June

Mixed reaction to first pictures of 2002 FireBlade

24 June 2001

Our pictures of the 2002 FireBlade have got everybody talking… and not everyone has been immediately won over by the new look. In postings in our Talk News bulletin board, peterfoley said: ” Deffo...

Gilera’s Ice is very cool

24 June 2001

Italians have a fantastic ability to design bikes that are striking and different. The Ice is just that, totally unique, beautiful – but in a quirky kind of way. The crazy look of the bike is only...

Latest Blade marks 10th anniversary

24 June 2001

The original Blade went on sale in March 1992 – almost exactly a decade before the latest version will hit the showrooms. With a 122bhp, 893cc engine mounted in a race-style alloy frame, it had the power of a contemporary litre bike, but at 185kg it was the weight of a 600cc machine. Ever since its launch, the Blade has been subject to regular updates every two years – making the new bike the...

First test reveals Yamaha Bulldog is built for cruising

24 June 2001

LATEST UPDATE: 5PM, JUNE 29 Yamaha’s new Bulldog may be styled like a Buell or a Ducati Monster, but it’s much more focused on cruising rather than sport. That’s the first impression Adam Morrissey...

Varadero and FireStorm to get fuel injection

17 June 2001

Honda’s Varadero will get fuel injection later this year. The new model’s styling is set to remain unchanged, but the revamped motor should perform a little more efficiently. The move has been...

1700cc super Harley

17 June 2001

This started life as a stock 1450cc FXDX Dyna Super Glide Sport. But it’s been bored out to 1700cc, making it the largest-capacity Harley-Davidson ever officially sold in the UK. It’s a stock 1450cc...

New Guzzi Le Mans ridden and rated

17 June 2001

The new Le Mans is no longer a superbike like the one which first bore the name back in 1976. The cynics will see it as a marketing exercise by Aprilia, the new owners of Moto Guzzi’s 80-year-old...

A very special FireBlade

17 June 2001

American race team Erion has an enviable record which has helped them craft a fine range of race products. Put their best together and you get this showcase bike, the Erion Blade. Created by UK...

New Ducati to be based on Smart’s Imola winner

17 June 2001

Ducati has dedicated a production line to building limited edition bikes and the next one will be an MH900E-based bike inspired by Paul Smart’s 1972 Imola 200-winning machine. Ducati originally...

Phoenix rises with Laverda’s name

17 June 2001

LAVERDA’S first new machine since the Aprilia take over is a 150cc scooter designed and built in China by SYM. Aprilia has arranged the deal to sell the re-badged SYM Joyride under the Laverda banner...

German and British firms consider link to buy TL engines

10 June 2001

GERMAN firm Sachs and British company CCM are in talks aimed at teaming up to buy Suzuki TL V-twin engines. CCM refuses to confirm it, but an insider at Sachs said: ” It helps if we work together.

First pictures of Road Star Warrior

10 June 2001

Yamaha’s new XV1700 Road Star Warrior is unveiled today, boasting sports bike technology and cruiser styling. The Warrior’s engine is pure cruiser. Based on the XV1600 Wild Star’s 48 degree air-cooled...

Yamaha Bulldog revealed

03 June 2001

Yamaha’s new Bulldog BT1100 is revealed today for the first time. The Japanese firm claims the Bulldog is specifically designed to meet the needs of the European market. Yamaha reckons its new machine...

Suzuki plans 650cc scooter

03 June 2001

September will see the launch of Suzuki’s new Skywave 650 – a big bore scooter aimed at bikes like Yamaha’s T-max and Honda’s Silverwing. Like its competitors, the bike will use a two-cylinder engine...

Rare Ducatis become available

03 June 2001

Just when you thought Ducati’s super-exclusive MH900E was impossible to get hold of… a British dealer has managed to bag a couple. But if you want one you really shouldn’t hang about. DK has just two...

Enter the 200mph ZX-12R

03 June 2001

The last time I rode a ZX-12R, it topped out with a less than hyperbolic 183mph, or 12mph slower than a politically castrated 2000 Hayabusa, leaving in its wake more questions than answers. But let...

Kawasaki comes up with a Sportster rival

01 June 2001

Kawasaki is launching a budget cruiser aimed at the Harley Sportster market. The bike will join the firm’s VN1500 family next year, say sources close to the factory. The Japanese firm’s VN range...