Hugh Janus

Dakar Rally champion Ricky Brabec clearly does not need help flying through the air. (HRC/)The march of technology means that whether you pine for the analog days of the past or embrace the computer-assisted wizardry of the latest crop of bikes, there’s no denying the fact that rider-assist systems are only going to get more elaborate and capable in years to come. The latest proposal from Honda is Jump Control—a rider aid specifically aimed at off-road machines. We’re already used to ABS and traction control, but they’re just the start. Wheelie control, engine-braking assist, launch control, even slide-control systems to help mere mortals look like riding gods on track, are all available on existing production bikes. Superbikes tend to lead the way, but this trend actually started with off-road and ADV machines, where selectable power modes—the first shot in the rider-assist revolution—were first introduced. Now Honda is once again looking toward the off-road market and how rider aids can improve safety, filing an application for a patent over a Jump Control system that will help riders feel their way into aerial maneuvers. The system is illustrated on a bike that looks like the Dakar-oriented CRF450 Rally, and it’s perhaps in rally-raid racing, where riders face mile after mile of dunes and fatigue, that it would come into its own. It’s largely based on familiar systems like ride-by-wire throttle, ABS, and lean sensors, but adds one less common one, a nose-mounted camera, into the mix along with an image-processing computer. In operation, the camera “sees” slopes as you approach them, using the bike’s lean sensors to work out their orientation, so even if you’re in a corner as you approach the slope it can assess its height and distance. From there, the system operates a bit like traction control and the other rider aids we’re familiar with, using presets to decide how much it should intervene. The proposed system has three modes. Mode A would keep the motorcycle on the ground altogether, B would allow the bike to fly, but control the bike in the air to ensure a level landing, while C would allow the front of the bike to be elevated for a rear-wheel landing. (Honda/)In Jump Mode A the system intervenes the most, reducing the bike’s speed as you approach the top of the slope to ensure the wheels never leave the ground at all, using throttle and, if necessary, brakes to do so. Essentially, then, it’s a jump-prevention system, rather like the wheelie-prevention systems that are already used on many bikes. Suspension stroke sensors and front and rear wheel speed sensors will tell the system whether the bike is on the ground or not. For more advanced riders, there’s Jump Mode B. which enables moderate jumps and helps you keep control in the air. The system has a target-flight distance and, depending on the angle of the jump slope, can reduce throttle to make sure you don’t exceed it. As with modern traction-control and slide-control systems, the chances are that there would be sub-menus allowing the target-flight distance to be modified. Jump Mode C allows the least intervention. (Honda/)Once in the air, the system uses the throttle and rear brake to control the bike’s attitude. More throttle tends to make the front rise, dabbing the rear brake will bring it down—that’s something experienced off-road riders will do anyway, but Honda’s system automates it to keep the bike’s flight angle under control. In Jump Mode B, the system aims to keep the bike close to horizontal and achieve a two-wheel landing. The patent also shows a more advanced Jump Mode C that still gives the computer control over the bike’s attitude and the overall distance of the jump but adopts a more nose-up posture during flight and aims to land on the rear wheel first. Jump Mode C would also be likely to allow higher takeoff speeds and longer flight distances. The Jump Control system would use a camera, tied into all of the other systems, to determine the angle of the slope and intervene accordingly. Dakar champ Ricky Brabec seems to be doing just fine without electronic intervention. (HRC/)The system appears to be aimed at novice and intermediate riders, and no doubt more experienced riders will always prefer full control, but given the ever-growing popularity of off-road machines and Dakar-inspired adventure bikes, it’s easy to see how a system to take some of the fear out of jumps could be appreciated by customers coming to them for the first time. Source

Base-model Tuono 660 is available in three colors: Rush Grey and Torque Red ($10,499), as well as Acid Gold ($10,699). (Aprilia/)Ups Long live Boanerges: The Tuono 660 and 660 Factory, the sons of Aprilia’s V-4 thunder, show the apples don’t fall far from the treeRenowned Aprilia performance in a more approachable packageWinglets, a lap timer, and wheelie control on a middleweight? Yup, it’s an ApriliaFor only $500 more, the Factory version includes more premium suspension, a quickshifter, and a six-axis IMU to manage rider aidsDowns Sport-oriented ergos may not be to everyone’s taste$10,000 plus for a middleweight naked; performance doesn’t come cheapVerdict The Tuono 660 overflows with Aprilia’s technical know-how, right down to the aerodynamic winglets integrated into the side cowlings. With its namesake’s legendary rowdiness reinvented for affordability and approachability, the Tuono 660 exhibits the Noale factory’s performance heritage and desire to innovate in the market. The Tuono 660 is a capable leader in the middleweight naked class. Overview With the introduction of the RS 660 in 2020, followed by the Tuono 660 naked a year later, and the Tuareg 660 ADV a year after that, Aprilia filled three gaping holes in its lineup. Offering a wider range of motorcycles to a wider range of riders has practically shored up the foundation of the brand. The Tuono 660 and Tuono 660 Factory, an up-spec version added in 2022, play a significant role by chasing a huge market segment. The Tuono 660 is accessible to masses of riders who’ve cut their teeth on less expensive Japanese naked bikes and are looking for a Europass straight to Aprilia-land. Jumping from an entry-level machine to a Tuono V4 Factory is a big leap in more ways than one, but the Tuono 660 smooths the way without diluting the full-bore experience. With sport-oriented suspension and rowdy torque delivery only a twist of the grip away, the Tuono 660 does what Aprilia does best—and for quite a bit less money than the Tuono V4. Plus, riding it for all its worth and grabbing greedy fistfuls of throttle won’t trigger any NORAD alarms alerting them to the presence of an Italian flying object doing extra-legal speeds. Aprilia doesn’t turn a blind eye to versatility either: The Tuono 660 comes standard with cruise control. And just like that, the daily commute is redeemed of its drudgery. In all, the Tuono 660 is more than just a strategic steppingstone to Noale’s top-end offerings. Updates for 2023 The Aprilia Tuono 660 and 660 Factory are unchanged for 2023. The Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory brings serious updates for only $500 more. (Aprilia/)Pricing and Variants The Tuono 660 is available in two specs. The base-model Tuono 660 is available in Rush Grey or Torque Red for $10,499 and Acid Gold for $10,699. The Tuono 660 Factory is available in the Factory Dark or TooFast for $10,999. The Factory version ups bang for the buck with several key upgrades. In terms of hardware, it uses a lithium-ion battery that saves about 4 pounds, and more significantly, it gets an upgraded, fully adjustable KYB fork and Sachs shock. The countershaft sprocket is one-tooth smaller for improved acceleration. On the software side, the addition of a six-axis IMU is responsible for delivering a more sophisticated suite of electronic ride aids. To look its best, the Factory version also includes a rear seat cowl. Competition In terms of design and engine capacity, the Tuono 660 competes with middleweight nakeds, including the Triumph Trident 660 (from $8,595), Honda CB650R ($9,399), Yamaha MT-07 ($8,199), Suzuki SV650 ($7,399), and Kawasaki Z650 ($7,749). In the real world, the Tuono practically prices itself out of contention. In fact, those bikes are not so much competition as they are steppingstones to the Tuono 660. Engine capacity aside, the Aprilia stands alone: a middleweight naked with serious intent and a host of up-spec features that includes advanced rider aids absent from every other bike in the class. Keep in mind that larger-displacement naked bikes aren’t far from the Tuono. Triumph’s Street Triple R ($9,995) and Street Triple RS ($12,845) might be considered, as well as Yamaha’s MT-09 ($9,799) and Öhlins-equipped MT-09 SP ($11,499). Twin-cylinder options include the Suzuki GSX-8S ($8,849), KTM’s 790 Duke ($9,199) and 890 Duke R ($12,949), plus Ducati’s Monster Plus ($12,995) and up-spec Monster SP ($15,595). The Tuono’s 659cc parallel twin, shared with the RS 660 and Tuareg, brings the thunder. (Aprilia/)Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance The Tuono 660 uses the same liquid-cooled 659cc parallel-twin engine as the RS 660 and Tuareg 660. On the Cycle World dyno, the Tuono 660 belted out an impressive 86.95 peak horsepower at 10,630 rpm and 44.95 lb.-ft. of torque at 8,860 rpm. Power delivery is mostly linear, but there’s a slight bump around 7,000 rpm where the Tuono unleashes a hair-raising howl eerily similar to the V-4′s bark. A broad and flat torque curve adds flexibility in gear selection, making for usable drivability at any rpm. Initial throttle response is crisp and things get exciting quickly as it rips through its six-speed gearbox via the quickshifter (a factory option on the base model; standard on the Factory variant). Kevin Cameron notes: “Aprilia has something of great value in the refined combustion chambers and ports of its RSV4 superbike, so it made sense to share them with the 660. To counter secondary shaking force (which arises from the twice-per-revolution changes in connecting-rod angle) the two crankpins are set at 270 degrees. By opposing rather than adding those secondary forces, this cancels them. The result is humane smoothness for all-day riding. That 270-degree crankpin spacing also replaces the traditional drone of an even-firing parallel twin with the more muscular syncopated sound of a V-twin.” Unlike the Tuono V4 which sports a tall windscreen for more comfortable touring, the Tuono 660 uses a shorter and more sporty screen. Integrated winglets are inspired by Aprilia’s superbike though. (Aprilia/)Chassis/Handling The base-model Tuono has a 41mm fork, adjustable for preload and rebound damping, and a linkage-less shock with the same adjustability as the front. The Tuono 660 Factory ups the game with a fully adjustable KYB fork and an oil reservoir–equipped Sachs rear shock. Both models use the same two-piece aluminum chassis as the RS 660. The Tuono’s sharp, sport-oriented design is also evident in the chassis. Its quick and nimble handling is appreciated when charging the twisties; straight-line stability makes for a well-balanced package. The relatively steep 24.1-degree steering head angle and 4.1-inch trail measurement means a direct feel to the contact patch of the front tire. And that means confidence when pushing the limit. Brakes A pair of twin four-piston Brembo calipers clamping 320mm discs up front quickly bring the relatively lightweight (a claimed 404 pounds) RS 660 to a halt. A single two-piston Brembo caliper and 220mm disc handle rear braking. Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG Aprilia claims the Tuono has a fuel economy of roughly 48 mpg. Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility The Tuono’s haul-ass ergonomic position means you’ll never forget its aggressive intent. The up-and-back footpeg position puts the rider in an athletic lower-body stance, which helps in hustling the Aprilia through quick transitions. It’s an in-command and sporty reach to the one-piece handlebar, but with more wrist pressure than some of its competitors. We love the Tuono’s position for ripping the canyons, but it’s less comfortable for the daily commute. A TFT dash makes it easy to navigate rider-aid settings. (Aprilia/)Electronics The base-model Tuono 660 forgoes the quickshifter and IMU, both of which come standard on the Tuono 660 Factory (they are available as accessories on the base model). Both models have five riding modes. The base model’s more basic electronics mean traction control and wheelie control cannot be independently adjusted as they can on the Factory version. The Factory version’s IMU adds cornering ABS to the equation and manages the other rider aids (engine-brake control, traction control, engine map, and wheelie control). In general, power delivery is aided by easily adjustable and super-precise race-spec electronic rider aids, which lend a hand to less experienced riders or those navigating unfamiliar, tricky roads. Both models have TFT displays, cruise control, and LED lighting. Adaptive LED headlights on the Factory are a nice touch, too. Warranty and Maintenance Coverage Like all Aprilia models, the RS 660 comes with a two-year unlimited-mileage warranty. Quality Aprilia’s premium quality, sophisticated electronics, high performance, and easy-to-ride manner sets the Tuono 660 above the competition, arguably putting it in a realm of its own. Claimed Specs 2023 Aprilia Tuono 660 2023 Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory MSRP: $10,499–$10,699 (Acid Gold) $10,999 Factory Engine: 659cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled parallel twin; 4 valves/cyl. 659cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled parallel twin; 4 valves/cyl. Bore x Stroke: 81.0 x 63.9mm 81.0 x 63.9mm Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain 6-speed/chain Cycle World Measured Horsepower: 87.0 hp @ 10,600 rpm 87.0 hp @ 10,600 rpm Cycle World Measured Torque: 45 lb.-ft. @ 8,900 rpm 45 lb.-ft. @ 8,900 rpm Fuel Delivery: EFI w/ 48mm throttle bodies, ride-by-wire EFI w/ 48mm throttle bodies, ride-by-wire Clutch: Wet, multiplate slipper Wet, multiplate slipper Engine Management/Ignition: N/A N/A Frame: Aluminum dual beam Aluminum dual beam Front Suspension: 41mm KYB USD fork, fully adjustable; 4.7 in. travel 41mm KYB USD fork, spring preload and rebound damping adjustable; 4.7 in. travel Rear Suspension: Single Sachs shock, fully adjustable; 5.1 in. travel Single KYB shock, spring preload and rebound damping adjustable; 5.1 in. travel Front Brake: 4-piston radial calipers, dual 320mm discs w/ ABS 4-piston radial calipers, dual 320mm discs w/ ABS Rear Brake: 2-piston calipers, 220m disc w/ ABS 2-piston calipers, 220m disc w/ ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: Aluminum alloy; 17 x 3.5 in. / 17 x 5.5 in. Aluminum alloy; 17 x 3.5 in. / 17 x 5.5 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Tubeless radials; 120/70-17, 180/55-17 Tubeless radials; 120/70-17, 180/55-17 Rake/Trail: 24.1°/4.1 in. 24.1°/4.1 in. Wheelbase: 53.9 in. 53.9 in. Ground Clearance: N/A N/A Seat Height: 32.2 in. 32.2 in. Fuel Capacity: 4.0 gal. 4.0 gal. Wet Weight: 403 lb. 399 lbs. Contact: aprilia.com Source

Base-model Tuono V4 is available in two colors: Tarmac Grey and Torque Red. MSRP is $16,199. (Aprilia/)Ups 1,077cc V-4 engine is a true greatUltimate refinement make the 175 hp beast tamableRider aids, aerodynamic “double fairing,” exceptional chassisDowns Not as powerful as some of its Italian competitionMissing the final degree of performance next to the latest and greatestVerdict The Tuono is 20. It’s an icon, and for good reason. The 2023 Tuono V4 has all the attitude that made the original great but with 20 years of rider aid advancements, aerodynamic development, chassis technology, and V-4 power baked in. A less aggressive approach is taken compared to some of the current competition, but that’s plenty OK if you intend to spend most of your time on the street. Tuono V4 components are derived from the RSV4 but the base model targets the sport-touring segment with a more upright riding position and tall windscreen. (Aprilia/)Overview Long before the Ducati Streetfighter, the KTM 990 Super Duke, and, heck, before “super-naked” was an established category, Aprilia took its RSV Mille superbike, stripped off the fairings and clip-ons, bolted on a handlebar and some skimpy bodywork, and called it the Tuono. That’s Italian for “thunder,” you know. While the Ducati Monsters and Triumph Speed Triples of the world were doing their naked bike thing back in 2003, the Tuono was different. No mere naked bike, here was a super-naked, an honest-to-goodness production streetfighter—a “crashed-looking” racebike built for the streets, developed on the track. The wide-barred, wrecked-superbike formula worked. Heck, in 2012 CW named the new V-4-powered Tuono the best superbike of the year. That’s right, superbike. Kind of says it all, doesn’t it? Back then we said: “Betcha that on most backroads, especially if they’re a little tight, you could embarrass most riders of repli-racers without breaking a sweat. Yeah, it’s that good.” A decade later, the same holds true. It’s still a superbike killer—and yet with more versatility than ever. Looking back, that first Tuono marks a shift in the market. If dwindling sportbike sales coincided with the increase in popularity of super-naked derivatives, well, the original Tuono may be partially to blame. The 2023 Tuono V4 is probably still scalping sales from the RSV4. As we said a decade ago: “Yeah, it’s that good.” Updates for 2023 The Aprilia Tuono V4 was updated in 2021. There are no major revisions for 2023, though the bike is offered in new colors. Tuono V4 Factory in Aprilia’s Time Attack livery is a beautiful thing. (Aprilia/)Pricing and Variants The Tuono is available in two distinct versions: the base-model Tuono V4 ($16,199) and the Tuono V4 Factory ($19,599). Rather than merely offer a standard and up-spec model, Aprilia cleverly gives both models their own distinct identities. The Factory version uses Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 semi-active suspension, while the base model uses manually adjustable Sachs suspension. The base model has more relaxed ergos, a plush pillion seat, and a larger windscreen. These changes may knock the cool factor down a couple of pegs but practicality is increased by a fair degree as the bike dips a Rosso Corsa–shod toe in the shallow end of the sport-touring pool. Competition Tuono V4 competes with a litany of wicked motorcycles, among them the Ducati Streetfighter V4 ($22,095) and Streetfighter V4 S ($27,595), the KTM 1290 Super Duke R EVO ($20,399), the BMW S 1000 R (from $13,945) and M 1000 R (from $21,345), the Yamaha MT-10 ($14,199) and MT-10 SP ($17,199), and the Kawasaki Z H2 ($18,500). Perhaps we should exclude the MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR on price alone, but here it is—at $37,798—for the sake of posterity. Quite the field of machines, what with the supercharged Kawi, the twin-pulse V4 Ducati, and the Super Duke (pour one out for the last of the great V-twin hyper-nakeds). The Tuono stands out among the European crowd because of the classic firing order of its V-4 and an overall refinement that bolsters its reputation as one of the most beloved naked bikes of the last two decades. Ignoring the misleading base price of the BMW—because no one ever orders those—the Tuono is very competitively priced, particularly next to the European competition. Notice the shorter screen and Öhlins semi-active electronic suspension on the Tuono V4 Factory. (Aprilia/)Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance Aprilia claims the Tuono V4′s 1,077cc engine produces 175 hp and 89 lb.-ft. of torque. It may “only” have 175 hp—that’s significantly down on power to the Italian competition (Ducati claims 208 hp from its Streetfighter V4)—but that power is usable; you can utilize every last horsepower. It’s certainly fast, but it’s not overly intimidating, and the electronic rider aids are outstanding and make the Tuono so usable. There is now an additional 300 rpm to play with. The noise is lovely. This is accompanied by smooth quickshifter changes. The gearbox feels like it’s seamless. The changes are quick, perfectly matched in rpm. The fueling and throttle response, like the clutchless gear changes, are immaculate. For 2021, Aprilia updated the electronics with a new Magneti Marelli ECU. This is four times faster than the prior ECU. Note: The Tuono doesn’t use the latest-spec 1,099cc engine as the RSV4 superbike, but revised fueling and a new exhaust system (for 2021) keep things moving forward. Brembo M50 brakes aren’t quite as strong as the Stylema calipers used on more recently updated hyper-nakeds, but are still plenty strong. Notice the integrated winglets. (Aprilia/)Chassis/Handling The Tuono V4 Factory uses Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 semi-active suspension, while the base model uses manually adjustable Sachs suspension. The suspension and handling is as impressive as the refinement of the engine. Nothing unsettles or worries the Tuono’s chassis; it makes life in the fast lane ridiculously straightforward. The handling boosts trust and is so assured it always feels like you have time in hand. Everything is controlled. You’re not freaking out, it doesn’t feel like you are rushing or in a fight with physics—and is considerably less physical than some of the competition. Brakes Both Tuono models use Brembo M50 calipers and 330mm disc in the front. Although the M50 Brembo calipers and other mechanical components of the brakes have continued over the years, the algorithms and calculations activating the system have been updated—the ABS is more vigilant. Also new (as of 2021) is the Aprilia Engine Brake (AEB), which adjusts the engine-braking and is independent of the selected engine maps. Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG Aprilia claims the Tuono V4 gets 32.6 mpg. Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility Cruise control comes standard and the 5-inch TFT dash is informative and easy to navigate. The three road-orientated riding modes—Tour, Sport, and User (a personalized mode)—change the power characteristics, rider aids, and the semi-active suspension (on the Factory version). It also features LED lights with cornering functionality. The base model’s more relaxed ergos, pillion set, and windscreen add a lot of utility. With a set of soft panniers installed, the base model starts to look like quite the GT machine. A full suite of rider aids, a TFT dash, and cornering LED lights keep the Tuono up to date. (Aprilia/)Electronics There are six riding modes—three for the track and three for the road—which link to the rider aids and act accordingly to set the semi-active Öhlins suspension on Factory models. ATC (Aprilia Traction Control) has eight levels and can be changed on the move, even while accelerating. Additionally, there is AWC (Aprilia Wheelie Control), which has five levels and, like the TC, can be changed while on the gas, which not only shaves lap times but makes the bike easier and more fun to ride. There are three different engine maps (AEM), those three engine-braking levels (AEB), and, as before, three settings for Aprilia Launch Control (ALC). Aprilia Pit Limiter (APL) can be used as a pit lane limiter or, on the road, to help you comply with specific speed limits. And let’s not forget Aprilia Cruise Control (ACC) and the praiseworthy Aprilia Quick Shift (AQS). Add the cornering ABS and all that equates to an extensive list of features and safety aids, all easily accessible via the TFT dash and easy-to-use switch gear. All this comes standard. Warranty and Maintenance Coverage Like all Aprilia models, the Tuono V4 comes with a two-year unlimited-mileage warranty. Quality The Aprilia Tuono V4 delivers the goods with better-than-you electronics, confidence-inspiring handling, and a legendarily excellent V-4 engine. 2023 Aprilia Tuono V4/Factory Claimed Specs MSRP: $16,199/$19,599 (Factory) Engine: 1,077cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled, 65-degree V-4; 4-valve/cyl. Bore x Stroke: 81.0 x 52.3mm Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain Fuel Delivery: Fuel injection w/ Marelli 48mm throttle bodies, ride-by-wire Clutch: Wet, multiplate slipper/assist Engine Management/Ignition: Magneti Marelli digital electronic ignition system Frame: Aluminum dual beam Front Suspension: 43mm Sachs USD fork, fully adjustable; 4.6 in. travel/Öhlins NIX fork, fully adjustable; 4.7 in. travel Rear Suspension: Sachs/Öhlins shock, fully adjustable; 5.1 in. travel Front Brake: Radial Brembo M50 4-piston caliper, dual 330mm discs w/ Cornering ABS Rear Brake: 2-piston floating caliper, 220mm disc w/ Cornering ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: Cast alloy; 17 x 3.5 in. / 17 x 6.0 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Pirelli Diablo Rosso III; 120/70-17, 190/55-17 / Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa; 120/70-17, 200/55-17 Rake/Trail: 24.7°/3.9 in. Wheelbase: 57.2 in. Ground Clearance: N/A Seat Height: 33.0 in. Fuel Capacity: 4.7 gal. Wet Weight: 460 lb. Contact: aprilia.com Source

The Blue/Silver graphics scheme recalls the livery of the sadly defunct, world championship–winning GSX-RR MotoGP bike. MSRP is $12,949. (Suzuki/)Ups Balanced chassis with great feel at any paceAdded torque versus 600cc machines great for street and trackClassic Suzuki styling doesn’t get oldDowns Are a quickshifter and TFT dash too much to ask for?Front brakes start to fade during longer on-track sessionsIntake/exhaust noise is almost too loudVerdict OK, the GSX-R750 is long in the tooth. Other than being what many feel is the perfect capacity for a sportbike, what does it have to offer? Market position. All of a sudden, a blue-blooded race-replica sportbike that doesn’t cost more than $15,000 or produce 200 hp is a bit of a rarity. For trackday enthusiasts who just want to focus on riding, the Gixxer is still in a class of one. One of two new color options for 2023: Glass Sparkle Black/Glass Matte Mechanical Gray. (Suzuki/)Overview After its first public viewing at the Cologne Motorcycle Show in September 1984, Steve Anderson wrote in the pages of Cycle World: “Sportbikes will soon be divided into two categories: before the GSX-R, and after.” These days, Anderson’s prediction is fully embraced as truth—not least of all by Suzuki itself. The GSX-R750 is the heart of the Hamamatsu brand. Before the GSX-R, production-class racebikes were based on standard UJMs, like the GS1000. While the Honda Interceptor can claim to be the first step toward the modern conception of a sportbike, the GSX-R was something different. Its architect, Etsuo Yokouchi, demanded nothing less than a sea change. From the outset, his lofty goal was to make the new GSX-R 20 percent lighter than the competition. At its unveiling, Suzuki claimed it weighed 388 pounds dry. For context, Suzuki’s own GS750 weighed 489 pounds with a dry gas tank; the Kawasaki GPz750, 499 pounds; and the Interceptor, 515 pounds. However you cut it, the GSX-R weighed at least 100 pounds less than the motorcycles it instantly made obsolete. More new colorways for 2023: Pearl Brilliant White/Metallic Matte Stellar Blue. Bold new graphics are the GSX-R’s thing! (Suzuki/)The GSX-R750 has come to define Suzuki as a brand—it may be a smaller company than its Japanese rivals, but it punches above its weight thanks to high-minded engineering ideals and dogged determination. Nearly 40 years later, the GSX-R750 survives—the last of the great three-quarter-liter sportbikes. Literbikes, like Suzuki’s own GSX-R1000, may have spelled the demise of the 750 class, but the middleweight capacity always hits the sweet spot of handling and engine performance. In fact, as other manufacturers water down their sportbike offerings in an attempt to find a new demographic of buyer, Suzuki keeps the Gixxer right where it’s always been. The GSX-R750 was last updated in 2011. It may seem frozen in time, but for sportbike aficionados, trackday riders, and budget-minded consumers, it still has a place—and we’re glad that place isn’t on the scrap heap of history. May it never be so. Updates for 2023 Bold new graphics continue to be the main claim. There are no mechanical changes to the 2023 GSX-R750. Pricing and Variants There are three color options for 2023. Pearl Brilliant White and Metallic Matte Stellar Blue is available alongside Glass Sparkle Black and Glass Matte Mechanical Gray for $12,849. Upgrading to the iconic Blue/Silver colorway that pays homage to Suzuki’s GSX-RR MotoGP bike (RIP) sets you back an additional $100. The GSX-R750 is seeing a bit of a resurgence thanks to the new Supersport Next Generation race class, with Vision Wheel M4 Ecstar Suzuki taking the bike to a win at Road America. In this case, the GSX-R750 is electronically limited to keep performance in line with the competition. (Suzuki/)Competition The Suzuki GSX-R750 has long outlived its 750cc rivals so direct competition is limited. Ducati’s Panigale V2 is available and one of the GSX-R’s main rivals in the Supersport Next Generation racing class, and yet that bike’s $18,295–$18,595 price tag almost keeps it out of the conversation. Drop down into the 600cc middleweight category and you’ll find a few options, including Honda’s CBR600RR ($12,099) and Suzuki’s own GSX-R600, which shares many mechanical components with the 750 but is a more affordable option at $11,699 and $11,799. Of all the middleweight competitors, Kawasaki’s 636cc ZX-6R ($10,699–$11,999) is probably the best rival for the GSX-R750, as Kawasaki built that engine with street riding in mind. Aprilia’s RS 660 ($11,499) compares favorably in price, and what it lacks in horsepower (and cylinders) it makes up for with modern electronics and Italian charisma. Those who don’t mind losing a fairing and clip-on handlebars might also consider Triumph’s Street Triple 765 R ($9,995) or Street Triple 765 RS ($12,595). The GSX-R has a loud, raspy exhaust note. Some might say it gives the bike some character, while others will argue it’s a bit obnoxious. (Jeff Allen/)Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance Suzuki’s venerable 749cc inline-four produces peak horsepower between 120–130 at the rear wheel. When CW put a 2022 model on the dyno, it produced 121.5 hp at 12,560 rpm and 53 lb.-ft. of torque at 10,840 rpm. The GSX-R750 gets you to ticket-worthy speeds surprisingly quickly thanks to its meaty midrange and the roughly 20 percent more horsepower it has over the 600. Throttle delivery is crisp and the bike’s power delivery is especially smooth too, meaning you can expect a completely hiccup-free ride whether you are taking off from a stop, accelerating at city-street speeds, or cruising at highway pace. Similar to the GSX-Rs of yesteryear, the engine pulls hard from 6,000 rpm upward. Stand the bike up onto the fatter part of the tire, grab a gear from the just-slightly notchy six-speed gearbox and hold on; this is no measly 100 hp 600. It may not be as de rigueur as other engine configurations (or capacities), but a 750cc inline-four Suzuki is required riding. Perhaps the only downside is the rather loud intake and exhaust noise that Suzuki tuned in for added character. The GSX-R chassis has incredible feel and the motorcycle has a very wide setup range, meaning it works well around almost any racetrack. Combine this with an engine that makes more torque than the 600cc competition and you have a bike that’s an absolute treat for track riding. (2022 model shown.) (Jeff Allen/)Chassis/Handling The GSX-R750 uses a refined and refined-again twin-spar aluminum frame. Back in 2011, Suzuki tilted the engine rearward three degrees around the countershaft sprocket to shorten the wheelbase, which at 54.7 inches is 15mm shorter than the previous model. Further revisions to the 750′s frame and swingarm resulted in increased rigidity and a 5-pound weight reduction (3 pounds from the frame and 2 from the swingarm). It may not sound like much, but constant evolution has played a big role in the GSX-R story. Although it has slightly sharper steering geometry and only weighs 7 pounds more than the 600, the GSX-R750 steers a tad slower and heavier, likely due to the increased crankshaft mass of the 750 engine. But that’s splitting hairs—the 750 still carves corners with the best. Showa BPF front suspension improves the already stellar handling with better control over the big hits while remaining compliant on the minor bumps. When the road tightens, the bike feels even more at home, carving the corners with racebike-like finesse. This really is one of the most friendly and forgiving sportbike chassis. Brembo brakes have decent power but are not incredibly consistent over the course of a session at the racetrack. Upgraded brake pads and lines are a worthwhile addition. (Jeff Allen/)Brakes Brembo radial-mount Monoblock calipers clamp to dual 310mm front rotors to provide crisp initial bite, and great power all the way through the pull, though the GSX-R brakes are notorious for inconsistent performance when really put to the test on the racetrack; the lever can work its way toward the clip-on and stopping power starts to diminish. The lack of ABS doesn’t look great on a spec sheet, but if you plan on taking it to the track, it’s almost a selling point. Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG Fuel mileage for the Suzuki GSX-R750 is not currently available. Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility This is a GSX-R after all, so the riding position is decidedly sporty, with clip-on bars and high rearset footpegs. Footpeg brackets are three-way adjustable, so you can get more legroom if desired. In general, the ergos are extremely well thought out so riders will feel confident moving around on the bike from the get-go, and relative to the competition, the GSX-R is actually a pretty comfortable motorcycle. The lack of electronic rider aids mean clip-ons are uncluttered by the various buttons, joysticks, and switches that populate the latest sportbike’s handlebars. A Showa BPF fork is used and plays a big role in the GSX-R’s sublime handling. (Jeff Allen/)Electronics What electronics? The GSX-R750 is one of the old-school sportbikes, with no ride-by-wire throttle system, traction control, or ABS. There is a two-step power mode adjustment, with full power and slightly reduced power, but that’s it. The analog and LCD dash looks oh-so 2011 (or earlier?), but that’s par for the course. Warranty and Maintenance Coverage The GSX-R750 comes with Suzuki’s standard one-year, unlimited-mileage warranty. Longer coverage periods with extended benefits are available through Suzuki Extended Protection (SEP). Suzuki build quality is excellent, and the GSX-R has proven itself as a reliable bike for track or street use. Plastic panels with faux carbon fiber design are a bit underwhelming though. (2022 model shown.) (Jeff Allen/)Quality The GSX-R is pretty bulletproof, and should make for a worry-free trackday companion or canyon carver. Go ahead and let ‘er rip 2023 Suzuki GSX-R750 Claimed Specs MSRP: $12,849–$12,949 Engine: DOHC, liquid-cooled inline-four four-stroke; 4 valves/cyl. Displacement: 749cc Bore x Stroke: 70.0 x 48.7mm Compression Ratio: 12.5:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain Cycle World Measured Horsepower: 121.5 hp @ 12,560 rpm Cycle World Measured Torque: 53 lb.-ft. @ 10,840 rpm Fuel System: SDTV electronic fuel injection w/ 42mm throttle bodies Clutch: Wet, multiple disc; cable operation Engine Management/Ignition: Transistorized w/ electronic advance Frame: Twin-spar aluminum chassis Front Suspension: 41mm Showa BPF inverted fork, fully adjustable; 4.7 in. travel Rear Suspension: Showa shock, fully adjustable; 5.1 in. travel Front Brake: Brembo 4-piston radial-mount Monoblock caliper, dual 310mm discs Rear Brake: Brembo 1-piston slide-pin caliper, 220mm disc Wheels, Front/Rear: Cast aluminum; 17 x 3.50 in. / 17 x 5.50 in. Tires, Front/Rear: 120/70ZR-17 / 180/55ZR-17 Rake/Trail: 23.5°/3.8 in. Wheelbase: 54.7 in. Ground Clearance: 5.1 in. Seat Height: 31.9 in. Fuel Capacity: 4.5 gal. (4.2 gal. CA model) Cycle World Measured Wet Weight: 419 lb. Contact: suzukicycles.com Source

“Leaked” photographs show the Hero MotoCorp–built 4XX. (Hero/)The appearance of a Chinese-made Harley-Davidson in the form of the Qianjiang-made X350 has already made waves this year and now another small-capacity, foreign-sourced machine is about to join it in the form of the H-D “4XX” project that’s being teased by its manufacturer, Hero MotoCorp in India. Unsurprisingly, given the stars-and-stripes, all-American V-twin image that’s associated with Harley, the appearance of small-capacity machines made thousands of miles away hasn’t been greeted with universal acceptance from die-hard fans, but there’s no doubt H-D has a solid business case for tie-ins with major manufacturers in Asia and India to create these bikes. Like the Qianjiang X350, the Hero-made Harley has been in the pipeline for years. The Qianjiang project was announced back in 2019 as part of the firm’s “More Roads to Harley-Davidson” product plan, created under former boss Matt Levatich, and has taken until this year to reach fruition. The deal with Hero MotoCorp was announced in October 2020, when Levatich had been ousted and his “More Roads” plan was being rethought in the firm’s “Rewire” strategy under his replacement, Jochen Zeitz. The Hero deal was announced just a month after Harley said it was pulling out of the Indian market—one of the largest motorcycle markets in the world—after a decade-long attempt to get a foothold there. Aimed at the largest motorcycle market in the world, the Harley-Davidson 4XX will most likely not be offered in other markets. (Hero/)Harley’s deal with Hero gave the Indian company, which is one of the largest motorcycle manufacturers on the planet, a distribution agreement to sell and service Harley-Davidsons and Harley’s parts and accessories in India. More notably it included a licensing agreement for Hero to develop and sell “a range of premium motorcycles under the Harley-Davidson brand name.” In other words, the bike that’s now being teased in India has little Harley DNA beyond its branding and some styling cues. It’s a machine Hero has developed, and one that specifically targets the Indian market. As such, its key rivals will be from companies like Royal Enfield, and because it’s an Indian-designed and -manufactured product it faces none of the hurdles to competitiveness that an imported bike would have to clear. The chances of exports seem slim at best. While the Chinese-made X350 is being brought to the USA, albeit only for use in Harley-Davidson’s Riding Academies and not for general sale, the Hero-made Harley—dubbed “4XX” on its license plate to hint at a capacity between 400cc and 500cc—is likely to stay in India. All Harley’s recent investor-relations documents have said that the firm intends to “maintain a productive relationship with Hero MotoCorp as a distributor and licensee of the Harley-Davidson brand name in India” (emphasis ours). So what is this bike? Well, the name tells us its capacity is somewhere in the region of 400cc, but it’s quite different to the 354cc motor used in the X350. Where the Chinese-made bike has a liquid-cooled parallel-twin design, shared with several Benelli models, the Hero-developed Harley uses an air-cooled single-cylinder engine. It appears to be a new engine, as while Hero has several air-cooled singles in its lineup, none are close to a 400cc capacity. Although Hero is due to launch a 421cc single later this year in its own range, that’s a liquid-cooled engine and appears to be unrelated to the one used in the Harley-branded machine. Engine displacement is hinted with the 4XX moniker, but exact numbers are unknown at this time. (Hero /)As you might imagine, an air-cooled 400cc single doesn’t promise a huge amount of performance, but that’s not what this bike is aiming for. The H-D 4XX is going for the jugular of Royal Enfield in the Indian market, and the RE Classic 350 is the bestseller in the country’s midsized class. That means the Harley only has to beat the Enfield’s modest 20 hp and 20 lb.-ft. of torque to have a performance edge. Images published in India, which are styled as “spy” shots but have been provided to multiple publications by an unnamed photographer (almost certainly Hero’s PR agency; no real spy snapper uses grainy, black-and-white photography and no genuine testbike would sport “HD 4XX” on its license plate to give clues about its name), show several details of the new bike. These include the same headlight design we saw on the X350, with an LED strip splitting the traditional, circular lamp, and similar styling cues throughout the rest of the bike. It’s more flat track than cruiser, with relatively low, straight bars and a highish, fairly flat seat behind a quite modern-looking tank. Black, alloy wheels with polished metal on the edges of the spokes give a look that’s been seen on various Harley models in the past. The rear is a 17-incher, with a 140-section tire, while the front is larger—18 or 19 inches in diameter from the look of it, with a 100/90 tire—carrying a single brake disc. That disc is grabbed by a four-pot ByBre caliper, and there’s an ABS sensor ring visible in the pictures. Don’t expect to see the Harley 4XX in the States. (Hero/)Another shot shows a close-up of the instruments, with a single, circular, digital gauge combining rev counter, speedo, fuel gauge, clock, and trip. The tach reads to 8,000 rpm, hinting that as well as a capacity advantage, the Harley will rev higher than the Enfield 350 it’s targeting. In the long term, the strategy to let Hero produce Harley-branded bikes and sell them alongside the “real” things in Indian showrooms is a logical one, increasing awareness of the brand in India and enticing customers who can’t afford a larger, imported H-D. However, the chances that the Hero-Harleys will be sold in the States are vanishingly small. Source

The 2023 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R is available in a gray/metallic black color. MSRP is $17,399 (Kawasaki/)Ups Six consecutive WorldSBK titles can’t mean nothingPredictable-handling chassis and tractable power deliveryKawasaki caters to multiple budgets with models ranging from the competitively priced base model to the limited-production, homologation-spec ZX-10RRDowns Not as exotic as its European competitorsCramped ergos, even by sportbike standardsVerdict While not the newest literbike on the block, the ZX-10R is clinical in its pursuit of performance. With a race-proven chassis and go-for-broke 998cc inline-four engine, the production literbike is a tribute to the efficacy of race development. The spicier looking but mechanically unchanged ZX-10R KRT Edition is available with ABS ($18,399) or without ($17,399). (Kawasaki/)Overview Beginning in 2015, Jonathan Rea won a record-breaking six consecutive WorldSBK titles aboard the Kawasaki ZX-10R. If you want the winningest production sportbike of the last decade, this is it. With Kawasaki’s latest rider aids and a claimed 203 hp in hand, even average riders can feel a bit like Jonathan Rea. Thanks, technology. Back in 2004, when Kawasaki put its road-oriented ZX-9R to pasture and introduced the ZX-10R, “easy to ride” wasn’t the first thing to come to mind. As Don Canet said (nearly 20 years ago): “Putting the spurs to the wild-’n’-woolly 10R at Infineon took all the courage I could muster. This bike is a beast! It’s totally dominated by its motor, with an incredible midrange hit that makes you leery of turning the throttle when you’re leaned over near the tire’s edge. Once you do pull the trigger, you’d best hang on because the ZX floats its front wheel out of corners like no other.” That original 10R is a legend to sportbike lovers and set the stage for blistering performance in green. After two decades of technological advancements, the latest 10R is refined and easy to ride, despite its enormous performance window. Its latest update came in 2021, and included new bodywork with integrated aero and a host of changes designed to keep it at the pointy edge. For racers, collectors, or Team Green diehards, Kawasaki’s homologation-spec ZX-10RR is the one to get. Priced to match the European competition and built in limited numbers, the 10RR hearkens back to the glory days of AMA Superbike racing when Doug Chandler and the ZX-7RR were one of the most formidable pairings on the track. It’s almost impossible to look at a ZX-10R and not think of Jonathan Rea, who took the bike to six consecutive World Superbike titles. (Kawasaki/)Updates for 2023 There are no major updates for 2023, however, Kawasaki made loads of changes to the 2021 ZX-10R. Mechanical changes to the 998cc inline-four powerplant were minimal, but the Ninja did adopt a new air-cooled oil-cooler. A new exhaust system was designed to maintain power output while improving emissions. Internal gear ratios of the cassette-style six-speed transmission were revised for quicker acceleration, while the final drive (a larger 41-tooth versus a 39-tooth) sprocket was added. Several updates to the electronic rider-aid suite were introduced, including the use of a full ride-by-wire system (eliminating the need for traditional throttle cables). New integrated riding modes are now accessible via a 4.3-inch TFT display, which has smartphone connectivity. Cruise control was also added. With an emphasis on balanced handling, Kawasaki lowered the swingarm pivot, lengthened the wheelbase, optimized front-end geometry, and dialed in the Showa suspension settings further. The ZX-10R’s riding position was also made more aggressive, with the clip-on style handlebars pushed forward 10mm and the footpegs raised by 5mm. Finally, the ZX-10R received new-generation Ninja styling. This includes the addition of integrated aerodynamic winglets, a taller windscreen with more protection, and a new ram-air intake design for a more aerodynamically efficient motorcycle. Pricing and Variants Pricing ranges depending on color, ABS, and/or trim. Prices are as follows: $17,399 for the ZX-10R; $17,399 for the non-ABS KRT Edition; $18,399 for the KRT Edition ABS; and $29,699 for the ZX-10RR. The up-spec ZX-10RR is available in limited numbers and features several performance upgrades, including lightweight Pankl pistons, titanium connecting rods, new intake and exhaust valve springs, Marchesini forged wheels, and Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP tires. Consider it the best package for those looking to go racing. Competition The literbike class continues to look extremely healthy, meaning the ZX-10R has a lot of competition from Japan and Europe. That includes Honda’s CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP ($28,900) and CBR1000RR ($16,599), the Yamaha YZF-R1 ($17,999) and YZF-R1M ($26,999), as well as Suzuki’s GSX-R1000 ($16,149) and GSX-R1000R ($18,199). European rivals include Ducati’s Panigale V4 ($24,495) and V4 S ($31,595), BMW’s S 1000 RR (from $17,895) and M 1000 RR (from $32,995), plus the Aprilia RSV4 ($18,999) and RSV4 Factory ($25,999). The 2023 ZX-10RR is the latest in a line of homologation-spec Ninja superbikes. (Kawasaki/)Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance The heart of the ZX-10R is the 998cc liquid-cooled inline-four cylinder engine. With a manufacturer-claimed 203 peak horsepower and 84 lb.-ft. of torque, the ZX-10R is no slouch. The engineering team’s work in maintaining horsepower figures while meeting emissions regulations in the latest model came down to a longer silencer, revised collector arrangement, repositioned catalytic converter, and more efficient cooling. Revised gear ratios have also helped improve the bike’s performance. Lower gear ratios on the latest-generation ZX-10R give a new sense of urgency and more punch out of the slower corners on a track, but this doesn’t come at the expense of the smooth midrange that has always made the ZX-10R easy to ride by literbike standards. The power delivery is slick, with enough drive to paint black lines over the exit of every corner, thanks to the S-KTRC traction control. As you hang on to the gears down the straight, the strong top-end hit makes you fully aware of each and every one of the 203 hp. The ZX-10R is one of those bikes that revs out hard, clipping the rev limiter and demanding another gear before you know it; the extra 500 rpm made possible by the RR version’s upgraded engine internals paired with the Kawasaki Genuine Parts accessory kit ECU (without, the engine rpm is the same as the ZX-10R) is a welcome touch for track riding. While the ZX-10RR has just 1 peak horsepower more than the ZX-10R, it feels more like 10 thanks to a quicker-revving engine and high redline. (Kawasaki/)Chassis/Handling The ZX-10R has a twin-spar aluminum frame, a Showa Balance Free Fork, and Showa BFRC-Lite (Balance Free Rear Cushion) shock. Even with loads of changes, this Kawasaki maintains its easy-to-ride character. The feedback and feel from the front end is spot on, giving riders the confidence to push hard into turns and carry speed through bumpy, scarred corners. It’s confidence-inspiring all around, though not quite as nimble as some of the ultra-lithe competition, like the Ducati Panigale. Brakes For 2021, the ZX-10R received new rear brake pads and a repositioned rear brake master cylinder. The ZX-10R features race-spec Brembo four-piston calipers with dual 330mm discs up front and a single 220mm disc in the rear. Stainless steel braided brake lines contribute to direct feel. The ZX-10R is available with Kawasaki Intelligent antilock Brake System (KIBS), a cornering ABS optimized for performance and racetrack use. In addition to controlling rear-wheel lift when braking hard in a straight line, it’s designed to work with trail-braking to not only prevent the wheel locking but control the bike’s tendency to stand up on the brakes. To improve rider feel, the KIBS system is designed to intervene as subtly as possible in order to avoid that horrible juddering or heavy lever feel some ABS setups suffer from. Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG Fuel mileage for the Kawasaki ZX-10R is not currently available. Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility Ergonomics are circuit-focused with clip-ons that are now positioned 10mm farther forward and at a straighter angle. The seat is higher, as are the pegs, so the rider is situated in a more aggressive riding posture, which may be less comfortable on the street but provides more support under acceleration, giving riders’ arms an easier time on the track. The revised bodywork includes a taller windscreen that offers street riders more wind protection and gives track riders more room behind the bubble for increased aerodynamic efficiency. Cruise control and smartphone connectivity add some utility to an otherwise race-focused steed. The TFT dash makes it simple to adjust the ZX-10R’s various settings. (Kawasaki/)Electronics The ZX-10R is fitted with electronics such as Kawasaki Intelligent antilock Braking System (aka cornering ABS), four selectable ride modes, five-mode traction control, launch control, and electronic steering damper. Creature comforts include electronic cruise control and a TFT dash with smartphone connectivity. Warranty and Maintenance Coverage A 12-month warranty is included, but 12, 24, 36, or 48-month options are available with Kawasaki’s Protection Plus. Quality Overall, the ZX-10R does a superb job of balancing outright performance and accessibility, both in terms of performance and price. Claimed Specs 2023 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R 2023 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR MSRP: $17,399–$18,399 (ABS) $29,699 Engine: DOHC, liquid-cooled, inline-four four stroke; 4 valves/cyl. DOHC, liquid-cooled, inline-four four stroke; 4 valves/cyl. Displacement: 998cc 998cc Bore x Stroke: 76.0 x 55.0mm 76.0 x 55.0mm Compression Ratio: 13.0:1 13.0:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain 6-speed/chain Claimed Horsepower: 203 hp @ 13,200 rpm 204 hp @ 13,200 rpm Claimed Torque: 82.5 lb.-ft. @ 11,400 rpm 82.5 lb.-ft. @ 11,400 rpm Fuel System: DFI, 47mm Mikuni throttle bodies w/ dual injectors DFI, 47mm Mikuni throttle bodies w/ dual injectors Clutch: Wet, multiplate slipper clutch; cable actuated Wet, multiplate slipper clutch; cable actuated Engine Management/Ignition: TCBI w/ digital advance, Sport-Kawasaki Traction Control (S-KTRC) TCBI w/ digital advance, Sport-Kawasaki Traction Control (S-KTRC) Frame: Twin spar, cast aluminum Twin spar, cast aluminum Front Suspension: 43mm inverted Balance Free Fork, stepless rebound and compression damping, spring preload adjustable; 4.7 in. travel 43mm inverted Balance Free Fork, stepless rebound and compression damping, spring preload adjustable; 4.7 in. travel Rear Suspension: Balance Free gas-charged shock; adjustable stepless, dual-range (low/high-speed) compression damping, stepless rebound damping, spring preload adjustable; 4.5 in. travel Balance Free gas-charged shock; adjustable stepless, dual-range (low-/high-speed) compression damping, stepless rebound damping, spring preload adjustable; 4.5 in. travel Front Brake: Brembo radial-mounted Monoblock 4-piston calipers, dual semi-floating 330mm discs (w/ optional ABS) Brembo radial-mounted Monoblock 4-piston calipers, dual semi-floating 330mm discs w/ ABS Rear Brake: Aluminum 1-piston caliper, 220mm disc (w/ optional ABS) Aluminum 1-piston caliper, 220mm disc w/ ABS Wheels: Cast aluminum Forged Marchesini magnesium wheels Tires, Front/Rear: 120/70ZR-17 / 190/55ZR-17 120/70ZR-17 / 190/55ZR-17 Rake/Trail: 25.0º/4.1 in. 25.0º/4.1 in. Wheelbase: 57.1 in. 57.1 in. Ground Clearance: 5.3 in. 5.3 in. Seat Height: 32.9 in. 32.9 in. Fuel Capacity: 4.5 gal. 4.5 gal. Claimed Wet Weight: 452 lb. / 456 lb. (KRT Edition ABS) 456 lb. Availability: Now Now Contact: kawasaki.com Source

