The Best New Motorcycles Live From Milan

The Salone Internazionale del Motociclo in Milan, Italy, is the grand stage for launch after launch of new machines, riding gear, and performance parts that riders everywhere will be enjoying in spring. At this year's 69th edition, 1462 bike and aftermarket brands from 43 countries are showcasing their upcoming 2012 offerings. Here's a look at some of what's coming next year (though not necessarily to the American market—U.S. distributors are not yet finished announcing their new-model lineups).

Aprilia SRV 850

Aprilia revealed the new SRV 850, the largest-displacement scooter on the market. Powered by a 90-degree V-twin with a claimed 76 hp (more than many motorcycles), it's built for longer trips than around the corner to the local trattoria. Aprilia claims a top speed of more than 120 mph. Larger-than-normal 16- and 15-inch wheels, fore and aft, roll over road irregularities with greater ease than the pizza-size hoops on teeny scooters. In menacing black, the SRV looks like it would be Batman's scooter of choice.

Top 10 New Bikes from the New York 

Motorcycle Show

This weekend's show will not be the biggest show in terms of public attendance because of mediocre weather. But perhaps more importantly, it won't be a huge show because the motorcycling industry, like the rest of the economy, isn't exactly on fire. There were plenty of bikes in every segment, even if the rate of new-bike intros was a little thin. Several of the major manufacturers had no new-products at all. Nonetheless, there are still some high signs, including a burgeoning adventure-tourer segment and some stunning new bikes. The line at the door seemed plenty long at the noon opening gun—and the floor filled up with bikers mighty fast. Here's what we saw during the press introductions before the show opened to the public.

 Harely-Davidson Blackline

In a room filled with twenty-something hipsters, the Motor Company introduced a bike calculated to appeal to exactly that crowd. Chromed to a minimum, the Blackline instead relies on black powdercoat and flat black accents for its appeal as it fleshes out H-D Dark Custom lineup. Based on the Softail frame, the Blackline has a dramatically lower seat height, making it more comfortable for riders of, ahem, shorter stature. The saddle is wrapped over a tall-profile, narrow tire, and is only 24 inches above the deck.

How to Drag Race a Motorcycle

Next

View Larger View Thumbnails

It's a breezy, balmy evening at Las Vegas Motor Speedway's quarter-mile drag strip, where I'm on a quest to learn how to drag race with a motorcycle.

At my disposal: instructor and world champion drag racer Rickey Gadson, a two-lane ribbon of blacked-out tarmac, and a fleet of high-powered Kawasakis, plus a few starter bikes, for initiation. But despite years of sportbike-riding experience and no shortage of amateur stoplight antics, I'm about to learn quickly that there's more to maximum acceleration than merely mashing the throttle and popping the clutch.

How do you hurtle a 567-pound motorcycle across 1320 feet of pavement in about the same time it takes to read this paragraph? With a little help (okay, a lot of help) from a veteran racer, I learned how to coax these powerful machines to hit the traps in less than 10 seconds.