Motorbike

The same applies on two wheels but learners can now do it for just $6000 with Suzuki's 1970s styled TU250X. It isn't going to win a drag race, but it doesn't need to ... it's styled like a cafe racer for beginners.VALUEThe Suzuki combines old school looks with old school pricing. The scrambler styling gives it a unique look in the Learner Approved Motorcycle Scheme pack and there's nothing wrong with the way its built either.TECHNOLOGYBeneath the retro looks, the little Suzuki is fuel injected and runs a front disc brake with a dual-piston caliper. The single-cylinder engine has a sporty but muted exhaust note and uses bugger-all fuel - 200km is well within reach of the 12 litre tank. STYLINGModern bikes are multicoloured. To add to the contrast, the Suzuki runs subdued paint schemes - grey and black. The single round headlight is the big feature, along with chromed and spoked wheels and chrome rear shocks. It looks basic, just like it should.SAFETYOff-the-line acceleration will keep the TU250X away from the the traffic. Sounds simple, but it will keep a rider alive. And the slim bike will filter through most situations - it's no wider than a small scooter. That combination makes it a near-perfect urban commuter.RIDINGThe low seat height makes this an easy bike to throw a leg over. It's light, too, so smaller bodies will quickly come to terms with the Suzuki. And it runs smoothly and turns-in crisply at legal speeds. Go beyond that and there's a thrum through the frame and the shocks start to stutter over a sequence of bumps.VERDICTThis is close to ideal for learner riders who want something different but don't want the hassle of an old bike. The looks put a smile on people you pass and the price should appeal.

LIKE a woman's impossibly high and thin stiletto heel, the Harley-Davidson Blackline is an impractical fashion trend. Both look great, but for the wearer/rider they are fairly impractical to wear/ride. Rather than being deterred by the discomfort, the wearer/rider sadistically is drawn in by the "look at me" factor. And riding this bad boy down the street you are bound to attract attention. As we photographed the bike near a building site, it was tools down as the workers gathered to check out Harley's latest. VALUE At $25,750 it's the cheapest Softail and so it should be as it is stripped to the bone for style. To be fair, it is also loaded up with some tasty chrome. It would be heresy to compare a Harley to a metric cruiser, but it does stand up well in value against its American compatriot, Victory (Jackpot $28,490 and Vegas $22,495-$24,495).TECHNOLOGY Speaking of heresy, Softails now come with a rev counter and gear indicator. This may not come as a great shock to riders of other bikes, but in the traditional world of Harley it's big news. Thankfully, it's discreetly included in the very small LCD screen on the single analogue speedo dial. It is powered by the same rigid-mounted, counter-balanced Twin Cam 96B V-Twin engine with fuel injection and six-speed transmission as other Softails. DESIGN Harley's Blackline is the latest model to go dark. The stripped-down and blackened Softail joins other "dark custom" models in the fleet such as the top-selling 883 Iron Sportster. It's not dark but minimalist with a "pared to the bone" look. The rear fender is bobbed over a slim 144mm tyre, the compact single headlight and speedo are tucked low into the wide FX front end, and the laced wheels are black-rimmed. At just 63cm it is also the lowest two-seater yet produced by Harley. It features a black and silver engine, shaved 18-litre fuel tank and split drag handlebars. RIDING Low seat, high and narrow handlebars, and a 21-inch skinny front tyre are a recipe for tricky handling. Harley couldn't have made the task any more difficult if they had put it on roller skates. A big front wheel requires a wide handlebar to turn it. Thankfully the rear tyre is narrow so it turns a lot better than expected.After a while you settle into the groove of the machine, slow down, acknowledge the envious looks from passersby and plug into the throb of the engine. Like a stiletto, it doesn't become any easier to handle and pretty soon you are taking a break to ease your aching back. That's when the crowd will gather to admire the Milwaulkee metalwork.Harley-Davidson FXS BlacklinePrice: $25,750 (+ $400 for two-tone paint)Warranty: 24 months (unlimited km)Service: 1600km/8000kmEngine: 121Nm, 1584cc air-cooled, Twin Cam 96BTransmission: 6-speed cruise driveEconomy: 6.72L/100km (urban), 4.36L/100km (highway)Dimensions (mm): 2362 (L), 610 (seat), 1689 (WB), 133 (clearance)Tyres: MH90-21 54H; MU85B16 77HWheels: 21 x 2.15"; 16 x 3"Fuel: 18.9 litresWeight: 310kg

