Description:

After the great handling concept comparison in issue 8 / 2010 PS is now investigating the effects of different suspension settings, air pressures, wheel weights and steering angles on the driving behavior of a Triumph Street Triple R.

Can you remember how often you have discussed at a training race in the pits or in the pub about the correct tire pressure? Or on small wheels and their positive effect on a motorcycle? Or the right attitude for landing gear? Who does not know the story of a buddy buddies, who had shortly before the start on the advice of a running mate the air pressure from his Peel further reduced and the race was next?

Each dedicated motorcyclist knows one of these stories or issues that they themselves have witnessed or been shaking his head. But what, then, really, if a sporting rider violently to soft setup, too little air pressure or too low in the rear on the track or road at the whisk rotates? How can these deficits be felt and what kind of effect it as on the lap time or his own ride?

In the second part of the handling tests (part one in PS 8 / 2010) studied PS with a complex test program answers to these questions. First, the tester intervened on a slow-handling course, then saw the move to the small but beautiful race track near the French Anneau du Rhin Colmar.

Test comment

Soft suspension setup: The Streety goes horribly, wobbles and swings through the area. Two factors appear to be dangerous: The pumps of the rear when accelerating (16mm up and down on the strut, see green line in the data recording). It not only messed up the line, but also runs a load peaks in the tires, this can overwhelm and thus lead to slip. Equally dangerous is the lack of feedback. The pilot has no feedback, there is no clearly perceptible limit and no noticeable time limit like a fall.

Increased mass on the individual wheels: HP has a front wheel to the rear wheel to two kilograms complains that. The heavier rear wheel is only noticeable in nuances, if you directly from “minor” rear umsteigt. The heavy front wheel is alone in the fast-Flic Flac (a fast transition curve, see route map) conspicuous, as the bike turns in not quite so willing and follows the line.

Increased mass on both wheels: The Triumph has a stubborn, a strong feeling in the fast passages, and the clean line requires more commitment.

Suspension one degree flatter: The power steering is a little increased, and the Streety run from the apex of other arcs. Your swing angle is too flat now (lack of bias), resulting in accelerating out of squad thing, so the stretch and pull the rear wheel in the spring. This effect reduces the travel to a minimum, slides are programmed on bumps. Also the rake becomes flat again, which increases the running wide.

Objective data

The recorded values ​​of speed, power steering and tilt prove that a good, sturdy chassis allows for all the sections, both on the course as on the race track, the best values. Still, the differences in rounds or section time and at the speeds not as serious as it senses the driver’s subjective. The lower the speed, the lower the benefits of the optimal set chassis. The hard folding in fast tempos Flic-Flac with around 140 km / h the suspension stable gains, however, significantly meters. There is also the heavy wheels make noticeable, resulting in the lowest section speed 132.0 km / h and raises the steering torque to 148 Nm.

By far the biggest concern is the driver the enormous movement of the fork and shock at the soft suspension adjusted, with the lap time around 1.27 s increased to 1.25,22 min. The flaccid attenuation allows only a weak feedback between the tire and the driver. This is why the limit does not properly assess and especially clear in the passages out fast circuit speed. Similarly, by very low air pressure in the tires (PS lowered from 2.5 to 1.8 bar front and rear bar, using two tires). The feedback is low because of the tires knautscht and drumming and steering commands only indirect reacting.