CFMoto plans to enter the World Superbike Championship towards the end of the 2027 season, at the earliest at the Magny-Cours round in September. By then, the Chinese manufacturer has around ten months to put together a competitive race bike and a complete team.
Norton unveiled the 450 at EICMA 2026 in Milan, the brand’s first single-cylinder model since its relaunch under Indian parent company TVS. The compact range comes in two variants and brings equipment that has so far been rare in the A2 class.
Hero MotoCorp is launching a new top version of the Xtreme 125R in India, the only variant in the range to get a colour display and tyre pressure monitoring. The engine is unchanged, and the extra cost over the next cheapest version remains modest.
Zontes unveiled the ZT853-R at EICMA 2026, solving the mystery surrounding the new three-cylinder streetfighter that had previously been spotted as a prototype in China. With 150 hp, the naked bike sits well above the existing 703-R and targets a class where Triumph, Yamaha and MV Agusta set the tone.
Fabio Di Giannantonio ends Friday practice at Lusail with a new lap record, with Marc Marquez and Marco Bezzecchi close behind. Jorge Martin goes straight into Q2 with a broken radius, keeping alive the chance of pushing the title decision beyond Qatar.
Decisions on new closures and restrictions for motorcycles are usually made once the season is over. On the B500, near Oberhof and at the Sudelfeld, such decisions are due in the coming weeks.
In the Außerfern region, further roads could soon be closed to motorcycles with a stationary noise level above 95 decibels, as the Tyrolean state parliament reviews an extension of the ban. Ironically, the justification is motorcycles that are avoiding the existing closures.
Italy has issued new rules for underride protection on crash barriers, which is meant to protect fallen motorcyclists from posts and edges. A single serious accident can trigger an obligation, but designers and road operators may opt out with a justification.
