Aprilia has a new adventure motorcycle in the works and it’s called the Tuareg, which is a name from the company’s history. The model hasn’t been officially announced yet, but the company is developing it. The bike was recently spotted testing.
According to Motoblog.it, a person recently spotted the bike out testing and was able to snag a photo of the bike. It is shown above. You can also check out the image below and what Motoblog.it has to say about it.
➡️ Era rimasta nascosta dietro il fogliame della teca📷 Adesso è venuta allo scoperto: #Aprilia #Tuareg 660👇 L’endurona di Noale è tornata: ecco le prime foto
You can’t really see much from the images, but the bike will have the 660cc twin-cylinder engine that’s in the new RS660. It will of course be tuned differently for adventure touring purposes. I’d assume power will be a little lower and the way that power comes on should be far different.
The new bike will have the Tenere 700 in its sights. The chassis will need to be quite good, and the bike fully capable of some impressive off-roading feats to compete fully.
It will be interesting to see what Aprilia is able to do with this bike. The RS660 isn’t even available yet, and the company is already making the most of its engine and platform.
The company has partnered with Grupo Simpa, which it previously used as a distributor to make this new production facility happen. Grupo Simpa will assemble three of Royal Enfield’s models at the new plant.
The new plant will be responsible for the Himalayan, Continental GT, and Interceptor 650. This is a smart move because the bikes have been selling well in Argentina already. It also gives Royal Enfield a good place to export bikes from.
“Argentina and other South American countries have been an important market for Royal Enfield,” said Royal Enfield CEO Vinod K. Dasari.
Dasari said that the local terrain and topography create the perfect place for the company’s bikes, which is why they have been such a hit there.
“Our decision to start assembling our motorcycles in Argentina is proof of our long-term commitment and confidence in the market,” he said.
The focus, at least at first, will be on South American markets for the motorcycles made here. I would expect as things progress this plant will become an important strategic part of Royal Enfield’s plant to take its 650cc models to every market on the globe.
Harley-Davidson is going through some serious restructuring, and the company has had to make plenty of tough decisions. It announced its Rewire strategy, and that entailed some shakeups on a global scale and some reworking of its lineup. As of now, the company will close up shop in India and it will pull the Sportster lineup from Europe.
Actually, about a dozen models will leave European shores due to the fact that Harley won’t upgrade the engines for Euro 5 emissions standards.
The intention behind this move is to save money. Moto Station reached out to Harley-Davidson France. A company representative noted that the Sportsters weren’t selling well enough to warrant the upgrade to Euro 5 standards. In 2021, European riders will see the last of the Harley Sportster.
That’s not to say Harley doesn’t have a replacement on the horizon. There’s always the chance that the company will add another, similar bike in the future to the European market.
As far as India goes, the company will stop all production, sales, and operations there. The move will “boost restructuring expenses this year to about $169 million,” according to Bloomberg.
Again, this might not be forever. Once Harley gets its feet back under it and has things rolling along well, it may re-think about entering the Indian market. It could even do so with its Chinese-made small-displacement bike, the 338R.
Needless to say, Harley is struggling, but it seems to be trying hard to right the ship. Let’s hope it can do what it needs to do.
In the early stages of FP2, a lot of riders were able to go quicker than their FP1 lap times. Morbidelli, Binder and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) all rose into the top four to slot in behind FP1 pacesetter Quartararo, with Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP duo Maverick Viñales and Valentino Rossi also improving their times. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) then went up to P4 on the combined times to shove Championship leader Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) down to P6 from P2 in FP1, the Italian, Quartararo, third in FP1 Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) the only riders inside the top 10 not going faster in the first 15 minutes of the second 45-minute stint of the weekend.
Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) remained fastest at the close of Day 1 of the Monster Energy Catalan Grand Prix thanks to his lap in FP1 on Friday morning, however, the Spaniard’s advantage was halved after Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) topped FP2 despite a tumble. Last week’s victor Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) takes the final spot inside the top three, four tenths adrift of Fernandez who was the only man to dip beneath the 1:49 barrier.
Injury to delay Webster’s JM Honda Racing MXGP debut
Section: Competition
Fill-in rider to miss Mantova triple-header while shoulder and elbow recover.
Image: Supplied.
Injuries sustained while competing in Germany’s ADAC MX Masters will delay Kyle Webster’s debut in the MXGP World Championship with the JM Honda Racing team.
Webster, 24, had been called in to deputise for Benoit Paturel aboard the CRF450R from Mantova’s triple-header in Italy beginning this weekend.
It was an incident at the start of moto one that resulted in Webster cracking his shoulder and elbow injury, which will sideline him for up to three weeks. He’s hoping to return by Lommel in mid-October.
“It was very unfortunate to go down like that just before my MXGP debut,” Webster explained. “I was feeling good on the bike and was really looking forward to racing in Mantova.
