Video released on social media shows off the intricate processes and approach undertaken when hand-building the Honda RC213V-S hyperbike. (more…)
Video released on social media shows off the intricate processes and approach undertaken when hand-building the Honda RC213V-S hyperbike. (more…)
Always wanted to own your favourite superbike but can’t seem to spare the cash and space at home for one? Then the downloadable Yamaha YZF-R1M origami paper craft will surely bring out the hobbyist in you.
For the uninitiated, Yamaha has made some of its rear world creations available as home-buildable paper craft models for quite some time now, and the 2015 Yamaha YZF-R1M superbike is the latest addition to that. The best part about this is the fact that you can download the model’s build scheme for free online this dedicated microsite.
The built-up model featured in the images is a 1:5 scale replica of the acclaimed superbike, measuring 41cm end to end. This being part of Yamaha’s ‘Ultra Realistic’ range of models, you’re going to need a few things starting with a good quality colour printer, followed by a copious amount of A4-sized paper, as well as a basic set of home stationeries (glue, scissors, ruler, etc.)
Since it’s the holidays, this could perhaps be the perfect gift that you can build for your budding riding buddies or relatives. What better way to celebrate one’s passion for two-wheels by fuelling said passion further, albeit in a smaller yet more interactive way indeed.
You can visit the microsite to download the full schematics for the Yamaha YZF-R1M paper craft, as well as its construction manual.
Though it may be somewhat of a new bike, even the manic 2015 Yamaha YZF-R1 and YZF-R1M superbikes will need to undergo a recall at some point. In this recent case, Yamaha has issued a recall for both its new flagship superbike models to fix a small yet potentially dangerous issue.
According to trusted sources, Yamaha’s recall for both the new R1 and R1M sees it addressing a potentially faulty oil delivery pipe O-ring. Additionally, Yamaha had this to say on its official website:
‘It is possible for an oil leak to occur, from the O-Ring on the Oil Delivery Pipe where it enters the engine case, because of improper assembly of the components. If a leak occurs, oil could leak onto the exhaust and in extreme circumstances the oil could catch fire.’
Though the 2015 Yamaha YZF-R1 and YZF-R1M aren’t offered here in Malaysia officially, we at BikesRepublic.com are aware of its presence via grey importers. Should you own one, we highly recommend you to have this issue looked at by a specialist garage as soon as possible.
Also worth noting here is that this is not the 2015 YZF-R1 model’s first recall. This new potential fire hazard comes after a recent recall for the R1’s faulty transmission components. The latter problem had forced the Japanese bike maker to issue a ‘stop sale’ order to its American dealers pending the fault’s rectification.
Uncertain about his future in the WSBK World Superbike Championship, rider Leon Haslam is all set to make a return to the MCE British Superbike championship in 2016.
Sources say that the 32-year-old will be teaming up with JG Speedfit Kawasaki, and will ride alongside James Ellison and Peter Hickman.
It is said that this will be the first Haslam will be riding a Kawasaki machinery in his career. And with a brand new bike closely developed with the factory team of Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes, it could be the chance that Haslam needs to finally bury his demons in the domestic series.
Although no official announcements have been made, Haslam did mention that he was looking at BSB options, and that interesting offers have already been made by certain parties.
Rumour has surfaced indicating that Honda are working on two new superbike models bound for release in 2017. Credible sources are indicating that the two new models will likely come in the forms of a heavily updated CBR1000RR Fireblade, followed by an all-new RVF1000 model with a V4 engine configuration.
The twelfth generation Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade as we know last underwent an update in 2014 where it received a slight increase in power with mildly revised rider ergonomics, plus the addition of a racier ‘SP’ variant as well.
Sources report that if it is green-lit, the next CBR1000RR will be based on the current bike, but will sport a revised exterior with high chance of a revised new electronics package to stack up against its rivals. Furthermore, the rumour also indicated that the updated CBR1000RR will remain rather road-focused instead of being a machine for track use.
As for the RVF1000 model, the rumour did suggest that Honda would develop it as a proper track machine. If green-lit, the V4-powered new RVF1000 will see Honda likely targeting the likes of the new Yamaha YZF-R1, Aprilia RSV4 RF and the Ducati Panigale R.
