Travel

Announced at the previous EICMA show in Milan, Moto Guzzi showcased its interest at entering the midweight adventure market with the brand new V85 concept. It is the firm’s first attempt at the Enduro scene since the demise of its 1200cc Stelvio at the advent of Euro4.

Although the concept we saw was already close to what we could expect out of the factory, it was still a concept, and a few minor changes were expected. Confirming this are these images captured by the good folks at MotorcycleNews.com where MG is undergoing the final testing for the V85 sans the striking paintjob.

The Bavarian motorcycle manufacturer has been the market leader in the adventure scene with their promising GS motorcycles running the show for more than 35 years. Topping this chart is their flagship workhorse, the R 1200 GS Adventure and it’s flat-twin boxer engine that is undoubtedly the best companion for exploring the unexplored.

For 2018, you can take the 1200 GS Adventure even further to the remotest corners with the facelift measures in the BMW Motorrad program. Starting with the optional TFT instrumentation, Emergency Call, and the new paintjob, the new edition of the Adventure showcases modern tech bits with a reminiscent of the first generation GS moniker.

After their Bonneville range, it’s the Tiger models that give the British brand their numbers. As regularly updating their line-ups go, Triumph is giving their 2018 Tiger range a host of bells and whistles that will boast of having it ’Transformed,’ with a ’New Tiger Triple Engine’ and ’New Tiger Technology.’ Apart from this, the bodywork also gets mild updates to look fresh for 2018.

Triumph loves them so much that it feels no inhibitions with having six different models each for 1215 cc and 800 cc engine mods for 2018. Both the 1200 and 800 have four road variants (XR, XRx, XRx low, and range-topping XRT), and two off-road ones (XCx and a top-spec XCA). Guess we’ll take the best of them and spread it out for you nice and easy.

That is the Triumph Tiger 1200 XC range. Drumrolls please. The first thing you notice is that name. Previously all the Tigers running on the 1215cc motor had the ‘Explorer’ badging on them. But for 2018, Triumph has made things easier by just sticking to the 1200 branding.

Ducati made a surprising move when it unveiled the Multistrada for the first time in 2010. They were basically introduced to satiate the thirst of those motorcycling aficionados, who love traversing new territories with pace, but naturally, find the supersport motorcycles too hardcore for the job. The Multistrada proved to be a successful amalgamation of the traits of both Superbike and sports tourers, easily giving it the title of the most practical motorcycle Ducati ever made.

Taking that practicality to new levels, Ducati has expanded its Multistrada family with the new Multistrada 1260, Multistrada 1260 S, Multistrada 1260 S D|Air (with airbag system) and Multistrada 1260 Pikes Peak. They come equipped with a bigger 1262cc engine, advanced electronic package, new chassis and more touring capability.

Until 2014, MV Agusta only built motorcycles that would eat apexes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Machines built to just simply look and go fast and handle like a stealth ninja. Then, the company decided to enter a whole new dimension with the launch of the Turismo Veloce, a touring motorcycle that was NOT made with the inspirations of the marquee’s 75 world titles or racetrack pedigree like the rest of the stablemates.

But that notion too has changed, for since 2018, MV has released a limited-production RC (Reparto Corse) edition of the Turismo. It is a legitimate celebration of this MV Agusta’s superior qualities created by the honchos at the racing department, Jules Cluzel and Lorenzo Zanetti.

For 2018, the bike also receives mild updates with its powertrain, electronics, and chassis to keep their mark on the ever-improving sportsbike market. They also get new colors and graphics to mirror the race bikes running hot on tracks around the world.

Yamaha had showcased its mid-weight adventure concept last year and called it the ‘T7 concept’. It was then we knew that the Japanese guys are coming up with a winner in the adventure class for the next year. Then, the brand showcased the ’Yamaha Ténéré 700 World Raid’ at last year’s EICMA, but for all our dismay, was still a prototype since they had yet to turn a few knobs more.

Fast forward to today, we have confirmation from the beautiful city of Milan that the 700 Tenere will hit showrooms soon. Heavily camouflaged or rather disguised in full black body panels, the test mule is a million miles away from home to taste the readiness of the bike in the Italian terrains.

