2009 Harley-Davidson Street Glide Review

A Harley touring bike for those who aren't tourists

By Pete Brissette, Dec. 04, 2008, Photography by Pete Brissette, Alfonse Palaima

It struck me more than usual while riding this 2009 Harley-Davidson Street Glide just how iconic a Harley-Davidson is to the image of motorcycling.

Like any one of the songs from the iconic American rock band, The Eagles, that played from the in-faring compact-disc player as I rumbled up California’s Hwy 1, a Harley exemplifies something uniquely American. Not only is an image of America tied to a Harley, the idea of Freedom, the unique freedom found only on a motorcycle, is inexorably linked to the image of a V-Twin cruiser.

I can’t recount how many times I’ve ridden any other brand of cruiser and been asked by non-enthusiasts, “That thing a Harley?” The concept of motorcycles or motorcycling is largely, and likely forever, tied to Harley-Davidson.

2009 Harley-Davidson Street Glide

“So put me on highway And show me a sign…”

It was time for me to get my piece of the American motorcycling dream (albeit a short dream), and so I set off for a long weekender on the Street Glide.

Being a new-for-‘09 model, we now know that as a touring model the Street Glide, along with the other eight machines in the FL line, gets the much improved chassis, new two-into-one exhaust and new wheels that carry a new dual-compound (rear only) Dunlop tire - developed exclusively for H-D touring sleds.

No longer just a collection of hand-welded steel tubes, the new two-piece frame is now robotically-welded and made from various investment cast, forged and stamped pieces. Total parts count for the new frame numbers 40 pieces; a big reduction from the 90 pieces that made up the previous frame. Also, the swingarm is slightly wider and more rigid.

The robust new frame used on all Harley touring models offers big improvement to handling. The frame's stability breeds confidence in virtually every riding situation.

What I experienced during my short ride time at the new model intro for these bikes in mid-summer was only reinforced by my extended ride on this Glide. This new chassis is very stable compared to the previous frame; no more vagueness or flexi feeling. It instills confidence in the rider that the bike will continue to track through a turn or stay rock-steady in a straight line at wacky-fast speeds.

Equally as notable is how agile and purposeful handling can be. For such a hefty bike (810 lbs.) it is surprisingly nimble at very low speeds when, say, picking your way through a crowded gas station. With only a couple of miles per hour showing on the speedo, the bike’s weight becomes largely transparent, and it’s easily flicked left to right, or held at a standstill without putting a foot down.

Though the engine is unchanged for 2009 I was still impressed with how much linear power, especially above 4, 000 rpm, the 1,584cc Twin Cam 96 mill produces. Even in sixth gear, the bike pulls with great strength all the way to 90 mph and beyond. Impressive, considering claimed peak torque of 92.6 ft-lbs comes in at 3,500 rpm. Cruising down the interstate or a lonely back road at well beyond legal speeds is child’s play for this minimalist bagger. Fueling was flawless, and response very good from the throttle-by-wire system.

As American as diners and the Eagles.

My test unit came with the very capable Brembo ABS front brakes that stop the bike with good feel and power. This is one of the best improvements Harley has made recently, and it’s my hope we’ll see this simple but effective system on all H-Ds one day. I don’t think I’d own a touring machine without ABS.

Ergonomically, the Glide is essentially a perfect fit for my 5-foot-8-inch frame. The reach from seat to bars and seat to floorboards is spot-on. The saddle is slightly sculpted and was comfy for each 400 mile leg of my journey. About the only check mark in the negative column I would give the bike is for the excessive wind buffeting I experienced from the handlebar-mounted Bat Wing fairing. Though the fairing is a styling coup, the diminutive windscreen may give you the same buffeting.

Instrumentation is classic with numerous chrome-ringed analog gauges that add to the overall classic appearance of this model. Inlaid in the speedo is a small but informative LCD display that offers odometer, dual trip meters and a low-fuel countdown. Speaking of fuel, despite my constant flogging of the right twistgrip, the bike achieved an observed 36 mpg from the 6-gallon fuel tank.

