15/11/2012 | By:

You’d be forgiven if you thought the motorcycle pictured here was a Husqvarna on steroids. No, despite the red and white colors and Husky’s recent reputation for showcasing surprising concept models at EICMA (such as the Mille 3 in 2010 and the Baja at this year’s show), the bike shown here is an all new model called the Brutus from a company called Over.

Designed by Alessandro Tartarini, formerly Lambretta designer and son of the founder of Italian motorcycle company Italjet, the Brutus is a pre-production concept that has been described as being a two-wheeled SUV. Over presented the Brutus at the 2012 EICMA Show, announcing plans for production in 2013.

With its thick Maxxis Bighorn tires, the Brutus is designed to tackle rough terrain including thick sand. And when the temperature drops, Over says the Brutus can be used in the snow. Yes, snow. In fact, the Brutus will be available with a snowmobile conversion kit including skis for the front end and track for the rear. Other accessories include a generator, winch set, tow bar and, if the Brutus doesn’t look oddball enough, a sidecar. Continue Reading »

02/10/2012 | By:

Zero Motorcycles made a big splash at the 2012 Intermot show in Cologne, Germany, announcing a host of impressive updates. We’ll have a more in-depth look for you tomorrow, for now, here are the highlights:

  • A higher-voltage Z-Force power pack;
  • An average power increase of 99% across the entire lineup;
  • A claimed range of 137 city miles for the Zero S;
  • A quick charge to 95% of battery capacity in under an hour using CHADeMO charge stations;
  • iPhone and Android phone integration via Bluetooth;
  • All new frames;
  • New bodywork on the Zero S and Zero DS;
  • The Zero MX gets upsized, while the Zero X gets replaced by:
  • The new Zero FX claiming 44 hp, 70 ft-lb. of torque and a weight of just 275 pounds;

Continue Reading »

19/04/2012 | By:

American Honda and Honda Canada haven’t yet officially announced they will import the new Honda CRF250L, but the parent company has outed the dual-sport’s availability in North America.

Honda has launched a new micro-site dedicated to the CRF250L describing its features including its CBR250R-derived engine. The section discussing the CRF250L’s muffler explicitly confirms an American and Canadian model, saying: “the model for the United States and Canada complies through additional settings for a spark arrestor.” Continue Reading »