2009 March MOTORCYCLES
$6490 to $6690
Engine type: sohc V-Twin
Displacement: 649cc
Carburetion: (2) 28mm Mikuni
Transmission speeds: 5
Final drive: shaft
Front brake: disc
Rear brake: drum
Wheelbase: 64.0 In.
Seat height: 27.9 in.
Fuel capacity: 4.2 gal.
Claimed wet weight: 544 lb.
This 650-class model earns its “Classic” status by virtue of retro styling that features deeply valanced steel fenders front and rear, fat tires and spoked rims. The floorboards, heel/toe shifter, oversized headlight and chromed fork shrouds only add to the effect. Like the Custom version, the Classic benefits from an easy-to-ride, midrange-weighted powerband- maximum torque is achieved at just 3000 rpm-and a wide-ratio, five-speed gearbox. Low-maintenance shaft final drive provides quiet and clean performance.
$6390/6290
Engine type: sohc V-Twin
Displacement: 649cc
Carburetion: (2) 28mm Mikuni
Transmission speeds: 5
Final drive: shaft
Front brake: disc
Rear brake: drum
Wheelbase: 63.4 in.
Seat height: 27.4 In.
Fuel capacity: 4.2 gal.
Claimed wet weight: 513 lb.
Lots of cruiser bang for the buck here. In fact, a quick look at the V Star Custom and you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a much bigger bike. It’s got all the right styling cues: engine bay packed full of V-Twin; dual, shotgun-style staggered exhausts; wide, bobtail rear fender; chromed, tank-mounted instrument cluster; 15-inch rear tire and 19-inch front for that requisite fat/skinny stance. The frame helps, too, stretching wheelbase to almost 554 feet. Also available: The V Star Midnight Custom, which is the same bike but with blacked-out pieces in place of most of the chrome items on the standard model.
$3790
Engine type: sohc V-Twin
Displacement: 249cc
Carburetion: 26mm Mikuni
Transmission speeds: 5
Final drive: chain
Front brake: disc
Rear brake: drum
Wheelbase: 58.7 in.
Seat height: 27.0 In.
Fuel capacity: 2.5 gal.
Claimed wet weight: 324 lb.
Though it is the smallest model to carry the Star nameplate, the V Star 250 is a great entry point into the world of cruisers. First, it’s got a V-Twin engine for that archetypal Ameri-cruiser look. Lots of chrome, too, plus a teardrop-shaped fuel tank, a meaty rear tire and a wide rear fender. Light weight and a low seat height are always appreciated by first-timers, and the front disc brake-not a given in this class-brings things to a secure halt. From its overall appearance to its fit and finish, there’s a lot of “big bike” in this beginner’s 250.
$14,490/16,290
Engine type: done Four
Displacement: 1298cc
Carburetion: EFI
Transmission speeds: 5
Final drive: shaft
Front brake: dual disc
Rear brake: disc
Wheelbase: 60.8 in.
Seat height: 31.7-32.5 in.
Fuel capacity: 6.6 gal.
This bike subscribes to the theory that a sport-tourer should first be a sportbike, then a tourer. So you get 145 claimed horsepower and 99 foot-pounds of torque, harnessed by a lightweight, single-shock aluminum frame. Anti-lock brakes are standard equipment. When it’s time to make miles, a height-adjustable saddle, electrically adjustable windscreen and two sizable, securely mounted but quickly detachable saddlebags are at the ready. Also available: The AE model, with an automatic clutch and a transmission that is shifted electrically by foot or by hand, the latter via a thumb/forefinger-operated paddle on the left handlebar.
$12,490
Engine type: dohc Four
Displacement 998cc
Carburetion: EFI
Transmission speeds: 6
Final drive: chain
Front brake: dual disc
Rear brake: disc
Wheelbase: 55.7 in.
Seat height: 32.8 in.
Fuel capacity: 4.8 gal.
As has been the case over the past few years, Yamaha’s latest YZF-R1 repli-racer is bristling with electronics, from its chip-controlled variable intake funnels and “fly-by-wire” throttle system to its variable-map power delivery system that tailors engine output at the touch of a button. But the big news this year is that the engines “crossplane” crankshaft that provides a staggered firing order for the four cylinders, resulting in uneven power pulses that enhance rear-wheel traction during hard acceleration. The aluminum chassis is new and now features a magnesium rear subframe. The fork and shock have been updated, and an electronic steering damper is standard equipment this year.
$9790
Engine type: done Four
Displacement: 998cc
Carburetion: EFI
Transmission speeds: 6
Final drive: chain
Front brake: dual disc
Rear brake: disc
Wheelbase: 57.5 in.
Seat height: 32.1 in.
Fuel capacity: 4.8 gal.