However, Honda will likely take some time in figuring out the right specification and pricing for the new RVF1000 as how it was for the controversial RC213V-S road-legal GP bike. Based on recent leaked patent and design files, the new RVF1000 V4 will likely resemble closely to the aforementioned road-going GP bike besides sharing a similar V4 powerplant.
Honda would likely build the RVF1000 using cost-effective parts from the RC213V-S like its cast-aluminium frame whilst also retaining much of street-legal GP bike’s basic elements and design solutions. However, this rumour sounds somewhat slightly far-fetched as compared to the updated CBR1000RR rumour. Honda remains coy about this particular V4 project, so it is a case of waiting and seeing if this materialises.
Sources: Asphaltandrubber and MCN
For 2016, the Aprilia RSV4 will feature several minor but essential enhancements over the model it replaces.
Firstly, the 2016 Aprilia RSV4 RF gains with new ‘Superpole’ graphics to enhance its looks further. Crucially though, the 2016 model now gains with a revised rear suspension setup, which Aprilia claims to be ‘more effective’.
Giving it a better tech edge, Aprilia have also updated the 2016 model’s electronics where it will include its V4-MP system. The new suite is in fact a full-blown telemetry system with smartphone connectivity, with the level of detail available for change covering all the way down to setting individual parameters for each corner or section of a track.
However, should the road-going RSV4 line not tickle your fancy for not being track-focused, then enter the newly introduced Aprilia Factory Works program. Essentially, the program sees Aprilia offering to produce RSV4 R-FWs that are optimized for track performance, or in accordance with the superbike and superstock regulations of race series across the world.
It is open to full time racers and teams, as well as members of the public alike who have race team-like budgets. Factory Works bikes gain with special chassis preparations, electronics packages and engine tunes to suit whatever class they’re competing in, right up to a top-level of tune exceeding 230hp.
Meet the all-new Yamaha MT-10 super-naked. Essentially, this is the budget-friendly Yamaha R1S superbike as we know it reborn as a streetfighter.
As far as its design goes, the work is rather controversial to say the least with Yamaha fans being divided over it. Nevertheless, we can’t argue at the fact that it looks rather sharp and quite futuristic, more akin to some of Yamaha’s radical concepts instead of a full-blown production bike.
More importantly, the MT-10’s arrival signals Yamaha entry into the competitive super-naked segment, and sees the brand completing its range of offerings to cover a wide spectrum of buyers. Yamaha has been absent in the high performance naked bike segment since perhaps the Fazer 1000 model.
Being based on the venerable R1 superbike, the MT-10 shares the same 998cc CP4 crossplane in-line four-cylinder from its fully-faired sibling, albeit detuned ‘slightly’ with just 165hp and roughly 101.6Nm of torque. Complementing the powertrain are features such as a three-level traction control feature, a slipper clutch, as well as a cruise control function.
The chassis is also derived from the R1S, with the MT-10 also retaining the same suspension set and swingarm assembly. And, minus the Bosch IMU, much of the R1S’s electronics package is also retained here in the MT-10. Other notable highlights include a full LCD dash, 320mm twin floating front discs with quad-piston radial calipers combined with a single 220mm rear disc with a sliding calipers, as well as ABS.
Clearly, Yamaha has got the BMW S1000R naked in its target crosshairs, explaining the standard equipped cruise control. This being based on the budget R1S, we can also expect this MT-10 to carry a lower pricing from the flagship R1 as well. There is no doubt though that the MT-10 now sits at the top of the brand’s MT naked model range.
Sources: Asphaltandrubber / Visordown / MCN
Its been a full 11 years since Suzuki fully updated the model, and this new GSX-R1000, which bears the ‘L7’ chassis code, arrives sporting plenty of new hardware and an all-new look as well.
Suzuki claims this new sixth generation GSX-R1000 is the lightest, most powerful and best handling GSX-R ever built, and we have very little reason to doubt that claim. This 6th generation GSX-R1000, or better known as the ‘Gixxer’ thousand amongst fans, is also the most highly equipped version of the superbike ever built.
As far as looks go, the sixth-gen Gixxer thousand now boasts a brand new face and yet, the bike’s lines remains rather distinctively unmistakable as a Gixxer. There’s new LED lighting all round that is complimented with a new LED dash display as well, giving this new L7 Gixxer a very high-tech touch. Of course, what counts for the most is what’s beneath the pretty new metal and this sixth-gen Gixxer has got plenty to boast.
