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A Closer Look at the Ducati Multistrada 1260 S Pikes Peak

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For the 2018 model year, we see one of our favorite bikes in the Ducati lineup getting the 1260 update. We are of course talking about the 2018 Ducati Multistrada 1260 S Pikes Peak.

The Ducati Multistrada 1260 S Pikes Peak takes its name from one of America’s oldest racing venues, and as a result it is the sportiest version of Ducati’s adventure-touring machines.

Now fitted with Ducati’s Testastretta DVT 1262 engine, the Multistrada 1260 S Pikes Peak makes 85% of its torque below 3,500 rpm on the v-twin engine. That is a good thing, because Ducati says the bulk of Multistrada owners rarely get above 6,000 rpm on their machines.

This makes the 1,262cc engine the perfect candidate for low-revving excursions, like the ones you would take down a dusty fire road. For the sports-focused Pikes Peak model, the choice is a little bit more curious, but we won’t scuff at the 158hp on tap.

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Bigger Is Better, So Says the New Ducati Multistrada 1260

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For the 2018 model year, the Ducati Multistrada gets a bevy of updates, and thus becomes the Ducati Multistrada 1260. As the name change suggests, the new Italian ADV machine features the 1,262cc DVT engine, previously found only on the Ducati XDiavel.

The changes for the 2018 Ducati Multistrada 1260 extend beyond just the motor though, and if you look closely, you will see that Ducati’s engineers have made several tweaks and changes to the Multistrada 1200’s steel trellis chassis.

Of course, what people are really going to talk about is the much anticipated Testastretta DVT 1262, which makes 158hp in its Multistrada 1260 form.

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Say Hello to the Trail-Shredding KTM 790 Adventure

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The big industry trade show in Milan is still a few days away, but our story-breaking Bothan Spies are working hard to be the first to bring you an advanced look at the new motorcycles for the 2018 model year. As such, we have the first photo of the new KTM 790 Adventure.

Sharing a platform with the KTM 790 Duke (another bike that we expect to see in Italy next week), the KTM 790 Adventure uses the same 800cc parallel-twin engine as the smaller Duke, though that seems to be where the similarities end.

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BMW F850GS Teased for EICMA Debut

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BMW Motorrad is set to debut four new motorcycles at this year’s EICMA show, and surely one of those news machines will be the BMW F850GS.

How do we know this? Well, BMW was pretty obvious about the new model in its latest teaser video (watch it, after the jump). It also helps that the revised middleweight ADV bike has been caught numerous times by spy photographer.

Also helping this conjecture is the fact that the BMW F800GS was last updated for the 2013 model year, with a visual refresh for the 2016 model year. As such, the model is due for an overhaul. 

Expected to have a bit more punch than the outgoing F800GS, the 2018 BMW F850GS should provide a bit more stratification in BMW’s adventure-touring range, which gets a bit confusing when you get to the models below the venerable BMW R1200GS.

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KTM 1290 Adventure S Finally Coming to the USA

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The KTM 1290 Adventure S seems finally set to come to the United States, after debuting last year at the EICMA show. Ever-tentative about new model releases, KTM North American only brought in the KTM 1290 Adventure R this year, leaving its road-focused ADV counterpart for the rest of the world.

First spotted in filings with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) by the folks at Motorcycle.com, it looks like the KTM 1290 Adventure S has proven its worth abroad, enough so that KTM feels comfortable bringing it into the largest ADV market in the world.

As such, this news surely means that the 2018 KTM 1290 Adventure S is coming to the USA. It features cast wheels (19″/17″), cornering ABS, semi-active WP Suspension pieces, and 158hp of fun on tap.

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Honda Teases More Off-Road Capable Africa Twin Model

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Honda seems set to update the Africa Twin, its plucky ADV model, with a more off-road focused machine. Teasing the new model online, the Honda Africa Twin “Big Tank” – nicknamed for its supposedly larger 22-liter fuel tank – is expected to debut next week at the EICMA show in Milan.

