2014 Middleweight Mash-Up Six-Way Shootout! + Video

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John Burns October 6, 2014 45

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THE ENVELOPE PLEASE …

and Motorcycle.com Staff Photos by: Brian Blades Video by: Jay McNally

Our hats are all off to the geniuses at Yamaha who built this thing. It’ll run right with the curve-slaying $8,999 KTM Duke up and down our favorite roads, then deliver you home with nearly the comfort of the practical-shoes Honda NC700X, for considerably less money than either of them.

We believe the Duke’s a great stable pony for the well-heeled enthusiast who has another bike or three in the garage more suited to the everyday slog. But if money is an object, and you’ve got to pick one bike to do it all, you really can’t do better than Yamaha’s new FZ-07, a motorcycle that can’t decide if it’s a sportbike, eco-commuter, naked hooligan or standard? You will not go wrong with the FZ-07 or the 690 Duke, our two favorite bikes in our favorite class. This week.

The 645cc-plus Twins (SFV, Ninja, FZ) eke out similar peak numbers, but it’s the Yamaha’s 689cc powerplant that pulls hardest, longest. Amazing that KTM’s 690cc motor pulls so strong from just one lung. Note how it spins 2000 rpm higher than the twin-cylinder 670cc NC700X. The CB500F feels far more frisky than the chart indicates.

The FZ-07’s torque curve is the cream of this crop, with the broadest swathe of strong power. The KTM puts up a slightly bigger number, but note the curve’s jagged quality and how it wouldn’t smoothly accept throttle below 3000 rpm. The NC700X delivers immediate power but signs off disappointingly early. With just 471cc to work with, the CB500’s numbers are small, but its incredibly flat torque curve yields whatever juice it has whenever its needed.

2014 Middleweight Mash-Up Six-Way Shootout
Category	Honda CB500F	Honda NC700X	Kawasaki Ninja 650	KTM 690 Duke	Suzuki SFV650	Yamaha FZ-07
Price	100%	74.4%	76.3%	52.3%	71.2%	73.0%
Weight	86.1%	75.8%	77.4%	100%	80.2%	89.3%
lb/hp	59.7%	58.0%	80.6%	100%	86.6%	96.7%
lb/lb-ft	53.5%	67.5%	72.6%	100%	76.2%	89.2%
Engine	73.3%	60.4%	81.0%	87.5%	89.0%	93.1%
Transmission/Clutch	85.0%	85.4%	82.5%	82.1%	87.1%	91.3%
Handling	83.8%	69.6%	75.4%	94.6%	85.4%	88.3%
Brakes	74.2%	73.8%	79.6%	92.1%	80.0%	88.3%
Suspension	72.5%	79.2%	79.2%	94.2%	77.1%	81.7%
Technologies	61.3%	68.3%	66.7%	71.7%	60.0%	70.0%
Instruments	74.2%	73.8%	74.6%	70.8%	72.9%	89.6%
Ergonomics/Comfort	80.4%	85.8%	70.4%	86.7%	78.3%	87.9%
Quality	75.8%	78.3%	70.0%	89.2%	75.8%	80.8%
Cool Factor	68.3%	66.7%	68.8%	90.4%	66.7%	88.8%
Grin Factor	70.8%	62.5%	72.9%	93.3%	80.8%	88.3%
Overall Score	75.7%	71.8%	75.5%	86.2%	78.3%	86.4%
Price and weight are scored based on objective metrics. Other scores are listed as a percentage of editors’ ratings in each category. The Engine category is double-weighted, so the Overall Score is not a total of the displayed percentages but, rather, a percentage of the weighted aggregate raw score.

