New bikes just itching to get on the road

Spring hasn't really sprung and the grass most certainly has not riz, so it's little wonder where the motorcycles is - in the garage.

Toronto's longest winter in more than a decade is resulting in a much-delayed riding season, much to the chagrin of everyone (that's including Yours Truly) itching to head out for a ride.

That, of course, also means we have even more time to spend shopping for a new ride. And, Lord knows, the motorcycle industry is eager to accommodate riders after a rough 2007.

Buell

In the Buell camp, all the noise has been about the liquid-cooled 1125R production racer, but Harley-Davidson's sporting arm also has rejigged its popular 1,203-cc Ulysses into a more touring-friendly roadster.

Thanks to a lowered seat, a 30-millimetres-taller windscreen and some hard saddlebags, the comfortable Ulysses is ready for the open road.

While the styling may say dirt bike, the equipment is all street-oriented with the XB12XT having reduced suspension travel and pavement-oriented radial tires.

The XB12XT will retail for $13,999.

Honda

In a similar vein, Honda is finally bringing its Varadero to Canada. Powered by a variant of the 998cc VTR1000 motor, the Varadero weighs in at 220 kilograms and has a seat height of 845 millimetres - only those with long legs need apply.

On the other hand, Varadero owners will be comfy thanks to its roomy seating position, excellent fairing protection and plush, long-travel suspension. The 25-litre gas tank ensures a long touring range as well.

The $13,999 Varadero will arrive some time in late spring.

Moto Guzzi

In yet another take on the popular touring dirt bike theme, Moto Guzzi's big news for 2008 is the Stelvio (named, by the way, after what many motorcyclists think is the best Alpine road).

Essentially a 1,200-cc Norge that's been given the BMW R1200GS treatment, the Stelvio features Guzzi's four-valve, air-cooled, 90-degree V-twin in a pseudo dirt bike chassis that's been tarted up for touring.

Considering Moto Guzzi's long-standing reputation, the $17,595 Stelvio should prove reliable and comfortable.

Suzuki

Suzuki Canada continues its long history of melding sporty performance and realistic price tags with the 2008 GSX650F.

Basically the combination of last year's liquid-cooled Bandit 650 four-cylinder engine with bodywork fashioned after the company's iconic GSX-Rs, the 650F's price is a low $8,599.

Throw in a sophisticated electronic fuel injection system, adjustable suspension and powerful four-piston brakes and you have a sports bike bargain.

Triumph

One of the pleasant surprises of the year is the positive praise that Triumph's new Street Triple is garnering.

Not just a Daytona 675 stripped of its bodywork, the Triple is powered by a barnburner of a 675-cc liquid-cooled three-cylinder (yes, three cylinders) engine with an amazingly broad powerband all wrapped up in a very light 166-kilogram package. And it costs only $9,999.

This should prove to be Triumph's most popular model in quite some time.

Aprilia

Even the Italians are getting in on the naked, budget-priced segment.

Aprilia will bring the Shiver to Canada this year for $9,995. It may be relatively budget-priced, but the Shiver has lost none of the Italian flair for styling with a steel trellis/cast aluminum frame, upswept exhaust and a set of inverted forks.

The Canadian Scooter Corp. says the Shiver will arrive in Canada this summer.

Kawasaki

In more traditional sport bike news, Kawasaki's ZX-10R gets more of everything - more power, lighter brakes and stickier tires. Throw in lighter wheels and more aerodynamic bodywork and the $14,599 ZX-10R should prove faster than ever.

More newsworthy is that a basic form of the traction control systems that have made racing motorcycles so much easier to ride - Kawasaki calls it Torque Management - is introduced on a street-oriented sport bike.

BMW

BMW also gets serious about sports bikes with its HP2 Sport. A new Boxer engine, with dual overhead camshafts no less, powers the limited-production HP2 and boasts a whopping-for-BMW 133 horsepower.

The valves, like the rare-as-hen's-teeth MV Agusta, feature intake and exhaust vales splayed radially in the cylinder head for even greater efficiency.

The HP2 features all the best running gear: Ohlins suspension, Brembo brakes and forged aluminum wheels. All the goodies have a price, though. The HP2 retails for a if-you-have-to-ask $26,640.

Ducati

And for the truly rich, there's the Ducati 1098R, essentially a racing superbike on dealership floors.

Ducati claims 180 horsepower for the lithe V-twin and, of course, there's a racing kit to boost that figure even higher. But the truly staggering number? The 1098R's price is a whopping $44,995.