A single-cylinder hooligan-maker, the KTM 690 Duke is 330 lbs (curbside without fuel) and 67hp of two-wheeled fun, and we hope that the Austrians bring the KTM 690 Duke R our way as well. While we are on the topic of things missing from KTM’s American line-up, a decent supersport is painfully obvious, yet we can’t see the folks at KTM following the paths of other brands. That’s where our friend Luca Bar comes to mind with his latest concept: the KTM RC4. Using the KTM 690 Duke platform and its LC4 engine, Bar has designed a super-single full-fairing sport bike that takes the Austrian company’s “Ready to Race” DNA and applies it to an idea that is not all that disimilar to the Ducati Supermono.
When I sat down with Claudio Domenicali at the Ducati 1199 Panigale R launch, the now-CEO of Ducati Motor Holding was still just the General Manager of the Italian motorcycle company. Four weeks after our interview though, Gabriele del Torchio would leave Ducati for Alitalia; and Domenicali, a 21-year veteran of both the racing and production departments of Ducati, would take his place at the top of Italy’s most prestigious motorcycle brand. After reading our interview from Austin, Texas after the jump, I think you will agree too.
That Yamaha is working on a seamless gearbox is no secret, with Yamaha’s test riders currently racking up the kilometers around tracks in Japan. Recently, however, Spanish magazine SoloMoto published an article suggesting that Yamaha has already been using its new seamless gearbox since the beginning of the season. My own enquiries to check whether Yamaha was using a seamless gearbox or not always received the same answer: no, Yamaha is not using the seamless gearbox. To test this denial, I went out to the side of the track on Friday morning at Jerez to record the bikes as they went by.
After a very public father/son break-up between Paul Teutul Sr. and Paul Teutul Jr., a steroid-ring scandal involving Paul Sr., and finally a bankruptcy proceeding, it appears that Orange County Choppers is the impossible to kill multi-headed hydra of doom that we all knew it was, as the custom chopper shop is once again headed to the small screen and recruiting some talent, on and off the show. Looking for “someone who will work alongside Paul Senior, running the shop and helping build some of the best custom motorcycles in the world,” OCC says it will be back on television with a new show later this month. Please for the love of god, will someone give this man the attention he craves so dearly??! Or, just shoot us in the face.
We love us some concept bikes here at Asphalt & Rubber, and we have featured more than a few pieces of stunning design and imagination on our pages. Though, we can’t remember the last time one of these works of art were brought to us by a legitimate racing team, but that is what we have here with the Team Alstare Superbike Concept. A nod to the former Suzuki team’s return to the World Superbike Championship as the Ducati factory squad with Carlos Checa and Ayrton Badovini, Alstare has enlisted the help of designer Serge Rusak of Rusak Kreaktive Designworks to ink the shape of its futuristic Superbike concept, while Tryptik Studios handled the 3D modeling prowess.
If you didn’t watch Thursday’s pre-event press conference for MotoGP at Jerez, it is worth a viewing right to the end (assuming you have a MotoGP.com account). Building off the news about the NBA’s Jason Collins coming out as gay in a self-written feature in Sport Illustrated, my good colleague David Emmett had the courage to inquire about the culture and acceptance of the MotoGP paddock for homosexual riders. For the sake of accuracy, after the jump is a full transcript of David’s question, as put to riders Cal Crutchlow, Jorge Lorenzo, Marc Marquez, Andrea Dovizioso, Stefan Bradl, and Scott Redding, as well as those riders’ responses to David’s inquiry.
News that Suzuki plans on returning to the MotoGP Championship in 2014 should be old information for dedicated Asphalt & Rubber readers, and the Japanese company’s inline-four race bike was already spotted doing test laps last year by the eager eyes at Cycle World. Well the American print-mag has another set of eyebrow-raising high-quality photos of the 2014 Suzuki GSV-R to mull over from the Motegi race track, along with some technical insights provided by the venerable Kevin Cameron.
A surprise addition to BMW Motorrad’s 2013 model line-up, zie Germans have announced a new middleweight adventure-tourer, the 2013 BMW F800GS Adventure. Like its larger predecessor, the BMW F800GS Adventure is a more travel-ready and off-road capable build of the recently updated BMW F800GS motorcycle. Featuring a larger windscreen, panniers, and a bigger fuel tank capacity (2.1 gallons larger, for a total of 6.3 gallons of fuel), the BMW F800GS Adventure keeps the same 85 hp, liquid-cooled, 798cc, parallel-twin engine found on the F800GS, as well as the same chassis configuration. Pricing in the US will be $13,550 for the base model BWM F800GS Adventure.
