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Aleix Espargaró Steps Down to Moto2

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Another one bites the dust as Aleix Espargaró will leave MotoGP after this weekend, and begin his next season’s preparations with Sito Pons’s Tenerife 40 Pons Racing Moto2 Team. The move leaves another seat open at Pramac Ducati, which will surely be filled by Randy de Puniet next year, as Hiroshi Aoyama is more than likely to take the empty Gresini Honda spot. De Puniet will join Loris Capirossi, who has made the switch from the Rizla Suzuki team, which will be in-turn fielding only one bike in 2011.

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Bikes

2011 Honda CB1000R – Paint That’s Too Cool for the USA

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The 2011 Honda CB1000R gets only minor revisions for 2011, but still the naked version of the CBR1000RR continues to be “too cool” for the United States is finally coming to the United States, and flaunts that fact with its revised color scheme and revised LED front head lamp. While Europe will get the cool tri-color paint scheme, Honda America will only be importing the black version of the CB1000R. CB fans have been clamoring for the Honda CB1000R to be brought to the US, especially with the growing popularity of the street-naked segment.

The fact that the CB1000R’s biggest rival, the Z1000 is available in the USA as well, has helped fuel that fire, and it appears Honda has finally comes to its senses, and pulled the trigger. The CB1000R looks great in black (once you ditch that exhaust rain gutter of an exhaust pipe), but we’re partial to the heritage behind the tri-color paint. We’ll just have amuse ourselves by drooling over these photos. Check them out after the jump.

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2011 KTM 1190 RC8 R Leaks Ahead of EICMA

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According to the folks at Hell for Leather, KTM is not only updating the 2011 KTM 1190 RC8 R with a bevy of eye-catching color schemes (see the drool-worthy gallery after the jump), but has also taken it upon itself to upgrade the Austrian bullet with an additional 7hp or so, bringing the RC8 R’s final total up to 175hp (torque gets a modest increase of 1.5 lbs•ft, totaling in at 93.6 lbs•ft).

Installing a new crankshaft, heavier flywheel, and dual-plug ignition, KTM hopes that the new 2011 KTM 1190 RC8 R will not only be more powerful than its predecessor, but also smoother and easier to ride. We found the 2010 KTM 1190 RC8 R to be one of the best bikes we’ve ever ridden on the track (we are partial to v-twins though), so the idea that the 2011 KTM 1190 RC8 R will build upon an already exceptional package tickles our fancy quite a bit.

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Bikes

2011 Benelli TnT 1130 “Century Racer”

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Founded in 1911, Benelli is celebrating its 100th year anniversary at EICMA this year with special “Century Racer” versions of its Tornado Naked Tre (TnT), the company’s naked three-cylinder street bike. The Benelli TnT 1130 “Century Racer” (a Benelli TnT 899 “Century Racer” is also being made available) features a desaturated green color scheme that honors Renzo Pasolini, and will be on display at the show in Milan. Along with the Century Racers, Benelli will have an exhibit that traces the company’s motorcycling history throughout its years. More details about the company’s 2011 model line after the jump.

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2011 BMW G650GS – A Face Only a Mother Could Love

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The 2011 BMW G650GS is a quasi-new model from the Bavarian factory, as the bike is built around the same F650GS platform we’re all familiar with, but adds a new headlight and bodywork package to the mix. Taking over from the old G650Gs which was built in China, the 2011 BMW G650GS is built in Germany at BMW’s central motorcycle plant, and is another model being shown ahead of EICMA by BMW, along with the 2011 BMW R1200R & 2011 BMW R1200R Classic.

With a 652cc DOHC liquid-cooled single-cylinder motor that puts out 48hp (and optional 34hp package is also available to comply with Spanish, and soon EU law), and 44 lbs•ft of torque. Tourers won’t be happy with BMW’s 14L (3.7 gallons) fuel tank for the G650GS, down from the previous 17.3L tank. That range trade-off has been made to help make the BMW G650GS more agile though, as the smaller tank helps get the 2011 BMW G650GS down to its 423 lbs wet weight, with a full tank of gas. A bounty of photos awaits you after the jump.

