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Jensen Beeler

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Good turns for MV Agusta, as the Italian motorcycle manufacturer has secured a €15 million loan from SACE and Banca Popolare di Milano (BPM).

The loan, which was issued by BPM and guaranteed by SACE, will go towards MV Agusta’s foreign growth plans, namely the company’s strengthening of its US business, and its push into Brazil and Southeast Asia.

The more business-speak version of that statement is that MV Agusta will use the €15 million to implement the company’s 2014-2018 business plan, which has the company expanding its product range and penetrating into “high-potential” markets.

News from Japan seems to suggest that Suzuki is making a production version of its Recursion concept. For those that don’t remember, the Suzuki Recursion Concept was based around a turbocharged 588cc two-cylinder engine.

The idea was to achieve liter-bike power from a middleweight-sized machine, thus offering enthusiasts high-power but nimble machines to ride.

The news that Suzuki is putting the Recursion into production isn’t too far-fetching, though the original source does seem to be the not-always-accurate Japanese publication Young Machine.

Yamaha’s papercraft projects are perhaps the most unique marketing pieces to come from any of the motorcycle manufacturers, and they are also some of the most impressive. Focusing on the upcoming Dakar Rally, Yamaha has made a set of papercraft rally raid machines, complete with riders and scenery.

As usual, the whole set is downloadable in PDF form (you can make both the 1995 Yamaha XTZ850R and 2014 Yamaha YZ450F), for you to try your hand at the tedious style of artwork. Be forewarned though, the models are extensive…including even a complete frame, knobby wheels, and other details.

You’ll need A4, an exacto knife, glue, and a steady hand before you download the model sets. If any reader attempts this model set, please send us your results in picture form.

Harley-Davidson has issued a recall for 19,015 motorcycles that may have issues with thread corrosion on the front brake master cylinder brake line banjo bolt (say that five times fast). The recall affects a number of Softail and Dyna models made between August 22, 2011 and February 24, 2012.

Namely, the affected models are 2012 model year FXST103, FLSTC, FLSTC103, FLSTF, FLSTF103, FXDL, FXDWG, FXDWG103, FXDC, FXDB, FLSTN, FLSTN103, FLSTC103Shrine, FLSTFB, FLSTFB103, FXS, FXS103, FLS, FLS103, FLD, FLD103, and FXDF.

It’s been a busy year for Suzuki Racing, as the Japanese motorcycle company is looking to re-enter the MotoGP World Championship for the 2015 season.

Getting their Suzuki GSX-RR race bike ready, and their racing program on-point, hasn’t been easy for the OEM — even with a fast test rider like Randy de Puniet.

Suzuki recaps their efforts in 2014 with this short video, which shows a behind-the-scenes look at the GSX-RR’s development and Suzuki’s MotoGP preparations.

With Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales set to race next season, many in the GP paddock are anxious to see Suzuki’s return to Grand Prix racing.

The expectations are optimistic, though also realistic…the 2015 will be a development season for sure, but the GSX-RR appears to be a solid platform to build upon.

It will be a new year soon, and for some of Asphalt & Rubber‘s more international readers, New Year’s Eve may have already given way to New Year’s Day (Happy New Year, if that’s already the case).

Going through my various feeds, it seems obligatory that we make some sort of Happy New Year proclamation, summarize the stories the site has covered, and share some insight on the inner-workings of our operation here at A&R. The Dude abides, but bear with me first.

Think the Harley-Davidson LiveWire project was just a stunt for shareholders? No one can say for certain, of course, but the Bar & Shield brand is continuing its search for experts in electric vehicle production…which we doubt anyone would have believed 10 years ago.

Right now Harley-Davidson has two positions posted on its career portal — a Staff Technical Engineer and a Advanced Manufacturing Project Engineer — both of which refer to an EV/Electrical project at Harley-Davidson.

One of the more surprising things to come from MV Agusta USA’s price sheet for its 2015 models is the confirmation of the MV Agusta F4 RC superbike — a bike that had been leaked ahead of the 2014 EICMA show.

MV Agusta hasn’t publicly released details on the F4 RC yet, though leaked information points to a homologation special styled superbike with over 200hp.

Expected to cost €40,000 in the European market (the price cap for WSBK racing machines), American enthusiasts will enjoy the MV Agusta F4 RC’s $46,000 price tag in the United States.

One of the highlights for me this year was getting to travel to Malaysia, for the Malaysian Grand Prix. A tremendously diverse country, Malaysians come together for many things, but one of the biggest is motorcycle racing.

The Malaysian economy hasn’t quite caught up with the country’s appetite though, so large-displacement machines are more of a rarity than a norm on the city streets.

Instead, you will see Malaysians riding these small-displacement bike that no matter the manufacturer, looks suspciously like the iconic Honda Cub.

Naturally the racing desire conquers all, and these “cubs” are raced, en masse, on Malaysian “race courses” — some of which are more professionally put together than others.

The speeds might not be MotoGP-level, but the riders are going 10/10ths, and the crashes are just as intense. For your cringing pleasure, here are the biggest crashes from the 2014 Malaysian Cub Prix, after the jump.

MV Agusta USA has released the pricing info for its 2015 model year motorcycles, after the Italian company had re-evaluated its pricing strategy in the USA. Accordingly, MV Agusta has gotten very aggressive with its US pricing, with several models seeing a modest price decrease, or ABS added for free.

The biggest price drop is the MV Agusta Rivale, which has been made more affordable and to give room for the touring-oriented MV Agusta Stradale. The MV Agusta Turismo Veloce has been added to the 2015 model year list, as expected.

But, perhaps most surprising is the announcement of the MV Agusta F4 RC — a motorcycle that was leaked ahead of the EICMA show, but was not shown at the Italian motorcycle fair. No details on the machine exist on MV Agusta’s public or press sites, but we can expect a 200+hp superbike that’s ready for racing homologation.

At 586 lbs curb-ready, the Suzuki Hayabusa is not what we in the sport bike community would call a “light” motorcycle. The mighty bird was once the straight-line king — enter the Kawasaki Ninja H2R — but its aerodynamic curves hide a bulky underbelly of excess living.

Of course, in the hands of the right rider, even the hefty Hayabusa can prove itself to be as nimble as a ballerina. Watch this gymkhana racer put the Hayabusa through its paces, and think twice before you complain about the handling of a 500+ lbs motorcycle ever again.