Rumour mill for 2004

[SPman]

Here are the OTHER  truths, half truths and rumours that I've heard:

Honda's developing a streetbike based on the RC211V racer, but it'll more be a 1000cc version of the new CBR600RR.

Kawasaki's supposed to be coming out with a new ZX-10 based on their ZX-RR GP bike.

Ducati's rumored to be working on a limited production Desmosedici streetbike.

KTM's supposed to be working on a full on sportbike with a V-4 engine.

BMW's rumored to have an inline-4 powered K-bike with a supercharger in the works.

Harley's rumored to be HEAVILY revising it's Sportster and coming up with a real (proper – less than ½ a ton) sporty VRod.

Suzuki's coming out with a GSX-R600 that's got an all new chassis, 5 more hp, and styling similar to the GSX-R1000.(surprise, surprise!)

BMW's rumored to be developing a 1200cc version of it's boxer twin engine in a new GS chassis about the size of the F650GS.

Yamaha may mass-produce it's YZR-M1 soon.

Suzuki and Kawasaki may release together a 450cc version of the new Suzuki RM-Z250 There may be a production supermotard version of that bike later still.

Yamaha's looking at selling factory supermotard parts for it's YZ450F.

Triumphs got that 2200cc inline-triple-powered cruiser in the works, is redoing the Daytona for more power and better looks and is coming out with a new Trophy with a 1300 engine

Yamaha may release a whole redesigned 1600cc version of the V-max for that bike's 25th anniversary. – perhaps it will get around corners then.

Suzuki is rumored to be revising the Hayabusa for 2004.

There maybe a naked bike from Honda with the RC211V's engine.

Kawasaki may make a supermotard-style streetfighter to take on the KTM 950 Duke from Suzuki's V-Strom platform.

BMW may rework the R1150R Rockster into a much lighter, more competitive street fighter.(yawn)

Suzuki's mass-producing the B-King, but with a normally aspirated GSX-R1000 engine instead of the concept bike's supercharged Hayabusa engine.

Honda is redeveloping it's VTR1000

Aprilia is heavily revising the Mille for the coming year. (yawn)

BMW may compete in MotoGP in a couple of years.

Ducati may NEVER produce a Supermono-based streetbike of ANY KIND. fficeffice" />>>

The Ducati Multistrada is but the beginning of a whole FAMILY of bikes.

KTM is working on a 650cc twin-cylinder motard bike for racing - Ducati may make a bike to compete with it.

 

(that better BB? )

[NhuanH]

Rossi to join Capirossi on Ducati all Italian dream team

Bayliss to team up with Hodgson in privateer/satellite Duke GP team

Me supposed to have bike for whole of 2004....

[Coldkiwi]

hmm... lots of rumours of MOTO GP bikes getting on the road. Can't help but think Honda will lead the way and the rest of the teams will sit quietly and watch how they do it, what they cock up and then jump in the year or two after with refinements already in place to steal market share.

Aprilia are noticably absent from that list but then, what self respecting italian manufacturer puts a three cylinder on the road?? is there a latin 3-cyl precedent???

 

 

[SPman]

Laverda, with the superb Jota,and RGS and also Benelli now have the Tre on sale

[SPman]

Originally posted by nhuanh
Rossi to join Capirossi on Ducati all Italian dream team

Apparently he has signed for Honda next year for $10m

 

Me supposed to have bike for whole of 2004....

Well, only you can answer that one - probably a bad rumour

[NhuanH]

Hey SP, I was only trying to perpetuate the Rossi rumour that you started in another thread.  I'm in the mob that believes this rumour was started by Rossi himself as contract negotiations were drawing closer...

Any more details on the Honda signing?  Who buckled with the Rossi "I like the flexibility of only 1 year" vs. Mr Honda "but we want you longa..."?

10 million slides eh?  Who does this guy think he is: Tiger Woods? David Beckham?  Michael Schumacher?  Arguably as worthy a champion, just in a less covered sport....

Although I reckon (uh oh here goes the mad bicycle rider) Lance Armstrong deserves as much chuh ching as all those names.  You try 3300+ kms in 3 weeks, driven by 2 pistons only fueled with carbohyrdates!  Yeah yeah, classic bicycling purists would say that he is only a stage racer and only focuses on Le Tour, but do you cats out there care/know who won the Giro d'Italia? or Paris-Roubaix? or Dauphne-Libere?  Any other cycling fiends out there in KB land?  I'm just amped 'cos I have just watched the highlights of last night's stage through the Pyrenees, very possibly the make or break of the wrestle between Armstrong and Ullrich, barring the penultimate time trial stage of course...

 

PS. To qualify MY bike reference, I meant: a WORKING motorsickle for all of 2004!

[wkid_one]

To re-qualify it for nuanh - a working bike he stays ON all year without hitting anything stationary or travelling in the opposite direction!

[bikerboy]

Good effort but not quite Spman.

I had hoped for real news of actual events rather than the inuendo, gossip and soft subjects of previous poster imposters.

But I'll give you an A for effort as you did mention the magic D several times.

[SPman]

Bugger!

[SPman]

In that case, you will like this headline

Ducati Is Second Strongest GP Team In World -- In 90 days


Note - only 2nd

[bikerboy]

Bravissimo il mio amico!





Amo i ducati

[Coldkiwi]

maybe the dukes are lovely... but by CRIPES those MV AUgusta F4-SPR's ARE SEEEEXY! i'd actually give them a 11/10 for looks over a 916/996 getting a 10/10.

completely  I know.... but I couldn;t get over them when I saw them the other night! I wonder if this is what knukles has in store for his riding pleasure?

[wkid_one]

With people putting pictures like this on the web - it is no wonder my short list is getting longer.......hmmmm.  That MV is serious sexy.......

SP - You should have posted the news items one by one (post count you know).

 

[bikerboy]

Rumor has it the MV was supposed to be the 998.

MV stole the designer from Ducati during the very early stages of the design process and he took it with him. That is why the 998 kept the old body and the 999 came out so soon after.





Wkid 1 you can't consider the MV, it's italian and under powered!

[wkid_one]

I'm sorry but look at the bloody thing - my god - I would make an exception for that.  And apparently I struggle to ride anyway- so power may not be what I need.....it is allowed to be down on power tho - isn't it only a 750 (i know little about them)??

*wonders how many Street Magics he could get for the VTR???*

*wonders why he is biking in the first place*

*wonders why if the black box is the only thing to survive a plane crash - why don't they make the whole plane out of that stuff*

* wonders why we wash towels - don't we use them when we are clean?*

*wonders why they make you wear seatbelts on the plane - you never hear 'a plane went down in Australia- but only 3 died coz the the remaining 187 were wearing their seatbelts'*

*wonders if he should stop this post*