Do you have questions about some of Suzuki’s latest machines? Well, if you’re in Italy, you can have a chat with a salesperson or product specialist from the safety of your home.
Suzuki Italy just launched a new video chat system that allows for telemeetings for potential customers who want to discuss bikes and start the buying process. It’s called SmartMeet, and you can schedule a meeting.
SmartMett uses a variety of video chatting software (whatever the customer wants to use) to interface with the person who set the appointment.
You can schedule a meeting via Skype, Zoom, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet. Italian customers can go to Suzuki’s SmartMeet website and schedule an appointment.
When you schedule an appointment, you’ll be able to specify what you want to discuss, and that should help get you in front of the right person who will have the correct answers for you.
While some manufacturers are trying to do fully virtual sales, this seems like a very smart second option. Suzuki is providing customers a way to get in touch and start the process without physical contact.
It will be interesting to see if the company plans to roll this out elsewhere, my gut tells me it will if this goes well in Italy. I also have a feeling it will go well.
If you’re in Italy (or you just want to check out the SmartMeet setup) check out the website by clicking here.
Saietta means thunderbolt in Italian and their AFT-powered vehicles have set records on the water and in the air while their electric superbike was the first to win the Isle of Man TT Zero race.
They claim their motor is “optimised for mid-power motorbikes and final-mile delivery vehicles” at a realistic price for the mass market.
The grant provided through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) will allow Saietta to hire up to 250 skilled staff and produce 150,000 motors a year.
Saietta will work with UK-based manufacturing specialists Brandauer and AEV to refine component production and motor assembly.
CEO Wicher Kist says there is a “commercial opportunity” for the motor.
“Based on the conversations we’ve had, and the projects we’re already involved with, we know that the mass production of our technology will allow us to power a new generation of electric vehicles, in markets around the world, bringing a new era of mobility,” Wicher says.
They say their AFT140 motor is being taken up by other automotive companies, but declined to say which ones, although its use could be widespread and include marine and wind turbines.
The British company began in 2014 with the Saietta R superbike for $A35,000.
Back then the Saietta R had a range of almost 200km in the city and about 120km on the highway, 127Nm of torque, recharging time of 3.5 hours, and a top speed of 170km/h.
The company no longer makes electric vehicles but concentrates on its AFT140 motor for use in other vehicles from buses to boats and, of course, bikes.
The Oxfordshire company plans to sell its technology under license in Asia and the rest of the world.
The Spaniard, who lives together with his brother in Andorra, needs to undergo another PCR test today (Thursday) in order to confirm his negative result. Yet, due to the Andorran legislation, Lecuona is forced to quarantine for 10 days and will not be allowed to partake in the European GP.
German automotive electronics company claims it has developed the world’s first split-screen instruments for a motorbike capable of showing app and vehicle information in separate screens at the same time.
Ducati and Kawasaki also plan to bring to their motorcycles, but Ducati will not have the split-screen function on their Bosch 6.5-inch connectivity display.
Bosch spokesman Geoff Lieresch claims the split screen facility is not only convenient but safe as it displays all relevant information “at one glance without distracting the rider”.
Users decide on the content they wish to see on the screen, all of which can be controlled by a switch on the handlebar.
The contents of a smartphone app, for example, are automatically adapted with mySPIN to show relevant information fitting the size of the motorcycle display. The split screen continues to show key indicators such as speed and warnings.
According to a Bosch survey nearly 90% of riders use their smartphone to prepare or follow-up on trips.
One third put themselves in great danger using their smartphone even while riding, the survey found.
Bosch’s mySPIN software partners with apps such as REVER to download, track and share routes with a community of like-minded riders, Genius Maps and Sygic to find the way to a nearby hotel or restaurant and Dash Radio for free premium digital radio. The app portfolio is continuously expanded on a global basis.
Bosch says pone of the most important apps is the digitally connected emergency call system Help Connect.
In the event of an accident, it automatically calls rescue services and provides the GPS location of the rider.
