See the complete 2008 motorcycle range at the London Motorcycle Show
2008’s hottest bikes coming to the MCN London Motorcycle Show
By Chris Newbigging
Events
18 September 2007 12:26
The 2008 MCN London Motorcycle Show is set to be even bigger and better with the announcement that all of the major manufacturers will be showing their new motorcycles.
Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, BMW, KTM, Ducati and Harley-Davidson will all have official stands at the show, which will go into its second year at the new ExCel venue in London’s Docklands.
Each manufacturer will be displaying all of their 2007 models, with everything from 125s to superbikes, commuter to desert-crossing adventure motorcycles.
The all-new 2008 model Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade will be dominating Honda’s stand.
Revealed in MCN last week, the all-new Honda Blade is sure to divide show-goer opinion with its radical new styling and tiny size.
Honda insiders say the new motorcycle is something special to ride. More new models are still to be announced by Honda at the end of this month, so watch www.motorcyclenews.com to see what else will be on display.
Kawasaki’s new ZX-10R will provide the main opposition to the Honda Blade – the extreme chassis and engine has received a few updates, but the styling will make show-goers jaws drop. The low, angular nose and raked up tail unit are joined by some of the sharpest bodywork you’ll see on a production motorcycle.
Kawasaki is also promising more new models (including a new range of 33bhp 250s, from a sportsbike to a mini adventure motorcycle) which they’ll be displaying at the show too.
Yamaha has revived the Tenere 660 adventure motorcycle, using the engine from the XT660 with a modern lightweight on/off road chassis, and the funky desert buster will be on the Yamaha stand.
The YZF-R125 is the other exciting new Yamaha – the funky learner sports motorcycle is likely to be surrounded by drooling teenagers. The R6 has been thoroughly overhauled despite looking almost unchanged, so you can try to pick out the hundreds of upgrades Yamaha has made.
Suzuki’s new Hayabusa and B-King will be on Suzuki’s stand, and as revealed in tomorrow’s MCN a new GSX-R600 and a still-unseen matching 750 are part of the 2008 range.
If you’re more of a cruiser fan, Harley-Davidsons’ 2008 model will be at the show. Make sure you check out the slick Rocker and Rocker C, and the funky Harley-Davidson Fat Bob.
KTM’s RC8 1190 is due to officially unveiled at the Milan Show, so the you’ll be able to compare it with it’s rival European KTM 1200 twin, the 1198cc 1098R.
The leftfield alternative to the liquid-cooled motorcycles will be BMW’s air-cooled boxer powered BMW HP2 Sport, boasting a World Superbike spec chassis with a 140bhp evolution of the familiar flat-twin. An BMW F800GS is also on the verge of being unveiled, and will be on the stand in London.
For information and tickets, see www.londonmotorcycleshow.com
To see the new motorcycles for 2008: click here
To see the 2008 Yamaha range: click here
To see the 2008 Kawasaki range: click here
Read more about the 2008 MCN London Motorcycle Show in this week's MCN, out Wednesday, September 19, 2007.
