KTM Plays with Superchargers, China Sinks Deeper into Flat-8 Engines
…and BDR is Giving Away a Custom Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro
This week, there was enough on the docket to get excited about a new type of punt:
- KTM is working on a platform that will slide in right between Kawasaki’s H2 and the V3R with a neat electronically assisted mechanical supercharger.
- Kawasaki has given us a press release for their Ninja lineup updates… and the ZX-10R/RR are missing!
- Souo has decided one 1,999cc flat-eight bike isn’t enough, so they’re publishing an entire range of “luxury tourers”
Let’s start with that droolworthy supercharger, shall we?
KTM Patents Powerful, Efficient, Lightweight Supercharger
The Best of All Worlds
The world of high-performance bikes is quickly shifting, and if Team Orange has anything to say about it, that shift will include superchargers…bless their generous intentions.
According to a report from RideApart, KTM has filed a new patent for an electronically assisted mechanical supercharger. This is a design that sits perfectly between its rivals, Honda’s all-electric blower (for the V3R) and Yamaha’s E-Turbo patent. The system is clever: the supercharger is mechanically driven by the bike’s crankshaft, but a small, electrically-operated clutch can instantly decouple the supercharger, letting a small electric motor take over when the engine’s RPM is too low.
The end result is instant power and lag-free response at low rpm’s, with the added perk that the electric motor can also act as a generator for the battery when the electric motor isn’t providing boost, instantly cutting the need for a large, heavy battery, and helping to punt out a bike that’s light, powerful, and efficient to boot.
Based on the designs we see from Ben Purvis’s coverage at CycleWorld, KTM’s system can be fairly easily fitted to any of the brand’s engines – and given the direction of the industry’s current trends, lower-cc bikes are primed for this platform, thereby tackling ever-stricter EU emission standards.
Between y’all and us, we think that KTM’s patent for this lightweight, hybrid approach could be the most balanced and effective forced induction design for a motorcycle we’ve seen to date… at least for future bikes. What do you think?
For a detailed look at KTM’s patent, be sure to check out Purvis’s coverage on CycleWorld:
Kawasaki Leaves Ninja ZX-10 Models Out of 2026 Model Lineup Update
Foreign Filings Confirm Hyper-Litre Bike’s Presence for China and India
Any time a company looks like they’re prepping to omit a key bike from their next model year lineup, we’re going to cover it – and this week, that bike is none other than Kawasaki’s supersport favorite, the ZX-10.
A handful of days ago, Team Green revealed a press release announcing key updates for their ninja lineup; this press release, to our shock and trepidation, did NOT include the ZX-10R/RR duo, though it DID confirm the return of the Ninja 500, Ninja 650, ZX-4R, and ZX-6R with fresh colors. Those of you familiar with this type of movement will know that a major model to be missing from a major announcement typically signals one of two things:
- A major update is coming
- The model is being discontinued
Euro5+ compliance has been throwing sour plums in everybody’s salads as of late, so naturally we were worried that the 2025 ZX-10R/RR had fallen lower in Kawasaki’s docket of to-do’s or the bike’s revisions had missed the deadline for Euro5+ compliance… but while we are still curious as to the bike’s role for the western hemisphere, we now have confirmation from India and China that the ZX-10 siblings will at least be around in those markets.
While we await a notice from Kawasaki on the bike’s continued purpose in these markets, the main change for the ZX-10R/RR (for India and China, at any rate) include the fact that the ZX-10R/RR have been revised to publish a slight drop in output, down from the 2025 model’s 200 hp and 84.7 lb-ft to an approximate193 hp @ 13,000 rpm and 82.6 lb-ft of torque.
We also have confirmation of the machine that’s been taking Kawasaki’s attention away from the ZX-10R! According to Motorcycle.com, Kawi’s racing focus has shifted toward the Bimota KB998 Rimini, a supersport with Bimota bones, a Kawasaki ZX-10RR heart, and power figures showing off 197 hp at 13,600 rpm and 81.9 lb-ft. at 11,700 rpm.
Time will tell what Kawasaki plans on doing with both bikes – and whether or not they will continue to crossover like this – but until we have further updates, we are relieved that the ZX-10R/RR appears to be in circulation for certain areas of our good globe.
For a detailed look at the new specs and the full breakdown of Kawasaki’s 2026 lineup, be sure to head over to Motorcycle.com:
Fast Filings: Papers Prove China Continues to Invest in Big-Bore Bike Power
Souo S2000CT Luxury Power Cruiser Range Poised to Make a Big Splash
China, ever the country to be synonymous with “small-cc bikes”, has been wriggling toward slightly more powerful offerings; in this case, we’re waiting on a “luxury tourer.”
Souo has been making headlines for a while due to their unique flat-8 engines and the fact that their bikes tend to be an absolute cartridge of a unit. Take the LH2000-5 and LH2000-6, for instance; these monsters weigh in around 941 pounds and sport a 71.3-inch wheelbase, with the company’s dual-clutch transmission capable of 151 horsepower and 140 lb.-ft. of torque. Now, according to recent regulatory filings and reports from CycleWorld, an entirely new model series is getting ready to break into markets.
This new S2000CT model range is a follow-up to their debutante, the S2000 – a machine sporting Souo’s 1,999cc flat-eight engine and an utterly ridiculous (but perhaps fun) 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Now that we know this brand is aiming to out-spec Honda’s iconic Gold Wing, Purvis’s coverage of recent filings shows us that S2000CT reimagines the company’s flat-eight platform into a true cruiser format, with styling inspired by Honda’s 2000-era Rune. There will be four variants in total, ranging from a stripped-back solo cruiser up to fully-equipped baggers with all the bells and whistles.
Elements of this range will include industry-new ideas like Souo’s decision to make an advanced Hossack-style double-wishbone system look like a conventional telescopic fork.
For a detailed look at Souo’s upcoming flat-eight cruiser range and more elements of the bikes’ advanced engineering, be sure to check out the full report on CycleWorld: