Fast Bikes Magazine June 2024 issue **FREE 20 PAGE PREVIEW**

BUYER’S GUIDE B

KAWASAKI’S A2 ASSASSINS

KTM 12 1290 SUPER DU DUKE R ALL YOU NE EED TO KNOW HEM… ABOUT TH

MV’S BACK WITH IITS GOANYWH WHERE ENDUR RO VELO OCE

JU N ISS E 20 UE 24 416

GETTING TO GRIPS WITH THE NEW Z500 AND NINJA 500

THE ROUGH WITH THE SMOOTH

JOYS OF SSIX!

HONDA R R CBR600

WE TRY OUT A TRIO OF SAUCY SIXES NEW FOR 2024…

KAWASA KI ZX-6R H TRIUMP 660 A DAYTON

PLUS...

NEXT-GENERATION NS SUPERSPORT: EXPLORING THE RULES, THE REASONS AND BRILLIANCE BEHIND MIDDLEWEIGHT SPORTSBIKE RACING

ISSUE 416 JUNE 2024

60

54 TESTS

Triumph Daytona 660 ..................... 15 It’s a Daytona by name, but is it by nature?

We headed to Spain to rip it around.

Kawasaki ZX-6R .............................. 24 It’s been and gone more times than a boomerang, but that’s not to say we’re not ecstatic that Kawasaki’s decided to bring back its sorely-missed 600cc for 2024.

Honda CBR600RR............................38 Another supersport sensation to make its return in ’24 is the much-loved CBR600RR. Only this time, you’ll want one more than ever.

Alternatively, scan the QR code on this page and order your next copy today. We will send it directly to you!

Used Bike Guide..............................54 We love a Super Duke R, and KTM’s 1290 iteration has perhaps been the most loved of them all. Here’s what you need to know about them.

Kawasaki’s feisty 500s ...................60

If you’re in the market for a credible A2 offering, with or without fairings, Kawasaki’s Z500 and Ninja 500 could be your answer.

MV Agusta Enduro Veloce .............. 70 Mixing the rough with the smooth, MV’s new adventure-esq offering should prove a right blast on or off-road.

COLUMNISTS

Tom Neave ......................................94 He’s all set for his BSB debut on a Kwacker, as Tom tells us ahead of round one.

Christian Iddon ...............................96 After a solid first test, Iddon’s eyes are well and truly on the prize.

Steve Parrish...................................98 More madness and wisdom from the man they call Parrish.

FEATURES

Next-generation supersport...........90 If you’re confused about the supersport scene, you’re not the only one. We try and make sense of it all.

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WELCOME

Back for good?

I

is this mag: it’s a corker and a keeper. The big question is, what happens next? Are we really looking at a comeback of the mid-capacity sportsbike? Or is this a moment of madness from some of the braver manufacturers on the market?

Only time will tell, and I guess the most telling factor of all is how quickly the available units wing their way out of dealerships and find new homes. After all, money talks, and the reality is that as hyped as many people are to see such models once more, if they don’t sell, there won’t be any more… that’s for sure. But I’m optimistic that they will sell, especially when you consider how comparably affordable they are. Honda’s 600RR costs less than half of what you’d pay for a Blade, and at an equally

t’s funny how only a few months back Johnny and I were talking over the state of the supersport sector and revelling at the idea of there one day being a comeback. Fast-forward to now and that’s exactly what would appear to be happening. Last year, musing away, it seemed as likely as a lottery win that Honda would reintroduce a revitalised 600RR, but that’s what it’ done. And as for Kawasaki and the tried-and-tested ZX-6R – well, it might have been lost and found on the market more times than an old pair of gym socks, but we’re ecstatic that it’s back. It belongs in the showrooms, let alone out on the streets, as Johnny has validated in this issue following a recent joyride. My message is much the same about the CBR600RR that you’ll also find

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similar £10k(ish) cost, it’s also worth bearing in mind that the Ninja 600 isn’t that much more costly than a ZX-4RR. They’re both on the money, the main reason being that the R&D, tooling, and all the big costly stuff was done and dusted years ago, so it’s the literal manufacturing cost that’s largely determining the price of these machines. And, when you think about that, there’s no reason why the likes of Yamaha, Suzuki and Triumph couldn’t, or wouldn’t, do the same. I’m no Mystic Meg, but I imagine all of the above brands are studying the 600 sector sales closely and weighing up their options for a potential comeback of their own. We’ll just have to wait and see, but for now, what I do know is there are two cracking supersport machines back in the mix – and I’m planning to make the most of them.

