At EICMA this year there were so many new toys unveiled and AMERiders will give you the information on some of them. The Milan Motorcycle Show or EICMA is the biggest motorcycle event of the year. The 2019 edition of the show burst at the seams with new models, concepts, and prototypes. While some announcements revolved around simple updates for the new model-year, others introduced exciting and or revolutionary new models.
The AMERiders team will take a bit of time to discuss the coolest bikes that were seen in Milan this year and we decided to come up with a compilation of the 10 coolest ones that were introduced at the event. Which one’s your favorite?
Bimota-Kawasaki Tesi H2 Concept
Not long ago, a rumor surfaced that Kawasaki had bought Bimota. No official released or statement confirmed the transaction. Instead, the two companies joined forces in their first collaborative concept.
The Tesi H2 takes styling cues from both brands and squishes them together. The resulting bike looks like an origami stunt with a highly intricating sport fairing and dramatic silhouette. At its core, the concept used Kawasaki’s supercharged one-liter H2 engine. One of its most surprising features, however, is the front swingarm—a rare design decision Bonkers you said?
Husqvarna 901 Norden Concept
We’ve recently seen the possibility of discussed of Husky developing a new big-bore 901 engine—its biggest mill yet—as well as a new adventure-oriented model. The first look at the potential new model came at EICMA when Husqvarna unveiled the 901 Norden Concept.
The concept is underlined by the new 901 engine “specifically tuned for adventure”. As this is mainly just an exercise in styling, virtually no data regarding the bike was released. Husqvarna kept it too short and too sweet. The model could have a lot of potential, should it make its way to production. We’ve got our eyes on you, Husky.
Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250
Many can’t seem to agree on the looks for this one. Many love it while others are more mitigated about it. One thing we all agree on, however, is our shared curiosity for the new engine Harley introduced with the model.
The new Revolution Max mill is a 60-degree V-twin (of course!) which is available in two sizes. The 975cc underlines the new Bronx streetfighter while the bigger 1250 goes in Harley’s first adventure bike, the Pan America. Whether we like the look of it or not, this is one we definitely look forward to putting to the test.
Benelli Leoncino 800
Just look at that thing. Benelli knocked it out of the park with the design of its new Leoncino 800, especially the Trail version. The way the frame underlines the tank and saddle, the faux side plates, the peek-a-boo dual exhaust tips, the round headlight clad with its tiny cowl, the lion badge on the front mudguard: the Italians have a knack for injecting beauty in the details.
The Leoncino and Leoncino Trail also introduce a new 800 powertrain, more specifically a 754cc twin mill that produces 81 horsepower and 49 lb-ft of torque. But seriously, how handsome is that thing?
VERGE TS
Do you remember RMK and its ambitious E2 hubless electric motorcycle project? Well, the company is now moving forward not only by launching the production version of its motorcycle but also by changing its name. RMK becomes VERGE and launched the E2-turned-TS at EICMA. The early concept explored the possibility of propelling the motorcycle using a hubless rear wheel, something the company has apparently figured out how to make a viable system to send to production.
The Finnish firm announced that the new TS produces 107 electric horsepower and offers a combined range of up to 124 miles.
Aprilia RS 660
Last year, Aprilia introduced the RS 660 as a concept. Fast-forward 12 months and the Italian firm didn’t waste any time making the concept a reality and introduced the production-ready RS 660 at EICMA. The stunning middleweight sportbike introduces a new parallel-twin engine which, Aprilia says, will underline a new family of mid-range models.
This first member of the new family is quite the ice breaker and likely one of the sexiest models to show up on the Italian stage in 2019.
Energica Eva Ribelle
Oh, what are you doing to us, Energica? Since the company’s creation in 2014, it has treated us to some of the sexiest electric motorcycle designs out there. The company has now fueled our fantasies once more with the launch of the new Eva Ribelle.
The Ribelle takes on the streetfighter segment, minus the purring engine sound and emissions associated. The details such as the exposed trellis frame, riveted gas tank, and intricate dual headlight cluster as absolutely gorgeous. In addition to another great-looking bike, Energica pushes its own boundaries by increasing the electric range of its powertrain: over 245 miles in the city and 140 miles combined. And the power figures? As sexy as the bike itself: 145 horsepower and 158.6 lb-ft of torque (for comparison, the Zero SR/F pushes 140 lb-ft of torque).
Indian FTR Rally
We knew to expect new variations of the FTR but this one went beyond our expectations. Indian hit hard when it introduced its flat-track champion-inspired FTR 1200 and was really well received by journalists and customers alike. The manufacturer wasn’t about to let a good thing go to waste: it designed an entirely new engine for its FTR so the new V-twin was bound to find new applications.
One of these applications is the FTR Rally, which Indian unveiled at EICMA. The Rally builds on the same strengths as the 1200 but with a scramblerized twist instead. It features a taller handlebar, wire-spoke wheels, a fly screen, and a color scheme (matte silver paint, tan saddle). Boy, oh boy! What a sight!
KTM 390 Adventure
FINALLY! Jeez, KTM, you took your sweet time with this one. There have been rumors of a 390 Adventure making the rounds since 2015. 2019 is finally the year KTM decided to officially introduce its baby adventurer to the world.
What’s really exciting about the 390 Adventure is that it makes adventure bikes more accessible than ever. Small and mid-range displacement models are bringing true versatility back to the segment and I have a feeling the 390 has a lot to contribute to the trend.
Suzuki V-Strom 1050
Rumors that Suzuki was bringing its DR Big back started circulating at the beginning of 2019. We didn’t know what shape or form the model would take nor whether a big-bore single still had its place on the market in 2019.
Finally, Suzuki injected a little bit of the DR into the V-Strom instead of a standalone model in the all-new V-Strom 1050. The model upgraded from 1000 to 1050—despite no changes in displacement—and received a few styling cues inspired by its ancestor. Suzuki also added a few nostalgic liveries with the orange-and-white and yellow-and-blue color schemes from the early 90s.
~And as always…
~Live Free Ride Hard~
~AMERiders
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