Former 500cc World Champion Kevin Schwantz has certainly been in the news a bit these past few months, mostly for his involvement and falling out with the Circuit of the Americas and the Americas GP, but also more recently for his comments regarding Dani Pedrosa — we also sat down with Mr. Schwantz in Austin, and the Texan gave us some sobering insight into the future of American road racing. As if all that wasn’t enough, Schwantz is making a return to two-wheeled racing, and has entered the prestigious Suzuka 8-Hours endurance race with Team Kagayama racing alongside Noriyuki Haga and team owner Yukio Kagayama.
An interesting development on the aftermarket side of things has graced our desks, as Öhlins has released a “suspension control unit” (SCU) that upgrades the electronically adjustable suspension on the Ducati Multistrada 1200 S so that it becomes a semi-active suspension system. Whhhaaaat??! So, if you’re the proud owner of a pre-2013 Ducati Multistrada 1200 S, and you think that your electronically controlled Öhlins suspension is no longer boss, now that Ducati has released its Sachs-powered “Skyhook” semi-active suspension pieces on its new batch of Multistrada sport-tourers, there is a remedy for your motolust.
“Horex has been tight-lipped on the bike’s pricing, though we expect that it will be well north of $20,000 when it reaches American shores.”
Expect to pay the equivalent of $17,617 for a 2012 Honda Fireblade here in the UK. And don’t even ask how much “proper” motorcycles cost in Brazil!
The Horex? Interesting motor, but the whole package isn’t exactly inspiring. It’s so “German” that it could almost be one of those new Husqvarnas (and I’m saying this as someone with German heritage!). The Motus does the whole “two wheels and the biggest engine you could imagine” thing so much better imo.
Why the stupid stupid elevator music? I want to hear the bloody bike… Darn kids.
@Gildas:
+1 on the damn music so loud when you are trying to hear that sweet engine growl.
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I still like, i still can’t afford it…sure as hell would love to own one.
Im positive it would sound 1000x better with a FULL 6-1 system instead of that silly 6- 2 european shotgun arrangement…maybe even as good or better than a piped K1600GT or a CBX1000 with a 6-1 Megaphone system.
I think this thing with ~160HP and such an “apparently” short wheel base must be a handfull to accelerate HARD both from 0 and rolling…i can’t see how the supercharged version will be any better…(blasphemy, i should eat my words, i know)….i guess im getting older ? lol.
Really wishing they don’t turn out to be the German Version of Moto morini, MV Agusta or Benelli…(^_^).
OFF Topic: What’s with some of the latest offers (this bike and the new Trophy for example) coming shod with Pirelli Angels ? I would take PR2 or 3 over those phony Angels any day.
I think it sounds great. And you know what? I think it is actually better without supercharger. 160bhp is already plenty enough, IMO there comes a point where more power just gets in the way,
Sounds great, not much of a looker. I guess it is very heavy right?
Looks are a matter of opinion – I think it looks great because it is understated, simple and conventional in design. Not trying to be a stealth fighter, transformer or any other nonsense. it just looks like a motorcycle. I like that!
As for weight, it is widely quoted at 240kg. Which is heavier than 1000cc bikes, but I think still quite reasonable in the grand scheme of things… Just compare it to the weight of that Triumph Trophy in the article above!
Anyone else notice the close up of the mudgaurd hitting the radiator at 0.54!? And at the end it looks like he stalled it but they sped it up for a second to try cover it up? Not sure but thats what it looks like.
They speeded up a couple of sections, also the bits where he gets off… so I wouldn’t read anything into it. But I also noticed that bit with the mudguard – if it didn’t hit the radiator, it sure came awfuly close!
AndrewF says:
Just compare it to the weight of that Triumph Trophy in the article above!
I think it looks great because it is understated, simple and conventional in design.
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LMAO. Hey, fat chics need love too… \(^_^)/
+1 on the looks comment.
Alex says:
Anyone else notice the close up of the mudgaurd hitting the radiator at 0.54!?
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Yup…that was/is pretty close for comfort…looking from that angle anyways.
Mark Morrison says:
I guess it is very heavy right?
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Not really, by the specs sheet it seems but so was the 1982 GS1100G i used to ride ( 550lbs +, 89HP, “FIRST BIKE too !” ) but once she was moving it’s mass magicaly dissapeared. If they have done their homework on this one im sure it will be the same sensation.
I guess i depends on the persons size and fitness ? Im only 180lbs 6′-2″, I have never stepped inside a gym in my life and it never gave me trouble to ride it and put it on the center stand (although there’s a technique to it, lol).
Would I ride one? YES. It looks almost Retro with the rear fender/seat/tank layout and the engine exhaust headers will get attention. “What, a six cylinder no wider than a four ??!!” I am currently accepting donations.
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