For those not in the know, Breganze is a small Italian manufacturer born from the ashes of the legendary Laverda, the Italian brand of high performance motorcycles that, technically speaking, was a proper reference-point for the whole motorcycle industry in the 60s and 70s. Just like many other Italian and British brands of that period, in the mid 80s Laverda succumbed to the Japanese competition, with the legal property of the brand then floating from hand to hand but not going much further than the occasional prototype. In Laverda’s case, in 2000 the brand was eventually bought by Aprilia - which put out a stunning Laverda-badged RSV1000-based prototype called SFC at the 2003 Milan EICMA motorcycle show - but ended up being absorbed by Piaggio when they took control of Aprilia in 2004. Still to this day, the name Laverda is owned by the Piaggio Group, which has never made a mystery of its willingness to sell off all of its rights. Breganze is the name of the little Italian town where Laverda had its headquarters back in the day, and it is also the name chosen for itself by this diminutive manufacturer based in Marostica, less than 10km away from Breganze.

Clearly determined to revive Laverda’s legacy in the business but probably short of cash to make Piaggio a proper offer, passion-driven Breganze Motorcycles introduces at the 2012 Motor Bike Show - currently ongoing in Verona, Italy - the final version of its first production bike, the SF750, which was presented at the same event in Verona last year in a prototype-form. Aesthetically, the model shows many references to the old Laverda SF750 of the 70s, like the number plates on the tail and the long fuel tank. Power comes from a 747 cc straight-two engine with 8 valves, electronic injection and water-cooled, delivering 85 hp at 8,300 rpm and 75 Nm of peak torque at 7,200 rpm. The model comes with a 6-speed transmission, aluminum-trellis frame and boasts a dry weight of 170 kg. Other remarkable features include upside-down Ohlins 43 mm forks, Ohlins dual adjustable rear shock absorber, Brembo brakes and a pair of 17″ old-school spoked wheels by Kineo.

We will talk again about this fascinating new bike soon, but for now you can enjoy this exclusive photo gallery taken live at the 2012 Motor Bike Expo in Verona by our friends from parent site Motoblog.it. For more info on the subject, check Breganze Motociclette Italiane’s official website.

View the full Breganze SF750 live @ Motor Bike Expo 2012 photo gallery

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In this economic market you need to promote your motorcycles and make them look better than your direct competitors (read Ducati), so this is what Aprilia USA came up with.

Stunt-rider Jamie Robinson takes the Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200 around and up and down the streets of the City of Angels showing us some very famous landmarks while displaying all the bike’s got in matter of performance and agility in bustling city traffic and urban settings.

With its three riding modes, Sport, Touring and Rain and its 1200cc twin-cylinder engine, the Dorsoduro is adapt to any road condition and personal need, following the Aprilia philosophy is that this is a fun and versatile bike as Robinson show us.

The 2012 model also gets also a couple of new two-tone color schemes: black-white with red inserts and black-red with grey inserts

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Gift wrapping a toy, a video game or the latest tablet is easy work, unless you have four thumbs, but if you’d really like to gift wrap a motorcycle and not just stick a bow on it, that becomes a daunting and seemingly impossible task, but lucky for you guys California motorcycle dealer Pro-Italia shows us how it’s done.

In this time lapse video Tammy and Karen who work at the store, gift wrapped a Ducati Multistrada 1200, it took the two ladies $10 worth of materials and six hours to complete the job, but it was well worth the time and effort as the result was stunning, so arm yourself with patience and time and check out how it’s done.

Source | ducatinewstoday.com

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Honda released a minute-long promo video featuring the new NC700 range for the year 2012, namely Honda NC700S and NC700X. The two bikes have been recently introduced to the public at the 2011 EICMA and have been developed on the same platform, sharing the same 47 hp in-line 2-cylinder 643cc engine and the 17″ wheels, but each one boasts its own distinct personality.

The NC700S, is basically a small naked commuter, with low seat position and accessible width of the handlebars that ensures passengers’ comfort and security with twin grab handles. Honda NC700X is a crossover model with unique styling, more upright riding position, taller seat height and slightly longer suspension travel.

The same platform that generated these two machines is also shared by Honda Integra maxi-scooter. Both models will be available with a six-speed manual gearbox and an optional dual clutch transmission.

View the full Honda NC700X Live at the 2011 Eicma photo gallery
View the full Honda NC700S Live at the 2011 Eicma photo gallery

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Czech manufacturer FGR showed up at the 2011 EICMA with its much-talked about Midalu FGR 2500 V6, giving us the chance to take a few pictures of this crazy 2.5-litre naked. The model has been developed with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, and it has been in the works for 6 years before finally getting unveiled in early 2011. The main thing about it is certainly the engine, nothing less than a 2,442 cc 90° V6 engine, water cooled, producing 240 hp and about 200 Nm (147 ft-lb) of peak torque.

If all that is not enough, the look of this exotic bike is just as impressive: the lack of fairing let it shows off that monstrous shiny V6 mounted into a black steel tube frame. Seat unit and fuel tank are made of carbon fiber, with a pair of vertical triple exhausts surrounding its short tail. Front and rear suspension courtesy of Ohlins, braking system by Brembo and a dry weight of 270 kg complete the profile of this outstanding machine.

