Honda has confirmed five more motorcycles for their 2010 lineup, but don't brace yourself-- the bike's aren't all-new groundbreakers like the much-ballyhooed VFR1200F. Among the 2010 announcements is the Sportster-like Shadow RS, the familiar ST1300 sport tourer, and three Fury chopper variants-- the Sabre, Stateline, and touring-equipped Interstate... but dude, where's the CB1100?

The naked, 1960s-inspired CB1100F concept and even sexier CB1100R rocked the scene back in 2007, and made another appearance at this year's Tokyo Motor Show. But we haven't heard a peep as to whether or not the bikes are destined for production, which only makes me pine for them more.

Check out the new 2010 models in this updated 2009/2010 Buyer's Guide, and drop a line if you-- like me-- would like to see the CB1100 come to fruition!

Related:

• 2009/2010 Honda Buyer's Guide
• 2007 Tokyo Motor Show Honda Motorcycles Revealed
• Potentially Pricey Honda CB1100R Concept Stirs Desire, Debate
• Retro-Styled Honda CB1100F, CB1100R, and Futuristic EVO6 Concepts Revealed!

Photos © Honda; click for Buyer's Guide

It's barely been a month since the shock announcement that Harley-Davidson is discontinuing Buell, and a final reminder of the now defunct brand was released today: this shot of the very last Buell-- a Lightning XB12Scg-- being rolled off the East Troy, Wisconsin assembly line.

26 years and 136,923 bikes after Erik Buell founded his company, Buell Motorcycles is no more. Will they rise from the ashes and get rescued by another corporate giant, or become a footnote in motorcycle history? What would you wish for Mr. Buell?

Related:

• A Buyer's Guide to Bargain Basement 2010 Buell Motorcycles
• Controversial Buell 1125R Wins AMA Daytona Sportbike Championship
• Buell 1125R Review
• Buell 1125R Photo Gallery
• Buell XB12XT Review
• Buell XB12XT Photo Gallery
• Common Questions: What Does it Feel Like to Ride Buell's 1125R AMA Pro Daytona SportBike?

Photo © Buell; click to enlarge

There isn't a whole lot of innovation in the motorcycle ad industry these days. Sure, Harley made waves with their "Screw it, Let's Ride" campaign, but the marketing landscape is-- for the most part-- pretty drab.

But when I read our moderator Carrie's forum thread about a certain YouTube video depicting a helmeted, disembodied Argentinian dude by the name of "Quique," I discovered something refreshing. In contrast to this typically flashy promo that promotes the same product, the "Quique" video comes across as disarmingly different... even if it's not exactly your cup of tea.*

Diesel deserves kudos for producing a viral video that's more concerned with amusement than it is with the hard sell. Though gory stuff like this still makes me hesitant to wear anything less than a full-face helmet while I ride, at least I'm not likely to forget the story of "Quique" any time soon.

Sources: About.com Forum, YouTube, quiquethehead.com

* Which I experienced firsthand when I showed the video to my wife, who didn't see the humor in the piece... does that make me easily amused?

Screen Grab © Diesel

"Why is it that every time we try to have a relaxing day," Cartman declares at the top of a much-discussed South Park episode, "a bunch of a******s on their Harley motorcycles show up?"

We've seen plenty of Harley hatin' here on our blog comments, but the show adds a whole new dimension to the anti-H-D stance. The episode-- available gratis on South Park's website-- depicts a pack of bikers whose disruptively loud Harleys prove too irritating for the truth-blurting, foul-mouthed lead characters. As the decibel assault escalates, the kids take the matter into their own hands, lobbying to have the dictionary definition of the term "f*g" changed to "annoying, inconsiderate Harley riders."

I won't put too fine a point on the suggested correlation between the Harley-Davidson brand and raucous exhausts, but if you've ever been annoyed by loud bikes, you can probably identify with the outrage expressed in the episode. And regardless of your stance on the ever-popular debate as to whether or not loud pipes save lives, you'll likely find humor (or irritation) in the show that's so controversial, the New York Times has reported that a gay advocacy group is protesting of the episode. Watch the 22-minute show here, and let us know: does South Park go too far, or do Harley riders really deserve a bad rap?

Sources: Hell for Leather Magazine, South Park TV, New York Times

Related:

• New York City Tries to Ban Loud Pipes
• Oakland Motorcycle Cops Stir Controversy with Loud Pipes
• New Laws Seek to Stifle Noisy Motorcycle Exhausts

Photo © South Park Studios; click to enlarge

I was a KTM virgin before I immersed in a smorgasbord of their bike offerings at Laguna Seca last week, and first on my "to ride" list was their brand spanking new flagship, the RC8 R.

I had heard plenty about the bike's predecessor-- the previous-gen RC8 with "only" 155 horsepower-- and I expected to encounter plenty of rough edges with the higher-spec, 170 horsepower RC8 R... but, boy was I wrong!

See what I mean in my 2010 KTM RC8 R Review, and see shots of this stunning bike in this RC8 R Photo Gallery.

Related:

• 2010 KTM RC8 R Photo Gallery
• KTM Crowds the Superbike Market, Unveils their Angular 2008 RC8 Crotch Rocket
• 2008 KTM 1190 RC8 Superbike Photo Gallery
• Volkswagen and KTM, Sittin' in a Tree...
• Street Legal KTM X-Bow Coming to U.S.

