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Yamaha want to win at Supersport racing, and they want it badly. So badly, in fact that they have created a completely new YZF-R6 for 2008. And when they say completely new, they don’t just mean a fresh paintjob and a lower seat height. The 2008 model bears the same name as previous models, but that’s it. All new chassis; Yamaha YCC-I (Yamaha Controlled Chip Intake) taken from the R-1 which varies the intake tract length to create a broader powerband.

Changes for 2008 include: Upgraded fuel injection mapping for the YCC-T dual-injector system; higher compression ratio; a magnesium subframe; an all-new frame, with no frame crossmember and thicker headpipe-headstock and swingarm pivot area walls; a new swingarm; new body work. All in all the 2008 shares almost no parts with the 2007. It even has a built in lap timer, although god knows how you are supposed to watch that as you try and keep up with one of your insane mates on an R-1 at your local track day. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Yamaha want to win so much, they are dumping another serious amount of money into their road racing contingency program, and Yamaha Racing have moved Ben Bostron from the AMA Superstock series into Supersport for 2008 just to promote the new bike.

Yamaha FZ 150 motorcycle will debut in India in later half of 2008 at an expected price of Rs 90,000 and Rs 70,000 on-road Delhi.

After the big news of the upcoming launch of the Yamaha YZF-R15, almost nothing else seems worth waiting for – and then you see the Yamaha FZ 150 cc motorcycle. You can see the official photo f the FZ 150 above - you know what I am talking about.

More than a decade back, I rode around on the streets f Mumbai, shit-scared, on a BMW F650 Funduro. The bike cost more than Rs 4 lakhs, and was an unqualified disaster when it came to sales. But it had a stance which reminded Mumbaikars of a stallion. Crowds gathered wherever I parked it.

The Yamaha FZ revealed for the first time at Auto Expo 2008 – they call it a prototype – reminded me of the F650 with its color scheme and upright stance. But the FZ looks more modern for sure. Yamaha says that the FZ 150 is just a prototype. Nobody in the motoring press believes them. Chances are, this 150 cc air-cooled motorcycle will make it into production towards the end of 2008.

You have basically the same engine as the YZF-R15 Yamaha on the Yamaha FZ 150, but this is more a road-and-track motorcycle than the YZF, which has racing pretensions even in the 150 cc guise.

So what you have is a motorcycle that will take on the Pulsars directly, and will tempt the owners of the regular econo-miser 150 cc motorcycles. The Yamaha FZ 150 will have a 5-speed gearbox which will put some 16-18 bp on the road – enough to become the performance 150cc king. The expected price (absolutely unconfirmed, and based on rumors, etc etc) is Rs 70,000 on-road in Delhi.

One advice: If you can hold on to your motorcycle purchase decision for a while, do so till you hear about the YZF R15 and the FZ from Yamaha. They might both be path-breaking motorcycles in India, and you don’t want to feel bad about not buying them. Wait for a bit, it’ll be worth it.

Launched in year 2008, Thunderbird Twinspark is one of the most stylish bike intended for those who want and wish to be on top of the world. It is the first model that leads Royal Enfield revolutionary Unit Construction Engine.

The Royal Enfield Thunderbird Twinspark is the perfect example of unfolding mix of old and new. Its 346 cc engine, 4 stroke single cylinder air-cooled engine delivers maximum power of 19.8 bhp @ 5250 rpm capacity ensuring its smooth performance and constant vacuum (CV) carburetor assure its simple start. Delighting customers, this bike is absolute comfort statement for the passenger as well as rider. This bike is like a must-have for every rider and it is hard to beat in terms of pure riding pleasure and visual delight.

Special Features:

Incorporated with all latest and advanced features, this bike includes:

* Ergonomically designed high density foam seats
* Rear gas filled shock absorber
* Heat shield on silencer
* Bigger CV carburetor BS-29
* Electric starter
* Electronic flasher
* Multi focal reflector
* 280mm disc-front brake and 150mm drum-rear brake
* Engine – Single cylinder, 4 Stroke, OHV, Dual spark ignition engine, aircooled
* Power and Torque - 19.8 bhp @ 5250 rpm/28 Nm @ 4000 rpm
* Fuel tank capacity – 15.5±1Liters

It’s that time of year again when bike makers barrage us with new and updated model info in attempts to get us primed for when their new machines hit dealer floors. Thus far for 2008 we know that the liter wars are shaping up nicely. For all intents and purposes, we have four new bikes from the Big Four.