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MV AGUSTA ENDURO VELOCE MV Agusta’s a bit behind the curve when it comes to hardcore adventure touring machinery: its Turismo Veloce had a bit of an adventure angle, but you’d never take one up a green lane.

Better late than never, though – so we’re well chuffed to see this, and you can check out our full riding review of the bike in this issue. It’s based on a new 931cc version of the firm’s long-running inline-three middleweight motor as seen on the F3 800 and so on, with an all-new off-road biased chassis set-up. There’s a tough steel tube frame, long-travel Sachs suspension, upright riding position, and sweet-styled bodywork and paint that really harks back to the Cagiva desert racers from the 1980s and 1990s.

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It’s got some hardcore aspects that will work well in the dirt: a 21in front wheel, Takasago Excel wire-spoked aluminium rims, that fully-adjustable suspension with 210mm of travel at both ends, tough sump guard, and a tall seating position – 870mm as standard. On the road side, it has proper Brembo superbike brakes: dual 320mm discs with four-piston Stylema calipers up front, and loads of luxury touring kit, a massive 7in colour dash, cruise control, Bluetooth phone link, and a large, protective top fairing and screen.

There’s plenty of high-end electronic rider aids, too: IMU-assisted cornering traction control and ABS, launch control, wheelie control, quickshifter, engine brake control, rear wheel lift-up control and more. The electronics also have a suite of off-road options as well, with a couple of dirt-riding traction settings and an off-road mode for the ABS. It looks great – but it’s priced around £20,000, which puts it into Ducati Multistrada V4 territory but is 45bhp down on the Bologna bruiser. It’s a bit on the heavy side for true off-roading too, at 224kg dry. It’s a proper looker, though, and MV Agusta still has enough cachet to carry off the price differential. Looking for something different from the BMW/KTM/Ducati European adventure bike mafia? Then get yourself down to your local MV Agusta dealer (the UK network has recently expanded a lot) for a look. www.mvagusta. com

2024 KTM RC8C We are still waiting for KTM to launch a proper, balls-out faired sportsbike with one of its monster 180bhp V-twin engines (or a 999cc V4 based on the RC16 MotoGP bike – we’re not fussy). In the meantime, those orange Austrian Alpine monkeys insist on teasing us with sweet hot wheels like this – the RC8C – and making it a track-only, limited-edition job with a stiff price tag. The firm released one last year limited to 200, but they’re only making 100 this year, the slack buggers.

The spec is pure trackday sauce: a 135bhp 889cc engine

based on the Duke 890 parallel twin unit, tuned for more peak power, in a 142kg dry weight chassis honed by the Kramer racebike specialists. It has a unique hand-built steel tube trellis frame, Kevlar bodywork with audacious aero wings, WP APEX PRO race suspension, Dymag rims, Akrapovic race pipe and much more. The price is pretty tough at £37k, but it’s probably irrelevant since they all sold out soon after going on sale online. Get sweet-talking your local orange dealership for next year is our advice.

ZEEHO CITY SPORT We’d not normally pay too much attention to a new brand bringing in electric scooters from China, but Zeeho is a bit different. It’s the new sub-brand from CFMOTO, meaning it’s being imported and distributed by KTM UK, with the service, warranty, spares and financial back-up this implies. KTM is setting up a whole new UK dealer network with demo bikes, tools, and workship kit to deal with the battery-powered tech.

