BIKE (March 2020)

Buy

a used
Street Triple



Wheeled out towards the end of 2007,
there are loads of Street Trip’s out there
with prices starting at just £2500. Earlier
bikes are more fun, later bikes are sportier.

» One key should operate ignition, seat
lock, filler – if not there’s a chance it’s been
nicked at some point (many have been).
» 675cc bikes don’t use oil like the
old Daytona. If it smokes, walk.
» Check head bearings
are OK.




51

Buy

a used

Speed Twin


Only released in 2019, used bikes still
fetch £8500. If you can cope with clip-ons
a Thruxton 1200 is similar, from £6500.

» There have been a few Triumph 1200s with
dicky electrics (new looms in some cases) –
check all the electrics work.
» Thruxtons have lots of bare metal
surfaces – check for corrosion and
fur if it’s seen much rain.
» Look for official extras:
heated grips.





















Spot-on stance and
proportions. Note
P. Lang’s creative use
of an ice hockey puck







Dash and controls are
simple – and so that
means they’re easy to
read and to use






Triumph eruse the Speed Twin’s spec list and it doesn’t look terribly
enthralling. With 96bhp from its 1200cc twin it’s the least
Ppowerful of the three, with only half the power-per-cc of
Speed Twin the Street Triple. At 196kg dry (so nothing in the 14.5-litre tank, and
probably no engine oil, fork oil or battery) the Speed Twin is heaviest,
with a chassis featuring unadjustable right-way-up forks and old-school
Twin shocks, right-way-up forks and a twin shocks. You won’t find radially-mounted brakes, cornering ABS,
thudding air-cooled engine? lean-sensitive traction control or a swanky track riding mode either.
Ride this pumped-up retro, however, and you immediately realise the
Don’t be fooled, there’s more Speed Twin’s easy-access wallop, instant response, rich sensations and
to an exciting dynamic quick-fix thrills make it the best pure road bike here.
than fancy tech ‘It’s a completely different beast to the two RS models – sound, feel

and performance are nothing like the triples,’ reckons Langy. ‘Any gear,
any revs, and it leaps forward on rapid-fire big-twin punches. It hasn’t
the rev range of the triples and eats through the gears quickly, but this
accentuates the sense of acceleration. And once in a tall gear there’s
rarely any need to change down. It shakes and rattles the right way too;
sounds an odd thing to say, but feed the gas at 50mph and its rumbling
torque, sense of combustion and deep noise stir your insides...’
Triumph have ignored pointless peak power. Instead, they’ve spread
thick torque across the full rev range, dispensed through snappy road-
biased gearing. Creating a torque curve that’s a horizontal line across


52

Group test
















































































a dyno curve is a mechanical engineer’s dream, and the 1200’s trace is sure the suspension would be limiting on a track, but who cares? It’s
the closest ever – there’s a Pirelli-tormenting 80 lb.ft or more all the way perfect for me on proper roads. Loads of brake feel too: I’d rather have
from 3500 to 6250rpm. With the rev limit set at 7200rpm (an indicated this sensitivity than the initial grab of the radials on the Street and
8000rpm), this means the 1200 has give-or-take as much torque across Speed.’ It’s not at the expense of power either: the 1200 stops in less
its entire usable rev range as the Speed RS musters at peak. Wallop. distance (with the ABS on) than the Speed RS...
With short gearing the Speed Twin is king The retro’s trump card is also being ace when
of thrust. Our datalogger shows it hits 60mph you’re in a less excitable mood. It trundles
as quickly pulling away in second gear as first. ‘The Speed Twin is around town, saunters down lanes and wafts
From 50mph in fifth it accelerates so hard that across countryside where the overly-stiff RSs
the Speed Triple RS – the gruntiest supernaked king of thrust – it’s clatter, jiggle and feel wasted. Yes, in the right

– needs to be a gear lower to keep up. Treat it so easy to ride the conditions and on the right road the buzz from
like a giant twist ‘n’ go down a rolling B-road in the Street RS is as big. But the character and
top gear, and the Street RS needs to be working 1200 briskly’ accessibility of the Speed Twin mean you’re so
like a two-stroke for the same progress. And it much more likely to enjoy a ride. Or to feel like
sounds amazing and feels fabulous. It’s superb. riding in the first place. Especially as its ‘simple’
So is the chassis, which has the steepest steering angle here at a dash, clear clocks, great headlight and superb ergonomics make using
race-like 22.8˚, an easier-turning 160-width rear tyre, and a stubbier the bike a doddle. Pity the too-short sidestand lug is hidden behind the
wheelbase than the Speed Triple. It might not have Öhlins stickers, but exhaust: you shouldn’t need to dismount to operate the flippin’ stand.
quick-turning geometry, commanding riding position and compact ‘I could happily plod around on this until I pop my clogs,’ says Langy.
feel create a giddying mix of nimbleness and confidence. ‘You sit up and ‘It makes me feel really good, regardless of road, speed, weather, mood.
turn the bike beneath you, rather than leaning your body into corners And it makes me want to be in the middle of nowhere, sun going down
as with the sportier bikes,’ notes Langy. ‘It’s so easy to ride briskly. I’m and the wife on the back. I wouldn’t even get her near the other two.’


53

Buy
a used

Speed Triple


Triumph really made the triple layout
their own with the 1050cc bike from 2005
on. Prices start at around £3000. Bargain.
» The motor’s solid, but the gearbox can be a
bit crashy. Make sure all the ratios are there.
» Suspension on older bikes gets baggy –
rear shocks can lose all their damping.
» Nissin calipers seize on early bikes.
» Make sure the shock linkage
has been greased during
servicing.








54

Group test





Triumph on a big bike, the first taste of surging thrust. There’s no need to touch
‘Such smooth power,’ gushes Langy. ‘It reminds me of my first time

the gears – just pick one then roll on and off the gas. It’s bang up-to-
Speed Triple RS date but has an analogue feel, more V8 on carbs than modern hyper-

managed motor. And its roar is like Beethoven’s Fifth – a pure classic.
Hear 100 bikes then hear the Speed, and you know what it is. Timeless.’
The model that invented supernakeds and As with the Street RS there are modes to choose from, each with its

defined modern Triumph, there’s still nothing own traction and ABS settings. None make day-and-night differences.
There’s also a Rider option to set-up yourself (so that’s TC off for huge
quite like the big no-nonsense triple
wheelies). I’m not really a fan of the mini-joystick dash control, though
playing with display options and electronic settings is, as Langy puts it,
‘a piece of cake... and the indicator switch is perfect, always at the end
of my thumb.’ The RS is keyless too, which is great for getting kitted up,
striding out, prodding the starter, and riding away. Having to then find
the key to unlock the filler during a cold, soggy fuel stop is less great.
hen your 11-year-old forgets to take his geography Good riding position, though. You feel connected through a stance
project to school on deadline day, the last thing he that’s the perfect balance of sporty attitude and road-going usability.
Wwants is dad rocking up to hand it over. He’d rather ‘To start with I felt ‘on’ not ‘in’ – I seemed perched and wasn’t confident,’
do detention than have a parent cluck over him in front of his peers. says Langy. ‘But you soon realise the stance is lovely – handlebar
Not cool. Unless the old boy roars up to school and stalks through the position, seat to peg distance, everything. Sporty, yes, but still comfy.’
morning throng on a Speed Triple, that is. Then it’s very cool indeed. It’s the ideal position for making use of the sportsbike-like chassis.
Is any other bike so right? The bullish Brit’s stance, noise, attitude With super-sharp steering, high-quality action from über-adjustable
and details attract everyone, from school kids with shirts untucked Öhlins, confidence-swelling feedback and amazing brake bite, the
to rubber-necking other riders and old fellas keen for a closer look. Or RS entices all manner of high-velocity capers. On a smooth road the
that’s the case if this gurgling top-of-the-line RS is anything to go by. turn-in and feel through the flat ’bar are exquisite. Like the Street RS
Visual (and aural) appeal are matched by the dynamic. Given the it’s too firm; you’re aware of every surface imperfection. Unlike the
fruitiness of its 765cc stablemate, you might question the point of the smaller bike it’s not so bad as to be a deal-breaker, thanks to the slightly
substantial 1050cc Speed Triple. After all, the Street RS makes a fizzing more luxurious damping and the bump absorbency of greater mass. For
121bhp and weighs a significant 27kg less, meaning a near-as-damn-it brain-off dawdling and nadgery back lanes the Speed Twin’s chassis is a
identical power-to-weight ratio. But though this bigger bike is hardly better companion, sure, but the big RS is bearable between the fast bits.
shy with a claimed 148bhp peak, it’s blunt grunt that makes it so bloody Posh extras too, like the light-up switches, cruise control and self-
good to ride. It has 37% more capacity than the Street RS but 50% more cancelling winkers. The Speed RS is the most expensive bike here by
torque, peaking over 2000rpm earlier in the rev range. Instant drive, £3k, but it feels like the premium product. And then there’s the fact that
wheel-lifting corner exits and bassy soundtrack make the midrange- it’s a Speed Triple. ‘Cool’ is a bit of a crappy term, but I don’t care. Speed
rich 765 feel thrashy (which it’s not). And while the Speed Twin has the Triples are cool... and the RS version is probably the coolest of them all.
roll-on edge – just – the retro hasn’t the 1050’s
long-legged flexibility. Growl through a village
at 30mph in top gear at less than 2000rpm, ‘Growl through a village at 30mph in top
then scorch to lock-and-key speed just by
teasing the light twistgrip. Whoosh. gear then scorch to lock-and-key speed’























Above: lots of options, thankfully including
something clear and legible. Below: these are
standard and sound ace. Right: evergreen
indeed. Is there a more brand-defining bike?
















55

Verdict





It’s really easy to be impressed with the new bestowed by its extra weight (greater sprung
Speed Triple RS. So accurate, so crisp, it’s got weight has the same effect as reducing
the performance to stand proudly against far unsprung weight). And although it’s also a
bigger rivals and confidently stick its chest sharp RS version and designed for trackday
out. The reworked 765cc triple has new- frolics, its super-flash suspension delivers a
found midrange drive, bringing an increase slightly plusher ride than its 765cc younger
in usability, and it’s also lovingly made and brother. The SpeedTriple RS also boasts even
stuffed to the rafters with technology. It’s more life-enhancing toys (ooh, cruise control),
a proper thing. It’s also really easy to get and we all prefer its riding position and
annoyed with it – as the most tightly-focused display. And of course it’s a Speed Triple. So it
bike of the trio we’re sure its super-stiff makes you cool.
suspension would be staggeringly good round As an enjoyable, usable, inspiring and
Donington Park, but it makes the Street Triple engaging road bike it’s the Speed Twin that
RS a literal pain on degraded British roads. stands proud. Okay so it’s not as outright
Despite its added oomph, the Street Triple fast, but it is quicker, easier to ride and more
also feels a tad hollow when you step off the exciting in real-road situations. It’s also not as
droning, whooshing, bassy Speed Triple RS. high-tech and fancy, yet it is easier to live with
The 1050cc unit in the larger triple has to be and more practical. The retro-supernaked’s
one of the most flexible engines ever created. heady blend of performance, style, feel and
From 30 to 160mph in one gear? Glorious. This sound delivers life-affirming sensations every
effortless, muscular thrust makes the Speed time you pull on your leathers.
Triple easier to ride than Street Triple. So I knew we made it our 2019 Bike of the Year
does the ride quality and handling confidence for good reason.





