2002 Honda 100xr Motorcycle on 2040-motos

Moto blog

Top Motorcycle News of 2009

The year is coming to a close so let’s take a look back at the top stories of 2009 in the world of motorcycles after the jump. Buell Motorcycles Shut Down Harley-Davidson made the shocking announcement Oct. 15 it would discontinue Buell Motorcycles.

Honda Announces Electric Motorcycle Plans

Carbon neutrality by 2040 Honda announced plans for a carbon neutral future and a goal of introducing 10 or more electric motorcycles by 2025 including three mid-range models and a youth model for North America. Until now, Honda has been very tentative when it comes to electrification, with its main focus being on developing swappable battery packs for electric two-wheelers. Its Japanese counterparts Yamaha and Kawasaki have outlined their own plans, while in North America, Harley-Davidson is days away from finalizing its LiveWire spin-off.

2010 Honda V4 Teaser [video]

Based on the concept model unveiled last October at Intermot 2008, the new motorcycle is expected to be a sport-tourer powered by a 1200cc V-4 engine with variable cylinder technology which can allow it to run on only two cylinders to conserve fuel.  There are also rumors that the motorcycle will have a semi-auto gear box which will give the rider the option of going manual or automatic. Honda has a dedicated website for the V4 where you can enter for a chance to win a spot to be one of the first to test drive the new bike, unfortunately, the contest is only open to Europeans. Hit the jump to see the new promo video (you can hear what the motorcycle sounds like!) and an interview with design project leader, Teofilo Plaza.