There are three models coming in at first – all of them ‘urban mobility’ designs aimed at young folk in town or with moderate-length commutes in the suburbs. The AE6+ is a lightweight scooter with performance around a 100cc petrol machine, while the AE8S+ is closer to 125cc in terms of output, with 17bhp peak power, 62mph top speed, and a dual battery pack. Both have removable batteries, so they can be charged in a flat or at an office off the bikes.

Zeeho also has a new Sur-Ron style urban electric bike, which is probably closer to an e-MTB than a motorbike. The City Sport has a top speed of 30mph and a weight of just 80kg and is a machine of pure fun – but with a usable 40 mile range. The City Sport costs £2899, the AE6 £3099 (or £3799 with two batteries), and the AE8 is £4699. Dealers are being appointed now: www.zeehoev.com

ABR FESTIVAL The Adventure Bike Rider festival has quickly carved out a bit of a niche as a fun summer biking event. It’s more like a music festival than a bike gig, with weekend camping, music, live stage events, and loads of food and drink options. There’s also a massive off-road riding section built in the grounds of the Ragley Hall estate where it all takes m place, with demo rides from all the big manufacturers.

Well worth a trip with a load of mates. The festival is over the weekend of June 28-30 in Ragley Hall, Warwickshire, near Stratford-upon-Avon.

More info at www. abrfestival.com

DUCATI SALES RECORDS It’s champagne all round at the annual Ducati finance department end-of-year shindig as it marked a new record in terms of cash through the doors. The firm has topped a billion euros in turnover for the second year in a row, hitting a record profit of 112 million euros while selling more than 58,000 bikes. Impressive stuff from the Bologna massive!

JUNE 2024 11

PLANE T FAST BIKES – NEW METAL

, NEWS & REVIEW S

2024 DUCATI MULTISTRADA V4S GRAND TOUR – AL’S QUICK SPIN

It was love at first sight for me and the Ducati Multistrada 1200 when it launched way back in 2010. A 1200 V-twin superbike engine (from the mental 1198 Panigale, of all things), race-spec brakes, long-travel suspension that worked when you pushed hard... it was the first properly powerful and exciting ‘adventure’ bike. In the 14 years since, it’s just got better and better, and the latest V4 powered version is a genuine rocketship – but also super practical, comfy and laden with trick kit.

The Multistrada has long been the epitome of Grand Touring, in the posh car sense. A classic GT car like the Aston Martin Vanquish, Porsche Panamera or Mercedes SL combines comfort and performance in the best package for covering many miles. And the Multistrada has always been great at that – crossing counties, countries, and continents at speed, with aplomb.

There’s an official Grand Tour version of the big Ducati for 2024,

and it was a no-brainer for me to grab its keys at last month’s Ducati UK Media test day. Based on the mighty Multistrada V4 S, with the 1158cc Granturismo version of the Panigale V4 engine, it adds on radar-assisted adaptive cruise control, standard panniers, heated seats and grips, keyless ignition and fuel cap, and even a centrestand. That’s on top of the semi-active electronic self-levelling suspension, full IMU-assisted cornering ABS and traction, massive colour dash, wheelie control, launch control, cruise control, quickshifter – the works, really.

On our ride around Warwickshire though, it’s that 170bhp engine that really makes the bike, I reckon.

It’s such a wild motor to have in a

soft, comfy, well-appointed luxo-tourer. It has the smooth, grunty low-down urge of a massive powerplant like the Honda Gold Wing, but then the screaming top-end of a litre sportsbike (170bhp would look fine on a superbike grid not so long ago…)

We stop for pics on a steep uphill bend, and riding up the slope, as you come out of the bend on the gas, the front end gently comes off the deck with you still leaning over. Beautiful stuff.

I’m still very much in love with the Multistrada – though priced at £23,595, this GT version is an expensive habit.

TRIUMPH TRIDENT 660 SLIPPERY SAM REPLICA

INDIAN SCOUT 101 Every now and again, we can definitely see the appeal of an American cruiser. When it’s hot and sunny, popping down to the seaside, going for a blatt through town, or taking in some gentle twisties with a silly, big, booming V-twin underneath you does have a certain appeal. We’d obviously need a proper sportsbike or two as well, and maybe a dirtbike or

12 JUNE 2024 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM

adventure machine, but we could see a spot in a multi-bike garage for a classy cruiser.

