The 125 series of Kawasaki motorcycles (Ninja 125 and Z125) and the Z900RS have just been announced to come in new colorways to shake things up for the 2021 lineup.
2021 Z125
The new options are both sleek and complicated making the exotic little 125cc motorcycles look that much faster. The Z125 sees three new color combinations that should be arriving at dealers come January of the new year:
Black, green, and white around green painted trellis frame
Black and green around a green painted trellis frame
Lime green and black with around a grey painted trellis frame
2021 Ninja 125
The 2021 Ninja 125 comes in a single new colorway with its beautiful race-inspired livery; black, red, and white accents on a green base resembling something you could find on an older ZX 10R.
2021 Z900RS
If smaller displacement motorcycle news isn’t your thing, Kawasaki has some news for you as well. The Z900RS has two new liveries: ‘Ebony’ black/grey, and ‘Metallic Spark Black’ with grey/green vintage-inspired striping down the side of the tank.
Pricing has yet to be confirmed for these colorways, and dealers should be getting the new colors arriving in December with the Ebony version predicted to land in April of 2021.
It’s great to see Kawasaki introducing more black liveries to their lineup because historically the brand’s motorcycles have been pretty much off-limits to anybody impartial to neon green bikes.
Since its launch in 2014, the Yamaha MT-07 has been quite the crowd-pleaser in the naked middleweight class, thanks to its wonderfully tractable yet wickedly fun parallel-twin engine, sporty handling and affordable pricing. This year, the 2021 Yamaha MT-07 is set to receive a styling and ergonomic update, larger front brake discs and a few Euro 5 spurred tweaks to the peppy parallel-twin engine. Note that the MSRP is still an approachable $7,699, too — a $100 increase above last year’s price tag.
The news of the 2021 Yamaha MT-07 comes shortly after the tuning-fork-brand announced a nearly complete overhaul to the popular Yamaha MT-09.
For the model year 2021, the 689cc liquid-cooled CP2 parallel-twin engine returns with some massaging, undoubtedly done to meet Euro 5 emissions standards. Mechanically, the engine is virtually identical to prior generations with its fun-loving 270-degree Crossplane Concept crankshaft design and 80mm bore and 68.6mm stroke. However, there are some notable upgrades.
New to the party is a redesigned air intake, partially brought on by the aesthetic refresh and a new 2-into-1-exhaust system. Going hand-in-hand with those changes are updates to the ECU specifications and fuel injection settings, which Yamaha says have improved low-rpm throttle response. Hopefully, the FI updates have cured the throttle abruptness that we have noticed on past MT-07 generations. Also, new exhaust valve seats are introduced. Lastly, the six-speed gearbox is said to boast improved shifting feel due to the new cut angles in the dog gears.
The Master of Torque styling is in its third-generation, and the MT-07 borrows heavily from its big brother, the 2021 Yamaha MT-09. Notable styling changes include revised bodywork throughout, with the most noticeable update to the all-new LED headlight. Importantly, LED turn signals are featured, ridding the MT-07 of its polarizing pumpkin-esque indicators. Three color choices are available for no additional charge; Storm Fluo Yellow, Matte Raven Black and Team Yamaha Blue.
Other aesthetic changes come in the form of its updated negative LCD instrument panel. While still an LCD readout, the 2021 MT-07’s dash appears to be far easier to read, benefitting from larger displays of the clock, gear indicator, trip/odometers and tachometer. Also, 10,000-12,000 rpm is indicated in red, which is shown in white on prior models.
Ergonomically, the 2021 Yamaha MT-07 will encourage a more neutral, upright riding position with a new tapered handlebar that is 32mm wider and 19mm taller than before. For taller riders, this will surely open the cockpit up and increase comfort. Meanwhile, the approachable 31.7-inch seat height remains the same.
What has not changed is the steel-trellis chassis and non-adjustable 41mm KYB fork with 5.1-inches of travel. In the rear, the single KYB shock featuring spring-preload and rebound damping adjustment and 5.1-inches of travel returns as well. With its 406-pound claimed wet weight, the MT-07 has always been nimble and accommodating for a variety of riders.
Braking performance is not ignored either, as the front discs grow in size from 282mm to 298mm. ABS is still standard.
Lastly, high-quality Michelin Road 5 120/70 and 180/55 tires will be part of the package in 2021.
We’re quite excited about the 2021 Yamaha MT-07, which is expected to hit dealers in January 2021 and can’t wait to put these changes to the test. Until then, feast your eyes on Yamaha’s updated MT-07.
