2003 New Models Preview

The "other" Italian sport bike manufacturer has finally arrived in Canada. Model selection is limited right now, but many more are expected to receive Transport Canada's blessing later this year.

The Caponord "adventure touring" bike is the first of the big V-twins to arrive. With a long-travel suspension, tall stance (but lower seat height than many of the competition), comfy seat and available luggage.

There are also two scooters in Aprilia's initial offering: the Di-Tech 50 and the Scarebo.

For a relatively small manufacturer, BMW has introduced a LOT of new models in recent seasons. For 2003 that continues, with the R1200CL – a luxury-touring version of the popular R1200C cruiser machine, and the K1200GT. The GT is basically a more touring-oriented version of the K1200RS mile-muncher sport bike; the RS is a sport-tourer with emphasis on sport, while the GT takes the same mechanical package and emphasizes touring.

The rest of the line returns unchanged except for the usual detail enhancements and bold new graphics, plus a huge line-up accessories from wider wheels for the sport machines to water-proof boots for the touring riders.

The original monster bikes can be had with your choice of 350 or 502 cid V-8 engines. Either one will provide a riding experience like nothing you've experienced before. And now you can also get either engine fitted to a trike conversion with body options based on one of the following designs: '57 Chevy, '63 Vette, Truck and '32 Coupe Roadster.

The old is gone, long live the new! The Firebolt XB9R introduced last year has been joined by a street fighter version called the Lightning XB9S, and other than those two the entry-level Blast is the only machine offered by Buell this year.

Ducati has really jumped into 2003 with both feet, as almost every model is new or drastically changed. The new ultra-sport 999 and 999S (and the 749/749S variants) are of course getting all the press, but a new engine line has revitalized the air-cooled Supersport and Monster line-ups, ABS (a Ducati first) has been added to the ST4 sport-tourer, and coming later in the year is the Multistrada (sort of a giant semi-trail bike in the BMW GS/Triumph Tiger/Suzuki V-Strom genre).

Harley hasn’t introduced any new models for 2003, as the company’s energy is being directed towards celebrating its 100th birthday. Special paint jobs, decals, and emblems will commemorate many of the models produced this year.

Lots new from Honda. The ST1300 (it’s a bit late, but it’s coming) is the long-awaited replacement for the ST1100 sport-touring machine. The 600 cc line has been split in two, with a new RR hypersport model joining the existing F4i. The VTX1300 adds another big cruiser to the line-up, and more versions are coming. Information on the Rune, expected as an early 2004 model, has had the public jaw dropping. Basically a seriously wild show bike wrapped around a fuel-injected Valkyrie engine, it’s without doubt the most radical-looking machine ever to be sold to the public.

On the dirt side, the CRF230 and CRF150 are starting the trickledown of four-stroke MX technology to the trail-riding side of things.

The revived Indian continues to add products and grow more quickly than many had expected. New for 2003 is the Chief Springfield, which uses the company's own 1,638 cc V-twin engine in a frame and body style deliberately styled to honour the original 1917 Indian Powerplus. A solo seat, gorgeous deep paint with gold pinstriping, and of course big V-twin power make the Springfield much more than just a piece of nostalgia, however.

Kawasaki has finally given up on building a supersports 600 that was also a relatively comfortable street machine. The new ZX-6R-636 and RR are lightweight cutting-edge machines designed to grab the middle-weight performance crown. The RR uses a 600 cc engine to meet racing rules, while the 636 uses a bigger motor plus all the tech tricks of the RR except for a slipper clutch and an adjustable swingarm mounting point.

The Z1000 is a new entry in the “naked bike” wars, with a radical shape and very sporting chassis wrapped around what is basically an enlarged and injected ZX-9R engine. On the cruiser side, the brand-new Vulcan 1600 replaces the old 1500 with a greatly-revamped engine and brand-new chassis. The 1500 still exists, but in the older carbureted version that Canada hasn’t seen for three years. At less than $12,000, it’s got to make any buyer for a big cruiser think hard.

Biggest news from KTM, of course, is the new V-twin 950 Adventure S dual-sport, which is loosely based on the 2002 Dakar Rally-winning 950 Dakar. It uses a short-stroke 75-degree engine and a steel tube chassis with suspension by WP.

Seat height is a stretch at 920 mm, but a f\big 25-litre fuel tank means you won't have to get on or off very often.

A "hooligan" version much in the line of the 640 Duke is also planned, but likely won't be here before 2004. The rest of the single-cylinder line continues with the usual minor mechanical upgrades and modifications.

The Italian minibikes and mini-ATVs have a new Canadian distributor this year, who hopes to do big things with the bikes. There's a complete range of machines from single-speed CVT learners to serious MX equipment, and even a little super-motard!

Based in Northern Alberta, Lehman Trikes is a real Canadian success story. It's the biggest manufacturer of three-wheel conversions in the world, and export their machines all over the world.

In addition to the existing line of Harley, Honda, and Suzuki conversions, new this year is the Gypsy, which takes the Suzuki Volusia 800 and makes that styling available to three-wheel fans.

With Transport Canada finally agreeing that maybe the rest of the world isn’t all wrong about scooters, Suzuki has jumped in the deep water with the Burgman 650, a 638 cc parallel-twin fuel-injected device that has a multi-adjustable CVT transmission and nearly 60 litres of built-in storage space!

On the sportier side, the big GSX-R1000 has received a major remake to add power and lose weight, while a new big-boreV-twin sport bike, the SV1000, is added to the line. The ultra-popular SV650 gets its first remake as well, with a new chassis and fuel injection added to the engine.

On the cruiser side, there’s now an SE version of the Volusia which adds a windscreen, backrest, and saddlebags to create sort of a “touring lite” version of the popular mid-size boulevard roadster.

The TM Italian brand isn't all that well-known in Canada yet, although adherents love them. Available both with two- and four-stroke engines, the machines use the highest-quality outsourced components mated to their their own engines and chassis.

These are strictly off-road machines, and come with either an enduro or a motocross orientation.

Product plans for 2002 got derailed with the big fire at the Triumph plant last March. But the 600 cc Speed Four street fighter will finally be arriving, as will a version of the popular Bonneville America cruiser. Called the Speedmaster, it adds cast wheels, an extra disc brake, drag bars, and some attitude to the laid-back America. Also, the Thunderbird Sport, not seen since ’99, is making a come-back for those who want more performance with their retro looks.

Also, just released for spring delivery is the new 600 Daytona, a complete remake of the TT600 that’s intended for attack at the sharp end of the 600 class.

Yamaha has given the R-6 a complete makeover, meaning that all of the majors other than Suzuki will have brand-new race-type 600s out for the 2003 season. Also arriving is the big FJR1300 sport-touring bike that North America has been screaming for since it was introduced in Europe last year.

The rest of the line returns more or less unchanged except for some radical paint and appearance treatments. The small dirt bike selection continues to be perhaps the best around, with electric start available on many of them.

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