Author: Terry Givens
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Yamaha’s Electric Motocross Bike Has Something Most EVs Don’t: A Clutch
Electric motorcycles usually eliminate one of the things riders have spent decades learning to use: the clutch. Yamaha has decided that motocross might be more enjoyable if that familiar control stays exactly where it belongs. That’s one of the more unusual details of the YE-01 Racing Concept. The electric motocross machine was developed with French…
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BMW Shaves 1.3 KG Off the M 1000 RR Frame. But Weight Wasn’t the Main Problem
BMW has taken 1.3 kilograms out of the M 1000 RR’s frame for 2027. On a superbike where almost every component has already been scrutinised for weight, finding that much material to remove is quite an achievement. But the engineers weren’t simply chasing a lower number on the scales. The new aluminium frame is now…
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Ducati Desmo450 MX Gets a 51-Tooth Sprocket for 2027. That’s Not Its Only Change
Ducati’s first motocross bike has barely completed its first year on the market, yet the company is already making changes. The 2027 Desmo450 MX gets revised gearing, new tyres and several mechanical updates developed after a season of racing. Some of the changes are surprisingly small. The rear sprocket now has 51 teeth, giving the…
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Ducati Panigale V4 Gets 218 Horsepower, but the Gearing Change Is More Interesting
Ducati has found another two horsepower for the Panigale V4. The 2027 model now produces 218 horsepower, which sounds impressive until you remember that its predecessor already made 216. At this level, another couple of horses aren’t likely to transform the riding experience. What caught my attention was a much smaller change. Ducati has altered…
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BMW F 450 R Has Just 48 HP. That Might Be Its Biggest Advantage
There’s something refreshing about a new BMW motorcycle that doesn’t arrive with an outrageous horsepower figure. The F 450 R makes 48 horsepower. For a naked bike aimed at A2 licence holders, that’s exactly the point. It weighs 175 kilograms ready to ride. Not featherweight territory, but manageable enough for somebody who doesn’t fancy wrestling…
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Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR Returns for 2027 With Titanium Engine Parts and a 500-Bike Production Limit
Kawasaki isn’t building many Ninja ZX-10RRs for 2027. Just 500 motorcycles will be available worldwide, and anyone familiar with the RR badge will know why this version exists in the first place. It’s the more specialised member of the ZX-10R family, intended for riders who take circuit performance seriously and for racing teams that need…
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Ducati Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak Gets a MotoGP-Inspired Look for 2027 – but the Hardware Was Already the Interesting Part
Ducati has updated the Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak for 2027, although anyone expecting another horsepower war may be disappointed. The big change this time is paint. Normally that wouldn’t be much of a story, but the Pikes Peak has always occupied a slightly strange and entertaining corner of the adventure-bike world. It looks vaguely like…
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Kawasaki Ninja H2 Is Back for 2027, and This Is More Than a New Paint Job
It’s been more than a decade since Kawasaki decided that a supercharger on a production motorcycle was a perfectly reasonable idea. The Ninja H2 still looks slightly mad today, but for 2027 Kawasaki has gone back into the mechanical bits rather than simply finding another shade of green and calling the job done. Quite a…
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BMW’s International GS Trophy Is Happening in Romania Right Now – With the R 12 G/S as the Competition Bike
BMW could have taken its GS Trophy almost anywhere; however, this year it chose Romania. The 2026 BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy started on September 13 and sends riders into some of the country’s most demanding off-road terrain, with the Carpathians providing a rather different backdrop from the deserts and steppes associated with previous editions.…
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2027 KTM 790 Duke Gets a Major Rider-Focused Overhaul
For the year to come, KTM has rebuilt parts of the upcoming 790 Duke, which would make it more reliable on the road. This means that almost everything around the frame has received some attention, except for the engine. And, if everything goes as planned, KTM will start deliveries toward the end of the year.…