More Twins On the Horizon

MORE TWINS ON THE HORIZON

ROUNDUP

IF YOU BELIEVE A RECENT

round of rumors, a new

batch of sporting Twins

is on the way from Japan.

Encouraged by strongly favorable reception to Ducati’s modernized VTwins, and by that brand’s success on the World Superbike circuit, Honda may debut a lOOOcc V-Twin for the 1993 selling season. Rumors insist this will not be fitted with NR-style oval pistons, and like the new CBR900RR, will be very conventional in design, with emphasis placed on light weight instead of advanced technology.

The grapevine also brings news of a V-Twin sportbike from Suzuki. This may be powered by a chain-drive conversion of the current Intruder/VX800 motor, housed in a frame similar to that used on the new Goose 350 Single (see Riding Impression, page 58).

While both the Honda and the Suzuki are ethereal at this point, Yamaha’s new Twin may have already made an appearance. At the Daytona SuperTwins race this year, a Japanese team with alleged factory backing entered a machine that was essentially a TDM850 parallel-Twin engine bolted into an FZR400 aluminum Deltabox frame. There are strong hints that this was an advanced prototype of a bike that enthusiasts have been calling for ever since the lightweight, five-valveper-cylinder engine debuted in the rally-style Super Ténéré three years ago.

There is no official comment on the possibility of these bikes making it into production, but the worldwide popularity of Twins roadracing, Ducati’s recent good showing on sales charts, and Harley-Davidson’s continued success show that there’s life left yet in the venerable engine configuration.

With renewed interest shown by the Japanese,

1993 may well become the Year of the Twin.

David Edwards