2021 Yamaha MT-07 First Look Review Photo Gallery:
2021 Yamaha MT-07 Specs:
Base Price: $7,699 Website:yamahamotorsports.com Engine Type: Liquid-cooled, parallel twin, DOHC, 4 valves per cyl. Bore x Stroke: 80.0 x 68.6mm Displacement: 689cc Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated wet clutch Final Drive: Chain Wheelbase: 55.1 in. Rake/Trail: 24.8 degrees/3.5 in. Seat Height: 31.7 in. Wet Weight: 406 lbs. (claimed) Fuel Capacity: 3.7 gals. MPG: 86 PON min. (avg) NA
The Multistrada’s styling isn’t for everyone. It is very obviously designed to be an adventure touring motorcycle, that should come as no surprise. If you aren’t a fan of the styling found on the more recent models of the Multistrada, I’m going to go out on a limb and assume the 2003 version won’t be your cup of tea either.
If you have a 2003 Multistrada 1000S DS laying around with enough cash and skill stashed away in your back pocket, you might as well transform it into the bike you wanted to begin with. That’s exactly what Diego and Riccardo Coppiello did with this build when it was unveiled earlier this year.
These brothers took a top-heavy oddity and completely transformed it into a modern naked spectacle. The Coppiello brothers opted for the new Hypermotard’s front rotors, Brembo calipers, and rims wrapped with Pirelli Scorpion Trail II tires on the bottom end and brought the fuel tank off of a 999 (with slight modification) to produce a sleek silhouette.
The headlight assembly has been retrofitted with a single-bulb headlight and topped with a small windscreen to continue the careful design lines that make their way to the rear of the bike. A lower belly pan has been added to complete the framing around the masterpiece, and a completely custom exhaust has been built into it.
The instrument cluster has been relocated just above the tank for a very modern and clean look when taking a cruise from the riders POV and the entire electrical system was reworked to hide the cabling and accommodate the new naked/fairing-less style of the motorcycle.
If I could buy one of these off of the Ducati lot, I would.
Lest anybody should get the wrong impression about yesterday’s announcement re: Kawasaki Heavy Industry’s spin-off of its motorcycle division, we just received this release from Kawasaki Motor Corp. USA’s CEO, who tells us business is good and the spin-off is only going to make it better. It’s a new day in America.
Kawasaki Press Release:
November 2, 2020
KAWASAKI MOTORCYCLE AND ENGINE BUSINESS STRUCTURE UPDATE
A message from the President and CEO of Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (KMC):
During the COVID-19 pandemic, our business in both Powersports and Engine divisions has seen considerable success. New and reignited interest in our industry has been met by tremendous efforts from Kawasaki team members and our dealer network to meet the needs of our customers in a new environment where health and safety are the first priority.
Today, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., KMC’s parent company and 100 percent shareholder, announced a restructuring plan to spin off the Motorcycle & Engine business and the Rolling Stock business into separate companies on October 1, 2021. The Ship & Offshore Structure business will also be integrated into the Energy System & Plant Engineering business. These changes are part of achieving Kawasaki’s new business direction and will further enhance Kawasaki’s ability to continue to innovate with technology and safety for the powersports industry.
As for operations in the United States, KMC will see no changes. All KMC’s tasks and missions will remain the same and KHI’s restructuring plan will only further enhance KMC’s ability to serve KMC’s customers by furthering KMC’s ability to be quick and efficient when studying the industry and the future of powersports. The Kawasaki brand in North America is strong and getting stronger even under the COVID-19 situation and we at KMC will continue our great mission of delivering Kawasaki products and satisfaction to our customers.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (KHI) started full-scale production of motorcycles over a half century ago. The first Kawasaki motorcycle engine was designed based on technical know-how garnered from the development and production of aircraft engines, and Kawasaki’s entry into the motorcycle industry was driven by the company’s constant effort to develop new technologies. Numerous new Kawasaki models introduced over the years have helped shape the powersports market, and in the process have created enduring legends based on the unique engineering, power, design and riding pleasure of Kawasaki powersports products. In the future, Kawasaki’s commitment to maintaining and furthering these strengths will surely give birth to new legends.
At the same time, the next generation line up for their chance. Applications are now closed for the 2021 Cup and a fabulous group of the world’s fastest teens have put themselves on the Rookies Radar. Riders from India and Italy, Brazil and Barbados, Argentina and Australia. We have already had riders from 35 different nations in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, that could increase going into 2021, the 15th Cup season.
Stefan Bradl: “I am very pleased that the Repsol Honda Team have continued to put their faith in me and return to ride the RC213V again. We have done some testing at Valencia in the past and in Aragon we made a good step with the bike, I think we can have a good weekend here and again battle with riders further ahead as we did in Aragon and Le Mans as well. Always at around this time of the year in Valencia the temperature, especially in the morning, can be critical so we will have to pay attention to this.”