When the flagship Super Duke was released in 2014, it blew us away and reigned supreme in the super naked market. It received major updates for 2017 showcasing no plans to be dethroned as the brand that gives us outright thrill seeking motorcycles along with being competitive.

Now, KTM is looking out to make use of the same formula on their long-distance V-twin rocket, the 1290 SUPER DUKE GT. The Austrian firm has been caught busy testing their next generation of the touring flagship underpinned by the mechanicals of the new Super Duke that is said to run on Euro V compliant mill. Not only is it a whole different story on the inside, but the exterior is also set to get a chiseled bodywork cued by its naked sibling.

In an attempt to break a Guinness World Record, a British 22-year-old lad, Henry Crew, will travel around the globe on a motorcycle to become the youngest person to do so. His quest will take him 35,000 miles through 35 countries on six continents where he will be raising funds and awareness for the Movember Foundation.

It is a multinational charity that aims to raise awareness of and money for men’s health founded in 2003. It has funded more than 800 programs focusing on prostate cancer, testicular cancer, poor mental health, men’s health awareness and healthy lifestyles.

The 300cc category has had a condescending effect on the world’s motorcycle industry, and they got in the fresh breed of entry-level performance motorcycles to blaze the much needed thrilling experience to enthusiasts and purists. As was the TNT 300 and the Tornado 302, there is a new 302 Tourer that has begun treads on one automotive’s iconic names, Benelli.

Currently entering the Chinese space, the 302 tourer will be called as the Benelli BJ300GS and will come with upmarket equipment like the segment’s only dual disc brakes up front, USD suspension and a decent engine. Being a tourer, it will also come with both side and top panniers, windshield and more.

After their Bonneville range, it’s the Tiger models that give the British brand their numbers. So much that Triumph feels no inhibitions with having six different models with their 1200 and 800 series. The top of the range XRT is the road going version whereas the XCA is the top-spec off-road ones.

As regularly updating their line-ups go, Triumph is giving their 2018 Tiger range a host of bells and whistles that will boast of having it ’Transformed,’ with a ’New Tiger Triple Engine’ and ’New Tiger Technology.’ Apart from this, the bodywork also gets mild updates to look fresh for 2018.

Check out this video where Triumph shows off the skills learned by the 800 all these years:

Joining the likes of BSA, Ariel, Levis, Brough, Hesketh, Matchless, and Norton, there is another European vintage name coming back from the abyss and relive the glory days of the 20th century. Say hello to Jawa Motorcycles, with love from Prague, Czechoslovakia. (err… or India??)

While we know that it would take at the least a couple of years to see their first iterations of what is touted as ‘The grand revival’, JAWA has gone ahead and launched their brand-new edition of its iconic 350 motorcycles and a 660 Vintage. This time, carrying a four-stroke engine with single overhead camshaft to be able to comply with the Euro - IV emission norms.

Unveiled to the world along with the production-ready 790 Duke at the 2017 EICMA, KTM gave us goosebumps showing an enduro motorcycle underpinned by the same mechanicals as the Duke. The 790 Adventure R.

It is the lightweight enduro motorcycle the adventure community has been waiting for. Unfortunately, dreams got shattered when we learned that the bike displayed was just a production prototype. But looks like good news is right around the corner. A production-ready bike was snapped by our friends down under at the Motorcycle News Australia undergoing final tests.

The BMW GS adventure series of motorcycles have become quite a reminiscent name in the segment of premium enduro bikes in the country, and they are the bestselling range of motorcycles for the Bavarian company.

For 2018, BMW will be launching a brand-new GS motorcycle that will replace the F800GS. It will be powered by the Bavarian’s 853cc engine and is set to set new benchmarks in the midweight ADV category. Folks at Morebikes managed to capture the bike undergoing final endurance tests in Greece with the bike in full production form.

We know, for one, that manufacturers develop low capacity motorcycles to get new riders into their strides from the very beginning. With manufacturers showing so much love to the adventure category, it’s high time that we get out and do a little exploring for ourselves.

