Motorbikes Blog

Yamaha’s new motorcycle, the Tesseract is very different from what you would expect a motorbike to be, simply because this one has four wheels. An additional pair of rims provide extra stability, but still the driver is able to lean the bike around bends and park it upright.

The company says addition of more wheels has not increased the width of the new motorcycle, as compared to conventional motorcycles. Set to debut in Tokyo Motor Show this month, the Tesseract has a V-Twin petrol engine and a hybrid drivetrain. Apparently, even motorcycles have decided to go hybrid.

[Via: Auto Express]

Inflatable Jackets have been in the market for a long time now, and many would wonder if they are of any use at all, or that’s just 500 dollars gone down the drain. The idea of airbag-like protection seems appealing, and apparently, it does work well.

A Baltimore man got involved in an accident and was thrown nearly 100 feet from his motorcycle, thanks to the inflatable jacket, any serious injury was prevented. He did get sore ribs and a broken thumb, but you can well imagine the consequences after being thrown 100 feet from a motorcycle; let’s say inflatable jacket saved the day for him.

[Via: Kicking Tires]

Ducati Desmosedici RR is a hot ride and who wouldn’t be happy to see its production go up? Seeing the high demand for the bike, the company has decided to increase production from 1250 units to 1500 units.

All 1500 RRs will be delivered to their customers by the end of next year. The company has decided to give an upperhand to existing Ducati owners with first 500 instances of the new model being offered to 999R riders.

RR is a road version of the Moto GP bike and comes with a 1000cc V4 engine with a maximum power of 200bhp. A 100% carbon fibre bodywork with a tubular steel frame for the RR means the dry weight is just 171kg.

[Via: Pistonheads]

The Aita network of stores has added new helmets for autumn-winter 2007-2008 period. The new models look trendy and cool, and ofcourse, work well towards safety, the first priority for helmets.

This new collection features 25 new designs for helmets, all upto the safety norms of the European Union. There is an ample range of colors and weaves, should you decide to personalize your helmet. Interiors of these helmets are made of fiber and are extractable for cleaning/dusting.

Via: TopEstilo (Translated)

What makes the Victory Vision special? The bike is as good as it gets with sleek looks and a powerful 106 c.i. V-Twin with a six-speed transmission. It’s fuel tank can take in six gallons of fuel that ensures you go a long distance before you get your bike refueled, but that isn’t what I am talking about.

Here is some more good news for all you adrenaline junkies trying to catch every bit of exhilaration whenever possible; Can-Am Spyder Roadster from BRP is set to get you all on the road with a style statement.

Stoner is looking forward to wrap up his first world crown with victory at the new San Marino MotoGP at Misano. The only rider to miss a world triumph with a massive lead was Mick Doohan, who led by 65 points with five races left in 1992 before injury struck. Competing the MotoGP class for the Ducati Marlboro team, Stoner goes into Sunday’s 28-lap race holding a commanding 60-point lead over Valentino Rossi. Winning the last six Italian Moto GPs in a row, Yamaha’s Rossi has not yet yielded in his pursuit of Stoner.

Votronic is offering BlueBike system which is a Modular Communication System. The system allows the rider to be in touch with the outside world whilst riding. The helmets have Bluetooth and can be tuned as per the necessities.

The two basic helmet versions are capable of communicating with each other and everybody (rider & pillion rider) and the good thing, they can phone with their own Bluetooth mobile.

The BlueBike Solo is a tiny device that can be used together with an MP3-Player or with a tuner as well as a walkie-talkie. Furthermore, it can be used with the phone.

The BlueBike Premium version consists of a basic control unit, which is resolutely installed at the bike. This enables the biker to hook onto external audio sources like tuners and MP3s, the voice output of the navigation device, even to a mobile which does not have Bluetooth and for a walkie-talkie.

The battery on all the three systems last for at least 20 hours. Votronic’s BlueBike system comes along a price tag starting at €350 or $481 and could elevate depending upon the options chosen.

Harley-Davidson has officially announced the company’s intention to begin production of the XR 1200TM motorcycle for the European market in the spring of 2008. The XR 1200 is a naked street, great handling high performance bike with styling cues inspired by the legendary Harley-Davidson XR 750 flat track racer.

The XR 750 is a deliberately built race bike that has conquered more race wins than any other racing mobike in the history of motorcycle sport. The XR 1200 prototype was first unveiled to huge acclaim from customers and the media alike by Bill Davidson (great-grandson of one of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company’s founders) at the Intermot motorcycle show in October, 2006.

