Yamaha’s 2010 FZ8 is now available in Australia as a naked (N) and semi-faired (S). With the naked priced at $12,990 and the semi-faired priced at $13,990 they enter the competitive naked market with guns blazing.

The new FZ8 series is built on a new 779cc engine and all-aluminium frame that presents a sportier option than the more relaxed XJS yet won’t step on the toes of the big-bore FZ1, finding a middle ground that Yamaha hope to dominate.

Yamaha were keen to ignore category precedent and set out to create an engine that provided them with the right balance of power and torque with the emphasis on road usability, hence the obscure 779cc capacity.

The new fuel injected engine highlights include a throttle valve and an electronically controlled subthrottle valve to provide additional control over intake airflow volume, real time ECU processing, a large-capacity 7.8 litre airbox featuring two different funnel lengths to produce a better spread of torque, four-valve cylinder heads and more.

The engine acts as a stressed member in the all aluminium frame with a CF aluminium die-cast swingarm. The 4-into-2-into-1 exhaust clears EU3 exhaust emission standards.

The suspension features upside-down forks, running 43mm inner tubes while the rear is taken care of by a Monocross unit.

Front brakes are twin four-piston monobloc calipers, gripping 310mm floating front discs with surrounding five-spoke cast aluminium rims – the front tyre is a 120/70 ZR17, and the rear is a 180/55 ZR17.

The seat height of 815mm is what you would expect of a sports bike however the FZ series is aimed at a more comfortable experience.

There are two colour schemes per ‘S’ and ‘N’ model.

But it’s the engine that really is the focal point of the FZ8 series, potentially bringing a unique balance and ride to the naked market.

Specs next page.

The 2010 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade is now available at dealers across Australia for $17,990 (standard) and $18,990 (ABS) plus on road costs. The best news is, the Blade gets more than a paint job.

When Dailybike tested the 2008 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade, we labelled it as a racebike for the road. For 2010 the new bike will include an increased diameter flywheel, new muffler cover and redesigned registration plate. It’s the flywheel which will make the most difference in an effort to keep the superbike on song and competitive.

There are of course, some new colour choices. Three new colours (standard) include Silver Metallic and Pearl Fire Orange, Graphite Black and Victory Red, and Graphic Black and Pearl Sunbeam White. db

Aprilia Australia are bringing in a more focussed version of the Shiver called the Shiver Sport and will become available in July with a recommended retail price of $12,990.00 plus on road costs.

The Shiver gave Aprilia a notable presence in the naked category back in 2008 and now comes in a more enticing package. The 2010 Shiver Sport will feature wave brake discs, a narrower seat, windscreen, repositioned and sport styled foot pegs, new handlebars and a new 5.5×17” rear wheel. As with most new models, the Shiver gets an updated paint scheme.

The engine remains as a 749cc 90° V Twin and the front 43mm upside-down forks and rear shock are adjustable.

Two colour schemes will be made available in Australia, silver with a red frame and black with a red frame.

db

Triumph have released details of their forthcoming 2011 Sprint GT due to land in Australia in September 2010. The new bike replaces the 1050cc Sprint ST with a move towards offering more of a complete touring package rather than trying to accommodate two different approaches.

The 2011 Sprint GT is said to generate 130hp yet as with most tourers and even sports tourers, big power claims are not the name of the game here.

Instead Triumph have focussed in on offering more practical solutions with new 31 litre panniers, ABS brakes as standard, underseat storage, built in rack with well appointed grab rail, 320 plus Km fuel range (Approximate) and an optional top box capable of swallowing two full sized helmets and offering a 12 volt power supply to allow ‘on the go’ charging of electrical items such as laptops and mobile phones.

Newer headlights, internal mounting system for the mirrors gives enhanced visibility, a more contemporary cockpit featuring fuel consumption, range-to-empty, journey time, average speed and clock functions.

At the rear the distinctive underseat exhausts have been replaced with a traditional side-mounted system. While some may lament the decision the new exhaust actually produces more horsepower and frees up space under the seat for more storage including triumph’s accessory U-lock. Your pillion will also give thanks as the new seat arrangement has them sitting lower with their feet on lower footpegs also. The optional powered top box also provides more support.

A lighter rear wheel, longer single-sided swingarm, revised damping, new rear shock with remote pre-load adjuster, brakes with lighter discs and new brake pad formulation all go some way to providing a ride that while may not be as nimble or as sporting as the Sprint ST, should deliver a truer touring experience.

