viewdvb
New Member
My 2011 First Edition XTZ1200 was bought second-hand (3000 miles) a month ago. All the following refer to a 3000 miles European tour, two up and fully loaded luggage, fitted with Conti Road Attack II tyres. I don’t ride off-road. Numbers are in UK miles and UK gallons (-20% for US gallons). Forgive me if the answers to questions are already on other threads – just point me to them.
I came to the Yamaha from a Ducati 1200 Multistrada and a Honda ST1300. The Ducati was faster and handled better but the Yamaha does more of the important things better and is lower for my ageing hips to climb aboard. The ST1300 seems like a truck by comparison. After 50 years, starting on a big BSA twin, but 40 of them spent on Japanese fours, who would have thought I’d be back to a parallel twin and spoked wheels.
The engine is just fine. Enough power for brisk overtakes and high speed cruising and wonderfully flexible at low revs. Much more economical than I expected too (see below). An unexpected harshness under power just over 3000rpm but it quickly disappears. I found the Touring mode more subtle for steep uphill hairpins and slow traffic but it seems to lack the ultimate power of Sport mode. It is such a damn nuisance having to stop to change modes that it spoils its usefulness. Why did they do that? The Ducati would only change modes on a closed throttle too but didn’t need to be at a standstill. (Question – does Touring mode reduce power? Has anyone tried changing engine modes on a closed throttle but still rolling? What happened?)
The wire wheels are not fine. I thought I’d seen the last of them when cast wheels appeared. If they were stronger or lighter we’d see them on MotoGP machines. We don’t. They are difficult to clean, need at least preventative maintenance and are just a daft retro sop to off-road fashion.
The stock suspension works well on stock settings. That’s a first! I got used to fork dive on the Multistrada and the Yamaha is no worse. I’ve had FJR1300s so I am familiar with Yamaha’s trick of steeply rising rate suspension linkage to cope with pillion and luggage. It works better on the XTZ than the FJR. Pre-load at max, it might have hit the bump stop twice on road craters but that’s OK. The FJR drags its rear like a misbred Alsation but the XTZ only betrays a lower rear with a slight steering shimmy at low speeds that is typical of increased trail and head angle. No ground clearance problems though I would be prepared to fit a stronger spring if one were available (Question – anyone point me to a stronger spring?) I have never had a hydraulic pre-load adjuster (including Ohlins, WP and Honda) that didn’t lose travel over time due to fluid leakage past the ram. (Question - does the XTZ lose pre-load travel? Is there a remedy? What do Yamaha make of a warranty claim if the pre-load ebbs away? Honda’s response is “yeah – they do that!!!”) The ST1300 doesn’t come close to the XTZ’s suspension comfort for touring. I love long travel!
The seats are better than most and easily match the ST1300 over long distances. The brakes are just excellent, standard Japanese twin discs. The rear is very effective which is more than any Ducati can manage. I love the Yamaha linked brake system that allows me to drag just the rear brake into a downhill hairpin. The Honda linked brakes are crude by comparison. The riding position suits my 68 year old frame very well and, coupled with the higher Yamaha screen on a Touratech mount with instant height and angle adjustment, and the Yamaha wind deflectors, is perfectly comfortable at 90mph plus. It is good to see Yamaha designed the screen for function not looks and the complex curved shape, together with the very unfashionable wind deflectors, work better than any screen I have owned, bought, made myself or modified in several decades. It may not match the weather protection of, say, a Gold Wing but it beats it hands down on lack of turbulence and doesn’t lose on weather protection by too much, especially when you add the bulky tank/bodywork and hand protectors. The riding position pays off in traffic too. We had to filter through 20 miles of stopped Autobahn traffic at 38ºC on one day and that was not a task for the Honda or the Ducati. While on the subject of heat, full marks to Yamaha for the side mounted radiator. No risk of stone damage and, when the fan kicks in, it doesn’t push hot air straight back at the rider. Other manufacturers please note.
The crash bars fitted are R&G. They may well protect the bike in a tumble but are otherwise a masterpiece of bad design. They are too close to allow the easy removal of the right side cover (toolkit, fuses, battery) and one tube completely blocks access to one of the securing screws. Avoid at all costs. Maybe other makes are as bad. Comment anyone?
All the controls fall readily to hand, which is more than can be said for the new Triumph Explorer where some buttons cannot be reached with your hand on the grip. Handling is light, responsive and generally stable. It holds a steady line through bends and is easily manoeuvred at low speeds. I would have preferred 17” Supermoto wheels for wider rims and better choice of tyres but the skinny tyres seem to grip well enough for feet down cornering so I can’t complain. Wear rate is better than expected considering the width of rubber. I predict over 5000 miles for the rear which is fine by me.