There’s a ton of beginner motorcycles on the market for new riders to choose from, that’s no surprise. Many new riders have tons of confusing questions to sort through when getting into the motorcycle scene. Should I buy new or used? How long will it take for me to grow out of this motorcycle? Is this bike going to be uncomfortable for my daily commute? Can I save money on another option?
Spite’s new series on the Yammie Noob youtube channel puts motorcycles to the test with week-long ‘ownership’ sessions to see if they really are worth the money they cost. The CBr500R is a difficult option considering how much sheer ‘motorcycle’ a new rider can get for $7000 on the used market.
Spite mentions that the bike comes in at a 6.5/10 on his rating scale, which makes sense due to it being a beginner-friendly bike but can be alarming to some when you take into account the fact that you can get something that would be a 9/10 when straying away from a ‘new motorcycle’. $12,000 bikes often drop their value to being worth $7000-$8000 after a few years of ownership, so what makes this bike worth the risk?
Finding a ~20-year-old motorcycle with zero (or two) miles on the clock should be near impossible for many. Especially if you want a special edition Ducati with as few miles as possible. With two miles I can almost guarantee this motorcycle has never hit a public road in its entire life. Those miles are probably from pushing it by hand from point a-to-b in its 18-year life.
This extremely low mileage Ducati Monster S4 is a special edition tribute from the factory for World Superbike Champion Carl Fogarty and has only seen two total owners in its life. Carl Fogarty is one of the most successful World Superbike racers of all time, with the second-highest number of race wins (59) and four total world championship winnings. That means this motorcycle is not old rare, but special as well.
This Monster S4 features a powerful 916cc L-twin Ducati engine (producing 110 horsepower) married to a six-speed standard transmission. Due to it being a special edition, the bike is decorated with carbon fiber body parts, Brembo brakes all-around, Marchesini wheels, and a special custom suspension allowing for an extra 20mm of height on the bike due to the 43mm Showa front fork and dual-sided swingarm.
The bike has a custom livery by Aldo Drudi with Foggarty’s nickname, “Foggy”, adorned to the bike in scripts. The paint job also features Foggy’s signature eye logo on the fuel tank.
The bike has been kept in perfect condition, comes with a fluid flush, new battery, red bike cover, spare keys, and a clean Pennsylvania title in the seller’s name.
The bike is sitting with a current bid of $4200 with 7 days remaining on the bringatrailer.com auction. This will probably be one of your only chances to own a 2-mile special edition Ducati Monster, so if this is something right up your alley I’d hop on it before someone else does. Opportunities like this don’t come by often.
Long criticised for expensive and frequent servicing, Ducati has launched its Multistrada V4 and V4 S adventure tourers with a 60,000 main maintenance interval.
The Bologna motorcycle manufacturer has now unveiled the model with full specifications ahead of the announcement of four more new models over the next month.
Now the full reveal shows a highly sophisticated and hi-tech bike with longevity of servicing the icing on the cake for adventure travellers and tourers.
Ducati says it has sold more than 110,000 Multistradas since its launch in 2003 with the unfortunate-looking “Uglystrada”. The fourth generation is a substantially different bike thanks mainly to the V4 Granturismo engine.
The lightweight (66.7kg) and compact 1158cc V4 delivers 125kW (170hp) at 10,500rpm with a maximum torque of 125Nm (12.7kgm) at 8750rpm.
Oil change is scheduled every 15,000km, while valve clearance check and eventual adjustment is required every 60,000km, the longest intervals of any production bike.
The V4 engine configuration and 22-litre tank also required a substantial redesign that still looks streamlined, lithe and sexy — albeit ungainly which is common among tall-suspended adventure bikes.
It is complemented by a hefty electronics package that not only includes blind-spot and adaptive cruise controls, but also ABS and traction cornering control, wheelie control and cornering lights on the Multistrada V4 S which also comes with a function to prevent rolling backwards on hills during take-offs.
Ducati’s semi-active Skyhook Suspension will also automatically self-adjust the front and rear suspension levels according to the weight of rider, pillion and/or luggage.
