Etc.

etc.

APRILIA’S NEW VEES

One of the biggest shockers in Milan was Aprilia’s all-new Superbike engine, a 60-degree V-Four (above) whose designer, Andrea Lombardi, is aiming for horsepower in excess of 200. Lombardi is the same man who penned Aprilia’s ill-fated three-cylinder MotoGP engine. The 998cc V-Four is very compact, despite requiring a balance shaft to offset the primary vibration resulting from the 60-degree Vee-spread. The motor on display at the show was not a wooden mockup but instead a real engine that already is in the dyno-testing phase.

Aprilia also displayed two complete V-Twin models, including the stylish SL 750 Shiver. The highly oversquare bore and stroke (94 x 54mm) in its 90degree, dohc Vee promise spirited high-rpm running. The chas[ sis is equally interesting, with I the lower frame section a castaluminum piece that interfaces with a tubular steel trellis upper r segment. With a claimed output f of 95 horsepower at 9000 rpm and 60 ft.-lb. of torque at 7000, the Shiver should be a fun ride. Though the other new Aprilia, ^tfie NA 850 Mana, is also a 90-degree VTwin (below), its engine is not at all like the Shiver’s. It’s a sohc design that uses cylinder heads from Piaggio’s largest scooter engine, mated to a V-Twin crankcase, and it drives through a continuously variable transmission (CVT) originally conceived for the Suzuki Burgman 650 scooter. Claims are for 75 horsepower and 56.4 ft.-lb. of torque. Think of it as a scooter cleverly disguised as a motorcycle. Claudio Castiglioni’s World Cup runneth over. When Team Italia swept the world soccer tournament last summer, MV Agusta’s boss ordered a special batch of 124 custom-painted Brutale 91 Os made to celebrate the victory. Twenty-four bikes were donated to the 24 players on the team; the remaining 100 will be put on sale at about $25,000 each. First come first served, no head-butting allowed.

ROUNDUP

BLUE BRUTALES

TESI IN 3D

Seemingly clear of Its financial troubles, Bimota showed the third iteration of its hub-steered Tesi series at Milan. The 3D uses steeltrellis swingarms instead of the billet aluminum pieces on the 2D and has the latest Ducati 1100DS air-cooled engine producing a claimed 95 hp.

MASSIMO’S MOTO

Massimo Tamburini, creator of the Ducati 916 and MV Agusta F4, has now turned his attention to Husqvarna, developing a concept supermoto. The bike is intended as a fully streetable roadster, powered by a new 650cc, four-valve, counterbalanced Single that should deliver in the region of 65 hp. Tamburini aimed at maximum lightness through use of an aluminum frame structure that cradles the engine. At 275 pounds, the bike promises to be a real blast.