The latest new motorbike and rider technology

Read exclusive stories about the latest motorcycle and rider technology, paving the way for bikes of the future.

Year: ALL

Engine development experts Ricardo explain the challenges of Euro5+ emissions regulations

04 April 2024 by Dan Sutherland

Back in February, it was announced that the Yamaha R1 superbike would be going track-only in Europe from 2025 – having made the decision not to update the 197bhp, 998cc four-cylinder engine to meet...

Ducati’s wheelie assist helps riders keep it up for longer, but how does it work?

21 March 2024 by Ben Purvis

Wheelie control systems have been around for several years with the express aim of preventing or minimising front wheel lift and maximising acceleration. However, Ducati’s new Hypermotard 698 Mono...

Bosch bring scaled-back versions of lean-sensitive electronics to smaller and cheaper bikes

23 January 2024 by Phil West

We’ve become used to sophisticated electronic safety aids, with lean-sensitive cornering ABS, traction control, and even radar-guided cruise control now becoming part of everyday biking lingo. But...

Hybrid future | Getting under the skin of Kawasaki’s pioneering new hybrid powertrain

22 January 2024 by Ben Purvis

Hybrids may have become commonplace in cars over the last 25 years, but the difficulties of incorporating the idea into motorcycles mean Kawasaki’s achievement in creating the world’s first ‘strong...

Laser vision! Headlight fibre optics could revolutionise the way riders see in the dark

01 January 2024 by Ben Purvis

Recent years have seen the biggest technical revolution around motorcycle lighting since the introduction of the electric lamp – with the filament bulb finally giving way to brighter LED headlights...

Mild to wild: KTM introduce variable cam duration and lift for 1390 Super Duke R engine

19 December 2023 by Ben Purvis

The latest KTM Super Duke R may have grabbed headlines for its increased engine capacity, but there’s some clever valve timing tech hidden inside the heads that’s worth talking about, too. Variable...

Bosch aim to bring traction control to all motorcycles

18 December 2023 by Dan Sutherland

The Head of Bosch’s Two-Wheeler and Powersports unit, Geoff Liersch, says he’s committed to supplying electronic safety aids – including traction control – to all motorcycles globally, to help prevent...

Yamaha get amped up: New MT-09 gets an intake amplifier to enhance the riding soundtrack

08 December 2023 by Ben Purvis

Yamaha have taken steps to make sure their MT-09 naked models make the best sound possible – for the rider, at least. Like exhaust fumes, noise emissions are closely monitored and limited under Euro5,...

CFMoto showcase 675 engine concept: New triple set to top 100bhp

01 December 2023 by Phil West

CFMoto have released more details about their upcoming 675cc three-cylinder engine platform, which looks destined to spawn a new road-friendly sportsbike. The ambitious Chinese brand not only...

‘We’re a long way from having 100% renewable energy’ - Bosch’s bike boss on zero emission technology

24 November 2023 by Dan Sutherland

With global political leaders, and influential thinkers demanding an ever greener society and less reliance on fossil fuels, the motorcycle industry finds itself at a difficult...

CL-C Low Ride: CFMoto concept reveals new take on age-old design

23 November 2023 by Ben Purvis

Chinese firm CFMoto launched their first cruiser model this year in the form of the 450CL-C and used their platform at the 2023 Eicma show to display a potential future development of the machine in...

Going back to the future: How Honda’s 12-year-old RC-E sportsbike concept is influencing the bikes of tomorrow

27 October 2023 by Ben Purvis

Honda stole the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show with a concept electric motorbike that still looks fresh 12 years later. Although the RC-E was never brought to production, it appears to still be influencing...

Ducati embrace the single life: Meet the Superquadro Mono – the most powerful and highest revving single-cylinder motor ever!

26 October 2023 by Emma Franklin

Ducati have gone back to their roots with the announcement of an all-new single-cylinder engine, their first in 30 years. We’ve ridden it: Ducati Hypermotard Mono review Called the Superquadro...

Visionary new Wing screen: Honda noise and visibility sensors alter wind protection automatically

16 October 2023 by Ben Purvis

Honda are dialling rider comfort up to 11 with their next-gen Gold Wing touring bike, which looks set to gain an auto-adjusting windscreen that uses clever sensors to make sure it’s always in the...

Ducati stay connected: Bologna team up with Lamborghini to display new motorcycle to car safety system

10 October 2023 by Phil West

Ducati are once again pushing the boundaries of high-tech electronics in a bid to improve motorcycle safety with a new system designed to communicate with other vehicles. Ducati were the first...

Green bikes to debut in Tokyo: Firms gearing up for electric and hydrogen future at Japan Mobility Show

04 October 2023 by Phil West

Honda and Suzuki are preparing to reveal their latest ‘green’ two-wheeled projects, with both electric and hybrid options set to appear at the Japan Mobility Show, from 26 October to 5...

New wave of safety gear: How bike-mounted airbag systems could help to keep you safe in a crash

03 October 2023 by Ben Purvis

The idea of mounting an airbag on a motorcycle is nothing new but the technology has never really caught on. Now that could be about to change as one of the world’s leading makers of automotive safety...

Suzuki prepping VVT Hayabusa: System could boost bike’s 187bhp and safeguard against new emissions regs

15 September 2023 by Ben Purvis

Suzuki’s R&D department have filed a flurry of patent applications showing a variable valve timing system specifically aimed at the Hayabusa hyper bike – suggesting that even as the Busa hits its 25th...

