Motorsports Racing News & Blog Articles

Following the initial announcement of its electric mobility strategy, Yamaha has released full specifications for the NEO’s scooter and confirmed proof-of-concept testing of the larger E01 model will commence in July.

Yamaha has described the NEO’s as providing performance on par with a 50cc gasoline-powered scooter. We now know the NEO’s offers a claimed peak output of 3.4 hp, with a nominal power output of 3.1 hp. This is similar to what you would find on a lot of 50cc scooters from smaller manufacturers, but is down compared to scooters from larger brands like the Honda Ruckus (claiming 4.3 hp at  8000 rpm), Vespa Primavera 50 (claiming 4.6 hp at 9500 rpm), and even Yamaha’s own Zuma 50F, which claims an output of 4.0 hp at 8000 rpm.

Of course, the advantage of electric models like the NEO’s is that power arrives almost immediately. The NEO’s also delivers a boatload of torque, with Yamaha claiming a peak output of 100 lb-ft.

The NEO’s is powered by an air-cooled brushless three-phase synchronous motor mounted to the rear hub, eliminating the need for a drive belt or chain. The NEO’s offers two power modes: STD, which provides full power, and ECO, which maximizes range to a claimed 23.9 miles on a single fully-charged battery. That isn’t much, and considering Yamaha claims a range of 23 miles on STD mode, ECO mode seems almost superfluous if it doesn’t even get you an extra mile.

With thousands of kilometers of road and a daunting number of potential moto touring routes to choose from, planning your next Ontario motorcycle ride can be a challenge. What will it be, a long-distance epic, beach hopping along the great lakes shoreline or zigzagging between northern lakes and the Canadian Shield? Sure, a visit to the GoTourOntario.ca can assist, but if you happen to be the kind of rider that believes lunch should be as good as the ride, allow us a few suggestions.

Here are five Ontario motorcycle rides that will put a smile on your face and keep hunger at bay.

Deer Trail Loop

The popular Algoma Deer Trail Tour at 120 km is easily doable as a day ride, but a hungry rider is not a happy rider, and the shorter route means more time to enjoy some local cuisine. Following the Lake Huron North channel and river valleys, this fun loop around Elliot Lake, Blind River and Iron Bridge offer plenty of opportunities to stop and refuel the body.

The Red Top Motor Inn & Restaurant is known for its delicious food and comfortable accommodations in Iron Bridge. Blind River’s quaint main street is worth a stop on its own; pick up some take out at Mad Mat’s Rockin’ Road Food or sit in at A Touch Of Home. You can always find some motorcycles parked at Elliot Lake’s FireSide Classic Grill. For a chance to combine lunch with a lake view, the deck at Dunlop Lake Lodge is the place to be.

I could’ve sworn Honda had discontinued the 600RR years ago, when I bumped into a pretty red, white, and blue 2021 model on the corporate website a few weeks ago. What? Colin Miller, our American Honda media rep, assures me that’s not the case, and that the bike’s been available in the US all along. Hmmm, wonder why I haven’t ridden one in such a long time? 

Soon enough I found myself riding up to Honda USA, Torrance, to swap the NC750X I’d been hoarding since October for a new 2021 CBR600RR. The NC looks nice enough. The red/white/blue CBR600RR ABS looks stunning, as well it should for $12,899, or about $3600 more than the NC. When the first RR got here in 2003, Honda bragged it was heavily influenced by its current RC211V MotoGP machine, and it looks the part. Oh dang, look who wrote the new CBR up in January of that year. Yours truly.

2003 Honda CBR600RR – Part One: On Paper

2003 CBR600RR Track Test by J.Schvetz

The other thing stunning about the CBR is its ergonomics. Maybe I’ve never ridden an RR until now? I have such fond memories of all the CBR600s, remembering them all as being really practical as well as sporty – but maybe the last one I rode was an F4? Wiki has a quote from Motorcyclist, describing the last CBR600F4i as “one golf club that acts like a whole bag.” 

In a surprising move, KTM is bringing back the 790 Duke, returning “the Scalpel” to its lineup in select markets after a very brief absence.

The 790 Duke was introduced in 2017, but it was quickly supplanted by the 890 Duke R in 2019 as KTM’s top middleweight naked. The 790 was dropped completely for the 2021 model year, replaced by a new non-R 890 Duke.

