horsepower Articles
Riding the Honda CB1100F
Today, Honda announced its CB1100F retro standard will be going on-sale in the US priced at $9,999. A week or so ago, we got to ride it. The big inline-four promises to recapture the character of classic Hondas in a modern package. 43 years ago, Honda was the maker of motorcycles for the masses. It was the age of the Cub, of You Meet The Nicest People and of motorcycles as transportation. Then, ...
KTM 390 Duke leaks
Courtesy of NieuwsMotor.NL, here's leaked screenshots of the new KTM 390 Duke. Designed for the European As license tier, its 373cc single makes 43bhp and 26lb/ft, powering a bike that weighs just 139kg/306lbs (dry) Like the 125 Duke, the 390 is built in India in partnership with Bajaj, enabling an affordable price despite the high spec. Its advertised here with finance for just 75 Euro a month Whither Aprilia?
Aprilia turned up at Intermot with little beyond this ’13 model year RSV4. Looks the same, right? It mostly is, but it adds three-mode, switchable ABS and a couple of other useful features that’ll keep it sharp. That ABS was co-developed with Bosch and includes the fitment of Brembo’s new top-drawer M430 calipers and master cylinder. It functions in three, rider switchable modes — Track,... KTM 1190 Adventure R: first official photos
This is the first official photo of the all-new KTM 1190 Adventure R. It's differentiated from the KTM 1190 Adventure (no R) that we showed you yesterday by the fitment of a 21-inch front wheel, a one-piece seat, shorter screen and standard crash bars. It also appears to be equipped with higher-quality, fully-adjustable WP suspension front and rear. It should still have the same, 148bhp engine, ri...
The CBR250R gets dirty
Ridden a Honda CBR250R yet? You should, it’ll utterly change the way you think about size. It matters, yes, but not in the way you think. By being smaller, lighter and simpler than most other modern motorcycles, it recaptures a purity of experience and purpose others have been lacking. In short, it’s clean, simple fun. In an era of excess, it’s welcome counterpoint. Equipped with the same en...
Dailies
EPA document reveals 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 300, 636cc ZX-6R
An EPA document listing motorcycle emission data for 2013 has revealed details of the new, American market-oriented Kawasaki Ninja 300 and a return to 636cc capacity for the 2013 Kawasaki ZX-6R. That new Ninja is powered by a 296cc parallel twin developing 39bhp at 11,000rpm, a marked improvement from the current model's 31bhp figure and significantly more than the bike's closest rival, the 26bh...
Riding the BRD RedShift SM on The Snake
“So much power it’ll wheelie off the throttle at any speed.” If you’re anything like me, you’re a bit sick of the hyperbole that makers of electric motorcycles have been slinging for the last few years. There’s talk of instantaneous torque, practical ranges and performance on par with (small) ICE bikes, but the reality has only been overpriced products that are slow, massively overstat...
Dailies
Honda CRF250L coming to US, priced at $4,499
At more than $2,000 cheaper than the Yamaha WR250R, the Honda CRF250L will be sold in the US as a 2013 model. The all-new bikes takes advantage of low-cost manufacturing at the same factory in Thailand that produces the CBR250R to combine high specification with a low price, creating an accessible, capable dual-sport. Looking at the spec sheet, it's difficult to tell that this is such an afforda...
Dailies
54bhp, 46lb/ft, 100mph and 77 miles: official Brammo Empulse R specs
The upcoming Brammo Empulse R will top 100mph and be capable of exceeding 100 miles in range at city speeds, according to official specs just released by the company. Unveiled in concept form two years ago, we’re now seeing the slow release of details in the run up to the model’s May 8 production debut. Let’s get those specs out of the way: Drivetrain Motor Type: Permanent Magnet AC (PMA...
The $3,200 solution to the modern motorcycle
“Cool is being able to afford a bike that looks good and makes the owner feel good, but does not break the bank,” said the guy who designed this bike back when he first showed it to us in 2010. Finally, the Cleveland CycleWerks Misfit is available in the US. It’s not hard to define its USP — the $3,200 price tag — but, for that price do you still get a real motorcycle? HFL is the first...
A Spanish race track, a British road bike and an awful lot of American greenbacks
What makes a Speed Triple special? Well, unlike virtually every other naked performance bike, it was conceived from the ground up to be what it is here. No detuning, no decontenting. That may not sound like such a big deal, but the result is a cohesive package in which every component has been conceived from the beginning to emphasize accessible performance over race track success. A motorcycle fr... Honda NC700X comes stateside
Starting at just $6,999 and available with an optional Dual-Clutch transmission and ABS, the 2012 Honda NC700X is going to be an extremely practical entry-level all-rounder. That’s $1,300 cheaper than its nearest competitor, the 2012 Suzuki V-Strom 650 and $900 cheaper than the Kawasaki Versys. Over the Suzuki, the Honda brings that optional transmission, as well as way-more-practical 17-inch wh...
Ducati Streetfighter 848: smaller capacity, less money
Think $15 grand is a bit rich for an outdated 1098 with crappier suspension? Well, then Ducati’s got the bike for you. If that bike is an outdated 848 with crappier suspension. No word on price, but that’s essentially what this Ducati Streetfighter 848 is; a less powerful version of the middleweight supersport, now with Monster suspension. Update: The smaller Streetfighter has DTC Rather tha...
How a dyno measures horsepower
When it comes to superbikes, everyone appears to be very concerned with horsepower. Michael Czysz and Chip Yates go out of their way to make fantastic claims of over 200hp for their motorcycles. BMW claims the S1000RR makes 193 and the ZX10R is supposed to be 197. Even my GSX-R 600 has a claimed 126. But what is horsepower? How do we measure it? And most importantly, why does it matter? What is h... 102 high-res images of the Aprilia Tuono V4R
Compared to the old v-twin Tuono, this new Aprilia Tuono V4R makes 41bhp more and weighs 10kg less. It’s also fitted with Aprilia Performance Ride Control which incorporates traction control, wheelie control, launch control and quick shift. That makes this the most powerful and most electronically sophisticated naked bike ever mass-produced. Oh, and this is the first time you’ve seen it in yel...
Dailies
The trouble with North American ZX-10Rs
This dyno chart shows the difference between a stock, North American 2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R and one that’s had its ECU told to stop restricting throttle openings at high RPM. Both measurements include the same slip-on exhaust canister. Courtesy of Speed Tech Motorsports, this dyno chart is the best illustration we’ve yet seen of the effects caused by Kawasaki’s attempt to meet EPA noise regula...
Dailies
