RiDE January 2017

WITH TRIUMPH SALES booming around the world, they can afford to try something different. The new Bobber, based on the Bonneville T120, probably won’t sell in large numbers, but it’s causing quite a stir on social media and should bring a new group of customers to the brand. “Big on attitude, without compromising riding enjoyment” Triumph say that their bikes have been customised in a bobber style since the 1940s, with a distinctively minimalist combination of wide rear and skinny front tyre, chopped rear mudguard, low seat and flat bars. This new production bike is aimed at those who want a bike that’s big on attitude but without having to compromise their riding enjoyment. Key rivals are the Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight, Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber, Yamaha XV950 and Indian Scout. The 1200cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin…

Kawasaki’s excellent long-running ER-6 is being replaced by a new naked called the Z650 and the fully faired Ninja 650. They share a new twin-cylinder engine and a new steel trellis frame. Kawasaki have also dusted down the Z900 name for the first time in 40 years, for a new roadster that has a Z1000-derived engine and new chassis. The Z1000R joins the regular (and slightly tweaked) Z1000 in the line-up. It has upgraded brakes and suspension, and different graphics. We ride the 2017 Kawasaki Z1000SX, page 56 CLEANER AND MEANER The many changes to the 650 engine mean that compared to the ER-6 the Z650 and Ninja 650 will have a smoother throttle response, more low- and mid-range torque, and better fuel economy. Looks like the need to meet Euro 4 emissions regulations has…

THEY’RE NOT REPLACING the CBR600RR for 2017, but Honda have revealed two new Fireblades. The CBR1000RR Fireblade SP and SP2 are lighter, with more top-end power and state-of-the-art electronic aids derived from the RC213V-S, the road version of Honda’s MotoGP championship-winning bike. There are also two new versions of the air-cooled retro CB1100. The 2017 EX acquires a new exhaust, LED lights and new stainless steel spoked wheels. The RS is not just styled differently, it also has revised chassis geometry for sharper steering, 17in rather than 18in wheels, and more powerful brakes. SHARPER BLADE The SP2 is a road-legal homologation special. It has light Marchesini wheels and some big engine changes: different pistons, valves and combustion chamber. There will be a race/trackday kit.…

They regained the top step of the MotoGP podium in 2016 thanks to Maverick Viñales at Silverstone, and in 2017 Suzuki’s most hi-tech roadgoing sportsbike ever will arrive in two forms: the GSX-R1000 and 1000R. For years the GSX-R has been favoured by those who like their litre bikes to be relatively simple and untamed by electronics (not to mention cheap). But now the Suzuki will be competing head-on with fully gizmo’d-up rivals from Kawasaki, Yamaha, Honda, BMW and Aprilia. It’s the most powerful production GSX-R engine, peaking at 200bhp. There are three riding modes, 10 levels of traction control, advanced ABS and variable valve timing. The R version will also come with launch control and a quickshifter.…

Predictions that the Euro 4 emissions regulations would signal the death of the big air-cooled bike have turned out to be groundless. BMW, among others, have shown that they have the expertise to make old-school big twins run cleanly enough to please the legislators but with sufficiently pep to put a grin on any enthusiast’s face. The Pure and Racer join the regular R nineT and the Scrambler in a zeitgeist-milking 2017 line-up. The Pure is low-key and simple (rather than cheap), while the Racer has dropped bars, seat hump, rear-set footrests and a half fairing. They share the same engine and chassis. After much dithering, BMW have finally gone ahead with a production version of the K1600 bagger that has been on the cards for years. It’s lost the wood trim…

THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED MT-10 gets a specced-up sibling for 2017 in the shape of the MT-10 SP. It gains the Öhlins Electronic Racing Suspension from the R1M and new instruments; along with the regular MT-10 it gets a quickshifter as standard. You can spot the SP by its gold forks and blue wheels. Smaller Multistrada, new air-cooled Monster and extra Scramblers The MT-09 also gets a slight tweak for 2017: twin LED headlights, a quickshifter and slipper clutch, a seat that’s flatter and higher, and a facelift. There’s a new YZF-R6, which will keep the world’s Supersport racers happy even if sports 600s are no longer a big deal among road riders. It has completely new styling, chassis know-how from the R1, a quickshifter and six-level traction control. Yamaha have also unveiled a new…