2009 Norton Commando 961 SE Specs News and Review

In accordance with its name and heritage, the new Norton Commando is powered by a 961 cc, air-cooled, parallel twin engine, which manages to blend perfectly in this classic scenario while developing an impressive 80 Hp and 90 Nm. That is due to the electronic fuel injection system which, together with the three way catalytic converters, ensures that the Commando meets Euro 3 regulations.
A multitude of carbon fiber pieces lighten the bike and, according to Norton, this thing weighs only 415 pounds dry.

While qualifying for a decent power-to-weight ratio, the new Commando features goodies such as the electric start, constant mesh five-speed tranny and wet clutch, all being absolute must-haves considering today’s requests and fierce competition. So are the Brembo brakes, Ohlins suspensions and 17-inch modern, carbon fiber wheels that enhance the already consecrated sporty nature of this British icon.

Frame
- Frame: Steel tubular with integral oil tank
- Swing arm: Twin-sided steel construction
- Wheelbase: 1420mm (55.9 in)
- Rake: 24.5 degrees
- Trail: 99mm (3.9 in)
- Front suspension: 43mm Ohlins RWU
- Rear suspension: Ohlins reservoir-style twin shocks
- Front wheel: 3.50 x 17” BST Carbon Fibre
- Rear wheel: 5.0 x 17” BST Carbon Fibre
- Front tyre: 120/70 x 17”
- Rear tyre: 180/55 x 17”
- Front wheel travel: 115mm (4.53 in)
- Rear wheel travel: 100mm (3.94 in)

Transmission
- Gear box: constant mesh 5 speed
- Final drive: 525 “O” ring chain
- Clutch: Wet multi-plate hydraulic lifter
- Electric start

2010 KTM 990 Supermoto R Specs News and Review

Designed to push the limits further and further on the race track, the KTM 990 SM R is the most radical two-cylinder supermoto on the market. It is all the more surprising that town and city riding is at least as much fun as negotiating twisting roads on mountain passes.

The KTM stand is expected to be pretty crowded this November at the EICMA show in Milan as the Austrian manufacturer announces the official release of one of its most notorious naked motorcycle, the 990 Supermoto R.

At a first glance, the new bike distinguishes from the 2008 model year due to the new color scheme

featuring a set of white plastics mounted on the orange powdercoated frame. Also, the rims feature a nice, Y-spoke design and the swingarm is black painted on the 2009 model year.

The only downside yet to be identified is the reduced fuel capacity. Apparently, the gas tank became smaller in the designer’s attempt to create a sportier riding position.

2009 KTM Duke Specs News and Review

2009 doesn’t bring a totally restyled 690 Duke so the bike works with the same longitudinally mounted streetfighter headlights integrated into an aggressive housing that looks like a pretty well made aftermarket piece even though it is a standard feature of the bike. The side plates and fenders look sharp too while the supermoto-style seat is positioned at 34.06" from the ground.
The 17-inch wheels, 320mm front disc brake and under engine exhaust all indicate that we’re dealing with a veritable sports bike while the supermoto-style handlebars works with the seat in order to get us pretty confused about the bike’s specific category, but even more interested to see what it’s up to when on the move.

Orange and White where the 2008 color schemes for this model and they carry on to 2009, but this year’s special color for the middleweight Duke is Black. If this would have only got an orange painted frame and upgraded engine, we would have talked about a very special 2009 KTM 690 Duke R, just as we did about the 2009 KTM 1190 RC8 R and 2009 KTM 990 Super Duke R models. These models are all related and it’s just too bad that the small Duke was excluded from the performance and visual upgrading process.

2008 Desmosedici RR Specs News and Review

Like any motorcycle, the engine is one of the most important elements of the D16RR. It’s a liquid-cooled 990cc V-Four-stroke and is essentially the same engine used by the Marlboro Ducati squad in the 2005 MotoGP World Championship, before Dorna (MotoGP series organizing body) reduced engine capacity to its current 800cc.
Press the starter button and the engine roars to life. A fast-idle knob next to the throttle only exacerbates its sharp snarl as do the $8800 Termignoni titanium pipes straight off Ducati’s 2007-spec GP bike and available as a Ducati Accessory. The sound is absolutely intoxicating and is guaranteed to garner attention from any living creature within a 500-foot radius. Attention deprived? The Desmo is the answer.

