The competitors for the 91st Pikes Peak International Hill Climb have just concluded a two-day tire test at the Colorado road course, and it should perhaps come as no surprise that our boy Carlin Dunne has posted the outright fastest lap for a motorcycle during the tire test (the Santa Barbara native set the outright two-wheeled course record last year on his Ducati Multistrada 1200 S). What is surprising about Carlin’s result at the tire test is that he was on the Lightning Motorcycles electric superbike. That’s right, the fastest bike so far for 2013′s Race to the Clouds is a 200+ hp electric superbike that is refueled with solar energy. Petrol heads, eat your heart out.
Talking to the Indy Star, Mark Miles (CEO of Hulman & Co, the parent company to Indianapolis Motor Speedway) has put some doubt into the historic venue’s commitment to host the MotoGP Championship. Having a contract to run the race through the 2014 season, Miles said that IMS might opt-out of the final year in its agreement with Dorna (IMS apparently has this option for a brief window after the 2013 Indianapolis GP). However while the news has focused so far on IMS’s ability to opt-out, both Dorna and Indianapolis Motor Speedway have options in their contract to go through with the 2014 round, and with a bevy of variables in the air, we may or may not see three American GP rounds next year.
Surprise! America will be getting a 847cc three-cylinder naked bike for the 2014 model year, the 2014 Yamaha FZ-09. Replacing the Yamaha FZ8 in the Japanese company’s line-up, the FZ-09 is the first motorcycle from the tuning fork brand to sport the Yamaha’s new line of three-cylinder engines. The Yamaha FZ-09 comes about as the MIC is reporting its second-consecutive year of growth in the 751+cc sport bike segment, as well as increase in commuter riding over short-distance sport riding. With those trends in mind, Yamaha has punched out the displacement on its middleweight naked bike, and focused on giving riders a comfortable, yet stout, motorcycle. Priced at $7,990 MSRP, we think Yamaha hit the nail pretty much on the head with this one.
In the past few years I’ve come to believe that, while superior physical differences (their reflexes and fine motor skills) are significant, it’s the mental differences that are the most interesting. I suppose anyone who has ridden a motorcycle even a bit beyond one’s comfort zone can appreciate some part of the physical aspect of riding a racing bike. For most of us, even the speed of racers in local events is impressive compared to our street riding. While the skills with throttle, brakes, and balance are on a level similar to the best athletes in other sports, I think that what really sets motorcycle racers apart is their ability to overcome fear.
The progress in the last five years on electric motorcycles has been astounding. Taking their first laps around the Isle of Man TT Mountain Course, a 87.434 mph pace was the best an electric motorcycle could do at the prestigious road race in 2009 — a pace that was on par with the 50cc record set in 1971. In just five years after the first laps were taken by electric motorcycles at Snaefell, these machines have grown their average lap speeds by over 20 mph at the TT Zero race, setting a new record of 109.675 mph in 2013, and boasting a rate of improvement of roughly 5 mph each year since 2009. If hitting 142.2 mph down the Sulby Straight speed trap wasn’t further proof of the speeds these bikes are achieving, maybe some visual evidence will help support the notion.
Darius Glover is a dirt bike racer. Like you and me, he lives to ride, and when he is on two-wheels he feels the freedom that only other motorcyclists can truly understand. The thing is though, Darius is paralyzed from the waist down. Where others would give up their dreams and this sport, Darius at the age of 15 instead pushed onward. No pity parties, no excuses, just simply a daily example of where there is a will, there is a way, and a reminder that you can achieve anything that you put your mind to. It’s hard not to get a bit choked up listening to Darius tell his story, but you walk away feeling uplifted after feeling his attitude come across the screen.
Any race where 1,500 riders start, 500 qualify, and only 14 finish, has got to be an epic competition, and considering the fact that the Erzberg Rodeo starts in the excavation pit of an Austrian mine…well, it takes a special rider to be enticed by such an event. One such special rider is Graham Jarvis, who was the first of the fourteen men to reach the 20th and final checkpoint. Taking 2 hours and 52 seconds to complete the course, Jarvis made the 2013 Erzberg Rodeo look downright easy. However, with one look at the race-day conditions from this past weekend, we know it was anything but.
While normally, MotoGP fans never get enough of seeing Valentino Rossi on TV, there is one shot they would (for the most part) gladly be spared. As he leaves the pits, Rossi stands on the footpegs, and pulls his leathers from between his buttocks, before sitting back down again and leaving. These rituals – part useful limbering up, part invocation of Lady Luck – are something many riders perform, in their attempt to exert control over themselves, and over their environment. In a fascinating press release – by far the most interesting we have received in many months – the Aspar team today provided a discussion and explanation of what riders are trying to achieve through the use of these rituals.