Izan Guevara: “I am very happy and excited to be able to make the jump to the World Championship with the Aspar Team. I have felt very comfortable with the team from the first moment and we have made a very good group, which is the important thing. I want to continue growing with this structure that has given me very good feelings and has helped me win the Moto3 Junior World Championship. The balance of this year has been very positive, at the beginning my goal was to fight to enter the top ten and get a podium, but thanks to the great teamwork I felt very confident with the bike and I was able to get the title. Now, our goal this next season will be to gain a lot of experience, get to know the circuits and continue to grow as a rider.”
Italy and the rest of Europe saw major jumps in terms of sales recently, recovering from the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic that was quite bad there. Now, things are trending back down.
August and September proved to show positive growth and a real boom for two-wheeled machine sales. That has been disrupted in October, according to Motociclismo.
The publication reports that October sales in Italy closed in the negative when compared to last year. Sales for vehicles with a displacement greater than 50cc weredown nearly 14 percent.
Scooters were the biggest culprit with a decrease in sales of 22.29 percent. However, other sectors of the two-wheeled market like motorcycles and mopeds were also down.
The overall for all sectors is 11.51 percent across all types of two-wheeled machines and all displacements. In Italy, 17,554 vehicles made it to the road in total in October.
The year-to-date numbers obviously don’t look too great either. While sales came back strong for a few months, they dropped considerably during the first wave of the pandemic.
One exception to all this is electric bikes. Zero-emission mopeds, scooters, and motorcycles saw growth of 115.2 percent in October. Year-to-date numbers indicate growth of 127.11 percent compared to 2019.
I’m hoping the second wave of COVID-19 isn’t as bad as the first, especially in Italy, for both the sake of the people there and the motorcycle industry and the nation’s economy. While other markets around the world saw increases in sales for motorcycles, this could be a worrisome start of what’s to come if the second wave of the pandemic proves to be
Riders should be aware of truck blind spots, the possibility that drivers are on stimulants and that trucks may be unroadworthy, says a university expert.
Dr. Christopher Walker, a regulation and policy expert from UNSW Arts & Social Sciences, says Australia needs to put pressure on the trucking industry to improve safety standards.
He is also calling for truckies and all other road users to learn to share the road and be aware of the sight limitations of trucks and the vulnerability of riders.
Trucks are responsible for the deaths of more than 200 people a year in Australia and 4500 a year in the US.
Professor Bill Russell, deputy director of Melbourne University’s Australasian Centre for the Governance and Management of Urban Transport, has said Australians would be safer if more freight was moved by rail.
His research showed that moving 10% more freight by rail would save 25 lives in Australia every year, and 100 serious injuries such as quadriplegia or brain damage.
In 2019, 53 Aussie truck drivers died on the job, with 34% being linked to fatigue.
Dr. Walker says it is not uncommon for drivers to haul loads and work beyond the 12-hour daily limit and an 80 or 100 hour plus working week is not uncommon. The legal limit is 72 hours over a seven-day period.
“I’ve interviewed truck drivers, and they’ve said to me, ‘I’d get my pay in one hand, and my pills in the other,” he says.
Motorbike Writer has published several articles about sharing the road with trucks and the dangers of their large blind spots which can easily lose the presence of a small motorcycle.
Dr. Walker says riders need to be aware of the dangers of trucks, but also says all road users, not just truckies, should be given education on sharing the road with motorcycles.
“All truck drivers are also car drivers and so their interaction with motorcycles on our roads can occur when they are operating a range of light and heavy vehicles,” he says.
“It would be important to highlight what particular concerns trucks present for motorcyclists but this should be part of an education package that is targeted at all road users and licence holders.
“This way all road users that share the road with motorcyclists have a better understanding of the challenges and risks they present for motorcyclists.”
Dr. Walker also says small trucking companies cut corners on costs and industry regulation is lacking with owner-operators only needing a truck licence, a truck and an ABN to start a trucking company in Australia.
“They don’t have to prove they’re financially viable or that they don’t have a compromised driving record,” he says, unlike in the UK where the industry is regulated through licensing in a process that is similar to the taxi industry in Australia.
I remember the first time I realised just how important a trusted teammate can be on two wheels. It probably comes as no great surprise that Phil Read, seven times World Champion and without a doubt the most underestimated rider in the history of Grand Prix racing, sparked the interest. There is absolutely no doubt Phil was not your ideal teammate as both Bill Ivy and Giacomo Agostini found out.
