Paolo “Tex” Tesio is an Italian car designer who got started with his career in 1995 and has always shown a taste for high performance motorbikes. Today we are going to talk about his Ms4R concept, a project that rose from the ashes of a previous 2004 concept code-named S2-Braida that entered a Ducati design competition a few years back. When Mr. Tesio replaced hid old Ducati Monster (still with carburettors) with a ‘03 S4R, he felt that something has to be done in order to update the old model, that became irreparably ‘old’ as soon as the new one came out.

First off, it had to lose weight and become more ‘compact’, more streamlined and more aggressive too, as it also had to live up to its menacing name. So enter the QD ex-Box exhaust system, a small underbelly end-can which freed the tail of the model from its standard and bulky mufflers and gave it a decidedly more modern outlook. The obsolete head lamp of the original model had to go as well in favour of one lifted from the Ducati MH 900, smaller and more modern, which got embedded closer to the body in between the forks. The instrumentation cluster moves closer to the yoke, while the handlebars got replaced as well.

However, the real icing on the cake here is that pair of fork covers: designed to not interfere with the actual work of the front suspension, these original covers (sporting the glorious Ducati logo of the 80s) provide the model with an extra oomph that surely set the MS4R apart from most Monster’s renditions out there. We think that this model is actually quite fascinating, and Tex says that if the response will be good enough, he might actually put this kit into production. To find out more about this designer and his work, check his facebook page out.

View the full Ducati Monster MS4R by Paolo Tesio photo gallery

While in Monza, World Superbike stars Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Team) and Michel Fabrizio (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet SBK Team) attended the launch of the BMW F800R with the brand new Nero Zaffiro Metallizzato paint-job (which is Metalized Sapphir Black in Italian), and we got to admit that the “all black” dress makes the F800R even more aggressive-looking, emphasizing both its lines and bare mechanical bits.

This exclusive color scheme will be made available for the Italian curstomers only, with no extra charge. The F800R is a well-balanced naked bike which is easy and fun to ride in urban traffic as well as on motorways, and comes with a 798 cc flat twin engine with electronic fuel injection delivering 87 hp and an impressive 86 Nm (63 ft-lb) of peak torque at 6,000 rpm, with a smooth delivery and good fuel consumption figures. Its comfortable and light chassis (the bike boasts a dry weight of just 177 kg) makes the bike agile enough to be easily ridden even by the less experienced riders.

Other highlights of this model include standard ABS, TPC Tyre Pressure Control, 320 mm Brembo double disk brake at the front, heated grips, white turn indicators, a flat instrumentation screen (featuring digital clock, total and 2 trip odometers, cruising range indicator and service interval indicator) as well as new sports windshield in body colour.

View the full BMW F800R 2012 Nero Zaffiro Metallizzato photo gallery

German manufacturer Horex announced that the beginning of the production of its own V6R Roadster - which was scheduled to happen this month - had been pushed back to the end of May. The decision was taken after the bike narrowly made it at the latest CO2 emission test. The bike is characterized by its peculiar 1281 cc V6 engine with 3 camshafts, which will develop 161 hp in its standard ‘naturally aspirated’ engine or 200 hp when boosted by a supercharger.

In addition to the dual catalytic converters, Horex will now provide its bike with a secondary air injection system, which has designed to reduce its carbon footprint and make it meet the future emission standard. The Ausburg-based manufacturer has already pointed out that no further delays will get in the way of the production.

“This technically sophisticated solution cost us a little more time, but it puts us on the safe side - said Horex CEO Clemens Neese - This is important: everything on the engine we are bringing to market is perfectly matched. Changing our production plan was anything but easy, but our ultimate goal is to introduce the new Horex in the best-possible quality. Since we are unwilling to compromise on this point, we decided to reschedule the production launch.”

The next 8th of May is the day chosen by Oregon-based manufacturer Brammo to launch the long awaited street legal version of the Empulse, an all-electric naked bike based on the Empulse RR racer that won the 2011 North American TTXGP Championship and has been a ‘regular’ at the Isle of Man TT Zero since 2009.

