My High Ten Bikes from Eicma 2023

I attended Eicma 2023 which is held in Milan, Italy in Fiera Milano or “The Milan Bike Present” because it’s typically recognized. It is without doubt one of the largest occasions within the motorbike business with over 500,000 annual guests and the place plenty of producers use this present to launch new bikes and merchandise.

I’ve not been right here earlier than so I used to be actually excited to see what all of the fuss was about. For these of you who’ve by no means been earlier than, the present is large and I imply enormous! It’s held over a number of halls and you ought to be ready for many strolling!!

I’d say that is extra of a commerce present and exhibition that’s open to members of the general public to attend, you might be able to buy the odd t-shirt or hoodie however usually producers are there to showcase their new merchandise, they don’t seem to be obtainable to buy on the present.

I assumed I’d share with you my prime ten picks of bikes from the present. There was an unimaginable quantity of bikes to select from, so a few of it’s possible you’ll disagree with my selection, let’s see……

Quantity 10: Kawasaki 2024 Ninja 7 Hybrid – Value tbc

I like this as a result of it’s revolutionary in that it’s each gasoline and battery powered. Kawasaki refers to this as a robust hybrid system which ‘combines an inside combustion engine (ICE) with an electrical motor for highly effective driving, and due to their giant battery capability they’re able to run on electrical energy alone’.

The Ninja 7 Hybrid has a liquid-cooled, 4-stroke parallel twin 451 cc engine and a Lithium-ion battery pack providing you with the moment acceleration of a 1,000 cc class bike from a standing begin (with e-boost). 

There are 3 driving modes to select from – Sport-hybrid; Eco-hybrid and low-speed short-distance EV.

The Ninja 7 Hybrid has a stroll mode with reverse to assist when transferring the bike  – opening the throttle strikes the bike ahead at strolling velocity and shutting the throttle previous the zero level strikes the bike in reverse. 

This is a superb mode in my view as maneuvering an electrical bike could be fairly troublesome as in fact you don’t have any clutch lever in which you’ll ‘slip the clutch’.

The bike weighs 227 kg (the battery itself weighs 13 kg) and may have a seat top of 795 mm.

I’d have an interest to see what this bike is wish to journey and when you’ve got ‘vary anxiousness’ which I’ve skilled with different absolutely electrical bikes.

Oh, and the Ninja 7 Hybrid does look extremely cool 😎

Quantity 9: Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono – Value tbc

The Hypermotard 698 Mono is Ducati’s first single-cylinder road-going Supermotard. 

The 659 cc Superquadro Mono engine with desmodromic timing, Ducati say, is their most subtle and high-performance single-cylinder highway engine ever constructed and is ready to obtain the very best engine velocity in its class.

The Hypermotard 698 Mono has a straight double-sided swingarm with a excessive fender with the rear fairings wrapping across the exhaust. I like the look of the dual silencers that are mounted excessive up on both aspect of the tail.

Now this isn’t a motorbike for these of us with a shorter disposition – the usual seat top is 904 mm with a low seat possibility of 889 mm obtainable. At 5’6” I would wish the usage of a step to get on this bike!

Curiously, the RVE livery possibility of this bike was voted ‘Most Lovely Bike of Eicma 2023’ by the general public. I’m unsure I’d agree with this.

Quantity 8: Royal Enfield Himalayan – worth tbc

The brand new Himalayan has Royal Enfield’s first liquid cooled engine, a Sherpa 450 and is their lightest and most technologically superior automobile built-in powertrain.

With the other way up entrance forks, ride-by-wire throttle and TripperDash full map navigation tft show, this bike is prepared for journey. 

The unique Himalayan bike was impressed by the 60 yr previous custom of exploring the Himalayas on a motorbike and was born within the Himalayas. How good wouldn’t it be to see this for your self – an journey on an Himalayan within the Himalayas.

Some nice color choices obtainable too and with a snug driving place. This bike garnered plenty of consideration on the present.

Quantity 7: Aprilia RS 457 – worth tbc

The Aprilia RS 457 is powered by a liquid-cooled twin-cylinder engine with twin camshaft timing and 4 valves per cylinder able to 35 KW of energy which in fact is the utmost for these driving on an A2 licence. 

With 47 hp and weighing 159 kg (dry weight), the RS 457 has nice power-to-weight ratio.

With full LED lights with built-in flip indicators (I completely want these got here as customary on all bikes!), a 5” tft color display and the handlebar controls being backlit.

This can be a severely cool trying bike and doesn’t appear to be it is just a 47 hp bike.

Quantity 6: Suzuki GSX-8S – worth from £8,199 

You’ll be able to select the faired (8R) or unfaired (8S) choices right here. Personally I’d go for the unfaired however I do know this can in all probability divide opinions!

With 83 bhp and 78 Nm of torque, the 8S has an all-new 776 cc DOHC two cylinder liquid cooled 4 stroke parallel twin engine. The 8S has a seat top of 810 mm and a kerb weight of 202 kg.

With Suzuki Clever Journey System (SIRS) (a set of superior digital rider help programs) and a 5” color tft show, the tachometer doubles up as a programmable rpm indicator mild that blinks when the engine reaches a pre-set velocity and a operate that allows you to show giant pop-up alerts and reminders. 

There are three color choices obtainable – Pearl Cosmic Blue, Pearl Tech White or Metallic Matte Black. Personally, the blue is by far my favorite.

