The 2007 Yamaha R1
More details as they become available. In the meanwhile, go here to download the Yamaha kit which'll let you make a paper replica of the R1 at home. If you're into that sort of thing.
Update (10th Oct 2006): 2007 Yamaha R1 unveiled at the Intermot in Germany
Also see:
2007 Suzuki GSX-R1000 K7
2007 Kawasaki 1400GTR and ZX-10R
2007 Kawasaki ZX-6R
2007 Aprilia Tuono R Factory
2007 Ducati Multistrada 1100
Hyanide - your uni-trak urban battletank!
Ever feel frustrated with how dumb (and seemingly blind) car drivers and cabbies behave? Want to run them over with your motorcycle and come out on top? We don’t suggest you try that with your Ducati 999R, but the Hyanide may let you get away with a bit of bumper bashing. Shown at this year’s Michelin Challenge Design, the Hyanide concept runs on a flexible rubber track, which ensures maximum traction on all kinds of road and off-road surfaces.
The displayed models used a CCM 500 ATV engine, but the vehicle has been engineered to be compatible with electric motors as well as hydrogen fuel cell propulsion units. The Hyanide’s young designers, who are from Germany, say that the machine ‘is designed as an everyday use vehicle for all areas in the world, such as Alaska, Greenland, desert areas or mountain regions like the Himalaya. It can carry two persons and provides much space to transport any kind of small to midsize goods.’
You think the Hyanide is interesting? Then also look at the Bombardier Embrio, Volkswagen GX3, Segway i2 and x2 runabouts, the Piaggio MP3, this homebrewed trike, Jesse James’ Aero Bike, and five of the weirdest motorcycles ever built!
Imagine car drivers taking on this
The engine has seven, 400cc cylinders, and makes 110bhp!
Bikes that are fitted with aircraft engines? Take this then, the latest from custom bike builder Jesse James. Sure, it looks outrageous, but there’s more to this bike than just the styling. It’s powered by an Australian-built, seven-cylinder, 2800cc, radial aircraft engine, which makes around 110 horsepower. We don’t suppose it would be as fast as the jet-engined MTT Y2K, but still, the Aero Bike shouldn’t be too bad for pottering around town. More on this machine on the Cycle World website.
BMW created a stir when they launched the radical K1 superbike in 1988. Twenty years on, can they do a repeat performance in 2007?
BMW are believed to be working on a new superbike for 2007. This bike will be powered by their 1200cc, air-cooled ‘Boxer’ engine, which could be making as much as 130 horsepower! BMW hope to compete against the Ducati 999 (which is also due to be replaced with a bigger-engined, more powerful machine) with this bike. The new super-BMW is expected to be unveiled at the upcoming Cologne Motor Show in Germany.
BMW are also likely to be working on a big, fully automatic scooter, as well as an all-new cruiser. In 2007, the company is all set to go far more mainstream than they've ever been in the past. With their new 800 series motorcycles and HP versions of some of their existing bikes, BMW want to lure customers away from Japanese machines. Looks like there is no holding back the Germans this time!
Also see: The awesome BMW HP2!
German aggression: Schnitzer BMWs
An absolutely insane video of various BMW HP2 bikes being ridden at the Erzberg Rodeo in Austria
Pedrosa, in action on next year's 800cc V4 MotoGP bike
Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa tested Honda’s V4 800cc MotoGP bike yesterday, at the Motegi circuit in Japan. As Honda’s engineers tweak, fettle and prepare the 800cc bike for 2007 MotoGP battle, Pedrosa put in 30 laps of the 4.06km Motegi circuit to fine-tune development. His best lap time on the new 800cc machine was 1m48.210s, about half a second slower than his best lap time during the Japanese MotoGP on Sunday.
Said Pedrosa about the 2007 machine, ‘The engine character feels a little different, and this is to be expected, but the package feels quite similar to the RC211V. Some things about the bike feel smaller, and the rear seat is much shorter, which makes the whole bike look more compact. The bike has some characteristics which are a little more like a 250cc, but it's still a MotoGP bike. The lap time today is quite good for a first test, though it's too early to say whether it will be faster than the 990. The cornering speeds feel very similar to the RCV – though the corner speed at Motegi is very low because there are many hairpins, so it's very difficult to say definitely whether it'll be quicker. This was a good first test though.”