‘As an enjoyable, usable,

inspiring and engaging road


bike it’s the Street Twin that

stands proud’





















































56

Group test




SpecificationS triumph Street triple rS triumph Speed triple rS triumph Speed twin

Contact triumphmotorcycles.co.uk triumphmotorcycles.co.uk triumphmotorcycles.co.uk
Price (on the road) £10,300 £13,600 otr £10,700 (£11k for red as tested)
Typical finance PCP: £2500 deposit, 36 months at £110, PCP: £2500 deposit, 36 months at £168, PCP: £2500 deposit, 36 months at £117,
optional final payment £5391 optional final payment £7228 optional final payment £6012
Capacity 765cc 1050cc 1200cc
Engine 12v DOHC inline three 12v DOHC inline three 8v DOHC parallel twin
Bore x stroke 78 x 53.4mm 79 x 71.4mm 97.6 x 80mm
Transmission six speed, chain six speed, shaft six speed, chain
Power (claimed) 121bhp @ 11,750rpm 148bhp @ 10,500rpm 96bhp @ 6750rpm
Torque (claimed) 58 lb.ft @ 9350rpm 86 lb.ft @ 7150rpm 82 lb.ft @ 4950rpm
Top speed 150mph (est) 160mph (tested) 120mph (est)
Frame aluminium perimeter aluminium perimeter tubular steel, aluminium cradle
Front suspension 41mm USD fork, adj. preload, comp, rebound 43mm USD fork, adj. preload, comp, rebound 41mm fork, no adjustment
Rear suspension monoshock, adj. preload, comp, rebound monoshock, adj. preload, comp, rebound twin shocks, adjustable preload
Brakes (f/r) 2 x 310mm discs, 4-pot calipers/ 2 x 320mm discs, 4-pot calipers/ 2 x 305mm discs, 4-pot calipers/
220mm disc, 1-pot caliper 255mm disc, 2-pot caliper 220mm disc, 2-pot caliper
Tyres (f/r) 120/70 ZR17 / 180/55 ZR17 120/70 ZR17 / 190X/55 ZR17 120/70 ZR17 / 160/60 ZR17
Rake/trail 23.9° / 100mm 22.9° / 91.3mm 22.8° / 93.5mm
Wheelbase 1405mm 1445mm 1430mm
Weight (claimed) 166kg (dry) 192kg (dry) 196kg (dry)
Seat height 825mm 825mm 807mm
Tank size 17.4 litres 15.5 litres 14.5 litres
Economy 48mpg (tested), 183-mile range 49mpg (tested), 167-mile range 52mpg (tested), 165-mile range
Electronics ABS, traction, modes, connectivity, q/shifter ABS, traction, modes, connectivity, q/shifter ABS, traction, modes
Bike rating 8/10 9/10 10/10







































































57

THE


ISSUE













































































































Despite being in recovery from
cancer Anstey took the win in 2003’s
Junior TT. Triumph were back



58

Folklore












‘Errrrr, I






think we






just won





the TT…’







Back in 2003 Triumph hadn’t raced in

28 years and their new Daytona 600
was not impressing on the nation’s

short circuits. So what did they do?
Enter the TT, of course…


Pics: Stephen Davison/Pacemaker and Dave Collister








t’s June 4, 2003 and deep in Triumph’s Hinckley
HQ, Product Manager Ross Clifford is sitting at
his desk watching a live stream of the Junior TT on
I his laptop. No other Triumph staff are watching
– they’re too busy, and everyone knows the Daytona 600
stands no chance. But Ross is hooked, and can barely believe
his eyes. The bike he and his comrades launched just a
month ago is leading and has just smashed the lap record by
six seconds with an average speed of 121.78mph. Behind it, 57
Japanese motorcycles are failing to catch up.
Ross watches with increasing astonishment as Bruce
Anstey extends his lead and crosses the finish line a full
11 seconds ahead of Ian Lougher on the factory Honda
CBR600. Triumph have won their first international race
for 28 years on a brand new bike with just over three months
of race development done by a pair of wizards in a Rochdale
shed. Back in Hinckley, a shell-shocked Ross stands up and
announces to his bemused colleagues: ‘Errrrr, I think we’ve
just won the TT.’
The adventure began ten months before when famed
engine tuner Jack Valentine heard that Triumph were not
only building a 600, but were contemplating racing it. He
went to Hinckley and presented his idea of starting a race
team based around the new bike. ‘They were interested
so I put some budgets together and met Mr Bloor [John,
Triumph’s owner],’ says Jack, who remembers little of the
meeting except that JB said he sounded like Fred Dibnah
(which he does).
While contracts were being drawn up at the end of 2002,
Triumph gave Jack and his Valmoto tuning partner Steve


59

Folklore








Mellor a cylinder head and some other engine parts to Still, Jim, Jack and Steve worked tirelessly through the
examine. ‘Looking at the motor we knew we could make early months of 2003 trying to get the Daytona up to race
decent power although it was quite dated in some respects speed, but there were aspects they couldn’t fix because of
– it was a heavy lump. But it had a very good cylinder head regulations. The offset, for example. This is the distance
with really big valves, so we knew we could make power. But from a line between the fork tubes to the steering stem, and
the gearbox was crap, with a low first gear and nothing nicely affects the steering geometry. ‘The offset was too big,’ recalls
machined. It was like an old CBR600 ’box. The chassis also Jim. ‘On short circuits on a normal bike, when you lose the
looked good, but we knew it was going to be a big task.’ front you put a bit of throttle on to transfer weight to the
With contracts agreed, Triumph gave Jack and Steve six back and help the front grip again. You can save front end
bikes and left them to it. The plan was to enter one of the crashes like that. Because the Daytona was so long and had
most cut-throat national championships on the planet – so much offset more throttle just drove the front further into
British Supersport – in just four months time. ‘Jack and Steve the ground. I had some massive front end crashes.’
did an amazing job,’ says Ross. ‘Steve was a genius at tuning Then there was the engine braking. ‘When you shut the
engines. We’d done a lot of development work at the factory throttle it was almost like stamping on the back brake,’ says
and got it to around 100bhp before emissions knocked that Jim. ‘It backed into corners terribly.’ Combined with the
down a bit, and in eight weeks they’d got it making 125bhp. offset issue, this meant the Daytona struggled on the short
That doesn’t sound much now but in 2003 it was a lot.’ circuits, with Jim and Craig rarely getting into the top ten in
Jack and Steve had a background in drag racing (Jack was the first half of the season. But Jim – an 8-time TT winner –
a three time European champion), and they poured all that knew where it might work: the Isle of Man.
knowledge into the Daytona motor. ‘We tried many, many ‘He said it would be superb on the roads,’ says Jack,
cylinder head designs,’ says Jack, ‘and there was only one that ‘because you wouldn’t get the backing in, and the offset
worked, and that needed a hell of a lot of epoxy filler in the made it very stable. I was a bit worried because I thought
ports because they were so big. There was enough air flow it would back in somewhere at the TT, but Jim was sure it
through those ports to run a blinkin’ drag racer. We raised wouldn’t because of the higher gearing. So I asked Triumph
the compression, but couldn’t touch the crank because that if they fancied doing the TT.’
had to stay standard [due to race rules].’ Ross seemed keen, so Jack went off to see if he could find
While the engine tuning progressed Jack was also some riders. ‘He said we could get Bruce Anstey and John
searching for riders, eventually persuading former McGuinness, plus of course Jim, who had won the 600 Junior
British Supersport champion Jim Moodie and rising star the year before,’ says Ross. ‘It was like a dream team. It was
Craig Jones to join the team. Jim was renowned for his high risk, because we weren’t winning on the short circuits,
development ability and was sent to Bruntingthorpe airfield, but even so it felt like a no-brainer.
Leicestershire to start turning a road bike into a racer. ‘I went to chat to John [Bloor] about it. I was enthusiastic
He didn’t take long to recognise the scale of the challenge. because it was our first season of racing and I thought we
‘It was a good bike,’ says Jim, ‘but in those days supersport could get better. Also, because the road bike launch was a bit On the bike Jim
Moodie, to the right
development progressed dramatically every year – not like late [May rather than March], it linked with that. John said
Jack Valentine and
these days. That meant a 2002 bike was uncompetitive in “ok, do it,” and I can remember thinking “f*cking hell, is that a youthful
2003, and the Daytona 600 felt to me like a 1999 CBR600.’ I wasn’t expecting that.”’ Guy Martin in the
black shirt?

Anstey taking the
turn into Braddan
Bridge like he
means it. And of
course he does







































60

PIC: DAVE COLLISTER





61

Despite having been garroted by the
wires of a felled telegraph pole following
David Jefferies’ fatal crash Jim Moodie
still said he’d race. And he did

Anstey celebrates, Lougher (left)
and Archibald (right), not so much



























Jim Moodie’s
neck, but the
granite hard
Scotsman
carried on



62

Folklore








The team had a useful TT preparation at the North West
200, with Jim leading before a problem with the ECU put the ‘It was never anywhere near the
bike into ‘limp home’ mode and knocked off 20bhp. Team
spirits were high, though the paddock sages still reckoned best bike. Bruce winning the
the new Triumph stood no chance on the Island.
‘I knew Jack and Steve were on it in terms of bike TT on it was unbelievable’
preparation – those guys really knew what they were doing,’
says Ross. ‘But I was worried about the new CBR. It had more
power and was winning on the short circuits. But Jack was Triumph tweets, websites would bend under the weight of
adamant that at the TT it wasn’t all about having the fastest Daytona banner ads. Back in 2003, Triumph printed a poster.
bike on the day.’ ‘It completely took us by surprise,’ says Ross. ‘We had no
Once on the Island, Jack had an easy time of it as team plans for what we were going to do after the race. We just
manager… to start with. None of his riders wanted much weren’t ready for it. After we won, I can remember thinking
changing on the bike – Bruce Anstey didn’t alter a single “what the hell do we do now?” We were hoping we might get
one of the North West 200 settings – and practice went a top five result, but no-one thought we might actually win.
smoothly. Then, five days before the race, nine-times TT ‘We did a poster of Bruce wheelieing out of a corner – I’ve
winner David Jefferies – a close friend of Jim, Jack and John still got it in my basement – and that was the extent of the
McGuinness – was killed on his TAS Suzuki GSX-R1000. marketing. There were only three people in the marketing
Not only that, but Jim was close behind and rode into phone department back then. Could we have done a limited edition
wires from a felled telegraph pole, slicing his neck open. TT bike? Probably. But once it was over, we were straight
‘I told Jim I would understand if he didn’t want to ride the back to the coal face trying to make bikes.’
600,’ says Jack. ‘He’d come off flat-out in sixth, been garotted Jack was left deflated after the victory too, and not just
by wires and ridden through the accident scene.’ But true to because of DJ’s death. ‘We could have gone and done it again
his reputation as a granite-hard Scot, Jim said he’d race. at the TT in 2004, but Triumph had new management and
Bruce Anstey had health issues too. He was recovering they didn’t want to do any racing. It was sad. The brand
from cancer, but hadn’t told the team (or anyone else) about awareness was amazing – we were getting enquiries from all
it. The first Jack knew was when Bruce’s partner Anny over the world. I wish we’d been able to carry on in 2004 and
mentioned it when Jack noticed Bruce was resting a lot. then get involved with the development of the 675 after that.
The race itself was delayed by fog, but once it started, any It felt like a missed opportunity.’
doubts about Bruce’s health were dismissed by a startlingly But back in Hinckley the effect of the win lingered, a
fast first lap. John McGuinness was setting a similar pace, feel-good vibe permeating the factory for months after
then had problems with the ECU – it went into limp home Bruce Anstey crossed the line. ‘I couldn’t quite believe we’d
mode, and John lost more time stopping at Ballacraine to try won even though I’d seen it happen,” says Ross, recalling his
and reset it by switching the ignition on and off a few times. office live streaming. ‘In fact, I thought I had better double
Jim was having similar ECU problems, though he knew check the result on Google before I called John [Bloor],
the bike well enough not to bother trying to reset it. He just otherwise I would look a right dick. Like the rest of us, he Left to right: Jim
carried on with 100bhp and, amazingly, finished 9th, one was a bit dumbstruck. We had won something after all Moodie, Jack
place ahead of John. Without the ECU issues, both could those years and there was a buzz around the company for Valentine; Bruce
Anstey; the
have been in the top five. months. Looking back at it now, it really was an amazing trophy and John
But it’s unlikely either could have challenged Bruce. It was achievement.’ McGuinness
one of those days when he was in a class of one, setting a lap
record and then pulling away from the field. His 11 second
victory margin might not sound much, but in the Supersport
class at that time, it was an eternity.
‘Bruce’s ride was fantastic,’ says Jim, ‘because the bike
wasn’t as good as anything else on the track. Don’t get me
wrong, it was a great effort from Triumph for a first attempt,
and an unbelievable effort from Jack and Steve to make it
competitive, but it was never anywhere near the best bike.
Bruce winning the TT on it was unbelievable.’
Jack too was in awe of the Kiwi rider: ‘Bruce’s win was
phenomenal, fantastic. It was a bike nobody thought would
win and it was great to make history after 28 years. We even
won the manufacturer’s award [where the times of the top
three riders are added together]. And Prince William was
there to witness it all – I ended up taking a Daytona down to
his 21st birthday party for him to ride and he even purchased
one off Triumph.’
Curiously, that’s one of the few sales Triumph made
thanks to the TT win. A similar success these days would
provoke a global marketing onslaught to drive potential
customers into showrooms. Phones would clog with


