Motorcycle News - This CB750 cafe racer roams the capital of Pakistan
http://bit.ly/2miVnmF
The custom scene is virtually non-existent, because the import duty on motorcycles is a whopping 50%, and there are sales taxes on top. Which also explains why there are only about a dozen Honda CB750s in the whole country.
“I had no plans to make a cafe racer: I just loved the model as it is,” Haris tells us. “This Super Sport was a runner, but in poor condition. Most of the fittings were either broken or covered in surface rust.”
But when he couldn’t delay the repairs any longer, Haris found out that a stock restoration would cost too much—due to the poor rupee-dollar exchange rate. He decided to have it custom built.
Haris designed the bodywork (“using my horrible Photoshop skills”) and ZMS beat it out to the exact same proportions. Interestingly, the guys used the Golden Ratio to achieve the perfect balance of tank, seat and cowl.
The subframe is actually unmodified, and retains the original seat hoop— although it’s been detabbed to give it that smooth and sleek look.
The ‘sidewinder’ exhaust was custom-made in Pakistan with a stainless steel muffler. “Tuning the carburetors was a challenge,” Haris reveals. “So we built a custom airbox, mounted a single pod filter, and switched to a Suzuki GS1000 CDI ignition to make starting and riding more reliable.”
There’s also new wiring throughout, and an interesting starting mechanism: an aircraft-style toggle for the kill switch, and a starter button right on top of the triple tree. (“It makes starting her a joy every time!”)
There were no corners cut on the paint scheme, though. It accentuates the flat, free-flowing bodywork, with coach lines hand painted by an expert local craftsman. The frame and (original) wheels were painted black, and the deep blue tank and cowl make the raw metal of the engine pop.
“The cafe racer culture is just starting here in Pakistan, but most bikes are single cylinders and no one is venturing into the complicated world of big four-cylinders.”
Images by Saad Zia Photography. Motorcycles via Bike EXIF http://www.bikeexif.com January 30, 2019 at 11:09AM
MotoGP News - Morbidelli: Riding 2019 Yamaha MotoGP bike will benefit Rossi and I
http://bit.ly/2FWpDPL Franco Morbidelli believes riding a similar specification of Yamaha in the 2019 MotoGP season as his mentor Valentino Rossi will be beneficial for both riders Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport http://bit.ly/2uOa9Ei January 30, 2019 at 10:10AM
MotoGP News - Ex-MotoGP team boss and rally competitor Paul Bird gets drugs ban
http://bit.ly/2Sd2sX8 Ex-MotoGP team boss and rally driver Paul Bird has received an eight-year competition ban after he was found guilty of evading a drugs test by the UK Anti Doping Panel Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport http://bit.ly/2uOa9Ei January 30, 2019 at 09:40AM
Motorcycle News - BEELZEBOB. Madhouse Motors’ ‘Devil’s Advocate’ 1957 Indian
http://bit.ly/2FYElWx Written by Andrew Jones I have long thought that the original Mad Max is the best bike movie ever made. If you’ve never seen it, then do so immediately. And if you don’t agree with me, then clearly you are wrong. It’s pretty much perfect. Improving on it would be harder than climbing Everest in roller skates. But there is one thing I think just might up the ante on the original, and that’s setting it in a post-apocalyptic California in the late ’50s. And if you did, then Boston’s Madhouse Motors have just built the new movie’s star bike – their wild ‘Devil’s Advocate’ 1957 Indian bobber. Speaking to us from the bitter cold of a hard Massachusetts winter, Madhouse’s main brain, J. Shia, talked us through all their latest news. “The shop is still chugging along and growing. We are going on our third year in our new building in Boston. We are kept busy with antique restorations this year, which I love having around the shop. Personally, I’ve been lucky enough to get a lot of weekends off to spend time in the woods with my son which really helps balance out the life in the shop.” We asked J what on earth made her create a bike like this. “That’s pretty hard to answer. I was inspired by the pre and post WWII machines, English bobbers and old steam trains.” You had us a WWII, J. The donor bike was a ‘Royal Enfield Indian’ from 1957. At the time, Indian sold two 700cc models with Royal Enfield DNA: the ‘Trailblazer’ and the ‘Apache’. After the Indian factory in Springfield closed in 1953, the company started importing English Enfields and rebadged them as Indians to meet American demand. This is just such a bike. “This bike was put into a friend’s basement in the 70’s. The basement was then renovated around the motorcycle, stranding it high and dry for 40 years or thereabouts. To get it out we had to carry it vertically up over a flight of crazy steep stairs.” That kind of makes your run-of-the-mill barn find bike seem a little dull, huh?
