Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Motorcycle Garage Design In Japan


This apartment was designed and built in Tokyo, Japan by three architects, Yuji Nakae, Akiyoshi Takagi and Hiroshi Ohno. The mini garages for motorcycles or scooters on the ground level have direct access to the apartments above, cool concept and a great design.

Look for more images after the jump.



Sources: www.motorcycle.com

Lawn-Mowing Choppers

Sources: www.motorcycle.com

Motorcycle Sidecar Is Literally A Car....

Adjectives fail me. This almost seems like one of those sci-fi movies where an evil scientist tries to cross two deadly animals together to create the ultimate killing machine.

So what are we looking at? It seems to be the deformed love child of a Citroën Xantia and a Kawasaki 1000 RX.

This custom project, called “Snaefell“, cost its creator about 15000 Euros and 10 years of part time work. I have to wonder “why?”.

I guess if you really love the thrill of riding a motorcycle but none of your friends and family do, this concept makes sense. Or not. Would they want to be seen in this? Hopefully those windows are tinted.

Check out the rest of the post for more shots of this… hybrid.

Source: [ Snaefull via Gizmodo ]

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Scoot-Cati To Be Shown In Milan?


Since Ducati pledged to show three new models a year we've gotten a flood of red-painted metal from Borgo Panigale; a new Superbike, new Monsters and the popular Hypermotard. Rumors are thick that this year, we'll see a Multistrada replacement-armed with the four-valve, 150 hp 1098 powerplant-aimed at the BMW GS crowd and perhaps even a VMAX-like power cruiser. That alone would make the Ducati crowd happy, but what about the fast-expanding scooter market?

Our man in the know, Italian designer Oberdan Bezzi, is convinced Ducati has something for them as well. He tells us that the latest news is that a prototype of a scooter (dubbed the "Scootster," a contraction of "scooter" and "Monster") will be unveiled at the 2009 Milan EICMA motorcycle show in early November.

Oberdan thinks the motor will be an 850 and offer a multi-mode transmission like the Aprilia Mana. That's not a bad assumption; I just had a conversation with a source at Piaggio, who told me Piaggio loves to sell powertrain units to anyone who'll buy them. "Would they sell one without heads so Ducati could install Desmo heads," I asked? "Sure" was the answer. Oberdan's drawing shows the Testastretta motor's deep sump, so maybe that's not what he had in mind, but it'd make sense, no? He also envisioned an "S" version, with Öhlins suspension and maybe some lightweight 16-inch wheels as well.

Oberdan and my mystery man at Piaggio think Ducati is working on a scooter, but I'm not so sure. Ducati has no need to expand the market for its bikes, as the factory is already near capacity. What Ducati wants is to strengthen its existing product line and build customer loyalty. A scooter, particularly something as big and expensive as this Scoot-strosity, makes no sense.

But if it does happen, it won't be Ducati's first scooter; the factory sold a 100cc scoot, dubbed the "Brio," in the early '60s. I saw one at a scooter rally a few years ago, and I thought the Ducati logo on the legsheild was a joke. Not at all, said the owner, pointing out the "Ducati" logo on the engine case and VIN plate. He bought it cheap and got it running easily, and discovered it was actually a fun and reliable little machine. It was just the wrong product, introduced at the wrong time. Will history repeat itself?

Sources: www.motorcycledaily.com

2010 Harley-Davidson CVO Model Line-Up Preview


2010 FXDFSE CVO Fat Bob
$25,299; limited production of 1300 units

CVO Fat Bob in Cryptic Black with Hellfire Flames.

CVO Fat Bob in Cryptic Black with Hellfire Flames.

Returning for its second year at bat, the CVO Fat Bob continues to impress with a collection of new model highlights and tough-looking paint. With tommy gun 2-1-2 exhaust pipes and a Screamin’ Eagle Heavy Breather high-flow intake scoop, the ‘Bob is looking for a fight.

Standing stout on a pair of the 16-inch powder-coated and chrome-plated CVO Fang wheels (new in 2009) wrapped with Dunlop blackwalls, the 130 front and 180 rear tires underpin a smooth-rolling machine that’s happy cruising the boulevard as well as carving the canyons.

My favorite is the Pewter and Sandstone.