63

First Ride



This is Matt
Storm Grey
and Silver Ice.
Other option
Worthy is Jet Black







of the









name








Thruxton is the UK’s fastest track – and Triumph’s hot new RS lives up to the name…


By Neevesy Neeves Photography Kingdom Creative, Gareth Harford, Chippy Wood





Modernity
meets trad’
ake the excellent Thruxton R, stuff in pushed to ring the TC’s bell anyway. No quickshifter
some more horses and scrape off several or autoblipper, but hey – it’s a retro.
Tkilos. That’d have to make Triumph’s Though still long and low compared to a full-on
sportiest retro even better, right? And it does. sportsbike or fiery supernaked (and still a little on
This is the new Triumph Thruxton RS. It keeps the heavy side despite the weight saving), the RS is
all the good bits of the R that it’s based on, meaning balanced and steers with accuracy. It needs just the
quick-steering sportsbike geometry, fully adjustable right amount of rider input to make you feel like
Öhlins shocks and Showa big-piston forks, brick- you’ve earned your speed, without being hard work.
wall brakes, and thoroughly engaging dynamics. Fast, flowing corners are really its thing, rather than
But RS guise means the Brembos and shocks are hairpins and flip-flop direction changes, though it
upgraded, and the Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa tyres of SPECIFICATIONS gets through everything with poise and grip to spare.
the R are swapped for Metzeler Racetec RRs. There’s The RS doesn’t squish wrists or knees, and the seat
a lightweight new battery, too. Price £13,000 Engine 1200cc, SOHC, is comfy enough for extended saddle time (around
Updates for the 1200cc parallel-twin engine as 8v parallel twin Power 103bhp Torque three or four hours) before you need to shuffle. Ride
well. To keep the eager motor Euro5-fresh and boost 83 lb.ft Top speed 130mph (est) Rake/ quality isn’t the last word in plushness, though,
performance there’s a raft of engine mods, including trail 22.8˚/92mm Wheelbase 1415mm unlike the fully Öhlins-clad Speed Triple RS. You
Dry weight 197kg Seat height 810mm
racier pistons, high-lift camshafts, a lighter crank can get the suspension to give a wobble if you push
Tank size 14.5 litres Economy 58mpg
and balancer, a gas-flowed cylinder head and new very hard too. This doesn’t stop you riding the RS
(claimed) Colours grey/silver, black
clutch. Power is up 7bhp to a claimed 103bhp, and Availability Anytime now with all the fervour of a sportsbike, though. And
the 20% reduction in inertia allows an extra 500rpm when you’ve finished being a loon you can saunter
Bike verdict Extra grunt and a
to play with. Yet it’s also more flexible – peak torque serenely into the next town for a coffee, looking cool
willingness to rev add extra sparkle to
stays at 83 lb.ft but is now delivered 700rpm earlier an already formidable bike. Waft (on your own, though – it’s a single seat only).
in the revs. A lighter generator, magnesium cam And if the stock spec isn’t cool enough for you,
steadily and enjoy the dark rumblings
cover and thinner engine covers shed kilos; with the there’s a plethora of accessories from Arrow pipes
of the motor, or scratch your speed
weight also shaved from the chassis, the RS is 6kg itch. It’s a classy retro sportsbike. to tank bags. There’s a ‘Track Racer’ kit as well,
lighter than the R. That’s almost a stone. Bike rating 9/10 including a top fairing, lower-placed clip-ons, a tail
Revised mapping has banished on/off throttle tidy and LED indicators which can also be bought
glitches and the new torque-assist clutch gives the separately if you please.
lever a pleasingly light action. Gears still snick home Triumph have shifted over 16,000 Thruxtons
nicely, not that you often need to trouble the ’box since introducing this sportiest member of the
with so much torque available. And you no longer Bonneville family in 2016. And the RS shows why
bang into the rev limiter so easily when enjoying sportsbike riders want to peel themselves off race
yourself thanks to the extra top-end revs. Triumph replicas. At £13,000 it’s pricey, and you can have as
claim 58mpg for a theoretical 185-mile range from big a giggle on something with half the power and
Shocks have
the 14.5-litre tank. Service intervals are 10,000 miles. black springs price. However, when you look at the equipment
Rider modes (Rain, Road, Sport) now have their and are RS- and performance – not to mention the build quality,
own dedicated traction control settings, so there’s specific sound, tastefully-hidden tech and convincing image
less intrusion when you don’t want it and more when – the Triumph is worth every penny. The new RS is
you do. In reality there’s so much grip you’re hard the last word in off-the-peg café racers.


64

THE


ISSUE






6
o
0
s s
e
l
, m
d
r
n
t
e
’ ’60s style, modern
y
f
r
e
nc
e
,
o
r
ma
a
y
day performance,
d

p
and a man with a
a n d a m a n w i t h a

’ ’90s helmet paint
i
he
a
p

s
met
0
l
9
n
t
me
c
s
he
scheme








































‘Waft along and


enjoy the motor’s

dark rumblings,


or scratch your

speed itch’




65

t m
e f
d
d
i
r
s
e
t
W
To
We first met Todd
Blubaugh in Bike April
B l ub au g h i n B i ke A pr il
1
7 a
e
s h
d
n
o
r
f
e c
t
o
n
2
2017 as he confronted
0
h
f
x m
n
e
t s
t
the hardest six months of
t
h
s
i
d
s o
e h
o
a
r
his life aboard his Harley
h i s l i f e a b o a r d h i s H a r l e y
S h o v e l h e a d . T h r e e y e a r s o n
Shovelhead. Three years on
e
a
n
t
,
b
e
a
and Todd is in a better place,
t
e
d
d
i
p
o
a
T
l
i
s
r
n
d
c
heading from LA to Mexico
h e a d i n g f r o m L A t o M e x i c o
y
g
d
d
t
d
h h
i
s b
u
i
with his buddies. Dodgy
s
. Do
i
w
e
MexiGo
a
taco excepted…
t
co
pt
…
e
d
ce


x
e
66

When en route from Los Angeles
to the El Diablo Run in Mexico one
hand on the bar is de rigueur




















































































































o ooooooooooo







67

MexiGooooooooooo...

















had just returned home and so frequent
were my trips to the bathroom that logic
compelled me to sleep there. From the
toilet, I considered thoroughly the events
and decisions that brought me here... and so
I tried to recall the last 72 hours in Mexico…
I I can’t remember why, but we got a late
start. It seems no matter the prep and planning we always
leave LA at the worst possible hour... between 3 and 4pm.
Snake, Chris and myself were heading south for EDR (the El
Diablo Run), along with 23 million other drivers. The plan was
to reach San Felipe around midnight, wake up on the beach,
and cross the peninsula when we got tired of the pin-coladas.
We only had 72 hours before we had to be back in the city and
time can go fast on a slow bike. I was already irritated by our
late departure... And beyond that I just don’t like having a plan.
Highway 10 is shitty all the way to Morongo every hour of
every day. You must bounce along its joints for 80 miles before
you see anything interesting – the windmills mark where
traffic finally lightens up. We filled our tanks near Brawley.
It appeared to be a cattle town because the streets were
lined with feed stores and agricultural vehicles. We sat on
the kerb and observed the landscape while our bikes cooled.
This was only May and the heat was already tremendous. I
watched a few mothers come in and out of the gas station
with young children. They left the store with grocery bags and
I wondered why in a place filled with agriculture do people
buy their family meals from a gas station? Chris spoke out in
his German accent, ‘this is the real America’. He went on to
explain the rural sea of conservative poverty that covers most
of the state and country; Los Angeles is not the majority of
California, it is a bubble that floats at the top. We crossed the
border in Mexicali and said goodbye to The Real America.
Border cities are distorted places. You are made to think
you belong on one side and not the other, but when you cross
into Mexico you are greeted pleasantly. When you cross back
into your own country, however, you are interrogated. I am
not a guilty person by nature but whenever I get close to the
border of my own country I become nervous, even distrustful
of myself. I guess in The Real America you are more welcome
to leave than return.

It’s better south of the border
Wealth here appeared in different ways… smiles were one of We stopped at what we thought was an authentic taco stand Despite homicidal
them. There was a recognisable surge of energy on this side of only to discover one of the best burgers I’ve ever had – made Subarus, errant
rear brakes and
the border. People of all ages walked, ate and laughed in the by a fella from Philly. A truck full of armed Federales pulled up poisonous tacos a
streets. I thought about the despondent difference between and ordered while a family with two young kids (a boy and a good time was had
here and Brawley, where people did not smile or gather. And girl, both around 8 years old) lined up behind them. The kids by all
Mexicans’ utilities appeared more practical then ours on were enamoured with Snake’s bike and he let them climb on it
the other side. Most storefronts supplied a secure resource: like a jungle gym.
food; drink; shoes; fuel and cell phones. The fact their basic South from there and we hit the infamous speed bump of
securities were being met seemed to enliven the atmosphere. Baja. It is a well know artefact of biker lore – an unavoidable,
And payments seemed to be exchanged more often in pesos unmarked launch ramp that covers both southbound lanes.
not credit – perhaps they simply have less debt attacking their Snake and I landed smoothly but Chris, even with suspension,
conscience? That would certainly make most Americans smile did not. We backtracked after realising he was no longer with
a little more. But of course I realise the proverbial grass is us to find his battery had ejected out the side of his Shovelhead
always greener… and cleaner on the other side. upon takeoff. We zip tied it back in and were on our way.