Finally, my ride also came with optional cruise control and premium Harman/Kardon sound system. Not once during all my miles did the Eagles Greatest Hits ever skip a beat as I daydreamed of being a Desperado. And only once did the cruise control disengage. But this had everything to do with the fact that I went sailing over a large bump at over 80 mph. Not the bike’s fault!

Near-perfection in a not-so-perfect world

There just isn’t too much for me to find fault with on the 2009 Street Glide. Though, if I could have a perfect world, I’d love to see this (and most all other Harleys) shed some serious pounds. I have to believe in this day and age that new technology materials can be used to lighten a bike without raising the retail. Also, some type of handle on the hardbags would be a nice addition, though not at the cost of screwing up their clean look.

The Dzus fasteners that keep the bags attached are secure and easy enough to remove, but I’d like to be able to carry the whole bag off to the hotel room with ease. Yes, I know hardbag liners are available, but sometimes I’d need to use every conceivable ounce of storage in those bags, sans liners.

More than all the useful power from the V-Twin, or how well the ABS-equipped brakes perform, or the competency of the new frame, more than all of that, to me, the Street Glide in the metallic-flake Black Pearl color scheme simply looks like the American icon that its namesake says it is.

This bike cuts a sexy but tough profile. It looks the definition of cool parked on its sidestand, the sun gleaming off just enough chrome parts to catch your eye. The whole machine seems like one fluid piece thanks to brilliant styling use of single-color paint that includes color-matched hardbag latches.

If I had the spare $21,089 (includes options, CA emissions and freight) to acquire this sexy beast, I’d take the plunge. I like it that much.

