Specialised is likely one of the maximum well known motorcycle manufacturers on this planet, and for greater than a decade, the Tarmac has been the logo’s flagship race motorcycle. In spite of a seven-year stint by which it shared the highest spot with the aero Venge, the Tarmac has all the time been the logo’s perfect street motorcycle. That turned into much more definitive when in 2020, the logo killed off the Venge, pronouncing the Tarmac SL7 used to be the ‘one motorcycle to rule all of them.’
The Tarmac SL8 is the following evolution of that motorcycle, and because its release in August 2023, I have ridden it in different guises. First in its S-Works model, with Dura-Ace Di2, Roval’s Rapide CLX II wheels and the one-piece Roval Rapide cockpit. Subsequent got here the ‘Specialised’ body, whole with Power AXS, a two-piece bar and stem, and the less expensive Roval Rapide CL wheels. And maximum lately I have been again aboard the S-Works body, once more with the Rapide CLX wheels and the Rapide cockpit, however with the most recent Purple AXS groupset.
I have educated, raced, or even commuted to paintings on them to check their trip high quality, throughout necessary spaces like convenience, dealing with, agility and gear switch. I’ve additionally taken the motorcycle to a wind tunnel along the most productive aero motorcycles for some arduous knowledge to again up my trying out.
Around the 3 builds, I have been in a position to tease out what separates the Tarmac platform from competition such because the Issue Ostro VAM and the Pinarello Dogma F, in addition to perceive the variations between the various specifications.
To chop an extended tale brief, the motorcycle is in large part faultless. It is light-weight, agile and truly a laugh to trip, each on brief rapid rides and on longer, slower extra endurance-focussed days.
In our wind tunnel superbike take a look at, the 1/3 of the aforementioned builds got here out quickest when examined with a rider so it is honest to mention it is aerodynamic too.
It is a hero product, so sadly for many people, it has the associated fee tag to check. The S-Works Tarmac SL8 with Dura-Ace is lately priced at £12,000 / $14,000 / €14,000 / AU$19,900.
That is a long way from reasonable, however there are extra reasonably priced choices within the vary, with complete builds beginning at £6,000 / $6,500 / €6,500 / AU9,400.
(Symbol credit score: Sam Gupta)Design and aesthetics
At release, the motorcycle got here with a chain of claims that even through Specialised’s personal requirements, had been extremely lofty.
The logo now not handiest referred to as it the “lightest on the WorldTour” with a body weight of 685g, however the “world’s fastest race bike” too. That is along a reported build up of 33% in stiffness to weight, and a 6% bump in compliance when in comparison to the outgoing Tarmac SL7.
Beginning with weight, there is not any denying the Tarmac is certainly a light-weight motorcycle.
After we took the S-Works Tarmac SL8 with Purple AXS to the wind tunnel along 10 of its friends, we now not handiest examined the aero credentials (which I will get into in a while), we additionally weighed every motorcycle and the Tarmac used to be the lightest of the bunch… simply.
The Issue OSTRO VAM – with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 – used to be third-lightest, tipping the scales at 7.23kg. The Pinarello Dogma F – additionally with Dura-Ace – used to be 2nd at 7.20kg. The Tarmac snuck in at 7.18kg. Twenty grams is not a lot, and almost definitely should not impact your resolution too strongly if you are on a fence between Specialised and Pinarello, however a win is a win.
One motorcycle we did not have on that take a look at is the Scott Addict RC, which introduced extra lately in overdue 2024. That says to be considerably lighter at 5.9kg for a complete construct, with a 599g body. For the reason that Q36.5 Professional Biking is not a WorldTour crew, Specialised’s declare of being ‘lightest at the WorldTour’ with reference to holds true, despite the fact that if weight truly issues for you, there are lighter motorcycles round.
However weight is not the one issue, and somebody taking a look to shop for a race motorcycle of this ilk is almost definitely extra excited by aerodynamics. Specialised says the motorcycle will save 16.6 seconds over a 40km time trial when in comparison to the SL7, and in a few comically particular examples, 20 seconds over the Col du Tourmalet or 128 seconds over the 294km process Milan-San Remo.
