EICMA 2015: the full wrap

Scrambler versions and hill start assist are the two buzz terms at the 2015 EICMA International Motorcycle Show in Milan, which is now swarming with show goers following a procession of media launches earlier in the week.

Traditionally the new-model crescendo of the international show season, the Italian-based event hasn’t disappointed with a feast of all-new models and revisions ranging from the wonderful to straight-out whacky and everything in between.

An all-new tech-laden Suzuki GSX-R1000 superbike, a concept hinting at a small-capacity supercharged Kawasaki and an aggressively styled cruiser from Ducati are among the many wonderful new offerings from the major motorcycle manufacturers.

Erring on the weird side of things is the two 12-inch wheeled naked bikes from Benelli , a 125cc version with 11.7hp as well as a 135cc version offering a 0.9hp advantage over its sibling. And squarely in the weird camp, though strangely viable, is the City Adventure concept from Honda which merges a twist-and-go scooter and an adventure bike into one 750cc commuter bike.

Other highlights are the BMW R nineT Scrambler (and the Benelli Leoncino scrambler, and the LAMS-approved Ducati Sixty2 Scrambler, and the Troy Bayliss-inspired Flat Track Pro scrambler, and the Moto Guzzi V7 II Stornello scrambler), Ducati’s true off-road model of its highly capable Multistrada and who wouldn’t want a retro version of Yamaha’s triple-cylinder MT-09?

There was a sigh of relief when Yamaha also whipped the covers off a long-overdue new superbike-powered naked ready to fight with the current crop of Japanese and European contenders and, while Victory didn’t put forward the road-going version of its Project 156 Pikes Peak race bike many expected, a sport-focused cruiser concept may show signs of things to come.

Full 2015 EICMA coverage on bikesales.com.au