December

Year: 2001

Month: December

The new bikes of 2002

30 December 2001

We’ve gathered together the bikes of 2002 in this one, easy access section. Follow the links, right to see them all.

KTM’s new road bike spotted on test in Austria

23 December 2001

These exclusive spy-shots show for the first time the latest bike in KTM’s range to use the firm’s new V-twin engine, the LC8. While the first dedicated road bike to use the new engine was expected to...

Guzzi continues air-cooled development

23 December 2001

Those who prefer the traditional sound of an air-cooled Guzzi to the Euro-conformity of a water-cooled engine will be relieved to hear that the company has not stopped development of it’s water-less...

Finally, the Kawasaki ZX-10R

23 December 2001

Kawasaki’s ZX-9R is a much admired sports bike. But it has started to lag behind the new breed of 1000cc superbikes. What’s really needed here is a ZX-10R: Enter TTS. Tuning firm TTS has bored out...

Haydon signs up with Foggy for WSB

16 December 2001

Yamaha British superbike star James Haydon has signed to ride with Carl Fogarty’s Petronas team in WSB for 2002. Haydon will be replaced in the Virgin Yamaha line-up by Simon Crafar, making a return...

Foggy picks Mick in dream team but still says he’d beat him

16 December 2001

If Carl Fogarty could choose from all the riders he’s ever known to ride in his new Petronas team he’d sign up Mick Doohan and Kenny Roberts (snr). And Foggy took the opportunity of a live web chat on...

Czech supermoto arrives in the New Year

16 December 2001

The 610cc Praga four-stroke off-roader has a hand-built engine and aluminium fuel tank, a choice of Paioli or Marzocchi forks and Brembo brakes. And those features are just part of the appeal of the...

Corser’s deal with Foggy delayed by fineprint

16 December 2001

The chances of Troy Corser confirming his deal to ride in the all-new Foggy Petronas WSB squad before Christmas are fading. But he is still expected to sign up within the next 10 days. The only...

Ducati’s new 998 versus Aprilia’s RSV-R

16 December 2001

With the 998 not due to visit our fog-bound shores until January, we had to go to Italy and get one, factory-fresh. We took our own RSV-R with us to meet its rival under clear blue skies. At Ducati...

Carl Fogarty: In his own words

16 December 2001

Jonny: Carl how long do you think it will take to get a race win with the new bike? CarlFogarty: Oh, it’s impossible to say really. It would be great to have one in the first year, although that’s unrealistic. But certainly in 2003 Dave: How difficult will it be to stop yourself jumping on the bike during testing to get the fastest lap times? CarlFogarty: Oh that won’t be difficult at all.

Malaguti shows shape of things to come

16 December 2001

Developed as a prototype, Malaguti’s Super Climber has been debuted in Bologna to gauge public reaction. ” We want it to show people that Malaguti is thinking about motorcycles. We will see how people...

Project X900: hub-centre steering cracked?

09 December 2001

Hans Helms has been developing this bike for over two decades. Now, with plans to put the bike into production unrealised, its bright ideas are up for sale. The majority of the patents are associated...

Two-wheel drive R1 spotted… and it rocks

09 December 2001

These pictures provide the first proof that Yamaha is seriously working on two-wheel-drive technology for its most powerful bikes. And one man who has ridden the 2WD R1 claims the system improves the...

Would you give the Dog a home?

09 December 2001

Yamaha’s BT1100 Bulldog doesn’t fit comfortably into any of the pigeonholes we are used to. It’s a cross between a Ducati Monster and a Buell. Yamaha believes there’s big demand for such a hybrid. But...

Road-going Castrol rep CBR and Blade to go on sale

09 December 2001

The Castrol Honda race squad is adding a 2002 British superbike-spec road-going FireBlade to its previously announced CBR600 supersport racer rep, and is planning to put it on sale in road legal...

BMW launches slower bike for cops

09 December 2001

BMW has launched yet another new bike. It’s a smaller capacity, lighter but slower version of its R1150RT and it’s only available to the police. The R850RT has the addition of a sixth ” cruising ” ...

The Harley rider

09 December 2001

YAMAHA is pitching the Bulldog at people exactly like Smith. She steers away from sports bikes and likes a more relaxed ride. But can this pooch tempt her away from her beloved Hog? She says the...

The Superbike rider

09 December 2001

” LOOK at those nasty alloy fork seal protectors, they’re horrible! ” Brown’s initial impression of the Bulldog isn’t favourable as he wanders over, doing up his race rep lid. Fortunately, things...

The super tourer rider

09 December 2001

Super Blackbird rider Smith likens the Bulldog to ” a great commuter bike, but with style, ” and thinks Yamaha has copied elements from a Buell and Monster. He says: ” I’m impressed with how it...

How Yamaha’s 2WD works

09 December 2001

Ohlins/Yamaha’s system is light and so simple it can be fitted to virtually any bike with minimal modifications to the standard suspension and transmission. It uses hydraulic pressure to transmit the power to the front. A small hydraulic pump is attached to the engine, and driven by an extra chain running from the front sprocket of the stock gearbox. It uses six or more tiny pistons to pump...

Video: Track action at Estoril

02 December 2001

Click the links in the download videos box, right, titled RM (if you use Real Player) or MOV (for Quicktime users) to see a clip of MCN’s Keith Farr lapping Estoril at the FireBlade launch.

2002 FireBlade first test – now with video and audio

02 December 2001

MCN had the first test of the heavily-revised 2002 Honda FireBlade in Estoril, Portugal earlier this week. Read Keith Farr’s first impression of the bike below or click the video and audio links in...

Two new Aprilias unveiled

02 December 2001

APRILIA has revealed a brand new contender in the naked bike market for 2002 – the Tuono – as well as a close-to-production prototype for a hybrid multipurpose machine, called the Mana. The Tuono,...

Audio: Blade designer Tadao Baba speaks

02 December 2001

Click the links in the download videos box, right, titled RM (if you use Real Player) or MOV (for Quicktime users) to hear FireBlade project Chief Engineer Tadao Baba answering questions about future...

Main changes to the 2002 FireBlade

02 December 2001

HONDA has opted to update the Blade rather than reinvent it. Its move into 2002 is evolutionary rather than revolutionary. On paper, at least. It isn’t until you ride it that you realise the changes are actually very significant ones, each with a dramatic effect on the bike’s overall character and capabilities. This is the sixth generation of FireBlade and the changes are as follows: * 1mm...