Summer is right around the corner, the snowdrops are on their way out, and bikes across Zones 4-6 are busy dusting off their two-wheeled machines of choice for a tune-up and a yoink about the yard.
Naturally, our good industry has accompanied our antics with a fine lineup of news for this week:
- Harley-Davidson has lifted the covers on their new limited-edition CVO Road Glide RR – and it’s their most expensive bike yet.
- Meanwhile, Harley’s competitor continues toiling away at the proverbial lab in pursuit of an ARAS System.
- BMW has officially filed for an R 1300 R, an R 1300 RS, and even an R 1300 RT!
- Yamaha has birthed their very first Hybrid motorcycle, and she’s a wee thing.
- Keanu Reves’ “Visionaries” Docuseries came out March 7th
- Showa and Nissan have partnered up to save even more braking power via a nifty concept involving redirection of air via a motorcycle fork.
I, for one, am dying to chat about Harley’s recent publishing of their priciest power pony yet. Let’s start with that one, shall we? 🙂
Limited and Lovely: Harley-Davidson and the CVO Road Glide RR
Would You Pay $110,000 for a Harley Bike?
Just when I thought Harley bikes couldn’t get more expensive, they went the route of an ultra-light, ultra-powerful CVO Road Glide with all the extra fixin’s – the most powerful Milwaukee-Eight engine ever factory-installed on a Harley road bike, in point of fact.
To a CVO HOG fan, this bike is a certified wet dream weighing 750lbs, wrapped in carbon fiber and inspired by the uber-trendy King of the Baggers (KOTB) series – and there will only be 131 of these bikes made for the masses.
According to MCN, Harley-Davidson will manufacture 131 CVO RRs stems as a way of referencing the bike’s power plant, an absolutely-unneccesary-but-oh-so-fun 2147cc Screamin’ Eagle 131 V-Twin engine complete with 150.6lb-ft of torque @ 4750rpm. The new CVO Road Glide RR beats her sisters by a honking 50lbs while sustaining a Redline spike up to 6500rpm.
We are also expecting the CVO RR to arrive bristling with a bevy of accouterments reminiscent of the KOTB circuit, including the following list of perks:
- Revised camshaft profile.
- Large air intake.
- Full Akrapovič titanium exhaust system.
- New billet swingarm for improved stiffness.
- 43mm Öhlins FGR 253 Hypersport Superbike front forks.
- Öhlins twin rear shocks.
- CNC machined Brembo GP4-RX front calipers.
- T-Drive front discs.
- CNC ported cylinder heads.
- CNC machined combustion chambers and ports.
- Built-in speakers
- full-color TFT screen
Naturally, Harley-Davidson’s CEO is more than a little pleased at the result of what has likely been years in the making:
– Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, CEO and President of Harley-Davidson (MCN) |
Harley-Davidson’s commitment to KOTB is evident, with a three-rider factory lineup including former MotoGP star Bradley Smith. Their 2025 season started strong at the Daytona 200, with Kyle Wyman winning both races and British racer Bradley Smith – a previous MotoGP star – securing a brilliant second-place finish.
– Bradley Smith, “Harley Davidson Build CVO Road Glide Costing $110,000.” (MCN) |
Would you drop $110,000 on this limited-edition Harley? For more details on Harley’s most expensive motorcycle and Harley’s successes at KOTB, check out MCN’s coverage here:
Techy Stuff: A Look at Indian Motorcycle’s New ARAS Tech
New Advanced Rider Assistance System Slotted to Improve Rider Safety
Advanced Rider Assistance Systems (ARAS) are revolutionizing motorcycle safety, and Indian Motorcycles has decided to keep pace with its competitors by dabbling in a system for its own bike line.
According to the ever-incomparable Ben Purvis over at CycleWorld, a patent has emerged showing a radar system complete with lean sensors and accelerometers. Indian has been working on a radar system for a while – that is to say, filings have been floating about showing a more passive monitoring system as far as four years ago – but Indian’s submission of a front and rear radar system means the company must truly be taking this new step in advanced tech seriously.
We’re told that this patent’s front-and-rear-facing radar system would be used for blind-spot monitoring and tailgating warnings, as well as more sotto voce tracking systems to keep an eye on signs and other vehicles. Indian’s patent also shows a clever structure for the sensors themselves. In the event that a rider is joined by other motorcycles at close proximity, the side radar on Indian’s new ARAS tech will adjust depending on the position of the rider, thereby avoiding system alarms when the bike has assumed a typical staggered formation.
Monitoring can also be adjusted when going around a corner, making adaptive cruiser control all the easier to align with Indian’s new bike lineup of the future.
For more information on Indian’s new ARAS patent, check out CycleWorld’s coverage below:
Fast Filings: BMW Registers R 1300 R, R 1300 RS, R 1300 RT
Sub-header: New Bikes Slotted for MY2026
In fine form, our good Bavarians continue to listen to their riding community!
As of yesterday and thanks to the updated certification date courtesy of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (found by the excellent Dennis Chung at Motorcycle.com), we now know that BMW is expanding its R 1300 lineup for MY2026.
The additions include the following:
- 2026 BMW R 1300 R naked roadster variant
- 2026 BMW R 1300 RS faired roadster variant
- 2026 BMW R 1300 RT sport-touring variant
Thanks to identical certification as the R 1300 GS and R 1300 GS Adventure, we understand all three bikes to carry BMW’s bangin’ 1,300cc air- and liquid-cooled Boxer engine from the R 1300 GS. Horsepower and Torque are still up in the air, though we can estimate a similar set of figures to today’s R 1300 state of ~145 hp and 110 lb-ft.
