With the weather being decidedly motorcycle unfriendly with the strong wind and rain, what better time to gawp at new motorcycles making their way to showrooms this year!
Arriving late in 2020 there’s a new bike looking to make waves in the ever-strong middleweight sector, but for once it’s not a commuter or naked. The Aprilia RS660 is a proper sport bike that uses a 98bhp parallel twin (for comparison an MT-07 makes 74bhp) with some clearly premium running gear to help you extract everything from the engine. A dry weight of 169kg will mean this will be no slouch, while making it harder to get into the licence-losing territory that big superbikes are comfortable in. Pricing is set at £9,699 which will get you a bike that you can truly be proud of, and will be happy on both the track and road.
Ducati are entering the supernaked fray with the Streetfighter V4 – packing 208bhp and even front aerofoils to keep that wayward front wheel down at high speed. Coming in a £17,595 this is not a cheap bike, but you’re getting something that’ll keep pace with the best (it is essentially a Panigale V4 minus its fairing after all) while looking drop dead gorgeous.
Keeping with the naked theme, Kawasaki are continuing to broaden their supercharged range, introducing the Z H2. It uses the same litre engine and forced induction, pushing 197bhp out to the rear wheel – this sounds ordinary but it pushes out 137nm of torque at only 8500RPM. A typical supersports bike pushes out around 25-30nm less, and at considerably higher RPM. In the real world this will mean mega wheelies and/or acceleration that’ll trounce anything on the road (except maybe an H2 with its aero fairing!)
Looking to step up a notch from the Aprilia RS660, look no further than the new Ducati Panigale V2. It features a 955cc L-twin that pushes out 155bhp but doesn’t reach the mad 200bhp+ of current superbikes. An advanced electronics package should mean the bike is exceptionally easy to ride considering its tasty specs, and as a result should be an absolute blast on the road with the twin cylinder engine providing lovely tractable power.
If you’re looking for a superb track machine then Triumph are the ones to look at – their well renowned Daytona is making a return in the form of a Moto2 machine that you can buy. Packing the latest 765 engine this is a bike that will shame all other middleweights for its combination of poise and agility. Sure, it's now sold out after its limited production run of 765, but it’s a bike many bikers would like to see return to the roads to boost the dwindling supersports class.
Triumph is also reviving the Rocket name, with the mad Rocket 3 making an appearance this year. Packing the largest engine in a production motocycle (2.5 litres if you’re wondering) this bike has been getting rave reviews for its remarkable handling and sheer grunt. It’s not cheap (starts at £19,500) but there really is nothing quite like it for sheer attitude...and that rear wheel. There’s even a GT version for those wanting to go two-up or do some touring, quite the machine!
BMW is refreshing its middleweight range with the F900R and XR, aping their bigger 1200 and 1000 cousins, but in much more usable and pocket-friendly packages. Packing 105bhp these are machines that’ll suit a range of conditions, and with BMW’s latest efforts being so well received you can expect them to do equally well, with surefooted handling, a nice exhaust bark and premium manufacturing.
Harley Davidson are stepping out of their comfort zone this year, with 3 bikes finding their way into showrooms this year that are everything their big cruisers are not. The naked streetbike Bronx, the adventure tourer Pan-America and the electric Livewire. Not a massive amount of details are known about the first two besides some press shots, but the Livewire has been doing the rounds for some time. It ain’t cheap but it packs 105bhp with 116nm of torque; that torque figure is the same as a modern superbike, so it will be like the proverbial off a shovel. Range is limited at up to 146 miles in city traffic, but for a short blast to work and back, with some riding at the weekend, it’ll suit some riders to a tee.
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