Honda’s sportbike lineup has a new member starting with 2009, the CRF230M. WHAT? Not only the name, but the motorcycle itself has troubles resonating with what customers expect from a product in this category. Last time I checked, CRF was for the Japanese manufacturer’s off-road bikes and quite frankly this looks like a Motard. Wait a second...that’s exactly what the 2009 Honda CRF230M stands for. > More
We’re all familiar with the rush that supersport motorcycles provide, but also wish we could ride more withought the fatique that comes as standard. Honda’s response to the demands of adrenaline and comfort takes the name Interceptor and concludes in simply the most versatile all around motorcycle powered by a racing-derived V-Four VTEC engine. > More
Suzuki introduces the 2009 1250S and 1250S ABS models with little, but notable upgrades even though at a first glance nothing seems to be new on the bikes. A full fairing wouldn’t suit it well so designers haven’t got much work to do this year, at least in what concerns the Bandits. > More
Designed by Marcus Carlsson from Sweden, the new concept is a combination between Suzuki’s TL1000S and a Husqvarna roadracer from the 1930s.
A ‘café-racer-going-on-superbike’, as its creator likes to consider it, the machine features a donated TL1000 V-Twin front fork and engine with a futuristic looking exhaust. The rest was just labor and passion concluded in 1,200 hours of work.
Don’t get too caught up by the next picture. Simply scroll down and hear that engine idling.
Having introduced the 2009 range of sport and naked bikes, Triumph now presents a promotional video inviting riders to go their own way. The video features the new Street Triple R among a multitude of choices: Daytona 675, Street Triple, Speed Triple, Tiger and Sprint ST.
For those who plan to start riding, Suzuki keeps providing the ideal sport bike on which experience can be easily gained without the muscle to be ripped. Known as the GS500F, this is one of the best user-friendly fully-faired motorcycles out there and the long history behind it shows this. > More
Welcome to a bike that combines middleweight agility with V-twin power and tops it all off with aggressive and sporty styling. The 2009 Suzuki SV650SF. > More
Suzuki has presented the 2009 GSX650F, a sporty road bike destined to those who turn to motorcycling as a result of increasing gas prices and not only. Economical and practical, the bike relies on the Bandit 650 engine and shares most features with the previous model year. > More
Suzuki recently unveiled in Paris its latest entry-level motorcycle entitled the Gladius 650. Basically a refined SV650, but, for the European crowd, a whole new kind of riding excitement, the new bike sits on that thin line between impressive performance and awesome styling. > More
Aprilia barely finished presenting the 2009 Shiver 750 GT and already moved forward to unveiling next year’s Mana 850 GT. At its base, the bike remains the same all-rounder with nothing more than an adjustable windscreen that is new for 2009.
The engine, an 893cc V-Twin that puts down 76bhp is unchanged and still mated to the CVT automatic gearbox with seven electronically defined gears and also clutchless manual shifting. No need to go easy on the throttle as long as you’ve selected the sport, touring or rain riding mode depending on your riding preferences or weather conditions.
I wouldn’t compare it with four-cylinder Japanese sport-touring bikes such as the Hornet or FZ1, although the Mana would make a good impression due to performance suspensions and ABS, apart from the bulletproof engine and transmission.
Stylistically, the bike is pretty much up to 2009’s standards although the Italian could have done more than adding an adjustable screen to it.