Expect these beauties to also carry Automated Shift Assistant (clutchless shifting), as well as a new sheet metal main frame and a longer swingarm.
Other bikes certified in the same document list include a 2026 BMW R 12 G/S, which is expected to be built off the R 80 G/S and shares its 1,170cc air/oil-cooled DOHC Boxer engine with the R 12 nineT and R 12. There is potential here for the addition of longer travel suspension and a 21” front wheel.
While the certification data confirms these models are coming, time will tell on when BMW plans on releasing these bikes.
For more information on BMW’s incubating R 1300 R, R 1300 RS, R 1300 RT, and BMW R 12 G/S, please refer to Motorcycle.com’s coverage below:
The Hybrid Hype: Yamaha Unveils 2025 FZ-S Fi Hybrid Bike
… Available in India Only
Yamaha has officially joined Kawasaki in the trek toward a sustainable future!
According to coverage from IAmABiker, Yamaha has just dropped the covers on their very first attempt at a hybrid motorcycle. Christened the 2025 FZ-S Fi Hybrid, this bike may not sport the higher-power features of Kawasaki’s Ninja 7 and Z7 hybrid bikes, but at 149cc, the FZ-S Fi is certainly enough for the streets of India, the market into which this bike has debuted.
Priced starting at ₹1,44,800 (or roughly $1,700 USD), Yamaha’s 2025 FZ-S Fi Hybrid features the following list of perks:
2025 Yamaha 2025 FZ-S Fi Hybrid Features
Engine and Hybrid System:
- 149cc Blue Core engine.
- OBD-2B regulation compliant.
- Yamaha Smart Motor Generator (SMG).
- Stop & Start System (SSS).
- Hybrid power assist.
- Quieter starts with battery-assisted ignition.
Design and Ergonomics:
- Refined design with sharper tank cover edges.
- Integrated front turn signals within the air intake area.
- Optimized handlebar position for improved ergonomics.
- Adjusted switch placements for better accessibility.
- Repositioned horn switch for ease of use.
- Airplane-style fuel tank cap (attached during refueling).
Technology and Instrumentation:
- 4.2-inch full-color TFT instrument cluster.
- Smartphone connectivity via the Y-Connect app.
- Turn-by-turn (TBT) navigation (linked to Google Maps).
- Real-time route guidance (including intersection details and road names).
Color Options:
- Racing Blue.
- Cyan Metallic Grey.
We’re told that this bike’s been fitted with quieter starts thanks to that nifty Stop & Start System (SSS), while fuel efficiency is optimized through automatic engine shutdown at idle and revs are supplemented by the marvels of traditional gas combustion mated to electronic zip power.
While the 2025 FZ-S Fi Hybrid comes available in Racing Blue and Cyan Metallic Grey, we’re keener on seeing how this machine does with parts replacement and will be keeping a weather eye on dealership notices and – heaven forbid, but needs must-recall boards.
For more information on Yamaha’s 2025 FZ-S Fi Hybrid Bike, check out the company’s dedicated website:
Bikes on the Big Screen: Keanu Reeves’ “Visionaries” Docuseries
Hosted with ARCH Co-Founder Gard Hollinger
Have you ever been inspired by a guy obsessed with the color black that responds to the name Neo? How about John Wick, a guy we’re dying to send to therapy so he can get over his dog? If you’re a fan of either the Matrix or the John Wick franchises, you are likely a fan of Keanu Reeves and, by obligatory proxy, the motorcycle company he founded with his friend Gard Hollinger.
You’re also probably loving the new docuseries labelled “Visionaries,” now streaming on Roku.
According to Visordown, both the ARCH Motorcycle founder and co-founder spend this docuseries traveling the world, seeking inspiration from creative individuals in the pursuit of making the ultimate motorcycle.
Episodes include the presence of a space rocket builder a visual artist James Turrell with a literal volcano as his observatory, and even a deep-sea dive in a submersible.
Reeves himself has been excited to share this series with the world, imparting the following below:
– Keanu Reeves, “Keanu Reeves syncs up with creatives in motorcycle series ‘Visionaries’.” (Reuters) |
We hope you enjoy this fantastic addition to the digital screen space as Reeves and Hollinger use curiosity to drive their journey.
For more information on Keanu Reeves and Gard Hollinger’s docuseries, check out Visordown’s contributions below:
Nissin and Showa Think Up Revised Motorcycle Brake Cooling System
Design Allows Forks to Feed Air to Brake Calipers
The parent company of Showa and Nissin is developing a revised brake cooling system that will use the fork to redirect air to the bike’s caliper!
According to CycleWorld, Hitachi Astemo – that’s the name of Showa and Nissin’s parent company – has recently filed a patent application for a way to improve braking stoppage by a whole 5%. This may not seem like a lot for regular street-goers, but for the circuit, this could certainly make some interesting waves; in fact, it made the stage at EICMA 2024 as one of Yamaha’s highlighted tech projects.
But back to the design itself.
We’re told that Hitachi Astemo is utilizing a redesigned lower fork with aerodynamic intake ducts. Both the fork bottom and brake caliper – an easily accessible bolt-on brake caliper – are apparently machined from a single aluminum block, improving heat dissipation by 5% and making future maintenance tasks a cinch.
Thanks to the side plates attaching the lower fork portion to the axle holder, an opening is created for airflow; Astemo is shown to be currently fiddling with this idea, as there are also multiple variations of the design that include additional intake ducts and finned plates for airflow control.
For more information on Astemo’s revised brake cooling system, check out CycleWorld’s article below:
