2 Hour RTest ride on Triumph 1200 Explorer & Yamaha XT1200Z and Honda Crosstourer

[Shep]

What a day !!!! at 10am today i managed to have a 2 hour test ride on a 1200 Triumph Explorer, followed by a 2 hour test ride on a Yamaha XT1200Z Super Tenere and finally 2 hours on the Honda Crosstourer, which only had 8 miles on the clock !!!!!

If i was going to choose one bike. It would be the Honda Crosstourer.

To me the Triumph was very good, but i could not get on with the riding position or seat, it was also very "sharp" as regards throttle response, and choppy suspension at the rear from the shaft drive, also you knew it was shaft drive, BUT all in all a very good bike.

I have ridden a Super Tenere before, i really like them, this one was no different. No real complaints better shaft than the Triumph, i also found the riding position to be better.

Finally the Honda, i really cannot fault this bike, the small screen is one of the best i have ever used, Yes you get some windblast but it is very clean, so no buffeting. The engine and shaft drive are frankly in a different league. I love the Honda combined braking, the build quality is really lovely and the riding position is really comfortable. According to the MPG gauge i was getting 10miles per Litre, so 45MPG and that was ordinary riding and in places going for it !!!

That V4 just pulls and pulls and so smooth, a really good fun bike.

So for me 1st Place Honda, 2nd Place Yamaha, 3rd place Triumph