Last year Yamaha and Suzuki got the jump when they brought in a revised R1 and GSX-R1000, leaving Kawi and Big Red resting on their venerable laurels. Losing ground to the competition usually doesn’t sit well with Japanese business philosophies, so it wasn’t much of a surprise when Kawasaki revealed their heavily revamped and trim-looking ZX-10R a couple of weeks ago. Now we have the final player, Honda, bringing their A-game with a ground-up make-over of the CBR1000RR.

Motorcycle.com was invited to American Honda’s Torrance, CA, headquarters to get a first-hand look at the 2008 CBR1000RR. Though appearances are a subjective matter, in this writer’s opinion this is one beautiful sportbike. The new CBR has shed the angular edges of the previous incarnation in favor of smooth lines that draw you in with hypnotic power, beckoning you to run your hands across its fluid, understated shapes.

This new look is something of a departure for the conservative maker of many things with an engine, but the leap in styling may pay untold dividends. Assistant Manager of Motorcycle Press for American Honda, Jon Seidel, told Motorcycle.com that reaction from dealers during the annual dealer convention recently held in Anaheim, CA, was quite favorable.

“More than anything, what we were hearing was how excited dealers were about the looks of the bike,” Seidel remarked. He also said dealers cited the reality that comparable performance levels between today’s sportbikes often leaves styling to be the deal maker or breaker. Especially so for the younger “impulse” buyer.

No matter how much image dominates motorcycling, looks will only get you so far. On the surface it would appear that the CBR can walk the walk. The 16-valve inline-Four gained 1cc in volume this year with its 76mm x 55.1mm bore and stroke resulting in 999ccs, making it slightly more oversquare than last year’s 75mm x 56.5mm. This, along with the switch to lightweight titanium intake valves, enables a higher rev limit, although what that is remains a mystery at this point. The inlet valves are also larger this year, up to 30.5mm. Additionally, the intake ports were cleaned up with a new shot-peening process that’s claimed to improve power and torque, and the compression ratio has increased incrementally to 12.3:1 (12.2:1 in ‘07). The removable cylinder block’s Nikasil-coated cylinders are sleeveless, and the forged-aluminum pistons are said to be thinner and stronger.

Specifications

Engine Type: 999cc liquid-cooled inline four-cylinder

Bore and Stroke: 76mm x 55.1mm

Compression ratio: 12.3:1

Valve Train: DOHC; four valves per cylinder

Induction: Dual Stage Fuel Injection (DSFI)

Ignition: Computer-controlled digital transistorized with three-dimensional mapping

Transmission: Close-ratio six-speed

Final Drive: #530 O-ring–sealed chain

Suspension

Front: 43mm inverted HMAS cartridge fork with spring preload, rebound and compression damping adjustability; 4.7 inches travel

Rear: Unit Pro-Link HMAS single shock with spring pre-load, rebound and compression damping adjustability; 5.4 inches travel

Brakes

Front: Dual radial-mounted four-piston calipers with full-floating 320mm discs

Rear: Single 220mm disc

Tires

Front: 120/70ZR-17 radial

Rear: 190/50ZR-17 radial

Wheelbase: 55.4 inches

Rake (Caster angle): 23.3°

Trail: 96.2mm (3.8 inches)

Seat Height: 32.3 inches

Fuel Capacity: 4.7 gallons, including 1.06-gallon reserve

Colors

Red/Black

Black/Metallic Grey†

Black/Metallic Silver

Pearl Yellow/Black

Candy Dark Red/Metallic Silver

It’s time to get on the road, time to grab the maximum fun out of life with the Yamaha YZF-R125. This radical, high-revving, fuel-injected 125 is the work of the same engineers who created our YZF-R1 and YZF-R6 supersport legends and is packed with MotoGP tech. The YZF-R125 is here to deliver stunning R-Series styling and exhilarating sports performance because life is a sport, to be enjoyed to the max.