2012 Erik Buell 1190RS

There are no “hubs” separating the broad, triangular spiders on either side of the rear wheel. The front wheel uses a similar “hubless” design, saving unsprung weight.

There are no “hubs” separating the broad, triangular spiders on either side of the rear wh

Erik Buell is right: Everything would have been different if Buell Motorcycles had built this bike first, as he intended, instead of the quirky 1125R that parent company Harley-Davidson demanded in 2007. Motor Company management feared competing with Japanese and European manufacturers head-on, so rather than green-light a pure superbike they commissioned the offbeat 1125R. That bike's failure to connect beyond a small group of outlier enthusiasts was the beginning of the end for the Buell brand.
Erik always believed he had the engineering and technological prowess to take on foreign competition. Now liberated from Harley and operating independently as Erik Buell Racing (EBR), he's ready to prove this once and for all. EBR's first production motorcycle, the 1190RS, is a brilliant machine-no caveats or qualifications required. Gorgeous, fine-handling and remarkably fast, it is everything we ever wanted an American superbike to be.
The 1190RS is much more than a reskinned 1125R. Essentially every component has been improved based on data gathered from the Buell 1125RR that Geoff May races in AMA Superbike competition. The aluminum frame still holds 4.5 gallons of fuel, but it has been redesigned to accommodate a larger ram-airbox and geometry has been "normalized" with a longer wheelbase, less rake and more trail. The bulbous, side-mounted radiators are gone, replaced with a conventional cooling unit wrapped in slimmer, more aerodynamic bodywork. The 72-degree V-twin has been enlarged to 1190cc and hot-rodded to the hilt, every remaining component optimized to save weight, improve performance and, ultimately, win races.

Machined triple clamps incorporate interchangeable inserts to adjust offset, and steering head cups can be changed to alter rake—though the standard geometry seems perfect.

Machined triple clamps incorporate interchangeable inserts to adjust offset, and steering

Starting with brand-new, 1125cc Helicon engines purchased directly from Rotax in Austria, EBR builds competition-ready powerplants using the same aftermarket components as May's racebike. Cylinders are bored 3mm and filled with high-compression forged pistons worked by forged rods and a lightened crank to reduce reciprocating weight. Heads are reflowed and fitted with bigger valves and racing cams. The airbox, now twice as big as before, incorporates showerhead-type secondary injectors to improve sustained high-rpm fueling. The end result is a claimed 160 rear-wheel horsepower in EPA-legal street tune-approximately a 35-bhp increase over a stock 1125R.
Motorcyclist was invited to test the 1190RS during a Sportbike Track Time event the day after the AMA Superbike weekend at Road America, joined by Buell, May, crew chief Michael Tjon and the rest of the EBR team. The lithe and lean 1190RS is nothing like its big-barred, broad-shouldered predecessor. With low, narrow clip-ons and a thin saddle mounted high on a spidery, cast-magnesium subframe, the 1190RS looks and feels remarkably like a Triumph Daytona 675 from the rider's perspective. Liberal use of carbon-fiber-even in the fairing bracket-actually puts the streetbike under the 390-lb. AMA Superbike minimum weight limit. Buell claims curb weight is 384 lbs. with the street-legal, dual-chamber exhaust. With the optional track-day exhaust shown here, it's said to weigh just 369 lbs.

The all-new brake rotor is finned and slotted to better shed heat. A carbon-fiber scoop cools the eight-piston caliper, lowering pad temperatures by as much as 200 degrees.