“I view her as older, dark and with worn-in features. She’s a lady who sits ands chain smokes on an old red leather chair.”
The creative spark for this bike stems from a narrative J had in her head since building her last project, an equally out-there BSA A65 with a pull start instead of the stock kick lever. “I viewed that build as a young, scrappy, British street fighting boy. This bike is his mother, whose character I felt I needed to let loose and create to honor the image I had brewing in my mind. I view her as older, dark and with worn-in features. She’s a lady who sits ands chain smokes on an old red leather chair while slowly turning her head as people walk by.” “The start of this project was from a handful of sketches I did after first seeing the bike in its stock form. Those sketches laid out the stance I was hoping to achieve. From there I set my mind to building a foot throttle and a hand shifter that ran through the tank. After the stance and performance concept was set we had to do a full top end, clutch and transmission rebuild. During this process I started to envision stretching the frame, and incorporating a ‘dual mono shock’ set-up. We then cut down the front end and triple tree.” After the rolling chassis was completed, the tank was modified to accommodate the hand shift and the exhaust routing was laid out. J and the team began adding parts that compliment the general mood and character of the bike. The foot controls are made from a salvaged mini bike triple tree and handlebars. And as you can see in the above photo, they have used a ‘Brannock Device’ shoe fitting gadget as foot rests. And it just gets better from there. “The seat’s first life was as a little red wagon steering yoke. An egg slicer with LEDs is now the tail light. The headlight came from a modified police spot light and the tank shift lever came from an old lathe that is set into an adjustable housing inside the tank.” “The hardest part was creating a machine that I was so emotionally invested in. The amount of parts that were fully made, installed, then ended up needing revision was more than on any other project I’ve worked on. There had been parts that were made and functioned just fine, but didn’t compliment the bike as a whole. Putting my pride aside to start over was hard, but also extremely gratifying.” And J’s fondest memory from the build? “It’s the feeling of growth and community I get when looking at this bike. During this build, I reached out to multiple people who I look up to either as fabricators, machinist, mechanics or creative minds. They all contributed to this project in huge ways; either by giving me private lessons in precision welding, machining, brainstorming ideas or even being hands on. The collaboration of all these characters makes this bike what it is. And being able to work alongside so many people who helped bring this vision to life makes me proud of the communal side of Madhouse Motors.” [ Madhouse Motors – Instagram – Facebook | Photos by Gretchen Devine and Stephen Canino ] Motorcycles via Pipeburn.com http://bit.ly/2LvgxJz January 30, 2019 at 06:21AM
F1 News - Formula 1: Mercedes set date for new car shakedown
https://bbc.in/2HGnvgz Mercedes have announced their new W10 Formula 1 car will have a shakedown run at Silverstone on 13 February. The private event will come before the official start of pre-season testing in Barcelona from 18 February. Mercedes have won the constructors' championship for the past five years, while Lewis Hamilton won his fifth drivers' title with the team in 2018. Other F1 teams unveil their cars from 11 February although Williams, Haas, and Red Bull are yet to announce dates. There will be live BBC Sport text commentary on all eight days of the two pre-season tests at the Circuit de Catalunya, which run from 18-21 February and 26 February to 1 March. 2019 car launches
#F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://bbc.in/OHg7x6 January 30, 2019 at 06:00AM
Motorcycle News - 2019 Ducati Hypermotard 950/950 SP First Ride Review
http://bit.ly/2DImSPC 2019 Ducati Hypermotard 950Editor Score: 90.5%
