Honda unveils NSF250R

Honda Racing Corporation has revealed its NSF250R at the Circuit de Catalunya. The brand new racer has been built to compete in Moto3, the class for four-stroke, 250 cc machines that replaces the current two-stroke 125 cc category from next season.

The NSF250R’s engine is a single cylinder unit, which is tilted back 15 degrees in the bike to help concentrate mass and improve stability. Producing 47.6 bhp (35.5 kW / 48.2 PS) at 13,000 rpm, it features double overhead camshafts plus titanium intake and exhaust valves. Drive is via a six-speed, cassette type gearbox.



Both the aluminium frame and suspension geometry are based on those of the RS125R, although efforts have been made to improve torsional rigidity. This has been necessary to combat the extra bulk of the four-stroke motor, with modifications including the fitment of a revised swing arm. Kerb weight, ready to ride, is 84 kg (185 lbs).



Customer teams will be able to buy the NSF250R at a confirmed price of €23,600. That’s around £21,000 or US$34,500 at today’s exchange rates.



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2012 KX250F and KX450F

Kawasaki has announced upgraded versions of its KX250F and KX450F off-roaders for 2012.



In a world first for a production motocross bike, the KX250F’s single-cylinder engine gets dual fuel injectors. This novel system is claimed to give a smooth and instant throttle response, combined with extra power.

The chassis has also received attention. Included in the specifications for 2012 is Showa’s Separate Function front Fork (SFF), which benefits the handling by separating out the shock absorption and damping actions. The rear hasn’t been forgotten either, and the Uni-Trak suspension set-up has been given some tweaks.



A major innovation for the larger KX450F is its launch control feature. Similar to the system used by Kawasaki’s factory racers, it’s activated by the push of a button and works by switching to a separate engine map that’s designed to reduce wheel spin in slippery conditions.

There are also three switchable engine maps for soft, standard or hard terrain. Each of these can then be modified by using the optional KX FI Calibration Kit, which also allows riders to record and analyse data direct from their bike.



UK prices for the 2012 KX250F and KX450F have yet to be confirmed but, to give an idea of where they’re likely to be, the 2011 models currently retail for £6,249 and £6,449 respectively.

Yamaha reveals 50th livery

The Yamaha YZR-M1 MotoGP bikes of Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies are set to change colour, albeit temporarily.



Replacing the usual blue and white paintjob will be a red and white design that marks Yamaha Factory Racing’s fifty years in World Championship Grand Prix racing.

Fans will get a chance to see the celebratory livery at two rounds only, the Assen TT on 25th June and Laguna Seca on 24th July.



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Moto Guzzi Corsa special

Moto Guzzi has launched a special edition of the 1200 Sport. Called the Corsa, it gets a red, white and gold paintjob and a two-tone saddle.

The overall effect is very tasteful, and the good news for UK customers is that the Corsa costs the same as a standard 1200 Sport: £9,378 on the road.



All of which helps the Moto Guzzi’s status as an interesting alternative to that other naked bike with a large capacity twin-cylinder engine and shaft drive - the £9,250 BMW R 1200 R.

New Yamaha Aerox SP55

Yamaha has launched a special version of its Aerox scooter. Called the SP55, the significance of that number is that Yamaha Motors was founded in 1955 (although the 56th anniversary is perhaps a strange one to commemorate?).

Setting the SP55 apart are its ‘55’ logos, red and white graphics, red pinstripes on the wheels and a tri-colour seat with a carbon-print covering. Subtle it isn’t.



Technically the SP55 is exactly the same as the standard Aerox R. That means it gets a 50 cc motor producing 2.6 bhp (2.0 kW / 2.7 PS) and 3.7 Nm (2.7 lb/ft) of torque, an automatic transmission and disc brakes front and rear.



