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Motorcycle News - 2019 Honda CB650R Review – First Ride
http://bit.ly/2JSfZQb 2019 Honda CBR650REditor Score: 87.25%
During our time in and around Palm Springs, CA, we had the chance to test not only the CBR650R, but also Honda’s new naked, the CB650R. The naked 650R shares many of the same functional components from the fully faired 650, but along with its aluminum handlebar, it has attitude and handling all its own. 2019 Honda CBR650R Review – First Ride For 2019, the CB650 has gained an R, dropped the F, and received new clothes that slot it in line perfectly next to the CB1000R and CB300R with what Honda calls Neo Sports Cafe styling. We’re fans. Not only are we fans of the styling, but also we love naked bikes with their upright standard bike ergos. It’s like having your cake and eating it too. The CB has a slightly more aggressive riding position than last year’s F model – as is the case with the CBR650R versus the previous F model – but for me, I feel the CB650R puts the rider in just the right position to attack canyon roads while still being all day comfortable. 
Check out the “lustrous nanopigment paint.” “The CB650R’s dual-layer candy paint is applied with a nanopigment clear coat on top of a base coat. Aluminum flakes in the base coat give this paint a shimmering look.” The CB shares the chassis developments with the CBR. These changes put the handlebar slightly more forward and lower, with footpegs slightly higher and further back. Thankfully, the CB doesn’t fall into the awkward place we worried about ergonomically for the CBR650R. The CB, ergonomically, feels near perfect for my 5’8” self. The bar puts you in an upright but slightly canted forward position, and the footpegs don’t feel unnecessarily high. With both 650Rs, Honda was able to cut weight. The standard CB is said to be 9.2 pounds lighter, with the ABS model shaving 11.6 pounds from last year’s ABS-equipped CB650F. The frame, which is 4.2 pounds lighter than last year, the fuel tank (0.5 gal less capacity); footpegs, ABS components, and the new five-spoke cast aluminum wheels are all lightened. 
Honda says pull at the clutch lever is reduced by 12% thanks to the assist and slipper clutch. We say, it’s light AF, bro. The new lighter five-spoke cast-aluminum wheels get a bronze treatment which, combined with fork tubes and engine cases of the same color as well as the LED lighting throughout, stylish headlight, waterfall-style exhaust, and general neo sports cafe styling, ensure that the 2019 Honda CB650R will turn heads. Our time spent blasting around town, snaking through the mountains, and weaving our way through country hillsides left me on the fence about the two new 650Rs. They both look fantastic, but it was interesting how different they felt while sharing almost everything except for aesthetics and a handlebar.
The CBR felt like a more dedicated sportbike, not nearly as much fun on anything besides the twistiest of canyon roads; the CB was a lot of fun the entire time and felt like a bike that would be much easier to live with. Surprise. In the twistier sections, the weight bias of the CBR loads the front suspension, giving a slightly stiffer more planted feel while the CB’s seating position is more neutral. Despite using the same Showa components, the fork has a softer feel as it rides higher in the stroke. This also translated to a more comfortable ride around town. The only suspension adjustment on the Showa units is rear spring preload. 
The sleek LCD screen blends nicely into the dash area and styling of the CB. During our ride in the California desert we experienced everything from dry midday heat, to pouring rain and pounding hail. Both bikes share the 649cc inline-Four, which is quite smooth in the way it makes power. The engine’s smooth power build up combined with competent Nissin braking components, made the CB650R effortless to ride in adverse conditions. Because the power and brakes aren’t at superbike levels, it actually makes smoothing out inputs much easier. Wind protection is more or less non-existent on the CB650R, but it’s not much better on the CBR650 either. The claimed 447-pound curb weight doesn’t seem to help the bike much on freeways, as we still got knocked around a bit in the near hurricane-like conditions we experienced. There’s a fair amount of windblast happening, but that’s to be expected with a naked bike. 
Waterfall pipes cascading down the front of the CB, a CB400F homage… The same revisions to the engine for the 2019 CBR carry over to the CB. The motor receives a new piston shape, revised cam profiles, a slightly higher compression ratio, and optimized valve timing as well as an extra 1,000 revs, putting redline at 12,000 rpm. The airbox has also been tilted 20 degrees to allow for smoother airflow from the refined dual air intake ducts located under the headlight. Honda says the CB650R has gained a five percent increase in power above 10,000 rpm. The 649cc inline Four’s powerband comes on just after 8,000 rpm and lasts nearly all the way to 12,000. That’s not to say that you need to have the motor spun up to get around; scooting through town the CB650R delivers accessible power north of 4,000 rpm, too. Mostly devoid of electronics, the CB is available with ABS for a $300 premium, which also adds traction control. The two cannot be chosen separately and while ABS is always on, TC can be turned off on the fly via a dedicated button on the left-hand switchgear. 
