Top Rated motorcycles

In the city, despite the simplicity of the chassis, the bike really pleases: handling at the level of the max-scooter, a low center of gravity, a relaxed fit. The combined ABS system will be a good helper for both the first season and experienced motorcyclist.Is that the regular glove compartment under the saddle for the sake of a low landing is small to ugliness - no wonder that the rear trunks are immediately offered to the motorcycle.

The engine is an in-line 670-cc “two” with a “wrong” crankshaft (a working stroke shift of 270 degrees). Someone can scorn with contempt when he sees the figure “48 horsepower” in the list of characteristics, but this long-stroke engine confidently pulls from the bottom, forgives errors with the choice of gears, and gives 6050 rpm of peak torque now.

On the highway, the motorcycle quickly reminds that it was created by the city: wind protection is rather weak. Instinctively wanted to lie down to the tank? Alas, landing does not have this at all. So the nature of the movement and on the track here will be more relaxed-cruising, and more suitable for the egoist - no, the back seat is very comfortable, but the mono-shock absorber was clearly calculated on the “one rider and luggage” scenario.

This "Jixer 600" has almost 25 years of history and seven modifications. Since its birth, the motorcycle was designed to be an exceptionally sporty bike, so it was equipped with a 4x4x4 engine (4 cylinders, 4 valves per cylinder, 4 cycles) with a capacity of 600 cm³ and a power of 126 horses. Dashing guys boast that they were able to accelerate the "jixer" to 280 km / h. Perfectly balanced characteristics of the brake system and accelerating dynamics help this bike to easily cope with the flow in the megalopolis. But beginners should be careful with the GSX-R600, as it does not forgive mistakes.

This maneuverable sport bike was created not only to overcome urban congestion, but also thanks to its rather big ground clearance, it is able to plunge into the world of relative impassability. Although, of course, his element is the highway. Thanks to the agile single-cylinder engine with a volume of 249 cubes and 28 horsepower, this “ninja” accelerates quickly, and the disc front and rear petal-type brakes, in addition to reliable braking, do not overheat due to frequent braking in city traffic. Your personality will be emphasized by the sporty fit and Kawasaki corporate identity.

Such motorcycles are bought primarily for their own pleasure - it is not for nothing that the plug is installed in the passenger seat and the quick removal of the rear running boards.Well, and if you look into the catalog of original accessories, then the presence of Akrapovic exhaust in it probably will not be surprised.

However, the "sportier" version in comparison with the base model has become even more comfortable, oddly enough - the suspensions have become more long-running and energy-intensive, which is a definite plus on our roads. On a motorcycle, it is quite possible to wander along the streets at idle speed, but it doesn’t hurt to switch the engine management system to the “speed” mode, if necessary, to lean towards the clips and open the gas. In addition, the company's engineers were able to fit into the classic design and effectively working ABS system - the technician will correct errors when handling the brake lever.

In the Performance version, the motorcycle, among the list of “beautiful”, also received a full titanium exhaust Akrapovic - a good bonus that someone chooses for the sound, someone - for the sake of easier “breathing” of the engine at high revs, to the quality of the exhaust system settings stamps quibbling silly. Peak torque of 65.7 N * m is achieved at revolutions much higher than that of other participants in the rating (6500 rpm), the maximum power of 68 hp and does develop only at 8000 rpm - yes, the relaxed driving style is clearly not invented for the Z650, which in the city will require active work with the gearbox foot.

As for comfort, he is generally expecting for this class - a motorcycle, conceived as a nimble "traffic jams flasher", will not be the best choice for traveling: the saddle is harsh and we consider wind protection not. Well - to each his own, and this style also finds its buyer.

As for the modern California Touring, this is undoubtedly an “one hundred percent” cruiser with a seasoned style, a comfortable fit and a magnificent 1380-cubic engine mounted in a frame on silentblocks. Of course, this is not the classic forty-five-degree engine XD, which makes the whole motorcycle shake at idle, the European school is definitely felt here - but this is not at all bad, besides, the motor does not suffer from overheating of the rear cylinder.

In modern traditions, the engine management system has three switchable modes for different road conditions and moods. The motor is capable of delivering up to 121 newton-meters of torque already at 3000 rpm, “takes out” in any gear, without any problems allowing movement under the “mumbling” of the exhaust system at low revs. If you close your eyes (although you should not do it while driving), then it is quite possible to imagine yourself as a driver of some of the Big-Hins from H-D, although the engine here warms up your knees, and not the gentlest part of the male body.

Among the Dukov family of the Austrian manufacturer KTM, the 390 DUKE motorcycle occupies the middle ground, inheriting all the technical innovations and characteristics from the eldest brother, with a difference only in engine size. Despite this, the 373-cc injection engine with a power of 44-horsepower allows you to immediately feel the sporting character of this model. Responsiveness of the control and reliability of the disc brake system has long become the hallmark of the KTM models, and the DUKE suspension also quite comfortably handles off-road.

Experienced bikers remember how this model was a permanent bestseller among Soviet youth and the kind of respect the owners of this machine enjoyed. A lot of time has passed since then, but Java-350 still stirs the minds of motorcyclists. And all because it is a versatile, unpretentious, simple and reliable motorcycle from a Czech manufacturer, which absorbed both the classics of the times and the current European quality. 23.1 hp two-stroke two-cylinder carburetor engine Coupled with a four-stage semi-automatic transmission allows you to accelerate the unit to a decent 125 km / h. Telescopic fork front suspension increases the controllability of the motorcycle in city traffic, and the rear pendulum helps to deal with primers and off-road. Compared with the models of the last century, the current Java-350 has acquired disc front brakes, reinforced brake hoses, a digital instrument panel, a more powerful headlight and a multitude of chrome-plated parts.

