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2017 Gas Gas TXT Racing 300 Shows Proof of Life

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Gas Gas has been saved from what seemed like certain death, and to give us a proof of life, the Spanish off-road company is showing off the 2017 Gas Gas TXT Racing 300 trials model.

Production on the 2017 Gas Gas TXT Racing 300 will start in March, with units arriving at dealers later in the year. And yes, the 2017 Gas Gas TXT Racing 300 will be coming to US soil, for all you two-stroke trials fans.

Visually and technically not much has changed for the 2017 model, but given how highly regarded the TXT Racing 300 is in the trials community, that’s perhaps not that surprising.

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Bikes

Euro4 Claims Its First Victim – No Two-Stroke 125cc Enduros from KTM & Husqvarna for 2017

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It looks like Europe’s new Euro4 emissions standard has claimed its first victim (if you don’t count the exhaust pipe on the Ducati 959 Panigale), as neither KTM nor Husqvarna will be producing their 125cc two-stroke enduro models for 2017, and the foreseeable future afterwards.

The move is a euros and cents decision, and a slightly complicated one at that, but it boils down to the fact that making the small-displacement smokers meet the more stringent Euro4 emissions requirements was financially prohibitive.

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Bikes

More Rumors Swirl About a 2017 Suzuki GSX-R250

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Suzuki is the last Japanese holdout when it comes to a proper small-displacement sport bike, something in the 250cc to 300cc range. Never fear though, there have been strong rumors that a Suzuki GSX-250 is in the works.

The name and displacement have been something of a matter of debate amongst varying sources, likely because it would be hard to imagine Suzuki bringing a 250cc machine to market, when its closest competitors keeping increasing their offerings beyond 250cc.

Similarly, we would expect to see Suzuki coming out with a two-cylinder machine, rather than a single-cylinder bike. Both Kawasaki and Yamaha have twin-cylidner bikes on the market, and Honda is expected to debut one of its own soon as well in the coming months.

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Bikes

New Honda Superbike for 2017, But Will It Be Any Good?

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It’s the worst kept secret in the motorcycle industry right now, Honda is finally updating its superbike offering for the 2017 model year – replacing the now extremely long-in-the-tooth Honda CBR1000RR.

The interesting part of that news of course is whether that new superbike will go by the name CBR or RVF, as there is a bit of a debate regarding what kind of engine will power the Honda.

Despite whether it is an inline-four machine like the CBR1000RR, or a V4-powered beast like Honda’s MotoGP bike, the new superbike will have big shoes to fill.

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Bikes

New MV Agusta Brutale 675 Coming in Q2 2016

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Confirmed at the launch of the 2016 MV Agusta Brutale 800 in Spain, MV Agusta will bring the smaller sibling to its three-cylinder Brutale line in the second quarter of 2016.

Like the new Brutale 800, we can expect the updated Brutale 675 to be fully Euro4 compliant. We would also expect the 675cc to have the same mechanical and styling changes that are found on its 800cc sibling, namely a revised chassis geometry, updated MVICS 2.0 electronics (traction control, ABS, & quickshifter), and visual changes to the headlight, exhaust, and body.

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Bikes

A Turbocharged Suzuki Hayabusa Really Should Happen

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I have been trying to avoid this story, mostly because I think it is a pipe dream concocted from a dubious source, but the word circulating through the interwebs is that Suzuki is working on a turbocharged Hayabusa motorcycle, in the 1,500cc territory, for the 2017 model year.

While we are not confident about this exact rumor, we know two things for certain: 1) that Suzuki is finally ready to breathe some life into the GSX-R line; and 2) that the Suzuki GSX-1300R Hayabusa is in desperate need of an update.

The first of the new GSX-R sport bikes is the 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000 superbike, though we can expect to see all-new iterations of the GSX-R600 and GSX-R750. There is even word of a GSX-R250/300 in the works.

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Bikes

Here We Go Again, Honda V4 Superbike Rumors Abound

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For the past decade or so, we have been promised a V4 superbike from Honda – one that’s been based off the Japanese manufacturer’s MotoGP program. The Honda RC213V-S is perhaps our closest realization of that promise, though the $184,000 price tag was considerably more than many envisioned.

Now the rumors are rife again, with a V4-powered superbike said to be coming our way for the 2017 model year, in parallel of course with a new inline-four powered CBR1000RR as well.

Like the rumors of old, this current excitement comes from the insatiably minds at MCN, and while there is certainly evidence for the rumor, when you drill down into the facts, Honda’s plan is far from certain.

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Bikes

Husqvarna Vitpilen Line Coming with 125cc Counterpart

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We already knew that the Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 had been green-lit by the Austrians, as a production model for the 2017 model year, but the Swedish brand has now confirmed that a 125cc version, a Vitpilen 125, of its stylish new street bikes will be made as well.

That news about a Vitpilen 125 isn’t perhaps too surprising, considering that the Husqvarna 401 Vitpilen is based off the KTM 390 Duke, which has 125cc and 200cc variations throughout its global market reach.

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Bikes

The Venerable Suzuki SV650 Returns for 2017

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The Suzuki SV650 is easily becoming an iconic model in the Japanese brand’s history, with new and experienced riders enjoy what the 650cc v-twin sport bike has to offer.

An ideal starter machine for learning motorcycles, the Suzuki SV650 is also a popular choice with track day enthusiasts and racer. It’s just a versatile, cheap, and fun motorcycle to ride.

For the 2017 model year (available early/mid-2016), Suzuki is bringing the SV650 back to its lineup, with both an ABS and non-ABS model. Getting some updates along the way as well, the 2017 Suzuki SV650 should continue to be a popular model for Suzuki.

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Bikes

Here is What the 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000 Will Look Like

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As we predicted, Suzuki has debuted a new Suzuki GSX-R1000 superbike at the EICMA show, though before you get your hopes too high, we should preface that the model is actually the Suzuki GSX-R1000 concept.

Suzuki clearly isn’t ready to bring the GSX-R1000 to market in-time for the 2016 model year, and our sources tell us that the Suzuki GSX-R1000 Concept will in fact be the 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000, which will debut in the second half of 2016.

That being said, the news is an exciting development from Suzuki, which says that the new Suzuki GSX-R1000 is the lightest and most powerful superbike ever from the Japanese manufacturer. To our eye, it looks to be the most advanced as well.

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MotoGP

Mika Kallio Signs as a Test Rider for KTM’s MotoGP Project

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Mika Kallio is to be KTM’s test rider to help with the development of the company’s MotoGP bike. The 32-year-old Finnish rider is to make a return to the Austrian manufacturer and work to get the KTM RC16 ready for its debut season in MotoGP in 2017.

Kallio has a long association with the Austrian marque. He rode for them for four seasons both in 125s and 250s, finishing as runner up twice in the junior class, most controversially in 2005, when he lost out to Tom Luthi by five points after his erstwhile KTM teammate Gabor Talmasci stole the win from him at Qatar.

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