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Transcript
00:00Now I probably don't need to tell you that the 600 class is the most hotly contested
00:10class in biking that there is.
00:12And this is Kawasaki's latest contender, a green Mini, or more like a Ninja Warrior.
00:16It's a ZX6R and things have changed a lot.
00:19So what's changed?
00:20For a start off, a completely new frame.
00:23They've increased the depth, they've increased the width of the frame there, but kept the
00:26weight down.
00:27The engine is new, 106 brake horsepower, it's probably true to say it's a development, but
00:32that's a hell of a lot of power from a 600.
00:35It's got magnesium cases, not everywhere I don't think, these are painted nice magnesium
00:39colours to give you that impression, but magnesium side cases have saved a lot of weight.
00:44Up the front it's got the forks off the ZX9, 46mm stanchions, those are really hefty, no
00:50flexing off this.
00:52It's got the same brakes off the ZX9, in fact you could start to think that it is a ZX9,
00:56but they're six pots and they're going to stop you on nothing, or sixpence I should
00:59have said.
01:00Now the clocks are new as well, down here you've got a small speedometer in the large
01:04rev counter and they've got digital displays down at the bottom, which give you the mileage,
01:09trip and also the time of day, very useful.
01:13But one thing I must say, that speedo is incredibly small, it's calibrated up to 170, but anything
01:18over 70 starts to get blurred, and so perhaps that's sort of Kawasaki's way of making you
01:23preserve your licence.
01:24If you can't read the speedo over 70, you're going too fast.
01:34And of course what you can't miss, if you're the pilot on this, is Kawasaki's ram air ducts,
01:38they curve round here into the frame and eventually into the airbox, which incidentally is more
01:43than an airbox, it's more like a musical box because you get this lovely sing song when
01:46you whack it open.
01:48And down below there you've now got a super duper curved radiator, real Grand Prix stuff
01:53or super bike stuff should I say, and not only that, behind that you've got stainless
01:57steel exhaust headers going right back to this gorgeous silencer, and look at the size
02:02of that, absolutely massive.
02:04While we're down here you can see the rear shock in its gold anodised finish, and up
02:08there is a little piggyback reservoir, the adjustments are on the other side there for
02:14compression, but down there you can see the preload for the spring.
02:18Taking us up to the back wheel, you've got a box section swinging arm, pretty conventional,
02:22but the back wheel has in fact got a 5.5 inch rim on it, at the moment it's got a 170
02:26tyre, but you can take it up to a 180 tyre if you're going racing, but this bike isn't
02:31all about racing, even though you feel like it is sometimes, it's still a bike for the
02:35road.
02:36Ninja it might say, but howling wolf it is, responsible is that musical airbox under the
02:46tank making the most wonderful noises, it's as if air is being drawn through some giant
02:51mouth organ.
02:52It's absolutely brilliant and can keep you entertained for hours, zipping up and down
02:57the six speed box like some displaced tap dancer, yes, no doubt about it, entertainment
03:03is this quackers forte.
03:0514,000 revs comes up in no time at all, making it hard to realise you're on a 600, but ease
03:11off a touch and you have a tractable 600 pulling away smoothly, until that banshee wail starts
03:17at around 8 grand and you're off again, playing races.
03:23Producing an absolutely amazing 106 brake from the 599cc motor, this is the most potent
03:29road bike the 600 class has yet seen and will be the benchmark for the new Yamaha R6 to
03:34beat, but it's not all loony tune stuff, there is life below 8 grand, it's just that
03:40above that is where the real fun starts.
03:44Body wise it's a beaut, it's light at 176kg and it's chuckable but not frisky, in fact
03:50it's got suspension that's perfectly matched to whatever you want to do, it feels on the
03:54soft side at lower speed but seems to firm up the faster you go, just the way it should
03:58be.
03:59It's a short, cobby bike that doesn't feel too small and there's plenty of room to move
04:03about on the big seat, which incidentally isn't as comfortable as it looks, numb bum
04:08sets in at around 100 miles, but at least the fairing is surprisingly effective at keeping
04:13you out of the elements.
04:16Brakes are what we've come to expect, smooth, powerful and progressive, so what more can
04:20you say, only that you get a 2 year warranty and a guarantee of fun on this ball of fire
04:26and all for around £7,500 on the road.
04:29Mean or green, it can be both, but the meaner's the better.
04:39Now BMW are one of the world's oldest bike manufacturers but their bikes are still seen
04:44shall we say as being a little odd.
04:50And that's because they're seen as having funny forks, funny engines and decidedly funny
04:55switchgear.
04:56But I ask you, is it fair?
05:10No not really.
05:11Take this for instance, BMW's R1150R, the baseline 1150 beamer boxer.
05:18BMW's are not only full of character but they really are well sorted.
05:22They might look radically different but that's because they are radically different.
05:29And that all starts with BMW's trademark, the big flat twin boxer engine.
05:36It's called boxer because the old piston's flying in and out like a boxer's fist.
05:40It's air cooled and it's also oil cooled.
05:42There's the oil cooler under there, in fact there's two small radiators under these big
05:45scoops, so a bang up to date engine.
05:49There is fuel injection and underneath it's got a three way catalytic converter.
05:53But that's not all with this bike.
05:55Up the front end it's got that telelever front end which I really rate.
05:59This is where the forks, all the loading from the forks is taken on this wishbone here back
06:03to the engine so there's no flexing on the forks.
06:05It really gives you a good ride, no stiction on the sliders there.
06:09Central single shock absorber running up the middle.
06:12Down there it's also got it's new lightweight wheels.
06:15You can see the big disc mounted up there as well, four part calipers.
06:18Superb brakes on this by the way.
06:20Coming back here you've got another trademark BMW-ism as you were, shaft drive.
06:25There it is looking pretty massive and it's what's called power lever.
06:28It's got a lever running underneath which stabilises the whole thing and stops it actually
06:32rising up as you accelerate.
06:34All very clever, all very high tech.
06:37Out on the road with the lightweight wheels reducing unsprung weight, there's no doubt
06:41about it, the ride on this boxer is superb.
06:45Just like another boxer, the Hamid Ali, it floats like a butterfly and stinks like a bee.
06:50Now honest, it really will surprise you.
06:52It's no featherweight at 238kg but it's very nimble on it's new wheels and that engine
06:58really is gutsy.
07:00Compared to mega sports bikes, 85bhp might not sound very much but it doesn't stop the fun.
07:06In fact, horses for courses comes to mind just like the one behind me.
07:09But never mind that, what about the styling on this?
07:12All starts off with this rather funky front end here.
07:15This nice plastic guard looks really neat, really unusual.
07:19Comes up to a big bulbous petrol tank with those air pods either side of it, the big
07:23scoops for the Oracle radiators.
07:25And then it goes along to that up swept exhaust at the back.
07:28Very sporty, a really sort of sporty look for a BMW.
07:32But it's comfort that BMWs are renowned for and this one's no exception.
07:36Just look at the size of this seat, superb.
07:38And not only that, it's got gel pads in this seat just along here to nicely cushion your bum
07:43and it really does work.
07:45The pillion part here, that actually comes off and BMW make a little rack that actually
07:49sits in there so if you're travelling solo, you can put your goodies on the back there,
07:52no problem.
07:54Talking about comfort, this one's actually come kitted with it's optional heated grips.
07:57They're going to cost you £175 but they're brilliant.
08:00You've got the switch over on here which will give you a sort of a medium setting and what
08:03I call high which is a toast setting.
08:06Beautiful, it really is on a day like today.
08:08While I'm on the switch gear, I've got to mention those BMW switches.
08:11Now I know you can get used to them if you're into BMWs but if you've come into them afresh
08:16or you've been swapping from Jap bikes, they really are confusing.
08:19You've got a paddle on the left to go left, paddle on the right to go right which is fine
08:23but then the cancelling is on the right and you end up all fingers and thumbs.
08:26It's really very, very odd.
08:28The dash itself up there is a little binnacle which is really neat.
08:31Brushed aluminium or stainless steel.
08:33You've got a speedo rev counter and a real analogue clock there.
08:36Then a range of lights.
08:38You've even got a dummy in there for the ABS which again is an option.
08:56What else has it got besides a load of style?
08:58It's got a superb centre stand which is really easy to use.
09:01I've already mentioned you can have heated grips on it, you can have ABS.
09:04You can also get a very nice little screen for the front.
09:07£110 that will cost you.
09:09A load of other accessories as well.
09:11You can get a tank bag, you can get nice chrome head covers for it.
09:14A top box, you can get side cases for it.
09:16Side cases only cost you £320 for a pair.
09:19So it's equivalent to any other comparative Japanese gear.
09:29Beemer's Bruiser comes in red, blue or black and will set you back £6,795 on the road.
09:35And that's completely on your switchgear.
09:37Don't knock it till you've tried it.
09:40Wonderful things motorbikes aren't they?
09:42You know that.
09:43But I'll tell you what, at the moment the biggest growth sector in the market is not scooters, it's big trailers.
09:49And they don't come much bigger than this one.
09:51BMW's new BMW X5.
09:55And they don't come much bigger than this one.
09:57BMW's monster R1150 GS.
10:01Just look at the size of it.
10:05Yes, sales of trailers are up 51% this year already.
10:08And Paul really rated the big Beemer when he tested the old 1100 version.
10:13In fact he beamed all over his face whenever he rode it.
10:16They're big, they're mad, but I'll tell you what, they're not at all bad.
10:21The engine absolutely dominates this bike and it's now up 45cc on the older one.
10:27But just look at this, it's enormous.
10:29And in fact the other interesting thing is there's no frame on the big Beemer.
10:32In fact the front suspension is mounted straight off the engine block on this telelever front end.
10:37You're probably all used to this telelever, but I happen to think it's really good.
10:40It's a car like wishbone suspension.
10:43Eight inches of travel on the front forks, but all very clever.
10:47The rear suspension as well, that's hung off the gearbox at the back here.
10:50Shaft drive of course, BMW, with their paralever suspension.
10:54The paralever actually stops the rear rising when you whack open the throttle.
10:57And it works too, it's very clever.
11:00It's got a six-speed gearbox now, but more on that later.
11:04Smaller riders will have to climb aboard, because like all big trailers,
11:07its seat height is way above mere mortals like the 1200 Bandit or Honda's VFR.
11:13But underway you can forget all that, because this giant of a bike is an absolute hoot.
11:17Its big motor thrums away and you can just take great handfuls of throttle from anything above 2000 revs,
11:23and it just picks up and flies.
11:26It's not just the go department that's impressive either.
11:29The handling too is amazing.
11:31Its weight distribution is absolutely spot on.
11:34So unlike some trailers, it feels well connected with the tarmac.
11:37In fact, sitting so upright makes you feel totally in command.
11:43But is that any surprise?
11:45Just look at it sitting up here, you do feel totally in command.
11:48I mean, I'm six foot two, and so this might look a small bike,
11:51but believe me, it isn't. You're up here.
11:53Now the styling-wise, some people hate the thing, but like it or loathe it, you just can't ignore it.
11:58It's sort of Biking's version as a four-wheel pickup truck,
12:01something like a JCB with this yellow collar.
12:04Up the front you've got this Captain Beaky front end.
12:07It's not really the guard, it's a sort of a guard over the guard,
12:10because the real mudguard goes tightly over the front wheel,
12:13which is a 19-inch, by the way, for good steering.
12:16Up here on the dash, a change over the previous one,
12:19you've got this little screen here, which is in fact adjustable.
12:22It's not adjustable on the move, but you'd actually slacken off the screws there
12:25and just get it to suit you.
12:27It's quite effective for what it is, but you can deflect it back or have it more upright.
12:31The dashboard's quite clever.
12:33Rev counter and speedo, which are analogue,
12:35but in here you've got a very, very fancy digital display.
12:39You get the oil or engine temperature in there, oil and engine temperature,
12:42fuel gauge, clock in there, and also a digital gear indicator,
12:46which is really useful because this one's got an extra gear.
12:49The extra one I told you about, six speeds, but the top one is called E.
12:53E for economy, perhaps, but it is an overdrive gear.
12:56So that's all displayed there.
12:58Also displayed, all these flashing lights flashing over there, ABS.
13:02That's because it's got switchable ABS.
13:04ABS is on normal.
13:06If you want to knock it off, you just press this little button here.
13:08But the ABS is very good. It really does work.
13:11So there is the captain's eye view.
13:13Now this one's also got the optional heated grips.
13:16Two position, warm and very hot, and by golly, they really do work.
13:20And it's also got BMW's famous indicator switchgear,
13:24which can end up confusing you when you first get on it
13:26because there's a right button for right, left for left, which is fine.
13:30But then the cancelling is all on the right-hand bar.
13:33And when you're just getting on the bike, you're used to doing the indicators on the left,
13:36it does confuse you at first, but you do get used to it at the end of the day.
13:40Beneath me, of course, I've got this absolutely enormous tank, 22 litres.
13:44But looking from the top here, it's massive.
13:48And it is comfortable too.
13:50It weighs 290 kilos, but it doesn't feel it on the move.
13:54And it's no surprise that adventurers use these for long-distance work.
13:58And now with a 6-speed gearbox, you've even got that overdrive.
14:02Whip it up to speed through the first five ratios,
14:05and then drop it into sixth, and watch the world go by.
14:08It'll take you up beyond 110 if you want to, but that's missing the point.
14:14So what is the point? Well, it is a big dual-purpose bike.
14:17They are incredibly popular because you get the best of both worlds.
14:21I'm not going to be taking this one off-road in this sort of weather, far too muddy for me.
14:25But nevertheless, it's got that capability.
14:27It's also a big, beefy, butch bike.
14:29So you feel as though you're on a bike that's a real motorbike.
14:32And there's something else about it.
14:34Sitting up the way you do, you're not going to speed a lot.
14:36Well, perhaps just a little tad.
14:38But you're not going to go way over the limit.
14:40So in that way, you're going to save some points.
14:42So come to think of it, perhaps that's what it's all about.
14:44The point is, you're going to save points on your licence.
14:57Now, I've said it's a big bike, which it is.
14:59But this seat, the pilot's part of it, is in fact adjustable.
15:02It's 840mm or 860mm.
15:05It's very tall, isn't it?
15:07I won't say it's easily adjustable, but readily adjustable.
15:10Take the old key out.
15:12First of all, you take off the rear pad here.
15:16I'll show you the tool kit under there in a minute.
15:19Turn this again.
15:21That's the seat off.
15:23You see, under there, you've got these bars here and the bars at the back.
15:27And down here, there's two positions.
15:29One there, one there.
15:31Same as at the front end. One there, one there.
15:33So all you have to do is just manoeuvre it into the upper slot and the lower slot.
15:39And then with a bit of luck, there we are.
15:42Done it in one. What about that?
15:44Now, that tool kit lives under here.
