Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125810
,, iONLY TEST: N ..... a> :> o Z ~ w Z W ..J U >U by]. G. Krol The new Wildebeest 197.2cc ATLMXRR·31RR Butterfly uses the increasingly popular five-cylinder, valve-in-head two-stroke configuration, representing a significant breakthrough in evolutionary refinement of previous models. ·We fell in love with it at first sight, except for one staffer who though t it was the ·ugliest thing on wheels since the Pannonia. Styling was tasteful except for -the cheap plastic emblems on the instruction booklet. Workmanship was excellent, in general. However, by removing the seat, tool tray, air cleaner, rear fender, battery, and by hacksawing out the battery box, in that order, we discovered after sectioning the battery box through its spot welds with a carbon dioxide laser and examining the section under metallurgical microscope, that these welds appear to have been made by a machine. (So much for hand·assembled motorcycles... Ed.) Handling was what we've come to expect from machines with their centers-of-gravity located, as indicated, by a gas tank cap a full ten inches above the base of the spark plug. The Wildebeest plowed and overs tee red badly in the turns, and corners were best taken by pushing the machine from alongside. The shocks are not Japanese, but if they were, they'd be no good. According to any anonymous Bosnian cabbage-peeler, the front forks are equal to the best in the world, and we have no reason to object to that expert opinjon except to note that the forks could use different springing and more dampenampening. Also, Wildebeest would do well to investigate the possibility of fork seals made of some other material than papier·mache. We are pleased to see that Wildebeest has taken our earlier advice and has incorporated pneumatic tires on this latest model. Everyone agreed on the shape of the handlebars but. as usual, there was some division of opinion among the test riders over the shape of. the crankshaft. This, however, is something most riders will change to suit their individual preferences. Our test bike had been sadly abused by 23 other magazines before we got it and, having a total of 0.7 miles on the The· Wildebeest 197.2ee ATLMXRR-31RR Butterfly The Wildebeest found its home on the motocross track. However. handling did require adaptation in riding style. • Photo by Jack Dunn. od ometer, demonstrated again the legendary reliability of Wildebeest instrumentation. The speedometer was mildly optimistic, registering 63.5 MPH whenever the ignition was turned 00. We had a spot of bother finding the starting combination al first and had to tow the machine 247 miles to ligh t it off. Once the starting drill was perfected, the machine fired up on the very first kick every single time with no exceptions whatsoever at all. With a claimed dry weight of just under 15 pounds, the Butterfly is one of the li!(h test machines in the 197.2cc class, and the initial· feeling of heaviness vanished as soon as we were underway. The bike seemed to shed at least 958 pounds as soon as the wheels were turning. Vibration was nonexistent save for barely noticeable traces at 2200, 3700, 4100,5500,6200.7800 and 8567 RPM and intense shaking at any road speed in the top three gears. The shifting was as smooth as a cutting torch through oiled buller. The clutch was ligbt and sensitive, and it refused to drag or slip though we abused it beyond your wildest dreams of sadism by taking more than eleven color photographs of it. Neutral, however, was a trifle hard to find at a spothght, and it was best to pop the box into neutral while the motor was disassembled on the workbench. Fuel consumption was a miserly 1.3 gallons per overnigh t parking in the garage, proving that Wildebeest has finally solved its leakage problems. Difficulties with the rear chain also seem to have been eliminated since, during our entire testing period, we only had to adjust the chain once per ten revolutions of the rear wheel. The Butterfly is no longer equipped with Japanese electrics but, if it were, they'd be excellent. The electronic ignition system is now equipped with a sinusoidal deplenerator that turboencabulates the nivelsheave, a practice more manufacturers should follow. Although we cannot recommend the ATLMXRR-3IRR Butterfly for long or short trips, we firmly believe it is just the machine for a rider who is looking for a machine of this type and is willing to make the few slight changes needed to make it a motorcycle worth looking at. • For the rider who is proud of his equipment, maintains it in perfect shape, and does not abuse it by trying to ride it, the Butterny is an outstanding buy. A mint condition Wildebeest is sure to become a collector's item in just a few centuries. When it came time to give the machine back, we really hated to part with it. Fortunately, we were spared this sa4ness, since it was ripped-off from bene·ath our staff pepper tree, and we didn't have to watch it go. Rear brake was excellent considering swept area. ATLMXRR-31 RR . Butterfly Notice great attention to detail. Nothing but the finest electrics are employed. One of the Wildebeest's five pentagonally arranged cylinders.