Aprilia up the ante in nakedbike war with Tuono V4 X

Aprilia Tuono V4 X

After the success achieved by Aprilia RSV4 X, the special version of the supersport bike from Noale, Aprilia has now given the X factor to the Tuono V4.

Aprilia Tuono V4 X

The Aprilia Tuono V4 X is touted as an exclusive “super Tuono” produced in a numbered and limited edition, developed and assembled directly by Aprilia Racing.

Aprilia claim this excluse new Tuono V4 X is capable of lapping Imola in 1m50s with Aprilia rider Lorenzo Savadori, only a couple of seconds away from World Superbike pace around the Italian circuit.

Aleix Espargaró also put it through its paces on the Austrian Red Bull Ring circuit: “The Tuono V4 X is out of this world. I had never tested a high-handlebar bike on the track and I was surprised at the feeling of stability. The engine is insane, but the chassis architecture doesn’t struggle – to the contrary: the riding position and the electronics make it extremely fun. You can ride it cleanly, but you can also drift with it if you want to. It is a pure sportbike with a hooligan side!”

The experience that the Racing Department from Noale has in the top championships contributed to the development of the Aprilia Tuono V4 X with large aero wings in carbon added to the Tuono, clearly derived from the one fitted on the Aprilia RS-GP used in MotoGP. This choice contributes to increasing stability at high speeds and in the critical phases of braking and acceleration.

Aprilia Tuono V4 X

The goal of making this special Tuono a true high-handlebar racing bike exclusively for track use was achieved in full, thanks to a skilled job of general lightening, which reached the exceptional landmark of 166 kg dry weight on the scales.

All the fairings are in carbon, enhanced by the dedicated “Bol d’Or” graphic, inspired by the Aprilia RSV 1000 R Factory which participated in the 2006 edition of the legendary French endurance race. The fuel tank is the same shape as the original, but it is lighter, while the factory electrical system has been simplified.

Aprilia Tuono V4 X

Another obviously sports-derived element is the racing panel via which to adjust the main electronic controls of the Tuono V4 X. There are numerous billet aluminium parts that contribute to lowering the weight, such as the clutch lever, the brake lever guard, the engine crankcase guards, the adjustable footpegs and the fuel cap. The Marchesini wheel rims in forged magnesium, shod with racing slicks, provide the added value of handling that is out of reach even for fairing-covered supersport bikes.

The engine is derived from the unit that successfully equips the RSV4 1100 Factory. The Akrapovic exhaust system features titanium collectors and a carbon outlet, while the air filter is a Sprint Filter element, the same unit that Aprilia Racing uses in MotoGP.

Electronic fine-tuning is via a revamped ECU in terms of logic and functions, featuring engine control and vehicle dynamics maps developed by Aprilia Racing. The engine maps are all “full power” and optimised for the racing exhaust system. The engine brake, traction control and anti-wheelie levels are specifically designed for use on the track. It comes standard with two-way quick-shift and the colour TFT instrument cluster reprogrammed with lap time display using the built-in GPS sensor.

The maximum power of the V4 from Noale increases from the 217 HP of the factory unit to the value of 221 HP measured at the crank. Performance that can be fully exploited thanks to a race derived chassis with advanced semi-active Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 suspension system.

Aprilia Tuono V4 X

The Brembo braking system is also entirely racing, thanks to the use of refined and extremely effective GP4-MS billet aluminium calipers that grip a pair of steel discs with T-Drive technology and are controlled by a 19×16 radial master cylinder, also made in billet aluminium.

Each Aprilia Tuono V4 X unit, available at a price of €34,900 ($56,600 AUD), can already be reserved exclusively online by going to the Aprilia website. Buyers will be able to pick up their unit directly from Aprilia Racing, simultaneously with an exclusive tour of the racing department in Noale, and they will receive a dedicated KYT NX-Race helmet with a graphic inspired by the bike’s graphics.