Springs can only get better: BMW’s latest suspension is the most adaptable yet seen on a road bike

08 August 2023 by Martin Fitz-Gibbons

BMW have led the way when it comes to electronic suspension – and their next-generation system will offer even more versatility. For the first time a production bike will soon be able to change its...

Kawasaki’s cleaner screamer: How the new ZX-4RR meets emissions regulations

07 August 2023 by Ben Purvis

The biking world was surprised by the unveiling of the new Kawasaki ZX-4RR for the 2024 model range. Since the introduction of Euro5 emissions limits in 2020, we’ve seen an exodus of much-loved...

An extra eye on the road: BMW’s collision warning system alerts you to hazards ahead

03 August 2023 by Martin Fitz-Gibbons

BMW have developed a front collision warning system that’s due to debut on a production bike “in the near future”. No prizes for guessing that’s the incoming BMW R1300GS, then. The system is...

BMW see into the future with new head-up display ConnectedRide Smartglasses

07 July 2023 by Tim Pollard

BMW are taking integrated rider technology to the next level, launching a new pair of head-up display (HUD) glasses to beam important journey data straight into a rider’s line of sight. The...

Small and mighty: KTM’s latest 450 SMR squeezes a feisty 62bhp from just 450cc

04 July 2023 by Dan Sutherland

There’s a new KTM 450 SMR Supermoto racer on the market for 2024 and it produces a claimed 62.1bhp from a 449.9cc single-cylinder SOHC four-stroke engine and costs £11,249. Supermoto racing is all...

MotoGP to Multistradas: Ducati have been leading the way in the tech arms race for years

21 June 2023 by Carl Stevens

Biking technology has come a long way in the 15 years that have elapsed since Ducati released their 1098R superbike and introduced riders to the first genuinely effective traction control system for...

Keep your cool: Why Ducati’s latest V4s are able to morph into parallel twins

09 June 2023 by Ben Purvis

Imagine for a moment that you’ve splashed the cash on a cutting-edge 1158cc V4 only to find it’s actually a 579cc parallel twin. That’s precisely what the £23,590 Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally and new...

A Pure idle revolution: New electric trials bike gains idle function to help it stay upright

01 June 2023 by Stuart Prestidge

Electric motorcycles are on an evolutionary path that has seen them progress from practical run-arounds to bonafide superbikes. Now Electric Motion (EM) have released their latest Epure Race trials...

Blinking indestructible: Latvian firm claim to build unbreakable indicators

31 May 2023 by Stuart Prestidge

Smashed indicators are a perennial issue when dropping adventure bikes out on the trail. Now a Latvian company may have invented the first almost indestructible indicator light to tackle the...

Is hydrogen the future? Big Four announce partnership to develop revolutionary bike engines

26 May 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki have announced a new research partnership that will consider the development of hydrogen-powered motorcycles that use internal combustion engines. On May 17,...

Clutchless snickers: KTM working on centrifugal clutch and auto shift for range of big twins

23 May 2023 by Ben Purvis

After decades of false starts, motorbikes with semi-automatic gearboxes are becoming ever more widely accepted into the mainstream. Honda have now sold over 200,000 motorcycles across Europe...

Winging it: How Aprilia's aerodynamic clothing could be the next big thing in MotoGP

28 April 2023 by Ben Purvis

There’s an ongoing battle for aerodynamic supremacy in MotoGP that’s resulted in a crop of machines which cut through the air like never before to produce valuable downforce. But there’s a large...

Balancing act: How Suzuki’s GSX-8S puts a fresh spin on 270-degree parallel twins

21 April 2023 by Ben Purvis

Suzuki’s 776cc GSX-8S, which impressed at its recent launch, is the latest in a string of parallel twins chasing a perfect blend of cost, size, and performance. It goes up against the Yamaha MT-07...

Mahle Powertrain open state-of-the-art centre at old Cosworth HQ

14 April 2023 by Stuart Prestidge

As transport shifts towards a greener future, established UK brands and fresh start-ups are working to ensure bikes have a decent future. Now Northampton-based Mahle Powertrain, part of a larger...

Standing on its own two wheels: Yamaha say self-balancing bike will help minimise accidents

12 April 2023 by Stuart Prestidge

Last year, Yamaha pledged to eliminate motorcycle accidents with a three-tiered approach focusing on skills, connectivity and technology. A major part of this involves developing self-balancing...

Shark lift the lid on braking technology

06 April 2023 by Stuart Prestidge

Shark have released a full-face helmet with some ingenious technology – an automatic, integrated brake light system that requires no wiring or fancy pairing compatibility. The Skwal-i3 was first...

New direction for Supersport: Engineering guru Tony Scott reveals new Triumph-based Moto Evo racer concept

03 April 2023 by Dan Sutherland

The 600cc supersport class has died in Europe, with just the track-only Yamaha R6 Race remaining as a traditional fully faired four-cylinder screamer. As a result, the production-based British...

Big brother won’t be watching yet: UK police aren’t planning to adopt controversial dashcam phone app

28 March 2023 by Ben Clarke

A Ukranian app that turns your smartphone into a dashcam that can upload evidence straight to the police is trying to launch in the UK in this year, according to its maker. DashcamUa (or DashcamUK...