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The wait is over, and now we see what has been cooking in Varese, as MV Agusta has partnered with French automotive brand Alpine to create another Italian beauty.

The second automotive collaboration done by the Italian motorcycle brand, this one sees the MV Agusta Superveloce 800 getting the Alpine treatment, with the company’s traditional blue and white livery.

As one would expect, the partnership is mostly a design exercise, with only 110 machines being made in this limited edition run (a nod to the Alpine A110 sports car), though it is worth looking more than skin deep to see the changes this bike heralds for the 2021 model year.

Husqvarna continues to be the only motorcycle manufacturer with a race-ready supermoto, straight from the factory, and what a machine it is, the Husqvarna FS 450. For the 2018 model year, the Swedish brand has added more updates for the Husqvarna FS 450, keeping it at the pointy end of technology.

The big changes come in the form of a new slipper clutch from Suter, and brand that any MotoGP team should be familiar with, along with a new map switch control on the handlebar, which continues to toggle on and off the bike’s traction control, dual engine maps, and launch control features.

The last change of note for the 2018 model year that Husqvarna wants us to share is that fact that there is a new graphics package…this year, the seat is blue.

Photos of the Ducati 1299 Superleggera leaked this past weekend, and well before that we already knew some of the details about Ducati’s “Project 1408” machine, but none of this detracts from the truly impressive machine that Ducati debuted today in Milan, just ahead of the official start to the 2017 EICMA show.

Like its 1199 counterpart, the Ducati 1299 Superleggera is a limited edition version of the company’s venerable superbike platform, and it focuses on being the lightest, most powerful, street-legal machine that Borgo Panigale can produce.

Upping the ante this time around, Ducati has used a carbon fiber chassis (frame, swingarm, wheels, and bodywork) for the 1299 Superleggera, in addition to an array of other exclusive components and exotic materials.

Also of note is the Akrapovi? race exhaust, which looks like it fell right off Ducati’s World Superbike project. When combined with the rest of the race kit, the Ducati 1299 Superleggera makes 220hp, and tips the scales at 162kg (wet). Truly impressive.

No, that extra R in GSX-R1000R isn’t a typo – Suzuki is releasing two versions of its superbike at INTERMOT today, the 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000R being the higher spec model for track enthusiasts.

Available later in mid-2017, the Suzuki GSX-R1000R takes the already robust package that is the Suzuki GSX-R1000, and adds to it an up-and-down quickshifter, launch control, and cornering ABS feature set.

The suspension has also been upgraded, with the 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000R getting the very noticeable Showa Balance Free forks (note the gas cartridge on the fork bottom), and the Showa Balance Free Rear Cushion rear shock, which is an interesting piece of kit, since Showa says the design does away with the need for separate high-speed and low-speed compression adjustment.

The last item of difference, besides the price of course, is that the 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000R includes a lighter triple tree top clamp.

The 2017 Husqvarna FS 450 is the most advanced factory-built supermoto on the market, full stop.

That’s not exactly saying much, considering there are few factory-built supermotos on the market these days, but that doesn’t make the Husqvarna FS 450 any less impressive…nor does it make our desire to have one, any less.

A refinement to the machine we saw debut last year, the 2017 Husqvarna FS 450 sees the Swedish supermoto upgraded with air forks, proper traction control, and a list of other enhancements that will help you demolish your local kart track.

While not officially listed on Husqvarna North America’s website, American riders looking for some supermoto in their garage should be able to make arrangements at their local Husqvarna dealership.

The Husqvarna brand will continue with its FS 450 offering for the 2016 model year, though you would be wrong to confuse the 2016 bike with its predecessor.

Trimming the fat off the 2015 model, it is clear that Husqvarna looked for ways to make the FS 450 even lighter than before, for 2016, and the Swedish brand look successful in that endeavor, with a 232 lbs machine (sans fuel).

To hit that target weight and other benchmarks, the 2016 Husqvarna FS 450 needed a new chromium molybdenum steel frame, a potent 63hp, 450cc, SOHC, engine, and a bucket of weight-saving items.

Our press release says the new FS 450 will be out in dealers in September of this year, but we take that to surely mean European showrooms, not American. We hope this bike will come the USA though, as it sounds like two wheels of hoon for sumo enthusiasts, and a lighter option than the Husqvarna 701 Supermoto.

