A new spy shot has confirmed that Austrian motorcycle company KTM is working on a more hardcore 390 Adventure-type motorcycle.
It might look similar to the standard KTM 390 Adventure, but if you look closer, you could notice that it comes with an all-new swingarm and suspension setup.
The revised swingarm looks to be of CNC construction; however, whether it will make its way to production remains to be seen as it could simply be used for the prototype testing.
Another new component is the beefier engine brace, which looks like an aluminium construction.
Other significant changes include a bigger 21-inch front wheel – 19″ on the 390 Adventure – and proper wire-spoke rims instead of the alloy rims available on the base 390 Adventure.
While further details remain scarce, reports suggest that KTM might unveil the new motorcycle in 2023.
Yamaha incredible journey in rally racing comes to an end as the company bids farewell to Dakar and FIM Rally Series.
Yamaha is the only team to participate in all 43 Dakar Rally, with Cyril Neveu handed the Japanese firm first victory at the 1979 Paris-Dakar, onboard the Yamaha XT 500.
Neveu delivered another victory a year later for Team Blue, however, while the Frenchman continued to rack up wins in 82, ’86 and ’87 (with a different outfit), Yamaha only returns to the podium in 1991 with Stephane Peterhansel and Italy’s Edie Orioli delivering six more victories aboard the Yamaha YZE 750T and YZE 850T.
Unfortunately, Peterhansel’s 1998 campaign was Yamaha’s last Dakar win, with KTM emerging as a new powerhouse in Dakar and the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship.
Despite the struggle against the Austrian machine, Yamaha came in strong for the 2022 Dakar Rally, with factory rider Adrien Van Beveren turning in a solid display.
Van Beveren led the overall standings with only two legs to go, but a navigational issue in the penultimate round relinquished the lead to the eventual winner, Gas Gas Rider Sam Sunderland.
According to Yamaha Europe President Eric De Seyness, the decision to exit from the two most established rally competitions was due to the ever-changing market.
“While the Dakar Rally has managed to stay close to its roots while leaving its spiritual homeland of Africa, the world around it has changed a lot.
“Our off-road customers have different expectations and are looking for different products, and we need to cater to that if we want to stay connected. For this reason, we have decided to end our long history on two wheels in the Dakar Rally and in the World Championship,” he said.
Chinese motorcycle manufacturer, Colove is currently working on a new motorcycle, the Excelle 400RR, as confirm by new design sketches.
According to the firm, the Excelle 400RR will feature a twin-headlamp setup, full-fairing panel and underbelly exhaust, among others.
The best part about the bike however, is the engine. The Excelle 400RR will run on a 400cc four-cylinder, DOHC, liquid-cooled engine that is capable pumping 73hp @ 13,500rpm and 44Nm @ 12,000rpm.
Interestingly, Colove claimed that the Excelle 400RR is capable of hitting a top speed of 220km/h, that is within the same region as the Honda CBR650R.
The Colove Excelle 400RR will sit on a trellis frame and features a muscular fuel tank, fairing with vents, single-rider saddle and raised windshield much like a proper supersport machine.
The Excelle 400RR will also get the nifty single-sided swingarm, much like the Ducati Panigale.
Meanwhile, stopping power comes from a twin disc brakes at the front along with an ABS for added saftely. Unfortunately, Colove opted for a conventional telescopic fork rather than the ‘fancier’ USD fork.
Based on reports, Colove plans to unveil the Excelle 400RR by the end of the year.
On another note, the company also plans to enter the adventure bike segment with the Colove 800X that will run on a 800cc parallel-twin platform, much similar to KTM’s LC8 engine.
Chinese motorcycle manufacturer, Benda, made the headlines in 2021 with the unveiling of the all-new LFC 700.
Benda was instantly given credits for not taking the easier route by copying the design by European and Japanese motorcycles; instead, the company came up with a unique design.
While it may look like a typical power cruiser, underneath the “Cybertronian” bodywork sits a 680cc inline-four engine, making it the only cruiser that runs an inline-four powerplant.
