Hell For Leather

Goodspeed500 motorcycle revealed

2008-07-04T21:41:30Z

This bike, which combines vintage flat track style with modern supermoto performance, forms a key part of the strategy for the upcoming Goodspeed500 race series. Street legal and available for sale to the public, the race machine will essentially be Goodspeed’s product, with the urban parking garage-based series promoting its sale. Motivation comes in the form of a Yamaha 450cc single-cylinder engine, which is a fully stressed member of a custom tubular steel flat track frame from C&J. Goodspeed aims to bring the limited-edition bikes in at about $15,000.
]]> supermoto (it weighs 100kg dry), the style of a vintage café racer and the comfortable yet purposeful riding position of a naked sportsbike, Goodspeed’s bike sounds to us like the ideal motorcycle for city riding. Its creators are hoping to hold the first Goodspeed500 race next year; we have every intention of being there.

Goodspeed

Valentino Rossi grows a beard

2008-07-04T16:18:36Z

via MotoBlog

Happy Independence Day

2008-07-04T13:35:52Z

Ducati sales reach all-time high in June

2008-07-03T04:14:10Z

Ducati North America sold 1,410 bikes during June, a 22 percent increase from June, 2007. In comparison, US car sales slumped 18.8 percent during the same month. Motorcycle and scooter sales are reaching a 20-year high in America despite the economic recession. Anecdotal evidence from dealership-owning friends suggests that many people who’ve always toyed with the idea of purchasing a bike are using high gas prices as the excuse to do so. This indicates that it’s a change in public perception, not economic motivation driving sales, hence the record numbers for a high-priced luxury brand like Ducati.

Ducati

Suzuki Gemma 250 goes on sale in Japan

2008-07-03T02:02:10Z

We’re big fans of the Suzuki Gemma and its futuristic cruiser style. Based on the Burgman 250, it’s a little smaller, a little lighter and a lot better looking. The company defines the scoot as, “a fresh new vehicle for adult couples actively breezing their way in the city.” While most vehicles targeted at people like us are repulsive in their condescension, the Gemma is the right color, the right size and looks totally unique. Suzuki currently has no plans to sell the Gemma outside of Japan, but maybe if we ask nicely enough, they’ll change their minds. Please? More pictures follow the jump.
]]> Suzuki via Motociclismo

Honda VFR750R RC30 quality captured on film

2008-07-02T15:53:48Z

Every so often, Honda makes a bike with so much care and so much devotion that it's elevated into the ranks of all-time greats. The RC30 was one of those bikes. Click through to find out why.

]]>

2008 Honda CBR1000RR Vs. Palomar Mountain

2008-07-01T20:41:09Z

Photo: fensterbme

The 2008 Honda CBR1000RR is lighter and more powerful than ever before, but is it better? To find out, we take it to Palomar Mountain, home to roads so winding that power alone can’t conquer them.

Click below for the feature:
CBR1000RR Vs. Palomar

Want: Vemar Powerpuff Girls helmet

2008-07-01T20:11:08Z

Vemar

Yamaha developing CVT enduro bikes

2008-07-01T00:32:07Z

Photo: Lee Sutton

Yamaha has filed patents for an enduro bike fitted with a Continuously Variable Transmission. A CVT could be the ideal transmission for a small capacity dirt bike, enabling it to permanently remain within its limited powerband and eliminating the need for near constant gear changes. By employing two pulleys that constantly adjust through an infinite number of gear ratios in order to keep the revs at an optimal level, a CVT can make the most of the performance offered by an engine. Because they employ belts operating on cones, the transmission’s applications have so far been limited to relatively low-power applications that won’t cause the belt to slip or break, neither of which should be a problem on a single-cylinder dirt bike. There’s currently no information on which model Yamaha is interested in using a CVT on, but if we had to hazard a guess, it’d be a small capacity, high-mileage Honda CRF230L rival since the transmission would increase mileage, learner-friendliness and performance.

Yamaha via Gizmag

Side-Bike Celtik and Zeus to be manufactured in USA

2008-06-30T17:49:40Z

Trikes Grande Vitesse has announced that it will manufacture the Side-Bike Celtik and Zeus at its facility in Woodstock, New York. Sales should begin by next summer. Both trikes use car engines combined with space for multiple passengers and loads of luggage to create vehicles optimized for long-distance luxury touring.
]]> TGV originally looked at importing the vehicles from France, but the strong Euro and non-EPA certified engines made that financially impossible. It’s currently seeking an appropriate engine provider (Mazda and Mitsubishi are on the shortlist) for a high-power, high-economy 2.0-liter four-cylinder power plant. TGV also intends to manufacture the two-inch diameter steel tube chassis and carbon fiber bodies.

While the Celtik looks like a traditional trike and the Zeus looks like a sidecar, neither are what they seem. In the Zeus’s case, the engine is housed in the sidecar while the controls are operated from the bike. Passengers sit in the sidecar two abreast, while a third can sit behind the rider on the bike. The Celtik has room for two passengers behind the rider, while a huge tubular luggage case passes through the frame below them. Both vehicles are huge and should offer a totally unique riding experience. We’ll bring you more as the trikes near production.

