Honda has released a teaser video that shows a rapid dust trail across the desert and the words “True Adventure” which could be the tipped CRF1100L Africa Twin.
CRF1100L
It is expected the 998cc engine from the CRF1000L will be upgraded to a longer-stroke 1084cc unit in the CRF11009L.
The bigger engine capacity will make it more competitive with the BMW, Ducati, KTM and Triumph adventurers.
Performance is expected to increase slightly from 70kW to 75kW, but weight may also be up from 243kg to about 250kg.
It is expected the new engine will meet the coming tough Euro5 emissions regulations and be 3dB quieter.
It is also suggested the standard tank may be increased from 18.9 litres to 24.2 litres like the Adventure Sports model.
In the latest race to the bottom, premium Italian motorcycle manufacturer MV Agusta has signed a long-term deal (pictured above) with Chinese industrial giant Loncin Motor.
Together, they will build a four-model “all-new family of MV Agusta products in the 350-500cc displacement”.
It follows a somewhat dubious financial rescue deal last year with a Russian company that has links to the Russian mafia.
For years, MV have said they would never sell out and were proud to be the last true Italian brand.
You have to ask what is happening to the world of premium-brand motorcycles.
Is a sellout not beneath any of them?
Triumph has been making their bikes in Thailand for several years and BMW already makes G 310 models in India and scooters in China by the same company, Loncin.
So what is next?
The official MV/Loncin press release says the bikes will be “completely designed by MV Agusta to occupy the premium segment of this high-growth market”.
How many MV owners think this is a good idea for the resale value of their bike?
How many MV owners think this is a good idea when they can’t even get parts for their bike inside six months?
Sorry, but this latest deal just smacks of desperation and a race to the bottom.
The official press release says the new Chinese deal will “enable MV Agusta to enlarge its current product portfolio with the objective of increasing our riders globally, expanding access into Asia through a partnership with Loncin Motor Co., Ltd”.
There is no word on whether it will improve the supply chain of spare parts to current owners waiting while their bike sits idle in their garage.
They say the new “smaller and more accessible motorcycles” will be available for sale in MV Agusta dealerships by the end of 2021.
“MV Agusta and Loncin announce that their partnership will notbe limited to the development of the new family of products in the 350-500cc range,” the release says.
“It also includes MV Agusta assisting Loncin into entering the premium segment market with their premium range of 800cc.”
MV promises to develop an “entirely new family of products for VOGE, Loncin’s premium high-end brand”.
By “high-end”, they mean Chinese high end , which is not what the rest of the world considers high end.
Triumph has confirmed to will replace the Daytona 675 they axed in 2017 with a Daytona 765 powered by a version of their control engine for the Moto2 class.
Ever since Triumph was announced as the Moto2 engine supplier in 2017 for the 2019-21 seasons, it has been expected the new engine would power a Daytona replacement.
Daytona Moto2 765
Now they have confirmed a limited-edition Daytona Moto2 765 will be revealed at the GoPro British Grand Prix at Silverstone on 23 August 2019.
Triumph promises it will have “highest power and torque” from its new Moto2-derived 765cc triple engine and “highest ever specification and rider technology”.
It will come in race paint scheme and the chassis will be based on the British championship-winning Daytona 675 R.
Triumph Daytona Moto2 765
However, they are only making limited run of individually numbered motorcycles, with 765 for Europe and Asia (including Australia), and 765 for the US and Canada.
We expect that, like the Rocket 3 TFC (Triumph Factory Custom) there will be a production model to follow the limited-edition run.
Final engine specification, suspension, and electronic details are yet to be confirmed for the street-legal Moto2 version.
However, it is likely to come in several specifications when it is released in volume production.
While Triumph has only released the one drawing (above), back in February we published these spy images from British website Motorcyclenews of the Daytona 765 in Spain.
High-spec Daytona 765 with a Speed Triple on a Spanish racetrack (All spy images of the Daytona 765 are from British website Motorcyclenews.com)
The three-cylinder Moto2 race engine is believed to have 97kW of power and meet the coming Euro 5 emissions standards.
It is derived from the 90kW 765cc Street Triple but with more than 80 new parts.
Moto2 racer and Street Triple
They include an increased bore and stroke, new crank, pistons, titanium valves, stiffer valve springs and Nikasil-plated aluminium barrels.
The race bike also has a taller first gear ratio, a tunable slipper clutch, a new sump and an ECU developed by Magneti Marelli who supply the MotoGP control unit.