I’m pretty sure I could’ve ridden the new Hypermotard 950 SP like Ruben Xaus rides it, if only the Ducati press people had coughed up the technical info in the press kit a little sooner than right before our first track session. Ahh, now I’m reading about it on the airplane on the way home: At the front, Level 1 guarantees sports-grade intervention of the Cornering system and, at the rear, activates the Slide by Brake function to permit motard-style drifting into the bends. Level 1 deactivates the rear wheel anti lift-up function. Given its more specialised profile, Level 1 is not the default setting on any Riding Mode but can be selected by the rider via the ABS menu. 2014 Ducati Hypermotard SP Review 2017 Ducati Hypermotard 939 SP Review Or maybe I just wasn’t paying attention and missed this frame of the slide show? Dang, I had my Hypermotard in Sport mode in all three of our short sessions at Circuito Maspalomas, and never could get sideways into corners. In Sport mode, your rear ABS is still on (level 2 of 8). Probably just as well, really. Of course there’s wheelie control, too – DWC EVO – and it’s on level 3 of 8 in Sport mode. There’s definitely enough power in the new 937cc L-Twin; I saw a few guys hucking horn monos, but I only managed a few baby ones on the power where there were no photographers. No, really! I shoulda dialed DWC back a bit; every time I tried to clutch ’er up in second exiting a corner, the DWC would smack me rudely back down. Also just as well. You’re supposed to perform for the camera, but then you start chasing each other around, and, well… At least I felt like I was taking full advantage of the lean-sensitive portion of the Bosch Cornering ABS braking system up front: The tight little seaside circuito throws in a few first-gear corners. I don’t think I would’ve gone down all the way to first gear if Ruben Xaus hadn’t advised it, and I still probably wouldn’t have taken his advice if the new DQS up-and-down quickshifter/autoblipper and slipper clutch didn’t work so well. With no clutch to modulate, you really can rush in like a fool even harder on the brakes, and since those corners were so slow, I think I actually did activate the ABS a bit. Or that’s what my survival instincts were screaming at me as I braked what felt like harder than I should’ve been most of the way down to the apex. The brakes themselves are 320mm discs gripped by Brembo M4.32 four-piston calipers, which serve up plenty of power and feel along with just a hint of sponginess. If you’re getting the impression I was having more fun on the new Hypermotard (specifically the new Hypermotard SP) than a person my age should be allowed to have, you’d be exactly right. I felt like with another day or two to work out all the possibilities the addition of the new Bosch six-way inertial measurement unit provides, I could maybe someday learn to ride like the big boys. It’s fantasy, but it’s fun. Actually there are two new Hypermotard 950s: Exiting those corners in first gives way more thrust out the exits; I just have to leave my mechanical sympathy in the pit. While you’re trusting the brakes you may as well trust in the new DTC EVO system, which is based on an algorithm that ensures faster, more precise intervention. The DTC EVO interfaces with the Bosch Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), constantly measuring the lean angle and using it to accurately calculate the degree of intervention needed to ensure suitable rear wheelspin (according to the DTC EVO level setting). I kept whacking the throttle open harder and harder out of those first-gear corners, until I’d grab second gear (seamlessly again, thanks to the excellent DQS) still leaned pretty far over, then roll the gas to the stop or as close as my medulla oblongata would allow. In my last 15-minute session of the day, I think I finally felt the TC cut in to dial the power back and save me from myself. Or maybe I rolled the throttle shut? Who knows. The point is I didn’t soil myself. Which means I might do better next lap? What all those electronics do is simply encourage you to explore how much grip the tires at both ends have (more than you think), with a greater margin of safety. While truly expert riders might quibble about certain specifics, DTC and lean-sensitive ABS are the penicillin to road rash for the vast majority of us. Let’s not over-prescribe them. The biggest cost item on the SP is probably its Öhlins suspension pieces. I saw a few bumps on Circuito Maspalomas, but I never felt them. Even the second-fastest guy said he was happy with the SP in its stock settings, but we stiffened ours up a bit with more preload, compression, and rebound damping at both ends and felt immediately more