Motorsports Racing News & Blog Articles

Moto Guzzi is preparing a new special edition model based on the V7 but with modern styling. Spy photos of a camouflaged test bike were first uncovered by Moto.it in late October, leading to speculation that it would appear at EICMA along with the V100 Mandello. That obviously didn’t happen, but Motorcycle.com can confirm that the bike is on the way, and will be called the Moto Guzzi V850X.

The spy photo (shared in Moto.it’s Facebook post below) was reportedly taken by Oscar Malugani, an announcer for the Italian Trial Championship. The single photo offers a few details, such as the V7’s version of the air-cooled 853cc V-Twin engine, wire-spoke wheels, bodywork on the tail unlike current V7 model, and an unusual-looking front fairing that covers part of the upper forks. Thankfully, we’ve been able to uncover more information about the mystery model, including its name.

Piaggio, which owns Moto Guzzi, filed a trademark application on Sept. 23 with Italy’s Patent and Trademark Office for the V850X logo above, giving us a potential name. After a bit of searching, we discovered that Moto Guzzi had actually began setting up a page on its official website for the V850X. The page is incomplete, with a photos of the V100 Mandello serving as placeholders. The text, however, describes a motorcycle that matches what we can see in the spy photo.

Translated from Italian, the page describes the V850X as a “production special” and a “technical heir” to the Moto Guzzi V7. The styling is described as being “unconventional, brash, innovative” and abandoning the classic V7 style for a more “modern, original” look influenced by California motorcycle culture. The page elaborates on the California connection, saying the V850X was designed at the Piaggio Advanced Design Center under the direction of Miguel Galluzzi in in Pasadena, “where trends are born and go around the world.”

The page further describes the styling as a “synthesis of different worlds such as the flat track and that of the scrambler”, while also not fitting into any one specific category.

Ducati today dropped a minor bombshell with the press release below, announcing testing for its prototype MotoE racer had already begun. For those unaware, Ducati is set to become the sole manufacturer for the MotoE World Cup starting in 2023, replacing Energica, whose contract as the sole – and so far only – manufacturer for MotoE expires at the end of the 2022 season.

We can see that the overall shape and design of the bike aren’t far off from the design sketches first shown back in October when Ducati made its initial MotoE announcement. To these eyes, the nose section isn’t too dissimilar to the Energica Ego Corsa race bikes being used currently.

Behind the nose, the rest of the carbon fiber and composite bodywork shows obvious influence from Ducati’s own MotoGP racer, with angular “fuel tank” shapes and a sculpted carbon fiber tail/subframe section which appears to be one integrated unit.

Details on the mechanical bits of the Ducati MotoE prototype – code-named “V21L” – like battery, motor, and controller architecture, are understandably scarce, so we’ll have to glean information from the pictures and what Ducati does tell us in its press release. Ducati admits the primary challenge of developing an electric bike, especially one meant for racing use, is managing size, weight, and battery range.

This sweet Honda lost out to the Triumph Speed Triple ten years ago, mostly for a deficit of horsepower. But now that all ten-year old motorcycles are archaic compared to the current crop, we like it even better than we did then. The Honda CBR1000R was  light-handling, easy-riding and even nice to look at.

As I observed to my Ducati host just before we started up the mountain toward Idyllwild (elevation 5,800 feet) from Palm Desert, California (220 ft) – this is either going to be one of the greatest rides ever or one of the worst. Pity the poor new model launch planner: If it rains hard more than a few days a year around Palm Springs I’d be surprised. But logistics have to be laid out weeks ahead of time, and as the day for our ride drew nearer, the weather forecast for last Tuesday had evolved from 20% to 40% to 100% rain, to “atmospheric river.”

Editor Score: 93.25%

Sometimes riding in adverse conditions can be a hoot, sometimes it’s not. I guess it’s not my Aerostich Classic suit’s fault; I think you’re supposed to re-waterproof them now and then, but I never do. And I have a drawer-full of Pinlock visor inserts I didn’t bother to insert either. I did pack my Alpinestars Drystar waterproof boots and gloves! Oh, did you want to hear about the motorcycle?

2022 Ducati Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak First Look

We got this comment/question at the end of an article about Harley-Davidson’s new Revolution Max engine from Steve Sweetz, and it’s an excellent one:

If you haven’t heard of the Dutch motorcycle gear company REV’IT!, chances are you live under a rock or in your mom’s basement – not that there’s anything wrong with that. Founded in 1995 by Ivan Vos in the Netherlands, REV’IT! made the hop across the pond to North America in 2002. Since then, the company has grown at an impressive rate, now offering a comprehensive range of motorcycle gear from race suits that can be found protecting MotoGP athletes, to a wide swath of adventure and off-road gear. REV’IT! has also produced licensed products for major brands such as Touratech, Ducati, Husqvarna, Yamaha, and Harley-Davidson, to name a few. 

To say the Dutch company is killin’ it would be an accurate statement. I’ve used a myriad of gear from REV’IT! and, in almost every instance, have been impressed by the level of thought and usefulness that has gone into the gear. Numerous Red Dot design awards over the years further prove the company’s vision of innovation through design and a willingness to continue to push the envelope to discover the next best thing.