All spy images of the Daytona 765 are from British website Motorcyclenews.com
Daytona 765 tech
We’re not sure how much of this tech will make it into the street-legal version.
However, there is talk that it will have traction control, several engine modes, cornering ABS and a quickshifter with autoblipper to match wheel and engine speeds on downshifts and make you sound like you know what you’re doing!
The bike is expected to weigh in at about 180kg.
All spy images of the Daytona 765 are from British website Motorcyclenews.com
Moto2
Moto2 replaced the 250cc two-stroke GP class in 2010.
It has since been powered by Honda’s 600cc four-cylinder engine.
When the MotoGP season starts on March 10 in Qatar, there will be a healthy field of 32 riders in the Moto2 category.
Triumph’s Daytona 675R engines have powered super sports wins at the Isle of Man TT, Daytona 200 and British Supersports Championships in 2014 and 2015.
Two things stand out about the Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle: it is literally electrifying and cool!
That’s more than just a couple of gratuitous puns.
This bike is not an electric toy! It’s a real bike that is claimed to go from 0-100km/h in three seconds and we proved it on the world media launch with several impromptu drags on a lonely country road outside of Portland, Oregon. So that’s electrifying performance in anyone’s lexicon.
Many moto journos talk about the nirvana of having ultimate linear power delivery. That’s exactly what this supplies. There are no surges or lags, just a hand-of-God thrust in the back as you hurtle forward and the world tons to a blur.
And after a vigorous 110km test ride through the streets of Portland and beautiful surrounding country, the bike was still cool to the touch, even the water-cooled motor, battery and radiator.
So it doesn’t just look cool and represent a cool trend in motorcycling, it’s literally cool to touch which makes it an ideal summer commuter bike!
Price
The dual-seat LiveWire is made in Cork, Pennsylvania and has been in development almost a decade.
It finally goes on sale shortly in the USA at about $US30,000 in a choice of cool lime, a bright orange and gloss black.
It will arrive in Australia late next year probably at more than $A40,000 which is more than most of their Touring models.
It’s expensive, but it also has suitably premium components, a high quality of ft and finish (not a cadmium bolt in sight!), thick and lustrous paint, plus premium controls including a proximity key fob.
Styling is a subjective matter, but I like the modern, minimalist look and the big cooling fins around the battery, although the gloss black model looks way too dark. Maybe they should have made the calling fins silver on that one.
Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle
The remote rear fender with number plate allows for a tidy wasp-like tail with the pillion seat suspended in mid-air.
Underneath the seat is a small lockable compartment for the the mains charger and cable that includes a handy helmet hook. Harley put the key fob under the seat so we wouldn’t lose it and it was the only mechanical sound in the whole bike. Most riders would keep it in their jacket pocket!
You can also get a small “speed screen blade”, decorative trim, different hand and foot controls and a cover that includes a charging cord port. Many traditional Harley accessories such as wheels and bars can also be fitted.
LiveWire comes with two batteries. The big 15.5 kWh high-voltage Lithium-ion battery or “Renewable Energy Storage System (RESS)” made up of Samsung battery modules has a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.
Battery
Harley chief engineer Glen Koval says the recyclable battery should last 10 years without significant loss of capacity unless it is not treated well or used extensively in extreme cold conditions.
There is also a small 12V lithium-ion battery to power instruments, lights, etc.
Harley has not said how much a replacement main battery will cost, probably because in five years from now it will cost a lot less, anyway!
Silent running
Of course, the electric LiveWire is quiet, especially at low speeds, but not exactly silent.
When you switch it on, the headlight and instrument screen lights up, but there is no accompanying motor noise.
As you take off, you can feel a gentle buzz which is induced by the rocking of magnets. Harley wanted riders feel the “heartbeat” of the machine.
When you give it the berries, the bike makes a turbine “whoosh” noise thanks to the belt drive and “meshing” of the primary spiral bevel gears. At highway speeds all you can hear is the wind.
While I missed the throbbing sound and feel of a Harley V-twin engine, I actually found it made you more aware of surrounding noises from other vehicles.
It also meant that when I listened to music, GPS directions or phone calls on my helmet intercom, I didn’t need to turn the volume up quite as high.
The lack of noise also seems to have a calming effect on the rider.
However, I was acutely aware that other road users couldn’t hear me coming and a couple of times I tapped the horn to announce my presence.
Range
Harley recently released details that claim city range of up to 235km and 152km of highway range.
