Are You A Grom Rider? Who is Honda targeting with its new entry-level citybike?

Kevin Cameron wheelie

What is this new Honda motorcycle with the Middle Earth name, Grom? It looks like a sportbike, but it’s small, powered by a little 125cc engine, making what, 10 horsepower? That means it’s not going to humiliate you by wheelying when all you were doing was checking for clearance in the throttle cable. Lots of [...]

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Husqvarna Headed To Austria New KTM ownership forces departure from Italy.

Husqvarna Motorcycles logo

Italy’s motorcycle industry is going through times of change, some more painful than others. First, Ducati CEO Gabriele Del Torchio left Borgo Panigale to rescue Alitalia airlines, with Claudio Domenicali named as his able successor. It was a surprise that it happened so quickly and with almost no warning, but was hardly painful, as Domenicali [...]

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Small Engine, Big Performance? Prototype electromechanical valve drive from LaunchPoint Technologies aims for that goal.

LaunchPoint Electromechanial Valve Cross Section

Variable valve timing seeks to combine the low-rpm torque of a Harley-Davidson Big Twin with the high-rev power of a sportbike engine. This is especially useful in helping downsized engines to do the job of bigger engines with fixed valve timing. The ideal system would be one that could vary opening and closing timings independently, [...]

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Max Biaggi Launches Pirelli Angel GT On Aircraft Carrier Retired world champion performs braking test on Italian warship.

Max Biaggi Pirelli Angel GT Performance Test #2

Is there a better place to evaluate the wet-weather stopping capabilities of a new sport-touring tire than the flight deck of an aircraft carrier? Apparently not, which is why Pirelli called on six-time world champion Max Biaggi to conduct a braking test with its new Angel GT on the Italian aircraft carrier Cavour. According to [...]

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No More Stoppies! MV Agusta introduces ABS with anti-rear-wheel lift.

MV Agusta F4 ABS

Beginning in 2016, anti-lock brakes will be required on all motorcycles manufactured for sale in Europe. Right now, MV Agusta is offering ABS on its flagship 1000cc F4 sportbike that incorporates Rear-Wheel Lift Mitigation (RLM). Other premium sportbikes, such as the BMW S1000RR, Ducati 1199 Panigale R and Kawasaki ZX-10R ABS, are similarly equipped with [...]

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