Street Motorcycle

Lets get one thing straight. Even though the first bike I tested pulled a full-on Chernobyl, I liked the XT. So, well deal with the unpleasantries first and then move into the meat of the test. Consider it a bad news first type of situation, if you will, so we can finish on a happy note.
Lets set the scene. It was the middle of a dark and stormy night, cold, black and miserable. There I was, tooling along at 70 miles per hour on the Grapevine (I-5 north of Bakersfield). XT350 number one decides to give in to the dark side of the Force and pull a Mr. Hyde on me. What does this hideous transformation look like? Well, its dark, so all I know is the bike lost power dramatically. Hmmmmm, I think to myself, this is not good (a keen deduction). I pull in the clutch to see if the motor will die or idle. It dies.
Ordinarily, this wouldnt be a big deal, but since there isnt a proper electrical system on this bike, there is a problem; the headlight turns off when the motor stops turning. Now, coasting along a freeway in the black of night at 70 mph isnt a problem if ones eyes are adjusted. Mine werent. I let out the clutch again to get the mortally wounded motor spinning again so I could light the way and pull over to the shoulder. With the aid of the ambient light from the odd passing car, I see the Yamaha motor smoking. Mr. Hyde has made his ugly appearance.

The expired bikes odometer reads 800 miles. This is well past the 600 miles recommended for proper break in, even if I havent paid a lick of attention to the procedure. On this day, though Ive already come 300 miles, Ive got another hundred or so to go before Im home. I survey the countryside surrounding me and determine my exact location. There is a distinct lack of landmarks, absolutely none whatsoever. There is nothing but empty space. I spend the next forty-five minutes trying to flag cars down out of the night, praying for a kindly driver with a cell phone to come to my rescue. But alas, I am a scary biker and dressed the part. It doesnt happen. I start walking hoping to find a highway call-box somewhere in the murky gloom. Half a mile away from my bike I look back to see a vehicle pulled to the shoulder next to the bike.

Not a whole lot has changed on this bike in 13 years. This 86 XT, stripped of street gear for dirt duty, is pretty much identical to the 97 bike we tested. Yamaha hasnt broken the bank improving this model.

Great instrument cluster. Too bad theres no oil light.

It turns out to be a big ole extend-a-cab Ford F-250 pickup truck. The guy behind the wheel tells me he usually doesnt pull over to help people, but since he saw me walking, then saw my bike, and he is a fellow rider (who else would stop?), he thought hed break this habit and offer a hand. He asks me if Im headed anywhere near Redondo Beach. As a matter of fact, I live within 10 miles of the place. Perfect, we load up the bike (he even has tie downs!) and off we go, on a 100 mile jaunt. He drops me at my pad, bike and all. I wish getting home after every breakdown could be so easy.

Now, I needed to break the news to Yamaha: Their machine was dead. It perished in my hands. Yamaha, bless their souls, took the bike back and swapped it for a new one for the sake of this story. Subsequent questioning about the status of the Mr. Hyde XT revealed that the bike had suffered an oil pump failure. An oil light would be nice. That was the bad news. Yamaha has made this bike for more than a decade and they tell me they had never heard of this kind of failure. In fact, when I first told them the motor had let go, they were rather shocked. The XT350 motor has a reputation for being bulletproof.

Gracing the rear fender is a little pouch containing the Yamaha tool kit. You could fit a kit of your own inside, as long as it was the size of a Kit Kat. Anything else would probably be too big to fit.

The front binder isnt the most sensitive unit on the planet. Generous suspension, with swoopy accordion-style fork tube protectors, dives under heavy braking.

So, having panned the first bike, lets discuss the merits of the next machine, a Dr. Jeckyl to the Mr. Hyde XT. The XT is surprisingly good on the highway. Riding position is upright, but wind is somewhat deflected by the G-string faring (the fairing is too small to be called even a bikini fairing). Body position somewhat counteracts the wind as well and makes the XT more tolerable for disposing mileage than many cruisers, which force a rider to adopt the dreaded flying squirrel posture. Cruising speed is on the moderate side, though the motor willingly spins up close to redline in sixth gear, good for maintaining speeds in the 75 miles per hour range. With a tailwind, 90 mph is possible, but it would be positively rotten to maintain this speed for any time. The mirrors work well, offering a vibration-free picture without including any elbows in the vision equation. For extended highway trips the seat is on the narrow side, but adjusting body position by moving forward and back allows extended saddle time. My longest day thus far on the bike has been 500 miles. And I could walk afterwards. Longer stints are definitely possible. If you are looking to buy a machine to actually ride to an ORV area, the XT would be perfect.

Gearing on the Yamaha is on the low side of the spectrum.   This is because Yamaha wanted the XT to handle "plonking" along trails with aplomb. Low speed sections should be no trouble, the bike will "plonk" along without complaint. Be ready to shift up in situations you might not normally think youd have to. As a matter of fact, you might even find yourself grabbing an extra gear when setting up for long hill climbs just to carry momentum without revving the piss out of the machine in a low gear. What this means in street-riding terms is that you can expect to hit third gear by the time youve crossed an intersection from a standstill at a stoplight. Most of the torque lives at lower rpm, but there is a little rush of power as the four-stroke single approaches redline. Wheelies are possible in second gear, but only if a handful of throttle is accompanied by a firm yank on the handle bars. Sitting back on the saddle helps, too. The motor is predictable and sufficient, but to have real fun on your XT, think about spending some extra dough on tweaking the motor once youve gotten bored with the stock power delivery.

In the off-road department, the XT functions adequately, but it isnt motocrosser. Jeremy McGrath wouldnt be winning any Supercross events on this particular Yamaha, even though it sports 100ccs more displacement than his usual Yamaha. Landing a triple on the softly sprung suspension would be plain heinous, too. As a matter of fact, landing even moderate jumps on the XT had the rear end bottoming out and the tire hitting the underside of the fender. Air? Yes please. Big air? No thank you. No Crusty Demons highlights for this bike. Seth need not bother.

The suspension lacks the progressive dampening required for handling gnarly off-road excursions. But the XT is a fairly upright bike and handling is nimble in the dirt. This is the perfect bike for rambling around fire roads and exploring the odd ORV trail. Slap some knobbies on the beast and off-roading will be much more palatable. With 10 inches of travel on the front forks and more than eight with the rear mono-shock, there is plenty of room for tweaking. The rear shock is adjustable with preload and damping tuning possible; it has an adjusting knob for changing the damping, while preload can be adjusted via a threaded collar. If you plan on using your XT mostly on the trails, a call to an aftermarket suspension company would be in order.   Air scoops look cool. Who needs function?   This would be the second investment to make after tires. You might just make the bike into a PDG (pretty darn good) dirt bike.

The shock on the rear has an adjusting knob for changing the damping and preload can be adjusted via a threaded collar. There are a number of nice features on the XT. Snail-cam adjusters reside on either side of the rear axle, so chain adjustment is a snap. The engine has a counterbalancer, which leads to an extremely smooth-spinning motor. There are also passenger pegs on the bike. (I found these were good for resting my legs on long trips.) Be forewarned, however, taking a passenger isnt the most comfy of propositions. I found myself having to sit farther forward on the saddle than my manhood and I would have preferred. Also, with two full-sized people onboard, there is an excessive amount of sag on the rear end. It is a good bike for many different weather conditions, though. In inclement weather, the XT shines.   The heavily treaded tires yield good, wet grip for stopping, cornering, and acceleration. Maneuverability is especially good with the wide handlebars offering easy leverage and instilling confidence. This trait serves well on both the trail and in the urban jungle. Lane splitting on the XT is easy with its upright seating giving a good view of traffic.

