WHEN LE MANS LOVES LE WOMAN. Paolo Danese’s ‘MILF’ Moto Guzzi Le Mans MKII
https://ift.tt/2Hx5XDb Written by Marlon Slack Every year the Italians put on one of greatest motorcycle shows in the world. Dubbed the MBE, or Motor Bike Expo, the four-day event tackles every aspect of the motorcycle spectrum you can imagine. There’s enduro nuts, sports bike fans and cruiser riders all rubbing shoulders on the huge showroom floor. But the thing that really caught our eye was the incredible array of custom rides on display. And none were better than this – the award-winning Moto Guzzi Le Mans MkII racer dubbed the ‘MILF’ – a bike we’d love to swing a leg over. It’s all the result of one motivated madman, Paolo Danese, a 51-year-old motorcycle nut who lives in Verona in Northern Italy. While an obsessive for all things two-wheeled he has a particular soft spot for Moto Guzzis. And while he does incredible work it’s all a side project for him.‘So many people ask me where I have my workshop or my store,’ he says, ‘but that doesn’t exist. I just have a garage and that’s it’. And from that tight little space he’s managed to turn out this beautiful endurance-racer inspired Moto Guzzi, which was collected in bits over a number of years. ‘The bike started life as a frame from a 1978 Le Mans MKII I purchased from a friend ten years ago,’ Paolo explains. ‘But the engine, also from a Le Mans, I purchased online’. But his plans for the engine would have to wait until he’d finished with the Tonti frame. ‘I wanted to lighten it and make it more rigid,’ Paolo says. The first step was easy – everything was trimmed and shaved down and detabbed. But the work didn’t end there. The rear end was lopped off and a new single shock system was mounted to a heavily braced box section alloy swingarm. While up front, the suspension is similarly gorgeous. The racing MILF runs twin Magnesium Ceriani forks, right side down, mated to cast iron discs which get squeezed by Brembo calipers from a Ducati 851. Underneath all that the MILF sits on Campagnolo rims, and an Öhlins steering damper helps keep all the madness in check. And while there’s plenty more happening inside those forks and rear shocks, we’ll have to leave it for the moment. But take it from Paolo – ‘Believe me, there’s so much more I could list that you can’t see’, he says. What you also can’t see is the incredible amount of time and effort that has gone into the Le Mans’ engine block. ‘I had it extensively modified by a friend of mine, Lino Zenari’, Paolo says. Lino’s work took the 844cc transverse v-twin to just on 1000cc’s – but displacement is only part of the story. Hidden underneath those blasted engine cases are high-compression pistons, larger valves, rocker arms, strengthened valve springs, a whole bunch of CNC work, a clever oil cooler system, lightened flywheel, new 40mm carburetors, close ratio gearbox, new ignition system and 8/33 gearing at the back. Phew. It’s all carefully considered, high quality work. Just take the exhaust system for example. Paolo and local exhaust guru Pietro Fasoli from La Marmitta spent no small amount of time testing and fitting different muffler setups for the best results on the dyno. But they also had to look damn good. ‘We wanted something aesthetically pleasing and of a clever design but it had to also be functional,’ Paolo says. ‘After several attempts we managed to get the volumes and resonances correct which gave us excellent results’. The MILF is, without doubt, one of the most bangin’ Guzzi’s we’ve seen in a while. The combination of high quality components, the perfect blend of rideability and insanity and a no-expense-spared approach to the engine has us frothing. Hell, we’d like to see more 70’s mashup endurance racers being produced. Paolo agrees. ‘It’s the style I prefer the most,’ he says, ‘racing and especially endurance racing combines the highest performance with lightest weight materials’. Who can’t love that? “The MILF is, without doubt, one of the most bangin’ Guzzi’s we’ve seen in a while.” This lightweight MILF’s beauty hasn’t gone unacknowledged, with the MILF drawing plenty of accolades from its time on the floor at the Motor Bike Expo. The racing Guzzi even took home a few gongs, with Winston Yeh from Rough Crafts in Taiwan awarding it his own personal ‘best in show’. It’s high praise indeed for a home builder who doesn’t even have a dedicated shop – or even a website. Goddamn wish he did though. We need more MILFs here on Pipeburn. [ Thanks to Ferro Magazine | Photos by Mattia Negrini ] Motorcycles via Pipeburn.com http://www.pipeburn.com https://ift.tt/2r5KztS April 26, 2018 at 07:22AM
2018 Kawasaki H2 SX: What’s Hot and What’s Not?
https://ift.tt/2KlPmQK We already performed a complete road test with amazing video on Kawasaki’s amazing new H2 SX SE a while ago. But why let that stop us from revisiting the highest-ranked bike I ever raved about, with a 97.5% approval rating, and with the first engine I ever gave a perfect 20? HOT!
