2026 is shaping up to be quite the Drama-Llama🦙 – we weren’t even able to cover half of it in this week’s list:
- A former contractor has been found with stolen Ducati GP parts and gear, all valued at over $230,000 USD!
- New filings show that Ducati is working on a 2026 Diavel V4 S for their beloved Ducatisti
- Honda’s recent press release has lifted the curtain on fifteen on-road bikes geared toward accessibility and bang-for-buck value – all accompanying new updates in their E-Clutch tech system.
- Indian has begun a new “Never Finished” anniversary campaign, celebrating 125 years of Indian Motorcycles – and the first bike under this celebratory umbrella will likely be a Scout Bobber found in Homologation filings!
- Since EICMA, MV Agusta has been spreading whispers of the return of a bike no longer in their lineup – and the potential return of the brand’s F5 superbike might come housing MV Agusta’s 5-cylinder concept engine!
- Verge has announced that they are “the first in the world to introduce solid-state battery technology into production motorcycles.” The question is simply when the thing will arrive in a Verge bike.
Let’s begin with Team Red’s rather dramatic turn to the new year, shall we?
Burglary in Bologna: $230k Ducati GP Stash Recovered
Italian Police Foil High-Value Heist of MotoGP and WSBK Components
The Carabinieri of Borgo Panigale (edit: Think “Boys in Blue,” but with a more chiseled jawline) have successfully recovered a massive haul of racing components stolen from the Ducati factory. According to coverage from MCN, the “stash” included MotoGP and Superbike parts valued at roughly $230,000 (€215,000), with the whole kit and caboodle found two days before Christmas. The location of the loot was found during the home raid of a 37-year-old former external contractor who had worked on electrical installations at the Ducati plant, thereby granting them access to a veritable treasure of Ducati grid stuffs.
As for those curious what’s in the pile of parts, the recovered loot reads like a track fanatic’s wet dream: Numerous Brembo brake calipers (including MotoGP-spec componentry), Öhlins suspension units, and other high-value accessories like leathers, exclusive team merchandise, and watches, including caps in colors à la Enea Bastianini.
Ducati’s race-limited parts are part of a serialized and strictly controlled collection, maintained for safety and performance purposes; thanks to Ducati’s strict control of these items, police were able to identify the perpetrator using surveillance footage from the factory, tracking the movement of the equipment and protecting everything from landing in the black market.
We’ll keep tabs on whether or not anything else is found connected to this story; in the meantime, be sure to see the report at MCN for additional details.
Fast Filings: Ducati is Cooking up a 2026 Diavel V4 S
Leaked Designs Reveal Electronic Suspension and RS-Inspired Intakes
On top of celebrating Ducati’s race-spec stuffs coming back into the fold, the Bologna-based bike brand is also due for a mid-cycle refresh – and if recent design filings published by the EU Intellectual Property Office are any indicator, we’re about to get a Diavel V4 S for 2026.
The news surrounding this particular model comes today from the ever-incomparable Dennis Chung on Motorcycle.com, where we are told that this new 2026 Diavel V4 S will have significant hardware upgrades. While the core V4 Granturismo engine remains unchanged, the chassis and aesthetic will purportedly get a sharp “S-spec” treatment and some sweet electronic suspension units courtesy of what we think will be a Marzocchi setup with Ducati Skyhook Suspension (DSS) (similar towhat already exists on the Multistrada V4 S).
Visually, the new Diavel borrows the same aggressive air intakes from the exclusive RS model, but pairs these with a new set of sportier, five-spoke wheels and a redesigned four-piece slash-cut pipe system.
The dash also appears to have grown, with a new rectangular housing hinting at a larger display, replacing the old 5-inch unit with an extra 1.5 inches of TFT goodness.
To see the leaked design drawings and a full breakdown of the upcoming Diavel V4 S, check out the report at Motorcycle.com.
New Stuff: Honda Announces Updated E-Clutch Tech and 15 Bikes for 2026
15 Models Announced with a Focus on Accessibility
Honda kicked off the new year with a massive announcement (published to their platform on January 7), revealing a 15-model on-road lineup for 2026. This move signals a major strategic shift toward tech accessibility and aggressive pricing, starting with the expansion of Honda’s E-Clutch technology to a fourth bike – the fan-favorite CB750 Hornet.
Beyond the gadgets, Big Red is taking a swing at the budget-friendly market corner (an area they know well), with big bike price cuts. In a bold move to bridge the gap for “miniMOTO” graduates, Honda is slashing prices by up to $1,000 on mid-sized bikes like the CB500 Hornet and CBR500R.
For those of you wondering why (and how) Honda can cut their bike prices, the answer lies in the rising tide of competitive Chinese bike companies who have been undercutting Japanese brands on value for several seasons now. Honda is forcibly lowering the barrier to entry for full-sized sportbikes to stay relevant to these competitors, all while continuing to offer exclusive tech like the E-Clutch.
Bottom line, Honda is making a strong case for why that first “big bike” should still have a wing on the tank – and in this economy, we certainly dig the effort.
To see the full list of the 15 models and the updated pricing for the 2026 season, check out the official release at Honda’s Powersports website.
