The 'Tweener Twins: 1100 and 1200cc V-Twin Motorcycles Compared

Get Out On the Highway, Lookin' for Vibration

Escaping city streets for faster-moving roadways, you will notice the two Sportsters' vibration immediately. Both bikes shake quite hard under load, making them unpleasant to rev to redline. Some riders also felt the vibration's magnitude was unacceptable at legal highway speeds. The Sport shakes a bit harder, making it less comfortable, but the Custom's mirrors blur far worse, obliterating your rear view at most speeds. One rider said that the vibration made the Custom "unrideable because of the vibration through the bars." A few riders also complained mildly about the BMW's lower-magnitude but higher-frequency vibration. Most of the nine riders who rode all seven bikes rated the Sabre and V-Rod as the smoothest bikes, but there were no complaints about the Spirit or V-Star.

Other sources of discomfort take a bit longer to assert themselves, but ergonomics get to you almost as quickly as vibration. Different riders have different issues. For example, average to tall riders felt crowded by the Sportster Sport's high pegs, which they wished were farther rearward. Smaller riders were likely to complain about the long stretch forward to the V-Rod's pegs, but less so with the other three feet-forward bikes---Harley Custom and both Hondas. They also had a hard time grasping the handlebar levers of the Harleys. Though we liked their leverage at low speeds, the wide bars on the BMW and the buckhorns on the Spirit were less popular on the highway, where they demanded more pressure to hold your position against the wind. The little flyscreen on the Phoenix does virtually nothing to alleviate this. Because they lean you on the wind, the lower bars on the Sabre and the Sportster Sport made friends at highway speeds, and the Yamaha Classic riding position worked pretty well, though, as with the Spirit, a windshield would improve it. A few riders appreciated the flexibility offered by the floorboards on the V-Star Classic.

Uncomfortable saddles, like that of the V-Rod, assert themselves quickly. After a bit longer on the bikes, we heard about the Harley Sport's saddle, then, after an hour or so, the first complaints about the Sabre's and Custom's seats would arrive. Most riders gave high marks to the seating accommodations of the other three bikes. The BMW's is wide and roomy enough for most pilots, especially when paired with somewhat rearward pegs that permit you to take some weight off your hiney. The Spirit's saddle is also roomy, deeply padded and wide. The V-Star Classic's saddle had a good shape and size but is a bit soft, and heavier riders find the bottom in a couple of hours. The editor also complained that the lip on the V-Star's saddle left a lingering pain in her bony butt.

Passengers unanimously and emphatically preferred the Sabre over all the others, because of its backrest, decent footpeg position, and deeply padded, relatively roomy saddle made it significantly more comfortable and secure than the others. The V-Star and Sabre were favored over the Sportsters, which drew fire for their vibration. When one passenger balked at climbing on the V-Rod with its tiny passenger pad that actually slopes backward, we pointed out that it was better, at least, than the Phoenix, which has no passenger seat or pegs, just a luggage platform. She looked at both and replied, "I'm not so sure that's true."

'Round Every Corner

The forward footpeg position of the V-Rod also became an issue while working these bikes out on some of the mountain roads we traveled. If they put the arch or ball of their foot on the pegs, riders typically dragged their heels in corners. One also had the experience on the Sabre. In some situations--if you are wearing boots with sticky soles, for example---this can cause the heel to catch on the pavement and jam the rider's ankle or knee. It's best to rest your heel on these pegs. Cornering clearance was good on most of the bikes, though the folding floorboards of the Yamaha drag relatively easily, and the BMW's sidestand touches down fairly early in left-handers.

However, other handling issues got more attention. Every rider who rode the V-Rod through a sweeper for the first time remarked on its tendency to drop into the turn slightly, but all quickly learned that accelerating all the way through the turn kept the steering fairly linear and that the bike did not require much muscle to change directions. The most common complaint was the vague feedback from the front end on most of these bikes, caused by soft suspensions and light rebound damping rates. This was rarely identified as an issue on the Sportsters, especially the Sport, and the Sabre evoked the most complaints about "soft steering" and vague feel from the front end. The V-Rod and the old Spirit were rated nearer the top for steering precision and feel, with the BMW and Yamaha below them. Overall, the Sportster Sport lives up to its billing, with most riders naming it as their preferred weapon for a twisting roads because of the steadiest handling, most precise steering, and great clearance when leaned over.

