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The 2009 Tokyo Motor Show saw Yamaha unveiling no less than five world premieres among which the HV-X Hybrid motorcycle has drawn the most attention for being the modern interpretation of the Universal Japanese Motorcycle (UJM). This means it offers an upright riding position and relies on a versatile character in order to turn out being everything from a commuter to a canyon carver.
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The Honda CB450 looks pretty cool in stock condition, but riders who won’t satisfy with that can always choose the rather facile transformation into a café racer. This particular example was spotted in South Africa as it attracted quite a crowd with its 1970s rebel bike appearance.
Like most café racers, this Honda CB450 stands out thanks to a unique tank and seat unit, while the frame, swingarm don’t look like having suffered any modification and the wheels are the original ones.
The overall sporty look is completed by the bikini fairing and vented mudguard, but if we take a better look at the back, the underseat exhaust tends to turn it into a veritable racing motorcycle, which is what café racers were originally supposed to be. Also, the red/white color scheme was the adequate choice in our opinion.
Honda Motorcycle unveiled eight world premieres at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show 2009 on October 21.
The CB1100 was developed for discriminating adults as a new standard Naked model featuring an aircooled inline four-cylinder engine. "Generosity" was a keyword of this model’s development, and rather than aiming strictly for high-spec performance, its riding feel and eye-catching styling, both at stop and on the move, were also all carefully considered.
The CB1300 BOL D’OR features a more upright riding position and a newly redesigned rear cowl adorned with new left and right side split grab rails. A Combined-ABS version is also available.
The EV-CUB delivers ample power through the electric motors integrated into both its wheels and the batteries mounted in its aluminum frame.
The EVE-neo is an EV concept model designed for business use, such as post and delivery services. Its symbolic design combines a clean, modern New Value image and rugged, reliable styling.
Read the press release after the break.
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The FLHTCUSE5 pushes the term "fully loaded" to the edge. From satellite radio and heated handgrips to exclusive custom paint schemes and a 1,801cc Scream in Eagle V-Twin engine, this ride is truly top-of-the-line.
The FXDF2-CVO has its show-stopping style with lavish custom details and adrenaline-pumping performance from a Twincam96 V-Twin engine.
The FXDWG Dyna Wide Glide has got old-school chopper looks with the comfort of a modem ride.
Yamaha has unveiled the Super Ténéré concept yesterday at the Tokyo Motor Show with the most diverse public reactions ever generated by the fact that the concept is nothing more than a mechanical skeletal wrapped up in cloth. It apparently recreates the look of Touareg desert nomads, but it also looks like a very detailed preview of what Yamaha plans on launching next year.
The Yamaha Super Ténéré 1200 production bike will be Japan’s first real opponent for the BMW R 1200 GS and it all comes down to the 1200cc parallel twin engine that will use a 270° crank in the attempt to replicate a V-twin’s firing order. Hmm, this is a lot of stuff indicated by a pair of wheels, some metal tubes and clothes.
Yamaha released five world premieres at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show 2009 on October 21.
This Special Exhibition Model of the SR400 adopts a fuel-injected engine for outstanding environmental performance while maintaining its traditional lightweight, slim and compact design ideal plus the sense of pulse and the styling that have always defined the SR models. Also, a new retro-modern styled meter panel and newly designed side covers and Yamaha emblem add new touches of quality.
EC-f/EC-fs are electric commuter vehicles designed to make motorcycle riding easy and familiar for many people of all ages regardless of riding experience. They feature simplicity of operation that only an electric vehicle can provide, plus futuristic styling. Their ease of use, quietness and smoothness make riding a joy.
The EC-f features a color scheme accentuating its cleanness as a commuter vehicle, while the EC-fs coloring accentuate stylishness.
William Woods has designed the “Fallout” as a rather interesting way to pay a tribute to the classic chopper. The reason why we’re saying that is pretty obvious: the thing looks like a streetfighter from the future rather than a chopper. While we have nothing against the designer’s approach, we can’t help noticing how this futuristic motorcycle concept looks like it could become reality right now.