68

‘In The Real
‘ I n T h e R e a l
A m e r i c a yo u a re
America you are
or
more welcome
m
e
e
lc
om


w
e
to leave than
t o l e a v e t h a n
r
return’
e
t
u
r
n’


























Wishing on a meteor While we were fuelling up, a fraternity of fuel-injected
The next stretch of Baja had no gas for 100 miles. We did not bikes pulled up, mostly shirtless. I say fraternity because they
know this… so the next 70 miles were amazing. There were all appeared to be about 20 years old. One of them rode in
no vehicles and no billboards – just a perfect ribbon of good and bumped into Chris on his Shovelhead. Chris shot him a
highway pointed south at the blood red Mexican moon. It felt curious look, and the kid, without an apology, or a tip of his
like we were riding through a black velvet painting. Suddenly a flipped-up hat, just shrugged and pulled his bike up to the
meteor shot across the sky. I looked at Snake for a reaction just next pump. Perhaps we would share a keg stand later, but at
to make sure I had not imagined it. He pointed and threw up that moment I was not impressed.
both hands confirming the incident. Then we started running
out of gas. First Snake who had an extra gallon and a half, The El Diablo Run
then Chris who had to use half of my spare tank, then Snake The scene at EDR is a huge adjustment after our outward
ran out again so he and I split what I had left. There was no journey. I felt overwhelmed by the crowds and music. Part
evidence of fuel in my tank when we finally reached the gas of me wanted to keep heading south but we soon found
station just outside of San Felipe. our buddy Ty (from Lucky Wheels Garage) and joined the


69

‘I knew there would be
mechanical consequences but
I was having fun so I accepted
them as a speed tax and rode my
bike within an inch of its life’































































































‘Bikes and rides like this

are the reason I leave my


house… It is so simple out

here – span distance and


live to celebrate it’











70

MexiGooooooooooo...








party. I walked down the beach with a can of Tecate. The the reason I leave my house. I just have not found the depth
beer was cold and the water warm – the way it should be. In and clarity of purpose any other way. It is so simple out here –
the meantime Snake had found a place for us to stay up the span distance and live to celebrate it.
street with Zia and Danita. The girls had rented a little meth
trailer on Airbnb and it had an extra bed and couch. We spent And then the taco struck…
most of the next day drinking on the beach. Sometime in the With our spirits amplified we rode fast towards Ensenada.
afternoon, Ty and I headed back to the meth lab to work on I knew there would be mechanical consequences but I was
our bikes, but I had drunk such a variety of tequilas I fell asleep having fun so I accepted them as a speed tax and rode my Pan
early. At one point I remember being woken by the sound of within an inch of its life – until Ben had to pull over because
a public swimming pool coming from the bathroom. It was he realised his warm weather gear had blown off his bike. Ten
confusing because the room was tiny but it sounded like there minutes later the temperature dropped 20 degrees with the
were at least 12 people playing water polo inside of it. I put sun and we still had a long way to go. We rode a little slower
my earplugs in and fell back asleep. The next morning Snake after that. The group got separated after Ty’s rear brake locked
explained the commotion and showed me some pictures... up pulling onto the highway. He went down pretty hard but
then we agreed never to discuss the details of it again. handled it well. He fixed the problem and we all met up at
I found Chris down the street in a comfortable arrangement a tiny market painted like a Tecate can, atop a mesa in the
of Airstream trailers and wished I’d discovered this the night middle of nowhere. We sat on the ground and told jokes while
before. I told him I wanted to ride. I wasn’t alone... everyone a kitten ate our chips and drank our beer.
staying there wanted to go as well. So Ben, Jason, Spencer, The last stretch to Ensenada was in the dark. We found a
Robin, Alex, Brett, Nick and myself plotted a course to restaurant where I had the best tacos of my life so far, and –
Ensenada and up to Tecate. We grabbed Snake, Ty and Chris later – the worst diarrhoea. We booked rooms at a hotel with
back at the meth lab and headed east across the peninsula. secure parking. Ty, Snake and I sat outside the nearby 7-11 for a
I have a deep appreciation for cracked concrete highways. couple of hours talking about films and women.
The ones fixed impatiently with strips of black tar. Perhaps it’s The next morning was cold and my food-poisoned fever
the sense of speed given by travelling over such inconsistent wasn’t helping. By the time we reached the border in Tecate
texture. But whatever the reason, I was in heaven because all I knew I was in trouble and so did a few of the others; riding
the roads in Baja appeared to be in this condition. The only a motorbike is a worst case scenario when you are this ill.
car I remember seeing for 70 miles almost killed Snake when I became quiet while waiting in line at the border – even
it came around a corner in our lane. Snake swerved to the crossing for Americans can take a long time.
outside inch of the shoulder, missing the Subaru by the width I know I rode my motorcycle from the border back to LA,
of a tortilla. We all ran out of gas a short distance up the road I just can’t remember doing so. My memory goes straight
and celebrated Snake’s survival. It is a curious relationship – from crossing back into the USA to more confusion in my
man and the proximity of his own demise. You wouldn’t think own bathroom, where I laid on the floor under a space
so, but the closer he gets, the more elated he becomes. I know heater analysing the lesson at hand. There is a simple ratio in
Snake could have died in that corner and commonsense tells considering a trip to Mexico, which I observe to be 1 to 1, (72
me I should distance myself from the risk of this road and hours in Mexico = 72 hours of recovery). And though I can’t
probably all others. But, these bikes and rides like this one are claim this equation is conclusive, I can say it is worth it.



Crisps, beer and
still alive. Oh, and
a cat that likes to
share a brew








































71

Analyse








this…













Jenny Anderson is Pol Espargaro’s

electronics strategy engineer in the
KTM MotoGP team – so what does

she do and how did she get there?


By: Mat Oxley Photography: KTM, Neil Boyle and Action Sport

























Jenny and Pol:
‘sometimes Pol doesn’t
explain things in words
– he does it with his
arms and with noises’




72

The
Oxley






interview



Mat is a TT winner, endurance racer, author
and MotoGP paddock insider


























J J J J J J J enny Anderson has lived most of her life in data.




t of h
s
d m
n
o
f
e i
y A
e
r l
i
e
n h
a
s
r
o
i
v
e
s l
d
e
n d
a
.
n
n
t
a
e
a
n s
a
o h
W
c
i
When she was a kid she fitted a sensor to her racing
r t
h
e a
r
, t
n s
k a h t e . T h h e e w h s a k d d s h e fi t t he d a s e e n s o n ot h e e r r r h e i n n g
d a
e
kart. Then she added another, then another, then
d
ot
n
n a
, t
r
, w
r
a
n
e
e
ot
s
n
e a
h w
n
a
i
c
another. Logging data became an obsession, which went
e
c
m
h
i
a
t
h
b
s
o
g
i
a b
g
t
n o
e
. L
g d
n
s
o
a
d
a
u
e g
r
e
w
with her when she graduated to cars and then into bike
h
i
o b
n
n s
s a
t
e
h
e
r w
d t
n i
n
e
d t
k
e
t
h h
a
r
i
t
o c
h
a
r
d a S
o
u
b
, a
V
0
i S
a
6
i
n
5
k
r racing, aboard a Suzuki SV650. .
u
g
c
z
N ow s h e fi n d s h e r s e l f w i t h o n e of t h e n e a t e s t b u t t o u g h e s t
Now she finds herself with one of the neatest but toughest
a
c
t
or
l K
l
T
ot
M
y R
o
e
u
d B
r
o
l
c
r
g
n
: w
i
k
h
or t
e f
c
i
y
g f
n
j jobs in motorcycling: working for the factory Red Bull KTM
o
s i
b
n m
MotoGP team, as Pol Espargaro’s electronics engineer. This
M ot o G P t e a m , a s P ol E s p a r g a r o ’ s e l e c t r o n i c s e n g i n e e r . T h i s
a
s i
h
i
s s
’
e
a
ol s
h
e
r
o
r
n
t
s – t
a
e c
h
c
o
n c
e
e
g
i
r
a
e of a
t
n
g
n
means she’s in charge of all the control strategies – traction
t
l t
m
r
l
t
control, anti-wheelie, engine-braking control, torque
c o n t r ol , a n t i - w h e e l i e , e n g i n e - b r a k i n g c o n t r ol , t o r q ue
d e l i v e r y , l a u n c h c on t r ol a n d s o o n – t h a t k e e p h i s 2 7 0 bh p
delivery, launch control and so on – that keep his 270bhp
RC16 V4 on track.
R C 16 V 4 o n t r a c k .
Anderson’s story is a testament to the joys of finding
A n d e r s o n ’ s s t or y i s a t e s t a m e n t t o t h e j oy s of fi n d i n g
a n i n t e r e s t w h e n y o u ’ r e y o u n g , f ol l ow i n g y o u r h e a r t a n d
an interest when you’re young, following your heart and
n
n
n
i
n
t
e
t
o d
s
s
o
ov
a
v
h
l
t y
o
i
e
e
f i
g w
u l
u
r
i investing yourself into doing what you love. .
g y
o
’
,
n
s
s my j
n
ov
’ s
‘ ‘Obviously I love data – it’s my job and it’s my passion,’ says
e d
s
b a
o
v
a
t
s
y I l
y
b
o
’
l
i
i
t
a
u
s my p
o
d i
a
a – i
t
s
O
s
d
r
h
r
e
d f
e
r
ol
m W
s
e of t
, 3
o
n
-
A
3
g
o
y
n
, S
d o
n
r
a
. ‘
Anderson, 33-years-old from Woking, Surrey. ‘And one of the
n
y
ok
-
e
e
A
n
i
u
r
t b
v
a
o
r
e
c
h
g
e f
u
t t
e r
o
things I love most about bike racing is the fact that you never
g i
i
a
c
i
n
n
i
s t
h
e
h
t y
t
k
a
u n
s I l
e m
t a
o
b
ov
s
p
n on
p
t
e
o h
l
g t
l
a
’
s g
a
r really know what’s going to happen one lap to the next.
e
h
e n
.
ow w
x
t
e
a
a
e l
o t
n
h
p t
n
y k
o
i
n
r
n u
g
r
r
a
I
e
i
r
d
n c
e
n
d a
n
n
y t
a
h
‘In cars there are so many things you can understand a
e s
s t
u c
a
o
o m
a
e a
‘
s y
t
s
h
i
h
h c
uc
l lot easier, because all the vehicle dynamics are much clearer.
u
l
y
i
c
m
a
n
i
s
ot e
e m
e d
l
c
c
s a
e
a
r
e a
a
r
e
s
e
e v
e
l
a
, b
r
h
.
l t
e
r
They’ve been researched for many years, the equations exist
T h e y ’ v e b e e n r e s e a r c h e d f or m a n y y e a r s , t h e e q u a t i o n s e x i s t
i
n s
m
i
m
i
e a
o
v
n a
o
u c
o
r
o e
n
n a
a
i
a
d y
t e
s
t
a
l
to explain almost every situation and you can simulate a
a
u
t
y s
t
pl
e
t
x
u
l
u
n
h
e
a
e y
s n
o v
e
’
bl
u c
ol
c
e
r
s
h
a
’
t
ot m
a
i
r
. T
e t
on
e
r
e b
or
l lot more because there’s no variable you can’t control. The
a
o
t c
i
o w
v
t
e i
h
b
n
biggest thing with a bike is that you have a guy who weighs
g
s
k
a
g w
e a g
u h
g
i
y w
h
e
h
u
i
t t
i
a
g
h
h a bi
s
e
s t
t y
o
h
e
o
0 t
i
s o
e i
u h
n t
60 to 70 kilos and you have no idea where he is on the bike
l
s a
6
r
e
h
n
e b
0 k
i
e h
k
d y
a w
o 7
a
e
e n
o
d
v
o i
g a
s
t
e d
r
ok
when you’re looking at the data. It’s a mystery. .
s a my
’
n
. I
o
y
i
a
w
e
t
e l
t
r
o
e
’
h
t t
h
u
n y
a
, t
e r
c
s
r i
d
s
r
s a m
k
I
‘
h
h
a
a
e
n
e
e r
‘In bikes the rider makes a massive difference, the rider is
e
k
s
e d
i
e
e
e
i
ff
d
s t
n bi
i
v
i
r m
e
i
y
h
i
i
c
l
v
h
e
everything – their confidence, their ability, their talent.
l
on
g – t
r c
a
.
e
n
fi
i
i
r
n
e
d
y
e
, t
r a
h
n
e
e
h
e
e
t
i
t
r t
b
, t
t
s w
a
w
ot
t
r
r
t
e
e
a
t
c
n
d r
i
o d
d t
n I s
e
h
i
ff
s – on t
g b
e
e
c
n
e
I n
I noticed this when I started racing bikes – on two different
i
i
i
h
k
d
e
u
e
d b
days my lap times could be very different depending on my
l
g on my
r
p
m
e
e
t d
n
a
a
e v
s my l
o
ff
p t
i
s c
y
i
r
e
e
i
y d
n
n
d
e
g
y
n
fi
t
t
n
e
e
c
, my f
a
e
.
, my c
d
n
l
l
mentality, my feeling, my confidence.’ ’
n
i
m
e
i
o
A
e
e
e
e
-
n
h
c
o
r
y b
-
o
g
n
Anderson’s racing journey began when she was nine-years-
g j
e w
y
a
n
n
r
i
d
h
e
’
a
s n
u
i
a
s r
n s
s
s
r
a
e
n
n w
old, racing 60cc kiddie karts.
ol d , r a c i n g 6 0 c c k i d d i e k a r t s . PIC: KTM
n
‘ ‘The data thing started when I was a teenager,
t
e
s a t
a
a
n I w
a t
t
g s
h
e
e d
a
T
h
n
h
i
t
d w
e
a
r
e
r
g
e
,
73

