’t blame a lack of break-in, either; the Vento came to us with more than 500 miles on the clock.

What else? Oh yeah, the sloppy throttle sleeve; the tiny idiot lights too far from the rider’s field of vision; and j the turnsignals not having an off switch, not that I ^ J could find, anyway.

Calculated mpg came in at a not very impressive 59.5, which I think came from pushing the windshield (and 400 pounds of bike) down the high way and running WFO some of the time. Worst in the group, anyway.

To be fair, this is a lot of machine for your $3499-vinyl saddlebags, crashbars, plastichrome spotlights and windshield includedand being even fairer, the U.S. side of the operation is aware of the problems and is working to address those. The bikes will get better. Vento sold something like 20,000 bikes, scooters and ATVs in the U.S. in 2005, and some 150,000 units worldwide. Neither they nor the Chinese are going away.

TANK URBAN SPORTY 150

$1099

"PS Hey, it's $1 K! At that price, buy two, his and hers 12-inch wheels add stability Luggage rack standard

VDowns Cheesy instruments NFL facemask for light guard Won't go 60 You'll need the luggage rack to carry extra gas

Which brings us to the TANK URBAN SPORTY 150, from one of about 30 (and growing seemingly exponentially) Chinese-sourced scooter companies doing business in the U.S. Right off, it looks a little odd, styled by someone working out of his métier, adding touches he’s seen without context, but okay, scooters are allowed some stray, design-wise. Something of a paradox when it comes to equipment. As in, very basic instruments (odo in klicks,

BUELL BLAST

$4695

Maintenance? What maintenance? Optional low-profile saddle further reduces seat height “Rider’s Edge” training program lets you try before you buy

Vo owns Larger riders simply don’t fit Lotsa plastic Same cash outlay will buya nice, full-sized used bike

with no tripmeter), but a key fob that sets the onboard alarm system and starts the motor from 50 feet away with the push of a button. Neat. There’s a $22,000 BMW sitting in the garage right now that doesn’t include that feature.

Remotely or not, it fires easily, the auto transmission works fine and you get ahead of the pack. Rear brake is touchy, front brake soft, suspension bouncy. Seat looks pillowy, isn’t. Put a passenger on back? Better be one’s main squeeze.

The Tank (and who picked that name?) doesn’t seem as cheaply built or chintzy/flimsy as some other Chinese twowheelers, but it’s no Vespa, either. And they missed the mark on a couple of items. First, unlike the LX 150, a helmet won’t fit in the underseat storage bin. Worse, the Tank’s tank holds less than a gallon, meaning it couldn’t complete our 100-mile loop with out refueling. Someone really flubbed up on gas capacity.

All may be forgiven, however, when you scan the Tank’s price tag. Yep, $1099. Cheap as chips as the Brits say, about a fourth the price of the Vespa. Sure, you can bring up questions about resale value and parts availability and unknown durability, etc., all valid. But in the Land Where Wal-Mart is King, that kind of pricing gets noticed.

Okay, one, I’m no fan of the way the BUELL BLAST looks. To my eyes, nothing on this bike is attractive or appealing, and I wish Erik would quit making things different just to be different. Wouldn’t a downsized, single-cylinder Sportster be a better way to go? Then again, I may be an Olde Phart.

But, two, when I got off the Tank and onto the Blast, I was ever so much more comfortable and secure. A real motorcycle, sitting as I like to sit, feeling all the controls fall readily to hand, oh happy day. The Blast feels solid, a quality product-okay, the plastic gas tank cover doesn’t impress, but the mechanical parts are solid and feel right.

Good shifting (well, after clunking into first) and clutch and brakes. All respond well. It’s “only” a 500 Single, but that’s big for this octet and it has more than enough punch for the city and the highway. I bounced it off the limiter, even, it was so willing to rev. The motor sounds good, too, and traded a gallon of go-juice for 71.2 miles.

I don’t remember anything about the suspension, so I guess it works fine. The Blast isn’t exactly a feather, but it’s lighter than my XL Sporty, which suddenly felt heavy on the ride home.

Drawbacks? None, really. Well, there’s the engine’s rubber-mounting system, which swaps smooth here for rough there. At idle and low revs, it’s jagged and ragged, uncomfortable even. The feeling goes away when you’re under way, smooth and happy at highway speed, but I kept the Blast in lower gears sometimes just so’s it wouldn’t be shaking like that, and note, it worked the mirrors loose twice.

However, full stop. Good economy, solid product, and give Buell credit for bringing something new to the entry-level market. Judging by the magazine ads, you’d never know that any of the Big Four made bikes smaller than 600cc. Yes, at $4695, it’s the most expensive machine here, but work your salesman a little. As one told us, “Come in here with $4000 (plus tax, title and license fees) and you’re probably walking out with a Blast.”

In real life, reducing spending on fuel is a lot like the quip about the weather: Everybody talks about it, but nobody does anything. Witness Honda’s car branch cranking out hybrid economy cars along with a new line of trucks and SUVs, which are still selling by the way, so much for a revolution brought on by $3 gas.

But here, on the bright side, we have a fleet, multiple choices, of two-wheelers that return 60 mpg and up, half again better than any hybrid econobox at 10 percent of the purchase price, or less.

As far as our econo-shootout’s winner, no envelope needed. The Kawasaki. Reasons? First, the Ninja is a bargain at the list price. Kawasaki has been making this model for years, and all the tooling is paid for. Two, it’s right in the middle of the mpg chart. Three, it’s a real, full-time motorcycle. Wins admiring glances from those who know bikes, fast enough for any freeway, light enough for city combat and, heck, the clincher here is that the Kawasaki racked up three times as many miles during the test period as any of the others, because the panel rode it even when they didn’t have to.

And now, as Dr. Laura puts it, go do the right thing.

Ride to work.