Ducati 1098

Ducati’s new 1098 has been one of the most talked about bikes this year. It’s the world’s most powerful twin-cylinder motorcycle with the highest torque-to-weight ratio of any sports bike and I couldn’t wait to ride it. Not only does the beautiful 1098 take giant steps away from the controversial styling of the current 999, it’s expected to snatch the superbike bike crown away from the competition with real conviction. I’d been excited for week.

Well, I have to report that the press launch left me breathless; sadly it also left the Ducati gasping for air. Some numpty decided Kyalami in South Africa would be a good location to let the world’s press ride the new bike. It’s a stunning track – sadly, it’s also 1,800m above sea level, which means the air is thinner, which means less oxygen, which means less power. How such a significant factor could’ve been overlooked is anyone’s guess, but up here the Testastretta Evoluzione V-twin engine loses 20bhp and suddenly Ducati’s ‘super-powerful’ 1098 can’t offer any more power than a 999 at sea level.

And so the suspense lingers on. There’s no question in my mind that the 1098 will eventually prove to be a very serious contender as the best superbike in 2007. And in truth, even in Kyalami, the bike has more than enough power for most bikers but nevertheless, it was stifled and didn’t feel anywhere near as brutal or raw as I’d hoped and expected, despite pulling strongly to the 10,700rpm red line. As well as the standard 1098, I also had the opportunity to ride the plusher S model.

Aprilia Falco SL 1000

Launched two years after Aprilia’s RSV Mille, the Falco used the same 60º V-twin engine used in the RSV range. Since not every rider wishes to ride a committed sports machine like the RSV Mille, the Falco offers a more relaxed sports-touring ride. Its 998cc engine has a lower stat of tune, producing 9kW (12bhp) less than the RSV Mille. But despite the lower power output and relaxed riding position, the Falco’s chassis is a highly specified as the RSV. Showa upside-down forks and a Schas rear shock are both fully adjustable, and the Brembo brakes are rave-spec items. In some ways, the Falco has rather fallen between the two stools of the firm’s RSV and Futura. The RSV is more suitable for track work, while the Futura is a better tourer.

About SL 1000 Falco:

Top speed: 256km/h (160mph)

Engine type: 998cc I/c 60º V-twin, eight-valve, DOHC

Maximum power: 88kW (118bhp) @ 9250rpm

Frame type: twin spar aluminium/magnesium alloy

Tyre size: front 120/70 17, rear 180/55 17

Final drive: chain

Gearbox: 6 speed

Weight: 190kg (418lb)

Moto Guzzi Norge 850

Moto Guzzi has released some limited information on the new Norge 850 touring bike. The motorcycle is very similar to the new Norge 1200 in many ways.

The "Norge" name for both the Norge 1200 and the Norge 850 is in honor of a 4000 mile test ride from Mandello del Lario to Lapland in northern Norway that Moto Guzzi undertook with their first shaft drive swingarm design. This was a monumental enterprise, considering the disastrous condition of European roads at that time.

But in four weeks, the destination was reached. The elastic frame of the early Moto Guzzi motorcycle with rear suspension was so successful that it was introduced in production machines and the G.T. was named "Norge" in memory of that unprecedented feat. This is why Moto Guzzi decided to name the first "Gran Turismo" of the new era the "Norge".

The Norge 850 has the same "elegant and dynamic" design of the 1200 version, with excellent ergonomics and comfort and short wheelbase to make it competitive even in the traffic. Moto Guzzi says that both the Norge 850 and the Norge 1200 are "dynamic and responsive ... a modern Gran Turismo which makes flexibility its main strong point as it crosses city centers and boundless distances with the same ease".

If more information becomes available, we'll post it here; in the meantime, enjoy these photos of the new Moto Guzzi Norge 850.

Suzuki Hayabusa Burnout

Having fun....

US MotoGP Babes

Suzuki B-King

Suzuki’s new concept bike B-King looks like it could leave every other bike way behind at the traffic lights. And I’m pretty sure it could do that, too. Imagine Suzuki GSX1300 Hayabusa with a super charger - that’s exactly what B-King engine is. There’s no exact engine data available but we know that Hayabusa gives 175 bhp and a super charger could easily add 50% more power. 240 bhp has mentioned. Holy cow!!! That’s about twice as much as what the GSX1400 engine delivers.

GSX1400 has the same tire dimensions as Hayabusa. 120 at the front, 190 at the rear. B-King uses 150 and 240 tires! They must have created a new tire model just for B-King…

Materials like carbon fiber, stainless steel, aluminum and leather were used building this awesome superbike. An advanced computer system is integrated to the bike. There are self-diagnosis systems, advanced telemetry, which can use a mobile phone for remote maintenance, setup options, and even a GPS-based weather warning system, in case you are heading for a rained out area, and much more. The engineers at Suzuki are supposed to design a helmet with a GPS navigation system using the visor as a display.

Twin-Trax: Harley Powered Dragster For The Street?

And now, from Germany, we have the TwinTrax. Two Harley-Davidson engines in a stretched chassis, belt drive, WP suspension components, dragster-like seating position and a dry weight of around 400 kilos. No word on performance (the official website does not offer any details) and we would rather have an XR1200 anyway, thanks very much.

We found the TwinTrax on Oliepeil.

Ducati Hypermotard 110 Tidings

The supermoto sector was a ‘supernatural’ one for Ducati to enter until recently. Ducati has neither significant off-road heritage nor engines suitable for dirt bikes, but in the last few years supermotos have become both more powerful and hardnosed, moving the class towards Ducati to the point where the hardware and its sports bike heritage began to rhyme.

Designed by Pierre Terblanche, a concept version was shown in Milan 2005 and in response to an eager public; the Hypermotard is now a production reality. Worth mentioning is the fact that it wasn’t just the public which went bizarre, even the experts thought likewise as it bagged the ‘Best of Show’ at the same event.

It went into production and is now a bike which ‘thrills’ you with its solid credentials. It uses Ducati’s outstanding 1,100cc air-cooled motor. A theme is carried on in the chassis which in total gives the bike a 17 kg advantage. The 90-degree V-trim power unit’s design is pure Ducati right through, as are the tubular steel trellis frame, a single-sided swingarm and high specification running gear.