Sport
With the droning part of the trip out of the way, the fun--and the ego jousting--began. While at every stop our group raved or bashed certain characteristics of the bikes, oddly enough nothing much was mentioned about the Aprilia. Flying under the radar, the Futura really does nothing wrong as a sporty bike. The engine is plenty peppy enough and has a flat torque spread, as you'd expect with its Mille heritage. Off/on throttle response is acceptably smooth, and the chassis and suspension remain composed. The brakes, plain old Brembos, are the best of this bunch. Nonetheless, just when you forget the Aprilia is a sport-tourer and try to make it behave like a sportbike, the Metzeler MEZ4s and the centerstand remind you in a hurry. At aggressive lean angles the tires are slippery and tend to let the bike fall in the last little bit; force the issue and the centerstand digs in abruptly (though only our, um, heavier testers complained about this--really, we've got to stop using these ex-Motorcyclist staffers).
 Aprilia RST1000 Futura's gauge...  Aprilia RST1000 Futura's gauge package is well laid out and easy to read. |
 An LCD gear indicator compliments...  An LCD gear indicator compliments the BMW's more traditional speedo and tach. |
 The ST4s' new setup has lots...  The ST4s' new setup has lots of extras, but our test unit kept acting up and indicating errors. |
 The Honda Interceptor has...  The Honda Interceptor has the best setup with a contemporary analog and an accurate fuel gauge. |
 The Triumph's analog fuel...  The Triumph's analog fuel gauge reads empty with half a tank remaining. |
 The BMW's windscreen adjusts...  The BMW's windscreen adjusts over a huge range with a manual knob on the dash. Wind resistance keeps you from adjusting it on the fly, but it's a nice detail that adds to the RS's touring capabilities. |
 While the BMW's anti-lock...  While the BMW's anti-lock brake setup is standard and can't be turned off, the Honda and Ducati setups are $1000 options and can be disabled temporarily if desired. |
Switch from the Futura to the BMW and you're in for a shock. The RS needs to be kept on the boil to make time, and hand in hand with that higher rpm is a hammering vibration. Other aspects of the BMW don't so much hurt performance as they are unsettling: The Telelever front end, while having good wheel control over bumps and some built-in anti-dive effect, offers little feedback under braking. The linked and assisted brakes are plenty powerful, but again, they have little feel and no progression. And the rubber-mounted handlebar adds to the front end's vagueness, especially over bumpy pavement. Still, nothing dragged, the boxer twin motor comes off corners surprisingly well and a careful rider will by no means get left behind on the BMW.
With its superbike background, you'd expect the Ducati to shine when the road gets twisty; however, details in the execution leave the package a bit short in this company. The engine is quite smooth and easily the most powerful of the group, but the tall gearing and very abrupt throttle response make it difficult to harness that steam. The suspension, with a top-shelf Showa fork and an hlins shock, is quite stiff, and the brakes, though plenty strong, lack feel and progression. While the ST4s undoubtedly has the most potential, our particular test unit had badly vibrating brakes (unlike another example we tried, on which the brakes didn't shudder but had much less stopping power), and was delivered with a severely worn (and square) rear tire, which showed cord at the end of our trip. Why Ducati chose to fit such a quick-wearing 180-sized sport tire to the heavy, powerful ST4s, we're not sure.
The Interceptor could be considered the overdog in this arena, as it's more sport-oriented, and for the most part that is the case. The chassis and handling are outstanding, with compliant yet sportingly stiff suspension, linear and reasonably light steering and great stability. Heavy riders will regularly touch down the footpeg feelers; push hard and the exhaust pipe will soon spark also. The linked ABS brakes require a bit of acclimation because the front end dives slightly when you apply just the rear brake, and the front brake lever sits way too high and can't be angled down. But the big letdown is the VTEC engine, which is lethargic and uninspiring in this company. Even above 7000 rpm with all 16 valves flailing away there's just not enough jam to move the Honda's heft (and surprise! It's the heaviest in this group) at a rapid pace.
The Triumph received just the opposite comments from our testers--a fantastic engine let down by a so-so chassis. The Sprint's three-cylinder mill has a great power spread, with good throttle response (though the twistgrip's throw is a bit long) and a silky smoothness right to redline. The brakes have adequate stopping power, but the lever has an unsettlingly long movement before anything happens. Steering is neutral and reasonably light, and on smooth roads the Trumpet's chassis is quite controlled. There's even decent clearance, with only the peg feelers grinding when the pace heats up. But hit some bumps or be abrupt with the throttle or brake and the flaccid front fork will have the bike pitching about like the Minnow on a three-hour tour. Lighter riders will have an easier time, but the bike is too softly sprung for heavier riders to be aggressive.