The video above thoroughly explains the main features of the model, whose highlights are a water cooled engine, a top speed of 100 mph (160 km/h), 100 miles (160 km) of range and the innovative IET 6-speed transmission. This last one in particular stirred up quite a few critics over the internet as many people think there’s no need for such a device on an electric bike - slamming it as a mere commercial gimmick - but it might work out well too, so that’s one thing that this bike is going to show us.

Even though some early versions of this bike have been spotted here and there throughout the years (for instance, the one featured in the photo gallery below is from 2010), rumor has it that the definitive look of the Empulse is going to be quite different from what we have seen so far. The first images of the Empulse will be released in May, but the official specs of the model will become available a little earlier, the next April 18.

Amost everybody is good at doing some nice trick offroad, but would you be able to do the kind of stuff that French freestyler Julien ‘RazarBack’ Welsch does in this video? And would you be able to do it on a Triumh Street Triple?

This nice video shows us what a pro can do in the woods with a properly prepared Street Triple. The bike is equipped with a 675 cc engine delivering 106 hp at 11,700 rpm, with 68 Nm of maximum torque at 9,200 rpm and curb weight of 189 kg. Judging by this footage, the not-so-tiny english bike seems to have what it takes to rock the jungle too, so just sit back and enjoy the show.

via | Julien Welsch

Once again no, this is not a new Ducati Monster with a diesel engine: what we have here is a special edition of the Ducati Monster 1100 Evo created with the input coming from Italian fashion brand Diesel, which has been a sponsor for the Ducati MotoGp team for several years. Yesterday evening the Ducati Monster Diesel has been officially unveiled ‘in the metal’ for the first time on the European soil in a Diesel store in central Rome, and our friends from twin-site motoblog.it were there to seize the moment and take some pictures.

Among the people attending the event there were Ducati’s president Gabriele Del Torchio and Diesel’s main man and founder Renzo Rosso, who has been directly involved in the design of this special Monster along with the Ducati Design Centre. The model uses a peculiar ‘Diesel Brave Green’ matt paint scheme that - in combination with the matt black finishing of steel trellis frame, exhaust system, engine covers and rims - provides the bike with a sort of ‘military feel’, and emphasizes the yellow-painted front calipers and rear shock.

The Monster Diesel comes with a few new and exclusive parts such as the passenger seat cover, the mufflers’ heat shields, the dashboard cover and the metal plate fixed on the passenger seat cover. The saddle uses Diesel denim upholstery and there are laser-engraved Diesel’s trademark Mohican logos on the aluminum air inlets of the fuel tank cover, but everything else is basically the same as the model it is based upon: 100 hp 1,078 cc L-twin 2-valve per cylinder Desmodromic engine, Marzocchi 43mm fully adjustable forks, progressive adjustable monoshock by Sachs at the rear (with preload and rebound), digital instrumentation, Ducati Safety Pack (DSP - inclusive of ABS), the latest version of the Ducati Traction Control (DTC) and Pirelli Diablo Rosso II tyres.

View the full Ducati Monster Diesel - European unveiling photo gallery

Triumph celebrates its 110 years of history with a special edition of its Bonneville T100, aptly dubbed Bonneville T100 110th Anniversary Edition. The model is based on the standard T100 and uses a very ‘classic’ styling that is meant to remind of the Triumph Bonnevilles of the 60s as well as the very first one, which came out in 1902. No doubt this limited edition bike is bound to become a quite popular item among the many Triumph’s collectors around the world.

Only 1000 units of the Triumph Bonneville T100 110° Anniversary Edition will be produced, all of which will be equipped with a 865 cc parallel twin engine and a number of old school bits such as its spoked wheels, the Aluminum Silver and Khaki Green paint scheme, the chrome chain guard, the cam cover and the old Triumph logos. Suspension is provided by the same 41mm forks and chromed rear shocks of the standard T100.

We bet that when you read the title “Ducati Diesel” you went OMG, Ducati has created a diesel powered motorcycle! Nope, the Ducati Diesel is simply a special edition of the Monster 1100 EVO that seals the partnership agreement that began last season when the Italian clothing company started sponsoring Ducati’s MotoGP team.

The motorcycles was revealed last night at a party held at the Diesel store on Spring Street, in Manhattan and features a special ‘urban military chic’ paint job, with the classic trellis frame in total black complemented with a“Diesel Brave Green matte” colour, while the front brake calipers are bright yellow.

