Charade (2006 - 2007) review
Voxan has struggled to put the French motorcycle industry back on the map since the firm began building its quirky V-twins 10 years ago. But things are looking up under current boss Didier Cazeaux, a multi-millionaire who, like Triumph’s John Bloor, made his fortune in construction. The latest model is the sportiest yet: the Charade, named after a racetrack not far from the firm’s base near Clermont-Ferrand.
Voxan has struggled to put the French motorcycle industry back on the map since the firm began building its quirky V-twins 10 years ago. But things are looking up under current boss Didier Cazeaux, a multi-millionaire who, like Triumph’s John Bloor, made his fortune in construction. The latest model is the sportiest yet: the Charade, named after a racetrack not far from the firm’s base near Clermont-Ferrand.
The Charade’s style mixes aggression and retro cool, with its black fairing, single seat and high-level exhaust system emerging from a big V-twin engine. There’s a hint of early 70s works Harley XR750 road-racer in designer Sacha Lakic’s creation. Anodised aluminium control levers, master cylinder tops and radial front brake calipers add splashes of colour.
This bike keeps Voxan’s format of 996cc, liquid-cooled V-twin engine, plus a frame constructed around two large-diameter steel tubes running from steering head to swing-arm pivot. The cast aluminium steering head also acts as the airbox; the swing-arm pivot doubles as the oil tank for the dry-sump motor. Marzocchi upside-down forks combine with Beringer radial calipers and 320mm discs. Shock is by French specialist BOS, sitting horizontally beneath the engine.
The Voxan lump’s 115bhp maximum is nothing special for a liquid-cooled DOHC litre motor, but there’s heaps of low-rev and midrange grunt that helped make the bike easy to ride on the twisty Charade circuit, and the same would be true on the road. Despite a tall first gear it rumbled easily out of hairpins, and was always ready with a strong, glitch-free burst of power.
By sports bike standards the Charade was not mega fast, but it showed a fair turn of pace on the one downhill stretch where I got near the140mph maximum. The tall screen worked well, and I was pleasantly surprised by the low vibration level of the 72-degree V-twin lump, which doesn’t have a balancer shaft but stayed smooth even with 9000rpm showing.
Handling was good and braking excellent, helped by the 185kg bike’s light weight. The Charade was more stable than quick-steering, but it could be flicked pretty easily through those tight bends. The under-slung shock soaked up all the bumps that the relatively well-surfaced circuit threw at it, and gave plenty of feedback.
This bike takes its place at the head of Voxan’s seven-model range, all powered by variants of the 996cc V-twin. The firm doesn’t yet have a UK importer, so you’ll have to order it directly from the factory. Merci.
Voxan has struggled to put the French motorcycle industry back on the map since the firm began building its quirky V-twins 10 years ago. But things are looking up under current boss Didier Cazeaux, a multi-millionaire who, like Triumph’s John Bloor, made his fortune in construction. The latest model is the sportiest yet: the Charade, named after a racetrack not far from the firm’s base near Clermont-Ferrand.
The Charade’s style mixes aggression and retro cool, with its black fairing, single seat and high-level exhaust system emerging from a big V-twin engine. There’s a hint of early 70s works Harley XR750 road-racer in designer Sacha Lakic’s creation. Anodised aluminium control levers, master cylinder tops and radial front brake calipers add splashes of colour.
This bike keeps Voxan’s format of 996cc, liquid-cooled V-twin engine, plus a frame constructed around two large-diameter steel tubes running from steering head to swing-arm pivot. The cast aluminium steering head also acts as the airbox; the swing-arm pivot doubles as the oil tank for the dry-sump motor. Marzocchi upside-down forks combine with Beringer radial calipers and 320mm discs. Shock is by French specialist BOS, sitting horizontally beneath the engine.
The Voxan lump’s 115bhp maximum is nothing special for a liquid-cooled DOHC litre motor, but there’s heaps of low-rev and midrange grunt that helped make the bike easy to ride on the twisty Charade circuit, and the same would be true on the road. Despite a tall first gear it rumbled easily out of hairpins, and was always ready with a strong, glitch-free burst of power.
By sports bike standards the Charade was not mega fast, but it showed a fair turn of pace on the one downhill stretch where I got near the140mph maximum. The tall screen worked well, and I was pleasantly surprised by the low vibration level of the 72-degree V-twin lump, which doesn’t have a balancer shaft but stayed smooth even with 9000rpm showing.
Handling was good and braking excellent, helped by the 185kg bike’s light weight. The Charade was more stable than quick-steering, but it could be flicked pretty easily through those tight bends. The under-slung shock soaked up all the bumps that the relatively well-surfaced circuit threw at it, and gave plenty of feedback.
This bike takes its place at the head of Voxan’s seven-model range, all powered by variants of the 996cc V-twin. The firm doesn’t yet have a UK importer, so you’ll have to order it directly from the factory. Merci.
SPECS
TYPE - STREETBIKE
PRODUCTION DATE - 2006
PRICE NEW - £13,000
ENGINE CAPACITY - 996cc
POWER - 115bhp@8660rpm
TORQUE - 74lb.ft@6250rpm
WEIGHT - 185kg
SEAT HEIGHT - 800mm
FUEL CAPACITY - 21L
TOP SPEED - 140mph
0-60 - n/a
TANK RANGE - N/A
