At the 2011 EICMA exhibition in Milan, Italian aftermarket company and racing team CRP Racing had introduced the prototype of a punchy, pioneering sportsbike that was going to become the first all-electric Italian sportsbike ever, making the most out of the 40 years of experience that CRP had accumulated in the motorsport world, both on 2 and 4 wheels. That cool prototype was called Energica, and this year the good people from CRP have showed up at the same event to launch the final production version of the model.

The electric motor of the eCRP Energica - fed by a 11.7 kWh battery pack - is capable to deliver 100 kW (136 hp) with a maximum torque of 160 Nm. Claimed top speed is 220 km/h (136 mph), while range is 150 km (93 mph) at a constant speed of 80 km/h (49 mph) with an efficiency of nearly 95%. The model uses a steel trellis frame and comes with some serious bits: Marzocchi forks, ZF Sachs monoshock, Brembo brakes (double floating braking 310 mm discs at the front and rear single braking disc of 220 mm of diameter), digital multi-function LCD dashboard, ride-by-wire, mappings selectable from the handlebars, full LED headlights and a fine saddle courtesy of Schedoni, a renowned Italian specialist known for his work on car interiors for such clients as Ferrari and Pagani.

The latest news about this stunning green machine is that now all those who are interested in getting one can turn to the official website and place an advance order that will give them the priority of purchase: the price is € 18,000, and an initial payment of € 500 to be carried out upfront via PayPal is required. After the jump you will also find the video presentation of the Energica, which took place just a few days before the 2012 EICMA and was broadcasted worldwide through the web.

Continue reading: eCRP Energica: the first all-electric Italian Sportsbike

During last month’s EICMA show in Milan, helmet maker HJC debuted an evolution of their top of the line full faced Rphad10 helmet that has now been become Plus. The 2013 version fabbricated with HJC’s PIM technology (three different materials: carbon fiber, aramid fiber and fiberglass) has new and different graphics, including Ben Spies MotoGP replicas and the 2013 version has been upgraded with several new features including:

-New shield with Pinlock Max vision – providing a greater field of (fog-free) vision
-New chin curtain - giving a firmer fit New chin vent - making it easier to use
-More robust fixings for the liner – better for regular washing -
-High end Ginko-fresh anti-bacterial, wicking liner is silk-like to the touch and fully removable
-Wind tunnel developed aerodynamics and ventilation system for high speed stability and massive cooling

HJC Rphad10 Plus is available with sizes ranging from XXS to XXL and prices starting from 374 euro to a max of 474 euros for the different Ben Spies replicas.

Continue reading: HJC R-Phad10 Plus Helmet

Following its debut at the Intermot show in Cologne, the new Honda CB1100 did not fail to show up at the 2012 EICMA exhibition, which took place a few days ago in Milan. The revamped muscular ‘naked’ from the Japanese manufacturer is definitely not afraid to expose a pretty vintage feeling, wittingly reminiscent on the glorious tradition of the CB models of the 70s (especially as fara as the seminal Honda CB750 Four is concerned).

The heart of the new CB1100 is its air and liquid-cooled 1,140 cc 4-cylinder double overhead camshaft (DOHC) engine, which can go as far up as 8,500 rpm. As for the chassis, we have a steel double-cradle frame in which the motor is accommodated with four rigid and two rubber mounts. Rims are 18-inch 5 split five-spoke cast aluminum, while the braking system uses a pair of 296 mm front discs bitten by 3-piston Nissin calipers at the front and a 256 mm disc mated to a single-piston caliper. As usual with Honda, the C-ABS is part of the standard equipment.

Staying true to its vintage approach, the new Honda CB1100 sports a classic design perfectly matched by the instrumentation, which is pretty easy to read and uses analogue speedometer and tachometer, while odometer (with two partials), fuel gauge and clock are grouped in a compact LCD screen right in between the two. The model will be available in 2 color-schemes, Glory Red/Silver Eternal and Pearl Milky White/Eternal Silver, both of which will come with silver wheels and black frame.

