Archive

September 2012

Browsing

If you want some more proof that Honda’s emerging larger and more “torqueful” two-wheeler, which is based on the Mid Series, is going to be one-part scooter and one-part motorcycle, then look no further than this screen capture of the slide Honda CEO Takanobu Ito used at the company’s end of the fiscal-year event.

While only a very vague sketch of sweeping lines, the image shows a shape that looks striking similar to the Honda DN-01 crossover, which also featured a scooter/motorcycle hybrid design. While Ito-san only talked about the machine in generalities, we do know that Honda’s new motorcycle will be suitable for commuting and touring, built in Honda’s flagship Kumamoto plant, and debut in the North American market.

While the fact that Honda is set to bring a MotoGP-inspired sport bike to market stole the show during Honda CEO Takanobu Ito’s end-of-the-fiscal-year speech, the Honda CEO also let drop the fact that Big Red is working to bring to market a larger and more “torqueful” version of its Mid Series (note the caps) maxi-scooter concept, which will debut first in the American market.

You may remember the Honda Mid Concept, a 700cc maxi-scooter design that debuted at EICMA in 2010. Featuring a smooth and fuel-efficient 700cc twin-cylinder motor, the Mid-Concept gave rise to pragmatic bikes like the Honda NC700S & Honda NC700X, which used the maxi-scooter’s 700cc Integra motor in their design.

Zero Motorcycles has issued a recall for 2012 Zero S & 2012 Zero DS electric motorcycles. Affecting 315 units, the recall is for a motor encoder position signal, which may drift over the course of the motorcycle’s use. If the signal drifts outside of the given parameters, the motor controller may shut off, resulting in the Zero inadvertently losing power.

Obviously, if the motor cuts out power unexpectedly, it could result in a loss of control of the motorcycle, which could lead to a crash for the rider. Zero Motorcycles will notify affected owners, and Zero dealers will reprogram the motorcycle’s motor controller free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on September 24, 2012.

Concerned owners may contact Zero Motorcycles at 1-888-786-9376, As always the NHTSA is available at 1-888-327-4236 and safercar.gov.

Infront Motor Sports and the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca have agreed to a three-year contract, which sees World Superike racing returning to the coastal California circuit. The American round for the 2013, 2014, and 2015 WSBK seasons, Laguna Seca replaces Miller Motorsports Park, with this announcement, as the sole-destination for the premier production motorcycle racing class.

Returning back to Laguna Seca after an eight-year hiatus, Infront cites that Seca’s vital location near the motorcycle industry, as well as its rising attendance as the main reasons for the switch from Miller. However, we think US fans will agree though that Miller provided an excellent venue for WSBK, and that the World Superbike Championship could benefit from having more than one American-based round, especially considering how many stops on its calendar are still in Europe.

KTM continues to be the harlot of the motorcycle industry, as the Austrian company has again spread its legs open for our ever-growing two-wheeled lust — this time in the form of the 2013 KTM 1190 Super Duke. Some more “spy photo” nonsense, the KTM 1190 Super Duke is seen here in its unfinished prototype form, though we certainly won’t have to wait long before the bike’s official unveiling in a few weeks at INTERMOT.

Expected to get a de-tuned version of the KTM 1190 RC8 R motor, one can likely expect that KTM 1190 Super Duke to share its engine with the already leaked and debuted KTM 1190 Adventure. If that is the case, expect a torquey 147hp machine that should slot in nicely with competitors like the Ducati Streetfighter and Aprilia Tuono V4 R.

It has been a long time coming with this announcement, but Honda has finally officially announced that work has begun on what is presumed to be a V4 sport bike. In the same vein as the Honda RC30 that was introduced back in 1987, Honda has apparently seen the light, and according to the company’s own words, the company has started “with a goal to create a new history.”

Announcing the new model in his end-of-the-fiscal year speech, Honda CEO Takanobu Ito was terse with his words in describing the new Honda sport bike, but referencing the RC30 project, along with heavy rumors that we have been hearing about a V4 street bike project in the works that was being based of Honda’s MotoGP program — this almost assures that the bike referenced is a V4 superbike based loosely on the RC213V race bike.