 Starting duties on the kick start XT can be a challenge, but once mastered, its smooth. Simply leave the bike on the kickstand so you can get a better kick, stand on the pegs and giveer whatfer. Once it starts, let it idle for a few moments then be sure to retract the kickstand. It kills the motor if you put the machine in gear with the kickstand down. When cold, the bike likes some choke; when hot, it takes none. The gray area of the starting equation comes when the bike is actually warm, having been ridden within the past few hours, or stopped/stalled before reaching full operating temperature. This no- mans-land can lead to frustration and a whupped kicking leg. Faith and persistence will carry the day. Good luck.
 
The XT can be great fun to ride. Even though it feels like it falls into corners, the handling characteristics encourage the rider to throw the bike around. It is nimble and predictable. The seat height is perfect for me (at 6 feet 1 inch). I have no problems putting both heels on the ground straddling the bike at a standstill. The XT has about the lowest seat height in its class, though those with shorter inseams will be on tiptoe at stoplights. The brakes work quite well, but expect to use the surprisingly effective rear brake more than you might be used to. Stepping on the rear brake pedal has the added benefit of reducing dive, which plagues the front end of the bike, something not unexpected on a bike with nearly a foot of travel on the front fork. The first time I tried to use the steering lock on both test bikes, I was flummoxed. The lock is so stiff and awkward to engage, I thought the machine didnt have a lock, despite the ignition barrel indicating otherwise. Warning: It takes much jiggering and shaking to engage the neck-mounted locking mechanism. Youd figure after manufacturing the same bike for more than a decade these details might be ironed out. Lets give Yamaha the benefit of the doubt and chalk up the unfortunate demise of our first test unit as an anomaly. For the record, yes, the first XT went Mr. Hyde and had a meltdown. But this second bike has been such a kick to ride, Im willing to forgive and forget. This is a machine any beginner could learn to ride without worrying about breaking the bank repairing damage from simple tipovers. This is a machine any dual sporter could happily ride to the ORV area for a day of pummeling the mud.
This is a machine abord which any urban assault warrior could conquer the meanest pothole-ridden battlefield. I love being able to ramp off curbs and over parking stops with impunity. I love being able to shift through the gears on one wheel - and still keep to a reasonable speed. I love being able to steer off of the beaten path and feel confident navigating rough and tumble trails. The XT350 is good fun. At first, I was ready to lambasted this bike; but since I have had an opportunity to re-evaluate my evaluation, Ive changed my tune. I want one.

Specifications:

Yamaha XT350 
Price:  $4449

346cc air-cooled four-valve four-stroke
86 x 59.6mm bore & stroke 
9:1 compression ratio 
24mm Teikei carburetor 
6-speed transmission 
33.7" seat height 
88.2" x 34.1" x 47.6"  (overall length x width x height) 
55.9" wheelbase 
10.8" ground clearance 
Fuel Capacity: 3.2 gallons (including 0.5 gallon reserve)
Telescopic forks, 10" of travel 
Single rear shock, 8.6" of travel 
3.00-21 front tire 
110/80-18 rear tire 
262 pound dry weight 

"Blah, blah, blah, bore and stroke, Genesis valve system, blah, blah, blah..."
No offense to Ed Schielder, but I wanted to tell him to shut up. I could read the tech stuff later and the rain clouds were rolling in fast. The world-famous Carlsbad Raceway is not a place you want to test a new motorcycle in the rain. Anyway, I couldnt hear him very well and I was busy staring at the beautiful blue 1998 YZ400F and trying to pick out the one for me. This is going to be good. Ed began to mention the starting procedures so I listened closely because I knew track time was close.
A twist of the throttle and the 39mm Keihin with accelerator pump squirts a blast of 92 octane gas into the intake system. Dont run race gas as it can harm some internal parts of the carb. Pull the choke out, remove your hand from the throttle to keep from doing the "two-stroke twist," kick the lever slowly until it stops, pull in the compression release lever and bump the lever past the hard spot. Return the kick lever to the full upright position, release the compression lever and kick.