Something like this Indian Scout 101, actually. The ‘other’ American bike firm has revamped its high-tech, 1250cc, V-twinpowered Scout cruiser range for 2025 (by which they mean 2024, the crazy colonials), with more power, extra tech, uprated chassis set-up and a host of equipment options. There are five models: the top-end Scout 101 with 110bhp, the Scout Bobber, Scout Classic, Super Scout and Sport Scout, all available in three trim levels. Prices and availability are TBC, but they’re well worth considering as an alternative to the usual Harley offerings.

Even our very old news editor Dowds doesn’t remember the original Slippery Sam – a Triumph Trident 750 race bike which snatched five TT production wins in a row between 1971 and 1975. It got its wacky name after a failed oil pump covered its rider in oil in a Bol d’Or race (can you imagine the fear going down the back straight soaked in 10W/40?) and boasted a distinctive full fairing and white/blue/red colour scheme.

The 2024 Trident 660 is as far from the hairy-arsed 1971 dinosaur as you can get, though the little roadster has almost the same power at 80bhp – and would probably roast the 750 round the Island even in stock form. But Triumph has released this Slippery Sam replica variant, with special paint, trim and graphics to celebrate that old Trident. It’s on sale now, priced at £7895.

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FEATURE

TRIUMPH DAYTONA 660 You might have wondered whether the name ‘Daytona’ was to be lost in the annals of Triumph’s rife sporting history, but with the introduction of the 660, it’s very much alive and kicking once more.

WORDS> DANGEROUS PICS> CHIPPY

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TRIUMPH DAYTONA 660

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FEATURE

“I

Lolz on holz...

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have just one question,” came a voice from the other side of the room. “When are you going to build a proper Daytona?” As you can probably imagine, that moment felt about as awkward as walking in on your neighbours to find them covered in chocolate spread, indulging in some adult time. Wide-mouthed, sitting in the midst of the Daytona 660’s global presentation and wishing I’d brought a tub of popcorn, I eagerly awaited the retort from Triumph to the Brazilian journalist who’d fired the shot, point blank and full bore. “Well, this is a proper Daytona. Long before the 675, there were several other sporty Triumphs that shared the Daytona moniker. Some were big, some were small, some were more focused, others more comfortable. If anything, this is a case of going back to our roots and delivering to the people the bike that they want – a sportsbike that can do it all.” It was a polished and convincing response, and as bad as I felt for, Alastair, the Triumph representative up on stage who had to offer the room his answer, I figured it was a fair question, and one which a lot of people are wondering, myself too.

Let’s cut to it, hot off the heels of arguably one of the most-loved and best-selling

middleweight sportsbikes on the market, the news of a 660 triple effectively taking the name and place of the masterpiece that came before it didn’t bode well, especially with those of an age who’ve seen, ridden and loved the 675 that first blew the world away back in 2006 when it superseded the lesser-liked Daytona 600/650 (four-cylinders).

But here’s the thing, putting nostalgia to one side for a second, this isn’t aimed at replacing what’s been before, or even chasing sales from that core of experienced sportsbike riders. It’s more a case of capturing the imagination and desire of the market that has seen an uptick in demand for the emerged twins (and now triple) middleweight entry-level sportsbike sector. Think Yamaha R7, Kawasaki Ninja 650 and Aprilia RS 660.

With the demise of the traditional Supersport 600 scene, the aforementioned upstarts have brought significant sales successes to the brands that have invested in this route. And the best thing for those bold enough to have stepped in to the ring is that in almost all cases, the sporty propositions that have come about have been derived from readily-produced, fairing-less brethren, meaning production and R&D costs are minimal, at most. And that’s the exact case

TRIUMPH DAYTONA 660

THE BIGGEST CHANGE BETWEEN THE TWO MACHINES IS ARGUABLY THE ENGINE.