The all-new brake rotor is finned and slotted to better shed heat. A carbon-fiber scoop co

All-new "hubless" cast-magnesium wheels-the latest example of Buell's typically radical innovation-contribute to that remarkable weight loss. "During FEA [finite element analysis] the hub is always dead; it never lights up," Buell explains. "The only reason the hub is there is for manufacturing ease. Our wheels are extremely hard to cast, but they are the lightest in the world. The front weighs just 5.5 lbs." The latest-and much improved-version of Buell's rim-mounted Zero Torsional Load (ZTL) front brake further reduces unsprung weight, saving almost 10 lbs. compared to the lightest dual-disc setup, Buell says.
Suspension is from Ohlins, custom-built to EBR's specifications at the Ohlins USA race shop in Hendersonville, North Carolina. The fork uses the same fully adjustable 30mm cartridges as May's racebike, and the TTX shock is valved and sprung specifically for the 1190RS. The constant-tension drive belt is gone, replaced by a race-ready chain final drive that eases gearing changes. A compensated front sprocket eliminates the need for a cush drive on the rear wheel, further reducing unsprung weight. Buell also junks the stock Rotax vacuum-activated slipper clutch, replacing it with Suter Racing Technology's fantastic, Moto2-spec mechanical slipper.

Refined racer: Buell knew from past experience that first impressions are everything, so nothing was left to chance with Erik Buell Racing’s first production bike.

Refined racer: Buell knew from past experience that first impressions are everything, so n

The individual parts are the best money can buy, but the holistically designed 1190RS is even better than the sum of its parts. Exceptional mass centralization, revised chassis geometry and radically reduced unsprung weight let the bike handle unlike any motorcycle we've ridden before. Agile at any speed, it's remarkably responsive and dead-nuts neutral even under very aggressive trail-braking-the exact opposite of the heavy-steering, slow-turning 1125R. Blade-sharp reflexes mean you can always tighten your line, even in the fastest corners, allowing the bike to carve through Road America's Carousel and Kettle Bottoms on unimaginable trajectories.
May claims the 1190RS streetbike is quicker out of the box than his 1125RR racebike, and this is completely plausible. The superlight machine feels preternaturally fast, accelerating with an urgency that surpasses even BMW's overdog S1000RR. Broadly powerful-it passes 70 lb.-ft. of torque at 6000 rpm and never looks back-and with the lively, eager engine character that only comes from a hand-built, perfectly balanced racing engine, the 1190RS builds speed with a ferocity that's completely out of character for a big twin. Even the extended, 55.4-inch wheelbase can't keep it from wheelying everywhere-all the way up the hill on Road America's front straight, of course, but also downhill toward Turn 3 at well over 100 mph!

Erik Buell is especially proud of the 1190RS’s styling. “I knew it would look great if I did what I wanted,” he says, “The 1125R proved you couldn’t style by committee.”

Erik Buell is especially proud of the 1190RS’s styling. “I knew it would look great if I d

Criticisms were difficult to muster, as one might expect from a top-of-the-line motorcycle meticulously prepared by a professional racing team. Throttle response was instant to the point of telepathic; the Suter slipper clutch was the smoothest and most transparent we've ever used; and the carbon-fiber bodywork, covered with 15 layers of hand-rubbed clearcoat, reflected with surgical clarity. Our sole critique concerned the ZTL front brake: Though it's adequate for such a lightweight bike-even after eight sessions at this notoriously hard-braking track we didn't experience any of the fading or pulsing that plagued previous versions-the single brake still can't match the outright stopping power of a conventional, dual-disc setup. But after riding the bike, we agree that the handling benefits of the superlight front wheel are worth the trade-off in outright braking force.
Erik Buell Racing will sell the exotic 1190RS for $39,999 with fiberglass bodywork, or $43,999 with the optional "Carbon Edition" body kit shown here, saving 5 lbs. This is expensive by any measure, but considering the sheer cubic hours of hand labor involved in building what is essentially a racing superbike with lights, it might be the best bargain on the motorcycle market today. EBR plans to build and sell a limited run of 100 bikes "as a design statement," and will then introduce a second model similar in concept but "decontented" for higher production volume and lower cost.
Until then, Erik Buell is happy just to be building this bike. "I've taken a lot of blame over the years for Buell motorcycles, often for decisions that had nothing to do with me," he says. "Not this time. This is exactly what I wanted to build!"