NOT
The post 2018 Kawasaki H2 SX: What’s Hot and What’s Not? appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Motorcycles via Motorcycle.comMotorcycle.com https://ift.tt/Xzx9iy https://ift.tt/2HVvOnU April 27, 2018 at 05:11PM
Custom Bikes Of The Week: 22 April, 2018
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Yes, you read that correctly. This is financial consultant and economic lecturer Jordi’s first ever custom. He’s not a seasoned bike builder, but he is a passionate perfectionist with a long history with bikes.
Jordi then started on the bodywork, which he transformed from sketch to wireframe and buck, finishing with a very pretty fiberglass fairing, tank and tail. Oh, and he had to teach himself how to do all of these things along the way. Unbelievable only scratches the surface with the ‘Darkus Madness 598 R’ here. [More]
There are some other old school nods thrown in for good measure, too. The rear brake is actuated by a thumb control, like the Brembo master on Mick Doohan’s Hondas in the mid 90s, and the seat was designed to echo Nicky Hayden’s from his days with the Italian marque.
Alta Motors ‘Crapshoot’ If you were fortunate enough to make it to the Outlier’s Guild Motorcycle Show in L.A. a few weeks back—or the One Show in February—this stunning little drag bike probably popped up on your radar. The Crapshoot is an all-electric collaboration between Alta Motors and local acquaintances that has us embracing our electron-fueled future like never before. Paying homage to the quarter-milers of yore, Alta’s John McInnis wanted to show that, with some ingenuity and zero electrical-engineering degrees, an Alta Redshift could go from rad to bad. Of course, that didn’t mean that the builders behind this weren’t valedictorians in other areas of expertise.
In total, there are over 100 man-hours that have been dedicated to this build and every one of them was worth it. Oh, and if you were wondering, yes they did cap the project off with one hell of a smoky burnout before it hit the show circuit. [More]
Fully street legal and showing only 4,100 miles on the odometer, I’m feeling a little tempted by this one myself. That’s because the 2007 Husqvarna 450SM that started on the bench was treated to a bevy of tasteful modifications.
This Husky rides on matched 19-inch Warp 9 wheels shod with Shinko tracker-style rubber. The airbox is long gone and the thumper now breathes through a Uni filter that sidesteps the custom undertail exhaust. It may not be the prettiest Husky we’ve seen around here but she’s damned fine in my eyes and the asking price is attainable. [More]
Designed to replace the ubiquitous rocking horse that most of us grew up with, Moto Rocker is a fresh take on imaginary travel that can be ordered in one of three flavors: cafe, brat or tracker. Regardless of choice, the Moto Rocker centers around a faux 125cc thumper, and has custom touches that echo many of the dream rides featured here. At €1,295 (US$1,590) it’s a very pricey piece of furniture, but if it helps the future of our sport, we’d say it’s money well spent. [More] Motorcycles via Bike EXIF http://www.bikeexif.com https://ift.tt/2JiSxqZ April 22, 2018 at 12:06PM
Z1 Beater! A Honda CB400F Tuned for the Track
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It’s great news for custom moto fans, but for builders, it makes it harder to stand out in the crowd. But walking around Mama Tried earlier this year, it was impossible to take my eyes off this track-inspired Honda CB400F.
“This 1975 Honda CB400F started life as a roached-out roller, with a motor rotting away in the Arizona Sun,” he tells us. “I always loved the 400Fs that Kaz Yoshima used to campaign, known as the Z1 beaters. So the motor was rebuilt around how he used to set them up.”
