Wind of innovation at the roadsters 2013 with the news Kawasaki Z800 and MV Agusta Brutal 800, a Yamaha FZ8 with the re-examined suspensions, and a Triumph Street Triples R low-fat and polished. We confronted these rather sporting roadsters midsize, on the road and circuit. How the best gains!
In 2013, the sales of roadsters of rolled average showed a noticeable decrease. Nevertheless, the motorcycles of this ultra-provided category always are part of the heart of the French market, with models often pointing at the top of the sales of each manufacturer.
Also, we chose to join together innovations 2013 which looks like a reference and which will remain unchanged the next year. They constitute true pieces of choice for the motorcycles naked. They cultivate passion through their look, and their performance, in short, they are motorcycles’ pleasure.
To better encircle them, we passed them to the bench of power, weighing them, then taken along on the road to judge their approval. Lastly, we rolled on a circuit because these motorcycles can without problem take part in day’s tracks occasionally. And all that under the sun in the saddle!
Kawasaki Z800 2013: Always cool the engine
The first round of confrontation of this comparative is the look. Kawasaki Z800 is not made in lace: style sleeve to 100%! At least, it is inspired and not copied. Side gauge, Kawasaki is shown bulkiest. As soon as it is moved, one feels clear that it is the heaviest of the files, with 38.8 kilos more than MV Agusta! The ergonomics of Kawasaki do not make any more in the compromise of its elder of 750 Cm3.
Here, you are on board pure a street bike: arms drawn aside by an ultra broad handlebar, bust leaned ahead and thighs drawn aside by a generous preparation. It is the least natural ergonomic of all our motorcycles. The catch in hands requires a few minutes then, the more so as Kawasaki does not direct very well (but better than MV Agusta nevertheless).
Fortunately, this engine extremely successful is very quickly rediscovered.
It is sweet, flexible, round, and full of all, which decorates the daily use as a lorry driver, with excellent recoveries (second behind MV Agusta). All the orders are soft and easy to proportion, in particular, the accelerator, because Kawasaki Z800 has the injection best gauged and no jolt is felt on the road, Kawasaki Z800 suffers from its most typified ergonomics street bike and from the low establishment of its block meter which does not absolutely anything. It is on its board that the absence of protection is pointed out more. Comfort is not besides its fort with a hard saddle and suspensions, in progress compared to Z 750, but always firm.
Remain online with satisfactory directional stability and a certain facility to guide Kawasaki Z800 in the large curves or the changes of way, on good coating. Because, indeed, like MV Agusta, the Kawasaki Z800 loses much precision if the coating is degraded and to preserve rhythm becomes more delicate.
On a circuit without a bump, the Kawasaki Z800 is defended
On the layout of Left-handed Forte, as smooth as a billiard cloth, the Kawasaki Z800 defended itself well. Admittedly, it does not offer the cohesion of Triumph, but one places this bulky motorcycle as well as possible.
Z800 seems to be registered in the curve two times, with a nose gear accurate and a little heavy rear wheel-axle unit which seems to follow the constraint. Braking is enough, even if the plumpness is felt if one slows down in a curve. The direction solidifies then more than on the others. The engine answer is always present and authorizes to pass the third to certain places whereas the others are there better in the second.
Four cylinders of Kawasaki Z800 have a sufficient trunk. Typified ergonomics also posed problems with some among us at the time of the swaying walk, in particular, because of the scale necessary to hold the handlebar.
Assessment: Evolution of an evolution of an evolution
Sold at 8,899 € (9 499 € in version ABS), the news Kawasaki Z 800 masks its wrinkles by original preparation and rigorously adjusting, but its general design which is up to date, or its equipment without innovation does not make it possible anymore to justify a rate in the high average of the category.
She suffers from a summary comfort and behavior that is degraded quickly on the bumps, revealing the plumpness more marked by this comparison. She remains pleasant downtown, on the road or circuit thanks to an engine full like an egg, powerful and melodious, even with the exhaust of series. She remains also only batch to propose a version intended for the new A2 licenses.
Kawasaki Z800 2013
MV Agusta Brutal 800 2013: Place with the feelings!
The copied on Brutal 675, MV Agusta Brutal 800 takes again of it the line, the equipment, even the gauge. The most beautiful blow of pencil of our comparative also suffers from details of annoying completion, unworthy of a motorcycle of this row.
Side ergonomics and obstruction, it is quite simply the finest and lightest of the batch: 186 kg all fully checked facts, are 4 kilos less than already ultra light Triumph Street Triples R! As of the startup, one notes that MV Agusta has the most marked character of our comparative. One is entitled to all: triple exhaust which sings, switches rev counter which displays less inertia, but also a din way rattling which emanates from the engine. Some will say that it does not turn very around these three legs.
After the visual and hearing slap, a place with the snap side taken in hands: the hardest ordering of clutch, the turning radius way carry-plane of our file, the least pleasant selection (chases long, report which hangs on our motorcycle of loan), together stiff (saddles out of wood, dry suspensions), is it which vibrates more, which heats more…
But as soon as one turns the gas handle to electronic assistance, MV Agusta is transcended. In light withdrawal on the bench of power, it measures all the others of taken again (mid-mode, current paces, even in the bottom!), and its acceleration most conclusive of all, hello the aft wheel and the anti-skid one is thank you delivered series!
On the circuit, the Brutal one makes speak the powder
On the road, this explosive and powerful character must tame down, especially since MV Agusta Brutal 800 is hardly shown joke if one rolls in mode strolls. The circuit test is thus very indicated to him.
The general rigidity of its mixed framework (lattice steel and aluminum platinum), the corrosive one of its braking (highly ABS for the road and the winter), and the ground clearance the most raised, are already arguments on track.
Remain that, as on the road, one must always deal with MV Agusta Brutal 800 to draw quintessence from it. It is necessary to take care of full small things to hope to quickly overcome them and go with them. Not to cling to its handlebar subject accentuating the movements of direction frankly, to persuade the gas handle not to widen because the engine accelerates by stages and can push you towards outside.
However, the weak weight and the most marked agility in our file will help to tighten the trajectory… I L is necessary to be occupied some and the rhythm remains very high then, near to Triumph.
Assessment: A motorcycle of the adjuster
Beautiful, but with the completion perfectible, radical with control and very powerful, more technological than the others (adjustable, anti-skid cartography of series) but very demanding, MV Agusta Brutal 800 breathes more passion than all the others.
It is incontestably that which requires the most experiment and of cold blood. A motorcycle of clean pleasure wills all which require its amount of abnegation to the daily newspaper. To reach the myth MV Agusta, a financial sacrifice will be also necessary because Brutal the 800 is proposed starting from 10,290 € or 10,690 € in version EAS.
MV Agusta Brutal 800 2013
Triumph Street Triples R: Easy and sexy
It any more is not presented, Triumph Street Triples R, and yet Triumph deeply re-examined its blockbuster this year: pot in low position to lower the center of gravity, 6 kilos less announced (but only 2 kilos according to our measurements)…
Triumph 675 Street Triples R 2013 fact appears of reference in terms of performance and approval, but also of the quality of assembly because we have difficulty finding annoying details to him.
The catch in hands is facilitated by a compact gauge and a reduced weight (190 kg all full facts), the more so as Triumph Street Triples R 2013 directs a little better than the front. One could make it worse with difficulty in any event. If the orders (clutch and selection of box) are not level of Kawasaki, they are very correct all the same.
From the start, “small” the three cylinders of 675 Cm3 spreads out its qualities: flexibility, easy proportioning of the gas handle (just in on this side Kawasaki), an ultra elastic character with a very vast useful beach, the melodious sonority of the box with air in the bottom then of the exhaust in the top. Happiness bars these three legs of them.
