Harked as the beginning of a new age, it points to the Noble-based manufacturer creating a true supersport machine, instead of a sport-tourer/commuter machine like the Kawasaki Ninja 650.
Indeed there are rumours that the bike will produce more than 100 bhp and weight just north of 100 kg. Such power-to-weight ration would make any bike fly. Which is fine by us.
If you haven’t been following our updates, the RS 660 takes the RSV4’s engine and cuts off the rear two cylinders, leaving behind a parallel-Twin. But knowing Aprilia, it will not be “just any” parallel-Twin. Add in their Factory APRC package and you have a real sportbike ready to do battle.
Not much can be seen in the picture. However, with some Photoshop work by our friends at Asphalt & Rubber, we could just make out fairing sides that are a little different to the concept’s. There appears to be an aerobody as the manufacturer suggested.
We could also see that it has upside-down forks with lowers for radial-mounted brake calipers.
There are also rumours that suggest the price to be around USD 13,000, which equates to RM 54,342.60. However, it would end up being more expensive than that, given our tax structure.
Still, we couldn’t wait to see it when unveiled at EICMA 2019 next week.
The MIPS liner allows more space for the head to move inside the helmet in the event of a crash.
Consequently, the wearer’s head does not absorb the impact energy directly.
The creators hope more helmet manufacturers will pick up on the technology.
The EICMA show is not just about new bikes but also new technologies. The MIPS liner was one such highlight at the 2018 edition..
MIPS stands for “Multi-directional Impact Protection System.” It allows the wearer’s head to move inside the helmet should there be an impact.
Wait, allows the head to move around? We have to remember that the extent of injuries resulted from not how one crashed, instead they are dependent on how one stopped after the crash.
That is exactly what the EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) liner in a helmet addresses. The EPS liner is that thick, white-coloured liner which sits between the comfort liner (cushion) and the hard helmet shell. It crushes to absorb the impact energy by extending the distance for the head to move inside the helmet. The head does not stopped abruptly, as a result. This is the same concept behind crush zones for cars.
However, according to the MIPS Board, the EPS liner is not in doing its job enough. The origins of the MIPS liner go back to the 1990s when a neurosurgeon (brain surgeon) found many brain injuries despite the patients wearing helmets.
Helmet tests involve assessing how much energy is transferred to sensors or a head form within the helmet. The impact results from striking the helmet directly at 90o. In the real world, however, contacting an object perpendicularly is a rarity. Instead, it’s usually a glancing blow (due to the helmet’s round shape, among other things).
Striking an object at an angle other than perpendicularly sends a rotational force through the helmet. The soft tissue in the brain is subjected to shearing forces. It is like tearing raw meat away from the bone. It is this very factor which causes the worse brain injuries.
With the MIPS liner in place, the head has another 10- to 15mm of movement. The MIPS Board claims that it reduces force transmission by up to another 40%.
There are eight different MIPS liners for different applications in motorcycling, cycling and snowboarding. The MIPS Board aims to push the technology to present helmet makers, but they admit that the take up is slow. However, professional riders have shown much interest.
The new bike continues this legacy, but Honda has updated it in more ways than one.
Starting from the engine, the 2019 650cc, DOHC, inline-Four sees upgrades identical to the CB650R. The updates include works to the engine, fueling (ECU), and higher rev limit. The revisions yield nearly 5% increase in power (from 90 bhp to 95 bhp) and improved torque delivery. Additionally, there is a 6kg reduction in weight. That equals an 8% improvement in power-to-weight ratio.
The riding position of the 2019 bike is more aggressive. The clip-on handlebars are moved 30mm to the front and lowered. The footpegs are 3mm rearward and 6mm higher. Seat height remains at a comfortable 810mm.
The 2019 CBR650R has a new styling which looks pretty much like its CBR1000RR bigger brother, too.
We have a feeling that the 2019 CBR650R will fill the void left by the Honda CBR600RR. Honda will definitely have a winner if they could maintain the 2019 CBR650R’s pricing in the range of the 2018 CBR650F.
Launched at EICMA 2018, the Panigale V4 RS19 isn’t for sale to public. That’s because it’s the racing machine which Ducati factory riders Alvaro Bautista and Chaz Davies will ride in the World Superbike Championship (WorldSBK) in 2019. Ducati has been trying very hard to retake the superbike honours since their domination in the 90’s.
The most important thing for race bikes is power. The homologation model Panigale V4 R produced 217 bhp in stock form but it’s raised to 231 bhp with the race exhaust and tuning of the ECU. Judging from this, the Panigale V4 RS19 should make at least that same amount or perhaps even around 250 bhp! That V-Four engine was developed as a direct lineage from the Desmosedici in MotoGP, anyway.
Secondly, weight is always an enemy when racing. We can expect the bike to tip the scales at the 168 kg weight limit set by the FIM. Ducati was proud to show off the bike wrapped in carbon fibre.
