Ducati’s V2 Monster Readies for February, Stark Cooks Up New Battery Tech in the Lab

It’s always fun to see what the moto industry is cooking up for the close of the riding months; in this case, we have a short but sweet list of goodies to accompany the Thanksgiving prep and general wet-weather hoonery: 

• Indian Motorcycles is thinking seriously about their commitment to MotoAmerica’s King of the Baggers Racing series, and they’ve partnered up with Vance & Hines to ensure their Challenger is in top shape for the grid!
• Ducati’s V2 Monster will be out as of February; in the meantime, we’ve got a list of the new stuff Bologna’s done to the thing. 
• BMW’s given us their 2026 model year – and that includes tech updates and price hacks for all involved.
• Stark Future is working on some cool new battery cell formats to increase efficiency – and we’re told the format has already been breaking records. 

Let’s start with Indian’s grid prep with Vance & Hines, shall we? 🙂

Indian Partners Up with Vance & Hines for New MotoAmerica King of the Baggers Seasons

…and Beyond!

A monumental alliance has struck the American V-twin racing scene, and the multi-year partnership will serve MotoAmerica’s King of the Baggers Racing Series for years to come. 

According to a recent press release from Indian, America’s First Motorcycle Company is embarking on a multi-year agreement with Vance & Hines Motorsports that represents nearly 150 years of combined racing history and success. Indian’s Challenger and Vance & Hines have already come together for four of the six King of the Baggers championships since the series’ inception in 2020 – but this new era will see Indian serving a formidable factory racing program for the 2026 season. 

Thanks to all of the above, Indian’s Wrecking Crew riders will be piloting Vance & Hines-built Indian Challenger race bikes, guaranteeing both quality and performance while on the track.

This upcoming season’s worth of grid excitement will include riders 2024 Champion Troy Herfoss, 2023 Champion Hayden Gillim, and rising star Rocco Landers, sponsors including J&P Cycles and Progressive Insurance.  Terry Vance, Co-Founder & Owner of Vance & Hines Motorsports, is thrilled about this commitment to future successes on the grid, and his sentiments are echoed by Indian’s new CEO: 

“Indian Motorcycle is legendary. A brand built through racing, and over the past decade it’s been a fierce competitor that has pushed us to innovate both on and off the track.  Right out of the box, the Indian Challenger, and its liquid-cooled PowerPlus engine bring a high-performance, reliable machine that’s capable of winning every time it lines up on the grid.” – Terry Vance, Co-Founder & Owner, Vance & Hines Motorsports (Indian Motorcycles)

“Indian Motorcycle is entering a new era in its historic journey in 2026, and the first place we plan to prove it is on the racetrack. This partnership is a reminder of what American performance looks like when you refuse to back down.” – Mike Kennedy, CEO, Indian Motorcycles (Indian Motorcycles)

Expect the next chapter in American racing history to start at Daytona International Speedway, running from the 5th to the 7th of March next year (2026).

For a detailed look at the new factory team lineup and Indian’s new multi-year partnership, be sure to check out the official press release from Indian Motorcycle.

Ducati’s V2 Monster Starts Hitting Markets

Available from February 2026

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The season ticks toward colder winter months as production officially begins at the Borgo Panigale plant for the fifth generation of the Ducati Monster. This completely redesigned bike promises to be the lightest ever among Ducati’s four-valve models, with the 2026 model year’s iteration built around the long-anticipated V2 with IVT (Intake Variable Timing) distribution and the minimalist philosophy of “Everything you need, nothing more.” 

​​Assuming that minimalism can even be properly applied to such a wicked little luxury bike, we’ll be with Ducati in celebrating signature elements like a “bison-back” tank (yes, they actually call it that) a short, lightweight tail, and a dry weight of just 175 kg / 385.8 pounds. Coupled with the Panigale V4-inspired double-sided swingarm and the engine being housed as a structural element, this machine is officially the lightest four-valve Monster ever. Huzzah!

As for the IVT tech, Ducati’s V2 engine combines smoothness at low revs with punch at mid-range, ensuring 80% of maximum torque is available across a massive power band and dropping the engine’s valve clearance check intervals (Read: Maintenance costs) to a staggering 45,000 km (28,000 miles).

The new V2 Monster is packed with advanced tech, too – and why ever would we not expect Ducati to come through in the electronics department? For this particular beastie, four Riding Modes (Sport, Road, Urban, Wet) join Cornering ABS, DTC, and a 5-inch TFT display. Showa suspension is also added for premium floating duties, while a lower handlebar makes comfort and performance all the more accessible. 

Ducati tells us that the 2026 V2 Monster will come in Ducati Red and Iceberg White, and Ducatisti can further customize their ride with high-end accessories (like those brilliant, lightweight, homologated silencers developed in collaboration with Termignoni).

Mazel tov, Ducati!

Let us know if you get one of these machines, and for a detailed look at the new fifth-generation Monster and its V2 engine technology, be sure to check out the official press release from Ducati Media House.