Designed around a Bimota frame and featuring a single-sided swingarm as well as hub-centered steering, the ideas shown here might just see their way on the future’s much more refined streetfighters. Also, the “Fallout” comes with short bobber handle bars, chopped exhaust and a long tank, so it could always pass as a custom, although we’d love to see something like this being mass produced. How about you?
Suzuki released BURGMAN FUEL CELL SCOOTER, GLADIUS400 ABS and BOULEVARD400 as its world premieres at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show 2009 on October 21.
The fuel cell of BURGMAN FUEL CELL SCOOTER is air-cooled and concomitantly light, compact, and structurally simple. A 70MPa hydrogen tank (the highest-pressure tank used on a bike thus far) allows a usable riding range. And the tank is mounted within a robust frame for safety.
The Gladius 400 ABS is a stylish naked bike with a 400cm3 V-twin engine. It features a truss frame that combines rigidity with great looks. And its newly designed V-twin engine delivers plenty of power in a rider-friendly way.
The Boulevard 400 is a performance cruiser with aggressive bikini-cowled looks and a 400cm3 engine. Low, flowing body lines that give an unmistakable sense of performance are combined with inverted front forks and stylish cast wheels. The engine is a narrow-angle (45°), liquid-cooled V-twin with fuel injection.
MCN’s spy photographers have come up with the most recent shots of the Ducati Stradaperta, which was tested on a motocross track in Italy. While it is unclear how they managed to take such close shots at a presumably remote location, the persons in case also mentioned that the 1098-powered Italian bike “was getting at least six feet of air over some of the jumps,” but their exclusive pictures don’t show that.
Although the successor of the Multistrada was expected to come as a response to the KTM 990 SMT and Triumph Tiger, we can now start referring to it as being a quite possible rival for the R1200GS and KTM 990 Adventure. Still, as you can see, nothing is certain until the bike is unveiled in Milan next month.
On October 13, Brian Wismann, the director of product development at Brammo Inc. and Dave Schiff of Crispin Porter Bugosky have started a road trip from Ann Arbor, MI to Washington, DC. Their goal for the ten-day journey is to raise awareness of electric bikes with Brammo’s Enertia model, which has a 42-mile range and needs four hours to fully charge its six lithium ion batteries.
Considering the 520 miles that need to be covered, the guys will have plenty of time to familiarize people with their $11,995 powercycle. Yes, it is damn expensive, but considering that it only consumes $4 worth of electricity (for the specified trip), it should pay itself back in time and, preferably, during shorter distances and implicit fewer stops (after all, we do live in the century of speed).
Speaking of power, the Brammo Enertia has a 13kW electric motor, which powers it to a top speed of 60 mph. I wonder what the President will think about it. Meanwhile click pass the break to check out the video or go to shockingbarack.com, where the entire journey is being chronicled.
Now that Harley-Davidson is concentrating on its own brand after bringing Buell to a sad end of the road and planning to sell MV Agusta, we became even more interested in their future plans and came across a concept bike designed by Miguel Cotto. The interesting part about it is that, unlike the usual concept designs that we see nowadays, power comes from a high-revving 883cc engine claimed to retain the HD sound that drives bikers crazy about their bikes.
We like the hubless wheels and this concept HD motorcycle in general, but certainly can’t imagine a pack of highway wolfs getting their beards on this baby not even ten years from this day.
As we recently announced, Yamaha has released big part of their 2010 motorcycle lineup, including their unchanged MotoGP-derived YZF-R1 and a Limited Edition YZF-R1 Valentino Rossi replica. This last comes in an exciting Valentino Rossi/Fiat Yamaha livery with the number "46" and "The Doctor" logos, as well as with the MotoGP star’s signature on the fuel tank.
Valentino Rossi will add this year’s MotoGP Championship to his long list of championship wins and this Limited Edition bike is a tribute to the Fiat Yamaha Team rider. The race replica bike will be available in January 2010 with a starting MSRP of $14,500. Those who satisfy with the standard model, which is available in Raven, Pearl White and Team Yamaha Blue/White, will be happy to find that the bike is already available in dealerships and has an MSRP of $13,290. We’ve attached the Yamaha Motor Corp. U.S.A Press Release after the break.
