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Your Definitive Guide to All the New Motorcycles Expected for 2019

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It’s that time of the year again, where Christmas comes early to the motorcycle industry, and we get to see all the new motorcycles that will be coming for the next model year, and beyond.

For the 2019 model year, we expect to see new models debuting at the INTERMOT, AIMExpo, and EICMA trade shows, which are in Cologne, Las Vegas, and Milan.

With things kicking off in Germany next week, we thought we would put together a guide for all the new motorcycles that we expect to see in the coming weeks. There are a bevy of new models that we know will be released at these three trade shows, and there are more than a few rumors of new bikes as well, which may surprise us.

Without wasting anymore time, let’s get down to it. We have broken down the new models and rumors by each manufacturer. Enjoy!

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WSBK

Jonathan Rea Makes History by Winning His Fourth Consecutive WorldSBK Championship

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An indomitable force, a monumental achievement, and an impressive legacy – these are all apt phrases to describe Jonathan Rea’s 2018  season, as he clinched another WorldSBK Championship victory this weekend.

Now the winningest rider ever in World Superbike history, Rea becomes the second rider ever to win four WorldSBK Championship titles in total, and the first to win four titles in a row.

Onboard the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR, Rea has been the benchmark at virtually every superbike round this season, with the rest of the field having to play catch-up each time he comes onto the race track.

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Rumors

Semi-Active Suspension Coming to the Aprilia Tuono V4 1100

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One of the best streetfighters that money can buy is set to get even better for next year, as the Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 Factory is tipped to get semi-active suspension from Öhlins for 2019. 

The announcement is expected to occur at the INTERMOT show next week in Germany, according to the sleuths at GPone.

If true, the move is a strong update from Aprilia, as it helps the Italian brand keep the Tuono V4 1100  at the pointy end of the spectrum, especially from its closest competitor, the KTM 1290 Super Duke R.

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Dirt

Big Updates Are Coming to the KTM 690 Enduro R for 2019

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When it comes to big trail thumpers, the KTM 690 Enduro R is tough to beat, and because of that reason, the bike has seen few updates over the course of its long product cycle. Seeing that the popular dual-sport could use some love, leaked details from Europe show that KTM plans to update the KTM 690 Enduro R for the 2019 model year.

From the looks of things, the Austrians are going big with the 2019 KTM 690 Enduro R, as the leaked info tips the arrival of a new engine, chassis, and styling, as well as a bevy of new features.

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Reviews

How Not to Review the Honda Monkey, A Review

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“How many axes does the IMU use?…And who makes it? Bosch?” asked a journalist during our press launch briefing for the new Honda Monkey. That journalist was yours truly. I am that guy at the Monkey launch.

To be fair, my curiosity was mostly personal. After all, one of the cheapest motorcycles in Honda’s arsenal comes available with IMU-assisted ABS, while more than a few of Big Red’s full-on sport bikes in the lineup do not…how weird is that? Please tell me more, Honda.

But, the question strikes a larger tone when it comes to bikes like the Honda Monkey: the tech specs don’t really matter. No one cares. The appropriate measuring stick for a bike like the Honda Monkey isn’t an objective one that is found on spec-sheets and lap times, which is a tough pill to swallow for a detail-oriented motorcycle journalist.

To that end, I am not sure if the Honda Monkey is a good motorcycle. But more importantly, I am not sure that it matters. Let me explain.

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Reviews

Gone Riding: Honda Monkey

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Hello from Santa Catalina Island, where we are about to go ride the new Honda Monkey mini-moto. A play on Honda’s past, the Monkey is built off the modern Honda Grom platform, but uses styling that is more at home in the 1970s.

A retro-modern approach to the mini-bike craze, the Honda Monkey is trying to rekindle some of those “you meet the nicest people on a Honda” feelings, which launched the Japanese brand into the public mainstream almost 50 years ago.

As such, we will be spending the day on this popular Californian destination to see how the Honda Monkey handles not only from a technical perspective on the road, but also we want to see what “je ne sais quoi” of two-wheeled fun the Monkey brings to the table.

With cars largely verboten on Catalina, bikes like Honda’s old Trail 70 and Trail 110 are popular choices here (as are golf carts, but that is an entirely different story), which makes the island a smart pick for this press launch.

Per our new review format, I will be giving you a live assessment of the Honda Monkey right here in this article (down in the comments section), and I will try to answer any questions you might have about this unique motorcycle.

So, here is your chance to learn what it’s like to ride the Honda Monkey, before even my own proper review is posted. As always, if I don’t know an answer, I will try to get a response from the Honda personnel. So, pepper away.

You can follow our thoughts on the bike live via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and you can see what our colleagues are posting on social media by looking for the hashtags #HondaMonkey, #POWERofNICE #RideRed.

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Bikes

The KTM 450 Rally Replica is Ready for Your 2019 Dakar Dreams

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Do you have eyes on starting your rally raid racing career? If so, we suggest KTM’s updated privateer model, the 2019 KTM 450 Rally Replica. There is one slight problem, however…it’s already sold out.

Built off the same machine that took Matthias Walkner to the winner’s circle during the 2018 edition, the Rally Replica model is still built for racers only, but it keeps in mind those who are competing without the budget of a factory team.

For 2019, KTM says that it has redesigned the Rally Replica from the ground up, to provide an excellent racing platform for the company’s racing customers.

As such, the 2019 KTM 450 Rally Replica has a completely new chassis, which has improved mass centralization.

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Podcast

Paddock Pass Podcast #84 – Aragon GP

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Episode 84 of the Paddock Pass Podcast is out, and in it we see David Emmett and Neil Morrison on the mics, as they discuss the recent Aragon GP in Spain.

The first section starts with the controversy from Motorland Aragon: the crash of Jorge Lorenzo, which the Ducati rider blames on Marc Marquez. This then pivots to a discussion about the championship rivalry that is brewing between Marquez and Andrea Dovizioso, as the pair once again found themselves trading corners in Spain.

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Bikes

MV Agusta Dragster 800 RR Pirelli Debuts as Limited Edition

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What would life be without another “limited edition” model from MV Agusta? This installment sees another collaboration between two Italian motorcycle stalwarts, as MV Agusta has partnered with Pirelli to create the MV Agusta Dragster 800 RR Pirelli.

At the core of the project is the MV Agusta Dragster 800 RR, with its three-cylinder engine that makes 140hp in stock trim, and was recently updated for the 2018 model year because of Euro4 homologation.

From there, the Pirelli machine is a cosmetic exercise, taking the freshly updated Dragster 800 RR streetfighter model, and adding design elements created by the Pirelli Design team.

These highlights include two models, one done in yellow and black, while the other is in a white and blue livery.

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Rumors

Indian FTR1200 Confirmed for INTERMOT Debut Next Week

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We’ve seen patent design images and spy photos, and now we only have a week until the Indian FTR1200 debuts. We know this because Indian has begun teasing the street tracker’s debut in a short YouTube video.

In the video, we see American Flat Track champion Jared Mees sliding around on the Indian Scout FTR750 race bike, before he heads into an open garage. From there, we hear revving what is presumably the motor to the FTR1200 street bike.

Details on the 2019 Indian FTR1200 street tracker have been tight, but the American brand has been sloppy on keeping things under wraps. Design patents filed abroad have given us a good glimpse of the machine’s inner-workings, and the crafty Australian’s at Motorbike Writer have a spy photo which looks to give us the full monty on the machine.

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