This year's EICMA show has brought plenty of good news for fans of two wheels. Racing fans will be pleased to see updates to two of the best ever superbikes - BMW's S1000RR and Aprilia's RSV4 - which make both of them lighter, better handling and more powerful than ever before. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Triumph's Scrambler 1200 promises to be a scrambler not just by name but by ability too. And then there's Indian's hotly anticipated FTR1200 which represents style as well as substance. Here are our picks for the best bikes to arrive into showrooms in 2019, and we'll be riding and reviewing as many of them as we can.
Despite coming from one of the oldest names in motorcycling, Husqvarna's Svartpilen 701 looks like it has arrived from the future. Husqvarna call it "neo-retro" design, but in plain English that means modern and sleek, and we detect a hint of flat-tracker style in there too. It's powered by a single cylinder 692cc engine and produces 75HP, so it's got enough power for everything from weekday commutes to Sunday rides. Svartpilen translates into "black arrow", by the way.
BMW's S1000RR took the world by storm 10 years ago and quickly became the benchmark in the superbike category. For 2019, the Bavarian factory has completely re-invented it both visually and mechanically. It's more powerful (207BHP), lighter (197KG) and has a variable valve timing system which increases torque across the rev range. If it's anywhere near as good as the HP4 RACE is, it'll be everyone's favourite superbike for the next 10 years.
A flat-track inspired, upright, chain-driven naked bike with 120HP and more torque than a train is quite possibly the definition of 'awesome'... except if you're Harley-Davidson, because then it's the definition of 'nightmare'. Indian's FTR1200 has got it all - a full electronics package with a TFT dashboard plus upside down forks. "Born on the dirt, built for the street" sounds great to us.
While most "scramblers" are actually just on-road bikes wearing off-road clothing, Triumph's Scrambler 1200 is very, very different. The storied British brand claims the Scrambler 1200 is the "real deal" with "serious off-road chops", and on the face of it, we can't doubt that. It's got a 21" front wheel, rear shock absorbers that look like they've come straight off a monster truck and a serious amount of ground clearance, plus a torquey 1200cc engine. But crucially, it looks like it's packing enough electronics to be good on-road too. We'll be riding it in Portugal later this year.
One of GQ's favourite bikes, Aprilia's Tuono V4 1100 Factory, is a complete psycho of a bike with a soundtrack akin to the devil clearing his throat. For 2019 it just got got even better via the addition of semi-active electronic suspension which adapts itself to your riding style and the condition of the road surface. If big naked bikes are your style, this should be top of your list.
MV Agusta are known for achingly beautiful bikes and this Superveolce Ottocento is no exception. MV say it's the interpretation of the brand's own heritage and is a fusion of vintage and contemporary. We're not sure what that means, but given it's based on their F3 800, it's sure to be a thrilling ride and will turn every single head you pass on the way to your local cafe.
Aprilia's RSV4 RF blew GQ's socks off when we rode it last summer, and for 2019 the engineers in Noale have turned it up to eleven. Now it makes 220 BHP, sports aerodynamic MotoGP inspired winglets and its V4 engine has been upped in capacity from 1000cc to 1100cc. If BMW's clinical S1000RR isn't quite your cup of tea, this Italian missile might be just the ticket.
Ducati's Hypermotard 950 requires a bit of explanation: it's what you get when you cross a dirt bike with a streetfighter, and few things could be better than that. What you end up with is the ultimate tool for carving through a city, and then making mincemeat of twisty roads once you're out of the urban jungle. For 2019, the Hypermotard has more power, under-seat exhausts, cornering ABS and also comes in a 'SP' version with premium suspension and a dedicated colour scheme.