Wild Safaris In India
Wild and Exciting Safaris & Tours in India
KTM, the Austrian bike manufacturer best known for its fabulous off-road title winning machines, has sets its sights on becoming Europe’s largest motorcycle manufacturer. But, to do so it needs a comprehensive range of machines to compliment its excellent off-road competition machines.
Recent successes on the racetrack show that they now have the technology to move forward and diversify onto the tarmac. Obviously any advances in competition will reflect in its road-based models, meaning they will be—and if the Super Duke is anything to go by,they are—state-of-the-art and able to compete with other larger more established manufacturers.
The Super Duke arrives in Europe just a year after KTM launched its first twin-cylinder motorcycle in the shape of the 950 Adventure. But while based on it, the Super Duke itself is virtually all-new.
KTM has upped the capacity of the Adventure’s 942cc LC8 engine to form the heart of the 990 Super Duke. As you would expect, there is marked performance gain that comes from more than just an increase in cubic capacity to 999cc. New fuel injection and engine management systems are just part of it.
The narrow-angle V-Twin is one of the lightest and most compact twin-cylinder motors on the market, weighing in at 58kg (128 lbs), roughly one-third of the bike’s overall 179kg (395-lb) dry weight. KTM says a further 15kg (33 lbs) can be dropped by making use of the carbon fibre performance parts already on the parts shelves at the factory. Needless to say, these are not cheap!
The cylinders have been strengthened to deal with the larger bores, which have very light pistons running inside them to help reduce the oscillating mass. The head has been worked on to deal with the new 48mm injector bodies (the Adventure uses carbs), new camshafts and the thicker header pipe. At the bottom end, the crankshaft has been changed and a new six-speed transmission has been developed specifically for the street. The Keihin electronic injection system was tailor-made especially for the Super Duke. There are two throttle valves per cylinder feeding the flow-maximized intake ports. These ensure the perfect mixture preparation and optimum torque progression in every riding situation. Lamba sensors, a catalytic converter and secondary air systems ensure that the bike meets all emissions standards across the world with ease. Claimed output is 120 horsepower at 9000 rpm with the maximum torque of 74 lb-ft coming at 7000 rpm.This Bike is all muscle and Grunt!
This bike has been designed to go fast; it handles, accelerates and brakes phenomenally well, All aspects of the R1 are refined and polished so that as a package it is an astonishingly quick bike, but because it does it so easily, it's not as much fun as you had hoped. If you want a bike that will get from A to B as quickly as possible and with the minimal fuss, then a 1000cc sports bike is what you want. But it's probably not themost exciting way of doing it. I reckon I'd have more fun on an SV650S. The R1 is so well engineered that the sensation of speed is lessened. 50 feels more like 30, 100 more like 70. Riding around town, it's easy to be enthusiastic with first gear (apparently this bike will do a ton in first), and find you're doing 50 in the blink of an eye. It's like introducing a car to a nation that still has horse drawn vehicles; it's just in another league. If you buy one of these, you absolutely have to take it on a track to get your money's worth, and get the desire to speed out of your system.
YAMAHA announced the new 2009 V-max . It's appearance will never be mistaken for any other motorcycle with strong ties to the past but it’s decidedly a break from the old Max, more up to date with contours more muscular and an all new 1679cc engine with fly by wire throttle, functional air scoops and Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake (YCC-I) that shortens the intake tracts at 7000 rpm.The new VMAX is an allnew 1679cc liquid-cooled 4-stroke DOHC 65 degree V4 engine which has been designed to offer an unforgettable acceleration experience created by higher levels of power, and an imposing design. Running with bore x stroke dimensions of 90.0 x 66.0mm (compared to 76.0 x 66.0mm for the previous model VMAX) and featuring a compression ratio of 11.3:1, this visually intimidating new powerplant develops 147.2 kW (200 bhp at 9000 rpm, together with a huge torque output of 166.8 Nm (17.0 kg-m) at 6500 rpm.The VMAX's new diamond-type frame has been developed using Yamaha's industry-leading chassis design and manufacturing technology, and features an immensely strong yet lightweight structure that is made up from a variety of gravity-cast, CF die-cast and extruded aluminium sections. This innovative new design incorporates gravity-cast components for the main frame and pivot assembly, while the rear frame is made from a range of Yamaha's exclusive CF die-cast parts and extruded parts which are welded together.
EngineType 1679cc liquid-cooled 65° V-4, DOHC, 4 valves/cylinderBore x Stroke 90.0mm x 66.0mmCompression Ratio 11.3:1Fuel Delivery Fuel Injection with YCC-T and YCC-IIgnition TCITransmission 5-speed, multiplate slipper clutchFinal Drive ShaftChassis
Suspension/Front 52mm telescopic cartridge fork w/oxidized titanium coating. Fully adjustable preload, compression and rebound; 4.7 in travel
Suspension/Rear Single shock w/remote reservoir and remote adjustable for preload, compression and rebound
Brakes/Front Dual 320mm wave-type discs; radial mount 6-piston calipers, Brembo® radial pump master cylinder
Brakes/Rear 298mm wave-type disc, single-piston caliper and Brembo® master cylinder
Tires/Front Bridgestone® Radial 120/70-R18 59V
Tires/Rear Bridgestone® Radial 200/50-R18 76V
Dimensions
Length 94.3 in
Width 32.3 in
Height 46.8 in
Seat Height 30.5 in
Wheelbase 66.9 in
Rake (Caster Angle) 31.0 in
Fuel Capacity 4.0 gal
Wet Weight 683 lb / 685 lb (CA model)
Big is actually an understatement when you first get a glimpse of the 2009 Triumph Rocket III Classic. In fact, it isn't far to say that this bike exudes more than its fair share of intimidation both to potential riders and would-be challengers. Acres of chrome dripping from an engine that overwhelms the senses casts a reflection of the world that the 2009 Triumph Rocket III Classic apparently intends to conquer. They say that the eyes are the window to the soul, and one look makes it clear that if you're seeing your own reflection in the gleaming chrome of the 2009 Triumph Rocket III Classic, it's already ensnared your soul. It's just too big to dismiss- too big to walk away from. "How does it ride?" you catch yourself asking. The answer is "better than you've ever dreamed." That engine that you're staring into is Triumph's masterpiece- a 2,294cc beast that cranks out an awe-inspiring 140 horsepower and tire-shredding 147 ft/lb of torque. Liquid cooled, the 2009 Triumph Rocket III Classic is still an in-line triple, true to the Triumph brand. With Dual overhead Camshafts and Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection, this bike has all the dependability you expect while affording the rider a truly unforgettable ride. A five-speed gearbox is all that is necessary, as this bike pulls steadily in first gear well into the cruising range, and five is soft and loapy at sixty-five MPH. A shaft drive completes the drivetrain.
