Spy photos have emerged of what appears to be a new liquid-cooled Ducati model As you can tell from the utilitarian-looking exhaust, it’s still a prototype, but the production version could be ready for this fall’s EICMA show. It’s not clear at this point whether this new model will be a new Hypermotard or possibly a new mid-sized Multistrada.

At first glance, the front “beak” fender and hand guards evokes the existing Ducati Hypermotards, but existing Hypermotard 796 and 1100EVO are both air-cooled and this model is liquid-cooled.

The Multistrada 1200 is liquid-cooled and also sports a side-mounted exhaust while the Hypermotards use twin underseat exhausts.The Multistrada has been far more successful than the Ducati’s Hypermotard line, and it seems odd to add a new liquid-cooled model to the air-cooled Hyper line. A new, smaller Multistrada slotted under the Ducati Multistrada 1200 makes more sense than another Hypermotard. Continue Reading »

India’s 13-million-unit-per-year motorcycle market is comprised of mostly small-displacement models, so it sounds odd at first when manufacturers such as Harley-Davidson and Triumph enter the market with their larger-displacment models. The question quickly arises as to whether they will stick with their existing big-bore models or introduce an all-new, small-capacity model for the Indian market.

Manufacturers like the Big Four from Japan already produce smaller models for other markets so it’s a relatively easy task for them to introduce new models such as Honda‘s recently launched 109cc Dream Yuga. Harley-Davidson and Triumph may be better served going after the 350-500cc segment and face off against competitors such as Royal Enfield.

Triumph is rumored to be developing a small, single-cylinder model for its impending Indian launch but don’t expect something similar from The Motor Company. Continue Reading »

Louisiana state lawmakers have approved a bill that would change the maximum height of motorcycle handlebars.

Current state law restricts handlebar height to no more than 15 inches above the seat, a somewhat arbitrary level, but a common choice with 17 other states. The House has voted 87-0 in favor of Senate Bill 582 to change the maximum height to the rider’s shoulder level, as measured while sitting on the seat. SB 582 was introduced by Democrat senators Rick Gallot and Gary Smith.

The shoulder-level limit is used by 12 other states, with Louisiana joining their ranks upon the approval of Governor Bobby Jindal. The new law makes the limit relative to the rider’s body whereas the existing limit affected all riders regardless of body size. Continue Reading »

Two-time MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner has announced he will retire following the end of the 2012 season.

Rumors of Stoner’s impending retirement plans have been floating around for weeks with the 26-year-old Repsol Honda racer saying he will continue racing until he no longer enjoyed it. That seems to be the case now as the 2007 and 2011 MotoGP Champion announced he will retire at a press conference ahead of this weekend’s French Grand Prix at Le Mans.

“After a long time thinking, a lot of time talking with my family and my wife, this has been coming for a couple of years now but at the end of this 2012 season I will be not racing in the 2013 Championship,”  Stoner said at the press conference. “I will be finishing my career at the end of this season in MotoGP, and go forward in different things in my life.” Continue Reading »

KTM revealed its 2013 motocross model lineup featuring a new 250 four-stroke engine and updates to the 350 powerplant.

The 2013 KTM 250 SX-F gets a new powerplant said to be lighter than the previous engine thanks to a new high-strength aluminum alloy. The new engine has a 78mm bore and a 52.3 mm stroke, compared to the previous model’s 76mm bore and 54.8mm stroke. Continue Reading »

Triumph announced a number of new paint schemes for several of its models. While the new options are for the most part merely cosmetic, the lone exception is the new sulfur yellow 2012 Triumph Daytona 675.

We’re not quite sure it’s good marketing for a color scheme that reminds you of the smell of rotten eggs, but the sulfur yellow Daytona 675 also sports a number of upgrades. In addition to the new paint and matching pin-striped wheels, the sulfur yellow D675 gets new carbon fiber exhaust heat shield, cockpit infills and front fender like those on the Daytona 675R. The sulfur yellow model gets a quickshifter and billet levers.