confident and quicker, mostly thanks to dramatically reduced brake dive into those first-gear corners. Dangit, we were just getting warmed up on the Hyper SP when it was time for a long gourmet lunch. Super-light on its Pirelli Diablo Supercorsas, excellently suspended and heavily defended by electronic countermeasures… I can’t think of what would work better on a tight little track like Circuito Maspalomas – which somebody told me means “more pigeons.” On an even tighter track, you could go all foot-out supermotard style and maybe almost hang with the Husqvarna 701s and things. But then you can’t ride those to work every day or the dentist’s office. Ducati claim 114 horses for the “new” Testastretta 11-degree L-twin at 9000 rpm – four more than before. The engineers say they were really after the torque, which now peaks at 7250 rpm and 71 lb-ft of torque. The idea was they wanted more midrange power and a broader spread of it, along with smoother throttle response. It feels like they succeeded in all departments: 80% of that torque is supposedly available at just 3,000 rpm, and 88% of it between 5 and 9,000 rpm. We got there using new pistons with a 13.3:1 compression ratio (previously 12.6:1), new exhaust cams and a new exhaust system exhaling through a pair of underseat mufflers. Thanks to lightened clutch and alternator covers, a lighter gear shift drum, an aluminum chain tensioner and magnesium cam covers – they even managed to lighten the engine 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg), and the whole bike by a claimed 8.8 lbs (4 kg). Ducati claims a curb weight of 440 pounds, with a full fuel load of 3.8 gallons. At 3000 rpm, throttle response is pretty smooth in Touring mode but slightly abrupt on-off in Sport. But it’s so creamy and linear above 4-5000 in both modes, where the 939 clearly wants to run, I don’t think anybody will complain. Touring mode dials throttle response back slightly even though you get 100% power; Sport mode really puts the spurs into the bike, but still smoothly. Along with the new 53mm Mikuni throttle bodies, a new computer has completely revised fuelling maps, which is probably the biggest difference in the way the bike behaves itself now. In spite of Ducati calling it a “hooligan” bike. I’ve loved small-block Ducatis since the 748. This one’s 937cc, but its shorter gearing compared to a 1260 Ducati simply means you get to listen to it rip up toward its 10k redline way more often as you go about your business. Hypermotard 950: The Base ModelRight, after our leisurely gourmet lunch, we hopped on the base model, with its 45mm Marzocchi fork and Sachs rear shock, heavier wheels and no quickshifter, and headed off into the mountains. These suspenders give a bit less wheel travel than the SP items and a shorter wheelbase, and I was shocked I tell you, shocked, at how well they worked on the sometimes bumpy but mostly smooth and twisty Gran Canarian backroads. Though less than the SP, we’ve still got 170 and 150mm of wheel travel, and excellent control of both 120/70 ZR17 and 180/55 ZR17 Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tires. (The SP gets the Diablo Supercorsa SP.) Super smooth, super supple, but well in control of the bike however roughly you try to abuse it. For it being a hooligan supermotard, this one’s also way more humane than the last Hypermotard I rode. Both models’ seats are wider and thicker, and both will let you tear up backroads longer with less bodily fatigue. Both bikes share a new steel trellis frame with varied tubing thicknesses, which reduces weight by 2.2 lbs compared to the previous model. The frame is connected to a new also-steel tubular subframe, and Ducati put much effort into making the bike slimmer between the legs, not only for sportier riding but also to soothe the fears of short people. The SP seat is supposed to be 20mm higher, at 35 inches, than the base bike, but your 30-inch inseamed correspondent balances precariously from tiptoe to tiptoe on both of them, and the tallness of both bikes is my only real complaint in spite of the newfound narrowness. Okay, that and the side stand seems too short, which makes it even more awkward to get on and off of if you’re sawn off. Okay, that and we need someone to better translate for Ducati the term “hand guards”: They’re for bashing into things, not for mounting turn signals to. The tapered aluminum handlebar they’re attached