BMW has finally gotten around to setting the MSRP on its highly anticipated S1000RR sportbike. Priced in-line to compete with the major Japanese manufacturers, the S1000RR is going for a measly $13,800.
For that price you’ll receive a bike with 193hp at the crank, a dry weight of 404lbs, and a headlight only a mother could love. For an additional $1,000, you can get the S1000RR with ABS brakes, and only sacrifice an additional 5.5lbs of that curb weight.
This week, the Piaggio group, which owns several brands including Aprilia & Gilera released its 2009-2012 strategic plan, where it told investors that the company intends to develop a range of sports bikes with mid-sized engines for the American market.
What that means exactly is fairly vague, as no other details beyond this simple statment were given, “The Group intends to work on the growth of different brand names, also through the development of sport bikes with mid-sized engines.”
Many have speculated that this means that Aprilia will be releasing a 600cc sport bike to go along side its , and that seems like a fairly logical conclusion.
And then, we remembered this rumor from last year, Gilera 600cc Supersport 2009 Fact or Fiction?
Ducati certainly has been taking its time in releasing details on its alleged BMW GS killer enduro bike. So until we get official reports, we’ll have to suffice with spy shots from Italy that seem to keep pouring in. This time around a pair of bikes was spotted in Costa of Rovigo, in between Padova (near Venice) and Bologna, by Andrea Böhm.
While far-away, this photo does reveal more about the bike than we have previously seen. For starters the front is more exposed, with less tape hiding the lines of the front fairings and fender. The effect is an almost sinister view from the side, with the headlights just coming above the bulge that is supposedly a part of the ram-air tubing
While in Laguna Seca for the US GP, Fiat Yamaha riders, Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, along with Monster Yamaha Tech3 riders, Colin Edwards and James Toseland, stopped by the Yamaha North America corporate offices for a little press stop and corporate tour.
Wanting to make the most out of the trip, Yamaha put together a video that reveals the secret to their riders’ success.
MCN is reporting that there will be no new ZX-10R debuted this year, as Kawasaki is breaking out of their 2-year production cycle in order to focus on a WSBK killer for the 2011 season.
You’ll have to scroll all the way down the 18th spot in the World Superbike Championship standings if you want to seen Team Green represented. Even BMW with their brand new bike, and first entry into true sportbike territory, has found greater success in the world production motorcycle racing venue (currently 16th & 17th in the WSBK standings).
We’re not sure how accurate this rumor is at this point, but it is clear that if Kawasaki wants to be a “race on Sunday, sell on Monday” company, they have room for improvement.
Source: MCN
BMW Motorrad released today that the base MSRP of the S1000RR will cost €15,800, expect the US pricing to be below that (we’re guessing $14,500-ish).
In typical BMW fashion the real fun features will cost more. The BMW Race ABS system will cost €950, while the Race ABS with Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) will cost a combined €1,250. BMW is also offering an electric shifter for €370, and an alarm system for €220.
It would appear we do not need to wait until Fall to see the new VFR in its final, or near final form. MCN lead this morning with an article showing what they reputed to be leaked photos of the 2010 VFR1200 from Honda.
We, like many others, we skeptical of this news, both in part because of the source, but also because the reputed final version so closely matched mock-ups of the new bike that we’ve seen for months now.
Our skeptism may be unfounded this time, as auto news site Left Lane News has simultaneously released spy shots of the VFR testing in the California desert that would appear to rain on MCN’s parade of having “the scoop of the year”.
Based off the air-cooled Ducati 1100cc motor, NCR Corse has made a track bike worthy of multiple droolings. Named the Millona, the bike tips the scales at 275lbs, and puts out 121hp in its 1200cc form (at 1100cc the bike makes 116hp).
UPDATE: You can see the new 2010 Honda VFR1200F here.
We’ve got an update on Honda’s hotly-anticipated new V4-powered bike. It has been confirmed by Honda’s Senior Managing Director, Shigeru Takagi, that the new VFR will be seen in its finished form sometime this Fall, and will be in dealer showrooms next Spring.
The VFR1200, as you might have guessed from its name, will be a 1200cc version of the VFR model line. With the added displacement, the new V4 will take on the likes of the Hayabusa and ZX-14R, while Honda phases out the 800cc VFR and CBR1100xx.
Silly season continues here at Asphalt & Rubber. Next up on the rumormill is James Toseland, who is rumored to be looking at a return to World Superbike, possibly with the Alstare Suzuki team.