The XR 1200 is the result of a close collaboration between the Motor Company’s Milwaukee-based product development team and Harley-Davidson’s European product planning team. The European team has played a significant role in defining the specifications and ergonomics of the XR 1200. The team has collectively worked with US Ride and Handling engineers on suspension, braking and handling development.

According to John Lewis, Marketing Director for Harley-Davidson Europe, the XR1200 is the perfect way to round-off a superb 2008 product line-up. Harley-Davidson has acknowledged an overwhelming customer and media feedback since the XR 1200 prototype’s unveiling.

The XR1200 will be equipped with a cooled motor to air from 1200cc, answering to the European detailed lists, and product in series, more powerful that never has been realized from Harley-Davidson. With a freedom for the lean angle; specially tuned Showa sports suspension, including 43mm inverted front forks; high performance Nissin brakes; and specially developed Dunlop Qualifier tyres, the XR 1200 is set to become the best handling Harley-Davidson regular production machine ever seen.

The XR 1200 is a bike full of purpose and character united with great performance, handling and a unique feel. Above all else it will be a bike that will offer a hugely rewarding riding experience.

The price of XR 1200 is still in phase of appraisal, but it presumes that the price, to clearly of the taxation, can be maintained to of under of the 10,000 Euro.

Technical characteristics

• Styling and livery inspired by XR 750
• Motor from 1200 cc, the elevated performances, painted to silver-plated powder
• Feeding with vertical culverts and electronically arranges assets of aspiration of the controlled air
• Tires Dunlop Qualifier (front 120/70ZR18; posterior 180/55ZR17)
• Circles in alloy from the reduced weight, only in their kind, with design inspired to that one of the motion from dirt track
• Sport Showa suspension to calibration, specifically developed for this model, with staple to steles turns upside down to you from 43 millimeter
• Great dowries of agility and ease of handling, and generous lateral rake
• Nissin brakes to high performances
• Studied ergonomics according to the medium height of the European customers
• Position of raised and sport guide, with wide handle-bar and leggermente rear footrests
• New exclusive instrumentation for the model

[Images: Harley Davidson]

We’ve spoken about them all, from the Ducatis to the Moto Guzzis or the Harleys or for that matter even the ones, which don’t humm on gasoline. I thought the last option was attractive not in terms of the looks usually, but the way they gel with a youngsters pocket...hmmm! Very economical.

Science has always ensured that nothing is static, for otherwise the word wouldn’t exist. I deemed that the electric powered bikes was the last way a bike would run though I was aware of the upgradations to follow but then I never knew that even this form of power conversion into motion would be bettered.

Although I am late on this one, still no issues for it defeated my last thought and this is how it goes. Moto Solar Urbana is a bike that runs purely on solar energy, no grids, no gasoline pumps; just a bright sunny day and you are guaranteed a 20-mile ride.

Want to know how it looks!

Michael Sturtz along with his team of environmentally conscious vehicle enthusiasts has developed a custom built performance diesel motorcycle at the Crucible, an innovative industrial arts education facility at Oakland, California. The motorcycle is capable to run on diesel, bio diesel, or on straight vegetable oil fuels and is named Die Moto which is out to prove the practicability of alternative fuel technology in the every day use vehicles.

The Suzuki GSX 1300R, also known as the Hayabusa, is a hypersport motorcycle introduced in 1999. The name Hayabusa is the Japanese term for the Peregrine Falcon, known for its speed, and perhaps a joke at the expense of the Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird which was the fastest production motorcycle prior to the Hayabusa. The Peregrine Falcon is a predator of the common blackbird. Its extreme performance capability has also dubbed the bike as a “high abuser” of legal speed limits.

Afterwards, certain bikes were out to dare the Hayabusa top speed for a production motorcycle, including the BMW K1200S, the Kawasaki ZX-12R and the new ZX-14. And now Suzuki has decided for the 2008 model that they’ll not only revamp the super-bike, but will boost the size of the engine from 1299cc to 1340cc.

The compression power increases from 11.5:1 to 12.5:1. The 41cc increase in displacement stems from a 2mm increase in stroke giving each tube of the Inline-four a final spec of 81mm x 65mm (bore/stroke). Inside, there’s a new three-ring aluminum alloy forged slipper piston. The motor also gets a new set of titanium valves for intake and exhaust. The sizes haven’t changed, but the alternative metal has reduced the weight.

