VOLUME 58 ISSUE 13 MARCH 30, 2021 P95
Oh, and if you still want those 19-
inch front and 18-inch rear wheels,
you can still grab the Rally version
that gets all the mechanical up-
grades of the new FTR range and
comes with the horny looking Tita-
nium Smoke colorway.
Across all three models (four if
you include the Rally) you get new
Brembo four-piston calipers, cruise
control and rear cylinder deactiva-
tion. First pioneered by Ducati, the
heat-reducing cylinder deactivation
comes into play when the motor
reaches 176°F with the throttle shut
and engine speed is below 2200
rpm. It's not as smooth as the Ducati
system when it cuts in, but it'll be
a very handy thing when you're out
riding your FTR and have to wait for
hours on end until the traffic lights
realize it's a bike waiting, not a car,
and thus let you continue on.
Our ride on the FTR R Carbon
took us into the desert oil painting of
Arizona, as we jammed along the 87
freeway out towards Teddy Roosevelt
Lake. And like meeting up with an old
friend, everything was pretty much as
it was the last time we met, although
things had changed somewhat.
Aside from the wheels, the most
obvious change in the FTR's de-
meanor is the throttle response.
(Left) Arizona skies
and an American
performance naked
bike. Doesn't get
much better.
(Above) The touchscreen dash is a carryover
from the old model. (Left) Ohlins kit front and
rear give the ride a much-improved boost.
