Aprilia is making a tradition out of track-only specials for a discerning few (take a loo at the Tuono X and RSV4 X, and the latest iteration of that thought is certainly a stunner. Say hello to the Aprilia RSV4 XTrenta.
Only 100 units of this track weapon will be made, and in order to put one in your garage, you will need to shell out €50,000 (excluding VAT) from your pocketbook.
For that exclusivity and that chunk of change though, you get quite the potent superbike.
KTM North America is having to recall 17 models of KTM and Husqvarna motorcycles (model years 2019-2023) because their Continental TKC 80 dual-sport tires may develop cracks in their tread, which could lead to tread separation and a lack of traction.
MotoGP is set to follow the World Superbike Championship with the addition of a sprint race on Saturday, after qualifying.
The move is aimed at providing more on-track action during on Saturday’s, and adding a bit more spectacle to MotoGP’s racing format.
Sprint races have been a success already with the MotoE World Cup, where the electric bikes feature hard bar-to-bar racing in their limited racing distance.
The Saturday sprint race format in WorldSBK has also been a strong move for Dorna in the production series, so it doesn’t come as a surprise to see the powers are be implementing it in MotoGP.
South Africa is an amazing country, and well worth the visit for the wildlife alone (mind the Hippos though, they’re faster than they look).
But for two-wheeled fans, we cannot recommend enough visiting the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit and spinning a few laps. It’s divine, and one of motorsports best-kept secrets.
A beautiful sweeping track that flows with elevation, Kyalami is in my Top 5 tracks to ride around the world, and it should be on your bucket list as well. It’s certainly a circuit we don’t talk about enough.
Part of the reason for that is because it has been a long time since Kyalami has seen international motorcycle racing on its apexes.
Interestingly enough though, with the African track getting updates in 2015, the new layout technically doesn’t have an established lap record. That’s where Brad Binder and Red Bull come into the equation.
Petroleum brand Valvoline struck a deal this week with Saudi Arabia’s Aramco, which sees the American company selling its global products business for $2.65 billion.
The deal sees Aramco taking ownership of Valvoline’s products used globally, while Valvoline would retain its global rights to the brand name itself for use in retail services, except in China and certain countries in the Middle East and Africa.
BRP is recalling 9,353 units of the 2022 Can-Am Ryker because the handlebars on the three-wheeled vehicle might break during operation.
If you will pardon the pun, the issue stems from the handlebar stem bolts used to connect the handlebars to the front-end of the motorcycle, as these bolts might not have sufficient thread length to properly secure the handlebars.
The venerable Honda Gold Wing is getting a recall that affects only the manual transmission model of the long-distance tourer.
According to NHTSA documents, the recall affects 1,740 units from the 2020-2022 model years, and concerns the ignition timing programmed into the bikes’ ECUs.
This recall does not affect any Honda Gold Wings that have the company’s dual-clutch transmission (DCT) installed.
Today is a big day for Ducati Motor Holding, as it is making its public debut of its upcoming MotoE race bike.
The first Ducati-branded electric motorcycle, the “V21L” is not only a culmination of Ducati’s motorcycle knowledge, but also a testing platform for the Italian brand to understand the future of two-wheel racing.
The bombshell racing news for 2023 has to be the fact that Ducati is taking over as the sole-manufacturer of the FIM MotoE World Cup, which runs at select MotoGP race rounds.
Before this news, Ducati was perhaps the last brand you would expect to embrace an electric powertrain, and since their MotoE announcement, the folks in Borgo Panigale have been working publicly on that goal with gusto.
Now today, we get our first proper glimpse at the Ducati “V21L” MotoE project, but also some of the performance specs we can expect in the MotoE series.
First off, the numbers you are dying to hear: 495 lbs (225 kg) ready-to-race, 150hp (110 kW) of peak power, 103 lbs•ft of torque (140 Nm), a 18 kWh battery pack (running at 800 volts) that can be charged to 80% in 45 minutes with the onboard 20 kW charger, and a top speed of over 170 mph (275 km/h) at the Mugello track.
Not to over-use an Italian cliché, but that’s a spicy meatball, and close to what Ducati achieves with its Panigale V4 superbike.
Supermotos have a special place in our Asphalt & Rubber loving hearts, so we celebrate every new model release we can, and today sees us looking at the 2023 Husqvarna FS 450 – the pointy end of production supermotos.
The Swedish brand claims that the 2023 is “all new” for the coming model year, though a careful look at the previous year’s machine shows that things are a close evolution of before.
That being said, the 2023 Husqvarna FS 450 does feature a new hydro-formed frame, as well as a new 450cc single-cylinder engine, and promises to be a class-leader on performance.
To help celebrate 50 years of the “M” brand in BMW, your favorite German manufacturer is releasing today the heavily worded BMW M1000RR 50 Years M Edition superbike.
Based on the already spicy BMW M1000RR, in all its carbon fiber glory, the 50 Years M Edition model brings extensive use aluminum and carbon parts, featuring a light-silver anodized aluminum swingarm, M GPS lap trigger, a M endurance chain, and passenger seat and seat cover.
You can get it in any color you want, so long as its “Sao Paulo Yellow” – which is pretty striking, if you ask us.