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Nearly 10 years after its New Zealand debut on Auckland's Kariotahi Beach, the Indian Scout is finally set to enter its next generation on April 3rd NZT. Indian Motorcycle isn't giving much away about the new Scout ahead of the world premiere, but we have high hopes for a cracking motorcycle that blends modern technology with the key features that have long made an Indian Scout a Scout. The covers will officially be coming off at 5am on the 3rd of April for those wanting to rise early to be among the first in the world to see the next chapter in the Indian Scout story.

Royal Enfield New Zealand has confirmed the pricing of the new Bullet 350, with the bike starting from an attainable $7,890. The Royal Enfield Bullet is perhaps the brand's most iconic nameplate with over 90 years of production history, but it has been missing from the local lineup recently. Enfield fans will surely rejoice to see the Bullet return to the NZ lineup with the introduction of the new Bullet 350 for 2024, giving a further option to the brand's 350cc lineup. That means at its heart is Royal Enfield's characterful long-stroke 349cc J-series engine which happily chugs along with its torquey power delivery up to a peak of 20.2hp and 27Nm of torque. See our test of the Hunter 350 to see what a joy this engine is in the city. For the 2024 Bullet 350, the bike receives an updated chassis which comes in the form of a twin downtube cradle frame, which Royal Enfield says helps ensure greater confidence and a more stable riding experience every single time. That should match perfectly with the engine, which happens to be one of the easiest going powerplants for a rider to learn to ride a motorcycle with. Braking comes in the form of ABS-backed 300mm front and 270mm rear disc brakes while suspension is classic simplicity with 41mm forks and twin rear shocks. Accessibility has always been Royal Enfield's strong point, and in addition to the affordable price the Bullet 350 is physically easy to manage with its 805mm seat height and sub-200kg wet weight. The seat looks comfy as hell too with copious amounts of padding. As always, Royal Enfield is launching the Bullet 350 with a range of accessories to tailor the bike to its owner's needs, with everything from skid plates to windshields and everything in between on offer. New Zealand has the option of three colours for the Bullet 350, with the bike coming in either Standard Black, Standard Maroon, or the classy Black and Gold.

Legendary British marque BSA Motorcycles is set to return to the New Zealand market in 2024 with the all-new Gold Star. BSA Motorcycles is set to make a return to the New Zealand motorcycle market with the appointment of Europe Imports as the official New Zealand distributor. The storied brand recently returned to life under the ownership of the Mahindra Group with its first model since the brand’s revival being the new Gold Star. “We are thrilled to announce that BSA will indeed be back on our shores soon, says Europe Imports' BSA project lead, Robert Maskell. "This is an iconic brand for many motorcyclists here, I remember my father having BSA motorcycles and it is an exciting thing to see them return to the market with the Gold Star. We look forward to building a passionate BSA community and nationwide dealer network to support the brand fully.” The new Gold Star is expected to slot into the market as another accessible modern classic option, with the 2024 bike powered by a 45hp 652cc single-cylinder engine. BSA has gone to great lengths to retain the classic styling of the bikes of the 1950s and 60s with uniquely oriented clocks, 18 and 17-inch spoked wheels and six distinct colour options. BSA Motorcycles NZ has launched social media accounts for prospective owners to stay up to date with the latest news on the brand’s return to New Zealand roads, with an official website also currently in development. You can follow the return of BSA by following the @BSAMotorcyclesNZ accounts on Facebook and Instagram.