The 900-cc engine doesn’t hit the peak power figures (65 hp at 7,500 rpm), but it is efficient and economical. Moreover, it is worthwhile to ride it for at least a couple of days, as an idea involuntarily appears in my head - if it were not for the price, this motorcycle could have become a much better “study desk” for a beginner than the Japanese four hundred. The motor does not require constant twisting of revolutions and gear changes, forgives classic errors like opening a gas after braking, without dropping a couple of gears down, not annoyingly twitchy character, when pickup suddenly appears behind flat "bottoms". The bike itself is perfectly controlled, its almost 200 kg weight is almost not felt when maneuvering. The possibility of switching the engine management system to the “rain” mode for a beginner will also be by the way - the probability of “decomposing” decreases, the reaction to the gas becomes smoother, an unexpected disruption of the wheel on the wet asphalt is eliminated during careless movement of the right hand.

And finally, let's not forget about the broadest possibilities of tuning - even in the original catalog there is something to choose from, well, and the aftermarket has never forgotten about the British “tweens”.

Among the updated line of the Belarusian manufacturer M1NSK there are a lot of decent classic road models, but I would like to highlight the new product in the enduro class Minsk TRX 300i. This new motorcycle, absorbed in itself a reliable classic of decades from the Belarusian engineers and technical innovations from Asian, was created for comfortable long-distance travel. And this goal has been achieved.The 250-cc single-cylinder engine with a power of 26 horses proved its reliability at the Brest-Dushanbe motor rally. Ten thousand kilometers between these cities were covered in a far from ideal pavement. The fact that the TRX 300i is aimed at long trips is suggested by three large coffers that come as standard. Add to this a stylish design, LED optics, an informative dashboard, a comfortable arrangement of the saddle, steps, grooves under the knees, a comfortable steering wheel and we get a modern enduro tourist.

Not so long ago the novelty caused a considerable crackling of the seats of the fans of the “African Twin” of the first generation - the reborn version had nothing to do with the legendary ancestor, except for the name. If the first “Africa” was set in motion by a reputable unkillable chopper in a twin with minor modifications, the new one received the usual two-cylinder rower with the “wrong” crank (the crank pins shifted by 270 degrees), which makes it possible to reduce the tendency for the rear wheel to stall. “Friendliness” to the driver, characteristic of most Honda motorcycles, is realized here as well - the 98-hp powertrain has excellent feedback on the throttle, without straining with dips or sharp jerks. Of course, the difference with KTM is enormous, almost at the capacity of the “old” Africa Twin.

The second object of the forum copies was the appearance of an automatic transmission on the new product - for motorcycles this is still considered a move, and seeing the automatic machine on Africa Twin was a real shock for many. However, for the novice motor traveler, this option would be good. We add that the motorcycle is equipped with the ABS system, and the “automatic” is closely connected with the injection control unit, allowing you to select one of several operating modes (for the highway, city, off-road).

Geometry suspension new generation did not disgrace the honor of the brand: 250 mm ground clearance, Showa long-stroke suspension in combination with the classic dimension of wheels 21/18 allow you to confidently move off the asphalt, and the weight distribution of the motorcycle is almost the same as the ideal one (49.1% / 50.9 %).

In general, the inclusion of this motorcycle in the ranking of the best is quite reasonable.But a genuine station wagon didn’t work out - a narrow saddle will quickly make itself felt in the city and on the track, but if you move “along the pampas” in the cross-pillar - why an automatic gearbox, an electronically controlled clutch and (the main disadvantage for off-road driving, when the fall is inevitable) frame, combined into one with the subframe? For high speeds (and the CRF1000L can squeeze “under 200”), there is clearly not enough purely conventional windscreen, and the dynamics are already suffering.

The family of "pimps", as in the Russian motorcycle rally, long ago nicknamed the Yamaha Super Tenere, continued the general trend of motorcycle companies to inflate the volumes of heavy tourist enduro per liter. The ancestor of the family, which appeared, like Africa Twin, in the late 80s, was equipped with a 750cc engine, but today the motorcycle boasts a volume of 1200 cm3 and a capacity of 112 hp.

Like the new “Africa”, the XT1200ZE is built around a two-row row with shifted crankshaft necks, but the extra 200 “cubes” with a slight increase in power made the engine more heavy - the maximum power turns less and the torque, though, peaks at the same 6000 / min, up by a very noticeable 20%.

The first "Pimp" quite successfully argued with Africa Twin in the rally field. The new motorcycle looks controversial in its off-road qualities: the suspension travel (190/190 mm) is small, the front is 19-inch, not the 21-inch wheel. With its 190 mm ground clearance and a mass of 265 kg, the Super Tenere loses both the KTM Adventure and the Honda Africa Twin - the geometric permeability is worse, the motorcycle itself at the same considerable height on the saddle is noticeably more swathe. So, the bike is good, but it is not so much an “SUV”, as much as a “SUV” in automotive terminology - you can load it with wardrobe trunks from the extensive corporate catalog and go on a ride on middle asphalt and lightweight primers, but we don’t recommend moving them far away.

The power unit "ruff-f" - row "two" liquid cooling. Its 64 newton meters combined with a small mass give the motorcycle good dynamics, and the power of 72 hp allows you to maintain an acceptable "cruiser" on the track. The wind is not annoying at speed: the fairing is far from the developed facings of sports tourists, but it does an excellent job with its work.

An indispensable attribute of a modern motorcycle is the ABS. No matter how controversial gurus may argue about its necessity, for practical use of a motorcycle, this is an indisputable advantage, which significantly improves the safety of the device when it comes to braking when the rules of handling the brake lever are washed out of the head with adrenaline a hundredfold.