Good things come in small packages at motorcycle show
Companies debut affordable, small-displacement adventure bikes
Milan’s Esposizione Internazionale Ciclo Motociclo e Accessori, or EICMA, is an international consumer and trade show for motorcycles, bicycles and accessories. It’s the year’s biggest motorcycle show, and a showcase for new trends.
This year, a trend for smaller-displacement, affordable adventure bikes has emerged in what is a growing segment worldwide. Here are a few of those interesting new machines, some of which have been confirmed for Canada, and some we hope will eventually make their way here:
BMW introduced the G310 GS, the second-smallest ever GS model. It is based on the G310R naked bike introduced this year and is coming to Canada in the first half of next year.
The G310GS features a high-tech 313-cc liquid-cooled single with a rearward-leaning cylinder topped by a reverse cylinder-head design, on which the inlet port faces forward and the exhaust funnels out the rear. The 34-horsepower engine is cradled in a tubular steel frame that uses long-travel suspension and a 19-inch front wheel to better handle off-road excursions. Built in Bangalore, India, in conjunction with India’s TVS Motor Company, the G310GS has not yet been confirmed for Canada, though it will probably come here.
Introduced in 2012, Honda’s CRF250L has proven a popular, affordable dual-sport motorcycle and for 2017, it gets upgraded bodywork and a small boost in output for its 250 cc single to 24 h.p., up from 23. More importantly, Honda has added another quarter-litre dual-purpose model to its lineup: the CRF250 Rally.
It borrows styling cues from Honda’s Dakar race bike, the CRF450 Rally, with a frame-mounted fairing, dual headlamps, more elaborate instrumentation, wind-cutting bodywork and a larger 10.1L fuel tank, up 2.4 L. It also has an improved front brake and taller suspension that increases ground clearance by 15 mm and seat height by 20 mm.
These changes, combined with the larger fuel tank, have increased net weight to 157 kg, up from 146 kg. The Rally is coming to Canada for 2017, though pricing has not yet been released.
Honda also introduced an adventure bike, the X-ADV. This cross between scooter and adventure motorcycle is powered by a 55-h.p., 745 cc parallel twin mated to a sixspeed dual-clutch transmission.
Honda claims its styling is SUV-inspired and it even comes with an automobile-like key fob. Its odd mix of a motorcycle drivetrain, scooter-like riding position, and long-travel adjustable suspension should prove an interesting combination for adventure seekers. Just like a scooter, it has an under-seat storage compartment large enough to hold a full-face helmet. No news of a Canadian release yet.
Kawasaki launched a small-scale adventure bike called the Versys-X 300. It matches the familiar 34-h.p., 296-cc liquid-cooled parallel twin from the Ninja 300 sport bike, with a Versys 650-like chassis that has an upright riding position, a frame-mounted fairing, and long-travel suspension. Spoke wheels are adventure bike-typical 19-inch front and 17-inch rear, and several touring accessories will be available, including hard panniers, LED fog lights, power outlets and a centre stand. It’s also been confirmed for Canada.
Suzuki unveiled a third variation of its venerable V-Strom, The new V-Strom 250 joins its larger 650 and 1,000-cc stablemates, though not yet on this side of the ocean.
Its 248-cc, 25-h.p. liquid-cooled parallel twin should be familiar to some — it’s the same engine powering the GW250 naked bike.
Although styling is similar to the current V-Strom models, its large, round headlight makes it easily distinguishable.
Despite being similar in spec and styling to other new small adventure bikes, the mini-Strom rolls on more road-friendly 17-inch wheels, which is also a departure from the more adventure-ready larger V-Stroms that use a 19-inch front.
It includes some big-bike features, including a standard 12-volt power outlet, integrated side-case mounts and a 17-L fuel tank reportedly good for a range of more than 500 km.
Perhaps not as small as the bikes mentioned above, the Ducati Multistrada 950 is nonetheless smaller and will be more affordable than the Multistrada 1200. And it is coming to Canada.
It features a 113-h.p., 937-cc V-twin, more manageable than the Multistrada 1200s 160-h.p. mill. Ducati hasn’t skimped on features, though, and has included fully adjustable suspension, comprehensive rider aids that include selectable ride modes, eight-level traction control and three-level ABS. Scheduled maintenance intervals are set at every 15,000 km, and at every 30,000 km for valve adjustments.
And finally, if you’re on a really tight budget, you may still be able to afford the smallest adventure bike of them all. BMW has collaborated with Lego to introduce the 603-piece BMW R1200GS Adventure. At 18 x 33 x 10 cm, it is the smallest production GS and has articulating suspension, an adjustable windscreen, and a working driveshaft. It comes to Canada in January.