Tuono V4 X is part of the Factory Works program launched by Aprilia Racing: it takes technology developed in competitive racing and makes it available to those planning to compete at high level in factory derivative championships or to those who want an RSV4 or a Tuono V4 with performance optimised for track use. That means, of course, that the Tuono V4 X will not be able to be used on public roads, legally.

Aprilia Tuono V4 X

Source: MCNews.com.au

BMW Motorrad Announces Maintenance-Free M Endurance Chain

BMW Motorrad has announced the M Endurance chain, which does not need to be lubricated like conventional motorcycle chains. The M Endurance chain uses a tetrahedrally amorphous carbon coating on the rollers that reduces friction and negates the need for lubricant. Currently, the BMW S 1000 RR and S 1000 XR are the only compatible models.

BMW Motorrad M Endurance Chain

From Press Release:

For more than 90 years, the maintenance-free, environmentally friendly and comfortable shaft drive has been one of BMW Motorrad’s immovable technical cornerstones. With the M Endurance chain, BMW Motorrad now offers a maintenance-free chain with comparable characteristics for the first time.

Like previous X-ring chains, the M Endurance chain has a resident permanent lubricant filling between the rollers and pins, enclosed by X-rings. What is completely new, however, is that the previously necessary additional lubricant addition for the rollers and thus the familiar “chain lubrication” is no longer necessary, nor is any re-tensioning required from time to time due to the usual wear.

BMW Motorrad M Endurance Chain

This enormous gain in comfort was made possible by using a new coating material for the rollers: tetrahedrally amorphous carbon (ta-C), also known as industrial diamond. This coating is characterized by extreme hardness and resistance and in this respect it is placed between the well-known DLC coating (Diamond Like Carbon) and pure diamond. In contrast to the metal surfaces used so far, the coating with the ta-C industrial diamond does not wear off. At the same time, this type of coating also offers a drastically reduced friction coefficient.

Thanks to excellent dry lubrication properties and the elimination of wear, the tetrahedral amorphous carbon coated rollers of the M Endurance chain offer maintenance comfort equivalent to that of a shaft drive motorcycle. This includes all the cleaning work that is unavoidable with a conventional chain due to splashed lubricant. Accordingly, the M Endurance chain also offers maximum environmental friendliness.

The M Endurance chain in 525 pitch is now available initially for the two 4-cylinder models BMW S 1000 RR and S 1000 XR. The M Endurance chain is available as accessory or directly from the factory as an option. Further BMW Motorrad models are being prepared for this feature.

BMW Motorrad M Endurance Chain

Source: RiderMagazine.com

Triumph Street Models Recalled

Triumph Motorcycles Australia has issued a recall for 217 2019 and 2020 Street Scrambler and Street Twin models over a wiring issue.

The official notice issued through the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission says: “Misrouted harness wiring may become damaged by the lower lug on main frame headstock when the handlebars are rotated. Damaged wiring harness may cause the engine to stall, and increase the risk of injury and death of the rider or other road users in an accident.”

Owners of affected vehicles will be contacted and asked to present their motorcycle to an authorised Triumph dealers to have recall work carried out free of charge.
A new VIN label protector will be fitted to the motorcycle to prevent contact between the wiring and the headstock lug. Some motorcycles may also need a rework of the harness.

Click here to find a Triumph dealer.

Bonneville recalls

The “Bonneville” range has been the subject of several embarrassing recalls since they were introduced in 2016:

YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS ON RECALLS

Even though manufacturers and importers usually contact owners when a recall is issued, the bike may have been sold privately to a rider unknown to the company.

Kirsh Helmets

Therefore, Motorbike Writer publishes all motorcycle and scooter recalls as a service to all riders.

If you believe there is an endemic problem with your bike that should be recalled, contact the ACCC on 1300 302 502.

To check whether your motorcycle has been recalled, click on these sites:

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

What Do You Store In Your Pockets?

“Travel light” is the motto of most motorcyclists.

However, if you don’t have any luggage – not even a tank bag, tail bag or backpack – you can still store some essentials in your jacket and pants pockets.

