2012 Honda RC213V Debuts in Malaysia

While Ducati Corse is busy playing hide-the-Desmosedici at Sepang, HRC is all business in Malaysia this week, and has debuted its 2012 Honda RC213V MotoGP-contender. Honda isn’t saying too much about the RC213V, simply stating that the race bike is all new, but is also a continuation of the company’s design with the 800cc Honda RC212V. Testing the Honda RC213V over the course of last season, reigning-World Champion Casey rode the new 1,000cc machine three times in 2011, while teammate Dani Pedrosa swung a leg over the RC213V twice (missing one test because of injury).

No, This is the “90%” New Ducati Desmosedici GP12

You may have been misled by some eager journalists today and yesterday, if you saw a Ducati Corse livery-clad Ducati Desmosedici GP12 that some sites were passing off as the first shots of the “90% new” GP12. With the alleged new GP12 looking surprisingly similar to the aluminum-framed “GP0″ that was tested at Valencia, Valentino Rossi’s mechanic has now Alex Briggs confirmed that the photos taken were not of the all new “GP12 Phoenix” that the factory team will race this season. While the Ducati lords can taketh away, they can also giveth, and Valentino Rossi himself has posted the first photo of the factory Desmosedici GP12, and the bike is clearly different.

Zero Motorcycles Commences 2012 Model Line Production

Zero Motorcycles has announced the full-commencement of production for its 2012 model line, which is expected to hit dealers in February & March of this year. First off the line was the 2012 Zero DS back in December, though the electric motorcycle company has recently started building the Zero S, Zero XU, Zero X, and Zero MX at its Scotts Valley facility as well. A story we broke back in November, Zero Motorcycles debuted its important 2012 electric motorcycle line up at the 2011 EICMA show in Milan, with the 2012 range being a substantial improvement upon the company’s previous offerings.

The Dainese D-Air Racing Airbag Suit Comes to America

Getting a look at Dainese & AGV’s 2012 collection, Asphalt & Rubber was down in Orange County earlier this week to see the highly anticipated Dainese D-Air Racing leather suit, which has a four liter airbag system that helps reduce the risk of injury during a motorcycle crash. Dainese has been working on the D-Air Racing system for 10 years now, and after soft-launching the airbag suit in Europe, the Italian company is ready to bring the game-changing technology to American soil.

I Love the Nightlife. I’ve Come to Boogie.

Us Danes, we’re a strange breed. From the culture that taught you how to rape and pillage, Scandinavia is making yet another contribution to the motorcycling world with this latest video. Featuring Danish Supermoto Champion Andreas Mikkelsen, we get a RoToR camera-esque perspective (this rig is actually home made) on the Dane’s practice session at the Als Supermotard Club in Denmark. It’s videos like this that are slowly eroding my will-power to resist getting into supermotard riding. Also, I don’t know who was in charge of the music selection on this thing, but my hat is off to him/her. I love the nightlife. I’ve come to boogie.

Confirmed: KTM 350 Duke in 2013 – Moto3 Inspired 350cc Sport Bike in 2014

Our friends over at IndianCarsBikes.in were in attendance at the KTM 200 Duke launch in India this week, as the Austrian brand launched its somewhat bigger-displacement version of the popular KTM Duke 125. During the press event, KTM talked about the future of the mini-Duke line and its product roadmap for the emerging country, as well as abroad. With the Austrian brand confirming/clarifying that KTM would release a KTM 350 Duke for India in 2013, zie Austrians also confirmed that the KTM 350 Duke would be built locally in India by Bajaj, but would be exported worldwide — allaying fears that the KTM 350 Duke would be an India-only model.

Why Today is the Most Important Day for Ducati…Ever

Now that the first Ducati 1199 Panigale has rolled out of the door in Bologna, the die is cast, the chips are in play, and our course is set to see if Ducati has created a “massive breach of brand trust and honesty.” The realization of course should be that Ducati’s brand was never in danger with bikes like the Hypermotard, Multistrada 1200, or Diavel. Instead, the danger of serious brand dilution has always rested on how Ducati handled its Superbike line. A failure to produce a two-wheeled machine that is both as striking visually as it is kinetically, could permanently alienate a loyal fan base that has endured a great deal in the past half-decade.

Video: Community + Motorcycles = Motomethod

There is a lot that can be said about why dealerships fail or succeed (we’ve already seen an interesting insight on the subject of shops being open on Sundays), and one aspect on how to be a successful dealership that will surely rise to the top is one of community. Here, Vancouver-based Motomethod is all about the community, as the do-it-yourself community garden style repair shop has become a place for British Columbian riders not to work on their motorcycles, but also to congregate together with a shared love of riding on two wheels. Not exactly a new concept business-wise, but still a fresh perspective in an otherwise unwilling to change industry. More on this thought process to be published in the coming weeks. Enjoy.

