Let's quickly forget 2020 and dive into the motorcycle news of the first month of 2021.
Let's begin with some sad news, a demise of a very popular Yamaha small capacity model, the legendary R6.
Even though it has dominated almost every major national supersport championship race it entered and the world supersport championship over the past few years. You can still buy the R6 oddly enough, but it can strictly be used on the track, with off course plenty of upgrades available right from the Yamaha shop floor.
We are not sure how this will work for the big racing series though because their production classes and the idea is that the bikes are homologated road bikes, with the homologation taking place each year depending on the amount of sold bikes.
Yamaha's decision to discontinue the road version of the R6 has everything to do with the decline in request for this model, as the customers are shifting towards adventure models,
together with the upcoming, more strict euro emissions test.
Better news for Yamaha is the replacement of the MT09 and Tracer models. These are important bikes to Yamaha as they models represent the bread and butter to them.
For that reason we expect no radical changes to the models, but a evolution rather then revolution, first ironing out any issues which might have been their on the older models.
Perhaps the most significant break with the past, in what is the third update of the MT09s lifetime is the bike's appearance. Last update in 2017 saw the front end gain a second headlight but now we've had an even more pronounced phase change
with the adoption of a single headlight next to two vertical leds.
The stroke of the engine is also slightly increased, from 847cc towards 889cc, which translates into a 4bhp increase, coming into a total of 118 bhp in total. But more important is that peak power is made earlier in the rev range.
Insurmountable Yamaha has thrown everything but the kitchen sink to this new model in the electronics department, 6-axis imu that allows cornering abs, cornering traction control, anti-wheelie and anti-slide features plus a two-way quick shifter.
Their will also be an SP version of the MT09 with upgraded suspension, cruise control and cosmetic enhancements like unique paint and a brushed alloy swing arm.
The Tracer 900 will now be known simply as the Tracer 9 and there will still be a GT model that comes with standard panniers, cornering lights and heated grips as standard. The base Tracer 9 has to do it without those features and strangely enough the quick shifter.
With the revised Tracer 9 GT, Yamaha has updated his model is a very dens market segment, with rivals as the BMW F900 XR and Triumphs 850 Tiger Sport, not to mention the rumors of a KTM 890 Duke GT
The Tracer 9 will have some though competition
On to BMW - with a newly launched naked sport bike - the latest version of the S 1000 R
Their is so much updated that BMW calls it a totally new machine.
Lately a lot of competition have pitched up, bringing with them much more in the way of sportiness and just as much or even more electronic trickery and load, loads more of horse power. And in this front, the BMW is not leading with the new model. Arguably you can't call 165bhp slow, but looking at the Duke's or Aprillia's, the BMW is 15 to 30 bhp down on power, annoying if you think about it - the engine is a direct derivate of the + 200 bhp S1000RR . What this model does inherit is the superb tft screen together with the usual electrics. An M sport version will also be launched, equipped with titanium silencer, different wheels and bespoke paintwork.
Ducati has introduced a totally new monster. This new monster looses its trellis frame, since 1993 a readily identifiable signature part of this model.
This now has an aluminum front frame similar to that on the V4 Panigale and Multistrada, a new subframe and new cast alloy wheels help to make this Monster significantly lighter than the outgoing 797 and the 821, around 18 kilograms. The engine is the same but with a different tine as the 937cc v-twin found in the supersport and hyper motard models and is good for 111 bph.
Everything is monitored via the 4.3 inch tft dashboard and all electronic aides are their: both way quick shifter, cornering abs and traction control along with launch and wheelie control and three riding modes.
Suzuki has released a official teaser video of the 2021 Hayabusa model. Hayabusa, the Japanese word for falcon was given to their most powerful bike, a bike which was surrounded with lots of controversy at the time of his introduction. The first bike to exceed the top speed of 300 km/h. The new model will be unveiled on the 5th of February. Keep an on our webpage for more news in the coming days.
It's back! After much speculation and rumors, Kawasaki announced the return of the legendary KLR 650. The faithful dual-sport bike is re-introduced after long disappearance with key improvements.
At the heart of the 2022 KLR is its long-running 652cc single-cylinder engine, now equipped with fuel injection for the first time.
Performance has also been improved with revised intake and exhaust cam profiles resulting in increased power and torque in the mid range.
The new model retains the 5-speed gearbox, but several refinements have been made for smoother shifting.
Off-road, the new KLR has the same 20 cm of suspension travel in front and 18.5 cm in the rear.
As before, it rides on a 21” front and 17” rear spoke tube wheels, although the rims have been strengthened to help improve durability.
The ABS system is tuned for dirt roads in which the intervention coming on later than a typical on-road ABS system This reprogramming allows the tires to slide slightly before the ABS kicks in, BUT, the system cannot be switched off completely.
The KLR 650 motorcycle will be available in two edition versions (Adventure and Traveler) featuring a number of Kawasaki Genuine Accessories including engine guards, side cases, LED auxiliary light set, and more.