Triumph report the 20 litre fuel tank ensures the Sprint GT can comfortably cover 320 plus Km’s between fuel stops while sixth gear on the Sprint GT is 7% taller than on the ST, delivering more relaxed motorway riding and improved touring economy.

As the 2011 Sprint ST moves into more of the touring role, the accessories available do likewise. The standard 31 litre panniers can be supported with the aforementioned top box to produce a total 117 litres of carrying capacity. The waterproof 31 litre panniers are also able to swallow a full-face XXL helmet, are colour coded and are fitted to the bike rather inconspicuously as to maintain the look of the bike when they are removed. As usual, many more accessories are made available from Triumph.

The 2011 Triumph Sprint GT comes into Australia with two colour options: Aluminium Silver and Pacific Blue. Pricing has not be set as yet, so stay tuned. db

Yamaha have a little gem on their hands in a leaner motorcycle that bucks the trend of ’smaller is better’. The 2010 FZ6R looks like a proper-sized motorcycle being based on the XJ series of middleweights and gives the impression it’s not a learner bike at all, much like the Honda CB400 and Suzuki Gladius, SV650S and GSX650F although the first two are naked bikes and the FZ6R is fully faired. Priced at $11,290 plus on road costs the FZ6R is a little pricier than the competition so let’s look at what you get for your dollar.

The folks at Yamaha have spent plenty of time tinkering with the 600cc liquid-cooled 4-stroke in-line 4-cylinder engine with particular attention paid to reducing vibration. A newly-developed high-compression cylinder head, cam profile designed for strong and linear low to mid-range torque, slimmer inlet ports, lightweight forged aluminium pistons and lots more mean the FZ6R isn’t just lumped with whatever Yamaha could find ‘out back’.

All improvements that have been made point to one area – ease of use. The newly designed clutch and shifter provide superior feel over previous incarnations by way of moving the shift system from left of the crankcase to the right while an inner push type clutch release mechanism promises better operating ease and feel.

The newly designed diamond-shaped steel frame should do all that’s required for a bike at this level but the important part for any learner is how high, or low it is and at 785mm it’s sure to fit almost every rider.

There’s nothing too elaborate happening with the suspension, which could be a good thing. Conventional 41mm forks are used up front with mono-cross suspension at the rear.

Braking is done by way of 298mm diameter double discs up front and a 245mm disc takes care of business at the back.

The front radial tyre is a 120/70R 17inch and the rear radial tyre is a 160/16R 17inch, the status quo for leaner motorcycles.

A new instrument cluster provides digital display speedometer, analog tachometer, odometer/tripmeter, fuel gauge, water coolant and air temperature gauges.

Sometimes it’s little things like the U-shaped lockable storage compartment beneath seat for U-lock up to 300 mm in length and adjustable handlebar position that make the difference on bikes like these and don’t discount the full fairing, at highway speeds it can make the difference between arriving at your destination fresh or arriving in need of a neck massage.

Yamaha claim the 2010 FZR is a bike for all occasions. If you’re in the market for a learner bike give it a test ride. Only you’ll know whether or not it’s worth that bit extra over the competition by riding it.

Specs next page.

BMW’s S 1000 RR has landed in Australia, priced beyond belief at $AUD21,995 + on road costs. BMW’s first serious crack at entering the highly contested Supersports segment is a stunning one and in typical BMW fashion, is laden with technology such as a race style HP Gearshift Assistant with further options such as Dynamic Traction Control, Race ABS and more ensuring the German bike is up to speed immediately.

The RR uses an all-new, race-bred 999cc water-cooled, DOHC, sixteen valve, inline four-cylinder power unit, developing a maximum output of 142 kW (193 hp) at 13,000 rpm and maximum torque of 112 Nm at 9,750 rpm, enough to take the fight to the Japanese and Italians.

The overall weight of just 204 kg (450 lb) including fuel (183kg/403.5 lb dry weight, 206.5 kg/455.3 lb overall with Race ABS) is also on the money.

And it’s money that perplexes. How did BMW manage to build a world class machine for this price? What you get for that aforementioned price is just astounding and here are a few of the key highlights:

• Engine output 142 kW (193 hp) at 13,000 rpm, peak torque 112 Nm (82.5 lb-ft) at 9,750 rpm

• Various riding modes available at the touch of a button for wet surfaces, regular road requirements, race tracks with sports tyres and race tracks with slicks.

• HP Gearshift Assistant for shifting up without operating the clutch and without the slightest interruption of torque and pulling power (On all Australia & New Zealand spec models the BMW S 1000 RR arrives standard with race style HP Gearshift Assistant).