For 2010, Harley added more proprietary plating techniques and paint technologies to the Big Twin Dyna for a truly special looking motorcycle. Possibly my all-time favorite looking saddle on any motorcycle has got to be the rustic brown distressed-leather two-piece convertible mono/duo saddle you’ll find on the bike. Couple that with the Satin Pewter with Sandstorm Grind paint scheme, and Harley’s got one great looking package. I couldn’t take my eyes off the bike.

Other specially painted surfaces and features have to be seen for yourself, as my words won’t do this bike justice. The Fat Bob comes in three custom colors: Cryptic Black with Hellfire Flames; Opal Blue with Hellfire Flames; and the Pewter I’ve already mentioned. The 2010 CVO Fat Bob has an MSRP of $25,299.

2010 FLHXSE CVO Street Glide
$30,999; limited production of 3500 units

Candy Concord with Pale Gold Leaf Graphics.

Candy Concord with Pale Gold Leaf Graphics.

The CVO Street Glide is an all-new model to the line and possibly the best in the bunch. My pal Pete Brissette calls the standard Street Glide “quite possibly my favorite Harley,” as it straddles the line between the tough-guy cruisers and touring-manic FLs. After my first ride on a Glide, I can’t argue.

The CVO version of the SG is equipped with a laundry list of features like a Screamin’ Eagle Twin Cam 110 powertrain, a pair of blackened 18-inch, seven-spoke Agitator contrast-chrome wheels with matching full-floating rotors, hand-adjustable rear shock preload, standard ABS and cruise control, security alarm, electrifying paint and a 40-watt Harmon/Kardon stereo system.

Packed with the same 6-speed Cruise drive you’ll find on all the CVO models, the Street Glide is built on the same Touring chassis as introduced in 2009 on the OE Glide. The stiffened single-spar backbone frame and newly-designed swingarm is a huge improvement, and Pete reported that the new chassis is “very stable compared to the previous frame; no more vagueness or flexi feeling. It instills confidence in the rider.”

Where the Street Glide lacks in storage when compared to the Ultra’s Tour-Pak, the 2010 model grows a few liters in overall capacity with a redesign of the saddlebags. An accessory for last year’s OE model included a false extension to the bottom of the bag to extend the visual appeal as low as possible but contained no extra carrying capacity. The new bags do, so look for that on the 2011 models if you don’t pick up a set from the P&A catalog before that – or buy the CVO Street Glide. Included in the new bags are integrated stop/tail/turn lights.

Built where Harley once built my Sporty, York, PA, the 2010 CVO Street Glide delivers with three more decadent paint schemes: Candy Concord with Pale Gold Leaf Graphics; Spiced Rum with Gold Leaf Graphics; and Tequila Sunrise with Pale Gold Leaf Graphics. The 2010 CVO Street Glide has a suggested U.S. retail price of $30,999.

Click here to check out a video preview of the CVO Street Glide.

2010 FLHTCUSE CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide
$35,999; limited production of 3450 units

Burnt Amber/Hot Citrus with Flame graphic.

Burnt Amber/Hot Citrus with Flame graphic.

If you’re one of those riders with the time and money to ride all over this great nation in high style and for weeks on end, you’re gonna want to pile it all on the Ultra Electra Glide. I know I would.

As the CVO veteran in the line-up, the Ultra returns for it’s fifth year on the bill with a focus on the tail end of the motorcycle.

The Ultra is also built upon the same new Touring chassis as the CVO Street Glide, rolling on Harley’s Roulette wheels – 17-inch front, 16-inch rear – with the same 130/180 Dunlops you’ll find on the Fat Bob.

In addition to the standard CVO color-matching frame and swingarm, the Ultra comes with a color-matched and LED-equipped Tour-Pak with integrated brake and tail lights and a push-button LED on the underside for illuminating down into the saddlebags. Switching from an incandescent bulb taillight to LED lighting not only offers brighter lights but also frees up storage capacity within the Tour-Pak. Another upgrade is the change from Powerlet-type 12-volt sockets to cigarette-lighter-style outlets. Fender filler strips and engine guard fairing lowers also match the paint scheme of the inner fairing assembly.