15:46Look at this. Very, very neat, this.
15:49There we are. Take the top off.
15:51Look at that. All laid out there.
15:53C-spanner, puncture repair kit, your box banners, all the rest of it.
15:57All incredibly neat.
16:01The Big Beamer comes in mandarin yellow, black or silver,
16:05and even a very nice two-tone blue and silver.
16:08And it will set you back 7,600 on the road.
16:12ABS will cost you an extra 650.
16:14Handguards will cost you an extra 30.
16:16And the heated grips, 175.
16:18Oh, and by the way, that gearbox I told you about,
16:20you can actually get a close-ratio 6-speed gearbox now at no extra cost.
16:26Add some panniers and a sense of adventure, and the world's your oyster.
16:30What a pearlery.
16:39In the time it takes to say Super Blackbird, you're doing 60.
16:42Let it carry on and you should reach 186 miles an hour.
16:45This is a seriously fast motorcycle.
16:47Producing 165 brake horse from its 1130cc engine,
16:51to get this sort of performance from a car, you'd need a McLaren F1.
16:54The engine is based on the highly successful Fireblade,
16:57being bored out but with added twin balance shafts.
17:03This is some bike.
17:04Immediate impressions are very good.
17:06Everything comes to hand, and foot for that matter.
17:09Mixing it with London's afternoon traffic was a doddle.
17:12Light steering, smooth controls, tractable engine, it's got the lot.
17:17On the open road, though, is where this Blackbird really flies,
17:20but it's deceptive.
17:21It's eerily quiet.
17:23In fact, I deliberately left my earplugs out to listen for any noise,
17:26but there wasn't any.
17:27It was singing all right,
17:28but this is quieter than the feathered variety on a spring morning.
17:31A whooshing noise from somewhere around you, and you're gone.
17:36The couple braking system, however, seems effective,
17:39but I reckon it will take some getting used to.
17:41Still, you don't have separate brake pedals for the front and rear wheels of a car, do you?
17:45I think we need some explanation from Honda's Graham Sanderson.
17:51Graham, this dual braking system,
17:53common to some of your other big bikes,
17:55but it's still a bit of a novelty in motorcycle circles.
17:57Tell us about it.
17:58Okay, well, it works exactly how you'd expect it to work.
18:02It simply links the operation of the front brakes,
18:06which are twin discs on this machine,
18:08and also on this machine, the single rear disc brake.
18:12So whether you operate the front brake lever,
18:15you get power applied to the front brakes and the rear brakes,
18:19and exactly the same thing happens when you apply the foot lever as well.
18:24And it's a system that we've been developing over the last five or six years.
18:29It first came out on the CBR1000.
18:32It's been developed since then.
18:35It's current on the ST1100 Pan European,
18:38and this is the latest derivation of it.
18:41And we think it's entirely appropriate
18:43that that style of braking system should be applied to this style of motorcycle.
18:49I must say that the braking system will take some getting used to,
18:52and not everyone will like it.
18:54The fairing, on the other hand, has the lowest drag in its class,
18:57but when you stick a rider on it with bits poking out here and there,
19:00it spoils the slipperiness a bit.
19:02The piggyback headlight is designed to reduce the width of the fairing
19:06and hence cut down on drag.
19:08How does it compare with the ZZR1100?
19:10It's like cheese and cheese, really.
19:12Cheddar or Cheshire, it's all down to personal taste.
19:15They're both fast and comfortable, but deliver in slightly different ways,
19:19so try before you buy is my advice.
19:21Priced at £9,500, it undercuts the ZZR1100 by just £50.
19:27I mentioned touring. You think BMW, you think RT.
19:31And it's like that because the designation RT has been around for years.
19:35But then again, time doesn't stand still,
19:38and it especially doesn't stand still at BMWs.
19:41And that certainly applies to this because this is their brand-new RT,
19:45the R1150 RT.
19:48The first thing you notice are the looks.
19:50It's got a new, redesigned fairing.
19:52It's sleeker. It's lower.
19:54It's, dare I say it, a sportier look.
19:56And this gives a hint of things to come.
19:58It's a tourer, but not a borer.
20:00You sit up, you sit relaxed, you sit in comfort.
20:04You get things like this, their height-adjustable screen.
20:07Now, you might think you've seen this on Yamahas,
20:09but to be fair to BMW, they had it first.
20:11There we go.
20:12Same principle.
20:13Cranked well up for if the weather's really bad.
20:16Down if you're touring in hot weather and you want a bit of fresh air blast.
20:20And it really does work very, very well.
20:22Very smooth as well.
20:23You've also got in here a nice, classically-styled dashboard.
20:27Very analogue speedo there, and a rev counter on the right.
20:31I'd like bigger digits around there, but that's probably my age.
20:34The old eyesight's going a little bit.
20:36Over on this side, you've got what has now become standard with BMW,
20:39their own digital display there.
20:41You've got fuel, engine temperature.
20:43You get a gear indicator in the middle, which is very, very neat.
20:46There it goes.
20:48And also, you've got the clock down there, so all that's very neat.
20:51You've also got this big knob here, which actually adjusts the headlight level,
20:55which is very useful if you're carrying a pillion passenger
20:57or you've got a lot of extra weight in the old panniers.
20:59So that's really useful.
21:01Some other people could take note of that one.
21:03Down here, you've got some warm air ducts,
21:06and they actually take warm air from the oil cooler,
21:09direct them up these flutes here,
21:11and so in the winter, you get a nice blast of warm air.
21:14Not so keen on that in the summer, but nevertheless, that's what it's doing.
21:17What else have we got?
21:18Up here, you've got fog lights.
21:20So not only have you got a brand-new headlight assembly up the front,
21:23you've got fog lights that you switch on either side of the headlight.
21:26Makes a very nice display up the front there
21:29and certainly gives a hell of a lot of illumination.
21:31No one's going to miss you with those on.
21:33Down here, you've got some very nice mirrors.
21:35Now, I like these.
21:36At first, if you're used to mirrors being up above the bars,
21:38they can seem a bit odd.
21:39You've got to get used to where they are.
21:41But what you do see in them is the tips of the rear panniers,
21:44and that's useful if you're filtering between traffic, which we all do.
21:48It's nice to see in the mirror what sort of gap you've got left.
21:52Saves you leaving your panniers behind.
21:54Now, no BMW test ever passes
21:57without someone making comment about their switchgear,
21:59and the thing is, it's very odd if you're used to an ordinary Japanese bike
22:02or, in fact, any other bike,
22:04because BMW choose to be completely different.
22:06If you're going right, you press this paddle here.
22:09If you're going left, you press this paddle here.
22:11But to cancel either of them, you have to press that one in the middle.
22:14If you press the one on the other side, that's the horn,
22:16and so you don't want to do that.
22:18But it does take some tuning into brain-wise.
22:21Equally, the starter button, that's on the top,
22:23and you almost need a disjointed thumb to hit the old starter button.
22:26As I say, you do get used to it,
22:28but it's a little bit odd.
22:29And considering the cars they make,
22:31they don't put a left and right indicator stalk on the steering column, do they?
22:34So I don't really know why they persevere with this.
22:37Anyway, you'll also notice over on this side, volume.
22:40So what's that for? That's for the radio, of course,
22:42because it's got a radio cassette, this one has.
22:44That's an option, costs you 538 quid,
22:47and that's buried in this little cubby hole down there.
22:49Radio cassette, there's the volume, tuning,
22:52and press to mute, all very neat.
