Sportsbikes

As impressive as Triumph’s naked motorcycles are, sportbike enthusiasts are still begging the British bikemaker to re-introduce the Daytona, which was discontinued in 2017 and yes, we’ll be ignoring the Daytona 765 for now, thanks to its very limited production.

One such enthusiast is digital artist Oberdan Bezzi who, instead of whining like us, has taken to his sketch board to put together, this smashing render of what a modern-day Triumph sportbike could look like, probably based on the Trident 660.

Contrary to popular belief, money CAN buy happiness and, if you’re a motorcycling enthusiast like we are, chances are happiness equals adrenaline-pumping motorcycles. Now that we’re on the same page, we’re pretty sure you’ve wondered (at least once in your life) about the bikes you’d buy if money was not a factor (read limitation) and that’s exactly what this article will help you discover. So, here are the five most expensive motorcycles that money can buy in 2022.

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.

Love it or hate it, electrification is happening as we speak and it’s more a matter of when, not if, as we see the big guns jump aboard the EV train.

However, Kawasaki’s ideology seems a bit different than the rest, as the Japanese bikemaker is trying to whip up some flabbergasting internal combustion engines before it electrifies its portfolio.

A prime example of this is the four-cylinder Ninja ZX-25R and now, it looks like Kawasaki will soon back it up with a 400cc iteration, the Ninja ZX-4R.

Honda’s CBR moniker is an important one for the Japanese bikemaker and has birthed some truly game-changing motorcycles. One such motorcycle was the Honda CBR900RR, which went on sale from 1992 to 2003, serving as the base for the now-flagship CBR1000RR FireBlade. Looking for a pristine CBR900RR to bless your garage? Lucky for you, there’s one available at BringATrailer going for no reserve. Here are all of its details.

When talking motorcycles, the most commonly noted aspects that are touched upon are stuff like horsepower, torque, 0-60mph times, and cubic capacity, and we’re guilty of it too. What goes overlooked, though, is perhaps one of the most key components that holds the entire motorcycle together - the chassis, also known as the frame.

Contrary to what you may think (and we thought at some point too), the frame isn’t just a metal piece built to hold everything together but it plays a pivotal role in defining the bike’s characteristics, which is why over the years, manufacturers have ventured into the depths of physics and chemistry to create different kinds of frames.

Want a lowdown on them? Lucky for you, here’s a guide on the five most common types of motorcycle chassis.

Honda hit its CBR500R with a whole battery of tweaks and improvements for MY2022 that go far beyond the cursory BNG treatment that frequently marks “updated” models. The frame rocks a new lighter swingarm assembly with re-tuned flexion baked right in. Showa provides their SFF-BP stems up front along with a weight shift forward to improve the front contact patch integrity. Tuned-up fuel injection delivers more of what the factory calls “torque feel and character” to complete the major improvements over the 2021 model.

Kawasaki took the next step in the struggle to find that perfect balance between displacement, performance, and affordability with the new-from-2018 Ninja 400. This ride delivers the aggressive styling that you expect from the Ninja family with a host of improvements over the previous generation. More power, less weight, and a mature presentation should hold the new Ninja in good stead in the highly-competitive small-displacement sportbike market that serves as the main battlefield in the contest to instill some brand loyalty in the increasingly important new buyer base.

KTM juiced up its 790 Duke platform with a more powerful engine, beefed up electronics, and improved suspension for its 2021 release in the U.S. market. New graphics are available on this new platform that comes with a robust electronics suite to help you keep the thing dirty-side down. It rocks a price tag that’s a full grand less than the more-racetastic “R” variant for an ever so slightly more-relaxed type of rider.

The entry-level sportbike category is a competitive space, yet CFMoto has stepped into it with their all-new 450SR, aiming to take on established players such as the KTM RC 390 and Kawasaki Ninja 400.

Wondering how well the 450SR fares against these two? Well, here’s a spec comparison between the three bikes to help paint a picture.

Aprilia sportbikes have been synonymous with V-4 engines for quite a long time. However, few know that the Italian giant first tried its luck with the good ol’ V-twin setup, birthing two superbikes, namely the RSV Mille and its successor, the RSV 1000 R.

Thanks to Aprilia now specializing in V4 engines, these two bikes are essentially a piece of rich history and if you’re looking for the latter, Iconic Motorbike Auctions has got you covered.

600cc motorcycles are often treated as downright “slow” by superbike owners, especially people with Hayabusas, and it makes sense since there’s a huge power advantage with the latter.

However, this drag race between a Suzuki GSX-R600 and Suzuki Hayabusa will make you think twice before calling a 600cc bike slow again. Ready to have your mind blown? Well, let’s get into it then.

If you’re a regular visitor here (thank you!), you probably know that we love bringing you drag races that feature the iconic Suzuki Hayabusa, and this right here is another example.

In this duel, a stretched-out second-gen Suzuki Hayabusa goes up against an equally stretched-out 2019 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R and the result is closer than you can imagine.

The Suzuki MotoGP team has established itself as one of the strongest teams in the paddock over the past few years. They even bagged a world title in 2020 and are currently one of the title favorites this year.

You’d expect such a strong team to be regular sighting in the MotoGP paddock for years to come, but in a shocking move, Suzuki is looking to exit from MotoGP at the end of 2022.

Usually, when you learn of Students building a bike for some kind of project, your mind immediately forms an image of some weird-looking, gas-chugging motorcycle held together by duct tapes. This, however, is an exception arguably one of the finest examples of a project bike that you’ll come across.

Built by a team of fifteen students from Twente University in the Netherlands, the Delta XE (no, it’s not inspired by the new Covid-19 variant) is an electric race-only superbike, capable of breaching past 186mph, which is set to take part in four racing championships this year.

Honda goes a bit beyond the cursory “Bold New Graphics” package that frequently heralds a new model-year with new bodywork and a blackout paint package on the Honda CB1000R that sets it well apart from the previous version to make it the “Black Edition.” Improved electronics join with the new looks for some under-the-hood improvements increasing its utility as a commuter, and a fun one at that. The punchy four-banger reprises its role as the beating heart with throttle-by-wire and riding modes on board to help with engine management.

Modern-day sportbikes, such as the Yamaha YZF-R1, are super fast. That being said, true blue enthusiasts still remain adamant that there’s just something about the raw performance of old-school sportbikes with no electronic leash around their necks, such as the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R.

Can’t pick a side of your own? Well, let this drag race between a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R and a Yamaha YZF-R1 help you make up your mind.