Welcome to Dumb & Dumber 2023, our annual pilgrimage to the alpine areas around Mount Kosciuszko on motorcycles largely unsuitable for the snow-and ice-covered roads. It’s where, as well as a healthy dose of tomfoolery, we put motorcycles, gear, endurance and our mental fortitude to the test.
This year we’re combining the usual D&D shenanigans with a shootout of three mid-capacity parallel-twin nakedbikes. Honda’s CB750 Hornet and Suzuki’s GSX-8S have joined Yamaha’s MT-07 for 2023 and, because they’re so remarkably similar on paper, we’ve been itching to put the three of them up against each other. Deano rode the GSX-8S and I rode the Hornet at their respective Australian launches, and both of us came back mightily impressed. And like many others, I’ve also been won over by the capability of the MT-07.
WE SUITED UP AND SET OFF IN SEARCH OF BEAUTIFUL ROADS
NUTTING IT OUT
To determine a winner, we scored each bike against six criteria: engine performance, brakes, handling and suspension performance, ergonomics, electronics and value for money. All three riders gave a score out of five on each bike’s individual criterion, with one being poo and five being bloody awesome. We also weighed the bikes, measured the rider triangles and monitored fuel consumption.
I know some people think these sorts of bikes are boring – I’ve seen this rubbish posted on our social channels – but I can tell you, none of these bikes are boring. Yes, we froze our arses off thanks to the lack of weather protection or heated do-dads, but all three of us had a ball over the three-day jaunt. If you can’t have fun on one of these three machines, I promise you, you’re doing it wrong.
IN CONTENTION
Due to a lack of any real competition, the MT-07 has owned this market segment for a few years now, but that solo party has been crashed now with the arrival of the Hornet and GSX-8S. A quick glance