There’s also a Webco cam with an adjustable cam gear inside, the crank’s been lightened and balanced, and the rods have been shot peened. Other upgrades include a Dyna ignition and coils, and an oil cooler to keep temperatures down.
He’s done a number on the CB400F frame too. The subframe’s been shortened, the kickstand relocated, and the exhaust mount tweaked.
Then there’s that alloy swing arm, sourced from Framecrafters. It comes with adjustable shock mounts and two-position axle adjusters, giving Shawn control over his setup. It’s hooked up to a pair of custom built Racetech G3 shocks and the stock forks have been upgraded with Racetech Gold internals with preload adjusters.
Small billeted parts lurk everywhere. There’s a 20 mm race axle, custom lower triple tree, a new brake stay, new motor mounts and a cam chain adjuster. You’ll also spot finned engine covers, and a whole bunch of drilled out bits.
Though the front of the CB400F is dominated by an alloy number board, there’s an LED from Clearwater mounted lower down by the left side fork leg. Despite its compact size, it’s equipped with adjustable high and low beams.
For the bodywork, Shawn kept the CB400F’s tank, but built a new tail section. He started with a foam mold, then shaped it with six layers of fiberglass. The front fender and rear hugger are carbon fiber, made by Tannermatic.
Dane Utech handled the seat upholstery, combining Alcantara, leather and perforated leather with gold stitching. And everything that hasn’t been treated or painted is aluminum.
Now that sounds like fun for all concerned—unless, perhaps, you’re on a Kwaka and trying to keep up. Innovative Motorsports | Instagram | Facebook | Images by Mark & Linsey Otte Motorcycles via Bike EXIF http://www.bikeexif.com https://ift.tt/2r7p243 April 26, 2018 at 12:10PM
Endurance racer tribute: VTR Customs’ wild BMW K100
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Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki battled Italian exotica from Laverda, Ducati and Moto Guzzi, with the added danger of pit stops for extra fuel and fresh rubber. We’re unlikely to see a return to these exciting times—but there’s a resurgence of interest in the era, and it’s seeping through into the custom scene.
VTR caused ripples a few months ago with a K100 built in collaboration with the shipwrights Boesch Boats, but they’ve outdone themselves was this endurance-style street legal racer.
“I knew right there that our next ‘K’ would be an homage to the endurance racers of the 80s.”
The VTR crew are all 80s motorcycle kids, starting their on- and off-road racing careers in the neon decade. So they know how to tap into that vibe. In the VTR storeroom, they found an 80s fairing from a GSX-R750; then they located a tail unit in their cellar—along with a PVM three-spoke wheel set suitable for the K100.
“We wanted a 4-into-1 exhaust set as high as possible, a central rev counter with a white fascia, a Monza gas cap, and a 1980s paint scheme.”
“The original 80s plastic tail was also a bit too heavy,” says Dani. “So we cut it, making it slimmer and more modern looking, and matching the overall lines of the bike. And to make it look ‘lighter’ when viewed from above, we added a handmade alloy grille on top.”
The windshield on the GSX-R750 fairing was a little too overbearing, so VTR trimmed it down to a lower profile, which was also seen on some bikes of the 80s.
With 90 stout German horses on tap, the longitudinal DOHC inline four has plenty of grunt. It now breathes through a steel exhaust from Italy’s Unit Garage, with a titanium muffler and removable dB killer.
“Then we saw the Jaguar Racing F1 cars from 2000 to 2004 … and kept clicking back to them.”
“The only change we made was to turn the HSBC bank logo into ‘HSKC’—to reference Schmerikon, our hometown.” The ‘24h’ on the number plates is in the style of the original Le Mans Logo, and the green is the perfect match for the light gold powder coat on the wheels.