BMW is working on an electric motorcycle with a motor that appears to be from the CE-04. (BMW/)BMW has been at the forefront of the electric two-wheeler movement for years—the C-Evolution scooter debuted more than a decade ago—but despite several concepts and running prototypes we’ve yet to see the company adopt battery power for a full-on motorcycle rather than a scooter. Now that looks like it could change, with patent applications emerging that show a small electric bike that appears to be built using a combination of existing components including powertrain elements from BMW’s latest electric scooter, the CE-04. They’re repositioned and neatly packaged into a bike the size of the G 310 roadster, with an innovative arrangement for the motor. It’s positioned at around a 45-degree angle, with the motor’s shaft running longitudinally rather than the more common transverse arrangement. That means the motor can be relatively large but remains narrow enough to fit between the rider’s legs. BMW’s patent shows a unique angle for the motor’s placement in the chassis and with the shaft running longitudinally. (BMW/)The battery is also at an angle, running parallel to the motor and just ahead of it, roughly where you might expect the cylinder bank of a conventional, transverse internal combustion engine would sit. The frame isn’t shown in BMW’s patents, but since the G 310–series bikes actually have an unusual reverse-cylinder engine—tilted backward rather than forward—the electric model seen here won’t be able to carry over the stock G 310 chassis. Most of the components, including the battery pack itself, the motor, and the electronics, mounted in two units—one attached to the motor, the other slung underneath it—all look very much like they’re from the CE-04, but shuffled to fit a completely different type of bike. On the CE-04, the battery is mounted horizontally in the floor, with the motor transversely mounted behind it and the control electronics stacked under the rider’s seat. That makes for a long, low arrangement that’s ideal for a scooter but unsuited to a more conventional motorcycle. Here, by moving the parts around and tilting them at an angle, the wheelbase can be far shorter and the center of gravity raised, a recipe for significantly sharper handling. If, as it appears, the battery and motor are from the CE-04, then the performance would also be in line with that model. That means a peak power of 42 hp and 46 lb.-ft. of torque. On the scooter, the top speed is electronically limited to 75 mph, but that might not apply to a larger-wheeled bike like the one seen here, and range is rated at around 80 miles between charges. The biggest difference introduced by the new layout is the motor position and orientation. Turned from transverse to longitudinal mounting, the motor drives through a new reduction gearbox with a bevel gear to take drive to the front sprocket. A belt final drive then transfers the power to the rear wheel, reducing maintenance and noise compared to a chain drive. BMW’s new layout still retains some valuable storage space, too, as the fuel tank area is left clear to be used as a trunk—clearly big enough to store a helmet, if the patent drawings are representative of the bike’s real proportions. Like the G-series single-cylinder bikes, there’s also scope to make several different models based on the same components. The patent sketches show a larger-diameter front wheel than rear, suggesting a “GS” style adventure model, while using the headlight and seat from the “R” roadster. A full-faired bike, similar to the G 310 RR, might actually make even more sense, with aerodynamic advantages to squeeze the most range possible from the battery. Source

To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of its partnership with the Distinguished Gentleman's Ride, Triumph has unveiled the Bonneville T120 Black DGR Edition. The US will get just 50 units. (Triumph Motorcycles/)Get your tweed on: The 2023 Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride (DGR) is almost here. If you’re familiar with the name (and the movement), then you already know it’s become the world’s largest on-road charity motorcycling event since its debut in 2012, raising more than $31.5 million across 107 countries in the ensuing years. With its signature “Ride Dapper” theme, the DGR has managed to bring hundreds of thousands of smartly dressed “gentlefolk” together worldwide, all riding classic and vintage-style motorcycles to raise funds for the fight against prostate cancer and other men’s health initiatives. You’re also probably aware of Triumph Motorcycles’ support of the charity ride (it became the DGR’s official motorcycle partner in 2014), which, given the classic motorcycle theme, was always going to be a natural fit for the brand. And Triumph, to its credit, has been instrumental in growing awareness of the DGR’s mission from the start, providing exposure, financial support, and even offering motorcycles from its Modern Classic range as rewards for the top fundraisers in the campaign. Last year’s collaboration with Gibson Guitars resulted in a one-of-a-kind custom edition Bonneville T120 that referenced the 1959 Gibson Les Paul, with Gibson chipping in a Les Paul Standard Reissue guitar that paid homage to the 1959 Triumph Bonneville T120. The bike and guitar were awarded to the 2022 ride’s highest fundraiser (which broke participation records). For the 2023 ride, Triumph is celebrating its decade-long partnership with DGR by unveiling the new 2024 Triumph Bonneville T120 Black DGR Limited Edition. The elegantly eye-catching version of one of Triumph’s most iconic motorcycles has been created to celebrate the landmark 10-year anniversary, with the aim of making the 2023 DGR the most successful to date. Related: Triumph and Gibson Unveil Custom T120 and Les Paul The T120 Black DGR Edition goes for a more refined look over the base T120 Black, with an elegant two-tone paint scheme and classic pinstriping. (Triumph Motorcycles/)Because the T120 and its other Modern Classic brethren received significant updates for the 2022 model year, the DGR machine leaves the mechanics as is and focuses on cosmetic features to make its case. Most obvious here is the stylish DGR-themed metallic black and white paint scheme, which emphasizes official DGR branding with a custom logo on the tank and side panels, lots of tasteful gold detailing, and a distinctive brown (naturally) seat. Each T120 Black DGR Limited Edition comes with a signed certificate. The 2023 DGR logo and hand-painted pinstripes shown on the two-tone tank. (Triumph Motorcycles/)First, a recap of the changes the Bonneville received for 2022, most of which focused on weight loss, better throttle response and improved braking. That year Triumph also made tweaks to the 1,200cc high-torque parallel-twin engine, reducing engine mass through the use of a lighter crankshaft. An optimized clutch and balancer shafts also reduced inertia, giving the latest-generation machine a more responsive throttle for quicker access to the 77 lb.-ft. of torque and 79 hp (claimed). Weighing 15 pounds less than the previous-generation bike and boasting new lightweight aluminum wheel rims and higher-spec Brembo brakes along with added cruise control and enhanced riding modes, the latest-gen Bonnie manages to improve on an already excellent standard machine. Related: Triumph and Gibson to Support a Dapper Ride for Awareness The side panels feature a more prominent DGR logo treatment framed by pinstripes. The umbrella and wrench will likely get more than a few questions from bystanders. (Triumph Motorcycles/)But, as mentioned, the new 2024 T120 Black DGR is its own thing, and the model taps into the whole “dapper” vibe via a sophisticated metallic Phantom Black and Crystal White two-tone paint scheme, which, according to Triumph is meant to evoke “a distinctive ‘dress suit’ inspired design, drawing inspiration from ‘dressing dapper’ for dinner.” In any case, it’s a far more refined look than the stock T120 Black offers, though much of the lower portion of the DGR bike retains the dark treatment of the base model. Adding more elegance to the mix are a series of tasteful hand-painted gold stripes along the fuel tank and on the side panels, though taking center stage on the panel is a prominent DGR 2023 gold script logo. The brown stitched bench seat with pillion strap further enhances the vintage custom look. Triumph updated much of the Modern Classic range for 2022; aluminum wheel rims and higher-specification Brembos were part of the improvements. (Triumph Motorcycles/)Each bike comes with a collector edition numbered certificate of authenticity featuring the motorcycle’s VIN reference and DGR edition number, both hand signed by the DGR’s Mark Hawwa and Triumph’s Nick Bloor. Edition 001 of the T120 Black DGR will eventually be presented to the rider who raises the most funds at the 2023 event. Hawwa, founder of the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, said: “If anyone had said 10 years ago that we’d be celebrating a decade of partnership with Triumph Motorcycles, I would have laughed. Triumph has become like a family to me and to The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride. They are passionate about getting classic styled bikes out for a ride and using the machines we love to make a positive impact for our cause. We are beyond proud to release the Bonneville T120 Black Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride Limited Edition motorcycle, to celebrate what we have achieved together, and to continue doing more of what we love.” Other than the tank and front fender, the DGR bike retains much of the stock T120 Black’s blacked out treatment. (Triumph Motorcycles/)Triumph has informed us that the Limited Edition motorcycles will be considered model year 2024 in North America. The bikes will have an MSRP of $13,495 for the US, which will receive 50 units. In Canada, MSRP will be $14,995 CAD, with five units allocated to our northern neighbors. In the US, the T120 Black DGR edition will retail for $13,495 and will be considered a 2024 model. (Triumph Motorcycles/)This year’s ride is set for Sunday, May 22. Preregistration is open to riders across the world, and official registration and fundraising begin on March 28. Source

Julien Clément’s design sketch for the 2023 Ducati Diavel V4. Note how the exhaust and radiator shrouds differ from the final version. (Ducati/)When Ducati introduced the original Diavel in 2011, it was arguably the biggest departure from its racing roots in the modern era. At the time, Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali said 60 percent of the emphasis was on design and 40 percent on engineering—the opposite of a superbike. From the beginning, the Diavel defied conventionality and surpassed expectations. Like an elite athlete who goes to Milan Fashion Week in couture and shows up the fashionistas, the Diavel showed the function-follows-form cruiser world what style looks like when it’s draped in racing glory. To sportbike riders amazed by its performance prowess, Ducati’s attitude was one of impish Rossi-esque false modesty: “ees nothing…” As if it didn’t know that a cruiser wasn’t supposed to perform like a superbike. The 2023 Ducati Diavel V4. (Ducati/)Twelve years later, in its third generation and now featuring an aluminum frame and the V-4 Granturismo engine, which uses conventional valve springs, the Diavel V4 still surprises. At the same time, despite massive technical differentiation from the original, the Diavel exemplifies Ducati’s constancy. Namely, its constancy of design. For that, it is in debt to a host of luminaries past and present, man and machine. “The Diavel is a big Monster,” says Ducati Design Director Andrea Ferraresi. “From a design point of view, our roots are the 916 for a sportbike and the Monster for a naked. From there, the story starts.” Ferraresi began his work at Ducati 23 years ago, and for the last 18 has held his current position as head of design. For a brand whose vision is “to be the most desirable motorcycle brand,” the importance of Ferraresi’s role over the past two decades can hardly be overstated. Prior to the lightning rod that was the 916, Ducati was regarded in the enthusiast world for its successful racing motorcycles. The Desmoquattro-powered 851 and 888, the 916′s predecessors, were beautiful in their purposeful simplicity, but they had little impact on the world beyond the racetrack. The 916 changed everything. It set a new standard of beauty that coincided with a period of technical achievement that changed the world’s perception of Ducati. From a builder of niche, maintenance-intensive racebikes to cultural phenomenon, Ducati has become a near-household name synonymous with Italian design and ultimate performance. Andrea Ferraresi at a design event in Manhattan, February 2023. (Ducati/)“The 916 was a turning point in the design history of the superbikes,” Ferraresi says. “For Massimo Tamburini, il maestro, it was clear that proportions were the basis of stunning design. And proportion-wise, the 916 was three steps ahead of every bike on the market at the time. The Monster’s greatness was—and still is—in being both unconventional and essential. To have fun riding a bike, you only need two wheels, an engine, a tank, a seat, and a handlebar. Nothing else. That’s the Monster.” If Tamburini and the 916 and Miguel Galluzzi and the Monster can be credited for establishing Ducati’s current identity, then Domenicali and Ferraresi can be credited for preserving it and moving it into the future. In 2004, Domenicali moved from Ducati Corse to become head of product development. At virtually the same time, Ferraresi was hired as design coordinator and then design director. Their first project together was to develop the 1098 superbike. As the successor to the 999, Pierre Terblanche’s ambitious reinvention of the superbike, the 1098 had to become the follow-up to the 916 that the 999 never was. “The 999 has been a polarizing bike,” Ferraresi says. “Extremely successful on the track, but controversial and unconventional from a design point of view.” The 999 was a singular achievement in its own way, but often maligned because it didn’t look like a Ducati—which is to say, it didn’t look like what anyone thought “the next 916″ should look like. Fans wanted another album of A sides; the 999 was a concept album. “If you have such a strong heritage, a long history, and deep roots in the racing field, you are not forced to surprise at every step when you design a new superbike,” Ferraresi says. “You need to reassure your passionate fans. A new bike must not make the previous one look old, it must simply be the next one.” The 1098 was Ferraresi and Domenicali’s first of many projects together. Here a computer model shows a near-final version. (Ducati/)“Ducati went back where it had to be on the superbike design field,” he says. “We decided that the design language of the 916 had to be our guide: the double horizontal headlight, the slim tail, the double undertail silencers, the single-sided swingarm, the sculptural tank. Thanks to great designers such as Gianandrea Fabbro, Bart Janssen Groesbeek, and Damien Basset, we not only gave birth to the 1098, Hypermotard, and Streetfighter, we created a modern design studio and a design development process that we still follow today.” It may seem an obvious recourse after the chilly reception of the 999, but in the process of developing the 1098 and identifying the elements that defined Ducati Red Desire, Domenicali and Ferraresi ensured that bikes as far removed—in time and purpose—from the 916 and the Monster as the new Diavel V4 are immediately accepted for their Ducati-ness. Ferraresi says: “We decided that our heritage had to be our pole star in terms of product pillars: the racing roots, the design, the color red, a V-configured engine, the frames.… Of course, these pillars were already there, but we decided to consider them as an unquestionable reference. And Claudio [Domenicali] fixed the golden rules, the ‘Reduce to the Max’ concept: removing everything unnecessary to reach the top.” By echoing Ing. Fabio Taglioni, Ducati’s OG (Original Genius), whose motto was “Simplicity, carried to its ultimate extreme,” Domenicali reaffirms Ducati’s historic values and implicitly acknowledges that the brand stands on the shoulders of giants, that it need only look internally to divine its path ahead. The 2023 Diavel V4 uses the V-4 Granturismo engine from the Multistrada V4. The prominent air intake references previous Diavel models while the radiator shroud and more aggressive tank veer even further from the cruiser formula. (Ducati/)The “Reduce to the Max” philosophy stipulates that a Ducati must be “authentic, essential, compact, recognizable, sporty, and sensual” (that is, it must inspire tactile appreciation). In concrete terms—and here’s where the debts to the 916 and Monster are so obvious—designs must possess the following distinctive traits: visual mass on the front, a slim and agile tail, a compact front view, a sculptural tank, and a sinuous top view. Every motorcycle in Ducati’s lineup shares these attributes. It explains why the local Ducati dealer has trouble keeping its floor models’ fuel tanks free of fingerprint smudges, and why the bird’s-eye view of a Ducati always inspires lazy writers to compare it to famous Italian actresses’ silhouettes. Rather than rely on the singular vision of a designer—one who, for instance, may leave when the parent company sells up (e.g., Tamburini and Cagiva), or one whose vision is too ahead of customer taste (Terblanche)—today, Ducati relies on a team of six designers overseen by Ferraresi in the Centro Stile Ducati. From the outside, it seems that there are inherent risks to enshrining its design philosophy and using a team of designers who are never allowed to veer too far off script. For one, there’s the danger that designs could become overly prescribed. Ferraresi admits that the outgoing Diavel looked too predictable. “The second generation of the Diavel was beautiful but in some ways it was too clean and neat, while the first generation was wow! super strong and surprising.” The so-called “sinuous top view,” one of the distinctive shapes that give Ducatis “a strong family resemblance” to their predecessors. (Ducati/)Ultimately, communicating directly with its customers—an industry-wide tactic, these days—keeps the designers on the right track. “We did some focus groups and market research to understand the right way to reinvent the concept of the Diavel,” Ferraresi says. “They wanted us to push on design. The main target for this model was to surprise again. That’s why we have this type of taillight, this type of exhaust, headlight, and air intakes.” The second potential danger of relying on a prescriptive design philosophy is that it could stifle the creative vision of the design team and prevent the growth of the next Tamburini or Galluzzi. Here, Ferraresi expresses little concern. In Ducati fashion, competition is the means by which human excellence is achieved. Elements such as the unique taillights, which incorporate braking and turn signals within the array, are intended to surprise. (Ducati/)Designers compete in rounds—”like a tennis tournament” Ferraresi says—proposing their sketches to “win” the job as designer of a new model. In the case of the Diavel V4, Julien Clément, who previously designed the Scrambler, the SuperSport, and the Panigale V4, penned the final design. Clément has since moved on to become the lead designer at the revitalized Norton Motorcycles, but his legacy at Ducati is cemented. Indeed, a list of Centro Stile Ducati’s former designers reads like a who’s who in the motorcycle design field. Iron sharpens iron, as it were. While Clément’s design is clearly linked to its predecessors, the Diavel V4 looks more like a “big Monster” than ever. At the same time, there are surprises aplenty: the exhaust, like a pair of double-barrel shotguns, demonstrates the mechanical nature of the machine, while the taillights’ “matrix of punctiform LEDs” conveys the digital aspect of the modern Ducati. The Diavel V4 in black. Even with a large catalytic converter, the quad-tip exhaust is eye-catching. (Ducati/)One look at the red tank, a sweep of the hand across the minimalist tailsection, and a glance at the 90-degree engine is all it takes to know, to feel, that here is a Ducati. The Diavel is far from a performance-first superbike or a stripped-down Monster, but its own identity is in their debt. And in many ways, it’s equally in debt to the 1098, which helped delineate a path forward. Ferraresi says: “I remember everything about the 1098 project: the final sketch presentation, the clay modeling, the design freeze, and the final presentation on the terrace where the sun nearly melted the clay.… But above all, I remember the first pre production bike: Claudio and I staring at it and him saying: ‘It’s our first bike…’” As the saying goes, they haven’t looked back since—except, of course, that’s exactly what they’ve done. Source

The opening round of the 2023 MotoGP Championship kicked off in Portimao. Saturday’s sprint race and Sunday’s GP ended the same way: Bagnaia in front. (MotoGP/)This was the first MotoGP run under new rules substituting a half-distance sprint race for FP4 on Saturday, and compressing the setup and qualifying processes. It is a law of televised entertainment that every year it must, to remain competitive, intensify its leading attractions. For many shows these are sex, glitz, and violence, and for motor racing they are high emotion plus race starts and finishes (minimizing the “droning” between them). Francesco Bagnaia on Ducati did not disappoint our expectations—set last season when he became world champion—that he and other Ducati riders would stand out. He did—by winning both the first sprint race and the main event. In addition, we have seen Aprilia advancing in performance, and Maverick Viñales was able to push Bagnaia throughout the main event and finish second. At the end, both men noted that their tires were finished. A third expectation was to see the continuing shift of MotoGP power from Japan to Europe. The process began when Ducati joined the series in 2003, when there were four Japanese makes in contention, versus Ducati. Now, with Ducati joined by Aprilia and KTM, and the absence of Kawasaki and Suzuki, there are three European teams gaining power, opposed by just two Japanese teams (Honda and Yamaha), both of whom appear behind in the current aero race. Have Yamaha and Honda fallen behind in aero by assuming that applied political pressure (such as has so far prevented application of rev limits to MotoGP) is a wiser use of resources than going to the wind tunnel and closing the aero gap? In the US, this shift of power is ongoing, as the Japanese manufacturers are moving out of expensive California facilities in favor of more economical digs in the southeast. The US, for them, is no longer a hot sales area. Angry debate has erupted over crashes at Portimão which have left four riders in hospital. Some propose that the greater tension generated by the new weekend format is causative. We have to see more races to know if this is a trend or a statistical cluster. Remember the sober and mature decision-making that has long been required from riders in order to make their tires go the distance. They are not mindless gladiators, acting on raw emotion in a “drive to survive.” I use that phrase advisedly, for there is apprehension lest MotoGP is setting a course like that of F1, seeking greater revenue from a wider audience who will be fed a diet of endless second-hand emotion and “excitement.” Do F1 teams spontaneously form those human circles that prance up and down while revolving—something pioneered in football? Or did they receive memos suggesting such “spontaneous” displays of emotion? Mechanics, software writers, tire techs. All just feel like dancin’? If you read the financial press, you discover that Bridgepoint, which holds Dorna stock, suffered low stock price during last year. Let us hope the reasons originally cited for buying Dorna still hold—that its value has been durable even in times of economic travail, and that it is expanding its operations in dynamic Southeast Asia (where hundreds of millions of people can now expect more from life than to be “happy laborers, philosophically accepting their lot”). Another novelty of the weekend is that 14 riders quickly crowded under last year’s lap record, and Jack Miller commented that when he saw the lap time he was making while not pushing, he applied himself and was delighted with a wonderful lap time. Related: Aprilia Patents Aerodynamic Leathers Jack Miller pushed all weekend finishing sixth in Sunday’s GP. (MotoGP/)The track was last repaved before the F1 race in 2020, so it’s not that. A new Michelin front tire is expected in a year or two, but at present there is no talk of “killer tread compounds” that magically drop lap times. What has changed? Wings have greatly expanded in area from the days when they were just designer stubble sprouting on the sides of the fairing nose—little stubs of just a few square inches’ area. Yet even in those primitive times there was talk of 70 pounds of downforce at maximum speed—enough to press the front tire down to banish “that floaty feeling” as aero drag, acting above the pavement, strove to blow the bikes over backward. Remember that electronic “wheelie control” can stop wheelies only by throttling back the engine enough to maintain front wheel contact. But aero downforce can do better. Randy Mamola was recently heard to say that when his “two-up bike” (used for impressing inexperienced movers and shakers) was equipped with wings, he could no longer wheelie at 100 mph. Lay persons think of wheelies as sensational, but as Valentino Rossi put it nearly 20 years ago, “The wheelie is the enemy.” When a wheelie begins, acceleration can rise no higher. As the front wheel rises, it takes less and less engine thrust to continue the process. High wheelies, therefore, do not indicate high performance. They indicate a mistake. What they mean is that the bike is now accelerating less quickly than when the front tire has barely lifted. Riders pull themselves forward with sheer arm strength to keep the front down, allowing a bit more throttle to be used. The racebikes of today carry their engines and riders far forward—a contrast to days gone by when engines were set back against the rear tire, and rider seat backs were directly above the rear axle. Now, aero downforce can help as well. If downforce from “stubble winglets” was indeed 70 pounds at 210 mph, then at a corner exit speed of, say, 80 mph it would be only one-seventh as great, or 10 pounds, and at 60 mph, one-twelfth as great, or less than 6 pounds. These small amounts will have some wheelie-suppressive effect, but not a lot. But if we now imagine that today’s much larger slotted airfoils produce 200 pounds at top speed, we are looking at more like 30 pounds of downforce at 80 mph and 17 pounds at 60 mph. These larger downforce numbers will allow the rider to open the throttle more as he begins to accelerate, and that early acceleration provides extra speed that satisfies former Rossi crew chief Jeremy Burgess’ question: “Which would you rather have? Extra speed off of each of twelve corners? Or a small increase in top speed at the end of the one straightaway? Aprilia’s large front foil is paying dividends, Maverick Vinñales finished second in Sunday’s full-length race. (Aprilia/)Just as in F1, it takes power to drive aero devices. How much? Let’s again imagine 200 pounds of downforce at 210 mph. If the ratio of lift to drag of our wing system is 8-to-1, that’s 25 pounds of drag. Because 1 hp equals 550 ft.-lb. of work performed per second, and because 210 mph is 307 ft./sec., we have (25 x 307)/550 = 14 hp. In the case of F1, hundreds of horsepower are used to drive the aero package. Others have mentioned that at high speed, that loss could be somewhat reduced by lowering the back of the bike, thereby reducing the wing array’s angle of attack by 2–3 degrees. I very much respect Marc Márquez for finding a way to qualify on pole. Those who work with riders know that they constantly run riding simulations in their heads and can be very analytical, but to turn Márquez’s dismal Friday into pole position a day later on the unrideable Honda required first of all working out how to do it, and then seamlessly writing it into his riding. Going faster results from devising something new that works. Not from grunting. As before when the Honda lacked acceleration, Márquez said this weekend, “…the only way to do the lap time is on the brakes. And we are braking so late. If you don’t brake late like this, you finish 10th, 11th, 12th.” When on lap 2 he felt the front lock: “Maybe the front was not fully up to temperature. I released the brakes and the bike went inside. I avoided Martín but made contact with Oliveira. “I have been penalized for that mistake with a double long-lap penalty that I completely agree [with].” Related: Ducati’s Jurassic Tail Márquez will miss the next race in Argentina, and will have long-lap penalties when he does return to racing. (MotoGP/)That penalty will be imposed in the next race in which he starts (he will miss Argentina next weekend because of hand surgery necessitated by the crash). Both Jorge Martín and Miguel Oliveira were DNF at Portimão as a result of Márquez’s error. It is strange to me that so many people are offended by the present aero revolution in MotoGP. Were aesthetes offended when splashing paddle wheels were replaced by submerged screw propellers? Did their stomachs turn when the open cockpits of aircraft were enclosed by transparent canopies? These were predictable evolutionary changes. Oliveira will also miss the next MotoG with tendon injuries that are not “amenable to surgery” according to the CryptoData RNF team. (MotoGP/)Right now there are two basic approaches to producing front downforce in MotoGP. Aprilia has chosen to use a full-width slotted airfoil at the level of the fairing nose’s “chin.” We might call this “the larger-wing-area approach.” Ducati, knowing that flow must accelerate to move around the bulbous fairing, has placed its airfoils in that flow, which moves faster than the motorcycle. We can call this “the velocity approach.” Bagnaia was delighted with his win. “My team and I did a great job during testing, so the bike setup was already pretty much defined at the beginning of the weekend.” Last year, riders on the previous year’s bike had the benefit of its mature setup, while riders like Bagnaia on the new Ducatis were at some disadvantage until their teams had worked through the learning process. It can be argued that this allowed Fabio Quartararo and Yamaha to pull ahead in the first half of last season. Yamaha remains at disadvantage: “It’s not just that the Ducatis are on another level. We have a completely different bike from the others and when the others lift their bike up [to accelerate} they have a completely different grip from ours. “Because even if we get close [we can’t stay with them long enough] to try and prepare to overtake. For me that’s the main problem.” We’ll get the next dose of MotoGP reality at Argentina, starting this Friday. Source