Two years after making history and setting an altitude world record aboard a Yamaha Ténéré 700, Pol Tarrés recently returned to Chile and set the bar even higher, not just by smashing his own record, but also by setting a new altitude record for a single-cylinder motorcycle. Tarrés has mastered taking the road never travelled. Reaching an incredible height of 6.677 metres with the Ténéré World Raid GYTR in full stage 3 setup, Tarrés set a new record for the highest altitude achieved on a twin-cylinder motorcycle. During the reconnaissance phase of the attempt, Tarres also set a new record for the highest altitude ever reached on a single-cylinder motorcycle, ascending to 6.756 metres on the cross-country specific Yamaha YZ450FX . Being a Ténéré ambassador, Tarrés was determined to achieve a new record on the 700 World Raid. Both records were registered on a dual GPS and verified by three guides as the guidelines prescribe. Official ratification of the two world records will take several weeks. The expedition team comprised Pol Tarrés, Javi Echevarria (project manager), Miguel Echevarria (film crew), Ahikar Azcona (Yamaha ambassador & team support), Joan Espasa (film crew) and mountain guides, Gerardo Bauty, Cristian Órdenes, Thomas Caballero, and Juan León. Supported by Yamaha Motor Europe, Marc Bourgeois and Yamaha Motor Chile. “Preparing for this challenge was difficult, many said it could not be done,” declared project manager, Javi Echevarria. “But we as a team know that exactly that is what drives Pol, to do exactly what no one thinks possible. It was really a team effort – and would have been impossible without everyone involved.” The target was to ascend Ojos del Salado, the highest volcano on earth, the second-highest mountain in the Andes and the highest summit in Chile. Several other athletes have attempted to conquer this uninhabitable place, with its steep rock inclines, scree slopes and snow drifts, yet none have enjoyed the same success as Tarrés and Yamaha thus far. Having learned important lessons from the previous attempt, Tarrés and the entire TRECE Racing Society Team took two weeks to acclimatise in the Andes Mountain range. Even with Tarrés’s incredible physical condition, the altitude is a force that humbles most humans and altitude sickness was a constant companion for the team during this acclimatisation process. After acclimatising, Tarrés and the TRECE team started to explore potential routes to conquer the mountain, utilizing both the YZ450FX and the Ténéré to complete this reconnaissance phase, whilst also dealing with disruption caused by unexpected snowfall. The weather also played a significant role in dictating the timing of the record attempt. With high winds forecast, the team were forced to accelerate their plans and make the attempts on the 6th and 7th of March. Due to the snowfall, the routes to the West and Central summits were rendered impassable, so the highest summit and principal crater of the volcano became the goal chosen by the team. Starting from Refugio Murray at 4.522 metres, Tarrés and the Ténéré reached the record altitude in only 50 minutes. “Above 6.000 metres everything seems to go super slow, the physical exhaustion is indescribable and there is no room for mistakes,” commented Pol Tarrés. ”Even walking is a challenge, let alone riding a Ténéré at this altitude” One problem encountered on the previous record setting expedition in 2022 was that of fuel consumption, which is significantly heaver at altitude than at sea level. For the most recent attempt at the record this issue was addressed with the GYTR kit, specifically the GYTR ECU assembly and extra fuel capacity, which allowed Tarrés to ride for longer without the need to refuel. The GYTR parts from the second stage or handling kit, including more rugged Haan Wheels, KYB 48mm front fork and Paioli rear suspension, also ensured optimal handling performance on the challenging terrain of the Vulcano. The mental, physical, and mechanical challenges faced by Tarrés and his team during this testing challenge cannot easily be conveyed with words alone. To tell the full story of this momentous endeavour, the TRECE Racing Society and Yamaha Motor Europe have collaborated on a documentary, to be premièred at the end of this year, that will take viewers on the same incredible journey on which Tarrés embarked in both 2022 and 2024.

