For a company with such a rich history in motorcycle racing including nine World Championships in the 250cc Grand Prix category, it comes as a bit of a surprise Aprilia does not already have a 250cc sportbike in production. From 1994 to 2007, Aprilia won nine 250cc Grand Prix championships with an impressive roster of riders which includes Valentino Rossi, Max Biaggi, Jorge Lorenzo, Loris Capirossi and Marco Melandri winning titles.

Despite making a name for itself racing in the 250cc class, Aprilia does not have a 250cc production sportbike to compete against the likes of the Kawasaki Ninja 250 (and its replacement, the Ninja 300) or the Honda CBR250R. Other manufacturers are getting into this segment, or reportedly have plans to as in the case of Triumph and Yamaha. Aprilia may soon join those ranks, with Indian website MotorBeam reporting Piaggio is developing a 250cc sportbike. Continue Reading »

Yamaha has been rumored to be working on a 250cc sportbike for quite some time now. In fact, the other three members of the Japanese Big Four have launched new models in the small-displacement segment in recent years, but none of these new generation small-displacement bikes bear Yamaha‘s crossed tuning fork logo.

That may change by 2014 however. After previously stating the company plans to focus on producing scooters for India, Hiroyuki Suzuki, managing director and chief executive officer of India Yamaha tells the Financial Chronicle a sporty 250cc model is on the way.

“We will focus on the scooters category for next two years, but in 2014 we will launch powerful sporty 250cc bike in the Indian market,” Suzuki tells the Financial Chronicle. “There is a good market for this premium segment which we would like to tap.”

Yamaha actually started India’s premium sportbike segment in 2008 with the 150cc YZF-R15 (pictured above). Yamaha updated the India-manufactured R15 for 2012 and expanded sales to Australia and New Zealand and, more recently, to Japan.

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KTM revealed its new 250cc four-stroke engine that will be used in the Moto3 World Championship which is set to replace the 125cc class in 2012.

The single cylinder engine is all new and not a repurposed motor from KTM‘s 250cc offroad engine portfolio and is said to weigh just 55 pounds.

Official specs were not released, but Moto3 regulations dictate a maximum bore of 81mm, a rev limit of 14,000rpm. Pneumatic or hydraulic valve systems are not allowed and the valve timing system must be chain driven. Continue Reading »

KTM announced it will return to Grand Prix road racing in 2012 with a new racebike for the new 250cc four-stroke Moto3 class.

The Austrian manufacturer discontinued its Grand Prix road racing program in 2009, withdrawing from the 125cc class (pictured above is current Moto2 racer Marc Marquez racing for the KTM factory team in the 2009 125cc class). With the Moto3 class set to replace the 125cc class in 2012, KTM will return with a new racebike. KTM also announced an exclusive partnership to supply Moto3 engines to Kalex Engineering, which produces Moto2 racebikes.  Current Moto2 points leader Stefan Bradl rides a Kalex.

“We approach our entry into the Moto3 class with confidence,” says Pit Beirer, head of KTM Motorsports. “Our own plans are right on schedule for a racing bike completely developed in Mattighofen (Austria), while at the same time we have also found the best possible partner, who will present our engine at a very high and professional level. Kalex Engineering is well positioned for this in every way and just like KTM is highly motivated to develop a bike capable of winning in the new Moto3 category.”

Related Reading
KTM Quitting 125cc Grand Prix

Press release after the jump.

[Photo by Kim F.]

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During the MotoGP 250cc qualifying round in Mugello, Honda rider, Raffaele de Rosa pulls off an incredible save from disaster.  Do yourself a favor and watch the video clip after the jump.

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