2012 Kawasaki Ninja 250

Kawasaki has released information about its 2012 Ninja 250. Yes, you read that right, Kawasaki has dropped the “R” from its littlest Ninjette. And no, it’s still not fuel injected.
As shown on Kawasaki Motors Corp. U.S.A.’s website, the 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 250 has the same specs as the 2011 Ninja 250R, only it’s missing the “R”.  The 2012 Ninja 250 is powered by a249cc liquid-cooled parallel Twin engine with a six-speed transmission. And despite Honda upping the ante with the fuel-injected CBR250R, Kawasaki is keeping its Keihin CVK30 carbs instead of importing the fuel-injected version available in other markets.
Like the 2011 250R, the 2012 Ninja 250 has a 4.8 gallon fuel tank, 37mm hydraulic telescopic fork, preload-adjustable rear suspension and a the same claimed weight of 374.9 pounds.
Kawasaki will offer the 2012 Ninja 250 in three color options: Passion Red, Metallic Spark Black and Candy Lime Green. The 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 250 is priced at $4,199, an increase from the 2011 Kawasaki Ninja 250R’s $3,999 price tag.
But what about the missing “R”? Until 2008, the Kawasaki Ninja 250R was known by various names over the years and depending on where  you were in the world. Some called it the EX250, some called it the GPX-250R, and some called it the ZZR-250. In 2008, Kawasaki rebranded the motorcycle around the world as the Ninja 250R.
Why did Kawasaki drop the “R”? Probably to differentiate between its faired street bikes from its ZX supersports. In 2011, Kawasaki offered a Ninja 650R and, in some markets, a Ninja 400R, but the Ninja 1000 went without the R. Don’t be surprised to see the Ninja 650 lose its R this year.

2013 BMW F800GT

Documents released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board confirm the existence of a new member of BMW‘s F800 lineup, the F800GT.
The 2013 BMW F800GT will likely be a more touring-oriented replacement for the F800ST (pictured above) which was conspicuously absent from the CARB document. The new model is likely the same bike that appeared in spy photos published in the U.K.’s MCN in January.
The F800GT will be powered by the same Rotax-produced engine as the F800R, F800GS and F700GS. According to the EPA’s documents, the 798cc parallel-twin engine produces 62.5 kW (83.8 hp) at 8000 rpm.
Beyond that, we expect a redesigned fairing offering better wind protection than the F800ST’s plastics. The windscreen will also likely be updated, and we’re hoping, adjustable. The GT will likely come standard with saddlebags, whereas the bags on the F800ST were optional.
Expect more details to emerge as we approach the 2012 Intermot show this October in Cologne, Germany, where the 2013 BMW F800GT is expected to debut alongside the upcoming R1200GS replacement.

2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R

A recall has been issued on the 2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R due to a problem with the wiring harness.
According to documents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a portion of the wiring harness on some 2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R models may get pinched between the subframe and the rear fender, or between the subframe and the bolt holding the seat cover. This may result in damage to the harness and wiring, potentially resulting in a short in the electrical system, which could cause the engine to suddenly stop.
The problem was first discovered during endurance testing for the 2012 edition of the ZX-10R after a test unit had a blown fuse, stopping the engine. A boss added to the rear fender on 2011 models  reduced the space where the wire harness is routed, increasing the risk of it being pinched.
Kawasaki dealers will inspect the wiring harness on 2011 ZX-10R models and repair them if necessary, and reroute the main harness. The recall campaign affects 2,560 units including both ABS and non-ABS versions of the 2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R.
[Source: NHTSA, Campaign ID# 11V363000]

2013 Kawasaki Ninja 300

Kawasaki Europe has pulled the wraps off a new Ninja 300, a larger-displacement version of its popular entry-level Ninja 250.
We first broke the news of an new Kawasaki Ninja 300 last week when the model was included in a list of 2013 motorcycles released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. As we reported, the new model is powered by a fuel-injected 296cc four-valve twin-cylinder engine claiming 39 hp.
The 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 300 will also be available with anti-lock brakes. The ABS components are built by Nissin and are said to be 40% smaller than previous Nissin ABS systems. The Ninja 300 also features a slipper clutch and a back-torque limiter developed from Kawasaki’s racing program. According to Kawasaki, the new FCC Assist and slipper clutch allows for a lighter clutch lever pull.