Indian Motorcycle has officially unveiled its latest Elite model for the 2024 model year with the bike taking the form of a showstopping Roadmaster. According to Indian, the 2024 Roadmaster Elite has been designed to deliver an authentic, custom-inspired paint scheme for riders looking to turn heads and stand out from the crowd. That paint draws its inspiration from Indian’s OG red paint scheme which dates back to 1903, with an all-new Indian Motorcycle Red tri-tone paint scheme with a premium candy finish, which delivers a vibrant and eye-catching look. To achieve this, Indian Motorcycle partnered with two of the industry’s most renowned custom paint shops, Gunslinger Custom Paint (GCP) in Colorado and Custom Painted Vehicles (CPV) out of Wisconsin. Indian Motorcycle’s partnership with GCP and CPV provides an extra layer of authenticity, as the two paint shops are widely sought after for one-off, custom-bike paint designs from riders all around the country. “Our Elite models take the incredibly high bar we set for all of our products, and raise it even higher, offering something more exclusive for the rider who wants to make sure their bike is a cut above anything else on the road,” said Aaron Jax, Vice President for Indian Motorcycle. “What I love about the new Roadmaster Elite is how we’ve taken the historic Indian Motorcycle Red and given it a tougher, meaner attitude with blacked-out styling.” “Our design team is always thrilled to work on the Elite models, because we’re essentially given the keys to design our very own custom bike, but instead of just one, hundreds will be available around the world,” said Ola Stenegärd, Director of Product Design for Indian Motorcycle. “With each new Elite model, we pull through custom bike trends to create something that’s not only current and relevant, but authentically aligns with the Indian Motorcycle brand and complements each model’s inherent DNA.” With only 350 available worldwide and incredible custom-inspired styling, the 2024 Roadmaster Elite is the ultimate in style and exclusivity. Each Roadmaster Elite features exclusive Elite badging, including an individually numbered centre console complete with a silhouette of a 1904 Indian Camelback – Indian Motorcycle’s first model to debut the iconic Indian Motorcycle Red paint. Indian Motorcycle New Zealand has confirmed that the Roadmaster Elite will be heading our way, with three examples destined for Kiwi roads. Pricing aligns with the bike’s ultra-premium build as sits at the very top of Indian’s 2024 model pricing with prospective owners needing a solid $63,995 to make one their own.

Since the loss of Ken Block, the world has been missing out on a lot of gratuitous online motorsport films with a pure soundtrack of revs and incredible shots of vehicles sliding about in the name of hooliganism. Clearly, Red Bull has been feeling the same way and sent a pair of racers down a dark valley in the Kemaliye district of Turkey (AKA Türkiye) with a camera and some sonorous exhausts. Starring in the short and gloriously music-free film is Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, the 2021 FIM World Superbike Champion, alongside Ayhancan Güven, a DTM racing series driver. While both are known for their on-track persona, it quickly becomes pretty clear both are far from unskilled in the dirt with both swapping their circuit machinery for an off-road challenge in Türkiye’s Kemaliye district within the enigmatic Dark Canyon. A location renowned as one of the planet's deepest canyons, it is also listed in UNESCO's Tentative List of World Heritage Sites in 2021. Despite its name, the Dark Canyon stands out as one of the world's most captivating and formidable routes with 38 hand-made tunnels, notorious within the motorsports community for its daunting challenges. The canyon is approximately 25 kilometres long, plunges over a kilometre deep, and has a base that tapers to 10-15 metres, with steep slopes that create a fascinating and challenging landscape. Venturing off the beaten track for the first time, the duo challenged each other to push their limits in an adrenaline-fuelled pursuit. The two track racers ventured out of their comfort zone and tried their hands at off-road racing for the first time ever. Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, the flagbearer who brought the World Superbike Championship glory to Türkiye in 2021, said, “Riding a bike in a canyon is very different from riding on the track. My bike was too heavy to pull a stoppie, and it was not an easy terrain to ride; however, it was an exciting experience for me,” after navigating his bike through a winding road full of sharp turns. Meanwhile, Ayhancan Güven, who achieved the prestigious Platinum license coveted by top riders worldwide this year, engaged in the showdown with a Skoda Fabia Rally2 car, marking his career debut with this vehicle. “There were a lot of challenges throughout the canyon, and the tunnels were quite difficult to pass through. It was the first time I drove this car, and the steering set was completely different from the one I normally drive. It was a challenging experience, but I had a lot of fun.”