to, though, is slightly reshaped and plays a big part in the new Hyper’s superb ergonomic layout. The wide bar not only gives excellent control over your front wheel, its shape makes for a sweet ride in cruise mode. Even though there is no cruise control. With its new seat, suspension and ergos, a little sporty touring wouldn’t be out of the question at all, and that’s not something you’d ever have said about the original Hyper – or any bike with “motard” in its descriptor. Where the original really did feel like a stiff, powerful road-legal dirtbike, this Gen 3 version can do everything the old one did and more, and it’s a really pleasant, civilized little motorcycle when you don’t feel like being a “hooligan.” The Hyper sort of fills a unique niche in the motoworld: The KTM Duke 790 might be close to it in terms of performance if not in torque output and style. I mean, it hasn’t even got a beak, man. Where the KTM exudes ruthless efficiency, the Ducati says let’s party Italiano, and if you were fashionable you’d definitely need the SP and its added bling, lighter wheels and gold accouterments. If you’re into the Hyper and money is an object, however, the base 950 shares the same engine, its less expensive suspension is also excellent, and the main item I’d miss from the SP – the DQS quickshifter – is a plug-and-play option. Even without it, I experienced zero missed shifts or false neutrals in this 950’s gearbox. Both 950s are just stupid-fun little motorcycles (medium-sized, actually) that sort of challenge you to be a better rider every time you get on. If you can get on. Sorry, short people. I hate to come off like such a shill all the time, but lately I’ve been to mostly Triumph and Ducati new model introes, and those two companies in particular are off the hook AF, as the kids say. How ironic Triumph didn’t exist when I broke into the biz, and the hippest Ducati at the time was the Paso 750. KTM too. All those companies are young and hungry, and it shows in the motorcycles they build. The Hypermotard has a lot of wild oats to sow, and you’re invited to ride along. I’m down for as long as I can swing a hip over it. I think the Hyper took about ten years off me.
Motorcycles via Motorcycle.com http://bit.ly/2ComzZy January 29, 2019 at 06:55PM
Motorcycle News - Helmet Communicators Buyers Guide
http://bit.ly/2sXYXW5 As motorcycle technology continues to progress, so too have motorcycle helmet communicators. We have Bluetooth ranges that continue to increase, voice prompts, group intercoms, mesh technology, apps, and more. It’s fair to say that two major players have dominated the Bluetooth helmet communicator game, for motorcycle helmets at least. Sena and Cardo have wide ranges of offerings for all sorts of applications, though they’re not the only ones out there. Considering all of the products currently on the market, we’ve put together a helmet communicators buyer’s guide to help you decide which units will work best for you. Cardo PackTalk BoldEvans Brasfield recently put the PackTalk Bold to the test and came away pleasantly surprised with how the system performed. Evans is our resident Bluetooth communicator specialist, having tested nearly all of the units to come out for at least the last 75 years. Evans’ full review of the Cardo PackTalk Bold gives a great in depth review of the system and what it’s like using it out in the streets. MO Tested: Cardo Systems PackTalk Bold To summarize for this list’s purpose, some of the features that stood out as working well to my esteemed colleague were the Dynamic Mesh Communication (DMC), next-gen voice controls, and the overall audio quality. Cardo’s DMC technology has been around for a while now and has grown more and more popular with other manufacturers jumping on board. In both Evans’ and my tests, Cardo’s DMC technology works well and doesn’t drain battery life like other units. Cardo has also put an emphasis on voice controls, allowing riders to keep their hands firmly planted on those grips. Once you have Cardo’s specific idiosyncrasies memorized, using the voice commands becomes second nature when using the PackTalk Bold. Brasfield gave the PackTalk Bold the nod for having the best audio quality he had used in a Bluetooth headset. Cardo’s top three units: the PackTalk Bold, PackTalk Slim, and Freecom 4+ all now use JBL audio which we hope is even better than before. The Cardo Systems PackTalk Bold