Claimed wet weight: 485 lb.
The streetfighter-style FZ1 is part sportbike, part standard and all ready for action. Its five-valve-per-cylinder engine is from an older-generation YZF-R1 - no slouch, in other words, with 150 claimed hp on tap. But FZ1 s have always been about more than just speed. The bike has a genuine tubular handlebar- once on the endangered species list-mounted in a rational position. The other two parts of the ergonomic trilogy scat and footpeg location-are situated with comfort in mind. Its half-fairing provides good coverage and is filled with a comprehensive instrument array.
$9999 to $10,190
Engine type: done Four
Displacement: 599cc
Carburetion: EFI
Transmission speeds: 6
Final drive: chain
Front brake: dual disc
Rear brake: disc
Wheelbase: 54.3 in.
Seat height: 33.5 in.
Fuel capacity: 4.6 gal.
Last year marked big changes for Yamaha’s middleweight sportbike. The high-revving inline-Four got reduced internal friction, upgraded EFI mapping for the fly-by-wire throttle, and was equipped with Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake variable-length velocity stacks, as introduced on the R1 in 2007. The redesigned frame and swingarm were outfitted with new suspension components, all in an effort to improve handling. For sure, this is a good streetbike but probably the most hard-edged 600 on the market and one of the most satisfying to ride on the racetrack. Raven Black paint brings the lowest price, with multi-color schemes upping the ante.
$8690 to $8790
Engine type: dohc
Four Displacement: 600cc
Carburetion: EFI
Transmission speeds: 6
Final drive: chain
Front brake: dual disc
Rear brake: disc
Wheelbase: 54.3 in.
Seat height: 32.3 In.
Fuel capacity: 4.5 gal.
Claimed wet weight: 410 lb.
Progress is a wonderful thing, but in a headlong rush for race wins and subsequent sales, some very good bikes get tossed away too soon, especially in the hotly contested 600cc sportbike class. Yamaha saw the folly in that, and when its all-new, track-bred YZF-R6 was unwrapped a couple of years ago, the company decided to keep the previous model around for a few more sales seasons. So here we have the R6S, basically the same bike that won the AMA Supersport title in 2003 and was named CWs Best 600 in ‘05. To lower its price tag, a conventional fork was retrofitted along with earlier-model brake calipers. Base price gets you Raven Black, with Blue/White $100 more.
$7290/6990 to $7090
Engine type: done Four
Displacement: 600cc
Carburetion: EFI
Transmission speeds: 6
Final drive: chain
Front brake: dual disc
Rear brake: disc
Wheelbase: 56.7 in.
Seat height: 31.3/30.9 in.
Fuel capacity: 5.1/4.6 gal.
Claimed wet weight: 459/410 lb.
Think of the FZ6 as a more daily-friendly version of a 600cc sportbike. The heart of the show is a high-revving, tractable inline four-cylinder engine as used in theYZF-R6S, but tuned to deliver more low-end and midrange torque. Chassis tune is for sporting comfort, with an upright riding position and small fairing to provide improved coziness whether riding to work, school or your favorite backroad. Also available: The new-for-2009 FZ6R, with more sporting engine tune, a revised frame, under-engine exhaust and a full fairing.
$6190
Engine type: dohc Single
Displacement: 250cc
Carburetion: EFI
Transmission speeds: 6
Final drive: chain
Front brake: disc
Rear brake: disc
Wheelbase: S6.1 in.
Seat height: 352 In.
Fuel capacity: 2.0 gal.
Claimed wet weight: 299 lb.
This is your basic lightweight, dirt-inspired street model. The WR250X is powered by a four-valve Single with electric starting, and it has 17-inch wheels shod with radial street rubber, rightly suggesting its normal mode of rolling on asphalt despite its YZ-inspired bodywork. The clean-sheet-design engine introduced in 2008 has titanium intake valves and electronic fuel-injection. Compared to that of its WR250R dual-sport brother, the 250X’s damping-adjustable suspension (with rear-spring preload, too) is stiffer, and its gearing is optimized for street duty.
$6090
Engine type: dohc Single
Displacement: 250cc
Carburetion: EFI
Transmission speeds: 6
Final drive: chain
Front brake: disc
Rear brake: disc
Wheelbase: 55.9 in.
Seat height: 36.6 in.
Fuel capacity: 2.0 gal.
Claimed wet weight: 295 lb.
The lightweight dual-sport market segment is definitely seeing a revival with several new models joining the fray over the last few years. As far as dual-purpose bikes go, the WR250R is Yamaha’s lead machine for the dusty, street-legal path. As in the WR250X supermoto-style model, the dohc, 250cc Single uses titanium intake valves and electronic fuel-injection, a first on a Yamaha on/off-road bike. Both 250s feature electric start only; the only kicking you’ll be doing here is kicking back. True to the bike’s enduro heritage, seat height is higher than that of the X, and the 21/18-inch wheels easily accept full-on knobby tires.