The Multistrada V4 has an aluminium monocoque frame and double-sided swingarm with a total bike weight of 215kg. It sits on a 19-inch front wheel with a choice of spoked or alloy wheels on the V4 S.
Ducati also took the Multi to the wind tunnel to provide the rider and pillion with better wind protection and less “hissing noises” or engine heat on the rider’s legs.
This was achieved with an adjustable Plexiglas windscreen and two side deflectors plus aerodynamically shaped handguards.
Modern Ducatis run very hot for lower emissions and can be uncomfortable for riders in hot climates, especially with the top cylinder so close to the family jewels.
The Multistrada V4 not only directs heat away from the rider but also includes deactivation of the rear cylinder bank at idle. This is also a feature of some big V-twins such as Harley to combat uncomfortable heat when stopped at traffic lights.
The standard V4 comes in red while the V4 S will be available in “Aviator Grey” or red and the V4 S Sport comes in red/white/black with an Akrapovič exhaust and carbon front fender.
Ducati has a range of accessory packs for the Multistrada V4 S: Essential, Travel, Radar, Performance, Full.
The Multistrada V4 is expected to arrive in Australia and New Zealand in the first quarter of 2021 with prices ranging from under $A30k to over $A40k, ride away.
The 200 Duke’s hand-me-down steel-trellis frame with a detachable and replaceable subframe came from its big brother, the 390 Duke. It also snatched up the 390’s WP suspension, specifically updated for the 200 Duke. Photos courtesy of KTM.
Dubbed the “light heavyweight” by its Austrian creators, the entry-level 2020 KTM 200 Duke should wear the great Muhammad Ali’s quote, “Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee” on its sleeve, with its nimble handling and rev-happy 199.5cc single-cylinder engine. But its price is the real haymaker — at $3,999, KTM hopes that the 200 Duke will get serious attention from a new generation of riders.
High-quality Michelin Road 5 tires are standard fitment in the U.S. market and worlds above the typical OEM tire choices found in this class.
Manufactured in India, the 200 Duke has been available in other countries since 2012, but has never made an appearance in the United States until now. This year also marks the platform’s first major update — it gets the 390 Duke’s entire chassis, revamped styling in the current Duke family image and an all-new Euro 5 compliant engine.
Non-adjustable levers are common on motorcycles at this price point. I wear a medium glove and found the reach acceptable, but adjustability is always appreciated.
Toss a leg over the Dukette and you’re met with backswept handlebars that prop the rider up in a neutral position, still allowing you to get your elbows out in the corners, and a low 31.6-inch seat height that’s unique to the U.S., European and Philippine markets.
The LCD instrument panel is busy and difficult to read in direct sunlight. Luckily, mph and gear position can be identified at a quick glance, while the complex things like rpm are more challenging.
That’s one-inch lower than the 390 Duke’s seat, thanks to a shorter shock spring and reduced fork stroke. Combine that spec-sheet figure with the slender chassis and my 32-inch inseam can reach terra firma easily, which is attractive for new and shorter-statured riders. However, I did notice more knee-bend than I’d normally like with my boots on the grippy rubber-covered footpegs.
The 200 Duke offers the riding position and experience of a full-sized motorcycle, in a light, affordable package.
Plastics are shared between the 200 and 390 Duke, and the 200 also boasts the predatory headlight design first seen on the mighty 1290 Super Duke R. As a cost saving measure, the 200 also features an LED daytime running light and a halogen bulb for illumination.
The Super Duke R inspired headlight features an LED running light and halogen bulb.
Although the 199.5cc displacement is the same as the prior generation, the peppy thumper engine is all-new for 2020. The dual overhead camshafts are paired with ultra-hard, carbon-coated cam followers that help reduce weight in the valve train and contribute to the thumper’s free-revving, lively personality.