The REV’IT! Sand collection has been around for some time now and is, like other product lines in the manufacturer’s catalog, an example of its continued progression to provide the best garments it can. Meant to be the company’s mid-level adventure touring offering, the Sand line is now in its fourth iteration and has been built with purposeful upgrades and changes that make it a substantial and enticing offering for those looking for adventure touring gear at a mid-level price point.

The Collection

Customization is a key tenet of motorcycling. As the object of our desire, we love our motorcycles. And while the manufacturers do a great job designing these bikes, it’s up to us to personalize them and make them our own. Shouldn’t the same mentality go into the gear we wear? First Manufacturing thinks so. Which is why its custom jacket/vest builder is so cool. 

Before we get into that, let’s first talk about, well, First. First Manufacturing Co. has been making leather goods for motorcyclists for over 30 years. Their line of motorcycle jackets, gloves, and accessories are made with care, while new product lines are road-tested by a team of riders before they hit shelves.

Today, First Manufacturing Co.’s custom leather vests, leather jackets, and the rest of their lineup of motorcycle gear are still hand-crafted. And since they know that leatherware is only as good as the leather it’s made of, they source their raw hides directly from butchers. From there, each hide gets transformed into their safe and stylish motorcycle apparel over a multi-day process. It’s this kind of attention to detail that sets First Manufacturing Co.’s motorcycle gear apart, and all products are backed by a lifetime guarantee for zippers, snaps, and stitching.

Its considerable lineup also includes canvas and denim motorcycle apparel, but it’s their leather that is the true star. There are more than a dozen different styles and types of leather jackets to choose from for men and women. Designed to be comfortable both on and off the bike, First Mfg products are designed with both fit and function top of mind.

Harley-Davidson announced plans to take LiveWire public, making the brand the first publicly-traded electric motorcycle company in the U.S. The transaction is expected to raise net proceeds of $545 million which will be used to fund new product development.

Along those lines, Harley-Davidson also announced LiveWire’s second-generation electric powertrain, a proprietary scalable modular system to be called “Arrow“. We’ll go into more detail on Arrow in a bit, but first, let’s look at the business side of the transaction.

LiveWire’s New Ownership Structure

Harley-Davidson is partnering with Taiwanese motorcycle manufacturer Kymco and AEA-Bridges Impact Corp (ABIC), a special purpose acquisition company, to finance LiveWire. ABIC’s involvement is the linchpin of this deal. Special purpose acquisition companies (often known as “blank check companies”) are companies that have already gone through an initial public offering and formed specifically to merge with private companies like LiveWire. Essentially, this lets LiveWire go public without it having to go through an IPO itself.

ABIC will put in $400 million (held in trust, pending no redemptions from its shareholders), with Harley-Davidson and Kymco each investing $100 million. Harley-Davidson will retain a 74% equity interest in LiveWire. ABIC’s shareholders will hold 17.3% equity, with Kymco holding about 4.3%. ABIC’s founders John Garcia and Michele Giddens will also hold about 4.3% between them. Jochen Zeitz, Harley-Davidson’s chairman and chief executive officer, will hold the same positions with LiveWire for up to two years following the transaction, with Ryan Morrissey serving as the company’s president.

When I got the call from Motorcycle.com asking if I’d be available to fly over to the Circuito de Jerez in Spain to test the new 2022 Ducati Panigale V4 S, not only did a certain grin return to my face, but also I was especially intrigued by two things: One, I had just finished participating in a seven bike heavyweight naked shootout with MO (see Battle Royale) with the 2021 Ducati Streetfighter V4 S finishing right up near the top of my personal list. But two, I got the opportunity a few years back to evaluate the 2019 Panigale V4 S Corse at both Laguna Seca and Pirelli’s test circuit, the Autodromo di Pergusa in Sicily. To ride Ducati’s latest Panigale V4 flagship once again, but some two and a half years later, might reveal a few of the special ingredients the Bologna factory has unearthed to help explain this seemingly magic formula they’ve cooked up in both MotoGP and World Superbike.

Editor Score: 98%

Do you remember how in 2007, when Casey Stoner won the MotoGP World Championship for Ducati, virtually no other rider in the world could swallow that machine?

Chew on this: In 2021, five out of six Ducati riders earned podiums in MotoGP, and five out of five Ducati riders earned podiums in WSBK. In MotoGP, Ducati won Best Manufacturer, Best Team, Best Independent Team, Best Independent Rider, Best MotoGP Rookie, thirty front row starts, twenty-four total MotoGP podiums, and seven wins. So, just what the heck has Ducati been brewing into their pasta sauce?

2021 Motorcycle of the Year: Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special

To those of you who have been paying attention over the past year, our selecting the 2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special as Motorcycle.com’s Motorcycle of the Year should come as no surprise. To win the MOTY, a bike has to do two very important things. First, it has to claim victory in one of the MOBO categories, proving that it has the chops to successfully compete against its peers. For the Pan America to do this in the ultra-competitive heavyweight adventure touring class in the first year of its production says a lot about how seriously Harley took the task of stepping out of its cruiser/bagger comfort zone. Second, the MOTY has to say something about the current state of the motorcycle art, where the industry is, and where it’s going.

