September 2015 - Asphalt & Rubber

Bikes

Honda Neowing Concept – A Hybrid Leaning Trike

By Jensen Beeler 09/30/2015 16 Comments

It seems that the Japanese are really exploring the idea of leaning multi-wheel concepts. First was the Yamaha Teseract, with its four wheels of leaning fury, which gave rise to the production of the Yamaha Tricity scooter, and the Yamaha 03GEN-f & Yamaha 03GEN-x concepts.

Team Green has explored this space with the Kawasaki J Concept, Piaggio has its MP3 500 maxi-scooter (and supposedly has the lockdown on patents for this innovative design), and now Honda has its Neowing – a gas/electric hybrid leaning three-wheeler.

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Bikes

Suzuki GSX Concept Hints At…Something

By Jensen Beeler 09/30/2015 18 Comments

Unlike the Honda “Light Weight Super Sports” concept, which gives a clear indication as to the cut of the Japanese manufacturer’s jib, the Suzuki GSX concept leaves a bit more to the imagination.

We know that the Suzuki GSX-R line is woeful need of an update, and our best information pegs the Suzuki GSX-R1000 finally getting a refresh in mid-2016, as an early 2017 model.

Other rumors suggest we’ll see something interesting from the Suzuki brand at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show, and hopefully that doesn’t mean just this GSX concept.

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Bikes

Honda’s “Light Weight Super Sports” Concept Gives Hope for a Honda CBR250RR in the Near Future

By Jensen Beeler 09/30/2015 64 Comments

When it comes to the small-displacement trend that we’ve seen from manufacturers, Honda’s offering is competent, but lacking when compared to what has come out from Kawasaki, KTM, and Yamaha.

If the Honda’s “Light Weight Super Sports” concept (super high-resolution photo above), which will debut at the Tokyo Motor Show, is any indication though, the Japanese manufacturer is about to blow the competition out of the water with what will likely be the Honda CBR250RR.

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MotoGP

MotoGP: Marc Marquez Fractures Left Hand While Training

By David Emmett 09/30/2015 8 Comments

Marc Marquez has broken his left hand for the second time this season. While out training on a mountain bike, the reigning MotoGP champion fell, and fractured the fifth metacarpal of his left hand.

He underwent surgery on Wednesday morning at the Dexeus Institut in Barcelona to fix the bone. Dr. Mir inserted a titanium plate to stabilize the bone.

Marquez will start physical rehabilitation immediately, and intends to fly to Japan and contest the three flyaway rounds of MotoGP, at Motegi, Phillip Island and Sepang.

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News

BMW “Cornering ABS” Now Available on Older Models

By Jensen Beeler 09/29/2015 5 Comments

Last year, BMW made the Bosch MSC “cornering ABS” system available as a retrofit for the BMW HP4, branding the advanced safety feature as ABS Pro. Now BMW is making the ABS Pro safety package available as a retrofit to a number of BMW model that came with an ABS unit.

Most excitably, the upgrade kit can be used on the 2012-2014 BMW S1000RR, with the 2015-2016 BMW S1000RR kit in development as well. The addition of the ABS Pro on the 2015 S1000RR will include the “Race” riding mode, as well. The slip threshold and brake pressure gradient have been set at a higher level for use on roads with high friction coefficients compared to the “Rain” and “Sport” modes.

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Bikes

The Suter MMX 500 is the Ultimate Two-Stroke Track Bike

By Jensen Beeler 09/29/2015 19 Comments

The veil has finally been removed for the relaunching of Suter’s two-stroke grand prix track bike, now named the Suter MMX 500. As expected, the machine gets a modest makeover visually, and appears to remain largely unchanged mechanically.

Officially making 195hp at 13,000 rpm, the Suter MMX 500 weighs a paltry 280 pounds (127kg). For that kind of power-to-weight ratio, you are going to have to spend some serious coin, 120,000 CHF ($123,360 in today’s money). Only 99 examples of this machine will be built – all to customer-spec, of course.

That price tag gets you a 576cc two-stroke V4 engine, that has a 56 x 58.5mm bore and stroke, double counter-rotating crankshafts, and electronic fuel injection. Suter says that power plant is good to get the MMX 500 up to a true 195 mph (310 km/h).

Suter hopes that interested buyers will field their machine in the GP Bike Legends series, which pits two-stroke era racers back on their smokey machines. We’re not so sure about that, but the Suter MMX 500 is easily the ultimate track day queen.

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MotoGP

MotoGP Aragon Michelin Test – Crashes Show that the French Tire Maker Still Has Work To Do

By David Emmett 09/29/2015 1 Comment

The day after an intense race at the Motorland Aragon circuit, MotoGP held its first full Michelin tire test since Sepang this year. The track was open to any teams wishing to give the Michelin tires a spin, or work on the setting of their bikes.

Fourteen riders elected to make use of the opportunity, including both Repsol Honda riders, the Tech 3 Yamaha duo, both LCR Honda riders, and the Aprilia men, along with Scott Redding, Aleix Espargaro, Danilo Petrucci and Valentino Rossi.

Michelin had brought three rear tires and four front tires to Aragon, keen to get some data from the circuit, as they have not had much testing at the track, and very little in the dry.

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MotoGP

Paddock Pass Podcast – Episode 7 – Aragon

By Jensen Beeler 09/28/2015 No Comments

Another episode of the Paddock Pass Podcast is available for your aural pleasure, as the boys come to you from Spain, fresh off the Aragon GP.

The conversation is obviously centers around Jorge Lorenzo’s victory, and what it means in relation to Valentino Rossi’s championship. Other topics include the heroic rides by Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Iannone, as well as the struggles and developments in the Ducati and Suzuki camp.

In short, it’s an episode worth listening to. While you’re at it, be sure to follow the Paddock Pass Podcast on Facebook, Twitter and subscribe to the show on iTunes and SoundCloud.

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News

Ducati Asks “What is Black?” in New Teaser Campaign

By Jensen Beeler 09/28/2015 20 Comments

In addition to the new Ducati 959 Panigale and the 937cc Ducati Hypermotards dropping today via CARB filings (OEMs control when those documents go public, by the way), we have more news from Ducati, namely its mysterious “This is Black” teaser campaign.

Complete with video that asks more questions than it answers, we know the campaign is tied to an EICMA reveal, since the debut date is the same day as Ducati’s press event in Milan.

What Bologna will announce though is a bit of a mystery, one whose solving is not aided by its accompanying press release and dedicated website.

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Bikes

New 937cc Ducati Hypermotard 939 Outed for 2016

By Jensen Beeler 09/28/2015 20 Comments

In addition to the 2016 Ducati 959 Panigale, Ducati is set to update the Hypermotard line, according to documents filed with the California Air Resources Board.

The filing shows three new Hypers: the base model Hypermotard 939, the up-spec Hypermotard 939 SP, and the touring-oriented Hyperstrada 939.

Unfortunately the CARB filings don’t tell us too much about the machines, other than their emissions are lower (thanks to Euro 4 compliance), and that all three street bikes will use a 937cc engine and a six-speed gearbox.

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Bikes

2016 Ducati 959 Panigale Revealed in CARB Documents

By Jensen Beeler 09/28/2015 40 Comments

It appears one of our predictions for the 2016 model year has been confirmed, as Ducati is set to update its “supersport” model, the Ducati 899 Panigale, with a replacement.

Outed by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), we know that the new model will come with a two-cylinder engine, with a 955cc displacement, and officially be called the Ducati 959 Panigale.

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