Tag Archives: Motorbike news

The Aprilia RS 660 Trofeo Is Coming Soon

A Trofeo Version? Yes Please

The Aprilia RS660 is a sportbike that a lot of people are excited about, and it’s not even out yet. It’s coming and should be here soon, but Aprilia isn’t just sitting around. The company will have a Trofeo version soon.

Moto2 rider Tommaso Marcon recently posted an image to his Instagram that showed an Aprilia RS660 Trofeo at the racetrack. In his post, he said simply: “COMING SOON.. 🤩🚀”

That will be a seriously cool motorcycle when it comes out. Other than the simple post to his Instagram, Marcon didn’t disclose any other details about the bike.

As Motociclismo reported, there simply aren’t any other details about the bike at this time. However, you can see that there’s a SC-Project racing exhaust on the bike. Otherwise, the updates are a bit of a mystery. Things should become clearer in the future, though.

Osaka japan

https://www.instagram.com/p/CFz7firh_y3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Some Companies Saw Good Sales for September in India

Tw0-Wheelers are Selling Well

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on economies around the world. However, two-wheeled vehicle sales seem to remain pretty strong. In India, they had a good month last month.

Hero Motocorp saw massive gains, and I’d expect it wasn’t the only company to see sales surge. Hero actually sold a total of 715,718 units in September. This was a record number, according to RideApart, and a notable jump in sales over the 612,204 vehicles sold in September of 2019.

Suzuki saw a bump in sales of 2.89 percent growth, which is good considering the way the year has gone for many companies. The brand failed to reach Hero’s sales numbers but it saw a total of 65,196 units last month. That’s good for a company whose sales have declined around 37 percent when compared to last year.

aprilia rs660 trofeo

There aren’t a ton of other numbers out there yet from what I’m seeing, but I’d imagine that things as a whole are starting to turn around for the Indian scooter and motorcycle market. COVID-19’s impact on the economy may be starting to wane. Even if it isn’t in some markets, the two-wheeld vehicle market there should be fairly safe. Scooters and motorcycles are an important part of transportation there, far more important than in Western countries.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

COVID Forces Changes to NSW Motorcycle Awareness Month

The pandemic limitations have forced the Motorcycle Council of NSW to change how it runs the annual Motorcycle Awareness Month (MAM) in October 2020.

MCC of NSW chairman Trip Henry says the awareness month will “look different this year”.

“Usually filled with fun events and mass rides through urban and country towns, we have had to look at different avenues to get our message across,” he says.

For over ten years, MCC of NSW have used this month to celebrate motorcycling and promote awareness for drivers to look out for motorcycles.

This year they have created a new video as well as radio and Spotify advertising to spread their safety message of #lookoutformotorcycles.

‘Can you see the motorcycle?’ video

Our Patron, Greg Piper MP, launches this year’s Motorcycle Awareness Month: ‘Motorcycle Awareness Month is an…

Posted by Motorcycle Council of NSW Inc-MCCNSW-#lookoutformotorcycles on Wednesday, September 30, 2020

To kick off the month, MCC of NSW have developed a video demonstrating to drivers how difficult it is to see motorcycles on the road. With a small and narrow profile, they can easily be missed by drivers.

The video features, Greg Piper, Member of Parliament for Port Macquarie, avid motorcyclist and Patron of MCC of NSW.

“The video is amazing to watch, even our seasoned motorcyclists are surprised how hard we are to see on the road,” Trip says.
“We will be promoting the video across our Facebook page of over 8000 followers, local and national media, and through Spotify music and podcast advertising.”

Younger drivers targeted with Spotify advertising

For the first time, they will also advertise on Spotify through their music and podcasts, particularly to younger drivers, to look twice for motorcycles.

“Every driver, young and old will get the message to look out for motorcyclists will help save lives,” Trip says.

“The majority of multi-vehicle crashes involving a motorcycle, are due to the action of the other driver, usually failing to see or give way to the rider.”

Look out for Joe Rider radio campaign

On the success of last year’s Joe Rider competition, a Triple M radio advertising campaign will be running again from 12th – 16th October 2020.

The Joe Rider competition will ask drivers to look out for ‘Joe’ motorcycle riders in a hi-vis vest, through the streets of Sydney.

The ads will be played during the morning and peak hours.

The competition, with daily prizes and a major prize sponsored by Shannons Insurance, is designed to remind drivers to look out for motorcyclists.