He’ll run his knee over if he’s not careful.

with the Daytona, which is unsurprisingly based largely around the Trident 660, which has been a big hit since its inception. Bastardising these bikes just makes sense, but so too do the raft of changes that have gone into making the Daytona a Daytona – and not just a Trident in a fancy frock.

The biggest change between the two machines is arguably the engine. Okay, that too is nabbed from the Trident, but it’s been given a substantial rework, which is the reason peak power is up 17% to 95bhp, helped on its way by a hefty hike in the redline by some 20%. Now, you might be thinking that while these gains are impressive, it’s surely come at the cost of the triple’s punchy demeanour, but that’s simply not the case. The magicians at Triumph have not only cranked the peak power, but they have also somehow managed to increase the motor’s torque by 9%, meaning the Daytona harnesses a claimed 69Nm… which isn’t to be sniffed at. For context, a clever mate of mine pointed out it actually delivers more torque from second to sixth gear than what the 675 ever could. Mind blown! But just how have they managed these feats? Well, I can only imagine that during the reworking

FEATURE

TECH DATA

Triumph Daytona 660 ENGINE:

Type: Bore x stroke: Compression: Fuelling: Claimed power: Claimed torque:

660, liquid-cooled, inline-triple 74.04mm x 51.1mm 13.6:1 EFI 95bhp @ 11,250rpm 69Nm @ 8250rpm

CHASSIS:

Frame: F suspension: R suspension: Front brakes: Rear brake:

Tubular Steel type 41mm USD KYB forks, non-adjustable KYB monshock with adjustable preload Four-pot calipers, 310mm discs Single-piston caliper, 220mm disc

FAR FROM PRYING EYES AND THE STRONG ARM OF THE LAW, THE FUN BEGAN TO KICK OFF IN EARNEST.

ELECTRONICS.

Riding modes: Traction control: ABS: Quickshifter: Autoblipper: Wheelie control: Launch control:

Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No

DIMENSIONS:

Wheelbase: Seat height: Wet weight: Fuel capacity:

1425mm 810mm 201kg 14 litres

INFO:

Price: From:

£8595 www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk

Having introduced the Daytona, Alastair then dropped his freestyle rap routine.

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of the motor, literally nothing was out of bounds, and this notion is backed up by the smorgasbord of nips and tucks made to the motor’s internals.

Where to start? Well, there’s a new crank, new pistons, and even a new cylinder head that features larger exhaust valves, while the cams have been reprofiled for higher lift duration. To help the motor breathe, there’s a bigger front-mounted airbox and the exhaust has been given a shake-up from front to back, with a new catalyst to help hit Euro 5-plus emissions targets. Another big change is the fitment of individual 44mm throttle bodies to ensure this thirsty beast isn’t left parched. Other changes include new input and output shafts, while the gear ratios have all been reworked. Last but not least is the

introduction of a new slip and assist clutch.

You get the point, this thing’s had more than a slap and tickle and accordingly, during the presentation, Triumph went on to say that the Daytona could blitz 0-60mph in just 3.6 seconds, which put it about a second ahead of its next nearest rival in the class. Not bad, eh?

Another carry-over unit is the frame, but even that’s been given a bit of a fettle. From 20 yards you might think that the bike features a wholly different cast aluminium option, but the truth is underneath a couple of plastic covers belies a tubular steel frame that’s largely similar to the Tridents. But it’s not totally the same and the two parts are not interchangeable, owing to some subtle alterations that allowed for changes in

TRIUMPH DAYTONA 660

geometry but also for the larger airbox and throttle bodies to fit within it. For good sporting reason, the headstock angle is that little bit sharper to help the bike turn, while the trail has been reduced by 25mm. But before you start thinking that a shorter wheelbase is a natural biproduct of these tweaks, it’s not, because in order to give the bike a more aggressive, weight-forward bias, the rear shock is longer, and a consequence of this is a slightly lengthened length of 1425mm… which is still pretty stubby by a lot of machines’ standards, but notably longer than the Daytona 675’s, which hit home at just 1375mm. Just saying.