The best news is the price, at least in the U.K. While the base 2012 Triumph Daytona 675 is priced at 8,599 British pounds (US$13,750), the sulfur yellow version with these upgrades is priced at 8,875 British pounds (US$14,200). A slight increase, but still less than buying those components separately. U.S. pricing is yet to be confirmed, but the MSRP is expected to remain close, if not level, at $10,999. Continue Reading »

Remember the Honda U3-X? Unveiled in 2009, the U3-X was Honda‘s personal mobility device concept, essentially a self-balancing electronic unicycle that can move in any direction by simply leaning. Honda has created an updated version it calls the UNI-CUB.

The UNI-CUB uses the same “Honda Omni Traction Drive System” (or “HOT Drive System”) introduced on the U3-X, using a large ring as its main wheel with several much smaller wheels along its rim. The UNI-CUB adds a second, smaller wheel, mounted perpendicular to the main wheel. This second wheel adds stability while also aiding with turning, either around corners or even on the spot.

Honda also added a new saddle which looks much more comfortable than the fold-away seat found on the U3-X. The saddle is height-adjustable from 29.3 inches to 32.5 inches, placing the rider’s eyes at the same level as other pedestrians while making it easy for the rider’s legs to comfortably reach the ground when needed. Continue Reading »

America is starting to become a hotbed for wild card Claiming Rule Team entries in MotoGP. First there was Attack Performance getting awarded a wild card for the U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca and the Indianapolis Grand Prix at The Brickyard. Indianapolis Motor Speedway will see another U.S.-based wild card, this time it’s Indiana-based GP Tech preparing its own CRT machine.

GP Tech has drawn wild cards at the Indianapolis Grand Prix before, in the Moto2 class. In 2010, GP Tech prepared an FTR chassis for Jason DiSalvo and in 2011, GP Tech prepared another FTR race machine for Jake Gagne. DiSalvo finished ninth in the 2010 race while Gagne (pictured above) was 31st in 2011.

This time, GP Tech is taking advantage of the new CRT classification to compete in the premier MotoGP class. While Attack Performance is mounting a Kawasaki ZX-10R engine in a custom-built frame, GP Tech is teaming up with the Vesrah Suzuki/MCJ Motorsports team to build a race bike powered by a Suzuki GSX-R1000 engine with a billet aluminum frame by BCL Motorsports. Continue Reading »

Yamaha reported a 5.3% decrease in worldwide motorcycle sales over the first quarter of 2012 despite a 25% increase in North American sales.

In the quarter ended March 31, 2012, Yamaha sold 1.599 million motorcycles worldwide, down from 1.689 million motorcycles sold over the same quarter in 2011. Most of the decline was due to Yamaha’s performance in the Asian market. Though net sales increased in Thailand, Vietnam and India, sales declined in Indonesia as Yamaha is starting the transition of introducing fuel-injected models. Yamaha also saw a decline in sales in Brazil, another large motorcycle market.

Sales in the U.S. on the other hand are up to 20,000 units from 16,000 units. Sales in Europe saw a small increase to 45,000 units from 44,000 units, as Yamaha introduced the updated 2012 TMax and the new Xenter scooters. Continue Reading »

BMW earned its first-ever World Superbike race win at the U.K.’s Donington Park, but missed out on sweeping the round after teammates Leon Haslam and Marco Melandri crashed on the final corner while battling for the lead in the second race.

Melandri earned BMW its landmark first win in Race One leading Haslam in a one-two finish. They could have repeated that finish in Race Two but Haslam low-sided after making contact with Honda‘s Jonathon Rea trying to pass on the inside. That sent Haslam skidding into Melandri, ruining the chance for another double-podium.

The Race Two incident could have overshadowed the milestone victory in Race One, but BMW must be relieved its flagship S1000RR superbike finally earned a race win in its fourth year of competition. Continue Reading »