Rumors are indicating that KTM has invited Indian manufacturer Bajaj to increase its stake in the Austrian company from the current 30% to up to 90%. While neither party has confirmed the news, it is reported that Bajaj has accepted KTM’s offer, and will immediately purchase an additional 21% of the company’s stock, making it a 51% majority shareholder. Bajaj will then increase its ownership to 90% at a later undecided time.
This article takes a doubly interesting turn of events. You may remember that a week ago we brought to you the unveiling of the Bimota HB4 Moto2 race bike. The HB4, the first time a Honda motor has been in a Bimota in 25 years, was to be campaigned by FB Corse in the first running of the 250GP replacement series, Moto2, but has mysteriously been left out of the Moto2 Provisional race list.
Equally unnerving was the postponement of the FB Corse MotoGP & Moto2 press launch, which was allegedly due to FB Corse boss, Andrea Ferrari, undergoing hand surgery. The timing of that postponement drew some skeptical attention since it was right in the middle of the Hoppergate saga, which saw American rider John Hopkins teetering back and forth between riding the FB Corse MotoGP machine or taking a seat in the AMA Pro Superbike series.
Now with Hopkins making his intent to ride in the AMA clear, the FB Corse MotoGP bike yet to be unveiled, and the Bimota HB4 absentee from the Provisional Moto2 racing list, there are rumors circulating in the American and Italian racing camps that this entire thing is a charade and done for publicity.
UPDATE: The 2010 Yamaha FZ8 has now been officially released.
In addition to getting leaked photos of what the 2010 Yamaha FZ8R or Fazzer 8 will look like, Motociclismo.it has also gotten shots of what they believe to be the FZ8 in its final form, i.e. in the nude. The fairing-less motorcycle will be built of the same chassis as the 2010 Yamaha FZ8R, but will sport a different headlight to accentuate the exposed frame and motor more adequately. Photos after the jump.
Two months ago we revealed what the 2010 Yamaha FZ8 looked like from the headlight up. Yamaha is again teasing us with only a headshot, but this time it is the 2010 Yamaha FZ8R or “Fazer 8” as Yamaha seems to want to call it, the fully-faired FZ8, that is getting unwrapped. While the photo above is an official photo from Yamaha, Motociclisimo.it has what they believe are leaked photos of both the naked an faired bikes in their final form. Check those photos after the jump.
After yesterday’s announcement about the Roehr electric motorcycles, the eSuperbike and eSupersport, many were left wanting for more information about Roehr’s latest development. While we’ve been assured by Walter Roehrich that photos and details will be coming soon, that didn’t stop us from diving into some dumpsters, interrogating some witnesses, and charging $4.50 in late fees at the local library.
The end result? We can confidently say that the Roehr eSuperbike and eSupersport will cost $30,000 & $15,000 respectively.
After Yamaha released only a limited view of the FZ8, there has been much speculation about what the new fazzer will have in store for would-be riders. As such in the past week, there have been a couple attempts to decipher what the Yamaha FZ8 could look like by using the all-glorious tool that is Adobe Photoshop.
We’ve already worked out that this is not the cylinder head to the fabled MV Agusta F3, but these latest photos from a track day in Almeriá, Spain, continue to suggest that the Italian company is testing a new bike in sheep’s clothing. Seen here in F4 bodywork, the bike is rumored to sport a 675cc three-cylinder motor. Photos and more after the jump.
We’re going to keep this one definitively filed under “rumors” still, but someone just dropped this photo off in the comments section of our spy shots of the MV Agusta “F3” three-cylinder motorcycle post. Leaving an @mvagusta.it email address, and mvagusta.com as the linked website, the suggestion would seem to be that this is spy shot is of the head off the MV Agusta F3. Totally legit, right?
That is of course until you realize the MV Agusta email address is a fake (we got an instant response from the server that no such email address existed on its domain), and that the user was posting from an IP address in the rain-soaked Netherlands.
We’re fairly confident in our saying that this is in fact not an image of the fabled MV Agusta three-cylinder, and instead just the product of a northern-Dutchman with too much winter on his hands.
But it just goes to show you, you can’t trust everything you read on the internet these days.
While out testing the 2010 Aprilia RSV4 R in Tuscony, the guys at Hell for Leather got a word with Aprilia’s Motorcycle Product Manager, Francesco Polimeni, regarding rumors of a RSV550 prototype. Allegedly, the bike would use an RS chassis, and the SXV/RXV’s 550cc v-twin motor, and according to Polimeni everything about that rumor is true…except the fact the bike would be coming to market any time soon.
Visordown is reporting that MV officials have quietly confirmed a new MV Agusta Superbike is set to launch in the next few weeks. Expected to not carry the F4 name, the new model would be one of the first truly new MV’s in the last 10 years, and is expected to signal the return of MV to premiere racing. More after the jump.
Superbike Planet is reporting a rumor that Honda is set to pull completely out of AMA/DMG road racing for 2010. If true, it’s hard to tell if this move is centered around an every decreasing budget for racing, or if Honda has finally given up dealing with AMA race organizer, Daytona Motorsports Group.