Husqvarna confirms a larger Svartpilen is returning to their model lineup in 2024 in the form of the all-new Svartpilen 801. It's been a while since we saw a new road-going Husqvarna model debut, but that's precisely what is on the cards later this month when the wraps come off the new Husqvarna Svartpilen 801. Set to join the Norden as the brand's second twin-cylinder model, the new Svartpilen is touting some pretty impressive specs behind its rather attractive (even in full preproduction camo) bodywork. Previously, the Svartpilen 701 was visually distinct to put it nicely. The new 801 version takes a more traditional approach to styling but still retains the fuel tank bulges that made the previous Svartpilen and Vitpilen stand out from the crowd. Weighing in at just 181 kg and powered by an LC8c parallel-twin engine producing 105 hp, the Svartpilen 801 offers what is sure to be a fun-filled power-to-weight ratio. Husqvarna is yet to confirm which version of the LC8c engine the 801 is using, but going by previous Husqvarna naming conventions, our assumption is this will be using the smaller capacity 790cc unit rather than the 890 or 990 versions. While Husqvarna hasn't confirmed which engine will power the 801, Australian representative Rosie Lalonde has confirmed to OnThrottle that the new Svartpilen 801 will be assembled in the KTM Group's Austrian factory. As we've come to expect from Husqvarna, the Svartpilen 801 will come with a full suite of electronic rider aids. So far confirmed to be included in the tech offering is an Easy Shift quickshifter for seamless gear changes, as standard. While the rest of the electronics package is yet to be confirmed, Husqvarna is claiming the Svartpilen 801 will feature a class-leading technology package that maximises the riding experience and safety throughout every ride. As part of an extensive testing process, the Svartpilen 801 prototype was ridden on both a flat-track oval and an ice track. This diverse program of sideways action and stunning ice rides on spiked tyres played a vital role in developing a truly versatile motorcycle that encourages you to escape the ordinary. Like its predecessor, the Svartpilen 801 takes its aesthetic inspiration from the scrambler genre. Slimline ergonomic bodywork wraps neatly around the engine and frame for unrestricted movement while the steering damper and the obligatory adjustable WP suspension take hits from whatever road surface the rider decides to tackle. Interestingly, rather than the spoked wheels the Svartpilen 401 enjoys as standard, the prototype of the Svartpilen 801 rolls on cast alloy wheels. Whether Husqvarna will offer the bike with the tougher spoked rims for riders wanting to lean further into the brand's off-road heritage without going the whole hog and getting a Norden 901 will hopefully be revealed on March 19th when the Svartpilen 801's full specification and technical data are made public. Watch this space!

Upper Hutt’s Rogan Chandler has been on a title-winning pace all season and finally he reaped his just rewards at the final round of this season’s New Zealand Superbike Championships. The six-round 2023-24 series kicked off just before Christmas, the opening two rounds incorporated within the popular Suzuki International Series, and it wrapped up at Hampton Downs, an integral part of the Star Insurance MotoFest, at the weekend just gone. And it was at Hampton Downs where fans could see that perhaps the hard-working Chandler had left his best for last. Chandler and his Suzuki New Zealand, Top Kat Roofing and TSS Motorcycles-sponsored GSX-R600 were almost untouchable at the North Waikato race circuit at the weekend. He finished runner-up to just-crowned Supersport 600 class champion Cormac Buchanan in the opening 600cc race of the weekend on Saturday, before bravely winning a wet race two early on Sunday, finishing ahead of visiting Australian star Jack Favell on that occasion. But the best of Chandler was still to come. The third and final Supersport 600 race, delayed due to heavy rain and eventually held late on Sunday afternoon, tripled up as not only the final race of the championship series, but also the New Zealand Tourist Trophy race and the inaugural Damon Rees Memorial race too. Chandler got off to a flyer and eventually won this special race by 7.8 seconds