2020

The Yamaha Kodiak 700 delivers proven off-road performance and durability through its real world tech features, including Yamaha’s Ultramatic transmission with natural-feeling, all-wheel engine braking. On select models, get on-command four-wheel drive with full differential lock and Yamaha’s speed and torque-sensitive eps, all combining to make the Kodiak 700 the most powerful and capable ATV in its pricing category.

Honda continues to sell more multipurpose ATVs than any other manufacturer, thanks in large part to the FourTrax Rancher, which has long been a mainstay in the lineup. Whether getting work done on the farm or having fun on the trail, the Rancher is up to the task. Featuring eight different versions, the Rancher family offers the choice between Independent Rear Suspension or a swingarm-style rear end. Versions with Honda’s Dual Clutch Transmission or Electric Shifting feature Honda’s reverse-engagement lever, which makes the shift into and out of reverse a hassle-free affair. For storing work or play essentials, the Rancher comes standard with a front utility box that can be reached from the riding position when parked, and it accepts accessories from Honda’s Pro-Connect system, which makes installing and removing luggage boxes a breeze.

As the lightest bike in the Kawasaki cruiser lineup, the Vulcan S appeals to a variety of riders with adjustable footpegs and options for seat height and handlebar position. Carrying the same low and lean profile of the bigger Vulcan cruisers, the S stable combines Ninja-derived power and handling with the comfort and personalization capabilities of Kawasaki’s Ergo-Fit components.

Powered by a Revolution V-twin engine, the Street 500 and 750 are premium Harley-Davidson even though they’re geared toward the budget-minded, entry-level crowd. Just because the price is low doesn’t mean they skimped on quality. The Street siblings come with a steel teardrop tank and fenders covered in the deep, rich color, and flawless finish that long ago made Harley-Davidson the benchmark for premium paint on a motorcycle. The cherry on top is the chrome tank badge — not a decal, as you might expect in an economy-priced bike, but a three-dimensional tank medallion — as Harley’s pledge to you that you are riding a premium quality machine.

Kawasaki maintains the momentum it garnered in 2018 by rolling its popular Z900RS CAFE straight over into MY2022. And, why not? It’s hard to argue with success, and the retro-tastic looks and modern performance make excellent bedfellows, especially with the Seventies-fabulous graphics as the icing on the proverbial cake. The “CAFE” falls at the southern edge of liter-bike territory, which could potentially be dangerous for a new rider, but it carries all the requisite safety equipment needed to keep it dirty-side down.

Indian Motorcycle made a number of changes to its touring lineup ahead of MY2020 including a new powerplant for its full-dress Roadmaster. The base-model Roadmaster hits important historical high notes and maintains the full-size front fairing, but the real news here is the addition of the new Thunder Stroke 116 engine that toes the family line and pumps out over 120 pounds of stump-pulling torque. Comfort and luxury for the every-rider are the hallmarks of the Roadmaster, and it delivers with its usual style and aplomb.

The Bolt from Yamaha’s Star cruiser line is a cool little bobber-style bike with its high tank, short wheelbase, and solo seat. It’s a nice around town bike — lightweight and agile — and naked with real-steel sheet metal, so it just begs you to customize it. What could be better? Enter the Bolt’s siblings, the dressier Bolt R-Spec and the café racer Bolt C-Spec. The Spec duo are every bit as snappy and fun to ride as the Bolt, but with some upgrades, both hardware and cosmetic. Powered by the air-cooled 942 cc V-twin engine, the Specs are in the same size slot as the Bolt: not too small that you’ll outgrow it right away and not so big to be overwhelming for new riders. At just a few bills more than the Bolt, they’re worth a look.

A 1,200 cc plant pushes the classic-looking frame on the new-from-2017 Triumph Bonneville Bobber. Much like Harley-Davidson’s Softail, it comes built to look like an old hard-tail. The result is a modern ride with very deep roots traceable back to the Speed Twin 5T of the late ’30s. There are plenty of other little historical touches here and there, and though this is no replica piece, it can serve as a sort of rolling museum.

The Bayerische Motoren Werke led off its 2020 lineup with a new version of its race-tastic S 1000 RR. As usual for BMW, items that were optional equipment previously are now part of the standard equipment package. I’m talking about such features as all-around LED lighting, lean-sensitive ABS, and an adjustable clutch lever, just to name a few. The 999 cc powerplant shed some weight and took on the ShiftCam technology to deepen the torque well a bit and pick up a few ponies in the process. In short, Beemer’s new street-legal racebike comes to the table with more of the goods that made the previous generations such a hit.

Triumph revised its Street Triple R ahead of MY2020 with a number of improvements across the board. A more extreme nose-down look adds to its racing credentials, and it all comes powered by a new three-banger that generates 11.3-percent more oomph than the superseded model. It’s also available in a “Low” configuration that drops the seat almost two inches closer to the deck.

Traffic-carving performance wasn’t the first thing I thought of when hearing the name Harley-Davidson, but the MoCo started changing that perception with the new-in-2017 Street Rod 750. While it is, in fact, based on the Street 750, multiple changes in the setup and equipment turn it into another animal entirely. Shorter steering geometry, a more aggressive rider triangle and a more powerful engine come together in H-D’s decisive push into the sport-standard market.