The 2019 CB650R and CBR650R have both increased in price by $650 compared to the outgoing 2018 models. At $8,899 for the standard model and $9,199 for ABS (and TC), the CB suffers from the same pricing issues we mentioned for the CBR. The price seems a bit high for the amount of performance and when considering other bikes in the segment. I feel like the slightly cheaper price of the CB650R – versus the CBR – combined with the naked styling, put the CB in the spotlight for many. Not to mention naked bikes are all the rage these days! The 2019 Honda CB650R is an elegant stylish middleweight naked that can get up and go when asked, while still retaining around town manners. That makes it a great all-rounder buyers can be proud to show up to their local bike night on. 
Riders on the storm…
Motorcycles via Motorcycle.com http://bit.ly/2ComzZy May 31, 2019 at 07:25PM
Motorcycle News - BMWs C Evolution Scooter Could Get a C1-Style Roof
http://bit.ly/2WdQ1x3 BMW introduced a new generation of scooters when it debuted the C650GT and C600 Sport (since renamed the C650 Sport) back in 2012. Today, BMW’s “urban mobility” line has grown to include the C400X, C400GT and the electric C Evolution. What gets forgotten, sometimes, is that BMW used to have another scooter introduced in 2000 called the C1.
We’ll forgive you if you don’t remember the C1, as it only lasted a couple of years before being discontinued in 2002, and never made it to the United States. A big reason, perhaps, was its oddball design, with the windshield extending up into a curved roof. The seat had a back and a headrest and, if that wasn’t car-like enough, seatbelts. The C1 was an attempt to woo car owners as, in some European markets, the roof and seat belt meant you were allowed to ride it without a helmet. That’s likely another reason the C1 never made it to the US. While consumers may have forgotten the C1, BMW hasn’t, as a newly published patent reviews a similar design for the C Evolution. The patent, originally filed in Germany by BMW in November 2017, is for a modular design for the C Evolution chassis to be paired with a C1-styled roof, seat and rear storage area. The patent describes how the modular design could allow BMW to easily produce different versions of the scooter with or without roof unit. While the patent drawings depict the C Evolution, the patent’s idea can also be implemented on a scooter with an internal combustion engine.
Besides making it easier to produce, the modular design could also make it easier to repair either component of the scooter. The design could also be retrofitted to older models, so if BMW ever produce this passenger cell, current owners will have the option. Thinking even broader, the modular concept could make it possible for BMW to produce various other scooter designs by simply swapping out either section.
What’s interesting about the patent is that it also calls back to BMW’s first example of an electric scooter, the C1-E concept introduced in 2009. The concept, made seven years after the C1 was discontinued, applied the original scooter’s design with an electric powertrain produced by now-defunct brand Vectrix.
Honestly, we don’t think it’s likely BMW will ever produce this modular roof option for the C Evolution or any of its other scooters. There’s a reason the idea didn’t take off the first time, and consumer tastes haven’t changed that much. Still, it wouldn’t be surprising if BMW presents a concept as a study in different ways to improve rider safety.           
