Characters
Characters
BIKES THAT MOVE YOUR SOUL
1 URALPATROL
FROM RUSSIA, WITH LOVE. AND EFI.
MARK HOYER
TO RIDE A MOTORCYCLE with a sidecar is to travel into a different world. To ride a Russian-made Ural motorcycle with a sidecar is to travel into a different world tinged with a kind of magical unreality.
Riding it is also a bit like wrestling a seizure-prone three-legged bear drunk on vodka (the bear; you seem like more of an oatmeal-stout guy). The bear’s in the “silly” stage—just before he turns mean. But after a while you come to a truce with your hairy, off-kilter friend, and then it’s sort of like getting a lap dance from a drunken three-legged bear in a chair that is perpetually almost falling over backward. If that doesn’t sound like a good time, I don’t know what planet you’re from.
Okay, maybe riding the 2014 Ural Patrol isn’t exactly like that, but it’s not far off. It’s just really important to stay loose and sort of macro-manage your path down the road. When you accelerate, the bike wants to go right. When you brake, it wants to go left. Different bumps send it maybe one way or maybe another, almost like a boxer’s feints.
Don’t be scared. After a little seat time, the sidecar experience becomes the New Normal. Sure, you can argue that many of two-wheeled motorcycling’s essential joys are ruined by a sidecar. You can’t lean, you’re too wide for those holes in traffic, it’s harder to park, etc. But what the sidecar does is open up an entirely new, strange universe where everyone smiles and wants a ride and one where you can consider picking up lumber, or a hundred pounds of gravel, or a full keg of oatmeal stout and several gallons of 6opuf (borscht). You think about taking the Ural camping and riding in the snow. Or a surf trip to Mexico and riding down the beach. Especially because this Patrol model has two-wheel drive, power sent to the sidecar wheel through a manually locking hub and drive shaft.
Oh, you can also carry a passenger.
This is a big year of changes for Ural, too. Fuel injection made by Eletrojet (a Michigan company) replaces carburetors, and the rig gets triple disc brakes instead of just the one disc up front. Brembo makes the front and sidecar caliper, while Hayes makes the rear because it includes a parking brake. An adjustable hydraulic steering damper replaces the old friction-style unit probably in use since the 1941 debut of this Ural’s basic design, when the bike was first copied from German wartime BMWs.
Anyway, I was going to make fun of Ural for discovering this new technology called “EFI,” but then I remembered US astronauts are hitching rides with the Russians to the International Space Station.
So, well done, Ural.
Even with its upgrades, the $15,399 Patrol has an abundantly vintage feel, the modern touches unable to obscure the bike’s overall charm. That said, you have to accept the increased, but still relatively modest, power output and the bike’s recommended maximum cruising speed of 70 mph. EFI helps, but the new cam profiles and larger airbox do their part to boost the air-cooled, 749CC flat-twin's output. Claimed torque is up from 38 to 42 pound-feet, the peak coming at 4,300 rpm, 300 sooner than on the carbureted bike. Claimed peak horsepower is 41 at 5,500 rpm. You can rev it up that high (and higher), but there is no tachometer, and there really is no point in searching for the rev limiter: One, the four-speed (plus reverse) gearbox hates it, grinding and clashing on high-rpm shifts; and two, riding the torque down low gets you there about as quickly. Why are you Russian around, anyway? (Sorry.)
It’s best just to sit back, relax, and enjoy the experience for what it is. Starting (kick or electric) is more consistent, the engine is smoother across the range, and stopping this claimed-730-pound rig is much easier than before. Thrum up to 60 mph and joy will be able to keep up with you. I hit 80 mph, and it still seemed to be accelerating, but I lost interest.
To test the Patrol’s dirt capabilities, I rode over some pretty tough stuff. Bump absorption and chassis composure off-road is surprisingly good, but you won’t be motocrossing. Don’t jump. Ever. One big revelation? Off-camber trails feel good only when the third wheel is downhill from you. In the other direction, it’s that falling-over-backward-in-achair sensation.
Most of the time, onewheel drive was fine, but two-wheel made steep climbs easier, surely would work better in mud or on snow, but we haven’t seen much of either around here in ages.
Owning a Ural is not for everyone, but asking for a ride sure seems to be. More than anything else, this is the character’s character bike. Only now it works a whole lot better. Don’t be afraid of the bear. He’s harmless and fun, if somewhat hairy.
$15,399
2 DUCATISUPERLEGGERA
ULTIMATE MATERIALS AND DESIGN MAKE FOR ULTIMATE CHARACTER
KEVIN CAMERON
HOLLYWOOD CG ARTISTS labored to draw complex shapes and textures into the Death Star. On this Ducati, they are real. The forward frame/airbox, made of magnesium and carrying the steering head, bolts to the cylinder heads. An accessory shaft occupies the cylinder vee, driving the water pump while an inordinate amount of space is consumed by the Superquadro engine’s tremendous exhaust pipes.
