October

Year: 2009

Month: October

New Ducati Multistrada name confirmed

30 October 2009 by John Westlake

Ducati has finally officially confirmed that its new GS-rival will be called the Multistrada. Read Ducati motorcycle reviews In a press release announcing that the 1198cc bike will appear at...

Rossi's naked Yamaha M1

30 October 2009 by Andy Downes

This is what Valentino Rossi¹s YZR-M1 looks like stripped of all sponsor logos and painted in Yamaha corporate racing colours. Find a Yamaha R1 for sale Read the 2009 Yamaha R1 review The bike...

The Honda Cub returns in Japan

30 October 2009 by Andy Downes

This recently launched version of the classic Honda Cub is an all-new incarnation that meets new emissions regulations yet still looks like the model that helped start up the Honda company with...

More green bikes at the Tokyo show

30 October 2009 by Andy Downes

Honda had two zero emissions bikes with the EVE-neo and EV-Cub. Suzuki was the first to bring out a production fuel cell bike with the hydrogen burning Burgman Fuel-Cell, which takes compressed...

Honda CB1100R 'can't stay a concept'

30 October 2009 by Andy Downes

The man behind the Honda CB1100 road bike has told MCN he’s going to fight to get the gorgeous CB1100R in production. Chief Engineer Hirofumi Fukanaga was responsible for several recent generations of...

Video: Honda VFR1200F in action

29 October 2009 by Andy Downes

We’ve just got some action video sent back from Japan following the preview launch of the new Honda VFR1200F last week. More info on the Honda VFR1200 First impressions of the VFR1200F The video...

Aprilia Dorsoduro Factory on the way

29 October 2009 by Andy Downes

Aprilia will unveil a new Factory version of the Dorsoduro 750 and a mildly tweaked Shiver at the Milan motorcycle show in two weeks. Aprilia motorcycles for sale There is no official word on the...

Aprilia RSV4-R launch cut short

28 October 2009 by Michael Neeves

The launch of the new Aprilia RSV4-R at Mugello was cut short yesterday after five of the bikes suffered terminal con rod failures. Senior Road Tester, Michael Neeves was there: “I did two 20-miniute...

Yamaha hybrid scooter for production?

26 October 2009 by Andy Downes

Yamaha showed a new hybrid scooter at last week’s Tokyo Motor Show and it’s thought the clever petrol and electric technology may well make production in 2010. The concept bike was kept mysteriously out of the main talk of the Yamaha bosses on stage but it appears this bike is the latest evolution of the Gen-Ryu bike we saw a couple of years ago. The HV-X combines a 15KW electric motor with a...

Poll: Would you consider buying the Honda CB1100?

26 October 2009 by Andy Downes

Honda wants to know if you would buy the CB1100 which was shown at the Tokyo Motor Show for the first time in full production form. At the moment there aren’t plans to bring the bike to Europe or...

Video: Kawasaki GTR1400 traction control explained

26 October 2009 by MCN

The new Kawasaki GTR1400 features advanced traction control – watch the video for a technical explanation of how the system works. Video: Kawasaki GTR1400 official promo Kawasaki GTR1400 first...

Video: Kawasaki GTR1400 official promo

26 October 2009 by MCN

Kawasaki have released this official promo video of their new GTR1400 hyper tourer. Kawasaki GTR1400 first ride report Find a Kawasaki GTR1400 for sale

Yamaha reveal futuristic electric scooter

23 October 2009 by Luke FitzGerald

Yamaha have unveiled two electric concept scooters, the EC-F and the EC-Fs, at the Tokyo Motor Show. Described by Yamaha as “electric commuter vehicles”, they are far more ambitious in design than...

Zero emissions Suzuki Burgman unveiled

23 October 2009 by Laura Kennerley

The new Suzuki Burgman fuel cell scooter will be available in the UK within months. The zero emissions scooter is due to be unveiled at the Tokyo Motorcycle Show today. The scooter has been developed...

