0 Honda CRF250R receives fuel injection engine and new chassis

Honda CRF250R receives fuel injection engine and new chassis

Most of the larger displacement motocrossers are now fuel injected, and the technology is trickling down to the 250cc class. Honda has just announced that the 2010 CRF250R receives a new, completely redesigned, fuel-injected engine, coupled with a new frame. Interestingly, Honda has gone back to a single muffler for 2010, as well. Here are all the details from Honda.

Boasting an all-new, more powerful, more compact engine with Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI) combined with an all-new Twin Spar Aluminum Frame featuring the Honda Progressive Steering Damper (HPSD), the 2010 CRF250R continues Honda’s long-standing position of class dominance. This latest CRF250R sets a higher benchmark for impressive power and class-leading handling all rolled into one competition-ready package.

Features/Benefits

New for 2010

* All-new, more compact engine.
* Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI).
* Progressive Steering Damper (HPSD)-equipped aluminum frame
* All-new front and rear suspension, featuring upper and lower fork tubes and a shock body developed exclusively for the CRF250R chassis.
* Redesigned higher-capacity airbox for enhanced breathing and increased power also improves filter access.
* All-new single-muffler exhaust system improves mass centralization.
* All-new bodywork.

Engine/Drivetrain

* All-new compact engine.
* Liquid-cooled four-valve Unicam® 249cc engine.
* Engine completely redesigned for improved power delivery from a significantly more compact package that lowers the center of gravity and enhances mass centralization for improved handling.
* New forged slipper-piston material permits a thinner crown. Low-friction surface treatment ensures high-rev potential.
* All-new Programmed Fuel Injection system (PGM-FI) utilizes a 50mm throttle body with 12-hole injector fed by lightweight 50-psi pump to ensure optimum fuel atomization and precisely targeted fuel charge. System also improves fuel consumption.
* PGM-FI system monitors throttle position, intake air and coolant temperatures and manifold pressure to accurately map fuel charge and ignition spark, significantly improving partial-throttle response and helping to ensure excellent rideability.
* AC generator enlarged to service the PGM-FI system. Two crankshaft position sensors quickly determine crank position to provide quick starts, hot or cold.
* New mechanical water pump seal improves durability
* Kashima coating applied to the clutch basket and clutch center improves clutch life and feel.
* All-new transmission ratios match engine power output.

Chassis/Suspension

* All-new HPSD-equipped Twin-Spar Aluminum Frame with forged-aluminum steering head. Spar height was reduced (70mm to 66mm) and width was narrowed (27mm to 26mm). Stronger downtubes improve front-end feel.
* Steering response and overall handling were improved by positioning the front wheel 15mm farther back and closer to the crankshaft.
* Frame, steering head and swingarm modifications permit a reduction in triple-clamp offset (22mm to 20mm).
* Removable rear subframe was redesigned to eliminate brackets. Shape altered to improve air filter access and narrow the bike profile.
* HPSD features a compact damper attached to the lower triple clamp and the steering head to allow more aggressive steering characteristics and assist straight-line handling. Damping action smoothly progresses as handlebar deflection increases, which produces very natural steering characteristics and feel.
* Pro-Link® Rear Suspension features exclusive Showa integrated reservoir with all-new damping and spring settings.
* Brake system integrates the rear master-cylinder and fluid reservoir, eliminating the separate reservoir and hose.
* Link-type front-brake master cylinder and a lightweight brake rotor provide strong braking.

Additional Features

* Engine stop switch features an integrated LED pre-ride check indicator. This confirms the PGM-FI system is operating normally.
* All-new higher-capacity airbox improves filter access.
* PGM-FI tuning connectors located behind radiator shroud for easier access
* Redesigned larger radiators, improve cooling performance
* New fuel-tank tether eliminates need to disconnect fuel line to work on top end.
* Rider ergonomics are optimized by adapting the handlebar, seat and footpeg height to place the rider’s legs at the narrowest part of the frame for improved comfort and handling feel.
* Adjustable front-brake lever for improved control.
* Quick-adjust clutch perch for easy cable adjustment.
* Aluminum Renthal handlebar (971 bend) is rubber-mounted to help reduce rider fatigue and improve comfort.

Specifications

Model: CRF250R

Engine Type: 249cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke

Bore and Stroke: 76.8mm x 53.8mm

Compression ratio: 13.2:1

Valve Train: Unicam, four-valve; 30.5mm intake, titanium; 25mm exhaust, steel

Induction: PGM-FI, 50mm throttle body

Ignition: Full transistor with electronic advance

Transmission: Close-ratio five-speed

Final Drive: #520 chain; 13T/48T

Suspension
Front: 48mm inverted Showa 16-position rebound and 18-position compression damping adjustability; 12.2 inches travel
Rear: Pro-Link Showa single shock with spring preload, 20-position rebound damping adjustability, and compression damping adjustment separated into low-speed (18 positions) and high-speed (1.5 turns); 12.6 inches travel

Brakes
Front: Single 240mm disc with twin-piston caliper
Rear: Single 240mm disc

Tires
Front: Dunlop 742FA 80/100-21
Rear: Dunlop D756 100/90-19

Wheelbase: 58.8 inches

Rake: (Caster Angle): 27° 9′

Trail: 116mm (4.56 inches)

Seat Height: 37.6 inches

Ground Clearance: 12.8 inches

Fuel Capacity: 1.5 gallons

Color: Red

Curb Weight*: 226 pounds

*Includes all standard equipment, required fluids and full tank of fuel–ready to ride.

Consult owner’s manual for optional parts.

Specifications subject to change.

0 Husqvarna SM610

Husqvarna SM610

Remember the opening scene of “On any Sunday I”? The one with the huge guy riding a tiny play bike? Well, after half an hour of riding the SM610 on the highway on my way home from the factory, I pictured myself as being that big man on his little Honda Monkey. This Husky just wasn’t made for me, oh no. Even worse, the ongoing suffering led me to think that maybe I am REALLY getting old and SM toys (supermoto, that is) are not for me anymore. Time to quit? The vibration through the handlebars at 75 mph was getting on my nerves, my very own bottom cushions felt as if they were being split apart by a razor blade of a seat, and my fingertips lost all feel. Maybe I ought to review dressers and cruisers from now on? Two days later, after a few runs up and down the crazy SS338 road leading to Zubiena, Italy, while taking a break to catch my breath, I couldn’t stop mumbling under my helmet: Holy cow! This is the best bike in the world! Confused? So was I, so read on….

Eight years ago I had the privilege of testing Husqvarna’s first big street-legal supermoto, the SM610. That bike, which had been launched back in 1998, wasn’t much more than an enduro TE model shod with 17” rims and sticky road tires . . . yet it performed pretty well. Quite a long time has passed since, and that first SM version got a serious design upgrade in 2005, including all new body pieces that gave it a really aggressive, sharp and up-to-date look. The sculpting of the plastic panels is smart and sophisticated, without getting into wild extremes like KTMs of late. The playful exhaust system design draws a zigzagging line along the left side of the SM, and according to one stylish Milanese neighbor, these matte-black Huskies are becoming the “IN” thing to be seen on in the city.

With all due respect to design issues, you might want to know what’s lurking underneath those plastic covers, too. The main mechanical news for the 2009 model year is the IE acronym added now, which stands for “Iniezione elettronica”, electronic fuel injection, that is. Like many other singles, the 610 motor (576 c.c. in reality, and don’t ask me why) needed a true EFI system to pass current emission controls, and the new system has been developed with Mikuni Japan. Husky’s big single is pretty advanced in it’s architecture, but considering the huge step that KTM took two years ago with it’s new 690 motor, it’s starting to show it’s age in terms of peak performance, a claimed 53 hp. The smaller 450-510 singles have recently been renewed from the ground up, so I guess the big thumpers are next in line.

The bottom line, technically speaking, is that the 2009 SM610 is not so vastly different from the one I tested eight years ago, and that was partly the reason for my initial shock. The 2001 bike I rode was surprisingly smooth (for a big single) at highway speeds, and yet this close cousin rattles me enough to make cruising downright irritating. Just a bad sample then? The SM610 also fails to leave an impression in terms of top speed. It does climb to 90 at a nice rate, but from then on it piles up the MPHs rather slowly . . . touching 100 eventually. Not bad, but I have seen better top speeds from softer tuned singles like BMW’s 650 and Yamaha’s 660. The short gearing might have something to do with it, but in any case, with nil wind protection, stepping down to 80-85 as a cruising speed makes much more sense.

After my first stint, I leave the SM610 in my underground parking space while feeling slightly disappointed. I have some plans for the weekend though: meet my photographer early on Saturday and then take the bike to real twisties some 120 kilometers from Milan. But with that 7” inch wide foam strip called a seat, there is no way I’ll be riding the SM all the way up there, I’m towing her on my trailer!