Pricing in the UK for the Yamaha Aerox SP55 has been set at £2,499 (excluding Government first registration fee and vehicle excise duty). New owners can also get free third party insurance via Yamaha’s ‘Freedom Insured’ scheme, which will probably be a huge financial bonus for many in the SP55’s target market.

2012 MV Agusta F4 RR

MV Agusta has taken the wraps off its 2012 F4 RR, which comes with an all-new short-stroke 998 cc engine producing a claimed 198 bhp (147 kW / 201 PS).



That makes it the most powerful superbike in the world, eclipsing rivals such as the 167 bhp (125 kW / 170 PS) Ducati 1198 SP, 177 bhp (132 kW / 180 PS) Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC and the 190 bhp (142 kW / 193 PS) BMW S 1000 RR.

The F4 RR’s new motor revs up to 13,700 rpm, thanks to an increase in piston diameter from 76 mm to 79 mm and a decrease in stroke from 55 mm to 50.9 mm. The completely redesigned cylinder head features larger diameter intake and exhaust valves, and they're made of titanium - the first time that material has been used for a series production MV Agusta. Completing the package is a bespoke 4-2-1-4 exhaust and a tweaked engine management system.

UK pricing for the 2012 MV Agusta F4 RR has been set at £17,999 on the road. Sales are due to commence in June, with a choice of pastel red / white or matt pearl white colour schemes.



The new arrival joins the existing £14,499 F4 1000, which remains in the range.

2012 MV Agusta F4 RR Technical Specification
Engine
Type	Four cylinder, 4 stroke, 16 valve
Timing system	DOHC, radial valves
Displacement	998 cc (60.9 cu. in.)
Compression ratio	13.4:1
Bore x stroke	79 mm x 50.9 mm (3.1 in. x 2.0 in.)
Max power at crank, full power version	197 bhp (147 kW / 200 PS) at 13,400 rpm (limit 13,700 rpm)
Max power at crank, restricted power version	98 bhp (73 kW / 100 PS) at 9,200 rpm (limit 10,800 rpm)
Max torque, full power version	114 Nm (84 lb/ft) at 9,200 rpm
Max torque, restricted power version	89 Nm (65 lb/ft) at 5,800 rpm
Engine management system	Magneti Marelli IAW 7BM ignition - injection integrated system with Mikuni throttle body; induction discharge electronic ignition
Fuelling	Sequential timed ‘Multipoint’ electronic injection; variable height intake ducts with Torque Shift System (TSS)
Transmission
Clutch	Wet, multi-plate with mechanical anti-surging device and Brembo radial master cylinder
Gearbox	Cassette type, six-speed, constant mesh
Max in-gear speeds, full power version	First 134.1 km/h (83.3 mph); second 171.8 km/h (106.7 mph); third 205.8 km/h (127.8 mph); fourth 236.3 km/h (146.7 mph); fifth 268.9 km/h (167.0 mph); sixth 297.6 km/h (184.8 mph)
Max speed, restricted power version	249.0 km/h (154.6 mph)
Dimensions
Wheelbase	1,430 mm (56.27 in.)
Overall length	2,100 mm (82.63 in.)
Overall width	750 mm (29.51 in.)
Seat height	830 mm (32.66 in.)
Minimum ground clearance	115 mm (4.52 in.)
Trail	100.4 mm (3.93 in.)
Dry weight	192 Kg (423 lbs)
Fuel tank capacity	17 litres (3.73 imperial gallons / 4.49 US gallons)
Chassis
Frame	CrMoSteel tubular trellis (TIG welded)
Rear swing arm pivot plates	Aluminium alloy with adjustable swingarm pivot height
Front suspension	Upside-down Öhlins telescopic hydraulic fork with rebound-compression damping and spring preload external and separate adjustment; travel 120 mm (4.72 in.)
Rear suspension	Öhlins TTX Progressive, single shock absorber with rebound and compression damping and spring preload adjustment; single-sided aluminium alloy swing arm; wheel travel 120 mm (4.72 in.)
Front brake	Double floating disc with Ø 320 mm (Ø 12.6 in.) diameter; steel braking band and aluminium flange; Brembo radial master cylinder; 4 piston radial caliper
Rear brake	Single steel disc with Ø 210 mm (Ø 8.27 in.) diameter; 4 piston caliper
Wheels	Forged aluminium alloy; front 3.50” x 17” / rear 6.00” x 17”
Tyres	Front 120/70 - ZR 17 M/C (58 W) / Rear 190/55 - ZR 17 M/C (75 W)