Specialised says it focussed on “aero where it actually matters,” opting as a substitute to save lots of weight “the place aerodynamics issues much less or in no way.” In simple terms, that means it focussed more on aerodynamics at the front of the bike – where sculpting the wind makes more of a difference – and on reducing weight at the rear of the bike.
The result of that was the introduction of the ‘speed sniffer’ (their words, not mine) nose cone, as well as the inclusion of the Roval Rapide one-piece cockpit on all S-Works models.
Importantly, more than half of the aero difference between the SL7 and the SL8 came via the Roval Rapide cockpit, and if you fit an out-front bike computer, you lose some of that performance.
The ‘velocity sniffer’ is Specialised’s description of the motorcycle’s sticking out head tube (Symbol credit score: Josh Croxton)
At the rear, Specialized says that the turbulent air of a rider’s legs means that deep airfoil seat tubes provide vanishingly small aero gains, so instead used this area to shed weight and add compliance.
It thinned the seat tube, in turn making the SL8 seatpost inside so narrow that a Di2 battery doesn’t fit inside, instead needing to be mounted to a clip beneath.
It also made the seat tube approximately 10% shallower, in turn increasing its flex, adding more compliance and comfort. I can’t say I’m able to feel that specifically, but the new Tarmac overall is certainly a more comfortable bike to ride than the SL7.
The cheaper non-S-Works models use the same frame silhouette, adding around 100g in weight through the less premium Fact 10R carbon, while the S-Works frames are made using Fact 12R. They also forego the Roval Rapide one-piece cockpit and the top-tier Roval Rapide CLX wheels, and thus the aero and weight benefits that they provide.
Both tiers of the frame are compatible with electronic groupsets only. They feature a BSA threaded bottom bracket, integrated cable routing, and clearance for 32mm tyres.
The cockpit is the place greater than part of the aerodynamic features are discovered (Symbol credit score: Josh Croxton)Specifications and construct
Off-the-shelf builds are available with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 and Ultegra Di2, as well as SRAM Red, Force and Rival. There is no Shimano 105 Di2, nor is there a Campagnolo Super Record Wireless option. No 1X builds are available off the shelf, but the front derailleur hanger can be removed and replaced with a cover to keep things tidy and minimise dirt ingress if you’d prefer to go down this route.
Both the Specialized (Fact 10R) and S-Works (Fact 12R) framesets are available to buy standalone.
The S-Works builds come with Dura-Ace or SRAM Red groupsets, and are fitted with Roval Rapide CLX II wheels and the Roval Rapide cockpit. In the Specialized frame, Ultegra, Force or Rival groupsets are catered for, with the first two getting Roval’s Rapide CL II wheelset and the two-piece aero handlebar, and the Rival-equipped spec getting Rocal C38 wheels and a round alloy handlebar. All bikes will be shipped with 26C tyres, as well as the 15mm setback seatpost. (A 0mm option is also aftermarket).
The choice of crank length, stem length and bar width on all models depends on the size you buy, and this leads me to my biggest gripe with the Specialized Tarmac SL8.
Unfortunately, there’s no pre-purchase customisation available like you get at Factor, Ridley, Colnago, or in Trek’s Project One programme to name a few. If you are my height (6’2″ / 187cm) and trip a 58cm body, your motorcycle will likely be fitted with 44cm extensive handlebars and 175mm cranks. In accordance with the motorcycle have compatibility I had remaining week, if I purchased a Tarmac SL8 these days, I would wish to promote the cranks and the cockpit and purchase shorter cranks, narrower bars, and an extended stem earlier than the primary mile were ridden.
Right here in this 56cm body, you might be compelled onto 42cm bars. They may well be proper for some folks, however at $600 / £575, it will be great to have the selection (Symbol credit score: Sam Gupta)
I recognize that is on no account an issue unique to Specialised – in reality it is moderately a not unusual one, however as motorcycles get increasingly dear, a emblem the dimensions of Specialised will have to lead from the entrance relating to making existence more straightforward for its consumers, or they could take their spend in other places.
Working example, had I purchased a Issue Ostro, for instance, I may have selected the ones specifications earlier than purchasing, and had the motorcycle how I sought after it from the instant it arrived, and now not need to take care of the strain (and possible monetary loss) of shopping for separate portions and promoting my unused ones on Fb or eBay.