from Whanganui’s Luca Durning, with international rider Favell claiming third overall. With a 2-1-1 score-card for the weekend, Chandler emerged as the overall Supersport 600 class winner for this event, although he was left to rue the crashes he’d suffered earlier in the series (at Taupo and Christchurch) and he had to be content with overall runner-up in this class for 2023-24. “It was a very special race to win,” said the 26-year-old Chandler afterwards. “It’s cool for the Rees family to create this award in memory of Damon (Rees).” Rees sadly passed away in the United Kingdom in June last year, aged just 28, with the former national 600cc champion’s death due to medical issues unrelated to motorcycling. “The Damon Rees Memorial trophy was another added part to the TT race, which is always a great race in itself to win. “I didn’t know Damon that well. He was one of those guys a little older than me, but he was a rider to admire and I’d feel that, if I could beat someone like him or even just match his lap times, I’d be over the moon. He was someone to look up to. “I would gauge myself against riders the calibre of Damon Rees. “My wet track riding has been pretty good this year … apart from Taupo, obviously,” he laughed, referencing the spectacular crash he suffered on the drenched track there in December. “Wet weather and the Suzuki seem to go well together.” Words and photos by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com

Wairarapa’s Eva Wintle was simply lost for words at the end of her difficult and stressful couple of days of racing at the sixth and final round of this season’s New Zealand Superbike Championships at the weekend. The 23-year-old real estate agent from Masterton has been racing motorcycles for just over 12 months now, but in December last year, she was really starting to rock the sport’s established stars. The six-round 2023-24 New Zealand Superbike Championship series kicked off just before Christmas, the opening two rounds incorporated within the popular Suzuki International Series, and it all finally wrapped up at Hampton Downs, an integral part of the Star Insurance MotoFest, at the weekend just gone (March 2-3). When Wintle arrived with her Suzuki GSX150F bike at Hampton Downs for the grand finale she enjoyed a healthy lead in the GIXXER 150 class – a competition created seven years ago by Suzuki New Zealand to provide a foundation or nursery ground for fledgling young racers – and knew another solid performance would probably be enough to secure the national title. With the weather moving swiftly from warm and overcast on Saturday, to wet and wild on Sunday, all the racers’ best-laid plans went out the window. Thankfully, all the hard work had been done at the previous rounds, so Wintle was able to ride conservatively at Hampton Downs, “just circulating to finish each race”, to pocket the necessary points. “I finished runner-up in my final race of the weekend and now I’m national champion. It’s a crazy thing to say, eh?! “There are not quite any words to … yeah, I don’t have any words to describe how I feel right now,” she said as she was packing up at the end of racing on Sunday. “I really didn’t think at the start of this weekend that I was going to be able to pull it off.” Napier’s Sebastian Mitchell finished overall runner-up to Wintle in the class, while Lower Hutt’s Nixon Frost, son of Suzuki’s two-time former national superbike champion Sloan Frost, returned from injury late in the series and he accumulated enough points to claim third overall for the series. “My first year of racing was in the Suzuki International Series in December 2022,” Wintle explained. “I finished second overall in the GIXXER class that year, first-time out, so I was pretty happy with that. “The competition is a lot harder this season … the boys at the front go really fast. My riding has developed and changed drastically, and I’ve learned a lot in a short time.” First created by Suzuki New Zealand in December 2017 with the aim of providing a starting place and a pathway towards "growing future champions", the GIXXER Cup class was slotted into the Suzuki International Series and it proved to be a runaway success. These days it’s also included in the New Zealand Superbike Championships programme. Many of the young riders who had their first taste of