Early the next day, I start my usual passes for my cameraman, but he is not that happy and neither am I. The tall and lanky SM hasn’t yet inspired the confidence needed to throw it about the way I should. It’s easy enough to flick, but not to lean it down low. Time to move on. We load the bike on the trailer and I have an hour or two to think about it while driving. Is it me? For whatever reason, I don’t get on with the SM610 at this point. My head is full of thoughts while I unload the bike at the next stop. I put on my gear, start the engine and as soon as I hit the first bend on my way up to Zubiena there’s a massive change in the plot.

Vibration? Hard Seat? Limited top speed? Who cares? It’s as if my earlier miles on the 610 never happened! Within minutes the Husky and I are like two old friends with a common obsession: Devilishly bendy roads and the curvier the better. On this crazy strip of tarmac, with hardly any straight bits to speak of, with speeds ranging between 30-60 mph, the SM610 is bliss, pure gold. The puzzle bits that didn’t fit before become one now, and why not start with that peach of an engine. On plain, straight and open roads it didn’t impress, but here the amazing throttle response of the Mikuni EFI system and the perfect gear spacing work flawlessly with the flatish torque curve. Right, the SM610 will not leave you gasping for air with its acceleration, but there is always plenty of available drive that’s accompanied by a raucous bark from that booming silencer. Blipping the throttle while downshifting for turns produces another great soundtrack that puts me in just the right mood. This fuel-injected single is so much more lively than its carburated predecessor. Need to brake rather than accelerate? The Brembo setup at the front end is superb, which supplies stoppie-inducing power with plenty of feel and no fade whatsoever.

My next few passes along this heavenly 10-mile stretch are now accompanied by an interesting sound mix: Big Thumper beats outside my helmet, plenty of oohh!!! and aahh!!! shouts within. Time to play footloose too, sending your inner leg forward doesn’t just look cool, it also loads the front wheel with more weight for better feel. As time passes, I discover that I can flick the SM later and later into apexes, way after the point that I’d use on a 600 supersport mount. The Husky just digs those last second inputs. Yep, this SM thing just begs you to ride like a little hooligan at times. I pull into the local biker cafe at the end of the road and park the SM610 next to a bunch of last-generation 600’s, and next to the lanky Husky they simply look wide and overweight. Who would have thought? Let’s not even talk about the porky GS1200 that was parked a bit further away…..

The day after, I take the SM610 to the snaking little road that goes from Andrate to Oropa. It links nowhere to nowhere and is totally empty. In this environment, the SM turns into a sharp surgeon’s scalpel and lets me dissect the road into tiny bits: braking strips, on & off-camber turns, take-off bumps and rear wheel lock-up slides. Fun stuff all around. The asphalt is far from being in good condition after this year’s heavy snows, and with any other bike, this road would require caution and prudence. The SM Husky takes it all in stride, the suspension swallowing the potholes with ease. Perhaps the rear adjustable shock could use a slightly stiffer damping setting? It does make the whole ride more controlled, but now the smaller bumps make themselves felt through the seat. It’s valving or shim stack just doesn’t feel as sophisticated as an Ohlins. The front fork, on the other hand, is quite good, even if it dives a bit much on heavy breaking.

I was hoping that the latest version of Husqvarna’s SM610 would be a good daily ride, but it’s not and to most riders it would mean a love/hate relationship. But for those Sunday morning hardcore nutters that dig foot-down cornering, wheelies, stoppies and pegs hissing above the tarmac, the Husky really delivers. Strangely enough, it lost the softer touch that I remembered from the 2001 version, but the new barking throttle response would be hard to trade away. Even more addictive than the motor is the way it drills through twisted tarmac. The super quick steering of the SM made my 750 streefighter feel very heavy by comparison. Ten years after it’s inception, the last incarnation of Husqvarna’s SM610 still supplies a unique kind of raw riding experience.

0 KTM 990 SM T and 990 SM R

KTM 990 SM T and 990 SM R

This is Part One of a two-part report on our recent test of new KTM bikes for the U.S.

Is a supermoto-a dirtbike with roadrace tires and brakes-the ultimate motorcycle? If you worked all day in a giant orange shed, you’d think so. “It’s our heritage,” said KTM P.R. Manager Thomas Kuttruff, referring to KTM’s 20 years in the supermoto business. Of course, riding around on a frantic, short-geared thumper can be limiting, so adding a second cylinder to a supermoto makes a versatile, fun and reliable bike you can ride every day, even for long highway stints.