IF cruising is about turning heads, then Victory has hit the jackpot. This white-framed Vegas Jackpot with its dazzling paintwork, ultra-fat rear tyre and abundance of chrome almost causes road accidents everywhere it goes as it diverts the attention of drivers and pedestrians. Victory is a 13-year-old American competitor to Harley-Davidson and has been in Australia for three years with dealers in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Newcastle and Mackay.VALUEThe Vegas Jackpot is more expensive than its non-metric (Japanese) cruiser competitors, the Harley-Davidson Softail Blackline ($27,995) and Triumph Thunderbird Storm ($22,990), both of which come standard with ABS. But you pay extra for two-tone paint on the Harley and the level of detail here is closer to Harley CVO quality rather than the standard models.TECHNOLOGYThe Victory also has the bragging rights on engine capacity with a 103 (1737cc) twin compared with the Storm's 1699cc and Harley's 1584cc. However, the Storm tops the torque charts with 156Nm, just 3Nm more than the Jackpot, while the Harley has 117Nm. Harley doesn't issue official power figures, but the Jackpot and Storm are level on 72kW.All come with six-speed transmissions with belt drive. The Jackpot's instrument display features a decent-sized LED screen that features a gear indicator and toggles between speedo, trip meter and tacho. A gear indicator and tacho are no longer considered heresy on an American cruiser as Harley Softails also have these features.DESIGNWhile many cruisers are going for the grunge look, this Victory is clearly going for the bling title with its deep chrome, white frame and wild paintwork. That white frame is a real standout, but surely vulnerable to stone chips. Also, the brake pedal is painted white and could quickly chip or discolour from wear. There is a darker red and black combination available with more varieties to come in the 2012 models.The engine is very tidy with all plumbing carefully hidden away, although the handlebar cabling is a little messy. Having the ignition on the side in the chromed air cleaner cover is needlessly "old school" and could scratch the chrome if you have anything dangling off your key ring. The use of a separate steering lock on the front fork is also inconvenient. Build quality is superb, right down to the fine details such as the use of quality nuts and bolts.RIDINGThankfully Victory last year upgraded the clunky gearbox. It's much smoother now and is married to a relatively light clutch. The cogs have positive engagement with an easy-to-find neutral and no false "angel gears".The big air-cooled engine likes revs more than the Harley or Triumph but doesn't feel uncomfortable or rough when plodding along in peak-hour traffic. Here it develops a fair bit of heat under the seat and at the traffic lights the right-side exhaust scorches your ankle.Most of our test ride was charging through the hills and I was surprised with the Victory's economy. Official figures are 5.5 litres per 100km giving it an effective range of almost 300km, but on our test ruin we achieved a startling 4.6L/100km.This test bike came with a legal aftermarket slash-cut exhaust with a slight bend that looks much nicer than the straight silencers. The sound is a deep burble at idle and a full-grown mating call at top revs. Where the Victory excels is in the handling and clearance. It is sprung and damped heavier than the Triumph or Harley and will only scrape the pegs with a decent lean. It also doesn't dig in or wallow if you hit a mid-corner bump. But with that 250mm wide, low-profile rear tyre, it obviously needs a lot of counter-steering effort to lean into corners and hold its line. Ease up on the bars and it stands straight back up again.The skinny 21-inch front wheel looks very old school, but it tends to track on parallel grooves in the road surface. Rear brakes are much stronger than the single front disc. Riding position is comfortable although the arms stretch out a fair way and highway speeds create a windsock effect. It comes with rear pegs and is registered as a dual-seater, but unless your pillion is a size-zero model most of their bottom is going to be sitting on the rear fender, scratching that stunning paintwork.VERDICTThis is a good handling, powerful cruiser with the looks to turn heads.VICTORY VEGAS JACKPOTPrice: $29,995Warranty: 2-year/unlimited kmService: 8000kmEngine: 1731cc air-cooled V-twin, 72kW/153NmFuel: 17litresTransmission: 6-speed, belt driveDimensions: 2435mm (L), 1684mm (WB), 653mm (Seat), 135mm (Clearance)Dry weight: 294kgSuspension: telescopic 43mm fork, mono-tube gas rear shockBrakes: 300mm discsTyres: 90/90 21 (front), 250/40R18 (rear)Economy: 5.5L/100km.RIVALSHarley-Davidson FXS Blackline $27,995Triumph Thunderbird Storm $22,990.

