As the summer draws to a close, it’s that time when motorbike manufacturers prepare to wow us with their new models for the coming year. Brands usually unveil their new models ahead of the winter show season, with Milan’s EICMA show in early November historically the place where we can see all the new metal for the first time, before it heads to Birmingham and our own Motorcycle Live show.
But before the headline new models, September and October usually sees a slew of updated models announced – models with detail changes and new colours – and we’ve seen a number of these in recent weeks.
Triumph has revealed an updated Speed Twin 1200, which we can be riding from December – if you fancy braving the cold. With the sporty Thruxton being dropped for 2025 Triumph is filling that hole in the range with an upspecced Speed Twin 1200 RS. While the base model gets 5bhp more power (taking it to 103.5bhp), a host of chassis modifications and some detail changes, the RS takes things a step further with higher spec suspension and brakes, as well as sportier ergonomics courtesy of rearsets and some repositioned handlebars.
Yamaha: R1 gets racy!
Yamaha told us months ago that it would be dropping the venerable R1 as a street bike, so it’s no surprise to see a new R1 Race announced. Unlike the R6 Race, which simply stripped out the road going gear like mirrors and lights when it was launched in 2021, the track only R1 has received some further modifications and upgrades aimed at increasing its competitiveness in superbike and superstock racing.
The ‘big bang’ inline four-cylinder engine remains as before but the most visible upgrade is the adoption of the now de rigueur aerodynamic wings, which have filtered down from MotoGP and should benefit the company’s superbike racers, including Carole Nash ambassador Jonathan Rea. Other upgrades include new forks and the introduction of Brembo’s Stylema front brakes, a modification which should go some way to address some of the bike’s shortcomings when raced at the highest level.
Fancy hitting the track on one? They’ll be available in Yamaha showrooms from November.
Ducati Multistrada V4 goes low
Ducati’s Multistrada V4 has been winning a lot of fans with riders looking for Grand Touring, road orientated adventure bike but its height has been off putting for some.
To address that, it gets an automatic lowering device among its many upgrades for 2025. The system, which lowers the bike at low speeds and when stopping, makes the bike more accessible.
Ducati claim fuel consumption has been improved by around 6%, in part down to a system which shuts down the rear two cylinders at standstill and slow speeds. It also gets more sophisticated electronics, similar to those found on the new Panigale V4 S superbike, while some tweaks to the pillion set up is said to improve passenger comfort.
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