Updated October 10, 2006   Email   Print

Kawasaki's totally redesigned Concours 14 sport-tourer is one of the new models being unveiled for 2007.

More new model news: Yamaha's 2007 R1 adds variable intakes and fly-by-wire throttle

By Lance Oliver

Fall brings more than leaf changes in the north and great riding weather in the south. It also means dealer meetings, which means new models are unveiled for the coming year.

We've already had the chance to try some of Harley-Davidson's 2007 models and BMW's 2007 R1200R, and now some additional models are being revealed by other manufacturers.

The latest news comes from Yamaha, which has redesigned the R1 sportbike for 2007. The flagship of Yamaha's sport lineup now comes with variable-length intakes, fly-by-wire throttle and a back-torque-limiting slipper clutch. Yamaha says the variable intakes (shown right), which switch between 65mm or 140mm in length, depending on engine speed and throttle position, provide a broader powerband.

The R1 (left) is also notable for what's missing: the five-valve heads that have been a Yamaha signature for decades. The new R1 adopts the standard four-valve head design that's found on virtually all high-performance and racing engines these days, including Yamaha's M1 MotoGP racer.

Kawasaki has updated one of its oldest models for 2007 and created what it calls the "transcontinental supersport" class.

The all-new Concours 14 (top photo), which will be available next year as an early-release 2008 model, has all the features the long-distance sport-touring crowd demands: integrated hard luggage, shaft final drive, optional ABS brakes, electrically adjustable windscreen, accessory power outlet and even air-pressure sensors in the wheels. Kawasaki says the 1,352cc four-cylinder engine will make the Concours 14 the most powerful sport-tourer on the market. The price has not yet been set.

Another one of the least-changed bikes in the Kawasaki lineup (and another machine with a loyal following) is the KLR650 (left), which gets a new look for 2007. The changes are subtle — mostly a new fairing and revised suspension with a little less travel — but they shift the KLR slightly in the adventure-touring direction and away from traditional dual-sport use. Considering the number of KLRs making the Prudhoe Bay-to-Tierra del Fuego run at any given time, an adventure-touring focus makes sense.

Kawasaki has also redesigned its ZX-6R (right) for 2007 with an all-new engine that returns to a 599cc displacement instead of the 636cc version Kawasaki has produced in recent years. Greater agility and higher cornering speeds were two goals Kawasaki aimed for with the new ZX-6R.

Honda also has some news in the 600 class with an all-new CBR600RR for 2007. The 600 now comes with an electronic steering damper like the one found on the CBR1000RR.

The other news from Honda for 2007 is the CRF150R (left), a four-stroke motocross option for smaller riders. The all-new 149cc race bike is available in both regular and big-wheeled Expert models.

Suzuki updated its GSXR sportbikes for 2007, but the groundbreaking news is the availability of anti-lock brakes on the SV650s and V-Strom 650, at prices of $7,399 and $7,199. That makes the mid-size V-twin Suzukis the least expensive bikes on the U.S. market with ABS.

Another model redone by Suzuki for 2007 is its big-bore standard, the Bandit. The 2007 Bandit 1250S (right) gets an all-new liquid-cooled four-cylinder engine and also comes with the option of anti-lock brakes.

For 2007, Triumph has redesigned its Tiger and repositioned it as a sport-touring and urban bike, moving it away from its adventure-touring, dual-sport origins. The Tiger gets the new 1,050cc engine found in the Speed Triple and Sprint ST that were redesigned for 2005, and now sports 17-inch tires front and rear, instead of the previous 19-inch front.

The other news from Triumph is that all the 2007 models in the "modern classics" line, including the nostalgic Bonneville, the dual-sport Scrambler and the Speedmaster and America cruisers, get the bigger 865cc air-cooled vertical twin engine previously found in the Thruxton.

In addition to the Team USA Edition 999s we've already tested (right), Ducati has announced a new Monster 695 with a bigger version of the air-cooled twin powering the smallest Monsters. Also new to the Monster lineup is the S4R Testatretta, with the 130-horsepower liquid-cooled motor previously limited to the more-costly S4Rs.

On the off-road side, KTM has already shown off its XC line, which we had a chance to test in Washougal, Washington, and has unveiled its EXC enduro line and SX motocross line.

 © 2006, American Motorcyclist Association