Top Speed Motorcycles

Ducati has just confirmed rumors related to the introduction of an all-new Italian naked by adding the Monster 796 to their 2010 model lineup. The big news follows Ducati’s poor Monster 1100 sells as the biggest Monster of them all gets close to the race-spec Streetfighter’s pricing range. Also taking in consideration the fact that the Monster 696 doesn’t have enough juice to keep the good stuff coming for more experienced riders, the need was felt for a middle solution, NOT a new middleweight model. So here it is

The new bike came to life after Ducati combined the chassis of the big Monster with the 2010 Hypermotard 796 engine. We must say the Borgo Panigale manufacturer has great expectations from their in-between solution, which they claim being “the perfect synthesis between sports performances, aesthetics and daily riving pleasure.”

While we cannot contradict them in any way, we’ll just have to let the numbers speak for themselves: 87hp and 58 lb-ft of torque coming from the 803cc, two-valve, air-cooled twin, all while weighing in at a 369 lbs dry. Optional ABS will add 4 lbs to the standard weight figure. Bodywork colors available for when the bike is supposed to hit Europe’s dealerships this April are Ducati Red, Arctic White, or Diamond Black Silk, all with the red frame and black wheels. Considering the €8990 European pricing, the 2010 Ducati Monster 796 shouldn’t start at more than $10K in the United States.

This new Duck has gone from rumor to fact in a very short time and it is all thanks to Ducati’s variety of “donor bikes” that helped put it together. This means little investment for the Italian company and more profit, definitely the theoretical way to rise up overall sales of the Monster lineup. Factual, we’ll just have to wait and see. Hit the jump for the official video and full specs.

Ducati Monster 796 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 19 April 2010 10:25 EST.

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Top Speed Motorcycles

In a world where 50cc two-wheeled vehicles are called mopeds, the Aprilia RS 50 manages to stand out as a supersport model with all the features that come with the category.

The two-stroke engine’s 8.4 horsepower would mean the difference between a stock and an aftermarket exhaust in the case of most liter bikes, but when you start thinking that Aprilia took the time to develop an aluminum frame and swingarm, light wheels and an RSV-inspired fairing for the RS 50, you know that they’re up to something big (and not necessarily in terms of engine displacement) here.

Although it might seem like it’s designed for pure fun, the smallest supersport bike from Italy is here to teach kids and teenagers the first steps in sports riding. And when the engine starts feeling week, an 80cc cylinder kit will keep riders on their first RS bike before even considering the RS 125 alternative.

Aprilia RS 50 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 16 April 2010 11:12 EST.

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Top Speed Motorcycles

The 2010 Kawasaki Z1000 is already one of the best Japanese nakeds around, but ways to make it better are always found either by riders individually or by tuners. These lasts have the habit of developing entire upgrade kits that set the bike miles away from its original state of new product that has just come out the factory gates.

Take the 2010 Roaring Toyz Kawasaki Z1000 case for example. The bike gets a set of Performance Machine wheels (17-inch front, 18-inch rear), 240-section rear tire, a custom-built braced swingarm and Brocks 4-2-1 exhaust, just to mention some of its most impressive new features.

The gold/silver paintjob does help at setting the bike apart from its standard siblings, but what we like the most about this project is the fact that it looks like that’s just the way Kawi did it in the first place. This is really one of those bikes that people see and ask “what is stock and what is aftermarket about it?” Click past the break to find out.

2010 Kawasaki Z1000 by Roaring Toyz originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 15 April 2010 11:43 EST.

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Top Speed Motorcycles

What started as the simple transformation from naked to sport-touring ended up a completely new project for the Italians from Aprilia because turning a class-leading urban commuter into a machine ready to take on any kind of trip means more than simply adding a half-fairing and a screen to the original bike.

The Aprilia Shiver 750 GT/ABS is a technologically advanced and highly refined way to prove the Italians have a word or two to say in this industry.

Aprilia Shiver 750 GT ABS originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 14 April 2010 11:31 EST.

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Top Speed Motorcycles

It was little what Aprilia could improve at their Shiver 750 naked bike, but they decided to do it anyway and then claim the 2010 model year is a more advanced one than its predecessor. Indeed, the naked bike gone supermoto gets a headlight cowl, wave brake discs and new colors, but we wouldn’t brag too much about it as, in essence – meaning engine and chassis – it remains the same.

Aprilia Shiver 750 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 13 April 2010 10:54 EST.

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Top Speed Motorcycles

Fevzi lives in Gaziantep, Turkey and to most people he was just a regular guy until a motorcycle dealer got on tape his unusual talent. Definitely our favorite Turk, Fevzi can imitate motorcycle/car sounds like we’ve never heard before. Any sound starting from that of Suzuki and Yamaha literbikes, continuing with the unmistakable sound of a two-stroke Yamaha 115cc bike and even with that of a massive tractor engine, simply comes natural to now Turkish television’s favorite showman. Tune up your speakers and prepare yourself for a healthy laugh session.

Engine sound imitator becomes Turkish celebrity originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 12 April 2010 11:40 EST.

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Top Speed Motorcycles

Take a look at this 1977 Kawasaki KZ400 in the small photo and at the veritable café racer above only to find that there are little similarities, enough to have you say we’re talking about two different bikes. But it is precisely the ease of transforming an old Japanese bike into a café racer what impresses us the most about this project.

Billetproof Customs bought the bike for $300. The reliable engine still ran good, so it was worth stripping everything off of it in order to see what can be done from a fresh start. Said and done. They started with the frame, which was seriously modified and then they built the wheels and brought in lowered front shocks and custom shortened rear shocks. The old Kawi was now 2 inches lower and got itself a much more aggressive stance also thanks to the shortened clubman bars.

The bodywork was next. A refurbished 1979 Suzuki GT 500 fuel tank found its place on top of the frame together with the one-piece seat and rear tail section, which were custom made out of fiberglass by the builder. The reconditioned engine was now ready to go back on and it was fed through a single carb instead of its original dual ones. Also, it now features custom made and wrapped exhaust pipes and so they obtained a retro look instead of the classy one that chrome would have given the bike.

After adding a disc front brake and custom drilling the rear drum as well as hiding the battery under the tail section, the bike was ready for painting. Like all the above mentioned, this was done by the manufacturer and Kaki was the color of choice. Other nice details worth mentioning are the headlight, bar end mirrors and speedo, taillight as well as the custom stitched seat in between. Hit the jump for a multitude of photos.

1977 Billetproof Customs KZ 400 Café Racer originally appeared on topspeed.com on Saturday, 10 April 2010 11:17 EST.

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