The 2022 MotoGP calendar will feature a total of 21 races, starting in Qatar on March 6th and finishing exactly 8 months later in Valencia.
The 2022 calendar sees further expansion of the number of races, as Dorna add new circuits and new countries to the schedule.
Kawasaki’s USA launch today was mostly a minor affair, with the standout debut being the 2022 Kawasaki Z650RS. To understand the Kawasaki Z650RS, all one has to do is look at the Z900RS model.
That is to say, the Z650RS follows the same game plan as its 900cc sibling, taking the Z650 sport bike and giving it a retro-inspired facelift for the “RS” designation.
Starting next Thursday, Ducati will be debuting a new motorcycle for the 2022 model year every two weeks.
The releasing event culminates on December 9th, and we already know what bike will capstone Ducati’s new model debut: the Ducati DesertX.
For those that didn’t get the memo, the following is the schedule and teasing title for Ducati’s six-part unveiling schedule online:
As we can see, Ducati is being less obvious with some of its debuts than others, but with some insight into what the Italian brand has been up to, and which bikes it updated and debuted last year, we can reasonably discern what to expect in the coming weeks.
The folks at Suzuki have a surprise for us today, showing off one of their 2022 models a bit earlier than expected. The bike is the Suzuki GSX-S1000GT – a long-distance sport-tourer built off the GSX-S1000 platform.
That pedigree means that the Suzuki GSX-S1000GT is built off the “K6” GSX-R1000 engine, and should make about 150hp in US trim, with 78 lbs•ft of torque on tap from its inline-four engine. Wet weight is set at 498 lbs (226 kg).
It was only a few hours ago that we were talking to you about the upcoming plans for the new World Supersport regulations, and now MV Agusta gives us a glimpse of the machine that they will be offering this reimagined middleweight category.
Built for the purpose of winning races, say hello to the 2022 MV Agusta F3 RR.
The World Supersport field is ripe for change, and that shouldn’t be new or surprising information for anyone following the space.
This is because the 600cc inline-four market has disappeared, especially in Europe, leaving the middleweight class with an uncertain future in racing.
Where there is an absence, there is a vacuum, and the space being left behind by the Japanese supersports is being filled rapidly by European twin and three-cylinder offerings.
Last year, Yamaha announced that it was ceasing production of its popular YZF-R6 sport bike for the street, effectively killing the most popular 600cc supersport on the market.
The move was a sign of the times, and a glimpse into the Japanese brand’ unwillingness to update the platform for the stringent Euro5 emission standards in Europe.
With no European market to help bolster sales, the news also meant that the Yamaha YZF-R6 would cease for production as a street bike in the United States as well. But, there was a silver lining.
If you have a 2022 Husqvarna FE 501s or 2022 Husqvarna FE 350s in your garage, then you might want to take a look at your brake caliper, as the Swedish brand has issued a recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The recall concerns 342 units of the two models, and focuses on the brake pad retaining clips on the front brake caliper, which may have been mounted incorrectly, and could result in loose front brake pads.
When the MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR debuted, it was herald as a bold, raw, and fast street bike. A true streetfighter in the sense that it was a superbike sans fairings, and not for the weak of heart.
With 205hp (153 kW) on tap from its 998cc inline-four engine, the only thing more audacious than the Brutale 1000 RR (other than the über-extravagant Brutale 1000 Serie Oro) was its $32,000 price tag.
That put the MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR out of reach for many riders, and now the Italian brand hopes to widen its base with a “more affordable” model. Notice though, we still did not use the word “cheap” to describe this new machine.
Say hello to the MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RS – Varese’s newest motorcycle for the 2022 model year.
It is a strange relationship between KTM and Husqvarna, with the prior owning the latter. Often times, this means that we see the orange bikes in blue and white clothing, with few changes separating the two offerings.
Such is the case with their pair of supermotos, with the 2022 KTM 450 SMR being almost identical to the 2022 Husqvarna FS 450 – save for a different color palette.
What are the real brass tacks differences? The Husqvarna has a composite subframe, while the KTM’s is made from aluminum. That’s it.
Big Red is upgrading is middleweight machines, as the Honda CB500F, Honda CBR500R, and Honda CB500X motorcycles are all getting some potent engine and chassis updates for the 2022 model year.