Motus MST - Here Comes America's Sport-Tourer

After much waiting, Motus Motorcycles finally launched its MST sport-tourer to the public today. Unveiled at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Motus’s hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, the American motorcycle manufacturer will head to Florida for the Progressive International Motorcycle Show on Thursday, March 10th for a more public showing.

Developed in conjunction with Pratt & Miller Engineering, the Motus MST features the KMV4 motor, a 1,645cc V4 push-rod style engine that include gasoline direct-injection technology (GDI). Power for the Motus MST prototype is said to be 161hp @ 7,800 rpm; 122 lbs•ft of torque @ 4,500 rpm, while the bike tips the scales around around 500 lbs dry. Motus will be riding the MST around the United States to show off their work, meet with supporters, and look for dealers interested in carrying the line.

“We are so proud to show the world the MST series,” said Motus President, Lee Conn. “We poured our hearts and souls into these motorcycles and hope that it shows in terms of the quality and character of the machines. The MST’s are exhilarating to ride- a very powerful experience unlike any other motorcycle I’ve ever ridden. There is usable power everywhere in rev-range, excellent feedback from the road, very responsive to inputs and….the sound of the KMV4 still gives me goose bumps every time one cranks.”

2011 seems to be the break-out year for the American sport motorcycle rebirth, as Motus is joined by Erik Buell Racing in announcing the release of a production sport motorcycle made in the USA. Like EBR, Motus has generated a lot of buzz about its project, and today we get to see the result of the company’s hard work.

We think you’ll either love or hate the Motus MST’s design, as there parts of the bike that strike us as being very elegant and others that appear more unpolished. The good news on that is because Motus will be proving the bike on a cross-country trek, stopping along the way to talk to motorcyclists, the opportunity for input on the bike’s design and features should be pretty high before it enters the market likely as 2012 model. We can’t wait to see the MST when it ventures out to San Francisco later this year.