The Panigale V4 R has winglets on the fairings, paving the way for them on the Panigale V4 RS19. WorldSBK is production-based racing, so certain features of the race bike must be produced on road-going machines.
The Panigale V4 RS19’s fuel tank has also been moved backward and seems larger to make room for the airbox. Ducati didn’t release more details of the bike, of course.
Looks like Jonathan Rea and Kawasaki will have some real competition next year.
We published the rumor of Aprilia working on a two-cylinder middleweight.
The Aprilia RS 660 concept was unveiled at EICMA 2018.
The engine is a parallel-Twin based on the RSV4 1100/Tuono 1100 V4.
We published a report on the rumors of Aprilia working on a two-cylinder middleweight model back in August, based on Asphalt & Rubber’s report. Well, it turned out that they’ve got a pretty good intelligence network; because Aprilia has unveiled the Aprilia RS 660 Concept EICMA 2018.
As per the rumours, the engine is based on the long-running RSV4 1100/Tuono 1100 V4 engine minus the two rear cylinders. The exclusion of the rear bank of cylinders turns the RS 660’s engine into a parallel-Twin.
The Truth About Parallel-Twins
Our market may frown upon the “bad perception” over the parallel-Twin in the previous Kawasaki ER-6 and Versys 650 models. However, the parallel-Twin engine is more compact and less complex than a V-Twin. It is also cheaper to produce.
A V-Twin needs a lot of space front-to-aft in the frame, thus necessitating a shorter swingarm to achieve a correspondingly short wheelbase. But a shorter swingarm begets more tangential forces from the chain which in turn causes the rear end to squat under acceleration and lift the front wheel. This means the rider cannot open the throttle early to avoid pushing the bike wide in corners. Look at how stubby is the Ducati Panigale’s swingarm.
Besides that, if you locate the front cylinder of a V-Twin closer to the front to put more weight on the front wheel, you may not be able to employ a steep steering angle. As you know, a steeper steering angle is necessary for agility. Sure, you can tilt the cylinders upwards. But now you don’t have enough weight on the front wheel. Besides that, the bike becomes taller to clear the top of the cylinder head covers.
A parallel-Twin (or any inline-engine), on the other hand, solves lots of packaging headache. There’s lots of room behind the cylinders to pack in the throttle bodies and shock absorber. You can tilt the cylinders towards the front wheel.
The benefits are:
More weight on the front wheel.
A longer swingarm still allows for a short wheelbase and less rear end squat.
The rear shock absorber is not exposed to heat from exhaust header(s) like on a V-Twin or V-Four.
Throttle bodies can “shoot” the air/fuel mixture straighter into the combustion chambers.
More efficient cooling.
A parallel-Twin has more efficient cooling as both cylinders face the airflow. That’s why the riders of V-Twins and V-Fours feel as if their inner thighs are being roasted to perfection.
Back to the RS 660, we hope Aprilia uses a different crankshaft spacing than the traditional 180o. The 270ocrank like that on the Triumph Bonneville mimics a 90oV-Twin in both engine vibration and torque characteristics.
Aprilia wanted a middleweight that is compact, light and agile hence a parallel-Twin makes perfect sense. Aprilia designed the RS 660 concept like their 250cc race bike. The (polished) aluminium frame uses the engine as a stressed member. The swingarm is also aluminium and curves over the exhaust on the right side. There is space for the rear shock to mount directly to the swingarm in the central position.
Aprilia also introduced the Aprilia Actice Aerodynamics (A3) concept on the RS 660. As the name suggests, the bike has the ability to change its front aerodynamic profile for the amount of downforce.
Aprilia says that the RS 660 will be produced for Europe, America and Asia.
Generasi terkini Ducati Diavel 1260 2019 telah diperkenalkan dengan lebih banyak kuasa dan keanggunan.
Tarikan terbesarnya adalah enjin ‘L-Twin’ Ducati Testastretta DVT 1,262cc yang menghasilkan 159hp dan 126Nm tork.
Pakej elektroniknya telah dipertingkatkan dengan ketara, dengan spesifikasi seperti Cornering ABS, Wheelie Control, Power Launch Control, dan bermacam-macam lagi.
The latest generation 2019 Ducati Diavel 1260 has been introduced with even more power and sophistication.
The biggest highlight is its 1,262cc Ducati Testastretta DVT L-twin engine which produces 159hp and 129Nm of torque.
Its electronics package has been significantly-elevated with specs such as Cornering ABS, Wheelie Control, Power Launch Control, plus more.
Looking for pure Italian muscle? Well, look no further than the 2019 Ducati Diavel 1260 which is the next-generation power cruiser from Ducati with more power and agility than ever before. As stated by Ducati “the new Diavel 1260 combines the performance of a maxi-naked with the ergonomics of a muscle cruiser.” (more…)