motorcycle road-racing with the inaugural GIXXER Cup contest in 2017 are now out on the track and racing in some of the bigger bike classes – Supersport 300, Formula Three, Supersport 600 and even the premier Superbikes class – proving what an inspired and imaginative decision it was to introduce this class in the beginning. The young man who wrapped up the GIXXER Cup title in the 2023 Suzuki International Series, Hamilton’s Joseph Stroud, is the son of Suzuki’s nine-time former national superbike champion Andrew Stroud, also an internationally-recognised former road-racing star. Words and photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com

Harley-Davidson's latest announcement has us questioning whether it is time to give up hoping the American motorcycle manufacturer will change. Harley-Davidson has announced its latest “new model” which will soon hit the streets - the 50s-inspired 2024 Hydra Glide Revival, which retails for $46,995 - and it got me thinking. Is it time to give up on Harley? Now I'll freely admit this is obviously a rather inflammatory thing to say, but I feel so completely frustrated with what I'm seeing out of Milwaukee I feel like there isn't much other choice. Harley has a cult-like following and has been making bikes non-stop since 1903. But after a period where they seemed to be turning a corner and teasing some cool modern bikes, with the Pan America debuting the brilliant Rev Max engine, lately, it seems all the Motor Co can produce are overpriced bikes with styling dating back to a time none of us can remember. Ok, fine, some of us CAN remember the 1950s. I know my 74-year-old dad can probably remember some of it, but come on Harley! You’re latest bike design harkens back to bikes only people in their 80s will remember with any fondness. I suppose I’m a bit miffed as under its previous CEO, Matt Levatich, Harley was making progress in transforming its business into a modern competitor on a global scale. We saw not only the electric LiveWire surface, but also the Milwaukee-Eight engine that underpins nearly the entire Harley lineup debuted in 2016, and let’s not forget the Street platform which gave riders an entry point into the brand a stepping stone to those bigger bikes. Development of what was to become Harley’s first adventure-class motorcycle, the Pan America, also started in the 2010s. It was a time when Harley was thinking long-term and was actively trying to appeal to a wider audience of potential customers. It was working too, albeit slowly. After years of dismissal, I was starting to feel Harley was starting to shake its old man image and there were some incredible-looking concepts in the pipeline - the ill-fated Bronx streetfighter being one. But all this innovation meant it was expensive times for Harley, and the result of this bright period of innovation and broadening of horizons was that Levatich was forced out and sneaker expert Jochen Zeitz stepped in and quickly culled everything back to Harley’s core business - bikes for old men with lots of spare money. It has been bitterly disappointing to watch the good work Harley did in the 2010s developing new platforms and ideas be squandered. Yes, financially Harley is looking better, but just take one look at the current range and you see a lot is lacking. H-D’s entry point is now a pair of badge-engineered, Chinese-made bikes based on a pair of Benellis with about as much Harley DNA as a beach ball, while the rest of the range are expensive behemoths. The price difference between the X 500 and the Nighster Special is nearly $10,000. But look at the Benelli Leoncino 500 - the bike Harley badge-engineered to make the X 500, and it is at the time of writing a whopping $3,260 CHEAPER. Maybe I’m cynical, maybe mid-30s guys simply aren't who Harley wants interested in their motorcycles, or maybe I’m just burnt out from seeing so many expensive “special edition” motorcycles touted by manufacturers rather than any genuine options to bring a spark back to motorcycling. I’ve already given up on some manufacturers - I have long lost any faith in MV Agusta - and it looks like Harley-Davidson could be the next on my list of bikes I’ve lost so much faith in I will simply not bother looking at. But what do you think? Has Harley almost lost your interest with their lacklustre offerings?