Karel Abraham Releases Ducati Desmosedici GP12 Details: 999cc, 250hp, & 360 km/h Top Speed

After testing for three days at Jerez with Carlos Checa and Franco Battaini, Ducati Corse may not be saying much about the new Ducati Desmosedici GP12, but that hasn’t stop Karel Abraham from releasing some details about the new Italian steed today. The “official” technical specifications of MotoGP race bikes are always a bit vague, and Ducati Corse has unsurprisingly stuck to that trend with the GP12. Stating horsepower in the 250hp range, 15hp more than what was quoted for the GP11, Ducati also lists a top speed of over 360 km/h, up from the GP11′s 340+ km/h quoted figure.

Husqvarna Baja Concept Breaks Cover

Husqvarna continues its push into the on-road market, and has debuted another concept while at the New York IMS show today. Already showing us the Husqvarna Moab Concept in Milan, the folks at Husky have continued the thought process with the Moab, and built a more off-road capable dual-sport, which they are calling the Husqvarna Baja Concept. Another modern-take on retro design, the Baja concept carries over with it many of the Moab’s bigger design features, while sporting a 19″ knobby front tire for better off-road use. Husqvarna simply states that the concept uses a four-stroke liquid-cooled 650cc single-cylinder motor (same as the Moab), which surely will be sourced from BMW’s G650GS.

Concept: Subaru WRX Powered “KickBoxer”

Mon, October 26th, 2009 @ 6:02 pm, by Jenny Gun8 COMMENTS
Home » Bikes » Concept: Subaru WRX Powered “KickBoxer”

What you see above is the work of one Ian McElroy. It’s a render, done in SolidWorks, of a concept motorcycle that has a Subaru WRX motor at its core. With twin-intercoolers, underseat turbocharger, and a hub-steering chassis, the KickBoxer, as McElroy calls it, is an impressive looking machine, but what’s most impressive is that Ian didn’t know a lick of SolidWorks before he set out to make this design. Photos and spec’s after the jump.

Learning as he went along, McElroy painstakingly had to battle with not only fitting a car motor into a bike chassis, but also with operating the SolidWorks software. The result is a tasteful and eye-catching design that promises some punch (couldn’t resist that) when you twist the throttle.

Surprisingly in the concept, the motor & transmission from the Subaru don’t look nearly as looming as one would suspect. In his design, McElroy uses both front and rear single-sided swingarms, with perimeter rim disc-brakes. Reminiscent of the Confederate Wraith, the overall effect of the KickBoxer is a sportier, and probably better handling street shredder.

Should anyone decide to build this machine, please let us know.

Proposed Specifications of the KickBoxer:

Engine: stock Subaru WRX
Turbo: stock IHI
Wheels: 5Ziggen “ProRacer”
Wheelbase: 56.5″
Rake: 20 degrees
Right angle gearbox: from a Mitsubishi AWD car
Transmission: Baker Torquebox
Belt drive: BDL
Front hub: rear hub, 1980′s GM car
Rear axle: modified Datsun 280Z stub axle
Rear shock: aftermarket Buell type pull shock

Source: Flickr via The Kneeslider

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Tagged under: concept, design, Ian McElroy, KickBoxer, Subaru, subaru wrx

Comment:

Peter Lombardi says:
October 26, 2009 at 8:46 PM
this thing is sexy as hell!!!
-peter
FuzzyGalore says:
October 26, 2009 at 5:11 PM
RT @Asphalt_Rubber Concept: Subaru WRX Powered "KickBoxer" – http://bit.ly/340f3F #motorcycle
Asphalt_Rubber says:
October 26, 2009 at 10:03 PM
Concept: Subaru WRX Powered "KickBoxer" – http://bit.ly/340f3F #motorcycle
alex says:
October 27, 2009 at 9:27 AM
Nice one it’s really aggressive a little uncomfortable maybe with that tank there but good, maybe if he uses rhino or alias instead he would do something more organic still nice concept
SoCal Buell Riders says:
October 27, 2009 at 10:02 AM
A good-looking concept, but one minor point of correction –
Perimeter-mounted brakes are a Buell feature. Erik Buell’s patented ZTL (zero torsion load) brake system has been part of the Buell DNA for 10 years now. The Confederate Wraith has a single front disk brake, but it’s mounted conventionally, not on the perimeter.
Thanks for the great article. We wish bikes like this could get built!
John Adamo says:
October 27, 2009 at 6:56 AM
RT @Asphalt_Rubber: Concept: Subaru WRX Powered "KickBoxer" – http://bit.ly/340f3F #motorcycle
Jason J. Gullickson says:
October 27, 2009 at 7:59 AM
RT @Asphalt_Rubber: Concept: Subaru WRX Powered "KickBoxer" – http://bit.ly/340f3F #motorcycle (via @skadamo)
Jenny Gun says:
October 27, 2009 at 1:27 PM
Buell: The overall design reminds me of the Wraith, not the braking system.