Shortly after, Benda unveiled the LFS 700, a neo-retro flat-track-esque motorcycle based on the same platform as the LFC 700.
Benda has since received a flood of demands in China for the LFS 700. So much, in fact, Benda had to stop accepting bookings to keep up with the requests.
Retailing at just USD6,100 (RM25k), the LFS 700 is a remarkable value for money considering it is the only Chinese motorcycle company to feature an inline-four engine, apart from the Benelli TNT600.
The LFS 700 features some nifty components despite the affordability, including Brembo brakes, KYB suspension, and a full-colour TFT instrument cluster with smartphone connectivity.
Power-wise, the LFS 700 puts out 92.5hp @ 11,000rpm, similar to the Honda CB650R.
The highly-anticipated 2022 Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR finally arrived in Malaysia and is priced at RM119,900.
The official announcement was made by the brand official distributor in Malaysia, Fast Bike Sdn Bhd.
According to the statement, the introduction of the Speed Triple 1200 RR – including the Tiger 1200 and Tiger Sport 660 – will set a new benchmark in their respective segment in Malaysia.
“Motorcycles like the Tiger Sport 660, Tiger 1200 and Speed Triple RR are not only engineered and designed to set new benchmarks in their respective classes, but to make a very bold statement with their on the road presence.
“These are truly game changing motorcycles for an increasingly discerning
Malaysian motorcycle market,” said Chief Executive Officer of Fast Bike Sdn Bhd, Dato’ Razak Al Malique Hussain.
The new Speed Triple RR is based around its naked cousin (the Speed Triple RS) but with additional electronic suspension and semi-front fairing.
While it may feature the same frame, subframe and fuel tank, the Speed Triple RR is an altogether new motorcycle.
The most notable change is the introduction of the semi-active Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 electronic suspension, replacing the NIX30 inverted fork and TTX36 twin-tube monoshock on the RS.
Other significant revisions include more aggressive ergonomics thanks to 5 inches lower and 2 inches forward clip-on handlebars and raised footpegs.
Moreover, the use of a single circular LED headlamp paired to a retro-ish front panel, and Red Hopper/Storm Grey colour scheme creates a striking image.
Nonetheless, underneath the elegant looking sports bike sits the same liquid-cooled, DOHC, 1,160cc triple-cylinder engine with 177hp and 125Nm that powers the Speed Triple RS, including a 6-speed gearbox with slip and assist function.
Other exciting features include:
Brembo MCS lever
Brembo Sytlema calliper
320mm front disc and 220mm single rear disc
Five riding modes
advanced wheelie control
cornering ABS
traction control
bi-directional quickshifter
cruise control
5″ TFT instrument cluster with My Triumph connectivity
Meanwhile, customers can enjoy 2-years service package with every purchase of the new Speed Triple 1200 RR from Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia, valid until 31st of March 2022.
Fast Bike Sdn Bhd, the sole distributor of the Triumph Motorcycles brand in Malaysia has also announced the official price for the 2022 Triumph Tiger 1200 range for the local market.
The introduction of the Triumph Tiger 1200 marks an exciting start to the calendar year for Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia.
“We are anticipating that it will become an exciting year ahead not only for the brand but all motorcycle enthusiasts with this new line-up of models which offers the best proposition in terms of performance, the level of equipment and value,” said Chief Executive Officer of Fast Bikes Sdn Bhd, Dato’ Razak Al-Malique Hussain.
According to an official statement by Fast Bike Sdn Bhd today, the Tiger 1200 range is available in two variants, the GT Pro and Rally Explorer and is priced at RM115,900 and RM130,900 respectively.
The construction of the new Tiger 1200 focused solely on creating lighter and much powerful ADV bikes with class-leading handling and specs on and off-road.
At the centre of the building is an all-new T-Plane crank engine that was previously introduced on the Tiger 900 range.
