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Yamaha YZF-R25 Debuts in Indonesia

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The wait is finally over, as the Yamaha YZF-R25 has been revealed to the world, at a press launch in Indonesia. Based aroun a fuel-injected 249cc parallel-twin engine, which makes 35.5hp and 16.7 lbs•ft of torque, the YZF-R25 is Yamaha’s response to the newly revived 250cc sport bike category, which Honda and Kawasaki have been dominating, as of late.

Built in Indonesia, and being released into that market in July of this year, Yamaha sees 12,000 units being sold worldwide in the next 12 months for the R25 — a number we suspect will grow as more markets added.

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Honda NM4 Coming to the USA – 670cc & $10,999

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This is either the most awesome April Fools joke from an OEM ever, or the Honda NM4 is coming to America. Announced two weeks ago at the Tokyo Motorcycle Show, the NM4, or “Vultus” as it’s being called in Europe, features a 670cc two-cylinder engine for the US market (the machine seems to get a 745cc parallel-twin lump in other markets), and includes Honda’s dual-clutch transmission.

Why the NM4 gets a capacity reduction for the American market is not clear to us, though the entire launch of the Honda NM4 has been a confusing one, as the motorcycle was debuted as a concept bike in Japan, and shortly thereafter announced as a production model for Europe (now for the USA & Canada as well). Effective communications aside, considering the favorable comments we got last month about the NM4/Vultus, Honda has a popular motorbike on its hands here.

Expect the 2015 Honda NM4 to hit the United States in June with a $10,999 MSRP price tag. You can get it in any color you want, as long as it’s black. Pre-production photos are after the jump, along with the technical specifications for the American market.

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Yamaha Tricity – A Three-Wheel Leaning Scooter with CVT

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Yamaha is trickling out its Thailand-built models, and while we wait for the debut of the Yamaha YZF-R25 250cc sport bike, the tuning fork brand has an interesting new scooter for the world market: the Yamaha Tricity.

A three-wheeled leaning scooter, the Yamaha Tricity features a 125cc motor with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Designed to sell primarily in Thailand, the Tricity is a fairly premium and feature-packed scooter for that market, and Yamaha hopes to sell over 10,000 of them in Southeast Asia, Japan, and Europe.

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Yamaha FZ-07 Coming to Canada, Et Tu USA?

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Our friends to the north are reporting that the Yamaha MT-07, the two-cylinder compatriot to the Yamaha MT-09 triple, is headed to Canada. Canada Moto Guide is reporting that the now called Yamaha FZ-07 will be available in Canada come the spring time, and will sport a $7,299 MSRP (CAD).

Like the FZ-09, the FZ-07 is a real value motorcycle from Yamaha. 74hp and 50 lbs•ft of torque, the Yamaha FZ-07 features a 270-degree crank, on a 689cc parallel-twin lump, and tips the scales at 395 lbs wet weight, with 3.69 gallon fuel tank.

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Updated 2014 Yamaha Super Ténéré Coming to the USA

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After months of speculation and rumors that the United States might not get the newest version of Yamaha’s best-selling adventure bike, the company has announced that the 2014 Super Ténéré will be available stateside.

Yamaha is offering the 1,199cc parallel twin in two different trim levels, the Super Ténéré and the Super Ténéré ES. Notable improvements to the 2014 models include an updated multi-function display, traction contro,l and a redesigned windscreen that is now adjustable.

The most impressive improvement comes to the Super Ténéré ES however, which receives adjustable electronic suspension.

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2014 Honda CBR650F Coming to America Too

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With the introduction of Honda’s 500cc bikes last year (Honda CBR500R, Honda CB500F, and Honda CB500X), Honda provided newer and experienced riders with a practical and cheap option in an otherwise relatively polarized motorcycle market. While those bikes were sensible choices indeed, they were commonly criticized for their relatively modest power.