Continue reading: Honda CB1100 2013 @ 2012 EICMA in Milan

There’s no doubt the prototype of the new 1290 KTM Super Duke R was the undisputed star at the KTM stall of the recent 2012 EICMA exhibition in Milan - arguably the real star of the whole show, actually - but many attendants did not miss out on the other new models introduced by the Austrian manufacturer, namely the new 690 Duke R, the 1190 Adventure range and the 390 Duke 2013.

However, there were other models from KTM drawing the attention of the public, with the youngsters especially interested in the new 2013 versions of the little sister 125 Duke and 200 Duke, which will come with refined four-stroke single cylinder engines with fuel injection mated to the already known 6-speed transmission.

The smallest pair Dukes in fact did not show up in Italy with just the usual cosmetic makeover, they have also thrown in a very important innovation in terms of contents: the arrival of the ABS (disengageable) for both models, which in the case of 125 cc is also a ‘world premiere’ for a model of its displacement. In the comparison with the outgoing MY 2012, the 125 Duke will also benefit from a bigger disc at the front.

Continue reading: KTM 125 and 200 Duke now with ABS

Triumph introduced at the 2012 EICMA Exhibition in Milan the new Triumph Daytona 675 and 675R model year 2013. The three-cylinder engine of the British Supersport machine is now more powerful than the previous version, credited with an 128 hp (+3 over the outgoing range) and a peak torque of 75 Nm (+2), reaching the red line at 14,400 rpm. The new chassis boasts improved weight distribution while the exhaust have been repositioned. Standard equipment includes a new and disengageable ABS system, electronic gearbox and slipper clutch.

The new version of the Daytona for the upcoming year is also 1.5 kg lighter than the previous one, thanks to the extensive use of racing-inspired components and The version Daytona 675R has inspired racing components and electronic gear as standard, and come with a two-year warranty with unlimited mileage. Since the first incarnation of the Daytona 675 came out in 2006, the model has revolutionized the conventions of the Supersport class with its three-cylinder 675cc unit, setting new standards of performance in the category.

To give credit where it’s due, the Daytona has shown unqustionable brilliance in every in comparative tests against its direct competitors, winning awards the world over and outperforming high performance machines of the Superbike class for two years in a row at the prestigious Masterbikes international competition, one of the toughtest and yet most complete event that our beloved sport has to offer.

Continue reading: Triumph Daytona 675 and 675R m.y. 2013 live @ 2012 EICMA in Milan

One of the most sought-after models at the 70th edition of EICMA exhibition in Milan was the Brutus 750 EI (not to be confused with the American brand producing electric motorcycles), which was on display as a ’surprise guest’ at the Pelpi International booth. This impressive motorcycle is described alternatively as both “the link between quad-bikes and motorcycles” and “the SUV on two wheels,” and finding yourself in front of this thing in all of its majesty (and with a set of tires which is very impressive in size) you cannot help but agree with both definitions.

The Brutus was designed by Alessandro Tartarini (son of Leopoldo, founder of Italian manufacturer Italjet) and offers several features that make it a true ‘one-of-a-kind’ piece in motorcycling. The bike has been built to face any type of surface, and is powered by a 750 cc DOHC single-cylinder engine with 4 valves and electronic fuel injection, which promises enough power and ‘drag’ to effortlessly switch from asphalt to sand, to gravel and even snow. This unit is coupled with a 2-speed automatic transmission (CVT), plus the ‘reverse’ for for both snow and sidecar versions.

The Brutus can be customized with several accessories designed to meet the specific needs of every customer), including the ’snow kit’ (which provides for a cingulate at the rear and skis at the front, for the steering), sidecar, tow bar, winch kit, fire kit and generator, although other dedicated accessories are currently under development.

