The Aprilia RS 660 is now officially available in Europe, after much teasing, hype, and waiting.
And because of that long wait, and bevy of information reveals, there isn’t too much that we don’t already know about this midsized twin-cylinder sport bike. But, we have long been waiting to hear what the machine would cost.
Today, that answer is finally here, and in Europe the 2021 Aprilia RS 660 will cost €11,050, while in the United Kingdom, pricing in pounds of sterling will be set at £10,149.
When KTM debuted its 890cc ADV lineup – with the KTM 890 Adventure R and KTM Adventure R Rally – the Austrian manufacturer left out one key detail about the bikes: their price.
Luckily, our Bothan spies are always hard at work, and they have passed along to us the pricing information for the American market. As such, we have some good news for you.
A break from our regularly scheduled program, we bring you a bit of fun. In this video, MV Agusta sponsored rider Thibaut Nogues takes on a trip slideways through the Alps to the French Riviera.
Do so, Mr. Nogues is on his specially prepped MV Agusta F3 800 sport bike, and is soon joined by the new MV Agusta Superveloce 800.
We get word today that electric motorcycle maker Energica will remain as the single-bike supplier for the FIM MotoE World Cup through the 2022 season.
That news is not too surprising, considering that Energica had a three-year contract with Dorna to supply bikes to the electric racing series, which included a clear technical roadmap from the Italian brand.
With the MotoE series effectively losing a year of development because of the coronavirus, it thus makes a bit of sense for Energica to remain on for an additional year.
2020 continues to be a tough year for motorcycle sales, though it comes with the silver lining that brands have seen a strong summer and early fall in terms of customers buying bikes.
Today, we see early sales numbers from BMW Motorrad typifying that trend, as the German brand is reporting big gains for Q3 2020, to the tune of 20.9% (52,892 units sold to customers).
That good news is tempered by the bigger picture though, as BMW Motorrad is still off the mark for the year so far, having sold only 129,599 motorcycles in the first nine months of 2020 – a 5.4% drop compared to this time last year.
Episode 166 of the Paddock Pass Podcast is out as our second podcast this week, and this one sees Steve English and Gordon Ritchie on the mics talking about the very wet WorldSBK round at Magny-Cours, France.
Ducati is currently in the midst of a teaser campaign for the V4 engine that will power the new Multistrada V4 adventure bike, so it is a bit interesting to see them today promoting the new machine outside of that marketing campaign.
The news from Bologna tells us that the 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 is currently being produced on the Borgo Panigale factory floor, and that when it goes on sale, it will be the first motorcycle with rider aids that uses a front and rear radar system.
In that announcement, Ducati does let slip a few more details about this eagerly anticipated 170hp motorcycle, namely that its new V4 configuration will allow for much longer service intervals, and that its motor (which is presumed to be 1,158cc) will produce silky smooth power.
Perhaps the biggest news is that the Ducati Multistrada V4 will officially debut on November 4th, though the motor powering this machine is expected to have a full announcement on October 15th.
The upside to no motorcycle shows is that a new motorcycle model can debut at a moment’s notice. Such is the case with the 2021 KTM 890 Adventure R, which just dropped on the internets.
As the name suggests, KTM has taken the very competent 790 Adventure R, and dialed things up a notch by 90cc. As if that wasn’t enough, there is a KTM 890 Adventure R Rally for 700 lucky owners worldwide (200 in the USA).
Ducati is onto its second of four teasers about the upcoming Multistrada V4 model, and today we learn the theorem that “the power is smooth and thrilling on demand.”
That isn’t too much of a reveal, but reports from Italy are saying that the follow-up to that release is that the Ducati Multistrada V4 will make 170hp when it debuts, which is a bit of news.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a plague on the schedules for the motorcycle trade shows, and now the effects are coming to the plans of the 2021 AIMExpo.
Unsurprisingly, the American trade show has been canceled for 2021 (or “postponed” until 2022, if you want to use the words of the MIC’s press release.
The news is unfortunate, but to be expected considering the various travel restrictions, event restrictions, and worries about the spread of the coronavirus.
Italian motorcycle apparel manufacturer Dainese has acquired Italian motorcycle footwear producer TCX.
The move is an interesting one for the Dainese Group though, especially when it will come to merging the TCX lineup into Dainese’s own.
The stated reason behind the acquisition is that Dainese bought TCX in order to bolster its footwear lineup, with the goal of the Dainese Group to offer a truly head-to-toe range of products (for those who don’t know, the Dainese Group includes helmet maker AGV).