Aprilia SA Looks At ‘Crossover Motorcycle’
Aprilia SA will soon be evaluating the futuristic, semi-automatic Mana for possible release in South Africa.
Unlike earlier self-shifting motorcycles such as the Honda CB750A and Moto Guzzi Convert that faded due to sluggish performance, the Mana offers the rider a choice of three automatic modes - Sport, Touring and Rain – and two manual options, operated either through the usual left-foot lever or via two buttons on the handlebars.
The auto modes are continuously variable like a scooter while each manual option provides slick shifting through seven rations without the need for a clutch – rather like the speed-shifter on a racing motorcycle.
Piaggio Launches Premium Scooters
THE Piaggio Group in association with their local partners, the Alfardan Motorcycle Centre, launched a range of scooters in Qatar at a function on Thursday.
Products are being launched under the Piaggio, Vespa and Gilera brand names. The launch was held at the recently opened Alfardan Motorcycle Centre at Khalifa Town.
The products are the Vespa, Piaggio’s three wheeled 400cc MP3 and the Gilera 500cc “performance” scooter which promises to embarrass many motorcycles.
The MP3 is the first three-wheeled scooter, with two wheels in the front which provide “much greater grip and safety than conventional scooters and two-wheelers”.
Yamaha’s 2008 Pricing Revealed
Yamaha Motor UK have just announced 2008 pricing at their Dealer Conference that was held at the NEC on Monday 21st January. A total of eight models in all have had price reductions in a bold move to create a more competitive environment for the brand, especially in the lightweight sector. Keep reading to find out the new prices.
Models that have had their retail (on the road) prices reduced are:
Model - New RRP - Reduction
Motorcycle Registrations Show Big Gains In 2007
Motorcycle, moped and scooter registrations were up 8.6 per cent last year to record the biggest increase in seven years. Registrations of all powered two wheelers (PTW) totalled 144,583 in 2007 – the highest figure since 2003and well ahead of the 133,076 registrations in 2006. Passenger car registrations last year increased by only 2.5 per cent.
Motorcycle registrations in 2007 increased by a hefty 9.7 per cent, while mopeds increased by 4 per cent and scooters by 9.1 per cent. The biggest-selling PTW of the year was the Yamaha YBR 125 with 2,272 registrations.
Riding the Rizla Suzuki GSV-R
Suzuki MotoGP invited a select band of respected journalists to ride its GSV-R800 straight after the last race of the 2007 season at Valencia in Spain. Alan Cathcart was one of those lucky enough to get the chance to ride one of both Vermeulen’s and Hopkins’s bikes around the 4.005km Spanish circuit.
Cathcart is an experienced and esteemed worldwide journalist and his views and reports on all types of motorcycles can be read in over 25 publications around the globe.
Win a 2008 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R
Kawasaki will celebrate the nationwide launch of the new Ninja ZX-10R on Thursday 7 February by giving away one of the brand new bikes.
Kawasaki Road Bike dealers across the country will simultaneously unveil the new litre sportsbike as part of a dedicated Ninja ZX-10R launch evening.
Customers are invited to the event at their local dealers, and everyone who attends will be entered into a free prize draw to win their own ZX-10R.
Kawasaki UK will pick out a winner at random on the night.
Suzuki To Bring Power Bikes
Having stamped its dominance in the Indian car market, Suzuki Motors is adding power to its two-wheeler business and working on a new India plan. The company — so far a marginal player in the two-wheeler market — is planning to assemble 400-600cc bikes in India, that could see prices of power bikes come down to Rs 4-5 lakh and make them more affordable for those who love hot wheels.