22:54But just because it's got a few mod cons,
22:56it doesn't mean it's boring, far from it.
22:59The engine's up 50cc and also up at the power and the torque.
23:03It's gained an extra gear too,
23:05with the sixth gear acting as an economical overdrive.
23:07And they've also improved the gear change with a redesigned clutch.
23:11So now it's a case of fewer clunks, more clicks.
23:14The power comes on strong and smooth
23:16and will take you close on 130 if you want,
23:18but more important is the way that it does it.
23:22Now first off, just listen to this.
23:25Hear that?
23:26That's because it's actually got a brake servo.
23:28Little electric motors running a servo.
23:30So just like a car which uses a vacuum system to put the brakes on,
23:33this has got the electric servo motors.
23:35They pump up the electric pressure
23:37and it really means these front brakes are genuinely a two-finger job.
23:42And what they've done, they've increased the actual braking ability by 20%
23:45just by adding that servo.
23:47It's got link brakes too.
23:49Front and rear brake, pull the front brake lever
23:51or put the rear brake lever on,
23:53and it operates both sets of brakes at the same time.
23:55It's got ABS as well.
23:57Here you can see the sensing ring round here
23:59and a little pickup there.
24:01So within 80 milliseconds,
24:03this will sense that the front wheel or the rear wheel is locking up
24:06and then it knocks off the hydraulics for a fraction of a second
24:09and then back on again.
24:10And that's how you get the ABS.
24:12Refuses to lock up the wheels.
24:14Very, very clever stuff.
24:15Incredibly powerful.
24:16And in fact, the back brake in particular,
24:18very, very sharp.
24:19If you put the back brake on too firmly,
24:21you can actually lift the rear end of the bike up.
24:23So you can do a stoppie with the rear brake,
24:25which is a bit of a novelty.
24:30Altogether then, the R1150RT
24:33is a pretty impressive, high-tech piece of kit.
24:36And it's a worthy successor to a long line of RTs.
24:39It comes in red, blue, silver and aqua metallic
24:42and will set you back £9,545 on the road
24:46and that includes the panniers.
24:48That's £350 cheaper than an FJR13
24:51and that's without its panniers.
24:53Add some optional heated grips,
24:55the stereo radio cassette,
24:56an intercom and a top box
24:58and there you have it.
24:59An RT for two.
25:02You know, some people say the BMW K1200RS
25:05is too heavy.
25:07Well, I disagree.
25:09It's not really heavy at all.
25:11And neither is this.
25:13This is the full-size BMW K1200RS,
25:16exactly the same as that model,
25:17except for a bit of extra weight.
25:19But it's really not too heavy.
25:20It's 285 kilos, which might sound a lot,
25:23but it's only 11 kilos heavier than a ZZR11.
25:26And it's 40 kilos lighter than a Pan European.
25:29So when people talk about bikes being overweight,
25:32you've got to sort of, it's horses for courses.
25:34So probably the same people who say the bike is overweight,
25:37some will also say it's overpriced too.
25:39But you get a hell of a lot of bike for your money.
25:41For a start-off, it's got a superb front end.
25:44Disc brakes, Brembo discs, ABS braking.
25:47And that is absolutely brilliant.
25:49To be able to slap the front brake on
25:50and stop yourself dead without the fear of skidding
25:52is really good.
25:54The forks themselves are the famed Tele lever,
25:57which again are really impressive.
25:59All Tele forks should be like this.
26:01It's got this rigid mounting on the frame,
26:03so there's no flexing in the forks.
26:05Spot on handling, spot on braking.
26:07Another part of this price does go on
26:11this fairing and the fancy colour scheme.
26:13This little lot, the yellow and these checkers down here,
26:16is £495 extra.
26:19That does include VAT, but that's a lot of money.
26:22Moving up on the fairing, you've got this raiseable,
26:27what a word that is,
26:28but you can adjust the screen into two positions.
26:31It's not electric, and BMW do say
26:34you're supposed to get off the bike,
26:35grab hold of that and lift it up like that.
26:37The idea is that it takes the wind blast off your upper body.
26:41It does, but the trouble is,
26:42the wind then hits your square on the helmet,
26:44and so I've been riding with the thing down.
26:47So you get a general more blast,
26:48but it's more comfortable, no buffeting.
26:50Again, another area to where all your money will go,
26:54the handlebar layout.
26:55Very unusual on a bike.
26:56These handlebars are adjustable fore and aft.
26:59You can just see these little splines here.
27:01Slacken the Allen screw underneath
27:03and pull the bars back.
27:05Multi-adjustable.
27:06Also got 80 grips on these.
27:08They'll cost you £168 extra,
27:10but that's within the £13,500 anyway,
27:13and so it's small beer perhaps.
27:15Generally like the layout of the bars,
27:18the bars set up and the position,
27:19but I'll tell you one thing that I really don't like,
27:22and that's these licorice all sorts switch gear here.
27:26It's nothing like any other bike.
27:28You've got a switch here for the indicators to turn left,
27:32one there to turn right, no problem with that,
27:35but then your thumb has to move to this switch
27:37here to cancel them,
27:39and so you end up sort of looking at it and thinking,
27:41what on earth shall I do next?
27:43They call it ergonomic, but it's more sort of,
27:45what shall I do next?
27:47Not very clever at all.
27:49Also, this headlamp switch that's on here,
27:51very difficult to operate with a gloved hand.
27:54It really is quite stiff.
27:55You can probably see the way I'm moving that.
27:57Not very clever.
27:58So why BMW don't stick to the sort of mainstream bikes,
28:02make life easier for everyone.
28:04The other thing I should point out,
28:06these heated grips, two position little rocker switch here,
28:10and heated grips really are a godsend,
28:12especially at this time of year.
28:13So you've got a low and a very high
28:15if you want your hands roasted.
28:17So there we are.
28:18Get the controls right and it'll be brilliant.
28:20The dash panel's very neat.
28:22You've got all your indications,
28:23including flashing ABS warning lights
28:25which go out once you're rolling.
28:27Very neat touch is the digital gear indicator.
28:29First gear, back to neutral, first.
28:33Very, very neat, and very useful on a bike like this
28:35with an engine that's so smooth.
28:37Underneath all this super-duper plastic bodywork,
28:40one thing I should say about this plastic bodywork, by the way,
28:43you can't fit a tank bag on it that you might have at home,
28:45especially if it's a magnetic one, needless to say.
28:48And even if you've got a harness with it,
28:49there's nothing to actually hang it onto.
28:51BMW do provide a tailored tank bag for it,
28:55but they couldn't supply one at the time.
28:57But you certainly need the special bag for it.
29:00Anyway, underneath all this,
29:02you've got a cast aluminium frame
29:04which runs right down to the bottom to the swinging arm pivot.
29:08The engine is entirely rubber-mounted in it.
29:12Single-sided swinging arm, of course,
29:14with monoshock rear suspension.
29:16And BMW's famed paralever rear linkage there
29:20which stops the rear suspension jacking up.
29:22Very neat, all-together package.
29:24Well, not only has it got the adjustable controls up front
29:27with the screen and the handlebars,
29:30it's also got the adjustable foot pegs down here,
29:32adjustable brake lever,
29:33and adjustable gear lever on the other side.
29:35You can see there's two screw holes here.
29:38You undo these two screws, take them out,
29:40move the footrest up so it goes up and back.
29:43Me, with my long legs, though,
29:45I've left them in the lower position.
29:47But something else you can do is actually adjust the seat
29:50and lift that up by a good sort of inch.
