Honda Has A Plan, the New CBR150R

Now it all starts to make sense, Honda has a plan, a vision of things to come.

The upcoming ‘Crossover’, and new concept bike due to appear at the Milan show, which may be a new Pan European in the style of the distinctive VFR1200F, are apparently just the beginning.

Honda is applying the VFR look to a lot of its range starting with two new bikes to entice the new riders thinking of taking to two wheels.

Many bikes are availble in different markets around the world and the image below is of the CBR150R from the Asian market, which is rumored to be finding its way to Europe in 2011.

You can see it’s been ‘VFRed’ and a 25cc engine size drop will make it road legal for learners.  Supposedly following on from that, and catering to a market that was all but crushed a few years back a 250cc version will be appearing as well.  The only image of it seems to be from a magazine and was found by CMG Online (well spotted)

This bike would give a natural stepping stone for new riders restricted to 33bhp for two years, and will compete head on with Kawasaki’s Ninja 250.

So just as we all wondered what Honda is up to with sudden announcements and curious bike concepts, it seems it’s all part of the plan.

The Triumph Tiger 800 & 800 XC Revealed

A few weeks ahead of its big debut at the Milan Motorcycle Show a hungarian web site has published a photo-gallery of Triumphs new adventure bikes, the Tiger 800 and Tiger 800 XC.  This is the first real opportunity to study the bike’s details beyond spy shots and the single official Triumph image released a few days ago.

The Tiger certainly seems to be ticking all the design boxes for an adventure bike, and while many thought the Ducati Multistrada 1200 would be the GS challenger, it didn’t really dent the GS’s reputation as ultimate adventure bike.  Triumph’s Tiger range and its upcoming 1200cc version could just be the silver bullet to BMW’s monster bikes.

A few pictures are below and you can find more on Motorinfo.hu here

 

 

Sons Of Anarchy Vrs Harley Davidson – Round One

Oh dear it would seem there’s no end to the woes of Harley Davidson.

Flagging sales and financial problems have dogged it of late and now one of the best advertising opportunities the company had, has had enough of getting nothing in return.  On his Twitter page series writer Kurt Sutter issued the stunning announcement that Harley’s would no longer be used on the show due to poor response from HD and bootleg SOA merchandise being sold through HD outlets.  His exact tweets were;

– SOA has boosted HARLEY sales and we get next to nothing in return. now i find harley shops are selling bootleg soa gear. fuck you HD usa.

– next season, SOA upgrades to VICTORY, the other great american bike. i’ll make a story point about it, start to put a dent in the HD market.

If he’d said this in a fit of rage at what he sees as an unfair situation he hasn’t deleted the posts, but has since tweeted a slight retraction to clam the issue;

– Okay so I probably won’t pull them off harleys,that’ll hurt the show, I just hate when big companies throw their monopolistic weight around.

However despite this tweet following two hours after the previous ones the damage appears to have been done, with disgruntled fans making the pitch for Victorys, Indians, or customs to take over two-wheeled duties on the show.

While it may be a few idiot shop owners selling bootleg gear and not HD themselves sanctioning such practices (hopefully) the lack of reciprocal promotion of the show by HD is ridiculously inept PR.  Which ever chimp is wearing the Harley CEO hat currently should pass it along.

Follow http://twitter.com/sutterink for more developments

Many thanks to The Borg, http://twitter.com/The_BORG for the heads up on the story.

 

Triumph’s 2011 Tiger, Thunderbird Storm, & Speed Triple on Video

Triumph has released a flashy video showcasing models from its upcoming 2011 range.  Included in the video are the new Speed Triple, Tiger adventure bike, models from the cruiser range, and more.  Triumph have got a lot of good PR mileage out of the Cologne Motorcycle show this week, with the only hiccup being the new headlights on the Speed Triple.  Next year is looking very good for the company’s finances, and ever growing popularity.

The 2011 Triumph Thunderbird Storm

The 2011 Triumph Speed Triple

 

The 2011 Triumph Tiger

 

The 2011 Triumph America

The BMW K1600 GT & GTL, Very Grand Tourers

BMW has finally taken the wraps off its new 6-cylinder grand tourers, the K1600 GT and the K1600 GTL, and grand is the right word to describe them.

The huge bikes bristling with technology, the hallmark of every BMW bike, have raised the bar once again for the tourer market.  The innovative engine delivering huge pulses of power to carry along bike, luggage, and passengers is another factor to set this bike apart from other luxury machines.  The specs and a few more images are below.

