Yamaha BT 100 Bulldog
Yamaha BT 1100 Bulldog
.
The Bulldog is a rather curious motorcycle, with a somewhatconfused identity. Styled like a naked, aggressive musclebike, which lookslike it could take on Ducati's Monster or Buell's X-l, the Bulldog actuallyoffers rather mediocre performance. Its exposed V-twin engine is borrowedfrom the XVI100 Drag Star, and offers just 48kW (65bhp). Chassis-wise, atasteful steel-tube perimeter frame snakes around the top of the engine,Rl-type front brakes are fitted, and the hunched fuel tank makes theItalian-styled Bulldog look like a short, taut machine. It's attractive too,with a neat flyscreen and high-quality detail finish. But again, theperformance is more akin to a cruiser than an aggressive musclebike.
Milan, Italy, 12 June 2002 -- Oh my, oh my, what a little teaser she was.Just two years ago, a fresh and naked beauty ended up as a desktopbackground on countless computer screens around the world and prompted grownmen (me included) to drool. Yep, that brutal MT01 concept Yamaha showed atthe Tokyo Show was one hell of a turn-on. But in life, fantasy and realitydo not often meet. The promise of a big-big-bore streetfighter, (or was it asupermoto with the mother of all engines?) ended up splitting into twodifferent and somewhat diluted versions. Americans got their low & mean 1700Road Warrior to play with, while Europe had to be content with a...mmm...how to call it? A naked power standard? Urban retro cruiser? Big pseudo-trailie-on-acid?Enter the BT1100 Bulldog.
So like many Yamahas before, the BT1100 Bulldog is a tool that resistsconventional definition. Yes, it does have Ducati Monster influences, sometraces of that sexy MT01 concept bike and maybe a pinch of Buell poisethrown in, yet surprisingly, at the end of the day the result is so originalthat it earns the privilege of founding a new niche. Original-schmoriginal,the BT1100 is also a fine example of progressive motorcycle design, from itsstubby proportions and bold shapes down to the abundance of amazing finedetails. Countless approving nods from Milanese motorcyclists showed that atleast on the styling front, Yamaha's designers got it more than right.
Mechanically speaking, it's a bit of a mixed bag. If that motorlooks familiar, that's because it's been around for 20 years now, havingpowered the first ever Japanese V-twins, the Viragos 750 & 920 (and laterthe 1100 Drag-Star). The air-cooled, two-valve-per-cylinder unit has neverwon any horsepower contests, so any expectations you should have for easyburnouts on the twist of the throttle would better be shelved. The frame, onthe other hand, is one bold and massive piece and holds much promise forrigidity and sporting prowess while enhancing the bike's looks with itsdaring mid-tank plunge. Further strengthening that sporty image are those R1brakes, beefy right-way-up forks and a 170-section rear tire. And then younotice it's got a nerdy shaft drive and handlebar risers. Confused? So wasI.
Things clarify rather quickly upon sitting on the bike and moving on. Anyfears of a tough and hard-edged MMI (man-machine-interface) dispel as yourbutt and feet meet the soft surfaces of the seat and footpegs. Guidingposition is true dual-purpose, loads of leg room, high and erect, with thebars feeling at first a tad too close and wrongly angled. A little fumblingwith the choke lever under the tank and we have the engine running. There isa deeper rumble coming from the pipes than on the Drag Star, but throttleresponse already hints at a very mild response. And indeed, after a fewstoplights the last hopes that there would be a mean streetfighter hidden inthere somewhere, disappear. What a pussycat! Yamaha claims to have raisedthe peak output of the 1100 mill by three ponies, but with 65 claimed hp,the engine is a real softie. What does make riding the Bulldog a bit moreinteresting enginewise is that the peak torque point has been shifted from alowly 2500 rpm in the Drag Star, to some 4500 in the BT1100. So instead ofhaving an engine that pulls from zero revs and runs out of puff by the timethe tacho needle crosses the two thirds point; the BT's engine is much moreof a revvier and doesn't mind hitting the 7000 rpm rev limiter every now andthen. In the lower half of the range it's a nice plodder with the powerclimbing in linear fashion from 3000 rpm and up.