The good news is that it’s for sale at 26,500 Swiss Francs (US$27,000), and it’s road legal too. If you fancy adding a dash of the resurgent 80s style to your garage collection, give Dani and co. a call. VTR Customs | Facebook | Instagram | Images by PHOTOCAB / Andri Margadant Motorcycles via Bike EXIF http://www.bikeexif.com https://ift.tt/2HsN3Jy April 25, 2018 at 12:06PM
THE ONE AND ONLY. Emporio Elaborazioni’s ‘Solo’ BMW R50/5 Bobber
https://ift.tt/2HyJ0Qc Written by Martin Hodgson Over recent years we’ve featured countless BMW builds, crafted from models from the ’70s right through to the modern era. But there was a time in the German company’s history when there was every chance that not a single one of those machines would ever have seen the light of day. The big Bavarian nearly gave up on two wheels until they managed to lure engineer Hans-Günther von der Marwitz away from Porsche and dedicate a new factory in Berlin to Motorcycles. From near death, BMW bikes were back in business and the “Slash 5” series would be their saviour. So tasked with hand crafting a classic tribute to Bayerische Motoren Werke’s machines of old, Rome’s Emporio Elaborazioni took the little brother BMW R50/5 and created a vintage masterpiece known simply as ‘Solo’. When it came to the donor bike for such a build, the little 50 made a lot more sense than its more popular bigger siblings the R60 and R75. Dopz and the Elaborazioni crew was taking much of their inspiration from the beautiful R23 and R32, and a motorcycle of more diminutive proportions was a better match. While the R50 is also a rarer commodity, with only a quarter as many made as the other Slash 5s while still being from that crucial era when BMW came booming back in Berlin. For the team it was also a chance to shift gears in another way as Dopz explains, “After finishing new concepts like Cobra or Titano I had the chance to go back to bike roots because the customer from Sicily asked me for something purely elegant.” The client is also a trusting man, despite Dopz drawing him a number of sketches the word came back to just let the imagination run wild. The request was simply to start with a piece of “white paper” and from there the client would wait to see the end result. With a smile on his face, getting full creative freedom, Dopz laid out a simple battle plan, “I started from the word ‘Classic‘, I had an idea of it and I translated and re-interpreted it on this bike.” To get their hands dirty the Rome based shop started by removing the original parts they wished to keep and restoring them back to their brilliant best. From the front the forks and that exquisite vintage styled headlight were the first off the frame and up on the bench were rebuilt to factory specs. The lower legs were returned to a raw finish and this prompted the decision to create flowing contrast between black and metal throughout. The original hub operates like the day it left the factory, no easy task with lower production numbers meaning fewer parts. A new set of gloss black rims were laced up to the hub with Avon Speedmaster rubber leaving no doubt as to the classic styling they were aiming for. But at the rear Dopz had other things in mind, “I like to mix past and future.” To achieve this the now empty frame had its entire back end cut off and all new pipework bent and shaped before being welded on to the powder coated chassis. Dressed up with some polished plate the new top shock supports swing a set of modern YSS shocks for drastically improved performance and an almost ‘Plunger’ like look. Just like the opposite end a new black rim wears vintage rubber, this a T/T Classic but again there is another trick for the hub. To maintain the contrast both hubs are painted black on one side, with the plate and mechanical linkages on the other side left in raw metal. Now he had a roller that had the look he was after it was time for Dopz and the gang to make the visuals shine like no other. The new tank is impossible to miss and not just because of its mirror like finish. The shape hearkens back to the smooth lines of the Pre-war era and the black with gold pinstriping gives it a million dollar finish. But it’s the little details the crew are most proud of, the handmade brass and alloy cap that took many sleepless nights and the all metal badges that adorn the sides. “Now he had the look he was after, it was time for Dopz to make the visuals shine like no other.” Just like the bikes that had inspired the initial design, it was decided a solo seat was the way to go. Having previously cut off the subframe the stunning classic black leather saddle now appears to float on the twin supports that attach to the main hoop. But that wasn’t the last of the inspiration taken from the early R models; both front and rear feature tyre hugging fenders, the mirror finish applied to the rear and the black with gold