Trips to the Snowy Valley and Cootamundra region

The COVID restrictions have seen more motorcyclists taking trips to regional areas. The Snowy Valleys Council and Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council will be promoting motorcycle safety on high-speed country roads.

Safety messages will be communicated through local activities including distribution of placemats for hospitality venues, weekly social media posts, ‘Live to Ride’ banners displayed at major intersections, and a motorcycle survey.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

CFMoto Marks 15-Year Aussie Anniversary

Chinese brand CFMoto is marking 15 years in Australia with sales surpassing 25,000 and no hint of a slow-down despite recent trade disagreements between the two countries.

Distrbitor Mojo Motorcycles has been importing the bargain-priced bikes since 2005 and now has more than 80 dealerships across the country.

Mojo boss Michael Poynton says there has been no backlash over the trade dispute.

“CFMoto has posted record retails sales this year in Australia with no signs of things slowing down, especially with the new models on the horizon,” he says.

“So in answer to your question, absolutely not.”

CFMoto 700CL-X

The new models he refers to are the sexy 700CL naked bike and the company biggest bike yet, the 1250TR-G sports tourer.

The 700CL has been delayed to early next year and pricing should be announced later in 2020, Michael says.

Pricing on the 1250TR-G is yet to be confirmed, but if it is like the rest of their range which is all learner-approved, it should be the cheaper in its class.

Australia’s relationship with CFMoto kicked off in 2005 when Mojo Motorcycles directors Joshua Carter and Michael Poynton began importing scooters under the brand Mojo Scooter Co.

BMW boxer R models all get Shiftcam technology

Mojo Motorcycles soon added CFMoto’s range of motorcycles, ATVs and UTVs to Australia and New Zealand and relocated to a company-owned, purpose-built 5000sqm distribution centre in Altona, Victoria.

“CFMoto was founded in 1989, so it’s still a relatively young company,” Michael says.

CFMoto 650MT update
CFMoto 650MT

“In that short time, however, it’s become a seriously powerful player in the ATV/UTV markets across the globe, and we knew big, bold moves were on the horizon for the company’s motorcycle division.

“We’ve been the official distributor for CFMOTO here in Australia and New Zealand for 15 years now, and the rapid rate of progress the company has shown never ceases to amaze me. And on top of that – amid a year of a global pandemic no less – we’re seeing record sales as we prepare for the arrival of an unprecedented number of new models in local showrooms.”

CFMoto’s road motorcycle range includes four NK naked bikes (150cc, 250, 300 and 650) as well as the 650MT adventure tourer, 650GT sports tourer and their first full faired bike, the 300SR which has just arrived in local showrooms with a rideaway price of $5790.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle Tour Through Outback Australia

As Australian state borders begin to open up, motorcycle tour and hire company EagleRider is gearing up for a return to motorcycle tours through the Australian Outback next year.

The first tour, starting on July 12, features 10 days of adventure, camaraderie, sight-seeing and of course, motorcycle riding across some of the most spectacular wilderness highways in the world.

Starting in Adelaide, riders will visit highlights such as the amazing underground town of Coober Pedy, the iconic Uluru, Alice Springs, Mataranka with its thermal pools, spectacular Katherine Gorge, beautiful Kakadu National Park and finally the city of Darwin.

Prices start at $5827 per person, twin share, riding one of EagleRider’s motorcycles choosing from a range of Harleys, BMWs, Yamahas, Triumphs and even Royal Enfields.

Or you can ride your own motorcycle and only pay $3070 per person.

Prices include welcome and farewell dinners, accommodation, support, some park entries and of course a motorcycle (unless you are riding your own).

The company not only organise everything from accommodation to entertainment but also all the boring bits such as insurance and permits.

EagleRider has locations in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Launceston, Noosa and now Adelaide.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

BMW Motorrad Patent Scans Road Surface

The adventure motorcycle market is booming with many models featuring hi-tech ABS and traction control for various types of surface.

But BMW Motorrad wants to up the ante on this technology with an automatic system that scans the road surface and automatically adjusts the ABS and traction control to suit the level of traction.

The German company has filed a patent for the system which uses a combination of cameras and microphones to scan the road surface.

The camera system “photographs” the surface and compares it with a bank of stored images to determine the traction level differences between gravel, loam, tarmac, sand, etc.

It also “listens” to the sound of the tyres on the road. Obviously, there is a difference in sound between these surfaces. I suspect the camera predicts the road surface and the audio feedback confirms it.