The Oxley interview








racing 250cc super-karts. Sensors were becoming more ‘During sessions I’m in
commonplace and it was just curiosity – what can we learn
from this? Super-karts have a proper engine and gearbox, so the garage with Pol… and
we got an rpm sensor so we could play with the gearing.
‘Then we found all the other stuff you can buy: steering anything electronics-
sensors, brake-pressure sensors, lambda probes for fuelling
and jetting, wheel-speed sensors. It all evolved from there.’ wise he shouts at me’
Anderson wasn’t a geeky kid. ‘My favourite things at
school were music, woodwork, and art. And at that age
I never thought that data was something that could lead mind if I stick some sensors on your sidecar to try and learn
anywhere or be a job. It was purely a hobby. something?” They were ace and I owe them a lot.’
‘When I finished A-levels I became a postie, to get fit and When Anderson got her first paid data job with a car team
get paid at the same time, then go racing at the weekends. All she started racing bikes, on her rare weekends off.
I wanted to do was race – work, save money and spend it on ‘I’ve always been a massive bike and MotoGP fan. When
tyres. That’s all I cared about. I was growing up I was watching Valentino Rossi, and
‘Then at some point you realise you’re not Lewis Hamilton screaming at the TV. It was another world from cars – these
and it’s time to find a proper job. I was a bit lost, I had no real guys were like gladiators.
direction, so I was looking at night courses at a local college. ‘In 2013 I bought an SV650 for £4000 and I had ten grand
They did a foundation degree in motorsport engineering and of datalogging stuff on it, which I’d taken off my single-
I thought, maybe this could be interesting. That opened my seater race car. I struggled coming from cars to bikes because
mind to what’s possible.’ when you start something when you’re very young you learn
After that Anderson got a bachelors and a masters at subconsciously, you don’t realise you’re learning. So not only
Oxford Brookes University. ‘I did my masters dissertation From the local did I have to learn new cornering lines for bikes I had to
college, to Oxford,
on an F1 sidecar; I don’t know why! I was going to a few bike to here. Dreams do unlearn my car lines. Also you need a lot more feeling for the
races at Brands Hatch and I met Matt MacLaurin and Ade come true if you limit of the tyres and there’s more bravery required.’
Hope from the AMR F1 sidecar team, and I said, “do you put in the effort The KTM gig started in 2015 with an advert in a magazine.






































































74

Jenny on her
Suzuki SV650
at Brands
Hatch, 2014:
eventually
you realise
you’ll never
be Rossi,
so you get a
proper job…









































Pic: Neil Boyle









‘KTM didn’t even have a MotoGP bike at the time. When
I applied for the job I presumed it was with their Moto3
project. I sat down for a Skype interview with their head of
electronics Dan Goodwin. He said, “hi, I’m interviewing you
for a job with our new MotoGP project.” I was like, cool!
‘Initially they were a bit hesitant to take people from car
racing because there’s a mentality that they are two worlds
apart. But one of the reasons they took me was that I was
working with GP2 and GP3 cars, which use Magneti Marelli
hardware and software, which MotoGP used from 2016. So
Dan said, “here’s the ECU for the bike we are going to build, Pic: actioNsPort.co.uk
get something ready so it can run.”’
Anderson was data engineer for KTM’s MotoGP test
team, then data engineer for Espargaro and finally strategy
engineer for the former Moto2 world champion. Where Jenny’s
(#24) love of
Electronic-control systems are a mystery to most data got its start:
motorcyclists, so what does Anderson actually do? cadet karting at
‘During sessions I’m in the garage with Pol, his crew Camberley Kart
chief and his data engineer. The data guy is responsible for Club, 1998
running the bike, the crew chief does everything on the
chassis and anything electronics-wise Pol shouts at me! If
I’m watching Pol on the TV and I see a movement on the bike
I note it down and ask him when he comes in – “you had a
moment at Turn Three, is this something that’s bothering
you?” After each session we have a debrief, when Pol picks
out the key points he wants fixing for the next session.
‘I make all the software maps and tune the maps during
the sessions – the torque map, the traction-control map,
the engine-braking-control map, the anti-wheelie map, the
launch-control map and the shifting map.
Pic: ktM maps, getting the right balance between the two. During
‘The biggest things are the torque and traction-control




75

The Oxley interview






Pic: KTM












































‘The complexity

and mystery


of motorcycle

racing can be as

frustrating as it


is fascinating’








race weekends you’ve got different scenarios to consider. In The problem with runs is often very difficult because in the data you don’t see
qualifying you don’t care about tyre wear, so I just want to bike data is you the change you’ve made, you see the results of the change
make sure I don’t restrict Pol in any way, but if something don’t know where you made. Guys like Pol adapt so quickly. If what he’s doing
the rider is on the
happens there’s enough TC to catch him. Then you think bike at the point on the bike doesn’t work anymore he’ll do something
about the race – how can we get the best performance you’re looking at different the next lap. But if, let’s say, he starts forcing the
without burning the tyre? the data. It’s much bike more with his body because it’s not turning the way it
easier when it
‘Between races I spend a couple of days analysing what comes to cars was before, you can’t always see that in the data.
we’ve done, what we’ve learned and what we could’ve done ‘Sometimes I don’t like to watch the TV, especially in
better. Then I spend a couple of days starting to think about qualifying, because the risks Pol takes to do what he does are
the next race – what happened last year and what happened unbelievable. People don’t appreciate that the guy in P1 isn’t
the year before.’ necessarily the guy taking the most risks.
Although Anderson’s job is about data, it’s also about ‘I have huge respect for the riders, especially Pol. He’s so
building a relationship with the rider. motivated and so focused. Whether we’re fighting for 15th or
‘I really like working with Pol and I understand more and the top ten, every session he’s 100 percent. I love my job, can’t
more when he explains his feelings. Sometimes he doesn’t imagine doing anything else!’
explain things in words – he does it with his arms and with MotoGP is back on track, and on your television, at the
noises, which means I need to look for this or that. One of first preseason tests at Sepang, Malaysia, 7-9 February. The
the biggest parts of this job is to translate what the rider feels 2020 MotoGP championship gets underway in Qatar on
and what he says into what you see in the data. This is one of 8 March.
the most challenging things.’
The complexity and mystery of motorcycle racing can be
as frustrating as it is fascinating for Anderson. NEXT Next month Oxley meets
‘It’s not easy from the engineering side. We can make a Jake Dixon, BSB race
change to the bike, but comparing the data between two issuE winner turned Moto2 rider


76

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77

First Ride



Green
frames?
Who knew
that was a
Your
good idea?







flexible








friend?








Kawasaki’s revamped Z900 lives in the shadow of supernakeds, but it’s really a bit special


By Michael Neeves Photography Double Red, Ula Serra







awasaki are the kings of the fast past the still-annoying jolt and you go ahead and
engine. Think supercharged H2, crack the throttle (and close it again) at low speed,
K multiple WSB winning ZX-10R and it’s never short of thick, wheelie-inducing thrust
the screaming ZX-6R. Of course fastness doesn’t just from the depths of its rev range right through to its
apply to bikes with fairings, top drawer super nakeds 10,500rpm redline.
such as the Aprilia Tuono, KTM Super Duke, BMW Low-geared for maximum drama out of corners
S1000R and the wing’d Ducati Streetfighter are and spewing pure anger through its airbox and
crammed with big bhps and dripping in cutting edge More colour, exhaust, the Z900’s 948cc lump still manages to be
electronics. They also cost plenty. more TFT your flexible friend at normal speeds with a clutch
Which is where ‘middleweight’ nakeds such and gearbox that are so light you almost forgive the
as Triumph’s Street Triple, Yamaha’s MT-09 and SPECIFICATIONS lack of a quickshifter. Almost.
Kawasaki’s latest Z900 come in – although they’re Like the Z1-inspired Z900RS the Z900 now comes
hardly mid-weight, power or capacity, these days. Price £8899 Engine 948cc, liquid- with electronic rider aids: two power maps, four-
What these bikes lack in looney power they make up cooled, 16v inline four Power 124bhp stage traction control and power modes. The thing
for in their rapidity, playfulness and how they make Torque 73 lb.ft Top speed 145mph is you quickly realise you don’t need a soft map with
(est) Rake/trail 24.9˚/110mm
sense in the pot-holed real world. They’re easier to Wheelbase 1455mm Kerb weight 55% less power and lots of TC in your life. So, simply
manage and comfortably less than ten grand too. Or 210kg Seat height 820mm Tank size slot the Z900 into Sport mode and leave it there. For
little more than a hundred PCPs a month. 17 litres Economy n/a Colours Grey, the rest of time.
With their charismatic three-cylinder engines and green, white, black Availability Few Japanese nakeds nail it in the chassis
edgy design, the Street Triple and MT-09 have been December 2019 department quite like the Z900 manages to. Most,
the popular choice, but since the Z900 morphed like the new Katana, Honda CB1000R, MT-10 or
Bike verdict As capable as a super
from the Z800 in 2017 (and the Z750 before that), even Kawasaki’s own Z1000, are too stiff, high
naked in the real world, at half the
it’s flourished into something special. This twisted, and harsh at the front and soft at the rear. They
price. The new dash and electronics
‘Sugomi’-styled Kawasaki is smoother than its rivals, understeer, sap confidence in the wet and pogo so
add an extra sparkle, but tyres and low
more powerful and handles exceptionally well, speed fuelling could be better. much harder under hard acceleration that you need
despite what appears to be low-rent brakes and semi- Bike rating 8/10 to drag the back brake to calm them down.
adjustable suspension. Meanwhile the Z900 has the natural, playful
Refreshed for 2020, the Z900 gets a new multi- balance of a European super naked with a spacious,
function colour TFT dash, remodelled headlight and At the fighty riding position to match. Forks and rear shock
tank surrounds, a new bellypan, LEDs all-round and controls are well controlled, steering is never a fist fight and
new Dunlop Roadsport 2 tyres. Suspension, brakes even with ABS, the brakes are gloriously unhindered
and chassis remain the same (other than a beefed-up by fussy electronics the front lever span is too far
swingarm pivot) and updates to the sleeved-down away mind.
124bhp Z1000 engine have been limited to Euro5 The one thing you do have to look out for are the
mapping and exhaust tweaks. new Dunlops, which lack grip at both ends when
Not what you would call ground-breaking you push on, and even after a hard ride they struggle
changes, but in truth the Z900 didn’t need much of to get even lukewarm. They’re safe enough, but the
a leg-up. You see, the Z900’s four-cylinder motor is Z900 would shine on better rubber. What price that
one of Kawasaki’s finest road recipes; once you get Ducati Streetfighter now?