There was never anything wrong with the 790 Duke. KTM says it managed to sell 29,000 units despite it’s very short run. The main impetus for change was the introduction of Euro 5 emissions standards. Like other manufacturers opted to do, KTM tackled the stricter standard by increasing the displacement of the Duke’s LC8c Parallel-Twin from 799cc to 889cc, hence the introduction of the 890 Duke.

We all assumed that was it for the 790, but lo, here comes an updated Euro 5-compliant version and all the latest electronic updates. The engine keeps the same 799cc displacement as the original, but for European markets, it sees a drop in horsepower to a claimed 95 hp. According to KTM, this less powerful version allows for an easier reconfiguration to suit A2 license tiers. In other markets, however, the 2022 model keeps the same claimed output of 105 hp as the previous iteration.

A small displacement Harley-Davidson model developed with Chinese manufacturer Qianjiang may finally be nearing production. The prospective 350cc model has been in the works since 2019, and despite design filings of the bike and a look at the Harley-branded engine, we haven’t heard any official statement on when it will go into production.

We now have evidence that the small displacement model (rumored to be called the Harley-Davidson 338R) may be getting closer to launch, thanks to vehicle identification number (VIN) decoder information Qianjiang submitted to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The VIN decoder listed information for models branded as QJ Motor bikes like the SRK 400 RR sprotbike and Qianjiang-owned Benelli models like the TNT 600 naked bike.

All manufacturers have their own formulas for determining VINs, with each of the 17 letters and numbers representing characteristics of each model. The first three characters are always reserved for the World Manufacturer Identifier, a globally standardized ID code assigned for each manufacturer. Ducati, for example, is assigned “ZDM” for models produced in Italy and “ML0” for models produced in Thailand. Qianjiang is assigned the code “LBB”, so the VIN codes for all QJ Motor and Benelli models begin with those three letters.

A simple, sporty full-face helmet. That used to be the only brain bucket on my shelf. I used it for touring, daily commutes, canyon blasts, and everything in between. A helmet like the AGV K6 can do it all, which makes it an enticing lid for those who don’t want/need a closet full of helmets. What makes a relatively simple helmet standout? Years of refinement which is what AGV’s K series is all about.

The AGV K6 replaces the K5 S and bridges the gap between the more sport-focused Veloce S helmet which has also been discontinued. This new iteration no longer has the drop down sun visor that was a staple feature in the previous models, but is otherwise a lighter, more compact version of the helmet it replaces. 

The K6’s carbon/aramid shell comes in four sizes (XS-SM, MS, ML-LG, and XL-2XL) to cover seven head sizes, keeping weight at a minimum. The EPS is made from five different densities to ensure optimum protection. AGV claims the K6’s protective capacity is 48% higher than that required by legislation. In addition to the helmet’s light weight, its aerodynamic properties also add to the overall experience of using the helmet. To reduce collarbone injury, the bottom of the chinbar is slightly arched on the sides.

Fast FactsT-shaped chassisTiny 1-gallon fuel tankIMU-based ABSNo word on US availability

Honda announced a new 125cc Minimoto for Europe, reviving the Dax model name for a new generation of riders. The name was originally used in Europe in 1969 for Honda’s ST-series in 50 and 70cc models, and last produced from 1995 to 2003 in Japan. The name comes from “Dachshund”, as its distinctive T-shaped frame resembles the weiner dog breed, helping it stand out from Honda’s other minibikes like the Monkey and Cub.

Things get a little confusing in North America where the Dax was sold as the CT70 and, in 1973, when Honda offered the ST90 as the Trailsport. Today, Honda offers the Trail 125 in the U.S., but the new Dax is a very different vehicle.

The modern Dax brings back the original’s design with a T-shaped pressed steel frame, thick seat, and tall handlebars. The original Dax ran on 10-inch rims, but the new model shares its five-spoke 12-inch wheels with the Grom. The high muffler design was first introduced in the 1973 Nauty Dax and brought back in the 1995 Dax.

There were a lot of transitions going on at Motorcycle Online 20 years ago, not the least of which involved its founder, Ashley Hamilton (top left), pictured with her friends and MOites Sister Kim and Ray. I was entitled Editor in Chief as I recall, but they mostly told me where to jump and how high.

