2011 The Ducati Diavel Carbon

Tomorrow Asphalt & Rubber must make the trek down from perfect Northern California, to SoCal and the pits of Los Angeles, where dreams go to die. As we descend down through the lower rings of Dante’s ladder and into hell that is the perpetually sunny and warm Los Angeles, our final destination will in fact bring us face-to-face with The Devil himself. Riding the latest creation from Bologna, the American motorcycle press will get its first chance at the highly anticipated Ducati Diavel.





Since we’ll be bringing you live coverage from the event, and writing a few pieces on Ducati’s stab at the performance cruiser segment throughout the rest of the week, we thought it best to start with a primer on the motorcycle.

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2011 Honda CB1000R

Superbike Performance. And A Style All Its Own.

Feast your eyes on the all-new Honda CB1000R. Superbike performance. A comfortable, do-it-all riding position, and style that's off the charts.

The CB1000R is a new take on a timeless concept. A no-nonsense superbike that's not afraid to show off its muscle where everyone can see it. We took a CBR1000RR powerplant—and retuned it for even more midrange power and torque. Then we built a special chassis that puts the engine out front and center, and that also lets you sit more upright. The result is one of the most versatile open-class bikes the world has ever seen. And also one of the best looking.

But don’t wait to decide. Let your dealer know you want one, because availability will be limited for this model!

Part high-performance sportbike, part mean and lean boulevard warrior. The outrageous new CB1000RA is the Naked bike that only Honda could build, with its stunning blend of snarling, take-no-prisoners attitude and surprisingly user-friendly everyday rideability. Packing the punch of a litre-class Superbike thanks to its CBR-derived fuel-injected engine, the CB1000RA's enhanced low-to-midrange torque gives it extra oomph in the tight quarters of the city while retaining effortless passing power on the open road. The sturdy aluminum mono-backbone frame is visually hardly even there, but it connects the aluminum Pro-Arm swingarm and fully adjustable 43 mm inverted fork to create a chassis that's stable when you need it to be, and nimble and responsive when you want to let loose on a twisty backroad. Plus, standard Combined Braking System with ABS lets you ride with confidence even when the road surface is less than ideal. The new Honda CB1000RA: it's naked aggression in a fun-to-ride package.

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