78

All you’ll ever need
from a naked, no
more and no less










































































































‘The Z900 has the

natural, playful balance

of a European super naked


with a spacious, fighty

riding position to match’

[ ]

Inside



MV Agusta









museum










MV Agusta motorcycles won
37 World Championships, but

they’re beautiful too. A collection
of their bikes (and helicopters

and hovercrafts) is as much

art gallery as it is museum

By: Phil Aynsley



















































80

81

»500cc winners
Two of the 500cc
GP bikes on display.
On the left is a
1973 triple. Alberto
Pagani scored the
500/3’s final victory
at Austria (not a GP)
in September 1973.
Agostini had won the
bike’s first at Modena
in 1966. On the right
is a 1965 four of the
type used by Mike
Hailwood to win that
year’s World title. MV
reverted to a four-
cylinder 500 for 1974.





Name calling
Meccanica Verghera
Agusta introduced
their first motorcycle ‘The name MV
a
‘
m
V
T
e n

e M
h
in 1945 – the Vespa.
They changed the
Agusta rarely brings
model name when A g u s t a r a r e l y b r i n g s
they discovered
d b
t
u
e
s t
o m
r
n
i
c
t

s
o
o
Piaggio had scooters to mind but
registered it. About
1700 of this basic they produced tens

u
ed t
c
e
h
n
e
y p
s
o
d
r
t
98cc 2-stroke single
were produced up
’
s
hou
s
a
t
o
f

nd
until 1948. of thousands’










MV didn’t make scooters, did they?
The name MV Agusta rarely brings scooters to mind but they produced tens of
thousands from 1949 till 1964. From L to R: 1949 125 Tipo A, 1952 125 CSL, 1954
125 CGT and 1955 125 Pullman prototype. The defining feature of most of MV’s
scooters is their exposed engines, however their final model, the 150 Chicco, did
use an enclosing pressed steel monocoque chassis and a bespoke engine.

82
82

Inside

Racing history
R ac i n g h i s t or y
M V ’ s 3 7 w o r l d c h a m p i o n s h i p s c a m e a c r o s s t h e 1 2 5 , 2 5 0 , 3 5 0 a n d
MV’s 37 world championships came across the 125, 250, 350 and
n t
a
s a 1
c c
c
a
s
. T
o
e
h
h
l
e l
a
e m
t i
s
f
r w
9
s
5
r
s
o
5
500cc classes. On the left is a 1956 250 Corsa. The motor was
e
o
0 C
0
. O
6 2
t
5
0
s
2
o 1
c
c s
5
o
t w
s
e
h
m
e
g
o
e
t
d t
e
l
e
g
i
n
i
a
r
s s
. I
o W
y t
i
a
d
s
l
l
r
a
l
c
o
w
n t
w
basically two 125cc singles siamesed together. It won two World
b
Championships, in 1956 and 1958. In 1965, when their 125 four-
C h a m p i o n s h i p s , i n 1 9 5 6 a n d 1 9 5 8 . I n 1 9 6 5 , w h e n t h e i r 1 2 5 f o u r -
s t r o k e s h a d b e c o m e u n c o m p e t i t i v e , M V e x p e r i m e n t e d w i t h a n
strokes had become uncompetitive, MV experimented with an
a
a
e w
d d
e
n
c
l
a
s
o
-
d
advanced 125cc two-stroke water-cooled disc-valve single (far
a
c
r
e
i
t
v
r
o
o
g
w
d 1
s
l
a
-
n
5
v
2
e s
l
c t
c
i
r
v
f
k
o
-
e (
c
e
t
o
e
d f
a
n
p
e
t d
r
e
s
a
c b
r
r
k
t
i
.
v
e
r r
h
t i
t n
e
e t
o
; n
d
t
a
c
e
e c
l
b
g
r right) but it never raced; note the cable operated front disc brake.
i
e o
) b
u
a
h
t
s 3
d

7 wo
r
l
‘
M
V
‘MV’s 37 world
’
p
a
p
h
i
h

c
a
m
m
s
e

ion
c
s
championships came
, 2
o
5
h
across the 125, 250, 350
0

0
r
a
, 3
5
2
e 1
s
5
c
s t
and 500cc classes…’
a n d 5 0 0 c c c l a s s es … ’
Inside story
This is a cutaway
of a 1975 750S
America motor. It’s
a slightly modified
version of the 1972
750 Sport (which in
turn was based on
the 600 Four). The
bore was increased
by 2mm giving a
789cc capacity,
compression was
increased, and
reworked heads
housed larger
valves but milder
cams. 26mm VHB
Dell’Orto carbs
replaced the earlier
UB 24mm units to
help produce 75bhp
at 8500rpm.
84

Inside


























































Just one appearance Four cylinder road bikes
The 500/6 made just one racing appearance and that The R19 500 (left) was shown at the 1950 Milan Show,
was at the 1958 Nations GP, Monza. Rider John Hartle but just one prototype was built. Many of the GP bike’s
was forced to retire on lap 19 of 35 with a broken features were retained including the double swingarm
con-rod. The bike had been ridden in practice at the and shaft drive. MV claimed 40bhp at 8000rpm and a
previous year’s event and was seen for a final time, 111mph top speed. The 1965 600 was the first MV four
again in practice, at the 1959 event. The two-valve on public sale, three years ahead of Honda’s across the
motor made 75bhp at a fizzing 15,000rpm. frame four, but only 127 were made.
























































85
85

Inside







350 Bicilindrica Corsa
This 350 prototype of 1957 used a multitube spaceframe style chassis powered
by a dohc two-cylinder engine loosely based on a proposed 300 road bike. The
road bike used high-camshaft/short pushrod valvegear while the racer had gear-
driven dohc, but it wasn’t powerful enough to replace the existing 350 race bikes.

















































Basically…
While MV are almost
totally known for their
n
t
w
t
f
h
a
i
e
t
o
o
t
r
e
r
a
a
o
m
l
V
n
o
s
k
M
‘
y
l

P
G

l

r
GP bikes and exotic four ‘MV are almost totally known for their GP
cylinder road machines
the fact is it was MV’s
n
i
c f
e
d
d e
n
o
x
a
l
i
t
y
r b
k
o
’
es
…
u
r c
i
more basic machines that and exotic four cylinder bikes…’
made up the vast number
of the bikes they sold.
MVs were even built under
licence in Spain for many,
many years.
Not just bikes, two
Welcome to curiosity
corner. The 4-wheel
Vetturetta prototype
from 1951 was powered
by a 350cc four-stroke
motor. The 1969 Overcraft
(hovercraft) prototype
used a 300cc two-stroke
motor. At the back is one
of the 50 1962 Motozappa
188 70cc tiling machines
produced.
Go!
The MV Agusta
T h e M V A g u s t a
M u s eum i s l o c a t e d
Museum is located
s
c
i
a
in Cascina Costa di
i
n C
t
a d
i
s
n
a C
o
f M
W o
a
r
, N
e
a
t
i
a
Samarate, NW of Milan.
S
n
m
l
.
a
museoagusta.it
m
us
a
t
.
t
i
o
e
a
us
g
86

WI
WIN






















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A ride with...
Mark
















Wells
















A day’s riding in Southern India, dodging cows and crowds,
with Royal Enfield’s design boss reveals how heritage and

a huge domestic market shapes the future of one of the
world’s biggest motorcycle manufacturers…


By Jordan Gibbons Photography Amy Shore












































First bike: Kawasaki AR50.
Favourite bike: Yamaha R7 or Manx Norton.
First bike designed: I’ve been drawing the
bikes I wish existed since I was a lad.
Hardest bike to design: The ones that
don’t make it into people’s sheds.
Proudest moment: The Classic, the
Interceptor. It’s hard to say.



88

Mark Wells loving life
with Royal Enfield, in
India: ‘for me, Royal
Enfield are the brand with
the biggest potential in
motorcycling today’



89

A Ride with...










































e’re in Goa, southern
India for Rider Mania
– a festival visited last
year by more than 8000 riders, where everyone turns up on a
Royal Enfield motorcycle. RE’s design overlord Mark Wells is
here to meet a portion of the world’s most passionate Enfield
owners and enthusiasts and to do some face-to-face market
research. He’s not saying whether or not he’s entering the
scheduled slow race and arm wrestling competitions…
‘Ever since I was a kid I wanted to draw cars and
motorbikes,’ says Wells. ‘So I studied automotive design at
university. Then some friends and I decided, naively, to set
up a design business. I mean, why wouldn’t you? We got work
here and there until Royal Enfield reached out. This was
2005. I grew up around bikes, my dad and grandad had them.
I’ve still got his 1958 Velocette Venom, so for me the idea of
working with an old British brand was, and is, exciting.’
Mark’s a regular visitor to India (RE’s home patch), where
he goes to plan new models, meet with engineers and check
on production progress; it’s fair to say he’s got lots of riding
experience here. Which is fortunate because he’s agreed to
take me for a spin around Goa. Mark’s in a full-face helmet, Let us not forget,
vented armoured jacket and gloves, the locals are all about the lane discipline is key
flip-flops and shorts. I’m guessing they’re not CE approved.
Nothing you read, hear or watch can prepare you for riding One of these
India: the roads are terrible; the riding standards are awful men has just
run out of
and the volume of traffic suffocating. The most used control patience,
on any bike round here is the horn. If you see a cow, blow the the other is a
horn. If you see another rider, blow the horn. If you want to journalist
tackle an overtake, blow…
Within seconds of setting off, me on a 650 Interceptor
Mark on a 350 Trials Works Replica, we swing round a corner
and are confronted by two significant lorries and they are
mid-overtake. The road is not wide. I fire the Interceptor into
the gutter hoping for the best. Somehow we both survive and
head for the beach for a nice sit down.
‘When RE came calling they wanted to build a new bike,
a variant of the Bullet,’ Mark says. ‘We came up with lots of
ideas that eventually led to the Classic 500, unveiled in 2008
with almost no fanfare. But the thing sold in droves.’
When you ride in India it’s easy to see why Enfield are so
successful, but also why the 350 Trials Works Replica hasn’t
caught on here – a bike with just one seat doesn’t cut it in a
market that demands multi-function practicality.


