Innovations from Buell, Harley-Davidson and Moto Morini, Triumph-Erlkonig, new products for the Yamaha Vmax and Suzuki GSX-R 125

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Innovations from Buell, Harley-Davidson and Moto Morini, Triumph-Erlkonig, new products for the Yamaha Vmax and Suzuki GSX-R 125

Innovations from Buell, Harley-Davidson and Moto Morini, Triumph-Erlkonig, new products for the Yamaha Vmax and Suzuki GSX-R 125

Between plan and reality

On the way between these two poles, the motorcycles in this story have come differently. A Harley and a Buell already to the dealers, two Morinis at least at a motorcycle fair. Two prototypes were briefly seen in public, and one project still seems very controversial.

You were caught at the wrong moment. Test editor Rolf Henniges and photographer Rossen Gargolov had just finished a photo production with the Moto Guzzi Stelvio (see MOTORRAD 3/2008) and were standing by the roadside. One rummaged for dry gloves, the other packed his room-sized camera bag when an unusual motorcycle drove by. At first it looked like an MV Brutale with a new headlight, then the impressions rolled over. The engine sound doesn’t fit, no inline four-cylinder, it has to be a V …, but not a V2 … That was the new Vmax.

Henniges whistled for gloves, put on his helmet and dived after with the Guzzi, only to reach a junction a few bends later that opened up four paths. Unfortunately he chose the wrong one, the Vmax was gone. But what he saw is enough for a comparison with the computer retouching shown here. This is based on a study that Yamaha has presented several times and hits the front section with the small headlight quite precisely. The intake pipes on the dummy tank were possibly replaced by more discreet parts for the tests, because my colleague Henniges does not remember them as noticeable. The radiator section, he is certain, was designed more carefully compared to the rather shirt-sleeved installation of the study. The rear also looked more delicate than the massive structure of the showroom bike. So things are moving forward with the Vmax, it should be presented this year. A few days after the encounter, MOTORRAD’s Italy network provided the information that, in addition to the Vmax, the new Super Tenere and the next R1 would be tested. More advanced, the new Harley-Davidson FLSTSB Cross Bones is available now.


Computer retouching

The new edition of the Vmax is well advanced. It is currently being tested in normal road traffic in Italy – MOTORRAD editors have seen it.

This is supposed to be reminiscent of the crossbones of pirate flags and rocker emblems, and accordingly the motorcycle is largely in bad boy black. The surfaces of the exhausts, cylinder covers or springs and the damper on the Springer fork contrast with this. If you want lighter colors, you can choose from three other finishes, for example olive green. Technically, the Cross Bones offers the latest state of the art, i.e. the 73 HP Twin Cam 96 B with balance shafts, injection and the exhaust valve system, which is valuable in terms of sound culture. where there is no measurement, it can boom. The drive unit is completed by a cruise-drive six-speed gearbox and toothed belt drive. The Cross Bones costs from 19195 euros. In Harley country USA, Triumph traditionally enjoys a good reputation, which the British have recently renewed with the Rocket III. But because not everyone can afford to cruise through the country with a 2.3 liter big block, Triumph has developed a 1700 twin. Mainly, but not exclusively, intended for the USA, it should be presented later this year.

view in the future


Breutel

No Morini has ever had such a spectacular exhaust system as the 1200 Sport.

What the Henniges / Gargolov team was unable to do, succeeded the Welsh motorcycle fan Richard Carr ?? att: He caught a prototype via cell phone graphics. In his photo you can see the enormous size of the in-line two-cylinder, whose exhaust manifold swings out to the side like the historic Bonnevilles. This creates space for a narrow, high radiator front, a cooling tower, so to speak. It was not possible to find out whether the two pistons work in parallel or in opposite directions or, as in the Thruxton motor, with an offset of 270 degrees.

At a smaller motorcycle fair, the Bike Expo in Padua, Italy, Moto Morini surprised everyone with two new models: the 1200 Sport and the Scrambler. Both carry the well-known 87-degree V2 engine with 1200 cc in the version with 117 hp and 102 Newton meters. From the tubular space frame to the 50 millimeter upside-down fork and the mono suspension strut to the brakes and wheels, all components come from Italian suppliers. As the name suggests, the Sport, with 17-inch wheels and flat handlebars, is aimed at sporty drivers and underlines this with the white frame and the orange-blue paintwork in the style of the Ford GT40, the legendary Le Mans winning car. The black and white Scrambler, on the other hand, signals a certain off-road suitability with its 19-inch front wheel and the off-road tires Karoo from Metzeler. The handlebars shown in Padua will be exchanged for a higher model in the series. Both motorcycles have a 21-liter tank and a wide range of accessories, including suitcases and a tank bag. In addition to orange-blue, the 1200 Sport is also available in green-yellow. It should appear in April and is expected to cost 11,600 euros. The Scrambler will follow in July for 11,700 euros.


Buell

Buell XB12XT: Now that the last reminiscence of the BMW GS has been omitted with the XT variant, it can concentrate fully on its vocation as a tourer.

The Buell Ulysses XB12XT already includes a lot of accessories in the purchase price of 12299 euros plus additional costs. A complete set of suitcases from Hepco / Becker, for example, as well as a windshield, heated grips and hand protectors. Slightly shortened spring travel reduces the seat height to 782 millimeters. With the abandonment of the BMW-imitating duckbill and thanks to a normal front fender, this Ulysses variant no longer gives rise to misleading off-road associations. Such clarity cannot be achieved in connection with the Suzuki GSX-R 125. From the British Suzuki importer it was heard that the small athlete was actually already late, but would at least compete against the Honda CBR 125 R and the Yamaha YZF-R 125 from 2009. A spokesman for Suzuki Germany ruled this out for the next three years. Apparently a dispute is forming here ?? between the Germans, who demand a modern four-valve engine in order to be prepared in terms of performance against the Yamaha, and the British, who want to compete as early as possible. And be it with the old, well-behaved two-valve engine.

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