“The injuries I picked up are a bit strange and I don’t feel that banged up actually. My elbow is a lot better already and my shoulder doesn’t hurt that much. We’ll have to see how quick it heals but I can’t wait for my first MXGP event.
“I will be attending the races in Mantova this weekend as a spectator, so that should allow me to get a better idea of how the races work and to familiarise myself further with the JM Racing team.”
JM Honda Racing team manager Jacky Martens added: “We were already pleased with Kyle’s progress in training and, until the crash, he was having a solid day. It’s obviously disappointing for everyone not to have Kyle racing in Mantova, but we’re now focused on the next races with him to heal up and be at 100 percent when he’s back.”
Class rookie Aron Canet (Inde Aspar Team Moto2) made a good start to his weekend by finishing fourth in FP1, the Spaniard was just 0.007 off Nagashima, with fellow Speed Up rider Fabio Di Giannantonio (HDR Heidrun Speed Up) also having a positive start to the Catalan GP – P5 for the Italian. The top 14 were within a second in FP1 and with Lowes half a second faster than Nagashima in P3, that means half a second covers P3 to P14 – it’s close again in the Moto2™ class.
Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) led the way in MotoGP™ FP1 at the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya by nearly half a second, thanks to a 1:40.431. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) finished P2 on Friday morning, the Championship leader 0.430 off as the top four in the title race occupied the top four positions as proceedings kicked off in Barcelona – Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) finishing P3 and P4 respectively.
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Raul Fernandez has now taken top spot in the last three Moto3™ FP1 sessions after being the only man to dip beneath the 1:49 barrier in Friday morning’s opening session to the Monster Energy Catalan Grand Prix. The Spaniard was nearly four tenths clear of last week’s race winner, Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team), with fellow Italian Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team) a further tenth back in third.
Underlining Husqvarna’s continued commitment to the supermoto segment, the brand has announced the pending release of the MY21 FS 450 – a single-cylinder competition supermoto machine that features advanced engineering, class-leading ergonomics and traction control as standard.
2021 Husqvarna FS450
Housing a compact 63 hp engine within a lightweight frame and modern bodywork, the FS 450 features revised suspension settings that deliver enhanced handling and damping characteristics for incredible on-track riding experiences.
2021 Husqvarna FS450
For 2021, the FS 450 features WP XACT forks with AER technology and a new mid-valve damping system that ensures a more consistent front-end suspension performance. Further enhancing the machine’s manoeuvrability, a new 22 mm diameter front axle and a 7 mm reduction in the base offset of the forks sharpens turning and overall agility.
2021 Husqvarna FS450
Refinements to the easily adjustable WP XACT shock improve rear-end damping performance with new, low-friction linkage seals delivering a refined suspension response.
Firing into life with a simple press of the electric start button, the FS 450’s SOHC engine provides riders with responsive and usable power, delivered smoothly through the Pankl Racing Systems 5-speed gearbox.
2021 Husqvarna FS450
The FS 450’s functional bodywork delivers ergonomics designed for exceptional comfort and is further enhanced by the addition of a high-grip seat cover to improve control in all conditions.
Enabling balanced and powerful braking, a 4 piston radially-mounted Brembo brake caliper and radial pump work in conjunction with a 310 mm disc to deliver exceptional front wheel stopping performance. A single piston brake caliper and a 220 mm disc are mounted at the rear.
The FS 450 features premium components, including CNC machined triple clamps, Alpina wheels and Bridgestone tyres, a carbon fibre composite subframe and a Magura hydraulic clutch, ensuring unrivalled, top-level supermoto performance.
The 2021 FS 450 will be available in very limited numbers in Australia from January 2021 at authorised Husqvarna Motorcycles dealers.
The price has been set at $15,495 and this is a competition based machine with only a single month warranty and is not available with road registration.
2021 Husqvarna FS450 Technical Highlights
• New mid-valve damping provides consistent fork performance • New low-friction linkage seals for smoother shock action • Revised WP XACT shock settings improve traction • New seat cover texture for exceptional comfort and control • Shortened wheelbase (7 mm) for optimal turning capabilities • New 22 mm front wheel axle for improved fork response • Engine – 63 hp and only 27.3 kg • Frame – perfect flex characteristics, advanced rider feedback • Carbon fibre composite subframe – lightweight and robust • Swingarm – optimal stiffness and reliability in a lightweight construction • WP XACT front fork – progressive and consistent damping • WP XACT rear shock – 266 mm wheel travel • Black 16.5”/17” Alpina spoked wheels and Bridgestone slick tyres – top-level performance • Bodywork – distinctive looks, modern design and new seat cover texture • ProTaper handlebar – class-leading function and style • Launch control – maximum traction for perfect starts • High performance Brembo brakes – shorter stopping distance with greater control and confidence
