Beautiful rider becomes Royal Enfield ambassador…BIKES Weekly News Digest [October 28th – November 3rd, 2024]

Enfield love is too strong

Royal Enfield Japan has announced that mapico will be the official ambassador for the brand. Mapico is an influencer with over 60,000 followers on social media, and is a female rider with a connection to Royal Enfield, having had her first bike, the reverse-shift Bullitt 350.

To welcome mapico as an ambassador, Royal Enfield Japan loaned him the Shotgun 650. The cruiser is equipped with a 648cc air-cooled inline twin-cylinder SOHC engine that produces a maximum output of 34.6kW (47ps) at 7250rpm and a maximum torque of 52.3Nm at 5650rpm, and was released on August 31, 2024.

Mapico has already test-ridden the Shotgun 650 and seems to like it. This is his first time actually owning a large motorcycle, but he wants to continue enjoying the bike life, including touring, as he has done until now.

The 50cc Super Cub is finally coming to an end

The Super Cub 50, which has been in production since the early days, is finally coming to an end. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has officially announced that the Super Cub 50 Final Edition will be released on Thursday, December 12th. The price is 297,000 yen including tax. The final model will be painted in “Pony Blue,” a color reminiscent of the classic Super Cub. The front emblem, side emblem, and ignition key also feature special designs, giving the entire model a retro feel.

Collaboration with Hello Kitty

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda) has added a special edition “HELLO KITTY” to the “Super Cub 50” and “Super Cub 110,” which will go on sale on December 12th. The 50 will be priced at 300,000 yen (tax included), and the 110 will be priced at 350,000 yen (tax included). This time, it is a collaboration model with the character familiarly known as “Kitty-chan.” The body color is a two-tone red and cream color, and the side cover features a three-dimensional design of Hello Kitty’s face. As the end of production of the 50 has been announced, this will likely be the last special edition vehicle.

Kawasaki revives compact street model

This marks the long-awaited return of the Estrella since its discontinuation. Kawasaki Motors Japan will release two new 250cc class models, the W230 and the MEGURO S1, on Wednesday, November 20th. The W will be priced at ¥643,500 (tax included), while the MEGURO will be priced at ¥720,500 (tax included). The two vehicles are siblings, sharing the same chassis and engine. The engine is a 232cc air-cooled, single-cylinder, SOHC, two-valve engine, producing a maximum output of 13kW (18PS) at 7000 rpm and a maximum torque of 18Nm (1.8kgm) at 5800 rpm. Both vehicles are considered the successors to the Estrella, which was discontinued with the 2017 model. The W is a light-riding model that is appealing to young people and women, while the Meguro is a premium model that inherits the atmosphere of the former Kawasaki 250 Meguro SG and enhances its luxury feel.

Authentic Bond model sells for highest price

Triumph Motorcycles Japan announced that two “Bond Edition” motorcycles have been sold for the highest price ever. Triumph has released James Bond models for the Scrambler 1200 and Tiger 900. Daniel Craig, who played Bond, personally signed one of each motorcycle and auctioned it off to support the Royal Lifesaving Institute (RNLI). The Scrambler 1200 sold for approximately 5.55 million yen, while the Tiger 900 sold for approximately 6.34 million yen. The entire proceeds will be donated to the RNLI.

You can buy a Triumph with 0% interest

Triumph Motorcycles Japan will be holding a “Winter Purchase Support Campaign” from November 1st to December 27th. This campaign will reduce the effective interest rate to 0% if you purchase eligible models on a loan during the campaign period. The eligible models are the “Speed ​​Triple 1200” family and the “Tiger 1200GT” family.