While they don’t give total charging time from a mains outlet with the provided cord, they do tell us that a 120/240-volt outlet will provide about 20km (13 miles) per hour of charging. That means it will probably take at least 11 hours from flat to reach full capacity. And the cost would be less than $4.
They also claim their Fast Charge (DCFC) technology will recharge a flat battery to 80% in 40 minutes and full in 60 minutes.
Mobile DC fast chargers at work
They brought in three mobile DC fast chargers for the event which they say are not as powerful as the permanent ones that will be at Harley dealerships. These chargers were only used at the end of the day’s ride.
None of the bikes ran out of “juice” on the road test, even though we mainly rode hard and fast in the electrifying “Sport” mode.
We covered about 110km and my bike still showed 30% charge left.
The charging port is in the top of the “fuel” tank for easy access.
You can check the battery recharging status and time left to full on the instruments or on an accompanying H-D Connect app.
The Android and iOS app also alerts you if someone is tampering with your bike, includes a GPD tracker if its stolen, shows the closest charging stations and reminds you when the bike needs a service. But since the only consumables are the brake pads, servicing should be cheaper. Still, service intervals are 1600km first and then every 8000km like their conventional bikes.
Harley PR rep Joe Gustafson says the app gives the rider “peace of mind”.
H-D Connect uses a cellular telematics control unit (TCU) that functions as an LTE-enabled modem connecting LiveWire motorcycles to the cloud. Owners will get the service free for a year.
There are seven riding modes: Range, Rain, Road and Sport, plus three customisable modes.
Each mode affects the acceleration and response from the twist-and-go throttle.
It also affects the amount of “regeneration” which is like engine braking and helps to recharge the battery.
Both of these also affect the range.
The modes also vary the amount of cornering-enhanced traction control that includes a wheelie control to stop the front wheel lifting and a rear-wheel lockup control.
They label their traction control High, Medium and Low, but high is not for high intervention but high slip, so it is opposite to what it appears.
Riders can select the modes on the fly with a button on the right-hand controller. Your selected mode is displayed on the big, easy-to-read 11cm colour touchscreen which is like a mini iPad.
Sport: Full, seamless power and 80% immediate throttle response. This offers truly electrifying performance. I thought it might make it a little jerky, but it so smooth and predictable, even in slow-speed manoeuvres. Traction control is also set to High which is the lowest level of intervention. However, you can turn it off when stopped. Regeneration is also quite significant at 80% so you don’t even need to use the brakes to come to a full stop. The only time I touched the brakes was in emergency brake tests and when riding hard.
Road: This mode softens throttle response to 55%, power delivery to 80% and regen to 30%, plus medium traction control. Harley says it feels more like a traditional petrol-powered bike and they are right, but because of its twist-and-go transmission (like a scooter), you can’t slip a little clutch to smooth out power delivery for tight, feet-up u-turns. But guess what! You don’t need to. It’s super-smooth with plenty of feel, unlike any EFI fly-by-wire throttle. Medium traction control can be turned off when stopped.
Range: Obviously this is the economy mode to squeeze extra range out of the bike. Throttle response is smoother at 55%, power 40% and regen 80%, making it quite jerky when you roll off the throttle. Traction control is medium and can be turned off when stopped.
Rain: Like the rain mode on many conventional bikes, this has 0% power, 30% soft throttle response, 15% regen and Low traction means high intervention and cannot be turned off.
Three Custom Modes: You can select your own levels of power, regeneration, throttle response and traction control and save them to A, B or C modes. Power, regeneration and throttle can be adjusted from 0-100% in 1% increments, and traction can be set to Low, Medium or High intervention.
Since most riders won’t touch the brakes to slow down, the rear brake LED light will light up on regenerative braking to alert traffic behind your that you are slowing, avoiding rear-enders.
Lively LiveWire
Harley’s LiveWire electric motor
Harley says the H-D Revelation electric motor has 78kW of power. That’s not too bad for a 249kg bike which is about the same as a 1200 Sportser or Ducati Diavel.
That power figure is the same as a KTM 1190, but the porky LiveWire weighs a substantial 32kg more.
More importantly, the bike has 116Nm of torque which is substantially more than the 95Nm in the 1200 Sportster .
Full-tilt torque is available as soon as you twist the throttle, which is why traction and wheelie control is so important.
It feels lively and lithe, like many streetfighter-style bikes with its flat bars.
On the highway it’s stable, around town it’s manoeuvrable and in the twisties it feels planted and precise, thanks to the premium Showa suspension.
