The latest from Aprilia UK;
In today’s high tech, multi-functional world, comes the Aprilia NA 850 Mana, featuring state-of-the-art technology at only £6,369 on the road. And for that you get multiple choice ride control – including a high tech sequential manual gear change or fully automatic mode.
NEC Motorcycle & Scooter Show, 2007
The International Motorcycle and Scooter Show 2007 opened last Thursday at the Birmingham NEC with one of the most spectacular line-ups of dazzling new motorcycles ever seen at the UK’s premier two-wheeled show. Some of the biggest names in motorcycling gathered to mark the start of the ten-day biking extravaganza, which runs until 2nd December. Highlights of the day included the appearance of Britain’s World Superbike Champion James Toseland, British Superbike legend Chris Walker, and world-famous biking adventurer Charley Boorman, not to mention UK bike premieres from BMW, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki and Yamaha. The biggest names have been queuing up this year to reveal their brand new bikes for the first time in the UK at this year’s Show, including the much anticipated return of Italian giants Ducati, the first ever show appearance by Benelli, as well as a stunning line-up of gleaming bikes from Harley-Davidson, Buell, Triumph, CCM, Hyosung, Victory and Vectrix.
Yamaha To Introduce Two High-End Bikes At Rs10 lakh-Plus
Japan’s Yamaha Motor Co. will introduce two high-end bikes, the YZF-R1 and MT01, which will each sell for Rs10 lakh or more, in the first week of December in a bid to rev up its brand and boost sales in the world’s second largest two-wheeler market.
The products will cost as much as top-end sedans such as Skoda Ambiente and Honda Civic. Yamaha Motor India Pvt. Ltd will import these models as fully built units from the parent’s Japanese factory and is aiming to sell less than 100 units a year, said a company official who did not wish to be identified ahead of a formal announcement next month.
Suzuki have played around with the GSX1300R Hayabusa’s styling without losing the original’s looks and character, as a result the new Suzuki Hayabusa looks really sleek. Engine capacity had increased and so has power and torque. Handling hasn’t been significantly improved, more a gentle step forward however the brakes are a miles better, and about time.
Engine: The Suzuki Hayabusa has possibly the post powerful production engine on the market, alongside the Kawasaki ZZ-R1400, Suzuki are quoting 194.bhp and 115ftlb of torque for the Hayabusa. The motorcycle isn’t restricted in the lower gears its full power all the way to the 186mph speed limiter.
Kawasaki ZX-14 Tweaked for 2008
Sporting improved throttle response, healthier low end torque and smoother transition into an even more formidable top-end rush; the updated Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14 sportbike exemplifies the ultimate performance commitment that’s made Kawasaki a horsepower legend for the past 35 years.
In the process of refining the ZX-14’s powerplant to comply with tightened noise and emissions regulations, Kawasaki engineers were able to refine the big Ninja’s throttle response and boost the low-end torque produced by its 1,352cc four-cylinder, DOHC engine.
Who says you can’t have the best of both worlds? Remarkably, the 2008 Ninja ZX-14 not only features improved low to mid range torque, it actually produces more peak horsepower than last year’s model.
It is not really a brand new technology but the All Wheel Drive system in motorcycles never fails to evoke interest. Yamaha had launched two wheeled drive motorcycles a few years back and it enjoyed huge success in the form of a Paris Dakar victory. It was a 450cc bike and the power on the front wheel proved decisive when the riders had to tackle sand dunes and mud. It was a hydraulically driven front wheel and the power never exceeded 15 per cent of the engine’s total power.
Aprilia’s High-Tech FV2 Concept Motorcycle Revealed
The Aprilia FV2 concept bike debuts the firm’s new 1200cc V-twin engine, a DOHC design based on the 750c motor from the Shiver.
The V-twin is mounted in a fully carbon-fibre chassis, which is both the main structure of the bike and, thanks to its hollow design, doubles as the airbox for the engine.
Overall, the firm claims the prototype weighs under 160kg.
The parallelogram front suspension again uses carbon-fibre for its main parts to save weight.
The engine uses an electronic fly-by-wire throttle system, while other electronic systems include traction control, ABS brakes and an electronic suspension management system – something Aprilia has yet to reveal details about.
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