With the presentation done and dusted and a good night’s sleep in the bag, I was up before sunrise the next morning to kick-start what would be an eight-hour soiree on the protagonist. Lined neatly in rows 10 bikes deep, you can probably imagine the raucous noise that awoke the entirety of the hotel complex as tens of triples barked to life at an unholy hour. They sounded awesome and only got better with revs as we snatched the bikes into gear and began the day’s long ride around Benidorm’s surrounding mountainous roads. Having made it out of harm’s way, far from prying eyes and the strong arm of the

law, the fun began to kick off in earnest, with some spirited riding warming both the bikes and our bodies as we chucked this thing around and sampled its goods.

I didn’t quite know what to expect from the Triumph, but I guess it’s fair to say that on the one hand I had high hopes for the package, knowing full well Triumph’s competence and engineering prowess, but at the same time, I’d tried to dampen down my own demands, given that this wasn’t a fully-focused sportsbike. How the hell could it deliver Daytona 675 brilliance when

What’s not to like?

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FEATURE

Find it and grind it...

pitched and priced in a wholly different place? Nope, I had to keep reminding myself that this was a different proposition to what I’d known before, so when we got up in the hills and I found the handling to be not only a bit slow turning, but also substantially underdamped for my 78-kilo mass, I just had to suck it up. It wasn’t the bike’s fault that I was riding it a little too aggressively, asking its rudimental KYB forks and shock to do things that its intended owners would never dream of – meaning they’d likewise not come to find that the rebound on the rear shock felt super-fast and only unsettled the bike further when pitched on its ear and hitting a harsh bump. Was I a fan of the handling? Not really. The problem is that in 20 years of

doing this job and riding tens and tens of new Triumphs, I’ve always been blown away by the signature plushness of every single unit. Hell, even the brand’s big adventure bikes feel sublime on the road, so I couldn’t quite understand or accept that this machine wasn’t quite ticking that fundamental box in the way I hoped it would. The crux of the problem, in my opinion, was that the bike felt underdamped and overly reactive to input, so when grabbing the brakes or cracking the throttle, the suspension units would give up too much travel because they weren’t sufficiently supported for my liking.

Another way of putting it is that to a less experienced rider who wouldn’t be riding half as harshly, they’d be blessed with a supple, telling, and perhaps even confidence inspiring suspension set-up. And that’s arguably exactly what they need, so I can’t go putting the boot in on Triumph for spec’ing a bike that’s actually bob-on for its intended buyers. That said, would it have been too much to ask for a little damping adjustment?

For all the above, it didn’t stop me from riding like a nob, scratching my sliders at will and smiling all the while. In actual fact, the faster the riding, the better the bike behaved because the Triumph felt more settled in its stroke. It was the slow stuff that felt most awkward, which is why, at the first opportunity to do so, I asked one of the

That’s a tidy rear.

technicians to crank the rear shock’s preload as far as it would go, adding a bit of support to the rear, while giving a bit more front end poise to the Daytona. Akin to throwing a sheet over a messy room, it didn’t quite cure my woes, but it masked a bit of the problem and I certainly felt better connected with the front, if nothing else.

By the halfway point in the ride, I had a pretty good grasp of the machine. It had many great attributes, the engine being king of them all. It’s impossible to say just how much better it felt than its rivals, because to play that game you really need to do back-to-back testing, but needless to say it was stonking and arguably class-leading. The torque was pretty damn exciting low down, to the extent that I left the bike’s traction control on at all times because on the slippy roads we were riding, the abundance of poke this thing was booting through its rear tyre meant grip was often found wanting. Luckily for me, as soon as slip was detected, the TC would calm things down without so much as having to roll the throttle.

I was loving it, having been won over wholesale by the charm of the triple that not only packed a punch at the bottom but carried a linear and smooth spread of power right up to its heavenly-sounding rev limiter.

Some bikes feel numb and go quiet when you hit the redline, but the Daytona boomed like a bear when you took liberties with its engine’s tolerance for revolutions, making me want to do so more, and more often – sorry, Triumph. The truth is that the engine felt disproportionately capable when compared to the rest of the package. Entry-level it most certainly was not – or shy of popping wheelies, for that matter. But for all its