Hoping to make it four wins in a row, it goes without saying that the MotoCzysz crew is working hard to close the gap to the John McGuinness and the Mugen team. However, having Team Principal Michael Czysz stuck back in the US, undergoing cancer treatments, must certainly add another level of motivation for the on-island MotoCzysz crew. Making time in their busy schedule, Asphalt & Rubber got to take some up-close photos of the 2013 MotoCzysz E1pc. The most obvious changes made to the MotoCzysz E1pc for the 2013 TT Zero race are the use conventional suspension pieces. Of course, it’s not a completely standard suspension setup, as MotoCzysz has developed its own adjustable triple clamp that incorporates tunable lateral flex parameters.
Max Biaggi is to make a surprise return to riding a MotoGP machine. The former 250 and World Superbike champion will take a seat on Ben Spies’ Ignite Pramac Ducati as part of a one-day test at Mugello, as part of Ducati’s testing program, according to Italian site GPOne. Spies was scheduled to stay on at Mugello to take part in a two-day test, but after the first day of practice at last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, it was clear to both Spies and Ducati that his shoulder was still too weak to ride a MotoGP machine. With work continuing on the Desmosedici, it was important for Ducati to get as much data as possible on their bike, and so Biaggi was offered the chance to ride the machine.
Didn’t Honda learn it’s lesson the first time they created the DN-01?
I kinda like CTX700N, but then again I am not planning to buy something like this. DN-01 was an over-priced experiment which fail miserably. Something like this could workout for new/women riders.
I kinda like the idea of boldly trying new things, but Honda seems to have the least talented designers in the business. I can’t think of another company that could come out with something THAT ugly and lame.
Affordable Diavel, don’t you think? Do you think marketing can convince the consumer it is a cruiser like Ducati did?
Ride Free
This is the reason (key) why Honda survive in two wheels business and even become one of the biggest in the world LOL
When my CB1100 gets here next month, I’m never going to let go of it.
Sometimes Honda hits a homerun. Other times I just scratch my head in disbelief.
ok..honda can you please develope bikes we really want and like…I mean you spend all this time on bikes like this and have done nothing to the 600 and 1000 except minor body work abs and BPF…I want a new litre bike now…..and not for 15 grand either damit
I don’t think that this bike is for existing motorcyclists. I think that Honda looked at the success that Harley has had selling its “‘Dark” series to hipsters
http://images.motorcycle-usa.com/PhotoGallerys/09_XL883_Iron_N_R.jpg
and they said “we want some of that.”
This bike also bears a striking resemblance to both the Harley V-Rod
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KJzNjXcppV4/ULByZ4v7f8I/AAAAAAAAAek/Peo6oiVjldk/s1600/harley-davidson-v-rod-06.jpg
and to the Ducati Diavel
http://media.emercedesbenz.com/magazine/wp-content/uploads/Ducati-Diavel-AMG-2.jpg
Unfortunately, at least to my eyes, I can’t say that that’s a good thing.
My first reaction was, it’s a Diavel’s baby brother. My second reaction was, Duh!
The unfaired one looks better, but they both need to slim down in the tail, it’s just way too bulky visually back there. As for comparing it to a Diavel, I’m just not seeing it. The Diavel is an over the top muscle bike, whereas this is designed to be practical accessible, and dull.
utter waste of time & money, good job honda
You know what I think we have here? Honda’s latest attempt to build a Cub for the 21st century. Something that will tempt more people into motorcycling and bring novice riders to the brand. Something unintimidating, friendly, easy to ride, practical and economical. I give them credit for that but…
The styling, while unfortunate, is intentional. It’s supposed to look modern and retro all at once and, I would argue, a bit scooter-like (the DN01 certainly went too far and was even more confused) because scooters don’t scare the hell out of timid non-riders like sport bikes or giant cruisers do.
What I’m saying is that these things ain’t meant for us. Unfortunately, I’m not sure the people they’re meant for actually exist, or at least not in big enough numbers to make these things a success. This ain’t the ’60s, if you haven’t noticed. People are far more safety obsessed today and most would much rather sit in the back of a cab driven by a lunatic than have to dice in traffic with one. Anything on two wheels is just not on the radar for most.
Who knows? I’m sure they’ll sell a few, but I don’t know where Honda thinks it’ll find an army of “near-riders,” all waiting to be convinced by a smiling 500-lb., auto-trannied jelly bean.
To me, you’re either a rider or you’re not. And the very idea of motorcycles being a bit dangerous is one of the things that makes you one.
I think there’s more potential in getting some of these hipsters to stay with riding after the fad runs its course.
The local dealer parking lot is a desert on any given day. This is one example of why. Despite increased sales to women, that demographic mostly prefer to ride the pillion and hopefully the metrosexuals will stay on the Metro.
