#eicma

Aprilia confirmed it will present the RS 660 at EICMA, releasing an image of the sportbike cloaked in shadow over its social media channels. The production model 2020 Aprilia RS 660 has the potential to shake up the moribund supersport class that in recent years has consisted mostly of small updates like the Kawasaki ZX-6R and limited edition models like the Triumph Daytona 765.

Lost in the buzz Ducati’s Panigale V4 stirred since its introduction was the fact its baby brother, the 959 Panigale, had remained untouched. Squashing any concern that the model was going away (at least for now), Ducati today announced the Panigale V2 – the new name for the 959 Panigale – featuring updates and technology from its V4 sibling. While they were at it, the V4 family received some updates too, which we’ll get to later.

Brazil’s intellectual property office has published a design registration for what appears to be a BMW F800R replacement equipped with the F850GS’ parallel-Twin engine. The leaked design was originally spotted by Motor1 Brazil, which published a few of the diagrams from the filing, but we’ve dug up the complete set in higher resolution of what we’ll assume will be called the 2020 BMW F850R.

Ducati confirmed a naked version of the Panigale V4 is on the way for 2020, announcing a prototype of the Streetfighter V4 will be entered in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb later this month. Carlin Dunne, who previously won the PPIHC motorcycle class on a Multistrada, will be riding the Ducati Streetfighter V4 prototype in the June 30 race.

Perhaps the biggest surprise to grace the 2018 EICMA show floor last November was Aprilia’s RS 660 concept. In a market where middleweight sportbikes seem to be on the wane, Aprilia bucked the trend with the concept and its 660cc parallel-Twin engine derived from the 1100cc RSV4 and Tuono V-4.

UPDATE: Originally announced for Europe at EICMA, the 2020 Indian FTR Rally has now been announced for the U.S., with a price of $13,499, which slots it above the $11,999 FTR 1200 but a grand below the $14,499 FTR 1200 S.

Another show season, and another year for that matter, is screeching to an end after exciting announcements from plenty of manufacturers. Intermot delivered the unveiling of notable models such as the 2019 Indian FTR1200 and the 2020 Suzuki Katana, while EICMA, as is usual, showcased new models from 15 major OEMs, making it the show to watch for new models releases. Between the two European shows, the US’s own AIMExpo was used to release new iterations of Kawasaki’s ZX-6R and ZX-10R as well as Yamaha’s revamped R3.

As we get ready to head to our local International Motorcycle Show stop in Long Beach, CA, we wanted to look back at some of the best bikes of EICMA 2018. Next year looks like an exciting time for performance-minded motorcyclists, adventure enthusiasts, and those looking for stylish bikes. Hopefully, we will have a chance to see some of these new models in person. So, look forward to our video recap from IMS Long Beach.

Kymco has carved out a niche producing scooters and small-displacement motorcycles like the K-Pipe 125, but the Taiwanese manufacturer now wants to reshape how we think about electric motorcycles. Debuting at EICMA, the Kymco SuperNEX concept looks to address some of issues consumers have about electric two-wheelers.

BMW introduced a new addition to its scooter lineup in the new C400GT. It joins the C400X introduced last year as a second mid-sized scooter, slotting in below the C650GT, C650 Sport and the electric C Evolution. The 2019 BMW C400GT shares much with the C400X, but with more of a focus on comfort and touring.

In addition to a special Ace Cafe-themed edition Bonneville, Triumph announced a limited production Diamond Edition to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the original Bonneville T120.

After having Chris Birch showing off a prototype a few months ago, KTM is finally ready to show of the 790 Adventure and 790 Adventure R, confirming both models will arrive in U.S. showrooms in Spring 2019.

When Aprilia released word of its new 217-horsepower RSV4 last week, my reaction was “that’s too much,” naturally opening myself up to all kinds of ageist criticisms. I mean, more power (!) to those who can handle and afford all that, but this new concept just unveiled at EICMA – “a 660 cc parallel twin-cylinder, a very compact new generation unit derived from the 1100 cc V4 that powers the Tuono V4 and RSV4 1100 Factory,” might be way more accessible for the vast majority of riders, no? Bellissima.

Husqvarna continues to add to its street lineup with the new Svartpilen 701. Shown as a concept at last year’s EICMA show, the “Black Arrow” is ready to join the Vitpilen 701 “White Arrow” in Husky’s street lineup.

Triumph introduced two one-off limited edition models at EICMA, one recognizing the 60th anniversary of the Bonneville and the other paying tribute to the legendary Ace Cafe in London. You can read more about the Bonneville T120 Diamond separately, but here is the 2019 Triumph Bonneville T120 Ace.