Brammo range grows

American electric motorcycle manufacturer Brammo is set to add four new models to its line-up.



All are off-road style bikes that’ll complement the existing Enertia and Empulse:



· Engage MX - a dirt bike with an anticipated price of US$9,995 excluding taxes or incentives.



· Engage SMR - that suffix stands for Super Moto Racing, and it’ll cost the same as the MX.



· Engage SMS - another supermoto, except this one’s designed for street use with a price tag of US$11,995.



· Encite MMX PRO - a mini dirt bike, for which pricing is still to be confirmed.

No performance or range figures have been released yet, but all Engage and Encite versions will feature an Integrated Electric Transmission developed by Italian firm SMRE Engineering.



A problem that usually affects any direct-drive, single ratio electric vehicle is that the drivetrain set-up has to be a compromise between acceleration and top speed. IET is a six-speed transmission that gets around this issue, and its clutch and gearshift give the rider a similar feel to that of a petrol-powered bike.

Brammo has also announced plans to increase dealer numbers in the United States, but it seems that potential customers in Europe and other territories will still have to wait a bit longer until sales networks are established.



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Brammo Enertia Plus

SHARP adds more helmets

SHARP, the UK government’s Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme, has just evaluated a further 28 motorcycle helmets.



That brings the total number of different models assessed to 247, all of which have been subjected to identical impact tests that exceed the compulsory British Standard BS 6658:1985 or ECE Regulation 22.05 checks.



Out of the 247 helmets rated, thirty were awarded the maximum five stars. The good news is that six of those retail for under £100, so it would appear that the correlation between price and protection can be tenuous.



The results also clearly demonstrate that a particular brand name won’t necessarily ensure a certain level of quality, as some manufacturers have very large score variations within their ranges.



That’s not the case for Bell, though. It has had six helmets go through the programme, from the £165 M1 to the £495 M5X Carbon, and all were given five stars. No other manufacturer with more than one SHARP-assessed helmet has achieved such a perfect score.



Conversely, the consistently least successful manufacturer is CMS. Its two tested helmets - the £60 GP4 and the £159 GP5F - each only managed to get one star.



To visit the SHARP website, click here.



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2012 Triumph Street Triple

Updated versions of the Triumph Street Triple and Street Triple R are on their way.

Changes to the middleweight streetfighter are purely cosmetic, with the most obvious being the new headlights. Aping those already seen on the larger Speed Triple, the move away from circular units is bound to divide opinion.



To go with the new lighting are new handlebar clamps and revised instruments, while various components are now finished in brushed steel to add to a de-chromed look. Both versions will feature aluminium handlebars, which previously were only standard on the R spec bike.

Mechanically things remain unaltered, which means the same 675 cc three-cylinder engine as before producing 105 bhp (78 kW / 106PS) and 68 Nm (50 lb/ft) of torque.



The standard model will be available in white, black or - for the more daring - purple, with a price tag in the UK of £6,649.



Alternatively, the higher specification R is going to cost £7,349, and buyers will get a choice of white, black or red paintwork.



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2011 Suzuki GSV-R

The Rizla Suzuki MotoGP team has unveiled its 2011 challenger. Sporting a livery from Troy Lee Designs, the Suzuki GSV-R now produces over 220 bhp (165 kW / 225 PS) from its 800 cc V4 engine.