retails for $339.95. Cardo’s PackTalk Bold Bluetooth communicator is available from Amazon and other retailers. Cardo PackTalk SlimThe Cardo PackTalk Slim has all of the features of its larger brother, yet is separated into two parts to keep the system slim on the side of your helmet. At the rear, the PackTalk Slim’s battery connects to the back of the helmet’s shell while the slim control module connects in the normal position on the side. With the supplied mounting hardware, the Slim should be mostly universal across all helmet manufacturers. As with the Bold, the Slim can be used with the same laundry list of voice controls which means you’ll rarely need to take your hands off of the bars to use it. DMC technology, JBL audio, and all of the other features included on the Bold, are included on the Slim. The Cardo PackTalk Slim retails for $339.95. Cardo’s PackTalk Slim Bluetooth communicator is available from Amazon and other retailers. Cardo Freecom 4+Cardo Systems’ new Freecom 4+ joins its Freecom line at the head of the pack, offering premium features at a mid-level price point. The Freecom 4+ uses JBL audio components, like the PackTalk systems, which should deliver great sound quality considering the systems we have used previously have worked very well. The overall package of the Freecom 4+ is compact and well designed for use with gloves. Key features of the Freecom 4+ are its universal connectivity to other brands, audio sharing to listen to the same music with a passenger, call to intercom which allows merging of phone calls into intercom conversations, as well as the ability to charge the unit while you ride, among other standard features. The Cardo Systems Freecom 4+ retails for $249.95. Cardo’s Freecom 4+ Bluetooth communicator is available from Revzilla and other retailers. Sena 30KThe Sena 30K is the brand’s top-o-the-line Bluetooth communicator designed for motorcycle helmets. The 30K takes all of the features from the 20S and crams them into a newer, blacker package with the addition of Sena’s new Mesh Intercom technology. Sena’s mesh network allows you to connect with up to 16 other riders in Private mode, which allows riders to come in and out of the network based on distance without disconnecting other riders. Sena isn’t the first to use this technology but we were happy to see it included on the new 30K headset. MO Tested: Sena 30K Communicator The 30K uses Bluetooth 4.1 technology, allows audio multitasking such as listening to music and chatting, voice commands, intercom, and its advanced noise control also reduces the effects of ambient noise on conversations. During out testing, using the Mesh Intercom severely reduced battery life and only delivered approximately a half mile range (in line-of-sight conditions) from the system which claims 1 – 1.2 miles. Additionally, software issues such as volume surges and a lackluster success rate using voice commands led our ringleader Evans Brasfield to conclude his review with an, “I can’t recommend the Sena 30K,” remark and as someone using and testing the system with him, I agree. Sena’s 30K Bluetooth communicator is available from Amazon and other retailers. Sena 20S EVOThe Sena 20S EVO has been on the market for some time now. It has received praise from many. Both Evans and myself have used these systems extensively and continue to view them as a great option for those in the market. With the EVO, Sena has built upon its successful 20S platform with slight physical changes to the unit and an increase in range. MO Tested: Sena 20S EVO Motorcycle Bluetooth Communication System Review The Sena 20S EVO uses Bluetooth 4.1 technology, offers an eight-way intercom with a claimed range of 1.2 miles as well as audio multi-tasking, universal (brand) intercom, some voice commands, and advanced noise control via the ambient microphone. For the a full look at the Sena 20S EVO, check out Brasfield’s comprehensive review here. Sena’s 20S EVO Bluetooth communicator is available from Amazon and other retailers. Sena SMH10RThe Sena SMH10R is Sena’s super slim offering to the market for riders looking for less bulk and a more streamlined Bluetooth communicator. Again, the SMH10R is a time-tested unit that many riders have used over the years. Features include universal intercom, four-way intercom, voice-prompts, Bluetooth music control, multi-tasking with GPS and phone, music control among others. The SMH10R