The all-new 1160cc powerplant now makes 147hp @ 9,000rpm (8.5hp increase than the previous generation) and 130Nm @ 7,000rpm (8Nm up).
For 2022, Triumph’s added the Rally Explorer as the newest member of the Tiger 1200 range which features a 30L fuel tank – 20L fuel tank on the GT Pro -, higher-spec kit and added electronics, inlcuding the innovative blind spot detection system.
The Tiger GT Pro features semi-active Showa suspension and gets a 19-inch front and 18-inch rear cast aluminium wheel while the Rally Explorer sports a 21″ front and 18″ rear tubeless spoke wheels.
Fast Bike Sdn Bhd, the sole distributor of the Triumph Motorcycles brand in Malaysia has officially announced the price of the 2022 Tiger Sport 660.
The new middleweight sport touring bike from Hinckley is available from as low as RM49,900 (exclude registration and insurance), making it the most affordable motorcycle in its segment for the Malaysian market.
Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia is also offering an early-bird package whereby customers who purchase the new Tiger Sport 660 will also walk away with selected optional accesories comprising of Triumph’s Connectivity Module, dual comfort low seats, frame protector kits, fork protectors, hand guards, USB charger kit and tank pads.
The early bird package is offered in conjuction with Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia’s 10th anniversary.
Built on the same platform as the Trident 660, the Tiger Sport 660 features the same triple-cylinder engine as its naked sibling and is set to go up against the Kawasaki Versys 650, Suzuki V-Strom 650 and the Yamaha Tracer 7.
Like the Trident, the Tiger Sport 660 features two riding modes, Road and Rain, ride-by-wire with 6-speed transmission, and a slipper/clutch.
Braking is done by twin 2-piston Nissin radial callipers paired to a 310mm disc at the front and a 255mm disc at the rear. It also features dual-channel ABS that’s, unfortunately, can’t be turn off.
Other exciting features include:
41mm Showa USD front forks with 150mm travel
Showa rear monoshock with hydraulic preload adjustable
Although the push for electric vehicles is propelled by the world’s plan for a cleaner environment, most of us can’t even afford a decent electric motorcycle.
Energica, Zero Motorcycles are among those who make and sell an electric bike with a hefty price tag to help justify the cost of long-range batteries and high-performance electric motors.
However, there are others who are taking a different route to ensure the accessibility to electric two-wheelers.
KSR-owned Brixton Motorcycles is currently developing a low-cost electric bike, as confirmed by the latest patents.
The new design patents showcased one of the simplest-looking electric scooters we have ever seen.
While we say it looks simple, the design is rather unique. The bike feature a uber-simple frame that carries the battery and electronics positioned at the lowest point of the structure.
The street-legal electric scooter is also fitted with an upside-down fork that handles the damping up front and a single sprung seat.
Like any other Brixton model, the electric scooter will also feature Brixton’s iconic “X” in the centre of the lamp.
Meanwhile, the bike looks to be fitted with a single circular instrument above the front headlamp.
Ducati begins part two of the Ducati World Premier 2022 with the official unveiling of the new XDiavel Nera in partnership with Italian craftsmanship, Poltrona Frau.
The Ducati XDiavel Nera was the main protagonist of episode seventh of the DWP 2022 web series.
Born from the proud factory of Borgo Panigale, the XDiavel Nera comes to life from the values of two separate entity, Ducati and Poltrona Frau, that shares the same passion for design, craftsmanship, cutting-edge technologies and an aptitude for innovation.
The result is a sports cruiser produced in a numbered edition limited to just 500 units worldwide.
The Ducati XDiavel Nera features a ‘Black on Black’ livery that creates a sportier look enriched with Ducati Red aesthetics easily recognizable on the brake callipers and engine headcovers.
If that wasn’t enough, the XDiavel Nera comes with fully machined forged rims painted in glossy black.
However, the bike stands out thanks to the bespoke seat made of Pelle Frau (a soft natural leather saddled by hand developed by Poltrona Frau) available in five colours; Siam Red, Steel Blue Cemento, India and Selva.