Honda rolls into the new decade with the first overhaul to its newest-generation Rebel range. It has only been a few years since the classic Rebel line was replaced by the current iteration, and the added features are largely due to feedback from the new rider base. New suspension components improve the ride along with upgrades to the lighting and clutch pack to increase overall safety and expand its buyer base.

The first production car with a recorded speed was the 1894 Benz Velo that had a top speed of just 12 mph. Few verified records exist from that point until around 1950, when the Jaguar XK120 set a production car speed record of 124.6 mph (not to be confused with the tuned prototype that managed to hit 133 mph) From this point on, it became a trend for automotive publications to do their own top speed test. Even the venerable McLaren F1 was tested by Car & Driver, and in 2005 we got our first government-official speed record set by the Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 and verified by German inspection officials in 2005. It was that moment when the official challenge between manufacturers kicked off, and since then there have only been a handful of cars up to breaking the record. This list covers the top 10 fastest cars in the world, ranked from slowest to fastest.

The 2020 Ferrari F8 Tributo is an entry-level supercar that the Maranello-based company launched in 2019. The F8 Tributo replaced the 488 GTB, introduced in 2015, but it’s essentially a mid-cycle upgrade and not a brand-new car. The supercar replaces the 488 GTB in the same way that the 812 Superfast and GTC4Lusso replaced the F12berlinetta and FF, respectively, with the facelift accompanied by a nameplate change.

The upgrade is rather significant as far as design goes. Not only sporting new features front and rear, but the F8 Tributo also boasts more aggressive aerodynamics, which are based on the track-ready 488 Pista. The F8 also shares underpinnings with the Pista and generates the same 710 horsepower. The F8 Tributo arrives just in time for the facelifted Lamborghini Huracan Evo and the relatively new McLaren 720S. Let’s find out how they compare.

Updated 03/08/2018: We update this review with a series of new images taken during the 2019 Geneva Motor Show.

Ferrari will build an SUV. I am not joking, the company made an announcement. It will be called the Ferrari Purosangue. That’s the official name of the Ferrari SUV. Ok, Ferrari CEO Louis Camilleri implicitly said that he does not want to hear “that word” in the same sentence with the word Ferrari. “That word” being SUV. Ok, Camilleri, I will not do it. Ever. The new Ferrari... truck… will be the most amazing piece of technology ever attempted with the “that word” layout. Luckily, we do know a thing or two about the new Purosangue.

Digression: Is the word crossover any better? Maybe, but I feel it sounds too soft for the status of a Ferrari. The Honda CR-V is a crossover for crying out loud.

The new Purosangue may take a layout similar to what we have been accustomed to with the onslaught of performance SUVs, yet the Italians promised to make it a proper thoroughbred. Incidentally (not really), Purosangue translated from Italian actually means thoroughbred. Is it just me, or the name Ferrari Thoroughbred (in English) wouldn’t sound bad at all? We have a Superfast and we like it, don’t we? Enough with the strange ideas. Purosangue it is.

Christopher Smith of Motor1 explained how to pronounce it:

“PUR-o-SAN-gue. There are four syllables, with emphasis on PUR and SAN. Phonetically speaking, start with PUR, as in a cat purring. From there just say a soft O as in oh, then SAN with a long A sound like saahn, and finish with GUE, which sounds like way but starting with a g – gway. PURR - oh - SAAHN - gway. See? It’s totally easy.”

OK? OK!

Renault recently revealed the 5 Prototype – the car that will eventually revive the Renault 5 name. Before that, however, Renault revealed the Megane eVision concept, which not only served as a visual representation of the company’s future plans but as a basis for the new prototype that you see here: The Renault Megane E-Tech or Renault MeagneE for short. It’s not a production model just yet, but one of 30 prototypes that Renault is putting into the testing phase as it prepares for (hopefully) a 2022 launch.

Kawasaki delivered the 2015 Concours 14 ABS with a whole slew of improvements over the prior year — some cosmetic and some for performance — and carried that over to 2021. At the core, the Kawasaki kept the 1,352 cc engine derived from the Ninja® ZX™-14R in a chassis tuned for touring. The sportbike DNA is quite evident in the overall styling, so whether you love it or hate it, you don’t ignore the Concours 14 ABS.

Honda’s latest generation of 600 cc, CBR supersports toes the family line with its race-winning blend of power and maneuverability all packed onto a MotoGP-inspired chassis. Much like the original CBR600RR that hit the streets back in ’03 and was built as a racebike replica, the current model features a strong engine along with a front suspension featuring Honda’s 41mm Big Piston Fork for superb handling and snappy action, plus MotoGP-inspired bodywork in a race-tested aerodynamic supersport design.

Reintroduced in 2011, Yamaha’s Zuma 125 provides a viable alternative to the old-fashioned, ’60s-style scooter prevalent from the Italian manufacturers, and those who would try to garner a slice of that market. A modern shape and revised chassis carries the four-stroke fuel-injected engine in a spiffy little scooter that — with upwards of 100+ mpg — makes a capable commuter or errand-runner.

Yamaha takes early indoctrination to a whole new level with its YZF-R125 meant to scoop up riders who live in areas that use the tiered-license system. That’s right, it’s an R-series model specifically built for A-1 license holders in Europe and the U.K. The trackside DNA is evident in the overall look that borrows heavily from its larger-displacement siblings in keeping with it intended use as an entry-level trainer. Supersport looks and handling meet license restrictions to make this a proper first-timer’s bike.