Streetfighters at EICMA
BMW S1000R
The S1000RR has been heralded as one of the fiercest litre-class superbikes, and its naked version can only get more lethal. The high benchmarks set by the S1000RR around racetracks now find their way onto a brutal naked in the form of the S1000R, which follows in the footsteps of its faired sibling as far as quirky looks go. The 999cc in-line four puts out 160bhp at a heady 11,000rpm and 112Nm of torque at 9,250rpm. Re-designed cylinder head ducts, modified cam profiles and re-tuned engine management are some of the changes to the engine to suit the naked’s character better. The S1000R also gets the electronics packages that helped the S1000RR excel around race tracks like ride-by-wire throttle, race ABS and two riding modes for the Automatic Stability Control program. Sport nakeds are some of the most explosive machines on the planet, and S1000R will certainly up the game in the segment with its cutting-edge tech, aggressive performance and benchmark handling.
Ducati Monster 1200 and 1200S
The iconic Monster is set to flex more muscle, borrowing the 1198 Testastretta engine from Ducati’s 1198 superbike. The Monster 1200 and 1200S will be the most powerful Monsters in the history of the model with a power output of 145bhp and 125Nm of peak torque from the 90-degree V-twin engine. Both get Mikuni’s ride-by-wire throttle bodies and, interestingly there are two spark plugs firing the charge inside each cylinder. A dry weight of just 182kg coupled with its power output is sure to offer mind-numbing performance, though we are not sure if the 1200 is coming to India anytime soon. Styling has been revised, with changes to the headlight design and a more sculpted fuel tank, which retains the curvy Monster shape. The tail piece is more superbike-like and gets a split grab rail, while the underseat exhausts have been ditched in favour of side-mounted 2–1–2 unit. An innovative feature is the height adjustable seat that should help in improving ergonomics. The S is differentiated by a bronze-white frame, carbon-fibre bits, 48mm adjustable Ohlins forks up front and a fully adjustable Ohlins monoshock at the rear. Both bikes incorporate the Ducati Safety Pack with three-level Bosch ABS and eight-level Ducati Traction Control
Kawasaki Z1000
One look at the new Z1000 and you know Kawasaki means serious business. There have been radical designs in the past but not many have looked as evil as the new Z. The sculpted styling has been referred to as ‘Sugomi’ by Kawasaki which is Japanese for something or someone daunting in nature, inspiring awe and leaving an indelible impression. The Z1000 more than lives up to its tag and looks menacing to say the least with its narrow, wide headlights and muscular stance, especially compared to its stylish European counterparts.
The Z1000 has always been one of the most aggressive sport-nakeds from Japan and uses a ZX-10R derived in-line four engine that produces 140bhp of power in this guise. The bike gets a new ECU which according to Kawasaki will offer crisper throttle response as compared to the outgoing version, along with boosting bottom-end and mid-range grunt. Torque figures were not revealed in Milan, but expect the Z1000 to compete with the KTM 1290 Super Duke R, MV Agusta Rivale and Aprilia Tuono V4R in the race to offer gut-wrenching torque