Believe me when I say, no one hates a squid on a sport bike more than a law-abidding motorcyclist, and after watching the videos after jump of the 10th Annual “Streetfighterz Ride of the Century,” we can’t help but roll our eyes as we yet again see a bunch of morons with a motorcycle endorsements popping wheelies and riding on the highway’s shoulder, all while clad in next-to-nothing gear. These are the type of motorcyclists we have a supreme hatred for, since nine times out of ten, they are doing far too good of a job at giving the rest of us a bad name.

That being said, the actions seen here by some Missouri Highway Patrol and the St. Louis County police officers is downright reproachable, if not criminal in our eyes. Did these BikerBoyz wannabes deserve some righteous ticketing? Yeah probably. Do they need a schooling in proper roadside etiquette and a re-education on the basic principals of ATGATT? Absolutely. But did 5-0 cross the line when they started intentionally ramming motorcyclists who weren’t with their squad cars, including bikes that were being ridden two-up with a blameless passenger on-board? You’re god damn right they did.

The provisional MotoGP calendar has taken a little longer than normal to appear. An initial calendar had been expected at Brno in late August, but no calendar was forthcoming at the Czech Grand Prix.

The next rumored date for the calendar to be released was the weekend of the Misano round of MotoGP, but once the paddock assembled at Misano, it became apparent it would emerge a few days later – we where then told by an IRTA representative that the calendar would be announced on Tuesday or Wednesday this week.

On Tuesday, the Austin Statesman newspaper reported that the calendar would be out on Friday, but the excessive enthusiasm of Loris Capirossi saw the former racer and current MotoGP safety advisor leak the 2013 calendar on his Twitter page on Thursday night.

Yesterday, we broke the news that Ducati’s second-generation Testastretta 11° motor features a dual-spark configuration, and we got a bit of flak in the comments section of that article over that claim. Well, today Ducati has released the technical specifications of the 2013 Ducati Multistrada 1200 line, and the Italian company has confirmed a dual-spark setup in what it is now calling the Testastretta 11° DS engine.

The new Testastretta 11° DS engine is mostly the result of the ever-tightening emissions standards in Europe, though the 2013 Ducati Multistrada 1200 (along with the other bikes that will get the Testastretta 11° DS engine) benefits from a smoother power delivery, as well as increased mid-range power and torque. Accordingly, peak torque on the Multistrada 1200 goes from 87.5 lbs•ft to 91.8 lbs•ft for 2013. Zesty.

If you are anything like us, yesterday’s announcement of the revamped 2013 Ducati Multistrada 1200 line left more questions than answers. Semi-active suspension on a Ducati? A Second-generation Testastretta 11° motor? Give us the deets Bologna! Surely both these changes are going to make it beyond just the MTS 1200 in the Ducati model line-up, yet Borgo Panigale is mums the word on what these changes are exactly, beyond their actual existence.

We do have some clues however, since Ducati released photos of the 2013 Ducati Multistrada 1200 S Pikes Peak2013 Ducati Multistrada 1200 S Granturismo motorcycles. A close look at the forward-facing cylinder head shows a feed for a second spark plug (2013 model on the left, 2012 model on the right), while the absence of the usual obnoxiously gold-colored forks raises some eyebrows as to whom Ducati is using to source its new “Skyhook” semi-active suspension.

Ducati Corse director and Ducati’s engineering guru Filippo Preziosi was a busy man at Misano. Besides overseeing the race weekend at the circuit and preparing for the test on Monday, Preziosi spent a lot of time talking to a number of journalists. I was one of the lucky few who were offered ten minutes with Preziosi, and so I jumped at the chance.

In the interview, Preziosi covered a number of topics: the Ducati junior team strategy, Ducati’s four riders for 2013, the current and expected developments for next season were all among the subjects discussed. Preziosi also talked about the effect of the spec ECU, which will be introduced for 2014, and gave the impression he was not necessarily opposed to the idea. After the jump is what Preziosi had to say.