TGV

Danuvia motorcycles reborn in Hungary

2008-06-30T15:57:42Z

Enterprising businessmen in Hungary have launched a new motorcycle brand with a classic name — Danuvia. A major player in their domestic market in the 1950s, Danuvia died off with its parent company Csepel, late in the decade. The new company riffs the firm’s historic off-road racing success with a road-legal flat tracker called the SupeRetro and a supermoto called Nova. Both use a 510cc Sherco single, high-specification components like Öhlins suspension and Brembo radials and weigh in at about 110kg.
]]> We’re seriously impressed with the apparent build quality and style of both bikes, but the SupeRetro in particular exudes the right mix of retro influence, but up-to-date design that we’d like to see from more (or any) factory flat track bikes.

Danuvia via TotalBike.hu Thanks for the tip, Árpád.

Aprilia Mana 850 and RS 125 to begin U.S. sales

2008-06-28T15:27:53Z

Aprilia has announced it will begin selling the Mana 850 and RS 125 in America. The bikes will premiere at the Laguna Seca US Grand Prix in July. This is big news as both bikes represent radical technical departures from other machines sold in this country.
]]> The Mana 850 is an 839cc standard bike equipped with a CVT transmission. Capable of operating in automatic or manual modes, it allows riders to shift through seven predetermined ratios via a traditional foot lever, buttons mounted on the left handlebar or to sit back and let the CVT do the work for them. The Mana also offers three selectable-on-the-fly engine maps, Sport, Touring and Rain. Each of the three optimizes power delivery and shift points for the kind of riding it's named after. The 90-degree v-twin mated to the CVT makes 76bhp and 54lb/ft of torque and uses a chain drive. Thanks to an underseat fuel tank, it also offers room for a full-face helmet underneath the fake tank cover.

You’ll probably already be familiar with Aprilia’s RS 125, the company's European learner-legal two-stroke race replica. It can make up to 30bhp, weighs 120kg and can reach nearly 100mph. While it won’t be road-legal in this country, certain U.S. dealers will be selling 2009 models as track-only bikes. We don’t know which model we’re looking forward to more.

Aprilia USA

250GP officially replaced with four-stroke 600s

2008-06-28T02:17:03Z

FIM made it official today in Assen. 600cc four-strokes will replace 250cc two-strokes in 250GP beginning in 2011. Further rules will be decided at some non-specific future date. Dorna’s full, but exceptionally brief, release after the jump.
]]> Replacement of the 250cc class

For application from 1.1.2011, the Grand Prix Commission accepted the following proposal, taken by the majority of members of MSMA: 4-stroke engines of 600cc maximum and 4 cylinders maximum. A request will be sent to all manufacturers. The candidatures of the manufacturers interested in taking part in the new class must be sent to the FIM and Dorna by July 31, 2008 at the latest. More precise technical specifications will then be discussed and established.

Dorna

Goodspeed500 to hold American races, partners with C&J Racing Frames

2008-06-27T17:00:11Z

Remember Goodspeed500? The gentleman’s parking lot–based urban race series announced itself to much enthusiasm last year but hasn’t yet held a race. It appears that raising the necessary capital to build the race bikes (modern street trackers with classic style), to secure appropriate venues and to find ways to promote itself sufficiently is taking longer than its creators, Dimitri Hettinga and Marcus van den Maagdenberg, initially thought. Now it seems they are fundamentally altering their plans in order to make the series come to fruition.
]]> The biggest change is the addition of American races (Dimitri and Marcus are Dutch). Initially excluded in favor of Europe-only venues, Goodspeed now sees the country as crucial to its success. This has come about, in part, because of a partnership with C&J Racing Frames, which will build the bikes. Developer of the Harley-Davidson XR 750 dirt track racer, C&J is uniquely positioned to construct the racers, bringing its expertise to optimizing Goodspeed’s design.

Dave Pearce of Tigcraft remains on board as a consultant. It’s Goodspeed’s intention to sell the road-legal 450cc bikes to the public. The machines will form a crucial part of the series’ business, think of them as the ultimate piece of merchandise, a bona fide race bike for the road. While they will remain flat track inspired, the bikes will be lighter, more road-ready, use 18” wheels, a saddle-style seat and feature numerous other differences to give them a unique appeal and ability.

Should Goodspeed500 come to fruition, and we think it will, it will herald an entirely new era of motorcycle racing, one that appeals to a young, urban, creative demographic alienated by most motorcycle makers and their lame marketing. By locating its races in the centers of key global cities and making them happening-focused, the traditional barriers to acceptance in this market — travel and broad appeal — are removed. Goodspeed isn’t the first company to try and do this, but unlike Red Bull and its imitators, it realizes exclusivity and a focus on participation are the key to an event like this moving from something that’s recognized into something that’s accepted.

Goodspeed is scheduled to hold its first race early next year. We’ll keep you updated as that date draws nearer, more details emerge and our entry into the series is confirmed.

Goodspeed

Take demographic survey, win original artwork

2008-06-27T03:12:52Z

Help us out by taking our demographic survey. It’s just a few short questions and we won’t store or sell any of your data. In return, one survey participant will be chosen at random to win this print. Created by Grant Ray for Expedition: Death Valley, it is printed on 13”x19" archive fine art photo paper. Number one of one, it’ll probably be worth money some day if Grant and I become rich and famous, which by taking this survey you’ll be helping out with, so it’s a win/win situation for everyone involved.

Click here to take survey