The 8R – worth tbc, additionally has the brand new 776 cc engine with 83 bhp and 78 Nm or torque so actually it’s a query of non-public choice.

Quantity 5: Moto Guzzi Stelvio – worth tbc

The Stelvio garnered plenty of curiosity on the Moto Guzzi stand and I can see why. I do just like the look of this bike.

The Stelvio has the Moto Guzzi V-Twin “Compact Block” Euro5+ engine with shaft drive transmission. Its 1,042 cc engine delivers a most energy of 115 HP at 8,700 rpm and a peak torque of 105 Nm at 6,750 rpm.

Options on the Stelvio embody cornering ABS and traction management, cruise management and 5 customizable driving modes – Tourism, Rain, Road, Sport, and Off-Street.

Additionally on this bike is PFF Rider Help Answer utilizing 4D radar imaging expertise to supply an exceptionally vast visual field comprising 4 completely different features: FCW – Ahead Collision Warning; FCC – Following Cruise Management; BLIS – Blind Spot Data System; and LCA – Lane Change Help.

I’d have an interest to get out for a journey on the Stelvio, not simply to take a look at all of the options but additionally to take a look at if the Stelvio’s ‘V’ twin sounds and behaves as earlier Guzzi’s 😎

Quantity 4: Honda CB650R – worth tbc

This trendy trying bike is available in two fabulous colors and I can’t determine which truly appears to be like the best – matte gunpowder black metallic or grand prix purple – I feel I’m leaning in the direction of the purple 😍

The inline 4, DOHC 16 valve engine produces 70kW / 94 hp @ peak – as much as a 12,000 rpm redline – with 63 Nm of torque. For A2 licence holders, there’s a 35kW conversion obtainable.

Fairly apparently, and distinctive to Honda, is an E-Clutch possibility. You will have the traditional possibility of guide clutch management or you possibly can select by way of the tft display the E-Clutch possibility which means you permit the clutch lever alone. When setting off from standstill, shifting up/down, and coming to a cease, all that you must do is function the gear lever, E-Clutch does the remaining.

I wish to do this, it sounds fascinating and I would love to expertise this.

To have a good time 4 a long time of efficiency machines, Kawasaki are releasing for 2024, fortieth Anniversary fashions of the Ninja ZX-4RR; Ninja ZX-6R and the Ninja ZX-10R.

I noticed these within the media earlier than I went to Eicma and was excited to see them up shut as I used to be actually taken with their liveries.

Every of the three fashions will likely be obtainable within the early 90’s Kawasaki World Endurance livery of inexperienced, blue and white harking back to the three-times championship profitable bikes of the time.

A couple of stats for every of the bikes:

These fortieth Anniversary fashions didn’t disappoint up shut, they have been sooo a lot better than the photographs I had seen beforehand. The colors look so good collectively and the bikes are beautiful.

Quantity 2: Yamaha XSR 900 GP – worth tbc

This was very almost my no 1. I completely love the styling and hues of this 900 GP – the legend purple. There’s a energy gray possibility obtainable however for me, it will be the purple.

The 900 GP is impressed by the YZR500 racers of the 80’s and 90’s with the entrance fairing and seat hump iconic of the golden period of Grand Prix racing. 

Beneath the fairings in fact is Yamaha’s cutting-edge expertise with the newest braking and suspension, driving modes and an array of electronics.

The 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC 3-cylinder 890cc engine has a max energy of 87.5 kW (119 PS) @ 10,000 rpm with a max torque 93 Nm (9.5 kg-m) @ 7,000 rpm. 

With a seat top of 835 mm this appears to be like prefer it provides a sporty bike place to journey and with a weight of 200 kg, I feel the 900 GP could possibly be enormous enjoyable to journey. I undoubtedly want to check journey one in all these to search out out 😎

#1: Bimota KB4 – worth £29,995

Okay, I do know that is method up there on the worth scale however once I noticed the KB4 I knew this was my no 1 bike of Eicma 2023. 

It’s completely stunning 😍😍😍

Bimota, who’re partly owned by Kawasaki, have an fascinating choice of bikes on provide with some beautiful engineering.

The KB4 combines the basic design of the Bimota bikes of the 70’s with fashionable expertise and is described by Bimota as a ‘avenue authorized monitor bike’ with an revolutionary excessive stress cooling system – the one-piece radiator is neatly positioned diagonally beneath the seat unit.

The 4 stroke, 4-cylinder, DOHC 1043 cc engine pushes out 142 bhp with max energy of 104,5kW (142HP) / 10,000 rpm and max torque of 111 Nm (11.3kgfm) / 8,000rpm.

The 810 mm seat top is adjustable plus or minus 8 mm and the KB4 weighs in at simply 194 kg.

With Ohlins suspension entrance and rear, with the rear sporting an aluminium alloy billet swingarm, the KB4 is the right fashionable bike.

I completely want to check journey one in all these to see if it lives as much as my expectations 🤩

Properly that’s it, that’s my prime 10 bikes from Eicma 2023. The toughest a part of this prime 10 was that there have been many, many bikes on my listing however I needed to be brutal and I do know a few of you’ll disagree with my selections.

As for Eicma, I had an absolute blast, liked each minute of the present, there was sooooo a lot to see, the meals stalls have been scrumptious and the espresso was good.

I will likely be again 😜

BK