Aprilia has just revealed their 2010 WSBK RSV4 motorcycle, which gets the Alitalia livery. Sponsored by the Italian airline company and with the riding skills of Max Biaggi and Leon Camier, Aprilia team hopes for a great racing season.
As much as we’d like the absolutely superb tricolore paint scheme, all we will think about right after repositioning our jaws is that V4 engine capable to power the Italian superbike up to speeds in excess of 200 mph.
BMW are already producing the S1000RR superbike, so why wouldn’t Volkswagen have their own? VW holds quota of Suzuki, so speculating about another German superbike seems now closer to reality then ever before.
The unofficial project belongs to German designer Nils Poschwatta, who has in the past worked for Volkswagen, but it is still in the “what if” faze as there are some impediments. First and foremost, there’s a great contradiction between the name Volkswagen and a two-wheeled vehicle which is everything but "wagen". Secondly, VW will most likely limit itself to investing in the Suzuki division and not in the launching of an all-new vehicle for them in a segment in which tradition has a strong word and big brands dominate the scene.
Still, the idea remains very interesting, especially as the project wears the R fingerprint, the new sports division launched by VW.
In the past, the German car manufacturer was suspected of planning a motorcycle together with the Austrians from KTM, but nothing turned into fact. So let’s just hope this concept does because it looks simply outstanding and yet plausible.
Almost every bike vs car track race ends with the bike coming in milliseconds behind the car simply because this last has better grip and can negotiate curves with much more speed, while the bike accelerates faster on the straights. That’s a fact. But what happens when BMW’s 190bhp superbike, the S1000RR challenges a 700bhp Chevrolet Corvette on an abandoned airfield in Germany? In this case, it is all about acceleration, so you can trust us that the bike adjudicates the win.
If you, like us, can’t understand a word of what those guys are saying and can’t wait for the actual drag race, simply move to minute 3:50, lay back and enjoy.
MCN has got the exclusive story on the new Bimota DB8 and so we managed to find that despite rumors regarding the great possibility for the Italian firm to launch a Ducati Streetfighter/Aprilia Tuono competitor, meaning a dual-seat, 1200cc entry-level naked, the new bike will actually be a veritable superbike that offers the possibility to take your wife or girlfriend along for the ride, as Bimota spokesman Anna Carla Cuneo says: “Bimota customers are used to being surprised with new and innovative motorcycles offering unique design, good power and light weight – and many of them also have a wife or girlfriend that would like to come along. We are sure this design will be a big success.”
Bimota hopes to sell 250 such motorcycles for $33,057 (€23,000) while still producing their DB7 model, which starts at $37,369 (€26,000). It may sound like much for the average superbike buyer, but it is what Bimota considers ‘entry level’, so I guess we weren’t too far off after all.
Built around the same consecrate oval section CroMo hybrid chassis now linked to a aluminum subframe and featuring also Marocchi and Extreme Tech suspension front and rear, it is easy to see how building costs have been reduced, but we should also mention that the DB7’s carbon fiber fairing has been replaced with a cheaper, plastic one.
At least we’re satisfied by the fact that engineers made no concession in the engine department. As a result, the 1198 testastretta evoluzione, 4v twin cylinder 90° develops no less than 170 HP at 9.750 rpm and 131.4 Nm at 8.000 rpm. That’s even more impressive in relation to the 392.4 lbs (178 kg) weight of the bike. This means even more engine performance that the Bimota DB7 for less money. I believe we’re starting to understand the whole affordability thing. Read the full specs after the jump.
With the motorcycle industry’s never ending progress as a result of new, more advanced technologies it is sometimes nice to just lay back and enjoy an awesome idea for a picture such as this one right here. It shows a 1908 Indian motorcycle and a 2008 Honda CBR1000RR Repsol racing bike. Obviously, the progress the world has witnessed in the past 100 years has been amazing, so the question just pops: what we’ll be riding when this Honda will occupy the Indian’s place in this picture?
There’s nothing wrong with BMW wanting their S1000RR superbike to teach the Japanese liter bikes a lesson – and considering the Beemer’s 193hp and 403.5 lb dry weight, not to mention the $13,800 MSRP, the German giant has all the chances to do so - , but when we heard about the BMW S1000RR Carbon Edition, the first reactions sounded something like “this is just too good to be true” and, yes, we can’t take our eyes off this very exclusive motorcycle.
As the name suggests, the fairing is made of carbon fiber, but BMW options such as traction control, ABS and alarms are all standard on the special edition model. Also, the Akrapovic full exhaust system increases power with as much as 10hp while smoothening mid-range torque. Sounds great to us and with an MSRP of €24,990 ($35,685), the Carbon Edition can make a rider feel extremely proud of his new acquisition.
Electric motorcycles manufacturers are eager for global recognition and the 2010 TTXGP series is THE way to obtain such thing nowadays. As we saw yesterday, Zero Motorcycles have understood this perfectly and entered the competition, but today Mission Motors have also made their much-awaited announcement – they will be racing their 150mph Mission One during the 2010 TTXGP on the Isle of Man and the series’ inaugural American race at Infineon in May. The firsts to sign in before Zero Motorcycles and Mission Motors were Team Agni and CRP Racing, but the grid is far from being complete. Hit the jump to see the Mission One establishing the current land speed record for electric motorcycles at Bonneville and read the full press release. Full story
As you all know, Buell Motorcycles are dead and gone, but after the brand was killed by HD, people have began to speculate about the last project that Buell was working at. It all started from this photography taken by John Hanson, a contributing photographer for Road Racer X, in the Milwaukee area.
The word is out that Buell had prepared an 1199cc V-twin for what was to become a high performance American superbike. This prototype was surely contoured around the idea of more power and less weight than the 1125R, which could have translated into Buell turning to WSBK. All hope vanished when HD made the radical decision to discontinue Buell. Sad, too sad!
For 2010, Ducati changed the 1098R model name into 1198R, but displacement remains the same – 1198.4cc – which makes the change obvious and things clearer. What is fizically new to the bike compared to the previous 1098R Troy Bayliss LE is an aluminium fuel tank, Termignoni exhaust system and a paddock stand, but you’ll only spot that if you’re willing to look beyond the gorgeous Corse paint job.
Apart from looks, the price – although not yet announced – will be the other factor making the 2010 Ducati 1198R Corse exclusive. Still, models such as the 1198S Corse and 848 Dark Edition have the same build quality and should cost less.
MV Agusta has finally released the second generation of the F4 superbike more than a decade after the original release and we came to find that the all-new machine remains faithful to the original Tamburini design. But probably the best part about the 2010 MV Agusta F4 is the fact that it now benefits of 186 hp (12 hp more than the 2009 model year), while weight is down with no less than 10 kg. So with an overall 192.5kg/424lbs (dry) and the aforementioned performance number, the MV Agusta F4 should remain the ultimate production superbike. Please read the full press release and check out the generous picture gallery after the break. Full story
Picture Gallery
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