EICMA 2018

​Although many motorcycle helmets do have vents that help air to flow through, it goes without saying that the slower the speed of the bike, the weaker that flow. Momodesign is offering a solution to that problem, in the form of a helmet with a built-in fan that comes on when the bike slows down.

​According to Norwegian entrepreneurs Dag Loe and Sigmund Birkeland, the wind noise that's generated when motorcycling at highway speeds exceeds 110 decibels. With that in mind, they've developed the DAAL wind noise cancellation system for helmets.

​Yamaha is finally giving seriously dirt-oriented adventure riders what they've been asking for: a road-legal, long range dirt squirtin' middleweight that looks a bit Dakar-ish and doesn't weigh as much as the giant Super Ténéré 1200.

The annual Italian show is the world’s biggest international motorcycle exhibition and, in typical fashion, the 76th edition offered plenty to feast one’s eyes on. Join us on a photographic visit of the most interesting exhibits and the new models that debuted at EICMA 2018.

​"Stop detuning our naked sportsbikes," cried the hooligans. "OK," grinned MV Agusta, and let this brute off the leash. How exactly you're supposed to hold onto this unfaired monster with the wind blasting your puny body at two and a half times the speed of a hurricane? Well, that's your problem.

It's looking more and more like Harley's only hope is to branch out into new segments in search of a replacement for its withering customer base, and the 2019 Livewire represents the storied company's first big punch as it tries to fight its way into millennial relevancy.

Royal Enfield has been busy of late, particularly with the launch of its new parallel twins, but its Indian design team also had time to knock up a sensational concept for EICMA – the 838cc V-Twin "Concept KX" bobber that we think would sell like hotcakes in the West if it made it to production.

​Kymco is probably best known for its scooters, most gas-powered but more recently running on an electric powertrain. Now the Taiwan company is breaking into the emerging electric motorcycle market with the impressive SuperNEX electric supersport.​

The middleweight adventure segment is heating up at EICMA - with new entires from Yamaha and BMW joining this pair of new Katos ready to make light(weight) work of the trails. The 790 Adventure and Adventure R will go far and fast over just about any terrain.

Dropping 24 lb (11 kg) from the S1000RR is a pretty herculean achievement for BMW. They've also ditched the RR's pop-eyed asymmetry, jacked up the power and torque, and added the option of M-series upgrades in a complete overhaul of the bike.

If you want to know what the absolute state of the art in electric motorcycles is, Arc Vehicle says its Vector is a leap ahead. It's a 120mph cafe racer with a monster 225-mile range, 30-minute charging, a matching haptic jacket and HUD helmet, and an eye-bleeding price tag.

V-twin motorcycle maker Confederate Motors announced in 2017 that it was riding into the future on electric bikes only, and made good on that promise with the Zeus prototype in May of this year. Now called Curtiss, the firm has refined its original Zeus vision with Cafe and Bobber configurations.