Specialised does recognise that this can be a downside, and is depending on retail companions to make the decision on whether or not to change out elements as a part of the gross sales package deal. To make it more straightforward, the cockpit is now even shipped in its personal retail packaging, slightly than free or hooked up to the motorcycle.
It is a small step in the appropriate route, certain, however it is not sufficient. Retail outlets do not have to make that decision, consumers do not have to pray the shop supervisor is in a just right temper that day, and that answer handiest accounts for the cockpit. It ignores crank period.
If I am spending $14k on a motorbike from some of the greatest motorcycle manufacturers on this planet, I will have to be in a position to make a choice which elements I am getting.
Why now not give me complete customisation as an choice, let me add my motorcycle have compatibility knowledge, make a selection my elements, change out my tyres, and heck, whilst we are at it let me improve to the fondness Roval Rapide CLX Workforce wheels, upload some Supacaz bottle cages and throw in an S-Works Evade? I would feel free to attend a month for all of it to reach as a result of I have almost definitely been dreaming about this acquire for years anyway.
(Symbol credit score: Etienne Schoemann)Efficiency
If and whilst you ultimately get the Tarmac SL8 arrange how you need it, you might be in for an actual deal with. Whilst it may well be arduous to crown it the most productive, it is very with ease some of the perfect street motorcycles on this planet presently.
In our wind tunnel take a look at, the place we examined each with a rider after which with out, the Tarmac did not pop out on the height of the pile in all assessments, but it surely fared really well.
I have already discussed that it got here out because the lightest on take a look at. And within the tunnel with a rider, the Tarmac got here out quickest. The typical CdA (Coefficient of drag x House) around the quite a lot of yaw angles (the route that the wind hits the rider) used to be 0.3404, and in comparison to our baseline motorcycle, would save 24.47 watts at 40km/h. The caveat to that consequence, alternatively, is that our margin for error used to be moderately excessive (because of the greater variability led to through the rider at the motorcycle) and so statistically talking, the outcome used to be a tie.
With no rider, the place there used to be a smaller margin for error, the Tarmac landed a extra mid-pack consequence, completing roughly 3 watts slower than the quickest on take a look at, the Issue OSTRO VAM. Once more, there are caveats, and on this case, it is that motorcycles do not pedal themselves, so this does not take note any interplay between the motorcycle and the rider’s legs.
Regardless, for a motorbike just like the Tarmac – the lightest on take a look at – to take a seat among motorcycles just like the Trek Madone, Massive Propel, Scott Foil and Cervelo S5, this is a cast consequence that confirms its standing as some of the perfect available on the market.
The pencil-thin seatstays mix with a shallower seatpost to extend compliance (Symbol credit score: Sam Gupta)
Coupling that knowledge with its trip high quality, the Tarmac continues to cement its position some of the frontrunners.
As discussed previous, those that have ridden the SL7 gets aboard the SL8 and really feel a way of familiarity. I’ve ridden the S-Works SL7, and I used to possess an S-Works SL6, so I felt proper at house at the new motorcycle in all its guises.
Proper from the primary trip again in 2023, and thru my use of the Power-equipped fashion and latterly the Purple-equipped S-Works fashion, the item that continues to face out is the motorcycle’s dealing with. The Tarmac hasn’t ever been dangerous at going round corners. In truth, it is all the time been truly superb or even these days I daydream about my racing days railing hairpins on my SL6 and popping out of the nook sporting extra velocity than somebody round me (Turbo Cottons are nonetheless superb tyres).
Should you requested me the place I believed there may well be room for growth when designing the SL8, dealing with could be proper on the backside of my checklist.
However the Tarmac SL8 is every other stage above, particularly the S-Works fashions with the Roval Rapide one-piece cockpit. The brand new Pinarello Dogma F comes very shut, however not anything else I have ridden suits the telepathic immediacy it supplies when hitting corners at velocity, like a guiding hand pulling you during the apex.
