Other motorcycle news in brief
Kawasaki set to show new bikes
Kawasaki is set to unveil its 2009 line-up at the International Motorcycle and Scooter Show in Birmingham, from November 28th to December 7th. Watch out for the re-vamped, lighter Ninja ZX-6R and the sharper, quicker-revving, lighter-handling ER-6n and ER-6f machines. The new Ninja is 20lbs lighter and has a revised chassis.
The naked ER-6n and the faired ER-6f have been updated with new fuelling characteristics for the parallel twin engines that provide smoother low-mid response. The ER-6s have lighter chassis, and changes to the frame, swing arm and suspension have improved handling further and enabled the bike to retain the dimensions of a 400 but with the power of a 650.
Kawasaki will also be showing its other 2009 models including the VN1700 Voyager, VN1700 Classic, VN1700 Classic Tourer and KLX250R.
KTM electric bike in two years
KTM has announced plans to start mass production of an electric-powered all-terrain endurance bike within two years.
The Austrian motorbike brand says it has produced a quiet 35 bhp prototype that weighed 90kg and could run for 40 minutes before recharging.
"Ever-more restrictive rules on noise and pollution emissions make all-terrain activity ever more difficult in Europe.
"So we want to make the practice of this sport easier near city centres and in sports halls," say KTM.