EFuels only put back into the atmosphere what they took out of it in the first place, making them climate neutral. (Bosch/)You might think that an argument about cars, taking place thousands of miles away and concerning rules that won’t come into force for over a decade, would have little impact on the future of motorcycling. But the outcome of a spat between the European Union and one of its key members, Germany, could be key in providing a lifeline for the internal combustion engine (ICE) for decades to come. Like governments all over the globe, the EU has been wrestling with the problem of hitting targets to cut the emissions of greenhouse gases, most notably CO2. Road transportation has been something of an easy target, and the EU’s initial proposal was to ban the sale of non-zero emissions cars from 2035—essentially eliminating the internal combustion engine and focusing purely on battery-electric vehicles. While motorcycles weren’t specifically included in the plan, in the EU two-wheeled emissions limits have tended to mirror those for cars, so the writing was on the wall. Indeed, in the UK—recently departed from the European Union but still using the same emissions rules—has already proposed the end to sales of ICE-powered motorcycles in 2035, with a deadline for smaller-capacity (sub-125cc) bikes set even sooner, at 2030. Related: Motorcycles, Fuels, and Climate Neutrality While electric cars are proving to be increasingly competent in terms of performance and range, they remain expensive, and it’s proving even harder to make electric motorcycles that can match the yardsticks set by piston-engine machines. Germany—home of much of Europe’s car industry—has been pushing for a change in the EU’s plan, opposing the initial proposal. While sticking to the goal of being carbon-neutral, Germany’s government—a coalition of Greens, Social Democrats (SDP), and the libertarian, business-focused Free Democratic Party (FDP)—wanted exemptions for combustion-engine cars burning synthetic eFuels. Now the EU has relented, and agreed to allow eFuel-powered, combustion-engine cars to be sold after 2035, provided they run purely on eFuels that are made using carbon-neutral processes. EFuels are created using carbon captured from the atmosphere combined with hydrogen to create liquid hydrocarbons that can be brewed to act as “drop-in replacements” for gasoline or diesel. Provided the carbon is captured from atmospheric CO2 and the hydrogen is “green” (i.e., electrolyzed from water using renewable sources for the electricity used in the process) then the resulting eFuels are climate-neutral. The CO2 emitted from burning them is equivalent only to the CO2 that’s extracted to make them in the first place. The benefits include economic ones for vehicle makers—if eFuel becomes widespread, they won’t have to throw away a century of ICE-making experience and technology—but with true drop-in replacements for gasoline, there’s also the potential to make all ICE vehicles, old and new alike, carbon-neutral. Porsche and Siemens Energy have a pilot plant in Chile that’s producing eFuels. (Siemens Energy/)Related: Electric Racing It’s a technology that is already being productionized. Porsche, along with Siemens Energy, has been behind the development of a pilot plant in Chile (named Haru Oni) that’s already shipping eFuel, with a target of 130,000 liters per year at first, ramping up to 550 million liters (145 million gallons) per year by the end of the decade. It’s not the only example. There are several projects pursuing similar goals, and the rules set by the EU will inevitably influence the development of the technology and the investment made into eFuel. MotoGP is shifting to 40 percent eFuel next year and 100 percent eFuel in 2027, with F1 racing to adopt the same tech in 2026. But the biggest driving force behind eFuels is aviation. While convincing battery-electric cars already exist, the challenge of creating carbon-neutral airliners is much more difficult. Airplanes need energy-dense fuel, with as much power as possible packed into the smallest, lightest source, to be able to operate at all. Even the best batteries are many times less energy-dense than gasoline or jet fuel, and while hydrogen offers three times as much energy as gasoline when measured mass-for-mass, it’s much bulkier, even when compressed. Another graphic simplifying the process of converting CO2 into an eFuel. (Porsche/Siemens/)In many respects motorcycles are closer to aircraft than cars when it comes to the problem of adopting carbon-neutral fuel. Like planes, bikes need to be light, making battery power difficult. Also, neither has the extra space to carry big hydrogen tanks. And that’s why the EU’s decision to allow eFuel-powered cars beyond 2035 is important. It means that the projects to develop and productionize eFuels will be targeting road transport as well as aviation, and if there’s secure and affordable access to eFuel, motorcycle firms, which simply cannot make with current technology electric bikes that match gas-powered machines in terms of performance, range, and weight, will be able to use it as well. Related: Ducati MotoE Racer on Track KTM believes that electric bikes can only really replace motorcycles up to 250cc, anything beyond that will require eFuels in the future. (KTM/)There’s already plenty of interest in eFuels from motorcycle companies, and not just those without any electric experience. In fact, one of the biggest proponents of the idea is KTM, which has been making electric bikes for longer than most, having launched the Freeride-E 12 years ago. The Austrian company believes that electric bikes are only suited to replacing combustion-engine motorcycles up to around 250cc, and beyond that eFuel-powered combustion engines are the route to a green future. The EU’s agreement is expected to be finalized by the end of 2024, laying down a clear path for eFuel-powered road vehicles beyond 2035. Since much of the globe, including places like Japan and India, already have emissions laws that are drawn up to match those set in Europe, making it easier for manufacturers to make globally compliant models, there’s precedent to suggest that the direction the EU settles on will be one that the rest of the world follows. Source

The Expedition’s engine and electronics package invite you to open the throttle and get it sliding. (Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)What makes an adventure bike an adventure bike? That opens a can of worms, right? As this class continues to evolve, motorcycle companies have been trying to answer that question for years. For one, there are more options on the market than ever, while that growth has also meant that the class has been shattered into a variety of subgroups, with manufacturers trying to fine-tune their offerings for anyone and everyone. In our opinion, an ADV bike has to have certain attributes to be considered legit. It has to be comfortable eating up a lot more miles than an enduro, needs to be capable of carrying luggage, and has to easily outperform streetbikes in the dirt. That’s the stripped-down version. That criteria could generate a mind-dizzying list of matches. But what if you change that last requirement to read: must perform like a big dirt bike off-road? Ahhh, now we’ve narrowed down the field substantially. Husqvarna’s kissing cousin KTM definitely didn’t invent the ADV bike, that credit will always go to BMW and its original R80G/S back in 1980, but injecting dirt bike DNA into big-engine ADVs is something the Austrian company has mastered. Fortunately for Husky, stablemate KTM was willing to share its middleweight platform, and therefore immediately put the Norden 901 on a really high pedestal. Kind of like getting a factory deal your first time at the track. Husqvarna’s Norden 901 Expedition is basically an accessorized version of the base model. (Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)For those shopping for an adventure model, it really is a question of what you intend to do with it. Are you looking for a mall crawler, a long-distance tourer, a single-track slayer, or something in between? For the sake of simplicity, let’s talk about the bikes underneath the KTM umbrella. Those seeking an open class/adventure-tourer need look no further than KTM’s 1290 Super Adventure S, or the more dirtworthy Super Adventure R. Want something that can slay single-track, look to KTM’s 690 Enduro R or GasGas’ ES 700. But in our opinion, it’s the middle ground that starts getting really interesting. KTM’s 890 Adventure R, 890 Adventure, Husky’s Norden 901, and now the brand-new Norden 901 Expedition fill that gap. In theory, these are the bikes that can do it all. The 901 Expedition basically has the suspension of the 890 R with a ton of touring amenities thrown into the mix. If you want to get into the weeds on the Expedition you can read our First Look here. In this review we’re going to talk more about how it all works out in the real world. We were lucky enough to spend two full days riding the Husky Norden 901 Expedition in South Africa. (Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)Riding Impression The international press launch for the Expedition took place outside of Cape Town, South Africa. Why, you ask, was the event at the tip of Africa? Well for one, it happens to be a country packed to the rafters with dirt roads, and some awesome paved ones as well. Total ADV territory. It’s not very often that press launches include two full days of riding, but that was the case here. Not only did that give us an opportunity to put in some decent miles (around 250), with a majority of that off highway, but also meant that we worked up to more difficult terrain as the two days progressed. What’s more useful, is that after two days of riding, understanding the ins and outs of the electronics, and then having the time to try a lot of different combinations and tweak suspension if needed, was possible. South Africa is an adventure rider’s dream. (Blake Conner/)In an effort to make the event a bit more realistic, akin to what the end user will likely do, we’d be camping overnight after the first day and departing for the next from there. We loaded up the pair of standard soft bags with just the essentials for a night in the wild. That’s a bit of a stretch, we slept at a pretty fancy “glamping” spot, but hey, there were zebras and ostriches wandering around our tents, so it felt like a bit of a safari. Day 1 began with some mellow dirt roads, allowing time to get familiar with the bike, the Pirelli tires, and cycling through some mode settings. The Norden comes with four ride modes including Street, Rain, Offroad, and Explorer. The latter comes standard on the Expedition and is a customizable mode that quickly becomes a trusted friend. When the road turned to dirt early on, then back to street, then back to dirt, it was obvious that finding a mode that was happy everywhere was in order. Setting up Explorer mode with Offroad ABS (allowing the rear brake to be locked) and throttle response to Rally (there is also Offroad and Street) is a good compromise. You can adjust the traction control on the fly very easily so unless you really don’t want any intervention at all, it isn’t necessary to turn the MTC off completely. Besides, if you cycle the key or ignition, MTC defaults back on and to at least TC 1. The Expedition is very competent on the road. Lambrechts Road south of Franschhoek is an amazing stretch (Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)Our first photo location was on the absolutely fantastic Lambrechts Road between Villiersdorp and Franschhoek. A road very similar to great American roads like those in Malibu, the Tail of the Dragon, or Blue Ridge Parkway. Apparently we weren’t alone in our admiration for this stretch of tarmac as we spent the morning dodging sportbikes, Porsches, Ferraris, and McLarens by the droves. Perfect pavement and fun curves should be sportbike territory, but the Expedition thinks it’s a big supermoto bike, easily hounding R1s and S 1000 RRs in the tight stuff. The real heroes here are the Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires, which despite being knobbies, put a ton of rubber to the road and provide very predictable on-road grip. As the day progressed, we found ourselves on quite a few fast secondary dirt roads. Rally mode is the ideal setting for this terrain allowing lots of power and wheelspin if desired. If stepping the rear end out around corners is desired, dialing the TC back to setting 1 of nine available is really fun, offering the smallest of safety nets, yet allowing aggressive spin. At speed, the stock suspension setup for every type of riding we’d be tackling (which were the base settings on the placard under the seat) was a good compromise, allowing the chassis to absorb unseen potholes, water bars, and erosion ruts. As a refresher, the WP Xplor suspension increases travel to 9.4 inches front and rear and increases ground clearance around 0.75 inch to 10.7. The beefier 48mm fork is fully adjustable with provisions for preload, rebound, and compression damping. The PDS shock has the same adjustability, but adds high- and low-speed compression damping to the mix. A few times, however, the bike’s dirt-bike-like feeling chassis would occasionally shake its head just a bit after hitting a series of potholes at high speed. Old Houwhoek Pass on our first day, offered some sand, rocks, and scenery. (Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)Later on, our route took us over the Old Houwhoek Pass, a rocky, rutted, eroded road with plenty of sand thrown into the mix to keep you on your toes. Logic would say that the Offroad mode would be ideal in this situation, with toned-down power delivery. That proved to be true for the most part, but deeper sections of sand were easier to tackle with the full claimed 105 hp chucking roost from the rear knobby and keeping the bike moving forward. The TFT display is your portal to the Norden’s brain. Menus are well thought out and easy to navigate, while reading the display on the go is quite easy. (Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)With photo and video stops requiring multiple pauses in riding, the Norden’s key and or ignition were cycled repeatedly. This is where the mystery of how and when the bike decides to retain or not retain the selected mode enters the conversation. Sometimes the bike would stay in the custom Explorer mode (with all of the individualized options selected), sometimes it would suddenly decide that it should switch the ABS to Street, and one time it changed the mode entirely to Street mode. The default settings of that latter mode don’t play nice off-road. Traction control intervenes to the point that the bike will barely move forward in the sand. That mode also switches ABS to Street and therefore applies antilock to the rear wheel, which means heavily compromised braking in the dirt. This isn’t the end of the world, just a bit annoying, as you need to either pull over and reselect your desired mode, or switch it on the fly, taking your attention off the road. Over the two days, this happened a few times despite trying to determine what caused the bike to make that decision. We never came up with a good answer, even after discussing it with the on-site product managers. A tent with a bed in it can’t be considered camping, right? (Blake Conner/)After pulling into our glamping spot near the town of Grabouw, we downed a few beers while removing the side cases with our belongings in them before heading to a South African braai (barbecue). Over the two days of riding the bags did their job just fine, and we are actually fond of soft luggage like the units fitted as standard to the Expedition. However, if you travel a lot, especially off highway, we don’t think these accessory bags will be a very good long-term solution. After just a few days there were obvious signs of wear and tear at the seams on some of the bags, while the rigid part of the bag that holds the attachment hardware isn’t stiff enough to keep them from deforming. There are other options in Husqvarna’s accessory catalog, but they don’t utilize the same mounting hardware, so you would have to invest in that as well. The best solution would be to wear them out, and then search the aftermarket for an alternative. One of our few complaints about the bike are the included soft bags. They showed signs of wear after just a few days on the trail. (Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)Day 2 of our journey really put the 901 Expedition to task with some rougher off-road sections (nothing too technical, but lots of rocks and sand) and delivered some longer pavement sections. After pulling out of camp, we headed for an off-road riding area near the Eikenhof Dam reservoir north of Grabouw. Recent rains meant there were some mudholes to navigate, but also that the dirt and sand were in prime shape. It was here that the most challenging sections of our two-day route would be found. Some fun mudholes were added to the terrain on the second day. (Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)We quickly ducked into some forested double-track with plenty of erosion ruts, rocks, and soft sand. As discovered the previous day, the preferred mode was a custom Explorer setting with Rally throttle response, Offroad ABS, and TC set to 1. More importantly, this would be the definitive test of the Expedition’s WP Xplor suspension, which is the bike’s most significant upgrade over the standard Norden’s WP Apex units. For such a large machine, weighing more than 500 pounds fully fueled, the Expedition carries the weight well. Like its cousin the 890 Adventure, the Norden’s saddle fuel tanks put the mass down low. This really pays off when snaking through the sand and makes the bike feel a lot lighter than the numbers would lead you to believe. Like everything about an adventure bike, finding a compromise between highway and chunky dirt is never going to be easy. On the road, you always want a stiffer ride, while in the baby heads, a softer forgiving ride is necessary. Forging the edge of the Boskloof Dam. (Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)On the roughest terrain, soft and plush is the ticket. A few sections that morning included beat, ledgy, rock-strewn climbs, where momentum is key. Getting bounced off line by too-stiff suspension would have consequences, so the stock suspension setup on the bikes for the event proved to be really good. Picking a line through the biggest rocks isn’t a big deal as the Expedition tracks well as it sucks up the hits, and if you need to plow straight into some others to keep from losing that flow, so be it. After all, there’s no use in having that extra travel if you don’t utilize it, right? Later on, while doing photo passes, there were some small roller jumps that definitely sucked up all of the travel available, confirming that it was tapped out with a solid thunk as the centerstand and skid plate kissed the ground. But once again, the compromise paid off almost everywhere else. Another note: As good as the Pirelli tires are for most conditions, if you know you’re going to be riding a lot of sand, a more aggressive knobby front tire is worth considering. The Expedition gets WP’s Xplor suspension front and rear, which increases travel to 9.4 inches at each end. (Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)Another area that Husky has done a great job finding balance is the riding position and ergonomics. With a bunch of time spent off the asphalt, there is a lot of standing on the pegs. Placement of the bars is really good (they can be adjusted to six different positions with 30mm of fore and aft adjustment), while the “tank” is comfortable between this 5-foot, 11-inch rider’s legs. While standing, getting a good view over the extra tall touring windscreen is not an issue, but in some other sections, when seated, seeing through that towering muddy screen is really difficult. We’d likely shop the accessory catalog for a lower screen if riding off-road on a regular basis was the plan. On the road, the windscreen provides excellent protection from the wind and the small air vent three-quarters of the way up does its job of reducing buffeting, even with an off-road helmet on. Seated or standing, the latter of which we did a lot of off-road, the Husky 901 Norden Expedition was very comfortable. (Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)Husky really delivered the touring comfort that the Expedition name promises. When seated, the reach to the bars is quite comfortable, and the seat is not only very supportive but quite comfy, and can be adjusted to two heights, either 34.4 inches in the low position or 35.2 inches in the high setting. Not that it was necessary at the end of summer in South Africa, but the Expedition comes standard with a heated rider seat (sorry, no passenger) and grips. With the seat in the lower position, knees were bent just a bit past 90 degrees, which basically means that long hours in the saddle are totally doable. The LC8c that is shared with KTM’s 890 Adventure models, is an awesome ADV engine. (Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)The one thing that we’ve not addressed up to this point is the engine. We’ve saved the best for last. The 889cc LC8c engine that the Norden shares with the orange bikes is, straight up, an awesome adventure-bike powerplant. Once again, it comes down to the balance between on-road and off. What do you intend to ride and where? If blasting around 90 percent of the time on asphalt is your reality, you might want to look at bigger bikes like the 1290 Super Adventure. But for the type of riding that we did around Cape Town, on and off the beaten path and then repeating that over and over, this engine is amazing. On the road, the Norden feels sporty and quick, easily lofting the front wheel in second gear and acting like a hooligan. When making a quick pass, a downshift from sixth to fifth (or maybe fourth) wakes it up nicely and allows you to blast past. Not blowing across the centerline. South Africans ride on the “wrong” side of the road. (Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)Off-road, there is no denying that the LC8 is stout, not to the degree of the latest 1,200cc-plus monsters, but it doesn’t leave you wanting much more. In this era of awesome electronics, getting the most out of the engine is simply a matter of dialing in the intervention you’re comfortable with. That right there makes this bike a great choice for a huge range of riders. Expert riders will be totally happy letting it eat with big throttle openings and very little interference from the electronics, while others can find confidence through mellower delivery and more traction control. What’s even more impressive is the engine’s flexibility and tractability. The best way to get a sense of this is to put it in full power mode and turn off the MTC. Hidden under the layers of intervention is a motor that delivers a broad spread of torque that allows the rider to choose a couple different gear options. Chugging up loose climbs rarely requires first gear and is usually better in second or even third, while the nature of the engine provides smooth throttle delivery, even in the most aggressive modes. One feature that was hit or miss is the standard up-and-down quickshifter. On the road, there is very little to complain about; the shifter making clean—if just a little bit snatchy—shifts most of the time. Off-road, the shifts can be a bit more finicky, or perhaps the very nature of off-road riding contributed to making it seem so. Big clunky off-road boots are likely partially to blame, not allowing you to feel the lever hanging up and returning after the shift. But for that same reason, turning the system off during technical riding might be a preferred option. The view south from Hanskop Peak looking at False Bay. (Blake Conner/)Conclusion So where does all of this place the Norden 901 Expedition in the current world of adventure bikes? Well, for one, Husky clearly understands ADV bikes and gets the customers who are shopping for one. As we discovered, straight out of the box, the Expedition can hit the road and deliver performance on the tarmac and off. If our two-day simulation is accurate at all, the bike is totally capable of handling every type of ADV riding with very few modifications. For those hardcore riders there are a few things that they’d likely want to change, but that really comes down to preference and long-term usability. If you want to hit a Backcountry Discovery Route tomorrow, we can assure you the Norden 901 Expedition can handle it, as is. One of the key additions to the Expedition is this stout skid plate. (Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)So why buy a $15,799 Expedition instead of the standard Norden? It really does offer quite a bit of value for the additional $1,300 that the bike costs compared to the base model. If the Xplor suspension alone was the only addition, we’d still make that assessment. But you also get a bunch of other items that sweeten the deal. An aluminum skid plate, centerstand, heated seat and grips, and Bluetooth connectivity unit are super welcome, while the luggage is adequate in the short term. We can’t imagine that you could upgrade a standard Norden’s suspension for anywhere near that nominal extra cost, let alone getting all of the other accessories. At the end of the day, the Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition delivers on the promise that the name implies, and then some. Now it’s up to you to decide if that’s what you’re looking for in an adventure bike. Bikes are shipping to dealers now, and should be available in the next few weeks. From our two days with the bike we walked away impressed, the Norden 901 Expedition definitely checks all the boxes on our list to be called a super legit adventure bike. Wrestling the Expedition through the sand. We’d prefer a more aggressive knobby for sand riding. (Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/) The Expedition gets a taller touring windscreen than the base Norden. On the road it was great. Off-road, we’d prefer a shorter unit. (Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/) LED lighting includes the fog lamps and slim LED turn indicators front and rear. (Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/) WP’s 48mm Xplor fork is plush when you want it to be, and yet has really good bottoming resistance. (Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/) Pirelli’s Scorpion Rally STR tires were really good on road and off. (Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/) Day one route. (REVER/) Day two route. (REVER/)2023 Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition Specs MSRP: $15,799 Engine: Liquid-cooled, DOHC, parallel twin; 4 valves/cyl Displacement: 889cc Bore x Stroke: 90.7 x 68.8mm Compression Ratio: 13.5:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed, chain Claimed Horsepower: 105.0 hp @ 8,000 rpm Claimed Torque: 74.0 lb.-ft. @ 6,500 rpm Fuel System: EFI w/ twin 46mm Dell’Orto throttle bodies Clutch: PASC slipper clutch; cable actuation Engine Management/Ignition: Bosch EMS w/ RBW Frame: Chromoly-steel Front Suspension: WP Xplor 48mm inverted fork, fully adjustable; 9.4 in. travel Rear Suspension: WP Xplor PDS shock, fully adjustable; 9.4 in. travel Front Brake: Radial-mount 4-piston calipers, 320mm disc w/ Bosch ABS Rear Brake: 2-piston caliper, 240mm disc w/ Bosch ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: Tubeless aluminum spoked wheels; 21 x 2.5 in. / 18 x 4.5 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR; 90/90-21 / 150/70-18 Rake/Trail: 25.8°/4.2 in. Wheelbase: 60.1 in. Ground Clearance: 10.6 in. Seat Height: 34.4–35.3 in. Fuel Capacity: 5.0 gal. Claimed Dry Weight: 473 lb. Contact: husqvarna-motorcycles.com GEARBOX Helmet: Alpinestars Supertech M10 Jacket: Alpinestars AMT-10R Drystar XF Jersey: Alpinestars Venture-R Pant: Alpinestars Monteira Drystar XF Gloves: Alpinestars Halo Leather Boots: Alpinestars Tech 7 Goggles: 100% Racecraft 2 Source