For starters, it gains with a new and improved 999cc in-line four-cylinder engine primed with variable valve timing (VVT). The S-brand’s new litre-sized screamer offers 200hp and about 111Nm of peak torque. Highlights here include Suzuki Racing Finger valve train follower rocker arm to improve valve control and allow higher rpm, while the Suzuki Exhaust Tuning-Alpha (SET-A) and Suzuki Top Feed Injector (S-TFI) systems, which all combine to make what Suzuki call their Broad Power System. Crucially though, much of these were developed off the S-brand’s GSX-RR MotoGP bike.
The mill is encased within an all-new chassis design made using lightweight aluminium, but the icing on its cake has to be the Showa Balance Free Front Forks (BFFF) that was first seen in the rivalling 2016 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R. The Gixxer takes things up a notch though by pairing that with Showa’s Balance Free Rear Cushion at the back, and if our trained eyes are correct, you even get of twin Brembo anchors up front as well.
Like the rivalling Yamaha YZF-R1 and Kawasaki ZX-10R, the new Gixxer thousand also arrives with a full array of new electronics and advanced rider aids. Things start off with a quick-shifter and auto-blipper, followed by a 10-level traction control system, launch control, as well as three different riding modes thanks to ride-by-wire, not forgetting the all-important advanced ABS suite too.
The new sixth-generation Suzuki GSX-R1000 is expected to hit markets starting early next year but prices are still undisclosed for now. Nevertheless, this is one superbike we know will stack well against its other Japanese- and European-made litre-classed rivals indeed.
Sources: Asphaltandrubber and MCN
BMW Motorrad has unveiled a very interesting model recently – an electric superbike called the eRR.
Using the same chassis as the S1000RR, BMW said that it created the eRR to unite the high-speed performance of the S1000RR with the the quick acceleration of the c-Evolution scooter, which is able to go from standstill to 50km/h in under three seconds.
Stephan Schaller, Head of BMW Motorrad, said, “Since it’s market launch, the RR is giving the creeps to motorsport athletes. Regardless of whether it is acceleration, handling or top speed – the RR is setting standards.”
“However, if acceleration on the first metres, up to 50 or 60km/h, is the point, the RR’s 199 bhp has to admit defeat by another BMW product: the C evolution with its electric drive.”
BMW Motorrad added that the motivation behind the eRR ‘experimental vehicle’ was to find out what happens when a sports bike gets an electric drive, and also to produce a bike with zero emission.
Revealed at a corporate news announcement, BMW Motorrad has not revealed any technical details on the eRR, yet.
After our extensive launch report, you’d think you already know everything you need to about the new and massively upgraded 2016 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R. However, Kawasaki doesn’t think so, explaining its newly released video below that details the brand’s flagship superbike in all its glory.
To cut things short, what Kawasaki have done was essentially taking the vast input from its World Superbike Championship (WSBK) team’s riders and engineers in the superbike’s development, resulting in the creation of one of its most potent machines ever.
You could say that the new ZX-10R has leaped ahead of its predecessors significantly, and you could perhaps measure that in lightyears if needed. But, lets not forget the 2016 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R’s core mission, which is to grant the Kawasaki Racing Team (KRT) with a strong machine to defend its WSBK title in the coming years.
The full upgrade package starts with an uprated powerplant that’s caged within a revised chassis that boasts built-in resonance chambers and a longer swingarm. The follow up to that is the redesigned exterior with improved aerodynamic stability as well.
However, one of its most critical new gains lies in its generously upgraded electronics, the icing of said cake though being the Bosch IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) that ties all the systems together.
Then comes some of the impressive new hardware starting with the production bike debut of the adjustable Showa Balance Free Front Fork system featuring gas-charged tubes. Complementing those further are the adoptions of new radially mounted Brembo monobloc calipers up front that grabs a pair of larger 330mm rotors that is tasked with the bulk of arresting this superbike to a halt.
Check out the video from Kawasaki we posted above and revel in this precision instrument of speed and aerodynamic in all its green glory. Alternatively, you could also read our extensive report here.
Source: Kawasaki via YouTube
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