First Ride
Naked bikes have never sold well in the U.S. Although European brand loyalists surely beg to differ, the actual number of naked bikes sold here is miniscule compared to other categories, and especially tiny compared to the numbers sold in Europe. Thus it's easy to see why most manufacturers' American lineups are devoid of any fairing-less bikes that used to be the standard in the '70s. The attempts in the recent past-especially by the Japanese factories-have received a tepid response at best from American consumers.inline_mediumwraptextright28196488/bikes/146_1004_2010_kawasaki_z1000146_1004_01_z+2010_kawasaki_z1000+lead.jpgTrue

Overall Concept and Features.

The new BMW S 1000 RR is a highly innovative straight-four supersports from BMW Motorrad now making its world debut.

This true milestone in the world of sports machines combines engine output of 142 kW (193 hp) with overall weight of just 204 kg (450 lb) including fuel (183 kg/403.5 lb dry weight, 206.5 kg/455.3 lb overall with Race ABS).

Specifications of this calibre make this supersports machine not only an absolute highlight in terms of its power-to-weight ratio and performance, but also, equipped with Race ABS and DTC Dynamic Traction Control, a new benchmark in terms of riding dynamics, safety and innovation.

Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport has been playing an active role in the World Superbike Championship since the beginning of the 2009 racing season, the new S 1000 RR setting the foundation for the production-based racing machines ridden by BMW Motorrad's two works riders Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus.inline_mediumwraptextright27206705/bikes/2010/146_1003_2010_bmw_s_1000_rr146_1003_01+2010_bmw_s_1000_rr_studio_03+.jpgTrue

Back in 1988 Honda introduced the Hawk GT in America. For its day it was a pretty trick little motorcycle. It's 52-degree, single overhead cam V-twin engine only had three valves per cyclinder and bore and stroke measurements of 79.0 x 66.0mm, respectively, making for a total displacement of 647cc. It was housed in a twin-spar aluminum frame, which doubled as a stressed member. Aside from its spartan exterior, a single-sided swingarm drew attention to the bike as a naked standard that could rip up the local twisties. As neat as it was, unfortunately it didn't sell too well, with 1991 being the final year of production. But the Hawk quickly gained a cult following, with loyal owners transforming these bikes into wicked customs or dedicated club racing machines with custom bodywork, transplanted front ends from other models and power upgrades to wring out the most from the engine.inline_mediumwraptextright27065798/bikes/146_1004_2010_honda_nt700v146_1004_01_z+2010_honda_NT700V_C-ABS+lead.jpgTrue

As part of the Z1000 road test in our next issue, we took our 2010 test unit of Kawasaki's new naked bike to our Superflow WinDyn dyno. The new bike pumps out almost 15 more horsepower than the previous version, along with a healthy increase in torque. Check out the dyno chart here, and look for the full test of the Z1000 in the next issue of Sport Rider.

More Technology and Refinement for This Multiple Award Winner

Performance touring comes naturally to Kawasaki, seeing as how we already had the performance part of the equation nailed with the incredible Ninja® ZX™-14 sportbike. That bike’s amazing 1,352cc engine and unique monocoque frame lent themselves perfectly to this exciting new class of transcontinental sport touring motorcycles, and the original Kawasaki Concours™ 14 and Concours 14 ABS rose immediately to the top of the critics’ lists just two short years ago. But the people who ride these motorcycles are not known for their patience. Two years on, the nextgeneration Concours 14 benefits from an entire laundry list of comfort, convenience and safety items carefully engineered to surpass all expectations of what a perfect sport tourer should be.

The biggest change is immediately apparent: All-new bodywork not only gives the new Concours 14 an even more aggressive demeanor, it’s also designed to channel more heat away from the rider for increased comfort. Meanwhile, a 2.75-inch taller, electric-adjustable windscreen creates a bigger still-air pocket for the rider and passenger, and new ducts above the instrument panel relieve the low pressure area behind the windscreen for an even smoother, quieter cruise. When the weather turns cooler, the new bike’s got your hands covered, with standard grip heaters that are easily adjustable via a control right next to the new, lockable storage compartment in the left inner fairing. Connoisseurs of fine cruising will note that all the redesigned body and trim pieces fit together with a level of precision and quality normally found on motorcycles costing thousands of dollars more.inline_mediumwraptextright27042956/bikes/2010/146_1003_2010_kawasaki_concours_14146_1003_01+2010_kawasaki_concours_14_abs_25+.jpgTrue

Kawasaki Z: Bringing You the World’s Coolest Streetbikes Since 1973

With this latest in a long line of naked Kawasaki streetbikes, we threw out the old rules and started with a clean sheet, drawing upon more than 35 years of experience in giving the people what they want. If the new Z1000 knocks your eyeballs out, that’s exactly what we had in mind. Even more important, though, is the feeling this one provides every time you twist the throttle.

