A meaner, blacked-out look and more advanced mechanicals make the Bobber Black the more premium sibling to the standard Bobber.

Triumph has taken the wraps off a new blacked-out version of its highly popular Bonneville Bobber named the Bonneville Bobber Black. The British bike maker has taken it a step ahead with simple visual updates and some significant mechanical changes as well. But first, let's take a look at the list of changes that give this bike its name.

Visual updates

The Bobber Black builds on the lines of the standard Bobber and retains all the features that made the original such a handsome motorcycle. That means it continues with the lovely hard-tail look where the rear monoshock is cleverly hidden beneath the cantilevered single seat. All other clever touches like the retro-themed battery box, rear drum-style wheel hub, flat bars, wire-spoked wheels and steel mudguards are carried forward.

Triumph took the Bobber base and applied copious amounts of black to give the bike a meaner, more sinister look. A large number of parts have been blacked out and we’ve got the full list below:

•           Black-painted exhaust (silencers, headers and upper finned casting)
•           Black-anodised brake pedal and footrests 
•           Black-anodised gear lever
•           Black-plated gear linkage
•           Black-anodised brake and clutch levers
•           Black-painted handlebars, with black anodised risers and clamps
•           Black-painted seat pan
•           Black powder-coated engine covers, cam cover and sprocket cover
•           Black chrome-plated headlight rim
•           Black-painted wheel hubs

However, the visual changes go beyond the black treatment and many of these updates are to the mechanical bits. So, here's what's new: 

Mechanical changes

The Bonneville Bobber Black receives a huge overhaul of the front end, starting with the new 16-inch rim and a fat 130-section tyre. This is a big change from the 19-inch rim and 100-section tyre on the standard Bobber, and along with the newly developed Avon Cobra rubber, the new Bobber gets a more slammed stance. Braking gets a boost too, as Triumph has added a second disc brake to the front end. Both discs span 310mm and are slowed by new 2-piston Brembo calipers. Finally, the forks have been updated from the 41mm KYBs to chunky 47mm units by Showa. Crowning it all is a powerful new, full-LED headlamp which was previously offered as an optional accessory on the Bobber.

Ride-by-wire throttle continues, but the Bobber Black now gets Cruise Control as standard fitment. As before, the bike offers ABS and switchable traction control as well as two riding modes – Road and Rain. The Bobber Black continues with the same tune for the 1,200cc parallel-twin engine, producing 77hp at 6,100rpm and an impressive 106Nm at 4,000rpm. Twin slash-cut exhausts belt out a carefully tuned exhaust note that is deep, powerful and befitting a custom-looking bike like the Bobber Black. Dry weight has gone up from 228kg on the standard Bobber to 237.5kg.

The Bobber Black is available in two shades, Jet Black and Matt Black. As before, Triumph offers a huge range of over 120 accessories, including everything from seats to controls to exhausts and multiple visual trims.

An India launch is currently under consideration and the bike could arrive in small numbers. If it does, expect the Bobber Black to cost a good deal over the standard Bonneville Bobber which is priced at Rs Rs 9.5 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai). 

Harley-Davidson India has inaugurated its first concept store in India. Called Warrior Harley-Davidson, located in Kolhapur, the store is part of the bike maker’s sales and service network expansion plan across India. Warrior Harley-Davidson, which houses all Harley-Davidson Customer Experience concepts in small forms, is a platform for the brand to reach out to existing customer base in Tier 3 cities that do not have a retail presence. The concept store is designed to improve accessibility for sales and service requirements of Harley-Davidson customers residing in the city and the outskirts and ensure that they get an opportunity to be part of H.O.G. events. 

Commenting on the launch, Marc McAllister, ‎VP and MD, (International Markets) at Harley-Davidson Motor Company, said: “Our focus has always been on developing the culture of leisure motorcycling in India. We expect the next level of our growth to come in from Tier 2 and 3 cities and expansion to these markets is an important part of our strategy. Our  concept store is a step in the same direction by taking the brand closer to enthusiasts and giving them an opportunity to experience the lifestyle.” Harley-Davidson commenced its operations in India in August 2009 and appointed its first dealership in July 2010. The company offers 14 models in its India line-up, in addition to a full range of genuine parts, accessories, and general merchandise, available through authorised dealerships. The company has an assembly unit at Bawal, Haryana.  

After ten years, Honda’s CB1000R is finally due for replacement.

Naked bikes are fast eating into the sales of supersport machines overseas. Having an up-to-date, modern naked on sale alongside a litre-class flagship goes without saying. For the past ten years, Honda have persevered with the current CB1000R, a sweet and friendly naked bike but one that ultimately looks and feels a little tired next to its newer rivals.