29:52It goes from this lowest position to the highest one.
29:55Now, when we were on the launch in Barcelona,
29:57even though I saw all these things
29:59and had a little play with the handlebars,
30:00I didn't get into the whole thing
30:02because you just haven't got the time
30:03on one of these press launches.
30:04But now I've had this for two or three weeks,
30:06I have been able to play with it
30:08and I'll show you how the seat adjusts.
30:10So with the pannier off and using the ignition key,
30:13there's a little lock for the seat.
30:16Turn it, unlock the seat, dead easy.
30:20On here, you've got two adjustment positions,
30:23two sockets there and two at the front,
30:27if you can see those two.
30:28And to match these sockets on the seat,
30:30you've got locating pegs on the frame there and there.
30:33So all you have to do is match the two together.
30:36This is very fiddly, in fact,
30:39and it's not instantly adjustable at all.
30:45Well, I can hardly say that was easy.
30:47I have done it before in rehearsals, let's say that,
30:50and it went fairly straightforward,
30:52but it is fiddly, not quickly adjustable.
30:54But after all, it's not something you do every day.
30:56You'd adjust it to suit yourself
30:58and once it was there, you'd leave it.
30:59But you can see the difference in ride height.
31:01It's a good inch and so you're well and truly up in the air.
31:04Well, if you're wondering why I've got my gloves on,
31:06I'll show you.
31:08BMW's tricks aren't over yet.
31:10There's yet more adjustments on this.
31:12Under here is an extending mudguard.
31:15I'm going to find it.
31:18And the idea is that you bring this down,
31:20don't laugh, there it goes.
31:23You bring it down to stop spraying the vehicles behind you.
31:27I don't quite know what they're thinking.
31:29It's very nice thinking to think of following motorists,
31:31but I don't think motorists think of us very much, do you?
31:34But that's what it's about.
31:35So put your gloves on, stand by the side of the road,
31:37and do that.
31:39Very strange.
31:40Well, that's the conducted tour for now of the BMW.
31:43But how does it all work out on the road?
31:46I even took this to Alton Park,
31:47not on a track day, but at the Great Northern Bike Run,
31:50and so did Charlie Williams.
31:51What did Charlie think of it?
31:52Well, strangely enough, I was involved in the late 80s with BMW
31:55an awful lot and did a lot of their track days,
31:57so I was quite familiar with the range of bikes then,
31:59the K100s, the K1s, just got into the K1.
32:01You're not that old, are you?
32:02Well, unfortunately, yes.
32:04So I have had experience on track days with BMWs,
32:09that's what I'm trying to say.
32:10This is a whole new breed of motorcycle, though, isn't it?
32:12It's a whole lot different to the things I used to ride
32:14down the track.
32:15It's marvellous.
32:16How did you find it?
32:17I mean, it's very well planted, isn't it?
32:20Exceptionally well planted.
32:22That's a good term, that, isn't it?
32:23I must remember that one.
32:24No, it is.
32:25It steers, it's very responsive, it's very, very smooth,
32:27and it's got a good gearbox.
32:29I couldn't fault it, really.
32:30Marvellous, marvellous.
32:31I think some of the talk about it being a bit overweight
32:33and whatnot, you really don't feel this.
32:35This is what I found.
32:36You don't feel it when you're on the move, do you?
32:38Not at all, and even...
32:40OK, we've been round the track,
32:42but it's not at racing speeds particularly.
32:44Everything's sort of marshalled out there,
32:46so you can't go too quickly.
32:47And just riding it around here and parking it again,
32:49it's not too heavy at all.
32:51It seems to me that a lot of the time
32:53when acquisitions like that are made,
32:55levelled against a bike,
32:56it's because they've just got to find something wrong with it.
32:58There's got to be something in it.
32:59No, that's no big problem at all.
33:01Well, that's the racer's view,
33:03but what's it like in the real world?
33:05I shall now go and find out.
33:18When I rode the K1200RS at its launch in Barcelona,
33:22I thought it just might be a bike that I could get to like.
33:25So the only thing to do was use one for everyday transport.
33:28So after three weeks and a thousand miles,
33:31how was it for me?
33:32First, despite its size, you can commute on it.
33:35With a fairly relaxed riding position,
33:37a tractable motor, light clutch
33:39and a superb clunk-free gearbox,
33:41city traffic is no problem whatsoever.
33:43Except for those confusing indicator switches, of course.
33:47With panniers attached, you can even store a helmet or two
33:49and tape all the papers you're ever likely to need,
33:52even a laptop if you want.
33:54At low speed, it's one of the steadiest bikes I've ever ridden,
33:57even feet up turns are dead easy.
34:00Leave the panniers on and you can go touring,
34:02or leave them off and you can go clean.
34:05On the open road,
34:06this, the most powerful and fastest BMW bike ever built,
34:09can really fly.
34:11With 130 horses straining at the leash,
34:13it could be wild, but it's not.
34:16It's the smoothest engine I've ever come across
34:18and incredibly quiet too,
34:20but its power delivery is amazing.
34:22With a massive plateau of torque,
34:24it pours power out like cream from a pail.
34:27But just to remind you it's got an edge,
34:28there's a nice throaty induction snarl
34:30from about six and a half grand to the 9,000 rev limiter,
34:34which you'll see you topping 155 in no time at all.
34:38While it's not a scratches tool,
34:39it's beautifully balanced with neutral steering
34:41and brilliant roadholding.
34:43With the telelever suspension up front
34:45and the power lever at the rear
34:46ironing out the slightest bumps without a hint of sugginess,
34:49this is a totally planted bike.
34:52Add in a really slick six-speed gearbox
34:54and those amazing stand it on the nose in the rain,
34:57anti-lock brakes, and you can really motor.
35:00Mind you, 130 in third performance
35:02doesn't pay fuel consumption one bit.
35:06Over 1,000 miles,
35:07it's average out at 45 miles to the gallon,
35:09but it did drop to a lowly 39
35:11on a memorable blast to the Great Northern bike line.
35:14The fairing might look big and bulbous,
35:16but despite this, side winds leave you unaffected,
35:19which is more than enough in safety adjustable screen.
35:21Low was okay,
35:23but the raised position concentrated the blast
35:25far too much on my helmet.
35:28So it's a heavyweight bike,
35:29but like heavyweight boxers,
35:31it's light on its feet.
35:33What really counts is the way it handles itself
35:35and whether it packs a punch.
35:37The Beamer does,
35:38and while it might not deliver a knockout to the competition,
35:40it'll still be there at the end of the round.
35:42A worthy contender in the big bike stakes.
35:45Who knows, I might even be tempted myself.
35:49The words Honda and quality have always gone together,
35:51but so unfortunately is the word blandness.
35:54But this, the RC51,
35:56or as we know it in the UK, the VTR SP1,
35:59is about to change all that.
36:13Forget your VTR Firestorm.
36:15Nice bike that it is,
36:16because someone in Japan is a Monty Python fan,
36:19and when they heard,
36:20and now for something completely different,
36:22this is what they came up with.
36:23Goodbye Mr. Nice Guy,
36:25hello Viagra Man.
36:26But does it all stand up?
36:28Well it does stand up,
36:29or at least it does while it's on its side stand.
36:31But look, that allows us to look at this,
36:34one of the most distinctive features of the VTR,
36:36the air intake,
36:37this V-shaped air intake right at the front.
36:40It's special because that feeds air
36:42straight through a plastic duct here,
36:44and actually through the headstock,
36:46special casting in the headstock there,
36:48takes air straight through to the air box under here,
36:51feeding cool air straight to the fuel injectors.
