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| | Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:01:25 +0000 | | 
Back in 2007, Honda debuted several prototypes at the Tokyo Motor Show, among them a standard-style CB1100 that reincarnated the bike's groundbreaking '60s and '70s-era CB-series motorcycles. Fast forward to 2010, and the CB1100 has finally hit production... for the Japanese market.
The modern CB sticks to the basics, and from what I gathered on the Japanese Honda website, it's got an 1,140cc engine that produces 87 horsepower. Curb weight is 536 pounds (545 pounds with ABS), and apart from the anti-lock option, the new old bike appears to be fairly elementally basic. Incidentally, the bike-you-can-see-through phenomenon sure contrasts future-chic Hondas of late, like the automatic transmission-equipped DN-01 and the VFR 1200F sport tourer.
To find out if and when we're getting the CB1100 in the U.S., I called my PR contact at Honda, who-- rather predictably-- didn't have an answer for me. He did, however, say, "I WANT ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" to which I replied, "I want one, too!"
How about you? Take a look at this 2010 Honda CB1100 Photo Gallery for a closer look.
Source: Honda Japan (with zen-like video here)
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Photo © Honda; click for photo gallery A Photo Gallery of the Retro-Style Honda CB1100: What? How? When? originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Thursday, March 11th, 2010 at 03:01:25. Permalink | Comment | Email this | |
| | Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:43:11 +0000 | | 
My recent test of the 2010 Ducati Multistrada 1200 produced a pretty major revelation: though the Multi's go (almost) anywhere attitude is consistent with the adventure touring genre epitomized by bikes like BMW's R1200GS and Kawasaki's KLR650, the high-tech Multi is a pretty serious departure from Ducati's usual race-ready fare.
 Though fully-faired bikes like the 848 and 1198 typify their contemporary image, Ducati has also branched out of late into the supermoto realm (with the Hypermotard 796 and 1100 EVO) and the naked superbike genre (through the Streetfighter)-- all, of course, while enjoying a dalliance in the retro-styled arena (via the SportClassic GT1000.)
See key specs and pricing info for every brand new Duc in this 2010 Ducati Buyer's Guide, and let us know which of these Italian bikes make you scream "Mamma mia!"
Related:
Photos © Ducati; click for Buyer's Guide
From the $8,995 Monster 696 to the $39,995 1198 Corse R Special Edition, a 2010 Ducati Buyer's Guide originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 at 02:43:11. Permalink | Comment | Email this | |
| | Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:49:35 +0000 | | 
Yesterday-- which, conveniently enough, happened to be Oscar Sunday-- news stories spilled across the web reporting that actor Tom Cruise lost control of his red Ducati after an SUV ran a stop sign, alleging that he "struggled to his feet and was seen limping after the accident."
Though the celebrity/motorcycle crash story is entirely believable-- remember Brad Pitt's spill last October, George Clooney's wreck a while back, and numerous other famous folks who haven't kept the shiny side up?-- this time, the story was a hoax as revealed by Cruise's Twitter feed. The official word was that, "Tom NOT in motorcycle accident 2day...Tom tells us he hasn't been on his bike in days due 2 the weather, but when it clears up, look out. ;)"
Since today has turned into yet another typically gorgeous day here in Los Angeles, I trust that Mr. Cruise will no doubt take the opportunity to gear up and stay visible while he's out there on those wacky LA roads.
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Photo © Getty Images; click to enlarge When Celebrities Don't Crash: Rumors of Tom Cruise's Motorcycle Accident Prove False originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 17:49:35. Permalink | Comment | Email this | |
| | Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:07:16 +0000 | | 
Greetings from the Canary Islands, where I just wrapped up a day-long test of Ducati's new Multistrada 1200.
Though the topic of its unusual styling seems to have dominated the buzz surrounding the bike, after riding the 150 horsepower, electronic suspension-equipped sport adventure tourer across the small volcanic island of Lanzarote, I must say that the last thing on my mind is its controversial appearance.
You can read out about the bike's performance-- both onroad and off-- in my 2010 Ducati Multistrada 1200 Review, and see shots of the bike in this photo gallery.
Related:
Photo © Ducati; click for Review
2010 Ducati Multistrada 1200 Review originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Thursday, March 4th, 2010 at 06:07:16. Permalink | Comment | Email this | |
| | Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:11:26 +0000 | | 
Remember that time you said you were dragging elbows at track day, but the chicken strips on your tires said otherwise?
Metzeler's new M5 Sportec tires may boast high silica mixtures and multi-tension steel belts, but the feature sure to get tongues wagging is the hash-marked sidewall, complete with pictograms of varying lean angles (and unspoken insinuations about your willingess-- or lack thereof-- to pitch your bike sideways.)
Do these tires make you want to buy a set just to show off your cornering prowess, or would you rather keep your lean angles vague and undocumented?
Source: Dale's Motorcycle Blog, Metzeler
Related:
Photo © Metzeler
Click to enlarge
Metzeler's M5 Sportec Chicken-Strip-o-Meter: How Man Are You? originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 at 10:11:26. Permalink | Comment | Email this | |
| | Wed, 24 Feb 2010 22:00:58 +0000 | | 
The list of bikes we can't buy in the U.S. often triggers a healthy dose of envy. This sometimes ends in stateside availability and subsequent satisfaction (followed by general indifference; see the Harley-Davidson XR1200), or heightened, ongoing craving (witness the Honda Transalp.)
Joining the latter group--at least for the time being--is Yamaha's new XT1200Z Super Tenere (or Ténéré, if you're a cosmopolitan sophisticate.) This adventure tourer is similar in spirit to enduro-oriented long distance bikes like BMW's R1200GS and the upcoming Ducati Multistrada 1200 (which I'll be testing next week in the Canary Islands.)
The Super Tenere is powered by an 1,199cc parallel twin with a 270 degree "big bang" crankshaft, a la the R1, and the 108 horsepower mill should go a long way towards motivating the bike's 575 pound curb weight.
To learn more about its ABS and 3-stage traction control system, take a look at this 2010 Yamaha Super Tenere Photo Gallery. And if you like what you see, comment on whether or not you'd want this bike to become available in the U.S. market.
Related:
Photos © Yamaha;
Click for 2010 Yamaha Super Tenere Photo Gallery
Introducing the 2010 Yamaha Super Tenere, Another Bike We Can't Buy Here... Yet originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 at 22:00:58. Permalink | Comment | Email this | |
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