A little technology pulled from the GSX-R line is the Suzuki Drive Mode Selector (S-DMS) which provides three options of power delivery. A 4-2-1-2 exhaust which meets Euro 3 and Tier 2 emission regulations has been attached. Overall length has increased to 86.6 inches while the wheelbase is same. A 15mm higher windscreen and vertically stacked dual headlights are a part of the new look. The seat and rear sub-frame have been lowered by 17mm.

A pair of 310 mm balanced front rotors (10 mm smaller) offer less unsprung weight and are pinched by new Tokico radial-mount calipers. The single-piston rear caliper grabs a larger 260mm rotor (+20mm). There’s a Diamond like Coating (DLC) on the lower section of the inverted fork for less stiction. The steering geometry is virtually indistinguishable at 24.2 degrees of rake and 98mm of trail, an increase of 1 mm.

The revamped instrument cluster now features four analog meters for speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge and water temperature with a new S-DMS mode indicator, gear position indicator and adjustable engine rpm indicator.

Since its introduction, the major Japanese motorcycle manufacturer realized that the power and speed wars among flagship sports bike would not end and would eventually lead to increased government regulations, an unfavorable public image due to more fatal accidents and higher insurance premiums.

The new Hayabusa will be available in Orange, Blue, and Black. Expect to see this ‘fiend’ sometime in October with a price tag of $11,999.

The supermoto sector was a ’supernatural’ one for Ducati to enter until recently. Ducati has neither significant off-road heritage nor engines suitable for dirt bikes, but in the last few years supermotos have become both more powerful and hardnosed, moving the class towards Ducati to the point where the hardware and its sports bike heritage began to rhyme.

Designed by Pierre Terblanche, a concept version was shown in Milan 2005 and in response to an eager public; the Hypermotard is now a production reality. Worth mentioning is the fact that it wasn’t just the public which went bizarre, even the experts thought likewise as it bagged the ‘Best of Show’ at the same event.

It went into production and is now a bike which ‘thrills’ you with its solid credentials. It uses Ducati’s outstanding 1,100cc air-cooled motor. A theme is carried on in the chassis which in total gives the bike a 17 kg advantage. The 90-degree V-trim power unit’s design is pure Ducati right through, as are the tubular steel trellis frame, a single-sided swingarm and high specification running gear.

There’s a higher spec S version which uses the same monoblock Brembo brake callipers as the 1098, with very low friction forks, an Ohlins rear shock, lightweight forged aluminum Marchesini wheels and sundry carbon fiber components, to lose a further two kg compared with the standard version.

Ducati has pushed motorcycle design limits to find an innovative solution for the Hypermotard mirrors. With the challenge of preserving a clean, racing look around the handlebars, designers created a new mirror concept. On the open road these stick out to give a view behind unhindered by elbow, leg or anything else.

Inevitably, the anxiety about the protection of the angled headlight is in the air. Even the fuel tank will limit your touring ambitions as its 12.4-liter capacity will have you hunting for filling stations every 130kms.

For the longer distances one would have to think twice before trusting the Hypermotard as its capacity matched with the average signals a different purpose, which the officials interpret better, than a layman does.

On a positive side the Hypermotard’s noteworthy weight reduction makes it even better. Twist the throttle and the bike lunges forward much harder than its 90bhp promises, pretty much regardless of the revs showing on the compact and inclusive LCD display.

It has a supermoto type long travel suspension, which may not be idyllic on the roads even for this class of machine. But the bike is firmer and much better controlled, so fork compression is less severe than most and it does not mean you have more suspension margin on bumpy roads. Idiosyncrasy of this type of setup is that the steering can be quite heavy when you’re not braking hard, as the geometry needs to be conservative in the static state so it doesn’t become unstable under heavy braking. The clutch lever is light, though a redesign has reduced the force needed by some thirty percent.

Ducati has a much wider and stronger spread of torque. The front can feel flighty if jostled through a series of bends. Although very good looking, the treatment of the headlight and front mudguard doesn’t work from every angle. The Hypermotard is bringing some useful versatility to its core mission.

The purpose is single minded: To thrill

[Images: Motorcyclespecs, Raptorsandrockets, Kanai ]

You don’t doubt a Harleys’ caliber be it in any aspect. Someone said safety, my answer would be nothing courteous than ‘Damn you’, you still be on the offensive dubbing the Harley brakes as risky, although they surely aren’t, I would say the new ABS will rout you.

