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adventure bike

Italy’s two-wheeled market has reported a significant upswing in Q1 2023, with March alone recording impressive sales figures for both scooters and motorcycles. 

  • Italian motorcycle market recorded a surge in sales for the month of March 2023. 
  • BMW R 1250 GS, Honda Africa Twin and Benelli TRK 502 continue to dominate the market. 

According to the National Association of Cycle Motorcycle Accessories (Confindustria ANCMA), the country’s two-wheeled market posted a 26.7-percent spike in March, translating to growth of 27.6 percent in Q1 2023.

In March, scooter sales amounted to 17,777 units sold, representing a 31.5-percent increase, while motorcycles recorded 18,221 new registrations, reflecting a 25.8-percent boost. The surge in sales has been welcomed by dealers, who are looking to build on the growth gained at the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023.

The Confindustria ANCMA has also broken down the top-selling motorbikes in Italy for March 2023. Moto Morini’s X-Cape 650 adventure bike made it into the top ten list with 283 units sold, followed by Honda’s NC750X with 303 units moved.

Meanwhile, Yamaha’s Tracer 7, Moto Guzzi’s V7, and Yamaha’s Ténéré 700 round out the top ten, with Honda’s new CB750 Hornet cracking the top five with 401 units sold.

The top three places go to the Honda Africa Twin, BMW R 1250 GS, and Benelli TRK 502, respectively, with Italian consumers registering 674 Africa Twins, 621 R 1250 GSs, and 600 TRK 502s throughout March 2023.

QJMotor has been making headlines in the global motorcycle industry over the last few years, particularly via its subsidiary, Benelli and Keeway.

  • MBP’s is the latest premium brand under Keeway that is owned by QJMotor. 
  • Similar to the Benelli, MBP also has an Italian origin. 

Benelli is going strong after the acquisition by QJMotor, with the TRK502 emerging as the most popular ADV bike in its home country, Italy.

Also, thanks to the wide range of models including the upcoming TRK800, TNT500, BKX250 and BKX250 S, the brand will continue to grow its influence with years to come.

That said, QJMotor now wants to carve similar success with Keeway after the brand recently gave birth to a premium subsidiary called the Moto Bologna Passione (MBP).

MBP showcased several models at EICMA last year, but the one that caught our attention is the T1002V adventure-tourer.

Mechanically, the T1002V is fitted with an all-new 997cc liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, 80-degree V-Twin engine that pumps out 95hp @ 7,600rpm and 96Nm @ 6,500rpm. Power-wise, it is on par with the KTM 890 Adventure R and BMW F 850 GS.

Adding to its ADV aesthetic is a set of tubeless wire-spoke wheels and adjustable KYB long-travel suspension. Braking is done via dual front disc brakes at the front and a single disc at the rear paired with Brembo-owned J.Juan callipers.

Similar to QJMotor’s current ADV range, including the SRT800 and TRK800, the MBP T1002V also features a full-colour dash, adjustable windscreen and a center stand.

The T1002V is expected to arrive in Europe early this year. 

After successfully penetrating the European market with a beginner-friendly naked and neo retro motorcycle, Voge, a premium sub-brand of Chinese motorcycle manufactuer, Loncin, now breached out to middleweight capacity adventure bike, with the all-new Valico 525 DSX. 

  • Voge Valico 525 DSX is an A2-compliant adventure motorcycle.
  • The Valico 525 DSX will go up against Honda’ CB500X and Benelli’s TRK 502 X. 

The Valico 525 DSX features a 494cc parallel-twin with liquid-coole and fuel-injected engine that makes 47hp on tap, similar to the Honda CB500X.

That said, the Valico 525 DSX is designed as a A2-compliant motorcycle making it a suitable option for younger riders. 

Similar to modern day ADV machine, the Voge Valico 525 DSX is fitted with inverted front forks with long-travel suspension at the front and adjustable monoshock at the rear. 

However, while the rest of its competitors features alloy wheels, the Valico 525 DSX gets tubeless wire-spoke wheels measuring 19-inch front and 17-inch at the back.

In addition, the motorcycle also equipped with traction control and ABS – which can be switched off for off-road riding – selectable Eco and Sport mode and a full colour 7-inch TFT display with built-in navigation system.

This inadvertently puts the Voge Valico 525 DSX as a strong contender in the 500cc category, going up against the CB500X and Benelli TKR 502 X. 

The upcoming QJ Motor middleweight adventure motorcycle, the QJ650, has passed homologation in China.

  • This model sees the Chinese brand fielding a new 649cc V-twin heart with a claimed 75HP.

  • Two variants will be available, namely a basic ‘standard’ plus a higher-speced ‘Adventure’.

After filing the patents last October, the new motorcycle has officially passed the homologation process thus edging closer to production.