At lower revs you’ll notice the engine’s docile power delivery. Simply put, you can ride this bike everyday—even through stop-and-go traffic, no problem. The fuel-injection provides precise engine response without hesitation, or conversely any surge. Whack the throttle and the V-Four spins up fast—much faster than Ducati’s 1098 V-Twin. Yet it lacks the outright torque of the aforementioned 1098.
Wrap out the throttle for just a second or two longer, however, and you’ll feel compelled to tuck underneath the windscreen as your body tries to slide backwards. Good thing the seat padding on the upgraded carbon fiber tail section (comes with the accessory exhaust) has plenty of grip. An intense tidal wave of power arrives at 10,000 rpm and rockets you forward as the handlebars wiggle and the front tire tries to creep skyward until the power slowly breaks around 13,000 rpm. The entire way, an orchestra of mechanical melodies blare an honest GP-bike song. When combined with the squirm of the Bridgestone rear tire and intense yet precise shake of the control surfaces, it becomes a sensory experience that no other production motorcycle can reproduce.

2011 Ducati Hypermotard News specs and Review

The lightweight, L-Twin stands at the pinnacle of more than three decades of Desmo air-cooled development and its torquey power delivery has excited riders worldwide. The Evoluzione version is positively awesome and makes it the perfect engine to give its name to the Hypermotard 1100EVO SP.
The 1100cc Desmodue Evoluzione power unit uses a bore and stroke of 98 x 71.5mm, and its long list of refinements boosted its power to 95hp (69.9kW) @ 7500rpm with 76lb-ft (10.5kgm) of torque @ 5750rpm giving it outstanding power delivery, from grunting low rpms to the singing howl at redline.
The 1100s crankcases are vacuum cast using the same Vacural technology employed for the lightweight Superbike engines, a process that achieves significant weight saving and ensures consistent wall thickness and increased strength.

But the crankcases were just the starting point of the evolution. Apart from the magnesium alternator cover, the 1100 has a lighter crankshaft assembly by using an 848-style Superbike flywheel and the search for further weight reduction even went as far as using lightweight rare-earth magnets for the generator assembly. The result reduced the original 1100 power units weight by a staggering 5.2kg (11.5lb) and contributed towards making the Hypermotard 1100EVO even more agile.
Power gains have come not only from the new lightweight crankshaft assembly, but also from an evolution of the top-end of the Desmodue power unit. The cylinder head, not only improves lubrication and cooling performance, but also uses a redesigned inlet port shape for optimum flow and a modified combustion chamber shape for improved burn efficiency.
This improved efficiency is the result of a higher compression ratio and the change to a single spark per cylinder ignition managed by high-speed Siemens electronics.

2010 Honda Gold Wing Specs News and Review

The 2010 Honda Gold Wing comes more like a disappointment rather than the interesting new entry that the public had been expecting simply because the world’s ultimate touring motorcycle features no new technical innovation or design change that is characteristic to the class it proudly dominates and to it only. While remaining as reliable, comfortable and powerful as the previous generation model, the 2010 model year is a bit safer and the new color schemes still manage to make the bike stand out despite its old-fashioned look.

With a very comfortable chair positioned just 29.1 inches off the ground and an infinite number of goodies such as a CD player, navigation system integrated and multi-function display, just to name a few, 2010 Honda Gold Wing is a synonym for open road cruising in complete luxury and relaxation. Wet bike weighs 895-928 pounds depending on options selected.

2011 Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 Specs News and Review

2011 Aprilia Dorsoduro 750

2011 Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 is a concentration of pure technology enhanced by stunning lines and an aggressive look that comes not only from power and torque but from amazing agility too. Everything about this new Aprilia has been designed to be as light and effective as possible. The 2011 Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 is a motorcycle built to stimulate the senses of its rider.

The minimal and aggressive bodywork of the 2011 Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 adds the perfect finishing touches to the advanced motorcycle technology that forms the basis of its design. The Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 is built around the rider to deliver maximum riding thrills.

That is why this radical, daring and sporting machine shuns everything that does not contribute effectively to maximum riding pleasure. Plastic body panels have been reduced to a minimum for this very reason. As with top competition machines, anything that does not improve performance has been eliminated. Only the place for a number has been left to emphasis the bike’s close ties with the world of racing. The middle of the bike, the area most important to rider movement under competitive riding conditions, shows just how compact this design really is. The 2011 Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 is incredibly slender and agile and enters into instant symbiosis with its rider. Only a few metres on this amazing machine are enough to feel completely at one with it. Aprilia’s design team have achieved this impressive result by giving the Dorsoduro a long, flat seat, derived directly from the world of racing, allowing the rider to find the most effective position at all times.