striping on the front. All of the mounts were made in-house and an array of brass fittings compliment the other accents used throughout. Powering ‘Solo’ down the ancient Roman roads that span the Eastern coastline of the beautiful Mediterranean island, remains the ultra reliable BMW 498cc, air-cooled, flat twin that would disappear from the new Slash 6 line-up that followed. But in the little engine Dopz saw a possibility, “The valves covers are designed from the original ones, TIG welded and machined to have that retro but innovative look.” So pleased with the result he’s selling copies and the rest of the engine doesn’t disappoint. Machined velocity stacks, refurbished bolt-ons, stunning matte and metal finish, it’s all ready to do another million miles. Each one of which will be heard roaring from the stainless steel header pipes and very minimal muffling. The wide, raised polished bars make steering the Beemer a breeze and the inverted levers with brass accents and wrapped grips add extra style points. The big headlight remains, the built-in instruments and switches might be a nightmare to wire into the space but provide a simple nostalgic engagement missing from modern TFT dashes. But to keep the Polizia from getting bent out of shape, a 21st century solution was created in four custom-built LED indicators that do nothing to spoil the classic lines. There is something incredibly emotive about a truly timeless motorcycle, this one now a uniquely Italian Emporio Elaborazioni creation whose beauty will live on forever. Or as Dopz sees his artwork “for me it’s a timeless bike, I hope when I see these pictures in 20 years, I’ll love the bike as I do today, elegant like an actor or actress from the 40’s in a classic black and white movie.” [ Emporio Elaborazioni – Facebook – Instagram | Photos by Fabrizio Porrozzi ] Motorcycles via Pipeburn.com http://www.pipeburn.com https://ift.tt/2r6DlFY April 27, 2018 at 06:56AM
2018 Womens World Record Race: Circumnavigating the World on Two Wheels
https://ift.tt/2vTC3no Starting May 6, the 2018 Women’s World Record Race will see four women from four different countries compete to see who can ride their motorcycle around the world the fastest. The current record for the grueling 15,374-mile route for the fastest circumnavigation by motorcycle took only 16 days, 12 hours and 19 minutes. Can one of these four women do it quicker? Begin Release: SOMERSET, WI – April 25, 2018 – On Sunday, May 6, four women hailing from four different countries will embark on an epic journey to rewrite the record books. The 2018 Women’s World Record Race, organized by Urs “Grisu Grizzly” Pedraita and the Grizzly Race Team, will decide which rider claims the Guinness World Record for the fastest woman to circumnavigate the globe by motorcycle. Representing the United States is Kuryakyn dealer-direct representative and longtime powersports industry veteran, Faith Ahlers. The four riders will begin the endurance race simultaneously in their respective homeland, setting out on a grueling 15,374-mile route inspired by Pedraita’s 2014 Guinness World Record for the fastest circumnavigation by motorcycle that took only 16 days, 12 hours and 19 minutes. The women will navigate some of the most remote areas on earth without assistance from a support team or chase vehicle. The route winds through a total of 16 different countries, with planned stops at various checkpoints including Ace Café locations in Orlando, Fla., Barcelona, Spain, London, England, Luzern, Switzerland, and Lahti, Finland. Additional notable locales on the ride include the Tail of the Dragon, Paris, Gotthard Pass in the Swiss Alps, Moscow, and Seoul, South Korea, among others. Although the route is the same, each participant will compete on one of four different motorcycles selected for the event. Ahlers will be riding an Indian Chieftain Dark Horse, Swiss rider Isa Müller on a BMW S 1000R, Austrian rider Anita Fastl aboard a Honda Africa Twin CRF1000L, and Russian rider Tatiana Igushina on a Ducati Scrambler 1100. “I’m humbled to represent the U.S.A. on the 2018 Women’s World Record Race,” said Ahlers. “It’s an incredible honor to be selected as one of the four participants for this once-in-a-lifetime experience that not only promotes the female riding community, but also unites riders around the world. Our collective goal with this ride is to inspire new generations of women riders from all walks of life to step out of their comfort zone and follow their dreams.” In conjunction with International Female Ride Day, a Women’s World Record Ride launch party will be held in honor of Ahlers at Bison Thunder Motorcycle in St. Michael, Minn., on Saturday, May 5. Kuryakyn and Bison Thunder welcome riders from around the Twin Cities area and beyond for a day full of entertainment, storewide sales, food vendors and more. Attendees are also invited to return to the dealership early Sunday morning for the official send-off celebration at 7 a.m. CST, where they are encouraged to ride with Ahlers on the first leg of her race. For more information on the 2018 Women’s World Record Race, including live GPS tracking, rider bios and more, visit www.kuryakyn.com/c/womens-world-record-race. 2018 Women’s World Record Race: Circumnavigating the World on Two Wheels appeared first on Motorcycle.com News. Motorcycles via Motorcycle.comMotorcycle.com https://ift.tt/Xzx9iy https://ift.tt/2Jv92jQ April 26, 2018 at 12:40PM