With its powerful brakes, you can rest assured the Bulldogs brakes arefar stronger than its bite. Although disappointing at first, the super friendly power grows on you asyou clock more and more urban riding miles. The engine is a real doddle touse, and it's helped by the cycle side of the equation, which feels reallyat home in the city. The erect riding position works superbly and allows foreasy scanning of the surroundings without any neck breaking contortionsneeded, an important virtue in the world's fashion capital, where modeltypes seem to grow on trees. On the countless stone paved streets of Milano,intersected by streetcar rails, the soft fork filters out most of the whitenoise while the progressive-linked monoshock is a bit less accommodating onbigger bumps. Steering-wise, the wide handlebars produce instant steeringresponse in tight situations and hide well the considerable mass of thiswell-trained Bulldog. Time to hit the highways and the canyon roads.
With a fully upright riding position and a tiny bikini fairing for windprotection, cruising speed depends mainly on your will to fight the airpressure. The engine is capable of propelling the Bulldog to some 110 mph,but eventually 90 is a far more reasonable proposition. The limited amountof horses in the stable means that quick overtaking requires a downshift ortwo, but as long as you're not trying to compete with any squids out there,the BT gets the job done without any perceivable vibration.
On long freeway stints, the all-too-accommodating saddle becomesmore of a pain in the rear. As it often happens these days, it's anothercase of a too-sculpted seat that keeps you pinned to just one position.Borrowing a term used by a MO reader, if your "lard factor" is aboveaverage, there's a good chance that things are going to be a bit cramped inthe gender-defining zone.
Cramped or not, the Bulldog comes into its own again when the going getstwisty. There, the mixture of great stability and high grip provided bythose huge tires, the stiff frame and the ample leverage of the wide barsworks really nice, enabling a good rider to maintain an entertaining pace.Just like a good adventure tourer, the Bulldog supplies clean fun in thetwisties, but it's no supermoto.
The 506 pounds Yamaha cites as the bike's dry weight, and the slightlyunderdamped fork eventually start to be felt when the pace picks up. Just aswell, Ground Clearance is not one of the BT's main virtues, although by nowit starts to be clear that on the BT1100, if you're pushing that hard, youare certainly calling the wrong number. In the braking department, theBT1100 doesn't need any excuses. It's R1 derived brakes need no introductionand supply ample power and feel in any situation. The rear brake, though, isalmost too potent and locks too easily, not the best thing if you are abeginner.
Beginner? Who said beginner? Here at MO we are all a bunch ofhairy- arsed bikers, aren't we? Must have been my unconscious playing games.After a few days of riding, the fact that the BT is one docile ride thatcould be a stepping stone for anybody climbing up the capacity ladder cannotbe denied, and that in itself is quite refreshing. Save for Suzuki's SV650,there hasn't been a new, true beginner's mount in quite a long time,certainly not an 1100cc model.
Then we have that design issue. Just like in a cruiser, where performanceis secondary to looks (or at least it used to be...), the BT1100 provides ahot conversation topic whenever it is parked in a bike-choked lot. Yamaha isthe only Japanese company using the services of an external design office(GK Design) and that reflects on many of its models. The daring andcourageous shapes of the Bulldog might have never been born within theconfines of corporate design.
Above all, the Bulldog is one hell of an urban tool. I had a hardtime trying to recall a bike that was so much fun to just hop on and go forthose little errands--to my lover's or to get (cigarette!) rolling papersfrom the corner shop. Weigh in other factors like the low maintenance driveshaft and engine and the BT1100 starts making sense as groovy everydaytransportation, beginner rider or not. Last but not least is the priceissue. In Europe, the BT is sold in the same price bracket as the H-DSportster, Triumph Bonneville and Ducati Monster 750. Against that sort ofcharacter-laden opposition, the BT1100 is on level battling ground. Will itsquirky character appeal to the American riding public? That's the bigquestion. At the moment Yamaha thinks not.
Source Motorcycle.com