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Nicky Hayden Inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame

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American racing legend Nicky Hayden has been inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, as part of its 2021 class of inductees. A nod to his racing number of 69, Hayden is the 269th inductee to the Motorsports Hall of Fame.

In 2018, Hayden was posthumously inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, one of the motorcycling world’s top recognitions, but today’s announcement honors Hayden’s feats from a more mainstream perspective, as the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America recognizes those from the automotive, motorcycling, powerboats, and aviation sports.

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Bikes

The Yamaha YZF-R7 Looks Pretty Spicy in GYTR Trim

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The Yamaha YZF-R7 is Yamaha’s answer to Twins Cup racing, refined over the MT-07 it replaces to have a stiffer chassis, better suspension, and some minor engine tweaks.

The real beauty of the R7 though is that it takes much of the work and expense in racing an MT-07 out of the equation, especially with its $9,000 price tag.

Hoping now to make the race-prep situation even simpler, Yamaha has released a bevy of “Genuine Yamaha Technology Racing” (GYTR) products for the twin-cylinder machine.

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Bikes

The Ducati Multistrada 950 Becomes the Multistrada V2 for 2022

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What’s in a name? Well, if you are the new Ducati Multistrada V2, there is not much beyond some minor upgrades for the 2022 model year.

The first of the Italian brand’s new models that will debut in the company’s two-and-a-half-month-long teaser series, the 2022 Ducati Multistrada V2 is mostly a name change to keep the “mid-sized” adventure bike conforming to the rest of Ducati’s mid-sized lineup.

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Bikes

Sport-Touring is Back, with the 2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT

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The folks at Suzuki have a surprise for us today, showing off one of their 2022 models a bit earlier than expected. The bike is the Suzuki GSX-S1000GT – a long-distance sport-tourer built off the GSX-S1000 platform.

That pedigree means that the Suzuki GSX-S1000GT is built off the “K6” GSX-R1000 engine, and should make about 150hp in US trim, with 78 lbs•ft of torque on tap from its inline-four engine. Wet weight is set at 498 lbs (226 kg).

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Bikes

Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR – A Modern Café Racer

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After a fair bit of teasing, the wait is finally over, and we can see the Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR for what it is – and what it is, is not that surprising.

Early on, we pegged the new “RR” model as a half-fairing, café racer inspired, variant of the Speed Triple RS – and that is exactly how one suscinctly describes the 2022 Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR.

Built off Triumph’s new Speed Triple platform, the RR shares the same engine, chassis, and components as its RS sibling, but with a more retro-modern aesthetic.

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Bikes

MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RS Debuts as a “More Affordable” Model

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When the MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR debuted, it was herald as a bold, raw, and fast street bike. A true streetfighter in the sense that it was a superbike sans fairings, and not for the weak of heart.

With 205hp (153 kW) on tap from its 998cc inline-four engine, the only thing more audacious than the Brutale 1000 RR (other than the über-extravagant Brutale 1000 Serie Oro) was its $32,000 price tag.

That put the MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR out of reach for many riders, and now the Italian brand hopes to widen its base with a “more affordable” model. Notice though, we still did not use the word “cheap” to describe this new machine.

Say hello to the MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RS – Varese’s newest motorcycle for the 2022 model year.

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Bikes

The KTM 450 SMR, In Case You Like Orange Supermotos

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It is a strange relationship between KTM and Husqvarna, with the prior owning the latter. Often times, this means that we see the orange bikes in blue and white clothing, with few changes separating the two offerings.

Such is the case with their pair of supermotos, with the 2022 KTM 450 SMR being almost identical to the 2022 Husqvarna FS 450 – save for a different color palette.

What are the real brass tacks differences? The Husqvarna has a composite subframe, while the KTM’s is made from aluminum. That’s it.

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