Latest Posts:
Asphalt & Rubber
Tag

Popular

Browsing
Bikes

Up-Close with the Ducati 1299 Superleggera

By 25 Comments

The Ducati 1299 Superleggera is easily the bike of the 2016 EICMA show, and it is the first production motorcycle with a carbon fiber chassis.

On top of that accolade, the 1299 Superleggera is the lightest and most powerful superbike ever created by Ducati, making 220hp and weighing 162kg at the curb, when the track-only race kit is installed.

Every detail of the Ducati 1299 Superleggera serves the purpose of making the motorcycle faster, and each piece has been shaved to find ever ounce possible in weight savings. It helps too that the Ducati 1299 Superleggera is a looker too.

As such, we have some up-close photos of the Ducati 1299 Superleggera, for those who cannot experience the machine in the flesh. Enjoy!

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

Up-Close with the KTM 790 Duke Prototype

By 11 Comments

One of the machines that caught our eye at this year’s EICMA show in Milan is the KTM 790 Duke Prototype. Powered by an all-new 800cc parallel-twin engine that’s being developed by the Austrian brand, the KTM 790 Duke adds an interesting dimension to the Duke line of street bikes.

Fitting in between the single-cylinder KTM 690 Duke and the v-twin powered KTM 1290 Super Duke R, the KTM 790 Duke with its parallel-twin engine will hopefully provide riders with something neither of the other two machines provides.

Still, we are curious to see how KTM handles such an impacted lineup of street-hooning machines, especially as the 800cc market moves more towards a 900cc format, something the Husqvarna Nuda 900R designers understood. As with the Nuda, thinking outside of the 270° crankshaft angle might be of benefit for KTM.

Looking at the photos from EICMA, the design of the KTM 790 Duke prototype is striking, though we should expect as much from the folks at KISKA, especially after seeing the KTM 1290 Super Duke R prototype from a few years ago.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

Vespa Elettrica – An Icon Goes Electric

By 7 Comments

When it comes to scooters, no name is better known than Vespa, as the iconic Italian brand is recognizable around the world, with 18 million scooters carrying the Vespa name in cities globally.

It is of note then that Vespa has jumped onto the electric bandwagon, and unveiled its first electric scooter this week at EICMA. As such, we get our first look today of the Vespa Elettrica, which will be for sale in the latter part of 2017.

Not quite ready for production at this time though, Vespa says that it will be working with leaders in the electric drivetrain business to develop the Elettrica, making the scooter shown at EICMA more of a concept than a finalized vehicle.

However, the Italian company promises that the Vespa Elettrica will continue to bring the attributes the brand is known best for – which in our mind hinges mostly on its classic Italian styling. To that goal, we say mission accomplished.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

The Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 Aero Concept Is F’ing Gorgeous

By 26 Comments

Anyone that reads enough Asphalt & Rubber should know that I don’t particularly shine to the café racer aesthetic. So knowing that upfront should add some gravitas to the statement that the Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 Aero is blowing my mind right now.

Based on the same unassuming 373cc single-cylinder platform as the Husavarna Vitpilen 401 and Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 motorcycles, the Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 Aero concept completes the post-authentic holy trinity of retro standards, scramblers, and café racers.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

KTM 790 Duke Prototype Debuts with Parallel-Twin Engine

By 46 Comments

For KTM, the 2016 EICMA show is all about the Duke line of streetfighters. The KTM 1290 Super Duke R got a pretty sizable upgrade for 2017, the KTM 690 Duke received a facelift, and the KTM 390 Duke is now easily the best bike in its class.

The Austrians didn’t stop there though, they also gave us a taste of what is still to come for the Duke brand, teasing us with the KTM 790 Duke prototype.

Rumored heavily before the new bike season, this “KTM 800 Duke” features an 800cc parallel-twin engine, slapped into an upright motard-esque chassis.

The Kendo-styled LED headlight that’s finding its way into the entire KTM range features here as well, though that is hardly the most radical part of the 790 Duke’s design – checkout the undertail exhaust, which probably spit plums of fire before the lawyers got ahold of it.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

KTM 1290 Super Duke R Gets an Update for 2017

By 29 Comments

Call it The Beast 2.0, because the KTM 1290 Super Duke R is getting an upgrade for the 2017 model year, debuting today at the EICMA show in Milan, Italy.

The first most noticable change is the new LED headlight, which will debut throughout the Duke line, and draws links to KTM’s remodeled Adventure bikes, which have a similar LED setup.

KTM has also modified the TFT dash, which seems like a minor change, except the old version always made the streetfighter feel cheaper than its price tag suggested. The new dash richens the user experience with its look and feel, and is a welcomed addition to the 2017 KTM 1290 Super Duke R.