Technical Specs

ENGINE: Weighing 102.6 kilograms, the engine is by far the lightest serially produced 6-cylinder in-line engine for motorcycles in the class > 1000 cc. What is more, the engine is significantly narrower in construction width than all other 6-cylinder in-line motorcycles in serial production to date. This extremely compact construction and reduced width was achieved in particular by means of a cylinder bore of 72 millimetres in conjunction with a spacing of just 5 millimetres between the cylinder the cylinder sleeves.

Both the low engine weight and the consistent lightweight construction of the vehicle as a whole contribute to the low weight of the vehicle. At 319 kg (K 1600 GT without panniers) and 348 kg (K 1600 GTL with panniers and topcase) the new touring bikes are in the lower range of the segment.

TRACTION CONTROL: Three modes to choose from and DTC (Dynamic Traction Control) for maximum safety when accelerating.

The rider of the K 1600 models has three different engine characteristics directly available at the press of a button at the right-hand end of the handlebars so as to be able to adapt to different uses such as touring on the road, riding on wet surfaces and sporty, dynamic motorcycling – the modes “Rain”, “Road” and “Dynamic”. Available as an option ex works, the traction control function DTC is combined individually with the different modes, fully harmonised with them so as to provide maximum riding safety.

RIDE BY WIRE: The control of the central throttle valve with a diameter of 52 millimetres is effected via an e-gas, also known as a ride-by-wire system. The rider’s wishes are registered by means of a sensor in the accelerator twist grip. The engine control then adjusts the position of the throttle valve accordingly.

CHASSIS: The essential chassis elements of the BMW K 1600 GT and K 1600 GTL are the light alloy bridge-type frame, and the Duolever and Paralever for wheel control at front and rear. Because of the special requirements of a touring bike with a 6-cylinder engine, particular attention was paid to balancing the masses.

All in all, the interplay of chassis and engine position, together with the seating position of the rider, not only makes for a low overall centre of gravity with a very favourable concentration of masses, it also provides an ideally balanced wheel load distribution for excellent riding properties. The combination of ride stability, riding dynamics and lightness of handling in all riding and load conditions sets a new benchmark in the touring bike segment.

ELECTRONIC SUSPENSION ESA II: The new 6-cylinder touring bikes also benefit from the innovative Electronic Suspension Adjustment II (ESA II), which is offered as a special equipment feature ex works.

With this system, globally unique on the motorcycle market, the rider can conveniently press a button to electronically adapt not only the rebound damping properties of the front and rear spring strut but also the spring rest (“spring preload”) of the rear spring strut as well as the latter’s spring rate and therefore the “hardness” of the suspension. This makes for outstanding stability and impressive responsiveness in all load states.

The additional adaptation of the spring rate allows the damping settings “Sport, Normal, Comfort” to be spread widely in ESA II, giving them clearly perceptible characteristics during riding. So in “Sport” mode, the K 1600 GT and K 1600 GTL are even more dynamic and precise and in “Comfort” mode they are more comfortable – while still retaining excellent stability.

HEADLIGHT: With the new BMW Motorrad touring bikes, the first ever “Adaptive Headlight” option is available ex works in the motorcycle sector as a supplement to the standard xenon headlamp. In addition to standard pitch compensation, the light of the main headlamp is also balanced in relation to banking angle. This produces significantly improved illumination of the road when cornering and therefore an enormous increase in active riding safety.

HIGHLIGHTS: BMW K 1600 GT/ K 1600 GTL:

* Supreme in-line 6-cylinder engine with a high level of pulling power, especially in the lower and medium engine speed range.

* Engine output 118 kW (160 bhp) at 7 750 rpm and maximum torque 175 Nm at 5 250 rpm.

* Over 70 per cent of the maximum torque is already available from 1 500 rpm.

* The lightest and most compact 6-cylinder in-line engine in serial motorcycle production > 1000 cc weighing just 102.6 kg and measuring 555 mm in width.

* Consistent lightweight construction throughout the entire vehicle (magnesium front panel carrier, aluminium rear frame, crankshaft etc.).

* E-Gas..

* Three modes to choose from (“Rain”, “Road”, “Dynamic”)

* High active safety due to standard BMW Motorrad Integral ABS (part integral).

* Dynamic traction control DTC (Dynamic Traction Control) for maximum safety when accelerating (optional extra).

* Chassis with Duolever and Paralever and ideal mass concentration for dynamic riding properties combined with optimum comfort.

* Electronic Suspension Adjustment ESA II for optimum adaptation to all uses and load states (optional extra).