Combined with a weight of around 150 kg (330 lbs), that should be enough for a top speed of at least 205 mph (330 km/h). But that’s just one part of the performance mix - work has also been done to improve driveability and acceleration out of slow corners, while chassis stiffness has received attention to enhance handling and traction.

Rizla Suzuki will only be fielding one GSV-R this season, for Spanish rider Álvaro Bautista. The new bike will make its debut at this weekend’s MotoGP test session at Qatar, ahead of the first race of the season on 20 March which also takes place at the Losail circuit.

Suzuki’s fuel-cell scooter

Could a production version of the Suzuki Burgman Fuel-Cell Scooter be closer to reality?

The model has just earned European Union Whole Vehicle Type Approval, meaning that each example built for the development programme now no longer needs to go through Single Vehicle Approval to check conformity to safety and environmental standards.



EU approval is important to the project, because the bike’s hydrogen fuel-cell was developed by UK firm Intelligent Energy, and the Burgman’s trials are centred on Loughborough University in Leicestershire, England.

Arguably, electric vehicles that take their charge from a fuel-cell are a much more practical proposition compared to those that use a battery. There’s no recharging time, the only emission is water and range anxiety is an alien concept.



The current downsides, however, are the amount of energy required to obtain the hydrogen in the first place and the lack of a refuelling infrastructure.

Motus MST first view

You could be forgiven for having never heard of Motus. But the American manufacturer, based in Birmingham, Alabama, has been busy developing the MST, its take on what a sports touring motorcycle should be like.



The first images of the brand new bike have just been released - and it’s certainly not a bad looking thing, especially when compared to competitors such as the Honda VFR1200F.

A unique feature is the direct injection V4 engine, known as the KMV4. With a capacity of 1,645 cc (100 cubic inches) and an aluminium block and cylinder heads, the targeted outputs are 161 bhp (120 kW / 163 PS) and 165 Nm (122 lb/ft) of torque.

Curiously though, given its country of origin and the class of bike, drive will be via a chain rather than a shaft or belt. Together with fully adjustable suspension front and rear, that points towards a focus on the sports element of the sports touring mix. Nevertheless, a surprise is that anti-lock brakes don’t appear on the MST’s provisional spec sheet.



When Motus starts production later this year, a premium MST-R version will also be offered in addition the base model. There’s no word yet on price levels.

Multistrada Pikes Peak

At the 2010 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Greg Tracy took victory in the 1,205 cc motorcycle class aboard his #555 Ducati Multistrada, while team-mate Alexander Smith came in third on the #55 bike.

Now, a little over eight months after the event, Ducati has launched the Multistrada 1200 S Pikes Peak Special Edition to mark their achievements. A case of better late than never, perhaps?

An obvious difference from the standard bike is the eye-catching Ducati Corse inspired colour scheme, which is complemented by red pin-striping on the wheels, a bespoke seat, plus a black anodised finish for the engine guard and pillion foot peg hangers.



Finishing off the package is a Ducati Performance front mudguard, an EU-approved Termignoni silencer and a low screen, all of which are carbon fibre.

Available from May 2011 onwards, the Pikes Peak Special Edition will be priced at £16,750 (excluding on the road charges) in the UK. Considering that the Multistrada 1200 S Sport costs £14,795, that’s quite a premium.

First Rossi Ducati unveiled

That didn’t take long. Ducati has already begun to exploit the marketing potential of having Valentino Rossi riding for its MotoGP team by announcing a couple of special road bikes.



The GP Replica kits are the latest offering from the Monster Art project, which allows owners of Ducati’s naked Monster to quickly and simply change the appearance of their machines.

Comprised of graphics for the tank, pillion seat cover, front mudguard and bikini fairing, the colour schemes are inspired by the GP11 racers of Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi. Very smart they look, too.



Perhaps using either the 848 or 1198 Superbikes as the basis for a homage to Ducati’s MotoGP efforts might’ve been more appropriate, but there’ll probably be more similarly-themed models in the future.



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