Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

With the imminent opening of the Paris Show on September 30, followed by its Milan counterpart on November 15, speculation is mounting that this could be a vintage season for new models from most manufacturers, mainly fuelled by the ongoing growth in sales in the Western world's largest bike market - the USA. Here's a roundup of the principal likely novelties we can expect to see displayed at one show or the other. Perhaps inevitably, in its 50th birthday year, it's Yamaha that's set to lead the way, with a host of new models headed by a new version of its flagship RI which will be unveiled in Paris. This isn't a mere styling revamp of the bike launched at the start of last year that's top dog in European Superstock racing. It's instead a heavily revised new model intended to counter the current success of Suzuki and in magazine comparisons and showroom Kawasaki shootouts, as well as in Superbike competition. There's even talk of two versions of the new R I - one focused on volume street sales, the other a costlier RR model built in limited numbers and targeted at track days and Superbike racing. Yamaha's R6 is also set for renewal, in order to again be competitive against the dominant Honda in 600cc competition (everywhere except in the USA, where it's Kawasaki doing the business). Expect the new R6 to have a revised engine with shorter stroke for more power at higher revs than the current bike (which has the longest-stroke motor in the Supersport paddock), as well as the twin-injector EFI surprisingly missing from this year's interim R6 update. Other new 2006 Yamahas sure to appear are two FZ-I 0 naked sports models that'll be I-liter equivalents of the current FZ-6 Fazer duo (so, the same bike offered both with and without a swoopily-styled nose fairing), powered by a detuned RI motor, as well as the final production version of the MT-03 launched in prototype form two years ago at Milan. This single-cylinder version of Yamaha's sportrod family will be built in Italy with the 660cc Minarelli motor currently employed in the XT660R pseudoSupermoto (and in the Aprilia Pegaso), which it will effectively replace. Honda will respond to the FZ-IO not with a Hornet 1000, a senior version of its 600 bestseller, but with a more classically-styled CBF naked sports model, powered by a revised CBRIOOORR engine detuned to around 130 bhp. It's believed there'll also be a full 1000cc version of the VFR, whose V-four V-Tec engine will also deliver around 140 hp allel-twin engine is set to power a new KLE street enduro, though this may be held over until Intermot 2006 at Cologne. Star European novelty at the Paris Show is set to be the new Triumph Daytona 675 three-cylinder sportbike, an allnew take by the British manufacturer at the middleweight sporting sector. Aside from a Supermotard version of its new HP2 Boxer hard enduro, fitted with 17-inch wheels and street tires, BMW will also debut several other new models aimed at completing the "massive repositioning of the brand" promised by its key executives one year ago with the iaunch of the K1200S. This will include a GT touring version of the new slant-block 1200 four, still with a Fior front end, while the eagerly-awaited RI200S supersports version of the new Boxer family that kicked off IB months ago with the bestselling R1200GS is expected to join it in the German manufacturer's lineup at Paris. Though rumors of a three-cylinder street bike won't go away, the debut of BMW's entrylevel parallel-twin BOOcc range is thought probable to happen this year, most likely at Milan since Aprilia will apparently manufacture the bike. Fitted with a single-sided swingarm and a belt final drive, the first model to be launched will be a sport touring version, set to be followed in due course at Cologne next year by naked and street enduro versions. KTM will be focusing on its off-road range, with the Austrian dirt supremo's only new streetbike likely to be an enduro version of its 950 Supermoto. Work is still progressing on the RCB sportbike and its Venom naked spinoff, which will be launched in production guise at Cologne next year. Italian novelties will be led by Aprilia's heavily revised new Tuono street rod, set to debut at Paris rather than Milan because of the importance of the French roadster market. This too will be available both with and without a nose fairing, and it will use the seat and fuel tank of the RSV I000, matched to an aggressive-looking new front end. It's possible that the 600cc four-cylinder naked bike, which Aprilia's new Piaggio masters are known to have ordered potent challenge to Honda's long-term supremacy in the to be fast-forwarded in development to counter the dominance of the Yamaha Fazer/Honda Hornet 600 duo especially on the Italian home market, may be shown in prototype form at Milan, but it won't be ready for production until the end of next year at the earliest. Aprilia's partners in the Piaggio family will also be at center stage with the debut of production versions of models previously launched in prototype form - so, Moto Guzzi will present the final version of the Marabese-designed Griso I 100 mus- sport touring market. cle