Some numbers… I would be pleased if you want to confirm or challenge them. They are checked against satellite for speed and distance.
Speedo 8% fast, the apparent Euro norm. Why they think it is safer to have to do complicated mental maths while you ride to check your real speed, I cannot imagine.
Odometer and trip meters 1-2% high – not enough to worry about.
Average Fuel Consumption varies from almost correct to 10% optimistic. Seems to do better at steady speeds than with mixed riding.
Fuel gauge not too badly out. Last segment starts flashing at a generous 6-7 litres.
The air temperature gauge always reads high compared to actual ambient temperature. It seems to be affected by local engine heat. It may be the temperature of air entering the engine but I don’t need to know that. I need the outside ambient temperature. Others can do it – why not Yamaha?
Fuel consumption. Worst was, of course, on the Autobahns. At an indicated 90mph (actual 83mph or nicely over the Euro 130kph limit) it depended on wind direction. This indicates that, despite the pannier shape, the Yamaha has the aerodynamic qualities of a small shed – not surprising. Into a headwind 43mpg (the Ducati would be down in the mid thirties), still air 45-48mpg, following wind 50mpg plus. Best day, over 6 Alpine passes, not riding too hard (these are dangerous roads) but the engine had to do some hard work on the way up, 56mpg. 3000 mile overall average 51mpg. I’m delighted!
A note on the rear suspension links. I found on my FJR’s that these links are very exposed and, if not looked after, will dry out and seize. It helps to shield the links from crud flung at them by the rear wheel. I use a bit of spare pool liner but an old inner tube will do. Cut to form a flap, I attach it to the front crossbar of the swinging arm with cable ties then attach the sides in the same way to the side link arms. It keeps the worst off. You can do the same to the front to protect from water coming from under the engine but don’t use one piece of rubber for both jobs as it will just form a reservoir underneath to immerse the bottom link in water. It is important that these links are greased regularly which means pulling out the bolts and bearing sleeves – not a hard task. Yamaha don’t put more than a smear in from new and the service schedule just says “inspect”, which most dealers take to mean “don’t dismantle”. Make sure they do the job or do it yourself and the links will last forever.
Final verdict. My wife likes the bike. It is more comfortable than most we’ve owned (OK – it’s not a GL1800) and it is clearly not a bike designed for track days like the Ducati so no more of those antics! She says that she can tell I like riding it. I do. I love it. Who would have thought - parallel twin and spoked wheels!
I came to the Yamaha from a Ducati 1200 Multistrada and a Honda ST1300. The Ducati was faster and handled better but the Yamaha does more of the important things better and is lower for my ageing hips to climb aboard. The ST1300 seems like a truck by comparison. After 50 years, starting on a big BSA twin, but 40 of them spent on Japanese fours, who would have thought I’d be back to a parallel twin and spoked wheels.
The engine is just fine. Enough power for brisk overtakes and high speed cruising and wonderfully flexible at low revs. Much more economical than I expected too (see below). An unexpected harshness under power just over 3000rpm but it quickly disappears. I found the Touring mode more subtle for steep uphill hairpins and slow traffic but it seems to lack the ultimate power of Sport mode. It is such a damn nuisance having to stop to change modes that it spoils its usefulness. Why did they do that? The Ducati would only change modes on a closed throttle too but didn’t need to be at a standstill. (Question – does Touring mode reduce power? Has anyone tried changing engine modes on a closed throttle but still rolling? What happened?)
The wire wheels are not fine. I thought I’d seen the last of them when cast wheels appeared. If they were stronger or lighter we’d see them on MotoGP machines. We don’t. They are difficult to clean, need at least preventative maintenance and are just a daft retro sop to off-road fashion.
The stock suspension works well on stock settings. That’s a first! I got used to fork dive on the Multistrada and the Yamaha is no worse. I’ve had FJR1300s so I am familiar with Yamaha’s trick of steeply rising rate suspension linkage to cope with pillion and luggage. It works better on the XTZ than the FJR. Pre-load at max, it might have hit the bump stop twice on road craters but that’s OK. The FJR drags its rear like a misbred Alsation but the XTZ only betrays a lower rear with a slight steering shimmy at low speeds that is typical of increased trail and head angle. No ground clearance problems though I would be prepared to fit a stronger spring if one were available (Question – anyone point me to a stronger spring?) I have never had a hydraulic pre-load adjuster (including Ohlins, WP and Honda) that didn’t lose travel over time due to fluid leakage past the ram. (Question - does the XTZ lose pre-load travel? Is there a remedy? What do Yamaha make of a warranty claim if the pre-load ebbs away? Honda’s response is “yeah – they do that!!!”) The ST1300 doesn’t come close to the XTZ’s suspension comfort for touring. I love long travel!
