Yamaha announced it is developing a new three-cylinder engine using a crossplane crankshaft inherited from the company’s YZR-M1 MotoGP bike and its YZF-R1 sportbike. Yamaha says the new Triple will play an important role in the company’s future.

The Japanese manufacturer unveiled a concept sculpture with the new three-cylinder engine at the 2012 Intermot show in Cologne, Germany. The sculpture is abstract, showing little beyond the engine, wheels and front fork, but the tires and wheels would suggest the first model to use the new engine will be a streetbike.

Yamaha trumpets the benefits of its crossplane crankshaft which has been used in bikes that have won championships in MotoGP, World Superbike and AMA Superbike. Yamaha claims the engine offers linear driving power and more efficient torque output. Yamaha hopes the crossplane crankshaft can work additional wonders as a platform for a new generation of models. Continue Reading »

Hot on the heels of the release of full specs for the F3 675 supersport, MV Agusta has unveiled the naked version featuring the same engine and MVICS electronics package and a claimed weight of 163 kg (359 pounds).

The 2012 MV Agusta Brutale 675 is the smallest member of the Brutale line, but it’s also the most high-tech. The Brutale 675 gets the same ride-by-wire throttle control and traction control system as the new F3. The MVICS (Motor & Vehicle Integrated Control System) gives riders a choice of  eight levels of traction control and four selectable engine maps (plus a fifth customizable map).

Powering the new Brutale is the high-revving 675cc three-cylinder engine used on the F3, but toned down a bit. Instead of the F3′s claimed 126hp, the Brutale 675 peaks at 113 hp at 12,500 rpm. Torque is said to be the same 52 ft-lbs at 10,600 rpm as the F3. According to MV Agusta, the engine offers linear power delivery while the torque curve is more like that of a literbike than a supersport.

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MCN has released a video of what appears to be an updated Triumph Daytona 675 undergoing road testing.

Filmed by an MCN reader near Triumph’s Hinckley factory, the video quality isn’t very high, but we can see some details from the enhanced screenshot above (click to see a larger version).

The most noticeable change is the placement of the exhaust. The test mule has a short, side-mounted exhaust, visible below the rider’s right foot, instead of the current model’s underseat exhaust. The swingarm also appears to have a new design, likely to accommodate the new exhaust placement. Other visible updates include a new tail, six-spoke wheels instead of the five-spoke wheels on the 2011 D675.

Check out the video after the jump, along with a picture of the 2011 Triumph Daytona 675 for comparison.

[Source: MCN]

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MV Agusta has revealed a special edition “Serie Oro” version of its upcoming 675cc supersport, the F3, for those who think owning a regular MV Agusta F3 isn’t exclusive enough.

Following with company tradition, the “Serie Oro” (Italian for “Gold Series”) F3 features several upgrades over the standard model, and will be produced in a limited run of 200 units  to be released ahead of the regular F3.

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After a slight delay, Benelli has released its 2011 TNT R160 streetfighter.

First unveiled at the 2010 EICMA Show, the 2011 Benelli TNT R160 is powered by an 1131cc three-cylinder engine paired to a six-speed transmission with a dry slipper clutch. Benelli claims 155.6 hp at 10,200 rpm and 88.5 ft-lb. at 8400rpm.

The chassis consists of a steel trestle and an aluminum cast structure at the swingarm pivot. The suspension system is comprised of a 50mm upside-down Marzocchi fork and a ZF Sachs rear shock. With a full 4.2 gallon tank (1 gallon reserve), the Benelli TNT R160 claims a weight of 474 pounds.

The five-spoke aluminum-alloy wheels are equipped with twin 320mm discs and four-piston Brembo calipers up front and a 240mm dual-piston Brembo caliper at the rear.

Benelli will offer two color versions: white with a red frame or red with a matte grey titanium frame. The Benelli TNT R160 is now available in Italian dealerships. U.S. pricing and availability was not announced however.

For more pictures, visit our extensive gallery.

Press release after the jump.

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Triumph has released the third in a series of videos teasing its two upcoming adventure motorcycles, this one describing the bikes’ new chassis.

We know from the first two installments that Triumph is developing two models, one focused for on-road riding, the other for off-road, and both models will use a mid-sized long-stroke three-cylinder engine.

The third part tells us the two models will use a steel frame and feature an upright riding geometry. The on-road version is supposed to be agile for urban use while the off-road version uses a long-travel suspension. Nothing really earth-shattering there, and the voice-over in the video can do a much better job of describing this with a dramatic British accent.

What is important is this video gives us the clearest look at what the bikes will look like. The glimpses are brief but unlike with the first two videos, we can see a lot more detail.

Take a look at the video after the jump and let us know what you think.

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