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The annual EICMA exhibition is always highly anticipated in the bike industry, being the leading fair for the world of motorcycling.
This year the exhibition, held at the Rho Fairgrounds in Milan, Italy, celebrated its 77th anniversary with 1 800 exhibits from leading bike brands.
READ | Bike review: Husqvarna Svartpilen 701
Let’s have a look at some of the 2020 models that might be making their way to our shores:
BMW
The German manufacturer announced the successor to the F 800 R. The bike’s engine capacity has been increased to 895cm³ with a resulting name change to F 900 R. BMW has also upgraded the S 1000 XR.
Image: Supplied
In its 2020 guise, it is based on the new S 1000 RR, which will likely be a noticeable improvement on the current model. Taking the XR concept into the midsize category, the boys from Bavaria also introduced an F 900 XR – a lightweight adventure sport that promises to be a lot of fun.
Ducati
Ducati introduced their new models before EICMA at a special event in Rimini, Italy. As expected, the V4 Streetfighter – a naked version of the Panigale V4 – caught all the attention.
Image: Supplied
The faired Panigale V4 now sports brand new aerodynamic accessories developed in Ducati’s MotoGP program. The italic exotic brand also revived the V2 engine in the brand new Panigale V2, Ducati's middleweight superbike, now with a 955cm³ engine.
Harley-Davidson
The American company kept its promise and launched the new Pan America for 2020. It sports a water-cooled 1 250cm³ V-Two engine which, according to Harley, delivers 107kW – a somewhat unusual figure for the normally conservative Milwaukee metal.
Honda
Image: Supplied
In addition to the all-new Africa Twin which will be shown to the local media later this month, the Winged H lifted the veil on the new CBR 1000 RR Fireblade. With a huge increase in power delivery and the addition of aerodynamic wings, the ‘Blade is made for the World Superbike series.
Husqvarna
Image: Husqvarna
Never a brand to shy away from forward-thinking, Husqvarna displayed a concept of motorcycle, the Norden 901. It's just a concept at this stage, but the Vitpilen has shown us that the Swedish brand is in the habit of making their concepts a reality.
Kawasaki
Image: Kawasaki
Kawasaki’s Z H2 is the naked version of Kawasaki's supercharged H2. The Z comes equipped with a full-colour TFT screen, hopefully, the first of many from the Japanese manufacturer.
KTM
Image: Supplied
The Austrian company has upgraded their Super Duke, and also announced a 390 Adventure. The 1290 Super Duke R is now 6 kg lighter and sports a significantly stiffer frame, while the 390 Adventure has inherited the look of its bigger sibling, the 790 Adventure.
Suzuki
Image: Suzuki
Suzuki has effectively reinvented the V-Strom, with a design harking back to the original DR, an electronic accelerator, digital instrumentation and a bigger 1 050cm³ mill.
Triumph
Image: Supplied
News from the Hinckley manufacturer is that the delightful Thruxton RS now gets a lighter engine and quick shifter, and that special versions of the Bobber, T100 and T120 were released.
Yamaha
Image: Supplied
The Tuning Forks announced the Tracer 700, a more mature take on the MT-07. Judging by their previous Tracer, the 700 is bound to be well-received.
As always, we will keep you updated on which of these we’ll see locally, and bring you reviews of as many of them as possible.
Compiled by Dries Van der Walt