The post BMW’s C Evolution Scooter Could Get a C1-Style Roof appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Motorcycles via Motorcycle.com http://bit.ly/2ComzZy May 31, 2019 at 05:37PM
MotoGP News - Dani Pedrosa to begin KTM MotoGP test programme next week
http://bit.ly/2wsiAHQ Former Honda rider Dani Pedrosa will get his first full-blown test with KTM's 2019 MotoGP bike at Brno next week, Autosport has learned Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport http://bit.ly/2uOa9Ei May 31, 2019 at 03:04PM
MotoGP News - Espargaro: KTM's MotoGP engine now stronger than Yamaha's
http://bit.ly/2wrJxva Pol Espargaro says KTM's MotoGP engine is now stronger than that of Yamaha, after he passed Valentino Rossi "like he was stopped" during Friday practice at Mugello Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport http://bit.ly/2uOa9Ei May 31, 2019 at 11:33AM
MotoGP News - Miller's Mugello FP2 crash caused by 'f****** idiots'
http://bit.ly/2Wy8i7v Pramac Ducati rider Jack Miller says his Mugello MotoGP crash in second practice was caused by "f****** idiots waiting on the racing line" Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport http://bit.ly/2uOa9Ei May 31, 2019 at 11:03AM
Motorcycle News - Top 10 Motorcycle Camping Essentials
http://bit.ly/2MkMTuO I love camping. I’ve been doing it my entire life. My family would camp numerous times per year for most of my childhood and as soon as my friends and I had our licenses, we were out in the woods or at a lake in the Midwest enjoying the great outdoors more weekends than not. Once motorcycles took a stranglehold on my life, it was only natural that the two would be intertwined. From solo camping during long motorcycle trips to pitching a tent closer to home with friends, there really aren’t too many things in life I enjoy more than moto-camping. We’ve covered some of the motorcycle camping basics. Evans even brought us beyond the basics with a peek into some extra equipment to step up your camp game. One thing is for sure, not all campers think alike. Some won’t be caught dead without their espresso maker in the morning while others feel a tent and sleeping bag is all you need. I’ve tried plenty of camping gear over the years, used numerous products on the hunt for the best, and overpacked my bikes in silly ways during moto-camping trips. I’ve managed to slim down my pack considerably since those first few trips, but there are still a few things I grab every time. These are my top 10 motorcycle camping essentials. A Book
I enjoy reading books about travel while I’m traveling or camping. Reading Jupiter’s Travels while nestled into a hammock with nothing but the blue skies and rising redwoods in sight around you is a special treat too few have enjoyed. Recently, I’ve been on an Anthony Bourdain kick – RIP – and have brought his books with me during plenty of off-road camping trips to be read in the evening and mornings. Finding authors you can relate to while traveling and camping can add another layer of fun to enjoying their books. On a good camping trip, there should be some down time to enjoy your surroundings. Reading a good book outdoors, for me, is one of my favorite ways of doing so. Shop for Jupiter’s Travels here Headlamp and a Flashlight
I know what you’re thinkin’, but Ryan, if you want to pack light, do you really need both? No! No, you don’t. But I like to have both unless space and weight saving is a priority. I use a Black Diamond headlamp similar to the Storm375. This fully sealed waterproof and dustproof headlamp gives off 375 lumens at full capacity and has numerous settings for different situations. These include full strength in proximity and distance modes, dimming, strobe, red, green and blue night-vision, and lock mode. It also uses standard easy-to-find AAA batteries. I’m not sure why I learned of the usefulness of headlamps so late in life, but they are absolutely indispensable, more so even, than your standard flashlight. But I bring one of those too! I’ve had a Surefire Fury flashlight for quite some time now. The Fury is made from Mil-Spec hard anodized aluminum with a tempered window and O-ring seals making it light, rugged, and durable. It’s also capable of cranking out 1,100 lumens with its standard 123A batteries and an even brighter 1,500 lumens when connected to an external battery via USB. With two brightness levels, the Fury will let you conserve battery should you not need all 1,100 lumens while you’re prepping dinner or searching for wood. They ain’t cheap, but I dig it. Shop for the Black Diamond Storm375 here Shop for the Surefire Fury here Hatchet and/or Knife and Multi Tool
The Estwing hatchet I purchased maybe five years ago now has come in handy on many different occasions. Most of the hatchet’s duty falls to processing wood for the requisite campfire, but having a flat surface on the back, it can be used for hammering duties as well such as putting tent stakes in the ground. The Estwing Special Edition Sportsman ax is 13-inches in length, has a black finish with a leather handle and comes with a black nylon sheath. Made of steel, mine is probably due for some sharpening but still gets the job done every time. I recently acquired (as a gift) a TOPS Tahoma Field Knife. This monster blade has a plethora of unique features aimed at making it a versatile tool in the bush. The Tahoma Field Knife is made from high-carbon 1095 3/16-inch thick steel. At nearly 14-inches of overall length, as the Dundee would say, “That’s a knife”. It can handle