Not too much is known about the machine, but we expect it to borrow heavily from the Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports Concept, which debuted at the Osaka Motorcycle Show last year.

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Triumph Teases New Tiger for EICMA Debut

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Triumph looks set to update its ADV range, as the British marque is teasing a new Tiger adventure bike in its latest YouTube video.

Touting that the three-cylinder platform has been “transformed” and is packed with more “technology”, Triumph’s teaser is deliciously vague.

What we do know is that Triumph has fallen behind greatly with its modern motorcycles, with the Hinckley brand hyper-focused on its heritage lineup of Bonneville variants.

As such, the Triumph Tiger 800 has remained largely the same, since its 2010 debut, though was updated in 2015 with an improved engine, ride-by-wire, and traction control. The Tiger Explorer 1200 on the other hand was released in 2012, and given modest updates for the 2016 model year.

Both machines however have been overcome by continued pressure from other brands in the middleweight and heavyweight ADV categories, with BMW, Ducati, and KTM all releasing competing models that have been refreshed since the Tigers’ inception date.

Hopefully this teaser video signals that we will see Triumph’s entire lineup overhauled for the 2018 model year. It desperately needs it.

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Updates Coming to the Ducati Multistrada Line for 2018

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In a couple weeks, we will see what new bikes Ducati has coming for the 2018 model year – five new bikes, to be precise – debuting at the 2017 EICMA show in Milan, Italy.

We already have a pretty good idea on what those motorcycles will be, however, as Ducati has already shown us the updated Monster 821, and of course there will be the Panigale V4.

Now we have an idea about two more models from Ducati, as the Italian brand is set to update its adventure-touring lineup, with both the Multistrada 950 and Multistrada 1200 getting some love for the upcoming model year.

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L’Avventura by Walt Siegl

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How do you say “The Adventure” in Italian? You start with an air-cooled 1,100cc Ducati engine. You then strip the chassis it comes with, down to only its most essential elements, and then from there you create a purpose-built ADV machine.

You will want to focus on the details too though. Details like long-travel suspension and knobby tires mated to 21″ and 17″ wheels, which are a must, especially if you want to create significant ground clearance.

Contrasting headlights and extensive crash protection help complete the transformation as well, and of course some stylish, but functional, bodywork should wrap everything together.

When you are done with all that, you have the L’Avventura by Walt Siegl – an Italian-bred dual-sport that begs to be taken down wooded trails, lofted over jumps, and railed through dirty berms.

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Should Suzuki Bring the V-Strom 250 to the USA?

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The Suzuki V-Strom 250 is already available to our riding compatriots across the pond, but Suzuki Motor of America is considering bringing the model to the United States, which is a bit of good news.

The quarter-liter ADV machine shares a motor with the Suzuki GSX250R, which is really just the Suzuki Inazuma in new clothing. Still, 2018 Suzuki V-Strom 250 provides new riders and attractive entry into the ADV space, at an affordable price point.

The 248cc motorcycle makes just a touch under 25hp from its parallel-twin engine, which gets 88mpg and should be good for roughly 300 miles of range.

Suzuki is looking for feedback as to whether they should being the V-Strom 250 to the USA. So, if you like what you see here, speak-up in the comments section.

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Yamaha Begins Teasing T7 Adventure Bike

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Yamaha Motor Europe has begun its teaser campaign for what we expect to be a new adventure bike in the company’s lineup.

Debuting the Yamaha T7 Concept at the 2016 EIMCA Show, the 689cc, twin-cylinder, ADV motorcycle is the prime suspect for the unseen motorcycle in this teaser video.

Yamaha hasn’t been bashful about the T7 Concept either, with prototype versions of the bike being caught out testing, and even loaned out the bike for a special photo shoot with Italian publication DueRoute.

Even in Milan, it was widely known that the concept on stage would be headed into production. So, here we are.

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