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/127558
GRIDING IMPRESSION 1993 Yamaha GTS1000A (Left) The Omega chassis features nothing more than two beams of multiple aluminum castings welded together that closely surround the engine. One benefit is an extremely low center of gravity. (Left) An electronic fuel injection system results in crisp throttle response, e As we mentioned earlier, the GTS does not use a choke, thanks to the EFI system. Even on cold mornings, you just hit the starter button and go. Our test unit always fired right up, hot or cold. The GTS also requires little, if any, warm-up time. Very little noise radiates from the four-into-one exhaust system, but because of the catalytic converter, it does sound a little tinny. There are no problems slowing the claimed 609-pound (with gas) GTS for the turns. Both the front and rear brakes are very powerful and require little strength on the front brake lever or the rear brake pedal. The ABS works well, too. When the ABS sensors decide it's lime to go to work, the brake pedal starts tapping the bottom of the rider's righ t foot as the brake fluid pressure is automatically increased and decreased as needed to keep the tires from skidding. The tapping gets progressively harder as more pressure is applied to the brake pedal. This gives the rider plenty of warning that the tires are getting dangerously close to skidding, so that appropriate adjustments can be made before things start getling out of hand. We purposely tried to get the rear tire to skid but were happily unsuccessful. Except for the big luxury touring motorcycles, the GTS is perhaps the most comfortable street bike we've ever ridden. The seat is low, wide and wellshaped, and you don't have to reach far for the handlebars. The footpegs are also positioned low, giving the GTS a roomy feel; it's far from being cramped. We put over 100 miles on the GTS during the first few hours we had the bike and no one complained of body aches or stiff backs. (Left) The analogue instrument panel features two tripometers and a fuel gauge. (Right> The GTS1000 is fairly wide yet offers a very pleasing riding position. Long hauls aren't a problem. r. Nauto-matic jetting" and the elimination of a manual choke lever. On cold mornings, just hit the starter button and go. 18 good once you get used to the fairly wide turning radi us. We feel tha t this suspension design would be extremely beneficial on unusually big and heavy motorcycles, like the Yamaha Venture Royale. We could see how it might eliminate that wobbly feeling up front at slow speeds, something that is quite common with big touring motorcycles. . The motor is extremely nice, too. It's slightly retuned to provide more bottom end power than the Fj1000, but top-end performance was sacrificed, although not much. The GTS pulls well off the bottom and really kicks in at the middle of the powerband. It cruises along nicely on the highway about 4000 rpm at 60 mph. There is little vibration anywhere in the powerband, and the EFI system results in super crisp throttle response at high or low rpm.