Pumping out of that gauge-packed dash is an 80-watt Harmon/Kardon Advanced audio system with CB, intercom and navigation systems.

Increasing two-up comfort and tourability, the Ultra now sports an adjustable rider backrest and a two-way adjustable (up/down, in/out) lumbar support in the passenger backrest for making the miles more comfortable for everyone aboard.

The Ultra’s color palette also delivers in three mouth watering schemes: Scarlet red Pearl/Dark Slate with Flame graphic; Riptide Blue/Titanium Dust with Flame graphic; and Burnt Amber/Hot Citrus with Flame graphic. Boy that’s a mouthful!

The 2010 CVO Ultra has an MSRP of $35,999. An accessory wheel option includes a chrome, profile laced aluminum wheel for $500.

2010 FLSTSE CVO Softail Convertible
$27,799; limited production of 2500 units

Inferno Orange with Vivid Black and Silver Braze Graphics.

Inferno Orange with Vivid Black and Silver Braze Graphics.

All-new for the CVO family is the two-bikes-in-one Softail Convertible. Replacing the CVO Softail Springer of 2009, the FL-based Convertible is built to offer both cruising good looks as well as comfortable light-touring abilities with a set of detachable creature comforts. The detachable kit includes a compact fairing with color-matched paint and smoke windscreen, leather-covered saddlebags with buffalo-hide inserts, and a leather passenger pillion and backrest, both with matching buffalo-hide inserts. All parts are quickly removable without tools to transform the Convertible from a touring bike into a stripped down boulevard cruiser. See the Softail video for a real-time demonstration.

Packed into the tubular steel frame is a rigid-mounted and counter-balanced version of Harley’s biggest powertrain available, the Twin Cam 110B. The counter-balanced motor produces a claimed 110 ft-lbs at 3000 rpm versus the 115 ft-lbs found on the TC110 found in the other CVO models for 2010.

During Motorcycle.com’s 2009 Luxury Touring Shootout, we found out the 2009 TC110 pumps out 75 hp at 5,100 rpm and 88 ft-lbs at 3,800 rpm to the rear wheel. That’s just enough for propelling these steel horses around the world’s highways and byways, but who wouldn’t want more?

Simplifying the handlebar and dash for double duty as fashionable cruiser or travel roadster, the Convertible includes a new combo digital speedo with analog tachometer embedded into the two-piece chrome and color-matched tank console.

The Softail’s hidden suspension and 200mm rear offers more duplicity in cruiser fat-tire looks without compromising the steering ability and touring comfort. With a pair of 18-inch Chrome Stinger cast aluminum wheels wrapped in Dunlop radials (all other CVO’s roll on bias-ply tires), the Convertible is slammed down another inch from it’s 2009 OEM configuration to rank as Harley’s lowest saddled bike at 24.4 inches.

The Convertible shares front fenders with the Fat Bob, exposing more of both those great looking wheels, but the new tire-hugging rear fender includes a new light bar with stop/turn/tail lights

The Softail Convertible in CVO form, comes in three color schemes: Inferno Orange with Vivid Black and Silver Braze Graphics; Abyss Blue with Sapphire and Silver Braze Graphics; and Crimson Red Sunglo with Autumn Haze and Black Candy Grind.

Double trouble or twice the fun, anyway you name it, the CVO Softail Convertible gets the job done is high style. The 2010 CVO Softail convertible retails for $27,999.

For the past 10 years, the CVO teams have been bringing us the best of the Harley with their parts-catalog azimuths. And while a CVO model is priced much higher than a standard OE version, they deliver plenty of value for that dollar when you add up the cost of building your own CVO parallel atop an OE model.

Always one for showing off and wanting the golden goose, there’s no doubt you’ll be wanting to get your fringed-fingered gloves on one of next year’s bikes ASAP. With both old and new blood in the 2010 CVO line-up, finding a favorite shouldn’t be hard to do. Shipping in a myriad of electric rainbow colors like spiced rum, crimson red sunglo and tequila sunrise, you’re sure to stand out in any crowd.

Hardcore riders will dig the Fat Bob with its tough guy looks. Leaders of the pack will surely gravitate towards the Street Glide. Mack-daddies are gonna strut their stuff on the Ultra. And the man on the streets, the guy getting the job done for the rest of us, is gonna love the Softail Convertible. Work or play, there’s something for everyone in this year’s CVO line-up.

The Stud's Duds

The Stud’s Duds returns again with the addition of a new FXRG leather mesh jacket and an HD-branded flip helmet. The convertible nature of the HJC-constructed Sun shield modular helmet plays a similar double duty role – comfortable both in the city or on the highway. The additional in-shield sun visor eliminated the need for carrying extra shields for day and night riding conditions.

This Harley-branded helmet proved to be much lighter and better balanced than my Fulmer flip helmet. Riding with the jawbar in the upright position doesn’t cause my head to wanna fall forward with the displaced weight, nor does it catch wind like a sail when trolling around town. In the full-face configuration, the channeling ventilation is rather remarkable, as cooling airflow is readily apparent. The simple looking, closeable venting system works.

The SunShield Modular helmet comes in a stylish black color (ever hear of it?) and retails for $325 (P/N 98211-10VM).

The jacket you see in the photography for this event is the FXRG perforated leather jacket with Cordura mesh-backed and reflective piped leather for strength and safety. It is equipped with CE-approved body amour in the shoulders, back and elbow, and comfort and versatility are enhanced with a removable kidney belt and removable Gore-Tex Windstopper liner.

The diamond plate-like ventilation holes keep your entire torso cool while riding, and the heat- and sun-deflecting leather treatment reflects away the sun’s rays and helps to keep you cool when you’re stopped. Soft and comfortable, the FXRG jacket retails for $625 (98521-09VM)

Short Course Recap
Model Street Glide Softail Convertible Ultra Fat Bob
Built York, PA York, PA York, PA Kansas City, MO
MSRP Base $30,999 $27,999 $35,999 $25,299
Production Run 3500 2500 3450 1300
Class Touring Touring/Cruiser Touring Cruiser
Features, Standard ABS/Cruise/Alarm/ESPFI ESPFI/ Alarm ABS/Cruise/Alarm/ESPFI ESPFI/ Alarm
History All-new for CVO All-new for CVO CVO Elder at 6 years 2nd year CVO





Dovizioso Wins At British MotoGP

Italian racewinner relied on series leader for early lines.

Dovizioso delighted with Donington win

Dovizioso delighted with Donington win

A maiden win for Andrea Dovizioso in the premier class could not have come at a better time for the Italian. Following three races without claiming World Championship points, a month in which speculation about his future has been debated and some tough times chasing a first podium as a Repsol Honda rider, the sophomore star gave an assured display when some of the more experienced names in MotoGP fell foul of the Donington Park conditions.

The first new MotoGP racewinner since last year’s Portuguese round (won by persistent 250cc rival Jorge Lorenzo) Dovizioso now has a huge weight lifted from his shoulders. However, whilst he may have looked confident when leading the British Grand Prix, things were still tough for ‘Dovi’ on Sunday afternoon.

“This race was very difficult. With these conditions the temperature of the tyres was too low, and the light rainfall for the whole race meant that it was probably the worst scenario for riding on this tyre. We couldn’t change the bikes either, so it was really difficult to manage,” said the Honda factory rider after an ecstatic celebration on the podium. He had led the race since lap nineteen, when reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi went in too hot on the Fogarty Esses, but the lack of a close rival actually made the final eleven laps harder for the eventual winner.

“Before Valentino crashed it was easy, because I just followed him; after that I needed to understand the track better,” he explained. “Wearing a light visor also meant that I couldn’t see clearly which lines were the driest.At the end Randy (De Puniet) and Colin (Edwards) were riding at 100% and catching me, which was difficult to manage. I think maybe for the last two laps I was pushing so hard that they couldn’t risk reaching me.”

And has the win changed Dovizioso’s goals for the year? Not exactly. Speaking pragmatically, he declared that “Today wasn’t a normal situation, so we still have to understand how we can use all the potential of the package. We still need to find some solutions.”

Sources: www.motogp.com

Gzil Zed748..............





Ride To Bsb On 20th July 2009





Labuan Black Eagles In Kuala Belait Part 2





Labuan Black Eagles In Kuala Belait Part 1





Labuan Black Eagles In Kuala Belait