With great power, comes great responsibility…I’m fairly certain I read that in a comic book somewhere. The adage carries over to the Kawasaki Ninja H2R though, as any 300hp supercharged machine needs some snappy electronics to keep all that power in line. It’s something we talked about yesterday, when we got up-close with the H2R at the AIMExpo.

Seemingly reading our thoughts on that matter, Kawasaki has released a terse video on the H2R’s electronic controls. The video essentially confirms that the Kawasaki Ninja H2R, and presumably the Kawasaki Ninja H2 street bike, will come with anti-locking brakes (KIBS), traction control (KTRC), launch control (KLCM), quick shifter (KQS), engine braking control (KEBC), and an electronic steering damper (ESD).

MV Agusta must be feeling antsy about the upcoming EICMA show in Milan, as the Italian company first teased its MV Agusta Brutale 675 in a video last week, and today it has released the final specifications of its upcoming 2012 MV Agusta F3 motorcycle.

While we’re sure the 126hp 675cc three-cylinder motor, with its 52 lbs•ft of torque, will please the discerning supersport purchaser, MV Agusta is betting that its MVICS (Motor & Vehicle Integrated Control System) electronics package is what is really going to get you excited about the Italian machine (did we mention it looks gorgeous too?). 

Clearly reading our thoughts that electronics are the new horsepower, the MV Agusta F3 675 is now the only supersport to boast ride-by-wire & traction control, and also comes along with optional wheelie and launch control vehicle dynamics.

Fresh off its victory in the 2010 FIM World Superbike Championship, Aprilia is bringing its WSBK tech to the masses. Designated as Aprilia Performance Ride Control (APRC), The Italian company first debuted its 8-stage adjustable traction control, wheelie control, launch control, and a quick shifter package on the 2011 Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC, which debuted at the 2010 EICMA show. Now the company from Noale is bringing that same electronics package to its more affordable Aprilia RSV4 R street machine as a standard feature on the 2011 Aprilia RSV4 R APRC.

Along with the added APRC system, the Aprilia RSV4 R APRC features an improved motor lubrication system, and the first three gears are spaced for better acceleration. The exhaust system has also been lightened by 2kg (just under 5 lbs).

The 2011 Aprilia RSV4 R APRC also comes with the same 200/55 x 17 dual-compound rear tire that’s found on the Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC. Other changes include lighter wheels, a fully-adjustable Sachs rear shock, better fuel consumption, and some new graphics. Pricing will be $16,999 in the United States, and £13,999 (exc. OTR) for our brothers in apex across the pond.

Aprilia is launching its RSV4 Factory APRC to the press for the first time in Jerez this week, allowing journalists to get their grubby mitts on the APRC, and see what this performance ride control stuff is all about. For those of us not in attendnace at Jerez, Aprilia has released a video that goes over the Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC’s new features, which we already covered here.

In the video we can see the rider launching the Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC from a dead-stop using the launch control mode. As we described earlier, enabling the launch control requires only selecting the program via the mode joystick, grabbing both of the left-hand side traction control buttons on the handlebar simultaneously to arm the launch control, and then all that’s left is aggressively twisting the grip to full-throttle, and you’re off (sans power wheelies).

Aprilia also demonstrates changing the traction control settings on-the-fly, and the AQS quick shift feature, which allows for clutchless and speedy shifting through the six-speed sequential gearbox. Aprilia goes through the rest of the RSV4 Factory APRC’s features in the video out after the jump.

motogp-paddock-trailers

The Grand Prix Commission has announced a slew of new rules for MotoGP, supposedly aimed at cutting costs in MotoGP, and thus allowing the manufacturers and teams to compete despite the world’s economic situation. 

The new measures include the following:

  • Race weekends will be rescheduled with Friday’s practice dropped completely, and Saturday’s sessions shortend.
  • From the Czech GP onward, a maximum of 5 engines can be used in 8 races. No changing of parts will be permitted except daily maintenance.
  • Only 2 post race tests will be allowed at the Catalunya and Czech GP’s for development purposes, and only using test riders will be permitted.
  • Ceramic composite materials are not permitted for brake discs or pads.
  • Electronic controlled suspension is not permitted.
  • Launch control systems are not permitted.