Small Bikes, the Next Big Thing?

As citizens of developing nations gain more wealth they may be interested in something beyond the basic scooter/moped. Over the last decade we've seen a new crop of 125-600cc bikes spring up around the world. Sizes depend on local regulations for example India has a lot of 150cc bikes, Japan 400cc, Vietnam has a 125cc limit, and the United Kingdom has a learners limit of 125cc. Even the United States is seeing renewed interest with small bike. Honda recently gave us the CBR250 and a new 250 dual sport, Kawasaki revamped it's Ninja 250, and will sell you a supersized version with 300ccs.

Kawasaki Ninja 300: Coming to America

Honda's Brazilian CB300R

KTM 125/250/300 Duke Coming Soon?

Even Triumph is supposed to introduced a small bike in India. 

The New Breed of Adventure Bikes

Big adventure bikes are a hot item a the moment. Just about every major manufacturer has dipped their toews into this segment. The European makes have really embraced this niche while the Japanese, with the exception of Yamaha's Super Tenere, seem halfhearted. Honda's Crosstourer is a reworked VFR1200, Kawasaki has made a Versys with a Ninja 1000 engine, and Suzuki as brought it's old V-Strom 1000 back from the dead. 

KTM looks to square off with the new generation of big soft-roading adventure bikes. The new 1190cc Adventure bike seems perfectly comparable to the new Tiger Explorer 1200 and still fresh Multistrada 1200.  For the most part this bikes are a little softer than their predecessors. The new KTM seems especially less rugged compared to the 990.

BMW the god father of this segment (and most popular) is expected to produce a liquid cooled boxer. With a bump in displacement to distinguish itself form the current, oil cooled, boxer the model will likely be the called the R1250GS. This would leave Moto Guzzi with the only bike in this segment lacking a radiator (the Stelvio has an oil cooled twin). Even Aprilia has plans to jump back into the game. Modifying their Dorsoduro 1200 to create a new Coponord.