Motorcycle Blog on 2040Motos

2018 450cc Motocross Shootout

Six of the best MX bikes ever built go head to head! If there’s one thing we learned during our 2018 450cc motocross shootout, it’s this: When it comes to building the best 450cc motocross machine, one that excels on all tracks and in all conditions, no bike is ever perfect for everyone. Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Having successfully performed in the segment of maxi-scooters, BMW specialists decided to attack the average cubic capacity

But the mid-size Bavarian should also radiate some premium vibes! What is achieved with the unusual design and high-end equipment. So, the standard equipment includes LED lighting, traction control, also you can order - a keyless access system and a 6.5-inch color display with the ability to connect to a smartphone.

First Look: 2018 Moto Guzzi V7 III Carbon, Rough and Milano

When the Rough gets going . Moto Guzzi expanded its entry-level lineup with three new variants of the V7 III: the Milano, Carbon and Rough. The new models offer more choices to account for personal style, with the same practical, fun and friendly character of the other V7’s, the basic Stone, swanky Special and café-styled Racer.

EICMA 2017: Husqvarna Svartpilen 701 Concept

A Scrambler, Darkly Mostly known for off-road machines, Husqvarna ginned up more interest in its burgeoning street line by displaying its Svartpilen 701 scrambler concept at the Milan EICMA show on November 7th, 2017. It’s still just a concept, but it’s eye-catching and exciting for fans of edgy, simple, fun-to-ride street-biased thumpers. Is it a motocrosser?

First Look: 2018 Husqvarna Vitpilen 701

Husqvarna presented the production version of its Vitpilen 701 at EICMA alongside a concept version of its sibling, the Svartpilen 701. We’ll have more on the flat track-inspired Svartpilen 701 in a separate post, but here’s what we know about the “White Arrow” Vitpilen. Get the Flash Player to see this player.

EICMA 2017: Moto Guzzi Concept V85

The first example of a new family of motorcycles To the rest of us, 2021 my seem like its a long way away. For Moto Guzzi, the year – and the company’s centenary – are close enough to start planning for. Case-in-point is the Moto Guzzi Concept V85, the first example of a new line of motorcycles that the folks in Mandello del Lario are developing for the celebration.

First Look: 2018 Vespa Elettrica

Electric Vespa goes into production After first announcing the Vespa Elettrica project at EICMA a year ago, the electric Vespa is now ready for production, with Piaggio confirming it will be available worldwide, with orders being accepted in the spring. The 2018 Vespa Elettrica will be offered in two versions, the standard model which offers a range of 100 km (about 62 miles) or the X model which uses a gasoline-powered generator that increases the maximum range to 200 km (124 miles). The Elettrica is propelled by an electric motor claiming peak output of 5.3 hp (with a continuous output of 2.7 hp) and more than 147.5 lb-ft.

EICMA 2017: Royal Enfield 648 Twin Revealed

India's oldest brand gets two cylinders of freeway-capable power Update: Following details of its new 648cc Twin, Royal Enfield unveiled two models that will use the new powerplant, the 2018 Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650. I’ve ridden and enjoyed the latest iterations of Royal Enfield’s single-cylinder models, but none of them, not even the top-spec (29 horsepower) Continental GT café-racer, make enough power to be comfortable to ride in modern, high-speed traffic conditions. Until now, at least.

KTM Unveils New 790 Duke And… Something Else

A fresh naked and tour enduro prototype debuted at EICMA. The KTM 790 Duke is equipped with a compact 799cc LC8c inline twin with up to 105 hp and 86 Nm. The engine is housed in the traditional KTM steel birdcage frame and is part of the power structure.

2018 MV Agusta Dragster 800 RC Revealed

Raw, naked performance What is there to say about the 2018 MV Agusta Dragster 800 RC? Well, for starters, it’s art in motion. No, wait.

Real "electric train": soon Harley-Davidson will launch an eco-friendly cruiser

New details about the expansion of the model range of the American concern. The Americans are going to bring out "electric trains" - and we are not talking about the big Electra Glide tourer, but about ... full-fledged electric motorcycles!

Ural Baikal - a new limited bike with a sidecar

The Russian motorcycle manufacturer presented a special version of the motorcycle with a "sidecar", dedicated to the lake and the traveler. The Irbit manufacturer will release only 45 copies of the Baikal Limited Edition. Baikal was created on the basis of a motorcycle with a sidecar drive, has a "spare wheel", a trunk, protective arches, an additional searchlight and a "side car" windshield.