Reading the Scooter Smackdown is okay, but the videos were what made the thing; sadly, they seem to be lost somewhere in the digital ooze of time – though the four frames on page 2 give you the gist: Calvin had the win in the main in the bag coming into the final corner, when he lost the Vino’s front end. It was all edited by an actual videographer friend-of-Calvin’s and was gloriously set to, I think, the “Chariots of Fire” theme. (Maybe that’s why it’s disappeared?) In a separate but equally hilarious incident, intern Elliott from Seattle was captured falling off another scooter, a video which the (major) manufacturer didn’t find the least bit funny. In fact, they yanked our test bike privileges. After a truly awkward boardroom meeting in which the ridiculous ambivalence of the cosmos was revealed, I realized I probably needed to get a real job. Twenty years later, those guys are all gone and I’m back. Dominus vobiscum, kids.

Fast FactsLightweight carbon wheelsSTM-EVO SBK dry clutchMatte Black Winter Test liveryMSRP: $39,500

As we had previously reported last month, Ducati is introducing a new Panigale V4 SP2, a numbered series production model it bills as “The Ultimate Racetrack Machine.” Internationally, the SP2 is a 2022 model, but for North America, it will arrive in dealerships in the fourth quarter as a 2023 model.

A follow up to 2021’s SP model, the SP2 takes all the updates the Panigale V4 and V4 S received for 2022, and adds a number of upgrades to make it worthy of the “Sport Production” label and $39,500 price tag.

These upgrades include carbon wheels, Brembo Stylema R calipers, MCS radial master cylinder, STM-EVO SBK dry clutch, lightened 520 chain, billet Rizoma footpegs and a matt black Winter Test livery.

According to Ducati, the SP2’s five-split spoke carbon rims are 3.1 pounds lighter than the aluminum forged wheels of the Panigale V4 S. Ducati also claims a 26% reduction in inertia for the front wheel and a 46% reduction at the rear. Along with a number of other carbon components, the wheels contribute to a claimed curb weight of 428.7 pounds, down from the Panigale V4 S’ claimed 431 pounds.

Jim Lindemann was a genius in the suspension business who saw opportunity where others didn’t – by improving upon the suspension a motorcycle came with from the factory. Many moons ago, when Kawasaki Ninja 250s were littering race tracks as a fun and inexpensive way of getting into racing, competitors were replacing their shocks with aftermarket pieces. Lindemann, in keeping with the inexpensive nature of the class, modified a stock shock and gave it adjustable rebound and compression circuits, along with a remote reservoir to house the pressurized fluid, all for less than the aftermarket shocks on the market at the time. The result? I set a lap record around Willow Springs Raceway using that shock on a Ninja 250 (that was beaten a lap later by another racer). 

The point is stock suspension can be made to perform pretty well, and while there’s certainly nothing wrong with upgrading to the best suspension money can buy, for many riders, that’s simply overkill. Not to mention financially unfeasible for some. Guys like Bobby Loo, proprietor of Motorrev Suspension Tuning, are looking to carry on the tradition started by Lindemann. Loo has developed a budget upgrade for the Showa Big Piston Fork and an upgrade for the Showa shock, commonly used in the current Suzuki GSX-R600/750, but also in many other motorcycles as well. 

Before getting into the details of Loo’s upgrade kit, first a refresher course in suspension.

Motorcycle Suspension 101

Yamaha Motor Europe outlined its plans for electric two-wheelers, revealing a range of scooters, bicycles and a moped. The announcement confirmed our report last week that it would include an electric scooter called the “NEO’s”, but the 50cc-equivalent model was only scratching the surface.

The presentation provided a general outline of Yamaha’s approach to electrification, though it did leave us wanting more. While electric motorcycle brands like Zero and Energica offer a range of models and Harley-Davidson‘s LiveWire spin-off is preparing to offer its second model in a few months, Yamaha is much more conservative about electrification.

Of the models mentioned, the NEO’s is the only one that go into production this year. The NEO’s name (pronounced “Nay-OSS”) has been around since 1997 as a 50cc gas-fueled scooter, and it will continue to exist as an electric model, offering a similar level of performance. As we reported, the new NEO’s will be based on the E02 concept shown at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show.

The 50cc scooter class used to be more popular in Europe, but as Paolo Pavesio, marketing and motorsport director for Yamaha Motor Europe, explains, tougher emissions controls and the prevalence of more powerful 125cc scooters has eaten away at the class. There’s still a place for vehicles of this level of performance, however, and Yamaha sees it as a a logical target for electrification. Yamaha will release further details about the NEO’s in the weeks ahead, but it did confirm the NEO’s will use removable batteries.