chopping duties similar, though not as well as a hatchet, while also allowing for normal use as a knife in other situations. The knife is also designed to allow for multiple different holds, features a notch for scoring bone, breaking wire, or simply picking up cookware from a fire, and also features a pry bar at the pommel. If you’d rather carry a knife than a hatchet and still be able to chop wood, the Tahoma Field Knife is a great option. Multi Tools are great to keep around anytime, really, but particularly so when you’re out on a moto-trip. Leatherman is the name in multi tools having invented the game in the early ‘80s. There’s a Leatherman for nearly every purpose. The new Free P4 combines Leatherman’s variety of 21 different tools with the ability to use each single-handedly. At 8.6 ounces with a closed length of 4.25-inches, it’s the smallest way to fit a toolbox into your pocket. Shop for the Estwing Hatchet here Shop for the TOPS Tahoma Field Knife here Shop for the Leatherman Free P4 here Power Bank
Cue the old-timers saying they don’t need electronic this and that while camping. Whatever, man. I like to know I have some back up juice in store should I need it. Whether it’s your phone, a computer, or other gadgets that need charging, an external battery allows you to charge whatever you need wherever you are. The Anker PowerCore I’ve been using for the last couple of years has two USB ports and holds 20,100 mAh of juice which is enough for approximately five charges of my Samsung Galaxy S9. I’ve also charged GoPros and computers off of the thing while traveling. There are plenty of power banks on the market of varying price, size, and capacity, but the Anker unit I’ve been using has consistently performed without showing any signs of degradation. Shop for the Anker PowerCore here Hammock
Essential? Maybe not unless you plan on actually sleeping in it, in which case, it’s a small lightweight packable bed. The Eagle’s Nest Outfitters (ENO) hammock I’ve toted around the country with me is a Doublenest, meaning it’s big enough for two, and is made from 70-denier high-tenacity nylon Taffeta which is strong, breathable, and quick drying. There really isn’t anything like stringing up a hammock in the woods, laying down in it, and letting your cares melt away. I usually bring the hammock in addition to a tent and sleeping bag. Think of it as comfy camp furniture. Mine packs, with the straps, to approximately the size of a large grapefruit. Shop for the ENO Doublenest here Layers
Ah, the importance of layering. A good base layer combined with breathable lightweight mid and outer layers can help keep you warm dry and comfortable no matter what mother nature throws your way. A good mid-layer can also function as your jacket around camp. I recently got my hands on the REV’IT! Climate 2 jacket which is a high-tech lightweight mid-layer that also functions as a stand alone jacket. The Climate 2 uses Polartec Alpha, a material primarily developed to provide US Navy Seals with an active insulation layer that’s ultra-thin, lightweight, quick-drying, highly breathable, stretchy, water-repellent, packable and extremely warm, all at the same time. It has been fantastic under riding jackets and on its own around camp or while traveling. Shop for the REV’IT! Climate 2 here Chair
There isn’t always a chair available at the end of the trail and sometimes, it’s nice to have one. The Helinox Zero chair I use weighs only 17 ounces and packs down to a 14 inch long 4x4in square. The chair is rated for 265 pounds and is incredibly strong for how lightweight the materials are. The only downside to this model specifically is that it doesn’t put you far off the ground and if the ground is soft, the legs will likely dig in putting you hind end that much closer to just sitting on the ground. Helinox does offer a “ground sheet” that connects the four legs with a square tarpaulin of sorts so the chair won’t sink into the ground. Shop for the Helinox Zero here Water (And a way to carry it)
Making sure that one has enough water while camping and riding is of the utmost importance to your survival. Most often, I prefer using a pack with some sort of hydration bladder. Klim’s Nac Pak and Ogio’s Baja hydration packs are two of my favorites. They both offer a good amount of storage as well as having dedicated pockets for a hydration bladder and routing for a drinking tube. Of course, sometimes an extra pack isn’t something you want to deal with. In those cases, I’ve packed a large Nalgene bottle and made due. Sleeping Bag
I’ve been happily using an older version of the Kelty Cosmic 20 for nearly five years now. It’s lightweight, rated at 2-pounds 6.6-ounces, and packs down really nicely. I’ve slept comfortably in this bag in temperatures down to its rated 20º F. Not only is it warm, but it also breathes well and is comfortable thanks to the nylon taffeta construction. Packed with 600 fill Dridown, this bag will also dry quickly should it get wet. Shop for the Kelty Cosmic 20 here Tent
About the same time I picked up the Kelty sleeping bag I also got my hands on the Gunnison 2 two-person tent from Kelty. Rated for two, it gives solo motorcyclists the extra room needed to bring their luggage, gear, etc. into the tent with them or, with the rain fly up, you have two vestibule area for items you might want to keep outside of the tent. The Gunnison 2 weighs around six pounds and can be packed quite small. The easy to use lightweight poles make setting this tent up a cinch. A footprint is also included with the Gunnison 2. This has been my preferred tent over the past few years of moto camping. Shop for the Kelty Gunnison 2 here 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 Top 10 Motorcycle Camping Essentials appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Motorcycles via Motorcycle.com http://bit.ly/2ComzZy May 31, 2019 at 10:43AM