The sleek, compact tail houses a twinned exhaust, a solution that not only gives the bike a mean, aggressive look but also achieves perfect symmetry and ideal weight distribution. The hand guards are derived from those of the SXV supermotard and, despite their streamlined look, offer effective protection against accidental impacts with the control levers.

SUSPENSION: EFFECTIVE ON ALL SURFACES

Optimum suspension setup has always been one of the strong points of the Aprilia design and testing team. The 43 mm upside down fork features shell-cast bottom outers with radial calipers mountings, and offers adjustments for spring preload and rebound damping. This sophisticated fork offers a superb sliding action and a wheel travel of 160 mm in line with the latest trends in supermotard racing. Both yokes are forged, and the top yoke is also anodised to match the Dorsoduro’s high level of finish.

The laterally offset monoshock pivots directly on the swingarm in a cantilever configuration, and is also adjustable in spring preload and rebound damping. Rear wheel travel is 160 mm, again in keeping the requirements of a top level supermotard, on which effective, controlled long stroke suspension is a must.

BRAKES: RACING TECHNOLOGY

The Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 is equipped with the best braking technology currently available. The front brakes feature 4-piston radial calipers, state-of-the-art for the motard market. The lightweight, 320 mm wave discs ensure shorter than ever stopping distances. The bike’s aggressive stopping power is emphasised by the mean look of the braking system, in keeping with the Dorsoduro’s overall styling.

The rear brakes incorporate another wave disc, 240 mm in diameter this time, plus a single piston caliper. Both the front and rear brakes are fitted with aeronautical type metal braided brake lines to eliminate the sponginess associated with conventional rubber hoses and to deliver maximum braking precision.

COMPONENTS

Supermotards are always no-frills machines, and sometimes quite spartan. This, however, does not mean having to do without top quality components and attention to detail. Here too Aprilia stands apart from the competition by adopting a level of equipment worthy of a true market leader:

- Matrix instrumentation. The mixed analog/digital instrument cluster receives data over a CAN line and incorporates a memory that forms an integral part of the diagnostics system. The ultra-compact instruments feature a modern design and are extremely light in weight. All functions can be accessed and controlled from the handlebars. The LED backlighting is white in the analog area and red in the digital area, and can be adjusted to three levels of brightness.

- Dual taper anodised aluminium handlebars exactly like those fitted to Aprilia’s racing supermotards. This super-lightweight component is specially designed for optimum dynamic control.

- Hydraulically operated clutch for a consistently precise action and exceptional smoothness. The clutch is also self-adjusting and completely maintenance free.

2009 Aprilia MANA 850 Specs News and Review

The Mana 850 is the state of the art in motorcycle technology. Only Aprilia, with its legendary technical skills, would have dared take on a challenge of this entity. The Aprilia Mana 850 is so advanced and so unique that it simply cannot be compared with any other motorcycle. The Mana takes all the stress from motorcycling while injecting more satisfaction and more fun into riding under all conditions, from commuting to sports touring on the open road. All you need to do to enter a whole new world is press the button on the handlebars.
The look of the Mana 850 is also the result of courageous and innovative design choices.
The 16 litre tank is located under the seat, lower than normal, to distribute weight more evenly and lower the bike’s centre of gravity. The “traditional” tank location is occupied instead by an illuminated storage compartment that is lined with non-slip, non-scratch material and big enough to house a full face helmet. The compartment also incorporates mobile phone storage and a 12V power socket. The vehicle documents and toolkit are also located inside the same compartment, leaving access to the battery and fuses free. The Mana 850 is the first motorcycle ever to provide fully integrated helmet storage, a unique and immensely practical advantage, especially for urban commuting and short trips. The compartment is opened electrically by a convenient switch on the handlebars. The lid opens under the control of a hydropneumatic damper that prevents accidental opening while the bike is in motion. A manually operated lever under the passenger seat is provided to release the compartment lid in the event of a flat battery.
Aprilia is continuing to blaze the trail that the SL 750 Shiver began, and is manufacturing the Mana 850 engine completely in-house.
There can be no doubt that the Mana 850 engine has opened new horizons in the world of motorcycling, featuring as it does a twin cylinder layout, electronic fuel injection, bags of torque, and above all a revolutionary transmission system that completely replaces the conventional mechanical gearbox and delivers a whole new motorcycling experience even under sport riding conditions.
To develop this amazing new engine, Aprilia has relied on the expertise of the world’s top designers and all the skill of its own R&D department.