If saying MV Agusta and reading Trepistoni gives a Pavolovian response, then you’ll be happy to know that the Italian manufacturer is alive and well and reporting a sales increase of +12% in 2011 and for 2012 have already received orders that are +100% compared to 2011, thanks to the new and stunning 3-cylinder mid-size models: F3 675 and Brutale 675 and the increase of the maxi Brutale family.

The above video shows off their new production lines designed by Porsche Consulting AG, and they have already started operating at double capacity to meet production demands, so obviously the sales of supersport bikes is not exactly waning for the Varese based company who prides themselves on giving the best of Made in Italy.

The PR blurb that accompanies the video is after the jump.

Continue reading: MV Agusta F3 Brutale 675 assembly line (w/video)

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The partnership between Mercedes AMG and Ducati is going full speed ahead after the Ducati Diavel AMG Special Edition, the SLK 55 AMG in Ducati Streefighter Yellow this is latest advert gives us a behind the scenes look of another of their commercials featuring once again the C63 AMG Coupé and the Ducati 848 Evo.

Two blinding white hot machines that compliment one another and the same two sexy models, what more could one ask for in a commercial and we can’t wait to see if they’ll also come up with something for the 1199 Panigale.

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I thought that fighting over an item that you wanted was more or less related to what people do during sales or at the “Running of the Brides” over marked down wedding dresses, or when a new and much wanted item is being released for the first time like what recently happened at a mall over Air Jordan Eleven Retro sneakers.

This Brazilian Honda commercial instead has two UFC mega fighters like Anderson Silva and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira about to fight it out over a Honda Hornet CB 600 F only to have “Minotauro” decide at the last minute that he prefers the CB1000 R.

Source | allaboutbikes.com

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Last year Carlos Checa made up an original sonnet to share with fans for the Christmas season, but this year the 2011 World Superbike champion has become a modern day Santa Claus for Ducati.

No reindeers or sled for Santa Checa, but a stunning white Ducati Multistrada with a lot of ponies to help deliver Christmas gifts and wish everyone a Merry Christmas, a Feliz Navidad and a Buon Natale.

Enjoy the video.

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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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My French is pretty well limited to the usual social amenities, hello, thank-you, where is the bathroom, ect, knowing how to count to one hundred, how to order off a menu and not find some reknowned ‘delicacy’ on my plate and how to haggle over the price of something which I picked up while visiting a couple of former French colonies in North Africa, but these two French videos need very little translation and are quite funny.

The story line revolves around a Suzuki dealer “Luc Motos” at Nanterre and a geeky looking client that wants to test ride a Suzuki GSR 750 and how the test ride goes, while the second video revolves around the request of the same client to test ride Suzuki’s V-Strom 650, with the dealer putting up all sorts of resistance, terrorized of letting the guy also mishandle the sports enduro tourer.

Enjoy.

Continue reading: Suzuki GSR 750 and V-Strom 650 funny test rides (w/video)

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Honda released a new video starring the 2012 version of the CBR 1000 RR. The video quickly retraces the Fireblade history to introduce the 2012 model, the one that marks 20 years since the first big CBR designed by the mighty Tadao Baba (then CBR 900 RR, powered by a 893 cc) made its debut.

Throughout these two decades, we saw the ‘Blade changing shape, colors and engine quite a few times, hosting also 919, 929, 954 and 998 cc units along the way and then adopting the current 999 cc displacement in 2008. All models have been somewhat historic in their own right, but we have to give credit to Mr.Baba for that very first CBR: that was the one that did indeed change the whole game forever back in 1992, forcing every other manufacturer to find a way to keep up with it. All modern sportsbike are basically inspired by that vision.

20 years down the line, its direct progeny is the way slimmer Honda CBR 1000 RR m.y. 2012, powered by a 999 cc in-line four unit delivering the same output of the current version: 175 hp at 12,000 rpm and 112 Nm at 8,500 rpm. Other remarkable features of the new ‘Blade include Dual Stage Fuel Injection (DSFI), 43mm Showa Big Piston Fork (BPF), balance free rear shock, braced aluminum “gull wing” swingarm, Combined Anti-Lock Braking (C-ABS) by Honda and a brand new LCD instrumentation. Click on the ‘Continue Reading’ link below the thumbnails to see Honda CBR 1000 RR m.y. 2012 full specifications.

Continue reading: Honda releases official video of the new CBR 1000 RR

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CRP Racing is a small Italian manufacturer that started life as a racing team of high performance parts maker CRP Technology in 2006, and then became an independent electric motorcycle manufacturer in 2010. This year they showed up at the 2011 EICMA to introduce “the first electric streetbike with racing DNA”: the Energica. This ambitious project is surely one of the most interesting things we have seen this year at the Milan event, and we are sure that many people in the industry are paying attention to its development.

Making the most its racing experience over the years, CRP Racing has come up with this 100% electric motorcycle equipped with a permanent magnet PMAC synchronous engine - delivering 134 hp and 157 Nm of peak torque - that provides the bike with a top speed of 220km/h (137 mph) and 150 km of range. Its braking system, courtesy of Brembo, features double caliper radial and 310 mm floating discs on the front and rear single fixed caliper mated to a 220 mm disc on the rear.

Other remarkable features of the Electrica include 17″ OZ forged aluminum wheels, Marzocchi or Ohlins fork, Matris or Ohlins monoshock and an innovative 100% LED lights set. To find out more about CRP Racing Energica , visit its dedicated website: www.energicasuperbike.com.

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Arguably the most sought-after bike at the 2011 EICMA, the Ducati 1199 Panigale is definitely bound to become one of the most talked about motorcycles of 2012. The new jaw-dropping ‘beast’ from the Italian manufacturer boasts impressive figures such as 195 hp at 10,750rpm, 132Nm of peak torque at 9,000 rpm, 164 kg dry weight (188 kg with a full tank) and a number of innovative solutions like the revolutionary monocoque frame and the horizontal monoshock.

Besides, it boasts a lot of ‘firsts’: the first full-LED headlight on a motorcycle, the first electronically adjustable suspension on a sport bike, the first engine braking control system, as well as the first GPS-assisted data acquisition system for a production motorcycle. And it looks killer too, doesn’t it? Check it out in this massive photo gallery.

View the full Ducati 1199 Panigale photo gallery

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The new Yamaha YZF-R1 for the year 2012 is obviously at the 2011 EICMA too, showing a bunch of electronic and aerodynamic upgrades inspired by their MotoGP experience. The model is powered by a 998 cc in-line 4-cylinder engine using an innovative crossplane crankshaft and irregular firing intervals, confirming R1’s status as one of the hottest sportsbikes around.

The new design of the front-end emphasizes R1’s racing attitude, and the advanced TCS (Traction Control System) helps the rider to build up his confidence, regardless of weather and road surface conditions. ECU mappings have been revised too in an attempt to improve cornering and overall performance at low and mid revs, while the MotoGP-inspired re-designed yoke and footpegs also add up to the rider’s confidence.

Yamaha YZF-R1 WGP 50th Anniversary uses the captivating white-red-black livery adopted on several occasions this year by the official MotoGP team, but will also be available with Matt Gray, Yamaha Blue and Competition White color schemes.

View the full Yamaha R1 EICMA2011 photo gallery

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