Like Superbike racing before it, the King of the Baggers class has raised some eyebrows. But you can’t argue with 180 mph top speeds at Daytona! (MotoAmerica/Brian J. Nelson/)I’m pleased that most of the people who’ve commented on my recent stories about Harley’s involvement in the new King of the Baggers (KOTB) roadracing class have shown willingness to accept it. But not accepting new classes has historical precedents. Kyle Wyman heads Harley-Davidson’s factory effort in King of the Baggers. (Brian J. Nelson/)When from 1988 onward four-stroke racing was given a fresh European basis as World Superbike, the folks involved in “real” racing (that is, FIM GP racing, which had been 100 percent two-stroke since 1975) dismissed Superbikes as “Diesels”—the implication being that Supers were heavy trucks and that four-strokes were lo-po industrial engines. Related: Evolution That Made Today’s Sportbikes Possible Fred Merkel won the first two championships in the then-new World Superbike series. (Cycle World Archives/)Supers were also seen as derivative—they were created initially in exactly the same way that heavy touring bikes become KOTB racers—by bolting-on components already developed and perfected in “real” racing. There was another source of friction—the aggressive promotion of Superbike as a class requiring floods of testosterone. As we know, as Superbike got its start in the US, the men who won the races on those wobbling, weaving, unsuitable monsters were the very ones who would shortly become world champions in GP racing: Eddie Lawson, Freddie Spencer, Wayne Rainey, and Kevin Schwantz. Kawasaki’s KZ1000R groomed many US racers for Grand Prix success. (Cycle World Archives/)There had already been a “testosterone test” in the US. Among the claims being made for early Superbike was that it required a special kind of rider: older, wiser, and somehow tougher than the pixies in dancing shoes who rose to the top on purpose-built GP racers (which, being engineered for the job, were so easy to ride). And for a time, the men at the top of US supers were definitely older, even perhaps wiser. But then one day someone at Kawasaki decided, “What the hell—everyone seems to rate this kid Spencer. Anyone got his number? I have a job for him.” Spread two from our 1982 story on the Eddie Lawson replica Kawasaki KZ1000R. (Cycle World Archives/)As soon as Freddie got on Kawasaki’s extensively reengineered and originally very unsuitable production literbike, he disappeared up the road from the older, wiser, tougher and nothing more was heard about special qualities being required to ride Superbikes. As lifelong motorcyclist Bill Dutcher (for years the operator of Aspencade and a veteran of several kinds of racing, on and off-road) once said: “A motorcycle is a motorcycle. If you can ride one kind well, chances are you can ride them all.” He could. The new Superbikes of the 1970s were challenging to ride—as I watched the field round the old Riverside, California, Carousel, every single bike (including those claimed to have “European flair”) was weaving vigorously. A blame game developed between those who reckoned the 1960s-technology pipe chassis (steel-tube) were responsible, and those who saw Goodyear’s new slicks as the problem. It’s an old story that I first heard in 1969 from Harley’s then racing manager, Dick O’Brien, who commented not so much to me as to the air that, “Just when we get the goddamn chassis working half-decent, along come the tire people with more grip and we’re back in the shit.” Goodyear had the means of defending itself—ever hear of Goodyear Aerospace? The chassis in question was quickly instrumented with multiple strain gages and a data recorder, then run around a test track at good speed by a professional rider. The data were processed through software intended to magnify and make diagnostically visible the chassis flexure. I was shown the resulting graphic in late fall 1978 and it was impressive. There was the extensively reinforced and gusseted Superbike chassis, writhing and twisting. The blame game quieted and in Japan, engineers prepared to design a new family of more capable production bikes. Related: Works Motocross Bikes Of The Early ‘80s Were Insanely Exotic 1982 Kawasaki KZ1000R Eddie Lawson Replica. (Cycle World Archives/)Superbike evolved quickly because the manufacturers realized that the more suitable their production bikes were for racing, the more easily they could be made to win races in modified form, covering the company name in glory and filling showrooms with eager buyers. The decision was made to produce a new generation of streetbikes that were no longer a lash-up of 1960s chassis, suspension, and tire limitations, set into multidimensional jiggling by twice the horsepower they were originally designed for. Instead they would incorporate what the manufacturers had learned the hard way in GP racing—stiffer, lighter chassis, suspension that did not lock up hitting the Daytona banking out of turn 5, and tires that did not turn to blackberry jam in eight laps (as they definitely did in 1982). This was a truly wonderful result that benefited everyone, street riders most of all. Better motorcycles were designed and built when racing revealed the shortcomings of existing designs. Production-based racing was where design for street and design for race came creatively together. The late 1980s delivered bikes like Honda’s CBR600F that allowed aspiring racers to get on the grid for a lot less money than the skyrocketing prices of 250 two-stroke would allow. (Cycle World Archives/)The new designs of the later 1980s did in fact turn out to be much more raceable—so much so that regional racing clubs quickly improvised classes for them, in which the tremendous expense of reengineering the 1970s product for racing, having stronger swingarms fabricated, and buying $30,000 racing forks was no longer necessary. The basic rules were that you could upgrade tires, suspension, exhaust, and brake pads, and you could perform a clean-up of the original factory three-angle valve job, altering only the valve seat rings. The beauty of this was that for the price of a 600cc sportbike plus about $2,500 worth of aftermarket parts you could be on the grid. It was a revolution, the more so because at the same time, traditional designed-for-racing two-strokes were skyrocketing in price. The 250s that had ignited so many professional riding careers began at $1,147 (plus destination and setup) in the mid-1960s, but in the 1990s their soaring price was soon looking down at 20 grand. That’s how it goes in racing. Classes are born, they mature, succumb to old age and decrepitude, and then die. New classes, of greater interest to spectators and manufacturers alike, take their place. The only “purity” that can exist within this set of facts is to remain a racing enthusiast rather than becoming a complaining old duffer who yearns for leather belt drive or to ride the Isle of Man TT with spare pushrods down one boot top and a spring compressor down the other. Times change, but the competitive spirit endures. Source

Kawasaki is bringing back the Eliminator name on a pair of 400cc parallel-twin-powered cruisers. (Kawasaki/)Kawasaki first introduced the Eliminator name back in 1985 on the ZL900 A1, creating an unusual template of fitting a sportbike engine to a cruiser chassis. In the 21st century, the title has been sidelined, but it’s back for 2023 on the new Eliminator 400 and Eliminator 400 SE. Revealed at the Osaka Motorcycle Show in Japan, the revived Eliminator has been rumored for some time, with two versions displayed at the show. However, talk that the bikes would be 250cc and 400cc fours based on the ZX-25R and ZX-4RR engines proved wide of the mark, as the real Eliminator uses the 398cc parallel twin from the Ninja 400 and Z400, with the second version being a higher-spec “SE” derivative. The Eliminator 400 is the standard model of the two and forgoes the windscreen and some features and is listed at a lower price in Japan. (Kawasaki/)While a 48 hp twin might be a far cry from the 900cc and 1,000cc four-cylinder Eliminators that brought the name to the forefront in the 1980s, the new bike still promises to be a strong contender in a growing market for entry-level cruiser models. Honda’s Rebel has been a long-running hit in both 500cc and 300cc forms, and while the new Kawasaki splits the two on engine capacity, it matches the Rebel 500 in terms of power. A steel-tube frame is the core of each bike on which 18-inch front and 16-inch rear wheels are used. (Kawasaki/)Like the Rebels, the Eliminator uses a steel-tube frame with a twin-shock rear end, but the use of an 18-inch front wheel allied to a 16-inch rear gives it a more traditional stance. In keeping with Kawasaki’s other trellis-framed bikes, it’s a lightweight machine—the standard version is a mere 388 pounds, while the SE model, with a nose cowl and fork gaiters, plus additional tech, comes in at 392 pounds. A small, 3.2-gallon fuel tank helps keep the bike compact, while the standard seat is a low 28.9 inches, with 28.1-inch and 30.1-inch versions available as options. The SE version gets the nose cowl, fork gaiters, and some additional electronics like GPS, a USB-C socket, and front- and rear-facing cameras, the latter a first on a Japanese motorcycle as standard. (Kawasaki/)One surprise is the tech that’s fitted to the SE version. It gets GPS and a USB-C socket as standard—nothing too surprising there—but also gains front and rear cameras, tied into a ride-recording system. Some Chinese-market bikes including the Benelli 1200GT and Zongshen Cyclone RX6 also have front and rear cameras, but the Eliminator SE is the first Japanese model to get such a system. The idea is that the cameras can be used to record trips, which can then be uploaded and shared online. Other tech includes traction control and smartphone connectivity for the LCD instruments. There will be a few seat options ranging from 28.1 to 30.1 inches. (Kawasaki/)Despite its cruiser looks the Eliminator doesn’t have forward foot controls, instead using standard mid-mounted pegs. The clear focus, like the Honda Rebel models, is to make this a bike that’s accessible to as many people as possible. The standard model won’t come with the nose cowl. (Kawasaki/)Initially the Eliminator, which is scheduled as a 2024 model, will be sold in Japan only. Its prices, 759,000 yen ($5,733) for the base version and 858,000 yen ($6,481) for the SE, sandwich the Rebel 500 in that market, where the Honda costs 836,000 yen ($6,315). At the moment, there’s no word when the bikes will actually be available, even in Japan, and we’ll have to wait to see whether the Eliminator gets a global release. The use of the Ninja 400 engine means it will have no trouble meeting emissions requirements in any major market, including the US, so if Kawasaki sees enough demand over here, there’s no barrier to bringing the Eliminator to American shores. The Eliminator’s tailsection. (Kawasaki/) Standard Eliminator 400. (Kawasaki/)Source

For 2023, the Kawasaki KLR650 S is available in Candy Lime Green (non-ABS only) and Pearl Storm Gray (ABS and non-ABS). MSRP for non-ABS is $6,899. MSRP for ABS is $7,199. (Jeff Allen/)Before multicylinder adventure bikes with supersport power became status quo in the ADV world, motorcyclists who wanted comfort and accommodation similar to a touring bike and the ground clearance and long travel suspension capabilities of an enduro had limited options, most of which featured a single-cylinder engine. The Kawasaki KLR650, tried and true as a hammer, developed a huge cult following because of its unfailing ability to conquer long days in the saddle over varied terrain. Barreling down winding mountain roads on the 2023 Kawasaki KLR650 S. (Jeff Allen/)In 2023, even if the KLR650 isn’t the fastest or sexiest adventure machine, the cult rolls on. The KLR is still smaller, simpler, and lighter than many of the bikes in the class, particularly the honking twin techno-flagships with loads of electronics. It’s also a bargain price compared to a lot of the players. Related: Kawasaki KLR650 - BEST USED BIKES The 652cc engine produces 36.86 hp at 6,080 rpm and 35.42 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,590 rpm on the <i>Cycle World</i> in-house dyno. (Jeff Allen/)Of the four trim levels the KLR650 comes in for ‘23—KLR650, KLR650 Traveler, KLR650 Adventure, and KLR650 S—the one the ADV world has been calling out for the most is the newest trim level, the S, its key feature being a significantly lowered seat height. One pass through the comments on almost any adventure bike test on cycleworld.com will show that there is a large and vocal contingent who bemoan the proliferation of high seats. When pigs do fly, it’s not very high. (Jeff Allen/)The lower KLR650 S model is at its core essentially the same as the other KLRs offered, but uses shortened versions of the same suspension components as well as a 35mm-thinner seat to achieve a substantial 2.2-inch seat-height reduction vs. the other models for a 32.1-inch seat height. Up front, the 41mm nonadjustable conventional fork is shortened 1.2 inches, now offering 6.7 inches of travel vs. the 7.9 inches of the other models. The spring-preload and rebound-damping adjustable Uni-Trak shock is shortened 1 inch, reducing the suspension travel to 7 inches instead of the 8 offered in the other KLRs. Specific to the S model, the Uni-Trak tie-rod length has been increased by 4mm to optimize the swingarm’s initial down angle, according to Kawasaki. (Jeff Allen/)The KLR650 S also receives model-specific spring rates and valving to make better use of available travel and improve bottoming resistance. Kawasaki says it also achievies the same rear-grip level as the standard-height models becaust the Uni-Trak shock’s tie-rod length has been increased by 4mm to optimize the swingarm’s downward angle. The digital dash is nothing fancy, but the gear indicator is a nice touch. In neutral it displays nothing, but in gear a numerical value appears in the blank box on the right side. (Jeff Allen/)Initially the Kawasaki KLR650 S feels exactly like a KLR650 just with a lower seat height—as expected. Utilizing all the same components and controls, the cockpit of the S model is very familiar, but I can firmly plant both feet on the ground despite my 5-foot-7-inch height and 28-inch inseam. Once the bike is in motion, the suspension changes are instantly noticeable. Unexpectedly, the shortened suspension travel with its S-model-specific valving provides a sporty ride. The stiffer suspension settings are instantly apparent both front and rear. The fork resists dive under braking and the shock stays up in the stroke under hard acceleration. The 650 S’ slender midsection provides a great canvas to grip the bike under acceleration. (Jeff Allen/)In the dirt this translates to a more planted feel, aided by a lower center of gravity. When riding aggressively, the bike is less susceptible to being bounced around by rough terrain. Charging through bumpy trail sections, the KLR650 S isn’t reactive or unsettled. Not once did the bike need adjustment. The rear does bottom out, but that’s to be expected when jumping the KLR to a flat landing or charging sand whoops with too much ambition (hey, it’s our job…). But when riding the Kawasaki KLR650 S as intended, it performs great in nearly every scenario. Sliding corners and blasting berms, the shock uses up the available suspension travel fluidly, progressively becoming stiffer as it gets deeper into the stroke before rebounding predictably. Shortened suspension naturally reduces ground clearance 1 inch to a claimed 7.3 inches. This also reduces cornering clearance, which leads to dragging footpegs just a bit sooner when hauling on backroads. (Jeff Allen/)On the road, the KLR650 S carries its weight very well. This Kawasaki has a low center of gravity and is surprisingly nimble for a bike that weighs 464 pounds wet on the Cycle World digital racing scales. On canyon roads the KLR offers sharp, nimble handling and the reworked suspension provided plenty of holdup when seeking apexes or braking deep into corners. The chassis is tighter and crisper than its longer-travel brethren. A little dual-sport-tire squirming is present from the stock Dunlop K750 rubber, but otherwise the KLR650 S is capable and enjoyable when the pavement gets twisty. And when the tarmac straightens out the Kawasaki easily slays highway miles north of 80 mph without buzzing or strain. The KLR prefers the road less traveled. (Jeff Allen/)Both the 41mm KYB conventional fork and piggyback shock perform with surprising refinement. Suspension action is plush in the initial part of the stroke before progressing into the firm middle part of the stroke with plenty of bottoming resistance; this translates into a planted front end feel. At slow speeds the suspension action is plush, fluid, and smooth. Hit a bump at faster speeds and the suspension absorbs it without drama. The KLR S' quick-revving nature and low-end torque are a great recipe for wheelies. (Jeff Allen/)The KLR650 S uses the same fuel-injected liquid-cooled 652cc single-cylinder engine and five-speed transmission as the other models. Regarding that transmission, each gear is well spaced, noticeably different, and usable for the varied duty and terrain the KLR is expected to encounter. Top gear is an overdrive that easily handles any remaining work above 50 mph. Hardcore KLR fans decry it the omission of a sixth gear but having five ratios was not a dealbreaker during our testing. With plenty of low-end torque, lifting the front wheel up and over obstacles is easy. (Jeff Allen/)Off-road, second and third gear is where the KLR does its best work. Impressively, the Kawasaki KLR650 S can be ridden at extremely low speeds in second gear without bogging or stalling. Only a couple of times was first gear utilized on a technical hillclimb. The 652cc powerplant offers many tractorlike qualities with strong low-end grunt and an ability to chug or “diesel” through sections, however, the engine is also quick-revving and responsive. And the electronic throttle-by-wire system operates flawlessly. Right off idle to redline, power delivery and throttle response is predictable and in sync. A 300mm front rotor and twin piston caliper provide a strong initial bite when shedding speed. (Jeff Allen/)Shedding speed via the 300mm front rotor with a twin-piston caliper and 240mm rear rotor and single-piston caliper is accomplished with authority. Providing a strong initial bite, there is no uncertainty when squeezing on the lever. A firm and progressive pull provides strong braking capabilities, further increasing a rider’s confidence when operating the KLR650 S with aggression. The added safety of a basic, non-switchable ABS system ($300 upcharge over the standard model) is a good option. The large back panel can be fitted with a Kawasaki accessories 43L top case ($239.95). (Jeff Allen/)Kawasaki’s KLR650 S checks a lot of boxes as an adventure bike. The big single is torquey and long-legged, and fourth and fifth gears are both overdrive. There is plenty of wind protection from its large fairing, oversize handguards, and a two-way-adjustable windscreen (the windscreen requires unscrewing two Allen heads to adjust). Its supple and forgiving suspension provides solid performance on and off-road, while a 6.1-gallon fuel capacity means impressive 268-mile range, given our recorded 43.94 mpg. It’s not ultra-light, but it is relatively light in the adventure class, and now with the lower 32.1-inch seat height, it is one of the most approachable and easy-to-handle adventure bikes on the market. Large, oversize hand guards offer great protection from sharp foreign objects. (Jeff Allen/)The ADV class is filled with faster, bigger and, it must be admitted, more capable motorcycles. But they are typically also bigger, more expensive, and harder to extract maximum performance from. In this class, you have to ask yourself, “How fast do I really want to go?” On the road and trail, we are quickly reminded of what makes the KLR a legend in the ADV world: its ability to perform the tasks the bike was intended to accomplish without the need for the latest tech or the most power. It is a usable, affordable motorcycle that everyone can appreciate regardless of seat height, and with a $7,199 MSRP for the ABS model, the not just the seat height is low. A plastic skid plate will help protect the precious under bits. Fortunately, it received zero action during my time on the bike. (Jeff Allen/) Enjoying an average of 24 smiles per mile. And with a 6.1-gallon fuel capacity, there were lots of miles. (Jeff Allen/)2023 Kawasaki KLR650 S ABS Specs MSRP: $7,199 Engine DOHC, liquid-cooled single-cylinder Displacement: 652cc Bore x Stroke: 100.0 x 83.0mm Compression Ratio: 9.8:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 5-speed/sealed chain Cycle World Measured Horsepower: 36.86 @ 6,080 rpm Cycle World Measured Torque: 35.42 @ 4,590 rpm Fuel System: DFI w/ 40mm throttle body Clutch: Wet, multiplate Engine Management/Ignition: CDI Frame: Tubular, semi-double cradle Front Suspension: 41mm telescopic fork; 6.7 in. travel Rear Suspension: Uni-Trak single shock, rebound damping and adjustable spring preload adjustable; 7.0 in. travel Front Brake: 2-piston calipers, 300mm disc w/ ABS Rear Brake: 1-piston caliper, 240mm disc w/ ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: 21 in./17 in. Tires, Front/Rear: 90/90-21 / 130/80-17 Rake/Trail: 29.5°/4.6 in. Wheelbase: 59.6 in. Ground Clearance: 7.3 in. Seat Height: 32.1 in. Fuel Capacity: 6.1 gal. Cycle World Measured Wet Weight: 464 lb. Contact: kawasaki.com Source

Kevin Cameron has been writing about motorcycles for nearly 50 years, first for <em>Cycle magazine</em> and, since 1992, for <em>Cycle World</em>. (Robert Martin/)Imagine air impinging perpendicular to a flat plate at velocity “V.” It doesn’t matter whether it’s the air moving or the plate, but rather the relative velocity of the two. As the oncoming air stops against the flat surface, the kinetic energy it has is converted into pressure energy. That pressure is called “Q”—the dynamic pressure. It is, as you’d expect, proportional to the density of the air (engineers call that “rho” because using Greek letters makes their calculations look cool). It’s also proportional to the square of the velocity, V. So Q is equal to 1/2 rho times V squared. I save time by looking it up on a table I keep handy. If a MotoGP bike in the recent Sepang preseason test moves at 335 kph (that’s about 208 mph) that’s 305 feet per second. Here on my table it says Q will be equal to 0.052 times the local still air pressure: roughly 5 percent. Sea level pressure is nominally 14.7 pounds per square inch, so Q acts on each square inch as an extra 14.7 x 0.052 = 0.764 lb./sq. in. Multiplying times the 144 square inches in a square foot, we get 110 pounds of drag per square foot of flat plate area. If we estimate the frontal area of our MotoGP bike as 4.5 square feet, we find that if Q acted on an equal square footage of flat plate it would produce a drag force of 4.5 x 110 = 495 pounds. We know that 1 horsepower is the ability to lift 550 pounds 1 foot in each second. To get the power consumed by overcoming that 495 pounds of drag, we first find the foot-pounds per second that will be required. We multiply the 495-pound drag force times the 305 ft./sec. bike speed to get 150,975 ft.-lb./sec., then divide by 550 to get the horsepower required, which rounds out to 274. Trying to Make Sense of the Various Losses That’s obviously too much, but we can reduce drag by altering our flat-plate frontal area into a rounded shape that guides the flow around itself more gradually and produces a smaller energy-rich turbulent wake. If we regard the drag in flat-plate form as 100 percent, we may reduce drag to something like 60 percent of that under the basic 1958 FIM rules that require full exposure of the front wheel and essentially forbids streamlining behind the rider. The percentage of flat-plate drag achieved by a given shape is called its “coefficient of drag,” or Cd. In our above example, if we manage to reduce Cd to 0.6 our aero horsepower requirement at 208 mph drops to 0.6 x 274, or 164 hp. That’s actually reasonable, as there has to be power left over to overcome tire rolling resistance, and to deal with the friction losses between engine crankshaft and rear wheel. I reckon each transmission of power—by primary gears, transmission, and drive chain—eats 2 percent. A total of 6 percent of 277 hp is 16.6 hp—which becomes heat delivered to the engine oil and to the drive chain, equivalent to 16.6 kitchen toasters. Aprilia’s efforts to smooth the surfaces at the front of its MotoGP racers includes smoothing the flow over fork legs and brakes. (MotoGP/)One estimate of rolling resistance says 0.02 times the weight. If bike, rider, and fuel total 570 pounds, then 0.02 x 570 = 11.4 pounds. To get horsepower required to overcome that we multiply times velocity (305 ft./sec. from the example above) to get 3,477 ft.-lb./sec., and dividing by 550 we get 6.3 hp consumed by this crude estimate of rolling resistance. Got a spring scale, a bike, a rider, and a level paved road? Now we subtract for the losses, which are 164 hp for aero, 16.6 hp for driveline friction, and 6.3 hp for rolling resistance, giving us 187 hp of loss. If I estimate the peak power of a MotoGP engine as 277, that leaves 90 net hp still accelerating the bike the instant before the rider brakes for the next turn. No circuit on the GP calendar allows these bikes to reach their actual maximum speeds. I cheerfully admit that the above is playing with imaginary (estimated) numbers. Some will, for example, remind us that it’s usual to estimate 15 percent loss between engine and rear wheel, but that would send the heat from 41.5 kitchen toasters (that’s 31,125 watts) into the engine oil and drive chain. Is that reasonable? Why All That Drag? A well-streamlined car can be given a Cd of 0.30 and the great airships of the 1930s dropped to 0.05. Why do MotoGP bikes have such an embarrassing Cd? The bulk of the bike is limited by rule to being only half-streamlined (no streamlining behind the rider), and that shape has to plow through “dirty” air already considerably disturbed by passing over the irregular shapes of front wheel, fork, and brakes. Aprilia currently leads the way in reducing that disturbance by adding flow-smoothing fairings to fork legs and brakes. The blue-blazer boys of the FIM in years past were very strict in enforcing its 1958 rules, so this is something of a departure. What of those stegosaurus vanes that are showing up on more than just the Ducatis in preseason testing? (MotoGP/)More than one team is now ducting air into the normally low-pressure region behind the front tire. The “stegosaurus vanes” sticking up and slightly outward on some seatbacks are slotted airfoils whose purpose may be to waste competitors’ wind tunnel time or to guide some higher-energy air into the bike’s wake to prevent or reduce vortex shedding. Where did I get the figure of 277 hp for a MotoGP engine? A good BMEP (Brake Mean Effective Pressure is stroke-averaged net combustion pressure) at peak power is 200 psi, and if these 61ci engines are peaking at 18,000 rpm, this rough estimate gives us 277 hp. But everyone has lately begun saying these engines make 300 hp, so that either requires they actually peak at 19,500 or that their peak-power BMEP is 216 psi. Nobody likes a party pooper so I’ll duck the charge by saying they make 300 hp at the PR-director’s pen point. Pen-point power has a nice ring to it. Source