36:54And while we're actually down here,
36:56having a look-see down here,
36:57you can see the side-mounted radiators,
37:00again a very distinctive feature.
37:02On the race bike they actually put them
37:03down the front of the engine,
37:04this one they're side-mounted.
37:06Behind all the fairing, there is the motor,
37:09VTR motor,
37:1090 degree V-twin,
37:12999cc,
37:14gear-driven cams,
37:16nickel-silk-coated bores,
37:18all very high-tech,
37:19all very racy,
37:20and nothing like your ordinary road-going VTR bicycle.
37:24But out on the road,
37:25the fuel injection is not quite sorted.
37:27It can hunt on a light throttle
37:29and cause lurching when feathering
37:31from a shut-to-open throttle.
37:33Not that it will bother you most of the time,
37:35because the SP1 is meant to be worked hard.
37:38In fact, keep it spinning around 7,000 revs
37:40and you're doing 80 in third.
37:42Wind it on and in seconds you're hitting
37:44the rev limiter at around 10 grand,
37:46by which time you're doing 130
37:48and you're still in third gear.
37:50Mind you, playing these games is thirsty work,
37:53like 34 to the gallon thirsty work.
37:56Bad enough, you might think,
37:58but with an 18-litre tank,
37:59it will only get you about 115 miles
38:01before a fill-up is needed.
38:03So the booming V-twin engines are stunker,
38:06but how about the chassis?
38:08This, too, is all new.
38:10It's more VFR than it is VTR
38:12and it starts up at that massive headstock,
38:14comes down here with these side spars
38:16to this big casting for the swinging arm mount there.
38:19New swinging arm, as you can see,
38:21very heavily braced there.
38:23Behind there is a single shock absorber,
38:25fully adjustable for preload,
38:27rebound damping and compression damping,
38:30similar to the front.
38:32Upside-downers on this one,
38:34and as you can see here,
38:35a very neat adjuster there for compression damping,
38:38so you don't need any tools,
38:39you can just tweak that little knob there and you're away.
38:41And while we're down here, see this adapter plate?
38:44Calipers there, but that adapter plate
38:46allows you to change the calipers
38:47for anything of your choosing,
38:48saves you messing around with the forks.
38:50All very neat stuff.
38:52Out on the road, all this comes together beautifully.
38:55The suspension is firm, as you'd expect,
38:57but it's sophisticated enough
38:58to soak up those kidney-jarring potholes
39:00that can catch you out.
39:02At around 200 kilo,
39:03it's a whole 30 kilos more than the new Blade,
39:06but it's difficult to believe.
39:08In fact, with the riding position
39:09that puts your body weight forward,
39:11the weight is so well distributed,
39:12it disappears and makes this an easy bike to ride well.
39:16So is it Viagra Man?
39:18No, it doesn't need any artificial aid.
39:20This is a sports bike in the raw.
39:22It has red blood and its veins all right
39:24and is a match on the road for a 996 Duke,
39:27but racing is where it will have to earn
39:29that elusive glamour.
39:30Still, at a touch under 10 grand,
39:32it's still one hell of a competitor.
39:34Boom, boom, as we V-Twins would say.
39:38Hello and welcome to Two Wheels Better.
39:40It's a beautiful sunny day
39:41and we're outside the National Motorcycle Museum
39:43at Bickenhill, which is just outside Birmingham.
39:46Today we're going to have a look at Triumphs
39:48and the beginnings of Triumphs
39:49in this museum, which in fact,
39:51is a microcosm of the British motorcycle industry.
39:54But we haven't got time to look at the whole industry.
39:56We have got time to look at Triumphs
39:58and I'll take you on a little time trip
40:00and we'll start off with the very first Triumph in 1902.
40:04The original Triumph name goes back to 1884
40:08when a young German, Siegfried Bettmann,
40:10founded the Triumph company in London.
40:13In those days he was specialising in import and export
40:16of virtually anything and everything.
40:18But he recognised that there was a start
40:20of a craze in bicycles
40:22and in 1889 he made his first bicycle.
40:25But in 1902 he made his first motorcycle
40:28and this is it.
40:29This really was a motor and a cycle bolted together.
40:33It uses a little two and a quarter horsepower
40:35Belgian Minerva engine
40:37and as you can see down here
40:39it is actually bolted onto the frame.
40:42Not only is the engine bolted onto the frame
40:45but the rest of the components are all bicycle-like.
40:48If you're old enough you can recognise the front brake here
40:51as being the centre pole type
40:53with rod operated from the handlebars
40:55pulling up on the rim.
40:57The rear brake is a hub-operated brake,
41:00a back-pedalling one.
41:01You just pedal backwards or hold it backwards
41:04and that will slowly slow the back wheel down
41:06with a little bit of luck.
41:08Another bicycle part or parts are the pedals.
41:12You can actually propel yourself along with the pedals
41:14even though it's a heavy old bicycle
41:16but you also use them to start the machine
41:18in the first place.
41:19And here's something that you don't get
41:21on modern machines of any description.
41:24This little gadget here, you actually poured
41:26neat petrol in this little top.
41:28Just look at that, all nickel-plated.
41:30Neat fuel in there.
41:32Close the top, open it up
41:34and you've got a neat dose of fuel
41:36straight on top of the piston.
41:38Then away you went, pedalling like mad.
41:40There was a minor explosion inside
41:42and if you got it all right
41:43the thing had actually burst into life
41:45and off you'd go.
41:47Just look at these controls as well
41:49little carburettor here, nickel-plated linkage
41:52and look at these little levers
41:54they've got ratchets on the back
41:56didn't have a twist grip or any lever on the bars
41:58you just had to take your hand off the bars
42:01listen to that, adjust that
42:03you could probably count the number of clicks
42:05and decide whether you wanted to do 3 miles an hour
42:07or 30 miles an hour.
42:0930 miles an hour would be very adventurous I reckon.
42:11Equally on the other side
42:13this little lever, this controls
42:15not only a decompressor on the exhaust valve
42:17but also the ignition timing.
42:19And wherever you see it, nickel-plated fittings
42:22here, there and everywhere.
42:24Now there was no automatic oil feed in these days
42:27but what you did have was an oil tank in here
42:30and then this little plunger pump
42:32and you'd actually open the valve
42:34and pump up the oil pressure
42:37and you'd have to do that regularly
42:38or woe betide you
42:40you'd have the engine seizing up.
42:42So there was a manual input
42:44something else to think of at the time.
42:46Now coming round to the lights
42:48these are pre-oxy-acetylene lights
42:50these are actually oil lamps
42:52from the carriage days would you believe
42:54and so you have to make sure you kept your wick well trimmed.
43:04Now Hughie, here's the bike that started it all
43:071937 Speed Twin
43:09the very first prototype as I understand it.
43:11Yes, the registration looks familiar
43:13CWK41 I think
43:15I remember seeing that very bike
43:18going down the production line
43:20at the Dale Street Works.
43:22Rumour has it that
43:24Edward Turner used to ride it
43:26but I'm not so sure about that.
43:28It makes a nice story anyway.
43:30It does, it makes a nice story
43:32and of course, who can disprove it now.
43:34The thing is, with this one
43:36being the first one
43:38you owe your current occupation
43:40to the Speed Twin, don't you?
43:42Without it there wouldn't have been the Bunnyvilles
43:44and the rest of it
43:46and I think we can all recognise within that engine
43:48is the components that were carried right through
43:50to the end.
