MOTOR-CAR SPORT

More European Consumers Choosing Honda’s Dual Clutch Transmission Honda ‘s work developing its second-generation dual clutch transmission appears to be paying off, at least in Europe. According to  Honda , customers have purchased more than 12,500 units with  DCT  since the technology was first made available on a production motorcycle with the  VFR1200F  in 2010. The Japanese manufacturer now offers four models in Europe with optional DCT: the VFR1200F, the  NC700X , the  NC700S , and the  Crosstourer . Honda also produces the Integra  scooter (which shares the same platform as the NC models) but it is only available with DCT as standard. But for the models where Honda offers a choice, more and more consumers are choosing to go with the DCT system. Honda reports the DCT version represented 44% of NC700X sales in February 2013, compared to just 10% when the motorcycle was first launched in April 2012. The Crosstourer saw a much larg...

Like Facebook 2013 BMW R1200GS Review   It’s not hyperbole to say the R1200GS is easily the most important motorcycle in BMW ’s arsenal. More than 170,000 of the big trailies have been sold since the GS debuted three decades ago, and it has come to define the adventure-touring market. Needless to say, a ground-up redesign of the GS is taken very seriously by the German company. So here we are in South Africa, among the first in the world to ride the fifth generation of the A-T class icon. BMW’s goals for the new GS were improved performance, both off-road and on, plus enhanced safety and comfort. Like Facebook “It was time to strike out on a new path,” said Hermann Bohrer, VP BMW Motorrad plant Berlin, at the bike’s launch. “We’re resetting the counter to zero.” And by “zero,” BMW means this new GS shares virtually nothing with its predecessor. Boxer Punching Above Its Weight All-new from the tires up, BMW’s new R1200GS is poised to reset the advent...

2013 Ducati Multistrada 1200 S Touring vs. 2013 Triumph Explorer - Video If we learned one thing during last year’s  Adventure-Touring Shootout , it’s that A-T bikes make great sport-tourers. With amenities such as cruise control, traction control, ABS, heated grips and seats, lockable/removable hard luggage, etc., A-T bikes oftentimes differ from their sport-touring counterparts only by way of styling, wind protection and suspension travel. At $15,700 Triumph’s adventure-touring Explorer is only $190 less than our recent Sport-Touring shootout  winner, the Yamaha FJR1300. Upon further inspection we find that the Explorer’s curb weight (adjusted for equal fuel capacity) is only 59 pounds lighter than the FJR. With all this in mind we figured a comparison between the very streetable Explorer and the reigning king of the adventure-sport-tourers, Ducati’s Multistrada 1200 S Tourer, was in order. Pounding out 111.7 horsepower at 9000 rpm and 74.6 ft-lb of torque at ...