90

r
a
f
r
e
e l
d
h
s o
e a

o
T
‘ ‘ T h e r e a r e l o a d s o f
‘There are loads of
z
i
k
es o
a

m
a a m a z i n g b i k es o u t
g b
amazing bikes out
n
i
u
t
t t
u
there but they are out
h
e
e b
r
t t h e r e b u t t h e y a r e o u t
u
e o
e
y a
t

r
h
s
o
o
s
t


f t
f t
t
c
c
h o
e
a
a
e
f m
h
h
f m
h o
e r
e r
o o
of the reach of most
p

y
ec
l
p
e
l
l
eo
p p eo p l e , es p ec i a l l y
i
a
, es
people, especially
n
o
t
u t
i
h
bo
u
e
when you think about
n y
w w h e n y o u t h i n k a bo u t
k a
h

’
b
o
l
g
it globally’
y

l
a
it it g l o b a l l y ’
l
In In d i a R o y al
In India Royal
E n f ie l d a r e n ’ t
Enfield aren’t
not
a
he
r
t

j just another
u
s
mot o r c y c le
motorcycle
m a nu f a c tu r e r ,
manufacturer,
e
h
t they are a way
r
e a w
y
a
y a
e
e
pl
y
of
li

of life deeply
fe

d
embedded in

ed
n
i
d
m
e
ed
b
c
o
y
iet
s
the society
t

he
91

A Ride with...








In the UK Enfields are considered simple, unfussy but slow. be glamorous. It feels like a family thing and it just burrows
Although the recent Interceptor is busying itself changing into people’s psyches.’
perceptions. In India Enfields are considered easy to maintain Back on the bikes we continue along dusty roads under
and are among the fastest things on the road, with the a relentless sun. We dodge more cows and lorries before
exception of mid-overtake HGVs. Riding an Interceptor here stopping at a roadside café for snacks. No sooner have we
is like riding a Panigale V4S in the UK – it’s a superbike on a sat down do we spot a distraction in an adjacent yard – a
go-kart track. custom shop called Heavy Metal Royal Enfield (HMRE). They
Another turning point for Wells and Enfield came in 2010. specialise in choppers, fully raked, Swedish style with 12-inch
‘We did more work including a few variants such as a trials over forks and serious attitude. Right up Mark’s alley.
bike, a flat tracker and a café racer,’ says Wells. ‘The café racer HMRE are proud of what they do, and happy to show their
caught someone’s attention, so they asked us to do something bikes to us. They don’t recognise Mark when they start to
with it. We weren’t chassis designers, so we suggested Harris deconstruct RE’s current output and what they’d change
make the frame. The 535 Continental GT came out of it. about the bikes. Mark let’s slip he likes the tank shape because
‘Then in 2014 I got a call from Sidartha Lal – the then it was sort of his idea. HMRE’s penny drops, out come the
CEO of RE. He said, “Look the brand is going great guns phones, pictures are shared and our food goes cold.
and we want a global perspective. Come work for us”. It’s the It then emerges HMRE have never ridden the new 650s.
best decision I’ve ever made. At RE I have a strong voice and Fractions of a second later my keys are gone along with one
influence on where we’re going, and if I have to I can say, “this half of HMRE, the steady rumble of the twin disappearing
is the wrong thing to do”. up the road. Although it’s clear the guys love Enfields, it’s also
‘For me, Royal Enfield are the brand with the biggest clear they could never afford to buy a Harley or Triumph and
potential in motorcycling today. In India they are like Coca chop it up.
Cola. Everyone knows about the bikes, even if they don’t like ‘There are loads of amazing bikes out there but they are out
bikes. And people who have them are diehard faithfuls. I did If you’ve almost of the reach of most people, especially when you think about
just been
a research piece once where I asked owners about Enfield’s scattered to the it globally,’ says Mark. ‘But Royal Enfields are within the reach
reliability issues. They were affronted by the suggestion that four winds by an of almost everyone, and that’s where the potential lies. We
Enfields might not be 100% reliable, to the point of fisticuffs. approaching HGV can make a bike that has more soul and life than a typical
They love the brand that much. And how many brands on the wrong side commuter machine and still be affordable.
of the road this is
benefit from this level of fervour? I think the reason this a good place to ‘When you design bikes the way we do it’s about volume.
passion has come about is because RE have never aspired to recoup The cost of designing, tooling and testing a fuel tank is



‘Producing bikes that are cheaper is the

democratisation of motorcycling and it’s what I live for’
























































92

Single seat
350 Trials
Works
replica: not
a favourite
on the Indian
market









































Heavy Metal Royal Enfield,
happy to offer Mark their input
on the styling of new models


A butterfly
flaps its wings
in India and
a bloke in
Huddersfield
buys a new
Royal Enfield








































Peace,
quiet, the
sun glinting
through
trees…



93

A Ride with...










around £300,000. If you’re only going to sell 5000 of those
bikes you need to worry about whether you’re going to get
that invested money back. At Royal Enfield, because we’re
knocking on the door of one million bikes built a year, we’re
wearing tools out in a few months. So our tooling cost per
unit becomes much less of an issue, which gives us more
freedom to do interesting things.
‘With the twins we’ve built bikes that are as good as, if not
better than, bikes costing significantly more. But producing
bikes that are cheaper is better, it’s the democratisation of
motorcycling and it’s what I live for.
‘I earn a decent wage but despite this I look at many
of today’s current bikes and I just think “I can’t imagine
spending that amount of money on a motorcycle”. I think
this situation has made people too precious about their bikes.
They don’t want to use them as transport.
‘Accessibility isn’t just about price. Bikes should be easy to
get on, easy to ride, simple to maintain and live with. That’s
why the Himalayan struck a chord as it’s one of the first
adventure bikes that’s not intimidating.’
The light’s starting to fade rather quickly so we dive off
back to Goa passing scores of riders returning from their daily
endeavours. Some are solo, some are carrying shopping while
others seem to be transporting their entire family, hopefully
somewhere nice.
Back at the Rider Mania site, beer in hand, Wells looks
back at his 15 years working with Enfield and there’s much to
be proud of. And much still left to achieve. ‘We still talk about
ourselves as little old Royal Enfield but when you look at it,
we’re already outselling all of the brands I would consider
big players. And that’s put together. But we still have some
distance to go before we are considered to be on par with
some other manufacturers. Least ways outside India. But we
believe there’s nothing we can’t do and I don’t see any reason
why in the coming years we couldn’t do a Panigale rival. I’m
(Right) Yes, not saying we should, but there’s no reason we couldn’t. The
RE are known world is our oyster right now and if I can be part of that, it
for their bare
bones traditional would be a huge.’
approach, but Even after a beer Mark is tight lipped about what’s coming
there is nothing next, but it seems likely there’s a new Bullet in the works, as
stopping them well as a fancier Himalayan with more power and more posh
from building a
Panigale rival. bits. We’ll probably have to wait a bit longer for that Panigale
Really… rival.




Royal Enfield factoids


» Founded in 1901
» Moved to India 1955
» Staff in UK tech centre: 130
» Head gasket tolerance: 3 microns
» Latest factory: Vallam Vadagal, 2017
» Production capacity 2004: 18,000
» Production capacity 2020: 1.2 million
» One bike rolls off the production line every 45 seconds
» Time taken to produce first 1000 350 singles: 25 days
» Time taken to produce next 100,000 350 singles: four months
» Time taken to produce next 100,000 350 singles: two months
» 99.7% of bikes make it the length of the production line issue free







94

‘We still talk about


ourselves as little old

Royal Enfield but we’re


outselling all of the

brands I would consider


big players’
































































































95

The


Big








test




Miles ridden: 14,320 Riders: Dan
Sutherland, John Westlake
Tyres tried: Bridgestone,
Dunlop, Avon, Vredestein
Crashes: None













k


a
s
a
K
Kawasaki
i
w
a
Versys 1000
Versys 1000









y B
e t
t
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It’s a tech-laden alternative to the mighty BMW GS, but how does
s
t
e
s a t
’
h
i
e m
o t
h
g
i t s t a c k u p a f t e r 1 4 , 0 0 0 m i l e s o f e v e r y p o s s i b l e u se ?
it stack up after 14,000 miles of every possible use?
By Dan Sutherland Photography Joe Dick and Adam Shorrock
B y D an S u t h e r l an d Ph ot o g r a p h y J o e D i c k a n d A d a m S h o r r o c k
T T 0 e 0 ’ s a t o uc h of A n n d y M u r r r a a y a h b e S t t h t e V e r s y s
e
o
u
ere’s a touch of Andy Murray about the Versys
r
n a
i
m
s
o
l
h
. I
e
0
y ot
c
r e
, t
s
ot
000. In almost any other era, the Scottish
t a
h
T T T T T miserablist would have been a megastar, miserablist would have been a megastar,
dominating tennis like a colossus. As it was, he kept getting
d o m i n a t i n g t e n n i s l i k e a c ol o s s u s . A s i t w a s , h e k e pt g e t t i n g
l a
y F
n
d
n
n
a
d
d
a
e
e ot
i
d t
d t
o h
e
e
r o
s a
h
m b
e
.
i
e
e h
r
r
, N
r
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h
his arse handed to him by Federer, Nadal and the other one.
s
e
a
e
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w V
h
e
a
n t
h
h t
d
ol
i
n
s
i
o i
t
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r
n i
i
. R
t
s w
s
A
y
s
And so it is with the new Versys. Ridden in isolation on the
e
o
t i
d s
n o
n i
e
t
or
t w
s f
t – i
a
y 2
)
e
a
d i
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0
bl
ov
9
, w
a
a
l launch (Bike, May 2019), we loved it – it was fast, comfortable,
m
, M
B
f
s
t
u
, c
n
e
ik
o
e
,
c
h (
a
d a
n
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s
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ph
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s
s
d w
n
i
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t e
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a
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d bl
m
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t
s
sophisticated and blessed with the smoothest engine this
s
n
t
e s
ot
t
h
h t
e
o
g
i
e
g
r e
t s
n a
e w
h
e
. I
a
r
side of a flat six Goldwing. In any other era – one where the
s
e
y ot
e t
d
h
e
w
x G
h
ol
d
i
r
i
i
n
e of a fl
n
a – on
e
r
t
i
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r
t
k
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n
i
d w
t
h f
n
l
u
a
v
l
a
k
l
a
s
n
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t w
d
e
h
i
s
r
k
a
adventure market wasn’t packed with freakishly brilliant
y b
t p
a
e
r
c
a
’
c o m p e t i t i o n – w e ’ d a l l r i d e V e r s y s 1 0 0 0 s a n d l i v e h a p pi l y e v e r
competition – we’d all ride Versys 1000s and live happily ever
after. But test ride the R1250GS, Multistrada 1260, Triumph
a f t e r . B u t t e s t r i d e t h e R 1 2 5 0 G S , M u l t i s t r a d a 1 2 6 0 , T r i u m ph
T i g e r 1 2 0 0 o r S 1 0 0 0 X R a n d t h e V e r s y s s u d d e n l y f e e l s l e s s of
Tiger 1200 or S1000XR and the Versys suddenly feels less of
s
n
i
. H
ow
t
g
d
v
e
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t
n
a
e
t n
o
u
d
l
d
o
a
e
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-
b
, b
e
r
t
a world-beater – very good, but not outstanding. However, a
a w
y g
ot o
, a
r
r
o
e
r
l
n
u
r t
c
e
r l
o
a
t
e
n
i
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l
fleeting ride or launch assessment can never tell the full story.
u
fl
g r
l t
d
l s
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y
.
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h
i
h a
v
s
e
n n
n
m
e
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s
s
s
t
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e
a
e
Some bikes take longer to seduce you and show their worth.
o
S
o
e
u a
n
h
s t
e
r
e b
r w
e y
m
i
i
k
d
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k
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o s
a
e
ow t
on
h
r t
e l
h
.
d s
g
a
g
e
, t
o
l
a
So can 14,000 miles of commuting, touring and scratching
o c
S
c
s of c
i
t
g a
n
g
h
,
m
i
n
c
m
r
0
0
d s
0 m
u
t
i
n 1
i
n
u
o
4
r
n
r i
e
n
d
r
s
e V
e
s m
or
y
s i
ov
e t
prove that the Versys is more than just a worthy contender in
pr
t t
h
h
a
e t
t a w
n
u
s
o
r
o
t
e
h
n
h
a
n j
t
y c
e
h
t the adventure grand slam?
e a
v
d
n
l
d s
n
?
m
a
r
u
t
a
r
e g
96