Most motorcycle jackets have a host of inside and outside pockets.

Some adventure motorcycle jackets even have a large pouch in the back which are handy fr carrying a wet liner and/or another pair of gloves.

Without making your jacket or pants too heavy, you can carry several essentials with you.

Phone

The most important these days is your phone.

Above all, it is a safety device. Make sure the locations services are switched on and that you have shared your position with your partner if you are riding solo.

Your phone is also now a camera, torch, GPS, a handy guide for your travels and can even store your credit cards so there is no need even to take your wallet.

To make your phone even more accessible, you may want to include a mount on your handlebars such as the Quad Lock. The new version will also keep it charged.

Other essentials

I also carry include a tyre pressure gauge, lip balm, sunscreen, Windex, sunglasses rag, multi-tool, earplugs case, headache tablets and my garage remote.

It sounds like a lot, but you can get small and light versions.

Some may be horrified by the above photo which shows the pen-like tyre pressure gauge.

You probably shouldn’t carry a pen or anything similarly shaped as some claim it can stab you if you have a fall.

I’ve never hard of it actually happening and I find the simple pen-like gauge more reliable than digital tyre pressure gauges.

I carry a gauge because service station gauges are notoriously inaccurate and unreliable.

Ducati debut Scrambler 1100 Pros

Lip bam and/or a sunburn stick will help prevent your nose, lips and cheeks getting sunburnt.

Find a small spray container and fill it with glasses cleaner or Windex to both clean your glasses and your visor. Also, carry a small sunglasses rag that came in your glasses case.

Over the years, my only regret about riding is that I didn’t wear earplugs until too late.

I now have advanced tinnitus (ringing in the ears) from the 90dB+ wind noise.

So I always wear earplugs and I carry the earplug case they came in so they stay clean when you take them out.

Headache tablets are a must. Riding with a headache is a safety issue as it can lead to fatigue and making the wrong decisions.

If you have a remote control for your garage, remember to keep it in a resealable plastic bag so it doesn’t get wet and fail!

* What do you carry in your pockets? Leave your comments below.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Honda updates CBR-600RR

Despite the Honda CBR-600RR only selling in the Australian and Asian markets, the Japanese company has updated the super sport bike for 2021.

It seems a strange move from the manufacturer since the engine doesn’t meet stringent European and American emissions regulations and the fact that the super sport segment is dying around the world.

However, Honda has decided to update the cosmetics to HRC colours and graphics as well as throwing a host of technical features at the once-popular motorcycle.\

2021 CBR600RR

The updated 599cc inline four engine still doesn’t meet emissions regulations, but that doesn’t matter in Australia and Asia.

However, peak power has been raised 4.4kW to 88.7kW and shifted up to 14,000rpm.

The engine is also slightly lighter with new camshafts, vale springs and cranks.

Yet the weight of the whole bike has risen from 186kg to 194kg and we’re not sure why.

2021 CBR600RR

It could be some of the sophisticated electronics that have been thrown at the bike.

They include a full colour TFT dashboard, LED lighting and electronic riding aids such as new engine modes, traction control, wheelie control and lean-angle-sensitive ABS.

2021 Honda CBR600RR tech specs

Dimensions (L x W x H) 2030×685×1140mm
Wheelbase 1375mm
Clearance 125mm
Seat 820mm
Kerb weight 194kg
Economy 23.5km/L
Engine 599cc liquid-cooled 4-stroke DOHC 4-value inline-4
Bore x stroke 67.0×42.5mm
Compression 12.2:1
Power 89kW @ 14,000rpm
Torque 64Nm @ 11,500rpm
Fuel tank 18L
Transmission 6-speed, wet clutch
Gear ratio 2.615
2.000
1.666
1.444
1.304
1.208
Tyres 120/70ZR17M/C (58W)
180/55ZR17M/C (73W)
Brakes Dual hydraulic disc
Hydraulic disc
Suspension Telescopic front fork

(Inverted Big Piston Front Fork)

Swing arm (Unit Pro-Link)
Frame Diamond

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Like Grandfather, Like Father, Like Son!

