Latest Posts:
Asphalt & Rubber
Tag

EICMA

Browsing
Bikes

The Royal Enfield KX Concept Puts This Indian Brand on Our Radar

By No Comments

When it comes to the Royal Enfield brand, I wouldn’t say that it is exactly on our radar. Filling a niche within a niche, Royal Enfield’s offerings seem quaint, but impractical to us…despite their affordable price tags. We just don’t have enough mechanical masochism to want one in our garage.

That all being said, our ears perked up this year at the EICMA show, with the debut of the Royal Enfield KX concept. Finally, there is something from this Indian company that appeals to our senses, and I personally hope they build it for production.

A retro-looking bobber with modern finishes, the Royal Enfield KX concept takes the perfect mixture of new and old that pleases us in a very specific way. 

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

Husky Goes Electric, Here Comes the 2020 Husqvarna EE 5

By No Comments

Another established manufacturer is signaling its electrification, this time with the OEM being Husqvarna Motorcycles. The Swedish brand is tied in ownership to KTM, which has its own EV program, so perhaps the news isn’t that shocking, but nevertheless, here we are.

As such, you can expect the first electric Husqvarna dirt bike to come during the 2020 model year, as the Husqvarna EE 5 was put on display at this year’s EICMA show.

The motorcycle is a bold step forward, though not a big one, as the 2020 Husqvarna EE 5 is designed with young riders in mind.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

How Do We Feel About the Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 Aero Concept?

By No Comments

Every year at EICMA, Husqvarna teases us with a concept model that could become a future motorcycle. This is how the Vitpilen and Svartpilen models got their start, and now we see the second “Aero” model from the Swedish brand.

Last year we saw the Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 Aero concept, and now this year we see the 701 variant of the design. As such, the Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 Aero concept continues some of the design trends that we have seen before, with of course a bigger motor in its belly.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

This Is the Kymco SuperNEX…You Weren’t Expecting It

By No Comments

It is hard to catch us off guard, but that is exactly how we would describe our experience with the Kymco SuperNEX. We didn’t see it coming.

The Taiwanese brand is known better for its scooter offerings, and EICMA is the type of event where Kymco often gets pushed aside for more lurid unveilings. Not this year, however.

What you are looking at is the Kymco SuperNEX, an electric superbike. It is attractive, it has a six-speed gearbox, and it has a top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h), which it reaches in 10.9 seconds…and that is about all we really know about it.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

The Husqvarna Svartpilen 701 Is Finally Here

By No Comments

I had to go back and lookup when we first saw the Svartpilen 701 from Husqvarna, because even though it was only a year ago…that time seems like an eternity.

Maybe it is because of Husqvarna’s measured pace with its street bikes, maybe it is the design overlap between the 401 and 701 models, or maybe it is because we have wanted to see what this retro-modern flat tracker was going to look like after the lawyers had their way with it.

The answer is probably all of the above, but it doesn’t really matter. The 2019 Husqvarna Svartpilen 701 is ready for your two-wheeled consumption.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

The KTM 690 SMC R Is Back for 2019, Because You Need More Supermoto in Your Life

By No Comments

Make supermotos great again! That should be the election day mantra, and if that was the case, then KTM would be our candidate. It has been a long time since we saw an SMC model in the lineup, but the KTM 690 SMC R is coming back onto the scene for the 2019 model year.

Helping fuel this revival is obviously the fresh that came to the KTM 690 Enduro R, as the SMC variant basically switches out the 21″/18″ wheel combo for a set of 17″ hoops.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

KTM 690 Enduro R Gets Serious Upgrades for 2019

By No Comments

We have long been wondering when the KTM 690 Enduro R would get an update, especially after seeing the Husqvarna 701 Enduro get the revised big thumper from the KTM 690 Duke street bike.

That wait is over for the 2019 model year, as the KTM 690 Enduro R gets a bevy of revisions.

A new motor, a new chassis, better suspension, and a slew of electronics, the 2019 KTM 690 Enduro R is better in practically every single way, which should ensure that this popular dual-sport continues to be at the top of the big-bore heap.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

KTM 790 Adventure Debuts in Two Flavors of ADV

By No Comments

After a year of waiting, we finally see the production version of the 2019 KTM 790 Adventure and the 2019 KTM 790 Adventure R motorcycles. Two flavors of ADV bike, the 790 Adventure series is KTM’s way of owning the dual-sport space.

In addition to the revised KTM 690 Enduro R for the 2019 model year, KTM has created a path from 250cc to 1301cc for adventure and dual-sport riders, with the KTM 790 Adventure being a critical bike in that lineup.

Much has been said about this machine already, so here are the basics to cutdown on the chatter: 94hp (70 kW), 65 lbs•ft (88 Nm) of torque, 5.3 gallons (20 liters) of fuel, 448 lbs wet with fuel.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

The Aprilia RS 660 Concept Is a Premium Supersport with Active Aerodynamics

By No Comments

We first broke the news about the Aprilia RS 660 a few months ago, tipping that the 600cc class parallel-twin would debut soon, but even we didn’t know what we were in for until the Noale brand took the covers off this amazing machine at EICMA today.

True to rumor, the bike is basically powered by half of an Tuono 1100 / RSV4 1100 engine, with the forward bank of cylinders making the engine platform. Building from there, Aprilia has begun to play with an active aerodynamic system as well, taking the current trend in the two-wheeled space to the next level.

Called Aprilia Active Aerodynamics (A3), the name pretty much tells the story. As such, the Aprilia RS 660 concept explores using aerodynamic forces in new ways, which sees the machine capable of changing its front aerodynamic profile, as well as how much downforce it creates.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

Behold, The New Kawasaki Z400 Street Bike

By No Comments

Another model that we expected to see debut at the 2018 EICMA show, the Kawasaki Z400 is a logical evolution of the small-displacement lineup that Team Green is creating.

Built in conjunction with the Kawasaki Ninja 400 sport bike, the Z400 is the naked option for the street for new riders, short riders, and riders that want to do more with less.

This means that the 2019 Kawasaki Z400 has a 399cc parallel-twin engine, that produces 45hp (33.4 kW), which is a 6hp increase over the 300cc model that it replaces.

Keep Reading
By