43:52It all started here.
43:54The big difference with this one
43:56all iron engine?
43:58Yes, this is one of the early six stud motors as well
44:00later on when we found
44:02that the cylinder
44:04base
44:06nuts
44:08were cracking
44:10and coming off
44:12on the outside of the crankcase
44:14it was decided that
44:16the cylinder barrel ought to be held on
44:18by another two additional
44:20three-eighths
44:22nuts and studs to keep it
44:24more secure.
44:26I'm now joined at the National Motorcycle Museum
44:28by Colin Wall who's the restoration manager
44:30for the museum and behind me here
44:32is a Triumph 1923.
44:36Colin, this is basically
44:38a Model H used in the First World War, is it?
44:40Well it was developed
44:42from the Model H
44:44it was actually
44:46this was when Triumphs were
44:48trying to get a more sporting image
44:50and they
44:52located the help
44:54of a very famous man at the time
44:56Sir Henry
44:58Ricardo, that's correct
45:00and he
45:02tuned the engine
45:04and converted it to an overhead
45:06valve and
45:08this sports a four valve
45:10head which was
45:12very new for the time.
45:14Unheard of really wasn't it? Of course, yes.
45:16And his name was actually
45:18put to it and so
45:20this was known as the Triumph Ricardo
45:22and had a famous
45:24nickname as the Triumph Ricky.
45:26Right, so would that have been like the
45:28Bonneville of its time then?
45:30It would have been the Bonneville of the mid-twenties, yes.
45:32Something for all the lads to have.
45:34Yes, yes.
45:36Was there anything else with this that was very new
45:38for its time? It actually had electric lighting.
45:40Yes, yes.
45:42The electric lighting would have only been introduced
45:44maybe two years early
45:46on this machine
45:48and for a machine to sport
45:50electric lighting would cost
45:52quite a fair amount of money
45:54as compared to the acetylene
45:56lighting.
45:58This one has got the very ornate
46:00dynamo
46:02very expensive unit
46:04for the day
46:06and with a battery fitted at the rear.
46:08The beautifully
46:10constructed chain case
46:12Colin, was that
46:14unusual for its time?
46:16It would have been one of the first
46:18Triumphs to use the fully enclosed
46:20chain case
46:22which was copied and followed by
46:24nearly every other manufacturer from thereafter.
46:26Was that an oil-filled
46:28clutch case as well, primary drive?
46:30Yes, it would have been.
46:32The oil would have been put in to level.
46:34And what would those be?
46:36Cork clutch plates in there?
46:38Yes.
46:40So you had to keep those well wet.
46:42So they wouldn't last any time at all.
46:44Now back in 1986
46:46Honda launched the VFR.
46:48It was a 750 then. Since then it's
46:50gone through quite a few changes but during
46:52that time it's become the genre
46:54for the definitive sports tourer.
46:56Now some
46:58say it's a bland old man's bike
47:00simply because it lacks shell suit
47:02colours and gaudy graphics. But I ask
47:04you, when did you last see a Ferrari with gaudy
47:06graphics?
47:08But no, just like
47:10the new R1, the VFR 800
47:12VTEC is very discreet about what it does
47:14but there are a lot of surprises under that fairing
47:16and there's a hell of a lot of technology.
47:26VTEC
47:28VTEC
47:30VTEC
47:32VTEC
47:34VTEC
47:36VTEC
47:38VTEC
47:40VTEC
47:42Now first that VTEC business. It's not totally
47:44new technology because Honda use it in their
47:46Accord cars, BMW use it and
47:48Porsche use it but it's the first time
47:50on a bike. So what does it all mean?
47:52Well I'll try and explain. I'm not a
47:54researcher but I shall do my best.
47:56Now all bike engines, they're all built for maximum
47:58performance. So you're familiar with the terms
48:004 valve cylinder heads and all the rest of it?
48:02This is no difference. V4, 4 valve
48:04cylinder heads, 16 valves altogether.
48:06But if you just think of one cylinder
48:08with its 4 valves in, what Honda have
48:10done, they've just opened 2. One inlet
48:12and one exhaust at low engine speeds.
48:14This gives much better breathing,
48:16better fuel consumption, more efficiency.
48:18At low engine speeds
48:20the VFR will waffle along on a
48:22throttle with perfect fueling.
48:24Powers up by 5 brake horse on the all
48:26model and it also feels stronger in the mid
48:28range between 2 and 6000 revs.
48:30But hit 7 grand and those
48:32extra valves open up and so does
48:34the Horizon. It really does
48:36feel a completely different engine.
48:38It howls and snarls like no
48:40tourer ever would. It's not violent
48:42or uncontrollable, it's just seamless
48:44extra oomph. Just like lighting
48:46up the afterburners on a jumbo jet.
48:48It's addictive, it's unique and
48:50it's great. But the technology
48:52doesn't stop there. If we start off at the
48:54back of the bike, see the single sided swing
48:56and arm, you think common as muck. But Honda
48:58introduced this first on the VFR way back
49:00in 1990. It had been developed
49:02for racing by Elf. It was for endurance
49:04racing so you could get the wheel off quicker.
49:06Not high tech but nevertheless it's there.
49:08But the really clever thing
49:10is Honda's combined braking system.
49:12What it is, it's linking front and
49:14back brakes together. But the really clever
49:16thing is, 6 part calipers
49:18but you put the front brake lever on
49:20and it only operates 5 of those pistons.
49:22Leaves another one spare.
49:24But as you put the brake on and the calipers
49:26actually grip the disc, this whole
49:28assembly starts to tilt. See that
49:30screw there, it pivots on that and goes forward.
49:32I can just move it that little bit there.
49:34There's another piston in there
49:36and that's the piston that applies
49:38hydraulic pressure through this pipe to the
49:40rear brake. So there's 3 pistons on the
49:42rear brake and this one brings one of those
49:44on. So very clever.
49:47But it's on the road that all this
49:49technology comes to life. That
49:51wonderful engine blends a smooth 4 with
49:53V-twin grunt that not only gives you
49:55a nice sound and an even better feel
49:57it also gives it stonking low down
49:59power to catapult you off the line or
50:01slingshot you out of corners.
50:03Meanwhile the braking is so controlled
50:05it has to be experienced to be believed.
50:07This one hasn't got ABS
50:09fitted but in effect it has because
50:11try as I might I certainly couldn't
50:13lock up the back wheel. With both
50:15brakes being applied to some extent whenever
50:17you operate either lever the whole bike
50:19squats keeping the weight distribution more
50:21even. Very clever and very safe.
50:23Talking about safety
50:25look at this lot. You get 4 headlights on
50:27when you're on main beam. Absolutely fantastic.
50:29And these mirrors too. These are really
50:31good. There's no vibration on these at all.
50:33And something else. Down here on
50:35this dash panel you've got a full display
50:37here. Really neat. There you've got your engine
50:39temperature. You can change that over and
50:41there's the air temperature. Coming over onto
50:43this other side. You've got your ordinary
50:45speedo display. Your odometer.
50:47And then two trip counters on there. And you've got your
50:49fuel gauge and you've got your clock.
50:51Also down there you can see HISS.
50:53It spells hiss but it also means
50:55Honda's ignition security system.
50:57And it's very clever because in that key
50:59there's actually a chip in there and there's a sensor
51:01in the headstock. And it's no point
51:03just having a key cut because that's not going to do you
51:05any good at all. It won't start the bike
51:07unless the sensor actually recognises
51:09that this key belongs to this bike.