Spotted testing: Is this the 2024 GasGas SM 900? (Bernhard M. Hohne/BMH-Images/)KTM has been spotted testing a duo of new models powered by its established LC8c parallel-twin engine and it looks like they’re destined to become part of the growing GasGas range. It was only last year that GasGas, which became part of the KTM family in 2019 when it was bought by Pierer Mobility, stepped into the streetbike market with the launch of the SM 700 supermoto and ES 700 enduro model, but plans are already in place to expand the company’s street-focused range. Like Husqvarna, GasGas will be using existing KTM platforms, wrapped in distinct styling and tweaked to find a niche of their own in the market. In 2023, GasGas gets its own team in MotoGP, using rebranded KTM RC16s and with a duo of Spanish riders in the form of Pol Espargaró and Augusto Fernández, and the company has confirmed that being present at the top level of racing is part of a push for recognition as a streetbike brand. At the team launch, board member Hubert Trunkenpolz said: “If you want to create awareness for a motorcycle brand, then MotoGP is the right platform. It’s where you reach the most people globally and where we can make GasGas known and make the GasGas brand more popular. If we also look to the GasGas brand values, then it’s young and vibrant and it’s clear that MotoGP with its demographics is also the right platform for us. Having two Spanish riders with our old friend Pol and with a rookie—Augusto—I think it is a perfect fit. In the future the GasGas range will be enlarged and expanded with street motorcycles and MotoGP is preparing the ground for these products that will come year by year.” The two bikes spotted on test at KTM’s facility perfectly fit the GasGas plan. One is a supermoto, the other an enduro, both based on existing KTM parts including the LC8c engine. It’s the existing engine, not the heavily redesigned version expected to be launched in the upcoming 990 Duke come 2024, which means the new GasGas models will be either 799cc or 889cc (KTM makes both capacities, and they’re visually identical). Given that the current GasGas range already includes the SM 700 and ES 700, both based on KTM’s 690 single-cylinder engine, it’s likely that the firm will use the 889cc twins in the new models along with the names SM 900 and ES 900. Mechanically, the enduro-style ES 900 prototype uses the chassis and engine from the KTM 890 Adventure R, including the same WP Xplor suspension. The differences come in the form of new bodywork, with side panels that mimic the motocross-inspired shapes used on the ES 700, although the ES 900 looks substantially broader thanks to the parallel-twin engine and the belly-mounted fuel tank from the 890 Adventure R. GasGas’ ES 900 enduro-style parallel twin would use most of the engine and chassis that is found on the KTM 890 Adventure and Husqvarna Norden 901. (Bernhard M. Hohne/BMH-Images/)If the ES 900 is based on the 890 Adventure R, it should come as little surprise that the supermoto-style SM 900 prototype spied on test borrows components from the KTM 890 Duke R. It features the Duke’s 17-inch alloy wheels, WP Apex suspension, and conventionally positioned fuel tank, but the prototype’s tail and seat come from the 890 Adventure for a more convincing supermoto stance. Like the enduro prototype, the SM 900 also has new side panels flanking the radiator, again using shapes similar to other GasGas models. Both the ES 900 and SM 900 prototypes feature headlights similar to the design used on the ES 700 and SM 700, with a trapezoid shape. The bikes on test lacked the cowling around those lights and the high-mounted front mudguards, but the lower edge of the headlight appears to be shaped to suit a high, motocross-style fender. The headlight shape suggests this machine will be a GasGas rather than a KTM. (Bernhard M. Hohne/BMH-Images/)Given GasGas’s MotoGP venture this year it’s likely the firm’s focus on street models will get more attention during 2023, but it’s been Pierer’s plan ever since taking over the brand. As long ago as 2019, immediately after buying GasGas, Pierer Mobility’s investor presentation documents included plans for GasGas street models from 250cc to 800cc (this was before the LC8c twin was expanded to 889cc), including naked and adventure bikes. Source

First laps aboard the King of the Baggers–prepped Indian Challenger at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway. It’s like nothing you’ve ridden before, but not as intimidating as you might think. (Garth Milan/Indian Motorcycle/)The toughest part about riding Indian’s King of the Baggers Challenger is going slow. Tucked in behind a photo car it feels agitated and anxious. The bike lunges and hesitates in an uncomfortable sequence, subtly reminding you that Indian Motorcycle Racing did not build this bike for pageantry. This is a racebike and it was made to go fast—as a racebike should. Indian is no stranger to building race-winning machines. The company was founded by racers who developed America’s first motorized bicycles and it’s been racing for 122 years—although not continuously. Indian swept the Isle of Man TT in 1911 with a little luck and some rather forward-thinking (for the time) innovations; Burt Munro set land speed records; and the original Indian Wrecking Crew (Ernie Beckman, Bill Tuman, and Bobby Hill) tallied 14 AMA national wins between 1950 and 1953. Seventy years later and Indian Motorcycle Racing has added another feather to its cap by winning championships across three widely varying classes, including King of the Baggers (KotB), Super Hooligan National Championship (SHNC), and American Flat Track SuperTwins. Asking Indian to choose a favorite among those titles is like asking a parent to pick a favorite child. They’ll lie and say there are no favorites, but there is always one. Sorry, kid. In the case of these championships, it’s hard to imagine Indian not feeling more than sentimental about the King of the Baggers crown that it’s pried from Harley-Davidson’s hands. Rivalries—especially those that have lasted more than a century—have that effect. Related: Why King of the Baggers Racing Is So Popular Tyler O’Hara celebrates Indian’s King of the Baggers championship at a rain-soaked New Jersey Motorsports Park. Indian also took top honors in the 2022 Super Hooligan National Championship (SHNC) and American Flat Track SuperTwins. (Brian J. Nelson/)To win in this class is to showcase the capabilities of the bikes people are buying. “The top-selling bikes in America are baggers, and that’s what we’re racing,” says Gary Gray, vice president - racing, technology, and service for Indian Motorcycle. “If you go to a race, like with Laguna Seca where everybody parks down in the bowl, 10 or 15 years ago it was sportbikes, but that’s not what people ride anymore. They ride baggers. So it’s really cool to get this heavy iron out there and show people what it’ll do.” The bikes that Indian is rolling out, together with S&S Cycle, are a far cry from what anyone expected to see when the first King of the Baggers exhibition race was announced for 2020 and the package has only evolved since then. Look closely and you’ll find the bones of a production bike, but that image is quickly blurred by a throng of race parts and production-based (so Indian says) pieces that are so heavily modified they’re almost unrecognizable. During a recent preseason test at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, we had the chance to talk to the Indian Motorcycle Racing team about the project before throwing a leg over Tyler O’Hara’s 2022 championship-winning Challenger. Perhaps the best reminder of how special this bike is: The fairings wore signatures from Tyler and the team. Nerve-wracking? Yes. It’s nearly impossible to overemphasize how seriously Indian takes the King of the Baggers championship. (Brian J. Nelson/)Fears of binning Indian Motorcycle Racing’s pride and joy vanish rolling out of hot pit, though it takes a minute to feel truly comfortable behind the big OEM-ish fairing that serves as a visual reminder of the bike’s size. Indian is using the passenger footpeg mounting holes as the mounting point for the S&S foot controls, and while it admits to wanting to move the rider forward on the ‘23 racebike, these ergos work well for the unacquainted. Consider them a middle ground between racy and roomy; natural and at the same time, not. Ironically, it only takes a few corners to forget the bags are there. Related: Indian Motorcycle Racing Announces 2023 Race Teams O’Hara’s Challenger in nearly the same spec as it would be for our test. The 2023 bike will use a handful of new parts, the most noticeable being a new intake. The system here required some modifications to the fuel tank. (Brian J. Nelson/)Nearly every moment on the Challenger is like weaving in and out of two vastly different worlds. Riding the bike feels like a balancing act; push in some places, ease off in others. There’s a lot less easing off when you’re Tyler O’Hara, and to Indian’s credit, it’s built an incredible package around the stock frame, modified only for additional cornering clearance. Propped up on an Öhlins TTX 36 shock, modified FG 8603 fork from a Ducati Multistrada (!), and heavily braced OEM swingarm, the bike transitions from side to side with an unexpected sense of urgency. Of all the things we expected to be startled by on this test day, turning in too early was not one of them. And yet that was the case as we rolled through the tight left-right transitions at Chuckwalla on our first flying lap. It’s shocking how nimble and sporty the Challenger feels at speed. There is a stock Challenger swingarm behind all of that bracing. Saddlebags are carbon fiber. Notice also the custom seat by Saddlemen, and how the rearsets are mounted where the stock passenger pegs would normally be. (Garth Milan/Indian Motorcycle/)The bike has a slightly different personality when banked over in long, sweeping corners with the throttle partially cracked or off, and it takes time to become comfortable with how much the bike wallows while on its side—a subtle reminder that this chassis was not built for racing. Someone like O’Hara rides right through that, while our best solution was to ease up and let the bike move as it wanted. We’re in no hurry here. Important to mention is that we tested the bike on Dunlop Q4 rubber, but slicks are spooned on for racing duties. That extra grip might increase overall composure, though Indian riders admit that there’s always been a bit of chassis flex. Well-developed Öhlins suspension and a stout braking package featuring race-spec Brembo calipers are well-integrated into the platform and an indication of the excellent work Indian has done to turn this Challenger into a racebike. The suspension doesn’t feel harsh like a superbike might, but offers great support when hammering on the brakes or driving off a corner. The bike weighs 620 pounds, per MotoAmerica rules, and while you’d expect that mass to overpower any parts you throw at it, that definitely isn’t the case with these bits. Related: First Track Test Of Indian Motorcycle’s Race Bagger Mid transition at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway. The most surprising thing about the Challenger is how agile it is in side-to-side transitions. (Garth Milan/Indian Motorcycle/)Speaking of weight, Indian has cut so much meat off the bike that it actually needs to run 10 to 15 pounds of ballast on the bike to meet minimum weight requirements. “We’ve moved it all over the place, but most of the time we’re racing with it down in the bellypan,” says S&S’s chief engineer Jeff Bailey, a critical player in the project. Indian is continually working on the design of the adjustable billet triple clamps and fine-tuning the geometry, because in racing you’re never truly satisfied. Even still, the setup we rode offered an incredible amount of confidence at corner entry. Somehow, dropping anchor and then trail-braking into a corner doesn’t feel out of place. You’re never struggling to get the bike toward the apex, or feel like it’s in charge. A generously sized thumb brake helps the bike steer even tighter according to O’Hara, while also stabilizing the chassis and minimizing the aforementioned flex. While the obvious goal is to make more power, Indian and S&S Cycle worked diligently to make power in the rev range they wanted, which is up top. Indian is using 110mm big-bore pistons and ported cylinder heads, along with custom camshafts and other changes aimed at increased durability. (Indian Motorcycle/)Corner exits are evidence of the solid work Indian has done with the engine, which is making something like 160-plus horsepower. There’s ambiguity in that statement because this is a racebike, and race teams don’t generally want anyone knowing exactly what they’re working with. What we do know is that Indian is using 110mm big-bore pistons and cylinders, CNC-ported cylinder heads, and camshafts with higher lift and more duration. Crankcase main bearings are locked in place and billet manual lash adjustment rocker arms (machined from a solid chunk of steel) are used for durability. The compression ratio is 13.0:1. It wasn’t always easy to make that 160 hp, and it wasn’t until before Daytona last year that the team “found a few things.” Big changes include a move away from the twin oval throttle bodies and stock airbox, which is actually part of the Challenger’s frame. A large, 78mm throttle body from automotive aftermarket company BBK was the solution, and the results speak for themselves. The intake on the bike we rode was partially tucked underneath a slightly modified tank, while a new-for-’23 setup uses a simpler design with a longer runner placed just outside the tank. An added benefit of the new system is that it helps make power in the rpm range the Challenger will now be racing in; MotoAmerica has lowered the rev limit to 7,700 rpm for the 2023 season. “We were a few hundred rpm over that before,” Bailey says. “We kept extending the rev limiter for certain corners at certain tracks to save a shift once in a while, but peak power is around 7,700 rpm.” These manual lash adjustable rocker arms are machined from a solid chunk of steel. (Indian Motorcycle/)Powering out of a corner on the Challenger feels akin to being strapped to a Boeing 747 at takeoff. You can feel the weight before momentum picks up and suddenly you’re eating up tarmac in such rapid fashion you can’t help but be impressed. An abundance of torque makes the bike feel almost easy to ride, and yet all the power Indian found means the bike keeps pulling right up to the rev limiter. Tapping said limiter while leaving pit lane served as a clue to always be watching the shift lights at the top of the AiM TFT dash display. The series of green, yellow, and red lights come quickly. Massive torque and very large, single throttle body can make for a difficult-to-control motorcycle, especially at anything less than 50 percent throttle opening, thus a lot of time was dedicated to tuning the throttle map. The addition of a MaxxECU enabled Indian to take the next step in tuning. In its current state, the throttle feels sharp, but not overly aggressive. You want to have as much feel as possible when cracking the throttle on a 620-pound racebike with an astronomical amount of torque, and in this latest system Indian seems to have accomplished that—yet another testament to the time and effort this team has put into developing this bike. Even if it is hard to ride at photo speeds… Indian says the outer fairing is an OEM piece of plastic pulled right from the production line. There are obvious modifications, such as the headlight insert, which helped with aerodynamics at tracks like Daytona. The beefy Öhlins fork is a modified version of the fork used on a Ducati Multistrada, though that’s being replaced for 2023. (Bert Beltran/)Another interesting part of the powertrain is the transmission—it’s stock. And it works exceptionally well. Funny enough, this is one of the things we came into the test most concerned about. Touring bikes aren’t known for having the most seamless transmissions, and reports coming from media tests on Harley-Davidson’s Screamin’ Eagle Road Glide racebike—including Cycle World’s own Michael Gilbert—suggested that the transmission was a big weak point for H-D. Fortunately for Indian, that is not the case. Adding to the experience is a bidirectional quickshifter that’s tuned to absolute perfection. O’Hara’s ability to get the Indian Challenger around a racetrack as fast as he does is awe-inspiring. Kudos also to Indian for building a motorcycle that allows O’Hara (and teammate Jeremy McWilliams) to continue pushing the limits of what is possible on a bagger. (Brian J. Nelson/)Glowing as all of these comments might be, it’s important to say that this is still a very difficult motorcycle to hustle around a racetrack. Not because of any performance limitations, but because of how truly unique it is and the mindset you must be in to push it to its maximum. We did not come anywhere near that limit in our short time with the bike, but at the pace we rode, it was a genuinely fun experience. What Tyler O’Hara, Jeremy McWilliams, and everyone else on the King of the Baggers grid is able to do on these motorcycles is astonishing. Credit also goes to the Indian Motorcycle Racing team for continuing to push the limits in search of faster lap times. Their dedication to the project shows through in every part that was engineered, raced, and reengineered. How far this project goes is yet to be seen, but even in its current state, it’s clear that Indian’s built a true racebike. A very fast and very capable racebike. Interested in experiencing the bike for yourself and have a rather massive chunk of change sitting around? Following our test, Indian announced that it will be selling the Challenger RR, a race replica Challenger with nearly identical build sheet to Indian’s racebike. All yours for “just” $92,229… Replica or the real racebike? Shown here is Indian Motorcycle’s recently announced Challenger RR, which has a nearly identical build sheet to the bike that took O’Hara to the 2022 King of the Baggers championship. (Garth Milan/Indian Motorcycle/)Gearbox Helmet: Arai Corsair-X Race suit: Rev’It Apex Gloves: Rev’It Apex Boots: Alpinestars Supertech R Source

Just 177 units of the Jack Daniels Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse will be made. This limited-edition bike is the seventh collaboration from the two brands. (Indian Motorcycle/)Around this time every March, motorcyclists have been conditioned to expect a some recurring reminders to pop up on their Google Calendars: the running of the Daytona 200, the Rat’s Hole Motorcycle Show, and, for the last seven years, the release of a special-edition model from Indian Motorcycle and Jack Daniel’s distillery. And right on schedule, here’s the latest custom offering from the two classic American brands, developed, as usual, in conjunction with Klock Werks Custom Cycles: the 2023 Jack Daniel’s Limited Edition Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse. Related: 2022 Indian Chief Dark Horse First Ride Review The special edition draws inspiration from Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey, even going so far as to mix that whiskey directly into the bike’s Super Graphite Metallic paint. (Indian Motorcycle/)The chosen platform this year is Indian’s air-cooled Chief Bobber model, which features an air-cooled Thunderstroke 116 engine. As it’s the upscale Dark Horse iteration, the bike also goes heavy on black paint in most of the engine bay, the exhaust, the wheels, and other parts, but in this limited-edition model, you also see non-machined highlighted cylinders and heads, Cloud Silver painted rockers and pushrod tubes to give it a raw metal look. Other hard parts distinguishing the 2023 JD Chief Bobber include white center rims and a suspended solo saddle, capped by a tinted Klock Werks Flared Deflector mounted just over the headlight. The blacked-out Thunderstroke 116 engine carries over from the Chief Dark Horse unchanged, save for cosmetic treatment on the cylinders and heads. Jack Daniel’s Montana Silversmiths badges tucked between the jugs display each bike’s unique serial number. (Indian Motorcycle/)The Chief’s Dark Horse treatment already adds premium features like Indian’s Pathfinder 5-1/4-inch adaptive LED headlight, three selectable ride modes, ABS, and Indian’s onboard Ride Command infotainment system, but the Jack Daniel’s bikes step it up even more, ladling on exclusive (if somewhat heavy-handed) JD badging and one-off touches finished with hand-painted hues. The branding takes great pains to call attention to a single product in the whiskey-maker’s portfolio, and for 2023, that product is its most iconic juice, Old No.7 Tennessee Whiskey. Related: Indian Debuts Redesigned 2022 Chief No blank surface goes untouched: Even the saddle gets a stamped logo to indicate special model status. (Indian Motorcycle/)“The Jack Daniel’s Limited Edition Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse is yet another powerful and dynamic representation of the quality, craftsmanship, and attention to detail that is core to both of our brands,” said Aaron Jax, vice president for Indian Motorcycle. “This time, we decided to pay homage to Jack Daniel’s iconic Old No. 7—the most iconic of Jack Daniel’s whiskeys—pairing it with the Chief Bobber Dark Horse. Both products are timeless American originals that share a combination of no-nonsense simplicity and premium quality.” The tinted Klock Werks Flared Deflector adds a bit of function and subtle style up front. (Indian Motorcycle/)Like we said, the 2023 Jack Daniel’s Limited Edition Indian Chief Bobber brings the branding in spades, splashing the JD and Old No. 7 logo on both fenders and the side cover, stamping it on the solo seat, and etching it onto a Montana Silversmiths badge bearing each bike’s unique serial number, and placed smack between the cylinder heads. More status signifiers can be found in the form of a Jack Daniel signature on the rear fender and etched into the exhaust. This year the graphics are especially tasty too, with the tank featuring a single scripted letter “I” along both sides, set against a black background and framed by fat white pinstripes at the tank edges. The Super Graphite Metallic body paint, according to Indian, has actual Jack Daniel’s whiskey mixed in. (Whether or not that’s good for color longevity is unknown.) Also, in keeping with tradition, the 2023 JD Chief Bobber Dark Horse will be produced in very limited amounts, with a run of just 177 units worldwide. Related: 2022 Jack Daniel’s Limited Edition Indian Challenger Dark Horse Revealed The wire wheels sport white center rims on the special edition, but otherwise roll on the same Pirelli Night Dragon tires as the stocker. (Indian Motorcycle/)Unless you’re at a NASCAR or Formula 1 race, booze logos plastered on the side of a vehicle seems like an odd pairing these days, but clearly the Indian-Jack partnership is a winning one, with most of the models produced over the last seven years selling out very quickly. At an MSRP of $24,499, the Jack Daniel’s Limited Edition Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse can only be purchased through Indian Motorcycle dealerships, with the order window opening March 14, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. EST. You can expect the JD Chief Bobber Dark Horse to start appearing at Indian dealers in the US and Canada in March 2023. More info can be found at indianmotorcycle.com. The Jack Daniel’s Limited Edition Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse carries a price tag of $24,499 and will go on sale later in March. (Indian Motorcycle/)2023 Jack Daniel’s Limited Edition Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse Specs MSRP: $24,499 Engine: 1,890cc, air-cooled 49-degree V-twin Bore x Stroke: 103.2 x113.0mm Compression Ratio: 11.0:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/belt Fuel Delivery: Closed-loop fuel injection w/ 54mm throttle body Clutch: Wet, multiplate Engine Management: Ride-by-wire Frame: Steel tube w/ cast aluminum rear subframe Front Suspension: 46mm telescopic fork; 5.2 in. travel Rear Suspension: Dual monotube shocks, preload adjustable; 3.0 in. travel Front Brake: Single 4-piston caliper, semi-floating 300mm disc w/ ABS Rear Brake: 2-piston caliper, 300mm floating disc w/ ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: Wire spoke; 16 x 3.0 in./16 x 5 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Pirelli Night Dragon; 130/90B-16 / 180/65B-16 Rake/Trail: 29.0°/5.2 in. Wheelbase: 64.0 in. Ground Clearance: 4.9 in. Seat Height: 28.9 in. Fuel Capacity: 4.0 gal. Claimed Dry Weight: 687 lb. Contact: indianmotorcycle.com Source