Continue reading: Brutus 750 EI live @ 2012 EICMA in Milan

MV Agusta’s Rivale has already captured the imagination of motorcycle lovers who decided that the Italian manufacturers’ new 800cc was a head above all the other magnificent machines on display at this year’s 70th edition EICMA show and voted the Rivale as the ‘Best in Show.’

15,000 visitors took part in the contest (the 1st prize was the best in show bike) and the Rivale obtained 35,5% of the votes, while the 2013 Ducati Hypermotard was a distant second with 22.9% and BMW’s best selling R1200GS was third with 15,5%.

Honda is at the 2012 EICMA exhibition in Milan to launch a new range of models sharing the same basic architecture, meaning the same engine and chassis. This new CB500 family of products is made of three brand new models (which we had previously seen in a few spy shot taken on a promotional set in Italy).

These three models are the sporty CBR500R (haevily inspired by the mighty CBR1000RR Fireblade), the naked CB500F (blatantly influenced by the brand new and muscular CB1000R) and the little crossover CB500X (which is pretty reminiscent of the Crosstourer 1200). All three models use the same liquid cooled 471 cc flat twin DOHC delivering 48 hp at 8500 rpm and 43 Nm of peak torque at 7000 rpm.

As for the chassis, all three models use the same lightweight steel tubolar frame, while suspension is provided by a Pro-Link rear suspension with a preload-adjustable shock and a conventional 41mm telescopic fork. Braking comes from a 320mm wave-style single disc at the front and a 240 mm one at the rear, coupled with 2- and single-piston calipers respectively. Almost needless to say since it’s Honda we are talking about here, all three models come with standard ABS.

You’d think that certain manufacturers would have learned by now. Every year someone show ups at the EICMA show and every year the Guardia di Finanza (the Italian agency that fights everything from tax evasion, counterfeiting, copyright violations to smuggling) also arrive because they’ve received complaints from other manufacters that certain scooter and motorcycle models are blatant knock offs of their marque.

Last year the law enforcement agency seized under the falsification and copyright laws a Yiben YB 250 ZKT which was a copy of Piaggio’s MP3, this time around Piaggio found six scooter models all like their famed Vespa and had them seized and they included:

•The Roman by the TaoTao Group (China)
•The WL 101Z by Ningbo Wanli Weiye International Trade Co. (China)
•The Luxury by Bertini S.r.l. (Italy)
•The Reset Ecologic by WRS S.r.l. (Italy)
•The Miami by E-Tropolis Italia S.r.l. (Italy)
•The Milano by E-Tropolis Italia S.r.l. (italy)

Source | motoblog.it

The new Z800 - designed successor to the hugely successful Z750 - is probably the real star at the Kawasaki stand in Milan, but there are some other models from the Akashi-based house that turned out to be quite popular with the crowd of the 2012 EICMA exhibition. The brand new ZX-6R 636 is definitely one of them; the model marks the return to the 636 cc displacement of its in-line four, meaning that the new Ninja 600 is will come with an output of 131 horsepower (137 with the Ram Air duct) and 70.5 Nm of torque.

Quite predictably, the ZX-6R 636 comes with an adequate electronic package for its class, which includes ABS (managed by a ABS ECU vy Bosch) and Kawasaki Traction Control (KTRC) selectable on 3 levels, while the engine can be set on two independent power modes: “Full” (providing full power) and “Low” (which keeps it down to 80% of the whole potential).

Braking will come from a new system developed by Nissin, which provides for 310 mm wave discs at the front (bitten by lighter 4-piston calipers) and a 220 mm wave disc at the back. As for the suspension, at the front there’s a 41 mm upside-down Showa fork while at the rear there’s a Uni-Trak monoschock that is 25 mm longer compared to the outgoing model. The geometry of the frame and the clutch have been optimized too.

Continue reading: Kawasaki ZX-6R 636 @ 2012 EICMA in Milan