• Aluminium tank unique in this segment for further reduction of overall weight.

• Innovative exhaust system with a small and short rear-end muffl er, pre-silencer and electronically controlled interference pipe flaps as well as a fully controlled exhaust gas manifold and two fully controlled three-way catalytic converters.

• Multi-functional instrument cluster with racing features such as a laptimer. The rider is able to set all functions directly from the ends of the handlebar.

• New generation of switches with optimised ergonomics.

…with further options to whet your appetite:

• Optional Race ABS

• Optional DTC Dynamic Traction Control in conjunction with Race ABS

• Wide range of equipment, special features and options naturally offering full BMW quality (and homologated for road use)

For those wanting their S 1000 RR with ‘the lot’, Australia and New Zealand will also receive the BMW S 1000 RR Sport which will showcase the full electronics package; including HP Gearshift Assistant, Multi-mode Race ABS and Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) as standard.

The BMW S 1000 RR is now on sale in Australia and is available in four colors. Customers have the choice of Thunder Grey Metallic, Acid Green Metallic, Mineral Silver Metallic and an optional BMW Motorrad Motorsport color combination of Alpine White, Lupin Blue and Magma Red.

With initial demand expected to exceed supply BMW Motorrad Dealers are currently taking customer orders with first customer deliveries commencing mid February, 2010.

Specs next page.

12►

It’s no big secret that Kawasaki will be releasing a new and improved Z1000 with ABS in 2010 and on paper it looks as though the bike could have the goods.

A new engine that focusses on torque will surely win over naked fans with a 90cc increase. The crankshaft was lowered to allow for the longer stroke and the engine’s dimensions are about the same despite the increase. The bore is slightly smaller than the 2009 Z1000 but larger than the ZX-10R. Vibration is kept to a minimum with a secondary balancer driven off the crankshaft.

New EFI with ultra-fine injectors and small bore throttle bodies with oval sub-throttles promise a very smooth response across the rev range.

The fuel tank has been redesigned as is more flared on the sides for better control when sports riding.

Kawasaki have obviously been listening to what customers have been saying for years – they love the Kawasaki sound! So for the 2010 Z1000 model, the new cool air system not only routes cool air to the airbox from the ducts above the shrouds, it encases a resonator that reduses noise at low rpm and enhances the intake sound at high rpm. The ducts have also been positioned so the rider can better experience the sound.

The exhaust system visually might not be to everyones taste but getting all that EU approved material in there is a tricky job, particularly when the goal is to improve mass-centralisation. A device upstream of the right silencer helps tune back pressure waves for enhanced response in the low-mid range.

The chassis is all-new and purpose built for quick steering and light handling, with the same philosophy as the ZX-10R in construction. Torsional rigidity is up around 30% with the frame tipping the scales 4kg lighter and four engine mounts (instead of three) all help handling and stablilty. The new 3-piece rear sub-frame made out of aluminium also helps to reduce weight. The new swingarm features eccentric axle adjusters.

The suspension is new with fully adjustable 41mm front forks while the rear uses a fully adjustable unit that sits above the swingarm and away from exhaust heat.

The petal brakes now feature ABS as standard while the larger rear disc adds more control.

The new handlebars are wider, higher and slightly further forward which may be a benefit depending on your height. The instrument panel features all the usual information such as speedo, bar-style tacho, odometer, two trip meters, fuel gauge and clock. What’s really cool though is the panel can be tilted to suit every rider.

Colours are Pearl Stardust White with Candy Burnt Orange or Metallic Spark Black with Atomic Silver. Price is TBC.

Specs next page.

Yamaha Australia have finally brought in the learner bike that Europe have enjoyed for some time now, the YZF-R125. Looking the part, the little ‘R’ sits right along side its bigger brothers the YZF-R6 and YZF-R1, eager to prove its worth.

Yamaha have given the YZF-R125 a liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, 4-valve, single cylinder, SOHC engine that will rev and rev all the way to 9000rpm. The engine also features a compact fuel injection system fed by a large capacity air box and 4-valve cylinder head.

The free-flowing large capacity mid-ship muffler is reminiscent of the YZF-R6 and houses dual catalysers, as well as an air induction system which introduces air into the exhaust to enable more complete combustion of any unburnt gases, resulting in reduced emissions.

The chassis features a twin spar Deltabox design that is actually a full-sized chassis, making it easier for Yamaha designers to find the best riding position. The cast aluminium swinging arm is said to keep weight low.

