Top 10 EICMA highlights
Now the dust has settled we thought we’d take a look back at the best bikes from the EICMA show
It’s fair to say that this year’s EICMA show included more surprises than we thought it would. With new bikes hitting pretty much every sector of the market, from superbikes to super-scoots, it looks like 2019 is going to be a bumper year of launches and first rides.
Here’s our top 10 bike we can’t wait to swing a leg over next year.
1. KTM 790 Adventure – Adventure R
KTM’s long-awaited mid-sized adventure bike finally broke cover at EICMA and while we had a pretty good idea of what it’d look like, it was good to finally set eyes on the machine at the show.
Both the Adventure and Adventure R are powered by the same 799cc engine as the 790 Duke pushing out a hearty 95bhp and is dressed in cool looking Dakar inspired bodywork. as far as lightweight adventure bikes go, you’d have to say the KTM looks to be a winner.
2. Yamaha Tenere 700
Going toe to toe with the KTM is Yamaha’s production version of its T7 concept it showed off a couple of years ago. The Yamaha loses out slightly to the KTM in the power-stakes, the Yamaha’s motor is taken from the Yamaha Tracer 700 making it tractable and reliable but not massively powerful. That would though mean it a perfect choice for first-time adventurists.
3. Yamaha R1M GTYR edition
Okay, so this is slightly different to the rest of the bikes here being a track-only special but you can’t deny it’s cool. The GYTR edition R1 - a 20th-anniversary celebration, limited to twenty bikes is a track-only special, with race harness, Ohlins racing suspension, Brembos, race radiator, full carbon fairing, seat unit, the lot. Weighs under 170kg, and should be an utter weapon.
4. Arc Vector
As cool as all the bikes on this list are, the Vector is probably the most bonkers! With 300Nm+ of torque at the back wheel, 125mph top speed and a range of 200 miles – is it the only electric bike to answer the critics of electric power?
We’re hoping that it’s all true when we ride the bike when it’s ready to go, hopefully in summer 2019.
5. Ducati Panigale V4R
As if the Ducati Panigale V4S wasn’t enough, the Bologna boffins knock a few kilos off the internals of the engine, boosting power and tractability, then bolt on some carbon wings to keep it all stuck to the road!
Oh, and if you grab the race kit exhaust from Akrapovic it’ll push out 235bhp – GULP!
Check out page two for the rest of the top ten...
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
