Jim Gorde

Honda have unveiled two stonking 650cc four-pot motorcycles at EICMA. The 2014 CB650F and CBR650R look like perfect middle-weight to bring the battle to a segment which only has the Kawasaki Ninja 650R and the Hyosung GT650R in India. The biggest difference is that the latter are both twins, while the Honda 650s sport twice the number of cylinders.

With the inline-4 engine, the CBR650R will be considerably more expensive if it does arrive, but will offer unparalleled levels of refinement and smooth power delivery. The two new bikes are being considered spiritual successors to the venerable Hornets. However, with 86 PS and 63 Nm, the numbers are actually lower than their old, much-loved 600cc counterparts. Even so, that puts the CBR650R ahead of the Ninja 650R and the GT650R in the power race.

Being a Honda, we can rest assured that the CBR650R, and the CB650F for that matter will be extremely capable tourers and track bikes on call and we would love to see them on our roads soon. We sure hope HMSI are listening!

Story: Jim Gorde

Harley-Davidson are set introduce not one, but two new models in a new entry-level segment, dubbed the ‘Street’ line; not to be confused with the Street Bob or Street Glide. The move comes as a result of wanting more volumes and with the current trend of downsizing, Harley-Davidson saw it fit to follow suit. The new models will be positioned below the ‘Sportster’ line, which has the 883 SuperLow: the current first step to the H-D brand.

To debut at EICMA, the new Harley-Davidson motorcycles will still be V-twin engined cruisers, but will be considerably smaller in size and pack lower displacements. The new Revolution-X 60-degree V-twin engines, in 494cc and 749cc guises, are liquid cooled, run 4 valves/cylinder and will rev higher than the Sportster range. The build, and styling, resemble a mix of the Sportster and VRSC lines. We expect the 500 to put out around 35 PS and 40-45 Nm of torque. The larger 750 can be expected to deliver around 45-50 PS and about 60 Nm of torque.The 6-speed transmission sending power to the belt-driven rear wheel will make short work of touring. The new bikes will also weigh in much lower than the 245 kg SuperLow, with the 750 touching 217 kg wet, and the 500 possibly tipping the scales at just below 200 kg dry. The wheels will be 17-inch front and 15-inch rear with more than adequately wide rubber.

The best part though, is the price. The Street models are expected to be heavily localised and produced in the country. Thus, a starting price tag of Rs 4 lakh seems reasonable for the 500, with a slightly heftier figure on the 750. There will also be a slew of custom parts and accessories, as is the case with every Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

Check out the gallery here.

Check out the video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-eE5_EM3YA

We can’t wait to see these models on our roads. Stay tuned to our EICMA coverage to find out more.

Story: Jim Gorde

The all-new 2014 KTM RC390 has been leaked, or so our friends online have claimed. The new fully-faired model is based on the 390 Duke, and brings the entire list of goodies including WP suspension, standard ABS, 110-front and 150-section rear rubber and, of course, the high-revving 373.2cc fuel-injected, liquid-cooled, DOHC 4-valve motor with all of its 43.5 PS.

The new motorcycle gains a few pounds, but actually looks even more delectable now, especially for sportsbike fans. At 147 kg, the power-to-weight ratio is still staggering at 296 PS/tonne. Most of the design elements other than the fairing are the same, save for the headlamp unit, which is now a twin-headlamp setup. You also get clip-on handlebars for a sportier riding position.

The RC390 will be produced alongside the 390 Duke and will make its way to India, we expect, early next year and with a price tag only slightly higher than its mean, naked sibling, the 390 Duke.

Story: Jim Gorde

Images: visordown.com