Harley-Davidson Tries To Quiet Motorcycle Noise - Loud Pipes' Cost

By Art Friedman

| | | In a message entitled "Something We Never Want to Lose" on his company's website, Harley-Davidson Motor Company President and CEO Jim McCaslin tackles the issue of motorcycle noise and the increasing backlash motorcycling is experiencing as the result of loud pipes. Citing a four-fold increase in negative media coverage during the last decade, bans on motorcycles in some communities, attempts to curtail major motorcycle events, anti-tamper legislation, and other limitations of freedom for motorcyclists as the result of complaints about loud pipes, McCaslin says, "We all, every Hog lovin' one of us, must do everything we can to protect our sport and keep it as strong as it is today." In other words, it's time to pipe down. This is the second stage of Harley-Davidson's campaign against loud exhaust pipes. Its initial effort last year was directed at and through dealers, with posters and literature that attempted to educate dealers and riders about the negative consequences of loud pipes. Harley-Davidson spokesman Paul James also told Motorcycle Cruiser that during the next few months Harley will cease shipments to dealers of racing exhaust systems that can be fitted to street models. We could no longer find any racing exhaust systems listed on the company's accessory website. However, Harley-Davidson still offers dozens of accessory exhaust systems that are street-legal (and therefore acceptably quiet), including for use in California. Industry concern over the problem of loud exhaust pipes is nothing new. The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has long warned riders that attitudes shaped by complaints about loud pipes frequently compromise the AMA's efforts to battle anti-motorcycling legislation and regulation. That same concern was echoed by the Motorcycle Riders Foundation a few years ago when it adopted the AMA's stance against loud pipes. The Motorcycle Industry Council has conducted anti-noise campaigns for over 30 years. These days, the loud motorcycle you hear roaring past is likely to be a modified Harley-Davidson. This is somewhat ironic because Harley was among the first motorcycle makers to tackle exhaust noise a century ago. In the early days of internal-combustion vehicles, many vehicles were annoyingly loud as delivered, but the threat of anti-motor-vehicle legislation soon had automakers fitting mufflers to their vehicles. As McCaslin's message points out, quieting motorcycle exhaust pipes posed greater difficulties because there is no room for a bulky muffler on a bike. However, Harley engineered an effective silencer, and the resulting bike became known as The Silent Gray fellow. Its relative quiet contributed to its reputation as an elegant, advanced machine and helped distinguish Harley-Davidson Motor Company from dozens of rival American motorcycle makers. Changing to an aftermarket exhaust system has become almost a knee-jerk reaction for many cruiser buyers. However, unless labeled as meeting federal and state standards, all of these exhaust systems are illegal and virtually all are illegally loud. There are exceptions, such as systems offered by Harley that meet requirements for all 50 states or all states except California. Exhaust pipes are changed for a variety of reasons. One is the search for performance improvements, although, as McCaslin and the AMA point out, not all deliver--and some increase power in a portion of the power band while reducing it in others. Some motorcycle owners change exhaust pipes to personalize the appearance. And many who modify their bikes' exhaust systems simply want the noise, often for vanity's sake. Some motorcyclists profess to believe that "loud pipes save lives," although research tends to contradict that popular axiom. (Few of those who say they want exhaust noise for safety's sake use other means--such as brightly colored apparel--which have been proven effective.) Harley-Davidson's current stance actually puts it on the cutting edge of corporate responsibility regarding exhaust-noise. It is the only company that has both taken an anti-noise stance and offers street-legal accessory exhaust systems as an alternative to loud aftermarket pipes. Honda, Kawasaki, and Suzuki have never offered nor endorsed accessory systems for their cruisers. Both Victory and Yamaha offer exhaust systems that are not illegally loud as "racing" modifications, though no effort is made to qualify customers by asking for racing credentials. You have to find and click on footnote notices on their sites to learn that that the systems are not legal for the street, and the disclaimer page on Yamaha's site was not working when we visited. Neither company offers legal accessory exhausts. We also asked Yamaha if it had any plans to follow Harley-Davidson's lead on this issue, but we had received no reply to our email a few days later. As the leader in the cruiser market, Harley's public stance on loud exhaust pipes may finally signal a turning point for an issue that continues to put motorcyclists in a very bad light and prompts increasing calls for restrictions on motorcycles and motorcyclists. Though some riders will try to contend that their noise doesn't really bother anybody, that they have some sort of right to annoy everyone they ride past, or that their noise protects them, such arguments have to sound increasingly hollow when the biggest cruiser-motorcycle maker points out that they are actually risking all motorcyclists' freedoms and asks them to "think about the consequences our actions have on others, before others take action against us." Harley-Davidson is not simply speaking out about the problems that illegal loud pipes cause for the entire motorcycling community. The Motor Company also offers street-legal accessory exhausts systems and exhaust components for its various motorcycle model families. An alternative to universally loud aftermarket exhausts, the Harley accessory pipes, such as the these 50-state-legal slip-ons for Dyna models, provide a legal option for riders who want to customize.

Read more: http://motorcyclecruiser.automotive.com/64615/0602-crup-harley-davidson-motorcycle-noise/index.html#ixzz1OVsRvXwy

The Honda Shadow Phantom might not be as flamboyant as the more radical RS, but it has a solid ride for a budget price

Photograph by: Bill Petro for National Post, National Post

SAVANNAH, Ga. - The plan was simple. I would come to charming, antebellum Savannah, I would hop aboard Honda's new Shadow RS, the most radical of all Honda's middleweight cruisers, and then be overwhelmed with the charm of prowling this historic downtown cobblestone district aboard a new Honda that all but mimicked the style, feel and substance of a circa-'70s Harley. The RS is Honda's big news for 2010 in the middleweight category and my job was to be impressed with its Sportster-esque charm.

The only problem was that, as much as all that ambiance did work its charms on me, I was actually more impressed with Honda's other new-for-2010 but less flamboyant VT750 Shadow, the Phantom. Attractive in its own right -- though unmistakably Japanese where the RS looks positively Milwaukee-born -- the Phantom is another of the dark customs outfitted in so much black paint -- both matte and glossy -- one fears it might become its own black hole.