And it is on the road that Triumph Street Triples R continues to reveal its talents. More stable than before online or in large curves, it remains the nimblest motorcycle of the batch after MV Agusta. Moreover, Triumph Street Triples R benefits from the best (or not far) travelling trains of this comparative. On his board, one draws or corrects the trajectories with the greatest facility and it remains precise on the less regular coatings.
Street Triples R gives desire for forcing on the circuit
At the end of three turns of the circuit, one seizes all the potential of Triumph Street Triples R, which like MV Agusta, is shown most sporting of philosophy on paper. Ultra rigorous, it is it that shows the best smoothness of behavior in the release of the turn.
Follow a reassuring slope, with trains traveling perfectly aligned, without reserve thanks to a high ground clearance. Moreover, the revival of the engine is easily controllable. As it is light and that it slows down divinely well, one has that desire; it is to force its piloting. And Bertrand, our photographer, will note it behind his objective: “With it, you pass all more quickly”.
Assessment: Road, circuit, daily newspaper: Triple Street can do everything
With wire of the test, Triumph Street Triples R will have shown its homogeneity: frequently able with the daily newspaper, pleasant and effective about the road, completely adapted to the circuit, it can do everything this small 675 which gives sometimes the illusion of a big-engine car thanks to its engine filled. Sold 8,990 € in version ABS, she is proposed at the same price as more raised cubic capacities, but its equipment justifies it partly.
Triumph Street Triples R 2013
Yamaha FZ8 2013: Finally with maturity
The impetus to cut in 2010 cruppers in Kawasaki Z750, Yamaha FZ8 suffered from a shock absorber lack of consistency and a look too inspired of the FZ1 to allure the greatest number. For 2013, Yamaha corrects the shooting: adjustable suspensions and neater aspect in this definition of Blue Race.
Ergonomics announces from the start the color: option comfort with the daily newspaper for Yamaha with the menu the most comfortable saddle, of the suspensions which really deaden but which did not lose shape anymore as soon as 80 kg are exceeded, of the soft orders, of the footrests furnished with rubber which do not vibrate, most accessible for the passenger… A true motorcycle/job/sleep compared with MV Agusta. Let us underline just a fold a little too pronounced legs and some with blows of transmission.
On the road, she shows a behavior improved by her new suspensions: more rigorous in damping, it is freed from all the coatings or almost. The directional stability without history or the more progressive character in turn than Kawasaki guarantees satisfactory effectiveness for all, initially as confirmed. Easy to use, the 4 cylinders online, show a hollow sensitivity to semi mode towards 5,000 tr/min. In recoveries, Yamaha FZ8 will find itself relegated good last between 80 km/h and 130 km/h.
Balanced, but limited in mode tracks
This hollow on the level of the engine will also penalize the Yamaha FZ8 on the circuit. It is necessary to take care to preserve the engine at the top of 6500 tr/min, without the beautiful gray sorrow to be extracted from the curves. Where MV Agusta or Kawasaki Z800 can take along the third, Yamaha requires drawing the second to remain with their contact. The Yamaha engine then reveals its angry lengthening piece which balances a frank kick with the buttocks, nice!
Also the Yamaha FZ8 has the least good ground clearance and will find all the same way of making rub the footrests however removed from their pins. In addition, the neutral behavior or powerful, but especially measurable braking makes it possible for Yamaha to be obvious right in the middle of vibrators: a beginner on the circuit will progress without sorrow with it.
Assessment: Most urban, most comfortable
If Triumph Street Triples R has a sporting cousin (Daytona), the Yamaha FZ8 has a sister even more roads (Fazer8), which is known as the length of the difference in philosophy between these two roadsters. Most pleasant with the daily newspaper or for the duet, most comfortable on the road, the Yamaha FZ8 is homogeneous but more centered comfort its rivals. Sold at 8,999 € in version ABS, it will fill the amateurs of motorcycles multi cards which will have soon an alternative to engine three cylinders at Yamaha with the MT-09.
Yamaha FZ8 2013
