A sport touring motorcycle (sometimes a "sports tourer") is a type of motorcycle that combines the performance of a sport bike with the long-distance capabilities and comfort of a touring motorcycle.
The first sport tourer is said to be the fully faired 1977 BMW R100RS. [1] [2] Journalist Peter Egan defines the sport tourer as a "café racer that doesn't hurt your wrists and a touring bike that doesn't feel like a tank," and identified the R100RS as the first example he owned. [3]
Unlike a sport model, a sport touring model will typically have more wind protection with larger fairings and an adjustable windscreen, a transmission with lower gearing, a shaft drive instead of chain drive, side and/or rear pannier storage systems, a larger alternator for more accessories, heated handlebar grips, remotely adjustable headlights, a larger fuel tank for increased range, and a more upright seating position. Unlike a full touring model, a sport tourer will typically have more ride height ground clearance for better cornering, less stowage, lower weight, a less relaxed seating position, less room for the rear passenger, and higher overall performance. [4]
When designing a sport tourer, some manufacturers make economies by using an existing engine, technology and tooling from their recent sport bikes, rather than creating a dedicated engine design from scratch. Sport tourer engines could be differently-tuned versions of their sport bike siblings, the emphasis becoming mid-range torque rather than peak horsepower. This often includes a different cylinder head and exhaust system. For example, the Triumph Sprint motorcycle shared its engine with the Daytona, Speed Triple, and Tiger models; the Kawasaki 1400GTR/Concours 14 shares the basic engine with the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14; and Ducati's ST4 sport tourer used the 916's engine; the Aprilia RST1000 Futura used a differently-tuned engine from the Aprilia RSV Mille sport bike. As consumer expectations changed, some sport bikes were redefined (for marketing purposes) as sport touring bikes, for example, the 2000 Kawasaki ZX-6R sportbike became the 2004 ZZR600 with just a change to a fairing bracket.
Rider magazine noted in 2013 that the line between sportbikes and touring motorcycles was becoming blurred "with [touring] horsepower rising higher and higher and lists of standard [sportbike] features growing longer and longer". [5]
The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7R was a 750cc motorcycle in the Ninja sport bike series from the Japanese manufacturer Kawasaki produced from 1989 until 2003
The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R is a motorcycle in the Ninja sport bike series made by Kawasaki from 2000 through 2006. The 1,199 cc (73.2 cu in) inline-four engine produced 178 hp (133 kW) at low speed, and increased to 190 hp (140 kW) at high speed due to its ram-air intake, making it the most powerful production motorcycle up to 2006 and the release of the ZX-14. It was a contender to be the fastest production motorcycle, and played a role in bringing to a truce the escalating competition to build an ever-faster motorcycle. Its top speed was electronically limited to 186 mph (300 km/h), tying it with the Suzuki Hayabusa and Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14 as the fastest production motorcycle on the market, after the 303–312 km/h (188–194 mph) 1999 Hayabusa was replaced with a speed-limited version as part of a gentlemen's agreement between motorcycle manufacturers that lasted until the 298–311 km/h (185.4–193.24 mph) 2007 MV Agusta F4 R 312.
The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R is a motorcycle in the Ninja sport bike series from the Japanese manufacturer Kawasaki, the successor to the Ninja ZX-9R. It was originally released in 2004 and has been updated and revised throughout the years. It combines an ultra-narrow chassis, low weight, and radial brakes. In 2004 and 2005 the ZX-10R won Best Superbike from Cycle World magazine, and the international Masterbike competition.
A sports motorcycle, sports bike, or sport bike is a motorcycle designed and optimized for speed, acceleration, braking, and cornering on asphalt concrete race tracks and roads. They are mainly designed for performance at the expense of comfort, fuel economy, safety, noise reduction and storage in comparison with other motorcycles.
The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R is a 600 cc class motorcycle in the Ninja sport bike series from the Japanese manufacturer Kawasaki. It was introduced in 1995, and has been constantly updated throughout the years in response to new products from Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha. The ZX series is what was known as the Ninja line of Kawasaki motorcycles in the 1980s and still carries the name today.
The Suzuki V-Strom 1000, also known as the DL1000, is a dual-sport motorcycle with a 996 cc V-twin engine and a standard riding posture. It has been manufactured in Japan by Suzuki since 2002, although sales in Europe ended in 2009. The name V-Strom combines "V" referring to the bike's engine configuration with the German Strom, meaning stream or power.
