Uwe Wachtendorf of Cycle Canada rides the Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight on the roller girls track in the quest for the ideal cover shot for their next month’s issue. The joining is a stretch and they admit it in the video, but my opinion is that, considering the way some of those women look, they should have used the FAT Boy model.
Full story
It is hard to believe that someone can take the Ducati Desmosedici RR and make it better, but it happened. This is the NCR Milona 16, a lightened, upgraded and implicit faster Ducati Desmosedici RR. We wouldn’t have believed it if the thing wouldn’t have recently been unveiled at the World Ducati Week at Misano.
The Italian tuning specialist has fitted the 200bhp MotoGP replica with a multitude of carbon fiber main parts such as the all-new frame and swingarm, rims, fuel tank, half-fairing, rear subframe, tail unit and front mudguard. All these, together with the titanium and aircraft-grade aluminum, reduce the bike’s dry weight to 319lbs (an impressive 71lbs less than what Ducati achieved).
Using performance Ohlins suspension and Brembo brakes, NCR’s M16 turns into a much sweeter ride. Although it doesn’t go significantly over 200bhp, which is the standard bike’s horsepower figure, the retuned engine is aimed at delivering a whole different rush across the powerband.
Claimed to be ‘world’s most exclusive motorcycle’, the NCR M16 will be built to order only and we don’t dare to think about the six-figure price.
For 2011, Yamaha has come up with a significantly improved workhorse in the form of the Grizzly 450 (which gets Electric Power Steering) and an all-new entry-level quad, the Raptor 125 (which is the ideal way to have fun in the dirt). The two machines complete the Japanese manufacturer’s four-wheel lineup, so click past the break to find out more about them in the official press release.
Full story
Ducati might not really think at building a single-cylinder naked for the crowd of beginners and motorcycle enthusiasts looking for an affordable and fuel-efficient two-wheeled commuter, but – as this sketch reveals – they don’t know what they’re missing. The concept, designed by Oberdan Bezzi and called Ducati Desmolight 450 is dedicated to all adrenaline junkies out there, so it should be sporty and versatile, just the way riders expect an Italian bike to be.
Using Ducati’s distinctive styling and an entry-level approach towards the bike’s every single aspect (forget the Brembo brakes), any bike looking like that as it comes out the Borgo Panigale’s factory could really make it in the real world. But in the end this remains only a very plausible concept bike.
Bikers from all over the world, especially the United States are now involved in motorcycle safety programs and very often we see their safety ads on TV. Some are based on inspiration and some not, so you check out the one belonging to the Alaskan ABATE program and see in which category it fits.
Turning a classic inline-four Japanese motorcycle into a modern custom doesn’t sound like the easiest task, but the results can be truly satisfying. Just take a look at this 1976 Kawasaki Z900 that Spanish custom builder La Perra Bikes recently finished.
At its base, the bike remains the same, so the low bars and black wire wheels, Ohlins inverted forks, Brembo radial brake calipers as well as the wavy Galfer brake rotors help bring it back through the living. Once there, the chopped exhaust should make sure everyone hears it roar.
All in all, this looks like a short way from classic to custom, but it is the black and gold combination that really makes a striking difference.
Here’s the trailer for Ducati’s history movie called “The Story”. The DVD was premiered at the World Ducati Week 2010 and it is now available at the Misano World Circuit, the Ducati Museum bookshop and Factory Store. Also, it will soon be available in Ducati Stores around the world and online.
A simple look at this street tracker is enough for one to think this is a rather expensive project bike and, considering the work and dedication that went into it, there’s nothing wrong with thinking that. But the truth is that Ken Fontenot and the crew at Cycle Sports in Houston, Texas started from a 1975 XS650 rolling chassis that was rusting outside their shop for the past decade and a half. They’ve restored it and used other parts from around the shop to turn it into a fully-functional motorcycle worthy of the checker flag. In the end, the project took six months and under $1800 worth of parts to complete, so it is a winner from the start. Just click past the break for the official description.
Full story
Having “smelled” the recent frenzy generated by the launch of the all-new Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré and Ducati Multistrada 1200, which come as direct competitors for the BMW R1200GS, Oberdan Bezzi decided to bring a fourth player to the game in the form of the Honda Africa Twin 1200. He so revives the Japanese enduro legend that was only produced with a middleweight engine (750cc) through the 1990s and up until 2003.
In order to make it on today’s much more competitive market, the new bike would have to develop around 140hp and rely on an extremely versatile chassis, just to start with. Comfort, good looks and many touring accessories should tip the scale in favor of Honda if they ever decide to revive the Africa Twin in the upgraded form demanded by today’s enduro standards. We believe Obiboi’s sketch marks the spot.
Turning the BMW S1000RR into an 8.49-second, 158.46mph quarter mile drag bike can sound like an immense task at first, but considering the German superbike’s incredible tuning potential and the ambition of Brock’s Performance, we are actually talking facts here.
This Beemer sends 203hp and 80lb/ft of torque to the rear wheel – a new stock bikes record – and we’re not forgetting anything when saying that the only changes made to this incredibly fast drag bike consist in external bolt-ons in the form of a full exhaust system and Dynojet ECU, BST carbon wheels, MacIntosh extended swingarm and lowered suspension.
The bike will compete in the AMA Dragbike Supersport class, but only after receiving nitrous injection. Hit the jump to see it in action.