2023 Aprilia RSV4 in Sachsenring Black ($18,999). (Aprilia/)Ups The classic V-4 engine you’ve always wanted—with a claimed 217 hpBargain hunters take note: Base-model RSV4 1100 is competitively priced with Japanese rivals that are far less advancedExcellent chassis feelDowns Significantly heavier than the latest European rivals, plus heavier steeringElectronics package is a generation behind the newest contendersLackluster brake performance compared to competitionVerdict The Aprilia RSV4 and RSV4 Factory are the latest evolutions of Noale’s V-4-powered superbike, complete with top-shelf components and aerodynamic advances. Above all else: The V-4 is one of the great engines in modern motorcycling. When you’re old and doddering, it’ll be one you tell the grandkids about. Overview Aprilia unveiled the first-generation RSV4 in 2009 to replace the much-loved 60-degree V-twin RSV Mille. The RSV4 has been continually evolved over the years; its glorious beginning the product of a brain trust that included Claudio Lombardi (previously with Ferrari and later associated with the infamous 990cc three-cylinder “Cube” MotoGP project), Romano Albesiano (current Aprilia Racing technical director), Luigi Dall’Igna (current Ducati Corse general manager), as well as legendary designer Miguel Galluzzi. With such auspicious beginnings, it’s no wonder the RSV4 has been the pride and joy of Noale for going on a decade and a half. While much has evolved technically in that time, the V-4 heart remains one of the unquestioned gems in modern motorcycling. No twin-pulse firing order here, thank you. The howl of the V-4 boiling over at redline is as close to the modern V-Four Victory soundtrack as you’ll get this side of paradise. The RSV4′s last major update was in 2021. Both the RSV4 and RSV4 Factory received a race-developed aerodynamic styling treatment, a larger-displacement 1,099cc engine, a new inverted-style swingarm, an improved Aprilia Performance Ride Control (APRC) electronic rider aid package, and a larger 5-inch TFT dash. The RSV4 is one of those motorcycles you want, even if you don’t want one—if you know what we mean. A legend born of Italian engineering brilliance, the RSV4 has earned its place in the ranks of iconic superbikes. Updates for 2023 The Aprilia RSV4 1100 and RSV4 Factory 1100 are unchanged for 2023. The Aprilia RSV4 Factory in Time Attack livery ($25,999). (Aprilia/)Pricing and Variants There are two variants of the RSV4: the base-model 1100 and the Factory edition. The base RSV4 1100 ($18,999) retains the Sachs suspension, nonadjustable steering damper, and cast alloy wheels of its 999cc RSV4 RR predecessor. The RSV4 Factory ($25,999) is upgraded with semi-active Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 electronically adjustable suspension, forged wheels, Öhlins electronic adjustable steering damper, and a choice of two Factory edition paint schemes. Color options include Silverstone Grey and Sachsenring Black for the base model, while the Factory is available in an almost entirely black Ultra Dark and beautiful Time Attack livery paying homage to Aprilia’s RS-GP MotoGP bike. Aerodynamic winglets are integrated into the RSV4 fairing. (Aprilia/)Competition The Aprilia RSV4 and RSV4 Factory compete with the rest of the superbike class. Its European rivals are the Ducati Panigale V4 ($24,495) and V4 S ($31,595), the BMW S 1000 RR (from $17,895) and M 1000 RR (from $32,995). From Japan: the Yamaha YZF-R1 ($17,999) and YZF-R1M ($26,999), Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R ($17,399), Suzuki GSX-R1000R ($18,199), and Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP ($28,900). The base-model RSV4 in particular is competitively priced with its Japanese rivals, in some instances offering far more modern electronics and higher-spec components—not to mention the 217-hp V-4 engine. In a lot of ways, the base model is the bargain of the superbike field, given its pedigree and spec. Classic V-4 soundtrack, predictable handling, tons of horsepower. What’s not to like? (Aprilia/)Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance The RSV4 has a homologation-busting 1,099cc V-4 engine that Aprilia claims produces 217 hp and 92 lb.-ft. of torque. On the CW dyno, it produced 189 hp and 85 lb.-ft. of torque. Despite those eye-watering numbers, its user-friendliness and overall flexibility are the most appealing traits. An aggressive throttle connection combined with immediate torque allows it to jump off a corner while the ripping mid-to-top-end power seemingly never stops. Despite gearing being noticeably taller than that of its competitors, gear selection is less crucial for a quick lap time—there is just so much power available everywhere in the rpm range. The exhaust note is music to any enthusiast’s ears too. The RSV4 Factory version gets Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 semi-active suspension system. (Jeff Allen/)Chassis/Handling While the RSV4′s measured wet weight of 465 pounds is some 30 pounds heavier than the lightest up-spec competition, the chassis still offers impressive feedback and the suspension provides predictable behavior when pushed. Chassis response is superb, the only downside being sluggish handling in side-to-side transitions. Switching between electronic suspension modes on the Factory changes the character of the ride, as Don Canet notes: “Chassis feedback in suspension A2 demonstrated further improvement, providing greater feel for what was happening at the tire contact patch. This, along with improved exit stability and reduced fore/aft pitch under acceleration and braking, allowed me to remain more relaxed at the controls and elevate my pace. Switching to A1 may overwhelm your senses at first if you’re not accustomed to a taut race setup. Given time, the feedback and road feel you get through the bike’s touch points becomes the sportbike equivalent of reading Braille.” The chassis truly is one of the standout features of the RSV4. Brembo Stylema monoblock calipers are top-notch components, though the Aprilia is slightly tougher to get slowed down compared to its superbike competition. (Jeff Allen/)Brakes Both the base and Factory models use Brembo Stylema calipers with dual 330mm discs up front and a 220mm disc in the rear. A Bosch 9.1 MP ABS setup provides cornering functionality. While the hardware is completely modern, the RSV4′s brakes don’t have as much stopping power as the competition, and it takes a little more force to get the bike slowed down. This is more noticeable at the racetrack. Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG Aprilia claims 34 mpg for the RSV4. Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility Ergonomics are consistent with other track-focused motorcycles. Comfort is a concession when the goal is chasing tenths. If you want utility, look elsewhere—perhaps the RSV4′s naked cousin, the Tuono V4. Compared to other superbikes, the RSV4 has decent room in the seat to move around. You also feel like you sit up on top of the bike, versus “in” it. Both models do have cruise control and mobile phone pairing. And a pit lane limiter, which is utilitarian in its own way. The RSV4 has a 5-inch TFT dash with a well-organized layout. (Jeff Allen/)Electronics The APRC (Aprilia Performance Ride Control) system was updated for 2021, and includes the new AEB (Aprilia Engine Brake) which allows for adjustable engine-brake control that is now independent from the selected engine map. Other components to the APRC include: traction control, wheelie control, three engine maps, launch control, quickshift, pit limiter, and cruise control. The RSV4 features six ride modes (Street, Sport, User, Race, Track 1, and Track 2), ABS with cornering function, large TFT dash, and cornering lights. The small joystick controller found on the previous RSV4 has been replaced with a more user-friendly four-button arrangement on the left switch gear cluster, so navigating the on-screen options is now far easier with a gloved thumb. With the bike stationary, you’re able to select between vehicle modes labeled Road and Race. Road gains access to street-centric features including cruise control and, if the accessory Aprilia MIA multimedia unit is installed, dash-integrated phone, music, and navigation info. Ride-by-wire engine maps labeled Street and Sport are preloaded with APRC settings suited to general street and wet road conditions, along with the ability to adjust the default APRC parameters with a User ride mode. All customizable ride modes allow adjustment of Engine Map (throttle response and delivery), traction control, wheelie control, lean-angle-sensing engine-brake control, cornering ABS, and launch control. The Factory model adds suspension control to the list, with a choice between A1 (active track), A2 (active track/sport), and A3 (active road), as well as manual (non-active damping) M1, M2, and M3. Each of the semi-active and manual presets can be fine-tuned to suit your riding style. With four times the processing power of its predecessor, the latest APRC package lends mortals superheroic powers. Performance is strong, even if the system on some of its rivals feels slightly more refined and consistent over a lap around the racetrack. Warranty and Maintenance Coverage Like all Aprilia models, the RSV4 comes with a two-year unlimited-mileage warranty. Quality Bursting with a claimed 217 hp, the updated V-4-powered weapon brings impressive performance and technology and excellent chassis response. Specifications 2023 Aprilia RSV4 2023 Aprilia RSV4 Factory MSRP: $18,999 $25,999 Engine: DOHC, liquid-cooled 65-degree V-4; 16 valves DOHC, liquid-cooled 65-degree V-4; 16 valves Displacement: 1,099cc 1,099cc Bore x Stroke: 81.0 x 53.3mm 81.0 x 53.3mm Compression Ratio: 13.6:1 13.6:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain 6-speed/chain Cycle World Measured Horsepower: 189.70 hp @ 12,930 rpm 189.70 hp @ 12,930 rpm Cycle World Measured Torque: 84.9 lb.-ft. @ 10,380 rpm 84.9 lb.-ft. @ 10,380 rpm Fuel System: Electronic fuel injection w/ 48mm throttle bodies Electronic fuel injection w/ 48mm throttle bodies Clutch: Wet, multiplate slipper Wet, multiplate slipper Engine Management/Ignition: Ride-by-wire Ride-by-wire Frame: Aluminum dual beam Aluminum dual beam Front Suspension: 43mm Sachs adjustable compression and rebound; 5.0 in. travel 43mm Öhlins NIX fork, Smart EC 2.0 electronic management, fully adjustable; 4.9 in. travel Rear Suspension: Sachs monoshock, fully adjustable; 5.1 in. travel Öhlins TTX monoshock, Smart EC 2.0 electronic management, fully adjustable; 4.5 in. travel Front Brake: 4-piston Brembo Stylema calipers, dual floating 330mm discs w/ Bosch 9.1 MP ABS w/ cornering function 4-piston Brembo Stylema calipers, dual floating 330mm discs w/ Bosch 9.1 MP ABS w/ cornering function Rear Brake: 2-piston Brembo caliper, 220mm disc w/ Bosch 9.1 MP ABS w/ cornering function 2-piston Brembo caliper, 220mm disc w/ Bosch 9.1 MP ABS w/ cornering function Wheels, Front/Rear: Aluminum; 17 x 3.50 in./17 x 6.00 in. Forged aluminum; 17 x 3.50 in./17 x 6.00 in. Tires, Front/Rear: 120/70-17 / 200/55-17 120/70-17 / 200/55-17 Rake/Trail: 24.6°/4.1 in. 24.6°/4.1 in. Wheelbase: 56.5 in. (1,436mm) 56.5 in. (1,436mm) Seat Height: 33.3 in. 33.3 in. Fuel Capacity: 4.7 gal. 4.7 gal. Cycle World Measured Wet Weight: 465 lb. 465 lb. Contact: aprilia.com Source

CAD images of Moto Guzzi’s new V100 Mandello engine show how compact this new liquid-cooled design is. (Moto Guzzi/)Cycle World’s test riders are praising Moto Guzzi’s new “Mandello” for somehow combining agile responsiveness with tour-capable comfort. Its all-new liquid-cooled compact-block engine preserves the classic Guzzi appearance, meets Euro 5, and makes 115 hp at 8,700 rpm. It delivers a broad “haystack” torque curve peaking at 77.5 lb.-ft. at 6,750 and having 82 percent of that maximum available from 3,500. Guzzi tells us Mandello is sporty but comfortable, of bold character, and rich in torque. Curb weight is given as 514 pounds. In our two-wheeled world there are a few classic designs that remain so popular with riders that they cannot be abandoned. Among these are BMW’s flat twins, Harley’s air-cooled V-twins, and Guzzi’s longitudinal-crank 90-degree V-twin. Moto Guzzi has been forced to step into the modern world with a brand-new liquid-cooled engine, primarily to be able to more easily meet strict new emissions rules like Euro 5. (Milagro/)We’ve come to expect these manufacturers to apply cooling and emissions Band-Aids to such designs to enable their sales to continue. Harley and BMW have notably added “strategic cooling” to them in the form of liquid coolant circulated around or near critical hot components such as exhaust valves. Meanwhile there remains the question of when to take action on the supposedly inevitable combustion-to-electric transition. On the one hand, first movers potentially gain an advantage—as has been attributed to Tesla in the auto world. On the other, as we’ve seen with Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire electric, being “early” may just frighten your loyal customer base so badly that your stock nosedives and your top management has to be replaced. Yet another question—regarding which no one dares present any forecast—is this: Will the motorcycle market one day just start buying electrics as they are presented in showrooms, as if the question—combustion or electric—were just a detail? Or will the electrics act on the market as a whole as LiveWire acted on Harley’s stock price? Moto Guzzi obviously is confident enough in the future of IC engines to dive in and build a brand-new platform to carry the company for at least the near term. (Milagro/)I am therefore fascinated to see that Guzzi has taken the step of cleverly and fundamentally upgrading its signature engine architecture with the all-new liquid-cooled V100 Mandello. Given Harley’s experience with LiveWire, could Guzzi responsibly have acted otherwise? By taking this step, Guzzi expresses confidence that sales of this comprehensively modernized engine and the ingenious motorcycle into which it is integrated will not only cover its R&D and tooling cost, but will continue as a market earner into the foreseeable future. This is confidence that motorcycles will remain good business. In the design of this bike Guzzi has addressed long-standing problems as well as providing a fresh technical basis for meeting standards beyond Euro 5. Engines with cylinders disposed to the side potentially clash with rider foot and lower-leg placement. The new engine (itself just over 4 inches shorter than the V85 TT small block) is moved ahead plus tilted forward by 5 degrees. This extends Its swingarm length to a modern 22-3/4 inches, pivoting on the gearbox just as did that of Guzzi’s fabled 500 V-8 roadracer. Nothing projects from the front of the engine—if it were set on its nose, nothing would project beyond the front faces of the cylinders. The 550W permanent magnet alternator is now behind the cylinders. Moto Guzzi’s 500cc V-8 racer. (Moto Guzzi/)Guzzi is very clear that this engine is a 100 percent departure: It “…does not share even one component with previous engines built in Mandello.” Providing more room, not only for the rider but for a modern, high-performance intake system, the cylinders have been rotated 90 degrees, placing the intake system and its 52mm throttle bodies in the cylinder Vee with the exhaust ports facing down. Top view of the V100 engine and its 52mm throttle bodies. (Moto Guzzi/)Looking at a section drawing of the head, we see that this is a DOHC four-valve with the entirely modern valve included angle of 25 degrees and bore and stroke of 96 by 72mm equaling 1,042cc (63.6ci). Pistons are essentially flat-topped. In the classic 1980s era of US Battle of the Twins racing, John Wittner brought an early 4V Guzzi V-twin into being, but four valves make poor partners with air-cooling. Why? The cylinder head metal between the two exhaust-valve seats and ports, being heated from both sides, is so hard to cool with air that such designs must take measures to avoid head cracking. One is to locate two undersized exhaust valves as far apart as possible (providing more metal between to act as a heat conduit) or to make a bimetallic head with all valves seated in a tough bronze or austenitic iron “skull” onto which the rest of the head is cast. Dr. John Wittner and the Moto Guzzi his team fielded in the mid-’80s Battle of the Twins series. (Cycle World Archives/)Why is liquid-cooling necessary now? Not only can liquid-cooling make four valves routinely reliable (as in our world’s millions of 4V auto and truck engines) but by enabling quick, controlled warmup and constant-temperature operation in all conditions, liquid-cooling ensures maximal fuel evaporation all the time. The temperature of air-cooled engines goes up and down with the weather, so when the air is cool or cold, less than 100 percent fuel evaporation takes place. Unevaporated fuel becomes unburned hydrocarbons (UHC) in the exhaust. Also, liquid-cooling puts an end to oil-polymerizing high cylinder wall and piston-ring groove temperatures. Classic air-cooled engines locate their top piston ring farther down the piston, in hope that being farther from the heat will lower ring groove temperature enough to fend off ring sticking. But placing the rings lower increases the ring crevice volume into which the compression stroke pushes unburned fuel-air mixture. That mixture is held there by combustion pressure until the exhaust valve(s) open, and only then can it begin to emerge—still unburned—to become UHC in the exhaust pipe. With liquid-cooling, piston temperature is reduced, so piston rings can be located higher, reducing crevice volume and UHC emissions from it. A look inside Kawasaki’s ZX-10R engine illustrates the use of finger followers, which reduce weight allowing higher revs.While Guzzi was giving this engine DOHC via three hydraulically tensioned chains, it also gave it finger followers in pure racing style. Why? In a racing application, engineers know that a finger follower can save 75 to 85 percent of the weight of a classic cylindrical inverted-bucket tappet. That lighter weight translates to reliable valve train operation at higher revs so as to make more power. Advanced features such as these can have purposes other than success as a World Superbike homologation special. Guzzi adopted finger followers because they can also enable use of fast-lifting but shorter-duration cam profiles that can make power without the usual valve overlap that leads to loss of fresh charge out the exhaust pipe. The lighter the valve train, the easier it is to make reliable at short duration and high lift. Guzzi hints at this in its press release, saying finger followers allow “….more aggressive valve lift” that “makes for ideal combustion by eliminating any fuel waste.” Valve overlap is that period, centered on TDC at the end of the exhaust stroke, during which the intake valve(s) have begun to lift but the exhaust(s) have not yet closed. More overlap can boost power by starting the intake process early, but there is the danger that entering fresh charge may in part flow out the exhaust, thereby becoming UHC. Two characteristics long inherent in Guzzi’s V-twins are 1) rapid engine acceleration causes some roll reaction by the bike, and 2) the old problem of the rear of the bike rising and falling as the throttle is opened and closed. (Some call this “pinion climb.”) Both have been alleviated by design changes. In the new design, a smaller, lighter crankshaft drives a counter-rotating shaft carrying some mass that in turn drives the alternator. The fact that engine acceleration torque is now exerted in these opposite directions causes the roll reaction to decrease as much as 50 percent as compared with the 1,200cc 8V. The V100’s alternator is driven by a counter-rotating shaft that cancels some of the roll reaction that is inherent in a longitudinal-crank V-twin. (Moto Guzzi/)Engine torque reaction was very familiar to Navy carrier pilots in the piston engine era. If the tailhook failed to pick up a wire during an attempted arrested landing, the pilot had to firewall the throttle to make a go-round. Props on American aircraft rotated to the right (as seen by the pilot) so the roll reaction turned the aircraft to the left, away from the island. But British engines turned the opposite way, possibly causing the accelerating aircraft to veer toward the island. Pilots have a lot to think about. At the end of that era, experiments were just beginning with contrarotating props that reduced torque reaction to zero. Rear suspension rise and fall is reduced in Mandello by the increased swingarm length, which puts the lift force at the end of a longer lever. The shorter engine has enabled a longer swingarm, which helps reduce pinion climb. (Milagro/)The Mandello’s intake, exhaust, and combustion processes have been designed by 3D computer fluid dynamics (CFD). This can allow the designer to set goals for the process being studied, and then let the computer simulation cycle hundreds of times, making small design changes each time, to converge on a best solution. As once observed by the late Keith Duckworth (whose flat-chambered 4V “Cosworth DFV” F1 engine is the grandfather of modern practice), maximizing airflow via flow bench studies is only a beginning. The real problem is then to burn the charge in the cylinder rapidly (to minimize heat loss) and completely (to realize full energy from the fuel). Duckworth reached a new level of understanding in 1967 through experience and experimentation, but that knowledge has now been “canned” in the form of computer recursive simulation software. Testifying to Guzzi’s success in achieving rapid combustion is this engine’s high 12.6-to-1 compression ratio in a large 96mm bore. Such a large bore requires excellent combustion if it is to avoid the abnormal form of combustion known as detonation or “knock.” Raising compression ratio increases engine torque at all rpm. Another view of the 52mm throttle bodies nestled into the V100’s Vee. (Moto Guzzi/)As often happens when an old design is reimagined, components find new and more appropriate places for themselves. The flat-fronted engine can be both farther forward than before and provide room for the coolant radiator. The placement of the intake system in the cylinder Vee allows the intake airbox to be placed directly above it. As you might expect, fuel displaced by this airbox has been pushed back under the rider’s seat. Tank capacity is 4.9 gallons. The adoption of liquid-cooling means that the exhaust ports need no longer face the wind. The V100’s flat-fronted engine can be positioned farther forward, while making room for the coolant radiator. (Moto Guzzi/)With the cast aluminum single-sided swingarm pivoting on the gearbox and the engine becoming a structural element, the tubular steel chassis devolves into a simple “bracket” attaching at six points to the engine and carrying the steering head at the front and the rider/passenger to the rear. Steering geometry is not touring-slow at 24.7 degrees rake and 104mm (4.1 inches) trail. This engine’s six-speed gearbox is for the first time able to employ an up/down quickshifter. This is a ride-by-wire engine and clutch diameter (and therefore its rotational inertia) has been reduced by switching to a wet, multiplate clutch. Moto Guzzi angled the drive shaft inward by 6 degrees to create clearance for a wider 190/55-17 rear tire. (Moto Guzzi/)By angling the Mandello’s drive shaft inward at 6 degrees from rear wheel to gearbox, there is both width at the rear for the wide 190/55-17 rear tire (on a 6-inch rim) and rider-accommodating, reduced width in the middle of the bike. There are mechanical torsional dampers in the driveline and a rubber damper on the drive shaft itself. Their job is to convert the strong torque pulses from large cylinders into a smooth delivery of power to the rear wheel. The engine has wet-sump lubrication by the usual trochoid pump, and the only communication between the flat sump and crankcase is via a reed valve. This positively prevents oil slosh in the shallow sump from hitting the spinning crank during vigorous maneuvering. I have not discussed suspension (Öhlins semi-active on Mandello S) or Guzzi’s adoption of a six-axis inertial platform, cornering ABS, the heated grips, or the adaptive aero said to reduce rider wind pressure by 22 percent. Why not? I suspect folks would like a breather after penetrating the engine-centered text above. Mandello is a new beginning for Guzzi in an engine and chassis system that can serve many models and riding disciplines. Mandello is an integrated design, a fresh start in the modern manner. Source

News directly from the horse’s mouth: The brand-new KTM 890 SMT that we tipped you off to recently is now being teased by KTM, confirming an official announcement on April 24. (KTM/)In early February, our spies snapped images of a near-production prototype of KTM’s upcoming 890 SMT, and now the Austrian company has confirmed exactly how near to production it is, stating that the bike will be officially presented on April 24 this year. That means it’s likely set to be a 2023 model, and not one we have to wait until 2024 to get ahold of. The fact that KTM is teasing the bike’s existence on the US-market website confirms that we can expect to get it on this side of the Atlantic as well. Teaser for the new KTM 890 SMT. (KTM/)KTM’s teaser is in the form of a video showing a dummy news story about the SMT appearing on a fan’s phone. It gives glimpses of a styling sketch and a clay model of the new bike, which we’ve enhanced to show here. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, they’re a close match to the machine seen in our spy pictures. Teaser for the new KTM 890 SMT showing the clay model. (KTM/)KTM confirms that the 890 SMT, as its name suggests, is based on the 890 Adventure, using the same 889cc parallel-twin engine that makes a claimed 103 hp in the Adventure, and is likely to be in the same state of tune in the SMT. The exhaust and tail unit, as well as the frame and swingarm, are borrowed directly from the 890 Adventure, which also loans its front side panels and headlight to the new model. The biggest differences between the two are the suspension, wheels, and brakes. The SMT is fitted with 17-inch cast-alloy wheels and the dual front discs with radial-mount calipers are nabbed from the 890 Duke naked bike. Here is the recent spy photo we ran, showing the prototype 890 SMT during testing. (Stefan Baldauf/)The 890 SMT also eliminates the belly-mounted fuel tank of the Adventure. As a result, the exhaust and lower section of the engine are clearly visible. On the prototype seen a few weeks ago, the fuel tank appeared to be a conventional design, like the one used on the 890 Duke, but the design sketch and clay model shown in KTM’s teaser hint at side-mounted tanks that are mounted higher than the Adventure’s. There’s certainly a pronounced bulge below the side-fairing panels that weren’t present on the prototype. Given that the “T” in SMT stands for Touring, any additional range that a larger tank would offer would be useful. Design sketch of the upcoming 890 SMT. (KTM/)There are still six weeks before the April 24 release date, but KTM’s confirmation of the 890 SMT means we can be sure that the spied prototype was not just an idle “what if?” engineering project. A close up of the image on the teaser image’s smartphone screen. (KTM/)Source