It’s fully adjustable, but rather than playing around with the clickers, you can go to the instrument screen and put in the weights of you, pillion and any luggage and it will calculate the right settings. How clever is that!
Some claimed it felt top heavy, but I didn’t think so. The weight is carried low in the underslung motor. It feels a little heavy coming up off the side stand, but then it feels perfectly balanced.
Clever locking sidestand
I love the use of Harley’s clever stable side stand that won’t allow the bike to roll forward when parked downhill.
The low centre of gravity makes it easy to turn and quick to change direction.
However, the seat is 779mm high and is narrow so even shorter riders can get their feet flat down on the ground. I’m 183cm tall and I could still bend my legs with my feet flat on the ground. There is also a Slammer seat that is 25mm lower.
The Brembo brakes are powerful and have plenty of feel, but with the regenerative braking of the motor, you really don’t need to use them that often, although it’s nice to know they are there when you need them in an emergency.
Conclusion
At this price, it’s going to be a hard sell, even for cashed-up, early adopters and techno nerds.
But they will find this is not just some toy. It’s a serious, full-size, hard-charging, fun motorcycle that is both easy to ride and a hard charger for the adrenalin junkie.
Harley-Davidson LiveWire tech specs
Price: $US29,799 (about $A42,500)
Available: Next month in North American and Europe, late next year Australia and New Zealand
Colours: range, lime and black
Battery warranty: five-year, unlimited-km
Motor: H-D Revelation permanent-magnet, water-cooled electric motor
Power: 78kW (105hp)
Instant torque: 116Nm (86ft lbs)
Battery: Air-cooled 15.5kWh high-voltage lithium-ion battery (Rechargeable Energy Storage System)
Transmission: motor output shaft, 9.71:1 gear reduction, belt drive
Rider aids: Reflex Defensive Rider Systems (RDRS), Cornering Enhanced Anti-lock Braking System (C-ABS), Cornering Enhanced Traction Control System (C-TCS) and Drag-Torque Slip Control System (DSCS)
Technology: 4.3” colour TFT touchscreen, Daymaker LED headlamp, LED lighting, H-D Connect service connectivity and Harley- Davidson App
Riding modes: Seven selectable Ride Modes electronically control motor performance and level of RDRS intervention
Accessories: dual seat and tail, speed screen blade, decorative trim, hand and foot controls and cover with charging cord port
Touchscreen instruments
More tech specs
2020 Harley-Davidson LiveWire MODEL SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions
84.1 in. (2,135 mm)
Overall Width
32.7 in. (830 mm)
Overall Height
42.5 in. (1,080 mm)
Seat Height, Laden / Unladen
30 in. (761 mm) / 30.7 in. (780 mm)
Ground Clearance
5.1 in. (130 mm)
Rake (steering head)
4.3 in. (108 mm)
58.7 in. (1,490 mm)
Tires, Type
Michelin® Scorcher® “Sport”
Scorcher® “Sport”
Tires, Front Specification
120/70 ZR17 58W
Tires, Rear Specification
180/55 ZR17 73W
Transmission Capacity
0.34 qt (0.32 L)
Coolant Capacity
0.8 qt. (0.72 L)
Weight, As Shipped
549 lb. (249 kg)
Weight, In Running Order
549 lb. (249 kg)
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
949 lb. (430 kg)
Gross Axle Weight Rating, Front
434 lb. (197 kg)
Gross Axle Weight Rating, Rear
580 lb. (263 kg)
Drivetrain
Primary Drive (*Cert)
Spiral bevel gear , 55/17 ratio
Final Drive (*Cert)
Belt, 3/1 ratio
Transmission
Single Speed
Gear Ratios (overall) 1st (*Cert) (X.XXX)
Aluminum cast
Aluminum cast
Front Fork
SHOWA® 43 mm Inverted Separate Function Forks – Big Piston (SFF-BP®), fully adjustable
Rear Shocks
SHOWA® Balance Free Rear Cushion Lite (BFRC-lite®), fully adjustable
Wheels, Type
Black, Split 5-Spoke Cast Aluminum
Wheels, Front Dia. / Width
17 in. (432 mm) / 3.5 in. (89 mm)
Wheels, Rear Dia. / Width
17 in. (432 mm) / 5.5 in. (140 mm)
Brakes, Caliper Type
Dual 4-piston monoblock radial mount front, dual-piston rear
All LED, low beam, high beam and signature position lamp
Lights (as per country regulation), Tail/Stop
LED with light pipe tail
Lights (as per country regulation), Front Signal Lights
Lights (as per country regulation), Indicator Lamps
High beam, turn signals, ABS, traction control, EV fault
Lights, Rear Turn Signals
LED, Amber
4.3” WQVGA 480×272 TFT Color Display with Ambient Light Sensor, 9 warning lights, Real Time Clock and Integrated Bluetooth Connectivity to a Smartphone to provide infotainment features including turn-by-turn navigation, telephone, music, and voice recognition.