Nonetheless, it's an attractive little ride, sporting a phat 17-inch front tire, handlebar riders matched to a superbikelike handlebar and the thick front fork so common on cruisers today. Of course, because the Phantom is a budget bike (costing $9,099 in Canada), this last is the result of covering over a totally conventional front fork. It's not nearly as authentic as the stripped-to-the-bones RS, but I still find the Phantom's lead-sled look appealing, even if a few of its bits are obviously faux.

What really is authentic, however, is that the Phantom is the best of Honda's Shadows to ride. Perhaps it's the 120/90-17 front tire that adds a little gravitas to its handling or the new fuel injection that adds to its throttle response, but the Phantom performs beyond its smallish 745 cubic centimetres. The 52-degree V-twin should have little trouble keeping up with some of the competitors' 800-cc and 900-cc competition. Its only fault is that the twin's vibration gets a little too buzzy above 120 kilometres an hour. There's even a surprisingly authoritative bark from the staggered shorty mufflers.

Another area where Honda has managed to marry style with substance is in the Phantom's comfort. With the caveat that, yes, its footpegs really are fairly far forward and, yes, as comfy as that seems on the showroom floor it doesn't work quite as well on the open road, the Phantom is actually quite comfortable. Much of the reason for that can be attributed to the aforementioned handlebar that is an almost perfect bend -- both stylistically and functionally -- and a cushy broad saddle that coddles rather than punishes. And the Phantom will prove especially attractive to new and shorter riders with a 653-millimetre seat height that allows almost all to get their feet firmly planted on the ground at stoplights.

What sold me on the Phantom, however, is that it doesn't handle like a middleweight cruiser. Too often, smaller customs feel the part, their handling overly jittery like a car with over-boosted power steering. Thanks to that wider front tire and the accompanying fork geometry change, the Phantom doesn't feel darty at speed, even when challenged with gusty side winds. Of course, since it is a cruiser, there's limited suspension travel (117 millimetres in front and only 89 mm in the rear), meaning the ride/handling equation is compromised. The Phantom's single biggest failing is that the front fork is too soft, while the twin rear shocks are overly stiff. And, being so low to the ground, clearance during cornering is at a premium.

Here, the aforementioned RS version of the VT750 Shadow is a little more impressive. There's a little more ground clearance and the handling is a little quicker through corners (the major mechanical difference between the two bikes is that the RS gets a narrower 100/90 front tire, still 19 inches in diameter).

Ride the new RS for any distance and two things become apparent. First, though it is styled for the mass-market appeal of a cruiser, it rides like a standard motorcycle and, despite its hot rod styling, it's very much geared toward the entry-level market. Second, the RS's physical allusion to the Harley Sportster is more than skin deep. In fact, the Honda is such a comprehensive remake of the Sportster that nothing in the current Harley portfolio seems as authentic. There's a peanut tank, twin shorty mufflers, a skinny 19-inch wheel up front and the motor looks remarkably like a modern version of Harley's circa-'50s KH (the precursor to the Sportster and the start of the famed 883 designation).

Except, of course, it's a Honda. That means a couple of things. First, this Sportster, er, Shadow RS has a level of sophistication few bikes in this segment can match. Second, the basic VT750 on which the RS is based is one of the most reliable motorcycles ever sold, requiring scarcely more than an occasional oil change and a spark plug change every few years to guarantee years of trouble-free riding.

A few things have changed inthetransformation, however. Like the rest of the VT750s, the RS is now fuel injected, resulting in better throttle response. The front disc brake is on the left-hand side of the wheel, the opposite of the Phantom and the Sportster. The biggest change is that the RS is the first VT with chain drive, the rest of the VTs powering the rear wheel via shaft drive.

It all adds up to an authentically attractive package. But, while the RS will no doubt attract larger crowds, I'll remain in the minority and prefer the Phantom. I prefer my cruiser big and the new Phantom just feels more substantial.

First Look: 2011 KTM 125 Duke

KTM launches its first road-legal 125 – the 125 Duke

Available as of spring 2011, the idea behind the new bike is clear at first sight: true riding fun thanks to fully-fledged motorcycle technology. And at a reasonable price at that! Or: your first fast love.

