Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127710
Bologna M torShow o Ba o e y ! Photos by Joe Bonnello BOLOGNA. ITALY DEC. 7-8 , k ay , so i t m ay n o t b e t he bi g g es t show of all , b ut Bo logn a, Italy's Mo torShow isn ' t exact ly chop ped liver. The an nual eve nt h as been g rowing by leaps and bound s, and it gains ad ditio nal importance on even-numbered yea rs, wh en C o l og ne, G erman y , hosts th e ind u stry ' s l ar g est exposi tion (nearby Milan h osts th e even t on od d-nu m bered ye ar s). . T h i s wa s such a yea r, and Itali an m anu factu rers d omina ted th e interest of the partisan p ubli c. While th e Jap anese " Big Four" tradi t i onally eclip se the smaller brands at C o l ogne and Milan, Bol ogn a h as typ ica lly been a showcase fo r the Ital i an co ttage i nd ustry, and this year was no d ifferent. Yes, th e Japanese and big con ten de rs su ch as Ducati w ere on h and , but so were unfamiliar names like M u ller , Alfe r and TM . Here are some of the more inter sting display s at th e '94 MotorShow. l':\" O (Left) This very cleanlooking Muller 125cc tWostroke was one of the more interesting bikes at the show. Built almost entirely by a single German-born engineer, the bike boasts such features as an aluminum frame and airbox. The engine (inset), which is also built by Muller, features a liquid-activated power valve . The size of the port is altered depending on the velocity of the radiator fluid. (Left) Named after Ayrton senna, Ducati's 916 headliner was the talk of th e show, Dedicated to the late multi-time Formu la One Champion, the black beauty boasted more than its fai r share of carbon fiber, a steering damper and a plaque commemorating Senna. Front brakes are Brembo floating discs. Only 300 units will be built. (Right) More off-road trickery: does this Alfer VR250 two-stroke enduro bike look strangely familiar? Well, apart from the obv ious conventional Marzocchi fork, the motorcycle features side-panels from a 1991 Kawasaki KX and radi ator shrouds from a 1992 Suzuki RM. (Below) Husqvarna's Iimited-edition 630Cc Rally could be a perf~ machine for events like the Nevada Rally. Included on the list of updates are a road-book holder, Acerbis Rally handguards, a different exhaust system and auxiliary fuel tanks built into the sidepanels. The Marzocchi conventional fork Is standard fare in Europe. (Above) The most notable aspect of Aprllla's entry was its round lines. Exhibited in a discoteque-Iike d isplay area, the Mota 6.5 is the brainchild of French designer Philippe Starck. Though the bike has ' no technological advances to speak of , its " oval chassis" is quite innovative. . 24