First ride: Ducati Scrambler

Ducati’s eagerly anticipated Scrambler is being launched today in sunny California in the hands of Senior Road Tester Adam Child. Here’s what Adam had to say about the all new Ducati.

"We’ve flown all the way to sunny California to test ride Ducati’s all new Scrambler. We’ve been given the chance to ride the new Icon model which will cost £6995 when it arrives in the UK early next year.

"Each model shares the same 803cc air-cooled V-Twin from the 796 Ducati Monster. The bore and stroke remain the same but the valve overlap has been reduced which should smooth out the power delivery. Ducati are quoting 75bhp at 8250rpm and 5.2ftlb of torque at 5750rpm.

"Each model also shares the same twin spar trellis frame and the same suspension, inverted 41mm front forks and a side mounted single rear shock, both adjustable for preload only and produced by Kayaba.

"Each model features new chunky enduro-style Pirelli MT60 rubber specially designed for the Scrambler. In all there are four different models to choose from, the Icon, Classic, Full Throttle and Urban Enduro, each one styled slightly different but using the same base.

"Prices start at £6895 for the Icon in red then £6895 for the yellow. All other variants are £7995. The Icon will be in dealers in February with all other models following in Mach and April. There’s also a huge list of accessories to personalise and create your own bike along with a huge list of clothing.

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The 2015 Norton Dominator

The legendary Norton Dominator name is set to return as Norton announce they are already taking orders for a new, road-legal version of their Domiracer.

These images direct from the Norton design department are the first chance to see the new bike and what it will look like. At the moment there isn’t a real bike fully built but these are official Norton drawings of how the Dominator will look when it goes into production early in 2015.

The new Norton Dominator has been inspired by the huge success of the £25,000 Domiracer which was limited to just 50 bikes and sold out in less than a week; secondhand examples are now changing hands for up to £40,000.

The demand for the hardcore, track-only Domiracer has shown Norton there is a huge demand for such a bike and nearly 40 of the 50 bikes sold have been registered as road bikes using Single Vehicle Approval (SVA) legislation.

The new Dominator is a toned-down version of that bike; keeps much of the basic Domiracer engineering but this will be a fully type-approved and road-legal bike that meets strict Euro3 emissions and noise regulations.

Norton has already opened the order books for some of those who were desperate to get hold of a Domiracer in 2013 but missed out on the 50 bikes built. The order books are open but Norton doesn’t even yet know exactly when production will begin but it’s estimated it will be late February 2015.

Garner told MCN: “The Domiracer has been so successful for us we had to do this. The demand for the Domiracer has been unbelieveable and even though we always said there were only ever going to be 50 of them we still get people phoning every week asking if someone had dropped off the list.

“We have seen a few selling on the used market for more than £40,000!

“What we are thinking is that there will be a run of 50 Dominator SS bikes to start with before it then turns to building standard bikes which will be named Dominator. Some of those who missed out on the Domiracer have heard about this bike and have already been trying to give us cash deposits. At the moment we are telling them to hang onto their money until we get more of a clear idea of when production will start.”

The new Dominator has some key changes over the Domiracer it is based on; most as a result of the reduced price of £19,999 which has demanded some of the most expensive elements of the Domiracer have been changed. Norton wants to make sure owners of the original 50 bikes are clear the bikes they bought are still special and aren’t going to be followed by a whole load of cheaper but identical bikes built for the road.

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Finally Revealed at 2015 EICMA : Honda CRF 1000 F Africa Twin

Honda are continuing the build-up to the launch of the all-new Africa Twin next year with the second in a series of videos exploring the history of the famous name.

Despite the firm heavily falling back on the road and racing history of the famous Africa Twin name the company is still insisting on calling the bike True Adventure; the name the concept bike shown at the Milan show and then later at Motorcycle Live in the UK was called.

'Episode 2 is called “Live Unlike The Others” and Honda says it “focuses on the personal stories of individuals who have all been inspired by the spirit of adventure in their own way. All riders featured are real people, with real stories and many of them are currently on adventures around the world, aboard their Honda motorcycles.”

The first video covered the Paris-Dakar rally racing heritage of the Africa Twin from the heyday of the racing in the 1980s when it was still racing across the desert of Africa.

The new Africa Twin is set to be shown in full finished form in 2015 to go on sale in 2016 according to Supermotoo sources.

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2015 MV AGUSTA STRADALE 800 First Look

MV Agusta revealed at EICMA the new Stradale 800 model, which is "the right bike every time, whatever the road," according to press material. The new Stradale is heavily based on the Rivale and feature's MV's three-cylinder 800 engine; the chassis retains the Rivale's long-travel suspension but has an extended wheelbase (by 30mm), a 10mm-lower seat height and a more elaborate windscreen. Power has been reduced from the Rivale to 115 hp, while fuel capacity has been increased to 4.2 gallons.

MV Agusta's press release for the 2015 Stradale 800 

Varese, 4 November 2014 - Breathtaking braking, awesome acceleration. City streets. Country roads. Motorways. Different situations that used to require different bikes - but not any more. The Stradale 800 rewrites the rules. Because it's the right bike every time, whatever the road.