Joining the league of the BMW’s, Kawasaki’s and Suzuki’s, the Taiwanese manufacturer SYM is entering the adventure field with its brand new NH-Trazer 200, and we have no clue what the acronym stands for.

Triumph updated its Adventure models for 2018 and showcased them at the 2017 EICMA that was held in Milan last week. Triumph is giving their 2018 Tiger range a host of bells and whistles that will boast of having it ’Transformed,’ with a ’New Tiger Triple Engine’ and ’New Tiger Technology.’ Apart from this, the bodywork also gets mild updates to look fresh for 2018.

If the 1200 got 100 improvements, the 800 gets 200 improvements over the engine and chassis components making it more capable off-road and more comfortable. It shares the new full-color TFT instrumentation, heated seats and grips, all-LED lighting and backlit switchgear seen on the 1200.

The powertrain sees significant improvements in the form of shorter ratio 1st gear for enhanced off-road traction and responsiveness and gets a lighter, free-flowing silencer to create a raw soundtrack.

Electronic rider aids are not as extensive as that of the 1200 but still gets, ABS, traction control, ride-by-wire throttle, cruise control and up to six riding modes including the new “Off-Road Pro” mode (XC models only), which allows the rider to disengage the electronic rider aids.

For some people, adventure is about finding your way through the unknown to see things no one has and doing things most haven’t. But unless you plan on walking, you need the right tool to get there. This is where Triumph’s Tiger series comes in and sweeps you off your feet in the most humble and matured way.

As regularly updating their line-ups go, Triumph is giving their 2018 Tiger range a host of bells and whistles that will boast of having it ’Transformed,’ with a ’New Tiger Triple Engine’ and ’New Tiger Technology.’ Apart from this, the bodywork also gets mild updates to look fresh for 2018.

While we were still drooling over the radical H2 and H2R that can put any super sports to shame, Kawasaki decided to expand the overcharged family and give the same gut-wrenching soul to a biblical tourer.

Called as the ninja H2 SX, it was co-developed by Kawasaki’s motorcycle and aerospace division. This ‘world’s only’ supercharged hyper sport touring motorcycle will have the ultimate blend of power, performance, refinement, comfort and fuel efficiency.

Ever since Honda launched the NC750X in 2012, it saw a place in the ranks of Europe’s top ten best-selling motorcycles. If you are wondering about US top bike’s list, you wouldn’t find it there since Honda never thought of giving us the pleasure.Why Honda?... Why?

Nevertheless, I think I can forgive them now. Honda finally decides to bring the NC750X to American Shores. God Bless you. And gets a host of new upgrades with a slew of improvements we saw at its showcasing at the ongoing EICMA in Milan.

What saw as Honda’s grand comeback to the ADV world, the CRF 1000L Africa Twin was one of the perfectly balanced machines from the Honda stable, a trait that is synonymous to a majority of the brand’s line-up. A lot of time had gone to engineer it and making it work better on multiple riding conditions and so it does effortlessly without any compromise.

For 2018, the Japanese Red Winger has updated the Africa Twin and added another model by giving it a more off-road focused equipment list that will include a larger fuel tank, crash cage and more. It is here to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Honda’s XRV650 Africa Twin debuted in 1988. It’s called the 2018 Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin Adventure Sports or CRF1000L2 Africa Twin.

It is basically all possible "adjectives" that describes exactly those things. This right here is the cream of the crop of Indian motorcycles and is heading to raise the bar for comfort, convenience, power, style, infotainment, craftsmanship and most important of all - confidence. It is everything the Roadmasterstood for, and this time, this Elite rises higher with the industry-leading Ride Command system, a 300-watt premium audio system, chrome front and rear bumpers, passenger armrests and stylish pinnacle mirrors.

For the year 2018, this American oldest brand will give the world a brand new lineage of motorcycles that are sophisticated and technologically packed while keeping the core values of its predecessors intact of being the vintage charmers. One of them will be this Indian Roadmaster Elite which is the most ultra-premium of all Indians and the only one to get real 23K gold leaf badging on the tank. Real Gold.