Father’s Day is a great time to share your passion for riding with your grandfather, father or son.

According to recent research, more than one in three motorcyclists got into riding because of their friends or family.

The new research survey was conducted by YouGov and commissioned by ING who is launching their new Motorcycle Insurance.

It also found that a quarter of riders vow to keep biking a family tradition and teach their kids how to ride.

What’s more, riders want to share their joy of riding with friends or their partner (43%).

Father's Day

All in the family 

One example of this family biking tradition is Victorian rider Rob Hartnett who says riding is about “friendship, mindset, bonding, shared passions and getting away from all our electronic devices for a while”.

The 56-year-old has been riding since his dad, John, took him on a lap around a race track at just six months and now he is teaching his children to ride and race motorcycles.

From there, he was on minibikes built by his dad, before pushbikes and getting heavily into motorsports and racing.

For Rob, riding is a family tradition.

His mother, Shirley, still rides in her 80s and his 89-year-old dad still rides to rallies after racing for 75 years in speedway and road races.

“My parents met through bikes many years ago and while that was not the same for me, my wife, Leisa, is thankfully a petrol head and loves bikes and cars,” he says.

His three sons also ride. Ben 23 raced junior MX and has his road licence; Finn, 20, and Lachie, 18, rode minibikes and have ridden many kms with Rob.

“We did the junior MX scene in Victoria with our boys when our eldest son, Ben, was racing and it was great family fun,” Rob says.

“Leisa did corner duties which was a baptism of fire for her and we travelled around Victoria and met many great families and friends.

“We often go to rallies together and a couple of years ago all three generations were riding at the All British Rally.”

Father's Day

Encourage kids to ride

Rob believes children should be encouraged to ride as it makes them better car drivers and road users later in life.

“Most of all I encourage it as it’s a way of clearing your mind and focusing on the now,” he says.

“Not the past, not the future but exactly where you are at that time.

“My wife Leisa says when you drive you are in a capsule and then you stop and arrive. On a bike she says you are already in the moment all the time. When you stop, you have already arrived you just get off the bike.

“Riding allows you to experience nature and the world in a unique way.”

Today, Rob considers himself a social rider, taking trips on weekends and attending classic rallies with his wife Leisa.

He’s owned Ducatis, Yamahas, Triumphs, Hondas, a Suzuki and even a Velocette. Rob currently rides a Triumph Bonneville and a Honda Café Racer.

“Riding is a common bond of a group of people with similar interests,” he says.

“No one cares where you come from, rich or poor, what colour you are, your background.

“When the engine starts and the visor goes down we are all one together.

“The joy and camaraderie is a global thing unique to bikes. Watch a junior MX race or a MotoGP race and after every race you see the riders congratulate each other. You rarely see that in car racing.”

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

BMW Introduces Worry-Free Chain

Keeping your motorcycle chain clean, lubricated and tensioned is a messy business, but now BMW has developed a special chain that never needs lubricating nor re-tensioning.

BMW has long been known for its maintenance-free shafts, but now they have extended that ability with their M Endurance chain in 525 pitch.

BMW Group Australia Nick Raman Product Communications Manager says the M Endurance chain is standard on the S 1000 RR Race and S 1000 RR M Sport from September 2020 production.

“It is also standard on the S 1000 XR Sport and available optionally on the S 1000 XR Tour from August 2020 production,” he says.

“The ex-factory price for the chain on the S 1000 XR Tour is $160, though we don’t have any information at this point on whether it will be available on other models.”

That’s not too bad considering chains cst between about $50 and $200 for a gold link model and these should last longer.

BMW Motorrad’s global release says “further models are being prepared for this feature”, so we expect the F and G models will get something similar.

However, it may also be suitable for non-BMW bikes.

Company spokesman Gerhard Lindner says: “I think you can put it on every bike with a 525er chain.”

BMW Motorrad No Maintenance Chain

So how does it work?