The second electric scooter, a 125cc-equivalent model, will be a much longer time coming. Based on the E01 concept also shown in 2019, the as-yet-unnamed model (“E-Max” seems the obvious choice, but Yamaha’s branding seems to focus on incorporating a stylized “O” somewhere, so we’ll stick with the concept name for now) will be introduced in a European city as a vehicle-sharing fleet model. Yamaha will use the vehicle sharing as a proof of concept, and to gather data for a consumer launch in two to three years.

In 1997, Bill Clinton started his second term, nobody was sure if the Titanic had sunk or not as the Leonardo di Caprio film had just debuted – along with the Toyota Prius in Japan. Love was in the air, the median California home price was $186k, and what the hell was Motorcycle Online? What could possibly go wrong?

Honda’s first CL72 250 Scrambler was lashed to the bumper of many a Conestoga wagon as it made its way westward, and I’m pretty sure it was a Kawasaki KLX300 that I wheelied over backwards, circa 1997, that really dampened my enthusiasm for stunting. At least Honda’s had the decency to change its nomenclature over the years to give the impression of evolution. Kawasaki is standing pat with the 292 cc Single that’s powered its KLX since 1996, along with its KLX nomenclature.

2021 Honda CRF300L & Rally Review – First Ride

2021 Kawasaki KLX300 Review – First Ride

Sort of. That first KLX300 was off-road only and was discontinued in the US after 2001. KLX250 then appeared circa 2006 as a dual-sport, went in and out of production, re-emerged updated and fuel-injected in 2018 – which set the stage for the boring-out and re-introduction of a new KLX300 for 2021. It uses the same 78 x 61.2mm bore and stroke as the original ‘97 thumper and looks just like it too, from the outside at least. What’s old is new again.



[Note: The half-baked opinions, mis-statements of fact and otherwise actionable slurs below do not represent the views of Motorcycle.com. In fact, we are surprised if they represent the views of anyone at all.]

MotoGP, the fastest sport on two wheels in the known universe, is back for what promises to be one of the most competitive seasons in history. Twelve well-financed teams. 24 riders, of whom only a handful can be excluded from consideration for multiple podium appearances during a 21-round campaign stretching from the streets of Indonesia to the jungles of South America to the Gulf of Finland. And the machines, hand-built to inconceivable tolerances, with power-to-weight ratios comparable to strapping a pair of big Evinrude outboards on the back end of a dinghy.

In the past ten seasons, only four men have claimed the title of MotoGP world champion. Jorge Lorenzo, gone but not forgotten, won it all during his Yamaha days in 2012 and 2015. Joan Mir, the young Spanish speedster with the girl’s name, claimed his win in 2020*, winning a single race in a season decimated by Covid. French heartthrob Fabio Quartararo became a world champion in 2021*.

*The asterisks signify seasons in which Spanish king of kings, Marc Marquez, who won the other six titles during the period, was injured or trying to return from injury. It doesn’t require much imagination to suggest that, had Marquez been healthy, both Mir and Quartararo would have watched him claim his seventh and eighth premier class crowns. For those of you new to the sport, he is the Michael Jordan, the Tom Brady, of grand prix motorcycle racing. Those of us who watched him during those years remain unworthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.

Founded in 2010, Shorai was one of the earliest manufacturers of lithium powersports batteries. Shorai has since established itself as a major player thanks to its proprietary lithium-iron phosphate (LiFePO4) cells. MO first tested Shorai’s LFX in 2011, and it impressed us enough to give it an honorable mention for that year’s MOBO awards for the Best New Product category. Since then, Shorai has remained on the leading edge of powersports lithium batteries. So, naturally, we were excited when the company offered to give four lucky MOrons a battery for their motorcycle and a charger to go along with it. How cool is that?

The Benefits Of Shorai LFX Lithium-Iron Phosphate Batteries

Shorai LFX batteries typically weigh significantly less than lead acid-based batteries. For example, a 2015 Honda CBR1000RR’s stock battery is the Yuasa YTZ10S-D, which weighs a claimed 7 pounds. The Shorai replacement would be the LFX19A4-BS12, which claims a weight of just 2.45 pounds. That’s a 65% weight savings in a single component.

Shorai’s batteries have a higher Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) rating than lead acid batteries. CCA rates the number of amps a battery can deliver for 30 seconds while maintaining steady with at least 7.2V. For that CBR1000RR battery example above, the LFX’s CAA rating is 285 compared to just 190 for the Yuasa. And that’s just at the 7.2V standard. Shorai says its batteries can reliably deliver 9V over five seconds, and even higher over a 30-second crank. And these are only a couple of the advantages offered by Shorai batteries over lead-acid batteries.