The Italian manufacturer introduced the RXV 4.5 rally bike last year, and the twin-cylinder adventure bike is a real threat to the KTM 450 Rally on the 2011 Dakar. Francisco „Chaleco” Lopez has obtained the third place overall, with three stage victories. His 450cc Aprilia is very reliable, both in terms of performance and sturdiness. The bike features a V-twin with single overheadcamshaft, titanium valves and dry sump lubrication. The RXV 4.5 Rally Replica has a price tag of €37,000. Read the full article »

A hero and inspiration to millions, Barry Sheene has a particularly unique place in the hearts of bike and sports fans the world over. LEGACY - A PERSONAL HISTORY OF BARRY SHEENE is a special two-disc DVD release that offers an intimate and frank look at the life of Sheene as a sportstman as well as the individual, putting together never before seen archive and home movie footage along with in-depth interviews with those who have loved, admired and were inspired by Sheene. Read the full article »

In a shortened 273 km special stage, Chilean rider Francisco Lopez (Aprilia) managed to achieve best time for the first time this year, which brings him slightly closer to Coma and Despres. His Italian 450cc having now demonstrated its reliability, both in terms of performance and sturdiness, all the conditions were there to see Lopez roar out of the box. In order to make sure he would win this one, the Chilean rider was very tidy; he cleared km 176 with more than 4' lead over Coma. Read the full article »

Ruben Faria has won the stage 6 special, ahead of his countryman Helder Rodrigues. In the battle for the top of the general standings, the minute regained by Despres brings him to within 8'48” of Marc Coma. The leader at the rest day now has a reduced advantage, in light of the dense programme of sand that awaits the bikers after Arica. The issue of the other places on the podium is also far from settled, because “Chaleco” Lopez, still 3rd, lost a significant amount of his lead over his pursuers. Read the full article »

British brand Triumph could release a range of small capacity bikes. Visordown says a 125cc prototype was spotted on test with the company’s future big capacity models. The British firm announced last year that it will expand its model ranges from three (Urban Sports, Modern Classics, Cruisers) to seven (Roadsters, Supersports, Adventure, Touring, Classics and Cruisers). Unfortunately, the new prototype hasn’t yet been photographed. With sales of small capacity bikes booming in Asia, a move into the 125cc market could be the best move from Triumph in the last 20 years. Read the full article »

Do you know Rok Bagoros? Probably not, but the Slowenian stunt rider is well known in Europe. KTM released a video showing Bagoros testing the brand new 125 Duke, the smallest Duke of the Austrian company. You probably think 15 hp is not enough for fun but you’re wrong, just watch the video. It looks like 125-250cc bikes are the next wave next to electric machines. The great thing is that these bikes are cheap but offer a lot of fun. Not to mention the insurance costs. Read the full article »

The Dragon TT Atila 1000R Concept bike was unveiled at the EICMA show back in November 2010, but now we have more studio shots of the streetfighter. The custom machine was built by Spanish company MotoYE and designed by Dragon TT. The bike is based on the modified frame of the Yamaha GTS1000, the suspension parts come from Öhlins and Moriwaki, the brakes from Brembo, while the headlight cluster once belonged to a 2005 Yamaha R6. Read the full article »

Francisco Lopez has made a habit of winning at least one stage at home since the Dakar has been hosted by his country. Last year, “Chaleco” missed out on this prestigious stage due to a navigational mistake. This time, after a faultless performance all along the 423 km of the Day’s special, the Chilean fans’ favourite offered himself a royal descent down to the now famous finish at Iquique, with its 3 in 10 gradient and many spectators. Success seemed to be on the side of Lopez, because when it came to totting up, he appeared to have won the stage by one second from Frans Verhoeven. Read the full article »

Kawasaki Australia announced the release of the new W800 retro bike to its lineup. The new W800 is available now throughout the Australia wide Kawasaki dealer network at the RRP of $11,999 + ORC. The new 2011 Kawasaki W800 is a true modern classic, featuring the perfect blend of classic appeal, historic roots and vintage ride feel. Visual impact from the striking Vertical Twin engine, classic proportions from a compact frame with large-diameter wheels and meticulous attention to detail give the W800 [...] Read the full article »

BPG Motors unveiled the newest generation of its Uno transforming scooter, the Uno III. The mini-motorcycle is small enough to fit in an elevator to bring up to an apartment and stable enough to handle Boston’s morning rush hour. The Uno now has three wheels. In Uno mode, the Uno is a unicycle that balances on a single pair of parallel wheels. At high speed, a middle wheel rolls forward and the outer wheels shift backwards transforming the Unicycle into a full streetbike. This system allows the Uno to be stable throughout the transition. Read the full article »