$4399
Engine type: sohc Single
Displacement: 249cc
Carburetion: 33mm Mikuni
Transmission speeds: 5
Final drive: chain
Front brake: disc
Rear brake: disc
Wheelbase: 53.S In.
Seat height: 31.9 In.
Fuel capacity: 2.6 gal.
Claimed wet weight: 291 lb.
The XT225 carried Yamaha’s dual-sport mantle for years, but with the introduction of a couple of other new 250s in the lineup last year, it was time to freshen this classic. As the name implies, power comes from more displacement: 249cc, up from the previous model’s 223. For more snap, the crankshaft was lightened on this electric-start machine, and the five transmission ratios are spread wide so you have the right gear for everything from low-speed crawling to top-gear hauling. Frame and suspension provide a good amount of travel (8.9 and 7.1 inches, respectively, front and rear) while aluminum wheels in 21/18-inch sizes ensure off-road readiness.
$3990
Engine type: sohc Single
Displacement 196cc
Carburetion: 28mm Mikuni
Transmission speeds: 5
Final drive: chain
Front brake: disc
Rear brake: drum
Wheelbase: 52.2 In.
Seat height: 31.1 in.
Fuel capacity: 1.9 gal.
Claimed wet weight: 279 lb.
Confused? What’s with the balloon-like, ATV-look tires’? Well, those fat footprints are an off-road novice s best friend, great for stability in the sand and mud. And while the TW is primarily a “campground” bike suitable for leisurely backcountry jaunts, we lived with one on the street for the “Petrol Pinchers” comparison test of econobikes and scooters we published a few years ago, and it didn’t disappoint. The built-in luggage rack came in handy, the headlight shroud actually deflected some wind at speed and the Yamaha posted the best fuel mileage, a tick under 80 miles to the gallon in everyday riding!
$7S99 to $8099
Engine type: dohc parallel-Twin
Displacement: 499cc
Carburetion: EFI
Transmission: automatic
Final drive: chain
Front brake: dual disc
Rear brake: disc
Wheelbase: 62.2 in.
Seat height: 31.5 In.
Fuel capacity: 4.0 gal.
Claimed wet weight: 489 lb.
Count the TMax among the increasing numbers of larger-displace¬ment sporty scooters coming to market. Power is derived from a high-compression parallel-Twin engine displacing 499cc and featuring a counterbalancer for smooth running. The frame is die-cast aluminum for light weight, while the racy styling features include an upswept exhaust and swoopy plastic. A continuously variable transmission optimizes power delivery and means no shifting required. Fifteen-inch wheels are used front and rear, with dual front discs proving aggressive stopping power. Like most scooters, the TMax offers is excellent underseat storage. Cadmium Yellow paint ups the price from standard Deep Blue.
$6099
Engine type: done Single
Displacement: 395cc
Carburetion: EFI
Transmission: automatic
Final drive: belt
Front brake: disc
Rear brake: disc
Wheelbase:61.6ln.
Seat height: 30.0 in.
Fuel capacity: 3.7 gal.
Claimed wet weight na
Several years back, a 250 was as big a scooter as you could buy. Well, like everything else in America, we’ve super-sized the concept, leading to 400 and even 650cc models. Makes sense. The convenience of a scooter, the power of a motorcycle, able to leave city limits and even tour two-up. The Majesty is powered by a liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, four-valve Single that spins to 8000 rpm and is smooth in the process thanks to a counterbalancer. And frat rats take note: Under Her Majesty’s flip-up seat is 16 gallons of storage space, almost exactly a keg’s worth!
$2999
Engine type: sohc Single
Displacement: 124cc
Carburetion: EFI
Transmission: automatic
Final drive: belt
Front brake: disc
Rear brake: drum
Wheelbase: 50.8 In.
Seat height: 30.7 In.
Fuel capacity: 1.6 gal.
Claimed wet weight: na
If ever there were a Dakar Rally-inspired scooter, Yamaha’s Zuma is it. Chunky tires and a beefy steel frame give it true dirt-road capability, as do the 27mm telescopic fork and dual shocks. A 125cc single-cylinder engine features fuel-injection and electric starting. Seating accommodations include room for two, with plenty of storage underneath, too. Claimed fuel mileage is a thrifty 89 mpg. While we don’t suggest rally racing, you can certainly have a good time commuting or play riding on the big Zuma. And hey, is there a better R.V. “bumper bike”?
2009 March MOTORCYCLES |
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