Slap on your chaps and find your tassled jacket, Harley-Davison is taking us back to the 1950s! Harley-Davidson has announced its latest 2024 motorcycle in the form of the limited edition Hydra Glide Revival, with the bike limited to just 1750 examples worldwide. Priced at a mere $46,995, the Hydra-Glide Revival takes Harley's nostalgia stick and smacks the settings up to 11 for this 1950s-inspired tourer. The 2024 Hydra-Glide Revival model is the fourth bike in the Harley-Davidson Icons Motorcycle Collection, and celebrates the 75th anniversary of the 1949 introduction of the Hydra-Glide telescopic front suspension for Harley-Davidson E and F models. Celebrating 75 years of hydraulic telescopic forks. What a world we live in! Harley-Davidson's Icons Motorcycle Collection is an annual program for the limited release of a new model that offers a fresh interpretation of an iconic Harley-Davidson motorcycle. A limited collection, each model is individually numbered and produced only once. The Hydra-Glide Revival is built around the 114 cubic inch Milwaukee-Eight v-twin that has been "tuned with a Screamin’ Eagle High-Flow air cleaner to deliver power with authority." While H-D may be playing fast and loose there with the term "tuned", the bike can at least be given more performance with the engine accepting all applicable Harley-Davidson Screamin' Eagle Stage Upgrade kits. Making the Hydra-Glide Revival stand out from the Heritage Softail is visually resembles is a custom Redline Red paint with a Birch White panel on fuel tank sides, which Harley says is the same design that featured on 1956 models. Details include chrome “Harley-Davidson V” tank badges inspired by 1955-56 tank badges and “Hydra-Glide” script badges located on the front fender skirt. The serialised “Hydra-Glide Revival” insert on the handlebar riser cap and Icons Motorcycle Collection graphic on the rear fender also identify this as a limited-production model. Harley hasn't at least slapped a coat of paint on the bike and called it a day. Other styling features include instrument graphics inspired by those on the 1954-55 speedometer. The two-tone 21-inch (53.3 cm) high detachable windshield features a colour-matched lower portion in Redline Red. A chrome round air cleaner cover and chrome steel laced wheels add to the nostalgic look. Front and rear fender trim, engine guard, fork covers, powertrain and exhaust are finished in chrome. A solo saddle is finished with a fringed and decorated leather valance, white seam piping and red contrast stitching, and a chrome rail for a nostalgic look. A matching black leather tank strap is embellished with studs and a concho badge. Leather and vinyl saddlebags are detailed with chrome conchos with acrylic red centres, chrome studs and leather fringe, white seam piping and red contrast stitching. The saddlebags are water-resistant, have keyed locks for security, and have a rigid liner so they will hold their shape season after season. Harley-Davidson says the Hydra-Glide Revival model is inspired by the look of the motorcycles ridden in era of the upcoming film The Bikeriders, which follows the rise of a midwestern motorcycle club, as seen through the lives of its members. The film is scheduled to be released in mid-2024.

Did Yamaha stumble upon the secret formula for the future of sports bikes with the YZF-R7? We review the R7. Modern sports bikes have a problem, and its a bit of a catch-22. You see, sports bikes have gotten so good at going fast - arguably their primary purpose for existing - they've become nigh on unusable on public roads. Add to that the fact that with most litre-bikes producing more than 200hp at the rear wheel, the technology needed to tame such beastly performance has pushed prices skyward and essentially killed off the class. But things seem to be changing, and more and more manufacturers are turning their gaze towards providing a mid-capacity sport bike that is not only a sharp looker in line with their hero machines but also offers a fun platform that is actually usable on public roads at a fraction of the cost. Picking up the Yamaha R7 to review, it appears Yamaha has led the way here with its YZF-R7 - a bike that takes the cult favourite 689cc CP2 engine from the MT-07 and Tenere 700 and slaps it into a sporty chassis for just $15,099. That isn't where the appeal ends either, as you can swing a leg over an R7 no matter what licence you have thanks to Yamaha offering a sleeved 655cc LAMS version. But let’s have a disclaimer straight out of the pits: I wouldn’t recommend an R7 for a complete motorcycling novice. While the engine is an absolute gem, and incidentally one of the first designed specifically to comply with LAMS legislation, the aggressive supersport riding position and tight steering lock make the R7 an involved bike to swing a leg over. Novices riders would probably be better off with the more neutral