Kevin Cameron has been writing about motorcycles for nearly 50 years, first for <em>Cycle magazine</em> and, since 1992, for <em>Cycle World</em>. (Robert Martin/)Threaded fasteners are actually very stiff springs that hold assemblies of parts together by being stretched in the act of tightening. The stretching I’m talking about here is elastic stretch: When the fastener is unscrewed, the stretch put into it by tightening disappears and the part returns to its original dimensions. The amount of stretch can be visualized by considering the classic recommended method for tightening the connecting-rod bolts of a 500cc Triumph Twin. A micrometer was required for this, of a capacity great enough to measure bolt length. Measure bolt lengths before installation and write down the numbers. Add 0.004 of an inch to those lengths and, once the rods, their bearing shells, and big-end caps are installed on the crankpins, tighten the two bolts in stages until they are stretched to those lengths. The various other methods of fastener installation are all trying to accomplish this same goal: to stretch the fastener by a controlled amount. The usual method is to assume that installation torque (so many pound-feet or kilogram-meters of it) will translate reliably into controlled fastener stretch. But will it? Are the parts clean, or is there some corrosion or dirt on the threads? Are the threads dry or lubricated? Because the method described in the service manual is approved by the manufacturer, we assume it comes close enough to being accurate. But the goal of tightening is fastener stretch—which is exactly like spring preload in a motorcycle’s suspension. The amount of stretch (the 0.004 inch in the case of 1960s Triumph rod bolts) is of course proportional to the length of the fastener, because what we are doing in tightening is trying to load the material in the fastener to a desired stress level. Too little tightening and we are wasting the strength of the fastener. Too much and either we may permanently stretch the fastener (causing it to yield in plastic deformation) or risk that a high-strength fastener, so tightened, will crush the softer material of an aluminum or magnesium part it is fastening. One role of the amount of stretch is to hold parts together against the stresses they bear in service. Another is explained by the oil leakage problems Harley-Davidson was having before the original Evo engine was introduced in 1984. Cylinders were previously attached to the crankcase by a bolting flange at the base, retained by a number of short fasteners. Because engine vibration exists, the inertia of cylinders and heads as crankcase shaking yanked them this way and that caused tiny scrubbing motions of cylinders, base gaskets, and crankcases, resulting in some loss of bolt stretch. Because such short bolts could not be safely stretched very far, it wasn’t long before gasket scrubbing from vibration (making the gasket thinner) rendered some base bolts quite loose, and oil leakage—by 1980 no longer considered charming and unavoidable—began. This, it was explained to me by a member of the Evo design team, was why they switched to fastening both the cylinders and heads by means of long studs that passed through both to be nutted up at head level. By greatly increasing the total amount of stretch in longer fasteners, they would remain adequately tight through a greater loss of preload from gasket scrub. And measures against gasket scrub certainly exist, such as doweling parts together so they cannot fret against each other. They warned against picking up bare crankcase halves by using the studs as if they were a frying-pan handle—they can be easily bent, which does them no good. Related: The Long And The Short of Motorcycle Fasteners The shorter the bolt, the greater the percentage of its length stretches when overtightened compared to a longer fastener turned the same amount.The very same happened with the big radial piston engines of World War II, which in the 10 years following the war established the worldwide commercial air travel network. To avoid the considerable problem of getting enough bolt pressure to seal head gaskets on giant bores of 5.750 to 6.125 inches, their heads were permanently screwed-and-shrunk onto forged steel barrels which had upset-forged base flanges. On the 18-cylinder Wright R-3350 engine, each base flange was secured to the forged steel crankcase by 21 short bolts. And yes, they did not stay tight, because they were too short to be given enough installation stretch. Yes, there was vibration and movement—aircraft powerplants must be light enough to fly yet strong enough to arrive. That means that all the metal in those engines was worked hard, resulting in cylinders waving about as the side thrust resulting from combustion and con-rod angle hit them. So the makers took the desperate measure of locking each fastener; on Pratt & Whitney engines this took the form of Pal-Nuts, formed from spring steel and tightened against the cylinder nuts. Because no base gasket could survive, big O-rings more or less sealed the cylinders to the crankcase. Pilots arriving at destination might change into fresh shirts before deplaning, but if so, they were careful never to walk under an engine because of the reliable leakage of black oil that was constant. Some idea of oil consumption may be had from the welded aluminum 100-gallon oil tank mounted behind each of the four engines of a C-124 Globemaster. Take the fastener torque specs in the service book seriously—the manufacturer knows the product. I remember that a supplier of high-grade driveline pieces was having mystery trouble with a customer whose wheel studs kept breaking. When their engineer visited the man he asked him to demonstrate his tightening procedure. Walking to his toolbox he extracted a respected brand of torque wrench and set to work. He carefully brought the nuts up to torque in three stages. This all looked by-the-book. But once all were at the recommended installation torque, he gave each one an extra quarter turn, permanently stretching all the studs and weakening them. The cause of the failures was that extra quarter turn. “What are you doing?!” the engineer remonstrated. “You had them all nicely torqued and then this?” “Uh, well, y’see I don’t want ‘em to come loose.” Again: Please follow manufacturer’s instructions in tightening fasteners! Bear in mind that there is another scheme for fastener stretching called “torque to yield” (TTY). On the assembly line, the device torquing such fasteners tightens them until it senses the beginning of yield (torque peaks, then starts to drop). Such fasteners are not normally reusable. Another temptation is the constant desire to “Do something for your bike.” This sometimes takes the form of buying $32-a-quart special engine oil, or replacing wheel bearings with pumped-up alternatives containing silicon nitride balls instead of penny-a-dozen 52100 steel balls. And one I’ve been guilty of is the fastener upgrade—replacing the hardware-store-quality original fasteners (60,000 psi stuff) with Grade 8 or stronger replacements (higher-spec materials are available all the way to four times that of hardware grade). The temptation when doing this is to torque the stronger fasteners to the higher installation torques of which they are capable. But the manufacturer has already designed the product to be oil-tight and durably assembled using the OE fasteners at their recommended torque. Result of higher torque? Metal under the screw heads is needlessly crushed. And what about such mechanical restraints as safety wire, tab washers, Loctite, and cotter pins? Rather than hold forth about this, I’ll just suggest that for the few still interested there are industry sources of information. Occasionally special conditions arise in which service book torque recommendations haven’t worked. One such was the special 10mm bolts that retained the crank drive gears on Yamaha TZ750 race engines. At the book-recommended torque of 35 lb.-ft., they loosened, began to scrub, and the No. 2 and No. 3 cylinders could then drink the oil out of the gearbox. Cheerful, practical Don Vesco told us all that his remedy was to basically double the installation torque. How could that work? Because in this case, it was the thin, large-diameter bolt heads that were deflecting, taking the place of a long bolt or stud shank in providing stretch. They were dishing. And it worked. Source

The Daytona 200 returns to the MotoAmerica fold for 2023, with 51 riders from 16 countries on six different brands of middleweight machinery competing for the coveted 81st Daytona 200 trophy. (MotoAmerica/Brian J. Nelson/)The long winter break is finally behind us, and it’s time for roadracing to return to racetracks around America. This coming weekend the MotoAmerica season kicks off with the return of the Daytona 200 to the MotoAmerica fold, followed by the traditional MotoAmerica Superbike series kicking off at Road Atlanta on April 21, and then touring around the US to a total of nine venues, concluding with the New Jersey round in September. Daytona 200: March 9 to 11, 2023 This stand-alone event will feature the unique format of the Daytona 200 with middleweight motorcycles from six manufacturers competing for the coveted 81st Daytona 200 title. There are 51 riders representing 16 countries pre-entered for the race with high-profile names like four-time Superbike champ Josh Hayes, former Superbike and Supersport champ Josh Herrin, three-time Daytona 200 winner Danny Eslick, two-time Daytona 200 winner Brandon Paasch, MotoAmerica Superbike contender Cameron Petersen, Canadian Superbike champ Ben Young, and so many more. The Mission King of the Baggers Championship will commence at Daytona. (MotoAmerica/Brian J. Nelson/)In addition to the Daytona 200, the weekend will also kick off three other 2023 MotoAmerica championships including the Mission King of the Baggers Championship, Rev’It Twins Cup Championship, and Roland Sands Super Hooligan National Championship. Two other series will kick off at Daytona, including the Roland Sands Super Hooligan National Championship and the Rev’It Twins Cup series. (MotoAmerica/Brian J. Nelson/)How To Watch: Daytona 200 Friday, March 10, 2023 Daytona Supersport Qualifying 2 Group A, 10:10 a.m. - 10:40 a.m. EST: MotoAmerica Live+ Begins Roland Sands Super Hooligans Race 1, 1:30 p.m. EST: Facebook Live; YouTube Live Rev’It Twins Cup Race 1, 2:10 p.m. EST: YouTube Live Mission King of the Baggers Race 1, 3:10 p.m. EST: YouTube Live; FS1 on Saturday, March 18, 9:30 a.m. Saturday, March 11, 2023 Roland Sands Super Hooligans Race 2, 10:10 a.m. EST: Facebook Live; YouTube Live Rev’It Twins Cup Race 2, 11:00 a.m. EST: YouTube Live Daytona 200 (57 laps), 1:10 p.m. EST: MotoAmerica Live+; MAVTV on Sunday, March 12, 6:30 p.m. EST Mission King of the Baggers Race 2, 4:00 p.m. EST : YouTube Live; FS1 on Saturday, March 18, 9:30 a.m. For the complete Daytona event schedule click here. How To Watch: MotoAmerica Superbike Season The MotoAmerica Superbike season kicks off in April at Road Atlanta. Will Jake Gagne be able to complete the hat trick? (MotoAmerica/Brian J. Nelson/)The 2023 MotoAmerica Championship season can be streamed on <a href="https://www.motoamericaliveplus.com/viewplans?_ga=2.30107839.1823840103.1678118340-259154209.1673629787">MotoAmerica Live+</a>: all classes, all races can be viewed live and are also available for playback.Superbike and KOTB main events will be live on MotoAmerica <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN2Pl_bflnLpy_cdv8lV1gQ">YouTube Live</a> starting with the Road Atlanta round.FS1 will run Superbike and Bagger races on a week delay on MotoAmerica Rewin2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Schedule April 21–23: MotoAmerica Superbikes at Road Atlanta May 19–21: MotoAmerica Superbikes at Barber June 2–4: MotoAmerica Superbikes at Road America June 23–25: MotoAmerica Superbikes at The Ridge July 7–9: MotoAmerica Superbikes Speedfest at Monterey July 28–30: MotoAmerica Superbikes at Brainerd August 18–20: MotoAmerica Superbikes at Pittsburgh September 8–10: MotoAmerica Superbikes at Texas September 22–24: MotoAmerica Superbikes at New Jersey Source

The Street Triple 765 RS has roots going back to Triumph’s Daytona 675. For 2024, Triumph taps into its racing experience to bring an even sportier option to the table. (Triumph/)Your best traits can be seen as flaws in the eyes of the overcritical. Triumph’s Street Triple is known for its smooth, predictable performance. And yet, because it’s a naked bike, many riders expect it to be something more than that too. They want something with a little spice. Customer requests—and competition—in mind, Triumph tasked itself with fine-tuning the Street Triple formula. The result? A refreshed lineup consisting of the base-model R, up-spec RS, and limited-edition Moto2. Consider moving to each higher-tier model like custom tailoring your experience; widely varying part lists mean each bike will outshine the others in at least one realm. The question then becomes, how will the lineup fare against the increasingly sporty middleweight and middleweight-plus naked-bike competition that’s been stealing Triumph’s limelight? Especially a certain 890cc machine that’s been turning that light a shade of orange. Street Triple 765 R (left) and Street Triple 765 RS (right). Notice the RS’s bar-end mirrors, bellypan, and seat cowl. RS model uses higher-spec suspension and brakes, while also benefiting from a higher engine tune. (Triumph/)Triumph is quick to point out that, while it wanted to make the Street Triple more powerful and more agile, it wasn’t willing to sacrifice stability or the polished feel that drew customers to the platform in the first place. The result is a carefully sorted combination of engine updates, new electronics, and geometry changes for the sportier RS/Moto2 models. Nothing more, nothing less. Engine updates are the same for all models and stem from Triumph’s experience as engine supplier for the Moto2 class of the MotoGP World Championship. In fact, most of the Street Triple’s internals are inspired by what you’d find in the outgoing Moto2 engine, just without the costly finish or base material needed for racing application. New pistons, connecting rods, and wrist pins are matched to optimized combustion chambers for increased cylinder pressure limit, while new valves and camshafts increase valve lift for improved intake, combustion, and exhaust efficiency. The compression ratio has been raised from 12.7:1 to 13.3:1. Modest updates for the Street Triple 765 R, which benefits from the same engine and styling tweaks as the RS, but makes only 2 more horsepower and 2 more pound-feet of torque than before. More advantageous are the new electronics, including cornering ABS, cornering traction control, and bidirectional quickshifter. (Triumph/)Increased power means more stress on the engine, so Triumph strengthened key parts, including the aforementioned con-rods and pins, as well as the primary drive gear on the crankshaft, which is wider than before. A new exhaust system is tuned to extract gases more efficiently, something Triumph says it learned from the Moto2 engine program. ECU tuning is different between R and RS models, the R producing a claimed 118 hp at 11,500 rpm and the RS a claimed 128 hp at 12,000 rpm, a 2 and 7 hp bump over previous models, respectively. Torque is up over previous-generation Street Triples but the same on both models, Triumph claiming 59 lb.-ft. at 9,500 rpm. If that doesn’t sound like enough, consider that Triumph has revised the final gearing and used shorter gear ratios for gears two through six for improved acceleration. “This is the most responsive Street Triple ever,” Triumph says. Street Triple 765 connecting rods, pistons, wrist pins, and other internal components are inspired by the Moto2 engine, with differences in finish or material. Notice the move to machined pistons (top three) versus a cast finish on the older piston (bottom). (Triumph/)Updated electronics are intended to put power to the ground in a smooth manner, or bring it to a controlled stop when needed. Big news here is the addition of a six-axis IMU, for cornering traction control and cornering ABS. There’s wheelie control, as before, but the added data provided by the IMU means Triumph can manage wheelies with more precision. A bidirectional quickshifter is standard on both models—a first for the road-focused R. Chassis changes are limited to a 10mm shim at the RS/Moto2 models’ shock mount, which increases rear ride height and sharpens the geometry for increased agility. Rake on the RS model goes from 23.9 degrees to 23.2 degrees, and trail from 3.9 to 3.81 inches. Any discrepancies in the R’s geometry come down to suspension tuning, as that bike is otherwise unchanged. For even more leverage and quicker handling, R and RS get a 12mm wider handlebar. The Street Triple 765 lineup uses displays already seen on other Triumph models, and while the RS’ display is a step up in terms of hardware, the styling makes it nearly impossible to read at a glance. (Triumph/)Differences between R and RS models grow from there. As a more affordable and street-focused entry into the lineup, the R uses a Showa 41mm USD Separate Function Big Piston fork, Showa shock, and Brembo M4.32 front brake calipers—the same as before. The RS takes things a step further with a Showa 41mm USD Big Piston Fork, Öhlins STX 40 shock, and new Brembo Stylema calipers. The RS model’s brake package is completed by a Brembo MCS span and ratio adjustable brake lever. Stepping up to the RS gets you a few more niceties, including a 5-inch TFT display versus multifunction instrument with smaller TFT screen; five ride modes versus four; and Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V3 tires versus Continental ContiRoad. While both bikes get styling updates for a sharper, more aggressive look, the RS further separates itself with a bellypan, seat cowl, bar-end mirrors, and stitched seat cover. Both models use a 0.64-gallon-smaller 3.96-gallon fuel tank, your first hint that Triumph was willing to make at least some sacrifices in the transition to a sportier Street Triple. Styling updates give the Street Triple 765 a sharper appearance. Unfortunately, that aggressive appearance comes at the expense of a larger fuel tank. The new tank is just 3.96 gallons. (Triumph/)That is not to say this is a dramatically different motorcycle than before, and in many ways the R is the same bike we’ve come to love, with just an added layer of technology baked in. Leaving for our first ride in cold, damp conditions, things like cornering ABS make sense. With just 2 more peak horsepower and 2 more pound-feet of torque, it’s hard to say that the R is recognizably stronger, but the shorter gearing and added midrange gives the bike an edge when straight roads start to wrap themselves around nearby hills. The engine is flexible and forgiving, with plenty of torque down low and well-calibrated throttle maps that are a nice balance between sporty and smooth. You don’t have to pay extra attention as you’re rolling the throttle on or leaning the Street Triple into a corner—these things happen seamlessly. A light clutch pull and little to no vibration through the bulk of the revs means you could ride this bike for hours without your body or brain feeling overworked. This is a genuinely enjoyable bike to ride on the street. The Street Triple 765 R is plenty of motorcycle for a casual riding, around town or in the canyons. (Triumph/)The R’s Separate Function fork, Showa shock, and standard front brake make sense the majority of the time, and it’s not until you’re threatening speed limits that you begin missing the higher-spec hardware on the RS. There is, however, less grip from the Continental ContiRoad tires, which when combined with the street-focused suspension, cause the bike to feel less controlled as the pace picks up or road conditions deteriorate. Consider the R the dependable, easygoing friend you can carpool to work with all week, and the RS like the slightly more edgy buddy who you’d let loose with on the weekend. Not much for partying? The R really is all you’d need. In either trim, the Street Triple feels compact and very much like a middleweight. You’ll appreciate the bike’s narrow midsection and easy reach to the wide handlebar, though anyone over 6 feet tall might struggle with the relatively short footpeg-to-seat gap (6-foot-3 author raises hand). After a full day in the saddle, our knees were asking for a little more legroom and our necks for some added wind protection. Yes, we realize this is a naked bike… Even still, the accessory fly screen might be a worthwhile addition, as the Street Triple’s nose-down stance and skinny headlight does little to divert air around the rider. At least there’s a diffuser mounted beneath the headlight, which keeps the air from feeling excessively turbulent. The Street Triple 765’s sportbike roots are obvious in the relatively high, rearward positioned footpegs. The gap between seat and pegs can feel tight for anyone over 6 feet tall. (Triumph/)While fast backroads offer a glimpse into the performance of the new engine and increased agility of the RS, there’s no better test than pitching the bike into a fast fourth-gear corner at a racetrack. Conveniently, the world-famous Circuito de Jerez was a stone’s throw from our hotel and the weather forecast was turning a corner. Triumph pulled the bar-end mirrors off the RS, threw tire warmers on, and let us out as soon as things warmed up. The RS’ seat height might be just 10mm higher than the R’s, but you’ll notice the difference as soon as you throw a leg over the bike, the more aggressive stance pushing you up over the front of the bike. Rushing into the few tight corners sprinkled around Jerez highlights the handling benefits; this is an incredibly easy motorcycle to pull down toward the apex, and it shines in tight stop-and-go corners. The Street Triple’s design continues to be centered around a nose-down stance. On a rear stand and stripped of mirrors, the RS looks undoubtedly sporty. (Triumph/)Triumph had a range of suspension settings to try as the day progressed, the more conservative settings we started with allowing the fork to dive too much under braking, and the rear to squat on corner exit. Increasing compression and rebound damping on both ends provided the necessary support, and by the end of the day the Street Triple RS was driving off corners with the type of mechanical grip that makes quick lap times a breeze. Crack the throttle on this bike and it’s in a hurry to move forward. There are still subtle reminders that this is not a pure sportbike, and even with the suspension using full track settings, there was a sense of numbness when rolling through Jerez’s fast turns 5, 11, and 12, as well as small oscillations in the fork when loading the front. Having a big, wide handlebar enables you to put more inputs into the bike, whether you intend to or not, and you’ll have to remind yourself that this is a naked bike. Credit the balanced, race-derived chassis and stout engine for occasionally wanting to make it something more than that. The RS’ Brembo Stylema calipers are new for 2024 and provide an incredible mix of power and feel, especially when paired to the MCS brake lever. M4.32 calipers on the R are still nothing to scoff at, and feel right at home on the street. (Triumph/)Whatever time you might give up to a fully faired racing-focused sportbike in faster sections you can easily claw back on the brakes, the Street Triple RS feeling rock solid as you start shedding speed. This continued to be the case even as brake markers were pushed deeper, the combination of stable chassis and Brembo brakes offering such a high level of control that you almost never feel like you’ll find the limits at corner entry. That MCS front brake lever isn’t without its benefits either; there’s great feel as you grab the lever and exceptional stopping power through the pull. On the street it felt almost unnecessary and overly sporty, and yet on the track it’s clearly the way to go. Updated electronics play a role in how hard the Street Triple can be pushed, the cornering function for traction control and ABS providing a bump in overall precision. Triumph says the main goal for the latest systems, especially traction and wheelie control, is to help the bike continue driving forward. This works as promised in the more aggressive Track setting, the Street Triple’s TC light flashing at nearly every corner exit, without the system making any abrupt cuts. One of the Street Triple’s greatest strengths is its ability to go right to the apex of a tight corner. With its new geometry, the RS is more agile than before, but still plenty stable. (Triumph/)One downside to the system is that there’s just four traction control levels, and that wheelie control is linked to traction control. This means you’re unable to turn wheelie control off and leave traction control on, or individually adjust each. This may not be a racebike, but it is very high performance and we’d like to contest this decision, Triumph. There are a few other oddities, the biggest being the design used on the RS’ TFT display. While there are four layout options, there’s limited color contrasting for either and the small characters make it hard to read at a glance. Stylish? Maybe, but the revs are so hard to read that you’ll almost never know when you’re about to slam into the rev limiter. And with the RS making peak power so close to redline (historically a very Italian trait), you will hit the limiter. Showa Big Piston fork on the RS (left) offers an extra level of control and feel when compared to the Separate Function Big Piston fork on the R. This is also true of the RS’ Öhlins STX 40 shock. The RS manages this without feeling overly harsh on the street. (Triumph/)The 765cc triple is an absolute gem in every other regard. The same super-flat torque curve that pays dividends on the street makes the bike easy to hustle around a racetrack, enabling you to run a gear higher than you’d expect in most sections to not stress rider or bike. This is an incredibly flexible engine, and the extra top-end power of the RS makes sense if you plan on hitting the track. Other strong points include the precise, well-calibrated throttle maps and bidirectional quickshifter, which has a positive engagement and works exceptionally well so long as you let the revs fall a bit before grabbing the first downshift. The system works especially well on the street, where you’re not working the top part of the rev range. Ride modes for the RS, with default settings. Rain, Road, Sport, and Track settings can be changed within a small window, while Rider can be fully adjusted. Note: R model does not have a Track mode. One frustration is having to come to a stop to move into Track or Rider mode, when TC is turned off. (Triumph/)Rolling off the track after a full day aboard the RS, you can’t help but feel like Triumph accomplished what it wanted with the new platform. There are obvious benefits in terms of power and electronics, and while the RS has taken a step in agility, the bike doesn’t feel any less stable than before. Small movements through the bar die out as quickly as they come, and even at a fast pace, the chassis never comes unwound. Some might argue that Triumph could have gone a step further, as the Street Triple still lacks that true hooligan personality. Bikes like the 890 Duke R (that admittedly push the “middleweight” definition quite far) will feel more exciting in certain situations, but in the Street Triple you have a bike that walks a straighter line between practicality and performance, burliness and balance. That is and will continue to be its best trait. Triumph offers 50-plus accessories for the Street Triple 765. Given the increased seat height of the RS, the company is especially keen to highlight the low seat option, which lowers the seat height by 28mm. Removing the shim on the RS lowers the seat another 10mm. (Triumph/)Specifications 2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 R 2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 RS MSRP: $9,995–$10,245 $12,595–$12,845 Engine: DOHC, liquid-cooled, inline 3-cylinder; 4 valves/cyl. DOHC, liquid-cooled, inline 3-cylinder; 4 valves/cyl. Displacement: 765cc 765cc Bore x Stroke: 78.0 x 53.4mm 78.0 x 53.4mm Compression Ratio: 13.3:1 13.3:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain, up/down quickshifter 6-speed/chain, up/down quickshifter Claimed horsepower: 118.4 hp @ 11,500 rpm 128.2 hp @ 12,000 rpm Claimed torque: 59 lb.-ft. @ 9,500 rpm 59 lb.-ft. @ 9,500 rpm Fuel System: Fuel injection; electronic throttle control Fuel injection; electronic throttle control Clutch: Wet, multiplate slip-and-assist Wet, multiplate slip-and-assist Frame: Aluminum twin spar Aluminum twin spar Front Suspension: 41mm Showa SFF-BP fork, fully adjustable; 4.5 in. travel 41mm Showa inverted BPF fork, fully adjustable; 4.5 in. travel Rear Suspension: Showa piggyback monoshock, fully adjustable; 5.3 in. travel Öhlins STX 40 monoshock, fully adjustable; 5.2 in. travel Front Brake: Brembo M4.32 4-piston radial calipers, dual 310mm discs w/ switchable ABS Brembo Stylema 4-piston radial calipers, dual floating 310mm discs w/ switchable ABS Rear Brake: Brembo 1-piston caliper, 210mm disc w/ switchable ABS Brembo 1-piston caliper, 210mm disc w/ switchable ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: Alloy; 17 x 3.5 in. / 17 x 5.5 in. Alloy; 17 x 3.5 in. / 17 x 5.5 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Continental ContiRoad; 120/70ZR-17 / 180/55ZR-17 Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V3; 120/70ZR-17 / 180/55ZR-17 Rake/Trail: 23.7°/3.9 in. 23.2°/3.8 in. Wheelbase: 55.2 in. 55.1 in. Seat Height: 32.5 in. 32.9 in. Fuel Capacity: 4.0 gal. 4.0 gal. Claimed Wet Weight: 417 lb. 414 lb. Contact: triumphmotorcycles.com Gearbox Helmet: Arai Corsair-X Jacket: Rev’It Parabolica Pant: Rev’It Jackson 2 SK Race suit: Rev’It Apex Gloves: Rev’It Apex Riding shoes: Rev’It Astro Ghost Boots: Alpinestars Supertech R Source