Aprilia Mana: Automatic For The People
Motorcycles with automatic transmissions have never caught on, but then again, they’ve not had a chance to. The last automatic bikes were the Honda CB400A that debuted in 1979 and Moto Guzzi’s V1000 Convert from 1975, which both offered worse fuel consumption and performance than their manual-gear counterparts at a price premium, so neither did well. Yamaha’s current FJR1300 comes with a semi-automatic option but for the extra £1,000 it costs you get lurchiness when pulling away and few benefits.
Meet The Lean, Green Mean Machine
A British technology company and Suzuki Motor will today unveil the Crosscage – a hydrogen-powered motorcycle that its developers claim will bring closer the dream of totally green driving.
The motorbike, which runs in almost complete silence and emits pure water, is a joint venture between the Loughborough-based Intelligent Energy and Suzuki, the Japanese titan of motorcycles and scooters.
Although a variety of companies, including Intelligent Energy itself, have been pursuing the idea of a fuel cell-powered motorbike for several years, mass-production has eluded everyone’s grasp.
Yamaha Wants You To Vote Whether The WR250R And WR250X Come To The UK
This is your chance to speak directly to a major motorcycle manufacturer, as Yamaha has asked for your opinions on the new 2008 Yamaha WR250R and Yamaha WR250X.
The new single-cylinder 250cc motorcycles are going to be sold on the continent, but Yamaha want MCN readers to tell them whether the new liquid-cooled enduro and supermoto motorcycles should also be brought into the UK.
The 2008 Yamaha WR250R features an all-new short stroke engine with a specially-designed four-valve cylinder head, giving strong performance to its maximum 10,000 rpm. It also has fuel-injection for the first time on a Yamaha off-road motorcycle with a downdraft-type straight intake system. The clutch has been developed to give a smooth and lightweight action, with six gears, and an electric start.
Aprilia’s 850 Mana - God’s Gift To Motorcyclists?
Considering the mix of comments that we received when we covered Honda’s new DN-01, we decided to show our readers that Honda is not the only manufacturer bringing the automatic transmission to the motorcycle. Aprilia debuted its 850 Mana last year, and the bike has since gone into production. Hopefully, the Mana will make it across the pond and into American dealers too, because there are a lot of reasons to like the new Aprilia.
Kawasaki to Offer XM Satellite Radio on Motorcycles
Kawasaki Motors Corp., USA will introduce its first motorcycles with satellite radio this fall through a partnership with XM, the nation’s leading satellite radio company.
Kawasaki will offer an all-new, state-of-the-art Premium Audio System on its Vulcan™ 1600 Nomad touring model. This new system will incorporate XM as an option.
Customers will be able to tune into more than 170 XM channels of music, sports, talk, news, and entertainment. Kawasaki motorcycles sold with XM radios installed will offer three-months of complimentary XM radio service.
Honda To Hold UK Premiere of New 2008 Bikes
Honda has announced that its new 2008 motorcycle range, one of the most exciting ever, will be unveiled for the first time in the UK at this year’s International Motorcycle and Scooter Show (23rd November to 2nd December) at the Birmingham NEC. Among the many new bikes sure to turn heads on the Honda stand, (1E20) are the long-awaited CBR 1000RR Fireblade, the XL650V Transalp and the CBF600. Honda is the latest big-name manufacturer to announce that its 2008 UK premieres will take place at the NEC. With seven weeks to go until the Show opens, consumers are already licking their lips in anticipation of the biggest collection of new bikes ever seen at the UK’s leading two-wheeled Show.
KTM 690 Stunt Prototype: KTM Will Build It If You Want It
KTM is looking for road rider’s thoughts on the new 690 Stunt prototype motorcycle to see if there’s enough demand for a production version.
The Stunt is based around the 2008 KTM Duke’s 653cc engine and chassis parts, with even more minimalist bodywork and stunt-ready features including a scraper rail on the tail, and crash bars around the engine.
The bodywork is stripped right down to allow the rider to move on the motorcycle – the under seat fuel tank isn’t even covered by panels like the rest of the 690 range, so crash pucks protect the outer extremities of the tank.