Reports suggest that Honda could have a brand spanking new version of the naked 1,000cc machine at the EICMA show in November. Some international renderings give the bike a retro design theme, but with the presence of the retro, air-cooled CB1100 family, we expect the new CB1000R will carry a sleek, modern theme based on the handsome new Fireblade.

As with most naked litre-class bikes, the next-gen CB1000R should use an engine based off the current CBR1000RR Fireblade, but in a lower state of tune. Given that the current 1000R makes just 125hp, we expect a significant boost in power to somewhere around the 150hp mark, bringing it up to spec with rivals. It’s fair to expect a raft of new electronic assists from the new Fireblade as well as ride-by wire throttle.

The current crop of litre-class nakeds are effectively split into two sections, with bikes like the Kawasaki Z1000 and Suzuki GSX-S1000 occupying the more cost effective spectrum while the Aprilia Tuono 1100, BMW S1000R, KTM 1290 Super Duke R are more powerful, feature higher levels of kit and come at a higher price point. Where Honda will position the new CB1000R remains to be seen and we wouldn't be surprised to see it straddle both sides of the segment like Yamaha’s new MT-10.

Courtesy : Autocar

Even though its official unveiling is slated for July 7, 2017, at the Laguna Seca round of the World Super Bike (WSB) championship, details and specifications of Ducati’s ‘last hurrah’ Panigale have already leaked out. The leak happened thanks to the new bike’s emissions documents being out in the public as well as a Ducati dealer from the UK listing the specs on their website.

First things first: the name. This bike will be called the ‘Panigale 1299 R Final Edition’, which clearly points to the fact that the bike runs the 1,285cc L-twin motor from the Panigale 1299 road bike, and not the 1,198cc L-twin from the homologation-special Panigale R. This also means that the ‘R’ in the Final Edition’s name is a bit deceptive as it won’t be handling racing duties for Ducati in championships such as WSB on account of the engine capacity being too high for homologation.

In fact, the Final Edition’s motor is actually derived from the feather-weight 1299 Superleggera. The key differences between the engine of the Superleggera’s and Final Edition’s engine are that the latter runs steel cylinder liners, steel fasteners and a die cast crank case. Peak power for this Final Edition is a whopping 209.5hp at 11,000rpm while peak torque is rated at 141.95Nm at 9,000rpm. These figures are slightly lower than those from the Superleggera, but that is mostly just down to the fact that an engine dynamometer was used to measure the Final Edition’s power, while a chassis dynamometer was used for the Superleggera.

The Panigale 1299 R Final Edition tips the scales with a kerb weight of 190kg, which is about 12kg more than the Superleggera. But it’s pretty much exactly the same as the Panigale 1299 and the 1299S. But with that extra power and torque on tap, performance is sure to be more exhilarating.

The emissions documents have also revealed that the Final Edition runs a lot cleaner as compared to the 2017 Panigale 1299. Its CO and combined HC+NOx emissions are now 0.4g/km and 0.08g/km, respectively, down from 5.9g/km and 0.32g/km for the same gases on the 2017 bike. While these are American specifications, it seems, just like the Superleggera and unlike the regular 1299 Panigale, 1299 Panigale S and Panigale R, this Final Edition is finally Euro 4 compliant.

Ducati’s new V4 superbike is undergoing testing right now and is slated to be launched as a 2018 model. However, it’s highly likely that the new V4 bike won’t carry the Panigale name. So, for those who want to get their hands on the last of the big Panigales, this Final Edition will cost GBP 34,995 in the UK (approx. Rs 29.33 lakh) – that’s nearly double of what the standard 1299 Panigale costs there. We honestly don’t think any of these Final Edition Panigales will make their way to India, but we are hoping Ducati India surprises us. We’ll know more after the bike’s official launch on July 7.

Courtesy : Autocar

Sri Lanka is all set to receive a taste of sporty convenience and a dash of Italian style. The Italian marque has launched their India-made line-up of scooters in the island country.

The Vespa line-up is made of 125-cc and 150-cc scooters. The 125-cc engine produces 10.06 PS and a peak torque of 10.06 Nm while the 150-cc engine produces 11.6 PS and a peak torque of 11.5 Nm. The 125-cc scooters are offered in LX, VXL and SXL variants while the 150-cc line-up comprises of VXL and SXL variants. The Eleganté variant will be offered as the top-end choice in both 125-cc and 150-cc line-ups.

Those looking for a sportier mode of transport can opt for either of the Aprilia scooters; the SR 150 or the SR 150 Race. They are powered by a 155-cc engine that makes 10.4 PS and a peak torque of 11.4 Nm.

Commenting on the launch, Diego Graffi, Managing Director and CEO – Piaggio India, said, “Both Aprilia and Vespa have created a benchmark in the two-wheeler segment in India and now the bikes are set to make their debut in Sri Lanka. It is indeed a matter of pride for the Piaggio Group that our marquee products will be available in a new market like Sri Lanka.”