2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 First Look

2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special Review – First Ride

Spanning America On The Pan America

Continental’s Product Manager for motorcycle tires Raphael Michels says he mostly never bothered to warm the Conti RoadAttack 3 rubber on his Husqvarna 450 supermoto racer, and still managed to get right down to dragging peg in the first corner anyway. Of the brand-new Conti RoadAttack 4 just introduced yesterday, he says you really can’t even tell the difference between hot and cold anymore.

Continental isn’t the first tire most people think of when it’s time for new ones, but maybe they should be higher on the list since, as Michel also points out, Conti rubber comes as standard equipment on lots of new motorcycles, including KTM’s 390 and 890 Dukes, and its TKC 70 and 80 on KTM’s big adventure bikes. In fact, fully 69% of its bike tires go to OEM fitments. Now with 150 years of experience under its belt, the Hanover, Germany-based Continental employs 236,000 employees working on all sorts of projects, of which motorcycle tires are but a small part. One of every three cars in Europe, says Conti, is delivered with its tires.

2005 saw the first RoadAttack tire: By 2017 it had evolved into the RoadAttack 3, which won Motorrad magazine’s best sport-touring tire test that year. Not content to sit on four-year old laurels, actually five since the new tire won’t be here until 2022, Continental has been hard at work on the new, and of course improved, RoadAttack 4.This one they’re calling a Hyper-touring tire, and claiming it encroaches into territory formerly owned by all-out sport rubber. Designed to deal with bikes approaching 200 horsepower, the new tire was also built to complement those bikes’ electronic aids. But to make sure you’re testing tires and not electronics, says Engineer Michels, you must disconnect all of them. In addition, Conti claims the new tire will act as an instant bolt-on upgrade to older bikes.

With all due respect to its Multistrada models, Ducati‘s current adventure bike offerings are better suited for paved streets with the occasional sojourn on fire roads. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. After all, we did just pick the Multistrada V4 S as our MOBO winner for the best sport-tourig motorcycle of 2021. If you were looking for a more off-road performance from Ducati, you now have a better option in the new 2022 Ducati DesertX. With long-travel suspension, a 21-inch front wheel and a large fuel tank (plus an optional second tank), the 2022 DesertX is Ducati’s new entry to the highly competitive middleweight adventure bike segment.

Ducati originally presented the DesertX as a concept model at EICMA in 2019, with the air-cooled Scrambler providing the platform. The production model keeps the concept’s rally-inspired styling, but with Ducati’s liquid-cooled 937cc Testastretta 11° Desmodromic engine as its powerplant.

Visually, the DesertX is styled after enduro motorcycles from the ’80s. The Cagiva Elefant is an obvious inspiration with the white color scheme, dark lower section to the windscreen and twin circular LED lights, but Ducati doesn’t mention the bike by name, perhaps because of a similarly-inspired upcoming new model from another Italian manufacturer with stronger claims to the Cagiva brand.

The DesertX is equipped with a 5.54 gallon fuel tank, but for additional range, Ducati offers an accessory 2.1-gallon rear tank. The second tank is mounted to the tail, with fuel transfer switching over when the main tank drops below a certain level, with a dedicated switch on the dashboard. With the accessory tank, that’s a combined 7.64 gallons of fuel capacity, though Ducati hasn’t disclosed how much the accessory tank will add to the DesertX’s $16,795 price or claimed 492-pound wet weight.

Best Sportbike of 2021: Yamaha YZF-R7

Before you start peppering me with hate mail about how on earth a Yamaha R7 could possibly be the best Sportbike, let’s remember what our MOBOs are about in the first place. It’s not strictly about performance. If that were the case, then clearly the Yamaha would be pretty far down the totem pole. How the machine works is a factor, sure, but it’s also about a motorcycle’s significance in the greater overall context of its category and motorcycling in general. Considered in this context, the R7 should start to make a little more sense. 

We have to start, obviously, with its performance. The R7 is one of my favorite motorcycles to ride on a racetrack, regardless of displacement. Its torque-heavy 689cc Twin is fun to exploit, and its flexy-flier chassis brings me back to my Suzuki SV650 roots. Riding one of these quickly requires a mastery of the fundamentals. There’s no cheating. You also can’t lean on electronics to act as a safety net. The R7 has nothing but ABS. Get it right and it’s extremely rewarding. As I said in my First Ride of the R7, this bike is sport riding distilled. Just man and machine. It’s pure. I like that. 

Then, as we look at the bigger picture, the R7 comes in under $9000, re-opening the sportbike category to a wider range of would-be enthusiasts – and lord knows this category needs an injection of enthusiasm again. Combine these two factors, and to us anyway, picking the Yamaha R7 as our Sportbike of the year is fitting.

Best Sportbike of 2021 Runner-Up: Aprilia RSV4