Kawasaki announced today the launch of the new Z250 for the Indonesian market. According to Team Green, the new streetfighter is part of a naked sportbike category stemming from the original Z1 to today’s Z800 and Z1000. Besides a lot of hyperbole, information is in short order but what we know is that the new Z250 will be powered by the same 249cc,  liquid-cooled, DOHC, 8-valve, parallel-twin found in the Ninja 250. It also shares its frame, instrumentation, fork and rear suspension with its faired counterpart.

The possibility of a similar model coming stateside utilizing the new 296cc engine found in the Ninja 300 is questionable, maybe depending on the sales success of the Ninja 300. Our initial opinion regarding the Ninja 300 is more than positive; by upping displacement 50cc Kawasaki has created one of best all-around small-displacement bikes and we’d like to see a naked version using this engine format. Continue Reading »

Bulgarian firm Vilner Studio is best known for creating one-of-a-kind designs for car interiors but the tuner has also dabbled in motorcycle design. In its latest two-wheeled project, Vilner gives the 2010 Aprilia Tuono 1000 a makeover, producing what it calls the Aprilia Stingray.

The Tuono has always had a slightly insect-like quality to its design, particularly with its headlight and cowl fairing which resembles a wasp’s head. Vilner had a different kind of creature in mind, and its creation somewhat resembles a stingray with its wing flaps folding down around the Tuono’s sides.

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MV Agusta has made it no secret it is producing an 800cc motard-styled model using a larger version of 675cc three-cylinder engine from the F3 and the Brutale 675. MV Agusta had been openly talking about the new model, expected to be called the Rivale, releasing a sketch of it earlier this week. Less discussed, but probably expected, was the same larger Triple engine would appear in another version of the Brutale.

The 2013 MV Agusta Brutale 800 slots into the manufacturer’s lineup between the Brutale 675 and the newly announced four-cylinder Brutale 1090 models and stepping into the gap left by the discontinued 921. The new Brutale, and the upcoming Rivale as well, is powered by a 798cc three-cylinder engine with a counter-rotating crankshaft.

The extra capacity comes from increasing the Triple engine’s stroke to 54.3 mm from the 675cc engine’s 45.9mm throw.  MV Agusta claims an output of 123.3 hp at 11,600 rpm and 59.7 ft-lb. at 8600 rpm from the Brutale 800′s powerplant, though the Rivale will likely be tuned a little differently. MV Agusta claims a top speed of 153.1 mph for the Brutale 800 compared to the Brutale 675′s claimed 139.8 mph top speed. Continue Reading »

What you see here is the first official sketch released by MV Agusta of the new Rivale, which is expected to be unveiled during EICMA 2012 and available to the public around Fall 2013.  Continue Reading »

MV Agusta teased its four-cylinder Brutales last week with a video, and today, the Italian manufacturer released official details on its three-model 2013 Brutale 1090 line. Despite the 1090cc labels shown in the teaser, it appears the new Brutales will keep the 2012 models’ 1078cc engine displacement.

The base-model MV Agusta Brutale 1090 will be joined by a slightly pricier 1090R version and an even higher level 1090RR (pictured above). All three models feature an eight-level traction control system, tubular steel trellis frame with aluminum plates, single-sided swingarms, ten-spoke wheels, 50mm inverted forks and radial-mount Brembo calipers.

Though all three models are equipped with 1078cc four-cylinder engines with double overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder in a radial arrangement. MV Agusta will offer two different versions of the engine however, with the 1090 and 1090R getting an engine claiming 142hp and 82.6 ft-lb. The 1090RR meanwhile, sacrifices some torque for more horsepower, with MV Agusta claiming 156hp and 73.8 ft-lb. All three models use cassette-style six-speed transmissions, while the RR version equipped with a slipper clutch. Continue Reading »

As expected, Kawasaki unveiled a new mid-sized model to its Z lineup at the  2012 Intermot show in Cologne, Germany. The new 2013 Z800 slots into Kawasaki’s European lineup replacing the Z750 below the Z1000. The Z800 also arrives as Kawasaki celebrates the 40th anniversary of the original Z1.

The Kawasaki Z800 is powered by a 806cc liquid-cooled Inline-Four engine. Kawasaki claims a maximum power output of 111 hp at 10,200 rpm and 61 ft-lb. at 8000 rpm. The engine is framed by a tubular backbone chassis and subframe.

Suspension is provided by a 41mm KYB upside-down fork with adjustable rebound damping and preload. The rear suspension system uses a KYB shock with a piggyback reservoir also offering rebound damping and preload adjustability. Continue Reading »

Ducati will introduce three new models built around an 820cc platform at the 2012 EICMA show, reports French site Moto-Station.

Moto-Station reports the three new models will be a Multistrada 820, a Hypermotard 820 and an as-yet unnamed roadster. Over the last couple of months, spy photos of a new mid-sized Ducati model has been making the rounds, with many people claiming it will be a new liquid-cooled Hypermotard while others, like our own Kevin Duke, believe the new model would be a Multistrada.

If the new report is true then they may both be right. Previous reports believed the new mystery model(s) would use Ducati’s 848 engine but Moto-Station claims it will be an all-new 820cc 90-degree V-Twin powerplant producing 113 hp (115 hp in metric) and 66 ft-lb. Continue Reading »

Brammo announced it will launch the production version of its much-anticipated Empulse electric motorcycle in May, nearly two years after the prototype was first unveiled.

The production version of the 2012 Brammo Empulse will be unveiled May 8 in Los Angeles, with a live webcast for all pre-order customers.

When it was first announced, the naked streetfighter-styled Empulse was described as a “game changer”, promising 100 mph performance and up to a 100-mile range. Continue Reading »

The partnership between Ducati and Mercedes-AMG has produced some new fruit, this time a Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG inspired by the Ducati Streetfighter 848′s “Fighter Yellow” color.

It’s been over a year since Ducati and Mercedes-Benz’ performance brand AMG signed a cooperation agreement at the 2010 LA Auto Show. Back in September, the two brands came together to produce the special edition Ducati Diavel AMG at the Frankfurt Auto Show.

The Streetfighter Yellow SLK 55 AMG is a one-off color variant which will be displayed alongside the Streetfighter 848 at the 2011 Bologna Motor Show to symbolize the continued relationship between the two brands.

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Ducati revealed its new Streetfighter 848, adding a smaller-displacement version of the original 1099cc Streetfighter first introduced in 2009.

The 2012 Ducati Streetfighter 848 uses an 849cc version of the 11-degree Testastretta engine first introduced with the Multistrada, which should mean a similar 15,000 mile valve inspection intervals.

The design is similar to the larger Streetfighter including the dual exhausts on the right side. The suspension appears to be comprised of Marzocchi components instead of the Streetfighter’s Showa and Streetfighter S’s Ohlins components. Brakes are Brembos as well but they are not monobloc calipers.

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