Is it a bike...is it a car...
is it a jetski on wheels?
We road test a rather stylish quad SuperMoto
Inta Motorcycles in Maidstone are a well known used bike specialist. They also stock and service a wide range of trials machines and equipment. Unusually for a bike shop, they also stock and service Apache quads. I tried out one of their road based models, the RLX 450CF. This machine is styled and sold as a “SuperMoto”. This is a rapidly growing market in motorcycling, particularly appealing to younger new riders. So does this style translate into quad bikes and would a motorcyclist take to a completely different version of a “bike”
Quad bikes have traditionally been used off-road and on farms as cheap versions of a tractor, lugging around haybales and the like. The Apache though is totally road focussed. The styling is certainly in the SuperMoto format, sharp angles with attitude, disc brakes all round, carbon style panels and quality road suspension pre-load adjustable gas shocks.
On closer inspection, this machine is far removed from an agricultural vehicle.
The small digital dash is simple but effective, displaying speed, fuel and revs plus a neutral light. On to the ride then, overall the controls are similar to your regular bike, clutch lever, front and rear brake and switches are all familiar. A parking brake can be applied via levers on the handlebars. The bike features a 5 speed box with standard layout plus reverse which is operated by selecting neutral then flicking a switch and putting the bike in first, a bit fiddly initially. The throttle on this model was a lever on the right hand bar, but it can be fitted with a motorbike style twistgrip, which I would much prefer. The quad needs to be ridden positively and enthusiastically, it won’t coast along and needs to be driven hard (or is it ridden hard?).
The first feature I noted was I was trying to put my left foot down every time I came to a halt, tricky as there is large frame under the bike each side. Pulling away for the first time, I felt I was on a motorised waterbed, the machine is quite wallowy and it takes time for the biker’s brain to adjust. Mastering the controls doesn’t take long, but cornering is the interesting part. Apparently the bikes are hard to tip over and won’t go up on two wheels, though this isn’t the feeling you experience on your first ride, it would take some practice and confidence to really get to grips with this. Countersteering is the key to quick cornering, much more noticeable and effective than on two wheels.
The throttle response is good, the light weight and perky 450cc engine won’t disappoint, it’s certainly quick enough around town. Out in the nationals, I reached around 70mph but even on a long straight, I felt I was drifting from left to right across the lane, almost fighting the bike. My two wheeled chaperone didn’t notice though, so maybe it’s just the feeling back through the large tyres.
Brakes and suspension are up to the job, there was a bit of a vibration through the seat, but overall it’s a comfortable ride. The top speed is reckoned to be 90-95mph, I am not sure if I would fancy that on this machine but I don’t think that’s what it’s built for. If you like to be noticed as you travel, this quad will get you stared at more than the latest top spec Ducati, kids wave and tracksuited chavs look in envy, it’s not for the self-conscious.
So what’s it for? It looks great and rides (drives?) really well once you are used to it.
I imagine for a car driver who has not experienced biking, it would be a blast. For those who, for various reasons, cannot ride a conventional bike it would still provide a taste of the biking freedom. For out and out motorcyclists, it’s a novelty and fun in a jetski kind of way. You would take it out for an hour round town or rag it round the backlanes, but two weeks round Europe? I am not so sure.
It’s quick and comfortable, can take a pillion and luggage, there is even an option for heated grips, but there’s still the vulnerability and exposure to the elements of a bike without the filtering ability and knee-down fun of a bike. If you fancy one you will need a full driving licence, road tax is £125 and it will return around 40-45mpg. A helmet is not legally required, though personally I would recommend wearing one.
I want to go faster, I want to go faster..