	Honda CB500F	Honda NC700X	Kawasaki Ninja 650	KTM 690 Duke	Suzuki SFV650	Yamaha FZ-07
MSRP	$5799 (ABS: $6299)	$7799 (DCT ABS: $8799)	$7199 (ABS: $7599)	$8999 base; ($11,097 as tested)	$8,149.00	$6990 base; ($7939.41 as tested)
Type	471cc liquid-cooled parallel Twin	670cc liquid-cooled parallel Twin	649cc liquid-cooled parallel Twin	690cc liquid-cooled Single	645cc liquid-cooled 90-degree V-Twin	689cc liquid-cooled parallel Twin
Bore and Stroke	67.0 x 66.8 mm	73.0 x 80.0mm	83.0 x 60.0mm	102.0 x 84.5mm	81.0 x 62.5mm.	80.0 x 68.6mm
Fuel System	PGM-FI, two 34mm throttle bodies	PGM-FI, one 36mm throttle body	EFI, two 38mm throttle bodies	EFI, ride by wire	Fuel injection	Fuel injection
Ignition	Digital	Digital	Digital	Digital, two spark plugs with individual mapping	Digital	Digital
Compression Ratio	10.7:1	10.7:1	10.8:1	12.6:1	11.5 : 1	11.5:1
Valve Train	DOHC; 4 valves per cylinder	SOHC; 4 valves per cylinder	DOHC; 4 valves per cylinder	SOHC; 4 valves per cylinder	DOHC; 4 valves per cylinder	DOHC; 4 valves per cylinder
Emissions	EPA, CARB compliant	EPA, CARB-compliant	EPA, CARB-compliant	EPA, CARB-compliant	EPA, CARB-compliant	EPA, CARB-compliant
Horsepower	43.04 hp @ 8400 rpm	46.59 @ 6300 rpm	64.86 @ 8900 rpm	61.78 @ 7600 rpm	67.47 @ 8300 rpm	67.11 @ 8900 rpm
Torque	29.13 @ 6800 rpm	41.78 @ 4700 rpm	43.76 @ 7100 rpm	46.87 @ 5500 rpm	44.20 @ 7900 rpm	46.7 @ 6500 rpm
lb/hp	9.71	10.20	7.17	5.83	6.65	6.00
lb/torque	14.35	11.37	10.63	7.68	10.16	8.63
Transmission	6-speed; multi-plate wet clutch	6-speed, multi-plate wet clutch	6-speed, multi-plate wet clutch, positive neutral finder	6-Speed, wet, multi-plate slipper clutch	6-speed; multi-plate wet clutch	6-speed, multiplate wet clutch
Final Drive	Chain	Chain	Chain	Chain	Chain	Chain
Front Suspension	41mm fork; 4.3 in. travel	41mm fork; 5.4. in. travel	41mm fork; 4.9 inches travel	43mm inverted fork, fully adjustable; 5.3 in. travel	41mm fork, preload adjustable; 4.9 in. travel	41mm Telescopic fork; 5.1-in travel
Rear Suspension	Pro-Link single shock, adjustable for spring preload; 4.7 inches travel	Pro-Link single shock, preload-adjustable, 5.9 in. travel	Single cantilevered shock; preload adjustable, 5.1 in. travel	Single shock, linkage-mounted, fullly adjustable; 5.3 in. travel	Single shock; 3.9 inches travel, preload adjustable; 5.1 in. travel	Single, preload-adjustable shock; 5.1-in travel
Front Brake	320mm wave disc; 2-piston caliper	320mm disc; 2-piston caliper	Dual 300mm petal discs, 2-piston calipers	320mm disc, radial-mount 4-piston caliper; ABS	Dual 290 mm discs, 2-piston calipers	Dual 282mm discs, 4-piston calipers
Rear Brake	240mm wave disc; single-piston caliper	240mm disc; single-piston caliper	220mm petal disc, single-piston caliper	240mm disc, 1-piston caliper; ABS	240mm disc, single-piston caliper	245mm disc, 2-piston caliper
Front Tire	120/70-17	120/70 ZR-17	120/70-17	120/70 ZR-17	120/70 ZR-17	120/70 ZR-17
Rear Tire	160/60-17	160/60 ZR-17	160/60-17	160/60 ZR-17	160/60 ZR-17	180/55 ZR-17
Rake/Trail	25.5° / 4.05 in. (103mm)	27° / 4.3 in. (110mm)	25° / 4.3 in. (110mm)	26.5° / 4.53 in. (115mm)	25° / 4.1 in. (104mm)	24° / NA
Wheelbase	55.5 in.	60.6 in.	55.5 in.	57.7 in.	56.9 in.	55.1 in.
Seat Height	30.9 in.	32.7 in.	31.7 in.	32.9 in.	30.9 in.	31.7 in.
Measured Weight	418 lb.	475 lb.	465 lb	360 lb.	449 lb.	403 lb.
Fuel Capacity	4.1 gal.	3.7 gal.	4.2 gal.	3.7 gal.	3.8 gal.	3.7 gal.
Tested Fuel Economy	52 mpg	58 mpg	44 mpg	47 mpg	45 mpg	49 mpg
Gauges / Indicators	LCD panel with tachometer, fuel gauge, clock, odo, two tripmeters. High beam, neutral, low oil pressure, turn signals, engine diagnostics, low fuel warning lights	LCD panel with tachometer, fuel gauge, clock, gear-position indicator, odo, two tripmeters, average fuel mileage. High beam, neutral, low oil pressure, turn signals, engine diagnostics, low fuel warning lights	Analog tachomter, LCD panel with speedo, fuel gauge, clock, odo, two tripmeters.High beam, neutral, low oil pressure, turn signals, engine diagnostics, low fuel warning lights	Analog tachomter, LCD panel with speedo, fuel gauge, clock, odo, two tripmeters.High beam, neutral, low oil pressure, turn signals, engine diagnostics, low fuel warning lights	Analog tach, LCD digital speedo, dual tripmeters, odometer, clock, digital gear-position indicator; High beam, neutral, low oil pressure, turn signals, engine diagnostics, low fuel warning lights	LCD bar-type tachometer, gear-position indicator, digital speedo, odometer, dual tripmeters, fuel gauge, fuel reserve tripmeter, clock, instant and average fuel consumption. High beam, neutral, low oil pressure, turn signals, engine diagnostics, low fuel warning lights
Available Colors	Black, Pearl White	Black, Red	Candy Lime Green / Metallic Flat Spark Black, Metallic Spark Black / Metallic Flat Spark Black, Pearl Flat Stardust White / Metallic Flat Spark Black	White, Black	Metallic Thunder Gray, Glass Sparkle Black	Liquid Graphite, Rapid Red, Pearl White
Warranty	One year, transferable, unlimited miles	One year, transferable, unlimited miles	12 months	24 months, unlimited miles	12 month unlimited mileage	One year

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