A sharp new front cowl sloped back at an acute angle highlights the Z1000’s new nose, followed by a tilting instrument panel, visible through an orange lens, that can be angled to suit rider preference. Just below that a long, narrow headlight represents Kawasaki’s first use of a line-beam unit. Following the lines rearward, the eyes will next encounter a dynamically designed steel gas tank, flared on the sides to let you grab it with your knees, and trim at the rear for a snug fit. The seat’s low and narrow at the front to make ground contact easy, and it flows beautifully rearward to end in a futuristically retro LED taillight behind a red lens.inline_mediumwraptextright32461095/bikes/2010/146_1003_2010_kawasaki_z1000146_1003_01+2010_kawasaki_z1000_13+.jpgTrue

The new Ducati Multistrada 1200 combines innovative design and unprecedented technology to unleash four-bikes-in-one. Sport, Touring, Urban and Enduro riding modes now enable a truly enjoyable and customisable riding experience separated by just one click.

The ground-breaking design makes instant adjustment to power and torque delivery in addition to electronic adjustment of suspension settings and traction control, transforming the Multistrada 1200 to the rider's needs, and not the other way around.

Hailed as a true 'game-changing' motorcycle, the technologically-advanced Multistrada 1200 is sure to attract all types of riders by opening up the borders between motorcycle categories.

With the new 150hp Testastretta 11° engine, a class-leading dry weight of just 189kg (417lb) and the application of advanced ergonomics, the Multistrada 1200 is not only powerful and playful, but also a comfortable and versatile adventure on two wheels.

The Multistrada 1200 offers ABS as optional, while the flagship Multistrada 1200 S presents ABS and Ducati Electronic Suspension by Öhlins as standard equipment. The 1200 S is available in 'Sport edition' with carbon fibre components or 'Touring edition' with side luggage, heated grips and centre stand.inline_mediumwraptextright28241023/bikes/2010/146_1002_2010_ducati_multistrada_1200146_1002_01+2010_ducati_multistrada_1200_04+.jpgTrue

More powerful, lighter and safer

The new DUCATI 1198, while maintaining the same look as the previous 1098, is in fact a totally new bike. The 1198, which produces a powerful 170hp (125kW) from its new Testastretta Evoluzione engine, and has a dry weight of just 171kg (377lb), incorporates all of the World Superbike technology derived directly from the 2008 World Championship winning race bike of Troy Bayliss.

The 1198 is powered by the powerful Testastretta Evoluzione, a liquid cooled, L-Twin, Desmodromic engine, the crowning glory of Ducati’s development and perfection of the L-Twin engine, that produces 170hp (125kW) @ 9,750rpm and a class-beating 97lb-ft (13.4kgm) of torque @ 8,000rpm.

From data acquisition systems integrated as standard equipment, to ingenious dual construction methods for its weight-saving single-sided swingarm and to the road-going Ducati Traction Control, Ducati’s innovative trackside solutions continue to flow.inline_mediumwraptextright32432487/bikes/2009/146_1002_2009_ducati_1198146_1002_01+2009_ducati_1198_08+.jpgTrue

RC8 R POWER PLANT

• 75-degree V-twin EFI 1195cc
• Bore/ Stroke 105x69mm
• 170 Hp, 90.7 lb-ft
• Only 136.9 lbs

So what's all the hype for 2010?
The original Hypermotard was built to thrill, with its dirtbike stance, empowering, asphalt-attacking riding position and enough torque on tap to elicit a smile with each twist of the throttle. But what could really be changed to make it better? Ducati applied their usual engineering process of evolution to an already successful model by improving it in the two most effective ways possible: Less weight and more power.

Hot on the heels of its early model year 2010 launch in October, the lightweight 796 is now joined by an evolution of the 1100 model that rolls out at an incredible 7kg (15.5lb) lighter and 5hp more powerful than the original.

And if further weight reduction and more punch wasn't already enough on a bike that was built to thrill, the Hypermotard 1100EVO SP pushes the limits even further with a model intended to perform on the track as well as the street.inline_mediumwraptextright32398911/bikes/2010/146_1002_2010_ducati_hypermotard_1100146_1002_01+2010_ducati_hypermotard_1100_evo_09+.jpgTrue

2010 Honda Sportbikes
Featuring the all-new VFR1200F
More...


inline_mediumblockleft26725028/bikes/2010/146_1002_2010_sportbike_roundup146_1001_01+2010_honda_vfr1200f_wallpaper_10+.jpgFalse

If you're looking for a touring machine that?s fun, easy to ride and ready to carry you to work and play seven days a week, look no further than the NT700V. Fully outfitted and ready to roll, the NT700V can turn your daily commute into riding bliss and then carry you off on that weekend adventure. With a fairing, interlinked saddlebags and a strong 680cc V-twin engine, the NT700V is ready for any journey you can dream up.inline_mediumwraptextright32393325/bikes/2010/146_1002_2010_honda_nt700v146_1002_01+2010_honda_nt700v_03+.jpgTrue

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1994 |

It's a good thing the folks at Honda enjoy a challenge, because this next feat will be one of their most challenging: convincing the motorcycling public that automatics aren't evil. You see, Honda's new VFR1200F is a technological tour de force. One in which we'll cover in more detail shortly, but the single most polarizing feature of the new Honda VFR1200F lies in three little letters: D-C-T, or Dual Clutch Transmission, in which shifting of the VFR can be performed via paddles on the left handlebar or completely automatically.inline_mediumwraptextright26560076/bikes/146_1003_2010_honda_vfr1200f146_1003_01_z+2010_honda_VFR1200F+lead_shot.jpgTrue

A revolutionary project and a unique history of victories on the racetrack have come together to create the RSV4. A supersport with absolutely exclusive racing technology, developed around the 4 narrow V cylinder engine developed from the technical know-how that has led Aprilia to victory on racetracks all over the world. Aprilia RSV4 hits the racetrack and the roads with onegoal only: to win.
33 championships, 254 MotoGP World Championship wins and 8 Superbike victories : over the last two decades Aprilia has become a modern motorcycling legend. The bikes from Noale have dominated tracks the world over thanks to the genial design, courage and extraordinary abilities of the technicians who pursued innovative solutions by experimenting, innovating and sometimes revolutionising technical schemes that seemed to be unchangeable. Aprilia RSV4 FACTORY, the bike that brings Aprilia back into the 2009 Superbike World Championship, is the product of this immense technical know-how. It is a highly technologically advanced motorcycle, conceived for racing and for this purpose designed and developed by Aprilia together with the marque's Race Division, the largest and most advanced of its kind in Europe and one of the most important in the world.inline_mediumwraptextright32221530/bikes/2010/146_1002_2010_aprilia_rsv4_factory146_1002_01+2010_aprilia_rsv4_factory_20+.jpgTrue

It was difficult not to have even the slightest bit of skepticism when we arrived at the fabulous Autódromo Internacional do Algarve racing circuit located in the hills near Portimau, Portugal for the international press launch of BMW's new S 1000 RR literbike. The venerated Bavarian manufacturer has built a long-standing reputation for bikes that-while solid performers in their own right-were never really quite as aggressive as the latest supersport tackle from the Japanese (and some Italian) manufacturers. Much of this was due to BMW's penchant for incorporating different and often unusual ideas in some portion of the motorcycle's design, a hallmark of the Bavarian manufacturer.inline_mediumwraptextright"In recent years the majority of historians have come to the conclusion that 'blitzkrieg' was not a form of warfare invented by the German military, but an old method of winning decisive battles using new technology."
-Online definition of blitzkrieg26527535/bikes/146_1003_2010_bmw_s_1000_rr146_1003_01_z+2010_BMW_S_1000_RR+lead_shot.jpgTrue

Introduction

"This is one of the most exciting motorcycles in Honda's history," said Powersports Press Manager Bill Savino. "The VFR1200F establishes a whole new definition of performance motorcycling, one that taps into Honda's rich V-4 VFR heritage and extends it into the future of Honda motorcycling. The new technology within this motorcycle is flat-out amazing and it all works together in a manner that takes the VFR1200F strides forward in how a high-end machine looks, works and feels. This is a sport motorcycle that will leave you smiling and ready for more even after you've been riding for hours on end."