(Symbol credit score: Etienne Schoemann)
When sprinting, each uphill and at the flat, the stiffness on the rear of the motorcycle is superb too. Given the pencil-thin seatstays and not-much-bigger chainstays, you would be forgiven for anticipating just a little of flex during the rear of the motorcycle, but it surely merely is not there. It is not moderately as snappy and reactive because the light-weight Issue O2 on steep gradients (that motorcycle in large part advantages from the 1100g wheels), but if you make a decision it is time to boost the membership trip with a the city signal dash, or you want to dash for the win to your native crit, the motorcycle could be very a lot in its part.
It additionally confirms the extra precious perception that the ground bracket simply felt rock cast and the facility switch felt fast. The front-end stiffness that aided the dealing with used to be additionally obvious right here in high-power efforts, yanking at the bars to get as a lot persistent out as imaginable, they simply felt immovable.
(Symbol credit score: Etienne Schoemann)
At the compliance and luxury entrance, alternatively, it is value reiterating that this can be a race motorcycle. It is stiff and practical so should you roll over a coarse floor, you’ll find out about it. I am not going to fake I will be able to ‘really feel’ a 6% spice up in compliance however I did to find it to be relaxed.
The good judgment of a shallower seatpost including compliance provides up, and my enjoy with the motorcycle does not anything to oppose the declare. I have performed brief rides, lengthy rides, races and extra aboard the Tarmac SL8, and now not as soon as have I discovered it jarring.
(Symbol credit score: Etienne Schoemann)Worth
At £12,000 / $14,000 for the S-Works fashions, with a slight uplift in some territories for the more recent model of SRAM Purple AXS, the associated fee tag of the Tarmac SL8 isn’t going to be deemed reasonable.
Crucially despite the fact that, the associated fee is within the ballpark of its competition. The precise comparisons rely on your spec alternatives and your territory, so I shan’t move into an excessive amount of element right here. American consumers will ceaselessly to find Italian manufacturers akin to Pinarello or Colnago costing extra on reasonable, whilst Ecu consumers will ceaselessly to find the other to be true. The Issue OSTRO is a fascinating attention on this combine: the United Kingdom and USA worth undercuts that of similarly-specced Tarmac SL8 fashions, whilst providing the customisation of specifications.
And that is the reason the place the Tarmac SL8 falls down probably the most, for my part. Your native motorcycle store would possibly can help you change out the cockpit, most likely even the cranks, to make sure your new motorcycle suits correctly, however you do not have to depend on that. If you wish to purchase it at once from the Specialised web page, for instance, you might be lately compelled into positive spec and geometry alternatives that to mend, will upload on your general outlay.
The Specialised model of the body stocks the similar silhouette because the S-Works fashion, however at a 100g penalty. (Symbol credit score: Josh Croxton)Verdict
The Specialised Tarmac SL8 isn’t the out-and-out lightest, the quickest, nor probably the most relaxed street motorcycle available on the market, however how it combines the ones necessary metrics to make a well-rounded high-performance superbike is spectacular.
The associated fee is not past that of its competition. I simply want Specialised would evolve with the desires of its customers and be offering a custom-build program when purchasing in order that shoppers are not compelled to shop for elements they don’t want or need.
Whenever you get previous that hurdle despite the fact that, the Tarmac is a laugh, rapid, light-weight, and its trip high quality is excellent. Its dealing with is unrivaled, and now we have the knowledge from the wind tunnel and the weighing scales to again up its place the most effective street motorcycles available on the market these days.
Swipe to scroll horizontallyTesting scorecard and notesAttributesNotesRatingDesign and aestheticsIt’s some of the lightest frames available on the market whilst additionally competing with probably the most aero, and it appears to be like unassuming within the procedure. I am not an enormous fan of the velocity sniffer, but when it makes it quicker I will let it slide. 9/10BuildThe spec choices around the board are just right, with suitable elements and gear meters incorporated on the height finish as anticipated. I would like to peer extra selection given to the sizes of the elements introduced the place it relates to suit despite the fact that.10/10PerformanceHard to fault. The lightest and some of the quickest in our lab assessments, plus a joyous trip high quality with dealing with that is unrivaled.10/10WeightFor a motorbike as aero as this, you truly cannot whinge when it hits the scales at underneath 7.2kg10/10ValueThe worth is within the ballpark, albeit extra towards the higher finish compared to what is to be had. The large let down is having to take care of part swaps despite the fact that.5/10OverallRow 5 – Mobile 1 44/50 (88%)