All that considered, we would expect the Midalu FGR 2500 V6 to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in about 2.5 seconds with a top speed of about 320 km/h, and also to be quite an expensive piece of machinery. In spite of all these impressing figures, average fuel consumption claimed by FGR is not that bad: it consumes 6-8 liters of fuel to travel 100 km. Check our exclusive photo gallery from the 2011 EICMA and click on the “Continue Reading” link below to see Midalu FGR 2500 V6 full technical specs.

Continue reading: 2011 EICMA: Midalu FGR 2500 V6

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The new Triumph Speed Triple R is now on display at the 2011 EICMA. The new model has been developed by Triumph alongside Swedish suspension masters from Öhlins, who came up with a premium suspension package specifically designed for the 1050 consisting of a 43 mm NIX30 fork and TTX36 rear monoshock, both of which are obviously completely adjustable.

In order to lose some weight, Triumph opted for a couple of beautiful 5-spoke aluminum rims by PVM, which save 1.7 kg over the standard Speed Triple and allow for a better handling and riding accuracy. Moreover, these super-light wheels mated to Brembo 4-pistons monobloc calipers provide the bike with a 5% increase in braking performance, still in comparison to its standard counterpart. Switchable ABS is also available as an option.

Actually, there are quite a few details that makes the Speed Triple R different from the model it derives from: different decals, black anodized tapered handlebars and rear subframe in red just to name a few. The bike will be available with the familiar Phantom Black and Crystal White color schemes.

View Triumph Speed Triple R at the 2011 EICMA photo gallery

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MV Agusta hottest products at the 2011 EICMA are obviously the brand new 675s (Brutale and F3), but its older sisters are there too. The Brutale 920 maintains its typical handling and dynamic features and sports an impressive 180/55 rear tyre, which is just perfect to unleash the 129 hp produced by its 4 cylinder engine. Beside the black color scheme, in 2012 there will also be a white one available, at 11,900€.

However, it is the Brutale 1090R to take the top spot of the line, with its outstanding design and amazing power. Its engine is a 1078cc 4-cylinder engine with radial valves is the most powerful engine ever produced by MV Agusta, boasting 144 hp (106 kW) at 10,300 rpm. Then there is the special ‘America’ limited edition, with specifically designed livery (pictured above).

The frame is a mixed steel-aluminum trellis, mated to a Marzocchi 50mm USD front fork and a Sachs rear shock, both with valving specific to the Brutale R 1090 capable of taming the most torturous roads and demanding race tracks. For this reason, the Brutale 1090 R uses a 190/55 - ZR17 rear tyre which optimizes the grip even in extreme riding conditions. The new ECU mappings were lifted from F4 and guarantee the best power delivery thenks to the 8 modes specifically developed for this motorcycle.

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Honda is trying to make motorcycling history by using the same platform to develop different kinds of bikes, just like many carmakers do. Three models should be built with it, and one of them is the NC700S, currently on display at the 2011 EICMA. This bike is basically a small naked equipped with the same 48 hp 670 cc parallel twin engine we have already seen on the Integra model, which was designed to provide excellent fuel mileage and strong low-end torque.

The quite peculiar positioning of the engine within the steel trellis frame made it possible to fit a helmet comparrtment in place of the fuel tank as the petrol now goes under the saddle, like in a scooter. The bike also uses a Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), 17″ wheels and 320mm single front disc brake. Check out the pictures taken live t the 2011 EICMA by clicking on the following link.

View the full Honda NC700S 2012 Live Eicma photo gallery

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Here are the pictures of the eagerly awaited MV Agusta Brutale 675, taken live at the EICMA. The model will surely become a protagonist in the naked supersport market, boasting the technical mastery that is typical of European bikes and a price which is not too far from the Japanese competitors.

The engine is the same 675 cc 3-cylinder unit powering MV Agusta F3 , but obviously not as powerful: but toned down a bit: instead of the F3′s claimed 126 hp, the Brutale 675 peaks at 113 hp, with both models sharing the same maxium torque value of 71Nm.

This bike surely is a stunner, and is definitely one of the highlights of the whole Milan event. Take a look at our photo gallery (once again courtesy of our colleagues from Motoblog.it) and check that hot exhaust out: you will see it for yourself.

View the full MV Agusta Brutale 675 Live Eicma photo gallery

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Fun, Style and Easy. These seem to be the key words for Kawasaki’s ER sisters in 2012. However, this is not a restyling as both the naked Er-6n and the half-naked Er-6f have been revised in many aspects, with also a brand new frame accommodating the 650cc engine.

Aesthetically the pair is also quite different from the previous generation, especially as far as headlamp and exhaust end can are concerned, while new ergonomics allows the rider to sit and ride more comfortably. Kawasaki claims an output of 72 hp at 8,500 rpm with 64 Nm of maximum torque at 7,000 rpm. The ER-6n weights 204kg, 6 kg less than the 6f.

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