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Yamaha Niken GT Brings Proper Sport-Touring to Three Wheels

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When the Yamaha Niken debuted, we didn’t know what to make of this leaning three-wheeler. Yamaha pitched the Niken as a sport bike, but our time riding it in the Alps showed a machine that was better suited for touring.

Seemingly following that feedback, the Yamaha Niken GT has come for the 2019 model year, debuting at the EICMA show in Milan, and it offers more touring-focused features for three-wheel enthusiasts.

Perhaps the perfect touring platform, the move makes sense for Yamaha, and the Niken needs few changes in order to adapt to this new concept.

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Bikes

Yamaha Ténéré 700 Will Be a 2021 Model for the USA

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We have been waiting a very long time for the Yamaha Ténéré 700, with the machine first debuting as a concept in 2016. A no-show at the 2017 EICMA show, the Yamaha T7 concept instead went on a worldwide promotional tour.

So, surely we thought that the 2018 EICMA show would announce the Yamaha Ténéré 700 as ready to go…yes and no. The Yamaha Ténéré 700 is finally coming as a production motorcycle…but not quite yet.

Expected as a Fall 2019 model in Europe, off-roaders eager for a middleweight adventure-touring bike will have to wait another year. If you happen to live on this side of the pond however, we have even worse news for you.

The Yamaha Ténéré 700 will be a 2021 model year machine in the USA, debuting in the second-half of 2020, making this perhaps the most disappointing new model release at the Milan trade show.

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Bikes

The Superquadro-Powered Pierobon X85R Breaks Cover

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If you haven’t heard of Pierobon, you owe it to yourself to do a little research on the brand.

Known best for making race frames for Ducati motorcycles, the company has produced a few complete racing machines that are absolutely gorgeous (we hear they go pretty good around the track, as well).

For your reading consideration, check out the Pierobon X60R with its DesmoDue 1100 EVO air-cooled v-twin engine; the Pierobon X80R, which is powered by the Testastretta 848 liquid-cooled engine; and then there is the Pierobon F042 street bike.

Now, we can add to the list the Pierobon X85R, which uses the Superquadro engine from the Ducati 1199/1299/899/959 series of motorcycles.

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News

All of Ducati’s 2019 Model Year Bikes Come with Cornering ABS

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I once had a conversation with Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali, where he described that in terms of safety advancement, cornering ABS was to the front wheel what traction control was to the rear wheel.

A few years later now, we see that the Italian brand is taking cornering ABS very seriously, and during the company’s EICMA unveiling event, Domenicali announced that Ducati is making cornering ABS a standard item on all of its 2019 model year motorcycles.

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Rumors

More Photos of the 2019 BMW S1000RR Leak Online

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The new BMW S1000RR hasn’t even officially debuted yet, but it feels like we already know a great deal about this new superbike.

Photos and details of the machine have already leaked ahead of the EICMA trade show, giving us a good idea of what to expect from the German brand, and now more photos have leaked online.

Found on Reddit, and first posted by the Instagram account @S1000RRgram, these photos appear to come from the catalog for the 2019 BMW S1000RR, giving us a good perspective on how the bike compares in size to its rider.

The photos also give us a strong look at the S1000RR’s front fairing and headlight design, which finally features symmetrical lights.

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Bikes

MV Agusta Dragster 800 RR America, An Homage to the Past

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While the MV Agusta Brutale 1000 Serie Oro is grabbing all the headlines, the Italian brand has released another Brutale model for our two-wheeled consumption, this one another special edition machine: the MV Agusta Brutale 800 RR America.

The concept should be pretty simple to understand. Like the Brutale 800 America that debuted last year, MV Agusta has again brought out the red, white, and blue livery – this time applying it to the Dragster 800 RR motorcycle.

Taking its name from the 1973 MV Agusta S America 750, this new motorcycle thus blends a bit of history with its modern electronics, components, and styling. As such, the MV Agusta Brutale 800 RR America makes a fetching homage by the Varesini brand, 45 years after the original debuted.

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Bikes

MV Agusta Brutale 1000 Serie Oro – A New Generation of Style

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It’s here. The next generation of four-cylinder sport bike from MV Agusta just broke cover at this year’s EICMA show in Milan. As such, say hello to the 2019 MV Agusta Brutale 1000 Serie Oro. This is likely as close as you will ever get to one, as only 300 will be built.

An evolution of Massimo Tamburini’s original Brutale design, the MV Agusta Brutale 1000 Serie Oro does not disappoint, especially with its 205hp (152 kW) peak power figure – the highest performance figure of any production streetfighter.

With the special race kit installed, power on the MV Agusta Brutale 1000 Serie Oro increases to 209hp (156 kW), with the 4-1-4 titanium exhaust from SC Project highlighting the change in peak horsepower.

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Bikes

Is The Ducati Monster 821 Stealth a Final Farewell?

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If I was a betting man, I would put money down that this is the last model year for the Monster 821. I say this because Ducati just debuted at EICMA the Ducati Monster 821 Stealth – a special edition version of the popular street bike.

Beyond the obviously dark paint job, the 2019 Ducati Monster 821 Stealth offers a few improvements over your run-of-the-mill Monster 821.

First up are the adjustable 43mm Kayaba forks (the standard Monster 821 forks are non-adjustable). Then, there is the nose fairing/windscreen. And lastly, Ducati has installed an up/down quickshifter on the Stealth model.

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Bikes

More Details Drop on the Moto Guzzi V85 TT ADV Bike

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For the last year, Moto Guzzi has been trickling out its newest ADV machine. As such, we have had a long time to get the know the Moto Guzzi V85 TT, without actually knowing the machine at all.

Released as a concept at last year’s EICMA show, the V85 became production-ready at this year’s INTERMOT show, but even at that time, Moto Guzzi was mum on details. That all changes today though, as we finally have some tech specs on the 2019 Moto Guzzi V85 TT, and we like what we hear.

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WSBK

Laguna Seca Questionable for the 2019 WorldSBK Calendar

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This week at the EICMA show in Milan, we expect to see the 2019 World Superbike Championship calendar released. However, we do not expect to see the Laguna Seca round listed on it…not yet, at least.

As we understand it, the WorldSBK calendar will be released with a “TBD” in the month of June, where the Laguna Seca round should normally be found. 

With the circuit and Dorna still arguing over licensing fees, and the future of World Superbike racing in the United States, the inclusion of the American round has been put into jeopardy.

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Bikes

Ducati Multistrada 950 S Brings More Features to the Budget ADV

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One of Italian brand’s lesser reveals for the 2018 EICMA show is the Ducati Multistrada 950 S, which as the name implies is an upscale version of the “middleweight” adventure-touring machine.

Adding more features to the Multistrada 950 package, the “S” model brings Ducati’s semi-active “Skyhook” electronic suspension into the mix, as well as an up/down quickshifter, full LED headlight, TFT display, and backlight switchgear.

Like all the 2019 Ducati motorcycle models, the 2019 Ducati Multistrada 950 S also comes with cornering ABS from Bosch, and other noticeable changes include a fairing design that borrows from the Multistrada 1260.

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