The Big Test































































































































97

The Big Test













































































Engine and transmission Quite correct, quickshifter and autoblipper and the slipper clutch has a
The Z1000-derived 1043cc inline four is a lovely engine to the Versys 1000 lever action so light you can easily trickle through towns
doesn’t win
pile miles on. Like the Z1000, it has two balancer shafts adventure tourer without your forearm aching. The new ride-by-wire throttle
that make the motor deliciously smooth, ridding it of those Top Trumps, but and electronic throttle valves (which mean Kawasaki could
niggling vibes that only become annoying after hours on the in isolation it has fit cruise control) give a jerk-free throttle response.
motorway. Get on a twin – even the mind-bogglingly slick all the power you’ll The motor has been reliable over 14,000 miles, drinking
ever need
GS and Multistrada – after riding the Versys and they feel no oil or coolant between its 7500 mile service intervals.
coarse and uncultured. However, our quickshifter caused problems – refusing to
Producing a modest-by-today’s-standards 118bhp, the change into either third or fifth anywhere above 6000rpm.
Versys doesn’t follow the superbike-on-stilts recipe of the Initially a small issue, it became a frustrating daily
BMW S1000XR (160bhp) or Multistrada 1260 (158bhp) and is occurrence and it was returned to Kawasaki for a month of
a fair way off the R1250GS (134bhp). However, near the top fettling. Although no cause was ever officially confirmed,
of the tacho there’s an impressive rush, soundtracked by a they replaced a couple of gears, along with the quickshifter
throaty induction growl that reminds me of my 2003 ZX-6R. and sensor, which sorted the problem.
If you’re in the mood, the Versys will happily lead you astray. Our test bike was also victim to a stone through the
But most riders will spend their lives in the velvety radiator, which is left exposed thanks to a basking-shark-
midrange, which will whisk you up to cruising speed with like mouth between the base of the nose fairing and front
no apparent effort – even two-up, with luggage. Bike’s mudguard. Replacing the unit at an official Kawasaki
contributing editor John Westlake agrees: ‘Compared dealership cost an eye-watering £755.20. To rub further salt
with a GS or Multistrada, the Versys feels a bit tame in into the wounds, it could have been avoided by installing an
the midrange. There’s none of that angry hard-edged optional Kawasaki cover for just £79.95.
acceleration that takes GSX-R riders by surprise. It’s not
weak, just a bit more reserved. The top-end is a whooshing Handling and ride
delight though and it’s beautifully smooth at all revs.’ Don’t think for a second that just because power isn’t on par
Progression up and down the ’box is provided by a with the rest of the premium adventure tourers currently


98

LIVING WITH...



Donington trackday
º Despite its gargantuan size, it
was more than happy to outshine
some sportsbikes in the inters
group. However, struggled for
ground clearance when really
licking on. Dunlop SportSmart
Mk3s worked a treat.

p
‘ ‘ ‘ N ea r t h e t o p MCN Festival
‘Near the top

h
p
ea
r t
r t
N
N
ea

o
o
e t
h
e t
º Kawasaki’s full luggage
f
f


o
o
of the tacho
o o o f t h e ta c h o system swallowed everything I
c
h
c
e ta
e ta
h
h
t
h
t
needed for a weekend camping
r
r
e
e
there’s an
th th th e r e ’ s an and adjusting the suspension
e
e
an


an
’
’
s
s
was a doddle. The extra weight
r
r
sh
sh
m
m
,
u
u
impressive rush,
essive r
essive r
i i i m p r essive r u sh , did make the front feel flighty,
p
,
p


effortlessly lifting over crests.
ed
ed
d
d
c
t
k
t
c
k
ra
ra

u

n
so so so u n d t ra c k ed All aboard
n
u
soundtracked
t
ro
t
a

by a t h ro a t y º Electronically adjustable
by a t
h
h
by a t
by a throaty
a

y
ro
y
preload makes the Versys
g
g

l
l
duc
duc

.
ow
r
.
n
n
ion
ion
r
induction growl.
ow
t
i i i n duc t ion g r ow l . a pillion’s friend. The extra
t
poundage is dealt with at the
f
h
h
n
n
f
f
n
e
u
u
’
’
e
u
yo
yo
yo
e
If you’re in the click of a button saving me time
I I I
’

t
t


t
re i
re i
re i
h
while not buggering up that
rs
e
rs
e
mood, the Versys
y
m m m ood , t h e V e rs y s lovely handling.
h
h
ood
ood
s
, t
, t
s
e V
y
e V


d
a
d
e
e
a
a
d
e
h
h
ill
h
a
a
a



will happily lead Long days
ill
ill
w w w
p
y
y
il
y
l
l
l
p
p
p
p
il
il
p
º The Versys is a fantastic
u a
u a
s
s
yo
yo u a s t r ay ’ workhorse, taking hefty stints
yo
you astray’
ay
ay
’
’
t
t
r
r
in its stride. Smooth motorway
riding will return a 200-mile
range, with the well-padded seat
and screen allowing you to cover
the distance without issue.
BUYING USED
doing the rounds, that the Versys can’t handle itself when the
going gets twisty. If you’re looking for something to keep up 2012 Kawasaki Versys 1000
with your sportsbike-riding mates down backroads, the Versys
£3799
has got you covered.
º 2012-2015s can be snapped
With wide bars, grippy Bridgestones as standard and over a
up for less than four grand.
quarter-of-a-tonne shoving its semi-active suspension into the Despite lacking the latest mod-
tarmac, the Kawasaki feels incredibly planted mid-corner. My cons expect good low-mileage
background is sportsbikes and after the first ride on the Versys examples to come with luggage,
I was left staggered at how well it handled. I assumed it would fruity pipes and more.
handle like a big splodgy tourer, but in Sport mode it’s anything
but. There’s ample ground clearance for road riding – I managed 2015 Kawasaki Versys 1000
£5795
an indicated 49-degrees of lean. Not that I have mentioned that
º The second-gen got more
much down the local pub.
aerodynamic styling and a
The handling got even better when I swapped the standard
2bhp increase in power. Higher
Bridgestone T31s after around 5500 miles and fitted some
mileage examples (around 25K)
Dunlop SportSmart Mk3s. With a sportier profile, they are available for sub-six grand
produced more responsive steering and greater confidence with extras such as luggage.
in the front without compromising ride quality. They lasted
2019 Kawasaki Versys 1000
5200 miles, which included a trackday at Donington Park.
SE £11,999
The chunky SE and I had a superb time, diving up the inside
º Buying a pre-reg ‘19-plate
of litre sportsbikes on the run into the Melbourne Hairpin
Versys 1000 SE with just
thanks to superb brakes, before trying to beat my lean angle
718 miles on the clock could
record. Obviously it wasn’t the fastest thing out there, but it
save you a whopping £2400.
was certainly one of the most fun. Perhaps connected with this Impressive deals are also
foray, the front pads needed replacing after just 7500 miles. available for the standard bike.
99
99

The Big Test








Electronics
Being the SE model, our bike has every electronic frippery
Kawasaki could throw at it. Electronic semi-active suspension,
three riding modes, traction control, up and down
quickshifter, cornering lights. You also get conventional and
cornering ABS, made possible by an Inertial Measurement
Unit (IMU). All of it works well, with only the snatchiest panic-
grab of the front lever generating any noticeable intrusion.
Otherwise, you wouldn’t know it was there – even on track.
The semi-active Showa forks and shock come from the
Kawasaki ZX-10R SE, and are tweaked for touring work. They
adjust their damping every millisecond and give a sublime
ride over poor surfaces. Preload can also be adjusted while
stationary, which is handy for taking pillions and luggage.
Oddly, the suspension occasionally got momentarily stuck
between preload adjustments, flashing for around 30 seconds
like a confused Christmas tree before deciding to change.
‘The semi-active suspension feels like it did at the launch
– bloody good,’ says John. ‘It’s frisky without ever becoming
harsh in Sport mode. Unless the roads are freezing and you
want more traction control reassurance, I’d never bother with
‘Road’ or ‘Rain’ mode. If the roads are good, you will end up
riding like your trousers are on fire though.’
I ended up leaving the bike in ‘Sport’ mode all summer.
It has the most aggressive throttle map, slightly firmer
suspension (but still very comfortable) and the least
involvement from the traction control. As the roads got colder
I moved to the ‘Road’ setting, with the softer damping and
reduced welly giving more reassurance. For me, rear preload at
‘+2’ out of a potential ‘-5’ to ‘+5’ was most comfortable.

Controls and comfort
Swapping modes, as well as setting your cruise control, is
fine in the daytime but is a proper pain at night because the
switchgear has no backlighting. The buttons are also tightly
packed together, making it easy to mash multiple ones at once
in thick winter gloves. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve gone to
lower my speed on the cruise control and hit the hazards.
Riding modes can also be configured through Kawasaki’s
‘Rideology’ app. However, dialling in your preferred set-up
through the dash takes 30 seconds at a standstill so why
bother with yet another app on your smartphone?
Helping you to navigate the Versys’ options is a TFT display,
which shows your key information in two coloured designs.
I preferred option two, which provides a lean angle sensor
alongside a throttle and braking application indicator – all of
which appeal to my PlayStation-generation upbringing.
Comfort is excellent thanks to a well-padded pillion and
rider’s seat and the sophisticated suspension. A tall screen,
chunky handguards and a wide flat tank hides you from the
elements – they also hid me from two suicidal pigeons in
one week without so much as a scratch to the front end. The
pigeons’ front ends were, alas, beyond repair.
‘Comfort is the Versys’ trump card,’ agrees John. ‘Massive
comfy saddle, great screen (on lowest setting – the high one is
too noisy for me), silky engine, high sixth gear… the miles just
waft by. If you are going to do significant miles, there are few
better bikes.’
As ever, great weather protection can turn a bike into a
barbecue on hotter days, and so it was with the Versys. In high
summer, I resorted to riding home standing on the pegs with
my visor open.


100