Power to Burn

Cruiser buyers who still believe that displacement equates to power are likely to be rudely surprised by the horsepower produced in this group. By now most motorcyclists know that the V-Rod is a for-real hot-rod. Harley's high-tech twin, which can consistently turn in standing-start quarter-miles under well under 12 seconds, will out-run any other two-cylinder cruiser, even those like the Honda VTX with almost 60 percent more cubic inches under the tank. But the most of the rest of these machines are also a match for some of those much bigger twins. All except the Yamaha will get through the quarter in the 13-second bracket with speeds in excess of 90 mph. Don't choose off one of these bikes if you ride one of those lazy big twins like an Intruder 1500, Road Star or Vulcan 1500, all of which are about a second and over five mph slower at the end of 1440 yards. Even Kawasaki hot-rod Mean Streak might get embarrassed by one of these innocuous-looking "little" twins. If you are looking for bang for the buck from a twin, and "bang" is shorthand for "acceleration," then these machines are much better investments than the big twins.

Of course, it's easier to coax speed out of some than others. The Sportsters' relatively heavy flywheels and strong vibration make them seem a bit reluctant to cooperate with high-rpm tomfoolery, though, if you can stand the shaking, the Sport is second-fastest in the group. The BMW very narrowly edges the Honda Sabre and Spirit and the Sportster Custom, in that order. The V-Star 1100 loafs at the back of the pack, a relaxed three-quarters of a second behind, or about a quarter-second quicker than a 1600cc Road Star. When you want to sprint, the tachometers of the V-Rod and Sportster Sport are welcome equipment.

In terms of braking ability, money talks in this class. The BMW and the V-Rod have the preferred brakes. The Beemer gets points because it offers the security of anti-lock on top of brakes that are already strong and quite controllable. The modest reduction in front-end dive provided by the front suspension design drew some positive notes, but most wished for more. For sheer braking power, the V-Rod is tops, and its radial tires offer the tenacious traction needed to exploit them. The Hondas got the lowest marks, with the Spirit rated the worst. The front brake offered less power than the other bikes in the class, and some remarked that the rear brake was too sensitive. The Sportsters have the typically high-effort front brakes of Harleys, and the front brake levers are a stretch for smaller hands. However, the Sport brakes can produce power and its higher-traction tires help make the most of that.

Life in Eleventh Heaven

Owning one of these machines shouldn't be too expensive. Though the Yamaha and V-Rod turned in fuel-consumption figures below 35 mpg a time or two, even they would deliver better than 40 mpg during less intense riding. The Sportsters make up for their limited (3.3 gallons) fuel capacity with the best fuel mileage in the group. With 50 mpg or better normal for highway use on the Harley 1200s, we felt comfortable going 130 miles between fill-ups. The BMW and Sportsters need premium fuel, though the rest are happy (and perform at least as well ) sucking regular.

Though nothing broke, the Sportster Sport suffered the most problems. It detonated more than any bike Motorcycle Cruiser has ever tested (including previous examples of the same model) when ever called upon to accelerate under load, such as up a hill or in a tall gear. It was worse on hot days, when the Custom also detonated a little bit. By the end of the test, the Sport also became reluctant to idle, and it was oozing a small amount of oil from the right-side engine cases, though not dripping or using enough to require replenishment. The BMW shed one of its clear-color front turn signal lenses. We have had two V-Rods (one with the factory hop-up kit) to beat up since their introduction, and except for a shredded rear tire on one, they have been trouble-free, which isn't always the case with all-new designs.

A number of minor features on these bikes drew appreciative comments, and there are some items that we wish would go away. In the former category are the BMW's heated grips, which offer two heat ranges through a switch on the handlebar. On the other hand, we hate the bike's three-button turn-signal system, and the rest of its generally confusing handlebar switch layout. The Beemer's rear wheel would be the easiest to change because of the one-armed swingarm. The Phoenix's luggage platform seemed like a good idea at first, but there is nowhere to attach tie-downs and the platform is pretty narrow. Though we'd prefer single-switch operation, Harley's turn signals do have the best self-canceling scheme, which senses when you have turned or changed lanes. We also like the handy oil dipsticks on the Sportsters and the fact that you don't need a key to open the fuel tanks. The V-Rod, which provides access to the under-seat fuel tank just by turning the ignition lock one notch past off is the second-best arrangement. The Spirit's saddlebag guards are welcome when you throw saddlebags on the bike. The Sabre just has one guard on the left; apparently Honda doesn't feel that with its fuller fenders there is enough room on the right for a bag to swing into the wheel.

Of course, the most important "feature" for many cruiser buyers is appearance. To a certain extent, you get what you pay for. The pricey BMW and V-Rod have the nicest finishes here. The Phoenix looks elegant and sophisticated. The V-Rod is sexy and cool. In the under-ten-grand price range, the V-Star Custom got top marks for its fit and finish and big-bike style. The Sportster Custom had some adherents, but also put off some riders with its occasionally crude details. Some saw the appeal of the businesslike style of the Sport. Despite its flamed paint (actually decal) job, the Sabre didn't make a particularly strong visual impression on anyone. Our riders universally considered the Spirit's appearance un-spirited.