Milan Is the Center of Fashion And the Motorcycle World – EICMA Product Reviews

The world’s biggest motorcycle show is taking place in Milan, Italy,and that’s where 1,462 bike brands and aftermarket parts brand makers  from 43 countries are showcasing their products for the new season.

MV Agusta Brutale 675

Here’s a fast and furious rundown of what’s happening in Milan:

Moto Guzzi:
Famed for their longitudinal V-twin engines, Moto Guzzi brought unveiled a near-complete revision of the 750cc powerplant – and it looks new on the outside as well, with re-imagined valve covers, and larger head and cylinder fins for better air-cooling.

Aprilia:
The company’s SRV 850 makes it the largest displacement scooter on the market. Powered by a 90-degree V-twin which boasts a stunning  76 horsepower, the SRV850 is built for the long haul.

BMW:
The iconic German motor company may be best known for  large motorcycles, but BMW rolled out two monster scooters as well with the  C 600 Sport and the C 650 GT. Powered by advanced 650cc parallel twin engines with CVT automatics and ABS brakes, these are scooters at the bleeding edge.

Vespa:
The Quarantasei concept scooter is pure Italian with a modern style, retro flair and it’s, for lack of a better word, elegant.

Honda:
Honda believes the DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) that debuted last year with the completely automatic and mini-paddle-shifting VFR1200F is the wave of the future and  Honda now features that tranny on four other bikes.

The Integra, while somewhat eccentric, is a cross between a scooter and motorcycle with a nearly step-through and sort of step-over frame, the Integra features a sport-bike  diamond frame in steel.

Honda is offers the same 670cc twin-cylinder DCT engine in two different motorcycle packages as well. The NC700S is a naked bike with an upright riding position and steel-tube perimeter frame, and the NC700X has is styled to resemble supermoto machines.

The Crosstour is the company’s  new flagship adventure-tourer and it’s also the only V-four in the market segment. Longer travel suspension and styling straight off the Dakar Rally drawing board make this  1,237cc machine capable of navigating dirt roads in the bargain.

Husqvarna:
New Nuda 900 and 900R models scream Supermoto and feature an off-road riding position, longer travel suspension and a skinny parallel-twin powerplant, combined with an optional luggage and wind screen package, make both these models capable commuters and off-road machines in the company tradition.

Husqvarna also rolled out its Moab retro concept scrambler, a 650cc bike which puts together current and classic styling.

KTM:
The Aussies’ leader best known for off-road racers and enduro machines added even more dirt bikes to the company’s lineup – but the real news is a couple of street bike models. The 200 Duke puts the firm’s smaller bikes on steroids, and this bike is aimed at entry-level riders or experienced bikers who want a  lightweight, economical machine.

The new 690 Duke offers the same engine specs, but adds almost 500cc more displacement and a coole fly-by-wire throttle control.

A real ground-breaking addition comes in the form of the new Freeride E model, and this one makes KTM the first major motorcycle maker to sell an electric off-road motorcycle. Look out Brammo…

MV Agusta:
Known for complete dominance of Grand Prix racing back in the day, MV Agusta showed the Brutale 675, a naked street bike which boasts an advanced inline triple. The Brutale is a middleweight naked bike with an upright riding position, and it looks real, real fine.

Triumph:
The new 1,215cc Tiger Explorer boasts 137 horsepower from a three-cylinder inline engine, and if that’s not enough to get your adventure-touring blood flowing, it also offers ride-by-wire throttle control, multiple-setting traction control and cruise control.

Yamaha:
Yamaha’s TMAX is a whopping, 530cc machine made to compete with sport bikes. It’s a major update of the model line and features a liquid-cooled, parallel twin with four-valve heads. As far as scooters go, this is the king of the road and the best performing scooter on the market.

Ducati:
Ducati stole the show with the 1199 Panigale. Ducati’s  flagship and the lynchpin the firm’s Superbike championship winning heritage, the Panigale features the company’s first totally new engine platform since the creation of the Pantah during the 1980s. A 1.2-liter powerplant is still a 90-degree V-twin with desmodromic valve actuation, the Ducati trademark,  but inside the powerplant damn near everything is new. In a departure for the Italian firm, the engine is a stressed member of the chassis and does away with the Ducati standard steel-tube space frame. A cast aluminum monocoque connects steering head to the engine – and that doubles as an airbox.

The Panigale comes in three versions: the 1199, the 1199S and the 1199 Tricolore, whose  a red, white and green paint scheme honors Italy’s 150th anniversary.

Buying Your First Bike? The Women’s Guide to Motorcycle Insurance

Whether you ride a sport bike or an American cruiser, your insurance needs can get complicated.
We’re here to help you find the right motorcycle insurance, whatever you ride…

Tips for buying your motorcycle insurance, coverage you need:

• Collision to pay for damage caused to your vehicle in an accident with another vehicle or any stationary object.
• Comprehensive to cover such things as fire, hail, wind, vandalism, hitting an animal, etc.
• Towing / Pickup
• Medical payment or personal injury protection to cover the medical bills resulting from an accident.
• Uninsured or underinsured motorist to protect us when the other driver is at-fault and does not have coverage or assets out of which your bills can be paid.