When BMW set out to make the S1000RR superbike, they put the Japanese 4 squarely in their sights. There can be little doubt that zie Germans succeed in making a bike that can compete with the liter bike incumbents. While we’re not sure if the S1000RR is completely up to the hype with its alleged 183hp dyno figures, one thing is for certain: The BMW S1000RR has plenty of power on tap. While we hear at A&R prefer to think of that power going towards canyon carving adventures or helping us become Sunday morning track day heroes, for some that power is better suited for lofting a front (or rear) wheel, and practicing cursive calligraphy on a tarmac surface.
Tamburini Corse has done their magic on the MV Agusta Brutale in what they call the Tamburini Corse T1, which sounds like something out of The Terminator, but looks more like pure carbon sex to us. Massimo Tamburini’s son Andrea has the reigns at Tamburini Corse, and he builds off his father’s designs, appealing to a new generation of MV riders with the Tamburini Corse T1. Photos and more after the jump.
Vyrus has finally gotten their 987 C3 4V off the beach, and into the studio for some standard mug shots. With proper lighting we can now see all the details lurking on the body of the Vyrus 987 C3 4V, and the bike looks stunning. Take a look after the jump for all the hub-center steering, 184hp, carbon goodness. Want to know how it all goes together, check this time-lapse build video out too.
After photos of the new Yamaha FZ8 were leaked out on the internet, Yamaha seems to think it’s best to release an official picture of the entire FZ8 in it’s full colorful form. As seen from the earlier black and white photos, the Yamaha FZ8 is based heavily off of the FZ1, which may suggest where its performance features will lie when the final release to the public is made this spring.
Rumors has it that the FZ8 will feature the same stroke as the FZ1, which should provide for impressive torque figures, while power is expected to be closer to the FZ6. No word yet if the FZ8 is making it stateside.
For the Buell and MV loyal, Harley-Davidson’s latest earnings report should provide all the information as to why the Milwaukee manufacturer had to close and sell those brands respectively. Reporting a nearly 90% loss in annual income, Harley-Davidson earned only $70.6 million in 2009, compared to the $684.2 million Harley earned in 2008, which results in a staggering loss of income for the iconic motorcycle company.
All new for 2010, the Metzeler Sportec M5 Interact tire is set to redefine the motorcycle industry with its proprietary Chicken Strip Assessment Technology. Do your buddies brag about how far over they can lean their bike? How they’re the next Golden God of Canyon Carving? With Metzler’s Chicken Strip Assessment Technology system, there’s little doubt about how much you’re compensating for something else; and now you can rate your manhood on a scale from 1 to 5. Now go chase that crazy elephant! Chase him!
In addition to getting leaked photos of what the 2010 Yamaha FZ8R or Fazzer 8 will look like, Motociclismo.it has also gotten shots of what they believe to be the FZ8 in its final form, i.e. in the nude. The fairing-less motorcycle will be built of the same chassis as the 2010 Yamaha FZ8R, but will sport a different headlight to accentuate the exposed frame and motor more adequately. Photos after the jump.
Two months ago we revealed what the 2010 Yamaha FZ8 looked like from the headlight up. Yamaha is again teasing us with only a headshot, but this time it is the 2010 Yamaha FZ8R or “Fazer 8″ as Yamaha seems to want to call it, the fully-faired FZ8, that is getting unwrapped. While the photo above is an official photo from Yamaha, Motociclisimo.it has what they believe are leaked photos of both the naked an faired bikes in their final form. Check those photos after the jump.
With the Magpul Ronin, we’re not sure what gun/rifle magazine innovator Magpul is doing making a motorcycle, but we like the outcome of that awkward yet happy merger. Buell owners don’t have much to look forward to right now, but imagine a world where Buell Motorcycles was still in business, and the American sportbike industry is overrun by gun manufacturers making motorcycles. Now add in some wayward samurai warriors, and the end result could be what you see above.