51:11So it's a very good security system there.
51:13Nice big tank and you will have seen on some of the
51:15earlier shots. I've got my magnetic tank bag on
51:17there. My favourite. Goes everywhere with me.
51:19Like a woman's handbag.
51:21Down there on the fairing you can see the side mounted
51:23radiators. And I must say this fairing
51:25this isn't the big voluminous fairing that you get
51:27on a true touring bike. But nevertheless
51:29it does the job. Looks very swoopy
51:31but it's actually keeping enough off you.
51:33So it's a nice compromise between sports and
51:35full touring. But the thing I really like
51:37with this one. It's got a centre stand.
51:39Very sensible for a bike that you're going to do some
51:41serious touring on.
51:43So it's easy to heave up as well. You've even got a
51:45nice grab over this side.
51:47There we go. And that allows us
51:49to look round the amazing exhaust.
51:51Sweep up the top. Just Ducati
51:53style. You've seen it all before. But they've got
51:55this funny triangular shape at the back. Really
51:57distinctive. You're not going to mix this bike up with
51:59anything else.
52:03The riding position
52:05is just so. Pitching you slightly
52:07forward but not too far.
52:09The suspension is compliant and coupled to the
52:11stiffened and modified frame it gives this bike
52:13a flickability factor equal to many
52:15out and out sports bikes.
52:17Strangely for this day and age the weight is up
52:195 kilos at 213.
52:21But that doesn't make it heavy. Just
52:23totally planted.
52:25Now if ever there was a bike for all reasons
52:27this has got to be it.
52:29ABS will cost you an extra £500
52:31but at £8,475
52:33on the road you already get
52:35a hell of a lot of tech for your money.
52:37Now we all know Honda's Super
52:39Blackbird. Super smooth sports
52:41tourer. 180 miles an hour.
52:43You can get one for just under £8,000
52:45or even £7,200 as a parallel.
52:47So what makes this one worth
52:49£15,500?
52:53So how about another
52:5560cc, some very
52:57special bits and 40bhp?
52:59But this is no
53:01parts bin special. This is
53:03V&M's 1200 Super
53:05Blackbird. Built to commemorate
53:07Honda's 50th anniversary.
53:11So what do you get? Well probably the most
53:13noticeable thing is this red and white paint job.
53:15White panel up the front here
53:17distinctive V&M there. Carbon
53:19fibre trim round there.
53:21Some very neat decals there.
53:2350th anniversary and a gold Honda
53:25on the tank. But these are sort of fairly minor
53:27ones. There's even a little plaque on the head
53:29stock telling you which number you have got.
53:31Coming back here
53:33you've got this absolutely beautiful
53:35Akrapovic exhaust system.
53:37Running straight through from the engine to the back.
53:39Single sided as you can see.
53:41A road legal one as well. Not a race job
53:43but it's still got a lovely exhaust note.
53:45Underneath there
53:47you've got a Penske rear shock.
53:49And that is adjustable for compression, preload
53:51and rebound damping.
53:53So that's one up on a Blackbird or even two up
53:55on a Blackbird. The adjuster is
53:57actually under the seat here.
54:01This one here is for your compression
54:03damping on that big gold knob there.
54:05Then underneath at the bottom
54:07of the rear suspension unit is the
54:09rebound damper. Tucked right up under there.
54:11But with a small screwdriver you'll get at it.
54:13Also helping make it
54:15that little bit special are these absolutely
54:17brilliant LSL rear sets.
54:19LSL are a German firm and these
54:21really are the business. The engineering
54:23on them is absolutely superb.
54:25Even the pillion footrests, they get a knurled footrest
54:27as well. It's also got
54:29an LSL chain guard on the other side.
54:31And up the top here, just like a
54:33Ducati 916, across the fork yokes
54:35is an LSL steering damper.
54:37Very neat kit.
54:39But do you need a steering damper?
54:41I doubt it, but it looks good
54:43and at 200 miles an hour I suppose
54:45it could prove useful. However
54:47the Penske shock is certainly more sophisticated
54:49than a stock one and coupled
54:51to a weight reduction of 10 kilos
54:53it does give a lighter, more responsive
54:55feel to what is already a fine
54:57handling bike. And you need it
54:59with that motor snapping at your heels
55:01and rearing to go.
55:03And see these?
55:05These are not just for ordinary ventilation
55:07as on the standard Blackbird.
55:09These feed a pressurised air box taking air
55:11straight back to the carburettors.
55:13But not only that, they make an absolutely fantastic
55:15sound. You just listen to this.
55:17Hear that?
55:21That's not the exhaust, that's these.
55:23Brilliant.
55:27Now that wonderful
55:29noise from that air box is down
55:31to these, the carburettors.
55:33These are modified. We're now in V&M's
55:35workshop where you can have a look and see all the bits
55:37and pieces. So standard carburettors
55:39but suitably modified and re-jetted.
55:41They of course feed the
55:43gas into the cylinder head.
55:45The cylinder head on the Super Blackbird
55:47has been gas flowed
55:49as you can see down these ports.
55:51Beautiful these inlet ports.
55:53And also heads polished within
55:55there. Out of interest you can
55:57see a standard Blackbird. It's a decent
55:59job like all Jap engines.
56:01Nicely engineered but
56:03they're still rough down the ports and you can see they're pretty
56:05dark down there.
56:07That one looks much better in a way.
56:09And it does the business which is more important.
56:11Also what you've got in there
56:13two millimetre oversized pistons.
56:15There they are
56:17compared with the others. You can't really see the difference
56:19in size but don't they look
56:21pretty, eh? Shorter skirts on them
56:23as you can see. But the biggest thing
56:25is probably these rods. These are Corello
56:27rods as against the standard
56:29ones which look quite agricultural.
56:31These will stand far higher revs
56:33and won't fly apart.
56:35Hopefully. Coming to the
56:37camshafts. These are the new ones.
56:39Nitrided cams. Completely new cams.
56:41Re-profiled. Well a
56:43different profile. You can see they've got
56:45a wider opening for the valves.
56:47Compared with the standard
56:49one. You really can't see that much difference
56:51but believe me there is a difference.
56:53Ding.
56:55Finally you come to the cylinder block.
56:57Not much to see other than there's an extra
56:59two millimetres out of that.
57:01But this is all really engineered
57:03really well and I think this is what V&M
57:05pride themselves on. It is engine
57:07preparation and it's absolutely
57:09spot on. I'm in my oil tub.
57:11Fast? You bet your
57:13hair boosters it is. Wind it on
57:15through the standard gearbox and listen
57:17to that induction roar as this
57:19bird really starts to fly.
57:21But it's not a crazy kick. It's
57:23more an irresistible urge as it
57:25spins its way to an
57:2711,300 rev limit.
57:29By which time you would be nudging
57:31an indicated 200 miles an hour.
57:33Back it off in the
57:35interest of survival and you still
57:37have a mega bird.
57:39Tractable and more to the point, highly
57:41usable. This bird really
57:43does sing.
57:45The rest of the bike is familiar
57:47The Blackbird, complete with link brakes
57:49that will haul you back down to zero
57:51nearly as quick as you left it.
57:53So it might still be a
57:55Blackbird, but not as we know it.
57:57There will only ever be
57:5950 of them, but is it worth
58:01twice as much as the standard bike
58:03or even a Hayabusa?
58:05You get blistering performance and
58:07race bike standards of preparation
58:09and exclusivity.
58:11And like anything exclusive, it's worth it
58:13if it's worth it to you.
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