* World premiere in a motorcycle: Adaptive Headlight (optional extra) for increased safety at night in conjunction with standard xenon headlamp and fibre optic rings.

* Integrated operating concept with Multi-Controller, TFT colour display and menu guidance for the first time.

* Audio system with preparation for navigation device and controllable interface for iPod, MP3, USB, Bluetooth and satellite radio (USA and Canada only) (standard in the K 1600 GTL).

* Innovative design with outstanding wind and weather protection.

* K 1600 GT with active riding ergonomics for proactive touring.

* K 1600 GTL with a very comfortable, relaxed ergonomics set-up for long trips with pillion passenger as well as luxurious touring equipment.

* Central locking for storage compartments, panniers and topcase (optional extra).

* Extensive fittings and individually tailored accessories at the familiar high level of BMW Motorrad.

Tron Legacy Lightcycle Concept Art

Disney has released concept art for some of cinema’s most famous motorcycles, the Lightcycles from TRON.  These images are from the sequel TRON : LEGACY due to be released in December 2010 in 3D.  One of the earliest stories featured on Ride The Wild Wind was the unveiling of full size mock ups of the bikes at Comic-Con last year, see here.

The Lightcycle has been an inspiration for custom bike builders since it first appeared in the original 1982 movie with designs such as the iCare shown below.

Looking forward to seeing Lightcycles in action again this Xmas.. click for bigger images..

TRON for those who don’t know is a 1982 science fiction action film by Walt Disney Pictures.  It starred Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn (and his program counterpart inside the electronic world, Clu), Bruce Boxleitner as Tron and his User Alan Bradley, Cindy Morgan as Yori and Dr. Lora Baines, and Dan Shor as Ram. David Warner plays all three main antagonists: the program Sark, his User Ed Dillinger, and the voice of the Master Control Program. It was written and directed by Steven Lisberger.  Back in 1982 TRON was the film to see with the most startling special effects showing the early computer graphics that would become the biggest thing in movies.

In the sequel TRON : LEGACY Sam Flynn (Garret Hedlund), a rebellious 27-year-old, is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his father Kevin Flynn (Bridges), a man once known as the world’s leading video-game developer. When Sam investigates a strange signal sent from the old Flynn’s Arcade — a signal that could only come from his father– he finds himself pulled into a digital world where Kevin has been trapped for 20 years. With the help of the fearless warrior Quorra (Wilde), father and son embark on a life-or-death journey across a cyber universe — a universe created by Kevin himself that has become far more advanced with vehicles, weapons, landscapes and a ruthless villain who will stop at nothing to prevent their escape.

BMW 6 Cylinder Tourer Web Site

BMW has added more content about its upcoming 6-cylinder touring machines, The K1600 GT and K1600 GTL, to it’s Motorad website.  As usual BMW impresses with a dazzling array of technology features on these bikes and they should make a big splash when they debut, hopefully at the Milan show in November.

Check out the web site here – The BMW 6-Cylinder Legend

2011 Kawasaki Z750R Official Video

Kawasaki’s new Z750R, due to arrive in 2011, has a lot of good things going for it.  The ‘R’ version has some design tweaks and new fully adjustable forks, a new revised rear shock bolted to an aluminium swing arm, a blah blah blah.  You don’t need to know any of this to start saving your $/£/€, all you need is the video, and damn kawasaki make good videos!

Kawasaki says of the bike “The Z750R is an impressive package. It has been designed to take the handling, braking and overall specification of the hugely popular Z750 to a totally new level, justifying the exclusive R status of our new mid-weight naked contender for the coming year,” and in case you do want some more information the spec for the new Z750R includes;

• High-grade, sharper front cowl
• Multi-piece cowl construction
• Sharper, more aggressive, multi-facet design
• Luxurious two-tone colouring
• Front fender with new fork guard portions
• Sharper turn signals
• Sporty R-model instrumentation
• Front suspension offers more precise adjustability
• Both sides feature rebound adjustability (vs only one side on Z750)
• 41 mm inverted fork
• Preload adjustable
• Bottom-Link Uni-Trak with piggyback reservoir also offers increased
• cooling performance
• High-quality sculpted aluminium swingarm
• Radial-mount 4-piston calipers
• Radial-pump brake master cylinder
• Steel-braided brake lines (front and rear)
• Thicker front petal discs

Brammo Heads For The Big Time

Electric motorcycle manufacturer Brammo has struck a production deal with international company Flextronics, who also build for Microsoft among many other big names, to build components and assemble their bikes such as the famed Empulse.