Apart from Pedrosa, who should definitely be a rider to watch out for in 2007, there'll be Hayden, so Repsol Honda could be strong contenders for the 2007 MotoGP championship. Rossi will be back on his Yamaha, while Capirossi and Gibernau will be back with Ducati. In fact, the Ducati Marlboro Team also tested their GP7 800cc MotoGP bike at Motegi, with Sete Gibernau putting in 43 laps, setting a best time of 1m47.44s. Capirossi also put in more than 40 laps, his best time being 1m47.91s. Yeah, 2007 should sure be a cracking year for MotoGP!
A 190-horsepower, shaft-driven sports-tourer? That'd be the 2008 Kawasaki 1400GTR!
Kawasaki are putting the ZZR1400’s 190-horsepower engine to good use – they’re building the 1400GTR sport-tourer around it. Billed as a ‘transcontinental supersport’ machine, the 1400GTR gets a monocoque chassis, and a low-maintenance shaft-drive system instead of the ZZR1400’s chain-drive. The 1400GTR’s ‘Tetra-Lever’ shaft-drive uses an all-new four-link design for enhanced performance, there’s an electrically adjustable windscreen on the bike, and an LCD display gives you an odometer, dual trip meters, fuel gauge, gear position indicator, estimated fuel mileage, and even a tyre pressure indicator.
As with the 2007 Kawasaki Z1000, the 1400GTR also gets an absolutely humungous (and unsightly!) exhaust...
The 1400GTR also gets KI-PASS (Kawasaki Intelligent Proximity Activation Start System), a ‘smart key’ ignition system with which Kawasaki hope to fight bike thieves. Integrated hard luggage makes the GTR’s touring intent clear, and four-piston radial-mount calipers mated to a pair of petal-style rotors handle braking duties up front. ABS will be an optional extra. Kawasaki are expected to bestow variable valve timing on the ZZR1400 engine for the 1400GTR. This would likely cure the ZZR engine's soft-ish low-end power delivery and make it more responsive at all rpms.
Billed as a 2008 model, the Kawasaki 1400GTR will hit showrooms by March 2007 and could be priced between US$12-15,000.
Update (12th September 2007): 2008 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R: First pics and details!
Also see:
2008 Kawasaki Z1400 and KTM RC8 pics!
New Yamaha V-Max to be launched in 2009...
250bhp V-Quad Intel chopper!
Beautiful: The Bimota DB2
Mighty mite: The Yamaha TZR50
2007 Honda CBR600RR wins best middleweight sportsbike awards...
The 2007 Kawasaki ZX-6R: leaner, meaner, ready to rock!
With an all-new 599cc engine (in place of the earlier 636cc unit), the 2007 ZX-6R is ready to rock. The new engine is significantly more compact than the old one, has a very high compression ratio of 13.9:1 and will likely rev to 16,000rpm. Kawasaki themselves describe the new engine as an ‘ultra-high-rpm powerplant.’
The new ZX-6R also gets a cassette-type transmission, which will allow racers to change gearing easily. There’s a slipper-type clutch as before, while front brakes are 300mm rotors gripped by radially-mounted four-piston calipers. The twin-spar aluminum frame is lighter, stiffer and shorter than before, and Kawasaki have been able to lengthen the swingarm slightly, without affecting the wheelbase. There’s a 41mm USD fork at the front, and the rear shock can be adjusted for high- and low-speed compression damping.
Up front, the 2007 ZX-6R gets projector-beam headlights and a centrally located ram-air intake. Kawasaki claim that the aerodynamics have been improved significantly. Expect the bike to be in showrooms before the end of this year, and price is likely to be around the US$8,500 mark.
Also read about the 2007 Kawasaki Z1000
In the meanwhile, Kawasaki have also revealed an updated KLR650, their dual-sport workhorse. To be available in 2007, the new KLR650 is actually billed as a 2008 model.
The bike features uprated suspension and brakes. There’s a new 41mm fork at the front, and redesigned UNI-TRAK rear suspension. Things have been firmed up at both ends, and travel has been reduced – so we suppose the bike is getting more tarmac-oriented. The 2008 KLR650 also gets a new 280mm petal-style front brake rotor, so braking capabilities have been improved. Should be a capable package overall and will be in showrooms early next year.
Read Cycle World magazine's 2008 Kawasaki KLR650 riding impression here.
The 2008 Kawasaki KLR650 should be even more all-around capable than the current model