Visually, the Ninja 300 gets the same styling the 2013 Ninja 250 received, with ZX-10R style “floating” windscreen, ZX-6R dual headlights and fins on the side fairing like the ZX-14R.
As of now, the 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 300 has only been announced for Europe where it replaces the Ninja 250. The 2013 Ninja 250 will still be offered in some markets such as Asia where it is already available. It’s not clear however whether the new 300 will be offered in the U.S. We’ll have to wait until Kawasaki USA announces its 2013 Ninja lineup in New York City on Sept. 13.

Kawasaki ZX-10R

Emerson Fittipaldi is probably best known for his four-wheel racing career which include two Formula One World Championships, a CART racing title and two Indy 500 victories. What might be less known, at least outside of his native Brazil perhaps, is Fittipaldi owns a pair of Kawasaki motorcycle dealerships.
The 65-year-old former racer and his team has produced a limited edition run of 50 Kawasaki ZX-10R sportbikes in the black and gold colors of his 1972 F1 Championship-winning John Player Lotus 72 car. Beside the paint job, the Fittipaldi ZX-10R features a number of accessories.
Fittipaldi will produce just 50 autographed and numbered models. He will keep one for himself and auction a second. The rest will be available for sale.

2010 BMW S1000RR

How’d you like to have the latest, most advanced motorcycle in BMW’s current line-up for $1,000 or less?
Now that I have your attention I’ll clarify the above by saying that you can have, at some point, the new S1000RR literbike for a stated maximum of no more than $1,000 over the retail of what most of the Big Four will price their liter machines. This was undoubtedly the biggest news from BMW during the U.S. round of WSBK held at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, UT, May 29-31, 2009, where the new in-line Four made its U.S. debut in both race trim and civilian form.


However, we’ll have to deal with the vague pricing news for some time to come, as BMW won’t be announcing the actual price until after the Big Four unveil 2010 pricing for their liter steeds. Per BMW, it’s expected that Japan will be forced to raise prices again (The ’09 GSX-R1000 has already jumped $1,400 from 2008!) next year in light of the still-unstable world economy.
For now, let’s use 2009 prices to speculate. With the non-ABS CBR1000RR dialing up as the most expensive from the Big Four at $12,999, simple math tells us the BMW S1000RR should fall in around $14K.
Of course, we all know that BMW pricing almost always starts with the elusive “base model.” Nevertheless, a non-Race ABS, non-DTC (Dynamic Traction Control) S1000RR will be in a tête-à-tête with, say, the Honda, and most certainly less expensive than the $16,495 Italian stallion Ducati 1198 (another superbike without ABS or traction control as standard).

At this level of the market, and considering the typical BMW customer, most will order or purchase the German liter motorcycle with at least the ABS and traction control. These options would seemingly then push the bike’s retail past the $1,000 mark. Go with the optional shift assistant (electronic speed shifter as first found on the HP2 Sport and now available for the K1300S), and the price will climb by another $500, give or take a couple bucks. Even a wild guess at a fully optioned S1000RR ($16,500-$17,000?) should put it well below the $21,795 of the tricked-out Ducati 1198S.
But BMW’s communications manager, Roy Oliemuller, expects that in order to keep the S bike competitively priced, cost of available options won’t ratchet the base model’s pricing to the moon, as is often the case with most other BMW models. One of the first things mandated about the S1000RR before a single Computer-Aided Design image was rendered was price point. In consideration of this, BMW will likely have to take a hit on the margins it usually enjoys on optional equipment if that’s what it takes to keep the retail figure as low as possible.