Power is a fabulous thing. If you have it, you can’t get enough of it. If you don’t, you want it that much more.
The Kawasaki Ninja 650 isn’t the most powerful bike on the market. But when you’re talking pound-for-pound, the bike’s improved performance, all-new chassis, and bodywork make it one of the best mid-sized sports bikes around.
The 2012 Ninja 650 is a sleeker and more aggressively styled motorcycle than ever before. The all-new bodywork is more sharply defined and more like our race-winning supersport machines, with flowing lines and a tapered brow that blends nicely with the rest of the bike. From an aerodynamic standpoint, the Ninja 650 is as good as it gets. Add an adjustable, 3-position windscreen, a 20mm wider handlebar than the previous version, and a 2-piece seat assembly topped with foam that’s thicker than before, and you have the makings of a comfortable ride in every sense of the word. Complimenting the ergonomic improvements done on the Ninja 650 is an analog tachometer located above an LCD info-center showing speed, trip meters, fuel consumption, remaining range, etc., with a swath of info-lights to the right.
At the heart of the Ninja 650 is a highly advanced, 649cc liquid-cooled vertical twin engine that comes with a digital fuel injection system featuring 38mm throttle bodies and sub-throttle assemblies for optimum response and precise fueling. You won’t need to worry about the Ninja 650 disappointing you on the road because it has an engine that can produce substantial power with plenty of character – especially down low and in the mid-range.
The Kawasaki Ninja 650 has always been known as an outstanding street bike that offers impressive top end performance, yet enough satisfying low- and mid-range oomph to allow novices to get acclimated with it. There’s no question as to how legit this bike is. The only question is whether you can handle owning one.
Find out more about the Kawasaki Ninja 650 after the jump.
Yamaha has been on quite a roll lately, hasn’t it? After scoring their second AMA Pro Racing American SuperBike Championship in many years, Yamaha wants to build on that momentum by introducing the new YZF-R1.
The model already comes with plenty of MotoGP technology so it’s worth pointing out that with the 2012 model comes all sorts of new updates and innovations that are derived from the company’s rich racing heritage. All bets are off as to how awesome the bike is going to be.
Even better is that the YZF-R1 will also spawn a special World GP 50th Anniversary Edition that will celebrate the company’s aforementioned racing heritage. Only 2000 of these special edition models will be sold and they will come in the company’s race-winning Pearl White/Rapid Red livery with plenty of other unique additions reserved only for the special edition model.
There’s plenty to like about the Yamaha YZF-R1, and there’s no reason for anybody to turn their backs against it, especially when a special edition model is staring right at you at the dealerships.
Find out more about the 2012 Yamaha YZF-R1 after the jump.
It seems that every time there’s a discussion about a hot lap around the Nurbugring, we immediately assume that another edgy supercar is at it again. The list of manufacturers that have taken stabs at the ’Ring is as long as the course itself so excuse us for being a little excited watching a motorcycle take center stage around the track.
The lap comes courtesy of Bridgestone test driver, Tim Rothiq, and a Kawasaki ZX-10R. We won’t have to remind you about the face-morphing characteristics of the Kawasaki superbike because Rothiq was able to do it for us.
The ’Ring offers plenty of challenges even for the most astute of riders so watching Rothiq navigate around the track and blast through it in spectacular fashion is a sight to behold.
Don’t be fooled by the 7:50 time being way short of the record 7:14 lap time of the Lexus LF-A; the latter is a supercar after all. It’s about as impressive a bike lap as you’ll find anywhere.
And a big kudos to Tim Rothiq for his incredible effort coercing the Kawasaki ZX-10R to behave during the lap time. Lord knows the slightest mistake can lead to a pretty nasty spill.
The Aprilia RSV4 has raced and been compared to a number of different things over the years so it’s a little refreshing that for a change, Aprilia USA is taking its competitive juices aside to pay tribute to the the of man’s greatest technological achievement: the space shuttle.
When the first shuttle mission launched back in 1981, it opened the gates for a golden age in technological advancements that coursed through various industries, including the automotive and motorcycle segments. The space shuttle program made so many things possible in this world and opened our eyes to a world full of never-before-though-of possibilities.
Now that the space shuttle is nearing its end, the folks over at Aprilia USA have released a pretty cool video paying tribute to the space shuttle program and all the men and women responsible for designing, building, and operating the very machine that made space travel possible.
As part of the video, Aprilia uses facts from both the space shuttle and their very own RSV4 superbike to note how the former set the precedent - in more ways than one - for the latter, and so many other machines, to become the technological marvels that they are in their own right.
It’s not so much a comparison video this time around for the RSV4, but more of Aprilia tipping their helmets off to one of mankind’s finest achievements as it makes its final voyage into the cosmos.
Erick Buell was once a bigwig at Harley Davidson, having served the role of head engineer and designer of Buell Motorcycles. But when Harley decided to part ways with the sub-brand, Buell likewise left as well, opting to run his namesake brand on his own.
For those wondering how Buell would fare without the financial muscle of Harley Davidson behind him, those questions have been answered with the launch of the company’s new superbike, the unconscionably gorgeous 1190RS.
Defying all the naysayers that said that it couldn’t be done, the 1190RS is a living testament not only to Buell’s fortitude, but also the fact that the company could produce a stunning and technologically advanced superbike on their own. The 1190RS was designed while drawing inspiration from their other previous work - the 1125R - except that the former clearly stands on its own as a superbike serving notice. The frame casting of the bike is all-new while the airbox on the bike is twice the size of the previous version. Other important elements of the bike, including the wheels, suspension, brakes, body, structural components, and controls are all new and stand-alone from anything else Buell Racing has produced in the past.
More details on the Buell Racing 1190RS SUperbike after the jump.
