Supermarine Supremacy

AEROSPACE HAS ALWAYS PLAYED a predominant role in the development of motorcycles. For decades, technology and lightweight materials have been adopted from the industry. This has not only helped reduce vehicle weight, but also make major strides in technological advancements. Take the Supermarine for example — this new, custom motorcycle is built on a chassis that adapts “7075 aluminium”, a material that is broadly used in spacecraft and various defence applications, predominantly for its rigidity and high-strength properties.

The bike’s flowing body lines are inspired by the leaping Mobula Rays, while its aerospace-grade frame has been drawn from the coral reefs. Of course, when we speak of weight reduction and exclusivity, carbon-fibre is an element that always pops up. In the Supermarine’s case, one gets to choose between two variants — Stealth class or Carbon class, the latter sporting carbon-fibre bodywork.

At heart, the Supermarine is a pure British roadster with its Triumph sourced 900-cc or 1,200-cc parallel-twin motors. The Stealth class comes equipped with the 900-cc motor with 75 hp and 80 Nm, while the Carbon class sports the 1,200-cc motor pushing out 104 hp and 113 Nm.

Speaking of suspension, the Supermarine rides on standard Nitron suspension that can be upgraded to the industry’s best — Öhlins. Braking duties are taken care of by a Brembo four-piston caliper at the front while you also get the option of a Beringer six-piston caliper.

While we still don’t know how many of these masterpieces would be built, the first set of motorcycle deliveries are slated for December 2021.

Honda NT1100 Makes Its Official Début

THE HONDA NT1100 IS AN AFRICA TWIN-DERIVED SPORT-tourer that will hit international markets soon. This motorcycle bridges the gap between the good old Honda Gold Wing and the smaller-capacity tourers from the Japanese brand.

The NT1100 is powered by a 1,084-cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin that produces 101 hp at 7,500 rpm and a peak torque of 104 Nm at 6,250 rpm. It will also have an optional automatic dual-clutch transmission (DCT). This motorcycle uses the same frame as that in the Africa Twin but employs 17-inch wheels at both ends. The suspension is managed by Showa componentry while braking is handled by four-pot Nissin calipers biting dual 310-mm discs at the front. Braking duty at the rear