The new Stradale 800 combines the MV Agusta experience on various types of models to offer an original approach to riding. The ALS steel trellis frame is completed, in the single-sided swingarm pivot area, with lightweight aluminium alloy plates. To ensure the Stradale 800 keeps going no matter what the obstacle, great attention has gone into the design of the suspension: the upside-down Marzocchi fork - adjustable in compression, rebound and spring pre-load - guarantees 150 mm of travel; the single-sided swingarm, connected to the fully adjustable monoshock, provides 150 mm of travel. The chassis has been developed specifically for the Stradale 800.. The 1,460 mm wheelbase has been extended by 30 mm; consequently, the single-sided swingarm is also longer, improving traction. The riding position is completely new: the 870 mm high seat (-10 mm) makes the bike easier to handle and improves the rider's stance on the vehicle to provide enhanced control and comfort. In fact, the front end has been equipped with a protective Plexiglas screen (featuring on-the-go onehanded adjustment) that merges perfectly with the unique Stradale 800 style. The fuel tank is now larger: its 16 litres (+ 4 litres of reserve), together with outstanding thermodynamic engine performance, ensure you'll put in plenty of miles between refuelling stops. The hydraulic clutch makes gear shifts fluid and even. For completely carefree riding. Always.

The standard equipment includes two side panniers: perfectly in keeping with the Stradale 800 style, they also feature built-in turn indicators. This solution, which required specific type approval, gives an immediate advantage: even from behind, the entire width of the bike is clearly visible, exactly as it is from the front and side, where turn indicators on the hand guards serve the same purpose.

See more pics ..

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VIDEO: AlpineStars Tech-Air Street Airbag System

Alpinestars unveiled its new Tech-Air Street Airbag System Vest, the latest generation of protection based upon the company’s Tech Air Race Airbag System used in its MotoGP/World Superbike/various national series sponsored riders’ racing leathers—but now designed to be used for the everyday rider, in both on- and off-road environments. The culmination of 13 years of R&D, more than 180,000 miles of road testing, and a multitude of computer simulations and full-scale crash tests, the Tech-Air Street Airbag System is the first self-contained motorcycle rider airbag system that functions independently without the need for any sort of tether (wireless or otherwise) to the bike. This critical design advantage means that you have the freedom to ride any bike on any surface with the Alpinestars system and have comprehensive torso protection in a crash

The Tech-Air Street Airbag System utilizes a setup that is securely integrated into a specially designed breathable mesh vest that is worn under a compatible Alpinestars textile jacket (at the initial launch there were two jackets—the adventure-tour-oriented Valparaiso for Tech-Air and the summer season vented Viper for Tech-Air—that are currently made to accommodate the new system, but more will join the list). Similar in design to the Tech-Air Race unit, the Tech-Air Street’s high-pressure inflatable airbag protects the rider’s complete back, shoulders, kidney areas, and chest in a crash. The system’s sensors and control unit typically are able to detect an impending crash in 30-60 milliseconds, with the airbag fully deploying in 25 milliseconds (for comparison, the average eye blink is 300-400 milliseconds).

 While some other airbag protection systems must use sensors attached to a motorcycle in order to detect an impending rider impact, the Alpinestars Tech-Air Street system employs sensors inside the vest’s shoulder areas close to the rider’s body that work in conjunction with the main control unit and sensor inside a water-resistant casing built into the vest’s back protector.
Using the experience of designing the sophisticated algorithms used in the Tech-Air Race airbag system (which is able to detect and even predict a low-side as well as high-side crash), Alpinestars engineers were able to tailor the complex algorithms specifically for the unique demands of street riding. While optimizing the predictive capabilities of the Tech-Air Street’s software.
Alpinestars found that it was not only able to detect imminent impacts from a crash due to the motorcycle hitting an immovable object or even being hit from behind when stopped, but also in situations where a loss of control would result in a crash, including off-road riding. This means an adventure-tour rider won’t have to make any changes or modifications should he decide to continue where the pavement ends.

Alpinestars made sure that the Tech-Air Street Airbag System is simple, convenient, and easy to use. For example, because the system is built into the vest that attaches to the compatible jacket, activating the system is done by simply zipping up the jacket; no fumbling with switches or buttons with gloved hands. Like the Tech-Air Race system, riders can check that the system is activated by the LED display located on the left sleeve. The system’s lithium ion battery pack offers 25 hours of continuous use with an approximate six-hour charge, and a convenient micro USB charger allows four hours of riding time with a one-hour charge.

The Tech-Air Street Airbag System is CE Certified to the 686/89/EEC European PPE Directive, using a version of EN1621-4:2013, which guarantees impact protection performance from 25 milliseconds to 5 seconds, and both the compatible jackets (as well as others that will soon be compatible) include CE-certified shoulder and elbow armor. The system is also certified for the pyrotechnic articles directive that assures the safety and stability of the system inflation devices.
 This means that the system can be legally and safely transported by car, ship, train, and aircraft, allowing riders the freedom to use the Tech-Air Street system while on a rental bike vacation overseas.The Tech-Air Street Airbag Vest system is set to debut in Europe in the spring of 2015, with its US introduction scheduled for a later date. 
No price was available at post time.

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