So here comes yet another color in the choice spectrum from the Japanese maker: a middleweight faired sport bike, with street-centric aspirations, and a palatable price tag. So if the Honda Interceptor is too rich for your blood, the inline-4 Honda CBR650F might just be the bike for you.

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BMW S1000R Priced at $13,150 Base for the USA

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While we remain firm in our opinion that the BMW R nineT is the most important model to come from BMW Motorrad in a long while (which is saying something, since the liquid-cooled BMW R1200GS was a major step for the iconic and well-selling motorcycle), perhaps the most exciting model to come from Bavaria for the 2014 model year is the BMW S1000R.

Long-expected, the S1000R is the scandalously clad sibling to the venerable S1000RR superbike. Building the streetfighter model, the Germans went an interesting route with the BMW S1000R, instead of dropping mega horsepower, to compete with the Aprilia Tuono V4 R APRC ABS and KTM 1290 SuperDuke R, the Motorraders built a bike with a serious midrange.

True to form though, BMW is aggressively pricing the S1000R for the US market, with the base price set at $13,150. Of course will all things BMW, you have to pay to play with all the goodies.

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Yamaha Super Ténéré Gets Electronic Suspension in Canada

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Yamaha Canada has some interesting developments for the 2014 Yamaha Super Ténéré, namely that the venerable adventure bike will be getting electronically adjustable suspension, courtesy of KYB, for the new year. Accordingly, the newly equipped bike will be called the Yamaha Super Ténéré ES, and like its non-ES sibling, will feature some improvements for the 2014 model year.

The Yamaha Super Ténéré will now come standard with cruise control, and will feature an all new LCD display. LED signals have also been added, along with an aluminum handlebar and risers. However, we think the upgrade that most enthusisasts will be happy to see is that Yamaha has coaxed some more power and torque from the Super Ténéré, by making changes to the EFI and exhaust system.

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2014 Ducati Monster 1200 S – Moar Monster

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True to Ducati form, we cannot have a base model 2014 Ducati Monster 1200 without also having a higher-spec 2014 Ducati Monster 1200 S. As usual, the addition of a single letter signals the addition of more power from the 1,198cc Testastretta 11° engine, as well as high-spec suspension and braking components. Also true to form, Ducati has made some aesthetic differences between the two models.

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2014 Ducati Monster 1200 – Water-Cooling an Icon

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With the Ducati 1199 Superleggera already shown ahead of the 2013 EICMA show, the big news from Milan for Ducati is the long-rumored 2014 Ducati Monster 1200.

Saying goodbye to the Monster’s air-cooled v-twin, the Monster 1200 takes a page of history from the Ducati S4/S4R, and uses Ducati’s water-cooled Testastretta 11° motor (as seen on the Ducati Multistrada 1200 and Ducati Diavel) for its locomotion.

Surely to ruffle a few feathers with the hardcore Ducatisti, the water-cooled engine isn’t the only big innovation for the Ducati Monster 1200, as the motorcycle is the continuation of Ducati’s chassis philosophy, as seen on the Ducati 1199 Panigale. As such, both the steel trellis main frame, and steel subframe, attach directly to the Testastretta 11° engine’s cylinder heads.

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2014 Aprilia Tuono V4 R APRC ABS Coming to the USA

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While David is in Aragon, I am down in Laguna Seca for the World Superbike races (apparently AMA Pro Racing is here too, though you wouldn’t know it from their TV contract), and Aprilia USA just debuted and confirmed that the alphabet soup that is the 2014 Aprilia Tuono V4 R APRC ABS will be landing on US soil starting in October 2013.

The naked version of the venerable Aprilia RSV4 R APRC ABS superbike, the Tuono V4 R is our hands-down favorite liter-class streetfighter, with its burly, yet smooth, power delivery, and industry-leading electronics package.

Keeping the machine inline with its competitors, Aprilia is now adding ABS for the 2014 model year , and thus has raised the bar a little higher with its next iteration of the Tuono V4 R. Helping seal the deal is the $14,499 price tag, which is $500 less than last year’s MSRP.

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