Photo © KTM; click for review

While gearing up to ride the new Hypermotard 796 at Ducati headquarters in Bologna, Italy, I spotted what looked like a camouflaged enduro speeding into the parking lot... but before I could grab my camera, the black blur was gone.

Today's unveiling of the 2010 Ducati Multistrada at the EICMA show in Milan revealed far more than my 'lil point-and-shoot could have. It turns out the new bike offers features like electronically controllable Öhlins suspension, a four-mode fly-by-wire throttle management system, anti-lock brakes, and a hands-free ignition system (not unlike Kawasaki's KIPASS.) Other long distance-friendly highlights include heated handgrips, hard cases, and a tire pressure monitoring system.

Take a look at Ducati's latest in our 2010 Multistrada 1200 Photo Gallery, and stay tuned for more on Ducati's 2010 lineup.

Related:

• 2010 Ducati Hypermotard 796 Review
• 2009 Ducati Monster 1100S Review
• 2009 Ducati Streetfighter S Review
• 2008 Ducati Monster 696 Review
• 2008 Ducati 848 Review

Photo © Ducati; click for Photo Gallery

The KTM RC8 seemed pretty radical when it debuted two years ago, and its chiseled bodywork hid a 155 horsepower v-twin that undoubtedly sent ripples of disorientation among KTM loyalists steeped in the brand's well-established offroad bikes.

Enter wave 2 of KTM's superbike attack.

The new KTM RC8 R produces a scorching 170 horsepower and comes equipped with upgraded componentry sure to satisfy niche-loving track junkies everywhere... which I can verify, as my legs are still sore from a day of testing at Laguna Seca.

View shots of the bike in this 2010 KTM RC8 R Photo Gallery, and stay tuned for riding impressions of this bigger, badder superbike.

Related:

• KTM Crowds the Superbike Market, Unveils their Angular 2008 RC8 Crotch Rocket
• 2008 KTM 1190 RC8 Superbike Photo Gallery
• Volkswagen and KTM, Sittin' in a Tree...
• Street Legal KTM X-Bow Coming to U.S.

Photo © KTM; click for Photo Gallery

Unlike the iconic leading man who passed away in 1980, the nostalgia for all things Steve McQueen just won't quit. The latest McQueen-inspired toy is a one-off blue and orange Triumph Bonneville inspired by the actor/racer's Porsche in the film Le Mans, as well as the fact that the leading man wore a TAG Heuer Monaco in the movie. Unveiled by '08 Formula One world champ (and TAG Heuer brand ambassador) Lewis Hamilton, the bike will be used for promotional purposes.

Is there a possibility the TAG-edition Bonneville become commercially available, a la the 50th Anniversary Triumph of which only 650 were made? I've dropped a line to Triumph, and haven't yet heard back... but until then, if you're a Bonneville fan (or a Triumph junkie in general), I encourage you to vote for our long term Triumph tester if you haven't already; the running is extremely tight, and voting will be closing soon!

Related:

• 2009 Triumph Lineup
• Vote for About.com's Long Term Triumph!

Photos © Triumph

I'll personally admit to being unenthusiastic about social media; I joined MySpace until I realized how much time I could spend riding instead of staring at a computer screen, and have (so far) successfully resisted the lure of Facebook. But one site I enjoy is Twitter, thanks in part to its 140 character posting limit-- perfect for those who are short of attention span, like yours truly.

If you tweet, I encourage you to follow AboutMotorcycle on Twitter... and if you simply want to scan our headlines and see posts on my latest happenings (like the fact that I'll be at Laguna Seca tomorrow for a KTM launch), just check twitter.com/aboutmotorcycle when the mood strikes.

Happy tweeting!

Logo © Twitter
Click for motorcycles.about.com's Twitter page

Sex sells everything from racing leathers to engine gaskets, but Harley-Davidson's new "American Bombshell" ads-- featuring a retro-riffic Marisa Miller-- draws attention to Harley's first-ever "Military Appreciation Month."

Miller's leggy blondness makes it easy to forget that U.S. soldiers rode Harleys during the Mexican Expedition in 1916, and a special website (h-d.com/thankyou) offers 14 postcards that can be emailed to active or retired military personnel, most of which incorporate Ms. Miller in a variety of pinup-style poses. Active military and veterans can also enter to win a Harley of their choice which will be personally delivered by the bombshell herself, and a promotion with Maxim magazine offers more content including downloadable wallpapers.

Slightly less self-serving than Harley's previous collaboration with Ms. Miller (which hyped the V-Rod Muscle), this marketing promotion centers around a good cause while, incidentally, also highlighting their old school bikes. Especially given the dour state of business these days, can anybody blame them?

Related:

• Moto Poll: Are Hot Babes Good for Harley Advertising?
• Looming Job Cuts and Outsourcing Thicken Dark Clouds Over Harley-Davidson
• Industry Shock: Harley-Davidson to Discontinue Buell, Divest MV Agusta
• Will This Year's Harley-Davidson York Open House be its Last?

Photo © Harley-Davidson; click to enlarge