Any misgivings you might be having about the rate at which 2025 is drawing to a close can be slightly comforted by the fact that it is November, and November is the traditional month for all that is great and good in motorcycling, as displayed at the annual EICMA show in Milan.
Absolutely every company that has even the merest connection with motorcycling is present at this incredible show, filling at least five enormous exhibition halls on the outskirts of Milan. Of course, all the major manufacturers are present, as well as some that you will never have heard of.
EICMA is the show where every manufacturer reveals their new models, either for the coming calendar year, or maybe a year or two hence. Suffice to say, it’s a very big deal.
Some years, there is an embarrassment of riches to drool over, while other years feature slimmer pickings, but this hardly matters as, if you are fortunate enough to attend, you will be awed into a stupor by the sheer scale and variety of the show, the stands and all the glorious spectacle.
2025 seems to be one of the quieter years in terms of brand-new models on display, certainly in terms of models we are likely to see in South Africa, but there are still some interesting developments.
There is always one manufacturer that steals the show and, this year, it is the turn of Honda. Last year, the company unveiled a concept with a V3 engine, complete with an electronically controlled compressor (or supercharger) attached. This year, a more production-ready version was shown, called the V3R E-Compressor.
The engine has a displacement of 900cc, but thanks to the compressor, the torque value is more like that of a 1200cc engine. The advantage of the system is that it gives more power with the efficiency of a smaller engine, much as is happening in the automotive world. The prototype is clothed in asymmetrical bodywork with camouflage graphics, designed to highlight the mechanical technology, rather than the overall appearance.
Will it make it to production, or is it another technology showcase? As yet, there are no production plans, but it would be strange if Honda has poured a lot of resources into it to not incorporate the tech into future production models.
Honda also showed the ‘retro-styled’ CB1000F, inspired by the Freddie Spencer CB750F from the 1980s, as well as the CB1000 GT sports tourer, with electronic suspension and panniers.
Fans of the old Suzuki SV650, who were disappointed by the arrival of its ‘replacement’, the 800cc parallel twin-engined models such as the GSX-8S and 8R, will be happy to hear that the 650cc V-Twin engine is not dead, even if the rest of us are a little confused.
The new SV-7GX is to the V-Strom 650 what the GSX-S1000 GX is to the V-Strom 1000; an adventure sports model with the stance of an adventure bike, but equipped with 17-inch road wheels and tyres. The engine remains the faithful 645cc 90° V-Twin engine that first saw the light of day in 1999. Producing 72.4bhp and 47.2 lb-ft of torque, Suzuki has managed to make it comply with Euro5+ emission standards, giving rise to the hope that the SV models will eventually return to markets from which they were recently discontinued.
Another big news model has come from BMW. Despite the existence of the G310 range, BMW has now given us the F450 GS, with clear styling influences drawn from the range-topping R1300 GS.
The engine is a brand-new 420cc DOHC parallel twin, developing 48bhp and 32 lb-ft of torque. A 135° crankpin gives the engine more of a V-Twin feel, and there’s a counter-rotating balance shaft to reduce vibration.
An interesting innovation is the Easy Ride Clutch (ERC) — standard on the GS Trophy variant — which allows the rider to start and shift without use of the clutch lever. The ERC’s centrifugal system automatically engages based on engine speed. The clutch lever remains functional for manual control, allowing riders to override when needed. The system maintains full engine braking and can be manually overridden at any time.
As with Suzuki, those who lament the disappearance of the Kawasaki KLR650 from SA might be encouraged by the new KLE500, announced at EICMA 2025. Powered by a 451cc parallel twin engine, it’s clearly a full-spec mid-size adventure bike, the likes of which are becoming increasingly popular thanks to the sheer size and weight of 1000cc+ adventure bikes. Expect all the usual bells and whistles, hopefully we see it hit our shores…
Elsewhere, Kawasaki has updated the ZX-10R and ZX-10RR with a new fairing featuring winglets and redesigned headlights.
Even though we probably won’t see them in South Africa, there was a lot of interest around the Norton brand, which announced four new models, all borrowing names from Norton’s illustrious past.
Flagship of the range is the Manx R superbike, powered by a 206bhp V4 engine of Norton’s own design and manufacture. There will also be the naked Manx version.
Joining the Manx models are two Atlas models, the adventure Atlas and road-going Atlas GT, which will be middleweight models powered by a 585cc parallel twin engine, running a 270° crank. In appearance, there is a lot of Kawasaki Versys in the design, although all the models were shown in a rather muted silver and black colour scheme that may hark back to Norton’s history, but does little for the looks.
Triumph revealed the Trident 800, with a 798cc three-cylinder engine, to supplement the Trident 660 model. Will we see it in SA?
Finally, amid plenty of Chinese manufacturers reveals, not many of which concern us, CFMOTO revealed an incredible superbike, powered by a 1,000cc, V4 engine, called the V4 SR-RR. It’s a concept/prototype for the time being, but it shows that CFMOTO is gunning for the big boys in the motorcycling world.
And that’s about your lot as far as EICMA 2025 is concerned. Despite the lack of really big news from any of the manufacturers, it is still an incredible experience, and we would urge any of you reading this to make plans to be there in 2026.
Dave Cilliers is currently at EICMA 2025 and will report back with a more in-depth report of his experience of having visited the show. So stay tuned!