2018 MV Agusta F4 RC Revealed

Perhaps no group of motorbike aficionados appreciates special-edition models like fans of Italian sportbikes, and MV Agusta is back at it again with its limited-edition 2018 F4 RC superbike. The RC stands for Reparto Corse, which translates to Racing Department, a nod to MV’s efforts in the World Superbike championship with rider Leon Camier. The F4 RC is hand-built by the Italian manufacturer and is said to represent “the peak of technical evolution and dynamic performance.” It uses a hot-rodded version of the Corsa Corta inline four-cylinder engine purported to produce 205 horsepower (151 kW) when measured at its crankshaft.

Vespa Announces Limited Edition Sei Giorni Scooter

Vespa is proud to introduce a new model to their scooter lineup, The Sei Giorni. The new release from the famed Italian scooter company is designed to pay homage to the 1951 Vespa Sport Squadra Corse that won a gold medal, not once, but nine individual times in that year’s International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) held in Varese. The ISDE is a grueling test of the limits of both man and machine in an off-road environment.

Ducati V4: Meet the Revolution

The four-cylinder engine marked a new stage in the history of the brand. Ducati has introduced the new Desmocedici Stradale V4 engine. The "four" in configuration resembles the Grand Prix Desmocedici.

The MV Agusta RVS #1

Reparto Veicoli Speciali #1, which was designed in coordination with the Castiglioni’s own C.R.C. (Castiglioni Research Centre), translates to, “Special Vehicles Department #1”. When a motorcycle manufacturer whose slogan is “Motorcycle Art” assigns a department to something special you can bet on the production of a unique, and extreme machine.

Honda gave birth to a new baby

Naked 150SS Racer Concept turned into a production model.A show bike with a spectacular design and a cocky “racing” name was presented in March at the motor show in Bangkok, and starting with autumn it turned into a serial CB150R bike. The motor is a modest 150cc with two camshafts, liquid cooling and a six-speed gearbox. The CB150R features an inverted fork, a front caliper radial mount brake system and optional ABS.

Yamaha To Release Naked MT-09 SP

In 2018, the Japanese brand will introduce an advanced version of the MT-09 bike. An interesting novelty will be out this year. Yamaha's top naked MT-10, formidable and comfortable, has an SP version with adjustable Öhlins electronic suspension, TFT gauges and special coloring.

2017 Moto Guzzi V7 III Stone Review

Guzzi's entry-level roadster gets new cylinder heads and other updates Credit: Photos by Max Tanbara After 50 years of production, an Italian classic much like Joe Pesci and Spaghetti O’s, the Moto Guzzi V7 Stone is now onto its third iteration of Guzzi’s most popular bike. Doses of change have come alongside the new roman numeral for this entry-level classic that remains a quality and affordable standard. 2017 Moto Guzzi V7 III Stone Editor Score: 82.0% Engine 17.0/20 Suspension/Handling 13.0/15 Transmission/Clutch 7.0/10 Brakes 8.0/10 Instruments/Controls 3.0/5 Ergonomics/Comfort 8.0/10 Appearance/Quality 9.0/10 Desirability 8.0/10 Value 9.0/10 Overall Score 82/100 With Moto Guzzi’s signature longitudinally mounted 744cc air-cooled powerplant protruding from its gills, wrapped in a classic-bike bun, alongside modern features such as ABS and traction control, the V7 III Stone is a solid package for the pleasantly affordable $7,990 price tag.

Indian 2018: arrows and tomahawks

The American brand has introduced a line of bikes for the new model year. The main model lines have innovations of various kinds. The most popular upgrade is a revised color scheme that refreshes the look of the motorcycles.

The new Yamaha Tenere is preparing to debut

The next-generation 689cc touring enduro is almost ready. The bike, magnificent in its conciseness and Dakar functionality, is a kind of preview of the future SUV that will replace the XT660Z Tenere. The rival of the BMW F800 GS/F 800 GS Adventure and the promising KTM 790 Adventure borrowed the 689cc inline-two from the Yamaha MT-07 and XSR700 (on these bikes it develops 74.8 hp and 68 Nm).