BMW Updates 2026 Model Lines with New Color Schemes

… Plus Price Cuts Here and There

BMW Motorrad has released a massive update for its 2026 model lines, confirming new color schemes, crucial component additions, and, pleasingly, some significant price cuts on popular option packages. There’s a lot to go through, so we will hyperlink BMW’s press release at the end of the article, and, in the meantime, if you’re down for an easy read covering the main bit of that release, you’re in the right place. 

The biggest news for BMW’s Motorrad customers is the enhanced value proposition: Apparently, BMW is now including its Ultimate Care Break-In Service (the 600 Mile Service) as standard across all 2026 models. To add to this, several Premium Packages – including those for the F 800 GS, S 1000 XR, and K 1600 touring models – have seen prices slashed. 

On the flip side, the F 900 R’s Premium Package, while increasing in price slightly, now includes valuable additions like GPS Prep and TPM (Tire Pressure Monitor).

On to updates within the bikes of BMW’s 2026 model year: On the product side, the high-performance S 1000 XR gains a much-needed USB Port added to its Premium Package, while the formidable R 1300 GS Adventure now includes Hand Protection as a standard feature across all color packages. 

New models like the R 12 G/S and the powerful R 1300 R and R 1300 RS are confirmed and all powered by the company’s robust 145 hp Boxer twin; meanwhile several popular models arrive refreshed for the new year. The R 1300 GS swaps out Light White for a sporty Racing Red as standard, while the F 900 GS Adventure introduces a stylish Sage Green Metallic option and the F 800 GS gains a vibrant Style Sport Gravity Blue option, replacing Racing Blue Metallic.

These updates, effective from January 1, 2026, show BMW is focused on adding both technology and value to its lineup… and, if nothing else, they’re down to keep as competitive as is possible in these strange times.

For a breakdown of all the price changes, new color options, and accessory updates for the 2026 lineup, check out the official press release on the BMW Motorrad USA website.

Electric Everything: Stark Future Signs Deal to Make More Efficient Batteries for the EV Market

“We’re Not Waiting for Innovation to Trickle Down From Cars”

It’s been a while since we’ve chatted about EV bikes; this is partially because the majority of you are ICE-riders, but it’s also mainly because the EV market has been a more volatile place in recent months. If we could pinpoint a particular moment in time where everything appeared to go downhill for the EV moto market, we would likely point right at the moment that Energica, MotoE bike supplier and manufacturer of the Experie – the EV bike with the world record for longest range – was pushed into bankruptcy by their parent company, Ideanomics. 

Since that pivotal point in the market, Ducati has taken over MotoE (and showed off their V21L prototype more than a few times), Fuell has filed for bankruptcy, and that’s not even mentioning the restructuring + buy-out that happened at CAKE or Arc Vehicle filing for bankruptcy protection in 2024….or, for what matter, the money lost in tariff struggles or LiveWire struggling with bike sales and moving their HQ back to Harley-Davidson in an effort to cut costs. 

That being said and despite the ICE bikes being punted out in this day and age, there’s still an obvious demand for bikes that are quiet, give big torque for the displacement, support massive perks in en-route sustainability (let’s not get into the darker side of EV battery manufacturing for now) and present a cute package for urban or super-urban appeal. 

Stark Future, while not necessarily fluent in the super-urban side of moto yank, has supported a portion of our good industry with one of the most powerful electric off-road motorcycles on the market: The Stark Varg MX – and this week, they’ve accompanied their moto successes with a press release aimed at improving battery efficiency. 

Apparently, the world’s fastest-growing motorcycle company (self-proclaimed, but we believe it) has announced a crucial strategic partnership with global battery leader EVE Energy to industrialize a brand-new cell format called the 26120 cylindrical cell. This is a battery format designed specifically for motorcycle use while considering bike chassis width, space efficiency, thermal management enhancement, and drastically reducing weight and cost compared to conventional 21700 cells (the ones made for cars).

Since this new format uses an aluminum enclosure rather than traditional steel, thermal conductivity is better, and the mass of the whole thing is reduced – all perks when talking about a bike that wants to be as powerful and as light as possible. 

Anyways. 

Stark tells us that the live prototypes of these battery cell formats are already demonstrating record-breaking energy density of 330 Wh/kg while maintaining 10-minute ultra-fast charging capabilities, and we’re excited to see what they come up with next.  We’ll leave you with some quotes from Stark Future’s CEO & Founder, as well as EVE Energy’s R&D Director:

“To build the best motorcycles in the world, we shouldn’t compromise the battery cell format by using compromised technology from the car industry. With this new architecture, we’re significantly increasing capacity and reducing weight, while significantly improving charging time. This project sends a clear message to the world’s biggest cell manufacturers: the motorcycle industry is ready to transform. At Stark, we’re not waiting for innovation to trickle down from cars; we’re leading the way.” – Anton Wass, CEO & Founder, Stark Future

“This new cell format is pushing the limits of technology, and should be one of the highest energy density cylinder cell formats in the world today. EVE is committed together with Stark to change the perspective on EV performance in the motorcycle industry.” – Dr. Zoe Lu, R&D Director, EVE Energy

For a detailed look at the new 26120 cell format and the future of Stark’s EV performance, be sure to check out the full press release Stark’s released to us (and to GlobeNewswire). 

*Media sourced from Ducati, Indian, BMW, and Stark Future*