This is huge news for e-bikes and for Brammo as electric enthusiasts finally get an excellent bike with speed and range on the verge of mass production.  It’s a bold move for Brammo and a great first step to world domination.  Below is their official press release;

————————————-

PRESS RELEASE

BRAMMO SELECTS FLEXTRONICS AS ITS GLOBAL MANUFACTURING PARTNER FOR ELECTRIC MOTORCYLES

Ashland, OR, and Singapore, September 15, 2010–Brammo, Inc. a global leader in the electric motorcycle business and Flextronics (NASDAQ: FLEX), a leading global Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) provider today announced that Brammo has selected Flextronics as its global manufacturing partner for the production of plug-in electric motorcycles and components. This strategic partnership enables Brammo to rapidly scale its manufacturing production in order to meet growing international demand for its products. This partnership is a continuing expansion of Flextronics’ Automotive segment and augments services to include new clean tech technologies and electronic systems for electric vehicles.

“As Brammo pursues its international growth strategy it is critical to our success that we continue to build our strong reputation for quality, reliability and serviceability,” stated Craig Bramscher, CEO and founder of Brammo, Inc. “Flextronics is focused on providing a high quality end-to-end solutions approach to leading global companies, including automotive, and this is why we have selected them as our strategic manufacturing partner. We can now scale globally with the demand and the rapid evolution of this growth industry.”

“Brammo offers one of the most innovative, electric two-wheeled vehicle product lines in the marketplace and we are delighted that they have selected Flextronics as their exclusive partner for the manufacture of state-of-the-art electric motorcycles. This strategic partnership allows us to further expand our portfolio for battery powered vehicles and complements our strong expertise in high voltage and energy recuperation applications for the automotive market,” said Herbert Schoeffmann, president of Flextronics Automotive. “We look forward to this very exciting partnership, where we will provide Brammo with our world-class global resources, strong vertical integration capability and supply chain logistics enabling Brammo to achieve its ambitious growth plan.”

About Flextronics

Headquartered in Singapore (Singapore Reg. No. 199002645H), Flextronics is a leading Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) provider focused on delivering complete design, engineering and manufacturing services to automotive, computing, consumer, industrial, infrastructure, medical and mobile OEMs. Flextronics helps customers design, build, ship, and service electronics products through a network of facilities in 30 countries on four continents. This global presence provides design and engineering solutions that are combined with core electronics manufacturing and logistics services, and vertically integrated with components technologies, to optimize customer operations by lowering costs and reducing time to market. For more information, please visit http://www.flextronics.com.

About Brammo

Brammo Inc is a leading electric vehicle technology company headquartered in North America. Brammo designs and develops electric vehicles including the award winning Brammo Enertia motorcycle and the recently announced Empulse. Brammo is an OEM supplier of its innovative Brammo Digital Drivetrain™ systems including the Brammo Power™ battery pack and Brammo Power™ vehicle management system. Brammo has vehicle distribution and marketing operations in North America, Europe and Asia.

For more information visit www.brammo.com. and Brammo on Twitter at BrammoSays and on Facebook at Brammo Powercycles. See the Brammo Empulse in action: http://tiny.cc/brammo-empulse.

Erik Buell Racing 1190RS on the road soon

While Harley Davidson lurches from crisis to crisis, its former employee/partner Erik Buell’s company Erik Buell Racing is on the rise.

Erik’s race bikes have been award winners on the American circuits and the time spent drawing up plans for new road bikes while under HD’s wing will not be in vain it would seem.  Coming soon will be a road ready version of EBR’s successful race bike, the 1190RR.

A teaser video of some form will be appearing on Erik Buell’s music label Rat Pack Records website today, September 14th, which will be a music video that will somehow feature a first look at the new road ready 1190RS.  Also on the site is merchandise marked with the EBR 1190RS logo.  The website states;

The 1190RS will be the new street bike from Erik Buell Racing! The design is currently in the pre-production / testing stage and is not yet available for public sale. Show your support and be the very first to get your new 1190RS and new EBR logo merchandise! Check back here Tuesday, September 14th for the 1190RS “teaser” video featuring music from Wratchet Head the new project from Michael Wilton of Queensryche!

While it doesn’t sound like we’ll be getting much in the way of technical specs during a brief music video, it’s a good way to start getting the word out that the company is ready to tackle the market despite the poor economy.  Surely someone is kicking themselves at  HD for their overly hasty decision to dispose of Buell and his team.

Check out Rat Pack Records for the music video

Visit Erik Buell Racing for details of their current sports bikes

Some of the merchandise available for the 1190RS-