[ST] ST vs VFR and Sports tourers

["Barry Evans" <barryevans@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

As part of my PP (prolonged procastination) over whether to trade in my 01
ST for a 04, or tart up the 01 (pipe, sprockets etc) (or trat up a 04) or
wait for a new model 05, I thought it would be good to re-acquaint myself
with the Sports Tourer market.

I have been trying to get a test ride on a Duc ST4 for months. Can they be
that good or are Duc just useless?

Last w/e I had the chance to take a VFR out on a Honda track day. Its been
3.5 years since I rode one and I must say that it seems to me no longer
applicable to compare VFRs with Triumph STs. Apples with apples so to speak.
Why? Because IMHO the VFR is now effectively a sports bike with an option of
hard panniers. With the Vtec its more like riding a 2-stroke than a smooth
sports-TOURER (my emphasis). Plus, the throttle is hopelessly twitchy so at
'low revs' (effectievly anything below 8k) its truely horrible. Perhaps you
get used to it, but on a wet track the VFRs (way) superior handling was
completely nullified by the twitchy throttle. I'm told they are all like
that? In comparison my 16k km ST was like silk after the VFR so track times
were no different.

The VFR handling/cornering makes the bog-standard ST feel like a wallowing
hog and the VFRs finish/electronics are very good. The underseat exhuast
allows no underseat storage.

All in all it made me conclude that if I want a (balanced) Sports-Tourer
I'll stick with the ST and upgrade the suspension on my 01 or 04 or even 05
if Triumph don't get the message. Having said that, if the recent
speculative MCN article on the 05 ST is correct, and they have not upgraded
the suspension, then it will be such a huge anti-climax that I'm not sure
I'll want another ST because of Triumphs ignorance in not listening to its
customers. Where's that Duc dealers number again ;)

Barry
01 BRG ST



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