2012 Yamaha YZF-R1 revealed

The 2012 Yamaha YZF-R1 comes with plenty of new styling cues, including a new upper fairing with a revised headlight cowl, giving the bike an aggressive and more modern styling cue. That’s complimented by new LED position lights, new hexagon-shaped muffler caps, and heat shields for a sharper profile at the rear. The footrests have been redesigned for great boot sole contact and advanced rider/motorcycle interface while new silencer heat guards and end caps are re-styled to give the rear end of the bike a more compact look.

The model already comes with plenty of MotoGP technology so it’s worth pointing out that with the 2012 model comes all sorts of new updates and innovations that are derived from the company’s rich racing heritage. All bets are off as to how awesome the bike is going to be.

Even better is that the YZF-R1 will also spawn a special World GP 50th Anniversary Edition that will celebrate the company’s aforementioned racing heritage. Only 2000 of these special edition models will be sold and they will come in the company’s race-winning Pearl White/Rapid Red livery with plenty of other unique additions reserved only for the special edition model.

There’s plenty to like about the Yamaha YZF-R1, and there’s no reason for anybody to turn their backs against it, especially when a special edition model is staring right at you at the dealerships.

Performance

The 2012 Yamaha YZF-R1 is powered by a 98cc, liquid-cooled 4-cylinder DOHC 16-valve engine with titanium intake valves. Unique to Yamaha is the crossplane crankshaft technology that has proven to be a home-run technology for Yamaha’s MotoGP machines. Unlike typical inline-four engine design, where the two outer and two inner pistons move together in pairs with 180°intervals, the crossplane crankshaft has each connecting rod 90° with a unique firing order of 270° –180° – 90° – 180°. What this does is overcome the inherent fluctuations in inertial torque during each engine revolution, and the accompanying peaky torque characteristics. Instead, combustion torque continues to build, giving the rider more linear throttle response with awesome power and traction out of the corners. A forced air intake system is also part of the whole set-up, increasing the engine’s intake efficiency by using the natural airflow during riding to pressurize the air in the air box. This, in turn, contributes to the bike’s power delivery characteristics in the high-speed range, while the design also helps to minimize intake noise. The bike’s fuel-injected engine also takes full advantage of Yamaha’s YCC-T technology, the MotoGP-inspired fly-by-wire technology that’s used to deliver instant throttle response. The YCC-T combines with the YCC-I variable intake system that broadens the spread of the bike’s overall power.

Chassis and Suspension

The Yamaha YZF-R1 comes with a frame that offers uncompromising rigidity made out of a combination of Controlled-Fill die-cast, stamping, and gravity casting. The front forks are MotoGP-derived with the compression damping duties confined to the left fork, while rebound damping is precisely handled by the right fork, reducing oil cavitation. As for the suspension, the bike has a rear shock that features both high and low speed compression damping to go with an easy-to-use screw hydraulic adjustment for preload. This unit adopts a pillow-ball-type joint for exceptional shock absorption, road hold feeling, and damper response. In order to achieve maximum performance, Yamaha uses a bottom to work with the rest of the chassis refinements to provide the brilliant, crisp handling characteristics that the YZF-R1 is known for.

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2011 Triumph Speed Triple "Impoz Speed Racer"

The French graphic designer took a Triumph Speed Triple bike and injected some straight up attitude into it. Already sporting a powerful 1,050cc DOHC three-cylinder, fuel injected engine, Blanchard went out of his way to re-model the bike to his liking. Carbon fiber was used on the bodywork of the bike, with incredible detail put on a lot of its parts.

Very often are we floored by a custom bike that takes the original model and turns it into something that’s better than what we expected. Yet that’s what 27-year-old Benjamin Blanchard was able to accomplish.

The prevalent use of carbon fiber on the bike drastically reduced its weight, making it lighter and faster than any of the standard Speed Triple’s out there. The light weight of the bike, combined with its powerful engine, has turned an already impressive Speed Triple into the Impoz Speed Racer.

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2012 Suzuki V-Strom 650 ABS

The “adventure bike” in the modern era, but Suzuki was right there in 2002 with the V-Strom 1000, which it followed up with the 650 a year later. For 2012, here it comes again with a highly restyled version of the popular 650, complete with a more powerful and fuel-efficient 90-degree V-Twin. A new fuel tank, seat and body panels are designed with long-distance comfort and style in mind, while the bike’s fairing is said to provide increased wind protection and better engine heat management. At 32.9 inches, the seat’s about 15mm higher than the existing bike’s, but 20mm higher and lower seats are options. The new plastic rack and grab rails are designed to work with accessory hard luggage, though our American Suzuki PR person says he has no info as to its availability in the U.S.

In the engine bay, new cams and bigger valves are said to produce more low- and midrange power, along with increased top end, and a new crank with scissors-type primary gear smoothes delivery. A new closed-loop injection system with 32-bit processor metes out fuel 10-percent more efficiently than before, says Suzuki.

Up front, you get a 19-inch wheel stroking through 5.9 inches of travel; out back, a 17-incher with 6.3 inches—both of them part of a package Suzuki says weighs 472 pounds ready to roll, about 10 pounds heftier than the new Triumph Tiger 800XC and BMW F800GS (but about 13 pounds less than the existing Strom). The place we hope the new V-Strom will be substantially lighter than those Euro-bikes is the price-tag department; the 2011 model (also with standard ABS) retails for $8099. With the dollar weak against the yen lately, expect a price increase, for sure. Look for a First Ride soon, then look for the bike to appear at your Suzuki dealer, in Metallic Fox Orange or Glass Sparkle Black, around mid-November.

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2012 Honda NSF250R Moto3 Bike

Honda Racing Corporation has decided to reveal the long-awaited NSF250R 4-stroke bike at the Catalunya race circuit in Barcelona on June 2, 2011, just in time for the future Moto3 class that’s set to take the place of the current 125cc category of the GP125 class of the FIM Road-Racing World Championship.

The new NSF250R 4-stroke bike bears striking similarities to the bike it’s replacing, the RS125R. Incidentally, the RS125R was ridden by both Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso to their respective World Championship runs.

In developing the NSF250R, Honda Racing Corporation wanted to build a bike that took the same high-performance, lightweight, and compact elements of the RS125R. “We want users to ride with the same sense of comfort and inherits important elements from the RS125R such as the ability to learn the basics for moving up from entry level to the MotoGP,” HRC explains.

The bike is scheduled to have its official press face time on June 2nd at the Catalunya circuit in Barcelona with a public demonstration by Alex Criville happening a day later on June 3rd followed by another demo lap right after the warm-up session of the MotoGP race on Sunday, June 5th.

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