can be used while charging, and similar to the PackTalk Slim from Cardo, the battery on this unit is meant to be positioned on the rear of the helmet with the control buttons on the side. The Sena SMH10R retails for $219.00. Sena’s SMH10R Bluetooth communicator is available from Amazon and other retailers. Sena Momentum HelmetOf course there’s another option completely should you not feel like installing anything and find yourself in need of a helmet: enter the Sena Momentum Bluetooth integrated helmet. The Sena Momentum uses the same technology of the 20S system and neatly integrates the tech into its proprietary helmet. Most importantly, this allows Sena to really fine-tune they way their communication system interfaces with the user and the helmet. The Momentum works well, but there may still be some tweaking that needs to be done to make this offering viable for everyone. Check out my full review of the helmet for all of the details. The Sena Momentum helmet retails for $449.00. MO Tested: Sena Momentum Helmet The Sena Momentum Bluetooth-integrated helmet is available from Revzilla and other retailers. Interphone TourThe Cellularline Interphone line may not be as much of a household name for motorcyclists as Sena or Cardo, but the Interphone Tour offers many of the same features found in other units on the market. The Tour model will allow up to four motorcyclists to communicate and is easily paired to any Bluetooth enabled smartphone or GPS for navigation or just listening to music. This unit is completely waterproof (IP67), and Interphone claims the Tour can be quickly charged thanks to its Fast Charge technology. As with other units, the Tour can be used with a few different voice commands, can be paired universally between brands, and allows users to reconnect seamlessly should they be seperated. The Tour has a claimed range of just under one mile and retails for $304.95. The Cellularline Interphone Tour Bluetooth communicator is available from Revzilla and other retailers. UCLEAR Motion InfinityUCLEAR’s Motion Infinity is another outlier in the market but packs a substantial list of features into its sharp angular chassis. The Motion Infinity uses Bluetooth 5.0 technology, an on-board accelerometer, its own Dynamesh mesh intercom system, and Gesture Control navigation to bring state-of-the-art technology to the helmet communicator market. The USAFE accelerometer is used to detect and measure hard impacts and, if the rider is unresponsive, can alert emergency services and send GPS coordinates (if the phone is connected). UCLEAR claims its Dynamesh was the first mesh intercom to hit the market and can be connected with mesh and non-mesh devices and auto-reorganizes as the group moves around to maintain connection. Gesture Control uses a sensor beam to allow simple hand gestures to perform basic tasks such as volume control, and pausing and restarting music without the user actually needing to touch the unit, helpful for those riding with thick gloves in cold temperatures. The Motion Infinity also uses the on-board accelerometer to determine when you may have set your helmet down and not turned off the unit, and can shut itself down to save battery life. Other features such as voice command including Siri and Google, universal connecting, private vs group intercom, music sharing and more are included with the Motion Infinity. Range is claimed to be just three quarters of a mile and this unit retails for $274.95. The UCLEAR Motion Infinity Bluetooth communicator is available from Amazon and other retailers. We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works. The post Helmet Communicators Buyer’s Guide appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Motorcycles via Motorcycle.com http://bit.ly/2ComzZy January 29, 2019 at 02:24PM
Motorcycle News - Harley-Davidsons Electric Urban Mobility Concept Videos
http://bit.ly/2sRj1tn During a little downtime at the X Games in Aspen, Colorado, H-D took the opportunity to show just how functional its two new “electric urban mobility concepts” are – the ones it showed at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago, and which our man Dennis wrote up here. Jackson “Jacko” Strong is an X-Games freestyle MX gold medalist, among other things, who seems to be quite impressed with the as-yet-unnamed mountain bike-looking ebike, which really isn’t technically an ebike at all as it has no pedals?