KTM first treated the world to big supermotos with the 950 SM, which it upgraded to a 990 a few years ago, adding fuel-injection and some more ponies. You may think the Supermoto is just a Superduke 990 with less bodywork and more suspension travel, but you’d be wrong. The Supermoto, Superduke and RC8 Superbikes all have different motors: the 990 Supermoto and 990 Adventure share the most dirt-oriented motors, with a single-shaft counterbalancer as opposed to the Superbike’s dual gear-driven balancers. The frame and suspension is different too.

Americans get two versions of the big supermoto, the sporty R and a more practical tourer. Both bikes share a liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, four-valve 75-degree 115-hp motor and basic chrome-moly trellis chassis. From that common ancestor, KTM’s engineers started adding go-fast bits to make the R. Wheels are forged Marchesinis, saving 4.4 pounds of rotating mass, and it gets those delicious four-piston Brembo monobloc racing calipers. A supermoto needs a powerful, sensitive rear stopper as well: the R (and T) is equipped with a two-piston caliper back there. The minimal plastic bodywork is deceptive: the low-profile tank holds almost four gallons.

The T is a little more staid, but not much. It gets cast, two-piece calipers, softer suspension (but still fully adjustable), a larger 5-gallon tank, a windscreen and easily detachable semi-hard luggage. There’s also a larger, more passenger-friendly saddle and a luggage rack. Wheels are a little heavier than the R’s, and the fork doesn’t get the fancy black TiAn coating. That all means the T is 432 pounds without fuel, compared to the R’s 417-pound claimed weight, but both bikes are priced the same at $13,998.

Since the KTM 2010 model intro I attended was mostly a racetrack event, there was only a brief street ride to evaluate the T, but there were a few Rs available for track evaluation. No matter: riding the R on the track may have been the most fun I had all day. Sure, it’s heavier and (a lot) slower than the RC8 R, but its wide, flat, high handlebar and torquey motor made it big fun to snap in and out of turns, and the bike’s balanced nature and slim form made it feel a lot lighter than it was. No need to move my rapidly disintegrating body around so much: just roar up to the apex, snap it in, power out, repeat.

Out on a brief street ride, the R inhaled the twisty Laureles Grade, with more-than-ample power and that same grippy, tenacious feel it exhibited on the track. Riding a supermoto with this kind of power, brakes and excellent suspension doesn’t really feel like a fair fight. If I had one, I’d probably have to make new friends. Power is snappy, with the same excellent fuel-injection and part-throttle response the RC8 R showed (featured in Part Two later this week), and the gearing felt about right for fast roadwork. The motor is more raw and buzzy than the silky, quick-revving RC8 mill, but if you’re used to a thumper dual-sport, it’s not objectionable. But a touring rig it’s not: the narrow, hard seat became noticeable after about 30 minutes of riding, and wind protection is zero. Think of the SM R as your basic inner city commuting/Sunday backroads thrasher.

For something almost as fun and much more practical, the SM T should work much better. The seat is more seat-like and the windscreen and handguards offer some useful wind protection. The seating position keeps the ‘ol knees from bending too much, and the bars are high. The bags, while small, are unobtrusive (making for easy lane-splitting) and easy to remove or attach. The larger bags for the 990 Adventure can be fitted, although that would require new brackets.

The main difference between the T and the R-as long as you’re not working the brakes too hard-is the softer suspension. The T exhibits the same neutral, easy steering, except with a plusher ride. And “plush” doesn’t just mean soft. There’s actual controlled damping, and the three-way (compression, rebound and spring preload) adjustable WP components (with adjustments that actually do something) should let the rider fine-tune the ride to perfection. It tracks through corners, keeping the wheels on the ground, and bumps and potholes don’t jar your spine the way some European bikes would.

I loved scraping up my brand-new Dainese kneepucks in Laguna’s fabled turns on the RC8s, but street riding is satisfying because you can do it all day long and the variety of roads is endless. What heightens that experience is having a bike that handles like a well-set-up racebike in the twisties but is comfortable to ride on the boring stretches in between. The 990 SM T is one of those bikes, a real do-it-all machine with tremendous character, performance and reliability.