The 33mm forks should do the job for such a lightweight bike while the 292mm front disc is slowed by a compact twinpot caliper and the rear a 230mm disc.

Ten spoke alloy wheels are housed in a 100/80-17 tyre at the front, and a 130/70-17 tyre at the back.

As with most 125s, the best way to ride them is keeping the revs high and never letting go (of the revs or the bike!), something Yamaha seem to have understood when building the bike.

Great to see Yamaha are offering more accessories for YZF-R125 owners including a double bubble screen, a yoke, a seat cover, roller protectors and a tank pad. The more choice we have to customise the better.

The bike is absolutely stunning and could happily sit alongside any supersport and not be embarrassed. It almost wouldn’t matter how it rides!

Specs next page.

Triumph just can’t seem to leave the Rocket alone and for 2010, introduce their meanest version yet, the Rocket III Roadster.

If the original Rocket was a bit ‘tame’ for you, then the Roadster is where you need to be. Billed as the ultimate muscle streetfighter, the bike will certainly be the heavyweight in that category.

With Triumph’s iconic three-cylinder 2,294cc engine at the heart of the bike, few could argue the bike needed more power and torque. So what did Triumph do? They gave the new bike, more power and torque! Maximum power has increased over the outgoing Rocket III, with torque up 15% to a mighty 221Nm.

Triumph have fitted ABS as standard to the Rocket II Roadster, the first time they have done so for the Rocket series. Ergonomics have improved as well, with new footrests further back, lower down and more inboard than on the Rocket III, which Triumph hope will feel more immediately comfortable for those riders not use to cruisers. The plush new seat sits the rider higher and further forward than before, giving a comfortable and natural leg position while reducing the reach to the handlebars all going some way to helping riders steer the big beast through corners.

New suspension units are said to offer more comfort and control over previous versions. The suspension has been taken back to black. In fact a lot of the bikes components have been given the black treatment including the forks, yokes, radiator shroud and rear springs.

Pricing is yet to be confirmed, but the Roadster will be available from official Triumph dealerships from February 2010.

Specs next page.

While the 2010 Suzuki GSX-R1000 may not have any major changes over the 2009 model, it is still capable of scaring the pants off anyone this side of a Superbike racer.

And it’s those Superbike racers that have been doing the business for Suzuki since the GSX-R100 was released in it’s current guise. Victories on debut in American and British Superbikes, while winning on debut in the Australian Superbike Championship at Eastern Creek in July also added to the GSX-R1000 trophy cabinet. It’s fair to assume then, that the fundamental package is sound.

The GSXR range is renown for it’s engines and the engine in the 1000cc model is typically a monster. Utilising a 999cc, four-cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC engine, featuring the Suzuki Dual Throttle Valve (SDTV) fuel-injection system the unit will give more than anyone could need on the road (if we are law abiding…) and most circuits. Other features are iridium spark plugs for a stronger spark and better combustion, 12-hole fuel injectors resulting in a reduction of fuel consumption and exhaust emissions, enlarged titanium valves, forged pistons, shot-peened conrods and Suzuki Composite Electrochemical Material (SCEM)-plated cylinders integrated into the crankcase.

The two large-volume, MotoGP-inspired titanium mufflers are not to most peoples taste but they do the job and keep the emissions in check, at least until the next it of EU regulations come into effect. A back-torque-limiting clutch and Suzuki’s original Drive Mode Selector (S-DMS) add to the rideability of the big Suzuki.

For 2010 the twin-spar cradle frame, made from just five cast aluminium-alloy sections, gets a splash of colour. Which colour depends on which colour fairing you opt for.

Developed in conjunction with Showa, Big Piston Frontforks (BPF) with an endurance-race-proven design are said to deliver all the right levels of feedback and responsiveness while the rear does the usual job of adjustable rebound damping, spring preload, and both high-speed and low-speed compression damping.

Up front the brakes are fully floating 310mm discs and rigid, lightweight race-proven monoblock forged radial-mount calipers to help counter the rapid forward progression expected of the bike.

Ergonomically the GSX-R100 features adjustable footpegs while the instruments include a silver-ringed analog tachometer with LCD speedometer. LCD readouts include odometer, dual trip meters, reserve trip meter, clock, coolant temperature/oil pressure warning indicator, gear position indicator, lap timer/stopwatch, S-DMS setting indicator and bar-graph indicating the instrument lighting level or brightness.

The 2010 Suzuki GSX-R1000 is now available in Australia, backed by a two-year, unlimited kilometre warranty for around $20490 + on road costs (check your local dealer for current pricing)

Specs next page.