The seats are better than most and easily match the ST1300 over long distances. The brakes are just excellent, standard Japanese twin discs. The rear is very effective which is more than any Ducati can manage. I love the Yamaha linked brake system that allows me to drag just the rear brake into a downhill hairpin. The Honda linked brakes are crude by comparison. The riding position suits my 68 year old frame very well and, coupled with the higher Yamaha screen on a Touratech mount with instant height and angle adjustment, and the Yamaha wind deflectors, is perfectly comfortable at 90mph plus. It is good to see Yamaha designed the screen for function not looks and the complex curved shape, together with the very unfashionable wind deflectors, work better than any screen I have owned, bought, made myself or modified in several decades. It may not match the weather protection of, say, a Gold Wing but it beats it hands down on lack of turbulence and doesn’t lose on weather protection by too much, especially when you add the bulky tank/bodywork and hand protectors. The riding position pays off in traffic too. We had to filter through 20 miles of stopped Autobahn traffic at 38ºC on one day and that was not a task for the Honda or the Ducati. While on the subject of heat, full marks to Yamaha for the side mounted radiator. No risk of stone damage and, when the fan kicks in, it doesn’t push hot air straight back at the rider. Other manufacturers please note.
The crash bars fitted are R&G. They may well protect the bike in a tumble but are otherwise a masterpiece of bad design. They are too close to allow the easy removal of the right side cover (toolkit, fuses, battery) and one tube completely blocks access to one of the securing screws. Avoid at all costs. Maybe other makes are as bad. Comment anyone?
All the controls fall readily to hand, which is more than can be said for the new Triumph Explorer where some buttons cannot be reached with your hand on the grip. Handling is light, responsive and generally stable. It holds a steady line through bends and is easily manoeuvred at low speeds. I would have preferred 17” Supermoto wheels for wider rims and better choice of tyres but the skinny tyres seem to grip well enough for feet down cornering so I can’t complain. Wear rate is better than expected considering the width of rubber. I predict over 5000 miles for the rear which is fine by me.
Some numbers… I would be pleased if you want to confirm or challenge them. They are checked against satellite for speed and distance.
Speedo 8% fast, the apparent Euro norm. Why they think it is safer to have to do complicated mental maths while you ride to check your real speed, I cannot imagine.
Odometer and trip meters 1-2% high – not enough to worry about.
Average Fuel Consumption varies from almost correct to 10% optimistic. Seems to do better at steady speeds than with mixed riding.
Fuel gauge not too badly out. Last segment starts flashing at a generous 6-7 litres.
The air temperature gauge always reads high compared to actual ambient temperature. It seems to be affected by local engine heat. It may be the temperature of air entering the engine but I don’t need to know that. I need the outside ambient temperature. Others can do it – why not Yamaha?
Fuel consumption. Worst was, of course, on the Autobahns. At an indicated 90mph (actual 83mph or nicely over the Euro 130kph limit) it depended on wind direction. This indicates that, despite the pannier shape, the Yamaha has the aerodynamic qualities of a small shed – not surprising. Into a headwind 43mpg (the Ducati would be down in the mid thirties), still air 45-48mpg, following wind 50mpg plus. Best day, over 6 Alpine passes, not riding too hard (these are dangerous roads) but the engine had to do some hard work on the way up, 56mpg. 3000 mile overall average 51mpg. I’m delighted!
A note on the rear suspension links. I found on my FJR’s that these links are very exposed and, if not looked after, will dry out and seize. It helps to shield the links from crud flung at them by the rear wheel. I use a bit of spare pool liner but an old inner tube will do. Cut to form a flap, I attach it to the front crossbar of the swinging arm with cable ties then attach the sides in the same way to the side link arms. It keeps the worst off. You can do the same to the front to protect from water coming from under the engine but don’t use one piece of rubber for both jobs as it will just form a reservoir underneath to immerse the bottom link in water. It is important that these links are greased regularly which means pulling out the bolts and bearing sleeves – not a hard task. Yamaha don’t put more than a smear in from new and the service schedule just says “inspect”, which most dealers take to mean “don’t dismantle”. Make sure they do the job or do it yourself and the links will last forever.
Final verdict. My wife likes the bike. It is more comfortable than most we’ve owned (OK – it’s not a GL1800) and it is clearly not a bike designed for track days like the Ducati so no more of those antics! She says that she can tell I like riding it. I do. I love it. Who would have thought - parallel twin and spoked wheels!