So, when it detects the change in surface traction level, it automatically adjusts the traction control and ABS to suit.

While some riders might welcome such techno advances as a safety feature, there would be many skeptics who might be worried about such interventionist technology.

Here’s an example:

In Queensland, slippery clay is a reddish-orange colour. It’s easy to spot and you adjust your riding style and perhaps select a bit more traction control when you see it on the road ahead.

Several years ago I was riding through the forests of the Victorian Yarra Ranges of Victoria on the press launch of the BMW R 1200 GS with the twin-cam engine.

Honda CB70 Tank Restoration

The road surface and colour seemed to change every minute and most of it was a reddish colour.

When I spotted a bend up ahead with a grey colour, I didn’t slow as much as I should have as it looked like hard-pack gravel. I planned to back the bike in under rear brake and then power-slide it out of the corner.

However, as I entered the bend the front slid out from underneath me and I realised too late that Victorian clay is grey, not red! The bike went down on one cylinder head and slid sideways, speedway-style.

Somehow I managed to keep it going through the corner without spitting me off.

Now, I wonder if human knowledge of local terrain would be better or worse than a bank of stored computer images of road surfaces!

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Reborn Triumph Trident in Final Testing

Triumph is returning the Trident name to its stable with a “middleweight” motorcycle which is now in final testing.

We know it is powered by a liquid-cooled triple-cylinder engine, but there are still no technical details about engine size or power.

However, it could come to Australia and New Zealand in two versions early next year, one of which is power-restricted for learner-approval like the Street Triple 660.

It certainly won’t be as big as the previous 1990s Trident which came in 750cc and 900cc variants.

Triumph has now released images of the reborn Trident in final testing around their headquarters at Hinckley UK.

The company promises it will have “class-leading technology as standard”.

Triumph unveiled a Trident design prototype at the London Design Museum in August and now we can see the bike in its production guise, albeit with camouflage paint to disguise the contours.

We can see it has a stubby underslung exhaust, remote rear fender as is now the trend with many modern naked bikes, monoshock rear, Showa forks, double-sided swingarm, cable clutch, round headlight and single-pod instruments.

As The Magpie Flies

The company has been very secretive about this model, even though they have been working on it for four years.

They stress that it was designed at Hinckley, but we suspect it will be built in Thailand like the rest of their fleet as they streamline global production and wind down the Hinckley factory.

The date and time for the reveal of the production Triumph Trident will be announced in coming weeks.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Kawasaki Recalls Bikes Over ‘Weak Horn’

Kawasaki Motors Australia as recalled 80 current-model Ninja ZX636 motorcycles because the horn is not durable enough.

That’s right … Kawasaki has weak horns!

The official recall notice, issued through the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission says the wiring harness for the horn “may not be durable enough”.

They claim it could break “due to vibration at a certain engine speed range, preventing the horn from operating”.

“If the horn does not operate correctly, this could increase the risk of an accident or injury to the rider and other road users,” the notice says.

Kawasaki Motors will notify all affected owners by direct letter or email and advise them to make an appointment for repair.

For further information, consumers are urged to contact their nearest authorised Kawasaki dealer by using this link or contacting Kawasaki Motors.

The wiring will be fixed free of charge.

VINs (Vehicle identification numbers) of affected vehicles are listed at the end of this article.

YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS ON RECALLS

QJ Motors SRT 750

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.

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:

VINs of affected vehicles

JKBZXJG17KA000510
JKBZXJG19KA000511
JKBZXJG10KA000512
JKBZXJG12KA000513
JKBZXJG14KA000514
JKBZXJG14KA000710
JKBZXJG16KA000711
JKBZXJG18KA000712
JKBZXJG1XKA000713
JKBZXJG11KA000714
JKBZXJG16KA000725
JKBZXJG18KA000726
JKBZXJG1XKA000727
JKBZXJG11KA000728
JKBZXJG13KA000729
JKBZXJG15KA000926
JKBZXJG17KA000927
JKBZXJG19KA000928
JKBZXJG10KA000929
JKBZXJG17KA000930
JKBZXJG1XKA001070
JKBZXJG11KA001071
JKBZXJG13KA001072
JKBZXJG15KA001073
JKBZXJG17KA001074
JKBZXJG18KA001097
JKBZXJG1XKA001098
JKBZXJG11KA001099
JKBZXJG14KA001100
JKBZXJG16KA001101
JKBZXJG13KA001427
JKBZXJG15KA001428
JKBZXJG17KA001429
JKBZXJG13KA001430
JKBZXJG15KA001431
JKBZXJG11KA001457
JKBZXJG13KA001458
JKBZXJG15KA001459
JKBZXJG11KA001460
JKBZXJG13KA001461
JKBZXJG16KA003611
JKBZXJG18KA003612
JKBZXJG1XKA003613
JKBZXJG11KA003614
JKBZXJG13KA003615
JKBZXJG13KA003646
JKBZXJG15KA003647
JKBZXJG17KA003648
JKBZXJG19KA003649
JKBZXJG15KA003650
JKBZXJG15KA004054
JKBZXJG17KA004055
JKBZXJG19KA004056
JKBZXJG10KA004057
JKBZXJG12KA004058
JKBZXJG12KA004111
JKBZXJG14KA004112
JKBZXJG16KA004113
JKBZXJG18KA004114
JKBZXJG1XKA004115
JKBZXJG18KA004159
JKBZXJG14KA004160
JKBZXJG16KA004161
JKBZXJG18KA004162
JKBZXJG1XKA004163
JKBZXJG15KA004362
JKBZXJG17KA004363
JKBZXJG19KA004364
JKBZXJG15KA005477
JKBZXJG17KA005478
JKBZXJG19KA005479
JKBZXJG15KA005480
JKBZXJG17KA005481
JKBZXJG11KA006027
JKBZXJG13KA006028
JKBZXJG19KA006034
JKBZXJG10KA006035
JKBZXJG12KA006036
JKBZXJG14KA006037
JKBZXJG16KA006038

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

A Glimpse of New 2021 Honda Forza 750 Scooter

Big Scooter From Our Favorite Big Company

The new Forza 750 large displacement scooter aims to replace Honda’s current Integra 750 for Europian buyers. We have seen some of the features in the previous teasers, but today we finally get a better look as to what the scooter is going to look like.

We’ve had a better look at the updated 2021 Forza 300, and it appears like the 750 is going to be taking quite a few design cues from its little brother and combining them with the current Integra 750.

It’s quite handsome for a scooter and appears as if it takes quite some elements derived from their more traditional motorcycles; most notably the headlight assembly as seen towards the end of the video giving it a sharper, speedy look.

As this video’s primary objective is to showcase the scooters ‘silhouette’ but unfortunately due to the dim lighting, we can’t get a good look at the 3d nature of the bike to bring out a well-rounded look to see if it compliments the odd shape stemming from the 300 variant, but maybe I just spend too much time looking at regular motorcycles every day and lack a trained eye to pick up on scooter nuances.

Some additional takeaways from the video include an inverted front fork setup and auxiliary lighting found on the side of the front fairing. If those lights are signals, props to them for having such a clean integration into the design of the scooter.

motorcycle safety

We’ll have a better look at the bike on October 14th, 2020, which is when Honda plans to hold its official debut.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

VIDEO: Africa Twin Factory Assembly Line Documented

‘How It’s Made’ for Bikes

The manufacturing process is always an amazing thing to bear witness to. Modern technology and innovation have complimented the process and turned it into an amazing symphony of perfect systems and seamless integration.

I always enjoy watching the building process of literally anything and everything – I’m sure we all do. How many hours have we all accumulatively invested in watching ‘How It’s Made’ on a lazy Sunday afternoon?

In this video, AutoMoto takes us into a Japanese Honda assembly line for an inside look into the 2020 Africa Twin manufacturing process. The video is split into three sections: engine assembly, body assembly, and final inspection/testing.

Honda has factories all over the world. You wan watch manufacturing processes on youtube at featuring different shops across the globe. Keep in mind, Honda is also one of the biggest global car builders in modern history so their process for building bikes has greatly benefited from their experience in the automotive industry. 

The 2020 Honda Africa Twin is a dual-sport motorcycle designed to go anywhere. It’s roots take place in the dangerous Dakar Rally, so the bike is really designed to withstand the abuse that comes from riding it like a bat-out-of-hell. This is the main reason why it is important they take care when building them at the factory, as no oversight can be left unattended.

Čezeta for sale

It features a fly-by-wire 1084cc engine producing around 100 horsepower featuring a 6-speed transmission for low-end gearing when taking it through the mud or sand. With a base MSRP: $14,399 – a small tag for a vehicle that can take you quite literally anywhere on earth – you could very well be unknowlingly buying one of the very bikes being built in this video.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com