The bike also features different stylish details that includes the Diesel-label stitched onto the leather seat and their ‘Mohican logo’ is laser etched on the new aluminium airtakes and a “Specially made for U” metal plate fixed on the passenger seat cover thatcan be personalized by the owner with their own specific details together with the progressive unit number.

The new Monster Diesel will be available around the world from late July onwards and priced at €13.490 and Diesel will also be launching a capsule collection that will be available starting from mid-April in the Diesel Stores, the Diesel online store and a selection of the best Ducati dealers.

“The Monster Diesel, and the collection dedicated to it, reflect the “coolness” of this iconic motorcycle and our brand in general,” said Gabriele Del Torchio, President of Ducati Motor Holding. “The collaboration with Diesel, underlines our focus on the style and trends that shape the market and I am delighted to associate our world with that of fashion and, in particular, with Diesel. Both brands globally represent technology and innovation in pure Italian style.”

Stefano Rosso, Project Leader and son of Diesel founder, added: “When we had the opportunity to work with Ducati, with last year’s MotoGP sponsorship, we discovered a whole world of shared values and common roots. That brought us the desire to create something new together, and we made it in the only way we know: taking the great know-how of both companies and mixing it with passion and creativity. The results are unique products, characterised by a great mix of design and technology.”

The collaboration is celebrated with a Capsule Collection reflecting the brands’ DNA and common roots of creativity and innovation, the key elements that enabled the two companies to become renowned icons of the “Made in Italy” tradition.

With Ducati’s flagship Monster 1100EVO providing the canvas for the new motorcycle creation, Diesel’s founder Renzo Rosso and the Ducati Design Centre guided stylists to a military inspired theme, expressing the core values of the partnership and realising an avant garde choice for connoisseurs of lifestyle motorcycling.

Yamaha Motor Italia teamed up with renowned Italian customizers Abnormal Cycles to make a special one-off version of their popular Vmax, named Hyper Modified. The model is actually the fourth addition to the ‘Vmax Hyper Modified’ series, following the three previous renditions created by masters Ludovic Lazareth (FRA), Roland Sands (USA) and Marcus Walz (GER). Having won two very prestigious awards last year such as the ‘Best of Show’ at the EICMA Custom 2011 and - especially - the Modified Harley Davidson World Championship 2011, Abnormal Cycles just seemed to be most logical choice in order to see what the Italians could do with the Vmax.

The first thing that catches the eye is obviously its polished aluminum fairings, which have little or nothing to do with the lines of the standard model and include two racing number plates at the back. The whole bodywork was made with a special multi-layered process by specialist Metal Bike, with help from Zucchelli Paint (for the polishing) and Dox Design (for the graphics).

The already impressive 1.700cc V4 engine of the stock version - delivering 200 hp - has been left virtually untouched, with Abnormal Cycles just replacing the standard exhaust system with a captivating 4-in-2 one - specifically designed for this model by Zard - and adding a new engine housing courtesy of F.G.R., which also supplied footpegs and yokes. Other remarkable features of this special Vmax include exclusive spoked wheels by JoNich Wheels, a beautiful leather saddle courtesy of Wild Hog and handlebar commands by Rizoma.

View the full Yamaha Vmax Hyper Modified by Abnormal Cycles photo gallery

Here’s a nice official video starring the latest Triumph Street Triple and Street Triple R, the naked model that changed the rules of the game in its segment with its 675cc 3-cylinder 12-valves engine delivering 106 hp at 11,700 rpm and 68 Nm of peak torque at 9,200 rpm, which proved to be a perfect medium ‘between’ the torque typical of a V-Twin unit and the drag of an in-line four. This high-quality footage shows us the two models playing around in different scenarios, with cool slo-mo moments and close-ups on some of the most significant details.

The ‘regular’ Street Triple was the first one to come up, with no adjustable suspension, but that changed with the introduction of the “R” version, which uses the same suspension set-up and brakes of the Daytona 675, which provided for a significant improvement in the bike’s dynamic behaviour. In 2011 the range underwent a restyling that brought along a new pair of slanting, oval-shaped head lights as well as other mild upgrades, but the basic formula of the Speed Triple remained the same.

Pics | Motoblog.it

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

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