New bikes dominate Milan show

The international motorcycle show in Milan continues today with more manufacturers unveiling their new line-ups for 2004.

Yamaha’s new R1, Honda’s Fireblade and the Kawasaki ZX-10R, as revealed in MCN earlier this month (see separate story), were the undoubted stars of the show but there were plenty of other exciting developments to catch the eye.

Suzuki launched its new GSX-R600 and GSX-R750, while KTM unveiled the production version of its Duke 990. Click the links on the right for more details.

Mondial were showing their new Nuda naked V-twin for the first time. See it in MCN, out now.

The bike is based on the firm’s Piega superbike and uses Honda’s SP-2 engine with an ECU and fuel-injection developed by Mondial. The company was also showing two concept bikes based around the same frame, one in a streetfighter style with motocross bars and twin projector beam headlights and one with clip-ons and a very unusual mini fairing.

Aprilia launched its radical new 450cc V-twin engine designed to go in a new line of off-road bikes. No bikes have yet been revealed but Aprilia says the new engine will give far more potential for development than the single cylinder engines currently used on most off road bikes. See it in MCN, out now.

Building on the recent success of their sporty learner bikes German firm Sachs were showing a radical new scooter that looks more like a BMX than a motorbike. While suspension specialists Marzocchi had a freestyle motocross bike on which the handlebars could be rotated through 360 degrees.

For full details of all the bikes on show at Milan check out next week’s edition of MCN, out September 24.