Electric Power Outlet
USB C-type; output 5V at 3A
EV Specific Content: Motor
Internal Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor with Water Jacket cooling
As you read this I am flying to Portland, Oregon, for a unique media launch of the Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle.
There are many things that make this launch unique.
Unique bike
For a start, this is the first full-size electric road motorcycle from a traditional motorcycle manufacturer.
The now-axed Victory Motorcycles slapped their brand name on an electric Brammo in 2015, but it wasn’t their product. (When we tested it on a Colorado racetrack, at least we got to see it being recharged.)
MBW rides the Victory Empulse TT electric motorcycle
Honda and BMW have produced electric scooters, while Yamaha and KTM have a couple of small electric trail bikes.
BMW C evolution electric scooter
Other major motorcycle companies such as Triumph are feverishly working on electric motorcycles.
Unique guest list
The usual motorcycle media will not be present.
Magazines that usually attend Harley product launches have not been invited.
Why?
Maybe because Harley has identified electric motorcycles as appealing to a different market.
In fact, it may not appeal to any current (‘scuse the pun) Harley owners and lovers.
Instead of the motorcycle mag crew, there are newspaper, TV journos, “influencers” and, of course, websites like ours.
Unique ride
Most global motorcycle model launches feature quite a long ride, sometimes even track time.
It is not unusual for rides to go over more than one day so journos get a good feel for a motorcycle.
In this case, the ride is a mere 60km through downtown Portland and out into a little bit of country.
This is not only unique but surprising, given one of the biggest hurdles to electric motorbikes is the lack of range.
You better get in quick with your orders, because Ducati is producing only 500 Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916 motorbikes to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the legendary 916.
The 25th anniversary edition will be unveiled at this weekend’s American round of the Superbike championship at Laguna Seca by four-time World Superbike champion Carl “Foggy” Fogarty (above).
Ducati team riders Álvaro Bautista and Chaz Davies will compete at the event on bikes with a special livery inspired by the Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916.
Ducati Australia and New Zealand Marketing and Sales Operations Manager Simon Leplaw says he has no further information yet on how many Australia will be allocated or the price.
25th anniversary edition
Apart from graphics and limited-edition numbering, it doesn’t appear that the bike has any other extras.
The ground-breaking 916cc Ducati was a masterpiece by famous designer Massimo Tamburini with its iconic twin underseat exhausts, twin-eyed headlights, gold trellis frame, single-sided swingarm and elegantly simple lines.
1994 Ducati 916
The 25th anniversary edition follows the recent news that Ducati will produce a Streetfighter V4 and rumours that there will also be a Multistrada V4.
Maybe there will also be Hypermotard and Monster versions powered by the V4 Desmosedici Stradale engine.
When motorcycle industry stalwart Dale Schmidtchen needed an attractive, utilitarian motorcycle at a good price, his research led him to the CFMoto 650 MT ABS.
Dale, who has previously worked for CFMoto, says he needed a bike capable of many types of riding.
“I had set a budget of under 10k,” he says.
Bargain bike
650 MT
Sunstate Motorcycles at Nerang delivered the bike in an attractive “Athens Blue” for the current deal that includes panniers and engine bars for just $7490 ride away.
“I chose to upgrade to the larger aluminium panniers for a small premium extra,” Dale says.
“I have to admit I rode one of the original prototypes at the factory back in 2011, so I was keen to see how much they had progressed since then.
“In a word, refinement.”
Dale is a big lad. Tall and hefty, yet he says he feels comfortable on the 650 MT.
“It’s tall in the seat (840mm) and wide with the panniers fitted, but this is typical of most adventure tourers,” he says.
“The ride position feels very much like a Ducati Multistrada.
Dale says the styling is “very KTM”.
That’s understandable as CFMoto styling is done by Austrian design house Kisha who also design for KTM.
“The LCD instrumentation is easy to read and I am pleased to say has a curved glass, so doesn’t suffer from bright sun.