...when the track broke in and I became more accustomed to the motor characteristics, my lap times shrank and my smile grew
If done correctly, you should then hear the sweetest sound. The YZ400F will start on the first or second kick, hot or cold. You just have to learn the routine. The YZ400F has a "hot start" button on the carb to aid starting when the engine has been running a while. It lets cold, fresh air directly into the intake manifold, but I never found the need for it. That doesnt mean it wont come in handy some time.

On the track the YZ400F started to shine in just a few laps. At first, it was wet and slick, but when the track broke in and I became more accustomed to the motor characteristics, my lap times shrank and my smile grew. I was amazed at how easy it was to ride the bike. The motor is so unlike any four stroke I had ever ridden. For starters, the stock engine pumps out 42 horses and does it with a red line at 11,200 rpms. A stock YZ250 puts 43 ponies to the ground but signs off before 9,000.  
The 400F also has almost non-existent engine braking. The light flywheel and short stroke combine to let the YZ400F freewheel almost as much as a two-stroke, which made me a lot more confident when I miss-timed jumps and received no scary or weird behavior from the flight of the bike. I have heard some say there is a hiccup at 4500 rpm, but I couldnt find it. It may take a faster, more receptive rider to notice it. .
Using the clutch was a rare occasion, although I never once killed the motor while braking too hard into a corner. You can abuse this clutch fairly quickly, which is pretty standard on four strokes if they are used too much. So dont use it too much. The seat and tank junction is very slim. It is slimmer than the YZ250, but the frame behind the motor is very wide. You get use to this and can actually use this to your advantage on long up-hills.
All the controls felt correct and nothing seemed out of place, but I would like to try other bar bends to see if the cockpit can be opened up a little bit. The suspension felt safe and sane. It required no adjustment in the short time we spent on the track, although the fork seemed to dive through the stroke when the full weight of the bike rested on it and I had to absorb a sharp-edged bump. This happened very few times and it could also have been any number of reasons and cures. As I said, I adjusted nothing and still had very good results.
The rain finally showed and so did the weight of the YZ400F At almost 260 lbs in ride trim the 400F got very heavy when traction was lost and you had to stab your foot on the ground to keep the bike upright. Try any leg save and you will know you are on a heavy motorcycle.
During the drier parts of the test the bike was magical. Whether the motor sang along at 10,000 rpms and chugged by at 4,000, the YZ400F seemed to go wherever you wanted to point it. In slicker, wet conditions the 400F seemed to have a mind of its own and searched for its own way. Not bad, but I prefer to do all the steering.
The rain came down harder and the famous "baked adobe" at the track started to run down the "freeway" and made getting to the top a joke. That ended my day on the YZ400F. It was too short of an experience. I vow to make Ed Schielder and Terry Beal to give me another (longer) shot on this bike on a dry track to see what it can really do for me. This bike is too fun to ride for such a short time.
I sat under the rain soaked EZ-up and stared at the mud clods stuck to the sides of the blue beauties and wondered how much the bikes weighed now. In the background I heard Ed saying "Blah, blah, blah..."
Specifications (1999 Model):

Manufacturer:           Yamaha  
Model:                  YZ400F
Price:                  $5799.00 (USD)
Engine:                 liquid-cooled, twin-cam, five-valve, four-stroke
Displacement:           399cc
Bore and Stroke:        92 x 60.1 mm
Carburetion:            39 mm Keihin
Transmission:           Five-speed
Wheelbase:              58.3 in (1481 mm)
Ground Clearance:       14.7 in (373 mm)
Front Suspension:       Inverted telespopic forks, 11.8 in (300 mm) 
                        travel
Rear Suspension:        Single rear shock, 12.4 in (315 mm) travel
Claimed Dry Weight:     231 lbs (104 kg)