The recent patent application also revealed some key technical details surrounding the model. Key to which is the engine that the QJMotor QJ650 adopts – a 649cc V-twin with a claimed output of 75HP.

Moreover, the two patent documents filed also revealed the QJ650 will come in two variants. One of which will be a higher-specced ‘Adventure’ offering brimmed with a set of luggage side and top boxes. Other details revealed include a claimed weight figures of 219KG (standard) and 249KG (Adventure), as well as the presence of an ABS module.

The new 650 will feature things like crash bars and handguards along with a wire spoke wheels.

As for release date and availability, QJMotor remains mum about it for now, but word has it we will see this V-twin model officially debut sometime later this year.

New middleweight QJMotor QJ650 middleweight adventure model surfaces in China, and it packs a 649cc V-twin with 75HP.

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Didi Resources Sdn Bhd expands local Aprilia line up with new Tuareg 660 middleweight off-road adventure bike priced from RM75,900 onwards.

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‘RA975’ code spotted in accessories listing suggest that Harley-Davidson is possibly mulling a 975cc version of the Pan America.

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The KTM 1290 Super Adventure is KTM’s flagship adventure tourer; hence, the bike comes with a hefty price tag.

Moreover, the 1290 Super Adventure is KTM’s answer to ward off Ducati’s Multistrada V4 and BMW’s R 1250 GS challenge.

The 1290 Super Adventure is equipped with the most technologically advanced feature, including Bosch radar-assisted technology – that allows functions like adaptive cruise control and blind-spot detection – to ensure it’s on par with the rest of its rivals.

However, the advanced technology puts the 1290 Super Adventure on the pricey spectrum, which subsequently impacted the sales of the Austrian bike.

Moreover, why would you spend RM132k on a KTM when you can get the Multistrada V4 for just RM3k extra and the R 1250 GS for a lesser price?

This brings us to the latest reports by a German publication, Motorrad Online, which claimed that the folks over at Mattighofen are rumoured to be working on a base model 1290 Super Adventure, hoping it could compete with its rival price tag.

According to the report, KTM is working on an ‘affordable’ version of the 1290 Super Adventure devoid of the fancy electronic suspension and the radar-powered adaptive cruise control.

Further speculation suggests that the base 1290 Super Adventure could be a more off-road capable ADV than its higher-spec model.

While the news sounds enticing, none of this has been confirmed by KTM. However, the prospect of a ‘cheaper’ 1290 Super Adventure could still be in the cards. 

The KTM 390 Adventure was well-received ever since its global introduction at 2019 EICMA.

Despite the success two years later, the Austrian manufacturer actually ran multiple test mules of different designs, one of which includes a rally variant similar to KTM’s 450 Rally.

The test mule features a taller front section, with an instrument console and handlebar-mounted higher compared to the production 390 Adventure.

In the latest development, reports in India suggest that KTM is ready to roll out the production version of the 390 Rally.

The Rally edition is expected to offer better ergonomics, control and balance, especially in off-road conditions.

Spied photos show a taller clear windscreen to enhance riders’ protection against dirt and debris and improve riding ergonomics.

However, major parts appear largely the same as the stock 390 Adventure including the 373cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine that makes 43hp and 37Nm.

It is worth noting that the upcoming Rally variants will feature a new off-road mode that was recently introduced on the 2022 KTM 390 Adventure.

Riding on a steel trellis frame, the 390 Adventure utilizes WP APEX 43mm USD front forks and WP APEX monoshock at the rear.

Despite the rugged looks, the Rally editions are expected to maintain the 19-inch front and 17-inch rear alloy wheels with the option to upgrade to wire-spoke wheels from KTM Powerparts.

Meanwhile, the braking system comprises of ByBre 320mm disc at the front and 230mm at the rear. Bosch dual-channel ABS is offered as standard.

 

  • Sewaktu EICMA 2018, Honda Europe telah memperagakan model Honda CB125X Concept, sebuah motosikal kembara berkapasiti kecil generasi seterusnya.
  • Motosikal Honda CB125X Concept menampilkan rupa bentuk yang amat kemas dengan suntikan besar pengembaraan, rupa bentuk agresif, dan kedinamikan.
  • Cirinya yang paling menonjol selain daripada reka bentuk keseluruhannya adalah ekzos SC-Project dan lampu hadapan ganda tiga.

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  • During EICMA 2018, Honda Europe showcased the Honda CB125X Concept, a next-generation small-capacity adventure bike.

  • The Honda CB125X Concept features super clean lines with a huge dose of adventure, aggressive looks, and dynamism.

  • Its most prominent features apart from the overall design are the SC-Project exhaust and front triple futuristic lights.

There were many show-stopping bikes which were showcased and presented throughout the duration of EICMA 2018 last week in Milan, Italy. Amongst the elite of future production bikes, there were some concept machines that really took things to the next level. One of them has to be the Honda CB125X Concept and it is ‘the bomb’. (more…)

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