rod at Milan, alongside a street version of the acclaimed Suzuki's main focus will be in regaining Supersport supremacy with an all-new GSX-R600 set to appear at MGS-O Iuntil now only available in ProTwins race guise. In a sign of the belt-tightening forced by its current com- to represent an effective counter to Triumph's and BMW's Paris, much more targeted at sporting success than the cur- mercial situation, Ducati won't be present at Paris, but in rent more street-tailored model (there'll be a new GSXR750 spinoff, too), while the long-awaited production version of the Hayabusa-powered B-King showbike is thought to be on the verge of being launched as a potent power-up an attempt to grab a share of the limelight, it will be sched- counter to the new naked contenders of its Japanese rivals. Suzuki is also believed to have 250cc and 400cc big-wheel scooters ready for appearance at Milan, with an IBOOcc custom V-twin also on the cards. And after agreeing to divorce, Suzuki's former Kawasaki partner is expected to focus on a heavily revised version of the ZX-I OR aimed at Superbike and Superstock supremacy in the coming year (with a possibility of an RR homologation special, like Yamaha). Also expect a new ZZ-R1300 maxi-sport tourer to replace the current I200cc version still with the ZX-12R's aluminum monocoque frame but with the engine punched out to I290cc and 170 hp. And after the midsummer debut of the ER-6n roadster, its par- uling the press launch of its trio of retro Pierre Terblanche- created Sport Classic models to coincide with the French show's press day. These will be officially launched in public in Milan (by which time they should already be on showroom floors around the world) and will be joined there by the Strada street version of the company's V-four Desmosedici MotoGP racer. Finally, MV Agusta for sure will display the F4 Mille Corsa limited-edition homologation special, which will form the basis of its forthcoming entry into the World Superbike arena, fitted with an improved twin-injector motor known to be giving IB hp more on the Varese firm's dyno than the current single-injector engine. This may be the first model in the F4 range to be fitted with the refreshed styling that Massimo Tamburini is known to be working on for MV Agusta's now B-year-old sportbike. A/on Cathcart Briefly... Continued from poge 9 information, visit www.yamahasantacruz.com. or call B31/722-YAMAHA. Erik Buell and several key engineers at Buell Motorcycle Company will be participating in a live chat at www.buell.com regarding the development, design and testing that led to the recent introduction of the all-new Ulysses XB 12X adventure sportbike. The live, moderated chat will be held on August 25, beginning at 9 p.m. (COT). A complete transcript of the chat will be posted afterward. Event space is limited, so arrive in time to register at www.buell.com. AMA Pro Racing and Clear Channel Entertainment's Motor Sports division say that the 2005-06 season should be one of the most exciting seasons of arenacross motorcycle racing. Pursuant to an agreement reached in 2002, AMA Pro Racing will continue to exclusively sanction the National and Regional arenacross programs produced and promoted by Clear Channel Entertainment through at least the 2009 season, according to a company release. Clear Channel Entertainment's AMA National Arenacross Series and AMA Regional Arenacross races are the only are- nacross programs that are officially sanctioned by the AMA and its professional affiliate, AMA Pro Racing, according to Clear Channel. Clear Channel Entertainment's arenacross program includes the AMA National Arenacross Series and AMA Regional Arenacross races, as well as the U.S. Open and the Amateur Arenacross World Finals, to be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on October 7-9, 2005. 'i\renacross represents a tremendous opportunity to bring stadiumstyle motocross to an expanded audience," said Scott Hollingsworth, AMA Pro Racing CEO. "By visiting markets that might not necessarily see a THQ AMA Supercross event, we can broaden the appeal and awareness of this form of motorcycle rac- ing. We're pleased to be working with Clear Channel Entertainment's Motor Sports group in this regard." The 2005-06 AMA National Arenacross Series will include 10 weekend events. Additionally, AMA Regional Arenacross races will include a minimum of I I new venues and markets to showcase the sport of are- nacross during the 2005-06 season at an unprecedented level across the United States, according to Clear Channel. "The AMA Pro Racing sanction for our AMA National Arenacross Series and AMA Regional Arenacross races through 2009 confirms the collective efforts of AMA Pro Racing and Clear Channel Entertainment Motor Sports to make our arenacross pro- gram the leading indoor-only motocross racing circuit in the world," said Charlie Mancuso, president of Clear Channel Entertainment - Motor Sports. "We thoroughly appreciate AMA Pro Racing's commitment to the AMA National Arenacross Series and AMA Regional Arenacross races that we produce each year. Together, we Continued on poge r5 CYCLE NEWS • AUGUST 24,2005 11

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