WrenchMonkees clearly has a passion for bringing old classic roadsters back to a new kind of glory by using a few tricks that they have in their sleeves. For instance, this Kawasaki Z1000 A now benefits of 105 hp as a result of installing a 1075cc Wiseco piston kit to the original motor, which is now fed by Z1000 J carburetors and filters air using K&N pieces.
The Copenhagen-based custom builder has the tendency to turn every bike into a café racer and this one looks, sounds and we reckon it performs as one too. Most likely, the sports bike front suspension and custom rear shocks also bring a major contribution to what looks to be a very angry piece of machinery.
Stylistically, the WM fingerprint is left by the all-new tail and seat as well as by the custom paintjob. Ride this bike like you stole it and people will believe you actually did simply because they would have probably done the same thing if they were you.
The “Snowmobile” is a concept belonging to British Designer Evangelos Gicas, who drew it as a combination between current snowmobiles and MotoGP racing bikes. This is only in theory because our friends at Gizmodo practically see it as a “Sperm-Shaped Snowmobile” and while we have to admit that the human machinery was always a trendsetter, urgent protection methods are required.
Long, low and sleek, the Snowmobile concept will supposedly offer a riding position similar to that of a supersports motorcycle, but we can’t see how this can be an advantage considering the fact that, unlike its inspiration sources, this thing doesn’t offer riders the possibility to lift themselves in a fairly upright riding position when braking or, in this case, trying to see and avoid dangers in time. Still, it looks like it can start an avalanche from a standstill and that’s why we like it so much.
After playing the daughter of a custom motorcycle builder in the movie Transformers, Megan Fox can also brag about recently being voted the most popular female bike passenger in a poll conducted by a British insurance company called Swinton.
More than 1000 riders were asked to vote and the conclusion is that “men are quite fickle when it comes to their favorite celebrity women,” said Antony Aronin, head of their motorcycle insurance division.
Gemma Atkinson turned out to be the second favorite bike passenger and Jessica Alba occupies third place in the preferences of British riders.
The Gpz 1100 was one of Kawasaki’s first sport-touring motorcycles, but there’s little left of this particular unit after ending up in the hands of custom motorcycle builder WrenchMonkees. Turned into a naked powered by now a 125 hp Gpz engine upgraded with an 1170cc Wiseco piston kit and featuring more tweaks than you would imagine, this might very well reflect how things get done in Denmark.
With sports wheels and suspensions, this roadster should know how to bring riders the most benefits from that powerful Japanese inline-four engine, so in the end it is all a matter of style, which is quite unique, especially if we look at the backend. This is contoured by the WM rearframe and characterized by a flat seat and custom back fender as well as by the LED taillight. Up front, there’s also a WM fender, while the fork wraps make it look like one of those Mad Max bikes. In between, there’s a stylish Zephyr fuel tank and a very enthusiastic rider. Please read the specs after the break.
The original Honda Cub has to be one of the greatest motorcycles of all times simply because it was affordable, easy to maintain and very practical. That small motorcycle helped put the world on two wheels, so you can understand our joy of hearing that Honda is planning to revamp the extremely popular model. The biggest news about it is that it will have two-wheel drive and benefit of power coming from a small, electric engine, while the exterior design is reminiscent of that first late 1950s model.
2WD enhances traction and stability around corners, allowing riders to control the already highly maneuverable motorcycle with the greatest ease. This is not a Honda breakthrough as Yamaha and KTM have also flirted with the idea, but Big Red will present the EV-Cub at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show and it is expected to hit dealerships by the end of 2010.
As you can probably remember, we have already wrote about a WrenchMonkees Yamaha SR 500 that caught our attention and it turns out that motorcycle number five in their list of customs is yet another such model. This one looks like a rather civilized approach towards the 1970s bike and stands out mainly thanks to its Mag type BMX wheels and a much more attractive custom paint.