2018 Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 First Ride Review
https://ift.tt/2jf1w1r 2018 Husqvarna Vitpilen 701Editor Score: 84.75%
It’s finally here, folks. The 2018 Husqvarna Vitpilen 701. Since its concept was unveiled at EICMA in 2015, the 701 has been a highly anticipated model throughout the world. From the farthest stretches of the internet, comments have asked when, if, and where the Vitpilen 701 would be available – with some giving up hope as to whether it was ever going to be produced at all. MO is happy to announce that we have had the chance to get the Vitpilen 701 in our garage and to test on our home roads. Although our time with the Vitpilen 701 was brief, we made good use of it. Husqvarna is making its way back into street motorcycles after nearly 70 years, but one flip of the Vitpilen’s key will remind you that the company has been “Pioneering Since 1903.” Though the company first shoved an internal combustion engine into a bicycle frame in 1903, its roots can be traced back to 1689, when the company was created as a weapons foundry. Fast forward to 2013 and KTM’s acquisition of the Swedish firm, which would give Husqvarna an ace-in-the-hole when it came to creating new street bikes. With its chromoly steel-trellis frame and 693cc Single engine borrowed from the KTM 690 Duke via the Husqvarna 701s, the new Husqvarna has a solid platform to build from. Let’s see if the Vitpilen 701 lives up to the hype. Get the Flash Player to see this player.
From Concept to RealityToo often we see new concept models unveiled at international trade shows sporting unrealistic bodywork, ergonomics, or materials. Usually, the first look at a wild concept motorcycle will garner initial shock and appreciation of the build, followed by a fleeting thought that maybe, just maybe, the production model will look somewhat close. But time and time again, production models rarely meet their wild concept’s expectations. Thank you Husqvarna for delivering a production motorcycle which bucks the trend. The 2018 Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 looks almost the spitting image of the model introduced to the globe at EICMA in 2015, save for the exposed air filter, neat looking exhaust port, and unfortunately, the dual rotors up front. Husqvarna hammers home its ethos in the Vipilen’s marketing material: “Raw and simple in form, but progressively modern in design and technology – this motorcycle truly offers a new perspective on urban motorcycling.” This statement is not untrue. The motorcycle is unquestionably modern in design and technology without being overly complicated. It has a fun single-cylinder motor and agile handling, yet its $11,999 MSRP makes me wonder if it needed to be this simple. Husqvarna reps nodded in agreement when asked if they thought the price would be an issue for the 701, simply stating the bike had to be priced as such to be sold as is. Modern Design and TechnologyAs mentioned previously, the 2018 Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 shares the same motor as its Supermoto and Enduro 701 siblings, which makes it a direct descendant of KTM’s 690 Duke motor. The liquid-cooled 693cc Single cylinder engine boasts a bore and stroke of 105 x 80mm and uses dual counterbalancers to smooth out the big Single’s vibez. On the dyno, the Vit pumped out 69.5 hp at 8,400 rpm and 48.7 lb-ft of torque at 6,700. One look at the dyno chart lets you know the motor will be a ton of fun around town and on twisty roads. With gobs of torque available as low as 3,200 rpm, the 701 will pull hard away from stoplights or hairpin curves. Fuel is also delivered smoothly via the ride-by-wire throttle. The seating position, which is basically that of a sportbike, also suggests the Vit will be fun in the curves but maybe not the best touring motorcycle. At 5-foot 8-inches, when I jumped on the motorcycle, I noticed the rider ergos felt surprisingly spread out, something that I got used to quickly and favored on twistier roads. While speaking of the performance of the Vitpilen 701, we should note all of the technology subtly stuffed into the Swedish machine. Traction Control and Bosch ABS are standard, as is the quickshifter/auto-blip downshift, and slipper clutch. Although the 701 uses only a single 320mm rotor with a radially