You wonder ABS! The makers of classic American motorcycles are all set to roll their antilock brakes system as an option on ten new 2008 models. The proclamation, along with unveiling of the three new models, concurred with the motorcycle maker’s annual dealer meeting, held this year in Nashville, Tennessee.

It began when the Milwaukee-based motorcycle maker launched an antilock braking system on two Swat cruiser bikes in 2005. It will be for the first time, the average costumers can outfit a ride with the system common in many cars.

The US$795 add-on is available on three models of V-Rod bikes and seven new Touring bikes, the superior and the most popular type of Harley-Davidson. ABS also will be standard on three new models, including the Screamin’ Eagle Road King

The customers have recognized how thorny it can be to react to emergencies when there’s bad weather or road conditions.

Paul James, director of product communication cited:

It’s more peace of mind when you have that ABS system

The braking system isn’t noticeable on the outside as it was on the two police cruiser models. Instead, speed sensors are entrenched in the wheel bearings. The sensors scrutinize how quickly the wheel is turning and the ABS responds to reduce brake pressure so that the tires don’t lock.

Harley also announced three new 2008 models, including the Dyna Fat Bob, a new model with dual headlights and a first in the Dyna family with a thicker front tire. The company also revealed two new Softails, the Rocker and Rocker C, which feature a floating rear fender that moves with the tire.

Additionally, the fuel tank on the cruisers will now hold nearly four more liters of gas for a total of 63 liters. The 2008 models will be available in 15 new colour combinations and 14 models will be available in a limited edition colouring of copper and black.

The company plans to rejoice its 105th anniversary next year, along with the 25th anniversary of the Harley Owner’s Group. It will establish 105 starting points around the United States so that Harley riders can join for a trip to Milwaukee. The group will merge into 25 major routes and arrive on Aug. 28, for four days of the event. The new Harley-Davidson Museum will be open in time for the anniversary

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Images: Policeone,
Motorcycle-usa

Go green! Do we have an option though especially when we know the world is altering for the pits? Green, the word is conquering all with a vehemence which should be recognized as a norm, not an achievement; the need of the hour bears the answer. Yet, when a technology as that incorporated in the Enertia emerges, it deserves appreciation for it ain’t just a green machine.

This ‘Plug-in’ two wheeler is absolute fun with efficiency guaranteed. Clearly not a typical motorcycle, the Enertia has no fuel tank and no internal-combustion engine. From a jaded (as the color green) fascia, it can reduce a commuter’s carbon footprint by 92 percent.

It lacks many of the characters that traditionally guide people away from a two-wheeled, mechanized ride. Almost silent, it has no exhaust and doesn’t get hot. Furthermore, it has no clutch or gearbox. It is light and slim, and practically maintenance-free.

When I read it first I thought this is some geeky machine good enough to replace a bicycle, but then, the credentials made me tight lipped.

The Enertia is a clean-sheet design with its central structure made of carbon fiber which serves as both the motorcycle’s chassis and its battery tray.

Unlike typical bikes, the engine is an alternator sized electric motor mounted at the bottom of the chassis just ahead of the rear wheel. The motor is directly attached to the rear wheel through a chain and sprocket.

For fuel storage, it consists of six 12 volt lithium-phosphate battery packs. These modules, which are about half the size of a traditional car battery, are accumulated inside the upper and lower channels of the H-shaped carbon fiber chassis; three on top, three below.

In contrast to lithium-ion or lithium-cobalt batteries, the application of the lithium-phosphate cells is remarkably resistant to combustion, even if the batteries are impacted or punctured. It can be charged from any regular 110-volt electrical outlet and gets wholly recharged in just three hours which puts even the most hi-fi doodads to shame, for its fast mate! No, then its bike you prick!

The power level of the Enertia is user selectable from 40 to 100 percent which decides how fast you draw current from the batteries. The Enertia’s power ratings (12-25 horsepower, 17-34 lb-ft of torque) make it analogous to a Kawasaki Ninja 250 in terms of horsepower, but the electric drivetrain provides double the amount of torque, in a package 30 pounds lighter. At the 100-percent power setting, Brammo claims a 0-30 mph time of 3.8 seconds but at a top speed of only 50 mph.

Hmmm! think they should do something about that speed, but then I simultaneously feel, if a person looks for a high adrenalin driver, Enertia should be an alien name to him , atleast the one with an ‘E’, although the one with an ‘I’ is all that you need to define this call it whatever.

Image : Ecobiker

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