For many years, Austrian maker KTM has been making it a point to offer great sport motorcycles even to the youngest riders. On the off-road scene, it is not the least these extensive efforts to support young racers that helped KTM achieve its current lead. Besides the popular, high quality KTM Minicycles, Motocross and Enduro models, KTM has also initiated numerous motor sports campaigns for the young generation all over the world.

Just like racing itself, passing on that passion for motorbikes to children and adolescents is in the company’s very DNA.

Out on the streets

Since the 2004 launch of the KTM Super Duke, the brand’s first full-blooded tarmac sports bike, KTM has consistently developed its on-road expertise, making sure that the three letters from Upper Austria are a household name to committed road riders today. From there, it was a logical step to start tackling the development of a road bike for beginning riders. Like no other brand, KTM represents a highly enjoyable riding experience, generated by concepts that always have put a strong focus on the dynamism of each model: light weight by omitting all non-essential parts; precision, achieved by modern designs and the use of only the best quality components; power thanks to strong, lightweight sports engines second to none; a unique style resulting from bold looks and an unmistakeable design philosophy. These very same capabilities and features form the foundation of the 125 Duke. Building on them, and led by the very same engineers that have brought superior sports bikes like the Duke and Superduke to the tarmac, the KTM design centre has now developed the future 125 cc benchmark.

Engine

In order to fulfil exacting requirements regarding power, refinement, and reliability, the Austrians have designed a completely new engine. Exemplary clean emissions and a high fuel mileage were also top priorities for the heart of the 125 Duke.

The result is a highly efficient 4-stroke single with a four-valve cylinder head, two overhead camshafts, liquid cooling, a balancer shaft and electronic Bosch fuel injection. It is the perfect corner stone for the new 125 cc KTM. The state-of-the-art propulsion unit effortlessly generates the legal power limit of most European countries of 11 kW/15 PS. Small changes in the engine electronics allow implementing a legal 80 km/h speed imit. The power curve of the 125 cc unit as been engineered in a way that makes it great fun to ride in everyday situations. An instantaneous throttle response and reat power delivery for quick bursts of peed are the Duke engine‘s specialties. t the same time, the engineers have ucceeded in minimizing vibrations for uperior refinement. All components have been developed for unlimited durability nd easy servicing in order to guarantee a arefree ownership experience. Under the bottom line, it has become a true KTM ports engine, ensuring just the right easure of dynamism at a displacement of exactly 124.7 cc.

Chassis

Future 125 Duke owners may also look forward to some advanced road holding. Light weight makes for agility and thus, light weight makes for safety. Guided by these principles, taken straight from the KTM DNA, the engineers created a great, flickable chassis that also has superior straight-line stability. With a full 11 litres of fuel, the 125 Duke weighs in at only 125 kilos. This does not mean we have skimped on equipment – but in the best KTM tradition, every component had to undergo a strict diet. The backbone of the tiny sports bike is a very light trellis frame, welded from thin steel tubes for maximum strength. Rugged suspension components by specialist WP-Suspension, a braking system developed in close co-operation with Brembo, light multi-spoke wheels and a comprehensive, multi-functional instrumentation make the smallest Duke a true KTM. And your whole body will notice the Duke designers’ expertise when it comes to ergonomics. Optimum operability and a perfectly integrated riding position with large contact patches make for perfect control and a high degree of feedback.

Design and Innovation

Form and function. No other motorcycle maker integrates styling as deeply into the development process of new models as KTM does. And the 125 Duke is no exception wherever technical solutions need to be implemented in a way that is as expedient as it is shapely.

From the first lines on the drawing board to the finished bike entering mass production in the spring of 2011, the 125 Duke has been drafted and implemented hand in hand with Gerald Kiska’s Salzburgbased design group, which had already styled the first KTM Duke in 1994. For a prime example of the seamless co-operation between designers and stylists, take a look at the unique exhaust ystem. Containing a three-way catalytic onverter, the innovative muffler also upports the centralisation of masses and aves space with its upright position on he rear of the engine.