mounted four-piston Brembo caliper on the front, stopping power is certainly adequate, perhaps because the Swede weighs in at 362 pounds – the same as the 390 Duke we recently tested. Traction Control was never intrusive and a welcome addition. Even better, ABS and TC can both be disabled via a secret button on the dash. The quickshifter works well on upshifts, however, the accompanying auto-blip downshift worked two out of ten or more tries. I had two perfect downshifts just by applying light, but deliberate pressure to the shifter, which was impressive. Yet every time after the initial two, I could hear and feel the engine cut the ignition, but the gearbox wouldn’t actually shift down even with considerable pressure on the shifter. You’ll also notice no sensor on the linkage of the shifter itself, due to it being housed inside the clutch cover on the shift shaft. Hopefully, these are just teething issues, as the bike we tested was a pre-production model. The 43mm inverted WP fork offers compression and rebound damping via hand-adjustable knobs at the top of the fork tubes while the rear shock, which uses a linkage, is adjustable for rebound and preload. Both front and rear offer 5.3-inches of travel. I was happy with the suspension, which worked really well on canyon roads, although it may be a tad stiff for pothole-ridden cityscapes. Information is provided to the rider through a stylish digital display just in front of the triple clamp. The compact LED headlight is a great figurehead for the Vitpilen 701 with its perimeter daytime running light adding to the motorcycle’s neo-café racer feel. The hydraulic clutch feels nice and smooth however, on the model we tested, we were unable to get more than two fingers onto the surprisingly short clutch lever, not an issue if you’re a two-finger clutching kind of guy. Husqvarna has delivered a modern and progressively styled motorcycle with the Vitpilen 701. With our MO fave KTM Duke 690 selling for $8,999 and the all-new 790 Duke on the way, will that be enough? From concept to reality, the motorcycle has stayed true to its original design aesthetic of minimalist styling with great performance. We here at MO enjoyed our limited time on the 701 and hope the motorcycle will appeal to buyers looking for a stylish, well-performing motorcycle. At $11,999, we will see if the price point stalls sales when models hit U.S. dealers in late May of 2018.
Motorcycles via Motorcycle.comMotorcycle.com https://ift.tt/Xzx9iy https://ift.tt/2HApi2x April 26, 2018 at 01:58PM
Ford Patents Car with Deployable Motorcycle
https://ift.tt/2jf1vup We’ve seen some pretty crazy looking patents, but this one probably tops them all. Ford has filed a patent for a car with a motorcycle built into it that can be deployed as a separate vehicle. It’s kind of like the Batpod that shoots out of the Batmobile in Christopher Nolan’s Batman films, but with a Ford C-Max. The patent application, filed Oct. 18, 2017 but published today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, describes an electric motorcycle (Ford’s wording; it’s probably more like a scooter which, like the C-Max, sounds a lot less cool) that is connected by a rail system inside the car between the front seats. The scooter actually makes up the center console of the car, with the seat serving as an armrest or storage area. When needed, the motorcycle can be deployed out the front of the car. The hood lifts up and actuators, either electric motors or a hydraulic system, releases the motorcycle. With the two-wheeler deployed, the rest of the car can be driven on its own, powered by either a rear-mounted engine or hub-mounted electric motors. Meanwhile, the gap in the car where the center console used to be gets closed off by a rubber seal. While still attached, the motorcycle can be raised so that its not touching the ground while the car is in use but the patent also describes a situation where the bike’s drive wheel can be touching the ground helping to propel the car along with the rear engine, making it a hybrid vehicle in more than one sense of the term. Ford doesn’t describe the two-wheeled vehicle in much technical detail, except to describe some amenities. The car’s infotainment system, for example, is part of the bike and can continue to serve as such when deployed, offering an on-board computer, GPS navigation, radio, and Bluetooth connectivity. Additionally, the patent describes the center console’s electrical system to heat the saddle. It’s unlikely we’ll ever see this idea come to life, but if it does, it won’t be anywhere as awesome as this: The post Ford Patents Car with Deployable Motorcycle appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Motorcycles via Motorcycle.comMotorcycle.com https://ift.tt/Xzx9iy https://ift.tt/2HOTBpt April 26, 2018 at 01:03PM |
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