The 1199 Panigale supersedes the 1198 and will be the first Ducati superbike with a name as well as numbers.Pronounced "Pan-ee-gah-lee", it refers to the Borgo Panigale area of Bologna, the home of the Ducati factory.The north-eastern Italian region is known as Motor Valley and includes the homes of other great motoring marques such as Ferrari, Lamborghini and Pagani and the famous Imola race track.Ducati will reveal its 2012 superbike at the EICMA International Motorcycle Show in Milan November. The company has been releasing in a drip-feed manner with the latest information being about the new "Superquadro" engine.No, it's not a four-cylinder, but an over-square (bore-to-stroke ratio) L-twin with capacity slightly higher at 1199cc rather than 1198cc. Power is up almost 20kW to 145kW with torque of 133Nm. It retains the Desmodromic valve control from previous engines, but everything else is new.The NEW engine also required a new and stronger six-speed gearbox. And for the first time in a top-of-the-range Ducati superbike it has a "wet", oil-bath clutch, so no more loud and annoying clatter when the clutch lever is pulled in.It also features a "slipper" function to prevent back wheel lock-up on downshifts/ Despite the extra power and new transmission, Ducati has extended major services from 20,000 to 24,000km.It will also be 10kg lighter thanks mainly to an aluminium twin-spar frame In a two-stage introduction of the bike to motorsport, the Panigale will compete in the 2012 FIM Superstock Championship and World Superbike in 2013.This gives Ducati more development time for the WSB version and keeps a lid on costs for teams competing with a 2012 version of the 1198. Dates for local release have not been announced.Ducati has also revealed more details on its 2012 range. The Mulistrada family will get more comfortable and longer seats while the top-of-the-line Multistrada 1200 S Touring (pitcured left) will get a titanium and black colour scheme.The 2012 Hypermotard 1100EVO SP (pictured right) will come with a Corse (race) Edition with high ground clearance, high-spec suspension, high bars and black Ducati Corse official colours.

THE last time I rode the Triumph Rocket III Touring I had a heart-in-the-mouth incident involving a locked rear tyre on a wet downhill slope. My review said the bike needed ABS like the Harley Touring family. Well, ask and you shall receive. It now comes standard with ABS.VALUEThe good news is it doesn't cost any more now with ABS. At $25,9990 it beats the American opposition (Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail $29,995 and Victory Cross Roads $26,990) and compares favourably with some of the Japanese "metric" cruisers. There is extra value in the fact that the windscreen is quickly detachable as this makes it more of an all-seasons proposition.TECHNOLOGYThe Rocket has the largest engine of any production motorcycle in the world, bigger than most medium-sized family cars. It's 2.3-litre, three-cylinder heart has the lustiest beat of any bike on the road.Don't be discouraged by peak power of 80kW which is down from 104kW in the Classic as it is tuned for a fat midrange of 209Nm from just 2000rpm. The transmission is via a faultless and smooth five-speed gearbox and shaft drive.SAFETYHave I mentioned it now comes with ABS? Not that the contact patch on the big front and rear wheel tyres lack for grip, but with the low centre of gravity, there is a lot more stopping power in the rear brake than on most bikes, so it can be easy to lock up the rear wheel, especially in the wet. However, ABS takes car of that. On a weekend two-up ride through country with some damp sections, I never felt the ABS come into play, but it was comforting for my nervous pillion to know that it was there if needed.DESIGNThe Touring model turns heads wherever it goes. It looks like the Classic model with a windscreen and panniers, but the only parts they share are the rear light, mirrors, brakes and the engine. Even the seat is different, with two separate layers of cushioning of different densities and a gel pad in the pillion seat. These are among the 59 accessories designed exclusively for the Touring variant, including back rests, mufflers, heated grips and chrome parts.It comes with hard panniers and a look-over windscreen, but you can replace these with after-market options. The top-loading and lockable 36-litre standard hard luggage compartment is neat and streamlined. However it is a bit narrow, so it won't fit much gear. Both the luggage and windshield have a quick-release system that is easy to remove and fit.Riding position is good for long stints with your legs splayed around a fat tank and feet on wide footboards with an adjustable heel-toe gear shifter. However, I found the straight-out reach to the wide bars a little fatiguing.RIDINGNot that I should refer to my wife as a load, but most of this test was spent two-up and the big triple didn't seem to notice the extra load. Gearing is tall and torque is huge so you don't need to rush through the gears nor do you find yourself in fifth looking for one more cog.My wife commented that the gel seat is comfortable, but the seat sash is useless as a grab handle. Instead, she held on to me, which is nice, but not ideal. She would also opt the optional sissy bar for back support.Handling is actually improved a little by the extra weight over the rear wheel as it prevents that bouncing feeling over big bumps. It could do with a little more rebound damping in the rear springs.Small, high-frequency bumps are handled well and the bike never bottomed out over the big hits, even two-up. A pillion also helps the steering, making the front a little lighter and more nimble for counter-steering into corners. The narrow rear tyre also assists agile turn-in. Lean angle is good with the peg scraping only when your are pushing hard or hitting a mid-corner bump with a pillion on board.VERDICTIt's called the Touring and invites two-up riding over long distances. The only limiting factors are the narrow panniers and the 22.3-litre tank which has range of about 300km when fully loaded.TRIUMPH ROCKET III TOURINGPrice: $25,990Warranty: 2 years/unlimited kmService: 10,000kmEngine: liquid-cooled, fuel-injected 2294cc triple, 80kW/209NmTransmission: 5-speed, shaft driveWheels: 25-spoke 16-inch alloysTyres: 150/80 R16; 180/70 R16Suspension: Kayaba 43mm forks (front), Kayaba twin shocks, with preload adjustment (rear)Brakes: 320mm floating discs, Nissin  4-piston fixed calipers (front), 316mm disc, Brembo 2-piston floating caliperFuel: premium, 22.3-litre tank, 7.7L/100km (tested)Dimensions: 2608mm (L), 895mm (W), 1182mm (H), 736mm (Seat), 1708mm (WB) DRY WEIGHT: 362kgColours: black (with hand-painted silver pinstripes), black and white, black and red, and two-tone blue.Visit www.triumphmotorcycles.com.au for more information.