As a completely unique product, the new bike, available as of spring 2011, showcases typical KTM shapes as well as the art of omission. An essential part of the entire concept is achieved by the use of special Power Parts, directly developed by KTM that place even more creativity and freedom in the hands of future 125 Duke petrolheads. The 125 Duke looks intriguing from every angle. Walk around it and discover striking design and quality. Take a ride and be enthralled by its dynamism and a great riding experience.

SA Time: Mon May 9 18:59:15 2011

Kawa Z1000SX an exciting all-rounder

May 9 2011 at 08:34am
By Dave Abrahams

Comment on this story

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Dave Abrahams

This is not a budget bike; it's built on a beautifully finished, alloy frame with top-drawer componentry.

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• Kawasaki Z1000SX in pictures

When I learned to ride in 1970 a motorcycle was a motorcycle; you rode whatever you had - to work, to the finish line or to the other end of the country, depending on the needs of the day.

With the advent of the niche market, bikes have become much more specialised but there is still room for a genuine all-rounder, a comfortable sports-tourer with real performance credentials, such as the Kawasaki Z1000SX.

It looks weird; the front end is too low, making the instruments seem a long way away when you're comfortably slouched over the touring-style handlebars. The analogue rev-countrer is clean and clear but the digital display (especially the speedometer) has an odd, flattened font with rounded ends that needs a little focus to read.

The ordinary squared-off font that we're used to from calculators and digital watches is much easier to read, as Ducati found out to its cost with the 999.

Nevertheless the liquid-crystal panel gives your speed, a bar-graph fuel gauge, the time, odometer and two trip meters - but no fuel-consumption or range-to-empty figures, both useful on long hauls.

However Kawasaki, smallest of the Japanese Big Four, has always been an engine company - and this one is a honey. The 1043cc transverse four is hugely oversquare at 77x56mm but tuned for mid-range rather than top-end rush.

The front end is too low, making the instruments seem a long way away when you're comfortably slouched over the touring-style handlebars, but bike looks fashionably "street" and can be thrown around like a motard.

Dave Abrahams

It pulls like a locomotive from 4000rpm, begins to buzz through 'pegs and 'bars with intense secondary vibration from 6000 and the power curve becomes a whole lot steeper from 7000 to 11 000, before flattening off to the rev-limiter at 11 500.

But there's no need to yank this bike's chain; maximum power, a respectable 101.5kW, is at 9600rpm and you'll get the best results by short-shifting just above 10 000 and making full use of its 110Nm at 7800rpm.

It's fed by third-generation, Keihin fuel-injection through 38mm oval throttle bodies, producing instant response with very little snatch or jerkiness, even at small throttle openings.

Yet this muscular prime mover will stall very easily; its clutch-lever travel is short, it takes up very firmly, close to the handlebar grip and will catch you out a few times before you get used to it - but it's also as abuse-proof as all big Kawasaki clutches are and will stand up to repeated full-bore takeoffs without slipping or juddering.

The six-speed gearbox is typical Kawasaki, with a bit of extra clearance designed in to ensure positive shifting. It's klonky at low revs, with noticeable driveline snatch, but crisp as breaking glass (with or without the clutch) at high revs and never misses a shift.

The Z1000SX delivers the goods in the real world, with acceleration and overtaking so effortless it's almost arrogant.

The three-position screen is adjustable by means of a simple spring-loaded clip - no electrics to go wrong.

Dave Abrahams

For the record, it topped out at a true 234km/h with 248 on the digital speedometer and the rev-counter a needle's width on the loud side of 11 000rpm, with the screen in its lowest position (more about that later) and the chinpiece of my helmet touching the top of the 19-litre fuel tank.

Fuel consumption averaged out at 6.5 litres/100km over a week of mixed commuting and open road performance testing (well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it).

