Be prepared for more manicured and botoxed investment bankers and bond dealers to be riding Speed Triples. :-D
I don't think the link will work as the web site is by subscription. There were a few pictures of the bikes as well. If someone wants the article with pictures I can e-mail it if you PM me.
online.wsj.com/article/SB113295042711006737-search.html?KEYWORDS=triumph&COLLECTION=wsjie/6month
Here is the verbage:
Motorcycles
'What a Beautiful Radiator You Have!'
With 'naked' bikes increasingly popular, we test four models
By JONATHAN WELSH
November 26, 2005; Page P11
When Thomas Fejka picked out a motorcycle in September, he says he was attracted to a new Italian model for all the fancy bodywork it doesn't have.
On Mr. Fejka's Ducati bike, not a saddlebag or panel covers up its trellis-like chassis, its big engine or the pair of shapely mufflers mounted high on one side.
"My attitude is: It's a motorcycle, so where's the motor?" says the 50-year-old senior product designer from Beaver Falls, Pa., whose bike arrived last week.
While some high-end motorcycles seem a lot like luxury cars, loaded with satellite navigation, automatic transmissions and fitted luggage, many riders are plunking down $10,000 and up for models stripped of decoration and creature comforts. These so-called naked bikes are one of the industry's fastest-growing categories not just because they are powerful and fast, but because they have little or no bodywork hiding the mechanical innards that buyers increasingly want to see. Frames, engines, even hoses and wires hang in the breeze and serve as conversation pieces when riders meet up.
The growth of naked bikes is part of a wider trend of motorcycle makers moving into market segments they previously ignored, and the expansion helped push motorcycle sales up 6.2% last year to almost 1.1 million. While naked bikes, reminiscent of the basic "standard" motorcycles that were popular in the 1960s and '70s, are a small part of the overall market, today there are 20 big naked models available, up from 11 a year ago.
Of the bikes I road-tested, the least expensive was $9,995; the costliest, $14,495. Though not cheap, they're far less expensive than top-of-the-line cars, so consumers looking for prestige can find it more easily with a motorcycle.
I checked the curb appeal of four of the latest naked bikes but also rated them as practical transportation. Several hundred miles later, here's what I found.
DUCATI MONSTER S2R 1000
Loved: Wonderful engine sound
Could do without: Intense engine heat
Many credit Ducati with starting the naked-bike movement a decade ago with its original Monster, which was based on a racing machine with its aerodynamic bodywork stripped away. This bike, which is just starting to arrive at dealerships, reminds me of earlier, less complicated machines (it's the only one in the test group with an air-cooled engine). Though it's the least powerful of the group, the Ducati feels most like a "real" motorcycle, from its light, agile handling to the steady vibrations and the leg-roasting heat the engine gives off when stuck in traffic.
MV AGUSTA BRUTALE 910
Loved: Sharpest handling of the bunch
Could do without: Cramped if you're tall
People talk way too much about motorcycles beautiful enough to park in the living room. Still, I'm convinced the Brutale 910 is the shred of truth behind that otherwise overblown notion. Even after riding the Brutale home in the rain and going over it with towels and cotton swabs, I couldn't find a detail I didn't like.
On the road, it was the most nimble bike I've ridden, thanks in part to a short 55-inch wheelbase (the distance between the centers of the wheels) that lends itself to rapid changes of direction. But this machine didn't exhibit the twitchiness of many short-wheelbase bikes. Lean the Brutale into a slow turn and it seems to find the perfect arc on its own. And on speedier sections, its high power and light weight deliver stunning acceleration.
TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE
Loved: Buttery-smooth shifting
Could do without: More naked than I'd like
The Speed Triple has such a gritty feel that before each sortie I donned decades-old riding boots that Dad handed down, the left toe worn from thousands of gear changes and calves scarred by hot exhaust pipes. The British bike is truly naked, its engine and transmission in full view and matte-black frame bulging out from the bottom edge of the gas tank, showing bumpy welded joints.
The Triumph's sharp handling and high power have given it a reputation as a handful, but I found it surprisingly friendly. Wide handlebars give riders plenty of leverage for tight, low-speed turns in parking lots and its forgiving six-speed gearbox and clutch were delights to use. As with most naked bikes, long stints on the highway exposed to constant wind buffeting will convince many riders to stay close to home.
BMW K1200R
Loved: Heated handgrips
Could do without: Grabby clutch
After years of building sedate bikes aimed at older, slower and wealthier riders, BMW built a screaming engine (the most powerful in this group) and dropped it into a bike that unabashedly flaunts its mechanical details. The new K1200R is the perfect bike for anyone looking to make a spectacle while riding through town. One pedestrian clapped as I cruised by on my bright yellow test bike.
The K1200R was the most difficult to ride because it demanded the most concentration. Everything from shifting cleanly to navigating slow corners took practice. Still, the ride for the most part was smooth thanks to an electronically adjustable front suspension called a Duolever that soaked up bumps better than the other bikes'.
That and other features confirmed the BMW is at least a step or two ahead of the others. Thanks to its size, smooth ride and roomy saddle, it was the only naked machine I would take on a long trip without expecting to suffer. Bottom line: Bikes are about riding, and the BMW is the most rideable in this group.
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