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A Cheaper Triumph Street Triple R Has Arrived

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It didn’t arrive to the biggest fanfare, but the 2020 Triumph Street Triple R has the potential to upend the middleweight sport bike market with its arrival, as the British marque has packed a lot of value into this three-cylindered machine.

On the spec-sheet, not too much has changed – the Triumph Street Triple R still makes 116hp and 57 lbs•ft of torque, but the real talking point is the $10,500 MSRP, which is $100 less than 2019’s best-in-class KTM 790 Duke.

If you think it is a coincidence that the Triumph has price the Street Triple R just under the KTM, you would be sorely mistaken, and the Brits are hoping that a fewer dollars, a robust feature package, and a unique triple should get riders’ attention.

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Rumors

Could the New Triumph Street Triple R Be A Naked Game-Changer?

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A new Triumph Street Triple R is coming, say the folks at MCN. The British paper has always had an unusually close relationship with Triumph Motorcycles, so we have every reason to believe that the British marque will be showing this new bike on the quoted February 11th date.

As one would expect, the 2020 Triumph Street Triple R will be based off the recently debuted and revised Triumph Street Triple RS, though with lower-spec components.

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Rumors

Is A More Rad Version of the Suzuki Katana Coming?

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The Suzuki Katana isn’t even officially out yet for the US market, and already there are rumors of an up-spec version of the classic-inspired sport bike coming from Japan.

The news centers around Suzuki wanting the Katana to compete better with the high-performance naked models already on the market, namely the Aprilia Tuono V4 1100, Ducati Streetfighter V4, KTM 1290 Super Duke R, et al.

The move then is an “R” spec machine, rumored to see its 999cc four-cylinder engine bumped out to 1,135cc. Other go-fast parts are likely to be included (read: brakes, suspension, wheels, etc), and perhaps some updates to the styling to make it more aggressive looking.

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Reviews

Gone Riding: Husqvarna Svartpilen 701

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Greetings from Lisbon, Portugal as we come to our final destination on this three-week European press launch adventure. For this installment, we switch countries of origin, and get ready to hop on the Husqvarna Svartpilen 701 street bike.

A sort of street-tracker meets roadster type of bike, the Svartpilen 701 is a unique build from Husqvarna, and it pairs well with the company’s “white arrow” – the Vitpilen 701.

The plan is for us to get to know the Husqvarna Svartpilen 701 on the roads outside of Lisbon, riding along the coast for some twisties, touring along the highway, and doing some city miles in the urban jungle of Lisboa.

The route should give us a good idea of what to expect from the Swedish brand’s newest street bike, and to see if it is as fun as Husqvarna would like us to believe.

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Bikes

Norton Atlas Finally Breaks Cover, With Two Scrambler Variants

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We have been waiting for quite a while to see Norton’s Atlas street bike project in the flesh, and now it is here…in two varieties.

The two machines are called the Norton Atlas Ranger and the Norton Atlas Nomad, and they are both scrambler models. The Nomad is geared more towards road use however, with its 18″ front wheel; while the Ranger has taller suspension for better off-road capabilities, along with a 19″ front hoop.

Both bikes share the same 650cc parallel-twin engine with a 270° firing order, which makes 84hp and 47 lbs•ft of torque. The motor was co-developed with Norton’s V4 project, and it is essentially the four-cylinder engine with its rear cylinder bank lopped off.

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Bikes

MV Agusta Dragster 800 RR America, An Homage to the Past

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While the MV Agusta Brutale 1000 Serie Oro is grabbing all the headlines, the Italian brand has released another Brutale model for our two-wheeled consumption, this one another special edition machine: the MV Agusta Brutale 800 RR America.

The concept should be pretty simple to understand. Like the Brutale 800 America that debuted last year, MV Agusta has again brought out the red, white, and blue livery – this time applying it to the Dragster 800 RR motorcycle.

Taking its name from the 1973 MV Agusta S America 750, this new motorcycle thus blends a bit of history with its modern electronics, components, and styling. As such, the MV Agusta Brutale 800 RR America makes a fetching homage by the Varesini brand, 45 years after the original debuted.

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Bikes

Horex Debuts Its Third Model, The Horex VR6 Raw

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We had given up Horex for dead several years ago, with the German brand struggling to get its VR6 platform to market and in the hands of customers.

But, don’t discount this motorcycle company just yet, as the Horex VR6 Raw debuted this week in Cologne, for the INTERMOT trade show.

As such, the attractive roadster is an exercise in black-on-black, with virtually every component on the six-cylinder machine murdered out for a sinister effect.

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Bikes

The Harley-Davidson “Custom” Is the First Cruiser We Like

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In case you missed the new, Harley-Davidson dropped a number of new model concepts on us today, all which are to go into production by the 2022 model year. We have already shown you the ADV concept, as well as the Streetfighter concept.

There are a bevy of electric bikes to see as well, along with an e-bike program, but right now we want to focus your attention on the Harley-Davidson Custom, a modern take on the Sportster platform. It might be the first cruiser that we have actually lusted over.

For the loyal Asphalt & Rubber readers on this page, that statement should certainly say something about how much we are digging this potent v-twin concept.

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Bikes

Norton Teases Future 650cc Street Bike

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Norton is getting closer to releasing its next motorcycle, this one being a 650cc twin-cylinder street bike. As you can see above in the photo, courtesy of our friends at MotoFire, the Norton 650 will take a roadster form, with a positively vintage vibe.

The bike will serve as a platform though, for several 650cc motorcycles, one of which will be the basis for an Isle of Man TT race bike.

Said to make around 100hp, the Norton 650 would be a potent weapon in the Lightweight TT race class. It would also serve as a good counterpoint to Norton’s 1200cc superbike project.

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Bikes

A Few Photos of the ARCH Method143

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Color us intrigued by ARCH Motorcycle’s third installment to its lineup, the very exclusive ARCH Method143.

Powered by an air-cooled 143ci (2,343cc) v-twin engine, the Method143 varies from ARCH’s usual fare of power cruisers, as it is more of an upright roadster in format.

Of course, it has only the best components, including Öhlins suspension (FGRT series front forks and TTX rear shock) and carbon fiber BST wheels. Also, the chassis is made from a carbon fiber MonoCell frame, with other parts made from CNC’d aluminum.

Only 23 units will be made of the ARCH Method143, and as you can see from these detail photos, those will be a lucky 23 individuals.

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Bikes

ARCH Motorcycle’s Next Bike Won’t Be a Cruiser

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ARCH Motorcycle is in Italy right now, and they just took the wraps off three bikes, one of which isn’t so much a cruiser, as it is a naked roadster model.

Built using carbon fiber MonoCell chassis technology, a building technique usually reserved for ultra high-end sport cars and Formula 1 racing chassis, the ARCH Method143 features a potent 143ci (2,343) v-twin engine.

Though, instead of the performance cruiser layout the company is better known for, the ARCH Method143 will have mid-body rearsets for the feet, and clip-on handlebars for the hands, making for a very sporty riding position.

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