Most of the claimed 26 horsepower and 14.4 lb-ft of torque live above the 6,000-rpm mark, but considering how quickly 200’s engine wicks up, it’s a great companion when darting around city streets to work or school. It’s also freeway legal and topped out at an indicated 86 mph, which is impressive for a bike of this size. Crank-driven counterbalancers do their best to hide vibration, but some buzz is felt when wringing its neck. A completely updated exhaust system with dual catalysts is said to make the wee-Duke meet stringent emissions standards.
The 199.5cc single spools up quickly and offers performance perfect for new riders. We saw an indicated 86 mph – not too shabby.
It’s hard not twist to the grip and grin riding the 200 Duke, which encourages riders to whack through its 6-speed gearbox. It shifts well, but doesn’t have the same precision as its costlier brothers in the Duke family, nor is the clutch pull as light or refined as some other lightweight bikes that feature slip-and-assist clutches.
Both the non-adjustable 43mm WP fork with 4.6-inches of travel and WP shock featuring 5.0-inches of travel and spring preload adjustment are damped for comfort, soaking up rough urban tarmac well. Between the compliant suspension and communicative steel trellis frame, the 200 Duke is wonderfully agile, yet stays composed when cornering or hard on the binders.
A radially mounted ByBre 4-piston brake caliper clamps onto a 300mm rotor up front, with plenty of stopping power for the speeds you can achieve, and decent feel at the lever. In the rear, a single-piston floating caliper grabs upon a 230mm disc with a relaxed bite and good stopping power. ABS is standard, as is a Supermoto Mode that disables ABS in the rear only — KTM is never one to shy away from hooliganism.
In 2020, the prospective rider has a wide variety of awesome bikes to choose from. Save for a few unrefined points, the KTM 200 Duke’s proposition is a strong one, with its spunky single-cylinder engine, great handling and ergonomics that are neophyte friendly — not to mention the serious $3,999 value.
“Although we had two difficult races last time out in Aragon, I want to take advantage of the good feeling I have always had on a MotoGP bike at Valencia in these two races coming up,” said Quartararo. “It’s a small track, but is one that I like. I had a great feeling there last year, when I took a podium and the pole position, and also in the post-season test.
Rider Max Biaggi and Voxan Motors managed to make history for the Venturi Group’s 20th anniversary. The team set 11 new world speed records at the Châteauroux airfield in France. Yes, 11 records.
Perhaps the most impressive is achievement is the outright top speed, which was 408 km/h or 254 mph.
The team’s most exciting new record includes beating the “partially streamlined electric motorcycle over 300 kilos” record. They did so by achieving a speed of 366.94 km/h or 228.05 mph. This run beats out Ryuji Tsuruta and Mobitec EV-02A who help the record previously.
In accordance with FIM rules, the Voxan Wattman’s speed was measured from a flying start over 1 mile in opposite directions. The final speed for the record books was the average speed of the two runs. In the future, the team will target an average speed during these two runs of 400 km/h or 249 mph.
The team also beat the record for a non-streamlined version of the bike. They managed to remove the fairing and do 349.38 km/h or 217.14 mph.
Here are the other records that the Wattaman set according to Voxan:
¼ mile, flying start, partially streamlined: 394.45 km/h (245.10 mph) – no previous record
¼ mile, flying start, non-streamlined: 357.19 km/h (221.95 mph) – no previous record
1 km, flying start, partially streamlined: 386.35 km/h (240.07 mph – previous record: 329.31 km/h (204.62 mph)
¼ mile, standing start, non-streamlined: 126.20 km/h (78.42 mph) – no previous record
¼ mile, standing start, partially streamlined: 127.30 km/h (79.10 mph) – previous record: 87.16 km/h (54.16 mph)
1 km, standing start, non-streamlined: 185.56 km/h (115.30 mph) – no previous record
1 km, standing start, partially streamlined: 191.84 km/h (119.20 mph) – previous record: 122.48 km/h (76.11 mph)
1 mile, standing start, non-streamlined: 222.82 km/h (138.45 mph) – no previous record
1 mile, standing start, partially streamlined: 225.01 km/h (139.81 mph) – no previous record
