#eicma

There was so much to see at this year’s EICMA show in Italy, including more than 35 new motorcycles ready to fill showrooms in 2017.

It was another busy year in Milan, Italy, at the world’s biggest motorcycle show: EICMA. The world’s moto manufacturers unleashed their latest wares last week, and we furiously pounded out more than 30 articles about every new bike seen at the convention.

With the announcement of the new Honda CBR1000RR SP and SP2 at Intermot, as well as the standard CBR1000RR at EICMA 2016, we haven’t been this excited about Honda’s flagship literbike since, well, 2008, when the now outgoing model was first introduced to the world. So, for this Church of MO installment, we’re going back in time to October 2007, when we got our first look at the then all-new 2008 Honda CBR1000RR; a sportbike we’d grow very fond of over the years. For more pictures, be sure to check out the photo gallery. 

On the surface, the 2017 Honda CBR650F and its naked sibling the CB650F don’t look much different than their 2016 versions apart from their new graphic schemes. The overall visual design, including their oh-s0-sexy cascading header pipes are back, and the underslung silencer has only a slightly different shape. Underneath the familiar skin, however, are a few updates that further refine Honda’s two 650 models.

Ducati raised the bar when it comes to lightweight materials, introducing its carbon fiber 1299 Superleggera at EICMA. It didn’t take long for other manufacturers to follow, with BMW announcing plans for a HP4 RACE model featuring a carbon fiber frame and wheels.

Everyone from hipsters to crusty old fogies loves Guzzi’s V7, or at least the idea and the stature of it. However, it seemed a bit dated, even the V7 II introduced a couple of years ago.

Although this is a so-called concept bike, we’re confident we’ll be seeing a production version of this mid-sized adventure bike by EICMA 2017. It uses a new frame wrapped around a version of the FZ-07’s satisfying and compact parallel-Twin motor, with longer-travel suspension to soak up off-road hits.

Here’s an oddball two-wheeler that no one had asked for yet many are liking, Honda’s X-ADV scooter. Using the 745cc parallel-Twin with a dual-clutch transmission from the NC700/750 series, the X combines scooter ease of use with splashes of adventure-bike ruggedness.

If EICMA is the barometer of where the moto-industry is headed, it appears as if 2017 will be the year of the small-displacement adventure bike. In addition to the CRF250L Rally on this page, Suzuki unveiled a V-Strom 250, Kawasaki debuted its Versys-X 300, and BMW revealed its G310GS.

To keep us from getting our Vitpilens mixed up with our Svartpilens, Evans Brassdraggings is semi-live at EICMA, bringing us the videographic scoop on this pair of 373cc KTM Single-powered Husqvarna hotties.

Our love for KTM’s beastly Super Duke R is no secret to MO fans, but in some ways – glorious and wonderful ways – it is an exercise in excess. So perhaps something with about 800cc might be more widely suitable to riders of all types?

2017 is shaping up to be the year of the small-displacement ADV bike. Honda ( CRF250L Rally), Kawasaki ( Versys-X 300), and here Suzuki’s V-Strom 250/ABS. Let us not forget the first-to-market CSC RX-3 introduced two years ago.

But soft! What shiny LED headlight through yonder video doth break? It is the Beast – the new 2017 KTM Super Duke R – and Juliet Brasfield is at EICMA to tell us all about the new stuff that makes our 2014 Motorcycle of the Year even more fair than he, including more power, updated suspension, and the welcome upgrade of color TFT instrumentation. 

Our man in Milan, Evans Brassflagons, was running ragged on espresso fumes and adrenaline when he ran into a trio of angle-snouted, aggressively stancing Kawasakis and swung instantly into anchorman mode, which you can see below.

Technically, the Kawasaki Z900 made its debut at Intermot, but information was still preliminary at the time, with the caveat that final details would be released at EICMA 2016. Well, EICMA 2016 has arrived and, as far as we can tell after reading Kawasaki’s press materials, the Z900 hasn’t changed since its debut in Germany – save for a seat height that’s changed by one whole millimeter.