Six-hundred cubic centimeters? Cmon Yamaha, isnt that just a bit over the top? Up till now, Polaris Sportsman 500 had the honors as the largest displacement ATV. As far as Yamahas remarkable machine is concerned the real question should have been: What took you guys so long?
Yamaha recently invited us up to St. Marys, Pennsylvania to test all their new equipment for 1998. Unlike last years Yamaha intro there wasnt the chaotic blend of their entire ATV model line to sample, just the new Grizzly. One of the things Yamaha tried to pound into our heads about their new uberquad was the fact that it could handle just about
any kind of riding, and have fun doing it. In designing the new flagship quad of their ATV line, Yamaha pulled out all the stops. They didnt just take one or two of the popular features found on other quads -- they took em all. Automatic transmission, engine braking, big power, great suspension/ground clearance, On-Command four wheel drive, easy-to-adjust suspension and floorboards. They proceeded to stuff them all into a heavy-duty chassis that resembles a jeep more than a quad.  The strategy of this do-everything quad is versatility. Yamaha claims to have satisfied consumers on the sport side of sport-utility with their Wolverine, and the utility side with the Big Bear 4x4. With the Grizzly they have an ATV that handles both sides of the equation equally. It has massive power at any speed with its giant 600cc engine, and Yamaha took time to pack in many of the other features ATVers wanted. Our mission while at St. Marys was to test the hardiness of their machine and to see exactly how well it fulfills each of these objectives.
Grizzlys big motor allows you to point-flick-shoot with alacrity
On the Trail Our two day trek through the Allegheny National Forest started off on some unchallenging trails, but the Grizzlys combination of powerful motor and the ability to switch off the front wheel drive made this trail much more exciting. What would have been a bore on a lesser machine became the sort of fun one expects from a Banshee. Blitzing down the trail at sub-sonic speeds, backing it into corners, the 600cc mill lighting up the rear on demand.

The occasional mogul was easily dispatched by the Grizzlys top-shelf suspension. An easy-to-access lever next to the seat switches rear spring rates to a harder setting, but this was never necessary. The Grizzly hides its weight well, feeling like a much lighter machine.

It was here that we noticed the Grizzlys only serious design flaw. The gear-selector, while wisely located on the left side, tends to interfere with taller riders. While leaning off in a corner or landing after a jump the rider may smack into the unforgiving base of the shifter. One of Yamahas engineers on the scene indicated they would probably come out with a piece of foam as an accessory for the problem. In the S**t After lunch we departed for more challenging sections of "trail," if it could be called that. It started out okay, but quickly deteriorated into a series mudholes and rock covered hillsides, really fun stuff.

The Grizzly was pretty glorious in the mud. Even when a particularly nasty hole stopped us, it was just a matter of throwing it in reverse and rocking a bit to get it out. We never had to dismount and get into the thick of things. The inflagable motor just kept pulling through everything.  Running up the boulder-strewn hillsides we kept expecting to hit bottom on the uneven terrain, but industry-beating ground clearance did its job and kept us off the hard stuff. Only once (when we got cocky) did the Grizzly bottom, and it was (again) just a matter of putting it in reverse and backing up. Here as well as in the mud, Yamahas On-Command four wheel drive was a blessing. Just push the button and listen for the whirr of its servo motor signaling engagement of the locking pin, and voila (theres a light on the dash for the hearing impaired). Yamaha informed us their legal department states the 4wd was only to be engaged or disengaged while stopped, but we can tell you it works while moving too.
We were slightly disappointed in the watertightness of the Grizzly. Aggressively entering a water crossing would cause its belt to slip. Simply driving into the water (at lower speeds) did not cause slippage. This was the only time we had a problem with its otherwise awesome Ultramatic transmission. The big feature that distinguishes Yamahas Ultramatic over everybody elses automatic tranny is engine braking. A second clutch was added to the front pulley to engage the engine while coasting, giving the brakes a reprieve on downhills.
And we can honestly say the Grizzlys seat is great. When we first sat on it, it didnt impress as being particularly good or bad, but after a hundred mile trek through the Allegheny National Forest, the only part that didnt hurt was the editorial backside.
Raising the Bar