Anyway, what we called “Concept 1” seems to lie somewhere between ebike and KTM Freeride – and whatever it is it looks like a blast to ride, as well as entirely unthreatening even for people who’ve never ridden a motorcycle. Also unthreatening for the ecosystem, which is hugely important to many in the intended demographic. Concept 2, ridden by X Games host and former pro snowboarder Jack Mitrani, is an even simpler device not dissimilar in form to the Briggs & Stratton scooters some of us grew up with as kids. Except for the high-tech looking DRLs and things on this prototype. Wait, the scooter in the opening part of the vid has a light; the one Jack actually rides does not. Concept 2 is still in a state of flux, then, while Concept 1 is looking nearly production-ready. At the CES show, Harley-Davidson said they’ll go into production in 2021 and 2022. Why not? The ebike market is red hot right now. (I’m still waiting for my Yamaha test unit, of which Yamaha claims to have none since they’re selling so fast.) On a day when Harley’s stock is down another 6% due to disappointing earnings, it’s past time for The Motor Company to start thinking outside the box. I for one would love to see H-D lead the way into all kinds of clean vehicles just for the sheer irony of the thing. Good luck Harley! The post Harley-Davidson’s Electric Urban Mobility Concept Videos appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Motorcycles via Motorcycle.com http://bit.ly/2ComzZy January 29, 2019 at 01:56PM
MotoGP News - Lorenzo: Honda team-mate Marquez is test like rookie year vs Rossi
http://bit.ly/2WsPKmn Jorge Lorenzo says he will face "the same situation" against Marc Marquez at Honda as he did when he partnered Valentino Rossi at Yamaha as a MotoGP rookie... Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport http://bit.ly/2uOa9Ei January 29, 2019 at 10:06AM
Motorcycle News - Project Primo – Thracian Honda CB750
http://bit.ly/2B9wiCd Thracian workshop owners Plamen Nikolov and Miroslav Vulkov say they “build bikes without compromise” and their Primo Honda CB750 is proof. Despite sourcing a solid donor from Germany the pair stripped the bike down to the last bolt and thoroughly inspected everything. Any items showing signs of wear were replaced and anything that was deemed superfluous was set aside. Their vision for the Honda CB750 was a light, stripped back cafe racer, so the rebuild began with a nip and tuck of the subframe. The new rear loop incorporates a multifunction LED light strip and supports a svelte custom made saddle. The whole bike sits low and level thanks to the revised suspension which was rebuilt using modern Honda components. To slightly increase the bikes footprint the boys designed and fabricated new triple clamps which cleverly house a Motogadget Motoscope Mini speedometer. The entire brake system now utilises Brembo components and the wheels are wrapped in performance focused Bridgestone rubber. Looking good is great, but reliability is the key when building a bike you hope to establish a business on. So to make sure the Honda would continue to perform as it should all of its wiring has been replaced. At the core of the new system is a brand new Motogadget M.Unit Blue that features some fancy Bluetooth connectivity, including the ability to start the bike with your mobile. The bar end signals are also Motogadget items along with the grips and switches. The engine tune was also carefully considered during the rebuild. After calculating they’d shaved a whopping 25kg from the bike the inline four was going to be much more sprightly. So to add just a little extra zing they freed up the airflow with a custom made filter box and a 4-into-2 stainless steel exhaust system. As for the paint on their first Honda CB750 cafe racer, Thracian wanted a subtle scheme that was still striking enough to stop people in their tracks. As a result, the predominately black scheme is broken up by the bold burgundy leather of the saddle and an eye-catching paint effect on the tank. The unique paint process creates a holographic effect that reveals a multitude of Honda emblems as light passes over the tank, which I hope becomes a trademark of the Thracian portfolio. No build is complete without a proper shakedown and Thracian did exactly that. After around 100 km in the saddle and plenty of fine-tuning, they were happy that the Primo Honda CB750 cafe racer was ready for sale. It’s now available on their website so if you’re in the area and are looking for a custom that won’t let you down, I’d suggest you give them a call. Motorcycles via Return of the Cafe Racers http://bit.ly/2TaWClU January 29, 2019 at 06:40AM |
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