Fast Filings: Indian to Celebrate 125 Years with a Special Edition Scout Bobber
Anniversary Model to Feature SpeedPlus 1250 Engine
Indian Motorcycle is turning 125 in 2026, and the brand is kicking off the festivities with its brand-new “Never Finished” anniversary campaign. A recent press release announcement confirms Indian’s intentions to release a steady stream of limited-edition stuffs, with one of the special edition bits of beauty assumed to be the very machine found in Australian homologation filings: An all-new 125th Anniversary Special Edition Scout Bobber.
Dennis Chung over at Motorcycle.com has confirmed that this celebratory Bobber will borrow the high-output SpeedPlus 1250 engine from the 101 Scout; thanks to the heart swap, Indian’s new 125th Anniversary Special Edition Scout Bobber will also have output pushed to a claimed 111 hp, making it one of the most aggressive factory cruisers in Indian’s current lineup to date (or future date, that is).
Beyond the celebratory grunt, this particular Scout Bobber is expected to carry a tech suite that includes a 4-inch round RIDE COMMAND touchscreen and top-tier Brembo braking hardware, accompanying the bike’s signature “blacked-out” bobber silhouette, commemorative badging, and exclusive liveries.
With the promise of a variety of products, programs, and rider promotions promised to drop through 2026, Indian’s “Never Finished” anniversary campaign suggests that the Scout is just the tip of the iceberg for Indian’s birthday plans.
For the full technical breakdown of the 125th Anniversary Scout and Indian’s “Never Finished” campaign, visit Indianmotorcycles.com.
Pipeline Projects: MV Agusta’s 240hp “Quadrato” V5 Engine
A Radical New Platform Set to Rev Beyond 16,000 RPM
In an era of inflation and electrification, MV Agusta has given us what could be the defining flagship superbike of 2026. While we all saw the ultra-cool 5-cylinder “quadrato” (square) engine unveiled as a concept at EICMA, MV Agusta told us at the time in a press release that this platform featured a unique “U-configuration” dual-crank layout with three cylinders in the front and two in the rear.
The projected specs for this compact dual-crank design were followed up by the promise of 1150cc and capabilities beyond 240 hp and a 16,000 rpm redline – all while weighing in at a scant 132 lbs, thanks to the use of electric oil and water pumps.
Now, we have further excitement to add to this new MV heart: Apparently, the bike that everyone’s suggesting for this engine is none other than MV Agusta’s F5 superbike… a revamp of the F5, that is. The company itself has hinted that this engine will debut in a “highly anticipated model that is currently no longer in the lineup,” adding oil to that particular proverbial fire.
I guess time will tell, yes?
For more on this engine, be sure to check out MV Agusta’s press release when they revealed their 5-cylinder “quadrato” engine to EICMA back in November.
Electric Everything: Why Verge’s New Battery Announcement is So Important for the EV Market
Solid-State Tech Promises 370 Miles of Range and Double the Charging Speed
We’ve been discussing solid-state batteries (SSBs) as a “someday” technology for years in the motorcycle market. SSBs are a much higher energy density, meaning that riders who have access to a bike with an SSB would have better range – or rather, the same range as a traditional battery but at nearly half the weight and size, and possibly even at nearly double the charging speeds (with the right charger… as we all know, that can be a tough one for today’s grids).
Couple the above perks with the fact that a bike carrying SSB technology would likely carry something smaller than your typical EV bike; ergo, an SSB host bike would feel flickable and light in the corners without sacrificing the mileage needed for an untampered long haul. In short, there’s a reason why this technology is considered the holy grail of Electric Vehicles in the Powersports space… so when Verge Motorcycles announced themselves as “the first in the world to introduce solid-state battery technology into production motorcycles,” we figured Verge had just moved that “someday” technology dream to “today.”
The real question is, when will this solid-state battery be available to the public?
Well we have a sneak peek at the beginnings of that answer here, in an excerpt from Verge’s release article:
| “Solid-state batteries have been a prominent topic in discussions related to the automotive industry in recent years. They are made from a solid electrolyte, which makes them significantly safer and more efficient than lithium-ion batteries made from liquid or gel electrolytes. Many major vehicle manufacturers have been testing solid-state technology in their own vehicles, and wider adoption in production vehicles is expected going into the next decade.
Verge is one step ahead, as the company is set to deliver the first motorcycles equipped with solid-state batteries to its customers in the coming months.” – “VERGE MOTORCYCLES MAKES HISTORY: FIRST MOTORCYCLES WITH SOLID-STATE BATTERY TECHNOLOGY ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR CUSTOMERS.” January 5, 2026. (Verge Motorcycles) |
Ramping up the typical Verge bike’s range from 217 miles to 370 miles is impressive, but the charging data is the real bit of excitement for many; in the bike planned for this battery, Verge is claiming in their recent press release that riders can look forward to 186 miles of range in just 10 minutes, with acceleration showing 0–62 mph in 3.5 seconds. If these metrics hold up in real-world testing, it effectively dismantles the range anxiety argument that has been in EV forums across the ‘net; who knows, perhaps 370 miles of range is just what’s needed to convince ICE riders to try something a little quieter.
After all, Verge would have alleviated the two biggest questions from ICE riders entering the EV Powersports market – how far you can go, and how long you have to wait to keep moving.
For more on the solid-state partnership and Verge’s upcoming model specs, visit the full report on Verge Motorcycles’ website.