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[ST] Triumph Sprint ST/Honda VTR1000 Super Hawk

I recently rode a well broken-in Sprint RS demonstrator up a twisty, paved
local canyon and liked it a lot but I had my heart set on hard bags. Here's
the comparison:


  I have over 475 miles on my new Triumph. Here's my initial impressions of
the Triumph Sprint ST, compared to the Honda VTR1000:

The Super Hawk is a more exciting bike. The VTR 90-degree twin thunders
while the ST triple hums. Even though they both make similar power, have a
lot of torque and the same redline, the VTR thrills with visceral sensations
the more refined ST lacks. The ST is roomier and has a more upright riding
position which, along with smooth, unobtrusive power, makes it the better
open-road bike. Matching OEM hard bags are a big plus.

The VTR is more stable at speed. I've never ridden anything that is as
"planted" as the Super Hawk and this remains true at 145MPH indicated.
Respect for break-in procedures have limited me to barely over 100MPH on the
ST. It is certainly stable enough but responds instantly to counter-steering
where the VTR feels like it's locked on a rail. The sensation on the Honda
is so pronounced that I've found myself thinking, "How do I turn this
thing." Yet, on a twisty road the Super Hawk corners so naturally it seems
the bike is doing it without rider input. The Super Hawk is a truly
wonderful experience. The ST feels more like one might expect a sporty bike
to feel. Stable but quick-handling. I find the ST somewhat easier to toss
from side to side on really tight turns but you have to pay attention and
tell it what to do. At slow speed, the ST feels lighter than the VTR
although it actually weighs about 25 pounds more. After riding the ST for an
hour, the VTR seems crude and cramped on the open highway.

Component and build quality is similar on both bikes. The ST is nicely
finished with, for example, close-fitting trim on the inside of the
windscreen posts and a full-width dash where the VTR is naked and open. Both
have nice analog speedo, tach and water temp gauges but the ST adds an
analog fuel gauge and a digital clock. I believe the ST seat fits me better
than the VTR seat but that's a personal preference. The Triumph has a bigger
fuel tank and gets better mileage too, adding about 100 welcome miles to the
Super Hawk's range.

The Honda VTR1000 is popular in Europe. If more US riders could appreciate
what a wonderful bike it is, Honda might offer a sport touring version --
maybe with fuel injection and a bigger fuel tank. But I hear rumors that
Honda has cut the price by $1000. Soon, it will probably be dropped from the
US lineup to become yet another not-imported-here cult bike. Honda knows the
US market: dirt bikes and CBR's for kids of all ages; Gold Wings for old
guys of any age; cruisers for everyone else.

I think I got what I wanted: a bike that goes, handles and looks as good as
the Super Hawk but with more upright ergonomics and matching hard bags. If
the Triumph is mostly trouble-free, I think I'll be happy. A wiser, safer
choice might have been a VFR800 with Givi bags but I wish Givi included a
bracket for lowering the muffler and placing the bags where they belong;
both Triumph and Ducati make such provisions on their sport tourers. Triumph
has a good accessories catalog that eliminates the guesswork inherent in
aftermarket purchases. Triumph also provides a fuel-injection program to
match their optional free-flow mufflers.

Sport touring is a niche market; There aren't many choices. I don't think
I'll ever want a big heavy bike; the ST1100 weighs 180 pounds more than the
Sprint ST, the R1100RT is almost as heavy, the Concours is heavy and has a
twenty-year old engine infamous for it's buzzy tingle. For now, I'm pleased
to once again be riding a motorcycle bearing that familiar Triumph script --
even knowing this Triumph has nothing else in common with old Triumphs. For
people like me who rode British bikes in the '60s, then watched as the
British motorcycle industry was destroyed by the Japanese motorcycle
industry, it's encouraging to see a British company competing head-to-head
with the rest of the world.

Nutshell comparison with a '97 BMW R1100R I owned: The Triumph is lighter,
faster, smoother, handles better at low speed, shifts without a clunk, has
vastly superior fuel injection behavior, doesn't feel as top heavy and lacks
(so far) any odd behavior that might be rationalized as "character." In
spite of very real flaws, I liked my BMW but not enough to buy another when
it came time to reach for my wallet.

Verle Nelson
Cedaredge, Colorado


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