One bike I didn’t get to ride, which makes its debut in both the USA and Europe, is the 2010 690 Duke R. It’s based on the excellent 690 Duke, a single-cylinder supermoto that’s designed to be a fun and reliable streetbike. The R version takes the 65-hp, 654cc liquid-cooled Single from the standard 690 and (heh, heh) pumps it up to 70 hp with more compression and another 45cc: it’s an actual 690. The motor goes into an orange-painted trellis frame, suspended by upgraded front and rear components. A pound is shaved off the 690’s 327-pound tank-dry weight with some carbon pieces. I’ve ridden the 690 Duke, and found that bike to be as light, good-handling and torquey as you’d guess: a 65-hp Single used to be the realm of cooped-up Scandinavian winter tinkerers, but now anybody can buy one of these for $10,998, just $500 more than the standard 690 Duke.

Adding the T and R to the lineup gives KTM USA a full range of large-displacement streetbikes, unimaginable a decade ago. They’re priced out of the market the Japanese bikes swim in, but are affordable compared to competition from BMW, Ducati and Aprilia. 2010 will be a great year for superbike and supermoto comparison tests.

0 Husqvarna WR 300

Husqvarna WR 300, 2011, 293.1 cu. cm, 103 kg.

Contrary to popular belief, Husqvarna is not only a great chain saws, lawn mowers and other garden and farm implements. Under an international white-red flag for many years issued an ultimatum-road motorcycles.
Two-stroke enduro Husqvarna WR 250 existed in the production range of the company for quite some time. Old proven powerplant and intelligent design have brought this bike a well-deserved popularity. But for those who are not violent enough power stroke of the heart "endurika", the company offered to set the engine to increase to 300 cm3 (the so-called «kit»). Actually this fact and become a prerequisite for the birth of a single model Husqvarna WR 300. The bike turned out very successful, and today, despite the active use of the four models on it Seb Guillaume became world champion in enduro in the class E 4.
Appearance and ergonomics

0 Suzuki GSR750 gets ABS

The new Suzuki GSR750 is now available with antilock brakes for the first time since the bike was launched last year.The GSR750 was well received when it was introduced last year and even won a prestigious MCN Award for its class. The bike will make its UK show debut at the Carole Nash MCN London Motorcycle Show at Excel which runs from February 2 to 5.

0 Icon Justice Leather Glove Review

Icon presents the new Justice Touchscreen Leather Glove, a new riding glove that allows riders to use touch screen mobile devices while wearing them. This is the evolution of modern motorcycle gear.

0 2012 Kawasaki ZX-14R First Ride

The arrival of the 2012 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R signals the start of a new era in stock motorcycle performance. Although Kawasaki makes no official power claims for its 2012 ZX-14R, it has come to our attention that we can expect to see nearly 200 horsepower at the rear wheel. Shattering the previous benchmark of roughly 186 horsepower seen on the previous generation ZX-14 was not the only goal for Kawasaki, as the appearance and handling of the 14R has evolved as well. This major redesign was intended to set the bar so high in the hyper-bike class that its rival, the Suzuki Hayabusa, would be literally left in the dust.

0 2013 BMW R1250GS Preview

Big news is leaking out from Bavaria. The next BMW GS is undergoing final testing, and the successor to the company’s best-selling model, the R1200GS, will be powered by the first liquid-cooled Boxer-Twin engine ever!  Look closely and you’ll see the addition of radiators hidden under air shrouds – a dead giveaway that the new engine is liquid-cooled. This is huge news considering the air-cooled Boxer has been a BMW staple for almost 90 years.

0 2010 Honda CRF450R vs. Yamaha YZ450F

Let’s take a second to reintroduce the players, the 2010 Honda CRF450R and Yamaha YZ450F. Honda extensively revised its proven winner in 2009, headlined by fuel injection, frame and suspension changes. For 2010, Honda focused on minor refinements to the CRF450R rather than making sweeping changes. Why mess with success?

0 2012 KTM Street Model Lineup Preview

When dipping its toes back in the streetbike market, KTM did so gently with the single-cylinder Duke models. But when the company decided to finally hit the ground running and introduce a slew of street models, it still did so in a conservative fashion. The company’s headliner, the RC8 superbike, lacked power compared to its rivals, and the fit and finish was still a little rough around the edges. That said, KTM designers nailed the chassis design from the start, as it’s one of the best handling motorcycles we’ve ridden. The RC8 R aimed to fix the power issue by bumping displacement from 1148cc in the base model to 1195cc — rivaling its V-Twin competition — but now that power wasn’t an issue, taming it was.