Of course, the back end of this motorcycle is entirely new and in accordance with the WrenchMonkees style as you can see by looking at the rear frame and fender as well as to the seat. The lights all around the bike belong to WM as well.
The heart of the original bike was revived and given a tune-up and a heat resistant layer of paint. There are also modern components such as the Brembo front brake caliper and Brembo 320mm disc, but why don’t you check out the specs for more details.
Honda has finally took the wraps off is all-new 2010 VFR1200F sport touring motorcycle and it was well worth the wait considering the thing was designed from the ground up as “a ten in every respect”. It’s most outstanding feature is the V-4 engine, but only because the dual-clutch automatic transmission is optional.
The 2010 Honda VFR1200F has to be the most aggressive, refined and most likely comfortable new entry in its segment, a bike claimed to adapt to any style of riding or riding situation naturally. It looks like a Honda from every angle, but this motorcycle has also come to show its manufacturer’s achieved goals as it is “a futuristic sport motorcycle for the sheer joy of riding”. Read the press release after the jump.
Kawasaki starts the week at full throttle and releases the first photos and info regarding four of their 2010 street models, the Ninja ZX-10R, Z1000, Concours 14 and Versys. We have come to find that they are a bit retained with the upgrades, something that defines their strategy in the uncertain times that we’re traversing.
Turning a 1980s Kawasaki Z 1000 J into a café racer doesn’t sound like the easiest task for custom bike builders and while you’ll normally get only visual changes, in this case we’re talking about a whole different bike. Forget about the classic roadster look of the Kawi Z 1000 J, which came as a response to Honda’s CB900, and let yourself be introduced to this low, aggressive and most likely pretty uncomfortable ride signed by WrenchMonkees.
First and foremost, the original 998cc air-cooled, four-stroke, transverse four-cylinder, DOHC with two valves per cylinder engine now displaces 1170cc thanks to a Wiseco piston kit, which raises the standard engine’s 102 hp to an impressive 140 hp. So that’s what the aggressive looks and Brembo brakes are there to cope with.
No doubt about it, this is a ride meant to stand out. It rolls on 17-inch Excel wheels, features custom paint and a whole bunch of WM components among which the fairing, aluminum tank, seat and tailunit are the most important. For more details, read the specs after the break.
The motorcycle press is restless in speculating about the upcoming Ducati Stradaperta or “the next Hypermotard” and the abundance of spy shots does help at maintaining people’s awareness in what this model is concerned until it is finally unveiled at the EICMA show in Milan this November.
These are probably the best spy shots ever and they reveal an entirely digital dash (we hope that GPS will carry on the production bike) as well as Hypermotard features such as the signal lights integrated into the hand-guards, just to mention a nice detail that caught our attention. Still, most of the bike is covered in tape, but that doesn’t stop us from imagining the beautiful Italian curves underneath. We’re just glad the angry face was kept and can’t wait for the official unveiling.
It seems the Kawasaki Z 750 B is a great bike to work on for Copenhagen-based custom builder WrenchMonkees as this is not the first time we write about their creations based on this particular Japanese bike. In this case, they choose bobber-like wheels as a first step in turning classic into custom while the unique rear frame and seat leave the unmistakable WM signature.
The original engine was kept, but it is now restored and covered in black heat resistant paint. It develops approximately 50 hp and breaths through K&N filters and WM megatron mufflers, this time not covered in exhaust heat wrap.
Clearly, style beats performance on this custom motorcycle and the final touch is given by the in-house rear fender and clean custom paint. Those small head and tail lights are supposed to make the wheels look even fatter and the thing is that this is one of those bikes that you rediscover each and every time you look at it. Specs are attached after the break.
What you see here is the production version of the Honda CB1100 concept presented back in 2007. Although Honda doesn’t say a word about it apart that it will be officially unveiled at the Tokyo Show next week, we can already notice that there are no significant differences between the concept and production form of what is expected to be a fresh new approach towards the original idea of an inline-four cylinder motorcycle.