Moto Morini unveils up-dated Granpasso

23 October 2009 by Laura Kennerley

Engineers at the Bologna factory have concentrated on ergonomic changes and improvements to the off-road handling of the 118bhp v-twin. The handlebars have been upgraded with risers that allow...

Blindspot electric bikes may be green, but they're not pretty

22 October 2009 by Laura Kennerley

A new American company is transforming junkyard relics in to zero emission bikes. But despite all of their green credentials, its difficult to get round the fact they lack looks thanks to the bulky...

VFR1200F first ride blog: First impressions of the VFR1200F

22 October 2009 by Andy Downes

MCN’s Andy Downes is testing the new VFR1200F in Japan. Andy is at Sugo race track right now, and has just been out riding on the VFR1200F for the first time. More info on the Honda VFR1200 ‘I’ve...

Yamaha Super Ténéré concept update: more pictures

21 October 2009 by Chris Newbigging

Yamaha is drip-feeding more pictures of its interesting, if slightly ludicrous, made-from-cloth Super Ténéré concept, revealed today (October 21) at the Tokyo show. It’s quite clear that this is no...

Video: Honda VFR1200F 360 view

21 October 2009 by MCN

MCN’s Andy Downes will be testing the new VFR1200F in Japan later this week, but right now he’s at the Toyko motor show and he just sent back this quick mobilephone video showing 360-degrees of the...

New Yamaha Tenere concept is made of cloth!

21 October 2009 by Andy Downes

Yamaha has shocked the Tokyo Motor Show crowds by unveiling a concept version of the new Super Tenere which is due for release next year. Weirdly, the concept bike is made of cloth, though it does...

Vyrus: The world's most-powerful road motorcycle

19 October 2009 by Guy Procter

Tiny Italian firm Vyrus will launch a new hub-centre-steered superbike in November which in its ultimate form offers 211bhp. That makes it easily the most powerful street bike in the world – eclipsing...

Yamaha launches two new X-Max scooter models

16 October 2009 by Laura Kennerley

Yamaha has unveiled two new X-Max scooters – with 250cc and 125cc engines. The new X-Max’s have new rigid frames, increased storage capacity and a new dashboard design. They echo the...

Video: Ducati Hypermotard 796 promo

16 October 2009 by MCN

The new Ducati Hypermotard 796 is a smaller version of the Hypermotard 1100, with an all-new engine and a lighter, lower chassis aimed at new riders. Here’s Ducati’s promotional video for the new bike.

796 Ducati Hypermotard Vs 1100 Ducati Hypermotard

16 October 2009 by MCN

MCN’s Michael Neeves has been testing Ducati‘s 796 Hypermotard in Italy, here he reveals the raft of changes that make the 796 Hypermotard a superior machine to the 1100 Hypermotard. The 796’s seat...

Inside the technology of the VFR1200F

16 October 2009 by Andy Downes

Honda has spent years developing the technology making up the new VFR1200F – some of it will only be making an appearance on future versions – but this is the first close look at the technology of...

VFR1200F test rider speaks

14 October 2009 by Andy Downes

Honda test rider Dave Hancock is adamant the new VFR1200F is so good it will change the world of bikes for the next decade. More info on the Honda VFR1200 Hancock has been a Honda test rider for the...

2010 Ducati Multistrada squares up against GS

14 October 2009 by Marc Potter

These latest exclusive pictures of Ducati’s new 2010 Multistrada show the Italian firm is going straight after sales of BMW’s R1200GS. The extreme test conducted on a motocross track was spotted by...

Video: Kawasaki Europe releases proper 2010 Z1000 vid

09 October 2009 by Chris Newbiggingh

Kawasaki Europe has responded to the dull-as-dishwater Kawasaki America video for the 2010 Z1000 with a much better advert for the new bike. The European video starts with a minute of wheelies, skids...