The M Endurance chain has a resident permanent lubricant filling between the rollers and pins, enclosed by X-rings, so they don’t require lubrication, nor re-tensioning.

Father's Day

BMW uses a new tetrahedrally amorphous carbon (ta-C) coating material for the rollers. It is also known as industrial diamond.

This coating is harder and more resistant than Diamond Like Carbon. The only thing tougher is pure diamond.

BMW says the ta-C industrial diamond coating “does not wear off” and “drastically” reduces the friction coefficient.

“Thanks to excellent dry lubrication properties and the elimination of wear, the tetrahedral amorphous carbon coated rollers of the M Endurance chain offer maintenance comfort equivalent to that of a shaft drive motorcycle,” BMW claims.

“This includes all the cleaning work that is unavoidable with a conventional chain due to splashed lubricant. Accordingly, the M Endurance chain also offers maximum environmental friendliness.”

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Loose Reflector Forces Triumph Tiger Recall

In what may seem a trivial issue of compliance, the reflector on the 2020 Triumph Tiger 900 could come loose and fall off.

Triumph Motorcycles Australia has issued the recall notice through the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

It affects 74 current Tiger 900 models sold from 2 March to 21 August 2020.

The official notice says: “If the reflector is missing, affected motorcycles may be less visible to drivers of other vehicles, which could increase the risk of a crash, resulting in injury or death of the rider.”

Owners may also cop a fine or vehicle defect notice for an illegal motorcycle. Across Australia, these fines are less than $100.

All owners should contact Australian Triumph dealers to make an appointment to have the rear reflex reflector replaced free of charge.

YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS ON RECALLS

Even though manufacturers and importers usually contact owners when a recall is issued, the bike may have been sold privately to a rider unknown to the company.

Zero DSR Dual Sport

Therefore, Motorbike Writer publishes all motorcycle and scooter recalls as a service to all riders.

If you believe there is an endemic problem with your bike that should be recalled, contact the ACCC on 1300 302 502.

To check whether your motorcycle has been recalled, click on these sites:

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Record Price For Motorcycle Plate

An Australian record of $A251,000 for a motorcycle number plate has been paid for a New South Wales black and white numerical motorcycle number plate ‘2’.

Record Price For Motorcycle Plate

The anonymous bid was made at last week’s Shannons Winter Timed Online Auction.

It shows that despite the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic, collectors are still passionate about automotive memorabilia and have the finances to satisfy their desires.

Click here for our tips on how to buy a motorcycle at auction.

The auction record is still nowhere near the Australian record for a car number plate which is $2.45 million at a Shannon’s Sydney auction three years ago in August 2017.

The Shannons Timed Winter Online Auction attracted a record number of bidders paying a total of $7 million for vehicle, automobilia, and number plates.

Some 96% of the 145 auction lots were sold.

Father's Day

They include $42,500 for a very low kilometer and well-preserved 1989 Yamaha FZR750R-R ‘OWO1’ motorcycle.

Record Price For Motorcycle Plate

The biggest bid of the auction was $308,500 paid for a long-ownership Porsche 911E 2.4 coupe.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

How do you build a winning MotoGP™ bike from scratch?

“It was basically just one and half years before,” Beirer laughs as he explains their decision to enter MotoGP™. “That’s somehow the craziness of KTM! We decided one evening. We’d won all the classes, we won the World Championship wherever we entered, so Mr Trunkenpolz, our sales board guy, he said ‘Hey Pit, there’s only one place left to go, we need to go to MotoGP!’ We were like ‘bwoah… that’s crazy man!’ And then we were looking for the guy brave enough to explain to Mr Pierer [KTM CEO] that we wanted to go to MotoGP. We did it. We talked also a couple of times to Dorna about the rules, would they accept us in this paddock and everything. Carmelo, he was so, so, motivating for us. He told us ‘you guys can do that! I’m pretty sure you can do it. C’mon, skip the other disciplines and go MotoGP!’ In those days the idea was first to go Moto2 and then MotoGP.

Source: MotoGP.comRead Full Article Here