The Kawasaki Concours, known as the GTR1000 in some markets, is a 1,000 cc sport touring motorcycle manufactured between 1986 and 2006 by Kawasaki. In 2007 it was replaced by the larger displacement Concours 14, also known as the 1400GTR.
The Honda CBR600RR is a 599 cc (36.6 cu in) sport bike made by Honda since 2003, part of the CBR series. The CBR600RR was marketed as Honda's top-of-the-line middleweight sport bike, succeeding the 2002 Supersport World Champion 2001–2006 CBR600F4i, which was then repositioned as the tamer, more street-oriented sport bike behind the technically more advanced and uncompromising race-replica CBR600RR. It carried the Supersport World Championship winning streak into 2003, and on through 2008, and won in 2010 and 2014.
A dual-sport motorcycle is a type of motorcycle that is designed for varying degrees of off-road use while still being street-legal. Dual-sports may be equipped with lights, a speedometer, mirrors, a horn, registration plates, and a muffler to comply with local regulations. Other names such as all-road, on/off-road, dual-purpose, and adventure bike may be chosen by the manufacturer based upon the size, weight, and intended application of the motorcycle. Typically the dual sport category weighs less than 400 pounds/180 kilos to make them more comfortable and capable off road while adventure bikes are more than 400 pounds/180 kilos to make them more comfortable and capable on road.
The BMW K1200GT is a sport-touring motorcycle made by BMW. The first generation K1200GT came out in 2003 and had a traditional “Brick” longitudinally mounted four cylinder engine. Criticisms of this model included its weight, lack of power, and poor ground clearance, but it still rated as a very comfortable and high-speed tourer. The second-generation K1200GT, introduced in 2006, uses essentially the same inline-4 engine as the BMW K1200S sportbike, which held the world speed record in 2005 for its class at 279.33 km/h (173.57 mph), and the K1200R. The new model was lighter and more powerful than the 2003 first-generation K1200GT.
A touring motorcycle is a type of motorcycle designed for touring. Although almost any motorcycle can be used for this purpose, manufacturers have developed specific models designed to address the particular needs of these riders. Touring motorcycles commonly have large displacement fairings and windshields that offer a high degree of weather and wind protection, large-capacity fuel tanks for long ranges between fill-ups, engines with a great deal of low-end horsepower, and a more relaxed, upright seating position than sport bikes.
The Kawasaki ZRX1200R is a standard/naked motorcycle and was manufactured in Japan from 2001 until 2007. It was sold in the US until 2005 and in Europe until 2007. It was updated in 2008 with a six-speed transmission and fuel injection. It was sold exclusively in Japan as the ZRX1200 DAEG model until 2016. It is the evolution of the ZRX1100 which is a stylized version of the "Eddie Lawson Replica" KZ1000R sold in 1982. With the ZRX1200R, Kawasaki's goal was to produce a motorcycle with the performance of a modern motorcycle, while retaining a design similar to the original Eddie Lawson Replica.
The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-9R is a motorcycle in the Ninja sport bike series from Japanese manufacturer Kawasaki, produced from 1994 until 2003. There were five model incarnations across two basic designs.
A motorcycle fairing is a shell placed over the frame of a motorcycle, especially racing motorcycles and sport bikes, to deflect wind and reduce air drag. The secondary functions are the protection of the rider from airborne hazards and wind-induced hypothermia and of the engine components in the case of an accident. A motorcycle windshield will usually be integrated into the design of the fairing.
The Kawasaki 1400GTR, also known as the Concours 14 or ZG1400 in some markets, is a sport touring motorcycle produced by Kawasaki. The 1400GTR was introduced in September 2007 and is based on the ZX-14 platform. It replaces the original GTR1000 (Concours), which was built from 1986 to 2006.
The Kawasaki Ninja 1000 SX is a motorcycle in the Ninja series from the Japanese manufacturer Kawasaki sold since 2011. Other than its name, it is unrelated to the Ninja 1000R produced from 1986–89, or to other Ninja motorcycles.
The Kawasaki Ninja H2 is a supercharged four-stroke supersport-class motorcycle in the Ninja sports bike series manufactured by Kawasaki, featuring a variable-speed centrifugal supercharger.
A quickshifter or quick shifter is a device that eliminates the need to use the clutch or throttle when shifting gears on a manual transmission. This can increase the safety and comfort of the vehicle and allow for faster gear shifting and is thus a popular performance enhancement for motorcycles.
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