Other bike stories in brief
TRIUMPH'S TWEAKED SPRINT ST AND NEW MCQUEEN T-SHIRT
Triumph has updated its popular sport tourer, the Sprint ST, once more. In response to customer feedback, changes for 2008 include a steel fuel tank (for magnetic tank bags), new footrests, and better headlamps. The Sprint ST was originally launched in 1999 and was last revised in 2005. Meanwhile Triumph has re-created the T-shirt "as worn by" Steve McQueen, an avid Triumph enthusiast, as part of a new line of casual products that have been officially licensed by Steve McQueen's estate.
INDIAN TO RETURN AGAIN
The original American motorcycle is set to make yet another comeback later in the year. A prototype Indian Chief has been spotted testing near the company's headquarters in North Carolina, and a photograph of a Chief "concept" is on display on Indian's website, indianmotorcycle.com. The company is even taking $1,000 deposits on a machine they say will begin delivery in the autumn, but there's no official release date as yet.
It's also building a flagship retail outlet near the Indian factory, expected to be the first of 50 across the country, while a multimedia roadshow is also being planned to ensure that this time the company stays afloat and the motorcycles sell well. Indian's timing couldn't be any worse, though, as the Chief isn't likely to be cheap and it's being launched at the onset of a recession just as its main rival, Harley-Davidson, reports its first dip in sales in 14 years.
SUZUKI'S LIMITED EDITION GSX-R600
Suzuki's new GSX-R600 goes on sale in the first week of March, but early customers will have the option of a limited-edition white colour scheme. Suzuki GB has secured a limited run of just 220 GSX-R600s in the special white colour scheme, after which the GSX-R600 will revert back to more traditional colours. The GSX-R750 goes on sale a week later, but won't be offered with the special paint scheme. The limited edition GSX-R600 will cost the same as the standard machine, priced at £7,200 (€9,656).
TOM CRUISE GETS FIRST DUCATI DESMO . . . SORT OF
Ducati USA has announced that it is "delighted to be able to deliver the world's first production unit (of the Desmosedici) in the US to Tom Cruise, who is a well-known Ducati enthusiast". Ducati USA's breathless press release neglects to mention, however, the very first Desmosedici has gone into the Ducati Museum - Cruise's bike is number two - and several other owners have already received their bikes as Cruise has yet to collect his bike from the Ducati dealership in Beverly Hills.
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