The four-stroke replacement for 250cc two-stroke racing will be unveiled at the Grand Prix de France this weekend. It’s expected that the class will be replaced by 600cc four-stroke prototypes. The rules will be presented in proposal form, then considered by both the International Race Teams Association and Motorcycle Sport Manufacturers Association and should be finalized at the Catalunya GP on June 8th. The new rules could be implemented as early as 2010.

Despite heavy opposition from KTM and Aprilia, it’s expected that the rules change will pass. To allow those companies – who have significantly more experience racing two-strokes than four – time to adapt, its expected that there will be a one year moratorium on new teams entering the class, taking effect once the rules are implemented. Check back on Saturday for full details.

via MCN

By channeling air through a carefully designed sequence of chambers upon impact, RXR claims its Air Shock Absorber technology offers up to eight times the energy absorption of traditional back and chest protectors. Air flows out from the impact and then, directed by the chambers, doubles back on itself, dissipating energy. While this does appear to be a well-constructed, cleverly conceived product, the Morocco-based company offers very little actual evidence of its effectiveness, presenting data that lacks comparison to actual rival products. Nevertheless the ASA protectors are CE approved. Targeted at  supercross and motocross competitors, we can only hope that it works as claimed.

RXR

Vespa's Canadian agency, Dentsu Canada, has gone guerrilla with its Vespa S "Born to be Square" campaign. Throughout Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa and Vancouver, 324 of the towering monochrome wheatpastes have been plastered, populating storefronts, construction sites, walls and windows.

The concept for the overall campaign isn't original, with the traditional print, retail and web iterations feeling cluttered and a bit stale. That said, the 7-foot wheatpastes are hugely successful. Each of the Squareheads starkly stands out in its urban environment like some kind of quiet watcher, dripping with Freudian uncanniness.

via Creativity

Tucson just released this sketch of the BT550 Superleggera, its 100kg 550cc Aprilia v-twin-based sportsbike. Now in its fourth week, the project is developing rapidly. The French company has yet to take delivery of the engine, but is working closely with Aprilia to ensure that the chainline will work with 125GP-size wheels and an aftermarket slipper clutch, as well as determining the engine’s position for ideal weight distribution. Aprilia is also equipping the engine with a custom crankshaft for maximum power.

In addition to the Strawber solid carbon fiber wheels, Tucson has decided to use 37mm 125GP-spec remote reservoir forks and a Paoli shock. The final position for the radiator, underseat fuel tank and exhaust will be determined once the engine reaches the firm’s Nantes HQ.

We like the way the BT550’s minimalist, angular styling is developing. If the engine-to-bike size ratio is accurate in the sketch, this thing is going to be seriously small.

Tucson

By adding a finger-mounted control and wristwatch-like display, designer Martin Ruegg has brought a whole new level of control to filming on the fly. The camera itself is nothing new, but features a sleek body that’s both water and shockproof. It mounts with the aid of a strap, clip or suction cup and is small enough to go just about anywhere. We wouldn’t want to wear a ring while riding, but the record button should work just as well mounted on the bars or a bracelet. It’s that wireless control that really elevates this design beyond existing systems, fit and forget, clicking record whenever you need to. Another image follows the jump.

Following pro-bike comments made by VW Chairman Ferdinand Piech, rumors are swirling that the German carmaker is considering a move into the motorcycle market. The latest speculation offers KTM as a possible partner, with the two firms collaborating on a range of VW-branded bikes and maybe even a trike.

Previously only available on factory race bikes or the 2008 crop of race replicas, Bazzaz Performance is bringing traction control to the masses. The Power Commander-like unit plugs into the ECU of most popular Japanese sportsbikes and requires no additional sensors or hardware to be mounted. The system measures RPMs, throttle opening and gear position and can be adjusted to cut power when it detects that revs are rising faster than the programmed parameters. The system's cut-in point in is fully adjustable for each gear individually. For liability reasons, Bazzaz sell the system for track-use only, racers using it describe its effect on lap times as “tremendous.” The Z-Fi TC is legal in both AMA Super Sport and Super Stock racing.

Bazzaz Performance via Motorcycle.com

The reborn Indian Motorcycle is set to start sales of its new Chief by Christmas 2008. The Chief Standard will start at $31,000, with the Deluxe, Roadmaster and Vintage carrying price increases commiserate with their upgrades. All four models feature Indian's signature fenders and classic badge, and share the 1720cc Power Plus v-twin engine and its 100lb/ft of torque.

Indian Motorcycle via Faster and Faster

The Yamaha TMAX could be sold in the USA starting later this year, according to unconfirmed reports. And only yesterday we were saying how much we'd like to see it sold here. Word is, we'll be seeing them in the fall as 2009 models. We'll keep you posted.

via The Scooter Scoop

This new Arai RX-7 RR5 replaces the flagship RX-7 RR4 Corsair. The most obvious difference is the addition of a five-position spoiler between the top vents, but there are also new exhaust vents low down on the back and new tabs on the outside top edge of the visor, which claim to reduce turbulence and therefore wind noise. Other changes: a new Super Fiber shell that has 40 percent more tensile and compression strength; a composite interior that better adheres to the shell for even more strength; and a 10mm wider visor aperture for improved peripheral vision — all changes that will serve to make a helmet that was already arguably the best on sale even better. The RR5 will retail for ¥55,600, which puts it in line with the outgoing model. The usual range of solid colors and race replicas will be available. We'll be taking ours in black.

More pictures and a video follow the jump.

With hard plastic, ventilated knuckle protectors, all-leather construction and pinky finger reinforcement, the new Alpinestars GPX gloves feature race-level protection in a versatile short-cuff design. Gloves like this work great with scooters or for providing extra protection off-road. We even wear a similar pair when riding bicycles around town, where the GPX's perforated fingers, back panel and cuff really would be appreciated. Another image follows the jump.

The new Schuberth Race helmet will be radically lightweight and aerodynamic thanks to input from seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher. The helmet maker also claims numerous safety and technological innovations.

At the top of our Bikes We Can't Get Here, But Wish We Could list is the Yamaha TMAX. Wait, wait, hear us out. While we know this is hardly a race-bred supermoto or a monkey bike, the old model was possibly the most practical, comfortable and fastest in-town commuter we've ever ridden. The 2008 model shares its predecessors understated good looks, stable handling and cavernous underseat storage capacity; improves the stability and handling; and does this all while shedding 5kg. All this is largely because of the new die-cast aluminum frame, which is beginning to look almost like the beams found on a race replica.

Yamaha

Team Alstare Suzuki presented an E85-fueled GSX-R 1000 race bike at Monza this weekend. While it's unclear how the team (who won both the Superbike and Superstock races) plans to use the fuel in their race program, the point is to demonstrate its viability and move towards it being approved for race use. Some high-performance cars, like the Koenigsegg CCXR are able to make more power using biofuel than they are with regular gasoline. If the same can be made true for bike engines, expect to see plenty of teams make the switch once the rules allow it.

Alstare

AGV has just released a Giacomo Agostini replica Ti-Tech helmet. The new model is a modern interpretation of Agostini's classic Il Tricolore design and will be available in limited numbers. The Ti-Tech is AGV's range-topping helmet, as worn by Valentino Rossi.

AGV via About Motorcycles

Sources within MV Agusta have revealed the existence of an upcoming 675cc three-cylinder sportsbike. It's expected that a prototype will be revealed this summer, with a production model going on sale some time in 2009. MV will reportedly use the model to contest the 2009 World Supersport Championship.

via Visordown

Quite simply the most original motorcycle since the Wraith concept, NONOBJECT's nUCLEUS is set to turn the transportation design world on its head. Like the Wraith, it rejects the traditional constraints of a frame, fuel tank, engine and wheels, defining a form that's both totally original and immediately evocative of speed. (Update: a video follows the jump)

Husqvarna just unveiled two new enduro models, the TE 310 and TC 450. Derived from the 2008 TE 250, the TE 310 uses a bored-out version of that model's fuel-injected engine and an all-new 1kg lighter frame. The TC 450 is similar to last year's model but gains a lighter frame and wavy brake discs, as on the TE. Both models use Marzocchi forks and Sachs shocks. While both of these models are high spec and highly desirable, they aren't as revolutionary as the Husaberg 450 FE and its radical horizontal cylinder engine. More pictures follow the jump.

Craftsman's new 1470-piece Professional Toolkit just became the number one item on our Christmas wish list. Click here for a high-res image.

Sears via BoingBoing

To create the DH2.0, Derbi combined the accessibility of a bicycle with the performance of a trials bike. The 100cc engine makes 8bhp, while the entire package weighs just 40kg dry. The incredibly low weight is made possible by the use of an incredibly minimal chassis and exotic materials. The swingarm, for instance, is made up of tiny carbon fiber beams braced with carbon blades.