What a difference a week makes. Just seven days ago, we reported to you the fight that was brewing internally at Harley-Davidson, where investor Impala Asset Management was vying to put two additional board members on the corporate board for Harley-Davidson.
A form of motorcycle racing that doesn’t really ever get its proper time in the limelight, the hyper-niche of drag racing motorcycles is often overlooked in the two-wheeled world.
This means that in many cases, motorcycle drag racers have had to make do with what’s available to them, and for those who race in a Pro Street Bike class that requires a DOT tire, that has meant a world of compromises.
Dunlop hopes that is about to change though, as the tire-maker has just released its first purpose-built DOT drag racing tire for motorcycles, the Dunlop Dragmax.
Honda’s miniMOTO lineup has been a big hit for the Japanese brand, and now the lineup of pint-sized 125cc motorcycles is about to see the inclusion of its next machine, the Honda Trail 125 (the Honda Hunter Cub 125 in non-US markets).
Though still not a confirmed model for the USA and Europe, all signs point to the “Hunter Cub” (in at least one of its various names) coming to both markets.
We don’t have to wait for the bike’s arrival though to know what we’re getting though, as the new model is already on Honda Japan’s website, under the Honda CT125 name.
If you are looking for a reason to survive the coronavirus outbreak (not that by any means you should giving up hope at this point) then let it be to see whether this rumor pans out to be true or not, as internet chatter is pointing to a Honda CBR600RR-R model for the 2021 model year.
The rumor comes from Japan’s Young Machine magazine, which posted the news on the cover of its latest print issue.
Young Machine says that Honda will debut the so-called “CBR600RR-R” at the end of this year (though, one has to wonder if the coronavirus outbreak could have already scuppered those possible plans).
Young Machine goes on to say that the CBR600RR-R will visually look similar to the CBR1000RR-R that just debuted for the 2020 model year, complete with aerodynamic winglets.
Want some good news to start your weekend? Thank your favorite Austrian motorcycle brand, because the KTM 890 Duke R is not only coming to America, but it will be here (in limited numbers) very, very soon.
This is because KTM North America has been able to import a small number of KTM 890 Duke R motorcycles into the United States, which will be ready for purchase in Spring 2020, instead of Fall 2020 (as 2021 model year bikes) as was originally planned.
The Tokyo Motorcycle Show and Osaka Motorcycle Show have had to scratch this year because of coronavirus concerns in Japan, but some motorcycle brands that would have been attending are taking a more “virtual” approach to their exhibits.
That is bad news for our Japanese readers, who were hoping to go to these shows for a super dosage of two-wheeled goodness, but for us here in the United States, it means that more of the shows will be accessible from across the Pacific.
First on the docket comes to us from Big Red, which just launched its own virtual expo website, and first on the list is this Honda CB-F concept, which just dropped with its retro lines and modern chassis and engine.
If we made a list of motorcycles available in other markets that we don’t get here in the United States, surely the Honda CBR250RR would be a bike near the top of the list.
The plucky twin-cylinder sport bike is nothing like the Honda CBR250R or Honda CBR300R, in that it is a proper sport bike, not just some budget machine in wolf’s clothing.
No news is good news, at least as far as the current outbreak of COVID-19, or the coronavirus is concerned.
And for thirteen days – nearly two whole weeks – we went without a change to the calendars of either the WorldSBK and MotoGP calendars (ironically, that changed this morning).
Given the speed at which the world has changed over the past two weeks, that is almost an eternity in normal time. The same could not be said for other motorsport disciplines. For two weeks, we have been inundated with cancellations and postponements.
Episode 32 of the Brap Talk podcast is now out for your two-wheeled audio pleasure, and as always, it is packed with some interesting motorcycle discussions.
Actually, the show really only has two main topics for conversation, but we take a deep-dive on them, which we think you will find interesting.
Episode 135 of the Paddock Pass Podcast is out, and as you might expect from the title of the show, this one covers just one single rider: Fabio Quartararo.
In order to deep-dive on the Frenchman, we have Steve English, Neil Morrison, and David Emmett on the microphones.
But, we also have a number of interviews with paddock insiders and those around Quartararo, to help talk about his rise in the grand prix paddock.
What something to look forward to once the coronapocalypse is over? Reports from Europe are telling us to expect the Honda CT125 to become a production machine, perhaps as early as the 2021 model year.
For those that missed the bike’s “concept” debut at the Tokyo Motor Show, the machine takes a riff on the old “CT” bikes from the 1960’s and adds a modern touch, as well as the 125cc single-cylinder engine found in the Honda Grom.