Of course, the change your most interested in is the revised 1,301cc v-twin engine, which has a reworked cylinder head and intake, and now produces 177hp. Cornering ABS from Bosch has also been added, with the IMU also helping control the traction control system.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

BMW HP4 Race Gets a Carbon Fiber Chassis for 2017

By 11 Comments

We already had a pretty good idea what to expect from BMW Motorrad at the 2016 EIMCA show, but it is good to see that the Germans can still surprise us – and what a surprise it was, indeed.

Sort of a “one more thing” moment in Milan, the BMW HP4 Race was teased to the assembled EICMA press – giving us a look at their ultra-premium version of the BMW S1000RR Superbike, and it drips in carbon fiber.

Of course what really sets the BMW HP4 Race apart is the fact that it uses a twin-spar carbon fiber frame, making it, and the recently debuted Ducati 1299 Superleggera, the only production motorcycles with such a feature.

Details beyond what we can see are very scarce from BMW Motorrad, though we do know that we can expect the BMW HP4 Race to debut in the second-half of 2017. The name suggests that the bike might not be homologated for street use, but time will have to tell on that.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

Yamaha YZF-R6, Reporting for World Supersport Duty

By 15 Comments

Yamaha is gearing up to go racing in the FIM World Supersport Championship, finally bringing back once again a factory team to the 600cc class, and it plans to do so with the 2017 Yamaha YZF-R6.

At EIMCA today, Team Blue gave us our first glimpse of the bike that factory riders Lucas Mahias and Federico Caricasulo, and factory-supported riders Niki Tuuli and Sheridan Morais, will compete with next season in World Supersport.

World Supersport rules don’t allow much in the way of modification to the Yamaha YZF-R6, so while the bike you see here is still just a gussied-up production bike, the actually race bike that the teams will use will differ in only minute ways.

Changes made to the R6 shown here include a set of race fairings, an Akrapovi? Evo full titanium exhaust, 320mm Brembo T-drive front brake discs, 43mm forks with Öhlins cartridges, and Pirelli Diablo DOT race tires.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

Ducati 1299 Superleggera – A 215hp Carbon Fiber Superbike

By 5 Comments

Photos of the Ducati 1299 Superleggera leaked this past weekend, and well before that we already knew some of the details about Ducati’s “Project 1408” machine, but none of this detracts from the truly impressive machine that Ducati debuted today in Milan, just ahead of the official start to the 2017 EICMA show.

Like its 1199 counterpart, the Ducati 1299 Superleggera is a limited edition version of the company’s venerable superbike platform, and it focuses on being the lightest, most powerful, street-legal machine that Borgo Panigale can produce.

Upping the ante this time around, Ducati has used a carbon fiber chassis (frame, swingarm, wheels, and bodywork) for the 1299 Superleggera, in addition to an array of other exclusive components and exotic materials.

Also of note is the Akrapovi? race exhaust, which looks like it fell right off Ducati’s World Superbike project. When combined with the rest of the race kit, the Ducati 1299 Superleggera makes 220hp, and tips the scales at 162kg (wet). Truly impressive.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

Ariel Ace R Set to Debut, Only 10 Will Be Made

By 14 Comments

Remember the Ariel Ace? The VFR1200F-powered street bike from the revived British brand? The attractive street bike is about to get an even sportier sibling (sketched above), as the Ariel Ace R is set to debut at the NEC Motorcycle Live show, this November.

Unless you are well-coined, the NEC show might be your only chance to see an Ariel Ace R in the flesh, as the Brits plan on making only 10 examples of this R-spec machine.

Details are light at the moment, but Ariel does day that the Ace R will have a unique color scheme, and of course there will be better performance pieces and more power from the limited edition motorcycle.

Keep Reading
By
WSBK

Jonathan Rea is the 2016 World Superbike Champion

By 2 Comments

“It’s going to take time to sink in,” was the immediate reaction of Jonathan Rea, upon winning his second World Superbike title. The Northern Irishman has led the standings all year, but despite this, it has not been an easy title victory.

Rea has faced some challenges with his Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R throughout the thirteen-round championship. A spate of false neutrals – including three at Donington and also one in Germany – robbed Rea of confidence and points at crucial junctures of the year.

As a result the champion said that his second title means more than 12 months ago.

“Honestly it is more special than last year,” said Rea. “In different way, this one means different things. Last year the championship was as a result of some amazing rhythm throughout the year. It wasn’t an easy season, but the championship happened naturally. This year was different and we really had to work hard for it. I had to really win this championship.”

Keep Reading
By