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Bikes

2011 Honda CBR250R – We Shall Call It…Mini-Me

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Do not adjust your computer screen, this not a revised version of the VFR1200F, nor is it the V4 adventure bike we expect Honda to debut next week, it’s not even the bastard love child from a CBR and a Cylon, it is in fact the brand new 2011 Honda CBR250R. A 250cc motorcycle for the rest of us, Honda hopes to snag new riders by offering a more practical street bike in the Japanese, European, Australian, and yes, even American markets later this spring.

Raising the bar a bit, the CBR250R comes with optional C-ABS brakes, which will like be mandatory in the European Union, if the EU Commission has anything to say about it. With performance figures coming in at 26hp and 17 lbs•ft of torque, the fuel-injected Honda CBR250R isn’t going to blow anyone out of the water, but that’s sort the point behind the quarter-liter bike, which should be more than capable of scooting around a young rider on city streets and back-road routes.

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Racing

Official: Jeremy Burgess to Join Rossi at Ducati

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Ever since it was confirmed that Valentino Rossi would be heading to Ducati for the 2011 & 2012 seasons, speculation began to swell about whether famed Crew Chief Jeremy Burgess would join the Italian rider at his new squad. The man behind Wayne Gardner, Mick Doohan, and of course Rossi, Burgess’ talents in the pit box are confirmed by the number of race victories and series championships he’s been a part of in GP racing. With many believing Rossi could not be successful on the Ducati without Burgess by his side, the Australian crew chief’s decision to follow Rossi to Ducati is an integral piece to the team’s success in the coming years, especially as Ducati prepares a new 1000cc machine for the rule changes scheduled in 2012.

With speculation rife that Burgess might stay at Yamaha (presumably to help Rookie of the Year Ben Spies), or even retire at the end of this season (Rossi said at Laguna Seca he wasn’t sure if Burgess would continue after this season), Burgess’ move to Ducati was anything but a sure thing. However this weekend at his home venue of Phillip Island and during the Australian GP, Burgess officially announced his intention to SportRider magazine that he would be following Rossi to Ducati, and continuing the pair’s successful history together.

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Brammo Enertia Plus: The 80 Mile Commuter

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Brammo has another product announcement for us today, as the Oregon-based company is ready to reveal that it is adding the Brammo Enertia Plus to its 2011 line-up. Basically a Brammo Enertia with a power-pack similar to the Brammo Empulse 80, the Brammo Enertia Plus doubles the range of Brammo’s original model from 40 to 80 miles on a single charge.

This moves comes as Brammo attempts to address the “60-mile barrier” that Brammo believes is holding some customers back from pulling the trigger on an electric motorcycle. With 6.0 kWh on-board, the Brammo Enertia Plus still tips the scales at 324lbs like the original model, and pricing will start at $8,995 MSRP. More info, photos, and a video after the jump.

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2011 BMW R1200GS Triple Black

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BMW has released details on its 2011 BMW R1200GS Triple Black, a limited edition GS that’s well…black. Showing us the Triple Black ahead of the bike’s official debut at the Milan EICMA show in two weeks time, the new GS is basically a combination of some black paint and BMW’s premium parts package for the R1200GS.

With sapphire black metallic paint, and murdered cross-spoke wheels, front forks, engine casings, the Triple Black is accented with asphalt grey metallic paint on the swingarm, rear sub-frame, and valve covers. BMW’s Premium Package includes Enduro Electronic Suspension Adjustment, heated grips, hand guards, anti-lock brakes, and pannier mounting points.

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News

Honda VFR Adventure Concept – A Naked VFR1200F?

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Released in Italy today, Honda has taken the wraps off a concept drawing that shows a new crossover motorcycle, based off the VFR1200F. Super-imposed over the shape of the new VFR, this new concept rendering shows a largely reduced fairing, in anticipation of its more “adventurous” segment orientation. If rumors are to believed on the internet, the bike may not share the same 1237cc displacement as its sport-touring cousin, and instead will sport a middleweight displacement (800cc’s seems to be a popular number).

This new VFR is one (or two?) of eight new models Honda has said it will debut in Milan. One of the other rumored models is a 1200cc concept bike, which will reportedly be a 2012 model year motorcycle with Honda’s dual-clutch transmission, we’ll have to wait a bit longer to find out the rest of what Honda has in store for us.

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