MotoGP News - Marc Marquez hampered by fever in Mugello MotoGP practice
http://bit.ly/30ZrYAv MotoGP championship leader Marc Marquez says he was held back by a fever during Friday practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport http://bit.ly/2uOa9Ei May 31, 2019 at 10:33AM
MotoGP News - Italian GP: Pramac Ducati's Bagnaia tops MotoGP second practice
http://bit.ly/30XRgiz Pramac Ducati rookie Francesco Bagnaia moved to the top of the times in second practice for this weekend's Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, ahead of fellow MotoGP newcomer Fabio Quartararo Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport http://bit.ly/2uOa9Ei May 31, 2019 at 08:33AM
MotoGP News - MotoGP Mugello: Honda's Marquez tops FP1 ahead of Ducati's Petrucci
http://bit.ly/2KhRkUC Reigning MotoGP champion Marc Marquez topped the first practice session for the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello ahead of Ducati's Danilo Petrucci Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport http://bit.ly/2uOa9Ei May 31, 2019 at 04:32AM
Motorcycle News - Piaggio Files Aprilia RS 660 Design But is it for the Production Model or the Concept?
http://bit.ly/2XjcaXk Perhaps the biggest surprise to grace the 2018 EICMA show floor last November was Aprilia’s RS 660 concept. In a market where middleweight sportbikes seem to be on the wane, Aprilia bucked the trend with the concept and its 660cc parallel-Twin engine derived from the 1100cc RSV4 and Tuono V-4. Aprilia is reportedly targeting a 2020 release for the production model, with spy photos of a prototype already being spotted on a racetrack. Adding fuel to the speculation is a design registration published this week by Australia’s intellectual property office showing a bike that closely resembles the concept. There are some subtle differences, but many more similarities: The overall design is similar, with matching frames, engines, fenders and fuel tank. The outer layer of the bodywork is nearly identical, but the inner fairing is completely different, missing the center cutout but adding a smaller opening where it meets the frame. Piaggio did say the concept uses an active aerodynamics system, without providing much detail. From the front view (below) we can see the layered openings between the bodywork, but perhaps the difference in the inner panel is part of this aero package. The front fairing is slightly revised, and the headlights are missing some additional LEDs. On the concept, this lighting was yellow, suggesting they may actually be turn signal indicators, but it’s unlikely that design would pass street homologation.
Other changes are more subtle. The design uses different wheels, adopting three Y-shaped spokes. The swingarm looks beefier and has a straighter shape than the concept’s banana-style arm. This also resulted in a different rear fender that sits further forward ahead of the swingarm’s bend.
The design also appears to depict a Sachs fork similar to the one equipped on the RSV4 RR instead of the Öhlins unit shown on the concept. The front brake caliper also looks to be a lower spec than what was shown on the concept. The top yoke also appears to be identical to the one used on the RSV4. The question is, then, is whether the design filing is for a production model or for the original concept? While there are differences from the bike shown at EICMA, there are still elements that scream “concept” rather than production model. A production model would also likely have a much larger exhaust to pass environmental regulations (remember, Euro 5 is just around the corner!). Smaller details like the footpeg mounts and the V-shaped fins on the tail don’t look like what you’d expect on a finished production bike.
The Australian filing was submitted on April 8, 2019, but it references a prior filing with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) dated Oct. 29, 2018. The EUIPO filing is currently still under embargo, but the October date would put the filing about a week before EICMA. Some of the differences between the design and the concept could have been late additions for the Milan show rather than for a production model. According to the reports from the spy photos, Aprilia was working on two setups, a track-prepped version and another set up for the street. The photos show a much larger exhaust that rises upward below the tail, and a chain guard on the left side of the swingarm, which the design filing lacks. The spy photos were captured in early December, about a month after EICMA, and if we assume it’s more reflective of what the final production model will look like, then it’s looking more likely that the design filings were from an earlier conceptual stage of development.
Either way, we’ll know more, likely at this year’s EICMA show where we suspect the production version of the Aprilia RS 660 will debut.        
The post Piaggio Files Aprilia RS 660 Design… But is it for the Production Model or the Concept? appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Motorcycles via Motorcycle.com http://bit.ly/2ComzZy May 30, 2019 at 05:39PM |
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