It does not matter what UK, US or Europe thinks about these bikes.
These are for the millions of developing country riders that one day will be moving up from 110-150cc scooter into middle sized bikes. Budget bigger rides for developing nations.
These riders are familiar with scooters and there is not the stigma of scooters being lesser rides.
It also costs no more to sell a few units into developed nations (usually at higher prices).
Why doesn’t Honda hire an italian designer ?? There bikes are always so pig ulgy that I wander who is buying them.
Good point about developing markets (such as India) and areas where there are very tough displacement limits on operator licenses. That said, I think this will be a sales disaster in the USA. Taking a very good 700cc “standard” and then outfitting it with forward foot controls and a midget-friendly seat on it is just a dumb idea. This is like a design lesson in how to screw up a good design. I see only one buyer group for this in the USA — women under 5’4″ of the tats and leather persuasion. How big is the stumpy Ds on
Bs demographic?
I don’t completely agree about the CTX being wholly for developing markets, although I’m sure they’re very important in the product plan.
Honda has been trying to come up with a product that gets more people on to two wheels–no matter where they are. Women are certainly a prime target. I find that smart and admirable but I don’t necessarily agree with the insight, or the interpretation of the insight, that led them here.
No doubt, the NC700 and this thing are worlds better than the DN-01; they’re still motorcycles while providing some of the ease and convenience of a scooter–and they’re relatively cheap. I’m just not sure that there are a lot of people on the fence about getting on two wheels, certainly in North America and Europe. For those that are inclined to do it, I’m not sure these bikes will be the impetus to take the plunge for many of them.
I don’t know what I’m looking at here, I kind of like the CTX700N but even then with its heavy tail I’m getting a heavy vibe of “this is what the shadow750 would be if it wasn’t retro” that make me prefer standard naked.
Then the faired CTX700. My first though, with its straight exhaust and fairing bit was “with a higher screen this would be a next-gen silverwing!” Remember the Silverwing from the ’80s? The goldwing’s little brother, a lightweight tourer (and not a sport-tourer)? The NC700 engine is probably quite good at handling long rides, this might be something great if they develop it for that demographic (and if there is a market for that).
A light-tourer and a modern cruiser, even though it doesn’t appeal the conservative motorcyclist we almost all are, given the right marketing they might have something.
Kudos to Honda for at least trying, BMW did the same a couple years back and we ended with some great bikes like the F800 series and I fondly remember the G650X Country I wish I had bought…
I like them, not that I am known for having good taste or anything. They look like mini-power-cruisers. I bet they look pretty good in person as opposed to a photo on a white background. Considering V-Strom 650′s are bought as long range touring bikes I bet the CTX700 will at least get a few looks, and the N model is the better looking one, or at least more photogenic.
I own an NC700x and I was antisipating the NC700 coming in Honda red and hoped they would offer ABS with a manual trans, but instead they went over the top and gave us this. While it is not a bike I would want, it hits the nail square becuase of price. Every person I know has to own two cars, at least in the maried family, so the desire for a bike is a craigslist bargan that has been neglected. I bet this bike will be a hit because of high mileage low maintence, low monthly payments, and reliability Honda. Watch for a standard 700, please. But then the CB500 trio is an ace in the hole for Honda also.
Maybe the Pacific Coast PC800 was just 25 years too early.
Honda could’ve saved a lot of development dollars and just re-released that bike.
I don’t get all the hate everyone is spewing over this bike, I’ve been riding for years and see no need for companies to make carbon copy Harley cruisers or stupidly big cubic inch motors for city driving. I personally would like to see more manufacturers take a break from the norm and do their own thing. I look forward to test riding one and seeing how it rides. Not everyone wants a huge cruiser or a race replica. Good job Honda for having the Balls to not copy everyone. If it rides good, I will most likely buy one.
I belong to a sizable and increasing demographic – aging motorcycle touring riders. I am in my late 60′s and age related changes have taken away some things. I can’t see not riding, but my current ride is an old GL1200 that has just gotten too big for me. I want something smaller and lighter but with good touring capability and a straight up riding position. So far I have not found anything that fits the bill.
This could be just the ticket for those of us that need to downsize our ride but don’t want to give up too much of the comfort and carrying capacity of a full dresser. The only negative I see on this model is the tiny gas tank – 3.17 gallons? Really? What were they thinking? Well, Iin the 70′s I toured on a 750 with a 2.8 gal tank so I gues I can make do.
I have been waiting for such a long time for a bike like this.
I will be the first to buy this. Same when automatic cars where developed. How many Automatic car do you see on the roads now versus standard?
I wonder why there are so much negative comments here.