“The mirrors are clear and do not fuzz, even at highway speeds.
The 649.3cc LAMS engine has 41.5kW of power and 64Nm of torque.
“There is more than adequate torque for acceleration, but I have to say that while it is still tight, at least 3000 revs are required for clean acceleration in the higher gears,” Dale says.
“It ticks over at a bit more than 4200rpm at 100km/h and early indications are that there could be close to 400km range from the 18 litre tank.”
New to CFMoto are the Yuan USD forks, featuring rebound damping, as does the rear shock.
“Ride is very plush, but I have noticed high-speed compression damping is a little harsh,” Dale says.
“Overall, I have to rate the bike as extremely capable and a genuine surprise in terms of value.”
We will get many opportunities to also ride the bike and we will track Dale’s ownership of the bike to see if it stacks up to his demands.
CFMoto 650 MT ABS tech specs
Price:
$7490 ride away
Engine:
649.3cc liquid-cooled, DOHC, 8-valve, parallel-twin four-stroke with 180-degree crankshaft, chain camshaft drive and single gear-driven counter balancer
Bore & Capacity:
83mm x 60mm
Compression Ratio:
11.3:1
Fuel System:
EFI with 2 x 38mm ITT throttle bodies and single injector per cylinder
Power:
41.5kW @ 9500rpm (LAMS restricted)
Torque:
62Nm @ 7000rpm
Gearbox:
6-speed with gear primary drive
Clutch:
Multiplate wet
Chassis:
Tubular steel diamond frame employing engine as fully-stressed member
Harley-Davidson is poised to make history with the launch next week of their LiveWire electric motorcycle while a little bit of Harley history will also go up for sale next month.
I the second instance, Elvis Presley’s last motorcycle, a 1972 1200cc FLH Electra Glide, will go up for sale on 31 August 2019 at Kruse GWS Auctions along with his ’73 Lincoln Continental and ’67 GMC pickup.
The “King” bought the FLHin California, shipped it to Memphis and sold it 90 days before he died in 1977, aged just 42.
The Harley has been on display at the Pioneer Auto Museum in Murdo, South Dakota, since the late 1980s.
Electric history
Next week, Harley will make a significant shift from history to the future with the world media launch of their first electric motorcycle, the LiveWire.
We will be at the event in Portland, Oregon, to ride the bike through the city streets and out into the country.
Unfortunately, we will only be riding a disappointing 61km, which means we won’t even ride the bike’s full range of up to 160km, nor get the opportunity to see them charged up again.
However, this is still a significant event, not just for Harley, but for motorcycling.
Harley will become the first traditional motorcycle manufacturerto bring their own full-size electric motorcycle to the market.
The now-axed Victory Motorcycles slapped their brand name on an electric Brammo in 2015, but it wasn’t their product. (When we tested it on a Colorado racetrack, at least we got to see it being recharged.)
MBW rides the Victory Empulse TT electric motorcycle
Honda and BMW have produced electric scooters, while Yamaha and KTM have a couple of small electric trail bikes.
BMW C evolution electric scooter
Other major motorcycle companies such as Triumph are feverishly working on electric motorcycles.
They will all be watching how this LiveWire is received by you, the motorcycle public, as well as further riders.
Hot on the heels of Ducati announcing a naked Streetfighter version of its Panigale V4, rumours have surfaced that the Italian company is planning a Multistrada V4.
The Streetfighter V4 production version will be unveiled this year as a 2020 model and a prototype was recently raced at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado.
Now it seems the Streetfighter V4 street version may be accompanied by a Multistrada V4, according to German motorcycle magazine Motorrad.
The magazine claims it has seen the bike out testing in Borgo Panigale, home of the Ducati factory in north-east Italy.
There are no images available to prove their sighting, but it makes a lot of sense for Ducati to use the engine in other model variants.
Who knows, they could also be planning a Monster version!
Streetfighter V4 is expected to have similar power to the Panigale V4’s 158kW (213hp).
It had been suggested the street production version may be a little tamer. However, it is likely to still be more than the Aprilia Tuono’s 173hp (129kW).
The Multistrada is likely to be tuned for less top end and more low-down power and torque.
The current Multistrada 1260 has 117kW (158hp) output.
Ducati Multistrada 1260
A Multistrada V4 could make its debut alongside the Streetfighter V4 at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan in November.
If it does, the bike is likely to have front and rear radar for blind spot alerts and cornering ABS as Ducati has previously said it would add these features to its entire range in 2020.