Ducati Multistrada will increase the "cubes"

In the fall, at the EICMA Milan Motor Show, an updated tourenduro with an engine from the XDiavel muscle bike will appear in the beams of spotlights. According to preliminary data, the bike will replace the 1198.4cc L-twin Testastretta with a 1262cc Testastretta borrowed from the XDiavel. The difference in output between these two engines is negligible - with an identical power of 152 hp.

Ducati Multistrada 950 will turn into a two-wheeled ambulance

During the Pikes Peak Hill Climb Race, two tourenduros will be on the lookout. Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is 156 turns, 12.42 miles (about 20 kilometers) long and an elevation difference of 1439m between the start and finish points. The difficult route requires special doctors' transport, so during the upcoming 95th race, two Ducati Multistrada 950 touring enduros in the appropriate color scheme and with flashing beacons will be on guard for the health of the pilots.

2018 Kymco Xtown 300i ABS Review – First Ride

Cross town for less Credit: Photos by Michael Spain-Smith With a scooter market of less than 30,000 units from major manufacturers a year*, the USA isn’t much of a thing for scooters, and medium-displacement scoots like Kymco’s new $3,999 Xtown are even less of a thing since Honda dropped its PCX 300 and Suzuki fired its Burgman 400. I got to ride the new Kymco Xtown 300i ABS last week, a scooter that replaces two similar-sized models in the Taiwanese company’s line and offers solid value to the scooter rider that wants comfort, convenience and freeway-friendly power. For 2018, Kymco also offers the bigger, faster – and $2,000 pricier – Xciting 400i, but has also dropped the Downtown 300i and People 300i from the line.

Husqvarna upgraded supermoto FS 450

For the 2018 model year, the looks of the Husk has remained virtually unchanged, with the exception of slightly different color graphics. There are some technical metamorphoses, and one of the main ones is a new reverse slip clutch from the Swiss company Suter Industries. But still, it's a familiar fighter with a 449cc single-barreled 63bhp, WP monoshock rear, 16.5" front and 17" rear wheels on Bridgestone slicks.

2018 Kymco Like 150i ABS Review

Get your scoot on for less Scooters are big in European and other markets – around here, not so much. “Scooters and soccer,” Kymco PR rep Peter Jones tells us, “they’re just not a part of our culture.” Still, Kymco doggedly sticks to its guns, offering a full line of scooters where many OEMs have reduced or eliminated their scooter offerings. “The coolest person you know, that’s a scooter rider,” Jones goes on to say, and 54-year-old Taiwanese firm Kymco’s latest offering caters to the coolest of them.

2018 Kymco Xciting 400i Review - First Ride

My fling with a thing Credit: Photos by Michael Spain-Smith We were snuggled into a conference room in the upscale Aloft hotel in Asheville, North Carolina, when PR man Peter Jones kicked off Kymco’s 2018 new-product launch by telling us that scooters in the U.S. market are “such a small thing, they’re not even really a thing… scooters and soccer, they’re just not a part of our culture.” But the lack of scooter culture has made Taiwanese manufacturer Kymco itself a thing. After staying doggedly in the American scooter market for the better part of two decades, Kymco has a coast-to-coast dealer network, a good reputation for reliability and value, and is basically the only purveyor of value-priced, high-performance maxi-scooters.

2018 Kymco Spade 150 Review – First Ride

What's up, niches? Credit: Photos by Michael Spain-Smith Asheville, North Carolina has been the scene of several Kymco product launches, and why not? It’s an oddball little city deep in the heart of Dixie that boasts world-class food, fun and roads.

2018 Husqvarna Svartpilen 701 and Vitpilen 701 Spied

Credit: Photos by BMH-Images When Husqvarna introduced the production models of the Svartpilen 401 street-scrambler and Vitpilen 401 café racer last November, which are based on KTM’s 390 powertrain, we figured it was only a matter of time before we saw larger versions using Husky’s 701 engine. Husqvarna had already presented a Vitpilen 701 in concept form a year earlier, so we were not entirely shocked when we received spy photos of a near-production version (above right) alongside its sibling, a Svartpilen 701. The Vitpilen 701 being tested doesn’t stray too far from the original concept.

Crossover Honda CRF450R again upgraded

The first update is related to the kickstarter, or rather, its absence: now the “single-barrel” in the basic version is started by an electric starter with a very light Li-ion battery. The second difference of the newly rejuvenated CRF450R is the suspension with changed settings - obviously, it steers more fun and perky than before.