Newsworthy – 14th July 2015

Newsworthy is our weekly news update. Instead of killing your inboxes with re-hashed press releases or junk you don’t need, we’ll pull out a few interesting products, stories and other things we stumbled across from the week, write our thoughts on them and let you read the info for yourself. 

We really love Dakar here at Brake. The biggest news in the rally raid circles right now revolves around the end of KTM legend Marc Coma. With the 5 time winner bowing out in a surprise move, the spaniard leaves a the race wide open for the taking. While he moves on to become ASO’s ‘Sporting Director’, he leaves the major team line-ups, for the first time in recent history, without a previous Dakar winner. This represents the biggest challenge to KTM’s dominance, with the HRC Honda team being offered their best opportunity yet. That doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy with KTM fielding seven extremely fast, potential race winners with Jordi Viladoms heading the charge. The Spaniard has a best finish of second overall and is joined by Brit Sam Sunderland (stage winner), Austria’s Matthias Walkner (stage winner), Aussie hero Toby Price (Stage Winner, 3rd Overall 2015), Antoine Meo (multiple enduro world champion), legendary spaniard Laia Sanz and Chile’s Pablo Quintanilla (stage winner).

On top of that, KTM’s sister brand Husqvarna are fielding their first team in the race since the takeover by the Austrian brand. As well as being headed by Cyril Despres former number 2, Rueben Faria and factory husky enduro rider and multiple world champ Alexandre ‘Pela’ Renet. There are no words on the bike yet, but it’s wouldn’t be a surprise to see the KTM appear in super cool blue, white and yellow.

More importantly, does this mean Husqvarna will be bringing out some adventure bikes? We sure hope to see the white and blue in our metaphorical pages!

BMW’s GS and GSA 1200 models for 2016 have materialised and the news is….they’ve changed colour. Don’t get too excited except to say the ‘Triple Black’ option you may have clocked previously will be an option on the R1200GS – which means a largely black scheme across the whole bike plus spoked wheels.

But, ever so slightly more exciting, is the introduction of a ‘Dynamic Brake Light’ which you may have seen on some cars in recent years. Simply it is a flashing brake light which activates as a warning to following vehicles when the rider brakes hard. Brake hard to a standstill and the hazards activate too. Before you know it we’ll be calling it the DBL and it’ll be fitted to every bike – except to say in some countries it ISN’T an option, only those in the EU.

You heard that right people. £85 a month will get a you KTM 1050. No we know they’re a cheaper bikes, but the KTM 1050 faired pretty damn well in our test and when the Austrian brand are making it this easy to own one, it sounds difficult to say no, especially if you’re in the market for a steed with which to explore.

Wondering if it’s the bike for you? Watch our review below!

For the full details click here.

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