Crowding masses together enhances agility. The rear suspension, pushed out of its traditional place by the rear cylinder’s exhaust, bolts to a bracket on the rear cylinder. The front cam cover is angled to stay clear of the front tire at full suspension compression. Shortening the exhaust valves has helped bring the engine forward a bit. This, to
help the front Pirelli steer better.
A carbon-fiber seat frame bolts to the rear of the airbox, and the magnesium cam cover for the rear cylinder resides between its legs. Note how the clip-on bar attaches to the fork leg with a hinged clamp.
Replacement is a single-bolt operation, without disturbing the upper crown. Racing teaches wisdom.
The character? There is nothing extra here, yet this bike (one of only 500) is so utterly different from the British twins that thrilled riders of the ’50s and ’60s. You could see right through those classics, side to side.
The Ducati engine has twice the displacement, and everything is centralized in the name of quick turning. That makes the bike solid, opaque.
And although the swoopy styled parts have been removed, this bike remains beautiful, urgent. Thy name: Superleggera.
3 ROKONTRAIL-BREAKERE
ROKON’S TWO-WHEEL-DRIVE TRAIL-BREAKER IS A UTILITY BIKE THAT’S MORE THAN A WORKHORSE
RYAN DUDEK
SORRY, HARLEY, THE Rokon Trail-Breaker embodies classic American character in a way that no other two-wheeler does.
Some might call its design
simple. Others might call it crude. But there is virtually nothing out there that offers the basic unstoppability that the two-wheel-drive Trail-Breaker does.
This made-in-New Hampshire beast is fitted with a 2O8CC, 7-hp Kohler four-stroke single. Throw the choke on a carburetor that’s very reminiscent of the one on your lawn mower then hit the electric starter (or use the pull-start backup), and it lights up easily every time.
First lesson: The Rokon is not about speed. It’s about stability and ease of use in almost all conditions. It’s about going places a quad just won’t fit and leaving very little footprint behind, thanks to those giant tires.
In the 1950s, when Rokon inventor Charlie Fehn rode the first prototype of what became the Trail-Breaker, it was referred to as a Mototractor. Repeat that again. Now you’re ready to ride.
The automatic clutch and CVT drive work with a three-range (shift-only-at-astandstill) gearbox to allow a claimed 35-mph top speed. We took their word for it.
Ground clearance is high (15.0 inches), and seat height is low for an off-roader (33.0 inches). These qualities and a 218-pound dry weight make the bike easy to ride and handle.
I learned quickly how the Trail-Breaker got its name.
It really will go just about anywhere. The two-wheel drive comes in handy for side-hilling and does a fantastic job of pulling the bike over rocks and downed trees. Rokon claims the Trail-Breaker is capable of a 60-percent grade, but we took
it up and down hills much, much steeper than that. We didn’t do it, but Rokon says if you leave the hollow wheels empty, the bike can be floated across a body of water. Try that with your KTM.
The “Auto-Grab” front suspension has 8 inches of travel while the rear is rigid. There is a shock under the rider’s seat, though. With the recommended 5 psi in the tires, ride is softened enough to keep you comfortable when bouncing over rocks and rain ruts.
Front and rear disc brakes are mounted up high (operat-
ing via the drive chains) and not extremely efficient during quick stops. But they offer fine control at low speeds, handy when traversing highly technical terrain.
Sure, you could buy a twowheel drive Christini enduro bike for a couple grand more than our $7,625 “For Hunters” camo Trail-Breaker, but where will you strap on your freshly bagged game?
$7625
4 KTM1290 SUPER DUKE R
A VELOCIRAPTOR IN WOLF’S CLOTHING.
BLAKE CONNER
THE 1290 SUPER DUKE R name tells us exactly what we need to know about this KTM: Its engine is big, it carries the sporty R designation, and nothing named Duke would ever be considered weak, right?
The fact that this lithe naked bike is packing a 1,301cc, 152-hp (at the rear wheel) V-twin, with 93 pound-feet of torque also makes it one of the coolest bikes ever. But specification sheets are boring. Cracking open the 1290’s ride-bywire throttle (with traction control off, of course) is like sticking defibrillator paddles to your chest just for fun.
Thanks to all that torque in a 417-pound package, wheelies are just part of the Super Duke experience, with the TC/wheelie control constantly intervening to save your ass. With it off, big sweet wheelstands are snapped up with ease in any of the first four gears.
The 1290 is anything but a dumbed-down version of a
sportbike. Awesome Brembo brakes, lightweight wheels, excellent WP suspension, and a full electronics suite make this one of our favorite hooligan bikes of all time.
$16,999
5 HONDAGROM
THE SMALL BIKE FOR ALL REASONS
MARK HOYER
THE REAL POWER OF the Honda Grom? How many bikes would you even consider taking to a skate-park? That was our first move with the friendly, fun little 125. Then we took it to a CW trackday, where three-time
World Champion Freddie Spencer hopped on with a huge smile to cut laps and later climbed off with an even bigger grin. Everybody, it seems, wants to grab the bike to moto through the parking lot and out to lunch or home or anywhere. What other machine transitions so smoothly from skatepark to road course to parking lot?
None.
The Grom invites an unpretentious relationship with two wheels and practically forces you, in the friendliest possible way, to have a good time. Sure, it only made 8.96 hp on the CWDynojet dyno, but if you don’t buy a Grom because of this, you don’t deserve to own one.
Price is now $3,199, a tick or two up from its sub-$3K intro MSRP. No worries; it’s still worth it. The Grom will adorn motorhome bumpers for years to come. It will pop up in garages alongside Ducati Superleggeras, HarleyDavidson CVO Road Kings, KTM Adventures, and Yamaha motocrossers. Or next to a Honda Civic. Or chained to a bike rack in the city.
The Grom goes everywhere, bringing smiles all around. And the world is better for it.
$3199
6 VICTORYJUDGE
YOU'LL ASK FOR A LONGER SENTENCE
MARK HOYER
VICTORY’S PRETTY much got the cruiser market-segmentation thing wired at this point. It’s using the hearty 106-inch Freedom V-twin and a good variety of
stylistic treatments to fill the desires of its customers. Accusations of “parts-bin engineering” get thrown around, but, folks, this is how you build cruisers. Get the hard parts right and then start dressing it up differently.
Sometimes, however, something extra good happens. Case in point: the Judge.
The bike wasn’t a radical departure from the norm when it was introduced, but its deviations were interesting: number-plate-style side covers, beefy tires, and a more standard-style riding position than your average Victory. Every tester who rode the bike came back surprised and even a bit delighted in only the most burly way. It just rode nice.
The 2014 does, too, despite the more laid-back riding position (3.75 inches more pullback on the bars and 4 inches forward on the pegs!) and a change back to “normal” side covers. (The old parts are available in the accessory catalog, if you like.)
The core spirit of Judge just clicks. It steers great, feels good cruising down
the road, and genuinely jumps when the throttle is rolled open. It’s not unlike the simple pleasure my 1974 Norton Commando delivers but with much better performance, and a distinctly American accent. The Judge somehow does more than its parts would suggest.
$13,999
7 ZEROFX ZF5.7
RIDE WIRED!
BLAKE CONNER
ELECTRIC VEHICLES are typically perceived as eco-friendly commuters that eschew petroleum and embrace the plug at the expense of excitement. But Zero Motorcycles didn’t get the memo. It never knew electric bikes had to be boring.
Witness the stealth-black FX. This plug-in hooligan bike has a nasty-fun demeanor that you’d never expect from an electric motor-
cycle. The secret to this urban commando’s performance? How does 74 pound-feet of torque in a bike that weighs only 280 pounds sound? Switch the mode selector to Sport (Eco and Custom are the other options) and snappy power wheelies are just a twist of the wrist away.
With light and flickable handling, the FX is a playful and fun local commuter.
But the excitement comes at a cost: short range. That relatively light weight is result of a battery pack essentially half the size of the largest one used in the S, DS, and SR stablemates, keeping you closer to a power outlet than you may like. We usually got around 40 miles on a charge. But they are great miles.
No question, the FX is the world’s most entertaining electric bike.
$11,990
8 STARBOLT R-SPEC
CLEAN SLATE
BLAKE CONNER
OF ALL THE METRIC cruiser brands, Star is perhaps the only one that is really in tune with its cus-
tomers. From the beginning, this brand, which is a spin-off label of Yamaha, understood that to compete with
the likes of Harley-Davidson it not only had to make its bikes easily customizable but also encourage it. Star’s $8,290 Bolt R-Spec is a perfect example.
Last year, when Star unveiled the Bolt to the media, it also presented many customs that highlighted just how radical you could make it.
As is, the Bolt’s matte paint, bobbed rear fender, slammed solo seat, and midmount foot controls make it an ideal urban trawler, but those anodized remotereservoir shocks (standard on the R) offer far better ride quality than the competition for when you break away from urban congestion to stretch its legs.
A stock Bolt has a good amount of character on its own, but the real reason it’s included here is because the bike’s true character is waiting to be unleashed by your customizing vision.
$8290