The letter “X” is also visible on the seat, engraved through a sophisticated laser process to recall the name of the XDiavel.
Underneath the tubular steel frame sits the Testastretta DVT 1262 engine capable of pumping a maximum power output of 160hp @ 9,500rpm and 127Nm @ 5,000rpm.
The new Euro5 configuration also ensures the engine delivers a smoother response at low revs and a full curve up to the highest revs.
For 2022, Ducati also reduced the height from the ground of the saddle to 755mm to offer better riding ergonomics and comfort when travelling at low speed.
The XDiavel Nera also allow a maximum lean angle of 40-degree, thanks to a new 240mm wide tyre mounted on a rim with an 8″ channel.
Stopping power comes in the form of Brembo monobloc M50 callipers paired to a twin 320mm disc at the front and a single 265mm rear disc.
Other notable features include:
full-LED light with DRL
Bosch Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)
ABS Cornering
Ducati Traction Control (DTC)
Riding Modes
Cruise Control
Ducati Power Launch (DPL)
Owners can access its full electronic package via its colour animation TFT screen.
According to Ducati, the XDiavel Nera will make its way to the dealership in March 2022 (presumably a later date for the Malaysian market) and fits into the XDiavel range alongside the XDiavel Dark and XDiavel S.
Yes, folks, rumours have been swirling around in Japan that the Dax ST125 could make a return soon.
After the success of the new generation Honda Monkey 125, Honda is reviving yet another classic minimoto from its past, the Dax ST125.
Japanese-publication, Young-Machine published the first speculative render image of what the revived Dax ST125 could look like back in March 2021.
Although it’s been a year since the image was first shared, the revival could well be on its way as YM shared an updated render image of the Dax ST125.
Moreover, there is an ongoing rumour that the next-generation Honda Dax ST125 could make an appearance at the 2022 Tokyo Mobility Show, which we think is an already unofficial confirmation that the minimoto is indeed on its way.
Looking at the newly updated render photos, we are pretty sure at this point that YM is sharing the production-ready version from Honda.
From the photos, it’s clear that, unlike the Monkey that caters to a single-rider setup, the Honda Dax ST125 features a saddle that can accommodate a pillion along with pillion footpegs.
While details remain scarce, the Dax ST125 could also feature the same transmission from the Monkey.
Anyway, if the rumours are correct, Honda might have an answer to all our questions in March this year.
Road racing legend John McGuinness is considering hanging up his racing suit after the 2022 Isle of Man TT.
The British rider will turn 50-years-old when the Isle of Man TT comes around and will race onboard the new Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade alongside British Superbike race winner and debutant Glen Irwin.
McGuinness hinted that the upcoming 2022 edition might be his last before he bids farewell to the sport.
“The last time I raced there, I didn’t have a great TT and I didn’t want to finish my racing career on a breakdown so this, never said it before, could possibly be my last TT but I wanted to just go there with everything, you know, all the i’s dotted and t’s crossed and go and enjoy it and see where we end up.”
“Getting back to racing, we’re all a little bit nervous, all us riders especially. We did some racing through Covid but not the road racing like in the Isle of Man so we’ve all been away for two years.
“The bikes are getting faster, none of us have been there so we’re all nervous, there’s a lot of anticipation but, you watch, once we get there it will be flat out, it will be 200mph, we’ll be doing what we do,” said McGuinness to the press after picking up his MBE for his service to motorcycle racing.
McGuinness last primary event TT wins came in 2015, bringing him a total of 23 wins, just three shies of the record holder, Joey Dunlop.
McGuinness was on course to surpass Dunlop in 2017, but his plans got derailed due to a technical error that led to a devastating crash on the 2017 North West 200.
The incident also ruled him out of 2017 and 2018 TT.
He ought to make a comeback in 2020 with Bournemouth Kawasaki – after a disappointing 2019 season with Norton – but was stopped short due to Covid-19.
