#sportbike

Kawasaki has been dominating the realm of entry-level motorcycles, especially with the introduction of the Ninja 400 in 2018. In fact, they were so capable and enjoyable to ride that I bought one myself and it has become one of my favorite motorcycles in my stable. The Ninja 400 wasn't perfect, and I had my gripes about it. So, of course, I was very intrigued by the unveiling of the new Ninja 500. As luck would have it, I was fortunate enough to find myself invited to a press launch for the new Kawasaki in Malibu, California, to see what this new machine is all about. The Malibu area hosts some of the best canyon roads in the United States – a perfect proving ground for testing the new, larger displacement Ninja 500.

Aprilia has revealed new special edition liveries for the RSV4 Factory and Tuono V4 Factory recognizing the RSV4’s first World Superbike Championship race win in 2009.

A refreshing gateway drug into the world of Aprilia

A middleweight sporty-bike without the backache

Kawasaki announced it is bringing its Ninja 7 and Z7 Hybrid models to the U.S., bringing the world’s first mass-produced “strong hybrid” motorcycles to America. Both models are available immediately at American Kawasaki dealerships, each priced at $12,499.

Triumph’s everyday middleweight sport bike

Aprilia’s measured but inexorable rise to the front of the MotoGP pack in recent months, with two victories in three races plus a Sprint race win, all inside the space of 30 days, has reaffirmed the Piaggio-owned brand’s sporting credentials at the highest level. [Unfortunately for them, this was the extent of Aprilia’s race wins for the year -TS] It’s also served as a parting testimony to the late Roberto Colaninno, Chairman/CEO of Piaggio who passed away on August 19, just days after his 80th birthday and a fortnight after Aleix Espargaró’s Silverstone race victory saw Aprilia turn the tables on its Ducati rivals.

Yep, we know this one is a bit of a shocker. How in the world can the Kawasaki ZX-4RR win our Best Sportbike of the Year award? At close to $10,000 and less than 60 horsepower (in stock trim), we’ve clearly lost our minds. Well, it comes down to two things:

From rags to riches and back to rags again, the formation of Erik Buell Racing, or EBR, is testament to Erik Buell’s unwavering belief in himself and his quest back toward the path of riches. Although he has experienced the full range of emotions during his career, if there’s one thing Buell is not, it’s a quitter, and the closure of Buell Motorcycle Company wasn’t going to stop him. In the spirit of the American dream, Buell uses setbacks as fuel for the immense fire burning inside him – one with a very clear and singular focus: to create the ultimate sportbike, and to create it in the U.S. of A.

Winglets on a 500? In this economy?

Honda announced a number of evolutionary changes to its CBR1000RR-R and CBR1000RR-R SP. The changes include a retuned engine, a new 2-motor throttle-by-wire system, new aerodynamics, a revised frame, new suspension and brakes, and updated electronics. So, basically everything short of adding yet another “R” to its name.

From the moment we learned the Eliminator would be equipped with a 451cc Twin, we started anticipating when Kawasaki would put the engine on its entry-level Ninja and Z models. To no surprise, the answer is “right away,” with the announcement of the new 2024 Ninja 500 and Z500.

Honda has updated its CB650R and CBR650R, giving the middleweights new styling, a TFT display, and, in an industry first, an optional electronic clutch.

Earlier this year, Kawasaki updated the Ninja ZX-6R, and while we weren’t sure about its place in the industry today, we lauded Kawasaki for helping keep the Inline-Four supersport class alive. It’s only fair then that we do the same for Honda, after it announced the return of the CBR600RR to Europe.