This is not a budget bike; it's built on a beautifully finished, alloy frame with top-drawer componentry, including 41mm upside-downies with stepless adjustment for preload, compression and rebound damping, and a bell-crank above the swing-arm with a lay-down off-set monoshock, also adjustable for preload and rebound damping.

The suspension is firm yet supple on the factory median settings; I pushed it hard enough on our infamous bumpy test track to induce mild pattering at both ends without any jarring reaching the saddle or 'bars.

The downside was a very mild front-end shimmy at very high speeds, which could probably be tuned out, but then you'd lose the superb ride quality.

The brakes are superlative: A Nissin radial master cylinder modulates radial-mount, four-pot Tokico callipers, giving fierce initial bite then superbly controllable power right up to the point where the (standard) ABS begins to make the lever pulse gently under your fingers.

At first touch the seat doesn't feel all that plush, but it's perfectly shaped and very, very comfortable.

Dave Abrahams

The rear petal disc has an underslung single-piston calliper; its action is a little squishy, but fine for hill-starts and adjusting the bike's trim in the wet.

The steering feels remote; it doesn't tell you what's happening at the tar/tyre interface and makes it very difficult to gauge the bike's limits, so I backed off - or I thought I did: I found I was averaging 154km/h over our ride-and-handling test section where 120 is the standard for road bikes and 140 is quick.

The almost-upright seating position and high 'bars, way above the clocks, feel odd but bike looks fashionably “street” and can be thrown around like a motard. Take time to know this bike; it will bear results that might surprise your riding buddies on their race replicas.

The three-position screen is adjustable by a simple spring-loaded clip - no electrics to go wrong. The top position keeps all the wind off your chest but directs it into your face (no problem, I like fresh air) but more importantly, does not induce any buffeting or headaches.

The lowest position - which I used for the top-end runs - would seldom be needed unless you'd left brains and partner at home to go hooning on a Sunday morning.

The Kawasaki's funny little kite-shaped mirrors give you a great view of your own elbows but not much else; Suzuki GSX-R oval mirrors have the same stalks and mounts but a much bigger glass area and should bolt straight on.

At first touch the seat doesn't feel all that plush, but it's perfectly shaped and very, very comfortable; the 19-litre tank should give close to 300km between pit-stops and I'd have no problem staying in the saddle of this bike for that long.

VERDICT

Kawasaki sells the Z1000SX as a very sporty sports-tourer - fitted luggage is available that fits the bill to a T - but it can also be ridden very slowly, its impressively tight turning circle and upright seating position making it a nimble and versatile commuter.

And even commuting is fun, thanks to the engine's stonking mid-range - what was that about getting it all this morning?

Price: R125 995.

Test bike from Kawasaki South, Cape Town.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 1043c liquid-cooled four.

Bore x stroke: 77 x 56mm.

Compression ratio: 11.8:1.

Valvegear: DOHC with four overhead valves per cylinder.

Power: 101.5kW at 9600rpm.

Torque: 110Nm at 7800rpm.

Induction: Digital electronic fuel-injection with four 38mm oval Keihin throttle bodies.

Ignition: Digital electronic.

Starting: Electric.

Clutch: Cable-operated multiplate wet clutch.

Transmission: Six-speed constant-mesh gearbox with final drive by chain.

Front Suspension: 41mm inverted cartridge forks with adjustable for preload, compression and rebound damping.

Rear Suspension: Horizontal back-link with gas-charged monoshock adjustable for preload and rebound damping.

Front brakes: Dual 300mm petal disks with Tokico four-piston radial-mount monobloc callipers and ABS.

Rear brake: 250mm petal disc with underslung single-piston floating calliper and ABS.

Front tyre: 120/70 - 17 tubeless.

Rear tyre: 190/50 - 17 tubeless.

Wheelbase: 1445mm.

Seat height: 822mm.

Kerb weight: 231kg.

Fuel tank: 19 litres.

Top speed (measured): 234km/h.

Fuel consumption (measured): 6.5 litres/100km

Price: R125 995.

Bike from: Kawasaki South, Cape Town.