Archive for July, 2008
July 27th, 2008
With Honda’s CBR1100XX Blackbird now officially out of production, and the venerable VFR800 largely unchanged since VTEC made its questionable motorcycle debut in 2002, there’s clearly something brewing in the sports-tourer segment at Honda, especially since bikes like Triumph’s Sprint ST have knocked the VFR off its perch as top dog in the category.
Now it seems a series of interesting patents recently taken out by Honda and dug up by Spain’s Motocyclismo might be telling us what’s in store just around the corner - a 1000cc V5 VFR1000 that will put Honda back on top, while acting as a rolling showcase of some remarkable new technology. (more…)
Posted in Sportsbikes | 1 Comment »
July 22nd, 2008
Although Triumph’s 675cc Street Triple has already laid waste to everything it’s been tested against in the middleweight naked category - and indeed, a lot of larger bikes - Triumph has announced it will be joined by an up-spec ‘R’ version for 2009 that promises a harder performance edge.
It’s a simple and logical upgrade for the Striple, incorporating the thicker, fully-adjustable USD forks and excellent rear monoshock from the donor Daytona 675, as well as the 4-piston brake calipers, radial master cylinder and larger discs that give the Daytona its stopping power. The seat’s a bit higher and the handlebars are spiffy Magura units - and those are about the only differences. The engine is left untouched.
There has been very few complaints about the brakes and suspension on the standard Striple, so you’d have to assume the main benefit of the R upgrade is the ability to fiddle with the settings - a great addition if you know what you’re doing, but also a huge invitation for novice tweakers to completely ruin the ride quality of their bikes by turning all the dials to 11 in search of fully sick race bike handling. (more…)
Posted in Naked Bikes | 1 Comment »
July 13th, 2008
As we noted on Friday, MV Agusta has been in some serious financial troubles of late, and majority shareholder/President Claudio Castiglioni has been looking for a new investment partner both to capitalise the company’s recovery and to drive a new era of business practices that will see the iconic brand survive beyond the short term.
And it seems the deal is done - Harley Davidson have signed a definitive agreement to purchase 100% of the MV Agusta group, which includes the Cagiva brand. (more…)
Posted in Industry News | No Comments »
July 10th, 2008
No doubt hoping to capture a little of the magic that has seen Triumph’s class-smashing 675 Daytona make a massive impression in road tests, track tests and sales charts, MV Agusta is developing its own 675cc triple - and in typical Claudio Castiglioni style, just about betting the company’s survival on it.
The projected MV Agusta F3 supersport bike will feature 4 radial valves per cylinder, which the company believes will give it a significant top-end power advantage over the Triumph. With the Daytona making 123bhp, MV is aiming at 135bhp or more, as well as a lighter weight chassis due to the use of more expensive and exotic materials.
MV engine whiz Andrea Goggi is already working on the motor, and master designer Massimo Tamburini is working on the F3’s design. Tamburini has designed some of history’s most memorably beautiful bikes, including the Ducati 916, MV Brutale and Mv F4 - so it’s reasonable to expect the F3 will be utterly stunning. (more…)
Posted in Sportsbikes | 3 Comments »
July 9th, 2008
It’s fair to say Honda is probably the most conservative of the major manufacturers - technology is introduced very slowly, designs are far from radical and quality and reliability rule the roost. So what the hell is the DN-01 doing in its product lineup? The category-busting cruisy sports maxi-scooter is set to launch August 1 in the UK, at which point we’ll learn if the market’s ready for a bike so outlandish.
The DN-01 is the first bike to feature Honda’s new infinitely variable “Human-Friendly Transmission” (HFT) which is capable of operating in full automatic ‘drive’ mode or a manual shift 6-speed ’sports’ mode that locks the variable transmission to a set of common ratios that mimic the feel of a tiptronic car system. The HFT is expected to show up on a range of future models from Honda. (more…)
Posted in Scooters, cruisers | 1 Comment »
July 9th, 2008
Hill climb races are extreme events that require extreme machinery - check out this video of the famous Billings event if you need any confirmation on exactly how crazy these guys are. And while BMW is hardly known for its extreme bikes, they’ve put together a ripper of a factory bike for this year’s international events.
The bike is powered by the engine from an F800, in a custom frame with an extended swingarm, dirtbike ergonomics, and a paddle-style rear tyre. The front wheel is driven from the countershaft sprocket, and it’s unclear exactly how this is managed. (more…)
Posted in Dirtbikes, Racing | 8 Comments »
July 8th, 2008
What a brilliant idea - Wired magazine’s Autopia has started up a Google Maps service where bikers all around the world can tag their favourite roads and learn about where others go to thrash their pride and joy.
Of course it’s unmoderated, so you’d want to do a bit of research before you turn up to a spot where some joker has tagged a 500km straight freeway, but as a starter spot to check out your local area or somewhere you’re planning to visit on two wheels, it’s a great idea.
Check it out and contribute your own roads after the jump. (more…)
Posted in Touring | 3 Comments »