Gray KTM 300 XCW Motorcycles, page #30

Moto blog

KTM Ready to Race Again, Entering Moto3 Class in 2012

KTM announced it will return to Grand Prix road racing in 2012 with a new racebike for the new 250cc four-stroke Moto3 class. The Austrian manufacturer discontinued its Grand Prix road racing program in 2009, withdrawing from the 125cc class (pictured above is current Moto2 racer Marc Marquez racing for the KTM factory team in the 2009 125cc class). With the Moto3 class set to replace the 125cc class in 2012, KTM will return with a new racebike.

848 Challenge rider profiles

The 2011 Ducati 848 Challenge is packed full of talent. Here are the riders who'll be pushing their 848 EVOs to the limit during the 8-round championship. Mark Andrew #22 Age 28 Hometown: Lincoln Occupation: Car Dealer Team Name: TBC Career History ·         started racing 1990 ·         Age 8 – sand racing, Mablethorpe ·         Age 16 – champion, Mablethorpe ·         Age 17 – Aprilia superteens ·         Age 18 – CB500 Cup competitor ·         Age 19 - 28 – British Superstock competitor ·         Age 28 – Thundersport Streetfighter A, 3rd in championship Aaron Brown #81 Age 27 Hometown: Nuneaton Occupation: Builder Website:  Team Name: T.B.C.

KTM 200 Duke Spied

IndianCarsBikes.in has uncovered spy photos of a KTM 200 beign tested in Pune, India. Pune is home to automaker Bajaj Auto which owns a share of KTM. Bajag Auto Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj had previously hinted at a 200cc version of the KTM 125 Duke in an interview with BSMotoring.

Thumbs up for a chilly N.E.C.

Apart from the freaky weather I have to say last week’s Carole Nash Motorcycle Live N.E.C. show was the best Birmingham event I've attended in the ten years. I really appreciate the fact that manufacturers chose to ignore the recession giving us great stands to cater for every enthusiast young and old.  Aprilia made a welcome return and I don’t know anyone that didn’t enjoy admiring the WSB RSV4, surely the the most gorgeous bike on the planet? The Honda stand rarely disappoints and this year was no exception with banking bikes providing fun for all the family.

Moto3. Recession racers?

I've sat through enough manufacturer' presentations recently to know that we're in trouble. Ignoring the still booming Asian markets, the rest of the motorcycle World is in free-fall. Even looking at the figures optimistically we're still only selling half the volumes we were in pre-crash 2006.

Milan Show: KTM 125 Duke... M/C Saviour

Of the bikes that we saw at the EICMA show it wasn’t an electronically supported sports bike or a unique and genre-defining muscle machine that were impressive, but the host of learner friendly 125 singles and in particular the KTM 125 Duke. On first glance the 125 Duke looks wild with the token angular bodywork that befits the company’s overall styling cues and the bike was swamped with enamoured gazes from all ages – in particular an Italian father and son who spent well over 10 minutes looking over every inch of the lil’ Duke with mouth-watering anticipation. The three colour options are ideal for the teenage crowd that KTM are trying to attract with this bike.

RSVP from an RSV4

Aprilia’s RSV4 Factory has to be one of the most interesting and adrenaline-inducing literbikes around, and that’s just part of why we gave it an Honorable Mention in our Best of 2010 Sportbike category. We recently had opportunity to put on a poor but passing Max Biaggi imitation with one particularly fine example. This RSV comes courtesy of our friend Kaming Ko, who often helps us on test rides.

Niall Mackenzie blog No.2

It was good to catch up with my old mate Daryl Beattie last weekend in Misano. Daryl was pushing Mick Doohan hard for the 500cc World Championship in 1995 until he high sided and broke his collar bone in Assen mid way through the year. He eventually finished runner up in the series but then some fairly big tumbles from his Lucky Strike Suzuki in 1996 brought his career to a premature end.

Behind the scenes on a photoshoot

If you read motorcycle magazines - and even road tests on polished websites like this one (!) - you'll be used to seeing pictures of bike journos hamming it up for the camera. Yes they look slick as they kiss another apex, crest another rise with the front wheel pawing the air (those clichés are TM BIKE magazine by the way). But you don't often get to see anything 'behind the scenes'.

Yoshimura adds KTM Super Duke to it's aftermarket line-up

Yoshimura have released a set of exhaust cans for the KTM Super Duke. The RS-3C slip-on is described as a new design for the slip-on end can, based on the traditional oval can but with carbon fibre coned end-caps incorporated. There is a considerable increase in performance over the standard can.