A problem (in our jaded editorial eyes) since the beginning of this utility quad craze has been all the compromises made between fun and utility. You can have one model that does this but not that, and if you want to do that, of course you cant do this. Yamahas answer was deviously simple -- more displacement -- and theyve come to the table with their all-new Grizzly. While keeping the Grizzly within a couple hundred dollars of the competitions flagship models at $6499 (cheaper than the Polaris Sportsman 500 by $250), Yamaha successfully raised the standards of power and outright performance - by a lot. Not stopping there, theyve also offered all the perks of the competition and increased their ATVs utility factor with the largest rack carrying capacities around. Of course weight is the price paid, but in the case of the Grizzly thats taken care of with its top-notch suspension components. As usual, wed like to get the Grizzly back home in the wide open spaces of California to test its overall potential, but until we upgrade MOs pickup truck to full size, we cant carry the giant bear!
Specifications:

Manufacturer: Yamaha
Model: 1998 Grizzly
Price: $6,499
Engine: air/oil-cooled, sohc, four-stroke single
Bore and Stroke: 95 x 84mm
Displacement: 595cc
Carburetion: Mikuni BST 40mm
Transmission: V-Belt Ultramatic 
Wheelbase: 49.4 in.
Overall Width: 45.7 in.
Overall Length: 81.9 in.
Seat Height: 34.1 in.
Fuel Capacity: 5.1 gal.
Claimed Dry Weight: 639 lbs

TRIUMPH Trident 750 748 (1991 - 1998) Description & History:

TRIUMPH Trident 750 748 1991 - 1998 Full Specifications:
Brand: TRIUMPH, Model: Trident, Type: Trident 750 1991, Name Year: Trident 750 748 1991 - 1998, Engine Type:  Liquid cooled, four stroke, transverse three cylinder, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder, Displacement: 748 cm3, Bore Xstroke: 2.99x2.16 in OR 75.9x54.9 mm, Compression: 11:1, Horsepower: 71(97)/8750 KW(hp)/RPM, Torque: 49/8500 lb-ft/RPM OR 66/8500 Nm/RPM, Fuel System: 3x36mm BST CV Carburetors, Gearbox: 6 Speed, Clutch: -, Primary Drive: -, Final Drive: Chain, Frame: -, Front Suspension: 43mm telescopic forks, non adjustable, Rear Suspension: Gas monoshock adjustable preload, Front Brake: 2x296mm discs 2 piston calipers, Rear Brake: Single 255mm disc 2 piston caliper, Length: -, Width: -, Seat Height: 30.5 in OR 775 mm, Wellbase: 59.4 in OR 1509 mm, Ground Clearance: -, Weight: 467 lbs OR 212 kg, Fuel Capacity: 6.6 gallons OR 6.6 L, Tyres Front: 120/70-17, Tyres Rear: 160/60-18.

BIMOTA YB9 SRi 599 (1996 - 1998) Description & History:

BIMOTA YB9 SRi 599 1996 - 1998 Full Specifications:
Brand: BIMOTA, Model: YB, Type: YB9 SRi 1996, Name Year: YB9 SRi 599 1996 - 1998, Engine Type:  4-inline, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, Displacement: 599 cm3, Bore Xstroke: 2.44x1.95 in OR 62.0x49.5 mm, Compression: 12.0:1, Horsepower: 78(106)/12500 KW(hp)/RPM, Torque: 47.4/10000 lb-ft/RPM OR 64/10000 Nm/RPM, Fuel System: Electronic Injection, Gearbox: 6 Speed, Clutch: -, Primary Drive: -, Final Drive: Chain, Frame: -, Front Suspension: -, Rear Suspension: -, Front Brake: Dual Discs With 4-piston Calipers, Rear Brake: Single Disc With 2-piston Calipers, Length: 81.9 in OR 2080 mm, Width: 31.9 in OR 810 mm, Seat Height: 31.9 in OR 810 mm, Wellbase: 55.5 in OR 1410 mm, Ground Clearance: -, Weight: 385 lbs OR 175 kg, Fuel Capacity: 5.3 gallons OR 5.3 L, Tyres Front: 120/70-17, Tyres Rear: 180/55-17.