Introduced in 2009, the Victory Vegas 8 Ball and Hammer 8 Ball cruisers were an instant hit. Black, low and minimalist, they were great value for money.For 2011, the Vegas 8 Ball has set the bar high and the price low.Now standard with the blacked out 72kW/ 153Nm 1731cc 6 Speed Freedom VTwin, the 8 Ball features black bars, forks, swingarm, chassis and exhausts, the blacker the better.But the biggest news is the price.With a bigger motor and 6-speed gearbox, you get more black for less, at just $19,995 rideaway.The trend continues with the all new 2011 Hammer 8 Ball. The Hammer 8 Ball joins its Hammer S stable mates with the biggest motor Victory make. The 72kW/153Nm 1731cc Freedom V-Twin is the benchmark in American cruisers.Add in the 6-speed overdrive gearbox, an awesomely fat 250 section rear tyre, coupled with an 18 inch front wheel and inverted forks and you have a real muscle cruiser.It's available only in black of course with black trim.With a waiting list already building, the line starts here for the Hammer 8 Ball at just $24,995 rideaway.

Properly called the Nuda 900 R, it features a bored-out version of the BMW F 800's parallel twin. The project is one of the first benefits of the Swedish off-road bike company's take-over by BMW last year.The Italian-designed Nuda was first seen as the Mille3 concept at last year's EICMA motorcycle show in Milan. Now the Nuda has been revealed in all its muscular glory with sharp angles, big air ducts and narrow rear end.However, it looks like Husky has retained its basic and uncomfortable supermotard seating. This certainly won't be much fun for touring. Its 900cc engine will have more than 75kW of power and 100Nm of torque with dry weight less than 175kg for a healthy power-to-weight ratio. Many internal components were also modified to improve the performance of the power and torque curve.Handling should be good with full-adjustable Swedish Ohlins suspension at the rear and full-adjustable Sachs forks. It should also stop well with monoblock radially-mounted four-piston Brembo brakes at the front.Australian importers The Paul Feeney Group on the Gold Coast expect it to reach our shores late next year.Prices are yet to be announced but it will compete with the BMW F 800 ($13,900-$15,800), KTM 990 Super Duke ($19,995) and Ducati Hypermotard ($15,990-$20,990).Group marketing manager Jorg Hoffmann says they hope to grab customers from the F 800, but if it is too competitive in price, we could expect BMW Group Australia might complain.The Nuda isn't the first street bike Husqvarna has produced, but in recent years the company has devoted its range to off-road machines and small-bore, single-cylinder supermotards.

The company has released a video teaser for its new F4 RR version. Under new importers MV Agusta Imports, the standard F4 costs $25,800 ride away which is substantially less than the $32,000 it used to cost.However, you can expect to pay a lot more for the RR when it finally arrives.MV Agusta Imports manager Kevin Beale says the bike will be coming to Australia but ``extracting hard info from HQ is difficult''.``All we know about it is it will have 200hp (150kW) and Ohlins suspension, but it will be exciting,'' he says.``Right now we don't have confirmed production start-up month, but we are expecting it to be this year judging by the way the Italians are talking."``It's not going to be a cheap bike. It will come with a fairly big premium over the standard.''Other models in the MV range include the naked Brutale 1090 ($20,800, previously about $25,000) and Brutale 1078 ($17,800, previously about $25,900). Beale says the Italian brand has promised shipments of the new F3 600cc three-cylinder Supersport F3 from the first run of production in September.``Our goal is to have it launched in Australia in March 2012.'' MV has also dropped the iconic under-seat ``organ pipes'' and replaced them with a Buell-style exhaust system underneath the engine.Details of the power and performance of the vehicle have not been released. MV has a dealer in each state and two in NSW.``Sales are quite healthy,'' Beale says.Their biggest seller is the Brutale, but they admit supply is short.``We're a start-up company and we didn't know how many of each colour and model to order,'' he admits.``We took a stab in the dark and have under-ordered on Brutale.''Visit: www.mvagustaimporters.com.a