riding position, but the same excellent engine, found in Yamaha’s MT-07 or XSR700 offerings. With that said, our test bike was the LAMS variant of the YZF-R7, and it proved to still be a giggle out on twisty back roads thanks to its torquey power delivery and well-set-up chassis. The CP2 has earned its fans with a throaty 270-degree firing order and smooth power delivery making it a perfect companion for multiple genres. Since its release in 2014, it has found its way into almost every corner of Yamaha’s lineup. Just look at the aforementioned MT-07, XSR700, Tracer 700 and Tenere 700. Now that it’s found its way into a supersport Yamaha has almost all bases covered with this gem of an engine. The engine’s capacity is the only key difference between the LAMS and High Output models, giving restricted class riders a bike that is visually identical to the full-power version but with the benefits of being able to be legally ridden on a learner licence. You’ve got that YZF-R1-inspired fairing, clip-on handlebars and angular rear cowling that all scream go fast bike no matter what angle you look at it. There’s also the option for a quickshifter which helps snap through the 6-speed gearbox even faster like the racebike the R7 aspires to be. Even in LAMS guise, the R7 puts down a pleasing amount of power and with the quickshifter fitted gets up to speed nicely. Yamaha has designed the R7 to be a bike of balance; a sports bike that isn’t too much for the road - which arguably every 1000cc option has now become -  but cuts corners like a knife through butter. That means the YZF-R7 isn’t just a great engine in a sporty-looking package. It’s got the chassis to back it up. Up the front, you’ve got adjustable 41mm upside-down forks from KYB to keep the front wheel planted firmly onto the road while the monoshock out the back has preload and rebound adjustability. It is a far cry from some of the ultra-premium electronic suspension systems found on modern superbikes, sure, but with the R7 priced at just $15,099, it’s a solid setup that more than does the job on our twisty roads. Even more so, the Yamaha is one of the only bikes in its class with that level of suspension adjustment with its closest competitors in price all featuring non-adjustable suspension. This chassis and engine combo hit a bit of a sweet spot in the marketplace, where the YZF-R7 has very little in terms of competition, with Honda’s four-cylinder CBR650R and Kawasaki’s Ninja 650 being its main rivals currently. The YZF-R7 HO has firm competition in the new Suzuki GSX-8R (which also lacks the same level of suspension adjustment), and an argument could be made that the R7 also competes with the much more expensive Aprilia RS660 despite the latter bike's much more premium price point. In the cockpit, Yamaha keeps things quite simple which doubles down on the minimalistic race bike aesthetic but also means pricing can remain attainable. In this mid-capacity segment finding a balance between price and features is crucial, and Yamaha has managed to thread the needle well with the R7. The dash unit is an inverted LCD and gives the rider the important info at a glance without drawing too much attention to itself. I’m not normally a fan of the inverted colour scheme LCD dash, but on the R7 it visually works well. Yamaha has put together an appealing offering in the R7 in a segment that has until recently been largely ignored by the majority of manufacturers. The R7 leads the way in the rebirth of the class with its well-set-up chassis and that gorgeous CP2 engine behind that race-inspired fairing. It's a bike that on debut few manufacturers had a real answer to. The tide does appear to be changing with more manufacturers returning their gaze to the sports segment and we are already seeing other options creeping into the class that could bring true competition. Time will tell if Yamaha’s blend of great tunable chassis and the cult-favourite CP2 engine has what it takes to keep punters off bikes with more power and electronics. With the recent announcement that Yamaha Europe will be pulling the flagship YZF-R1 from showrooms due to emissions regulations, the R7 will soon be the only outright supersport Yamaha you can buy for the road in that market - unless Yamaha has something else up their sleeve they aren't telling us about... Could the long-rumoured YZF-R9 - based on the MT-09 - bring the near 1000cc sports bike class back to a usable reality? Based on the YZF-R7, I wouldn't put it past Yamaha to achieve just that. QUICK FACTS | YAMAHA YZF-R7 Price: from $15,099 Engine:  655cc liquid-cooled DOHC parallel-twin (LAMS) 689cc liquid-cooled DOHC parallel-twin (HO) Power: 73.7hp/55kW @ 8750rpm and 68Nm @ 6500rpm (HO version) Pros: Looks the part, well put together, optional quickshifter is fun Cons: Supersport riding position isn’t particularly learner-friendly, competition in this segment is growing stronger