It’s life Jim, but not as we know it…photos and more after the jum
The Harley-Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight (or is it 48?), has made its way out of Milwaukee in time for the 2010 model year. Based on the Sportster 1200 platform, the Forty-Eight is the latest addition to Harley’s “custom” offering. It differs from its Nightser et al counterparts with a bobber meets cafe racer appeal, but keeps the ubiquitous orange and black color schemes.
Fatties on the front and rear rims, the black on polish Forty-Eight gets its motivation from the 1200cc Evolution v-twin motor that’s wedged into the Sportster chassis. The bike is certainly an attractive piece from Harley-Davidson, but also fails to really distinguish itself from the rest of the Harley line-up. Mirrors are underslung, the license plate is side mounted (we doubt the DOT saw that), and a 2.1 gallon fuel tank keeps things a strictly “around the town” sort of affair.
2009 was Asphalt & Rubber’s first entire year bringing you a daily-dose of motorcycle news, racing, rumors, and more. As the year winds down, we thought we would re-visit some of the top stories from the motorcycle community this year. It’s the high’s and the low’s, it’s the best and the worst, it’s the 2009 A&R Rubbies, and they’ll be coming at you everyday until 2010.
It’s finally that time now, we’ve exhausted our coverage of the 2009 EICMA motorcycle show in Milan, Italy, and thus have only one more post to make before we wrap up our coverage. So without further adieu, we bring you the post you’ve all been waiting for: the girls of EICMA. Check after the jump for a bevy of photos of Italian beauties on various two-wheeled devices. They’re all in safe for work form, but we still wouldn’t recommend actually browsing the photos while on the job.
As we wind down our EICMA coverage, we present to you the 2010 MV Agusta Brutale 1090RR. Like the 990R, the 1090RR bares a strong resemblance to its predecessors, despite MV’s claim that the bike is over 80% brand new. While maybe bland in the creativity box, the classic Brutale line is a timeless hit. As such, the MV Agusta Brutale 1090RR was quite the crowd pleaser…maybe that’s why MV never changes it.
Is the sporty look not your style? Don’t worry then, MV Agusta has some options for those not looking to upgrade their Brutale with the MV Agusta Corse parts bin. Helping make the MV Agusta 990R more comfortable, practical, and unique, MV showcased a bevy of accessories for its Brutale line. Check out the photos after the jump.
You may remember the deliciously carbonized MV Agusta F4 Corse we showed you a week back, consider this its more naked brother. The 2010 MV Agusta Brutale 1090RR Corse shown at EICMA is an example of the tasty race bits MV’s racing branch can crank out for its product line-up. Dust-off your drool bucket again, there’s photos after the jump.
One of the cooler things on display at EICMA this year was BMWs S1000RR engine cutaway. The cutaway showcases everything from airbox to exhaust, and if you look really closely you can spot the unicorns secret responsible for BMW’s 193 claimed crank horsepower. More pictures for the engineering minded after the jump.
Every octane-loving American should own one of these, a Polini pocket bike stretched out for drag duty. We spotted this beauty as we were meandering through the halls of EICMA, and knew we had to have one. With a single-sided swingarm, and no suspension to speak of, this 94cc pocket-rocket is about as close to flying at street level as one can get. More pictures after the jump.
You wouldn’t know it by looking at Moto Morini’s website, or by the materials they handed out at EICMA, but the Italian company has officially launched its street-tard version of its Granpasso platform. While we spotted the 2010 Moto Morini Granferro 1200 out in the wild before EICMA, the show in Milan provided us a good opportunity to see the bike up-close. Photos and more after the jump.
As we clean out our files from the EICMA show in Milan, we thought we’d share some of the drool-worthy goodness that custom shop CR&S was showing off in their booth. Besides the Duu cruiser concept, CR&S had this tasty Vun on display. Also of note was a Vun that looked like it had been to hell and back…and here you thought these bikes were just for looking at, didn’t you?
