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The folks at Motociclismo.it are reporting that a KTM 1290 Super Duke RR is going to drop in the coming days – news that our own Bothan Spies are giving good vibrations about as well.

The concept behind the KTM 1290 Super Duke RR is pretty simple: it will be a version of the current streetfighter, complete with a bevy of farkles and go-fast parts from the Austrian brand to make it even more of a hooligan machine on the street and track.

The Aprilia Tuono V4 X is a limited edition, track only, version of the Noale’s hyper-naked bike…and of course it comes with MotoGP-inspired wings. It makes 218hp at the crank, weighs 366 lbs bone dry, costs €34,900, and only 10 bikes were going to be made.

Now, Aprilia tells us that production for the Aprilia Tuono V4 X is going to increase three-fold. That means 30 bikes will be produced, which would seem like good news if you were not one of the lucky 10 who first got a chance to own this unique motorcycle.

We still have some bad news, however. All 20 of those additional units are already spoken for.

Two weeks ago, we caught glimpse of a track-prepped Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 with wings and camoflage, and wondered what was to come of the Italian streetfighter. Today, we get that answer.

Behold the Aprilia Tuono V4 X – a limited edition, track only, version of the Noale’s hyper-naked bike. Complete with MotoGP-inspired wings, this carbon fiber clad Tuono V4 posts some impressive figures: 218hp (crank), 366 lbs (dry), and €34,900 (+VAT).

Built by Aprilia Racing, the Tuono V4 X is similar to the RSV4 X that we saw last year – most notably that only 10 units will be made available to the public. This is a shame, because the Aprilia Tuono V4 X is dripping with awesome.

I am not sure why all the motorcycle publications are covering the MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR this week, as if 1000cc streetfighter was just unveiled as a new model. Well actually, I do know why – it is because MV Agusta held a media presentation for the bike, in lieu of a on-road press test.

You can’t fault MV Agusta for trying to salvage a press launch during a global pandemic, though it is curious why my colleagues are reporting this bike as if they have never seen it before. Maybe they were asleep during EICMA?

For those who feel that they need their memories refreshed, the “RR” model isn’t that different from the “Serie Oro” model we saw in 2018, though it has some key high-end pieces missing.

The Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade is one of the most anticipated motorcycles for the 2020 model year, and once Big Red finishes up its con-rod recall on this brand new superbike, eager speed-fiends will be able to test their mettle on the race track.

But what about those who prefer to stay on the streets? Sure, you can ride the Honda CBR1000RR-R as a street bike. But, for the first time in its superbike-making history, Honda has focused on making a race bike first, and a street bike second.

Riding the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade as a dedicated street bike is certainly possible – it has all the lights, mirrors, and plate holders for such a job – but there has to be a better bike for the task.

As such, we would be very disappointed to learn that Big Red doesn’t have plans for a streetfightered version of the CBR1000RR-R in its product roadmap.

And after today’s concepts from Kardesign, we would be very, very disappointed if that were the case.

Perhaps the most lurid motorcycle we saw at the 2019 EICMA show, the MV Agusta Rush 1000 is truly a bike that stands out from the crowd. Designed with what MV Agusta calls a “drag racing” aesthetic, the Rush 1000 takes the already gorgeous Brutale 1000 RR streetfighter, and dials it up to 11.

On the technical side, MV Agusta hasn’t distinguished the Rush 1000 too much from the Brutale 1000 – they both share a 205hp inline-four engine (209hp with the kit exhaust, which surely one would install for the full “Rush” effect), which is pulled straight out of the MV Agusta F4 RC superbike.

If you haven’t read my thoughts on riding the Ducati Streetfighter V4 S already, I suggest you do so before going further. Don’t worry it is a “short” review – only a couple thousand words or so.

For the TL;DR crowd, the Ducati Streetfighter V4 S is an amazing machine. It has all the low-speed manners that its 1098 predecessor lacked, but does so without sacrificing the astounding speed and horsepower found from its Panigale V4 lineage.

“Refinement” is the word that I keep coming back to when I talk about the Streetfighter V4 S, which is both a nod to the differences found from the Streetfighter 1098, but also an acknowledgement of the bar that Ducati is setting with its motorcycle lineup.

At $24,000 a pop – roughly $5,000 more than its closest competition – the Ducati better bring something extra to the table, and frankly buyers expect a more polished machine when they are paying that kind of pricing premium.

Is the Ducati that much better than the Aprilia or KTM? The journalist in me says the jury is still out, primarily because of the testing restrictions we have to deal with concerning the coronavirus outbreak.

But, I can speak about its refinement, which is what I want to do today.

Every new model year, I sit down and write a short list with the bikes I simply have to swing a leg over before the year is out.

The list is governed mostly by what catches my personal interest, but also includes important machines across the different segments of the industry, with the idea that I want to be able to speak intelligently about them and what’s going on in our two-wheeled world.

For the 2020 model year, at the top of my list was the Ducati Streetfighter V4 S. The bike not only appeals to my sport bike loving temperament, but it also marks the return of Ducati back to one of its more core elements – the sport bike category.

As we speak, dealerships in the USA are starting to see the Ducati Streetfighter V4 arrive at their doorsteps, which is certainly some good news in a time where the world (including the two-wheeled one) is a bit crazy.

This news is lucky for those soon-to-be owners as well, because not even the world’s press (outside of a few partnering publications) have been able to swing a leg over the Streetfighter V4 yet, as the international press launch for the machine had to be canceled because of the coronavirus outbreak.

As you can imagine, the coronavirus outbreak has disrupted many plans in the motorcycle industry, especially as the virus comes right during the new-bike launch season. With events canceled left and right, brands are either having to postpone the debut of their new models, or think creatively on how to adapt.

Tomorrow, Asphalt & Rubber gets to see Ducati’s solution to this problem, and you do too, as the Bologna brand is going to live stream to the public the launch of the new Streetfighter V4.