2013BMWC600Sport/
C650GT
ESTIMATEDMSRP:
$10,000
AVAILABLE:
LateFall/
EarlyWinter2012
ONLINE:
bmwmotorcycles.com
A
AVespa, this isn’t.
Cuteas theoriginal classic 1950s scootermaybe, you
wouldn’twant to takeoneout on thehighway. But you could
takeanewBMWmaxi-scooteracross the country, if you felt
like it.
Theyhavealmosteverythingapremium/luxuryscooterhas,
except foraclutchand theneed toshiftgearsyourself, plusa few
thingsnomotorcyclehas, includinganautomaticparkingbrake
thatengageswhenever thesidestand iskickeddown.
Under the fairingof eithermodel (theC600 is thesportier-
lookingvariant) sitsa fuel-injected60-hp, 647-cc twin-cylinder
engineworking througha
continuouslyvariableauto-
matic transmission, for
twist-and-goperformance.
These scooters candefi-
nitelykeepupwith traffic—andget an
estimated 50-plusmpgdoing it, too. BMW
sees themas bridging thegapbetween
secondary road-only scooters and standard
motorcycles, which canbe intimidating to
peoplewhohaven’tmastered the art of the
clutch—or prefer not tobotherwith it.
Bothmodels feature full-fairingwithwindscreen forexcel-
lentprotection from theelements (slightly largeron themore
touring-mindedC650)andof course, they’reboth“step-
throughs” rather than“climbons,”as traditionalmotorcycles
are. Seatingpositiononeitherscooter isalsomoreuprightand
relaxed than the typical bike’s, as thesemachinesaredesigned
forcomfortablecruising, notpeg-scrapingcornering.
And“comfortablecruising”meansamenitiessuchasoptional
heatedseatsandgrips, aswellasapowerful 558-wattalternator
topowerplug-inaccessoriessuchascellphonesandGPSunits.
2012Ducati 1199
PanigaleSuperquadro
BASE PRICE:
$18,000
AVAILABLE:
Now
ONLINE:
1199panigale.
ducati.com
T
Twin-cylindersportbikesare rightly
revered for theirgrowlysoundsand
ampledown-low torque, butusually
getoutclassed in termsof rawpower
andall-out speedbybigger fours.
Sohowabouta1199-cc twin that
makesalmost 200hp—strapped into
abike thatweighs justover360 lbs?
Itsname isSuperquadro, and it’s theheart of
the 2012Panigale superbike.
The1199-ccDOHC90-degree twin featuresa
higherredline (10,750rpm),morebore (112mm),and
lessstroke (60.8mm) than theprevious-gen1198
engine,withmuch larger intakeandexhaustvalves.
Throttlecontrol iscomputer-controlledandride-by-
wire,withmultiplerider-selectableprograms.
Thesix-speed transmission isnew, too. Itusesa
conventionalwetclutch (immersed inengineoil)
withslipper featurerather than thepreviousdry
clutch—deemednecessary tosafelyhandle the immensepower
outputof theSuperquadroengineduringhigh-speeddownshifts.
Inaddition to these technical improvements, there isalsoa
newchain/geardrive for the famousDucatiDesmodromic
valvetrain, replacing thepreviousbelt-drivensystem.This
ought tomean less in thewayof routinemaintenance.
ThenewSuperquadroenginesits in theultra-lightweight
compositecarbon-fiber frameof the1199Panigale,where it
stands ready toaccept challenges fromall comers.
InRosso red, naturally.
➤
SUMMER 2012
celebratedliving.com
30
DRIVING
Summer Wheels