The Honda CB1100 Customize concept shown in red in the picture gallery points out the new bike’s customization possibilities with parts that will be offered by the Japanese manufacturer itself. We hope the 2010 Honda CB1100 will make it to the US and us on it as soon as possible.
With the 2009 Triumph Street Triple R, the brits have shown they’ve truly got the hang of the middleweight streetfighter class and they did it in their own unique style. This involves a 675cc liquid-cooled, DOHC, inline three-cylinder engine borrowed from the Daytona and fitted on an extremely versatile chassis as well as loads of style, all saying the “I’m different!” words.
While technically, the Triumph Street Triple R carries over unchanged, visually we would have to admit that it now looks like an even better polished jewel thanks to the black paint with gold wheels and decals 2010 paint scheme, while matte orange and matte grey are also available.
Weighing in at 416 lbs/189 kg wet and disposing of no more and no less than 107bhp at 11,700 rpm and 51ft.lbf at 9,100 rpm, the Street Triple R got the suspension setup of its supersport sibling ever since last year and this is now a characteristic of the simple Street Triple as well.
Offering a comfortable riding position, sporty and yet user-friendly engine and entirely different looks, we won’t dare considering this a stripped-down Triumph Daytona 675, but a stylish naked backed up by serious engine performance. Try not to love it and send us a message if you succeed.
Nowadays, in order to bring a motorcycle industry icon back in the attention of public you might just go ahead and restore the thing to its former glory, but people often also have their very own interpretations regarding to how that wallpaper should look like and they go ahead with the respective changes. So is this case in which the BMW R65/7 gets a BMW R80 engine, the source of 55 hp, instead of the original much smaller and less potent powerplant. WM’s megatron mufflers are present and so is the heat wrap on them.
While the stock fork, swingarm and rims are retained, only that these lasts are now wrapped in Firestone Deluxe Champion rubber, the whole difference is created by the parts made in house. These would be the rearframe, seat and fenders as well as the handlebar, levers, grips and lights. This thing also features Gazi Gas rear shocks for enhanced comfort, but in the end it is nothing more than a rider’s bare necessity in order to connect itself to the open road. The WM custom paint helps at identifying this BMW as being tricked out by WrenchMonkees, the Copenhagen-based custom builder.
That car guy who at one point in time qualified motorcyclists as being ‘grown up man in power ranger suits’ might not have been that far from the truth considering that Universal Designs have created the Dark Knight Batman leather motorcycle suit. It is made of cordura, leather, kevlar and CE approved armor, which can be removed when you’re not actually riding your way to the end of delinquency.
Priced at US$998, the suit will be sold in a number of 1000 units, so you better hurry up if you were long planning to find the right gear to wear on your midnight cruiser.
MotoGP star Valentino Rossi gives fans the opportunity to see him in intimate postures on his new website www.valentinorossi.com. Whether he is sleeping, relaxing with the cows or even wearing boxer shorts on his head after doing the laundry, Valentino shows how MotoGP riders have to enjoy every second of their free time so that they can give even the impossible out on the racing track.
The site was also created to offer news, videos and photos (including behind-the-scenes) of Valentino Rossi from every GP round, so it should keep fans pretty hooked up.
Triumph’s middleweight supersport model, the Daytona 675, has had a very successful year and it all started when the British engineers tweaked the engine for 3bhp more, reduced weight with as much as 3kg and added Nissin calipers, while also giving it a sportier look. With all these improvements, it won the Supertest and Masterbike awards, while MCN called it ‘Sportsbike of the Year’.
So this is clearly a very successful model that Triumph keeps virtually unchanged for 2010 and hopes for at least the same results while preparing their next move. Meanwhile, fans will have to declare themselves satisfied by the new Caspian Blue paint with gold wheels or even turn to the Red and Black 2009 color schemes, which are still available for next year’s model.
Apart from the rather cool new color scheme, the 2010 Triumph Daytona 675 also comes with new clocks, which do look better, but could have brought in more functions apart from average fuel economy and lap timer-equipped setup, which are also found on the 2009 model year.