More detailed information and images of Honda's model line can be found on www.powersports.honda.com or see your local Honda powersports dealer.inline_mediumwraptextright26725028/bikes/2010/146_1001_2010_honda_vfr1200f146_1001_01+2010_honda_vfr1200f_wallpaper_10+.jpgTrue

From BMW's press material

Munich. Six-cylinder power units have always had particular appeal, offering not only supreme smoothness and refi nement, but also superior power and performance as well as a truly emotional driving – or, in this case, riding – experience. A further point is that the typical sound of a straight-six almost like a turbine is absolutely incomparable, with straight-six power units at BMW having stood for fascinating engine technology in BMW cars for more than seven decades.

Looking at motorcycles, inventive engineers have also tried time and again to offer the enthusiast the thrilling concept of a straight-six power unit. But while a few engines in straight-six configuration have indeed been fitted in motorcycles both lengthwise and crosswise, the straight-six has never really made a genuine breakthrough neither on production models nor in motorcycle racing. Depending on the way the engine was fitted, six cylinders in-line inevitably made the engine either very long or very wide, creating disadvantages in terms of the running gear, weight distribution and the centre of gravity. A further drawback was much higher engine weight usually setting off the benefits of extra engine power.inline_mediumwraptextright27921676/bikes/2010/146_1001_bmw_motorrad_concept_6146_1001_01+bmw_concept_6_07+.jpgTrue

First Ride
When Kawasaki resurrected the Concours label two years ago with its ZX-14-based (but basically all-new) Concours 14, the factory's original intention was to put more "sport" in the sport-touring category. With the engine and chassis lineage tracing directly to the biggest Ninja, Kawasaki engineers were looking to create a sport-tourer that was more at home carving mountain passes at speed than its forebear. And they definitely delivered on that goal; in our '08 hypersport-tourer comparison ("Long-Range Missiles", June '08), the Concours 14 bested the competition despite a few niggling issues by virtue of its superb all-around performance.inline_mediumwraptextright27869461/bikes/146_2010_kawasaki_concours_14146_1003_01_z+2010_kawasaki_concours_14+right_turn.jpgTrue

Maybe we should apologize in advance for Alan Cathcart's first ride review of the 2009 KTM RC8R back in the May issue ("Getting Serious"). With such a glowing review, you weren't the only ones this side of the Atlantic waiting for samples to play with. But KTM kept us waiting. And waiting. In fact, it waited a whole model year before deciding to appease us Yanks, choosing to refine the bike in Europe before sending it abroad. Perhaps all good things indeed are worth waiting for as 2010 finally sees the KTM RC8R available to the U.S. market.

No company has pushed the boundaries of contemporary chassis technology more than Bimota in terms of both materials and design. The company co-founded almost 40 years ago by the recently-retired Michelangelo della Moto, Massimo Tamburini, has done it again with the debut of its DB7 Oronero superbike. In creating the world's first production motorcycle with a structural carbon fiber chassis, Bimota retains its place at the leading edge of frame design. Even if achieving that entailed borrowing techniques and technology from another form of two-wheeled transportation.inline_mediumwraptextright31665300/bikes/146_1001_bimota_db7_oronero_superbike146_1001_01_z+bimota_DB7_oronero+lead.jpgTrue

First Ride

This feels awfully familiar. Disembarking from my plane in Italy I know I've done this all before. The small group of American journalists were to be carted off from their hotel near Borgo Panigale-Troy Bayliss' second home-to the Misano Adriatico circuit to ride one of the latest offerings from one of the land's famous manufacturers. So far this feels like déjà vu. In fact, when we arrived at the track the vibe felt much the same. These bikes had trellis frames, were beautifully designed...and were red.inline_mediumwraptextright31916559/bikes/146_1001_2010_mv_agusta_990r_1090rr146_1001_01_z+2010_MV_agusta_990R_1090RR+lead_shot.jpgTrue